The Art of Vampire Interaction:
On befriending reclusive vampires
Disclaimer:The character of Angel and his past, including mentions of other Jossverse characters/settings, belong to Joss Whedon; I am simply borrowing them for a little while. All other characters and the story, however, belong to me.
Spoilers: Nothing specific, except for some vague-ish BtVS season 2 references. From almost 20 years ago. But hey, I'm thrilled if there are still new people coming to the fandom. Welcome.
Rating: For very mild language and a scene at the end that discusses some adult themes
Special Thanks:To my fabulous beta, Babblefest, who also happens to be my co-author on tons of other stories, including the Blood and Time series. She's a great author, so please check her works out, as well!
Author's Notes:While plot-wise, this story is a standalone, it is part of the Interaction series and it uses a few original characters who were introduced in the Art of Human Interaction. You don't have to know the events of the previous story in order to understand this one; however, it would help to read it (or the first few chapters) to better understand the setup. Plus, it's a good story. Not trying to toot my own horn, I just think it's true.
Why I wrote this: Aside from needing to explore how and why Angel's friendship with Judith Cole developed in the years between the Art of Human Interaction and its sequel, the Heart of Human Interaction, I always really liked the idea of Angel developing a friendship with a mother-figure such as Judith. I think Angel and Joyce Summers had a fascinating dynamic that wasn't really explored in the show, and so when Judith showed up in this series, it gave me this opportunity to explore Angel's relationship with another mature adult, and I've greatly enjoyed the relationship and understanding between them that has come out of this exploration.
I hope you enjoy the story!
Chapter One: Meetings the First and Second; the Second Being of a Curious Nature
Judith Cole straightened the pillows on the couch. She wasn't normally a compulsive pillow-straightener, but she had just finished a book that gripped her so thoroughly, she had not noticed how far gravity had pulled her into the cushions. She had moved her head slightly to wipe a tear away five pages from the end and a surprising bolt of pain had shot down her neck from its awkward angle on the armrest. When she finally turned off the book, she had breathed a satisfied yet disappointed sigh that the story was over and wiped a few more tears from her cheek. Then she had stood up and noticed the pillows folded and squashed between the cushions. Squashed pillows would just not do.
She set them up to recover their fluff, then went to the bathroom to blow her nose and see what she could do about her red eyes. She was glad her son wasn't home. He would either worry or roll his eyes at the sight of her tears, and either reaction would spoil the mood. Crying about someone else's story was always less painful than crying about one's own story, and the release of emotion was satisfying. Besides, in the end of her book all was well, so her crying was uplifting rather than depressing. No worrying or rolling of the eyes needed or wanted, thank you.
She dried her eyes and decided they would be back to normal in a few minutes. Judith made her way to the kitchen to brew some tea, her mind's eye watching reruns of the more impressive scenes of the book and imagining what might have happened if the author had kept writing. She had just set the water to heating when someone knocked at the door. She checked one last time in the hall mirror to make sure she looked presentable and opened the door. Of all the people who might have knocked, she was not expecting it to be Angel.
Angel nodded to her cordially. "Mrs. Cole," he said. She stared at him a brief second, as she usually had to on those infrequent occasions that their paths crossed, to allow her brain to process all the extraordinary things she knew about him. Angel had always secretly fascinated her. She'd achieved half a master's degree in history before William had unexpectedly come along, and Angel was history itself. Judith and Angel had little contact, but what interactions they had had so far left her curious and with much to think about. She couldn't even begin to imagine what those eyes had seen and the mere thought that his body was more than 400 years old made her head spin and her heart leap.
She gathered herself together and returned quickly enough, "Good evening." She paused. "I'm afraid William isn't home at the moment," she said, guessing Angel's reason for the visit.
"I see," Angel nodded. "Well, sorry to bother you." He made as if to leave, but, quite on its own, her voice spoke,
"I expect him back any minute."
Angel stopped.
"You're welcome to wait for him here," Judith continued. "I've just made some tea. That is, if you drink…?"
"Yeah," Angel said. "I drink tea." He stepped cautiously across the threshold, and Judith suddenly remembered the time, years ago, when she and William had tea with Angel in his flat. Well, she had been meaning to return the courtesy…
Using the hot water she'd meant to save for William, she fixed an extra cup while Angel waited silently in the kitchen doorway. He had an eerie sort of powerful presence that crept on her as her back was turned. Clearly, she thought, he was the kind of person you really wanted to be on your side. Not that she was frightened; just…observant.
"Have a seat, please," she said, turning with the two cups in her hands. Angel sat at the table as she set out the necessary tea accompaniments. Judith poured a small dollop of cream in her tea, but Angel seemed content to simply let the cup warm his cold hands. Though she had known Angel for nearly six years now, their interactions were few enough that she still had difficulty swallowing who he was, and, strangely, who she was in his presence. Ever since she had threatened to kill him if he ever hurt William, things were, quite naturally, awkward between them. The last true discussion they'd had that went beyond greetings and farewells was when Angel had approached her to ask permission to train William how to fight. The fact that he asked at all, when such a creature as he was would certainly not need to, told her that her threat had actually had the desired effect, and also that perhaps Angel was as wary of her as she was of him. It was a strange thought, which she had occasionally grappled with when her mind was otherwise unoccupied.
"So why the visit?" she said eventually, breaking the silence.
Angel hesitated, as if debating whether to tell her truth or just not answer at all. "Got a tip about a nest," he said finally. "I thought the boys could use the practice."
Judith nodded, wondering if it might have been better if she didn't ask at all.
"I would have called him," Angel continued, "but this was on the way, and it should probably be taken care of tonight."
"Right," Judith said. "People might be in danger tonight."
"It's a nest of vampires," Angel said. "People will die tonight."
Judith frowned. She didn't understand him one bit. "In that case," she said without thinking, "I suppose it's good that they have people like you protecting them. You know, because they 'probably should.'" Angel didn't answer for a moment.
He took a sip of tea, and then said, "No, Mrs. Cole, it's a good thing they have people like your son, who protect them because they want to. My story is long and complicated, and if you knew it, you might understand why my attitude toward the whole 'helping the hopeless' thing is the way it is."
"'Helping the hopeless'?" Judith repeated.
"A friend's phrase," Angel said, drinking some more tea. "As I said: long and complicated."
"Will I ever hear it?"
Angel appraised her for a minute, and Judith felt compelled to drink her own tea to release the tension that she suddenly felt rise. Just as he seemed about to answer, William burst into the flat.
"Hi Mum," he said from the door. In a move that made Judith blink a few times to check her eyes, Angel was out of his chair and passing through the kitchen door before Judith had the chance to reply. She heard William's surprise at Angel's presence as she caught up to him.
"Angel. What are you doing here?"
"I got a tip," Angel said. "Want to come?"
William hesitated, processing the twist in his expectations. "Sure," he replied. William turned to his mother. "I guess I'll be back later," he said, and she nodded.
Angel turned around and held out his hand. "Thank you, Mrs. Cole," he said as she took his tea-warmed hand.
"Judith," she said automatically, and then added, "please." Angel nodded with a smile that was not quite a smile, but was friendly enough in his own strange way, and left with William close behind.
Judith saw Angel once shortly after he drank tea in her kitchen, and it surprised her, as encounters with him rarely came so close together. She was dropping off a bouquet of flowers to her great-Aunt Jenny at St. Anthony's Retirement Community late one evening as a surprise for when she woke up the next morning. Aunt Jenny was a life-long gardener and dearly missed the large plot of land she used to tend sun-up to sun-down. The tiny patch she was allotted at the home was a poor replacement for the acres she used to own, so Judith periodically brought her potted flowers and bouquets to cheer her up. It wasn't much, but she knew it was appreciated.
She almost didn't notice Angel in the hall, as she was not used to seeing anyone so late at night, and was distracted by the lovely smell of the lilacs. In fact, they might have passed right by each other had they not nearly collided.
"Oh, pardon m—Angel?"
Angel seemed just as surprised, and not at all happy, to have finally noticed her. "Judith," he replied quickly, not meeting her eyes.
"What on earth are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing," Angel returned. "Most of the residents are asleep at this hour."
Judith indicated the flowers. "A surprise for my great-aunt. I leave them outside her door so she gets them in the morning."
Angel nodded. He seemed eager to leave, but unsure how to politely extract himself. Judith decided not to let him go quite yet. "And you?" she pressed again.
Angel's hesitation lasted only the briefest of seconds. "There was a fear demon living in the basement. I killed it."
"I see. How did you know it was there?"
"I know one of the guys on the night shift. He called me as soon as he realized it was down there." Angel's voice was steady and his eyes unblinking, so Judith did not press the matter.
"Well," she said. "It's good to know it's gone."
"Yeah," Angel nodded once. "Well, I guess I'll see you later."
"Alright," Judith replied. She watched Angel stride a little too quickly back down the hall before she turned and continued in the direction of her great-aunt's room.