Part 2<\/b><\/p>\n
Sundays at the Hyperion were usually pretty slow. Cordelia wasn\u2019t entirely sure why this was. It\u2019s not like evil was busy going to church or having brunch or reading the paper. For whatever reason, Cordelia was not surprised at how silent and empty the hotel seemed when she walked in. Then she realized the lobby wasn\u2019t empty.<\/p>\n
Wes sat behind the counter, surrounded by books. He didn\u2019t look up; he didn\u2019t appear to notice she was standing there. Cordy registered how tired he looked. Older. Tense.<\/p>\n
Okay, something is off here. Wes doesn’t look like a guy who’s just gotten the girl.<\/i><\/p>\n
She walked over to the counter. \u201cHey,\u201d Cordy said softly. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d He jumped a little at the sound of her voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, nothing. Nothing at all,\u201d he told her. \u201cJust, uh, just getting caught up. On research.\u201d He glanced down at the notes he\u2019d been furiously scribbling, than back at her.<\/p>\n
Cordelia leaned on the counter. \u201cFind anything interesting?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUh\u2026\u201d Wes seemed to hesitate. \u201cNo,\u201d he said, in a voice that sounded unfamiliar. Hard. Cold. He seems cold. <\/i>He sighed. \u201cCan I help you Cordelia?\u201d<\/p>\n
This is really too weird. If he’s having all these amazing kisses, why’s he so fucking crabby? <\/i>\u201cWhere\u2019s Fred?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
Wesley\u2019s jaw clenched and suddenly his eyes were everywhere but on her. \u201cShe and Gunn just left to go catch an afternoon movie.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSounds like fun,\u201d Cordelia said mildly. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you go?\u201d<\/p>\n
Wes looked directly in her eyes. He said in a quiet voice, \u201cI didn\u2019t want to intrude.\u201d<\/p>\n
Huh? <\/i>\u201cWhy would you be\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLook Cordelia,\u201d Wesley interrupted. \u201cIf you don\u2019t mind, I\u2019m rather busy here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia\u2019s forehead wrinkled. \u201cSure. I\u2019ll just head downstairs. I thought I might train for awhile.\u201d She started to round the corner toward the door to the basement, then stopped and looked back at Wes.<\/p>\n
He was back hunched over his notes. He looked so lonely and small, sitting behind the counter in the big empty lobby. He must have felt her eyes on him. He looked up.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d he said in a tired voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cUh, nothing,\u201d Cordy told him. He offered her a small half smile and turned back to the books. \u201cSo where\u2019s my sweetie?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cBasement,\u201d Wesley mumbled, not looking up this time.<\/p>\n
Cordy\u2019s mouth dropped open. What was her baby doing in the chilly dank basement? \u201cConnor\u2019s in the basement?\u201d she repeated loudly.<\/p>\n
That got his attention. <\/i>\u201cHmmm, what? Connor? No. No. Connor\u2019s upstairs with Lorne. Just went down I believe.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo why\u2019d you say he was\u2026\u201d Cordy started to ask. Then she saw how pained Wes looked. She was starting to get very creeped out. And not the good Angel kind of creeped.<\/p>\n
\u201cNevermind,\u201d she told him. \u201cDon\u2019t work too hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Cordelia was so lost in thought, trying to understand Wesley\u2019s confusing behavior, that she was halfway down the stairs before she saw. And what she saw stopped her in her tracks. Oh my.<\/i><\/p>\n
Apparently Angel hadn\u2019t known the punching bag had Cordelia\u2019s name on it. She watched as he launched a full-scale attack on the bag. Maybe the bag said something about his hair.<\/i><\/p>\n
Normally Cordy would have laughed at that thought. But there was nothing funny about this. He looked so intense. He gave small grunts of exertion every time his fist made contact. They each tugged at something deep inside of her.<\/p>\n
He must have been at this for a while. <\/i>Angel had taken off his shirt and the tattoo on his back glistened as he moved. A bead of sweat rolled off his pec and down over his abdominals and Cordy forgot how to breathe. Sweat is not sexy. Sweat is not sexy. Why is this so sexy?<\/i><\/p>\n
Cordelia was overcome with pure feminine awareness. She had never been so completely aware of Angel before. Even back in the day, when she harbored an obvious attraction to him, it was just that. Attraction. A crush. It wasn\u2019t\u2026carnal. Not like this. And then we came to L.A. <\/i>Where it was about scraping by and setting up a business and a life and just surviving; she had forbidden herself to think of him that way from the beginning.<\/p>\n
It was a distraction neither of them needed. And I didn’t. He was just Angel. Non-threatening, non-lust-inducing, asexual Angel. And then, at the ballet\u2026<\/i><\/p>\n
He really is gorgeous. <\/i>Cordelia liked to joke about the pale skin, but on him, it worked. He was like\u2026a big white cat. Cooly beautiful but dangerous. She remembered how that skin had felt. She remembered it perfectly. It’s like I can still feel him. <\/i>Cordy bit her lip.<\/p>\n
She\u2019d touched him before that night, of course. Countless times she\u2019d patched him up. Wrapped bandages around his chest. Cleaned out stab wounds. Put Neosporin on deep scratches. But that night at the ballet, touching Angel, it hadn\u2019t been like all those times before. There was nothing clinical about it. Only him and his cool pale skin and his undefinable scent. I couldn’t place it. It wasn’t Polo. Or Old Spice. It was just Man.<\/i><\/p>\n
Cordy had been struck by the power, the centuries-old power under her fingertips. The tie had come off and his collar unbuttoned (okay, not exactly, I ripped it) <\/i>and there was all that cool, tightly coiled strength, just beneath his skin. And yet, it wasn\u2019t scary or threatening or even weird. She wasn\u2019t scared of his strength. She wasn\u2019t scared when he held her. It had been nice and safe and, well, sexy as hell.<\/p>\n
God why do I remember so much from that night? I was possessed! Possessions are supposed to make everything really hazy. Right? But no, not for me. I get possessed and I’ve got memories that are better than late-night Cinemax. And why is the whole Cordelia McLusty act kicking in right now? Where was it last night? With Groo?<\/i><\/p>\n
Cordy\u2019s heart was practically pounding out of her chest. That must have been what announced her presence, because she hadn\u2019t made a sound. She hadn\u2019t been able to. Angel froze mid-punch.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy. Hi,\u201d he said quickly. He looked more unsure than surprised. He offered her a small, nervous half-smile. Than the momentum of the punching bag knocked him down.<\/p>\n
Angel sat, flat on his ass, staring straight ahead and looking half shocked and half mortified. Than he turned his head to her. Be nice. Don’t laugh. Give him that much. He saw your boobs on Thursday and didn’t say one word to Gunn. Don’t laugh. <\/i><\/p>\n
Cordelia cracked up laughing.<\/p>\n
Thank God Angel put an end to my whole heavy-breathing stalker-ness just by being Angel. <\/i>Sexy hard-body man was gone. Leaving only her best friend, still sprawled on the floor.<\/p>\n
She walked quickly down the rest of the stairs, crossing to where he sat. He looked up at her and, she couldn\u2019t help it, one quick chuckle slipped out. He rolled his eyes. That’s new. <\/i>Cordy smiled and shook her head from side to side, as if to say \u201cTsk Tsk.\u201d Angel gave a rueful grin and she ignored the odd tightness it created in her chest.<\/p>\n
Just indigestion. I mean, what else could it be? <\/i>She offered him her hand.<\/p>\n
He reached up and took it. And suddenly Cordelia was back in racing-heartbeat mode.<\/p>\n
Angel\u2019s hands. Why did I never notice Angel’s hands before? <\/i>Big. Cool. Slightly calloused. Not rough, but not soft either. Masculine, in a way that had made her feel even more feminine, because of the contrast. Helplessly, she flashed back to the ballet. How his hands, the hands she was holding right now, had gripped her hips as he kissed his way down her stomach.<\/p>\n
Stop. Don’t go there. Don’t think about that.<\/i><\/p>\n
Cordelia was still holding his hand. Neither of them had moved. Angel was still on the floor, looking up at her. He’s totally worried that I’m losing it. First I make him go to a brothel for me and now I act like I’m a hand collector. He probably thinks I’m a big giant freak. Which is incorrect. I’m a gigantic\u00a0COLOSSAL\u00a0freak. <\/i><\/p>\n
She dropped his hand immediately. Or more accurately, she flung it away from her like he had leprosy. He coughed and sprang up all by himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, uh,\u201d Angel said, scanning the room, \u201cwhat are you doing here?\u201d He started walking around the basement, not pacing, just\u2026wandering. Cordy\u2019s eyes narrowed when he started peeking behind boxes and equipment. What’s he doing? <\/i>\u201cI guess we both had the same idea about\u2014\u201d Cordy started<\/p>\n
\u201cFound it!\u201d Angel yelled, and reached for a white t-shirt that lay balled up on the bottom stair.<\/p>\n
Cordelia wasn\u2019t sure if she was happy or disappointed that he was putting his shirt back on. While she contemplated this, Angel put his shirt back on. And then they both stood there. Talk about awkward silence. Angel sighed. Cordy made a clicking noise with her tongue. Then more silence.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere\u2019s Groo?\u201d Angel finally said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow\u2019s Connor?\u201d she asked at the exact same time. Then they both smiled. Why is this so weird? I’m not\u2026I can’t be\u2026why am I nervous? It’s Angel.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cHome,\u201d she told him.<\/p>\n
\u201cConnor\u2019s fine,\u201d he told her. They both nodded. Okay, this is getting a little ridiculous.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cWell, you were here first,\u201d Cordy pointed out. \u201cI guess I\u2019ll just have to work off last night\u2019s cheesecake some other time. But know this. When people are pointing at me and saying \u2018there goes the girl with the fattest ass in L.A.\u2019 I\u2019m gonna blame it all on you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel nervously licked his lips and swallowed. \u201cYou have a\u2026uh, your ass is fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia raised an eyebrow. \u201cIt\u2019s big,\u201d she said succinctly.<\/p>\n
Angel looked uncomfortable. \u201cNo!\u201d Up went Cordy\u2019s eyebrow again. \u201cI mean, it\u2019s not small. It\u2019s round and, well, nice and, uh, um\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t hurt yourself Angel,\u201d she said. \u201cSo I guess I\u2019ll just see you later,\u201d she told him. Please tell me to stay. No wait, don’t. The longer I’m around you the crazier I get. I should leave. Tell me to go home. Tell me to go home and have sex with my boyfriend.<\/i><\/p>\n
Angel just stood there. \u201cOkay,\u201d he told her.<\/p>\n
Cordy sighed and she wasn\u2019t sure if it was out of relief or disappointment. She took a step towards the stairs.<\/p>\n
\u201cOr\u201d Angel blurted out.<\/p>\n
Her head quickly turned back around to him. \u201cOr?\u201d<\/p>\n
He rubbed at his temples. \u201cOr\u2026or you could stay. We could do it together.\u201d Cordy\u2019s eyes went wide. Angel got paler, if that was possible. \u201cTRAIN. We could train together,\u201d he clarified.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d Cordelia responded, WAY too quickly. Nice Chase. Real subtle.<\/i><\/p>\n
She walked over to the bench in the corner and put her bag down. Good. This is a good thing. Getting back to normal. We haven’t trained since Connor was born. Friendly, platonic training. Just what the doctor ordered.<\/i><\/p>\n
While Cordy got a bottle of water and a towel out of the bag, Angel went and took two swords down off the wall. She took a sip of water, twisted the cap back on, put it down, and then pulled off the hooded sweatshirt she\u2019d been wearing.<\/p>\n
CLANG!<\/p>\n
Cordelia jumped a mile in the air. Her head whipped around to see what had happened. Briefly she worried it was Holtz, or more vampy weirdos after Connor.<\/p>\n
But it was only Angel. He just stood there, staring at her. One sword gripped tightly in his hand. The other lying on the floor next to his foot. He dropped the sword? When did he go all clumsy? <\/i>She waited for him to offer some sort of explanation. But all he did was stare.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHmmm?\u201d<\/p>\n
Geez, is he even going to blink? Oh, maybe I have something in my teeth. <\/i>But he wasn\u2019t looking at her teeth. He wasn\u2019t looking at her face at all. He was\u2026Cordy glanced down at herself. No disfiguring scars (well, no new ones). No gaping wounds. Just some Christy Turlington yoga pants and a sports bra\u2026<\/p>\n
Oh. OHHHHH. Oh my God, Angel’s checking me out.<\/i><\/p>\n
And then there was one moment of pure pleasure. Relief that she was still turning heads and satisfaction that this weird new fascination with Angel\u2019s body wasn\u2019t entirely one-sided. And then, she freaked out.<\/p>\n
Angel’s checking me out? But I’m not blond! Or bony! He can’t check me out. He’s not allowed to. <\/i>Cordy was horrified and confused and scared. Angel checking her out, that, that just wasn\u2019t what they did. Oh no? So what was I doing playing Peeping Tom over there on the stairs five minutes ago?<\/i><\/p>\n
Deciding now was not the time to psycho-analyze, Cordy turned away and bent over, reaching for her sweatshirt. There was a rush of air and suddenly, she knew, he was there, right behind her. Then there was the light touch of his finger on her lower back.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Angel growled.<\/p>\n
Cordy whirled around so that they were practically nose to nose. She automatically moved to take a step back, but the backs of her legs were already up against the bench.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened where?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
His right arm reached around and touched the spot on her back, just to the left of the tattoo. \u201cThere,\u201d he said, pushing in slightly. Owwwww. <\/i>Cordy twisted her upper torso around so she could take a look. It was a bruise. A big ugly purple-y blackish bruise. Her face scrunched up as she tried to remember where she\u2019d gotten that one.<\/p>\n
Duh! Last night. <\/i>Groo moved around a lot in his sleep. She wasn\u2019t sure if it was because he wasn\u2019t used to sleeping with another person or if he wasn\u2019t used to sleeping in a bed. Either way, last night he\u2019d kicked his leg out and knocked her right out of bed. She\u2019d landed on the free weights she\u2019d never gotten around to using.<\/p>\n
Cordy looked back at Angel. He looked angry. Why’s he angry? It’s MY back. Oh, he’s concerned. That’s so sweet. He probably thinks Groo’s beating me or something. <\/i>Cordelia hurried to reassure him.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh that? It\u2019s nothing,\u201d she said, waving her hand in the air, symbolically brushing it off. \u201cIt happened in bed last night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordy had maybe half a second to ponder the storm that rose up in Angel\u2019s eyes, before he turned away from her and reached for the sword on the ground. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you stretch?\u201d he ground out, with his back to her.<\/p>\n
\u201cKay,\u201d she said, determined to shrug off the weirdness. Closing her eyes, Cordy clasped both arms behind her and arched her back forward. \u201cOhhh, that\u2019s good,\u201d she moaned. Angel muttered something she didn\u2019t catch and Cordy opened her eyes. He looked pained.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs something wrong?\u201d she asked him.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d he told her tonelessly. She waited. He looked like he wanted to say more. \u201cI\u2019m just surprised you still want to train.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel, I thought I explained. You can\u2019t always be around to protect me.\u201d<\/p>\n
He snorted. \u201cYeah, but now you have Groo. Your champion,\u201d he said, like it was some sort of accusation.<\/p>\n
Cordy\u2019s eyes narrowed. \u201cWhat\u2019s that supposed to mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing,\u201d Angel bit out.<\/p>\n
Oh no. You’re not getting of it that easy. <\/i>“Do you not like Groo?” she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s not to like?\u201d he said, his tone clearly indicating that there was much about the Pylean he himself did not like. Cordelia opened her mouth to defend Groo but Angel cut her off. \u201cLook, are you ready to train?\u201d he asked, swooshing both swords through the air and making Cordy flinch.<\/p>\n
He had a gleam in his eye she was quite sure she\u2019d never seen before. Cordelia tossed the sweatshirt over her shoulder and nodded.<\/p>\n
Well this should be interesting.<\/i><\/p>\n