Fanfic- 9 o'clock on a Saturday

[kappa77]

While I continue to write basically everything I need to write, have this one-shot I wrote a little while ago on tumblr.

Rob/Deadbones preslash... but Pause is in it!
-

When the new bar opened in town, Rob didn’t think anything of it. It was just going to be one of those places in town that he would pass on his way to work, but never go into. He was perfectly with the drinks, people, and service the “Mindcrack” offered. Not to mention, the “Mindcrack” was only a couple blocks away from his apartment while the newly constructed bar was practically halfway across town. So Rob had no problem ignoring the “Buffalo Wizards Bar”.

Of course, Pause had to drag him along to get drinks at the new place.

“C’mon Rob, it’ll be fun to check out a new place!”

“Fine,” Rob grumbled after trying to avoid going for quite some time, “but if the place sucks, you’re paying.”

Pause agreed, “Okay, whatever, but if you end up liking the place, you’re paying.”

The two shook on it and Tuna Bandit Oathed that they’d spend a minimum of three hours at the “Buffalo Wizard” and if Rob was still a grumpy pants (Pause’s words, not his) by then, they’d leave with Pause paying. Satisfied with the bet, Pause grabbed Rob’s elbow and dragged him out of the apartment, a feeling of confidence inside him.

 -

It was 9 o’clock by the time they managed to get a cab and make their way downtown. On the outside, the place looked relatively normal. Large bay windows that would no doubt be opened 24/7 during the summer, blue and white awning hanging above the door, large sign above the awning with “Buffalo Wizards” written in script. The only thing that made it stand apart from the other stores around it was the giant buffalo statue standing near the door wearing a pointed blue wizard hat with white stars.

Rob side eyed Pause after they had both taken in the statue. Pause shrugged, breezing past it and opening the door.

The inside looked pretty normal, bar to the right, chairs and tables covering the rest of the space, with a small stage area in the back with a baby grand piano in the center. The area in front of the piano was the most crowded with people even hanging around onstage, as if the pianist had already made a name for himself in the week the bar had been open. There was a yellow flyer in the front announcing who was playing, but it wasn’t anyone Rob recognized from any other bar he’d been to in the area. Jerked out of his thoughts by Pause calling out from across the place, saying he had gotten two seats at the end of the bar, he made his way over.

 The bartender greeted him with a smile.

“Hey there, my name’s Roamin and I’m gonna be getting you guys some drinks tonight. So what’ll it be?”

Rob looked up at the drink selection written on a large blackboard, eyes going straight to the cocktails.

“I’ll have a… a Blue Monday.”

If the bartender was surprised at him ordering a colorful cocktail, he didn’t show it and just waited for Pause.

“And I’ll just have a Guinness,” Pause chimed in.

Roamin nodded and got to work on the orders. While he was doing that, Rob took the time to look around the place more. Hanging on the walls were various memorabilia from video games of all types; retro, plat formers, PC, console, etc. The area behind the bar had various glass bottles as well as small figurines of characters from popular video games.

Someone’s a fan.

“Who designed the place?” Rob asked.

Roamin looked up from the taps, “Oh, you mean all the video game stuff? Yeah, we all kinda pitched in for that.”

He placed their drinks on the counter as he continued. “We actually all met over a game of WoW.”

Rob looked around the place, looking for another worker, but not seeing anyone. “All of you?”

Roamin smiled, “Yeah, Deadbones, Justin, Nisovin, Vankz, and me. Nisovin and Vankz tend to stay behind in the office working on finances and that crap. Deadbones and Justin do some of that stuff as well, but mostly they’re the entertainment. I think it’s Deadbones’ turn tonight.”

Rob nodded mindlessly, taking another drink.

 -

The next half hour or so, the two of them just talked about their day and jobs. It seemed like the entire place was doing the same thing with just a low murmur being heard throughout the entire place. Then one person in the crowd of tables and chairs started clapping, and then more and more and soon even the bartender was clapping.

Rob and Pause looked at one another, then at the stage where the pianist was finally making their way and-

Shit.

“He’s hot,” Rob whispered, not caring if Pause heard.

Thankfully he didn’t, but Roamin did. He looked up from the taps and smirked.

“Deadbones? Yeah, he’s gotten that a lot from the women who’ve come here, but he doesn’t quite swing that way, if you know what I mean.”

Rob thanked whatever God there was out there for that. He was tempted to drop the entire bet right now, cause right now he was tempted to come to this bar every night if only just to catch a glance at Deadbones.

But he really couldn’t blame himself for thinking that. It’d had been more than half a year since his last relationship and just having Deadbones walk in with a bit of beard, hair that’s just long enough to look both messy and sexy, and a white button up with the sleeves rolled up and a black tie, well he just couldn’t help himself.

“Huh,” Pause said, ripping Rob out of his thoughts. He was looking at his watch.

“What?” Rob asked.

Pause grinned, looking up, “We’ve been here less than two hours and I’ve already won this bet.”

Rob gaped, mouth opening and shutting wordlessly before he was able to get a word in.

“Oh no, no, no. No. You haven’t won shit.”

“Really?” Pause giggled, “Cause to me it looks like you’ve fallen hard for this bar’s pianist- meaning, you’ll want to come here more.”

“I haven’t fallen for him,” he mumbled. He was about to retort, but then there was loud feedback from the microphone.

On stage, Deadbones winced, “Sorry for that guys, first week on the job, ya know?”

“Shit, he’s Irish too?” Rob thought silently, “I’m boned.”

Deadbones continued, after the murmurs from the crowd stopped. “Anyway, I should probably get started, right? Right.”

There were some cheers in response and Deadbones smiled. At that, Pause elbowed Rob, smirk only growing wider.

"Oh come on, stop it. Maybe… Maybe he can’t sing!"

Even Roamin, who had been listening in on the conversation, had to snort at that lame excuse.

Rob tried to stare moodily into his drink, but he couldn’t help but look up as Deadbones started to play.

He started soft, fingers lightly going across the keys, humming the first couple of bars. Then as the song progressed, he gradually started playing louder, fingers skittering across the ivory keys like it was nothing. And he began to sing.

He wasn’t a horrible singer, but he also wasn’t like Beyoncé. His voice was some weird mix of good and bad that just seemed to fit. His voice tended to crack at the higher notes and sometimes he flubbed a lyric, but it didn’t matter to anyone. It was clear by the curve of his lips, the light in his eyes, and the movement of his body that he was loving what he was doing and that in it of itself made him so much better.

After every song, the people would cheer, hands clapping and sometimes a few whistles from Roamin if he hand sung a song well. Rob had given up paying close attention to Deadbones and was content to let his voice wash over him as he continued to drink his colorful cocktails. For the third time that night, he was jolted out of his thoughts by Deadbones speaking in to the mic.

"I’m almost at the end of my gig here so, um, this last one goes out to the guy at the end of the bar." Several people turned in their seats to look at Pause and Rob including Pause, who had a shit eating grin on. Deadbones ignored the slight commotion he cause and continued, holding up his drink in a mock toast.

"Hope you’re having a great time tonight," Deadbones said and after a moment, added a wink before starting to play.

Rob looked to Pause, who had stopped grinning and was now shaking with silent laughter.

"Oh shut up."

Pause stopped laughing for a moment to press a finger to Rob’s lips, trying to act serious but failing to do so.

"Shhhh! He’s playing your guys’ song!"

Rob pushed the finger away but made no comment. He really did want to listen to Deadbones play, but it wasn’t their song.

Totally not.

 -

At the last chords, the entire bar began to cheer, some even getting out of their seats. Roamin whistled the loudest he had that night as Deadbones collected his sheet music and walked away behind stage. The crowd quieted down and more people went up to the bar, needing a refill after the performance.

Rob sighed, annoyed that he wouldn’t be able to even talk with the pianist, when Roamin spoke up in the middle of filling orders.

"He’ll be out here in a minute, don’t worry." He placed a couple of drinks on the counter before turning to Rob, a curios look in his eyes. "He’s never done that, ya know, dedicated a song to someone."

"I must be special then," Rob replied, downing the last bit of his drink.

A new voice joined in. “Special, huh?”

Rob turned around and, lo and behold, there was Deadbones. He looked just as he had on stage, just with his tie loosened and wearing glasses that in no way helped Rob’s growing crush on the man. He had admitted to himself that he was crushing hard on the pianist a verse into “Piano Man”.

He smiled, stuffing his hands in his back pockets as he continued, “I’d say more ‘mysterious and broody’ more than anything.”

"Hey, I was not brooding, right Pa-" Rob turned, expecting to see his friend on his left but he wasn’t. A look around the bar revealed him to be talking to someone else.

Deadbones sat down in Pause’s seat, leaning his arm against the bar top. A second later, he had a drink by his elbow.

“So,” Deadbones said, grinning as he picked up his drink, “there a reason why you were staring at me my entire performance?”

Rob drank from Fruity Cocktail Number 5, preparing himself for the worst.

Why’d he have to fall for the most sarcastic and handsome guy in the bar?

 

Comments

[clashofdemonesense]

Ooh! So good Kappa! I love it!

[kappa77]

Thank you!

[gummy53]

YASSS.

Although, the first thing I saw in the title was the number 9 and I thought this was AABoS and I got excited. But this story right here made up for it because ITS SO GOOD :D

[kappa77]

Hehe ;)

Thank you!

[elfowlgirl]

see, this is a kind of fic i can get behind. ship but not TOTALLY ship, and still super enjoyable and true to characters

A+, 8/8, would r8 again

[kappa77]

Thank you! :3

[wildh10l]

Damn. I'm super sad this is only a one-shot! So much of tease!

<3 Amazing

[kappa77]

Well, I was tempted to write another one based on that time DB sang to Rob, but then I realized the connotation of the song and just went "eeeeeeeh"

And thank you!