Part 4
“We’re back!” Gunn shouted, slamming the door of the Hyperion after making sure that everyone was inside. “Anybody home?”
The four of them walked into the lobby, glancing around until their eyes rested on the lone figure seated on the couch.
“Angel?” Wesley asked.
Angel simply nodded, leaning his head against the back of the couch. Connor vaulted over the seating and sat down by his father with a bounce, smiling widely. “What’s the matter with you?”
Angel glanced at him. “Likewise.”
Connor shrugged. “I’m happy.”
Angel gave his son a soft smile. “I’m glad.” He looked up at the three standing opposite him. “Where did you guys go?”
“Cordy kicked us out.” Gunn grumbled, collapsing on the round settee. Angel raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
Gunn glanced up, realising his slip. “Uh-cos, ya know, she had stuff to do.”
Angel looked suspicious. “What kinda stuff?”
“I don’t know, man! How am I supposed to know?” Gunn said defensively, ignoring the odd look Wesley sent his way. The Englishman sat down next to Angel, rubbing his forehead.
“She has been acting quite peculiar lately.”
Angel nodded. “Tell me about it. I’m about to burst.”
Fred gave him an odd look. “Why?”
Angel bit his lip, settling his head back against the couch. “I keep-I keep getting the feeling that she’s scheming against me, ya know? Like she’s playing me in some way and laughing all the while.”
Gunn looked confused. “Cordy wouldn’t do that.”
Angel glanced at him. “I know. It’s not in an evil way or anything. It’s just kinda-kinda-“
“Seductive?” Wesley supplied.
“YES!” Angel shouted, jumping up. “That’s just it. She’s acting all sexy and seductive and it’s driving me mad!”
“Cordy’s always been sexy.” Gunn said.
“Should Connor be hearing this?” Fred asked, narrowing her eyes when Connor glared at her.
Angel ignored her. “I know that. My GOD, I know that better than anyone but-I can’t help feeling like she’s doing it for some reason, ya know? I can’t help feeling she wants something from me-“
“Well duh.” Connor rolled his eyes and stood up. “Come on dad, you can’t be that slow.”
Three pairs of eyes looked at him in confusion. Only Gunn laughed, standing up and crossing his arms. “I always knew the smartest men in this family were the youngest ones.” He winked at Connor and the boy grinned.
Angel just looked lost. “Huh?”
Connor gave him a weary look. “Dad, even I know that when a woman flirts with you and drives you crazy, of course she wants something.” He rolled his eyes again. “She wants YOU.”
Gunn clapped. “That’s my boy.”
Angel glared. “He’s not your boy. And what do you mean she wants me?” He pointed at his son, eyebrows raised. This time, Gunn was the one who answered.
“Angel, man, why do you think she kicked us outta the house? So that she could spend time alone with you. Why do you think she’s being all sexy like? So that you’ll break that damn noble resolve you have. She’s taking the initiative.”
Angel looked at him in complete shock. “But-but-“
Wesley stood up. “It does sound plausible, Angel. The both of you have been holding back your feelings for so long and somebody had to take the initiative. I knew it would be Cordelia.”
Angel frowned. “But I tried to kiss her yesterday and she pulled away.”
The men all looked at him in confusion, stumped by that. Fred simply sat on the couch, eyes wide as the events of the past few days flew through her mind. Her conversation with Cordelia, the sudden need to go shopping for lingerie, the way she wouldn’t stop talking about Angel the whole way through it, the ice cream, the kicking them out of the house, the pulling away when he tried to kiss her-
“Oh God.” She whispered. Four pairs of eyes suddenly focussed on her and she glanced up, her heart beating wildly. “Oh my God! Of course! Why didn’t I think of it before?” She slapped her forehead and got up, mumbling to herself.
“Uh-Fred?” Connor asked, staring at her with wide eyes. Angel put his hands on her shoulders and stopped her from pacing.
“Fred, what should you have thought of before?”
Fred stopped rambling to herself and looked at him. “This whole Cordelia thingy. I-I know what she wants.” She paused, taking a deep breath. “A couple of days ago we were at a café just across the road and I happened to blurt out the fact that Angel and I kissed when the whole Jasmine thing happened and Cordy got all annoyed but I told her it didn’t mean anything and then, I let it slip that I thought the kiss was kinda bad and she couldn’t get it outta her head that Angel was a bad kisser-“
“Whoa, whoa!” Angel looked offended. “You think I’m a bad kisser?”
Gunn slapped Angel’s back in annoyance and gestured for Fred to continue.
“Well, no, it’s just, it wasn’t great and that was probably because we’re not-ya know-” She blushed and gestured between them. “And anyway, it was a complete surprise to both of us, especially you and so-“
“Fred!” Wesley shouted. “What does this have to do with Cordy?”
“Right, yeah, so she couldn’t get it outta her head that you were a bad kisser-“
“I am not-“
“Dad, please!” Connor yelled, turning back to Fred, who was nervously biting her lip.
“Um, yeah, so she couldn’t get it outta her head and the next morning she dragged me off to buy lingerie-” She ignored Gunn’s snort. “And the whole way there and the whole way back she wouldn’t stop talking about you and how you couldn’t be a bad kisser and how she was just gonna have to find out for herself-“
“Oh my God.” Wesley said, sitting down. “Of course! She’s seducing you into kissing her!”
“Exactly.” Fred nodded. “That’s my theory anyway. And I know I usually stick to theories in physics because I haven’t actually had all that many experiences in love but I-“
“We got it Fred.” Gunn gave her shoulder a squeeze and smiled, glancing over at Angel who seemed to be frozen in place. The vampire seemed to be mumbling incoherently to himself.
“Dad?” Connor taped him on the shoulder and Angel’s head jerked up, confusion still etched on his features.
“Then why did she pull away when I tried to kiss her?”
“Perhaps she was scared.” Wesley provided.
“Or maybe she felt bad.” Fred said.
Angel glared at them. “Then why was she in my bathtub???”
Gunn smirked. “Dude’s obviously never seen How Stella got her groove back.“
Fred smiled. “Yeah, maybe she lost her nerve and then got it back again, ya know?” She laid a hand on Angel’s shoulder. “She loves you. I’m sure everything she did was only because she loves you and she wants you to know that.”
“Funny way of showing it.” Angel growled, taking a seat sulkily.
“Man, what are you so pissed about?” Gunn grinned. “If a woman like that threw herself at me? Woo!” He ducked at Angel glare.
“Hey guys!” Cordelia said breezily, bouncing down the stairs. Everyone jumped in fright, staring at her in shock. Cordy looked at them confusedly.
“What? Do I have something in my teeth?”
Wesley shook his head and cleared his throat. “No um, how-how are you, Cordy?”
Cordy grinned and came over. “I’m good.” She leaned over the couch and more or less across Angel, giving him a peak down her shirt as she grabbed the magazine from the table. The vampire refused to react, refused to bury his face in her neck, refused to breathe her in and taste her skin.
Cordelia pulled back, magazine in hand. She could have gone around the sofa to get it but no, she had to lean over Angel, body brushing against his as she did. Just as she was about to straighten, Cordelia’s lips brushed against Angel’s ear, and in the most seductive, sultry purr her had ever heard, she added. “I’m hungry though.”
Angel bit back his growl and Cordelia stood, heading towards the kitchen and hiding her smile from her friends. As soon as she was out of hearing distance, Connor gaped.
“Oh-my-God-“
“How the bloody hell did I miss that? She was so blatant!”
“Tell me about it. Woo! That woman has sex appeal to spare, eh?”
Angel growled at Gunn, fisting his hands in his hair. Wesley bit back a smile and Gunn smirked. Fred and Connor grinned at each other as Connor patted his father on the back. “Relax, dad.”
Gunn grinned and stood. “Man, Cordy’s gonna kill me for saying this.”
Angel glanced up. “Saying what?”
Gunn continued. “Now that you know about her little scheme, why dontchya turn the tables?”
Angel looked confused. “What?”
Gunn’s smile was feral. “She doesn’t know you know. So pretend like you don’t know. And then, just when she’s about to launch another part of her diabolical scheme? You pounce with your own.”
Angel’s face showed no expression for a moment. Then the most delicious grin broke out across his face. “Turn the tables, huh?”
“Fight fire with fire.” Wesley added, smirking.
“Whoa, whoa.” Fred interrupted. “I can’t just stand here and let you do this to Cordy. She always says, women like us are meant to stick together when there’s scum like ya’ll in the world.”
Angel grinned evilly, getting up and crouching next to Fred. “I don’t think you have a choice Fred. You owe me one. You called me a bad kisser, remember?”
Fred gulped guiltily, glancing at Wesley for support but he only shrugged. “It’s true, Fred. That’s the way the cookie crumbles.”
Fred sucked in a breath, grabbing Angel’s hand and squeezing it. “Promise me you won’t hurt her. She loves you so much, Angel. And she’s been hurt enough times already. You’re the only one she trusts never to hurt her again and she only did all this because she loves you.” Fred sniffled slightly, fighting the odd urge to cry.
Angel’s grin vanished and it was replaced by a warm smile. He squeezed her hand. “I would never hurt her Fred. Not if my life depended on it.” His smile widened. “I’m just gonna give her a slight taste of her own medicine. Just so that she knows how much I love her too.” He winked and Fred smiled, nodding.
Angel stood and grinned, glancing at the stairs. He cleared his throat. “Well, I’m gonna head to bed.”
Wesley gave a fake yawn. “Me too. Gunn?” He grabbed Gunn’s arm and yanked him towards the door. Gunn only grinned and yelled. “Fine! But in the morning? I want details!”
Connor snorted, standing and helping Fred up as well. “I’m gonna crash too, Angel.” She said, pushing Connor towards the stairs. Just as he took the first step, Connor turned and looked at Fred.
“Should I be getting freaked out about this?” He asked, seriously. Fred laughed.
“I don’t know, sweetie. I’ll lend you some earplugs just in case.” They walked up the steps and Angel watched them go, smiling. He heard whistling coming from the kitchen and he smirked, shaking his head and making his way up the stairs as well. In his years as Angelus he had learnt the technique of seduction down to an art. Countless women had fallen at his feet due to his skilful ability to seduce.
Cordelia wasn’t going to know what hit her.
