Title: Weapons of Choice
Author: S J Smith
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon owns all.
Summary: A meeting, a goodbye.
Note: Written for the LJ community, Fandom_Stocking, for the 2010 gift exchange.
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"Fancy meeting you here."
The words hurt. Maybe Buffy expected them to. She couldn't pull them back though, not now that they were already out in the open.
Angel watched as she sauntered toward him, trying to keep his eyes above shoulder level. Buffy hanging around with Faith had interesting consequences; she'd learned something more about her body. Not just how to use it in a fight, but also as a weapon in a completely different kind of battle. Angel tried not to shift his weight. Letting her know she had an effect on him would be counterproductive, even if she could read him as easily as he could read her.
"I have some information for you." He hated how it sounded but it matched Buffy's tone.
"You could've told Giles."
Angel raised his eyebrows at that and Buffy had the grace to look away. "All right," she muttered, "I deserved that." Now with obvious reluctance, she took a seat next to him. Willie looked between them and scuttled off to the far end of the bar. And no demons would dare come near them. "So, what's the sitch?"
"The Mayor has sent some of his people south to Mexico, looking for a sacred dagger, supposedly blessed by Quetzocoatl." He moistened his lips, ignoring the way Buffy's gaze darted down to watch, the way her pupils dilated. "I wanted to let you know, I'm going to see what I can find out about it."
Buffy lowered her head, her hair swinging down to hide her profile. "When will you be back?"
He inhaled. "Before the Ascension." Getting to his feet, Angel tossed a few dollars on the bar to pay Willie for the time he'd spent there. "Be careful."
"Always." She wouldn't watch him go, Angel knew it.
But he still felt her eyes on his back as he walked away.
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