Little Bad
Chapter Five – Nap, Interrupted
Angel hummed softly to himself, stroking Spike's soft blonde hair, and every so often flipping the pages of the newspaper. The small vampire had been sleeping soundly on his lap for about half an hour.
"Hey, Angel-"
Angel cut Cordelia's loud interruption off with a finger to his lips, nodding to his lap.
"He's napping," he whispered. "What's up?"
"Just wanted to give you an update on the progress of that cure," the young woman said in a softer voice.
Angel waited for her to continue.
…and waited.
…and waited.
Finally, he asked, "And that progress would be?"
The former May Queen's eyes widened as she said, "Oh. There is no progress. That's why I didn't continue with that sentence."
"Clever," the vampire stated dryly. Cordelia knelt by Spike's sleeping form.
"He's oddly adorable right now."
"Won't be once he wakes up. That should be soon."
Angel watched as his young colleague ran a finger over the little boy's cheek with a gentleness he had no idea she possessed. Despite her tenderness, the little vampire's eyes flew open at the change of touch.
"'Lo," he mumbled sleepily, rubbing a small fist over his sleep-filled blue eyes. " 's goin' on?"
"Nothing important," Angel said lightly. "We were just discussing how adorable you are."
"Am not," the sleepy Spike replied indignantly.
"Are too," Cordelia interjected.
"Am not."
"Are too."
"Am not."
As to prove his point, the little vampire morphed into his gameface – something that he had rarely done since transforming into his miniature state.
"I'll bloody well eat you if you don't stop," he threatened. "I'm cranky. I'll do it." He snarled, bearing his teeth at the somewhat amused, somewhat disconcerted Cordelia.
"You absolutely will not," Angel butted in, grabbing his shrunken child around the middle and lifting him up onto his desk to face him. "We've talked about this. You're not to threaten our friends."
Defiant yellow eyes glared at him in response.
"Human face, William. Now." Though he sulked, Spike obeyed. Angel's mean voice was something to be reckoned with…something that Spike would rather not reckon with while cranky and sleepy. "What do you say to Cordy?"
Spike glanced briefly over at the pretty woman, who didn't look angry at all. Angel was angry…or on the verge of it. Bloody hell, seeing the poofter angry would be more entertaining than being obedient.
"Nice tits," Spike grinned.
The two gaped at him, aghast. Cordelia was unsure of how to respond to a four-year-old complimenting her breasts. Angel wasn't sure whether to laugh or scream.
"Inappropriate," Cordelia blurted once she regained her ability to speak. After swallowing back the initial shock, she clarified. "That was inappropriate."
"Very," Angel agreed. "William…"
"Yes, Daddy?"
Now he was just being manipulative and he was extremely aware of it. He watched as his sire's stern look faded away only to be replaced by a small smile and twinkling brown eyes.
"Cordy, I think he's sorry…" Angel said.
"Angel-"
"Just look at those big, apologetic blue eyes-"
"Angel…"
"He's just got a lot of pride. You can't squash a boy's pride. He's in that stage…what's it called? You know the one. Initiative vs. guilt…"
"Angel, what are you even talking about?"
"Erik Erikson, Cordy. The eight stages of human development. I heard Fred and Wesley yammering on about it one day and I thought to myself-"
"Angel, I really don't care-"
"…I thought to myself, I met Erik Erikson once. He was a man who knew what he was talking about. So he must have had a decent idea of what kind of stuff four-year-olds go through. Will is four…and he's just getting in touch with social interaction. If we suppress his open behavior now, he might get all wiggy later. Afraid to say things, you know?"
"Yeah, I know," Cordelia agreed, even though she didn't know and never really wanted to know. She just really wanted Angel to shut up. "By the way, have you seen my wallet?"
"It's not in your purse?"
"Nope. I don't know what I did with it. It's been missing all day."
"I'll keep an eye out."
"Thanks."
With that, Cordelia hastily excused herself and left the room, leaving the two vampires alone.
Angel rose from his chair and stretched, popping a few tense spots of his delectable body before heaving his childe into his arms and kissing the boy's forehead.
"You know you shouldn't say those things to girls, right?" he asked. "It's disrespectful."
Spike smirked. "I know, Daddy. I won't do it again. Promise."
No silly punishment for the Big Bad, he thought. Nope. Angel was completely wrapped around his little, cold, dead finger.
"That's my good boy," Angel cooed.
Your good boy, Spike thought. Yes. Your good boy that will have plenty of money for booze once he's back to his original size.
As it were, the little boy wrapped his legs around his sire's torso and his arms around the elder vampire's neck.
As it were, he kissed his protector's cheek in a rare display of childish affection.
"Aren't you sweet?" Angel smiled as he carried his childe out of the office to join his friends.
Sometimes, Spike thought as he watched Wesley desperately searching his back pocket for his wallet. Other times I'm just misunderstood.
TBC…
Author's Notes: Eh. Not the greatest chapter. Excuse Angel's psychology rant. I had no idea what to say next, so I thought back to my days in life-span developmental psychology class and decided to go from there. I also attempted to make Spike more evil but it seems kind of misplaced or something…even though it seemed like a Spike thing to do. Haha. All in all, this is a bad story. But it really should NOT have been taken down. I miss my 40-something reviews. =( Hope you enjoyed!