Only one more chapter after this one. This is now from Riley's perspective. Hope you like.

Part Four

Wesley cleaned up exceedingly well. It was the first thing Riley thought when he caught sight of the man walking through the doors, casting his gaze over the restaurant until he laid his sights on Riley and began to make his way over. As disheveled as Wesley had looked running up to him in the parking lot, he looked great now. Wearing a slightly washed out dark navy casual suit that seemed a tad too big for him, but it somehow managed to work. His hair was neatly combed, parted and set instead of sticking up at all random angles. The glasses made the whole picture look entirely cute.

It was a lot easier to think about Wes' appearance than about what he had been told yesterday amongst the drunken rambling. Thoughts of guys and sex in the same sentence made him uncomfortable. Thoughts of demons in any sentence made him even more uncomfortable.

He really didn't know what the hell he was doing here. It was nothing more than an opportunity to completely mortify him. But he had to know...

About the demons. About what he could do to help. Because that's what he did. When he was a kid, it was helping the world from the evil minions of whatever imaginary beasts might be invading the Earth that day. When he was a teenager, it was stopping the bullies from picking on the weaker kids. Now that he was an adult, it was protecting his country as best he could.

Only now he found out that he wasn't doing the best he could because he didn't know that half the things he should be protecting his country from were even around. Didn't know that the imaginary beasts he'd thought up as a kid, might be a little more real than he'd imagined after all.

And, as always, he wanted to help. Wesley was providing him with the chance to do that. It he could convince the man to talk about it some more, preferably without getting him drunk first. That only ever worked the first time.

Wesley was smiling as he took the seat opposite Riley at the small table. Riley couldn't help but smile back, the already apparent awkwardness showing through Wesley's smile and again his thoughts drifted back to cute. Possibly adorable but he refused to entertain the thoughts for long enough that it actually got that far.

"Glad you made it. How's your hangover?"

Wesley ducked his head a little at the question. Riley smiled his amusement at the man's behavior. "It's fine, thank you." He eyed Riley shrewdly once he seemed to get his courage back. "I noticed you don't seem to have any problems."

"Teach you to drink quite so much." It was surprisingly easy to fall into a sort of playful bantering with Wesley. The man's tension and awkwardness nearly bled off of him and he raised a haughty eyebrow at Riley.

"Perhaps if someone hadn't been slipping me more at every opportunity."

Instead of replying with some flippant remark, Riley leant forward a bit, wanting to come back to the entire reason why he considered them both to be here. "I was curious."

Wesley seemed momentarily thrown by the change, his eyes darting quickly about the quiet restaurant before settling back on Riley. He leaned forward as well. "I can't really see why anyone would be curious about...demons." His voice went so quiet on the last word that Riley had to strain to hear him. "The usual reaction is screaming and running the other direction as fast as one can."

Riley could only shrug. "I'm not the usual person." The look that Wesley gave him at that comment made him think about boys and sex again. Or Wesley and sex. He carried on quickly. "I want to help."

Wesley was shaking his head before he had finished getting the words out. "It takes a tremendous amount of knowledge and training to be able to-" The waiter came then, Wesley cutting his words off abruptly at the interruption.

They each placed their orders, Riley not missing the way that Wesley ordered the cheapest thing and following suit. Once the waiter was away again, he continued before Wesley could.

"I'm a military agent, I have training."

Despite looking impressed, Wesley still protested. "Still, it takes...an entire lifetime to prepare for something like this. You can't just fumble on to it and expect to suddenly know-"

"Then teach me."

Wesley instantly tripped over his words, giving Riley a look of shock. "I...Pardon?"

"Teach me about demons." Wesley shushed him and he lowered his voice. "You seem to know a lot. Show it to me."

The awkwardness was instantly back, Wesley's shoulders tensed and he didn't quite meet Riley's eye. "I doubt that would be a very good idea." Wesley's entire manner said 'don't push'. With a sigh Riley let it go, giving a slight nod.

There had to be some way that he could find to help though, and he was sure that the answer laid within this man. Rogue Demon Hunter.

For now though, he laid off, not wanting Wesley to close off. Not giving up by any means but waiting for the right moment.

Wesley relaxed marginally after a moment, giving Riley a small forced smile and obviously trying to switch the topic onto something more neutral. Riley went with it, listening as Wesley stumbled his way through one topic to another.

By the end of the night, Wesley seemed to have relaxed again. While the awkwardness had its charms, Riley far preferred him like this. Rested back in his seat and not constantly watching what he said or the moves he made. It made for both of them being more comfortable.

As the evening wound down, both of them having eaten their decently good meals and now just sipping at coffee while they waited for the bill, Wesley began to look uncertain again. Riley gave a tilt of his head and waited for whatever it was Wesley had wanted to say.

"I must admit to being surprised that you're still here," he put forth stiltedly, as if the words could make Riley remember himself and leave.

Riley just frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean..." Wesley paused for an embarrassing moment. "Well you're clearly only here for the demon...aspect of it all. And since you didn't...get what you wanted...I thought..." He trailed off but Riley didn't need to hear the rest anyway.

Riley smiled with a small shake of his head. He reached a hand out to clasp over Wes' shoulder in an attempt to be reassuring and Wes jumped slightly in reaction. "I like the company as well."

"Oh." As much as he may have been trying, he couldn't hide the pleased reaction. Which pleased Riley as well and he grinned.

When they'd finally gone and Wesley had paid the bill, they'd found themselves out in the parking lot, hesitating over parting on their different ways. Riley to his car, Wesley to his bike.

Riley wasn't just talking when he'd said he liked to the company. Wesley was proving to be fascinating as well as nice to look at. "If you're sticking around awhile we could head out again tomorrow. I'll show you the sights of Huxley." He tried to grin. Not show the nervousness he felt. It sounded like he was asking Wesley out on a date and if he were being completely honest with himself he could admit that he kind of was.

But Wesley was hesitating before he'd finished. "Actually, I...I've got to be going. No rest for the good fighters, you know. And I can make quite a few miles before sunrise."

"Oh. Are you sure that's a good idea? Traveling at night. With the vampire's and...things." Disappointment was evident no matter how much he tried to hide it. And he was sure he would never get used to saying the word 'vampire' in such seriousness. Wasn't really sure if it was something he wanted to get used to.

"I've done so before. Plus, considering my job, I'd say it would be a good thing to run into a vampire." Wesley was smiling slightly at him. He also wasn't making any move towards his bike.

"But your hangover. You should probably sleep that off. Wouldn't want to cause an accident."

Amused for a moment, Wesley seemed about to agree with him before the man sighed and shook his head. "I can't."

"If you need a place to stay you're welcome to stay with me." He put the offer out without thought, surprised to hear himself say it but not regretting it. He didn't give up quite so easily and maybe with a bit more talking Wes could come around and teach him the demonology he seemed so fluent in.

Wesley seemed as surprised to hear the words as Riley was to say them. There was a moment's silence before he began to nod. "It would be nice to get a proper sleep."

Riley had to beam in happy triumph. "So you'll come home with me?"

Another pause and then Wesley was nodding, returning Riley's smile with a smaller one. "I'd like that."

"Great. I'm sure Grandma would love to me you."

Wesley paled, eyebrows raising. "...Grandma?"

But Riley was ignoring him, already turned and headed for his car, tossing a grin back over his shoulder at Wesley. "Come on. You can follow me."

Wesley nodded slowly and Riley got into his car, the sound of Wesley's bike started up a moment later and he pulled out of the parking lot, headed back towards Huxley with a Rogue Demon Hunter on his trail.

The house was small, surrounded on all sides by acres of fields. Located only a few minutes outside of Huxley, it was even more in the middle of nowhere. Riley loved it.

Loved to come and visit whether there might be a reason for it or not. It was nice just to come when he could and let everything else, stresses of being young, of being in the military, of being maybe not completely straight… It all didn't matter here. It all seemed small. Where he could just walk through the field paths with his grandparents' dogs and not worry about any of it.

Beside him, Wesley was looking more dubious about it all. Riley gave him an encouraging smile and with a sigh Wesley threw his leg over the bike and stood, looking ahead at the dark house.

The lights were out; meaning no one was probably home and the dogs were already beginning to bark at the sound of a strange vehicle. Wesley was looking worried so Riley leaned a bit closer to speak in a teasingly amused tone.

"They're harmless."

"Your grandparents?"

Riley stifled a laugh. "The dogs. But them too."

"Oh." Wesley was nervous, brushing down his jacket, making himself look presentable, which he already was.

Riley sighed, the smile still there but loosing that teasing edge. "You're fine."

He got a baffled look in return. "So your grandparents are simply okay with you bringing a strange man home?" Wesley sounded a little less than convinced that this would be true.

And when phrased like that, Riley was a little unsure as well. "They're not in anyways. Come on."

Pushing aside anymore hesitation, he stepped off towards the house, relieved to hear Wesley's footsteps following him in. Two happy, tail-wagging dogs greeted him as he opened the door, ignoring Wesley in his favor. Riley stooped to give them both the requisite pats once he was in the door.

When he looked back up from them Wesley was still hanging back, in the doorway but not actually stepping through. Wesley smiled at his attention and stepped in, looking about as he did so, speaking casually.

"One of the first rules about demons. Never invite anyone in, you can never tell when it might turn out to be a vampire."

Riley listened to the words and smiled. "Does this mean you've changed your mind?" he asked hopefully.

But Wesley gave a shake of his head. "Merely giving you some pointers."

"It's a start."