Work Text:
Ladies' Night
by Lucinda
Xander leaned back, trying to stretch the knot out of his back. He was starting to despise washing dishes. But he wasn't quite to the point where he'd rather 'work the front', as Suzie'd been trying to convince him to try. No thank you ma'am, Xander Harris had no intention of becoming a male stripper.
Of course, that was more because he was convinced he'd be terrible at it than his dismay at the idea of taking his clothing off while being eyed like a hunk of raw meat dangled in front of wolves. Too much like dangerous Sunnydale for his comfort, thank you. Too many times in Sunnydale, he wasn't being eyed like a figurative piece of meat, but as a piece of meat, as in future meal material. Yikes.
Resigned to the sad fact that he'd either have to wash dishes for a very long time, or strip naked in front of a crowd of wild, hopefully human women while praying that he didn't fall down or get targeted to die painfully, Xander reached for the next plate. "I'm sure some day I'll look back at this time as a quiet, safe memory."
A corner of his mind tried to imagine the sort of guy that would have thought working at a strip club was neat, or fascinating, or just a great way to pick up women. A guy like that would be... probably normal. The sort of guy that he'd expected to grow up to be before he'd ever met Buffy. The sort of guy that would have been dead many times over in Sunnydale. Reaching for another plate, he sighed. "My life sucks sometimes."
But still, sometimes he wished that he could have some of the things of a normal life. A car that... well, his car was probably pretty normal for a guy his age. A girlfriend that hadn't tried to kill anyone? More knowledge of football quarterbacks than how to recognize dead languages? Yeah... there were days that he wanted a sliver of normal.
Eventually, his shift as a dishwasher ended, and he made his way out to the front, sitting at a table with a plate of food. He wasn't quite ready to face the dismal hotel room that had been all he could afford, and the food here was better than what he'd had at school or at home in Sunnydale.
He was in a perfect position to notice the blond as she came inside. She wasn't exactly tall, but carried herself with confidence. Golden curls tumbled around shoulders left almost bare by her shirt, and she had... Curves like that could be quite a lethal package. Part of him wasn't too certain that he'd mind. She was certainly much better looking than the normal crowd of ladies here at the club. Feeling curious, Xander decided that since he wasn't planning to leave just yet, he might as well watch the blond. After all, it wasn't like it would hurt anything, or like she'd probably notice him.
Eventually, he finished his food and slowly made his way around the tables of half drunken women, stepping out into the night air. It smelled different here than Sunnydale, there was no scent of the ocean, only a sort of green smell from standing water, and the familiar scent of hot earth. Not to forget the smells of cooking food and car exhaust, of course. Somehow, it still smelled better than home. Maybe it was just the lack of the Hellmouth?
Something alerted him, as he walked towards the hotel which was only across the parking lot. He was being followed, and there was something dangerous outside with him. He wasn't sure if they were the same being or not. Hoping for the best, he tensed as he slowly turned around to see who or what was behind him.
It was the blond. The really attractive blond.
"Hey. I was wanting to ask you something." There was a trace of an accent to her voice, one that suggested that she hadn't spent all her life in California. She had a half smile and a twinkle in her eyes.
Xander wasn't sure if it was alarming or reassuring not to see some variation of dangerous, fanged monster lurking in the shadows. That probably meant that the dangerous something was the blond. With a mental shrug, he gave her a half smile in return. "What were you wondering about?"
"Why were you staring at me back there, in the club?" The half smile was back, somehow looking almost predatory. Or that could have just been Xander feeling paranoid.
"In case you hadn't noticed," Xander offered, trying not to look either dangerous or like easy prey, and having no idea how well he was doing at it. "You're a lot more attractive than most of the women in there. I didn't think it would hurt to look."
"Thank you." The smile widened, and for a moment, she looked harmless and delighted. "If only I got compliments like that more often."
"Yeah, well..." Xander shrugged, and tried once again to see if there was any possibility of some lurking demon to explain the feeling of 'dangerous nasty nearby' that was creeping along his spine. "State of the world, I guess."
"Pity, isn't it?" Her question didn't really sound like she wanted an answer. "So, I was wondering... would you care to go with me to get something to drink? I think we can find somewhere quieter than the Fabulous Ladies' Club."
Part of Xander wanted to say no and bolt, certain now that she was some sort of predatory monster. After all, she had just asked him out on a date, and considering his past history with females... But he was only human, and she was pretty hot, so the idea of a date with her was rather tempting. What emerged was a rather awkward sounding, "Drink? Errr... Where?"
"How about my room?" She smiled, the expression purely seductive.
Xander could feel his mind shutting down as his thoughts went decidedly south. He was doomed. She was trying to pick him up. She was probably some sort of demon or maybe a vamp... She was checking him out! Oh God, was he doomed. "Sure."
With that, Xander looped his arm with the beautiful woman, and followed her to his potential doom. Damn those hormones anyhow... Maybe she was a succubus and intended to kill him by too much sex? Yeah, now that would be a way to go. "I'm Xander, what should I call you?"
"Call me Urs." She smiled, and led him away.
Xander just hoped that he wouldn't need the stake that he'd tucked into his jacket. Just because he'd left Sunnydale didn't mean there were no vamps, after all. Tonight would either be the sort of night to look back on for years, or the last night of his life... He was hoping more for lots of good memories, personally.
Kendra hadn't felt normal, and she'd been someone he would have liked to know better. Ms French the man-eating she-mantis... memorable but bad. Ampata had been fun to hang out with, but a killer in the end. Cordelia... he still didn't know how to explain that. Faith had been fascinating, and they'd had what he'd thought was a good time, until she'd thrown him out in his boxers. Buffy, who was extremely hot and not normal, saw him as one of the girls - the most painful sounding thing to ever hear. Maybe not so normal wouldn't be so bad? He could hope so, at least.
end Ladies' Night.