Any random drabbles that don't belong in my Variable Suns universe will end up in this thread.

For the lovely Muse, a new drabble complete with a guest appearance from a Buffy the Vampire Slayer character! Prompt chosen was:
Supernatural

The air in the small club rocked with the heavy beat of the band on stage. The crowd was light for a Saturday, but really, it was still too early in the evening for the serious partiers to be out in force yet. The bartender dropped a drink in front of a pretty brunette at the bar with a smile and she thanked him distractedly as she cocked her head to eavesdrop on the couple seated beside her.

Maria Deluca blinked back tears as she watched the man she'd given up everything for shoot pool with her best friend at the other end of the room. Michael had called things off between them again about a week ago and, unlike usual, was showing no signs of changing his mind. She had gone to Liz for commiseration and had been shocked to find that the other woman sided with Michael! Okay, so maybe she had been out of line to accuse him of sleeping with that waitress at the last dive bar they'd worked, but she'd been drunk! She sniffed unhappily and decided that, really, they both should have been a bit more understanding.

Across the room, Michael laughed at something Liz said and smirked at her as he bent to take another shot. From her place at the bar, Maria watched, envious of their easy camaraderie. It had been a long, lonely week. Isabel and Kyle were still in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, so they were too enmeshed in one another to pay any attention to the rest of the group's drama. With her boyfriend and her best friend unavailable for companionship, she found herself turning to Max. She took a sip of her bitter drink and grimaced as she mused to herself. At least he was sympathetic. After all, he was practically in the same boat she was!

At that thought, she spun despairingly to the dark haired man on her right, and demanded, "How do you do it?! How do you deal with her every day without going crazy?"

"It's not easy," Max said consolingly, remembering the day six month's ago when the woman he considered his true destiny announced she was 'divorcing' him. "I keep reminding myself that we're soulmates. We've just been going through a rough spot. Liz will remember that we belong together, I have faith in that."

His words hit her like a kick in the chest and Maria sobbed at his proclamation, "But what if you don't even have that to cling to?"

Max patted her back comfortingly, "You just have to have confidence, Maria. You and Michael have had hard times before and you've always found your way back to one another. Don't give up. One day soon, they're both going to open their eyes and realize that everything they need is right in front of them."

"I wish it would happen already! Why can't someday be now?!" the blonde declared with an emphatic slap of the bar.

The brunette beside them smiled and said to herself, "Done."

"Huh?" Maria asked, turning to the now empty stool where the woman had been. Whirling to Max she demanded, "Wasn't there someone sitting next to me?"

Max shrug and took another disinterested sip of his cola as he watched the two engrossed in their game on the other side of the room, "I don't think so."

Meanwhile, by the pool table…

Michael and Liz have opened their eyes, and all they see is each other.

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Yeah, I know. This one's a shorty. Trying to get into the real drabble spirit.

BtVS character used is Anyanka, wish-granting patron demoness of scorned women.