saturday night and the moon is out

[feel_human]

Tucked away off the road in Bon Temps, there's a road house. Warm light spills from its windows, and the sound of a jukebox playing drifts out into the muggy Louisiana night. The regular assortment of trucks and Hail-Mary-please-keep-this-lemon-goin'-just-a-little-longer cars sit in the dirt parking lot; what amounts to about half the town's small population... or, at least, of those of the 'drinking age and above' persuasion.

Inside, it's a bar of the type scattered all across the American South: homey, no-nonsense. Booths and tables. A man in a plaid flannel shirt wiping the bar; a crossdresser in the kitchen singing Gospel hymns and rolling his hips in time with the words just to scandalize the prep cook. A handful of waitresses, bustling about.

Sookie makes her way briskly through it all, a tray balanced on her palm and her eyes kept stubbornly front, as voices swarm around her. Aloud, and... less so.

...I’m just going to have one beer tonight Jesus one beer that’s all...

...better not gripe about me eating fries not after what I did for him last night...

...I cannot wait to get the hell out of this podunk town...

 

 "Well, make sure you do, and before it’s too late," she responds, thoughtless, to the young man. "Because every year you wait? You just get more and more stuck here. Believe me, I know."

He stares at her. So do his parents.

So does the other table. And she realizes, too little too late, that he hadn't said that out loud, not at all. She laughs, uncomfortable. "I’ll get y'all some ketchup," she says, brightly, and flees, ponytail swinging against the nape of her neck as she goes.

Stupid, Sookie, she chides herself. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

Comments

[feel_human]

"I guess we'll see," she says, practical even though she's smiling as she sets down his pie and fresh glass of beer. "That fellow you were wondering about? Turns out he just moved into town, just abut next door to me. Isn't that funny?"

Not funny ha-ha, funny odd. "Gran'll be thrilled. There hasn't been anyone near us in years, not for miles."

[gavemea_45]

"How about that," he marvels, while a litany of silent, dismayed curses sears through his mind. "Looks like you've got a new neighbor. Or two? He got a family, did he say?"

[feel_human]

His thoughts are muffled and quiet, but every now and again something sneaks through... like a feeling of frustration that's at complete odds with the clear, friendly look on his face.

Her smile falters, a little, and she looks at him a little more closely. "No, he didn't."

But if he had a family, she'd have expected him to bring them in. There's almost no one comes in to Merlotte's to eat by themselves, aside from drifters like Sam himself, or Andy Bellefleur, and that's because no one can stand to be around him for the length of a meal. "But I guess I'd have heard if a family was movin' to town. Still, it's a big place for just one man."

[gavemea_45]

Something about her expression shifts, and Sam realizes that his expression must be letting something of what's behind it leak through. He shakes his head and smiles again, warm and a little sheepish. "Sorry, I guess that's pretty nosy of me to be asking," he half-apologizes. "Especially with me being new around here myself."

[feel_human]

"Bein' nosy is practically a competitive sport around here." At least Maxine's not around. "But if you're curious, why not ask him yourself?"

She leans down to collect his empty plates and old glass, pitches her voice to a low, amused whisper. "I don't think he bites."

[gavemea_45]

What he wants to do is bury his face in his hands at that. Looks like Sookie's instincts are a hell of a lot sharper than she realizes, even if she doesn't know just how wrong she is.

What he does is let out a slightly strained laugh that fades into something truly rueful. "Might as well," he decides, and lifts his beer to the stranger in what looks like an invitation. After all, it's not like he hasn't already been spotted.

He's very, very careful not to meet his eyes, however.

[feel_human]

At his table, Bill studies Sam and his motion, then inclines is head in a nod. Sookie smiles, bright and pleased, and straightens with her laden tray. "Then I may as well introduce you," she says, and half-turns so she can see both tables. "Bill, this is Sam," she says, looking from one man to the other. "Sam, this is Bill. Y'all are both new in town, so you've got that in common already."

Along with... other things she can't explain.

Bill touches his glass of wine and lifts it in greeting. "Evenin'."

[gavemea_45]

"Hi," Sam says, keeping it light, cheerful, and outwardly friendly. "From one stranger to another. When I found out, I just couldn't help but be curious what brings you here?"

[feel_human]

The waitress – Sookie – is smiling and satisfied with herself as she walks briskly away. Even without her near, he can smell the sunshine in her blood, can hear the beat of her heart and the steady in-out of her breath.

The scent of her is like nothing he's ever known before. It's intoxicating.

He considers the young man in the booth for a long moment before answering. "You might call it a homecomin' of sorts," Bill says, finally. "My family was from Bon Temps. A long time ago."

[gavemea_45]

He just bets it was a long time ago. A long, long time ago.

Sam lets his smile broaden. "How about that! It must be nice to be back. Did you bring any family with you, or are you looking to reconnect?"

[feel_human]

He knew, coming in here, he'd likely be forced to interact with the humans who live and work here, but it's worth it, to get a closer look at the girl.

Still, it's wearisome in the extreme. And this stranger seems to ask a lot of questions. "I'm afraid my life is a solitary one," he says. "I'm a widower. So... perhaps I have come to seek some comfort in the past."

There's no smile on his lips as he toys with the glass of undrinkable wine. "I suppose you are just passin' through?"

[gavemea_45]

"Sorry to hear that," Sam says, and manages to keep it from sounding insincere. "I hope you find what you're looking for."

He takes a sip of his beer, noticing that the other hasn't actually touched his wine, although he's doing a good job of pretending. Loner or nest, that's the important question, although Sam's got a feeling he'll have to find out either way.

"I was, but I thought I might stick around for a while."

[feel_human]

"Really."

That's inconvenient, but shouldn't affect his plans. The girl is already drawn to him; it's only a matter of time before he can set his strategy into motion. "What changed your mind?"

[gavemea_45]

Sam smiles, careful to keep his gaze no higher than the middle of the vampire's face. As long as he doesn't meet his eyes, the lore says, he shouldn't be able to be whammied, but he's got to be careful as hell that he doesn't get tricked into it.

"I hear the town's got quite a lot of history. I'm kind of a history buff. So as I'm not in any particular hurry to get anywhere, I figured I might as well check things out. For as long as it takes."

[feel_human]

Something almost like a smile, but lacking any warmth or amusement, touches the corner of Bill's lips. "Be careful," he cautions. "Not everyone likes what they find when they look into the past."

"Well, I can see you two are hittin' it off." He glances up to see Sookie, hands on her hips and smiling at them. "Seein' as neither of you are eatin' or drinkin'."

She turns to Sam with a pert look. "Somethin' wrong with that pie, Sam?"

[gavemea_45]

Sam switches his smile to Sookie, real warmth flooding it. "I didn't want to be rude and talk with my mouth full," he explains, and forks up a bite. "It's good, though," he adds, once he swallows. "Real good."

His smile doesn't dim a whit as he turns back to Bill. "You should try some."

[feel_human]

She turns to Bill, who shakes his head. "I admit I came more for company than for sustenance," he says, in that cool, precise voice of his. He lifts the glass of wine. "Call it an... excuse to be here."

Sookie softens, sympathy in her glance. "Well, I can imagine it's awful quiet and lonely, rattling around in that big old house if you're all by yourself," she says. "You're welcome here anytime, Bill. And you don't have to drink that if you don't want to – but so long as you buy somethin', Sam won't kick you out."

She turns an amused glance on Sam-the-newcomer. "My boss Sam, that is."

[gavemea_45]

Bill's good; but then he'd have to be, to be prepared to be dealing with humans like this. He was braced for it and so doesn't wince, although it's hard when Sookie invites him so warmly to come by anytime. He can only hope he finds a way to explain to her before she invites her new neighbor to her home.

He laughs a little at her teasing. "Good to know. So your boss is a soft-hearted kind of guy, then?"

[feel_human]

"He can be." He certainly has a soft spot for her, though she tries not to take advantage of it.

Checking up on them was only half the reason she stopped by, though, and she feels unaccountably nervous to bring up the rest. "My break's in about five minutes," she tells Sam, shy. "If you still... well..."

[gavemea_45]

"I do," Sam's quick to reply. "I really do. Do you want me to meet you, or do you want to swing back by here?"

He figures she might not want to talk with him with Rednecks One and Two at the next table over, and god knows he'd rather be at least a little more removed from Bill-the-Problem, but it's not like he can openly suggest that. At least not yet.

[feel_human]

Her grin flashes again. "I have to settle a few tabs in the back," she says. "Meet me outside?"

She could use a breath of fresh air, and... well...

If this is a trick of some sort, some mean new prank, she'd rather be outside and not under the curious gaze of half the town when it comes down on her head.

[gavemea_45]

"You bet," Sam tells her. "I'll be right out front." There's more gear on his bike, if things go as sideways as they just might. He's careful not to let his glance flick to the vampire.

"You can settle my tab too if you want, if it makes it easier? So your boss doesn't get nervous," he suggests. Sam pulls out enough cash to cover the check and tip and hands it over. "I can open a new one after."

[feel_human]

"All right."

She accepts the bills and gives them both a slightly flustered smile. After? So he might stay longer?

It's almost enough to distract her from the storm of thoughts that slam up against her defenses as she steps out of the strange, almost silent bubble between the two men.

guess she'll get a good tip tonight, throwin' herself at those men shameless as can be
know he's cheatin' I can smell her perfume on him
just one more and I'll call it a night, one more, that's all

She shoves her walls back up as high and hard as they can go and heads to the register, punching in the numbers with a little more vim than strictly necessary.

[gavemea_45]

He has some more pie as Sookie heads off. It really is good, he'd told the truth about that much at least. He keeps his gaze on her as he says, lightly,

"I reckon I'll see you later, if you're still here when I get back."

Not waiting for an answer from Bill, Sam pushes out of the booth and heads for the front door.

[feel_human]

Sam's wiping glasses and setting them away as she comes to the counter, unlacing her apron. "I'm goin' on break," she says, and ignores the hooting that comes from the kitchen, though her ears burn.

Tara exchanges a glance with Sam over the rim of her margarita. "Break, huh?"

"I get one, don't I?" She keeps it light, but there's a stubborn lift to her chin, and Tara shrugs, looks back at Sam.

His smile is a little forced. "'Course you do," he says. "Glad you're actually takin' one. But it's a busy night, Sook. Don't be late comin' back."

"I never am," she says, pert, and leaves the bar counter to set her apron in her cubby in Sam's office, then pushes her way through the back door and into the muggy Louisiana night.