Title: For better, for worse (3/3)
Author: Am-Chau Yarkona
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Giles/Spike, Fred/Gunn, Angel/Cordelia
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.
Giles:
We are distracted from making by Gunn and Fred, rushing down the stairs. "That was Lorne on the phone," he says, rushing for a cupboard which I guess contains weapons.
"He's got some reading from a friend of his, something big's going down tonight, somewhere in Hollywood- ritual to raise the dead, I think."
"Right." Angel moves smoothly into action, collecting a sword- quite an antique one, I observe, and well cared for- and pulling a book or two off the shelf. He flicks through, but when I see that he isn't finding what he's looking for, I move forward.
"Can I help?"
"Yes- if you like. Rituals to raise the dead, methods, purpose, anything you can give us."
"Fine." I reach for Larcho's Necromancy Chronicle, the ultimate book on the subject, wondering briefly why Angel didn't take it, but then I realise that he probably doesn't read Etruscan.
William takes out a volume on rituals that require a certain date, to see if this one cn be found by the time it is happening, and smiles when I glance up to see what he is doing. I take that as a cue that whatever else, he is willing to set aside his fight with Angel, still unresolved, to help him- or to let me help, anyway.
Angel's copy of Larcho is in better condition than mine, and when you aren't trying to find pages that keep drifting down to the floor it's much easier to read a book. It's William who finds something useful first, though.
"How's this? If called upon on the night of a new moon, like tonight, the demon Yarc will raise from the dead any person named, in return for the still-beating heart of a child."
"That sound hopeful," I say, rapidly trying to find Yarc in Larcho's book. He spelt it in Etruscan, though, and I fumble for a second to find the entry. "Yes- 'Yarc can'- or maybe 'is'- 'the returner of lost lives, trading the heart and life of a child for the heart and life of the one whom the summoner names.' That seems pretty clear."
"Then let's go. We have a child to save and a resurecttion to prevent," Angel says, and marches out the door.
"We won't all fit in one car," Fred comments, and Angel turns back briefly.
"Three units," he orders- where did he get that 'command' tone from? "Cordelia and I in my car, Fred and Gunn in Gunn's truck, and Giles and Spike in the car they came in. Okay?"
"Okay," we echo, and then we really are off. I let Spike drive, for some reason, and it isn't long before we have lost the others, taking some short cut or other.
"William, where are we going?"
"To find this ritual."
"Do you actually know where we are?"
"Yes."
"We're lost, aren't we?"
"No- we're right here."
"Do you know where to go?"
"Look, Rupert- I know LA. I can find my way."
"So where are we?"
"In LA- read the bloody signposts."
"You don't know where we are, do you?"
"I told you- we're here." A pause. "But they do seem to have moved some things since I was here last."
"So you don't know where we are?"
"Only in gener- I know now- we've arrived!" Ahead, I can see candle flames in a window, and the flickers of green light that suggest a magical working. All we can hope is that the others find it, too.
I am just about to get out of the car when William says, "Turn left from there, then and stright on down the hill. yeah. No- the third alleyway."
"What?"
He looks at me. "Turns out Cordelia gets telepathy as part of her demon deal. Being as I'm a vampire, she can hear what I say aloud- you know the drill, like Red used to do."
"Oh." I say. What else is there? "So the backup was there all along?"
"No, she's only jus." Something on my face causes him to change direction. Human William must have been an unscruplus youth- even with a soul, he lies well and easily. He'd call it 'poetic licence' I expect. "Yeah, she could've reached us anytime. The lost thing was just a game- here they are." William pats my arm reassuringly, and indeed, Angel's convertible and Gunn's truck have just appeared at the end of the alley. they park behind us and we all pile out for a confrence. More accuratly, we all pile out to listen to Angel give orders.
"Fred, Gunn, Cordy, I want you to go round the building, guard any exits you find. We can't be sure they don't have a sewer entrance, but it's a risk I'm willing to take. Spike."
"William."
"and I are the main attack team. Giles, your job is to find the child and get them out alive. Spike, please remember that the child is our main objective. Everyone clear?"
"Yes," we chorus, apart from my lover, who mutters, "William, ya great poof."
Angel looks at him askance, but evidently decides not to take up the challenge at this point. "Let's go, then."
When the battle is over, we split up- Fred and Gunn to take a terrified nine-year-old boy home, and to go home themselves; and the rest of us back to the hotelto get a little more rest. Cordelia makes the claim that she's always wanted to ride in my car, so William- ever the gentleman- offers to swap with her. I don't know what he and Angel said to each other on that drive, but when we get back to the hotel I am nearly asleep on my feet and the two vampires seemed to have reached a truce.
We go upstairs to bed, having said ourgoodnights to Angel and Cordelia. William is full of nervous energy, bouncing like AA Milne's Tigger- or to use a simile closer to home, like Xander on a sugar and caffine high.
I pop out of the room briefly- just to use the bathroom- and when I return, dressing-gown clad, William is sprawled wantonly across the bed, naked, the only light the one bedside lamp that here, as at home, we will leave on all night. Crossing to the bed, I lean over and kiss him gently before turning my back on him and settling down to sleep.
"Don't you want to." he whines.
"No."
"Oh, Rupert, you spoil-sport, don't you love me any more? Angel goes and tells me what a wonderful relationship he and the cheerleader are having- they've got to the silly nicknames stage, apparently- and now you won't let me have any. Well, I guess I could give you a nickname or two.."
"William," I half-growl, "Shut up."
"Make me. Let's see- Ripper doesn't really suit you any more; poof is kind of a given; we might get somewhere with Rupert. If I remember rightly, it's an anglosized version of Robert- so: Rob- Rup, Robbie becomes Rupee- sounds like Indian money. yeah, I like that. Rupee. This is my lover, Rupee. Rupee, my big teddy bear. Rupee, my snugglemuffin."
I roll over to face him, exasperated. "William, did you take lessons from Harmony on this method of getting you end away? Be so annoying that people let you shag them just to shut you up?"
"Could be," he says, miscehivousely. "Does it work?" His hands are creeping over me as he speaks, and given where they are I think I can be forgiven for only producing a gasp in reply.
"Seems it does," he say, thoughtfully, and then adds, "Well then, I'd better keep going."
Tired as I am, my mind fails to find any arguments, and I push forward into his touch. He smiles, blue eyes twinkling. I wonder briefly if Ethan found me this easy to manipulate. Jenny did, I know that much.
Author: Am-Chau Yarkona
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Giles/Spike, Fred/Gunn, Angel/Cordelia
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.
Giles:
We are distracted from making by Gunn and Fred, rushing down the stairs. "That was Lorne on the phone," he says, rushing for a cupboard which I guess contains weapons.
"He's got some reading from a friend of his, something big's going down tonight, somewhere in Hollywood- ritual to raise the dead, I think."
"Right." Angel moves smoothly into action, collecting a sword- quite an antique one, I observe, and well cared for- and pulling a book or two off the shelf. He flicks through, but when I see that he isn't finding what he's looking for, I move forward.
"Can I help?"
"Yes- if you like. Rituals to raise the dead, methods, purpose, anything you can give us."
"Fine." I reach for Larcho's Necromancy Chronicle, the ultimate book on the subject, wondering briefly why Angel didn't take it, but then I realise that he probably doesn't read Etruscan.
William takes out a volume on rituals that require a certain date, to see if this one cn be found by the time it is happening, and smiles when I glance up to see what he is doing. I take that as a cue that whatever else, he is willing to set aside his fight with Angel, still unresolved, to help him- or to let me help, anyway.
Angel's copy of Larcho is in better condition than mine, and when you aren't trying to find pages that keep drifting down to the floor it's much easier to read a book. It's William who finds something useful first, though.
"How's this? If called upon on the night of a new moon, like tonight, the demon Yarc will raise from the dead any person named, in return for the still-beating heart of a child."
"That sound hopeful," I say, rapidly trying to find Yarc in Larcho's book. He spelt it in Etruscan, though, and I fumble for a second to find the entry. "Yes- 'Yarc can'- or maybe 'is'- 'the returner of lost lives, trading the heart and life of a child for the heart and life of the one whom the summoner names.' That seems pretty clear."
"Then let's go. We have a child to save and a resurecttion to prevent," Angel says, and marches out the door.
"We won't all fit in one car," Fred comments, and Angel turns back briefly.
"Three units," he orders- where did he get that 'command' tone from? "Cordelia and I in my car, Fred and Gunn in Gunn's truck, and Giles and Spike in the car they came in. Okay?"
"Okay," we echo, and then we really are off. I let Spike drive, for some reason, and it isn't long before we have lost the others, taking some short cut or other.
"William, where are we going?"
"To find this ritual."
"Do you actually know where we are?"
"Yes."
"We're lost, aren't we?"
"No- we're right here."
"Do you know where to go?"
"Look, Rupert- I know LA. I can find my way."
"So where are we?"
"In LA- read the bloody signposts."
"You don't know where we are, do you?"
"I told you- we're here." A pause. "But they do seem to have moved some things since I was here last."
"So you don't know where we are?"
"Only in gener- I know now- we've arrived!" Ahead, I can see candle flames in a window, and the flickers of green light that suggest a magical working. All we can hope is that the others find it, too.
I am just about to get out of the car when William says, "Turn left from there, then and stright on down the hill. yeah. No- the third alleyway."
"What?"
He looks at me. "Turns out Cordelia gets telepathy as part of her demon deal. Being as I'm a vampire, she can hear what I say aloud- you know the drill, like Red used to do."
"Oh." I say. What else is there? "So the backup was there all along?"
"No, she's only jus." Something on my face causes him to change direction. Human William must have been an unscruplus youth- even with a soul, he lies well and easily. He'd call it 'poetic licence' I expect. "Yeah, she could've reached us anytime. The lost thing was just a game- here they are." William pats my arm reassuringly, and indeed, Angel's convertible and Gunn's truck have just appeared at the end of the alley. they park behind us and we all pile out for a confrence. More accuratly, we all pile out to listen to Angel give orders.
"Fred, Gunn, Cordy, I want you to go round the building, guard any exits you find. We can't be sure they don't have a sewer entrance, but it's a risk I'm willing to take. Spike."
"William."
"and I are the main attack team. Giles, your job is to find the child and get them out alive. Spike, please remember that the child is our main objective. Everyone clear?"
"Yes," we chorus, apart from my lover, who mutters, "William, ya great poof."
Angel looks at him askance, but evidently decides not to take up the challenge at this point. "Let's go, then."
When the battle is over, we split up- Fred and Gunn to take a terrified nine-year-old boy home, and to go home themselves; and the rest of us back to the hotelto get a little more rest. Cordelia makes the claim that she's always wanted to ride in my car, so William- ever the gentleman- offers to swap with her. I don't know what he and Angel said to each other on that drive, but when we get back to the hotel I am nearly asleep on my feet and the two vampires seemed to have reached a truce.
We go upstairs to bed, having said ourgoodnights to Angel and Cordelia. William is full of nervous energy, bouncing like AA Milne's Tigger- or to use a simile closer to home, like Xander on a sugar and caffine high.
I pop out of the room briefly- just to use the bathroom- and when I return, dressing-gown clad, William is sprawled wantonly across the bed, naked, the only light the one bedside lamp that here, as at home, we will leave on all night. Crossing to the bed, I lean over and kiss him gently before turning my back on him and settling down to sleep.
"Don't you want to." he whines.
"No."
"Oh, Rupert, you spoil-sport, don't you love me any more? Angel goes and tells me what a wonderful relationship he and the cheerleader are having- they've got to the silly nicknames stage, apparently- and now you won't let me have any. Well, I guess I could give you a nickname or two.."
"William," I half-growl, "Shut up."
"Make me. Let's see- Ripper doesn't really suit you any more; poof is kind of a given; we might get somewhere with Rupert. If I remember rightly, it's an anglosized version of Robert- so: Rob- Rup, Robbie becomes Rupee- sounds like Indian money. yeah, I like that. Rupee. This is my lover, Rupee. Rupee, my big teddy bear. Rupee, my snugglemuffin."
I roll over to face him, exasperated. "William, did you take lessons from Harmony on this method of getting you end away? Be so annoying that people let you shag them just to shut you up?"
"Could be," he says, miscehivousely. "Does it work?" His hands are creeping over me as he speaks, and given where they are I think I can be forgiven for only producing a gasp in reply.
"Seems it does," he say, thoughtfully, and then adds, "Well then, I'd better keep going."
Tired as I am, my mind fails to find any arguments, and I push forward into his touch. He smiles, blue eyes twinkling. I wonder briefly if Ethan found me this easy to manipulate. Jenny did, I know that much.