Ok so I want to say a big sorry for my delay in posting this chapter. Unfortunately a lot of RL got in my way and I didn't have the time to focus on Last Request. I didn't think it was fair to not give each chapter my best shot. A big massive thank you goes out to Jo (who's currently writing me a lovely little Supernatural ditty as I speak) who tortured and persuaded me as much as she could lately for me to get this chapter up and out. She does a wonderful job at Beta, but I had the last glance, so any mistakes are my own.
A lot of you asked for Eric pov and I've tried to capture him here. Just a note, I've taken him right back to the beginning but I wont be re-writing the whole thing over again from his perspective. This is Sookie's story (and my fantasy) however so any snippets of Eric's mind will be short. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed. I hope its not as long a wait for the next chapter. (I'm working on it already!)
Enjoy.
Eric POV
"Man, get your lazy ass out of your pit!"
I groaned, I didn't know what time it was, and frankly, I didn't give a fuck. I rolled over and burrowed deeper into my pillows. "Fuck off Claude!" I mumbled.
"No way, you told me to get you up and get you up I will." Claude was my best friend but right now I would happily send him to sleep with the fishes. I laughed to myself at my own bad joke. "Right, that's it. You have a choice. Coffee, or water?"
I sat up. My hair was in my mouth. My eyes were half stuck together. It was still dark. "Its still dark." I voiced my last thought. My throat rasped like I had imbibed the contents of Ghandi's sandal.
"Its 5.36. You told me to wake you at 5.30, I gave you a six minute lie in." Claude grinned. He was pleased with himself. I hated him.
"Fuck off moron." I wasn't in the mood for Claude. I was in the mood for rolling over and going back to sleep. And my throat fucking hurt! What had I been drinking last night again?
"Tour bus man. Get washed, get dressed and get in the fucking car. We're on the road." He shouted the last part as he walked out the door. I lay back down. He was right though, I had to get up or Pam would be so far up my ass I would be snacking on those fucking pastries she was so fond of. And chewing my own ass. Now that was confusing.
I got up and headed towards the bathroom. The water was cool on my skin but I didn't adjust the temperature. Even my cock was still asleep it was so early. I hate this part of touring. The first day. The first fucking morning. And the rest of them.
Before I knew it I had staggered my way to the tour bus via various people whom I grunted greetings to. I had only one target. Sofa. I only had one idea. Sleep.
It was leather and black and I didn't care about much else. I popped my iPod on and rolled my finger through the music till I found something I thought appropriate. Led Zeppelin, that'll do. I lay back into the sofa and let Black Dog take me on a journey to a different world. I was about to allow my body to drift asleep when I feet a boot nudge my leg. I opened my eyes.
Fucking Victor. I decided I hated him too.
"I got the books ready to go man." He said as he settled down beside me. I looked at my watch. 6.59. Great. I haven't even eaten yet and this fucking retard was trying to fuck my day up. "Yes sir, we're doing the usual, first person to get laid, how many women will Northman sleep with, or copulate with…whatever suits you, first to score a joint off a fan, first to get…" I tuned the drone out. One ear was still listening to Led Zeppelin and I was happy for it, made it easier to ignore Victor. "So what do you think?" He asked grinning at me.
"I think that I'll have a look later when I'm more awake man. Right now I just wanna' fucking sleep."
Vic muttered something as he got up and walked away, no doubt looking for some poor bastard to bore to death. As good as a sleep sounded however, I decided against it. It would be detrimental to my appearance to sleep on the bus. I would end up with a marker pen moustache or my boots tied together or chocolate down my crotch or some other silly bastard prank I quite frankly could be bothered with right now.
I sat up and forced myself to stay awake. I changed my music to an older Nirvana album and settled back into the soft leather. When the rhythm of the bus engine kicked in below my body I couldn't help but smile. Back on the road. Where I should be. I felt the bus make a move, turn a slight corner and stop.
What. The. Fuck.
Clancy shot up like a snake had just bit him on the arse. He was downstairs before Pam even got out of her seat. She glared towards me before whipping down behind him. I had to laugh at her determination. Pam hated Clancy. Always had. Clancy fancied the arse off of Pam. Always will. It would never work out between them. Clancy lacked the equipment that Pam preferred to play with.
It was then that I noticed her. Sookie Stackhouse her name was. I met the girl last week at Sophie-Anne's party. I had my arse chewed about her too and I hadn't even kissed her. It seems Sophie-Anne was protective of her new prodigy. I got up and made my way slowly towards her.
When I slid into the seat beside her Sookie jumped visibly and looked around her. She looked like a deer in the headlights. "How's your blogging coming along?" I asked her. I wanted to calm those little nerves. For now. Later on I wouldn't mind getting on those nerves. Her big blue eyes were shy as they flicked to me from under her long lashes. Man she was beautiful. I watched as those pretty lips told me something, anything, I wasn't sure what she told me but I noticed my name had yet to come from those full lips. I asked her why and her response was one of the most delicious things I have ever heard. "You were behaving." I heard her say. She said something before that but I wasn't sure quite what.
"I can be bad if you want." I said. Promised.
"Oh, I'm great just the way I am thanks very much Eric." She said, her voice hitched over my name, like sweet music.
"Any time you want Lover, just shout and I'll misbehave." Game on Northman.
For as long as I live I will never understand women. Any women. In any shape or form. Any age. Hell any sexual preference.
I am Eric fucking Northman and I was sitting with my back to a bathroom door in Las Vegas. One Sookie Stackhouse was inside the bathroom crying her eyes out. I said something but I don't know what it was. Sure things had been uncomfortable when I walked in the room and she was curled in a ball with tear stains on her face from what the bitch had wrote in the paper.
I had just got her calmed down, hell I had even got a giggle from her and one of those big smiles. Then some small talk and now this, her in the bathroom weeping her eyes out and me, well I was sitting here numbing my butt and trying to talk her out of the bathroom.
Yes, women confused me. Even the small ones. I pulled out my phone and flipped to the photographs, and there were those big blue eyes, that cheeky grin, those blond curls. Yes, women most definitely confused me. I ran my finger over the tiny face. I could feel the emotions well up in me, and I let my head fall back and thump the door. I let her memory overwhelm me for a long moment and then I concentrated on pushing those emotions back down into that place where I kept them away from everything. The memory of the night Victor told me to use my pain to write flashed before my eyes. Clancy had agreed with him. I swear it took Claude, Tray and Alcide to trail me off him. Even Pam was screaming at me and Pam does not scream.
My thoughts were interrupted when I should have been paying attention. Thinking about one mess while I should have been fixing another one. The door suddenly snapped open, I fell back and the only thing that saved the floor from smashing my skull to bits was her feet encased in big fluffy slippers.
I looked up from my position on my back on the bathroom floor. Her tear stained face glared down at me.
"I want you to go." She said as her hands went to her hips. She was wearing sweat shorts and a cute little tee. She looked funny from my position, her face was upside down.
"Why?" I asked, pouring all the calm I had into my voice.
"Because I don't want to see you anymore. You hurt me Eric. I never want to see you again on anything other than a professional level."
"Why?" I asked again. Perhaps I was willing to irritate her but I didn't care. Maybe if she told me what I said that annoyed her so then perhaps I could somehow fix it.
"I will not be bet on again!" She screamed at me.
I sat up, then I stood up. I was replaying the conversation we had in my head. I tried to make her laugh with the betting books, I tried to tell her that last year Pam had beaten all the guys to getting herself some inconsequential sex with a fan.
"Sookie, we never bet on you. I would never do that. You share our home, our lives, our bus." Someone had hurt Sookie before I realised. "Its against the rules. The bets are just for fun you see, the money goes to whatever you want to use it for. You know Clancy and Victor were so pissed at Pam last year because she donated the money to charity. You're on the bus so its within your rights to place bets. It's a bit of fun, it passes the time for us, some more than others, and I don't give a flying fuck about results. How many times do you think I have ignored those books when I've fulfilled one of the bets. Claude too, hell between the two of us we could have the books closed in an afternoon if we tried hard enough."
I saw her mouth twitch, and I was sure she was trying to hide a smile. She stepped back and my head made a soft clunk on the floor. I groaned as she stepped over me and walked out of the bathroom. What did this girl do to me.
I got up and followed her into the bedroom. She was sitting on she edge of the bed. As I came into sight she lifted her beautiful face to me. "Eric." she said. I walked over to her and took her chin between my finger and thumb.
"I'm on stage in less than 2 hours Sookie. We'll talk later. Meet me after the gig. Treasure Island." I said. She nodded her head a little and we discussed where to meet. I dropped my head and pressed my mouth to hers in a hard bruising kiss. She was shocked at first when my teeth nipped her bottom lip, and just when she started to respond I pulled myself back and walked away. "This isn't over." I promised her over my shoulder.
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SPOV
I left before Last Request finished their last song. Vesper was one of my favourite songs but I wanted to have a drink before Eric found me for that chat. I was worried I would be weak. I also wanted to get my nerves settled before he arrived. I caught a cab to Treasure Island and plonked myself on a bar stool like we agreed when I got there. A pirate behind the bar noticed me and made his way over. He bowed elaborately in front of me.
"Charles Twining at yer service m'beautiful lady." He said. He was wearing a hat, a ruffled shirt and leather boots. A patch was over his left eye and a fake parrot was on the same shoulder. I giggled at him and it seemed to please him.
"Hello. How's the pirating?"
"Privateering." He corrected. I giggled again. "Alas 'tis not good m'lady. I, as you can see, have reverted to the tavern to earn a crust of bread, a cup of rum and a roof over my head. What can I get you?" He grinned to me. I decided I liked him.
"Oh just a gin and tonic."
"Gin for a beautiful lady like you? If I may be as bold to suggest, perhaps an exciting cocktail for you instead while you wait. You are meeting someone?"
"How did you know that?" I asked.
"Ah, the old checking the watch and phone, and looking around is a clear give away."
"Then a cocktail it is." I giggled again. I watched him in an almost daze as he threw together a drink which ended up purple. With a giant flourish he set it on a neat little white napkin in front of me. "Now, tell me what your name is?" He asked me grinning. I could see gold teeth.
"Sookie." I told him. I felt a little uncomfortable telling a complete stranger my surname so I left it out.
"Then this is a Splendid Sookie." He told me. "Enjoy." He walked up the bar a little to serve three women who had just come in. One girl was wearing a Last Request tour tee. I spent my time checking my watch, my phone and the clock on the wall. In between that I looked around the bar. It wasn't a particularly busy night and Charles Twining and another pirate were busy chatting in between serving people. I had another cocktail while waiting for Eric. I was halfway through it when I felt a finger brush along the small of my back. He sat on the stool beside me, but facing me. His knees were trapping me.
"Hey." He grinned to me. He had changed from a gray AC DC tee shirt he was wearing on stage to a black button down shirt. It was open halfway down and I could see the light blond hair peeking through.
"Hi." I said. I felt shy all of a sudden. Was this a date? Was last night a date too? I wasn't all that sure anymore.
"What are you drinking?" He asked me eyeing the purple cocktail suspiciously.
"It's a Splendid Sookie." He raised his eyebrow at the name. "Charles made it for me." I grinned nodding over to Charles. He waved back at me in greeting and came over to take Eric's drink order. Eric watched him with an unreadable expression on his face. He kept his hand on the small of my back.
"What can I get for you?" Charles asked Eric with a slight bow.
"I think I'll try one of these Splendid Sookie's." Eric told Charles. Charles beamed back at him.
"Excellent choice my good man!" Charles said and began to mix the drink for Eric. We watched him quietly.
"When I was a student I worked in a bar." Eric told me when the cocktail was in front of him. "Claude worked there too. Pam got so drunk one night she danced on the bar Coyote Ugly style. It was hilarious." Eric was grinning at the memory. "That was the night Clancy tried to kiss her. She didn't take to kindly to it. She punched him square in the jaw."
I laughed at the thought of Pam drunk. "And then what happened?" I asked, still giggling.
"She went home with me and Clancy was royally pissed. That's why he doesn't like us." Ah, so Pam and Eric have been together, that explains a lot. Eric must have noticed the look on my face because his eyes widened. "We haven't been together for years, we don't make a good couple you see."
"I don't mind what you've done in the past Eric." I told him. A shadow passed his eyes briefly but he hid it quickly and I didn't question it. We had plenty of time to get to know each other. "Just, you see if you want me…don't do that to me."
"Sookie. I have never cheated on a woman in my life and I don't intend to start now." His voice was husky and tight. His eyes were intense, like burning ice glaring right into my soul. I believed him.
"Oh." Was all I could say. My tummy was doing tight little flips. He lifted the cocktail and took a tentative sip.
"This is disgusting!" He said, his face screwed up. "How do you drink this?"
I giggled and took a big sip of my own. "I like it. Its nice."
He just grunted and waved to Charles. "Get me a cold beer and a Jack on Ice." Once Eric had taken a long gulp of his beer he turned to me. "Right, what shall we talk about Lover?"
"Last Request. Tell me all about how you guys got together." I was curious. His chatting about Clancy earlier had intrigued me. I didn't want to talk about this afternoon just yet. Soon though.
"It's a long story." He warned me.
"I'm here all night." I told him. I wanted to forget it all, the stupid hurtful comments, the photograph. "Take it from the top."
He laughed at me using one of Alcide's favourite lines. "Well, back in the day when I was a little younger, a little sweeter and a little more innocent." I snorted at this, he ignored me "I was friends with a guy called Claude. We worked the same bar together in our first year. When we knocked off we would sit around together. I would play guitar and he would sing along. I used to play in a band with Tray when I first started collage and when he was at high school he was in a band with Alcide. Victor roomed with Claude. That's how we all knew each other." He paused as Charles replaced our drinks. I grabbed my cocktail and took a long sip. It tasted real good. Eric was looking into his own glass, swirling the amber liquid over the ice. I laid my hand on his thigh. His gaze transferred to my hand. Then he looked up at me. I let my fingers squeeze a little on his leg. I wanted to hear more of his story. His hand covered mine.
"You know, all this time I'm shocked I never asked more details about you guys starting off the band."
"Guess there was always something else to ah…distract you Lover." He said to me. I shivered. "Anyway, Claude was trying to sing like Kurt Cobain one night while Tray was there. My guitar was an old fender my dad gave me when I was younger. Tray started drumming his fingers, told us he wished he had his drum kit he would join us. Next thing I knew we were arranging a session. He said he had a mate who played bass like a demon on speed. Well we got him in on it and Claude brought along his friend for the fun of it. We played covers to start with, to get used to each other. Then at a bus stop one night I had a rhythm I couldn't get out of my head. Claude was making up his own poetry, and it was pretty shit. For poetry anyway. It worked brilliantly with the music we put together. We spend that winter with occasional study and plenty of song writing." He drained the last of his beer as Charles set a fresh glass down. I only had a little left of my cocktail. Charles noticed that too because he was mixing me a new one.
"You two kids make a cute couple." He told us, filling Eric's glass.
"You think?" Eric asked. His voice was a bit slurred. He was smiling instead of that usual smirk. I liked when he smiled, he was so sexy. Of course the smirk was sexy too, it was one of those fuck me smirks that made me clinch my thighs. It gave me nasty thoughts too. Like what I would like to do to those lips when they smirked at me.
"Oh aye. You here to get wed?" He asked, scratching his eye patch and thankfully distracting me from my naughty thought of Eric's lips. Eric laughed and I joined him. Married, no way.
"We're just having a drink Pirate." Eric said. Charles laughed and went to tend to a few gamblers across the bar from us.
"So, where does Pam and Clancy come into it?" I asked.
"Ah, Pam. Well she was doing a business degree. Clancy was too, different course though. We told Pam we needed a manager and she agreed, when she got us our first gig we all took a cut. Clancy became tour manager a little later when we got more popular. By then Pam had introduced us to Sophie-Anne. Sophie-Anne was studying English and French Literature. Strange for she who had just became president of her own record company."
I began to notice that Eric's face was getting thinner as he talked. I had to squint my eyes really hard to focus on his face. And his eyes. He looked a little far away too. I was shocked to find my glass empty. Charles was there in a second filling it back up. Tonight I was a glass half empty kinda gal!
"Now, I've got a special cocktail in mind for my two favourite customers." Charles announced all of a sudden.
"Oh yes?" Eric turned to him, grinning. He was so drunk. I think I was a little drunk too but that didn't matter. I was getting a new cocktail. "And what, pray tell will this new concoction be Matey?"
"Ah hah! That, m'boy, is the question." Charles said. His eyes, or eye sparkled. I wondered what was under the patch. I was sure it was another eye. I mean he had gold teeth but surely the man hadn't poked his eye out. Had he? Gross. If he had that was.
"I wonder what it'll be?" I asked as I leaned closer to Eric. I rested my hand heavily, but not steadily on Eric's leg again, or maybe it had been there all the time…I wasn't sure. I decided that I was definitely drunk. I didn't mind.
"It'll be the Last Request." He whispered to me. I giggled. I could smell the whiskey on his breath and it was so sexy. His chin was rough from stubble, it had probably been a couple of days since he shaved. I was sure kissing him would be wonderful. I was so sure of it I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his. He responded instantly. His lips parted and brushed against mine. I could feel his warm hand come up and calloused fingertips brushed softly against my cheek.
I sighed against him but pulled away when I felt Charles pause beside us. We looked around to see a big glass with a milky liquid in it. There were two straws in it, one pink, one blue. Various colourful accessories stuck out of the glass. On the rim hung two little figures, one on each side. What looked like a little man in black hung on the side closest to me and one in white was on the side next to Eric.
"It's the wedding cocktail." Charles announced.
"Oh!" I said. I wanted the blue straw but so did Eric. We bickered and argued over it but I won 'cause I'm the girl and Eric told me he was a gentleman. We lowered our mouths at the same time to the straws, and I giggled when Eric took the pink one in his mouth.
It tasted divine. I wasn't sure exactly what was in it, perhaps coconut…I don't know and I don't care. What I do know is that it was really, really good.
"You know if we got married it would uncomplicated a lot of things." Eric teased.
"Yes." I agreed. "Like we could bypass all the stupid embarrassing dating nonsense and just get down to it!" I slipped the straw back into my mouth and took another drink.
"I like how you think Sookie my little darling. Would you like to be my wife? Kiss me hello every morning?"
"I'd make a good wife." I nodded encouragingly. "I can cook well, and I make great pie, and I like to clean, I would love to look after you. I'd look after you well. I would definitely kiss you hello every morning. And maybe more!" I teased. I was in a teasing mood.
"Would you?" His eyes were wide as he looked at me.
"I would." I told him, putting my hand on his rough cheek. He turned and kissed the palm of my hand. I shivered, it felt good his soft lips were such a contrast to his rough cheeks.
"Would you make love with me?" He asked. He was close to me, his voice was rough. "Would you really wake every morning with me? In my arms?"
"I…I would." I said. Our foreheads almost touched.
"Good to hear!" Charles snapped us out of our trance. "Cab's a waiting!" He announced.
"Huh?" I asked.
"To take you to the wedding chapel." Charles said. "I have witnesses waiting for you."
"Oh." My head was a little fuzzy. Eric was frowning. I was sure perhaps this was a bad idea but I couldn't figure out why. If I couldn't find a reason, why should I not do it. Right.
Eric handed Charles his card and paid the tab and before I could blink I was getting out of a cab to see the cutest little church I had ever laid eyes on. Bright lights were all around it. I wondered if I fell asleep in the cab.
"Come on in honey." Tina Turner said, putting her arms around me. Eric was a little in front of me and suddenly he bent over. He had a great butt, and I told him so. He grinned as he scooped up the phone he just dropped and winked at me. The little noise Tina made in her throat sounded like she agreed with me. I glared at her to stop ogling what was all mine.
"You got a great butt too lover." He grinned. "Right, going to call Pam and get her down here for the biggest night of our lives."
"Oh" I said as I signed a few papers and was escorted towards the alter. Elvis waited for us. How cool was this. "Hope Pam doesn't miss it." I told Eric.
"Well I just sent her a text so she should be here as soon as possible!"
I took Eric by the hand and grinned at Elvis.
"Dearly beloved…" Elvis began, curling his lip and raising an eyebrow.
