Author Devylish
Title Ready When You Are
Chap 1 of 1
Fandom BTVS
Pair Wesley/Cordelia
Rating PG13
Words 1588
Summary It's valentine's day, the day you let that special someone know they're special.
Disclaimer All publicly recognizable characters, settings, plot, etc. are the property of the creators of the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BTVS). Any original characters, settings and plots are the property of devylish. devylish is in no way associated with the TV show BTVS and no copyright infringement is intended. This work is an amateur fan effort and no profit is being made.
AN Unbeta'd AN Nekid Spike (LJ) Valentine's creation having me pair Wesley and Cordy.
"She's rather amazing isn't she? I mean to be so selflessly involved in this cause…."
"Selflessly?" Giles wasn't certain he'd ever heard that word used in relationship to Cordelia. "Yes, well all of the children are amazing.
"They're, um, hardly children anymore. A couple of them are eighteen if I'm not mistaken. "
Giles smiled into his book. "Yes, one or two of them have hit their eighteenth birthdays. We'll call them young adults, shall we? All of the young adults that we work with are 'amazing'."
"Well, yes, yes of course, they're all wonderful, but, well Buffy, she's the slayer…. Slayer skills. Faith, the same. Willow, well she's quite adept at the computer, and seems to have a growing interest in translations and witchcraft, so she has, of course, perhaps a reason to be involved in the group. But Cordelia," Wesley cleared his throat, "Ms. Chase, she comes here of her own free will, out of the goodness of her heart, simply in order to help the group."
"And Xander," Giles added wryly.
"Uh, yes, Xander. Quite. Musn't forget about Mr. Harris, must we?" Wesley paused for a second. "So, is their on-again/off-again relationship on or off at the moment?"
"I really couldn't say, I've finally just about mastered the ability to ignore all of the personal issues that the chil – erh, young adults - bring into the library with them." Hiding a knowing smile, Giles asked, "Is there a particular reason why you ask?"
"What, hmm, oh, no. No reason at all. Just making small talk. You know. Bonding among comrades, etc."
Bonding among comrades, my ass… or rather Cordelia's ass. He silently chastised himself. Perhaps I should be more protective of Cordelia's virtue? And then he reminded himself that she was indeed a young adult, and that his children/his young adults needed to find pleasure in life while they could. They weren't guaranteed a tomorrow. "Yes, well, since you've brought her up, I was wondering if you could do a favor for me?" Standing up Giles headed into his office and opened the desk drawer. Pulling out a small pink card, he walked it over to Wesley. I guess I'll be playing cupid this year. Damn. This so was not in the job description he'd read at the Watcher's Council. "I've delivered my other valentine day cards to Buffy, and the others, but, I haven't had… I won't have time to deliver this to Cordelia. Could you do so for me?"
"Valentines? You've given them all valentine's gifts?'
"Well, just cards, really, but, yes. Sweet, harmless way to let them know just how 'amazing' I think they are."
Wesley flipped the tiny pink card over in his hands. Sweet, harmless way to let her know just how amazing I think she is.
"So you'll do it?"
"Hmm? Oh, yes, I'd be happy to deliver this to Cor – Ms. Chase for you."
* ** * *
You can do this. You can do this. Nothing to it. Just… knock on the door, tell the maid you want to see Cordelia, and… and give her the gifts. Right. Good." Stepping up to the front of her house, Wesley raised his hand to rap on the door.
You can do this. You can do this. You can – "Bringing offerings to the queen?"
Wesley spun around to find Spike, William the Bloody, leaning against a tree a few feet away, cigarette in mouth, hands in leather pockets.
Fumbling with the flowers, and candy and cards that he was carrying, he worked his hands to his neck and under his shirt, and pulled out the cross that he was wearing.
"Put that away nancy boy. 'm not here to harm anyone. If I were, you'd be a dried, dead, corpse already.
Wesley gulped. "Yes, well then, what DO you want?"
"It's Valentine's day mate. I'm a fan of love and all that rot."
"Even if I believed you, what the… hell, are you doing outside of Cordelia Chase's home."
Spike rolled his tongue behind his teeth in a move that -- if Wesley hadn't been so secure in his heterosexuality -- would have made his toes curl. "I appreciate beauty. And there's no denying that Queen C.C. is beautiful. She'd make a wonderful childe… that bounty at your beck and call?"
"You want to turn Cordelia?!"
Spike shrugged gracefully, pulling the cigarette out of his mouth with a smile. "Relax Watcher. I have no immediate plans to turn anyone. She's simply 'on the list'. The short list, but it's a list none the less, of possible childer. I like to keep an eye on them on days like this. Appreciate their beauty. Make plans for the future." Spike pushed off from the wall, smiling at Wesley's awkward attempts to keep his cross in Spike's eyesight. "Well have fun with Cordy, tell her I said 'hullo'. I'm off to see a redhead, also on the shortlist."
Keeping his eyes on the street, verifying that Spike was indeed 'gone'. Wesley knocked on the front door of Cordelia's home.
"Is the cheek-boned, evil, undead gone?" A voice asked through the door.
"Cordelia?" Wesley responded. "Yes. Yes. He's gone."
She opened the door a bit, peering outside. When she saw that Wesley was indeed alone, she grabbed his arm and hauled him into the foyer. "Seriously, it isn't bad enough that we're living on a hellmouth, but we have to have stalker vampires? Cute ones?!"
"Are you all right?" He let his eyes trail over her chocolate locks and supple form.
Cordelia recognized the look she was seeing in Wesley's eyes. She'd seen it before. On other men. (On Spike for goodness sake!). And she'd seen it more and more on Wesley.
Wesley. Cute, ALIVE, British accent. A bit… uptight at times, but, she bet she could take the starch out of him… if she tried hard enough. "Me? I'm fine. Now that you're here." Yeah, okay, so that sounds a little cliché, but men still fall for clichés. Right?
Wesley stood a little taller. "Yes, well, I won't leave your side. The effrontery of that… that… creature! Does Giles know that he's bothering you?"
"I didn't really think it important to mention, what with the apocalypses and Angels turning into demons crap. Besides, for the most part, Spike seems willing to just kind of hover and watch. He's been doing it for a year now. It's irritating and a little freaky, but, big girl here, so…." She lowered her eyes and looked up at Wesley from under her lashes, "Besides, now a big strong Watcher DOES know."
Changing the topic abruptly, Cordelia eyed the things in Wesley's hands. "Is that chocolate? Ooooh! Godiva! And Lilies?! I love Lilies!!!" With a patented Cordelia grin she tugged the flowers toward her. "They're beautiful!"
You're beautiful.
"Are they for Valentines? You got me a valentine's day gift?" Without waiting for an answer, she flung herself at Wesley and hugged him. "Thank you! I… I really needed a…" Shut up Cordelia.
Wesley let his arms wrap around Cordelia and he let his mind fall away. She was so warm, and soft. Soft in all the right places. With curves and… a fragrance that he'd most definitely come to identify with her. A one of a kind scent, baby powder and vanilla and something musky. It was a scent that went directly to his… Oh good lord! Shifting his body away from hers immediately, Wesley cleared his throat and dropped his arms from Cordelia's body.
But it was too late.
Her eyes opened wide with surprise, Cordelia looked up at Wesley. Is he..? Did I just feel…? What the hell do I do now?!
Wesley could almost read the questions as they ran through Cordelia's mind. They were visible in those sparkling eyes. What surprised him the most, was the uncertainty. It wasn't an uncertainty about him, or at least, it didn't read that way. It was… it was almost a…
With a small smile, Wesley slowly leaned forward and brushed his lips against Cordelia's. Even her lips were soft…, smooth and pliant; they gave way, responding to his questing lips and tongue and teeth. He stepped back in toward her, wrapping one arm around her waist and the other at the back of her head.
He was kissing Cordelia Chase. And she was kissing him back. Unabashedly, willingly, deliciously, kissing him back. He reveled in the experience, allowing himself to get lost in her for just a few seconds. And then he pulled away again, slowly this time. Still allowing his hand to sit at her waist, steadying bother her and himself.
Looking down at her peaceful, pleasured face, he ran his hand through her hair along the length of face. He watched as she dazedly lifted her hand to her lips, touching where they'd just been joined.
Slowly releasing his grip on her he straightened and offered, sincerely "I'm willing to wait. When you're ready, truly ready, I'll be here."
Wesley thrust the flowers at her and was out the door before Cordelia could respond. Before she could say 'Wow!' or 'Yummy' or 'Give me another kiss like that, and I'll be ready!' Which, yeah, she definitely would have said, because… WHO knew Wesley Windham Price could kiss like that?
As she headed to the kitchen to find something to put the flowers into, she smiled; she had a funny feeling Wesley wasn't going to have to wait long AT ALL for her to 'be ready'.