in love with a stranger

Bar tenders and servers ran around hectically while the made drinks or delivered food. They fidgeted with vests, loosened ties, and readjusted cuffs at a frantic pace. Clearly, none of them were comfortable here in a room of people that could kill them in the blink of an eye and admittedly it was a little nerve wracking serving human blood to people when you knew they probably would have preferred it straight from your neck instead. However, Evander was calm as he slowly straightened his cuffs perfectly and tightened his neck tie while his shift began. He remained so with each order, charming women and men into laughs and delightful conversations. People pleasing was his forté, his crooked smile and dashing politeness proof of that.

But he would be lying if he didn't admit why he was so comfortable. Unlike his very stressed coworkers, Evander could escape if suddenly someone deciding his vein looked more appetizing than the glass he placed in front of him or if someone saw him flirting with their mate. So with a devil-may-care attitude he flirted his way through each thirsty customer, laughing off inappropriate subject changes because he had brought it upon himself, and was tipped handsomely for his service. And whenever one member of the staff seemed to be fidgeting too much he would tell them to go take a break and he would end up covering a larger portion of the bar, somehow managing to keep his cool the whole time.

Evander flipped a martini shaker of his shoulder and caught it with his other hand behind his back before pouring its contents into a glass. He smiled at the young women before he handed the glass over with a wink. He was a show off and he wasn't afraid to admit it, especially when it elicited giggles like the ones he just received for his impressive bar trick. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed one of the bartenders was too preoccupied with pulling at his clothing to notice the angry customers in front of him. With a sigh Evander excused himself from the young ladies that were amused by him to go help the poor idiot down the bar out. "Go take a break. I don't want to see one hand on that tie when you get back." he gave a quick warning before he stepped up to take orders.

He looked up and saw someone leaving so he acted quickly, brushing his finger tips over Alex's hand to grab her attention and then he began to fill the orders being shouted at him by people relieved to finally have some service. "Sorry about my coworker, doll. I swear I'll pay attention to your needs." he said to her with a grin as he slid a high ball glass of scotch and a martini glass of blood to their respective owners. "What can I get you?" he asked her without looking up from the Cosmo he had started making.

Evander had moved on to making a few drinks while the girl he had stopped seemed to be mulling it over. He hadn't even realized who was in front of him until he had finished with all the people the previous bartender had kept waiting and then he finally looked up at her as he poured her the on tap beer. "Well if it isn't the genius that bested me in high school." he said with a grin as he set the glass down in front of her and began to wipe off the bar with a rag. "Long time no see. What's my favorite techie been up to?" he asked, playing off how happy he was to see her.

He would probably never admit the feelings he had for her, which seemed to resurface upon seeing her, unless the situation called for it. He was also busy assessing if she was here alone or if she had a date close by. The single beer had tipped him off that she was alone but he didn't want to assume anything either. Admittedly, he was honestly just glad that she was even here to begin with. It had been a long time since they had last interacted and then he remembered how that one went so he quickly slung the tag over his shoulder and made sure he was standing somewhere where the air wouldn't carry his scent towards her but he also didn't think that was a sign of avoidance. "It's nice to see you, doll." he added with a genuine happy-to-see-you smile as opposed to his usual flirty grin.

Evander watched her take a large full of her beer down with a bemused smile. He never really understood nervousness, except that one time he didn't like talking about, so clearly that didn't matter. He was pleased when her smile grew though and that was enough for him "I work part time for the company hired for the bar service. I'm their best bartender under pressure so they asked me to work for the evening to keep these flustered bunch in check. They need it. Think they are getting the hang of it though." he looked down the bar to see customers were actually being taken care of and that ties and cuffs were hardly being adjusted so he was good with it. He quickly tugged at his vest to straighten it and looked back at her before he went back to making drinks, this time pouring tequila shots in a line for the group of guys a few seats down. "So you took some time off of school? I'm surprised by that. I figured you'd have a masters by now. You went back for a Ph. D, didn't you smarty pants?" he asked, obviously kidding and it was rhetorical, "I'm kidding. Though I am surprised you took time off. Life get crazy on you?" he questioned as he put tequila shots, salt, chasers, and glasses of blood on a tray and set it down in front of the guys.

Just then the guy he had sent off came back looking much less anxious and Evander stepped back with a surprised grin. "Hold that thought and come outside with me? I'm due for a break since these guys look like they can handle it for little bit but I don't want to quit talking either." he asked, kind of hesitantly because he was setting himself up for possible rejection.

Alex accepting his offer made his grin return, this time one of pure joy. He grabbed a bottle of champagne from behind the bar and nodded his head to the end of the bar for her to meet him there. He was incredibly ecstatic as he walked out from behind the bar and grabbed her hand when she met him there. He pointed to where he was taking her–a glass door not far from them that lead to a balcony were employees were intended to take their breaks–and winked before squeezing her hand and heading outside. He may have been a little more quick and forceful than he had intended but he was giddy like a child on Christmas.

Once he the door to the balcony had closed behind them he let her go and stepped away, realizing he might trigger an allergy attack. He stood downwind from her, mentally cursing his plight, before offering her a small smile. He dreaded this ending the way it had last time they had been alone. He might just give up if that happened. "Sorry if I dragged you out here, doll." he liked calling her that. With her it meant something while with other girls it was meant to name them swoon and giggle. He didn't want to make Alex swoon or giggle, he just wanted to spend time with her and get to know the girl behind the techie. Now he finally had that chance but only if he was careful. In a celebratory mood for seeing her he popped open the bottle of champagne he had, launching the cork off into the darkness, and held it out to her. "Would you like some?"

Evander hadn't really looked at the label of the bottle he had picked up so her comments had him searching the label in the darkness. He moved to use the light pouring out from the inside to see it, "Oh wow... That's expensive. Ah well, it's already paid for and already been sipped from so might as well." he took a quick sip and handed it back to her. "Try around eight hundred by the way... And this actually isn't the most expensive champagne I've served either. Probably isn't the most expensive here knowing the people here. Let's not tell anyone about this." he shrugged.

Just then the wind blew right past him and went in Alex's direction. Evander's eyes grew wide and he practically leapt so he was no longer downwind from her with a frightened look "Shit. Fuck. Shit. Alex, are you okay? You're not going to stop breathing on me, right? I was so careful!" his face was full of concern as he made sure to stand away from her. "Please tell me I didn't mess it up again." he begged, talking to himself that time.

Evander breathed out a loud sigh of relief when she said she was fine, "Oh, thank god..." he muttered as he leaned over to regulate his breathing from the mini panic attack he had just had. He stood back up and reached for the bottle, when it was passed to him he took a really large gulp from it and then set it down on the balcony railing. "You used to be allergic to birds and I kinda smell like one and you can never be too careful..." he explained about his sudden overreaction when the wind blew.

That was when he realized what she had asked and his mouth went dry. "oh fuck..." he thought as he swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. He decided to be honest, "Remember that day in the library when we were alone? Oh course you probably don't. That would be silly to assume..." he looked down awkwardly before be continued, "I tried to ask you out and then the air kicked on and blew passed me... You had an allergic reaction and fled and I basically avoided you like the plague after that... I have spent all night making sure I was not upwind from you so that you'd be okay but I fucked that up and I am so glad you're no longer allergic to me." he ended on another sigh of relief.