I've got thousands of stories, you've heard them before.

[allbloodyhail]

CHARACTERS: BELA & SPIKE
LOCATION: the bar or something
WARNINGS: general douchebaggery
SUMMARY: Spike tries to comfort Bela by drinking with her. Yeah, I know. Backdated to 7/27.
NOTES:


[Spike, true to his word, was still frozen to the spot on the holodeck of whichever floor he was at. He wasn't sure which one he'd told her or if it was the right one so he waited, eyes darting around the room though he stayed in his stupid freeze-frame stance.

Finally, he began to cramp and dropped his arms--only for Bela to stroll through the automatic doors. He sighed, a heavy, put-upon thing. All that comedic setup and for no reward. Such was his life. Unlife.]

You look even more like you could use that drink face-to-face. [i.e. you look like crap, Bela. Let's get pissed.]

Comments

[onsilksheets]

[Part of her is thinking that this was a bad decision: getting drunk with a vampire she hardly knew in order to make herself feel better. Maybe Bela was keen to be a little reckless after months of treading cautiously around.

Sorry, she's too mad at the world to be making jokes and cracking a smile, Spike. As always though, Bela will strive on.]

Yeah? Well, I feel a lot worse. [This was true. She hated it.] Your observation is duly noted, Spike. Whether or not I appreciate it is still to be decided.

[allbloodyhail]

[He held back an eyeroll, not even surprised that had blown up in his face. What didn't backfire on Spike, really? It'd be a much shorter list.]

We're wasting artificial daylight here. There's booze to be had. [He shoos her back away from... said artificial daylight, careful not to let his shoulder tap hers or anything else he'd become accustomed to in the halls of Wolfram & Hart. The last thing he needed was to be labeled a creep first thing.]

[onsilksheets]

No need to rush, Spike. We have plenty of time to get pissed. [But she doesn't protest when he guides her, even if she was the one who knew the way to the bar in the first place. Maybe she'd label him as a bit pushy but a creep? That was yet to be decided by her.] Apart from that, you don't even know where the bar is. So let me lead, yeah?

[There was a please in there somewhere but she meant business.]

[allbloodyhail]

[He gave an almost curt nod and swept his hand out.] After you.

[onsilksheets]

Thank you. [She moved ahead of him but made sure that her steps were slow enough for him to keep track of her. Perhaps she shouldn't be so prickly but her mood was shot to hell.

Bela was quiet when she led them to the bar, using the silence to mull over a few things over in her head. The bar in question was practically empty, save for a few stragglers that Bela didn't know. She turned back to him.]

Pick a spot and we'll sit there.

[allbloodyhail]

[He smiled, a wan thing, and selected two stools at the end of the bar, away from all of the two people that were in there other than themselves to begin with. He knew he liked to do his brooding away from people he didn't know, even if he'd never actively admit to brooding at all.]

Double whiskey. [Spike ordered as he slid onto his seat, glancing over at Bela expectantly.]

[onsilksheets]

I'll have the same. [Now was not the time for drinking something light. If she wants to get absolutely hammered, Bela had to have a drink with a little more punch.

She also didn't brood. Mainly because she got on with things and didn't dwell on them too much for them to have an impact. Bela just didn't expect to develop feeling for someone while she was on board the ship. Funny how things worked.]

So. Why are you helping me to get drunk?

[allbloodyhail]

Isn't it obvious? [He glanced over at her after throwing a nod to the bartender and tipping back his first warm taste of Space booze. Mmm. Spacey.]

I'm going to lure you back to my place and kill you, then drink your blood.

[He blinked then set his drink down, addressing her more seriously. Well, sort of.]

You asked for company, remember? [Okay, but no... she actually didn't. He had offered.] Just taking you up on your offer.

[Spike pulled out his cigarettes without missing a beat. If he wasn't keeping that spot for 'creep' warm now, he wasn't sure what he was doing. Which actually summed up what he was really doing here. He had no idea.]

[onsilksheets]

As I recall, you were the one who had offered and I agreed. Not the other way around.

[Bela took a swig from her whiskey, enjoying the smooth burn that trickled down her throat. Not her first choice of drink but whatever. She needed it.]

And anyway, you wouldn't be the first vampire that has drank my blood. The novelty has kind of worn off for me.

[So she was going to joke a little in return with him, despite the fact that Bela had been fed upon by two vampires in her time here. The first was forcible; the second, she had consented to.]

Hate to disappoint.

[allbloodyhail]

[His expression went stony at that. He wasn't going to be feeding on anyone here, from a bag or otherwise. Even if he did get all gross and skinny.]

Sorry to hear that. Really.

[He just takes a drink, not really wanting to argue about who invited who, because then she'll leave and he'll be alone all over again.]

[onsilksheets]

[She takes a moment to think, not wanting to bring down the mood even more so than it already was. They were supposed to be enjoying themselves after all.]

No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have even said anything in the first place.

[It was in the past or whatever.]

But I really don't think we should just sit and drink in silence. Ask me questions or tell me about yourself. Doesn't have to be too personal.

[allbloodyhail]

[That caught him by surprise. Spike had been about to insist he take the blame for their shitty excuse for a conversation when he'd processed the words. Something about himself. As interesting as he believed himself to be--it wasn't all that easy to know where to start.]

Alright. Where are you from? Originally.

[Questions seemed easier in the shortterm.]

[onsilksheets]

[Maybe it was because her emotions were all over the place but Bela was trying to keep the conversation going, even with such a topic like the one she brought up.]

Merry old England. I was born and raised outside of London in the countryside. Only child. What about you?

[allbloodyhail]

Same, actually. Imagine that. [Not that it surprised him all that much, given her accent.

He took another swig and amended,] Only my upbringing predates yours by--I'd say a century or so.

[onsilksheets]

Victorian era?

[Bela asked, hazarding a guess. She wouldn't know for certain until Spike confirmed it. In the interim, Bela took a drink from her glass and slowly savoured it, enjoying it while it lasted.]

[allbloodyhail]

[He looks over at her, tone obviously wry;] How'd you guess.

[onsilksheets]

I'm amazing like that. [A tiny smirk.] What was it like then?

[allbloodyhail]

Boring. [he admitted, slamming back the rest of his drink.] Worse than this ship, even.

[onsilksheets]

I can imagine that the conditions of that time were poor. Depending on what your social status was of course. [Bela finished her glass, tapping the bar with her free hand to ask for a refill for the both of them.]

[allbloodyhail]

Of course. [He grit his teeth and tried not to have too many bitter feelings about it--but really, it wasn't his favorite time to dwell on, and that was that.]

You had it better. What? The 80s in London? I envy you.

[onsilksheets]

Let's see, I was born in 1984 and it was the year 2008 for me before I arrived on board this ship. Suppose that makes me more of a 90's girl.

[Their drinks are freshly topped up and Bela takes another hearty swig.]

You still lived through the 80's though. The whole twentienth century in fact; I kind of envy you a little. Having the opportunity to see the world change and develop. Both the good and bad.

[allbloodyhail]

[He shrugged.] Wasn't so interested in all of that. Besides, moved to the States before you were born.

[onsilksheets]

Any particular reason why you moved to the States? [Maybe he was running from someone or just wanted a new opportunity. She could only speculate.]

[allbloodyhail]

[He pondered over how honest to be, but in the end he saw no harm in telling the truth.]

To kill someone. A very specific someone.

[onsilksheets]

[Bela is a little surprised that he was so open about it but she isn't going to tell anyone else.]

Were they after you? Like a hunter?