Loverman - Martin Gore fanfiction

IV

Alex arrived at the bar for quarter to seven, taking a seat and paying for a small sprite to drink every now and then. The jukebox played its rehearsal of songs for the night, spitting them out in a scratchy voice. She sat in silence, waiting for Martin. Was he even coming? She saw a familiar coat slung over a stool next to her. He strolled out of the men's toilet, wringing his hands a little. "Hand dryer's busted again Hugh." He said flatly, the barman made a small grunt of acknowledgement, Martin took a seat next to Alex, appearing not to have noticed her, she cleared her throat to catch his attention. "Oh, hey Alex!" He said, a slight bit of joy and surprise to his voice, like he didn't expect her to actually show up. "Hey Mart, what's up?" She said, turning to face him. Usually, Martin didn't like it when people he barely knew called him Mart, but he felt that Alex was already a firm friend. He shrugged. "Nothing new, I'm drinking again... big surprise. You?"
"Nothing either, I'm here though..."
"Yup..."
"You know, I want to thank you for the money... I haven't really eaten for a few days or had a place to stay... when you're homeless, people just assume it's because you got into drugs or booze, they don't give you anything."
"Why are you homeless then?" Martin asked.
"I ran away." She said simply. "Things at home were always volatile at best, but it started to get bad, really bad, up to the point where I just got up and left. I felt anything could have been better than that."
"Is this better?"
"Yeah, by a long shot. Anyway, what's your deal? You obviously come here enough to know the bar tender on a personal level, why?"
"I have a drinking problem, I used alcohol to cope with my stress and anxiety and now I can't kick the habit."
"Fair enough... so, what's your story then? You clearly have a tale or two."
"Well, I come from this place called Basildon..."
"No way, I was born there!"
"Really?"
"Yeah, then I grew up in a small town called Aveley, just outside of Dagenham."
"Shit, I was born in Dagenham!"
"Huh, small world."
"Anyway, I lived in Basildon, since I was young. With a few friends, we all started a band a few years back, in 1980 about actually, and you know how a band between a bunch of teenagers go... we dick about, do dumb shit..."
"Cool, what bought you here then."
"Hiatus, mostly, but in all honesty, I just needed a break. We all needed one... there's a lot of stress in a band, and a lot has happened in these past few years... it's been too much... would you like a drink?"
"No thanks, I've got this." Alex said, raising her sprite up so he could see. He shook his head with a soft smile. "I meant a real drink... Hugh?" He called. The bartender turned his attention away from re-stocking the pork scratchings. "What can I get ya?" He asked.
"Can you get the lady and honey JD and lemonade, and could I just get another scotch please." He said. Soon enough, drinks were served. Alex sipped her one. "You didn't have to do that..." She said quietly.
"Do what?"
"Spend more money on me... you ordered this for me yesterday..."
"Yeah, you seemed to like it, so I got it for you again."
"It's really sweet, I love sweet things..."
"You're a sweet girl..." Martin said, Alex blushed a little bit. Martin smirked a little. "You know, I like sweet things too..." He said in a low voice that crackled like a fire. Alex felt her entire face heat up. He was peering at her from under his hair, his burning cerulean eyes had an odd light. Desire. Alex didn't know what she should be feeling at the moment, in the past, things like this had made her very uncomfortable, but the look in Martins eyes felt different to all the other times, she just couldn't explain how. Martin spoke again, in a normal tone that didn't make Alex's knees feel like jelly. "So, you may like sweet things, but how do you feel about savoury foods?"
"I can definitely appreciate it... why?"
"Do you wanna come get some Chinese with me? I'm buying."
"Martin... you know I don't like you spending money on me..."
"Why not? I have a lot of it..." He said, getting up, then he put his lips to her ear and whispered in the voice that made her knees go weak. "Plus, I know plenty of ways you could make it up to me." He said, before heading to the door. Alex followed.

Alex was in Martin's house, upon his dining table eating some caramelised chicken, spicy noodles and some salt 'n' pepper chips hungrily. Martin was eating his own food next to her. "Oh my, this chicken..." She said, stabbing a piece with her fork. "You've got to try some." She said, offering it to him.
"Oh, no thanks, I'm actually a vegetarian."
"Oh, fair enough." She said casually, popping the fork into her mouth and eating. "So, any other things we should know about each other? Like... do you believe in god?"
"I'm not religious, but I don't know if god exists or not, I just... there's only one thing I can worship and devote to... and god just isn't it... what about you, do you believe in god?"
"Well, I don't know either, the concept has always been rather strange to me... if god really exists, why would he let such terrible things happen? And if he does exist, why would I devote myself to such a sadist?"
"I understand what you mean... there are better things to worship..."