{"id":8396,"date":"2015-12-11T23:05:11","date_gmt":"2015-12-11T23:05:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/?p=8396"},"modified":"2015-12-11T23:15:40","modified_gmt":"2015-12-11T23:15:40","slug":"skills-of-observation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/2015\/12\/11\/skills-of-observation\/","title":{"rendered":"Skills of Observation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Title: Skills of Observation<\/b>
\nAuthor: <\/b>Scorched<\/strong>
\nPosted: <\/b>Dec 05
\nEmail<\/b><\/a>
\nRating: <\/b>PG
\nCategory: <\/b>Humour
\nContent: <\/b>C\/A implied
\nSummary: <\/b>My mini-series for the TIO<\/em> Confessions theme.
\nSpoilers: <\/b>
\nDisclaimer: <\/b>The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
\nDistribution: <\/b>GT,\u00a0<\/b>TIO, AO.
\nNotes: <\/b>*sigh* Here we go again LOL!
\nThanks\/Dedication:<\/b>
\nFeedback:<\/b><\/p>\n

\n

One<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n

Cordelia turned towards the window and stared up at the darkening skies, her shoulders sagged under the threat of an obscene amount of rain. It was too wet to go out, too wet for demons to cause havoc, and therefore no visions.<\/p>\n

There was absolutely nothing to do and everyone at Angels Investigations was, in a nutshell, bored to tears.<\/p>\n

Angel kept wandering around and sighing about rearranging his room so many times, his back was aching. Wesley was currently dusting the office, Gunn was cleaning his axe away, and Fred had reached her thirtieth turn of Solitaire.<\/p>\n

While Cordelia, being the super seer she was, was busy using telepathy to try and move the clouds. At least then they could go somewhere without getting soaked to the bone.<\/p>\n

\u201cUrgh,\u201d she turned from the window in disgust. \u201cWhoever invented rain needs killing. Angel, go find them and bite them dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

The vampire glanced at her. \u201cLove to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia smiled at the glimmer of longing in his gaze. Angel liked violence far too much. \u201cYou need to get out more.\u201d Her feet took her to the small circular sofa and she haphazardly sat down with a thump. \u201cThere has to be something to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fred looked up from the nine of clubs. \u201cAny ideas?\u201d<\/p>\n

Wesley groaned and interrupted Cordelia\u2019s reply by throwing the dust rag across the lobby. \u201cThis is bloody\u2026\u201d He growled under his breath and joined the seer on the couch. \u201cThe books have been balanced thrice, the office would reflect Angel, and the books are now in order of size.\u201d<\/p>\n

The seer patted his thigh and Angel\u2019s glare went unnoticed. \u201cThere, there Wes.\u201d Cordelia let her head drop onto the Englishman\u2019s shoulder, and again the vampire\u2019s black stare was ignored. \u201cYou could always make us all some of the breakfast tea you like so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not quite that bored, but thank you for the suggestion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could always sing songs.\u201d Fred piped up helpfully from her place on the floor. \u201cThat was one of my favourite ways to pass time in Pylea. Row Your Boat can be fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFred,\u201d Cordelia\u2019s eyes travelled to the Texan, \u201cHave you heard Angel?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey!\u201d The vampire in question defended. \u201cI\u2019m not that bad, I mean I got a round of applause last time.\u201d Maybe it was just a two or three claps, but he got claps just the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cI meant that in a sensitive way.\u201d The brunette smiled a smile that showed she clearly didn\u2019t. \u201cOh come on, people! Look at us. Two brainiacs, a 250 year old vampire, a homie, and a beautiful seer. We have got to come up with something. Gunn?\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia got silence. \u201cGunn!\u201d Her voice rose, but still she got nothing. She reached down and removed her shoe, carefully aiming before throwing at a jean covered shin bone.<\/p>\n

\u201cOw!\u201d Gunn yelped and sent a glare her way, a hand rubbing the sting away. \u201cWhat did you do that for?\u201d His glare went from Cordelia to a sniggering Wesley, and finally to a quietly chuckling vampire. \u201cCrazy ass white chick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many times have you listened to that Sean Paul album in the last three days?\u201d<\/p>\n

Gunn scratched his head and took an earphone out of a bruised ear. The relieved eardrum could be heard sighing across all states. Judging by the way his brain was saying the words before Sean, the appropriate answer was, \u201cToo many times.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay Mz Ideas, what do you think we should do?\u201d Wesley pitched in before she could start on him.<\/p>\n

Cordelia shrugged. \u201cI don\u2019t know, what do you think we should do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. It\u2019s entirely up to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel saw where that conversation was going and put a stop to it before it turned contagious. He dragged his bored feet over too where he could stand behind Cordelia. \u201cAre you sure you don\u2019t feel a vision coming on? Maybe a kid is stuck in the sewer\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Hazel eyes met his as her head rolled back. \u201cAngel honey, don\u2019t go there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wesley sniggered again and nudged Cordelia with his elbow. \u201cRemember when you cut off\u2026\u201d The hard stare he received had him shutting up.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy hair,\u201d the seer finished, not entirely too convincing. She laughed oh so falsely. \u201cYes, I remember when I cut my hair. I also remember it taking ten days for you to notice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI noticed,\u201d Angel fibbed. Any way to gain points with Cordelia was a good way. \u201cI just didn\u2019t want to say anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both Wesley and Cordelia glanced at him. \u201cOf course you did.\u201d She stated disbelievingly and rolled her eyes. \u201cBecause nothing gets past you.\u201d Her voice clearly said the opposite.<\/p>\n

Angel didn\u2019t miss the sly little glance exchanged between the seer and ex-watcher, nor did he miss the identical way they both fought a grin. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia cleared her throat. \u201cNothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Wesley spluttered a cough, the vampire just knew there more than nothing going on here. It really better not be what he thinking, because that wouldn\u2019t be very wise. \u201cWhat?\u201d Angel\u2019s lopsided grin hid the way his brain jumped to conclusions, \u201cDid I miss something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no.\u201d The brunette schooled her features into an expression of innocence. \u201cHonestly Angel,\u201d her hand patted the large one resting on the back of the sofa. \u201cYou haven\u2019t missed a thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yeah. Of course he hadn\u2019t missed a thing. He laughed lightly, \u201cI\u2019m 247 years old Cordelia, I didn\u2019t come down in the last rain shower. I know when something\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wesley rubbed his lips and the vampire was sure he just saw a smirk appear. Paranoia instantly set in. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d Angel\u2019s tone was serious. He really hoped Wes wasn\u2019t stupid enough to even think of doing anything he shouldn\u2019t with Cordelia.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike I said,\u201d his seer stated with expressive hand motions, \u201cNothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

He wasn\u2019t gonna fall for that. She looked far too innocent for there to be nothing going on. \u201cYeah, and I\u2019m a fairy Godmother.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia looked back and up at him, \u201cWould I lie to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Oh, now that stung. Angel stood straight with muscled arms folded across his chest, deep brown eyes pouring two centuries worth of cruelty and torture into hazel eyes. He held her stare until she shivered under the intensity. His threatening glare always hit the spot.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, being a vampire with a bad rep was useful when it came to handling Miss Chase.<\/p>\n

Unlike the seer, Wesley didn\u2019t enjoy being the focus of a potentially dangerous vampire and he turned away with a cough. \u201cI think I may have missed a spot dusting\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe missed spot can wait a minute.\u201d Angel clipped out, never once removing his gaze from Cordelia. \u201cWes, you mentioned something about cutting something off, and then all the looks started.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hazel eyes darted away and a curved body nervously shifted. \u201cWhat looks?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were looks. I saw them. Like this\u2026\u201d Angel imitated the looks exchanged between Wesley and Cordelia. Gunn\u2019s chortle was cut short when the vampire\u2019s silent threats were turned on him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t say a word.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t have too.\u201d Angel went back to the two conspirators. \u201cI know there\u2019s something to do with cutting.\u201d When he said it like that, it almost sounded like the cutting had to do with him. There were a few choice places he knew Cordelia wanted to cut off sometimes, but that couldn\u2019t be what was implied. Right?<\/p>\n

\u201cParanoia doesn\u2019t suit you.\u201d Cordelia braved the glare and returned her attention to the vampire. \u201cIt\u2019s nothing for you to worry about. Really.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter all, you didn\u2019t notice and it grew back\u2026 Ow, Cordelia!\u201d Wesley held the back of his head and shot her a piercing look through his glasses. Slowly, he glanced up at Angel who was now concentrating totally on him and he gulped.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat didn\u2019t I notice that grew back?\u201d<\/p>\n

There were two things that grew back after being cut, and they were nails and hair. Angel couldn\u2019t really imagine Cordelia cutting nails, especially not his. That left his hair\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cYou wouldn\u2019t?\u201d The vampire tipped his seer\u2019s chin up and made her look him in the eye and deny his thoughts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWouldn\u2019t what?\u201d Cordelia squeaked and turned on the charm. Eyelashes battered and her smile was one that had the possibility to stop wars. Still, it looked like Angel was unmoved. \u201cThis is so not working is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot one little bit.\u201d Angel let her face go and walked around the sofa, purposely taking his time just to let her fret. When he was directly in front of the quaking brunette, he knelt down and notched up some his personal charm. The kind of charm that took 250 years to perfect.<\/p>\n

Again, she shivered and again averted her eyes, but two hands grasped her cheeks and turned her face to him. If she was going down, then Wesley was going with her. \u201cHe knew all along.\u201d A manicured finger jabbed at the ex-watcher. \u201cHe saw me do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

He gasped and cowed under the vampire\u2019s stare. Damn that girl. \u201cYou tell-tale.\u201d Wesley sniped and jabbed a finger right back. \u201cWhatever happened to friendly loyalty?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Angel\u2019s smile was razor sharp, \u201cWhat happened to friendly loyalty?\u201d<\/p>\n

By now, Fred and Gunn had abandoned their respective boredom killers, and were now watching the debacle with avid interest.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what did Wes here watch you do?\u201d Angel\u2019s gaze went back and forth between two of the people he used to trust.<\/p>\n

\u201cI cut your hair,\u201d Cordelia stated after a minute trying to find a way out of it. \u201cBut it was only a few spikes. See? It was nothing. And they did grow back.\u201d Well, they did after six months. \u201cBesides, it technically wasn\u2019t you, so you have absolutely no reason to be angry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although, she\u2019d rather face his anger than the wrath of the evil twin.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen, uh, exactly did you cut my hair?\u201d Apart from the short two times he\u2019d lived with her, Angel couldn\u2019t figure out when she would have had the opportunity to take the scissors to his hair.<\/p>\n

Wesley looked at Cordelia, and then the vampire. \u201cIt really was a long time ago, there\u2019s no use in dredging up the past. Let sleeping dogs lie, as they say.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking candy from a baby was easier than throwing off Angel. \u201cThe only long time ago when I wasn\u2019t technically myself, was when Rebecca put something in my dri\u2026\u201d He drifted off. That sneaky, underhanded seer of his was really overdue for a spanking. Before he had a chance to say anything in retaliation,<\/p>\n

Cordelia had jumped off the couch and stared at everyone present. \u201cDon\u2019t pull the holier-than-thou on me, Angel! So I cut your hair and Wes watched, but you totally deserved that a-and more! There isn\u2019t one person in this room that doesn\u2019t have something to confess, so don\u2019t slam us down for getting a little revenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

When she was done, hands went to hips and jaw was raised, hazel eyes dared people to deny what she said wasn\u2019t the truth.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, there was that time in Sunnydale when I let you get slimed\u2026\u201d Angel mused thoughtfully, then realised his blunder when those daring hazel eyes turned deadly.<\/p>\n

“You did what<\/i>?!”<\/p>\n

End of One<\/b><\/p>\n

Scorched<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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