Was Buffy trying to give him a heart attack? Angel wondered ruefully as he
watched the two girls descend the staircase together. He had seen everyone
else come down except her and Faith. Although some of their costumes had
been pretty good he had been able to discern who was who without too much
difficulty.
He had got dressed in record time and run down to help his mom with last minute organisation, to help take his mind off the difficult decision he had to make. Option number one was to pretend nothing had ever happened and hope Buffy took the hint, option number two was to tell Spike what a faithless woman he was marrying - though that would make him look bad too and option number three was to assume that Buffy wasn't really faithless just that she'd fallen out of love with Spike and in love with him. There would be a lot of explaining to do if that was the case but it was much better than the other two scenarios. Telling Spike would be bad, but not telling him would be far worse really.
Angel shut his eyes. Why did life have to be so complicated? And why oh why did Buffy have to come down to the ball in a skin-tight skirt and her bra?! Personally he preferred the stunning red dress Faith was wearing that showed off an immaculate hourglass figure but all Buffy's skin on display in that stupid shell bra was going to cause a riot!
"Ladies!" he heard Spike shout triumphantly and saw him wrap an arm around each girl just as the guests began to arrive.
Angel turned away and strode out of the main doors. He couldn't watch Buffy cozy up to Spike when less than an hour ago she'd been lost in his arms, kissing him like she'd never be able to stop.
He paused beside the small box of masks designated for guests that had forgotten or not bothered to hide their faces. He could stay outside handing the damned things out for at least an hour whilst everybody arrived. It would be one less thing for his mom to worry about and it gave him a good excuse for keeping out of the way.
*******************
"Spike." Faith said, "If you knew we were Buffy and Faith but didn't know which of us was which who would you think was who?"
Spike digested this confusing statement and looked thoughtful, "Is this something about Angel?"
Buffy's mouth fell open, "Does everyone know about me and Angel except Angel?" she squeaked.
"Just answer the damn question blondie." Grumbled Faith.
Spike took a step back and eyed them both. "Well, you've actually got very similar figures and Faith, you aren't a lot taller than Buffy which could be put down to high heels so now you've hidden your faces I probably would have thought Buffy was you and vice versa judging solely on hair colour if I hadn't already known what Faith was wearing."
Faith grinned at Buffy, "Told you so, we can have fun with this."
"Does this involve my brother in some way Buff?" Spike demanded excitedly.
"I suppose." Mumbled Buffy unconvincingly.
"They shared a full on, body-grinding, lip-locking experience about three quarters of an hour ago." Faith put in helpfully.
Spike stared, "What? Even though he thinks I'm engaged to you Buff? That's a bit out of order if you don't mind me taking a minute to be bloody well pissed off."
"It wasn't his fault," Buffy hastened to add, "I pretty much grabbed him in a state of undress and backed him against a wall. He did kiss me back but he didn't start it and he did back off long before I would have done."
"Hmmff, I guess that's not so terrible," Spike admitted, "The poor sod did look pretty guilty when I saw him a little while ago. I'm still going to make him feel bad before I let him have you though."
"Spike!" Buffy ground out in exasperation.
"What?"
"That's not nice!"
"Neither is stealing my girl!"
"I'm not your girl!"
"He thought you were!"
"I didn't exactly act like your girl when I was all over him!"
"Shut it! Both of you!" Faith finally put in. "I don't think Angel was too out of line and planning to make him feel bad when he probably already does isn't funny. If I could see you and Buffy weren't for real maybe he's picked up on it too."
"Well he wouldn't have backed off if he thought that would he?" Spike demanded.
"No, but he might have unconsciously noticed the lack of chemistry between you two and felt the sparkage between him and Buffy."
Spike scowled.
"Now, Spike you and I are going to dance and then we are going to go out onto the balcony to," she paused meaningfully, "talk."
Spike immediately looked happier, "Yeah?"
Faith gave the sexiest look she could muster through the inconvenience of the mask and purred, "Damn right."
Buffy shook her head as the two of them moved away onto the dance floor that was already filling up fast, they really did make the perfect pair. Hopefully they had both realised that and wouldn't mess things up but it did mean she was dateless and friendless now.
Buffy sighed and scanned the room for her other friends, Anya and Xander were dancing like fools, swinging each other round and round and Willow and Oz were looking deep and meaningful over the punchbowl in the corner. Neither pair looked as if they'd be interested in acquiring a gooseberry.
Buffy sighed and plodded towards the side door, so much for being the belle of the ball in her fabulous scarlet gown.
He had got dressed in record time and run down to help his mom with last minute organisation, to help take his mind off the difficult decision he had to make. Option number one was to pretend nothing had ever happened and hope Buffy took the hint, option number two was to tell Spike what a faithless woman he was marrying - though that would make him look bad too and option number three was to assume that Buffy wasn't really faithless just that she'd fallen out of love with Spike and in love with him. There would be a lot of explaining to do if that was the case but it was much better than the other two scenarios. Telling Spike would be bad, but not telling him would be far worse really.
Angel shut his eyes. Why did life have to be so complicated? And why oh why did Buffy have to come down to the ball in a skin-tight skirt and her bra?! Personally he preferred the stunning red dress Faith was wearing that showed off an immaculate hourglass figure but all Buffy's skin on display in that stupid shell bra was going to cause a riot!
"Ladies!" he heard Spike shout triumphantly and saw him wrap an arm around each girl just as the guests began to arrive.
Angel turned away and strode out of the main doors. He couldn't watch Buffy cozy up to Spike when less than an hour ago she'd been lost in his arms, kissing him like she'd never be able to stop.
He paused beside the small box of masks designated for guests that had forgotten or not bothered to hide their faces. He could stay outside handing the damned things out for at least an hour whilst everybody arrived. It would be one less thing for his mom to worry about and it gave him a good excuse for keeping out of the way.
*******************
"Spike." Faith said, "If you knew we were Buffy and Faith but didn't know which of us was which who would you think was who?"
Spike digested this confusing statement and looked thoughtful, "Is this something about Angel?"
Buffy's mouth fell open, "Does everyone know about me and Angel except Angel?" she squeaked.
"Just answer the damn question blondie." Grumbled Faith.
Spike took a step back and eyed them both. "Well, you've actually got very similar figures and Faith, you aren't a lot taller than Buffy which could be put down to high heels so now you've hidden your faces I probably would have thought Buffy was you and vice versa judging solely on hair colour if I hadn't already known what Faith was wearing."
Faith grinned at Buffy, "Told you so, we can have fun with this."
"Does this involve my brother in some way Buff?" Spike demanded excitedly.
"I suppose." Mumbled Buffy unconvincingly.
"They shared a full on, body-grinding, lip-locking experience about three quarters of an hour ago." Faith put in helpfully.
Spike stared, "What? Even though he thinks I'm engaged to you Buff? That's a bit out of order if you don't mind me taking a minute to be bloody well pissed off."
"It wasn't his fault," Buffy hastened to add, "I pretty much grabbed him in a state of undress and backed him against a wall. He did kiss me back but he didn't start it and he did back off long before I would have done."
"Hmmff, I guess that's not so terrible," Spike admitted, "The poor sod did look pretty guilty when I saw him a little while ago. I'm still going to make him feel bad before I let him have you though."
"Spike!" Buffy ground out in exasperation.
"What?"
"That's not nice!"
"Neither is stealing my girl!"
"I'm not your girl!"
"He thought you were!"
"I didn't exactly act like your girl when I was all over him!"
"Shut it! Both of you!" Faith finally put in. "I don't think Angel was too out of line and planning to make him feel bad when he probably already does isn't funny. If I could see you and Buffy weren't for real maybe he's picked up on it too."
"Well he wouldn't have backed off if he thought that would he?" Spike demanded.
"No, but he might have unconsciously noticed the lack of chemistry between you two and felt the sparkage between him and Buffy."
Spike scowled.
"Now, Spike you and I are going to dance and then we are going to go out onto the balcony to," she paused meaningfully, "talk."
Spike immediately looked happier, "Yeah?"
Faith gave the sexiest look she could muster through the inconvenience of the mask and purred, "Damn right."
Buffy shook her head as the two of them moved away onto the dance floor that was already filling up fast, they really did make the perfect pair. Hopefully they had both realised that and wouldn't mess things up but it did mean she was dateless and friendless now.
Buffy sighed and scanned the room for her other friends, Anya and Xander were dancing like fools, swinging each other round and round and Willow and Oz were looking deep and meaningful over the punchbowl in the corner. Neither pair looked as if they'd be interested in acquiring a gooseberry.
Buffy sighed and plodded towards the side door, so much for being the belle of the ball in her fabulous scarlet gown.
