Title – Moving In

Author – Flayme

Summary – Buffy and Angel move in together at their parents request, but the folks are just trying to hook 'em up.

Rating – PG-13

Category – AU, Romance

Pairings – Buffy/Angel, Cordelia/Doyle, William/Tara, Willow/Oz, Xander/Anya, Giles/Joyce

A/N – Found this challenge on another fic, had to try it out.

A/N2 – Doyle has a very small part, cuz I don't know much about him. Tiff's helping me write him, so any help you can offer would be appreciated.

Disclaimer – Not mine. Like yer reading this.

Dedication – To Tiff, just cuz

Liam glanced around the apartment, then turned to glance at his mother. "It's nice, Mum. Where'd ya find it?"

"I came to the building, and there it was."

Liam made a face at her, but Kathi, his younger sister, laughed. "Mum, be nice." Kathi was standing by the kitchen doorway, far out of the traveled path. Dawn, Buffy's sister, was sprawled on the couch, and Buffy was making out with Riley in the kitchen. Liam hadn't bother to tell Drusilla about his plans yet. She was insane and overly possessive, so he wanted to keep it away from her for awhile.

Joyce and Maria were talking quietly by the door. Liam watched as Dawn jumped up from the couch, walked over the kitchen, and kicked the door. "Will you two stop it? People are gonna be EATING in there."

Kathi's dark-chocolate eyes – exactly like her brothers – widened, and she shuddered. "Gross! Get out of the kitchen!"

"Will you two shut up?" Buffy demanded. "It's gonna be my apartment!"

Liam swore under his breath in Gaelic, then called out, "Aye, but it's gonna be mine, too, Princess, so watch how you talk to my sister."

Kathi gave him a grateful look, and he kissed her cheek. Kathi was sweet, to be sure, but very delicate and shy. He wasn't going to let his rude new roommate damage her.

Buffy emerged from the kitchen and smiled at Kathi. "I'm sorry, but this is frazzling my nerves. I'm sorry I snapped at you," she apologized.

Kathi smiled. "It's ok."

Liam frowned. It wasn't OK, but it was all up to Kathi.

Joyce and Maria walked into the living room. "Well?" Joyce asked. "What do you kids think?"

"I like it," Buffy said.

Liam nodded in agreement. "Aye, so do I. Thanks, Mum, Joyce."

It was three days later. Buffy was sitting at the kitchen table, staring at her new roommate. Her friends Willow, and Xander were sitting with her, along with Willow's girlfriend Tara. They – well, Willow and Buffy – were watching Liam and his friends, Will and Doyle, carry in boxes so that Joyce and Maria didn't have to. At the moment, Will and Liam were shirtless, and laughing at something Will had just said.

A few moments later, Doyle came into the kitchen and looked at the empty shelves in the fridge for a long moment. "Angel!"

Willow and Buffy exchanged looks, and Willow mouthed 'Who's Angel?'

There was an angry word from the living room, and then Liam called, "What?"

Another looked passed between the girls.

"Ye donna 'ave any beer!" Doyle hollered back.

Liam appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. "No, we don't have FOOD, Doyle. At the moment, that's a little more important that beer for you." He looked at Buffy. "We need to go grocery shopping."

Buffy nodded. "Yeah. When?"

Liam shrugged. "After I get cleaned up and kick these assholes out." He frowned and looked at Doyle. "Where's Oz?"

""E 'ad band practice…if ye wanna call that thing 'e's got a band." Doyle was still staring mournfully into the fridge.

Will strode entered the room in the process of shrugging into his shirt. He tapped Doyle on the shoulder. "Let's go, mate. Leave Angel to fend for himself with these women."

Liam made a face. "Coward."

Will grinned. "Aye." Him and Doyle quickly left.

Xander stood up. "We should probably go to, ladies. I don't know about you, but I don't particularly wanna help them shop." He paused. "Or unpack."

Tara smiled shyly. Willow laughed outright, and both girls stood up. Willow leaned over and hugged Buffy. "I'm with Xander. Bye, Buffy. Bye, Liam." They hurried out.

Liam looked after them with a small, bemused smile, then looked at Buffy. "Are you up to shopping today?"

Buffy nodded. "Yeah. Do we need a list of what we need?"

He shot her one of those half-grins that she thought made him look sexy as hell. "Is there anything we DON'T need?"

"Point taken."

"Give me a few minutes and I'll be ready to go."

Two hours later, Liam was hanging over the cart, head in his hands, while Buffy stared at the meat display. "Oh. My. God. Just. Pick. Some. Fucking. Hamburger." Liam's words were even, and he didn't even bother to raise his head. "We've been in this aisle for nearly an hour, Buffy. Just take some hamburger."

Buffy frowned, chewing thoughtfully on her lower lip. "But what kind?"

Liam sighed, sighed, stepped around her, and threw some ahmburger into the cart. "That kind. Can we go on?"

Buffy glared. Liam met her gaze calmly. Buffy gave up. "Yeah, what next?"

Liam shrugged and pointed down the aisle. "That."

"Dairy." Buffy walked a little ahead of him, and picked out some skim milk. "Now what?"

Her roommate stared at her. "Is that milk for both of us?"

She gave him a funny look. "Yeah."

"I will not drink skim milk. It's watery."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "It's healthy."

"I'm healthy enough, thanks."

"Helps you lose weight."

"You're a twig and are you saying I'm fat?"

Buffy sighed. "I drink skim."

"I don't."

"So get your own."

"You're closer. Two percent, please."

Buffy sighed and hauled the milk into the cart.

The next big confrontation came over pop.

"Diet Coke is healthy."

Liam laughed. "Bullshit. Rots your brain just as fast as the other shit."

"Mountain Dew has more caffeine," Buffy argued.

"That's my point."

"It's bad for you."

Liam looked at her disbelievingly. "So is Diet Coke."

"It is not. Besides, it tastes better."

"If you don't have any taste buds."

"It's good!"

Liam shuddered.

Buffy made a face at him. "Fine. Compromise?"

"Aye?"

"Dr. Pepper?"

"OK."

The managed to agree on fruits and vegetables without any problems, picked up some quick things – Hamburger Helper and Kraft mac & cheese, pizza – before heading to the stopping and thinking.

"Do you think we need anything else?" Buffy asked.

"Pickles. Ketchup. Mustard. Chips. Tea. Coffee."

Buffy looked disappointed. "Oh." She paused. "Do YOU drink tea or coffee?"

Liam nodded. "Yeah. And so do our mothers."

Buffy nodded. "Ah, the suck up thing."

"Yeah, the suck up thing. Shall we?"

A few minutes later, while they were picking up condiments, Buffy spoke again. "Why do your friends call you Angel?"

He gave her a startled look. "I didn't know you heard that." He made a face. "They have to trot it out to humilate me at every oppurtunity, I suppose." He grabbed the ketchup off the shelf. "It's an old family nickname, had it since I was little. My middle name's Angelus, so they just shortened that."

"I like it," Buffy said.

Liam raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

His new roommate nodded. "Yeah. It fits."

He laughed suddenly. "You don't know me, Princess."

Buffy blushed. "Your middle name. What does it mean?"

"It's the Latinate for Angel."

Buffy nodded. "Still, I like it." She glanced at him. "Could I call you that?"

Liam shrugged. "If you wish."

She smiled, and Angel nearly felt his heart stop. "Thanks."

He looked away quickly, uncomfortable with these new feelings. "Aye."