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It was all by accident, really. A few of your colleagues had invited you to a club after work to wind down and you had no intention of dancing, but little did you know, the music was going to convince you otherwise soon enough.
The venue was fairly small compared to others and looked pretty beat up from the outside. Not very convincing. As you step inside however, the mood improves. Everything is a velvety glow of reds and browns, soft lights panning the room. It felt refined, classy, unlike the throng of people gathered in the middle of the room, down in a pit sort of area. Girls flashing things you’d really rather not see in public, and burly men touching places on them that they most definitely wouldn’t in front of their mothers, that was something you were sure of. Other than that, you didn’t know what was happening; the overall atmosphere had dimmed your sense of comprehension. The bar still held your level of respect though, and the music was... alright you suppose. Nothing that really got you going. At least, not at this point in time.
I wasn't looking for nobody when you looked my way
Then you see another bundle of guys walk in, not too much unlike your own. You were standing relatively close to the door, still overlooking the party when he walked in with a group of rowdy people, co-workers or the like. Not important. What caught you was his eyes. Piercing red orbs that bore through your soul. He scans across the decently sized room (you swear those rubies met yours at one point!) before returning to his task, walking down the stairs (you noticed that he clung particularly tight to the railing) to merge into the crowd as if he had never been a separate entity, closing his eyes, blonde hair sweeping over his forehead as his whole body rocked back and forth, the notes of the song pulsing through his body in waves. It was attractive, very much so, and even if you didn’t feel a strong magnitude to males every breathing second of your life, you sure were enraptured by this one. He was simply gorgeous. You’d say just his presence calmed the storm of thrashing bodies. The song changes to something slower and it gives you a feeling you can’t quite place as you watch him from above, pale mop of hair moving with his body.
Who'd knew that you'd be up here looking the way you do
You're making staying over here impossible
I must say your aura is incredible
If you don't have to go, don't
You couldn’t see him anymore, the sea of people moving him along with them, having long swallowed him in this ordered chaos, but you wanted to see him again. Talk to him until you knew him, maybe drink a little. You couldn’t believe such a ridiculous thing was driving you towards a complete stranger, but you couldn’t help it. Not yet. You knew you couldn’t get through this cluster of “dancers” and drunks alike even if you tried. You’ll wait.
You wander over to the bar, ordering a simple mug of beer. Class? What’s that? You didn’t even want to get that buzzed or even remotely close to drunk at all, you just wanted something to drink. Beer wasn’t even the best choice, what are you doing, John? You hadn’t been in your right mind since you entered this little replica of Satan’s right armpit, it didn’t matter. You chug it down after a few moments and lay your head on the cool surface of the counter in front of you. Fuck this shit, why’d you agree to this? The bartender takes the glass and doesn’t say a word. She’s probably seen worse in her days. You’re thankful for that.
After the music has dwindled down to pop shit to sate the wilder fans, you’re really regretting coming. More than you had before. A song whose name escaped you every time was pounding through the walls and your temples, the blooming start of a really bad headache. You need another drink. You sit up and call over the barkeeper, who looks at your determined face sheepishly. Getting a drink isn’t that big of an issue, John. Calm down.
You ask if she can make a decision for you and she nods, a graceful up and down as she mixes you something of her choosing. You take in a deep breath and sip what she has presented in front of you, it's not that bad, hmmm. You gulp it down hastily, the burning sensation partially masked by a sweet undertone that made you crave for more. Despite the fact that you felt a bit frantic, the glass in your hands is placed gently back onto the counter. Thank god, you didn't want to break anything. She takes that as a hint that you want another and she gets to it, cranking out two just in case. You decide to drink these properly at this point, taking a gulp now and then and trying to talk to the barkeeper without drowning her in your personal woes.
She nods in acknowledgement as you rant away, obviously used to this sort of thing somehow, in some way, and you have to admit it makes you feel better. That is, until a body slips into the seat next to you, a blur of black and red in your peripheral.You promptly flip the fuck out and near fall out of your seat. The barkeeper and newcomer look at you oddly for a moment before turning to each other.
"David."
"Kanaya. Sup?"
"Nothing really. How are you on this... er, fine evening?" You notice her eye twitch as she forces out the word 'fine', painted green lips pulling into a tight line, a grimace that still left her looking beautiful.
"Good." You don't bother looking over at the mystery man when he speaks again as you casually sip your drink and feign interest in the crowd out and below, trying not to focus in on their conversation.
"So, what would you like?" She doesn't seem fazed by 'David's one syllable answers and it surprises you. If you were in a situation like that you'd no doubt be a little steamed at his sarcastic tone! Who does he think he is anyways?
You huff, irritated, before instantly regretting it. He must have heard you over the music or something because you'll be damned if he wasn't attempting to stare a hole through your back.
"The usual." he says, and you hear shifting all the while, his gaze no doubt moving from her back to you. Oh goody. "Now to you mister mystery, what's up?"
You try to ignore him, you really do, but curiosity is eating you alive, and wow, his voice intensified the need for you to see his face. That slight twang in it, covered in a light, sweet chocolate that sounded absolutely delicious to your ears. You inhale deeply through your nostrils and pivot on the stool to face him. Oh.
That was unexpected.
"Hey, you okay? You look like ya just saw a spectre or somethin' flash before yer eyes. And your jaw's slack as the door of the bathroom of my apartment if you know what I mean. I'm hot, yes, but manners." He waggles his dark eyebrows over the aviators that you had no idea why he wore inside as you stare at him helplessly. The attractive guy you saw walk in was him. But he's a huge fucking tool? Okay, maybe that's nothing out of the norm, but really? He was even obtusely flirting with you for christ's sake!
"Heeeellloo? Earth to raven head, Houston we got a problem. Don't make me start singing you douche. You're ignoring me aren't you? Good tactic, staring right at me while lettin' all the shit I'm sayin' bounce right off yer face!"
He seriously does this for about five solid minutes before taking a swig of his drink. By that time, you've regained your common sense so you're okay and ready to comply with this man's chatty ways.
"Someone's a little impatient, I'm guessing." Okay, that was a shitty response but it was basically the only thing you could choke out besides 'you're really attractive' or 'you're a huge tool'.
He goes silent for a moment, surprised that you actually replied to his incessant bitching. That's a shocker. He clears his throat and fidgets with his tie, probably finding his voice to speak. "Nope. 'S not me. I'm the epitome of patient. I'm still waitin' for all the continents to become Pangea again. See? Master of patience right there."
It seems like he's trying desperately to prove something to you, or at least, make you think better of him. Weird, you didn't think a character like him would be so insecure of his ability to make people swoon. Maybe you were different. That had to be it.
"Uh huh."
"Is that all ya got to say? What a pussy. I ain't gonn' bite unless y'know, you're into that shit."
You open your mouth in order to formulate a quick remark, but you can't think of one so it closes back soon after. This guy is... interesting to say the least.
"I'll take that as a yes an' I'll even make a memo in my phone for further reference if ya catch my drift." He winks (you know what assuming does, but really, it's like you can feel his eyes!) and elbows you a little. This man is dorkier than you, and that would be a huge turn-off if it wasn't so endearing.
"Is that so?" You raise an eyebrow and he nods eagerly, chugging the remainder of his beverage and politely asking Kanaya for another.
"Striders never lie, babe. Anyways, name's Dave an' save the nicknames for bed." He holds out a fist and you look at it with a confused face for a moment until realizing he wanted you to bump it! Oh, alright. You do so and think of how you might introduce yourself without sounding dumb. You fail to do so and just wing it.
"Hi, Dave! My name is John, nice to meet you." Eww, formalities. At least all of that was said and done and you wouldn't have to deal with it.
"Well Johnny boy, would you like t' dance?" He finishes his second glass and stands up to bow, holding out a hand for you to take. When you stand as well to lend him your palm, you notice that he's a few inches shorter than you. And also a little scrawny, so close to being just skin and bones.
Do you know what you started?
I just came here to party
He escorts you to the pit, tugging your arm so your bodies were flush against each other for various reasons, one probably being that this crowd was enormous and you weren’t really into the whole “getting lost” deal. Others, you will not discuss. The music abruptly switches to something with a sinister beat, oozing out the speakers and coating everyone on the dance floor with an addicting slime. Your feet wouldn’t stop and you didn’t want them to, and apparently neither did Dave because he was clinging to your hips like there was no tomorrow.
But now we're swaying on the dance floor being naughty
He grinds against you, body stirring up something haunting as he whispers nothings into your ear. Somehow you felt as if you could hear them more clear the the music that echoed through your soul and the thought made you shiver more than the words he was uttering.
Your hands around my waist
Just let the music play
Sadly, all things have to end at one point, so you suppose you weren’t feeling too dejected when the music stopped since it was pretty much inevitable. The club was closing. Dave, however, is still stuck to you like glue, swaying you both along to the music in his head that he was airily humming into the crook of your neck.
We're hand in hand, chest to chest
And now we're face to face
You grasp his hands in your own, the action bringing his head up to look at you. You were so close your noses almost touched, and as you ever so slowly lean in to press your lips together, sparks fly beneath your eyelids. This is definitely not what you were expecting upon coming to this bar. You bring a hand up to brush platinum locks off of his shades before realizing that the scenario was so sappy and surreal that you could puke. You don’t untangle quite yet though. You have a question. “Hey, Dave? What song were you humming earlier? It sounded familiar.”
His face goes red at the fact that you could actually hear him, colouring his tan skin top the tip of his ears. Instead of answering you, he sings the rest, a soft melody that his accent is surprisingly absent from.
I wanna take you away
Let's escape into the music
Oh, just let it play
I just can't refuse it
Like the way you do this
Keep on swaying to it
Please don't stop the, please don't stop the music
You hug him once more before removing yourself, pulling your cell out of your back pocket and asking for his phone number. He grabs the phone from you and puts it in with slight difficulty before calling himself so he could have yours as well. Nimble fingers pull down his shades and he winks, swaggering out of the bar and leaving you standing there with a grin on your face.