Title: For better, for worse (2/3)
Author: Am-Chau Yarkona
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Giles/Spike
Category: Angst, h/c, with mild silly moments.
Timing: Post Season Six. Follows on from the season 4 AU establised in "In Sickness and In Health", contiued in two song fics and 'Perfect Romances' ('Buffy and Clem: the First Cuddle' and 'Party people'), not to mention 'Family Matters'.
Summary: They're in love. Caring happens, romance begins, wackiness ensues.
Disclaimer: Joss is God, the Grr Argh monster is scary, I don't own any of them, and I promise I won't torture them with hot pokers or sell them into slavery.
Ranguger:
I don't know what's going on, but my mistress sounds worried. William is unwell, as Angel was yesterday, but Angel is fine today. They seemed to be connected, all the Childe. I fear it may have something to do with the Calling, and the fact that she used mugwort not hen's bane. I was going to warn her, but the voice in my head said it had to happen like that.
Nobody tells me what's really going on. They are standing there now, them as are awake. Steven, Xander and the blond vampire he's with- Harmony- are all still abed. Mind you, these Calfornia types would probably sleep through an earthquake. Some of them have, I dare say.
I try and listen, but my English isn't as good as it could be, and I don't understand all of what I hear.
"Clearly most of us need some more rest." That's Buffy, the Slayer, speaking.
"Hear, hear," another voice yawns- Willow, quickly backed up by Drusilla and, I'm glad to note, Lady Alice. I don't want to have to bully her into some more rest.
"But first, some ideas. I think a spell might help William, and sooner rather than later: I fear this may be passed on round the group."
A slight noise- William sitting up. "I'm starting to feel better, actually," he says. "Couldn't tell you why, to be honest." William? Honest? Well, since he got his soul I guess they might not be contradictions.
"It may be linked to something someone else out there is doing," Willow volentuers. "Some spells involving certain sorts of power make people who are sensitve of exposed feel terrible when you do them, or prepare them."
"Of course, there's no way to track down what it might be, without another lead." My mistress again. She'll call for me soon. "Rangy!" There, see.
I enter the room. "Bed once more, Rangy," she tells me. My attention is mostly taken up in lifting her, but I notice that most of the rest depart.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Giles:
We've been alone down here, me, William, Angel and Cordlia, for over two hours now. The tension has been building up ever since the others left, headed back to bed, and now the two vampires have just moved from harmless weapons practice to something meant to be a practice but with all the undertones of a real fight.
As William pulls his fist back for the first punch, I pull Cordelia back into the shelter of their office. There's no way I'm missing this, but I don't want anyone to get hurt.
Angel blocks the first blow, and ducks to get in a low jab towards William's stomach. He dances back, and pulls his Sire into a headlock, which Angel easily escapes.
There is a beauty to the fight, more easily appreciated by those who are aware that both Willam and Angel are holding back a little, both now ensouled and truly unwilling to really hurt one of their 'family'. It is slightly noticeable in the fact that neither of them goes into game face, seemingly wanted to wait for the other one to give into the demon first.
Cordelia stays quiet beside me, and the only sounds are the groans of effort and pain the vampires produce. They fight smoothly, fitting togther eerily well. After ten minutes or so, Angel has William trapped under him on the ground, and asks, "So why are you here, again?"
"For this," William grunts, and bends his knees, pushing his hips forward to stand up, taking the darker vampire with him. They struggle again, William's smaller form matching Angel's larger one because he has rested for a while, and Angel has been working, reserch and sword sharpening taking their toll.
In another few minutes they have reached a stalemate. Neither can move enough to effectivly hurt the other, but neither has quite won or lost. Somewhere, in another room, a telephone rings, but we all ignore it. The freeze holds for seconds, a frightneing stillness about them, and I can't breathe until William goes for the shock tactic.
He relaxes, but the moment Angel decides he has won and move away, Will snakes his arm up and throws Angel over his shoulder and down. Angel has just enough presence of mind to pull William down with him, and they end up on the floor, rolling over and over. When they are stopped by a handy wall, William is on top. He has shifted into game face during the last few seconds, as has Angel, but they both shift out again before they speak.
"That's the best you can do?" William sneers. "I thought you were still a vampire, soul or not."
"I am- and so are you, Childe. I know what's changed, now. You got cursed, didn't you?"
"No. I got lucky."
Angel manages to give the impression that he'd shrug if William wasn't pining his shoulders to the floor. "Different way of looking at the same thing. What happened? Willow get fed up with you?"
"I went to Africa, passed the trials."
"You did? I thought that was a myth."
"You told me Slayers were a myth, too."
"Well, I thought they were."
"Didn't do you much good when you fell for one, did it?"
"I had to change my opionon, certainly. Would you mind letting me get up?"
William considers this. "Promise me something?"
"What?"
"Never turn into Angelus again."
"I'll do my best."
"Not good enough. Promise."
"I promise to do my best- it's not exactly under my control, you know."
Cordelia seems to be having a hard time dealing with what she's hearing. "Hold on, here. Spike has a soul now, one he went to get."
William seems to have accepted Angel's promise for the time being, and stands. "Yes," he says to Cordelia, in his best I'm-trying-very-hard-to-be- patient voice. "I have a soul."
"And you're called William."
"Yes."
"And you're dating Giles."
"Yes," William says, still as patient as he can be. Angel is caught by the last part. He got up more slowly, and is currently standing, frowning at William. I move to stand next to my- boyfriend? lover? -as he says, "Problem, ya great poof?"
"Technically- and correct me if I'm wrong here- if I'm dating a woman and you're dating a man, that would make you the poof, Childe."
"Yeah, well, you know who's fault that is, don't you, Sire?"
Cordelia is getting rapidly more exasperated with them, and she bursts out: "Can you two stop bitching? I can't think of any real girls worse than you, and that's very disturbing."
They turn to look at her, every inch the killing team they must have been a century ago. "What?" Cordelia demands. "A girl can't say what she means, now?"
William looks decidedly like he'd kill her if the chip would let him, and when I see an answering flash on Angel's face, I know something has to be done before one of them stakes the other- it just seems that neither Cordelia nor I knows what.
Author: Am-Chau Yarkona
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Giles/Spike
Category: Angst, h/c, with mild silly moments.
Timing: Post Season Six. Follows on from the season 4 AU establised in "In Sickness and In Health", contiued in two song fics and 'Perfect Romances' ('Buffy and Clem: the First Cuddle' and 'Party people'), not to mention 'Family Matters'.
Summary: They're in love. Caring happens, romance begins, wackiness ensues.
Disclaimer: Joss is God, the Grr Argh monster is scary, I don't own any of them, and I promise I won't torture them with hot pokers or sell them into slavery.
Ranguger:
I don't know what's going on, but my mistress sounds worried. William is unwell, as Angel was yesterday, but Angel is fine today. They seemed to be connected, all the Childe. I fear it may have something to do with the Calling, and the fact that she used mugwort not hen's bane. I was going to warn her, but the voice in my head said it had to happen like that.
Nobody tells me what's really going on. They are standing there now, them as are awake. Steven, Xander and the blond vampire he's with- Harmony- are all still abed. Mind you, these Calfornia types would probably sleep through an earthquake. Some of them have, I dare say.
I try and listen, but my English isn't as good as it could be, and I don't understand all of what I hear.
"Clearly most of us need some more rest." That's Buffy, the Slayer, speaking.
"Hear, hear," another voice yawns- Willow, quickly backed up by Drusilla and, I'm glad to note, Lady Alice. I don't want to have to bully her into some more rest.
"But first, some ideas. I think a spell might help William, and sooner rather than later: I fear this may be passed on round the group."
A slight noise- William sitting up. "I'm starting to feel better, actually," he says. "Couldn't tell you why, to be honest." William? Honest? Well, since he got his soul I guess they might not be contradictions.
"It may be linked to something someone else out there is doing," Willow volentuers. "Some spells involving certain sorts of power make people who are sensitve of exposed feel terrible when you do them, or prepare them."
"Of course, there's no way to track down what it might be, without another lead." My mistress again. She'll call for me soon. "Rangy!" There, see.
I enter the room. "Bed once more, Rangy," she tells me. My attention is mostly taken up in lifting her, but I notice that most of the rest depart.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Giles:
We've been alone down here, me, William, Angel and Cordlia, for over two hours now. The tension has been building up ever since the others left, headed back to bed, and now the two vampires have just moved from harmless weapons practice to something meant to be a practice but with all the undertones of a real fight.
As William pulls his fist back for the first punch, I pull Cordelia back into the shelter of their office. There's no way I'm missing this, but I don't want anyone to get hurt.
Angel blocks the first blow, and ducks to get in a low jab towards William's stomach. He dances back, and pulls his Sire into a headlock, which Angel easily escapes.
There is a beauty to the fight, more easily appreciated by those who are aware that both Willam and Angel are holding back a little, both now ensouled and truly unwilling to really hurt one of their 'family'. It is slightly noticeable in the fact that neither of them goes into game face, seemingly wanted to wait for the other one to give into the demon first.
Cordelia stays quiet beside me, and the only sounds are the groans of effort and pain the vampires produce. They fight smoothly, fitting togther eerily well. After ten minutes or so, Angel has William trapped under him on the ground, and asks, "So why are you here, again?"
"For this," William grunts, and bends his knees, pushing his hips forward to stand up, taking the darker vampire with him. They struggle again, William's smaller form matching Angel's larger one because he has rested for a while, and Angel has been working, reserch and sword sharpening taking their toll.
In another few minutes they have reached a stalemate. Neither can move enough to effectivly hurt the other, but neither has quite won or lost. Somewhere, in another room, a telephone rings, but we all ignore it. The freeze holds for seconds, a frightneing stillness about them, and I can't breathe until William goes for the shock tactic.
He relaxes, but the moment Angel decides he has won and move away, Will snakes his arm up and throws Angel over his shoulder and down. Angel has just enough presence of mind to pull William down with him, and they end up on the floor, rolling over and over. When they are stopped by a handy wall, William is on top. He has shifted into game face during the last few seconds, as has Angel, but they both shift out again before they speak.
"That's the best you can do?" William sneers. "I thought you were still a vampire, soul or not."
"I am- and so are you, Childe. I know what's changed, now. You got cursed, didn't you?"
"No. I got lucky."
Angel manages to give the impression that he'd shrug if William wasn't pining his shoulders to the floor. "Different way of looking at the same thing. What happened? Willow get fed up with you?"
"I went to Africa, passed the trials."
"You did? I thought that was a myth."
"You told me Slayers were a myth, too."
"Well, I thought they were."
"Didn't do you much good when you fell for one, did it?"
"I had to change my opionon, certainly. Would you mind letting me get up?"
William considers this. "Promise me something?"
"What?"
"Never turn into Angelus again."
"I'll do my best."
"Not good enough. Promise."
"I promise to do my best- it's not exactly under my control, you know."
Cordelia seems to be having a hard time dealing with what she's hearing. "Hold on, here. Spike has a soul now, one he went to get."
William seems to have accepted Angel's promise for the time being, and stands. "Yes," he says to Cordelia, in his best I'm-trying-very-hard-to-be- patient voice. "I have a soul."
"And you're called William."
"Yes."
"And you're dating Giles."
"Yes," William says, still as patient as he can be. Angel is caught by the last part. He got up more slowly, and is currently standing, frowning at William. I move to stand next to my- boyfriend? lover? -as he says, "Problem, ya great poof?"
"Technically- and correct me if I'm wrong here- if I'm dating a woman and you're dating a man, that would make you the poof, Childe."
"Yeah, well, you know who's fault that is, don't you, Sire?"
Cordelia is getting rapidly more exasperated with them, and she bursts out: "Can you two stop bitching? I can't think of any real girls worse than you, and that's very disturbing."
They turn to look at her, every inch the killing team they must have been a century ago. "What?" Cordelia demands. "A girl can't say what she means, now?"
William looks decidedly like he'd kill her if the chip would let him, and when I see an answering flash on Angel's face, I know something has to be done before one of them stakes the other- it just seems that neither Cordelia nor I knows what.