Work Text:
“Do you really think this is a good idea?” Alcide asked, leaning against the wall. “Us double-dating with a couple of vamps?”
“Sure,” Sookie responded, as she finished fixing her hair in front of the mirror in the hall. She’d curled it and left it loose. “Why not?”
“Because, for starters, vampires don’t eat, and we’re going to a restaurant.” Alcide gestured with his fingers, and Sookie stopped what she was doing and turned to him. She crossed her arms, and sighed.
“Eric said they didn’t mind.”
“Two,” Alcide continued, “they’re gonna both want you for dinner. Three, you and Eric have history. You and I both know he once glamored me into finding you repulsive. Four, we were supposed to have a quiet date with just the two of us.”
“Oh come on, we’re all grown ups. We’ll have a good time. They can have some TrueBlood while we eat.”
Alcide put his hands on his hips and made a disgruntled growling noise. Sookie stepped forward and placed a hand on his chest, and flashed him a smile.
“You can have me all to yourself later on,” she promised. “I won’t throw up on your boots or anything.”
Alcide looked down at her face, and as usual, melted.
“Alright.”
“Let’s go then!” Sookie said brightly. She grabbed her purse, which was pale pink, to match her pretty pink sundress, and slipped on a little white jacket. She switched off the lights, and locked the door behind them. Alcide had driven over in his pick-up, and he held the door open and helped her up, as she climbed in.
The drive to Shreveport flew by. Alcide was good company, and Sookie found that, as usual, conversation flowed easily between them. He always at least pretended to be interested in what she had to say, and his thoughts weren’t as clear as a human’s, which helped. She liked flirting with him, too.
She was excited to be going out on a date. Socially, she thought of Alcide as a bit of a catch. Unlike her previous vampire boyfriends (if the term could really be used for either of them), she could see Alcide during the day, there was no blood loss, and her neighbors around Bon Temps were much more accepting of him (though it probably helped they had no idea he was a werewolf).
There were of course other reasons why she was so excited. No matter how much she tried to deny it to herself, she missed Eric. It had been at least three weeks since she’d seen him, and she missed having him around. What started out as the arrangement of a quiet date with Alcide had turned into a double date, when, not ten minutes after putting the phone down to Alcide, Eric had called.
“Hello?”
“Sookie, it’s me.”
“Oh, hi.”
“Are you staying out of trouble?” Eric asked.
“Trouble? Me?”
“Things have been strangely quiet these past couple of weeks. I am getting bored.”
She didn’t tell him so, but Sookie agreed.
“Well, I guess I’m keeping myself busy. I’m sure you’ve got plenty to do.”
“Lots,” Eric said grumpily. “But I don’t want to do any of it.”
“Is Tara okay? And Pam?”
“Oh yes, they are doing very well. Perhaps you should come and visit them.”
“Maybe. I could-”
“How about next Thursday evening?” he interrupted. “We will all be here at Fangtasia. I would very much appreciate the pleasure of your company.”
“Well, thanks. But I can’t,” Sookie said. “I made plans already.”
“Are you working?”
“No. Can we make it another night? Maybe Wednesday?”
“Wednesday is no good. What is wrong with Thursday? What are you doing?”
Sookie was not impressed with Eric’s outright nosiness, like he had some right to know everything about her business. But when she thought about it, she decided, why shouldn’t she tell him?
“I’ve got a date.”
Eric was quiet for a moment.
“A date?” He sounded a little annoyed, and for some reason, Sookie felt smug.
“That’s right.”
“With who?”
“Why should I tell you?”
“Is it… wait, it’s not Alcide is it?”
Sookie sighed.
“Yes,” she said, through gritted teeth.
“Well then, just rearrange.”
“Why should I? Why should it be more important for me to come and hang out with you guys at Fangtasia than to go out on a date with Alcide?”
“Sookie, you know your dates with Herveaux do not end well. Remember what happened last time?”
“Yeah, I do. Some sneaky vamps crept into my house and invaded my privacy.”
“You were ill,” Eric reminded her. “Violently ill.”
“But-”
“Alcide has that effect on the ladies. It wasn’t your fault.”
Sookie was becoming more and more irate.
“Look, I’m not rearranging my date. I can’t remember the last time anyone invited me out.”
“Where are you going?” Eric asked.
“The Country Tavern Barbeque in Shreveport.”
“Hmm.”
Sookie could tell Eric was not impressed with Alcide’s choice of venue. Sookie didn’t think it was particularly romantic, either, but Alcide really liked steak, so…
“How about we double date?” Eric suggested. “Wouldn’t that be fun?”
“Double date?”
“Me and Nora, you and Alcide.”
Sookie was a little taken aback by the suggestion, but did her best to not make it obvious to Eric.
“You want to join us at a steakhouse? You two don’t even eat.”
“That doesn’t matter. You know, rare cow meat is about as close as humans get to the way we eat. It amuses me how humans can be disgusted about a vampire drinking blood, and then they order a slab of rare steak swimming in a pool of bloody juices.”
“Eww.” Sookie crinkled her nose. “But it’s not the same.”
“It is the same. In fact, it’s worse, since you eat the flesh.”
“Eww, shut up. It’s not the same, but I’m not arguing with you about it.”
“Anyway,” Eric said, seemingly happy to end the debate, “I’m sure they can supply some blood substitute at this place. If not, well, surely the good company is what is important.”
Eric was employing his sarcastic smile, Sookie could tell. He was just doing this to wind her up, she realized, to try and get some sort of reaction out of her, especially by mentioning Nora. He had no intention of really double-dating with her. She decided to call his bluff.
“Fine,” she said brightly. “I’ll ask Alcide to rebook for four of us.”
“Fine.”
“See you in there at eight next Thursday.”
“Great.”
“On the dot.”
“I am always punctual. I look forward to it.”
“So do I.”
“I’m glad.”
“Bye.”
“Goodbye.”
Eric hung up, and she did the same.
As it turned out, Eric was determined to see the charade through. He and Nora were already seated when she and Alcide arrived at the Country Tavern. The place was fairly busy for a week night, and Alcide led her by the hand as they wound their way through the rows of tables.
“Wow, it’s noisy in here,” Sookie whispered. Lots of active brains doubled the clamor. She found it was harder than usual to block it out, since for some reason she was particularly tense. Alcide turned and looked down at her.
“It’s not so- oh, you mean…” He tapped the side of his head.
“Yeah.”
“I should’ve chosen somewhere more quiet. Sorry, Sook, I didn’t think.”
“It’s fine. I have to get out among crowds of people sometimes. It’s not much worse than Merlotte’s.”
He gave her hand a little squeeze. His palm was warm, the back of his hand slightly hairy. It was a manly hand, Sookie decided. She reminded herself that sometimes, that hand turned into a paw. Weird.
“Sorry we’re a little late,” Alcide said, as they reached their table in the far corner. Eric stood to greet them. He was looking fine, as usual, in a fitted black v-neck sweater and dark gray pants. Sookie realized, for the first time, that she hadn’t even noticed what Alcide was wearing. She turned briefly to remedy that. He was wearing his usual plaid shirt and blue jeans, with a brown leather jacket.
“We haven’t been here long,” Eric said, looking at Sookie. He took her hand and leaned down to kiss the back of her fingers. “Sookie, you look radiant,” he said quietly, before their eyes met again, for the briefest of moments. “Alcide, I don’t believe you’ve met my sister, Nora.”
“Your… sister?”
Alcide looked at Sookie, who gave him a quick smile. Alcide held her chair, as they all sat down. The table was square, and Sookie took the seat opposite Nora.
“Of course, she’s not his real sister,” Sookie said. “They have the same maker, Godric.”
Nora and Eric looked at one another. Sookie could see how difficult it was for them both to talk about their recently (in their vampire terms, at least) departed maker. She quickly changed the subject.
“That’s a real pretty dress, Nora.”
“Thank you,” Nora said, smiling. The dress was bright blue, sort of shapeless, but sophisticated, Sookie decided. Not something she herself would ever wear. Nora’s hair was loose and straight. She looked perfectly respectable and even sort of cute, Sookie thought. She hoped that Nora would remember to keep to her oath and refrain from biting her.
They all made some polite chit-chat, and someone came to take their order. Luckily for the vampires, and maybe some of the other diners, the place stocked some synthetic blood.
“How is life as pack-master?” Eric asked.
“Great,” Alcide lied. “Although I don’t get to spend as much time doing stuff I enjoy, like seeing Sookie.” He turned and smiled at her, and Sookie smiled back.
“That is a shame,” Eric said. “For you.”
“So, how do you like Shreveport, Nora?” Sookie asked.
“Not much,” Nora said. Eric rolled his eyes.
“Oh, well, will you be sticking around for a while at least?” Sookie said.
“Maybe,” Nora said with a sigh. “Once all the trouble’s died down I expect I’ll be needed back in New Orleans.”
“You don’t enjoy working in my bar?” Eric said. Nora just allowed her grumpy face to answer for her. “But your bar-tending skills are so good, so very efficient.” He looked at Alcide. “Nora prefers a nice easy desk job.”
Alcide put his hand on top of Sookie’s on the table, and stroked the back of her hand. For some reason, Sookie felt uncomfortable. Perhaps it was Eric’s eyes boring into her. As delicately as she could she slid her hand out from under Alcide’s and smoothed out her napkin on her lap.
“So Alcide,” Nora said. “Eric tells me Sookie shot your ex in the face.”
Eric rolled his eyes again.
“You just can’t help yourself, can you?” Eric said.
“What?” She threw up her hands defensively.
Alcide reached over to give Sookie’s arm a quick reassuring rub.
“It was self-defense,” he said. “Debbie had it coming.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t really be talking about all that in here,” Sookie whispered.
Someone’s cell phone began ringing. Sookie couldn’t quite place the tune, but she thought it sounded a bit like ‘Bananas in Pajamas’. Eric delved into his pocket and looked at his phone.
“I have to take this,” he said, before getting up. “Excuse me.”
The three of them sat in silence for a while, and when it became uncomfortable, Sookie felt like she had to say something.
“So Nora, do you get along with Pam?”
“No, not particularly. Do you?”
“Well, not exactly.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. Pam doesn’t go out of her way to get on with anyone, especially humans.”
Thankfully, their meal arrived, and Nora said there was no point in waiting for Eric. Alcide began tucking into his rib eye steak like he hadn’t eaten in a month. Sookie picked at her chicken salad.
After Alcide had finished his meal, he and Nora began quietly discussing the benefits of other supes making themselves known to the world. Sookie noted that Eric had been gone a while.
“I don’t know what you’re all waiting for,” Nora was saying, as Sookie looked around the room. “Vampires have paved the way. If humans can deal with our kind, they can deal with all the less important supes like Weres.”
“Wow, you must be totally oblivious. Let’s face it, human’s aren’t dealing, especially after that stunt with the TrueBlood factories. You fangers are hardly popular right now.”
“What do they have to fear from a few furry critters?”
“Hey, we-”
“Excuse me,” Sookie said, getting up. “Gotta go… do human stuff.”
Sookie sucked in some air and blew out her cheeks as she headed for the restroom. Vampire and Were debates rarely ended well. She hoped there’d be no physical fighting, at least.
As soon as she turned the corner, she felt a tug on her arm, and she was pressed up against the wall. The only thing which stopped her from screaming was a familiar set of lips on hers, as Eric began kissing her with fervor. His body moved up against her, as he pinned her in place. For a moment Sookie relaxed against him, her hand snaking up over his shoulder and her fingers threading through his hair. Then she realized what she was doing in a public place, and turned her head.
“Eric, what are you doing?”
“What does it look like I’m doing?” His lips were on her neck now, and his hands were everywhere. “You took your time. I was wondering how long it would take you.”
“Hey.” Her voice was breathy and deep, and she hardly recognized it as her own. “Hey!” she said with more purpose. She pushed on his chest. “I needed to use the bathroom, I’m not here for some quick frisky liaison with you.”
“Of course not,” Eric said, looking down at her with that sexy half-smile.
“I didn’t!”
“But now that we’re here…” He leaned down again.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Sookie thought she must have got the tone of her voice right, because Eric actually backed up a step. “I haven’t heard a peep from you in weeks. For the first time in I don’t know how long, someone asks me out on a date, and you decide to tag along with your sister, and now you’re trying to make out with me?”
Eric shrugged.
“Yes.”
Sookie folded her arms and sighed.
“Well, I’m not dating you, remember?”
He seemed momentarily lost for words.
“Yes,” he said, finally. “I remember.”
Sookie looked at him. That cashmere sweater had felt so soft to the touch. She wanted to touch it again. She wanted to slide her hand up underneath, and feel his cool skin beneath her palms.
Just in time, a lady walked past to get to the bathroom, holding her young daughter’s hand.
“You should get back to Nora,” Sookie said. She stepped towards the restroom, but Eric gently took her by the wrist.
“It kills me to see you with him,” he whispered at her ear. “He is not worthy of you.”
“Eric-” Sookie realized she was breathing hard.
“Does he kiss you like I do?” He kissed her again, and it was the sort of kiss that made a point. Nobody could kiss like Eric. “Does he, Sookie?”
“Stop,” Sookie breathed.
“Date me, instead,” Eric said. His hand was on the nape of her neck, his fingers in her hair, massaging lightly.
“Date you?” Sookie couldn’t help but smile.
“Yes. Our dates will be better. I will be the perfect gentleman.”
“Oh, sure.”
“Only if you want me to be.”
“When was the last time you really dated anyone?”
Eric shook his head.
“I don’t know. Vampires don’t really date.”
“I didn’t think so.”
“The point is, you should be going out having fun with me, not that stinking dog out there.”
Sookie got a flash in her mind of Eric swimming in the lake; Alcide growling, Eric baring his fangs. Something else made her stop and tense up.
“He’ll smell you.”
“What?”
“He’ll smell you on me. Oh Lord. This is just great. Thanks, Eric.”
Before he could drag her back again, Sookie rushed down the corridor to the restroom. Once inside, she locked the stall door behind her, closed her eyes, and tried to calm herself. She was pretty sure her double date wasn’t going quite how it was supposed to. But then what had she really expected? This, she thought. Eric causing mischief. She smiled to herself.
She peed, fixed her hair, and reapplied her lipstick. She wasn’t really sure if she would be able to cover Eric’s scent, but she did her best by washing her hands thoroughly for a second time, and rubbed her hands over her dress and around her neck area. Then she spritzed herself liberally with the little vial of perfume she had in her purse, and hoped for the best.
When she emerged, she fixed a smile on her face, and made her way back to the table.
“Packs are just the same as nests,” Alcide was saying when she sat down. “Only we’ve got more sense of loyalty than vamps do. We look out for each other, vamps will stake each other in the back every time, if it’ll benefit them.”
“Oh really?” Nora said. “That’s not what I’ve heard.”
Sookie sat down, and Eric looked at her out of the corner of his eyes.
“I suppose you’re some expert on pack business?” Alcide said.
“I don’t pretend to know much, after all, it’s all rather dull, let’s face it. I doubt even humans would bat an eyelid finding out about a few hairy bikers who roam the woods a few nights a month. Hardly exciting.”
“Nora.” Eric’s tone was not really angry, but firm. “Remember where we are.”
Nora looked around her.
“They’re all too busy consuming their bits of cow to care.”
That, of course, began a debate about meat-eating, and the dietary requirements of ‘our furry friends’, as Nora put it, employing a sort of code just in case anyone had been listening. Eric looked out of the corner of his eyes at Sookie again. Sookie decided to concentrate on her drink.
That was, until she felt cool fingers stroking her bare knee. Sookie immediately looked at Alcide, but he was too embroiled in his conversation with Nora to notice anything. She looked at Eric, not smiling, but not giving him the evil eye, either.
Their waitress came and removed their plates and empty glasses, and asked if they wanted dessert. Alcide immediately said yes, and Sookie nodded politely, and thanked her. Both vampires shook their heads.
“When you’re in your wolf form,” Nora said quietly, “do you do usual wolf things, like shit in the woods? Or do you wait until you’ve changed back?”
“I try not to,” Alcide said tiredly.
“But what if you really need to go?”
“Sookie, would you like to dance?” Eric said. Sookie looked at him curiously. There was some old country song playing, but nobody else was dancing. But she liked to dance, and she wasn’t about to say no. Plus, she thought that getting close to Eric would give her a real decent excuse if Alcide smelled his scent on her later.
“Alright.”
Nora and Alcide watched open-mouthed, as Eric took Sookie’s hand and led her to a space near the bar. He held her close, as they swayed slowly in time with the music.
“I’m pretty sure this wasn’t how my date was supposed to go,” Sookie said, after they’d danced for a while.
“I’m pretty sure this isn’t how Alcide imagined it going,” Eric said.
“He and Nora are getting on great,” Sookie said, smiling.
“She always asks the most pertinent questions. I believe she has always wanted to know about a Were’s toilet habits.”
“Well, don’t we all.”
Eric leaned down, and pressed his cheek against her hair. He breathed her in.
“You know, perfume does not cover my scent.”
“Jerk. You knew exactly what you were doing.”
“So did you, when you invited me along tonight.”
“Er, Eric, I think you pretty much invited yourself.”
“Did you think I was going to sit back and comment on how cute the two of you are together?”
“Did you think I’d say the same about you and Nora?”
“No. I don’t think either of us could be called ‘cute’. Although, as you know, I have my moments.”
“Uh-huh.”
“One date,” Eric whispered at her ear. “Give me one date, just you and I. I will show you what you have been missing.”
Sookie caught Alcide’s eye, and he didn’t look particularly happy about the turn of events. She didn’t want to hurt him, but she also had to accept that maybe he just wasn’t the right man for her. After all, when Eric was around, her attention was always focused elsewhere. Eric was exciting, fun, and attentive, whereas Alcide, well, he could be some of those things too…
“Remember how it felt,” Eric said. “Remember how good it was.” Sookie’s breath caught in her throat and her heart ached a little. “One date.”
Her hand pressed against his back. She clung onto his sweater, clutching some of the material in her fist.
“Alright,” she whispered. “One date.”