Taunting Angelus

Spike's new place

Spike walked into the hotel lobby yawning.

"What's a matter Spikey, my boy?  Not getting enough sleep."

Spike gave Angel a glance, but said nothing.

"I should have let you walk or drive that wreck-of-a-car of yours here, instead of sending the limo for you… maybe that would have woken you up."

Spike didn't even spare Angel a glance, he was too busy trying to shake off his overwhelming need to go back to sleep.  Felt like sunrise had come and hit him hard, even though he no longer had to worry about such things as sunrise.

Not to mention, the fact that he had to come to the hotel and see Angel didn't make it any easier.

That his dreams were full of Buffy…sometimes Dawn and the rest of the Scoobie bunch…usually with him knocking out Xander time and time again, didn't help either…

Today he had waited until the last possible moment to get up… but…it seems it hadn't helped. 

Spike started stretching…relaxing and pulling his muscles…limbering himself up for kicking some demon ass.

Wesley, Gunn, and Fred came down the stairs…Wesley looking intrigued.

Spike looked at him and almost groaned. 

He had learned that when Wesley looked intrigued…it meant some ancient-y & definitely up to no good demon was going to try and end the bloody world. 

Like any of those poncy sods had the stones to end the world.  Look how many before them had tried and failed.

But the more ancient they were…the more they figured…'I'm the father/mother/ancient beast thing of the BIGGEST BAD.  I will achieve where all the lesser demons have failed!'

Deciding he may as well take the bull by the horns he said,

"Let me guess…There's a dark power about to arise that's going to spell trouble for the LA area if we don't get to some demon & wipe him & his followers out."

The rest of the group laughed as Wesley glared at Spike.

Spike meanwhile assumed his 'I'm-innocent' expression and tried to look angelic…not that he could if he tried.  Those eyes and that smile, although dead sexy, always gave away his true intent.

"Well… even though I don't much care for the way you seem determined to have to treat me…. Yes.  There is an ancient demon threatening ending the world."

"What kind of demon?"
"A Tworthsin demon."

"What the bloody hell kind of demon is that?"

"A Tworthsin demon is one of the ancient foot soldiers of the Jamenthilkan dimension.  Their world is one of many that run parallel to ours.  This demon is quick, vicious, and has a secret weapon…"

"And just what would that be, Peaches?"
"I don't know…it's a secret."

"Well you're just a fountain of knowledge…aren't ya?"

Angel growled at him, but Spike…just smirked at him, twirling a stake in his left hand.

Before the two could get into it, Wesley said,

"We're not quite sure what kind of secret weapon it has because whenever it uses it, we find the person dead, in millions of different little pieces."

"Sounds like a job for the wonder team then.  Let's go then…I don't have all night."

"Keeping vamp hours getting to rough for you Spike, my boy?"

Spike sneered at him.

"No," was all he said.

He then walked toward Angel, looking past him at the staircase; he was obviously going up them, maybe he had left something upstairs and was going to see if he had left it upstairs or at home. 

Or so Angel thought right before Spike, ducked down behind him, first kicking his legs out form under him and then kicking him across the room as if he was a rubber toy.

As Angel got up, he was speared into, as Spike rushed him, knocking him off balance.

Angel pushed Spike off him, sending him flying, and, then bounced up to his feet, trying to regroup. 

Spike stood with his back to Angel, stretching his neck, leg, and arm muscles.

Angel rushed at him, attempting to knock him into oblivion, but was surprised when, just before he had reached him, Spike had, leaned back, grabbed his shoulders, and, running up the wall close by, vaulted over him, flipping Angel over his shoulder when he landed behind him. 

Angel crashed into the wall, leaving a giant Angel-shaped print in the wall.

He then walked over and hunched down in front of Angel, catching his breath.

When Angel came to, Spike simply said,

"Now, now Angelus…we know better than to piss off a grumpy slayer…don't we?  And due to the lesson…I'm sure it won't happen again? Will it?"

Angel growled, but Spike just laughed and hopped up.

He looked over at the group,

"So…are we ready to go kill this demon or what?  I've had a nice workout…I'm ready to kick a lot of demon ass."

Gunn grabbed a nice hefty ax and flung it toward Spike.

Spike caught it in one hand, and Gunn twirled around a matching axe, testing its weight and his movement with it, and once satisfied that it would do, held it against his shoulder.

"I'm ready."

Angel looking very pissed off, but not saying much, just strode out of the building, into his car, and starting it up.

Spike & Gunn looked at each other and laughed, before following the pissed off vampire out the door.

Wesley and Fred also smiled and followed the rest.

***

A couple of hours later, after fighting the Tworthsin demon, a big scary green thing with a paralyzing spray, they trudged back into the hotel.  They all had some sort of mess from the battle on them…and most couldn't wait to get cleaned off…besides…they were going to get a treat today.

Spike had told them that after they had dumped the body somewhere less noticeable than the middle of the road, and definitely after they had gotten cleaned up, they could all come by and check out his new apartment.

So…about an hour later, Lorne, Gunn, Fred, and Wesley showed up at his apartment complex.

"What, Angelus not coming?"

"He said he had something to take care of…he'd be by later."

Spike nodded, not really all that concerned and gave them the tour of his place.

He was at the end of his tour when his doorbell rang.

He walked over and opened the door wide and found a brooding Angel standing on his doorstep.

Spike nodded at him, moved as if to let him into the apartment and turned to answer some question that Gunn had tossed out at that moment.

He turned back, a second later, to find Angel in the same spot, in front of his front door.

He arched his eyebrow at him

"I need an invite Spike…. remember?"

Spike gave him a blank look.

And then Angel knew he was in trouble when a few seconds later, a mischievous glean came into his cerulean eyes.

Spike's smirk was soon to follow.

"So you do…hmm…"

He was silent for a few minutes…just staring at Angel.

"Are you gonna let me in or not?"

"I'm thinking about it.  I'm here…weighing the pros and cons on you getting inside."

"Damn it Spike…let me in!"

"Now is that the way you were taught to ask for things?  Was someone too busy whoring to pay attention to lessons in school."

Angel tried to lunge at Spike…and bounced of the doorway boundary.

Spike laughed hard.

Gunn pulled up a chair close by to watch comfortably.

"You really shouldn't encourage him so," Fred told Gunn, sitting on the arm of the chair.

"I don't see you moving either," was all Gunn said, with a wide grin in place.

Fred just winked at him and they went back to watching the show.

"Should I or shouldn't I? Will I or won't I?"

"Damn it Spike…let me in…or I swear to God I'll set fire to your complex and burn the damn thing down."

"Temper, temper Peaches.  Now what kind of champion are you supposed to be with that kind of attitude?  Say it with me…'We are here to help people…not harm them or make them homeless.'"

"I'm gonna harm you in a minute."
"Oh no…the big bad master vampire wants to hurt me…. I'm so afraid," Spike mocked in a girlish sounding voice.

Wesley couldn't help his reaction.

He burst out laughing.

Spike looked back winking at Gunn and Fred and smiled at the ex-watcher before turning back to Angelus.

He smiled at him and then, before Angel knew what he was going to do next, slammed the door in his face.

Spike looked at his hand, pretending to count down, and just reaching 1 when Angel pounded on the front door.

Spike opened it and with every appearance of happiness at seeing him said,

"Angelus…glad you could make it.  Did you just get here?"

Fred fell off the side of the chair laughing and Gunn joined her on the floor, sliding off the chair as he clutched his sides and stomach trying to squeeze breath back into himself.

Angel growled and began to curse at Spike.

Spike executed the perfect shocked expression during Angel's tirade before saying,

"I am so disappointed in you Angelus.  I don't think I've ever heard such words come out of your mouth before.  I have to say…I don't think you should be…. please come back later, when you've cooled down somewhat."

And with that, Spike slammed the door shut in Angel's face once again.

The same pattern went on a few more times.

Angel would knock/pound on the door, Spike would answer the door…and then…for lack of a better word…taunt him, mercilessly. 

After a long while, Spike opened the door and gazed at the very pissed off vampire in front of him.

"What do you want?" he asked him.

"I want to come through the door and beat you to death," was Angel's reply.

Spike grinned at him.

"Okay…. you can come on in then."

Angel rushed through the door and after receiving a quick blow to the head by Spike's kick, found himself back in the hallway.

Spike laughed saying,

"Okay…you've come… you've got invited…you entered my apartment…you tried to beat me…I kicked your ass…. you can go now."

And he closed the door on him.

Fred tried to speak…but couldn't get a word out…she was laughing too hard.

Wesley, unfortunately for Angel, was in the same position as Fred…. so he wasn't much help at the moment.

Gunn called out….

"No more…"

"No more what?"
"Please no more… as much as I love them I… can't breathe…"

Spike laughed.

"Don't worry…I'm done for the day, was all he said before opening the door and saying to Angel who was just getting up,

"Are you coming in to look or not?"

Angel narrowed his eyes and walked through the door.

As Spike turned around he reached up and cuffed Spike upside the head hard.

Spike just laughed.

Before giving his sire the same tour.

When he had shown him everything…they had all settled in Spike's living room… Spike and Gunn, to play video games, while Wesley, Fred and Angel talked of other things, with Fred trying the video game once and a while, before the group finally decided to head to their homes for the night.

Angel left first; Fred and Wesley followed him, after Wesley reminded Spike that he wanted to check more of his impulses.

Gunn was the last to go, and Spike walked to the door with him.

"Well now that you're new to the LA scene, remind me to take you clubbing sometime."

"Clubbing?"
"Yeah…going to different clubs."

Spike nodded.

"Wait…before that…you can dance, can't you?"
"Of course I can dance, what kind of ninny can't dance?"

Gunn gave him a look and then thumbed towards Angel and Wesley.

"They can't dance?"

"No."

Spike laughed.

"No…really?"

"I'm telling you man…I've seen them dance…and it's not a pretty sight.  When they start…people run for cover."

Spike laughed again…

"Okay…deal's this.  We go clubbing…but we've got to force both of them to come…. this dancing…I've got to see."

Gunn held out his hand.

Spike gripped his forearm.

Gunn gripped Spike's back.

And they shook on it.

"Deal" they both said, before letting go.

After the group had left, Spike walked back into his bedroom and found a plain envelope with his name on top of it.

He opened it and pulled out the sketch that was inside.

It was a beautiful one of Buffy…her face seemed to jump right off the page, her eyes laughing and shining at him that he had rarely seen in person, especially directed at him.

Spike sat down on the bed, overwhelmed by the picture and what it meant, from who it had come from.

After a while, he leaned forward and kissed the picture.

"I'll see you soon, my love," he whispered.

As he folded it back up and put it back into it's envelope he said,

"So Angel isn't quite the poncy bastard I've always thought him to be… not like I'm gonna tell him to his face though."

He smiled to himself as he put the envelope into his side table before going back into the living room to watch an episode of Passions before he settled in for the night.