Go TeamC/A
-
Title: Fine Tuning
Author: Nickle
Posted:
Rating: R/N-17
Category: kinda smutty, humorous, angst.
Content: C/A
Summary: Follow up to In the Dark. Ya got some getting to know you, a little Darla, some crankiness.
Spoilers: AU S2 post Epiphany
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution:
Notes:
Thanks/Dedication:
Feedback: needed like air to breathe. Unless you're a vampire.[then like nice, rich blood!]
Chapter 1"MmmmHmmmm…." Cordy tried to pay attention as Wesley droned on about their latest case. It was arguable that trying to pretend interest while cool, insistent fingers stroked at the v of your clenched legs, teasing them to open, was pretty damn good acting. Cordy shifted away from Angel slightly, her legs gripped tightly together. Under the cover of the table cloth, His hand had begun by trailing over her thighs, gently teasing patterns on her skin. Cordy had casually reached down and pried his hand away and had tried to cover by dropping her fork and leaning down to pick it up, punching Angel in the leg and mouthing 'cut it out' when he looked down at her.
But…Angel didn't take orders. Nope. Cordelia found herself getting warm. He gave them. Even without speaking a word. His hand, for instance, was demanding that she part her thighs just a little bit….just enough….to slide under her skirt…..tug aside the damp thong…..
"God!" Cordelia leapt up, startling Gunn. Wesley stopped speaking, looking at her askance. Angel regarded her with a solemn expression.
"What is it, Cordy….vision?" He was all tender concern and caring. She was going to kill him.
"No! I mean…no, no vision. Just….God, Wesley. You work so hard…..it's just so….Wesley of you." Her eyes closed a moment then she sighed. "Headache. Be right back." And she shuffled off to the bathroom, trying to ignore the wet slickness between her legs as she walked.
Wesley watched her go, a resigned look on his face. He turned to face Angel, who looked back at him with a determinedly blank expression. Gunn rolled his eyes and looked over at Angel.
"Dawg. All for the makin' of the happy, but damn. Do we have to watch it?"
"Yes." Wesely added. "While my cable package doesn't include cinemax and you both fill that void nicely with your daily show of hormones gone wild, would you please attempt to rein in your…."
"Gropin' of the Barbie." Gunn finished.
"Yes." Wesley sighed. "Exactly. Please do your…Barbie groping….in a more conducive setting."
Angel grinned and tried to look shamefaced. "Allrighty. I get it. No more public displays. I'm tryin' here, guys. Really. But…"
"It's new and fun, and….hey, no evilness. End of a loonngggg dry spell for you, man. I totally get that one." Gunn nodded. "But, it's..ya know. Cordy. Don't know whether to congratulate you or whack you upside the head."
Angel laughed. "Being with Cordy is like a little daily dose of both." He and Gunn laughed together and quickly shut up as the door to the bathroom opened and Cordelia walked out, smoothing her skirt down. Casually, she walked back to them and past the table, sitting down on a sofa nearby instead. Carefully avoiding Angel's gaze she looked at Wesley. "So…where were we?" Wesley shot a warning glance at Angel and picked up his notebook, continuing.***
Later that evening, Angel stopped by Cordy's desk and looked down at her, hands in his pockets. She bit her lip and looked up at him. His gaze was level. "Stored some boxes in the attic. Think I packed a claymore away….wanna help me look?"
"Of couse." She rose, walking ahead as he motioned her to. She climbed the stairs, up past the second floor…up past the third….feeling his gaze on her…
"You're looking at my ass."
"I'm always appreciative of fine art."
She grinned to herself and kept climbing. She was a little sweaty by the time they reached the attic and opened the door to the musty room. She turned to look at him. "OK….where's the box?"
He yanked her close to him, grinning down in to her face with a leer. "I got your broadsword right here, baby…"
Cordy groaned. "Oh god, please don't tell me you worked on that one all the way up the stairs."
"Nah….that was a gimme. All the way up the stairs, I was thinking of fucking you till you passed out."
Cordelia felt her body tense at the rough words. Seven days of being with Angel, and one thing she had learned….her 'on' switch was pretty easily tripped with him. He could get her with crude words…with rough hands…with soft whispers….with soundless touch. Two nights ago, over at Wesley's, she had been sitting at the table trying to balance her checkbook while he played Gunn at the playstation, and he had looked up and caught her eyes licked his lip, once, slightly. She had sucked in a sharp breath and had to cover it with a cough. He had casually risen, finally, and said he had to be getting home, and she had followed suit 5 minutes later. He had met her out in the dark street and had taken her, right there, against her car.
"Sound good?" he leaned in close to her ear. His hand raised her short skirt and stroked at her ass while his other hand gently trailed over her face. "You gonna finally open those legs for me?" His hand lightly tapped her asscheek…not a painful swat, but one that teased and hinted at darker things to come. "C'mon Cordy…let me have some fun"
She tilted her head so he could lick at her throat and her legs parted of their own volition. He breathed "good girl" against her skin as his hand worked around to the front of the juncture of her thighs, pulling aside the wet thong with little preliminaries. His fingers glided over wet smooth bare silk of her skin and he stopped, surprised, and raised his head to look at her.
She reddened, and looked away but his fingers pulled her face back to meet his. "You're full of surprises, Cordy. When did you do this?"
She sucked in a breath as his fingers trailed over the full lips between her legs, stroking the slick puffiness gently. "Umm…..this morning….I…I thought you'd like it…."
His body tightened even more. He shifted, his cock pressing uncomfortably against the confines of his jeans. "Oh, baby, I do. I like it a lot. Smooth…." One finger parted her flesh and glided through the wet petals within…"soft….." another finger joined the first, and his thumb found and flicked at the hard swollen bud of her clit. "….wet…." and she cried out as he pressed two fingers into her tight channel, spreading her legs wider as he twisted his fingers, pulling them back out in a smooth stroke. He backed her to a wall and yanked her skirt up around her waist, ripping the thong so it fell from between her legs and reaching to unfasten his jeans with a blur of speed. He gripped her and hauled her up onto her toes and kissed her with a wicked heat before spinning her around and bending her over at the waist, leaning around to slap her hands flat on a small stack of boxes. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "We'll do slow and easy later, baby…right now…" his voice was urgent. "I want it just like this. I want it hard..and fast….and now."
Cordelia looked over her shoulder at him, hair falling across her face like a silken curtain. "Then get it. Now." Angel reached down and yanked at his belt, unfastening it and unzipping his jeans in one smooth move. Cordelia shifted impatiently, and he looked down at her bare ass, her skirt bunched up around her waist.
He groaned as he reached down between her legs and stroked her again before gripping her hips and pulling her up onto her toes, positioning his cock as she parted her legs even wider and tilted her hips so that she was ready for him. "C'mon, Angel….Baby…..c'mon." Her voice was a husky invitation that made him glad he didn't breathe, because just the sound of her voice, all heavy with need, was enough to make a man unable to think straight or draw breath. He pushed into her heat a bit and held still, feeling her grip at him with her inner muscles. He leaned into her and wrapped one strong arm around her abdomen to support her, another hand at her back, stroking up and down the taut length as he surged in.
Mother of God. . She was all wet juicy heat, engulfing him as he pushed all the way in. "Take it." His voice was dark and faintly menacing….shivers raced up her spine. She shifted, parting her thighs even wider and lifting herself higher on his hips, slightly off of his cock. She relaxed and slid back down, feeling him fill her once again. His hips began pounding into her as she rose again, one lonnnnnnggggg slow stroke….another….another……she felt her body tensing…her head tilted back…her mouth open as shallow pants puffed out. His hands held her firm, and she felt him flex with each thrust. Without warning, she came, heat pouring through her as she let the fire grip her from head to toe…her body taut and gushing around his cock. He groaned a guttural sound as his back went rigid and he slammed into her, cumming and cumming as he filled her. God…..even a quickie could go on forever with her.
They remained still, the sound of her heart racing like a freight train pounding in his ears. He groaned, burying his face in the damp curve of her throat. They both stood there, clammy and hot and replete, and a low rumble sounded from his chest. She looked over her shoulder at him, a sated grin on her face, and took in the masculine satisfaction stamped on his face. He laughed, low and sexy, and murmured, "Next time, we find a bed."
"Hey, all for it, Mr. Hey This Kitchen Counter is Just the Right Height. Believe me, right there with you." Cordelia managed the words with only a little panting….her heart still thumped and thundered loud enough to wake…well…the dead. Angel kissed the back of her neck gently and pulled out of her, his body replete. Cordelia slowly straightened and arched her back, all feline grace, turning to grin at him as she stroked his lips gently. "In a hurry, were we?"
"Always in a hurry for that." Cordelia looked at him, steadily. "Somehow, that just didn't come out right."
She laughed. "You got the take your time thing down just fine, Big Guy, no worries there." She leaned in to kiss him gently, stroking his lips with her tongue, her skirt still bunched up around her hips as she cupped his face with her hands.
"Angel?" Wesley's voice sounded down the corridor, coming closer. Angel groaned and leaned his forehead against hers, grimacing at her giggle as she reached to tug her skirt down over her hips back in place. His hands reached down to fumble his jeans back into place, zipping them up just as the door opened.
Wesley poked his head in, looking around. "Angel?" He stopped as he saw them, standing side by side, Cordy smiling and waving a cheery little wave. "Oh for the love of God." He stared at them both before resting annoyed eyes on Angel, who looked down and shuffled his feet. Ignoring the undercurrents, Cordy spoke up.
"Angel thought he might have left some weapons here, and needed help finding them." She grinned widely at Angel. "Well, no Box O Weapons here…." The silence finally registered. "Welllll…..gotta go. Someone's gotta man…woman…the phone…." And she brushed past Wesley and left the room her footsteps fading down the hallway.
"Yeah, we were…um….looking…." Wesley ignored Angel's muttering as he leaned over to pick up a scrap of torn red silk, holding it out with two pinched fingers.
Looking down at Cordelia's thong dangling from his fingers Wesely said, "Yes. I see Cordelia at least found your sword."
Angel glared at him and snatched the silk out of Wesley's hand. Wesley looked at him steadily and turned to go to the doorway. He paused, and, without turning back to Angel, said casually, "Of course you've gone over the ramifications of the claiming with her."
"Well, yeah. Sure."
"And by that you of course mean no." Wesely sighed. "I only bring this up because Gunn and I would certainly like good seats and popcorn to watch the inevitable bloodbath. Yours, not hers."
"I'll tell her soon, Wesley." Angel looked grimly at the underwear in his hand, the afterglow of the quickie all forgotten.
"Yes. Do that. Keeping her ignorant of what exactly she has chosen is…..it's cruel, Angel." And he went out the door and disappeared down the hall.
Angel stood a moment, alone, thinking. Wesley was right. This wasn't fair to Cordelia. It had come time; no, it was past time to….fine tune things.
Chapter 2"Cordelia. Claiming is a sacred and ancient…..no. Ok. Cordelia. A bond forged in the passion of two hearts…..no. That sucked. Ok, ok, ok. Cordelia. Some, a lucky few, are among those who find something that….um…..rises above….transcends….climbs....ascends….."
"Increases. Augments. Grows. Escalates." Angel closed his eyes at Wesley's amused voice. "Really, Angel, we can break out the thesaurus, if you think it would help."
"Don't you have someplace to be?" Angel looked at him, his gaze narrowed, as Wesley lounged in the doorway, arms folded across his chest. "Someone to annoy, or just plain piss off?"
"No, no, no. There's no place I could be that would be nearly so…entertaining." Wesley grinned. "Practicing to tell Cordelia?"
"Practicing what?" Angel groaned as Gunn strolled into the lobby. Perfect. Now, if only Lorne came in, his misery would be….
"Angelkins. Got a little job…." Lorne breezed in, his canary yellow suit momentarily blinding the three men. Angel often wondered if one day, merely the brightness of one of Lorne's suits would be enough to dust him. Lorne stopped, his gaze bouncing between Wesley and Gunn. "Am I interrupting some kind of confab?"
"Nope. Just watching Angel practice. He's going to tell Cordelia all about what she's signed on for tonight. Got any advice for him?"
Lorne looked over at Angel. "Yeah. Wear a cup." Gunn and Wesley both laughed out loud and stopped as Angel glowered at them all and stalked over to sit on the sofa, resting his head against the back and closing his eyes.
"I am so screwed."
Wesley nodded his head. "I believe I did warn you that you should be upfront…"
"Yeah. Got it. You told me so. Shut up."
Wesley glanced at Gunn and leaned against the corner of the desk. "Angel, all you need to do is to be gentle and tactful. Cordelia is…resilient. This life has given her a certain, well, perspective that automatically precludes acceptance of certain…"
Gunn leaned over and smacked Wesley's head. "What the dictionary is trying to say, Angel, is that Cordy's going to be ok. She hangs with demons and all that, and this is going to be kinda a surprise, because you have no spine when it comes to her, but I think she'll be cool." Angel's eyes opened and he glared at Gunn.
"I have plenty of spine. I'm the scourge of Europe. I've had six of you for breakfast and then took a break from that to quip at the Master before going out and leveling whole families before it was even noon, so don't go there."
Wesely looked at him blankly. "As resumes go, Angel, I'd leave all that off."
Angel stared at him. "I am so screwed."
"Yeah, we got that." Lorne spoke, sitting opposite Angel. "Here's what you do. Be nice today. Quit bugging her about moving in." he raised a hand as Angel opened his mouth to speak. "No, no, I mean it. You got bigger fish to fry right now, 'licious, and you need to reach back into that big ol' memory of yours and pull out Mr. Suave. Set up a little dinner for dos here, maybe out in the courtyard…"
"That's it…." Wesley jumped up. "We still have that card for that caterer, the one…"
"With the possessed dog!" Gunn reached over and opened a desk drawer. "Got her card…..right……here!" He yanked it out triumphantly. Lorne took it, thinking a moment.
"OK. Here's the plan We call and set up a little soiree ala Cordy, then we'll vamoose for the evening and leave you two crazy kids alone so that, well, Cordy can beat the crap out of you, then you'll apologize, grovel, beg forgiveness, and all will be well." He grinned at Angel. "I'll call…." He looked down at the card. "Um….Jacque. She'll take care of everything."
"I don't eat."
Lorne's smile became a little forced. "Cordy does, Angel. Stay with me, here. You need to charm, wine, and dine her. Settle this little, tiny, huge thing that is, incidentally, affecting us all, and we can get back to kinda normal. Comprende?"
"Yeah. Got it." Angel sighed. "I just want….I want this to be done. I want her here." They were all quite a moment. Finally, Gunn spoke, his voice resigned.
"Dead man walking."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You're a gonner. You're whipped. Prancin' around here, tryin' to make the Barbie happy like a puppydog. That is just sad. My heart breaks for men everywhere."
Angel chuckled.. "You're just jealous because this particular Barbie is all taken…." He grinned at Gunn. "And I'm getting some and you're not."
"Damn straight." Gunn's voice was a little disgruntled. "All the Barbies I ever saw on the toy shelves had friends. Cordy…..she hasn't brought a single friend in here for us."
"Ah, those would be the friends I hang with at my Visions Anonymous meetings." Cordelia breezed into the office and set her huge tote bag down with a glance at Gunn. "Tell you what….right after I say 'my name is Cordy and I have painful visions' I'll try to scope out some women for you." Lorne pocketed the business card and looked at her.
Gunn grinned, leaning back in his chair and resting his feet on her desk. "Thanks, Cordy. Every Ken needs a Barbie."
Cordelia grinned back before looking over at Angel, who frowned a little when he saw the circles under her eyes. She wasn't sleeping well. He could see that. That would change when he moved her into….
"What? Is there something on my face?" Cordy's voice broke him out of his thoughts.
"No, no, no, nothing, you just look bad today." He blanched as Gunn leaned over and thumped him on the head. Lorne shook his head sadly and turned to go.
"Oh yes. Suave." And he was gone.
Cordy looked at Angel like he was something that she had stepped in. "Excuse me?" with a murmured 'excuse us' Wesley hustled Gunn out the front door. Cordelia sighed and sat down at her desk, leaning back in her chair.
"Ya know, I can't even get that worked up about it. I actually can see myself in a mirror, and this morning I was jealous of your gift of not being able to see your own reflection. I mean, Jeeze. Look at these…" she waved a hand at her face. "You could pack a weekend wardrobe in these bags."
"You haven't been, um, sleeping?"
"No, I've been, um, having marathon sex with my studmuffin boyfriend." Cordelia grinned up at him. "Just not used to the whole, you know, rigor thing. No biggie. Just need to get a little shuteye tonight. Home early, sleep of the….tired people who have sex all the time…."
Angel grinned. "Studmuffin, huh?"
Cordy grinned back, shaking her head. "Men."
Angel popped up suddenly. "Oh. You mean, go home…"
"Uh, yeah….to where I live. To, you know, sleep."
"Oh. Because, I was thinking….I haven't really wined and dined you, thought maybe I could, you know…" He thought a moment. His voice dropped. "You could maybe…stay over. Just for tonight."
Cordelia looked across her desk at him. "Oh. Oh. Ok. I could do that." She thought a moment. "Angel, it's not that I want to be away…this is just….new. I want us to get it right. I think that means, you know….taking it slow."
"Slow."
"Well, slower." She grinned. "C'mon, Big Guy. I do know you love quickies…" Angel grinned back. "…let's take it….easy. Find our way together."
He looked at her, feeing a tug at his center….a kind of pull of his soul. All his impatience at the slowness…all his annoyance with taking it easy….all disappeared with one word. Together. They could do this. Side by side.
"You're right, Cordy. You are. Let's have dinner tonight and talk about it."
"Where are we going?"
He grinned at her. "It'll be a surprise."***
Down below, across town and into the depths of a no longer used sewer tunnel, small, golden eyes glowed in the darkness, malevolent and beady in their intensity. Waves of cool soulless hate poured through the air, casually worn like a fine perfume.
"First thing….get a better place to stay. Maybe I should check into a hotel. A fine one. Just like the one my dear dear boy has."
Chapter 3The lobby of the Hyperion was silent when Cordelia clicked in on impossibly high heels. She spun around for effect, then stopped when she realized no one was there to appreciate her fine, fine genuine imitation Manalos. She peered into the dark office, softly calling, "Wes? Gunn?" Hmm. She walked further into the lobby, looking around and listening to the silence. No one was here, exactly, but she heard something…..here. She listened a moment. No, not a sound….a feeling. Kind of a hum. She looked around the room, trying to shake the feeling, like a prickling at the back of her neck. Well, not at the back exactly. More like….her fingers drifted up to touch the small marks left by Angel's bite.
Oh for god's sake. The bite was itchy. She gently stroked the slightly raised punctures and a shimmy raced through her blood. Great. She probably now had the equivalent of some weird vampire allergy thingy. She stopped suddenly. Oh god. What if the itch was some kind of vampire STD? Did they even HAVE clinics for that? She caught her breath as she rubbed at the small wounds again. It wasn't a bad itch, really…..
She turned and headed for the doors that lead to the garden and pushed them open, stepping out into the lush warm night. She stepped further out into the darkness, and stopped, looking around before softly saying, "Angel….."
Her heels clicked softly as she stepped back, startled, as dim light suddenly flooded the courtyard. Angel straightened up from kneeling down where he had plugged in the small lights that flitted through the trees and shrubbery, making a soft glow about the garden. Cordelia smiled widely, taking in the gentle lights, the small table set formally for two, and Angel. She had an angel, and he watched her with a solemn expression as he slowly stalked towards her.
"Cordelia."
"Angel. Holy cow. This is gorgeous." She stepped further into the garden and looked around at the canopy of small lights in the trees overhead, at the roses in the middle of the table, at the silver dish covers over the plates. Her grin grew wider. "You've been busy."
"I had help." He grinned a little, pleased that she was surprised. Wow. Score one for Lorne.
"Yeah. Larry, Moe and Curly really came through here. What's the occasion?" she stopped and looked around. "They're not here now, are they? Because, dating for an audience, not my idea of romance."
Angel looked down at her, watching her look around into the shadows. He licked her taste on his mouth before answering. "Nope. No one here but us."
"Yeah." Her voice was relieved as she set her weekender bag down. "Good. I wondered when I came in…I mean, the lobby is all dark…."
"So, how'd you know to come out here?" Angel's voice was casual, but he watched her intently. She nudged her bag out of the way with her foot and looked back up at him blankly.
"Oh. I don't know. I saw the lights…."
"They weren't on."
"Oh." Cordy looked confused. "Hmm. I guess I….just….um…" she cocked her head at him. "Jeeze, Angel, I don't know, I just walked over to the garden. I was…"
"Looking for me." His voice was calm.
"Well, yeah. You know, looking for the guy who asked me out? Jeeze." She laughed slightly and turned to the table. "This is lovely. I can't believe you guys dreamed this up. This is so sweet." She leaned over and picked up one of the silver covers. In the middle of the china plate was a crystal goblet, filled with thick, dark red blood. She wrinkled her nose a bit and grinned at him. "Um. Your dinner is served."
Angel smiled a bit and took her elbow, leading her to the other chair and pulling it out. She grinned at him as she sat, tugging her short skirt down as he pushed her chair in a bit. She watched him walk around the table and sit opposite her. He seemed…preoccupied. A little nervous. Well, yeah, he hadn't done anything like this in…well…..
"Hey. When's the last time you…" she gestured with her hands "you know….did the wine and dine?"
"Oh." He looked a little startled. "Uh. Let's see, that would have been last……" He sat down, meeting her gaze across the table. "Last never."
She looked down and tried to hide a grin, feeling pleased. Oh yeah. She could still be a first. Even for a guy who had a bicentennial. She picked up the cover off her dish and looked up at Angel, her eyes wide. "Oh my god. Is this chicken kiev?" she leaned over the plate and inhaled the rich smell of the herbed chicken. Angel watched her.
"Yeah. I remember that time that we all went to that place…"
"The place where you wanted free refills on your food?"
"I thought it was all you could eat."
"It was an upscale restaurant, Angel."
"At those prices…."
"Oh, god, please." Cordy laughed. "C'mon. We're here now, in the garden, under the moonlight, just me and my guy, and his….his big ol' goblet o' goo." She sighed and reached over to pick up a bottle out of the silver chiller. She looked closely at the label. "Champagne? You bought champagne?" She grinned at him, delighted. Angel reached across the table and took the opened bottle from her, pouring a small amount into her glass. "OK. Who are you?" Angel looked at her as he set the bottle back. "Moonlight, a nice dinner, china plates, champagne."
"It's just me. And it's for you." Angel's tone was quiet, and Cordy felt bad about teasing him. She smiled at him, a little sadly, and began to eat her dinner. They both relaxed, and time flew by as they talked.
Sated, Cordy finally leaned back in her chair and grinned at Angel. "Oh wow. I'm on a tryptophan high."
"I think that's just turkeys."
"Oh. Then I have no excuse." Cordy grinned at him tiredly. "This is so nice that you'd do this." She rested her chin on her hand and leaned forward, pouring more champagne into a glass before lifting it and clinking it against Angel's. Angel clinked back and took a careful sip before setting his glass back down. He seemed to be thinking as he spoke, carefully.
"Cordy…." She looked at him, all happy and relaxed. He looked down at the table top and casually reached across to snag the dinner knife off her plate before placing it on his own, out of her immediate reach. "I wanted to kind of….clear the air…." He broke off, trying to think of what to say. "What I mean is….."
"Are you breaking up with me?" Cordy's voice was incredulous.
"NO. No, no, no….I mean, um….no." Angel felt a flutter of panic. He should have used note cards. Except that hadn't worked so well the last time. He grinned to himself. Actually, it had all worked out just fine, in the end. Because, in the end, there was Cordy, in all her bare glory, asking him into her apartment…and then she had…" Suddenly Cordy's voice, climbing higher, broke into his thoughts.
"…..STD? Because if you have, hell's gonna be a pleasant memory compared to what I do…"
"What are you talking about?"
"This!" Cordy pointed to the small marks he had left on her throat. "This right here! This little momento of your midnight nibble! Is all this so you can tell me that you've given me some freaky deaky vampire slime?"
Angel stared at her a full moment before speaking through gritted teeth. "No. I have not given you a sexually transmitted disease. Thanks for asking." Cordelia looked at him, trying to read him, then leaned back in her chair.
"Sorry. You have that expression."
"What expression?"
"The 'I've got bad news how do I break it without her breaking my balls' face."
"I don't have that expression. I'm expressionless. Ask anyone."
"You've got the expression, Angel." Her voice was steady. "Tell me."
"No expression. I have no expression." He scowled at her. "Well, I didn't."
Cordelia looked at him seriously for a moment then leaned forward. "OK. Just say it."
Angel leaned forward also, looking into her eyes. There was a determined set to him as he spoke. "Cordy. That night. The night. We first made love. Remember that?"
"Well, yeah, since it was just 2 weeks ago and it was the most incredible sex ever, yeah. I remember it." Her voice was calm but bordering on sarcastic.
"Ok. Do you remember after? We talked? I told you I had claimed you…."
"…and how claiming me was some kind of vampire protection? Yeah, got that, too."
"Well." Angel cleared his throat a bit. "The thing is, there's a little more to it than that. There's a lot more. Cordelia….I want you to remember. That night. I asked you. I asked you some things." He held her gaze. "I asked you…who owned you. And you said, you do." He stopped, looking at her.
Cordy's brow wrinkled. "Well, yeah, I thought you were being chatty."
"I was. Chatty because the claiming requires it. I asked you to take me so I could take you. And you agreed."
She had the expression of someone trying to figure out a foreign language. "Angel, don't know what you remember, but we had sex, you were hot, and cute, and you got chatty. And then we both went to a place where angels sing and the earth shakes and that's what happened." She rose up, agitated, and stalked to the edge of the garden. She stared off into the night before slowly turning back to face him, her expression unreadable.
"No, that's not what happened." Steel crept into Angel's voice as he rose and followed her. "I went to your apartment. You invited me in. You took me to your bed. You accepted me as your own, and gave yourself to me. I bit you and I drank. And that sealed the deal." He reached out and stroked the soft skin under her eye, touching where shadows lined pale ivory flesh. "You haven't been sleeping well. Know why? Because I'm not beside you. We're not together at night." Cordy shook her head and backed away slowly.
"Yes." His voice became more firm. "You walked into the Hyperion and came straight to me in the dark. You knew where I was. I bet you could find me if you were blindfolded and I stood in a group of a hundred people. We….we know each other. We need each other."
"No." Her voice was a whisper. Angel stroked her face again.
"Would it be so bad….being with me?"
"It's not…..We aren't….." Her voice tapered off. Angel cupped her face gently and lowered his mouth, not to her mouth but to her throat. He held her firmly as he breathed in her scent before licking softly at the marks of his bite. He held still as she trembled. His voice was low as he whispered into her ear. "See. It knows me. You know me. Cordy…." She held still and kept her head down.
"So. I belong to you." Her voice was flat.
"Well, yeah." He pressed his lips to the top of her head. "But the thing is, you kinda own me, too."
"I just have one question." Her voice was a low whisper.
"What, Cordy?" His voice was a tender whispering breath against her hair.
"Do your knuckles bleed from scraping the floor so much?" She pushed away from him and glared up at him. "You can't really believe that crap."
"Cordy…"
"No. Really. I mean, I'm on board with the whole demon in a time warp story as much as the next guy, but Jeeze, Angel, you cannot believe some old stupid vampire stories…"
"It's not a story, Cordelia. It's a fact."
"Oh. Well. OK, then. It's a fact. We have us some kind of stupid you Angel me Cordy thing going on. Fine. How do I break it? Just turn around three times and spit in the wind? Wait for a full moon and dance naked under the north star?"
"Actually, interesting story about the full moon and the north star…."
"Would you just shut up?" Her voice was a screech. They stared at each other. Cordelia drew deep breaths, trying to calm down. "OK. Are we the equivalent of…" her voice caught. "..married? I mean, in vampire lingo. Does this make me wonky? Am I going to…oh, I don't know….suddenly want a bloody mary, emphasis on the bloody, for a cocktail?
Angel felt his stomach unclench. They could do this. "No. No, no. No, bloodthirst. Actually, the only thing is…"
"That you think you own me. Oh god." Cordelia stood still. She seemed to be lost in thought. When she finally spoke, her voice was calm. "I haven't picked a thing about my life other than what I wear day to day for over three years. Only makes sense that I couldn't pick this, either." He started to speak and she waved her hand. "Don't go there. Don't talk about you asked and I answered. You know I didn't realize what was going on." She looked up at him, accusation in her face. They held still, immobile, in the thick evening.
Angel felt the hairs on his neck lift a moment before a cool, dry voice floated out of the night.
"Goodness, Angel, dear, dear one. More girl trouble? You do seem to have a talent." Angel and Cordy swung around to see Darla lounging in the doorway of the garden, looking bored and coolly watchful. "Please tell me your technique has improved, or were you getting ready to have your famous 'throw em through a door' foreplay with her, too?"
Time seemed to freeze as Angel slowly turned to face Cordy, who held still, looking at Darla, her face going pale. Memories of broken wood and shattered glass cut at her jaggedly. She remembered.
"That door finally get in your way one too many times and you had to take it out?"
"I tripped."
Only he hadn't. And she was claimed, and the night was still, and there was still champagne, and it was all ruined. Darla's voice was amused.
"Goodness, Angelus. You do have a way with the women."
Chapter 4Darla seemed maliciously amused as she took in the sudden tension. Her smile seemed to grow a little forced as she flicked a glance at Cordy. "Although I must say…." She straightened up from leaning against the doorframe and strolled with easy grace into the courtyard. "…I never picked you for the candles and moonlight type." Cordy remained still and stared at Angel, her face tight and unreadable. Darla's smile widened as she scooped up the half empty bottle of champagne and raised it to her lips, drawing a delicate sip. She set the bottle down and looked at Angel. "The good stuff. I'm impressed. Although it doesn't look as if Bambi here thinks too much of your efforts. What's the matter, dear boy? The little woman not impressed with your big, big show? All that work, so little respect…."
"Shut up." Cordelia's voice was low and fierce. Darla's brows rose as she flashed a grin at her.
"What's the matter, Bambi? Truth hurts?"
"No." Cordy swung a flat gaze at Darla. "You're boring me."
The smile bled from Darla's face as she drew herself up. "Speaking of respect….I think you should…."
"Get out, Darla." Angel finally spoke, not even sparing Darla a glance. His gaze was locked on Cordy, and she looked back at him, anger in the depths of her eyes. "I don't know what you want, and I don't care. Get out now."
"Oh, but, Angelus…." Darla's voice was a silvery coo. "I need a place to stay. I thought, now, wouldn't an old dear, dear friend…..a lover….put me up? Help me out? Give me…" she strolled around Cordy languidly, leaning over to whisper the last word, "succor?"
Cordy didn't move, just turned her head slightly. "Get away from me, bitch, or you're going to be beyond needing succor. You'll need a dustbuster to pick up all the parts."
Darla walked on around and stopped to grin at Angel. "Oh, that so hurts me. I was so hoping she and I could be best gal pals." She laughed. "You know. Tell each other our secrets…."
Angel felt the weight of sadness flit through the air. Cordelia's hurt was palpable and thick, and it covered him and weighed him down. She just stared at him, looking…..done. Done and resigned. In a burst of speed, he had Darla by the throat. He leaned in and whispered to her in a voice thick with anger, "Get out. Now. Swear to all that's evil that I'll kill you if you come here again. Get out. I don't want you."
Darla seemed to flinch at the last words and pushed his hand from her throat, stepping back. "My. I seem to have come at a bad time." She backed up further, towards the garden doors. "Angelus, lover, when will you ever ever learn…." She paused, looking at them both, hate dripping from her sugary tones. "…I live for the bad times." And she was gone.
Neither Angel nor Cordy moved for the longest time. Angel truly didn't know what to say or do. He was as lost as he had ever been in his existence.
"You slept with her. After……oh god." Cordy sank down into one of the chairs. "Oh god. Oh my god."
"Yeah. OK. The thing is…"
"You tried to rape me. You say I "reached you", and then, you…."
"Yeah. I was….I was….in a place…..you found me, Cordy, you did. And then, the ring, and the partners, and the whole thing….."
"So…….you found the ring, you found the partners, and decided to celebrate by taking Mr. Happy to the skank bank?" Cordelia looked up at him. "That's your remedy for what ails ya? A little Darla dipping and you're good as new?"
"NO. That's not what…." He thought a moment. "Ok, that's pretty much what happened, but it's not about…"
"Don't say it. Don't you say it." Cordy's voice was low and fierce as she rose up suddenly and faced him. "It's all about us. Right here, right now. It's about you and me and whatever life you think you've got all mapped out for us. It's about me wandering around for months having head ripping gut clenching visions and you basically blowing me off so you can go party in your pants. It's about me being an idiot because I thought, it's a new day. I have a new life. Isn't this new life just great with my blood sucking best friend who did me the huge favor of not raping me." She finally stopped to take a ragged breath. Angel felt frozen.
She looked up at him with such contempt that he felt the icy flames of hell licking at his soul. She closed her eyes for a moment. "It's about trust. And it's about lies. And what we have…." She gestured between them. "This…whatever it is….it's a lie. And I'm done with that."
All at once all the energy in her body seemed to drain and she sagged, her shoulders drooping as she lowered her head. They both stood still for a moment and then she slowly turned and walked to where her overnight bag lay, bending over slowly to pick it up. She moved as if she were old and tired, and Angel felt helpless to do anything. She walked to the doors without a backward look.
"Cordy." His voice was low. She stopped, keeping her back to him. "This doesn't change the bond. You're claimed. You can't ignore that."
"Watch me." And she was through the doors and gone. Angel staggered back slightly at the small click of the latch and listened to her footsteps as she clicked through the lobby and out the front door. He stood alone, the dim lights in the trees twinkling at him like stars in the night sky. He held still for a long long time, and finally moved to answer the cell phone that was buzzing in his pocket.
Mechanically he brought it out and opened it without saying a word.
"Angel? Gunn, your guru to suaveness here. How's it going?"
Silence.
"Uh, this is Angel, right?"
Silence, then Angel mumbled, "Yeah. It's me."
"Woops." Sudden amusement lit Gunn's voice. "Call at a bad time? You having some desert about now? Sorry, man. Wes and me, we were worried that Cordy might have dusted you. Our Barbie has a temper, you know."
"Yeah."
Angel's tone finally got to Gunn. "Um, hey, Angel. Everything alright?"
Angel was still. He finally muttered "no" and ended the call, dropping the cellphone to the ground.
He was alone. And all the light in the world couldn't guide him now.***
Cordelia trudged down the sidewalk to the back of the hotel towards her car. She had never in her life hurt as much as she did right at that moment. She reached her car and leaned her forehead against the cool door as she fumbled with her keys. She couldn't seem to see them because everything was blurry. She wiped at her eyes, realizing that tears had rolled down her face and still clouded her eyes, and that muffled sobs sounded from her throat. She finally smacked her hand against the door, feeling the keys cut into her palm. A hysterical giggle welled up as she remembered Gunn teasing her about the best curse word.
"Fuck. It's fuck. It's perfect. Ya got your noun, your verb, your adverb……and of course there's the "da fucks." What da fuck, where da fuck, how da fuck, who da fuck…..I'm telling you, for perfect efficiency, it's fuck everytime."
Cordy closed her eyes and muttered, "This fucking fucker is fucked."
"More than you know." Was breathed into her ear just before a hand rose, covering her mouth and nose and cutting off her air. Cordy tried to bite at the cool hand and clawed at the arm, but darkness engulfed her and her unconscious body finally went limp and slipped to the pavement. Darla looked down and grinned at her, dusting her hands off.
"I do so love the bad times. And I have some special ones planned for you. C'mon, Cordy. Let's have us a sleepover."