Legacy Of The Fathers

Bronzing It

Author´s Notes: I know this chapter has taken a bit longer to come out than 1 & 2 did, but - unfortunately - real life decided to distract me (for anyone who really wants to know - it was the fault of a Renaissance presentation about Revenge Tragedy involving light sabers, lemon meringue pie with barbies in it, paper crowns and flowery bed sheets... (We can also blame When Harry Met Buffy, the vilest piece of sappy fluff I´ve ever been fool enough to write. I feel ill thinking about it. And people actually LIKE it! What are you? Crazy?!?!)).

Collie - here´s my penance for the size of When Harry Met Buffy. Happy now? :-P

Also, this story is plotted out entirely. It will go to 20 chapters at least. And to those who asked about certain characters, patience is a virtue ;) And if I wanna write many big Draco/Xander scenes, I will. Tis my fic after all *evil grin*

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Surveying the Bronze, Faith stretched her arms out by her sides, looking around with a smirk on her lips. Without Buffy to hold her back, she was ready to party with the best-looking guys she could find.

Wearing her black leather pants, a gift from her new Boss, and a skimpy square of shimmering black fabric tied over the front of her body, she knew she was getting a whole lot of attention.

Not enough though.

Brown eyes scanned around the crowded club.

Someone had taken centre-stage in her place, although he was acting like he didn´t even know it. Tall, young, smirking, white-blond hair, cheekbones sharp enough to cut glass on.

Lounging casually against the bar, his back against it, both elbows resting on the gleaming surface, his pale eyes were lazily wandering the bar. Clad in black, with a flash of red, his pale, pointed face held an aloofness she had never seen before.

Kinda like he was King of the Playground and knew it, but pretended he was too cool to give a damn. Kinda interesting and different. Not many guys could get away with it without lookin´ like arrogant jerks.

Hello, cutie...

Starting forward, Faith grinned.

She had her target.

The barman appeared behind the bar and handed the man a drink. The blond straightened up and strolled off into the seething mass of people. Faith growled softly, as someone pushed past her, shoved them away.

"Faith," a voice said from beside her and she mentally groaned.

"B," she replied neutrally, without having to look around to see who had spoken to her. She heard a rustle of fabric and turned to see Buffy crossing her arms over her chest, hazel eyes cool. "Lookin´ good, B."

"What are you doing here?"

Faith´s dark eyes glittered. "Checkin´ out the hotties, B, nothin´ more."

"Uh...huh..."

"You think I´m out for trouble every night, big sister?" Faith remarked, stepping forward, raising a hand to pat Buffy´s cheek patronisingly. She smirked when Buffy stepped back, her expression icy. "You gotta stop thinkin´ in one dimension, baby."

"Faith..."

"Don´t start preachin´ to the unconvertible, B," the brunette said coldly, her false smile replaced with an ugly scowl. "I don´t need you bein´ all holier than thou. You already helped me enough."

The other Slayer´s hazel eyes narrowed a little. "I´m just warning you, Faith."

"Yeah, B," Patting the blonde patronisingly on the cheek once more, Faith swung around and strutted off among the clubbers. She could almost feel the anger burning out from the blonde Slayer.

Moving out onto the crowded dance floor, she initiated an erotic-looking bump-n-grind between two good-looking seniors, who didn´t seem to mind at all that she was rubbing up against both of them.

Unfortunately, her brief run in with Buffy the Wonder Slayer had brought her mood right down.

Winding up as many guys as possible just didn´t seem like fun.

Growling again, wishing she could show B´s face her appreciation with a fist, Faith stalked off the floor, ignoring her two dance partners cries of protest, pushing her hair back from her face, as she looked around.

Her target.

He could be a distraction.

He had the sexy bad-boy look going for him anyway. Now...to find him...

***

Dropping onto the stool at the high table, Draco Malfoy looked around the bustling teenagers with clear interest, placing his plastic tumbler of some kind of cheap beer on the table in front of him.

"So this is a club," he remarked dryly, his upper lip curling. "I can honestly see why you would like spending so much of your free time here."

Leaning against the steel girder behind his stool that served as a support for the club and the boy at that moment, Alexander Harris didn´t even bother looking at his friend, making a rude gesture with one hand.

As soon as they had entered the Bronze, a few minutes earlier, he had slunk off to find a table, while observing the young wizard. Draco had strutted about the club like he owned the place and much to Alexander´s subdued amusement, people had treated him as if he were right.

"Mr. Harris!" Draco gasped, feigning shock. "How impolite!"

"Like you didn´t expect that," Brown eyes opened and gave him an amused look, a smirk on Alexander´s lips. "Mom told me sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. Looks like it's your only form...hello, bottom of the witty ladder."

"Are you implying that I´m not funny, Snake?"

"Not implying. Never waste time with implying," Alexander replied, sitting up and resting his forearms on the table in front of him. "All out saying it, Ferret. You have no sense of the funny."

"Damn, you´ve gone and hurt my feelings now," Draco put on a hurt expression, jutting out his lower lip as he leaned forward on the tall, round table. "I think I should run and cry like a sissy girl...oh, wait! That´s your job."

"Bite me, Ferret."

"In your dreams, Snake."

The biting words that were directed from one to the other were undercut by the rueful smiles that the two young men exchanged, knowing that anyone who overheard their conversation was liable to think they were both crazy.

And who was to say they were wrong?

Draco´s eyes returned to the seething mass of people around them, the smell of sweat, moist heat and stale air filling the whole club, along with the reek of too much body spray, hair spray, second-hand tobacco smoke, cheap alcohol and other scents that all screamed one thing: teenagers.

"This is what you actually did in your free time?"

"Not like there was anything else to do," Alexander shrugged. "It was this, or working from Slayer central. Sometimes, it's kinda nice to just sit in here instead of working on demons and vampires."

"I can´t believe you talk about vampires and demons and hell-beasts-from-the-underworld as if they´re everyday occurrences."

"They are here," Alexander nodded towards the band that had just moved onto the stage. "The bassist in that band is a werewolf." Draco stared at Alexander, then at the small, pale-faced youth with rainbow hair.

"That´s a werewolf?"

"He´s a werewolf," Alexander corrected. "Willow´s dating him."

"Dating?"

"Oh yeah...American slang." There was a pause. "He´s seeing her?"

Draco gave Alexander an exasperated look. "I do know what dating is, you prat," he said. "I just never thought that a werewolf would find someone who would be willing to date him."

"Well, he did almost eat her on their...I think it was their third date," A faint smile of reminiscence crossed Alexander´s face and he watched his fingertips tracing circles on the tabletop. "Once you get past that, you know your relationship can survive anything, I guess."

"Xander."

The dark-haired youth´s expression tightened and he looked to his side. Another tall, lean, dark man stood there. He looked a little older than both Draco and Alexander, his dark brown eyes warily glancing at Draco.

"Angel," Alexander said. "I would say it's nice to say you, but hey! It's not."

Draco snorted with laughter over his tumbler of beer, receiving a dark look from Angel, who looked him over suspiciously. "What?" he demanded, arching an eyebrow at the dark man. "It was funny."

"Friend of yours?"

Alexander nodded. "Not that it's any of your business," he said quietly. "What do you want anyway?"

"I´m looking for..."

"Buffy," Alexander cut in. "Haven´t seen her. Wouldn´t tell you if I had."

Angel´s expression darkened again and Draco was almost convinced he saw a flicker of gold in his eyes. He prowled off, merging into shadows and huddles of chattering people that seemed to be lining the walls of the club.

"Cheerful bloke," the blond remarked.

"Vampire," Alexander replied, smirking when Draco choked on his drink, coughing and spluttering.

"You´re bloody joking!"

Alexander shook his head. "Afraid not," he replied. "Angelus. Big bad ass vampire in his time, but got himself landed with a soul. Goes by the name of Angel now and is in love with the Slayer."

"And she doesn´t kill him?"

"She sent him to Hell once," Alexander glanced towards the dance floor. "And he couldn´t even stay there. He came back and now, we have Buffy-Angel-lusting all over again, even after the mess last time."

"Last time?"

"Long story. Soul lossage. Carnage. Wasn´t pleasant."

"Mmm."

Silence fell briefly, as Draco glanced around the faces of the people in the club, to see if he could spot any of the living-impaired, undead, demon-possessed or otherwise people, creatures, monsters.

It was unlikely, considering he would never have even imagined the dark man as a vampire, or the colourful-haired boy as a werewolf, let alone a bassist.

However, someone did catch his attention, as his eyes skimmed around the club.

A rather...interesting-looking brunette, who was gyrating on the dance floor.

"Snake," Draco murmured lazily, letting his half-closed eyes casually wander the girl´s lithe, toned body that seemed to have been poured into leather trousers and a scant black halter top.

"Hmm?"

"Girl over there, dark hair, dark eyes, nice arse, black leather..."

"Oh."

His eyes straying to Alexander, Draco arched an eyebrow. "Bad news, I assume?"

"Worst," Alexander muttered. "A Slayer gone wrong."

"Wrong?"

"She...something happened to her. I don´t know what it was, but she´s not been the same as she used to be," He leaned back against the column behind him, raising a hand to pillow his head. "She was...something."

Draco´s brows rose in surprise at the tone in Alexander´s voice. "You shagged her!"

"What?!"

"You, Snake. You shagged her, didn´t you?" His eyes drifted back to the dark girl, who was writhing rhythmically between several young men. Her dark eyes flicked to him and she smirked, as he lazily turned back to Alexander. "Looks like she´s the local broomstick."

"Huh?"

"Everyone gets a ride," Draco smirked.

"Hey!"

"Well, tell me I´m wrong about her, then," the blond challenged. "Tell me that you had a deep and meaningful relationship that lasted longer than one quick bonk and a door slammed in your face."

"You really are a bastard," Alexander muttered darkly.

"Not me, Snake-boy," Draco reminded him. "I´m the one of this merry pair who was one hundred percent legitimate. You, on the other hand..." A dark look was flashed at him by Alexander. "What? You expect me to be all touchy-feely and sensitive about your emotions? Not bloody likely!"

"Again, I´ll say you´re a bastard."

"We covered this..."

"Does the word `jerk´ mean anything to you?"

"Yes," Draco replied seriously. "To pull."

Alexander´s lips lifted in a faint smile. Despite the fact that they constantly seemed to bicker, he couldn´t help being grateful for Draco´s completely anti-sensitive approach in talking to him. It was a change. Nice, in a strange way. "You´re a weirdo, you know."

"I try, Snake," Draco said in response, the smile on his face a genuine one as he studied his friend. "Every little bit helps, doesn´t it?"

"I guess...and looks like we´re about to have company..."

"Oh?"

Alexander nodded out onto the dance floor. "I´ll say. If I´m right, I don´t know you and you don´t know me, right? It´ll be...funny."

***

Sauntering from the dance area towards the blond guy, who was sitting just off the sidelines of the floor, at one of the tall, standing tables, Faith´s hands were on her hips and she rolled her shoulders back.

He was leaning back on the high stool, his expression that of a King surveying his Kingdom, one of his thin hands casually resting on his thigh, the other still wrapped lazily around the cheap plastic tumbler that was sitting on the table beside him.

She knew he had been watching her casually, his half-closed eyes still drifting over her now and again as she stalked steadily towards the table, a predatory smirk already on her face.

"Hey, baby," she purred as she approached.

A blond eyebrow arched upwards. "Good evening."

Ooh! Classy!

Who´d´ve thunk that a gentleman would come to the Bronze?

Faith´s eyes darted sidelong to see if there were any vacant stools by the table, so she could spend a little...quality time with this guy, a puzzled expression crossing her face at the sight of...

"Xander?"

Brown eyes looked around at her. "Faith."

"Whatcha doin´ here, boy? You keepin´ this guy here company for me?"

Alexander gave the blond man a look, then shook his head. He gave Faith another look of distaste. "Just sitting, Faith," he answered quietly, pushing off the stool. "Be seeing you."

"Friend of yours?" the blond guy asked, as Faith swung up onto Alexander´s stool.

"Acquaintance, baby, but now, you got my full attention."

The blond looked her up and down, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment, then turned his silvery eyes back to the dance floor. "I see," he replied dryly. "How very flattering."

Faith grinned.

Playing hard to get, huh?

A challenge.

She liked that.

"You got a name?"

"Of course."

"Gonna tell me?"

Grey eyes returned to her face, a glitter of amusement in them. "Perhaps."

"You´re English, right?"

"You might say that. And you are?"

"Ah, ah, baby - you gimme your name and I give you mine."

The man´s lips lifted in a cool smirk, his hooded eyes coming back to her face briefly. "Then I suppose we´ll just have to remain nameless, won´t we?"

"C´mon, baby, you know you wanna tell me..." Under the cover of the table, Faith ran her hand up his denim-clad thigh towards his crotch. Most guys would either grin at that, or run a mile. The blond guy did neither, one eyebrow rising slightly.

"Your hand seems to be on my thigh," he remarked casually, raising his tumbler of beer to his lips and taking a drink. "It´s rather ticklish."

Okay.

Faith was officially off-balance.

This guy was definitely the Ice-King.

None of her usual `game´ actions were getting the familiar responses, which was a little bitty uncomfortable for the Slayer, who knew men like she knew the back of her hand. They were all meant to be the same. Not like this.

Maybe he was gay.

"Wanna dance?" she purred, leaning forward, her hand still wandering on his thigh.

"You mean in your particular style?" He gave her a wolfish grin that caught her by surprise, his eyes gleaming. "All but having a shag on the dance-floor with all clothes still in place?"

"Uh..."

"Sorry, love, but if I´m going to shag someone, I prefer to do it privately, so I don´t make anyone watching feel inadequate." He got to his feet, gave her a wink and strolled away, leaving the Slayer gaping at him.

Okay.

Again.

That was wicked weird.

Her eyes followed the blond-haired man as he swept away through the club, people parting in waves to let him pass. Damn, he was a hot guy and he had kinda turned her down, with the implication that he might not, if they were somewhere private.

Well, that was something.

Kicking off the stool, she stretched again.

Ah well, if he wanted her, he knew where she was.

Now, though, she was gonna find someone, anyone that happened to be about, to cool her down and get rid of the hot and horny feelings she´d got whenever that guy´s grey eyes had run over her.

***

"Willow," Buffy muttered.

Looking away from the stage, where her boyfriend´s band - Dingoes Ate My baby - were playing, Willow glanced at the Slayer. "What is it?" she asked, following Buffy´s line of sight and spotting what the other girl had seen. "Vamp?"

"I didn´t think he was," Buffy answered softly.

The tall, kinda sexy blond guy who they had been watching earlier had a pretty brunette girl with him. He was kissing her neck as he lead her towards the back door of the club.

"I´m gonna check it out..."

"I´ll just...uh...stay here and not get in the way."

"And make goo-goo eyes at Oz?"

Willow grinned. "That too."

Leaving her red-haired friend sitting on the stool and watching, Buffy slipped after the blond-haired young man and his acquired girlfriend for the evening, easing out into the passage behind the club.

A girl´s cries rang out in the air.

Her jaw tightening, Buffy whipped Mister Pointy out from beneath her shirt and started forward, rounding a corner, where the girl was pinned up against a wall, her cries ricocheting off the walls, the man´s mouth against her throat.

Running forward, Buffy started to stab down with her stake, when she realised her Slayer sense wasn´t tingling, jerking off the attack, but too late, the sharp tip of the wood lodging straight in the man´s shoulder.

"Oh..." she gasped as blood sprayed over her hands, the man staggering back with a sound of surprise and pain. In front of him, the girl Buffy had assumed was under attack started to scream hysterically.

Buffy blinked.

The young woman´s underwear was around her knees and clearly, something far more kinky than the usual necking had been going on against the wall, which kind of explained the cries.

The blond man raised his left hand, over his shoulder and brought it back in front of him, looking at the blood smearing it. His pale face, which was washed yellowish by the streetlight, lifted to hers.

"After all the effort I went to, to nick this jacket, you went and got a bloody great hole in it," he said, looking at her out of grey eyes filled with...amusement? He had been stabbed in the shoulder and he thought it was funny?

"Omigod...omigod...omigod..." the brunette was whimpering.

"Don´t worry, love," the man said, although his face had gone ashen. "I´m fine." That seemed to calm her a little. His eyes glittered with mirth at the look on her face. "You just head back in and tell them all that long fingers do make a difference."

However, as soon as the dark-haired girl was out of sight, after pulling her underwear back in place and straightening her skirt, the blond man fell back heavily against the wall, a grimace on his pale features.

"Oh," he said. "And it's nice to meet you, Slayer."

That said, his eyes rolled in his head and he keeled over in a faint.