{"id":3981,"date":"2015-07-05T22:39:13","date_gmt":"2015-07-05T21:39:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/?p=3981"},"modified":"2015-07-06T00:53:52","modified_gmt":"2015-07-05T23:53:52","slug":"bad-timing-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/2015\/07\/05\/bad-timing-9\/","title":{"rendered":"Bad Timing. 9"},"content":{"rendered":"

Part 9<\/b>: Eureeka<\/em><\/p>\n

Buffy came up stairs fifteen minutes later. She had broken the punching bag. Okay, so clearly I am having a few issues. Healthy aggression. That\u2019s all.\u00a0<\/i>She felt better. She was back to being focused on the job at hand.<\/p>\n

Not that Angel is a job. Being with him, that\u2019s not a job\u2026is it? No, it\u2019s just harder for us to find our, uh, groove. But it\u2019s still there. It has to be. <\/i><\/p>\n

Assuring herself that all was once again right with the world, Buffy walked upstairs and opened the door\u2026and the world was not as she expected.<\/p>\n

Wes was walking around the lobby but never looking up from the book in his hand\u2014he even handed Buffy a bottle of water, without even losing his place. He was clearly in high research mode. Fred and Dawn sat on the couch while Spike and Xander took turns holding Angel\u2019s miracle child.<\/p>\n

Buffy wandered into the kitchen where Cordelia sat at the table, painting Willow\u2019s nails. Willow had that shy look on her face, one that Buffy hadn\u2019t seen in years. It was like she was in awe of the fact that Cordelia was consenting to talk to her.<\/p>\n

Buffy didn\u2019t like that look.<\/p>\n

Then there was Angel. The champion of the Powers that Be wasn\u2019t sitting in a dark corner or polishing his antique weaponry. He was adding mushrooms and green peppers to a frying pan. He was making eggs. Alllll-right. So that part\u2019s new. <\/i>Buffy didn\u2019t feel like commenting on the scene\u2014she didn\u2019t know who to address the comment to.<\/p>\n

So she just sat down at the table next to Willow. She listened as Cordelia told Willow about the long-term benefits of getting pedicures on a bi-monthly basis. She watched as Spike laughed, no he almost giggled, when Connor spit up on him. She heard Gunn and Wesley arguing in a friendly way in the doorway of Wes\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

She took note of the way Cordelia would sneak icy glares in Angel\u2019s direction and of the way he would bite his lip and look down when he intercepted those looks. Buffy silently took it all in and tried to control the growing dizziness that the scene around her evoked.<\/p>\n

Angel was at a loss as to what to do. He could tell Cordelia wasn\u2019t entirely happy with him. He might not be great at reading people, but he wasn\u2019t blind.\u00a0But I didn\u2019t DO anything. She\u2019s got no reason to be mad.<\/i> Angel didn\u2019t waste much time pondering that. He just wanted her happy again.<\/p>\n

Even if she wasn\u2019t yelling at him or anything, the past twenty minutes had been awful. It made him realize just how much he depended on trading looks and smiles with his best friend. How Cordy\u2019s attitude really could make or break his day. He needed her happy\u2026so he could be happy.<\/p>\n

\u201cCordy, you want a couple of pieces of toast with that. Your omelet\u2019s almost done.\u201d Angel offered up. She didn\u2019t look up from Willow\u2019s pinky, only shrugged and mumbled whatever.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what are you in the mood for? Wheat? Rye? We might have some white lying around here somewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAngel don\u2019t worry about it,\u201d Cordelia said. She blew on Willow\u2019s nails. \u201cJust forget the toast. I need eggs, now. I\u2019m getting all weak from starvation. I don\u2019t have the strength to discuss bread with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight, sure, of course,\u201d Angel stuttered. How did she do this to him? She made him feel like a stumbling idiot. \u201cSo,\u201d he said, sliding the omelet onto a plate and placing it in front of her, \u201cthink you feel like training later. I have a couple of moves I\u2019d love to show you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel was walking to the refrigerator when Cordelia\u2019s tone froze him in place. \u201cDon\u2019t you think you\u2019ve gotten enough \u2018training\u2019 in today? I\u2019m sure if you haven\u2019t Buffy would be more than happy to\u2026 finish you off.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel decided it would be in his best interest to shrug that one off. Change the subject. Don\u2019t talk about food or training. <\/i>\u201cSpike didn\u2019t try anything last night, did he?\u201d Willow and Cordelia both noted how Buffy\u2019s eyebrows shot up with that comment, but neither said anything.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. Of course not. Spike was the perfect guest. Luckily, he doesn\u2019t mysteriously get peanut butter on the sheets, unlike SOME PEOPLE.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDammit Cordelia, that wasn\u2019t me, that was y\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever. Anyway,\u201d Cordy said, more to Willow than Angel now, \u201cSpike and I had a great time. He\u2019s so funny. It\u2019s amazing that he\u2019s been around for a hundred something years and he\u2019s so up on pop culture. Certain people are centuries behind on what\u2019s cool.\u201d Cordelia knew she was being beyond catty now but she couldn\u2019t stop herself. She was hurting and angry and she knew she had no right to be angry and that was just making her angrier.<\/p>\n

And there was only one person to reasonably take it out on. \u201cAnd, lordie, that body. I love men with that tight chiseled look. He certainly didn\u2019t put on any winter weight. Some vampires do you know. Put on a few pounds.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cInterestingly enough Willow, vampires aren\u2019t the only creatures that seem to be putting on weight this winter,\u201d Angel bit out before he could stop himself. He heard the swift intake of breath, and in a move largely motivated by self-preservation, he turned to Buffy. \u201cSo, Buffy, do you have any plans for tonight?\u201d Cordelia choked on her eggs.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh she has plans. She has all kinds of plans,\u201d Cordy mumbled so quietly that only a super-hearing vampire could have heard. Luckily there was one across the table from her. He merely glared in response.<\/p>\n

Buffy had to focus for a second before she could answer her question. The things Cordelia had said about Spike, it\u2019s just that, well, it was so rare to hear nice things about Spike. From someone besides Dawn that is. It gave Buffy the wiggins.<\/p>\n

Wait, Angel wants to do something with me. That\u2019s right. One night with the love of my life and it will stop. I won\u2019t feel so gooey when people say nice stuff about Spike. <\/i>\u201cDawn and I have to stop by my dad\u2019s later, but I\u2019m free after that. What did you have in mind?\u201d she asked as seductively as was possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cLorne\u2019s club is having it\u2019s grand re-opening tonight. I think you\u2019ll like the place,\u201d Angel said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure I\u2019ll love it. You know, it doesn\u2019t matter what we do,\u201d Buffy said, reaching for Angel\u2019s hand, \u201cas long as we\u2019re alo\u2014.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat. Fred, Buffy and her friends are gonna come with us to Caritas tonight. Can you tell Lorne we\u2019ll need a table large enough for everyone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone,\u201d Buffy repeated shakily.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid I\u2019ll have to pass,\u201d Wes said re-emerging from his office with Gunn. \u201cI\u2019ve hit a roadblock on my research. Won\u2019t be able to focus until I have that Eureeka moment.\u201d Wes grabbed an apple before heading back to his office. \u201cI\u2019ll be more than happy to watch Connor for you,\u201d he said before shutting the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe actually says \u2018Eureeka\u2019,\u201d Xander asked no one in particular.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, so everyone but Wes. It\u2019s gonna be great,\u201d Angel said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, great. Fabulous,\u201d Cordelia huffed. \u201cI get to watch you make goo-goo eyes all night. Oh, and if I\u2019m really lucky you\u2019ll make a total ass of yourself and decide to sing.\u201d The words were barely out of her mouth before Angel\u2019s hand clamped down on her wrist, with an intimidating grip. He didn\u2019t say anything. He just started walking towards the stairs. Cordy had no choice but to follow him, it was that or be dragged.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Neither of them spoke. Angel just went up the stairs and Cordelia didn\u2019t offer any protest. She wasn\u2019t stupid. She knew she had been behaving like a cranky adolescent. Angel had every right to be mad. She was actually a little grateful that he had chosen to go upstairs. There\u2019s no way she wanted to have to kiss his ass in front of that group of people.<\/p>\n

Angel pulled her into his room, finally letting go of her arm. He reached behind her and shut the door. The look on his face wasn\u2019t unfamiliar, but it was rare that Cordelia ever saw it directed at her. It was anger. Anger bordering on rage. It was a look she had seen directed at Lilah, even a couple of times at Xander.<\/p>\n

Not at her though. Not since all the beige-yness. Cordelia leaned back on the door. She decided it might be wise to stay near the exit. Angel stood directly in front of her, silent and unmoving. Finally he crossed his arms. He opened his mouth, then shut it and closed his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, care to explain the attitude,\u201d he said in a hard voice. Cordelia hated that voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot really,\u201d came her sullen response.<\/p>\n

Angle raised one eyebrow in a move reminiscent of herself. \u201cYou don\u2019t want to talk about why you\u2019re acting like such a, a\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the word you are looking for is bitch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel\u2019s eyebrow lowered and his arms fell to his side. He looked a little thrown that she was actually admitted it. He had expected more of a battle.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019ve been acting like,\u201d Cordelia continued. \u201cI realize that,\u201d she said, now crossing her arms. Angel made a funny face as more of his anger deflated.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, yeah, well, why? Did, did Spike tell you something last night? About me? I should have never let you go home with him. I knew he couldn\u2019t physically hurt you but Spike, he has this awful habit of talking. He TALKS and ruins everything.\u201d Neither of them decided to point out that Angel had gone from angry to apologetic in 3.6 seconds.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s not Spike. It\u2019s\u2026 Look, Angel, I\u2019m not perfect.\u201d Cordy stopped and rolled her eyes as she noted Angel\u2019s smirk. He had raised that eyebrow again, too. \u201cOkay, so you already knew that one. But, it\u2019s just, I get a little wacky around the Scoobies. They don\u2019t like me much and they come here and make everything weird and then they leave and you do that whole post-Buffy brood session and I hate that and,\u201d she trailed and took a deep breath. \u201cI\u2019m losing my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel immediately assumed the role of comforter. \u201cNo. You\u2019re not perfect but you\u2019re not losing your mind. This is weird for all of us. It\u2019s understandable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s not understandable, why I was so mad at you, it doesn\u2019t make sense at all. I can\u2019t understand why I start feeling threatened the minute they walk in the door. The minute SHE walks in the door. I mean, I saw you two\u2026training\u2026and I just, I\u2014it bothered me. It felt like.\u201d Cordelia couldn\u2019t finish. She realized she was actually blushing.<\/p>\n

Angel couldn\u2019t believe she had stopped there. Finally, finally, they were getting close to something. He needed to hear more. \u201cLike what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like you were cheating on me in OUR special place. Which is like so completely crazy. Because, number one, the basement is not a special place and, two, HELLO. You and I, we\u2019re not, you know..\u201d She said, making some odd motions between the two of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd there\u2019s no reason I shouldn\u2019t expect Buffy on top of you. She has a perfectly legitimate right to straddle. Star-crossed lovers have straddling rights. I get that. It\u2019s just the whole thing, I don\u2019t know, it threw me. Stupid, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel slowly shook his head. \u201cNo, it\u2019s not stupid.\u201d So wait, is she trying to tell me that she\u2019s jealous. That\u2019s what she said. She said she felt like I cheated on her.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to make excuses for me,\u201d Cordelia said. She sighed and walked a couple of steps closer to him. \u201cMy moment of insanity has passed. I promise.<\/p>\n

Angel was touching her before he could stop himself. He touched the side of her face, then tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. \u201cYou are not insane Cordy. You\u2019re not stupid or insane. You\u2014.\u201d Angel didn\u2019t know what to say.<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t believe the right moment is finally here and I don\u2019t know how to tell her. Should I mention the dreams? Should I tell her I like her, like more than a friend. Geez, why don\u2019t I just pass her a note during study hall while I\u2019m at it.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cI, what?\u201d Cordelia asked. His hand had moved from her cheek to that spot right where her neck met her shoulder. She felt his hand move behind so it was almost cupping her neck and start to pull her forward. Pull her towards him.<\/p>\n

Lorne burst in. \u201cAngelcakes. You\u2019re progeny downstairs is wanting some Daddy time. Aunty Lorne just won\u2019t do.\u201d Angel looked down at the ground and let out an unnecessary breath. He released Cordy\u2019s neck and started to walk around her.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou better come back down too, your food will be getting cold,\u201d he said softly. Cordy nodded but didn\u2019t move, so Angel walked away. Lorne still stood just inside the room, biting his lip.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, do I know how to kill a moment or what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLorne, that wasn\u2019t a moment, that, it was\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was you two coming very close to waking up and smelling the kyrumption. Don\u2019t worry sweetie. They\u2019ll be another chance. You should probably admit it to yourself first though.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdmit what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdmit that you know why you were acting like such a shrew downstairs. You know exactly why walking in on them upset you too much. It\u2019s not a mystery. You were jealous.\u201d<\/p>\n

Well duh. Way ahead of you there buddy.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you were jealous because\u2026\u201d Lorne said.<\/p>\n

Because I\u2019m protective of my best friend. And our purely best friend relationship. And some small part of me, okay, every single female part of me wanted to be the one straddling him. And then I could\u2019ve leaned down and kissed him and told him\u2026that\u2026oh sweet Jesus I\u2019m in love with him. I love Angel.<\/i><\/p>\n

Cordy wanted scream, wanted to yell that it couldn\u2019t be, but it was too late, it was. Her vacation epiphany hadn\u2019t been that Angel was a hottie. It hadn\u2019t been that he would make a nice fuck-buddy. It hadn\u2019t been about WANTING Angel at all. It had been about loving Angel.<\/p>\n

Cordelia\u2019s legs felt weak and she slumped onto the bed and proceeded to bury her face in her hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere you go. Guess you just had one of Wes\u2019s Eureka moments.\u201d Lorne made the comment in a low voice, then turned around and left the room.<\/p>\n

Part 10<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Part 9: Eureeka Buffy came up stairs fifteen minutes later. She had broken the punching bag. Okay, so clearly I am having a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-completed-fics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3981","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3981"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3981\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3981"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3981"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3981"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}