Title: Five Things He Taught Her and One She Learned On Her Own

Fandom: Angel

Characters/Pairings: Wesley/Illyria (mentions of Wesley/Fred)

Rating: PG

Summary: For a demon king trapped in a weak, worthless body, human life is the most terrifying torture possible.

Disclaimer: I do not own. I wish I did as then I would have sold a lung and a kidney and part of my liver to make Season Six happen, especially since it was promised that Wes/Illyria would happen.

1. The purpose of drinking

The liquid tickled her worthless human tongue and burned the back of her throat. Only her determination to not let him win kept her from coughing as it slid home and curled in her stomach like a snake. She placed the glass back on the table in a slow, calculated motion before smacking it back into his awaiting hand.

"Disgusting." She spoke as if to one of her stewards.

They would have cowered to the ground, begging her forgiveness as they clawed at their own face, drawing raw lines in green, red, blue and purple flesh, and there would have been the salty smell of blood perfuming her throne room. Oh, how she'd loved bathing in it.

Wesley merely cocked an eyebrow. "You have to acquire a taste for it before you can enjoy it." So saying, he tipped back his head and she watched as his Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed the vile mixture.

"And why should I want to acquire a taste for it?" If she must be trapped in a human body then she will learn how to make this existence acceptable. She will live through this and she will emerge stronger than before for all of the humiliation she must suffer now.

Her guide to the human world chuckled. He picked up the bottle and waved it in front of her face, amusement in his eyes. "It'll make it all go away. Every tiny disgusting detail you've ever hated about yourself. Drink enough and you'll reach a point where you wont even remember a time when you weren't who you are now." He popped off the top and placed the fountain to his lips. His smile had faded and his eyes are fastened on her face. "Makes you forget what you could have had."

The waters of Lethe swirled in their crystal decanter as he gulped it down.

2. The evils of the internet

"So..." His arms are crossed.

Illyria refused to look at him.

"This would be the fifth computer, you've broken?"

"It displeased me."

"Did it?"

She looked at him then, if only to remind him who he was speaking to.

He smirked and something in her squeezed.

"I'll make a note of it then." He swept the mess off his desk where it fell with a loud clatter to the floor. He pressed a button on the phone. "Harmony? Angel needs another laptop. Thanks." He ended the call before the perky vampire could reply.

"You are not... upset?"

Wesley shrugged. "Should I be?"

They stared at each other.

He broke eye contract first.

"She was amazing at that sort of thing," he said absently. "A genius, really."

Illyria's cheeks grew warm and she wanted to crush him under her heel and savour the sound of his skull as it caved under her shoe.

He touched her hand, still not looking at her. "It's a good thing." He looked at her then. "Very good."

3. The wonders of television

Illyria watched fascinated as the woman in the black box place a live scorpion on her tongue.

"Illyria, would you mind translating this one symbol for me and -- oh lord."

"You humans are indeed imaginative in the art of torture." She pointed at the screen. "A prize of wealth is dangled before her, but it is only attainable if she is willing to complete such tasks as these." The former Demon King grinned in satisfaction as the girl spat out the scorpion, sobbing as she did so. "I had grossly underestimated your species." The screen switched black. Illyria reigned in the lip that threatened to jut out in disappointment.

"I'm putting the child lock on this," Wesley frowned down at her. "And those had better not be my Doctor Who DVDs."

"Ah, yes. That was my next note of business." Illyria waved one of the Fourth Doctor's adventures under his nose. "I wish to find this version of the alien immediately."

"Why? So he'll take you on magical adventures through time and space?"

Illyria toed the floor with her boot. "And feed me jelly babies. You forgot the jelly babies."

4. The ability to see

It takes awhile, but her name is no longer the first word on his lips when he sees Illyria. It's her own name now that drips off the end of his tongue so easily. She likes the way it sounds. It's never sounded like that before.

If she ever manages to regain her kingdom, she'll take him with her. Where before she only saw weak human bones and emotions, she now sees the strength that pounds through his blood and stares out his eyes. He's magnificent and together, they'll rule all the dimensions.

He's too powerful a man to have as anything other than an ally.

And her name sounds so... real when he says it.

She'll never give him up.

5. The sound of laughter

He's laughing so hard, he's gasping for breath and denying his feeble human brain oxygen. He'll die if he continues, but Illyria doesn't want this new side of Wesley to go away. This side of him who drips liquid from his eyes while at the same time holding his ribs and giggling.

In this moment, Wesley is the most beautiful thing in all creation. And so very, very fragile. He could break so easily and her throat tightens involuntarily at the thought of a world without him.

He holds out a silver spoon with more of his sweet tasting cold stuff. "Try this one. They call it bubble gum pop." He hiccups and that starts him going again.

Illyria gently (oh so gently) takes his wrist and fits her mouth around the spoonful. She cringes at the cold and the sweet, and basks in the sound of his voice. Wesley licks up the little bit she's left behind and she wants to freeze him like that.

Illyria is going to keep him. Wolfram & Hart be damned. The half-breeds be damned. The Powers That Be be damned. She is the greatest Demon King to ever walk and fly. Wesley is hers.

6. The ability to tell the truth and lie at the same time

Illyria inherited Wesley without realizing the gift she'd been given. He'd belonged to her predecessor even when that girl had taken him for granted. Illyria didn't. She wanted Wesley and Wesley refused to be hers. Refused to teach her about the heat in her belly that only responded to his presence. Refused to let her lie and provide him with the one comfort he needed.

The battle over now, she cradled his body in her arms. The half-breed Angel looked at her with such pity. Once she would have killed him for daring to direct such a look at her. Now, she accepted his touch.

"He was my best friend," Angel said and didn't bother to brush away the rain that fell from his eyes.

"He still is." Illyria said to her newfound equal. Her cheeks hurt and she thought she might be smiling. "He still is."

She picked up her precious burden.

Angel touched her shoulder. "Illyria, don't."

"We need him. Not just me." She reached out for Angel's shoulder. "He signed a contract. His soul is theirs now." Her body quivered as her powers began to break through the restraints Wesley had planted on her. "I will not allow it to be so. He's mine."

Angel dropped his hand. "He is, isn't he." It's not a question.

Illyria didn't respond. A stupid question didn't need an answer. She slipped through the dimensions: the dragon off to save the knight who'd failed his quest to save the princess. No matter. He'd be happier with the dragon anyway. Illyria would teach him how.