MEANWHILE
Weak kneed at being left in peace. Cordelia gave into the relief and sank to her bed. Closing her eyes she ran her hands through the dark strands at her temples and then pulled the band out of her hair. What’s wrong with me? He treats me like the lowest of the low! And yet there I was standing like a lemon, hating the thought of him dumping me for Willow.
It wasn’t that, or at last only partly that. As much as she hated to admit it the fact that Willow and Angel got on better than she did with him, was a major source of annoyance for her. Most of the time she could blow it off with a mental toss of her head; thinking he just preferred them weak and willing- eww what a thought.
But then she’d feel guilty about poor Willow who didn’t deserve her rancour just because she couldn’t get the Dumbass to pay her enough attention or even smile at her- like he did Willow. Will you just stop it she told herself. So what if he doesn’t smile at you. He’s a frickin’ vampire for chrissake.
He has a lovely smile though, she thought glumly and was so deep in thought he was standing next to her in nothing but a small white towel before she realised the bathroom was free. Before she could get caught with the front view- up close and not personal enough; she darted inside the bathroom herself and shut the door.
A little later, Cordelia awoke to the sound of screaming. No so long ago it had been common enough that all she would have done was send off a quick prayer for a merciful end and then fallen back into a fitful doze. But it was amazing how quickly she’d become accustomed to being safe and protected.
Or maybe amazing wasn’t the right word, she wondered because right now her heart was pounding hard and fast with fear. A fear every bit as overwhelming as when the barrier had first plunged them into hell on earth.
“What was that”? She asked knowing he would’ve woken the instant she moved. He was a bit creepy that way! She heard the rustle of bedcovers followed by a thick sigh. “Ignore it. It’s nothing for you to be afraid of”. Angel kept it simple. Hoping but not banking on her just accepting that.
“Erm thanks for that. Good to know. But that doesn’t answer my question. What’s going on”? The screams were louder now and she could tell it was from more than one source.
Angel felt those anxious eyes of hers on him. Looking to him for answers to questions he didn’t want to answer. He carried on contemplating the ceiling and concentrated on not meeting her frightened gaze.
“Get used to it. It’s gonna be going on all day and all night too”. He hadn’t meant to sound so harsh but he was finding it damned uncomfortable to hear and know exactly what was happening outside, all the while with her there. Meaning he had to suppress his demon side and not react to the knowledge and stimulation or risk scaring her out of her wits.
“What is”? Persisted Cordelia and her hands clenched in the bed sheet while she waited.
How to answer? “It’s a bacchanal” he answered finally and turned to face away from her completely. Cordelia stared at his tense shoulders. What’s wrong with this picture? She asked herself. Was he on drugs or something, she wondered with a perplexed frown. Normally you couldn’t shake that impenetrable remoteness of his with a jackhammer.
Angel stared unblinkingly at the far wall as Darla’s voice washed over him again. “I’ve persuaded the Master to hold a bacchanal, My Love. You remember those don’t you. You should since they were entirely your own wicked and wonderfully evil idea”.
Yeah, he remembered all right. Every scream, screech and choking cry of pain scraped his nerves raw and still he could sense her eyes on him; making him feel things he had no business feeling. He closed his eyes tight and tried to block everything out. It didn’t work. He could still hear the carnage, the screams and cries of pain and terror mixed in with the grunting growls of pleasure and feeding.
Despite his best effort to suppress it, Angel felt his throat close with hunger and a terrible need invaded his belly, tormenting and pulling at him to do something to appease it. Even souled he was still a monster. A creature bridging two species with urges abhorrent to both. Accepting that inescapable fact didn’t stop the unrelenting shame or dull the loneliness though.
An hour later the bed dipped beside the fitfully sleeping vampire and he opened his eyes to find Cordelia sitting beside him. She was shaking with terror and he could do nothing but stare up at her white face. She was so scared her teeth were shattering with it when she spoke.
“I’m sorry I can’t help it. It’s driving me crazy. Can I…” she gulped and dropped her head, almost but not quite hiding the tracks tears had already left on her face. She looked up again and gave him a beseeching look out of swimming hazel eyes. “Can I get in with you”?
Struck dumb by the request Angel just gaped at her in shock, only snapping too when she asked again. “Please” she whispered; too scared to care that she was begging. A refusal sprang to his lips but he made the mistake of getting trapped by those over-bright hazel pools. Then before he could think about it too much- he scooted back in silent invitation.
Helpless to stop it, Angel tensed when she slipped inside the bed covers with him. She’d barely got in properly before he was assaulted by the wash of warmth from her body and despite holding himself stiffly, he started to shake with reaction at being that close.
…and that was before she finished him off completely by snuggling right up to him so that her seductive warmth coated him like a blanket. Undone he panicked. “Cordelia” he started to say, intending to tell her to move way.
“What”? She asked, while artlessly tucking her head under his chin and wrapping one small hand around the ball of his shoulder. One sleek limb pushed against his legs and the silky feel of it had him opening them so that she could settle even closer. Her leg felt so delicate and vulnerable between his hard, hair roughened ones that he was almost afraid to relax them in case he hurt her.
Angel could feel every single one of her fingers as they curled over his skin, she tensed and flexed her fingers, massaging him and making his eyes almost cross as a tormenting sweetness invaded his limbs. Her dark glossy hair tickled his face and his greedy pores soaked up the heat she so easily gave up. Her unique scent teased his nostrils and powerless to still it his chest rose and fell as the vampire filled his lungs.
“Nothing” he got out after a moments struggle; then hated his own weakness. “Go to sleep” he finished gruffly. He was as stiff as board but she didn’t notice and just curled closer. Angel closed his eyes and then snapped them open again when he felt the first insidious and sneaky curls of will-depleting arousal start to unravel. Fuck! This was *such* a bad idea. It was too late now. Wary of her feeling his rapidly swelling erection Angel shifted his butt backwards.
Cordelia obediently closed her eyes and let the bone aching tiredness dull her mind to everything but the feel of his reassuring bulk and hardness. Automatically her fingers clenched around his shoulder and upper arm. The female in her instinctively testing his strength and reassured by the ungiving hardness of solid muscle- she fell asleep.
But it was hours later before sleep claimed Angel.
***
DUSK
The bacchanal went on all day and was set to continue all night as the vamps took over. Because of it, Willow and Cordelia were under orders from a cautious Angel not to leave the mansion for any reason. An order that for once; both girls were more than happy to comply with.
The atmosphere in the house was tense and unhappy as the obvious sounds of suffering continued to intermittently rend the air from the woods surrounding the mansion. An atmosphere made impossibly worse when an impervious Spike came bounding down the stairs dressed to the nines, for him anyway.
Almost bouncing with enthusiasm he cheerfully announced he was going out to ‘frolic and enjoy himself too’. You could have heard a penny drop in the stunned silence that followed. Shocked, both Cordelia and Willow looked towards Angel. Convinced he’d put a stop to Spikes plans.
Angel tensed and dropped the brown leather bound volume he’d been pretending to read in his lap. He knew exactly what they expected him to do. But what they didn’t understand was this was something he couldn’t change. Spike was a vampire and vampires kill humans with no exception- bar him, and he was a freak.
Wanting him gone and knowing trouble was unavoidable. Angel simply shrugged his shoulders and gave his impatient grandchilde a terse instruction not to play in the backyard! Spike got the obscure, hidden message loud and clear, and grinning in anticipation of a good time; left without further ado.
Immediately after the jubilant blonde vampire had gone, Angel felt their accusing, disappointed looks and despite having expected it, felt a tide of exasperation rise up inside him. What the hell do they expect *me* to do. Raising his eyes to the ceiling he dragged in a breath and then pinned them with a dark look, hoping a dose of intimidation would convince them to them keep a lid on it.
“Don’t you two have work to do”? He snapped irritably, struggling not to let them get to him. He failed miserably as Cordelia’s dismayed expression cut into his blanketing detachment like a knife through butter. She was looking at him like he’d just dragged in a victim himself and opened a vein. Angel dropped his gaze first.
Abruptly needing some space, Angel got up of the chair and went to leave the room. Pouncing, Cordelia grabbed his arm before he’d taken more than a few steps. “Don’t play in the backyard? What’s that mean”? Burst out Cordelia now glaring at the tense figure of the vampire. “That sure doesn’t sound like play-time to me” she hotly accused, throwing an arm towards the door leading out to the courtyard beyond.
Cordelia couldn’t believe her ears and the feeling of being let down and disappointed was crushing after waking up- if not exactly in a good mood, then at least feeling better about herself and … him. He *had* to know how wrong it was to let Spike go out and…kill.
Willow still kneeling beside the fireplace with a brush in her hand, pushed back red strands off her face to hastily nod her agreement. Then, just at the worst possible moment they heard an extra loud scream followed by a deep-throated laugh they all recognised. Angel winced and felt Cordelia’s nails dig into his arm.
The next second found a sooty bush waving in front of his face as an agitated Willow joined in too. “How could you let him do that”? Asked the distraught girl with fire burning hotly in her accusing green eyes. She’d thought better of both of them and dammit..she crossed her fingers cos she never swore- she hated having to change her view of things.
“Look I can’t stop him feeding. All I can do is keep it away from the house and that’s it” Angel roughly defended himself. “Count yourselves lucky you’re not out there too and gimme a break here”. He finished harshly and shaking off Cordelia’s arm followed it up by swatting away the annoying brush. “Vampires kill. That’s what they do”.
“You’re a vampire” exclaimed Cordelia throwing up her arms and glaring right back. He could think again if he thought she was going to let him just blow them off. Angel stiffened at that, Jesus she’d said it so matter of factly. Like saying he was some kind of teddy bear for chrissake. That hit his ego square in the bullseye.
“Exactly” Angel purred mockingly and gave a cold smile that remained some miles off reaching his obsidian eyes. “What did you think just cos I’ve been a good li’ll vamp, that can’t change. Guess again”.
In synchrony both girls stiffened, adopted frozen offended expressions and ..marched off together with disgust evident in every line of their bodies. Leaving Angel still standing there in the middle of living room feeling like a total bastard and hating every second of it.
Just leave them to it. They’ll get over it. Angel stood uneasy and undecided, watching them wary brown eyes as they attacked the chores they’d been doing before, only now with a lot more venom. The silence was deafening and their rigid disapproval prodded at him. Sighing heavily in resignation he wracked his brain for something conciliatory to say; but was forestalled by an icy voice.
“You might wanna go out yourself. We have stuff to do in here and you’ll just get in the way”. She didn’t stop twitching the brush over the floor or look at him. The denim skirt, matching Willows was softer than her expression.
Angel frowned blackly at the brunette, angered by the imperious tone and her obvious distaste for his company. If he had hackles they’d have been standing on end. Annoyed and feeling put out, put upon and decidedly aggrieved Angel snatched up the book he’d abandoned before and sullenly dropped back into his favourite leather armchair. He was not going to be ordered out of his own home by her, he decided sourly.
***
A half hour later; after having been told by an abrupt and haughty Cordelia to lift his feet while the floor was brushed, then again five minutes later for the mop; then told by a icy faced Willow to move so the cushions could be brushed- he gave up. They were needling him on purpose.
“Will you two just stop it” he finally bit out with exasperation lacing the deep timbre of his voice. The book slammed shut with a thud in his lap.
“Stop what? Were working here. That’s what we’re supposed to do isn’t it? Otherwise we might get eaten- right Willow”? Cordelia tossed the verbal ball to the red-head who picked up the thread without hesitation.
“Right, can’t have humans going to waste now can we- No!” She finished with- for her, a boatload of sarcasm. Having got his attention where they wanted it; the girls crossed their arms and eyed him mutinously with bodies almost vibrating with righteous anger.
“I’m not gonna eat you” Angel growled out, dreading where this was heading as he subconsciously slouched lower in the chair. His brow furrowed and he met her damning gaze with wary caution. Dammit he should have just left, he thought, regretting his own stubborn refusal to be pushed out from his own living room.
“But you can’t stop Spike, and its not like we can trust you to even try judging by tonight” countered Cordelia still with her arms crossed, only now joined with an arched brow.
“Hey- that’s not fair” Angel sat up straight and glared at her. Only just refraining from reminding her just whose bed she’d sought safety in earlier.
“Fair! You wanna talk about fair. You go out there and talk about fair to those poor souls”. Cordelia spat out caustically. Almost gleefully pouncing on his unwise remark.
Cornered, Angel sprang up to stand toe to toe with the sneering brunette and went on the offensive. “What the hell do you want from me? I’m nobody’s idea of a champion”. He snarled at her and his dark brown eyes glinted with rising fury. If she’d put him on some kind of stupid saviour type pedestal it was her own damned fault she was disappointed, not his.
“You got that right!” Cordelia shot back, not backing down an inch and glaring right back at him. She could hardly believe she’d slept with this asshole, practically in his arms, only that day.
She’d woken up snuggled up next to him, and been overwhelmed by such a strong feeling of being safe and protected that she’d been afraid to move in case the feeling went away. It hadn’t then! But it was fading fast now and that pissed her off too.
“Your not going to leave me alone are you”? Angel asked pointedly and stepped nearer just so he could invade her personal space that little bit more. He was tired, irritable and fed up and in no mood to pander to human sensibilities. If they had any sense they’d leave him be. If he could’ve he’d leave the room himself, but he guessed, rightly, that if he did they’d likely follow him, and if he left the house? God knows what he’d come back too.
“Try- never in a million years” came back the brunette, boldly sarcastic. Willow nodded once, just to be supportive.
Frustrated, Angel spun away and started to pace the stone floor, swearing under his breath. He could literally feel them track his every move, waiting for something from him. Feeling hounded, he stopping pacing and faced the pair, having come to a decision.
Pointing at the couch, he flatly ordered them to sit down. When they didn’t do it fast enough to suit him. He crossed his own arms and glowered at them. “You wanna know why I didn’t try and stop Spike- then sit *down*” he growled in a low voice. After a tense second, just to let him know they weren’t impressed by bad temper. They sat down.
“Okay fine. Let’s talk about reality for a minute shall we”. Willow and Cordelia fidgeted under Angel’s intense scrutiny. “Like it or not, Spike lives here too and unlike me. He does feed on humans. That being the case- here’s the sitch”. Willow opened her mouth to interrupt but shut it again when he narrowed his dark eyes at her and harshly told her to shut-up.
Willow gulped at the hard tone and obediently shut her mouth; suddenly filled with a troubled certainty that she wasn’t going to like what he was going to say. She was right.
“If I try and force Spike to against his very nature and not feed. He’s gonna be pissed, and very soon after that… starving. Not a good thing for a vampire to be- believe me”. Angel paused then casually crouched down before the silent pair, and the ruthless look on his face had them both tensing and holding their breath.
“That being so…how long do you think it’d be before a starving Spike would be chowing down- on either or maybe both of you?” Angel raised a sardonic brow when neither spoke up. “Sure I could try and stop him but your forgetting one thing. Spike maybe a pain in the ass. But he’s a blood relative- kinda”. Angel let that sink in.
“Not a pretty picture is it?” He asked quietly, dropping it into the stunned silence. He was lying but they didn’t need to know that. He’d do or say whatever he needed to, to keep the status quo in his house. If they didn’t like his methods it was just too damn bad, he thought.
Plus there was enough truth in there to hide his lies. This was Spike’s home and obviously they didn’t appreciate just how difficult this was for the blonde vampire. Lucky for him and for them, Spike was a cut above the others with a strong sense of loyalty. Any other unsouled vampire would’ve been picking the girls flesh from between their teeth, including the animal Angel had once been himself.
“You’re just justifying yourself”. Cordelia’s accusing tone interrupted Angel’s musing. But the over-bright shine in her hazel eyes was telling. Yet again she’d overestimated how safe was ‘safe’. God, would she ever learn, she wondered despairingly.
“No I’m not. I’m telling it like it is. I can go out there right now and bring back Spike-maybe! Of course that leaves every other vamp in Sunnydale to chase down the humans who’ll die anyway- but hey what do you care; you’ll be too busy running from Spike to spare them a thought anymore”.
God- could he be any more fucking casual about people dying? At that moment she was sure she hated him. Her throat went tight but she swallowed hard and forced the feeling away. So he’d just let her get murdered under his very nose would he? Pride stiffened her spine and dried her eyes.
“Why can’t he just not … do that. Like you”? Asked Willow tentatively. With her puzzled eyes passing between a rigid Cordelia and the vampire, watching the brunette with his heavy lidded eyes shielding his thoughts.
“Spike and I are different” replied Angel abruptly sparing the red-head only a flickering glance.
“How”? Cordelia snapped out, perplexed and wanting to understand. Spike had once mentioned Angel having a soul but had been immediately silenced by the dark vampire. When she’d later pressed him on it, he’d blown her off too.
“Never mind how. He just is. So are you both finally clued up and willing to leave me in peace now”. Angel asked with a bite in his deep voice. He was already regretting this whole conversation. He didn’t need Cordelia to tell him he’d just blown away her illusions about safety. Maybe that was a good thing- it just didn’t feel that way just yet.
There was a hard glitter in her eyes and he could sense she’d thrown up a wall between them. Still squatting to stay at eye level, his fists clenched with the urge to tear it down. He forced them to relax again.
“Is that why you’re so mean and bad tempered all the time- cos your hungry”? Cordelia asked him matter of factly. The casualness was a façade, but one she was determined he wouldn’t see through. If she was going to have to watch her back from him; it was better to know it upfront. She trampled down the hurt tunnelling away inside.
“Jesus…is there any subject you consider…Oh I don’t know, off limits maybe”? Asked Angel astounded. Then still shaking his dark head in pure disbelief, he stood up to tower over her with his hands on his hips.
“What for”? Replied Cordelia bluntly and shrugged “whoever said ignorance is bliss were lying their asses off. So is it”? She persisted, boldly ignoring his obvious annoyance.
“No” Angel gave her a sardonic look. “I don’t need an excuse with you around”.
***
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
“You owe me” Cordelia announced from half way down the stairs.
Both Cordelia and Willow had retreated upstairs after the earlier confrontation and Angel had let them. Safely ensconced away from prying vamp ears, she and Willow had talked non-stop about what they’d ‘learned’. After much debate and to-ing and fro-ing they’d both reached the same conclusion.
Angel was lying his ass off, or at least mixing truth with lies. It pissed her off but that was a guy for you.
“How’d you figure that”? Angel sat up on the exercise mat and swiping up a towel wiped the sweat of his face and neck.
He watched her descend the rest of the stairs, his gaze both watchful and wary. The vampire didn’t trust this ‘re-approachment’ and if he didn’t miss his guess, she was up to something. Especially after the way things had gone earlier on, he’d been convinced it’d be days before she’d even speak to him again. He had yet to decide if that would have been preferable.
Cordelia let her eyes travel over the damp white vest that revealed every contour of his body. Seeing it, Angel shifted under her scruntising gaze, and Cordelia’s eyes widened when the thought dawned on her that when she eyed him up- he got uncomfortable. Hmm, she’d think about that later.
“If not for you. Willow and I wouldn’t be living with a vampire. I mean vampires” she hastily added before continuing. “but still…”
Angel knew he wasn’t going to like where this was going. “No you’d probably be dead already” he interjected with a frowning look up, watching her lower herself onto the couch so that she faced him.
“Whatever” the frown got lower and blacker- whoops. “Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate the food and clothes and stuff” she added with a big smile then frowning, ran out of steam. She coyly lowered her eyes and fiddled with a loose thread on her skirt. While watching him from under her lashes to see if he’d take the bait.
Angel waited for the punchline and when it was obviously not forthcoming he sighed in exasperation and gave in. “Okay. I’ll bite. What are you after now“?
“I want you to teach us how to fight” Cordelia told him in complete seriousness.
Angel’s jaw dropped. She was kidding right. What kind of a fool did she take him for? Standing up he fixed her with a look. “Forget it. No way. Not a chance and you can just…” he laughed in disbelief..”get that idea right out of that maze like head of yours now“.
“Hey- don’t be mean. My head isn’t a maze and… why the hell not” she countered and pouted at him. “Are you afraid I’ll kick your ass” she added with an evil smirk, aiming right for his ego. This time she missed.
Stifling a smile, Angel squatted down before her again and met her taunting gaze with a knowing look of his own. “Sweetheart. I’m over two centuries old. That ain’t gonna work. Do you seriously think there’s a feminine wile I haven’t come across many, many times before”. He smirked at her indrawn hiss of annoyance.
“Why not you’re male aren’t you”? she snarked. Crap- this was just typical of her luck recently. No wonder she’d been having trouble managing him like she did with other men. He was too frickin’ old that was her problem. She glowered at him.
Still smiling in genuine amusement he glanced at Willow as she came down the stairs too; obviously too curious to stay away. Angel looked back at the pouting brunette and had an idea. “I won’t teach you how to fight and that’s final Cordy. But I will teach you how to cook” he offered tongue in cheek. What they needed was a distraction. One that didn’t involve sharp pointy objects.
“Gee thanks” she replied with enough sarcasm to strip paint. “Like that’s gonna be a good defence. Here Spike have a vegetable mash- NOT!” Cordelia flopped dejectedly back on the couch and glowered at his laughing face. Too put out to get taken in by the beautiful smile and warmly laughing brown eyes. Or the way the smile stretched his cheeks and made his usually stubborn chin just a little bit pointy. Get a grip, Chase.
“You don’t need to defend yourself” he told her softly. Caught between the urge to flick a thumb over that full pouty mouth or just give in and kiss it to see if it felt as soft as it looked.
“Hah- you can say that after the whole Spike’s gonna get you speech” asked Cordelia and then promptly forgot what she was saying when she noticed how intently he was staring at her mouth. She lifted her fingers to them to see if she was still wearing any of the lipstick Spike had found for her and Willow to share.
“I’ll protect you. When it’s necessary” Angel dragged his eyes off her mouth and got caught by the purely female look in those drowning hazel eyes.
“Uh huh okay, that’s that settled” agreed Cordelia and then started to breath heavily as a new thought popped into her head. “And who’s gonna protect me from you”? She asked breathlessly.
Angel slowly leaned in until he was only inches away. “No one” he admitted softly, but it was more of a warning. Only for some reason it didn’t frighten her- just made a hot flush rise up to colour her cheeks as a an answering heat pooled between her thighs.
“Right- I knew that”.
***
TWO HOURS LATER
After a few hours Angel was holding his head in his hands and seriously trying not to hyperventilate at the mess. The volcanic eruption of a mess, featuring eggs, milk, and flour and ..Jesus everything else in creation.
“Cordelia, It’s just scrambled eggs and biscuits” He was shaking his head, still cupped in his hands when he said it and missed seeing the frustrated look cross the annoyed face of the cook from hell.
“Yeah well- that’s easy for you to say. Me I’m new to this. We had a cook at home ya know” she blew out a breath to get rid of the stray strands of dark hair that had broken free from her hasty braid.
“No wonder or you’d be dead from food poisoning” he muttered under his breath. She heard him anyway and pointed a finger at the happily stirring Willow. “You make me nervous with your…constant sniping and yet you just give Willow big shit eating…”
“Hey watch your language” Angel whipped his head up and glared at her flushed face and slitted eyes. Then rolled his eyes when he noticed she was actually tapping her foot.
“It’s really easy when you get the hang of it Cor” offered Willow with a happy smile.
“Hah- says pizza girl” snarked Cordelia, earning herself another warning glare from those dark eyes. “What- I like pizza” she defended herself and then grumbling picked up a cloth to try and restore order to the less than immaculate counter.
Willow took the lightly steaming pan off the stove and carefully set it aside to cool. Then grinning triumphantly couldn’t resist a little jig. “Yay I cooked a mean and it didn’t come out of a packet. Well other than the eggs, does that count”? She asked Angel.
Angel smiled at her earnest enjoyment and satisfaction, unknowingly earning himself another dark glower from Cordelia. “Sure it counts, Willow. You did good” he offered lightly.
Silently simmering, Cordelia roughly wiped up the mess of flour and crap with wide sweeping motions. Too angry to care too much what she was doing, she missed seeing how close she was getting to the bread knife until it was swiftly removed form her path.
“Watch it” snapped Angel. The words were hardly out of his mouth before the agitated brunette knocked her head against a low hanging pan on a hook. “Oww” Cordelia half yelped and half snarled then irrationally smacked the pan that’d hurt her- like *it* was to blame.
It came of the hook and would have landed on her already abused head if it hadn’t been knocked away by a thoroughly flustered vampire. “Cordelia just… stand there and do*not*move- okay” he almost pleaded bracing himself for another possible catastrophe and hastily coming to the conclusion that for her own safety he had to make sure she never even attempted cooking ever again.
“Okayyy. Geeze, you don’t have to yell at me. I’m not deaf” she told him huffily, still rubbing at the sore spot on her scalp. “So am I banned from the kitchen yet or what” she said after a moment and added a sly look. Then laughed when predictably; both Angel and Willow gave her identically suspicious looks. “Kidding” she said jokingly and smiled ruefully. “I have to try and save my pride here ya know”.
Their first real, honest to goodness light-hearted moment was interrupted by the kitchen door crashing open as a grinning, still in full vamp face Spike made his entrance. “What’s this then a coffee morning? Why did no one tell me I’d a put it in me diary”.
Then not waiting for a reply and too impatient to give out some prezzies. “Look what I got” he held up a fist full of knick knacks and women’s jewellery. “Don’t all thank me at once” he grouched when Cordelia and Willow just started at him in horror.
“What’s up with you lot- been on the loopy juice again”? He checked himself out and absently knocked off some stray bit of hair and leaves and twigs from his clothes.
Willow came out of trance to point at the shiny baubles Spike was still holding up like trophies. “Is that..did that..”?
“Spit it out love. For God’s sake” Spike encouraged and looked at her with feral yellow eyes. Green eyes narrowed as a red mist formed before Willows eyes. “Did those come off dead people”? Asked Cordelia in strangled voice.
“Yeah- but it’s not like their gonna miss ’em now is it, Pet”?
“Oh you…” was all the enraged red-head could manage before she picked up the still steaming pan of scrambled eggs and dumped the whole lot over his blonde head. “Wha..ow..shit that. Hey that bloody well hurts” spluttered Spike with bits of egg running down his startled and less than happy face. “See if I bring you presents back next time” he exclaimed.
“Good” snarled Willow “..and just so you don’t forget again. Here have the pan too” and she smacked it down on his head so that it sat like a grey metallic hat. Finished she stormed off.
“What the sodding ‘ell’s got into ‘er then”? Asked Spike, shaking his head to dislodge the pan and the rest of the eggs.
“What do you think, Dumbass” snarled Cordelia.
Thoroughly fed up Spike growled long and low, making Cordelia do the smart thing and shuffle sideways until Angel was between her and Spike. “Don’t growl at me you, Asshole. One vamp I can take. Two- not on your life”.
“Angel” warned Spike, “Put a leash on her will you. I’ve only just come ‘ome and I feel like murdering someone already” he said with careful emphasise.
“Can it Spike, and no I won’t put a leash on her”. Angel then scared the hell out of his grandchilde by giving him a huge ear to ear grin. “I’m too busy revelling in not being the bad guy around here for the first time since..whenever”.
Angel heard Cordelia snigger behind his back.