"Well come on mate. Let's take a walk down to the pub and celebrate."
Spike
lit a cigarette and grinned as they walked out to the street. He had
finally convinced Angel that it was too early to settle down in the
apartment for the night, and talked him into a few pints at whatever
bar
was closest.
Angel smirked. "And what exactly would we be celebrating?"
"The reuniting of old mates, the Earth still spinning, my new pack of
smokes...I don't really care as long as I get some alcohol in my system."
/
It makes the part about me not being on a killing spree so I can spend
my
free time with Peaches, Queen of the Hair Gel easier to bear. /
The two vampires ambled down the street looking for an acceptabe place
to
drink. They heard the music before they actually saw the little pub
tucked
inconspicuously off the street.
: ...Get out of town,
Before it's too late my love
Get out of town
Be good to me please
Why wish me harm... :
The mournful notes of the song seemed to draw Angel to the little entrance,
nearly hidden from view in an alley. He walked towards it slowly following
the voice that seemed to call to him. As he nudged open the door and
walked
in a small billow of smoke curled out into the night air.
Spike shrugged and followed his Sire into the tiny bar. / Well this
looks
like as good a place as any to get pissed. 'Course he would pick a
place
that is playing this easy listening crap. /
The pub was dark, the dim lighting creating odd shadows on the few solitary
drinkers cluttering the bar. The only sounds in the place were coming
from
the dark haired woman on the stage and the occasional clinking of glasses.
They wandered through the hazy, smoke filled room to find a small table
in
the back. The waitress immediately plunked two tumblers filled with
an amber
liquid in front of the vampires.
"We haven't ordered yet," Angel protested. The waitress just cast him
a
weary look and walked away. Angel furrowed his brow in confusion before
looking at his Childe who was happily downing his drink. "Do you even
know
what that is?"
"Nothing like a good glass of Jack. Drink up and stop being such a killjoy."
Spike finished up his drink and signaled the waitress for another round.
Angel studied his glass for moment before tossing it back. Spike cast
a grin
in his direction as the waitress stopped by the table again.
"Better just bring the bottle, Pet."
Angel settled into his chair and listened to the music again.
: ...Just disappear
I care for you much too much
And when you are near
Close to me dear
We touch too much
The thrill when we meet
Is so bittersweet..."
Angel's brain swam with thoughts. Buffy infiltrated his mind and pulled
up a
chair. He knew that his relationship with the blonde Slayer would never
work. There was no getting around the fact that he was a vampire, and
she
was the one chosen to kill vampires. His forehead started to furrow
as he
slipped into brooding like others would slip into a comfortable sweater.
"Oi! None of that angst shit on my time, you sodding nancy. The last
thing I
need is to sit and watch you mope about Slutty the Vampire Slayer while
I am
trying to get drunk. Now are you just going to stare at that bottle
or put
it to good use?"
Angel poured another drink from the bottle that had arrived, emptying
the
glass as quickly as it had been filled. Spike watched him with an amused
grin.
"There you go pet. Keep drinking like that and we'll have her off of
her
pedistal yet." / And if I'm lucky he'll start thinking about me the
way he
bloody should be. / Of course Spike hadn't yet decided how he wanted
his
Sire thinking about him. He just hated the thought of anyone drawing
attention away from him.
The dark haired vampire tried to smile at the younger man as he moved
onto
his third drink, but those nasty, ever-presant thoughts of his kept
his
brood face on. He wasn't sure how comfortable he was with the idea
of Spike
being in his life again. There was history there, some of which Angel
would
feel better forgetting. His control over his demon was tenuous at best
were
his cocky Childe was concerned, and his recent bouts of longing for
the old
clarity of his unsouled existance made him warey. Things would be alright
if
the blonde could behave himself but somehow he doubted the likelihood
of
that.
: ...Why can't you behave,
Oh why can't you behave,
After all the things you told me,
And the promises that you gave,
Oh why can't you behave... :
Angel nearly choked on his drink. Was that singer a mind reader or
something? Of course it was a love song, and Angel was certainly not
in love
with Spike.
He looked up and saw the deep blue eyes watching him with what could
almost
be considered concern if he didn't know the source. As their eyes met
he
felt something strange stirring within him. Something he hadn't felt
in his
presant company for well over a lifetime. He couldn't explain the
protectiveness he had felt when he had heard the younger vampire's
plight.
He had felt the sudden urge to go rip the members of The Initiative
limb
from limb for daring to touch what was his. Now as he was looking into
those
fathomless pools he felt another unusual feeling - longing.
"You all right mate?" / He looks like he swallowed a bug. And why in
the
boody hell is he staring at me like that? / Spike turned his attention
back
to the friendly liquor bottle that was calling to him, and poured himself
another drink.
/ I am not in love with Spike. That was decades ago, before I had my
soul.../
Angel's thoughts trailed off as he looked into his glass, somehow hoping
that the answer to his confusion would show itself in the fluid that
rested
there. Seeing none he tipped his head back and let the whiskey burn
it's way
down his throat. He enjoyed the warmth that spread through him before
reaching out for the bottle again.
Spike was happily getting himself smashed throwing back drink after
drink,
and as Angel was not being allowed to brood and not really caring for
the
unsettling thoughts that kept buzzing through his brain, he decided
to join
him. Between the two of them they finished five bottles of Jack Daniels
before Spike's tendency to sing loud and obnoxious songs got them slung
out
of the pub for drowning out the entertainment.
As they stumbled down the dark streets of LA back towards Angel's building,
Spike continued his noisy serrenade.
: ...You don't have to be rich
to be my girl
you don't have to be cool
to rule my world... :
"I could never understand that bit," Spike mused as he returned to singing
in a squeaky falsetto.
: ...I just want your extra time
and your
Kiss! :
Angel nearly fell over laughing at the silly smacking noises his childe
was
making as he sang. After stopping for a moment to calm his giggles,
he took
a step forward and proceeded to trip over his own feet.
Spike's laughter floated down towards the older man who was sprawled
across
the sidewalk in an undignified heap. "Cor, you aren't exactly Mr. Stealth
when you're feeling tipsy, are you?"
"This is coming from someone whose singing could be heard in Sunnydale,"
Angel retorted. He moved to brush himself off as his childe burst into
another song.
: ...Yes my heart belongs to Daddy,
I simply couldn't be bad
Oh my heart belongs to Daddy... :
Angel quirked his eyebrow at the new choice of song. "Is there any way
I
could possibly get you to shut up?"
"Not bloody likely mate."
"I'm sure I could think of something," the older vampire said as he
started
to back his noisey offspring against a nearby wall.
"I'm a little to drunk for a fight Angel."
"That wasn't quite what I had in mind," Angel murmered as he closed
the
remaining distance between them and silenced his Childe with a kiss.