So this must be a taste of how awkward the lunch that I was supposed to have with Willow and Oz would have been if we actually were able to get together like Willow wanted. I don't know why this is feeling awkward, then again I'm not one for much of a conversation and this man doesn't seem to want to be bothered either.
I'm about to get up and leave when Lorne comes back, giving me a look to stay in my seat as I look up at him from behind my hair. "I h-have class tomorrow..." I lied, just wanting this awkward feeling to go away.
I wanted it to go away as quickly as I wanted the question to the man about why he was looking at me that way when I was on stage.
"Not so fast there, Sweetheart." He hands us our drinks and smiles. "Nobody's leavin' here 'til these beauty's are gone and if memory serves me right then I owe someone a reading." I shift awkwardly and I feel suddently uncomfortable about Lorne's words, wondering if he was holding that over the other mans head. It was held over mine because I needed this job. "Drink up and I'll be back after rounds!"
Nibbling my lip I look down at the glass and twirl the umbrella in my glass before daring to look up at the other man. "I wonder if he'd notice if we poured it in the plants..." I murmured softly, talking mostly to myself.
Her joke makes me actually smile, and chuckle softly, really looking at her this time. It's too late to bow out now. I stir the pinkish drink with my tiny even pinker umbrella, and am suddenly grateful Lorne didn't bring or offer me blood. Somehow the thought of drinking blood in front of this girl is very unappealing.
"Name's Angel," I give her a rough smile, now that she's unwittingly broken the ice. And I am stuck here if I want to hear what Lorne has to say... Besides, it could be good to have another contact here. Another pair of eyes when you're looking for demons is always good, and I bet some of the demons we go after come here from time to time. For protection, of course.
I look at her again, this time more carefully, trying not to get caught up in her, but just look at her to see what she's about. I'm also trying to wrack my brain to come up with something else to say to her. She had that great plant line, and all I can come up with is my name!
"Lorne seems like a good guy. You'll like working for him." Yeah, good one. Real endearing. But what do I care what she thinks. I don't even know this girl. And she's just a girl. She can't be much older than Cordy, if a day. And yet here I am feeling all swoop-in-and-save-her already.
The man offers me his name and I smile slightly, feeling a bit better knowing that he seemed a bit uneasy as well. "T-Tara..." The thought of pulling out more of a conversation than that crossed my mind but ended up dying from my lips. I don't think I can hold up a conversation with a stranger, someone from class was hard enough when we had something to base our words from.
More silence.
I feel his eyes on me a moment later and I look up at him, finally meeting his eyes and it's strange, it feels almost like a book but in a language I can't read. I'm not interested or anything, not in the least, but I'm curious to his story. Everyone has a story and his feels like volumes. Much more interesting than mine, that's for sure.
A small smile forms on my lips and I nod. "I hope so. I'm going to school and I n-needed a jo-Oh!" My eyes go wide as I find my seabreeze finding it's way into my lap, a demon bumping me from behind and forcing the table into my side, my drink spilling. My face turns red and I scramble for napkins to try to dry my skirt as best I can.
"Sorry," he mumbled, shrugging and making his way through the crowded club.
Sighing softly I give up and sit back down, hiding behind my hair. "Well, that's one way to get rid of the drink." I nervously run my fingers through my hair and smile nervously over at Angel. "I-if you um...you don't have to feel obligated or anything to k-keep me company, Mr. Angel. I m-might leave and just...I might just go back to my apartment for the night..." I pause before shrugging, adjusting my damp skirt. "Unless you w-wanted company of some sort." Not that I was the worlds greatest company to begin with.
Glancing around in our uncomfortable silence to see where the hell Lorne is, I see him several tables away with a table of five Knarlash demons. Great. Those guys gab more than Lorne seems to. It'll take him forever to do readings for all of them. I look back at Tara and try for some more conversation. I hear the big group laugh and glance over my shoulder to give a look, but then hear Tara suddenly stop talking.
I wasn't looking, otherwise I might have caught the drink before it landed, liquid down, in her skirt. Damn. Not much for the rescue the damsel tonight, even when it comes to a spilled drink. I hand her more napkins and glare at the guy that bumped her. "You can have mine if you want," I offer, though realizing belatedly it's a stupid offer since she was the one who mentioned tossing our drinks in the plants. Her offer to stay for company surprises me and I don't want to dismiss an offer so bravely made.
"Well, I am kind of stuck here until Lorne gives me my reading, so company would be...nice," I decide, working up a genuine smile, actually. She seems nice enough. A little out of her element though. That's probably why the rescue instinct is kicking in. "But, you know, if your skirt- I mean, I don't want to keep you sitting there all wet," I say, sounding far more nervous and like I'm on a first date than a more than 250 year old vampire should.
"And it's just Angel. You can call me Angel." A more encouraging smile this time. And she hasn't left yet, so I find myself trying to find some way to keep her here, if only so she doesn't have to go home in the dark alone. My mind fills in some unhappy details, and they make me try even harder to find something to make conversation with. "So you're going to school here? New in town?" I ask. Los Angeles isn't an easy town to be new in. Or old.
"Okay, I'll...I'll keep you company." I felt bumps rise on my thighs as a draft blew on my damp skirt, making me shiver slightly. I bite my lip nervously and look at him when he talks, telling me to call him Angel, then asking about school.
I smile and open my mouth to speak when I shiver again. "I'm s-sorry..." I stand and set the wet napkins down on the table. "I'll be right back." He gives me a look and I find myself blushing and looking down before looking back into his eyes. "Promise."
Before he can say anything I hurry away and glance up towards the lady's room. Keeping my arms crossed over myself I manage to get into the rest room without a problem, looking in the mirror I put my fingers through my hair before pulling the edge of my shirt down before glancing down to asses the damage of my skirt.
Looking around I notice a hand dryer and smile, moving over quickly I turn it on and hold the edge of my skirt under the hot air, feeling relieved as it quickly started to dry the material. It didn't take me long to dry my skirt to a bearable feel and I fix myself again before hurrying back out to the club and find my way back to the table.
"Hey Sweetcheeks!" Lorne's voice comes at me from the side, his hand wrapping around my arm and pulling me to him. "You having fun? Oh hell, what am I saying? Of course you're having fun. Keep Angelkin's busy while I be the social butterfly I am." Without another thought he spun me around and pushed me gently towards the table.
I shook my head and quietly made my way back to the table, knowing that things were going to be interesting working here. I sigh softly and sit back down in my seat. "S-sorry," I mutter, brushing my hair away from my face and trying to attempt at being interesting. "But yes, I am going to school here. UCLA and w-well...I've only been in LA about three days." This conversation thing isn't working so well. "W-what about you M- Angel?"
Okay, what's with the shivering? Am I making her nervous? Did I just do something horrible like flash my eyes at her? Do I have bad hair? Is it scaring her? What did I-
Oh.
I give her a confused look, because, if she's going to give me the brush off, she really didn't have to make up excuses, she could have just left but-
Okay, blushing not really helping things. It might be a little bit of a...thing of mine. And she looks even more nervous and young, and pretty when she blushes. I nod though as she walks away. She promised though, so I guess I'll stay and see if she comes back.
I glance around for Lorne but find all of my looks totally ignored. What is he up to? I shake my head and go back to looking at the pink drink in front of me. Glancing at the doors to the bathroom, I see Tara emerge. Oh, right, humans, they have those sorts of needs. Oh, and I guess the drink didn't get too much on her skirt. It looks untouched. I think. Not that I was really looking at it before.
I give her another one of those encouraging smiles I seem to be doling out tonight as she sits back down. See, she came back. "Wow, UCLA," I murmur in admiration, and then go quiet at her question. Damn. I always forget about that question.
"I, umm, well," I'm a vampire with a soul, and I hunt creatures of the night for the Powers That Be. I also used to be the worst vampire known to man. I think that about covers it. You're leaving? Oh, okay, see you. Yeah, I think that'd be pretty much how it'd go. Cordy, Wes, and I, I think we've all seen what can happen when you try to bring someone outside into your world. Okay, so she already knows about demons, but still. It's not the same as spending day in and day out, living your life fighting them off. Not to mention the spells and magic and crazy other dimensional hells, that really, no one needs to hear about.
"I run a detective agaency. We help the hopeless." I say simply with a little smile, fingers twisting the stem of the seabreeze glass, and glancing back at her.
He seems impressed with my going to UCLA and I can't for the life of me figure out why, so I just smile and shrug slightly; knowing that my going to school for teaching wasn't all that interesting.
"That's very noble of you," I smile at his 'help the hopeless' line, feeling my cheeks get red. "It must be nice to have your own business, work for yourself and...w-well, get to help people too."
I pause for a moment and wonder if he's in a place like this for a case and maybe this is why he is in the business...or something. The urge to ask him if he gets any 'strange' cases is on my lips; but I stop and realize that it's bold and rude.
A small sigh escapes my lips and I look around, realizing that there was no way that I was going to be able to talk to Lorne again tonight with all of his 'social butterfly' needs. "I...I think maybe I sh-should go. I don't think Lorne's going to have a moment for me again tonight..." I have class before I have to come here for my shift, I'll just come early to make sure I start learning about the place.
I glance at my watch and my eyes widen at the time. "I d-didn't see that it w-was so late..." I smile and brush my hair from my eyes. "It was n-nice meeting you, Angel." I avert my eyes down and lower my voice when I speak. "Maybe I'll see you another n-night here." That sounded bold. I shouldn't have done that.
Picking up my jacket, I shrug it on and pull my scarf out of my pocket before smiling and heading towards the door, feeling bad that I didn't stay to keep him company any longer than I did.
Noble when I'm feeling her blush all the way across the table and wanting to brush fingers across her cheek. I don't think so. She's just a girl. She's not Buffy, I remind myself. And who said anything about this being anything more than a one time meeting? I don't know why I'm making this harder than it has to be.
Just as I'm convincing myself to relax and 'go with the flow' as Cordy says, Tara starts saying she should leave! Her wide eyes look up from her wrist, and I find myself staring again, watching her smile and brush her hair, in that way that only women seem to be able to do. They've really got to be equipped with some kind of magic from birth or something, I swear. When Darla used to do that-
Wait, what? She's really leaving? What happened to keeping me company? I glance around for Lorne and see him still deeply engrossed in conversation. So much for answers. I turn just in time to catch her smile and see her start to make her way across the bar floor.
Quickly shrugging on my duster, I come up behind her before she can leave the club, saying, "Tara," softly, before putting my hand on her arm so I don't scare her. "Tara, you...probably shouldn't go home alone." I frown, realizing my words, and trying again, "I mean, would you mind if I walked you home? Or drove you..." I add tentatively, knowing just how creepy I sound inviting a girl alone to take a ride in my car.
"Los Angeles can be...a little rough if you aren't familiar with it," I say, floundering for some words that don't make me sound so creepy. Especially, at night, I think to myself, trying to let my eyes do more of the talking. I'm really not good with the whole using words thing.
There's a hand on my shoulder and I jump slightly, turning to see Angel standing above me. He stumbles over his words and I know they're meant to soothe me somewhat, but they make me feel a bit on edge.
I can't shake the feeling that he knows a bit more than I'm willing to ask or he's willing to tell me. I'm not sure if I'll get or want the chance to find out.
Angel looks at me intently and part of me wants to say no, but I don't and I nod quietly. "Alright...b-but I don't live too far so um...I don't mind walking." I didn't know how comfortable I felt going in a strange persons car; even if they were a friend of Lorne's. Then again, I didn't know Lorne all that well either.
I fix my scarf and dig my hands into my pockets, glancing up at Angel as we stand near the door. "I'm okay if...if you don't want to w-walk; I've walked alone before." Not in LA and I had a feeling it was a lot different out here than it was in Sunnydale.
Huh, I guess I don't notice it with Cordy any more, but it feels strange to have someone look up at me. With Wes around, I don't tower as much as I did in Sunnydale with just Buffy, or her, Willow, and Xander. Even Faith.
She feels...nervous under my hand - a different nervous than at the table - and I really want to know if that's because of me, or...something else. Please let it be anything else.
"Walking sounds good," I say gently, again trying out that smiling thing, really not wanting to spook her again. I also get the bright idea to let go of her arm, but my hand still seems to go to her back as we walk up the stairs and out of Caritas. Alright. Well. Pulling my hand away and stuffing it in my pocket, I walk next to her. "I like walking at night," I say without thinking, and then cringing as I realize, I've just told her that walking around Los Angeles at night is not a good idea. Well...most things I do aren't a good idea, I guess you might say.
"Any reason you chose L.A.? I mean, I know UCLA's a pretty good school," I ramble, "but do you have family here or something?" I say a little hopefully, thinking of my own tiny family back at Cordy's apartment. This conversation thing is rough, especially when we're both...not exactly fluent in social small talk it seems.
I guess maybe I should ask her what the heck she was doing in Lorne's club looking for a job and seeming for all the world not to notice the demons skulking around. She didn't gawk like a first-timer. She definitely seems to know the world. Yeah, I'll have to ask. But maybe later.
"Okay." I smile kindly at him and we head out of the club, the gentle pressure of his hand on my back for a moment until we head out from the door's of the club. The cold night air hits my face and I tighten the scarf around my neck and curl into myself as much as I can and digging my hands into my pockets as we walk.
There's a moment I second guess leading a strange man to my apartment and I realize that there is a building on the other side who shares a parking lot so I can lead him there and head into my place after he leaves.
Angel speaks and I turn towards him before looking back down the street; realizing he does something I seem to do when I feel awkward and nervous - babble. "It's very different than what I grew up with," I answer him. "I d-don't...I don't have family. My..." I let my voice trail off and I realise I'm not ready to tell a stranger about my mother; it was hard to tell Willow even after everything good that had happened. "It's just me." I finally finish, shrugging. "What about you? What brings you and your b-business to L.A.?"
I don't even notice that it's cold out until I see Tara scrunch down in her jacket and scarf from the corner of my eye. I'm guessing walking around with my coat open might seem kind of weird. She probably won't even notice. Besides, who says I'm going to see her again. Well, except we might be going to Lorne's more often, I guess...if I had gotten a reading.
I listen to her quietly, processing details as she goes. Alone in the world. That sounds familiar. She'd fit right in with Wes and Cordy. And she must not be used to a big city. If I were somebody else, I'd be hoping right now that she'd say no to me walking her home. L.A. is no place to be naive.
"L.A.'s got a dark underbelly, like most big cities. Unfortunately, a good place for my line of work." I shrug at her, feeling myself relax now that we're outside and not in a crowded place with other people around. "Plus...I've kind of been around a lot. L.A. seemed like as good of a place as any. Feels like my town more now that I've been here awhile." I give her a sort of half smile as we walk.
"So, uhh, I have to ask... What were you doing at Lorne's? I mean, most humans don't go to Caritas looking for jobs...or readings." I'm still fairly certain she's human, not that I've really taken a whiff yet, but still. There's a definite heartbeat, and breathing. Who knows though.
Angel starts talking about the 'dark side' of L.A. and I find myself wondering what he was getting at and how much he knew about what we saw at Lorne's club. I wondered how he learned and...
I couldn't even dare to think that maybe I'd found someone I could share this part of my life with - as a friend that is. But I couldn't tell anyone about my family or what happened when my birthday comes.
Here comes the big question. I'm not sure how I feel about that but it's good that it's out there. I don't think I'm bold enough to dodge it or put it back on him. Maybe I'll just be honest and hope it doesn't sound like babble. "My mother..." I paused and tried to think carefully of my words. "I've never f-fit in anywhere and I've known and..." I can't exactly tell him that I'm a witch, maybe even a demon. "I've always known t-that there were demons and..." I shrug and look up at him. "It's a job. What about you?" I ask him without missing a beat.
I seem to have hit a nerve, or a sore spot...or something. I don't know, but I listen patiently as she tries to explain. I'm no stranger to difficult explanations.
I'm surprised when she throws the question back at me until I realize, duh, she doesn't know I'm one of those things that were in there. "Oh, I, uhh, my clients..." I pause, looking over at her, wondering how much I should let her in on. Just because she knows about demons... never f-fit in anywhere ...doesn't mean she's going to be a big fan of vampires. We're not exactly usually the friendly sort.
"My clients are usually having trouble with demons or the mystical or something. We're kind of a place to look when the police can't help you," I finish with a little bit of pride in my voice. I may not be a fan of the The Powers' methods, but I am proud of what we do. Proud that we can help people when they need it. "I was supposed to get a reading from Lorne tonight. Needed a little help of our own. My team and I," I add, realizing I'm saying we a lot. I guess I could be a little more forthcoming...
"We're really more like friends actually, or a weird sort of family," I smile over at her. "None of us ever really fit in anywhere either." Well, okay, Cordelia did in high school, but with these visions, she's pretty much just like the rest of us.
The more he talks the more at ease I find myself; I don't exactly know why but I do. It's the way he says things, the things he says; someone making up a story wouldn't be as tedious as he was being with his choice of words.
"It's good to have a p-place like that. I know w-what..." I know what it's like to have nowhere to go. "W-what did you need a reading for?" I question carefully, worried that he would think I was too bold. I found myself wondering what his take on magic and witches was.
Never know until you try...
"W-what is your thought about magic?" I ask curiously, making it sound calm and casual like I wanted to have a thoughtful conversation with him. "I'm c-curious to know wh-what you think about that sort of stuff." I smile and nod at his mention of family being made up of friends and when things were good with Willow...I thought she was family.
I look back at Angel. "I'm curious, if you-you're comfortable w-with that."
I smile back at her, glad she thinks what I do isn't a waste even if it's not the complete truth. The reading I can't really tell her. Oh, I'm trying to figure out if I'm really fated to become human again, and if I'm on the right path to do that. Yeah. "We've been following this lead, but...it's not really getting us to the right place. Thought maybe Lorne could tell if we're on the right track," I say carefully.
Comfortable with magic. "Comfortable might not be the right word...Wes is really better at the magic stuff that I am, but I get by." I rub a hand through my hair, kind of wondering about her question. "Things tend to go wrong when I do magic, but hey, the cake can't come out right every time, can it?" I give her a little smile and shrug. "We run into a lot of magic in our line of work. Comes with the job. Kind of like demons. " Another reassuring smile.
"You know much about magic?" I ask her curiously, starting to wonder who it is I'm talking to now. Another version of the slayer that maybe I've never heard of? If so, I'd probably be getting my butt kicked already. But really, who in their right mind would know about demons and magic, and not be in on all of this? Or a demon themselves.
I'm about to get up and leave when Lorne comes back, giving me a look to stay in my seat as I look up at him from behind my hair. "I h-have class tomorrow..." I lied, just wanting this awkward feeling to go away.
I wanted it to go away as quickly as I wanted the question to the man about why he was looking at me that way when I was on stage.
"Not so fast there, Sweetheart." He hands us our drinks and smiles. "Nobody's leavin' here 'til these beauty's are gone and if memory serves me right then I owe someone a reading." I shift awkwardly and I feel suddently uncomfortable about Lorne's words, wondering if he was holding that over the other mans head. It was held over mine because I needed this job. "Drink up and I'll be back after rounds!"
Nibbling my lip I look down at the glass and twirl the umbrella in my glass before daring to look up at the other man. "I wonder if he'd notice if we poured it in the plants..." I murmured softly, talking mostly to myself.
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"Name's Angel," I give her a rough smile, now that she's unwittingly broken the ice. And I am stuck here if I want to hear what Lorne has to say... Besides, it could be good to have another contact here. Another pair of eyes when you're looking for demons is always good, and I bet some of the demons we go after come here from time to time. For protection, of course.
I look at her again, this time more carefully, trying not to get caught up in her, but just look at her to see what she's about. I'm also trying to wrack my brain to come up with something else to say to her. She had that great plant line, and all I can come up with is my name!
"Lorne seems like a good guy. You'll like working for him." Yeah, good one. Real endearing. But what do I care what she thinks. I don't even know this girl. And she's just a girl. She can't be much older than Cordy, if a day. And yet here I am feeling all swoop-in-and-save-her already.
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More silence.
I feel his eyes on me a moment later and I look up at him, finally meeting his eyes and it's strange, it feels almost like a book but in a language I can't read. I'm not interested or anything, not in the least, but I'm curious to his story. Everyone has a story and his feels like volumes. Much more interesting than mine, that's for sure.
A small smile forms on my lips and I nod. "I hope so. I'm going to school and I n-needed a jo-Oh!" My eyes go wide as I find my seabreeze finding it's way into my lap, a demon bumping me from behind and forcing the table into my side, my drink spilling. My face turns red and I scramble for napkins to try to dry my skirt as best I can.
"Sorry," he mumbled, shrugging and making his way through the crowded club.
Sighing softly I give up and sit back down, hiding behind my hair. "Well, that's one way to get rid of the drink." I nervously run my fingers through my hair and smile nervously over at Angel. "I-if you um...you don't have to feel obligated or anything to k-keep me company, Mr. Angel. I m-might leave and just...I might just go back to my apartment for the night..." I pause before shrugging, adjusting my damp skirt. "Unless you w-wanted company of some sort." Not that I was the worlds greatest company to begin with.
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I wasn't looking, otherwise I might have caught the drink before it landed, liquid down, in her skirt. Damn. Not much for the rescue the damsel tonight, even when it comes to a spilled drink. I hand her more napkins and glare at the guy that bumped her. "You can have mine if you want," I offer, though realizing belatedly it's a stupid offer since she was the one who mentioned tossing our drinks in the plants. Her offer to stay for company surprises me and I don't want to dismiss an offer so bravely made.
"Well, I am kind of stuck here until Lorne gives me my reading, so company would be...nice," I decide, working up a genuine smile, actually. She seems nice enough. A little out of her element though. That's probably why the rescue instinct is kicking in. "But, you know, if your skirt- I mean, I don't want to keep you sitting there all wet," I say, sounding far more nervous and like I'm on a first date than a more than 250 year old vampire should.
"And it's just Angel. You can call me Angel." A more encouraging smile this time. And she hasn't left yet, so I find myself trying to find some way to keep her here, if only so she doesn't have to go home in the dark alone. My mind fills in some unhappy details, and they make me try even harder to find something to make conversation with. "So you're going to school here? New in town?" I ask. Los Angeles isn't an easy town to be new in. Or old.
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I smile and open my mouth to speak when I shiver again. "I'm s-sorry..." I stand and set the wet napkins down on the table. "I'll be right back." He gives me a look and I find myself blushing and looking down before looking back into his eyes. "Promise."
Before he can say anything I hurry away and glance up towards the lady's room. Keeping my arms crossed over myself I manage to get into the rest room without a problem, looking in the mirror I put my fingers through my hair before pulling the edge of my shirt down before glancing down to asses the damage of my skirt.
Looking around I notice a hand dryer and smile, moving over quickly I turn it on and hold the edge of my skirt under the hot air, feeling relieved as it quickly started to dry the material. It didn't take me long to dry my skirt to a bearable feel and I fix myself again before hurrying back out to the club and find my way back to the table.
"Hey Sweetcheeks!" Lorne's voice comes at me from the side, his hand wrapping around my arm and pulling me to him. "You having fun? Oh hell, what am I saying? Of course you're having fun. Keep Angelkin's busy while I be the social butterfly I am." Without another thought he spun me around and pushed me gently towards the table.
I shook my head and quietly made my way back to the table, knowing that things were going to be interesting working here. I sigh softly and sit back down in my seat. "S-sorry," I mutter, brushing my hair away from my face and trying to attempt at being interesting. "But yes, I am going to school here. UCLA and w-well...I've only been in LA about three days." This conversation thing isn't working so well. "W-what about you M- Angel?"
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Oh.
I give her a confused look, because, if she's going to give me the brush off, she really didn't have to make up excuses, she could have just left but-
Okay, blushing not really helping things. It might be a little bit of a...thing of mine. And she looks even more nervous and young, and pretty when she blushes. I nod though as she walks away. She promised though, so I guess I'll stay and see if she comes back.
I glance around for Lorne but find all of my looks totally ignored. What is he up to? I shake my head and go back to looking at the pink drink in front of me. Glancing at the doors to the bathroom, I see Tara emerge. Oh, right, humans, they have those sorts of needs. Oh, and I guess the drink didn't get too much on her skirt. It looks untouched. I think. Not that I was really looking at it before.
I give her another one of those encouraging smiles I seem to be doling out tonight as she sits back down. See, she came back. "Wow, UCLA," I murmur in admiration, and then go quiet at her question. Damn. I always forget about that question.
"I, umm, well," I'm a vampire with a soul, and I hunt creatures of the night for the Powers That Be. I also used to be the worst vampire known to man. I think that about covers it. You're leaving? Oh, okay, see you. Yeah, I think that'd be pretty much how it'd go. Cordy, Wes, and I, I think we've all seen what can happen when you try to bring someone outside into your world. Okay, so she already knows about demons, but still. It's not the same as spending day in and day out, living your life fighting them off. Not to mention the spells and magic and crazy other dimensional hells, that really, no one needs to hear about.
"I run a detective agaency. We help the hopeless." I say simply with a little smile, fingers twisting the stem of the seabreeze glass, and glancing back at her.
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"That's very noble of you," I smile at his 'help the hopeless' line, feeling my cheeks get red. "It must be nice to have your own business, work for yourself and...w-well, get to help people too."
I pause for a moment and wonder if he's in a place like this for a case and maybe this is why he is in the business...or something. The urge to ask him if he gets any 'strange' cases is on my lips; but I stop and realize that it's bold and rude.
A small sigh escapes my lips and I look around, realizing that there was no way that I was going to be able to talk to Lorne again tonight with all of his 'social butterfly' needs. "I...I think maybe I sh-should go. I don't think Lorne's going to have a moment for me again tonight..." I have class before I have to come here for my shift, I'll just come early to make sure I start learning about the place.
I glance at my watch and my eyes widen at the time. "I d-didn't see that it w-was so late..." I smile and brush my hair from my eyes. "It was n-nice meeting you, Angel." I avert my eyes down and lower my voice when I speak. "Maybe I'll see you another n-night here." That sounded bold. I shouldn't have done that.
Picking up my jacket, I shrug it on and pull my scarf out of my pocket before smiling and heading towards the door, feeling bad that I didn't stay to keep him company any longer than I did.
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Just as I'm convincing myself to relax and 'go with the flow' as Cordy says, Tara starts saying she should leave! Her wide eyes look up from her wrist, and I find myself staring again, watching her smile and brush her hair, in that way that only women seem to be able to do. They've really got to be equipped with some kind of magic from birth or something, I swear. When Darla used to do that-
Wait, what? She's really leaving? What happened to keeping me company? I glance around for Lorne and see him still deeply engrossed in conversation. So much for answers. I turn just in time to catch her smile and see her start to make her way across the bar floor.
Quickly shrugging on my duster, I come up behind her before she can leave the club, saying, "Tara," softly, before putting my hand on her arm so I don't scare her. "Tara, you...probably shouldn't go home alone." I frown, realizing my words, and trying again, "I mean, would you mind if I walked you home? Or drove you..." I add tentatively, knowing just how creepy I sound inviting a girl alone to take a ride in my car.
"Los Angeles can be...a little rough if you aren't familiar with it," I say, floundering for some words that don't make me sound so creepy. Especially, at night, I think to myself, trying to let my eyes do more of the talking. I'm really not good with the whole using words thing.
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I can't shake the feeling that he knows a bit more than I'm willing to ask or he's willing to tell me. I'm not sure if I'll get or want the chance to find out.
Angel looks at me intently and part of me wants to say no, but I don't and I nod quietly. "Alright...b-but I don't live too far so um...I don't mind walking." I didn't know how comfortable I felt going in a strange persons car; even if they were a friend of Lorne's. Then again, I didn't know Lorne all that well either.
I fix my scarf and dig my hands into my pockets, glancing up at Angel as we stand near the door. "I'm okay if...if you don't want to w-walk; I've walked alone before." Not in LA and I had a feeling it was a lot different out here than it was in Sunnydale.
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She feels...nervous under my hand - a different nervous than at the table - and I really want to know if that's because of me, or...something else. Please let it be anything else.
"Walking sounds good," I say gently, again trying out that smiling thing, really not wanting to spook her again. I also get the bright idea to let go of her arm, but my hand still seems to go to her back as we walk up the stairs and out of Caritas. Alright. Well. Pulling my hand away and stuffing it in my pocket, I walk next to her. "I like walking at night," I say without thinking, and then cringing as I realize, I've just told her that walking around Los Angeles at night is not a good idea. Well...most things I do aren't a good idea, I guess you might say.
"Any reason you chose L.A.? I mean, I know UCLA's a pretty good school," I ramble, "but do you have family here or something?" I say a little hopefully, thinking of my own tiny family back at Cordy's apartment. This conversation thing is rough, especially when we're both...not exactly fluent in social small talk it seems.
I guess maybe I should ask her what the heck she was doing in Lorne's club looking for a job and seeming for all the world not to notice the demons skulking around. She didn't gawk like a first-timer. She definitely seems to know the world. Yeah, I'll have to ask. But maybe later.
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There's a moment I second guess leading a strange man to my apartment and I realize that there is a building on the other side who shares a parking lot so I can lead him there and head into my place after he leaves.
Angel speaks and I turn towards him before looking back down the street; realizing he does something I seem to do when I feel awkward and nervous - babble. "It's very different than what I grew up with," I answer him. "I d-don't...I don't have family. My..." I let my voice trail off and I realise I'm not ready to tell a stranger about my mother; it was hard to tell Willow even after everything good that had happened. "It's just me." I finally finish, shrugging. "What about you? What brings you and your b-business to L.A.?"
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I listen to her quietly, processing details as she goes. Alone in the world. That sounds familiar. She'd fit right in with Wes and Cordy. And she must not be used to a big city. If I were somebody else, I'd be hoping right now that she'd say no to me walking her home. L.A. is no place to be naive.
"L.A.'s got a dark underbelly, like most big cities. Unfortunately, a good place for my line of work." I shrug at her, feeling myself relax now that we're outside and not in a crowded place with other people around. "Plus...I've kind of been around a lot. L.A. seemed like as good of a place as any. Feels like my town more now that I've been here awhile." I give her a sort of half smile as we walk.
"So, uhh, I have to ask... What were you doing at Lorne's? I mean, most humans don't go to Caritas looking for jobs...or readings." I'm still fairly certain she's human, not that I've really taken a whiff yet, but still. There's a definite heartbeat, and breathing. Who knows though.
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I couldn't even dare to think that maybe I'd found someone I could share this part of my life with - as a friend that is. But I couldn't tell anyone about my family or what happened when my birthday comes.
Here comes the big question. I'm not sure how I feel about that but it's good that it's out there. I don't think I'm bold enough to dodge it or put it back on him. Maybe I'll just be honest and hope it doesn't sound like babble. "My mother..." I paused and tried to think carefully of my words. "I've never f-fit in anywhere and I've known and..." I can't exactly tell him that I'm a witch, maybe even a demon. "I've always known t-that there were demons and..." I shrug and look up at him. "It's a job. What about you?" I ask him without missing a beat.
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I'm surprised when she throws the question back at me until I realize, duh, she doesn't know I'm one of those things that were in there. "Oh, I, uhh, my clients..." I pause, looking over at her, wondering how much I should let her in on. Just because she knows about demons... never f-fit in anywhere ...doesn't mean she's going to be a big fan of vampires. We're not exactly usually the friendly sort.
"My clients are usually having trouble with demons or the mystical or something. We're kind of a place to look when the police can't help you," I finish with a little bit of pride in my voice. I may not be a fan of the The Powers' methods, but I am proud of what we do. Proud that we can help people when they need it. "I was supposed to get a reading from Lorne tonight. Needed a little help of our own. My team and I," I add, realizing I'm saying we a lot. I guess I could be a little more forthcoming...
"We're really more like friends actually, or a weird sort of family," I smile over at her. "None of us ever really fit in anywhere either." Well, okay, Cordelia did in high school, but with these visions, she's pretty much just like the rest of us.
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"It's good to have a p-place like that. I know w-what..." I know what it's like to have nowhere to go. "W-what did you need a reading for?" I question carefully, worried that he would think I was too bold. I found myself wondering what his take on magic and witches was.
Never know until you try...
"W-what is your thought about magic?" I ask curiously, making it sound calm and casual like I wanted to have a thoughtful conversation with him. "I'm c-curious to know wh-what you think about that sort of stuff." I smile and nod at his mention of family being made up of friends and when things were good with Willow...I thought she was family.
I look back at Angel. "I'm curious, if you-you're comfortable w-with that."
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Comfortable with magic. "Comfortable might not be the right word...Wes is really better at the magic stuff that I am, but I get by." I rub a hand through my hair, kind of wondering about her question. "Things tend to go wrong when I do magic, but hey, the cake can't come out right every time, can it?" I give her a little smile and shrug. "We run into a lot of magic in our line of work. Comes with the job. Kind of like demons. " Another reassuring smile.
"You know much about magic?" I ask her curiously, starting to wonder who it is I'm talking to now. Another version of the slayer that maybe I've never heard of? If so, I'd probably be getting my butt kicked already. But really, who in their right mind would know about demons and magic, and not be in on all of this? Or a demon themselves.
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