Fic: Late Nights at Caritas (Angel the Series, Lindsey-centric gen, PG)
Title: Late Nights at Caritas
Name: sheryden
Fandom(s): Angel
Word count: 2177
Rating: PG
Spoilers: None
Prompt: "Beginnings"
Summary: Lorne told Angel that Lindsey had been a regular at Caritas. This is my take on how that might have gone down.
Author’s Notes: This was written as part of my whedonland Big Bang. My theme is Lindsey McDonald. I might write more on these two eventually. I like the dynamic.
Lindsey might have said that he’d stumbled into Caritas by chance, but he believed in destiny, and he figured if a brand new employee for Wolfram and Hart just happened to walk into a karaoke bar frequented by demons and vampires, he was there for a reason. He was even more convinced of that fate had led him where he needed to be when he met the bar’s owner, an anagogic demon named Lorne.
Almost as soon as Lindsey wandered through the door, the green-skinned demon in a white lounge suit breezed up to him, looked him up and down, and said, “Sweetheart, you are adorable. You look like you just got off a bus from the farm. I’d like to pinch your cheeks.”
Lindsey stared at him, not quite knowing how to respond. He hadn’t met many demons-or people, for that matter-since arriving in LA. Those he had seen roaming the halls at Wolfram and Hart tended to be a bit less… flamboyant than his current companion. Flashing a small grin, Lindsey mumbled out words of gratitude and tried not to sink into the floor.
The demon then smiled broadly, clapped a hand on Lindsey’s shoulder, and led him to the bar. “Let’s get you a drink, sweetie. You can call me Lorne, by the way. Yes, it rhymes with porn. I get it all the time.” He rolled his eyes. “What brings you to big, bad LA?”
Lindsey puffed up proudly. “Wolfram and Hart. I work in the mail room.” Lorne’s face fell a little, so Lindsey quickly added, “But I’ll make partner. I will. I was recruited right out of Hastings. Mr. Manners says-”
“Oh my.” He handed Lindsey his drink, then motioned to the bartender. “We’ll take two more.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Listen, sugar,” Lorne said. “I can see that you’re all wide-eyed and filled with wonder, but I gotta tell you like it is. Wolfram and Hart is all shine on the outside, but inside, it’s rotten. You’re better off getting back on the bus.”
Lindsey let out a small laugh. “I just work in the mail room.” He felt a blush start to rise in his cheeks. “But they do good things there. Last week, they helped set up a fund for children from broken homes. That doesn’t sound so bad.”
Setting his jaw, Lorne leaned closer to Lindsey. “And werewolves are furry and soft when you first get to know them. But in the end, they try to bite your horns off.” When Lindsey’s mouth dropped open a little, Lorne waved a hand through the air. “I suppose that’s a little TMI. But the point is… be careful. Wolfram and Hart bites.”
***
“And for your listening pleasure tonight, here’s a gorgeous hunk of man to sing you a little number by The Eagles.” Lorne smiled brightly and motioned with his hand. “Come on out here, Lindsey. Don’t be shy.”
Lindsey chewed on his bottom lip as he trudged up onto the stage, his arms wrapped protectively around the smooth base of his guitar. The place was packed tonight, and he suddenly found himself realizing how long it had been since he’d sung for an audience.
He nodded to Lorne and lowered himself onto the stool that had been provided for him. Taking a breath, he started softly singing out the familiar tune. As he sang, he started to feel more confident and soon lost himself in the music. This was the best he’d felt since moving to LA. His guitar was one of the few things he still had from back home. It had kept him company when he was at Hastings, when he was lonely and unsure of himself. And now, it allowed him to reach out and connect with a whole room full of people.
But simple enjoyment wasn’t the only reason he was singing tonight. Lindsey had been coming to Caritas for a while now, and it hadn’t taken him long to pick up on the nature of Lorne’s psychic gifts. He routinely did readings for the patrons who sang here-“setting them on their paths” was what Lorne called it. But he could also read intentions, sense the inner nature of a person. And that’s what Lindsey needed him to do tonight. Lorne had made no secret of his disdain for Wolfram and Hart, and Lindsey wanted to show him that whatever his firm may or may not have done, he was a good man. Not everything that came from Wolfram and Hart had to be grotesque or morally vacuous.
The room was silent as Lindsey sang except for the sound of his voice and the melody he was playing on the guitar. When he finished, the room erupted in a thunder of applause and hoots of appreciation. Warmth started to spread through Lindsey’s gut at the praise and attention. As he stood up to walk off the stage, Lorne breezed up and flung an arm around him.
“How about that, huh?” Lorne said to the audience, even as he was patting Lindsey affectionately on the arm. “Isn’t he amazing? All right, folks. I have to talk to sweet cheeks here. We’re taking a break in the entertainment, because let’s face it, who’d want to follow that? Am I right?”
By the time he and Lorne walked off stage, Lindsey was flushed and exhilarated. As he waded into the crowd, a handful of demons and even a vampire, nodded to him and clapped as he walked by.
Lorne nudged him with his elbow. “Sugar, that was fantastic. You’re a natural.”
Lindsey grinned broadly. “Thanks. I haven’t sung in public in a while.”
“Well, hopefully, you’ll be a regular, because the crowed loved you.”
“Maybe,” he said. Taking a breath, Lindsey asked, “So, what about the other thing. Did you read me?”
Nodding, Lorne sat down at a table and motioned for Lindsey to do the same. “Yeah,” he said. “I read you.”
“And?”
Lorne leaned back in his chair. “And you’re idealistic and adorable. You really want to make the world a better place.”
Relief cascaded over Lindsey like a like a warm burst of sunshine. As sure as he was about his own intentions, he knew deep in his gut that Lorne had a point about the firm. “I told you,” he said with a smile. “The firm isn’t all that bad.”
“I said you want to make the world a better place. Wolfram and Hart is still a cesspool. You need to watch yourself. They can bend you and mold you and make you someone you won’t recognize.”
Lindsey threaded his fingers together and gazed down at his hands. “Am I on the wrong path?”
Lorne scrubbed his face with his hands. “Well, I didn’t see any exit signs. Yeah, sugar. You’re where you’re supposed to be. For better or for worse.”
***
Over the next few weeks and months, Caritas became Lindsey’s home away from home. It was his place of respite, somewhere where he could go to feel shielded from the nastier elements of the city. As he started to take on more responsibilities at the firm, he sometimes brought along extra work and scratched out notes while he listened to bad renditions of “Copacabana.”
He also tried to sing at least once a week. It made him feel a little lighter, and it gave him some connection to the other regulars at Caritas. In between songs and scribbles, he sometimes chatted with the other customers. It was mostly small talk or praise for his music, but it made up for the social life he was sacrificing as he tried to drag himself up the ladder at Wolfram and Hart.
As he listened to an off-key version of “Climb Every Mountain,” Lindsey stared down at a primer for the social customs of various species represented by the firm. Mr. Manners had suggested that he might need it in the coming weeks. As he gazed down at the neatly typed words, though, he found it difficult to concentrate.
By all estimates, he knew he should consider the day a success. He been spending the last month helping Mr. Manners research and prepare for case. Today, all his hard work paid off, and the firm had successfully gotten a client off on a series of murder charges. Mr. Manners had taken him into his office, complimented him on his diligence, and given him a drink from his special bottle of wine.
At the time, Lindsey had burst with pride-and relief-that done a good job and garnered some attention for the man who could make or break his career. But the problem was he still had a conscience, and it was starting to nip at him. As it turned out, the client he had helped exonerate was a wealthy vampire-he was absolutely guilty, and he was going to keep right on draining the life out of innocent victims. And Lindsey had not only played a part in setting him free-he’d been given a pat on the back for it.
As the guilt gnawed at him, he could see Lorne slip up beside him. “Not gonna do a number tonight, Lindsey?”
Motioning to the primer in front of him, he said, “Nah. I gotta plow through this over the weekend. More responsibilities at the firm and all.”
Lorne sat down. “What kind of responsibilities?”
“Mostly research right now.”
Stretching dramatically, Lorne said. “You’re gonna force us all to listen to another rousing number by Mordar the Bentback.”
“My work was noticed today, Lorne. But I need to go above and beyond to keep up the momentum.”
“I see.” Lorne cocked his head at Lindsey and gazed at him intently. “How about a few bars of something just for little old me?”
Lindsey licked his lips and started leafing through the primer. He knew that it would take one note for Lorne to get a sense of what he’d done today. He’d see the guilt laid bare before him. And that was something Lindsey couldn’t handle tonight. “I’ll have to catch you next weekend.”
“Next weekend it is,” Lorne said with a tinge of disappointment. “Don’t work yourself too hard.”
***
Lindsey nodded at the audience as he stood up and started toward Lorne, who leaning against the bar, arms folded across his chest. Normally, Lorne breezed up on stage to bring on the next singer, but tonight, he was just standing in place and staring in Lindsey’s general direction.
Steeling himself, Lindsey firmly gripped his guitar and marched back toward Lorne. He had come into Caritas looking for advice, and he knew Lorne wasn’t one to sugar-coat it. He was about to work his first real case for the firm. Not research for another lawyer. His own case. This was his chance to prove his mettle to the higher-ups, but he was scared out of his mind. Screwing up could quite literally mean his life.
By the time Lindsey reached the bar, Lorne had a grim look on his face and had already gotten a drink ready for him. Lindsey knew from seeing other customers get readings that this didn’t bode well for his future. Taking the drink from Lorne, he mumbled a thank you and took a long sip.
“You don’t look happy,” he said finally. “How bad is it? I need to know, Lorne. My life might depend on it. Literally.”
“You know,” Lorne said harshly. “In all my years, I’ve never killed an employee. I guess I must be boss of the year. Anyway,” he said with the wave of a hand. “The case will go fine. You’ll dazzle them like you always do.”
Lindsey arched an eyebrow. “Then why do you look like I’m gonna die?”
“Because you’re changing,” he said. “You’re not the same wide-eyed kid who first wandered into my modest little karaoke bar. You’re someone else, and that makes me sad.”
“Change isn’t a bad thing.”
“It is this time, pumpkin.” Lorne glanced over at a couple of demons who bustled by grunting in their native language. Turning back toward Lindsey, he said, “Pretty soon, you’ll be discussing mayhem and murder over cocktails with the boys from the office.”
Lorne’s words were like a blow to the gut. “You really think that little of me?”
“I think a lot of you, actually. That’s why I’m being honest.” Lorne pointed his index finger at Lindsey’s chest. “I think there’s a good man inside that pretty body. But you’re gonna find yourself making ethical compromises that you never dreamed of.”
“That’s true in any job.” Lindsey sat up a straight and smirked a little in spite of himself. “I mean, you give guidance to demons who eat their wives. How is that okay?”
Shaking his head, Lorne placed a hand on Lindsey’s shoulder. “You need to get on a bus get out of this city. Sooner rather than later.”
“Mr. Manners says I have a future at the firm.”
Taking a long look at him, Lorne said, “That’s what scares me, sugar.”
Master Fic List
Name: sheryden
Fandom(s): Angel
Word count: 2177
Rating: PG
Spoilers: None
Prompt: "Beginnings"
Summary: Lorne told Angel that Lindsey had been a regular at Caritas. This is my take on how that might have gone down.
Author’s Notes: This was written as part of my whedonland Big Bang. My theme is Lindsey McDonald. I might write more on these two eventually. I like the dynamic.
Lindsey might have said that he’d stumbled into Caritas by chance, but he believed in destiny, and he figured if a brand new employee for Wolfram and Hart just happened to walk into a karaoke bar frequented by demons and vampires, he was there for a reason. He was even more convinced of that fate had led him where he needed to be when he met the bar’s owner, an anagogic demon named Lorne.
Almost as soon as Lindsey wandered through the door, the green-skinned demon in a white lounge suit breezed up to him, looked him up and down, and said, “Sweetheart, you are adorable. You look like you just got off a bus from the farm. I’d like to pinch your cheeks.”
Lindsey stared at him, not quite knowing how to respond. He hadn’t met many demons-or people, for that matter-since arriving in LA. Those he had seen roaming the halls at Wolfram and Hart tended to be a bit less… flamboyant than his current companion. Flashing a small grin, Lindsey mumbled out words of gratitude and tried not to sink into the floor.
The demon then smiled broadly, clapped a hand on Lindsey’s shoulder, and led him to the bar. “Let’s get you a drink, sweetie. You can call me Lorne, by the way. Yes, it rhymes with porn. I get it all the time.” He rolled his eyes. “What brings you to big, bad LA?”
Lindsey puffed up proudly. “Wolfram and Hart. I work in the mail room.” Lorne’s face fell a little, so Lindsey quickly added, “But I’ll make partner. I will. I was recruited right out of Hastings. Mr. Manners says-”
“Oh my.” He handed Lindsey his drink, then motioned to the bartender. “We’ll take two more.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Listen, sugar,” Lorne said. “I can see that you’re all wide-eyed and filled with wonder, but I gotta tell you like it is. Wolfram and Hart is all shine on the outside, but inside, it’s rotten. You’re better off getting back on the bus.”
Lindsey let out a small laugh. “I just work in the mail room.” He felt a blush start to rise in his cheeks. “But they do good things there. Last week, they helped set up a fund for children from broken homes. That doesn’t sound so bad.”
Setting his jaw, Lorne leaned closer to Lindsey. “And werewolves are furry and soft when you first get to know them. But in the end, they try to bite your horns off.” When Lindsey’s mouth dropped open a little, Lorne waved a hand through the air. “I suppose that’s a little TMI. But the point is… be careful. Wolfram and Hart bites.”
***
“And for your listening pleasure tonight, here’s a gorgeous hunk of man to sing you a little number by The Eagles.” Lorne smiled brightly and motioned with his hand. “Come on out here, Lindsey. Don’t be shy.”
Lindsey chewed on his bottom lip as he trudged up onto the stage, his arms wrapped protectively around the smooth base of his guitar. The place was packed tonight, and he suddenly found himself realizing how long it had been since he’d sung for an audience.
He nodded to Lorne and lowered himself onto the stool that had been provided for him. Taking a breath, he started softly singing out the familiar tune. As he sang, he started to feel more confident and soon lost himself in the music. This was the best he’d felt since moving to LA. His guitar was one of the few things he still had from back home. It had kept him company when he was at Hastings, when he was lonely and unsure of himself. And now, it allowed him to reach out and connect with a whole room full of people.
But simple enjoyment wasn’t the only reason he was singing tonight. Lindsey had been coming to Caritas for a while now, and it hadn’t taken him long to pick up on the nature of Lorne’s psychic gifts. He routinely did readings for the patrons who sang here-“setting them on their paths” was what Lorne called it. But he could also read intentions, sense the inner nature of a person. And that’s what Lindsey needed him to do tonight. Lorne had made no secret of his disdain for Wolfram and Hart, and Lindsey wanted to show him that whatever his firm may or may not have done, he was a good man. Not everything that came from Wolfram and Hart had to be grotesque or morally vacuous.
The room was silent as Lindsey sang except for the sound of his voice and the melody he was playing on the guitar. When he finished, the room erupted in a thunder of applause and hoots of appreciation. Warmth started to spread through Lindsey’s gut at the praise and attention. As he stood up to walk off the stage, Lorne breezed up and flung an arm around him.
“How about that, huh?” Lorne said to the audience, even as he was patting Lindsey affectionately on the arm. “Isn’t he amazing? All right, folks. I have to talk to sweet cheeks here. We’re taking a break in the entertainment, because let’s face it, who’d want to follow that? Am I right?”
By the time he and Lorne walked off stage, Lindsey was flushed and exhilarated. As he waded into the crowd, a handful of demons and even a vampire, nodded to him and clapped as he walked by.
Lorne nudged him with his elbow. “Sugar, that was fantastic. You’re a natural.”
Lindsey grinned broadly. “Thanks. I haven’t sung in public in a while.”
“Well, hopefully, you’ll be a regular, because the crowed loved you.”
“Maybe,” he said. Taking a breath, Lindsey asked, “So, what about the other thing. Did you read me?”
Nodding, Lorne sat down at a table and motioned for Lindsey to do the same. “Yeah,” he said. “I read you.”
“And?”
Lorne leaned back in his chair. “And you’re idealistic and adorable. You really want to make the world a better place.”
Relief cascaded over Lindsey like a like a warm burst of sunshine. As sure as he was about his own intentions, he knew deep in his gut that Lorne had a point about the firm. “I told you,” he said with a smile. “The firm isn’t all that bad.”
“I said you want to make the world a better place. Wolfram and Hart is still a cesspool. You need to watch yourself. They can bend you and mold you and make you someone you won’t recognize.”
Lindsey threaded his fingers together and gazed down at his hands. “Am I on the wrong path?”
Lorne scrubbed his face with his hands. “Well, I didn’t see any exit signs. Yeah, sugar. You’re where you’re supposed to be. For better or for worse.”
***
Over the next few weeks and months, Caritas became Lindsey’s home away from home. It was his place of respite, somewhere where he could go to feel shielded from the nastier elements of the city. As he started to take on more responsibilities at the firm, he sometimes brought along extra work and scratched out notes while he listened to bad renditions of “Copacabana.”
He also tried to sing at least once a week. It made him feel a little lighter, and it gave him some connection to the other regulars at Caritas. In between songs and scribbles, he sometimes chatted with the other customers. It was mostly small talk or praise for his music, but it made up for the social life he was sacrificing as he tried to drag himself up the ladder at Wolfram and Hart.
As he listened to an off-key version of “Climb Every Mountain,” Lindsey stared down at a primer for the social customs of various species represented by the firm. Mr. Manners had suggested that he might need it in the coming weeks. As he gazed down at the neatly typed words, though, he found it difficult to concentrate.
By all estimates, he knew he should consider the day a success. He been spending the last month helping Mr. Manners research and prepare for case. Today, all his hard work paid off, and the firm had successfully gotten a client off on a series of murder charges. Mr. Manners had taken him into his office, complimented him on his diligence, and given him a drink from his special bottle of wine.
At the time, Lindsey had burst with pride-and relief-that done a good job and garnered some attention for the man who could make or break his career. But the problem was he still had a conscience, and it was starting to nip at him. As it turned out, the client he had helped exonerate was a wealthy vampire-he was absolutely guilty, and he was going to keep right on draining the life out of innocent victims. And Lindsey had not only played a part in setting him free-he’d been given a pat on the back for it.
As the guilt gnawed at him, he could see Lorne slip up beside him. “Not gonna do a number tonight, Lindsey?”
Motioning to the primer in front of him, he said, “Nah. I gotta plow through this over the weekend. More responsibilities at the firm and all.”
Lorne sat down. “What kind of responsibilities?”
“Mostly research right now.”
Stretching dramatically, Lorne said. “You’re gonna force us all to listen to another rousing number by Mordar the Bentback.”
“My work was noticed today, Lorne. But I need to go above and beyond to keep up the momentum.”
“I see.” Lorne cocked his head at Lindsey and gazed at him intently. “How about a few bars of something just for little old me?”
Lindsey licked his lips and started leafing through the primer. He knew that it would take one note for Lorne to get a sense of what he’d done today. He’d see the guilt laid bare before him. And that was something Lindsey couldn’t handle tonight. “I’ll have to catch you next weekend.”
“Next weekend it is,” Lorne said with a tinge of disappointment. “Don’t work yourself too hard.”
***
Lindsey nodded at the audience as he stood up and started toward Lorne, who leaning against the bar, arms folded across his chest. Normally, Lorne breezed up on stage to bring on the next singer, but tonight, he was just standing in place and staring in Lindsey’s general direction.
Steeling himself, Lindsey firmly gripped his guitar and marched back toward Lorne. He had come into Caritas looking for advice, and he knew Lorne wasn’t one to sugar-coat it. He was about to work his first real case for the firm. Not research for another lawyer. His own case. This was his chance to prove his mettle to the higher-ups, but he was scared out of his mind. Screwing up could quite literally mean his life.
By the time Lindsey reached the bar, Lorne had a grim look on his face and had already gotten a drink ready for him. Lindsey knew from seeing other customers get readings that this didn’t bode well for his future. Taking the drink from Lorne, he mumbled a thank you and took a long sip.
“You don’t look happy,” he said finally. “How bad is it? I need to know, Lorne. My life might depend on it. Literally.”
“You know,” Lorne said harshly. “In all my years, I’ve never killed an employee. I guess I must be boss of the year. Anyway,” he said with the wave of a hand. “The case will go fine. You’ll dazzle them like you always do.”
Lindsey arched an eyebrow. “Then why do you look like I’m gonna die?”
“Because you’re changing,” he said. “You’re not the same wide-eyed kid who first wandered into my modest little karaoke bar. You’re someone else, and that makes me sad.”
“Change isn’t a bad thing.”
“It is this time, pumpkin.” Lorne glanced over at a couple of demons who bustled by grunting in their native language. Turning back toward Lindsey, he said, “Pretty soon, you’ll be discussing mayhem and murder over cocktails with the boys from the office.”
Lorne’s words were like a blow to the gut. “You really think that little of me?”
“I think a lot of you, actually. That’s why I’m being honest.” Lorne pointed his index finger at Lindsey’s chest. “I think there’s a good man inside that pretty body. But you’re gonna find yourself making ethical compromises that you never dreamed of.”
“That’s true in any job.” Lindsey sat up a straight and smirked a little in spite of himself. “I mean, you give guidance to demons who eat their wives. How is that okay?”
Shaking his head, Lorne placed a hand on Lindsey’s shoulder. “You need to get on a bus get out of this city. Sooner rather than later.”
“Mr. Manners says I have a future at the firm.”
Taking a long look at him, Lorne said, “That’s what scares me, sugar.”
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