Punching the Clock
*~*~*~*~*
It was the kind of place you wouldn't expect to see him sitting, but there he was. This demon bar might not have had the greatest crowd, but it was safe. And hey, the drinks weren't all that bad either. He loosened his tie and leaned back, looking up to the stage where a Fehrle demon was butchering Madonna's "Like a Virgin."
When the chair next to him moved, he wasn't surprised. "Thought you'd cancel tonight."
Gunn smiled. "What and miss all this?" He gestured around. "Never."
Lindsey smiled back and lifted his drink. "You know we are completely crazy for coming here like this."
"That's why this is the best place, man. They have a rule of absolutely no killing or beatings. Now that's some shit I can get down to." He glanced at the stage. "Although sometimes the entertainment needs a boost."
"Are you offering a song?" he asked as he tipped the glass to his lips.
Gunn laughed. "Nah, I'm cool." He took a swig of his beer. "So, how you wanna do this?"
"How about we start with, 'how are you?"
He nodded. "So what's up, Mickey D?" He laughed at his joke. "Sorry, man. Just messin' with ya."
Lindsey snorted in retort. "Hey, you don't see me talking about calling you 'revolver' or something like that."
Gunn almost rolled with laughter. "That's just solid, man. You tryin' to be all loose with your suit and tie and all that shit."
"With a boss like mine, this is as loose as I get." He set his drink down. "Sometimes I wonder how a human can be so heartless like him. I mean, he wanted children dead. That's when I first came to Angel."
"You wanna talk about bosses? Where to start? Mine ain't got no reflection and let me tell you how bad-ass he looks in the convertible with no sunlight. What's up with that? He gets the good ride, all the babes wanna lay him but he just tosses them left and right and where am I? Fuckin' drinkin' beer in a karaoke... a demon karaoke bar with my boss' rival!" He swallowed a few more drinks. "How fucked up is that?"
Lindsey lost it. He doubled over with laughter and almost spilled his drink.
Gunn scowled. "Oh that's just priceless. You wanna rub a little more salt in the wound?"
Lindsey shook his head as his laughter died down. "Just that..." A brief chuckle. "You're complaining about all the 'babes' your boss attracts and I'm worried about mine sacrificing children."
Gunn paused to think about this. "Well, I know I can quit and mine won't kill me. Or hunt me down. Or kill my crew. At least I know what's up and where I really stand with the guy."
The lawyer nodded. "I know where I stand too. I think the word is: Expendable." He took another drink and sighed. "I know exactly how that goes. And I know to watch my back."
"Must suck to be you."
Both of them looked at each other for a moment before busting up with laughter. A few other patrons of the establishment looked in their direction but nothing was said. Because here they could be free. Here, they didn't have to worry about anyone coming after them but themselves. This was a place of sanctuary for them. And when it came time to leave, one would leave before the other and they would pretend to go on normally.
As if normal were something to be had.
Gunn sighed and looked at his watch. "Time to punch the clock, big guy." He stood and put on his coat. "See you 'round."
Lindsey smiled and lifted his drink to a silent toast. "See ya."
At least they didn't have to sing.
Back
*~*~*~*~*
It was the kind of place you wouldn't expect to see him sitting, but there he was. This demon bar might not have had the greatest crowd, but it was safe. And hey, the drinks weren't all that bad either. He loosened his tie and leaned back, looking up to the stage where a Fehrle demon was butchering Madonna's "Like a Virgin."
When the chair next to him moved, he wasn't surprised. "Thought you'd cancel tonight."
Gunn smiled. "What and miss all this?" He gestured around. "Never."
Lindsey smiled back and lifted his drink. "You know we are completely crazy for coming here like this."
"That's why this is the best place, man. They have a rule of absolutely no killing or beatings. Now that's some shit I can get down to." He glanced at the stage. "Although sometimes the entertainment needs a boost."
"Are you offering a song?" he asked as he tipped the glass to his lips.
Gunn laughed. "Nah, I'm cool." He took a swig of his beer. "So, how you wanna do this?"
"How about we start with, 'how are you?"
He nodded. "So what's up, Mickey D?" He laughed at his joke. "Sorry, man. Just messin' with ya."
Lindsey snorted in retort. "Hey, you don't see me talking about calling you 'revolver' or something like that."
Gunn almost rolled with laughter. "That's just solid, man. You tryin' to be all loose with your suit and tie and all that shit."
"With a boss like mine, this is as loose as I get." He set his drink down. "Sometimes I wonder how a human can be so heartless like him. I mean, he wanted children dead. That's when I first came to Angel."
"You wanna talk about bosses? Where to start? Mine ain't got no reflection and let me tell you how bad-ass he looks in the convertible with no sunlight. What's up with that? He gets the good ride, all the babes wanna lay him but he just tosses them left and right and where am I? Fuckin' drinkin' beer in a karaoke... a demon karaoke bar with my boss' rival!" He swallowed a few more drinks. "How fucked up is that?"
Lindsey lost it. He doubled over with laughter and almost spilled his drink.
Gunn scowled. "Oh that's just priceless. You wanna rub a little more salt in the wound?"
Lindsey shook his head as his laughter died down. "Just that..." A brief chuckle. "You're complaining about all the 'babes' your boss attracts and I'm worried about mine sacrificing children."
Gunn paused to think about this. "Well, I know I can quit and mine won't kill me. Or hunt me down. Or kill my crew. At least I know what's up and where I really stand with the guy."
The lawyer nodded. "I know where I stand too. I think the word is: Expendable." He took another drink and sighed. "I know exactly how that goes. And I know to watch my back."
"Must suck to be you."
Both of them looked at each other for a moment before busting up with laughter. A few other patrons of the establishment looked in their direction but nothing was said. Because here they could be free. Here, they didn't have to worry about anyone coming after them but themselves. This was a place of sanctuary for them. And when it came time to leave, one would leave before the other and they would pretend to go on normally.
As if normal were something to be had.
Gunn sighed and looked at his watch. "Time to punch the clock, big guy." He stood and put on his coat. "See you 'round."
Lindsey smiled and lifted his drink to a silent toast. "See ya."
At least they didn't have to sing.
Back