"Good morning sleepyhead!" his mom chorused happily from her seat at the
large round garden table just outside the kitchen door. Blinking dubiously
in the sunshine Angel strolled out; pressed a kiss to the cheek of the only
woman who could get away with calling him sleepyhead and took the seat she
indicated between herself and Buffy.
He gave Buffy a friendly smile and poured himself some juice, part grapefruit and part orange before helping himself to toast. Buffy smiled sweetly back as she toyed with a mug of coffee, the crumbs on her plate showing that she had already eaten her own breakfast.
Angel hastily looked away; gulping juice so fast he nearly choked. "Where's Spike?" he asked loudly, more to remind himself that Buffy was Spike's girl than out of any sincere interest in his brother.
"Dying." Buffy murmured as a small sly smile tugged at her full pink lips. "A few too many beverages last night left him whimpering and whining like a kicked puppy this morning. I offered him some breakfast but he just mumbled something about worshiping the porcelain goddess and hid under his pillow. I was hungry though, so here I am."
"Oh, my poor Will, perhaps I should go and check on him again."
Angel rolled his eyes, "I don't imagine Spike will die of a hangover Mom. It's probably better to let him surface by himself when he feels human again. I'm sure we can keep Buffy entertained between us."
Buffy stared discreetly at Angel from under her eyelashes as she sipped her coffee, boy could she ever think of a few ways he could entertain her! So it was probably a good thing that Spike's adorable Mom would be around to keep her from acting like a lovesick lusty fool. Buffy frowned, she hated to deceive this sweet woman but it had been Spike's crazy plan to make pretend dating a pretend engagement. She was just his witless foil!
"That's a wonderful idea Angel," approved his Mom.
Angel blinked in puzzlement, what was? "Huh?"
"I'll stay here and keep an eye on Will and check arrangements for the Halloween ball tonight while you take Buffy and show her around the town, maybe take her shopping, you always used to love shopping and I know Buffy does." She smiled happily and finished her own glass of juice. "So that's settled." She bounced happily to her feet and pressed a kiss to the cheek of her startled daughter-in-law to be and to the forehead of her equally startled son before practically skipping inside.
Buffy smiled nervously at Angel, hopefully he couldn't hear her heart doing somersaults and other complex activities every time he smiled or quirked an eyebrow or just sat there eating peanut butter smothered toast!
She needed to be cool about this, as far as Angel was concerned she was marrying Spike so she just needed to be cool and he'd never know she was practically salivating over him and hadn't slept much the night before, as she had been too busy thinking about him.
Giving herself a mental slap she forced her mouth to form words.
"So uh, did I take a nap or get abducted by aliens when you suggested that we go into town sightseeing and shopping?"
Angel threw her one of his trademark half smiles she was fast coming to recognise, shrugged and reached for more toast, "I think Mom is so worked up about this ball that she's finishing conversations for people in her head so she can get on with the next thing more quickly. Actually it wasn't a bad idea, if you want to go into town I'd gladly take you because I don't have a costume for the ball yet."
Buffy gazed open-mouthed, "You live in New York so close to lots of yummy shops and you have no costume for a party you are attending tonight?"
Angel smiled his cutest little boy smile, "Pretty much sums it up, I've been busy though and there is a great store in town that stocks some pretty cool stuff, I checked last week with Mom to make sure it was still there."
"Okay, let me just grab my bag and make sure Spike isn't actually dead before we hit the town."
Angel nodded and held up his last slice of toast, "I'm ready to go once I've finished here."
*******************
"Wow!"
"Yeah."
"Now I understand why you didn't get your outfit in New York. This place is incredible. Now I'm miserable that I already have an outfit. My flapper dress is pretty nice but my mask looks so frumpy and boring compared to these."
"The prices are pretty reasonable, you might find something else here that you could get."
Buffy stretched out tentative fingers to stroke the black plumes rising from a silver tiara attached to one very glamorous mask. It was perched on a mannequin and the mannequin head itself had a wig with crisp dark curls spiralling downward to breast length where a particularly elaborate heart shaped pendant sparkled. Buffy wanted it all. "You really think so?"
"If not I'm sure Spike would lend you the money."
"Who? This is Spike right? The guy currently dying of beer who insisted that teaming ragged shorts and a stripy t-shirt with an eye patch for a mask was an okay costume? The guy who is not here so therefore his wallet is not here either?"
Angel grinned as he scanned the walls and mannequins for a mask that would suit him, "I can pay, he can pay me back."
"Are you sure?" Buffy asked as she drifted towards an exquisitely embroidered, full skirted shimmering silk dress.
"Absolutely. That would suit you by the way, very bridal but very pretty."
Buffy stopped fingering the white gown and hastily changed direction. Bridal was not a good thing. It would make guests think more about her and Spike and it would make her think more about her and Angel. Which was definitely not good in either scenario.
She blundered between lines of stunning costumes barely seeing them, but as she calmed again a few moments later she spotted another dress. Not as delicately lovely as the first but still gorgeous in a very different, much bolder way, she tilted her head; red wasn't strictly speaking her colour but it would look amazing with the plumed mask and wig she had seen as she entered the shop. She had barely glanced at any of the other masks, but that one had immediately called her name.
Screwing up her courage she took a peek at the price tag dangling from a silken sleeve and was pleasantly surprised, she could actually afford it and still have quite a bit of money left over. Maybe even enough for the mask if she was really lucky.
She stepped back between the racks of dresses to see Angel chatting easily to the shopkeeper over a bundle of black material. She spotted a few red glints in the material but largely it seemed his costume was to be black. What a surprise. She swept her gaze over him, although she'd only seen him in two outfits both had been completely black - she was beginning to suspect that black was all he wore.
Then Angel spotted her, "Hey Buffy, I got a highwayman costume and tricorn hat. There's even a traditional Italian carnival mask that really suits a highwayman, I just can't decide whether to get it in black or white. How about you? Are you sticking with what you have or are you getting the white dress?"
"Actually, I've seen something else. I really love that white dress but Halloween is supposed to be come as you aren't night so instead of going for that which is something that anyone who knows me would pick out for me I'm getting something very different and very daring."
"Oh?"
"Yeah." Buffy directed her gaze to the plump Latino shop assistant and lowered her voice, "there's this kind of gypsyish dress in bright red with a little bit of black detail that I would love to try."
The woman smiled and replied quietly, "I know the very one, it will look very well with his costume too. The highwayman's lady would have worn such a dress." Then as she marched away to fetch the dress she announced much louder, "You are a very lucky gentleman, your sweetheart will be stunning tonight!"
Buffy opened her mouth to protest but caught a glimpse of Angel impersonating a bug-eyed goldfish in shock. Somehow he managed to look cute even doing that, and by the time she had enough control of herself to correct the shocking assumption about their relationship she was being hustled into a changing cubicle to try on the dress.
It was a perfect fit, and if she was honest she kind of liked the idea of matching Angel. For a moment she considered modelling the dress for him but the fact that the ball was supposed to be a masked affair with nobody knowing anybody else she supposed she shouldn't.
She scrambled hastily back into her pants and sweater and poked her head through the curtains, "I'll take it."
While Angel lolled against the counter still glaring indecisively at two masks and Gina carefully wrapped the dress Buffy prowled through the other masks. Now she was actually looking she was seeing dozens more that she would love to wear. Some could be eliminated on the grounds of colour scheme but there were still lots more.
There were also a few strange looking ones with horns and teeth or big beaky noses, though they weren't the commonplace plastic or rubber masks bought by kids everywhere. These were incredibly well made, probably by hand. She briefly noted one completely plain and simple mask with a very chiselled squared set to it and wished she'd been able to persuade Spike to wear something like that. He wasn't her boyfriend but she had a certain duty as a friend to prevent him from looking idiotic. But he'd been un- budge-able from the eye patch and to Buffy's chagrin Xander had followed suit insisting on a cowboy hat and bandanna for his costume. At that point she had given up on both of them, particularly when Spike had announced his intention of hiding behind a fake beard, false teeth and a large stuffed parrot!
"This is so incredible," she said at last, "How did you come to have so many different ones?"
"Many of these are reproductions of originals made for the Venetian carnival held every year in February, some are actually from Venice itself." As she spoke Gina scooped up one very simple black mask painted with hundreds of tiny silver stars. "This one is actually from St Marks Square, the very heart of the city. Many of the costumes and masks that I sell are traditional carnival wear."
"That must be an amazing time, with so many gorgeous costumes." Buffy said fervently wishing she could see the spectacle.
"It is, very well worth a visit. A nice honeymoon trip perhaps."
Buffy watched out of the corner of her eye as Angel twitched, almost dropped the masks and did a little juggling before settling back to staring at them with now slightly pinkened ears.
"But I think perhaps that you chose the right mask as you entered, it would match your costume very well."
"But it's so gorgeous, it must cost a fortune."
"Well, it is a reproduction mask, not one from Italy and despite the big plumes and dazzling tiara the paintwork is quite simple. It is easy enough to attach fine feathers or a tiara but to paint hundreds of tiny perfect stars by hand is the job of an artist, and much more time consuming."
Buffy smiled with excitement as Gina lifted the mask down, wig and all, "Really?"
Gina displayed the price tag and Buffy heaved a sigh of relief, "I thought it would probably be twice that."
She quickly held the mask up to her face without actually tying it on, "I love it!"
"And the wig will help ensure that no-one knows you except maybe your Angel." Gina added enthusiastically, "I believe it is a surprise unmasking?"
Buffy nodded in agreement, trying to tamp down on the warm squishy feeling she got at the words 'Your Angel'
"I'll have it all then." She said, delightedly bouncing over to where Angel stood. Feeling brave she slipped her hand through his arm and squeezed it gently. "Thank you so much for bringing me here Angel. I feel like I can't fail to be the belle of the ball now."
He gave her his adorable sexy little half smile and said "You would have been the most beautiful woman there no matter what you wore, but it was my pleasure."
Buffy practically swooned as she managed to throw him a dazed smile before a beaming Gina passed them both their bagfuls of goodies and waved them cheerfully out of her shop.
She was in big trouble here.
Really big.
*******************
"Morning Spikie," purred Faith over her mug of coffee as he staggered into the surprisingly hot fall sunshine dressed in boxer shorts and mirrored sunglasses.
Spike slowly made his way to the table and crashed into the seat not long vacated by his brother, "Mornin love," he responded. Faith just smiled at him before taking another bite of her cereal; he eyed her long tanned legs with appreciation. He felt a bit better already; a beautiful woman really was the perfect hangover cure.
"Have you seen Buffy this morning?" he addressed his mom as she bustled out with a mug of tea for him along with a crispy bacon sandwich.
"Yes, we had breakfast together along with Angel. They've popped into town to Masquerade, Angel needed a costume and I thought Buffy would enjoy it."
Spike took a swig of tea and grinned, "Wow, fast moves Buffster!"
His mom looked totally puzzled, Faith merely raised an amused eyebrow.
"Because Faith really likes him, she's probably trying to feel him out!" he quickly covered himself and Buffy.
His mom smiled happily at Faith and poured her more coffee as Faith busily glared at Spike.
"Feel him up is more like it!" She grumbled at Spike in a whisper.
As his mom rushed back indoors to attend to a decorating crisis Spike blinked dopily at Faith who reached over to tug down his sunglasses so she could look him square in his beautiful baby blues. "Buffy is my friend Spike, I know when she likes a guy or not. Those two strike sparks off each other and you're too busy checking out my legs to want to marry Buffy and yeah, I think your brother is pretty hot-"
Spike's face fell and he reached for his shades.
"But you're definitely hotter!" Faith finished teasingly.
Spike grinned, "Oh, yeah?"
"Definitely. Now explain the whole crazy plot you and B seem to have worked up."
He gave Buffy a friendly smile and poured himself some juice, part grapefruit and part orange before helping himself to toast. Buffy smiled sweetly back as she toyed with a mug of coffee, the crumbs on her plate showing that she had already eaten her own breakfast.
Angel hastily looked away; gulping juice so fast he nearly choked. "Where's Spike?" he asked loudly, more to remind himself that Buffy was Spike's girl than out of any sincere interest in his brother.
"Dying." Buffy murmured as a small sly smile tugged at her full pink lips. "A few too many beverages last night left him whimpering and whining like a kicked puppy this morning. I offered him some breakfast but he just mumbled something about worshiping the porcelain goddess and hid under his pillow. I was hungry though, so here I am."
"Oh, my poor Will, perhaps I should go and check on him again."
Angel rolled his eyes, "I don't imagine Spike will die of a hangover Mom. It's probably better to let him surface by himself when he feels human again. I'm sure we can keep Buffy entertained between us."
Buffy stared discreetly at Angel from under her eyelashes as she sipped her coffee, boy could she ever think of a few ways he could entertain her! So it was probably a good thing that Spike's adorable Mom would be around to keep her from acting like a lovesick lusty fool. Buffy frowned, she hated to deceive this sweet woman but it had been Spike's crazy plan to make pretend dating a pretend engagement. She was just his witless foil!
"That's a wonderful idea Angel," approved his Mom.
Angel blinked in puzzlement, what was? "Huh?"
"I'll stay here and keep an eye on Will and check arrangements for the Halloween ball tonight while you take Buffy and show her around the town, maybe take her shopping, you always used to love shopping and I know Buffy does." She smiled happily and finished her own glass of juice. "So that's settled." She bounced happily to her feet and pressed a kiss to the cheek of her startled daughter-in-law to be and to the forehead of her equally startled son before practically skipping inside.
Buffy smiled nervously at Angel, hopefully he couldn't hear her heart doing somersaults and other complex activities every time he smiled or quirked an eyebrow or just sat there eating peanut butter smothered toast!
She needed to be cool about this, as far as Angel was concerned she was marrying Spike so she just needed to be cool and he'd never know she was practically salivating over him and hadn't slept much the night before, as she had been too busy thinking about him.
Giving herself a mental slap she forced her mouth to form words.
"So uh, did I take a nap or get abducted by aliens when you suggested that we go into town sightseeing and shopping?"
Angel threw her one of his trademark half smiles she was fast coming to recognise, shrugged and reached for more toast, "I think Mom is so worked up about this ball that she's finishing conversations for people in her head so she can get on with the next thing more quickly. Actually it wasn't a bad idea, if you want to go into town I'd gladly take you because I don't have a costume for the ball yet."
Buffy gazed open-mouthed, "You live in New York so close to lots of yummy shops and you have no costume for a party you are attending tonight?"
Angel smiled his cutest little boy smile, "Pretty much sums it up, I've been busy though and there is a great store in town that stocks some pretty cool stuff, I checked last week with Mom to make sure it was still there."
"Okay, let me just grab my bag and make sure Spike isn't actually dead before we hit the town."
Angel nodded and held up his last slice of toast, "I'm ready to go once I've finished here."
*******************
"Wow!"
"Yeah."
"Now I understand why you didn't get your outfit in New York. This place is incredible. Now I'm miserable that I already have an outfit. My flapper dress is pretty nice but my mask looks so frumpy and boring compared to these."
"The prices are pretty reasonable, you might find something else here that you could get."
Buffy stretched out tentative fingers to stroke the black plumes rising from a silver tiara attached to one very glamorous mask. It was perched on a mannequin and the mannequin head itself had a wig with crisp dark curls spiralling downward to breast length where a particularly elaborate heart shaped pendant sparkled. Buffy wanted it all. "You really think so?"
"If not I'm sure Spike would lend you the money."
"Who? This is Spike right? The guy currently dying of beer who insisted that teaming ragged shorts and a stripy t-shirt with an eye patch for a mask was an okay costume? The guy who is not here so therefore his wallet is not here either?"
Angel grinned as he scanned the walls and mannequins for a mask that would suit him, "I can pay, he can pay me back."
"Are you sure?" Buffy asked as she drifted towards an exquisitely embroidered, full skirted shimmering silk dress.
"Absolutely. That would suit you by the way, very bridal but very pretty."
Buffy stopped fingering the white gown and hastily changed direction. Bridal was not a good thing. It would make guests think more about her and Spike and it would make her think more about her and Angel. Which was definitely not good in either scenario.
She blundered between lines of stunning costumes barely seeing them, but as she calmed again a few moments later she spotted another dress. Not as delicately lovely as the first but still gorgeous in a very different, much bolder way, she tilted her head; red wasn't strictly speaking her colour but it would look amazing with the plumed mask and wig she had seen as she entered the shop. She had barely glanced at any of the other masks, but that one had immediately called her name.
Screwing up her courage she took a peek at the price tag dangling from a silken sleeve and was pleasantly surprised, she could actually afford it and still have quite a bit of money left over. Maybe even enough for the mask if she was really lucky.
She stepped back between the racks of dresses to see Angel chatting easily to the shopkeeper over a bundle of black material. She spotted a few red glints in the material but largely it seemed his costume was to be black. What a surprise. She swept her gaze over him, although she'd only seen him in two outfits both had been completely black - she was beginning to suspect that black was all he wore.
Then Angel spotted her, "Hey Buffy, I got a highwayman costume and tricorn hat. There's even a traditional Italian carnival mask that really suits a highwayman, I just can't decide whether to get it in black or white. How about you? Are you sticking with what you have or are you getting the white dress?"
"Actually, I've seen something else. I really love that white dress but Halloween is supposed to be come as you aren't night so instead of going for that which is something that anyone who knows me would pick out for me I'm getting something very different and very daring."
"Oh?"
"Yeah." Buffy directed her gaze to the plump Latino shop assistant and lowered her voice, "there's this kind of gypsyish dress in bright red with a little bit of black detail that I would love to try."
The woman smiled and replied quietly, "I know the very one, it will look very well with his costume too. The highwayman's lady would have worn such a dress." Then as she marched away to fetch the dress she announced much louder, "You are a very lucky gentleman, your sweetheart will be stunning tonight!"
Buffy opened her mouth to protest but caught a glimpse of Angel impersonating a bug-eyed goldfish in shock. Somehow he managed to look cute even doing that, and by the time she had enough control of herself to correct the shocking assumption about their relationship she was being hustled into a changing cubicle to try on the dress.
It was a perfect fit, and if she was honest she kind of liked the idea of matching Angel. For a moment she considered modelling the dress for him but the fact that the ball was supposed to be a masked affair with nobody knowing anybody else she supposed she shouldn't.
She scrambled hastily back into her pants and sweater and poked her head through the curtains, "I'll take it."
While Angel lolled against the counter still glaring indecisively at two masks and Gina carefully wrapped the dress Buffy prowled through the other masks. Now she was actually looking she was seeing dozens more that she would love to wear. Some could be eliminated on the grounds of colour scheme but there were still lots more.
There were also a few strange looking ones with horns and teeth or big beaky noses, though they weren't the commonplace plastic or rubber masks bought by kids everywhere. These were incredibly well made, probably by hand. She briefly noted one completely plain and simple mask with a very chiselled squared set to it and wished she'd been able to persuade Spike to wear something like that. He wasn't her boyfriend but she had a certain duty as a friend to prevent him from looking idiotic. But he'd been un- budge-able from the eye patch and to Buffy's chagrin Xander had followed suit insisting on a cowboy hat and bandanna for his costume. At that point she had given up on both of them, particularly when Spike had announced his intention of hiding behind a fake beard, false teeth and a large stuffed parrot!
"This is so incredible," she said at last, "How did you come to have so many different ones?"
"Many of these are reproductions of originals made for the Venetian carnival held every year in February, some are actually from Venice itself." As she spoke Gina scooped up one very simple black mask painted with hundreds of tiny silver stars. "This one is actually from St Marks Square, the very heart of the city. Many of the costumes and masks that I sell are traditional carnival wear."
"That must be an amazing time, with so many gorgeous costumes." Buffy said fervently wishing she could see the spectacle.
"It is, very well worth a visit. A nice honeymoon trip perhaps."
Buffy watched out of the corner of her eye as Angel twitched, almost dropped the masks and did a little juggling before settling back to staring at them with now slightly pinkened ears.
"But I think perhaps that you chose the right mask as you entered, it would match your costume very well."
"But it's so gorgeous, it must cost a fortune."
"Well, it is a reproduction mask, not one from Italy and despite the big plumes and dazzling tiara the paintwork is quite simple. It is easy enough to attach fine feathers or a tiara but to paint hundreds of tiny perfect stars by hand is the job of an artist, and much more time consuming."
Buffy smiled with excitement as Gina lifted the mask down, wig and all, "Really?"
Gina displayed the price tag and Buffy heaved a sigh of relief, "I thought it would probably be twice that."
She quickly held the mask up to her face without actually tying it on, "I love it!"
"And the wig will help ensure that no-one knows you except maybe your Angel." Gina added enthusiastically, "I believe it is a surprise unmasking?"
Buffy nodded in agreement, trying to tamp down on the warm squishy feeling she got at the words 'Your Angel'
"I'll have it all then." She said, delightedly bouncing over to where Angel stood. Feeling brave she slipped her hand through his arm and squeezed it gently. "Thank you so much for bringing me here Angel. I feel like I can't fail to be the belle of the ball now."
He gave her his adorable sexy little half smile and said "You would have been the most beautiful woman there no matter what you wore, but it was my pleasure."
Buffy practically swooned as she managed to throw him a dazed smile before a beaming Gina passed them both their bagfuls of goodies and waved them cheerfully out of her shop.
She was in big trouble here.
Really big.
*******************
"Morning Spikie," purred Faith over her mug of coffee as he staggered into the surprisingly hot fall sunshine dressed in boxer shorts and mirrored sunglasses.
Spike slowly made his way to the table and crashed into the seat not long vacated by his brother, "Mornin love," he responded. Faith just smiled at him before taking another bite of her cereal; he eyed her long tanned legs with appreciation. He felt a bit better already; a beautiful woman really was the perfect hangover cure.
"Have you seen Buffy this morning?" he addressed his mom as she bustled out with a mug of tea for him along with a crispy bacon sandwich.
"Yes, we had breakfast together along with Angel. They've popped into town to Masquerade, Angel needed a costume and I thought Buffy would enjoy it."
Spike took a swig of tea and grinned, "Wow, fast moves Buffster!"
His mom looked totally puzzled, Faith merely raised an amused eyebrow.
"Because Faith really likes him, she's probably trying to feel him out!" he quickly covered himself and Buffy.
His mom smiled happily at Faith and poured her more coffee as Faith busily glared at Spike.
"Feel him up is more like it!" She grumbled at Spike in a whisper.
As his mom rushed back indoors to attend to a decorating crisis Spike blinked dopily at Faith who reached over to tug down his sunglasses so she could look him square in his beautiful baby blues. "Buffy is my friend Spike, I know when she likes a guy or not. Those two strike sparks off each other and you're too busy checking out my legs to want to marry Buffy and yeah, I think your brother is pretty hot-"
Spike's face fell and he reached for his shades.
"But you're definitely hotter!" Faith finished teasingly.
Spike grinned, "Oh, yeah?"
"Definitely. Now explain the whole crazy plot you and B seem to have worked up."
