Title: The Babysitter
Author: Azure K Mello
Part: 30/?
Pairing: Angel/Spike
Rated: Adult
Type: AU
Summery: Will makes a good impression at Hanukah.
Disclaimer: I don't own BtVS
Angel had showered but was picking lumps of acrylic out of his hair when Willow came in to the bathroom. "Are you almost ready?" she asked.
"Yeah. Will's coming. I talked to Ira and Sheila, they're cool with it." He said pulling gel through his hair.
"Angel, look don't get mad, but why? I mean isn't this a bit serious? He already knows about…" She trailed off, not wanting to say Cathy's name.
"Willow, this isn't a dalliance."
"Be careful, not just for yourself. He's in love with you."
"That's a good thing."
"Yeah?" She picked up her toothbrush.
"Yeah."
There was a silence as Willow cleaned her teeth. "He's not a vampire right?" She asked through a mouth of foam.
"His dad's a Watcher."
"Of what?"
"Slayers, turns out they're real. He's not a vampire and he can take care of himself. I, um, quit hunting."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, well, I've apparently out lived the average Slayer by three years. I don't really want to tempt Fate."
She spat and looked up at him, "I like this Will."
"Shut up," he laughed. "I better get dressed."
The door bell rang and Willow said, "I'll get it."
She opened the door to Will in slacks, a blazer, and a tie and said, "You look spiffy."
"And you're ravishing," he replied taking in her green velvet dress.
She called over her shoulder, "Will's made an effort and worn a tie; you're not allowed jeans."
Angel came out in a t-shirt looked at Will, "Damn it, you look nice, but damn it."
"Be fast!" ordered Willow.
"Is my face okay? I mean, I'm covered in lumps of metal," said Will.
"Both their kids are gay, one's Catholic and the other's Wiccan, they aren't going to care about your face because they have to be open minded."
"I just don't want to upset them."
"They'll like you," she assured him as Angel came out of his room, hopping as he pulled on dress shoes. "Let's go." Angel picked up a big box of presents at the door.
"Will, will your drive?" asked Angel, he really didn't enjoy driving at all.
"Sure, I have to warn you, the gearbox is about to give up the ghost, not tonight or anything, but it's making a noise." As they drove Angel watched Will and asked, "How are you driving?"
"I'm double declutching. Second gear's fallen off. So to get into third I have to get up to speed, put in the clutch, switch to neutral, put in the clutch again, and rush into third."
"What's the bungee cord for?"
"Well it doesn't much like staying in third. I'm giving it two weeks, but none of the junk yards have one, there's nothing on the internet, but the internet switches fast, so hopefully I'll find one for her in the next two weeks. I won't matter what state it's in, I'll be able to fix it. This one is so completely shot it hurts." He was patting the steering wheel as though to comfort the machine.
"I thought DeSotos had 'no shift driving'."
"It used to but that conked out years ago, long before I had her, putting it into drive does nothing, it's manual by default. Power steering's still working."
Willow pointed over his shoulder directing him to the house.
Inside Sheila made a huge fuss over Angel's face as he kept assuring her it was fine. And Ira said to Will, "I've seen you on the news."
"Oh," Will thought about it for a few moments, "have I done something stupid?"
"No," Ira had a warm laugh, "no, it was about Local talent, you're band was on there."
"Ah, well we disbanded this morning actually. But we are going to re-band tomorrow. We need a new bass player."
"Oh, dear," said Sheila, "what happened to Oz?"
Will remembered Angel saying that Willow and Oz had been friends but felt he needed to be honest, "He beat someone up and we didn't much like that. So we chucked him out."
"Good for you."
He smiled and held out a snowman covered bag and said, "Thank you so much for having me." She opened it and he said, "I wasn't sure if you kept kosher."
"We don't, we gave up when Willow announced that she was vegan excepting bacon. Teenage rebellion can break a habit. But the thought is very kind and this is good wine. Thank you, Will, you didn't need to do that."
Ira said, "The kids are in the kitchen making dreidels; why don't you all go join them."
"Dad," Willow said with an edge of embarrassment, "Aren't we too old for dreidel?"
"It's gambling for chocolate, Wills," Angel said, "don't complain." He led Spike into the kitchen where a dozen children were making spinning tops out chocolate kisses, marshmallows, peanut butter, and pretzel sticks. Angel started eating the chocolate and running through introductions. Willow had a ton of cousins. Willow took away Will's dreidel and drew the symbols with food dye. When they were called to dinner they left the dreidels to dry on the counter.
They ate around three tables that sat next to each other. The conversations flowed between all three tables, back and forth. Tons of food was served with sweet wine but Spike didn't drink as he was driving. Family stories were shared and there was laughing and teasing. The candle was lit with prayers and blessings. Presents were handed out. Will was watching contentedly and was surprised when Ira handed him a small package. "Happy Hanukah, Will."
"Thank you so much," said Will, "that's so kind of you."
"Well, if Angel had told us you were joining us sooner it would have been more thoughtful."
"No, it's lovely."
"You are a well raised boy; you haven't even opened it yet."
Will pulled off the paper and said, "Wow, what a nice watch."
"It's self winding. It winds as you move."
"That is so cool, thank you." He pulled off his Velcro watch and replaced it with his new one. His shook his wrist and it started ticking. "Wow," he repeated.
Across the room Angel was speechless, "These, these, these. I jus- ah." He was holding a handful of brushes. "Camel, sable, horse, golden fox, silver fox, I'm holding a veritable pantheon of animal fur."
"You do realize your presents have had the same theme for five years, right?" Willow asked.
"What do you have?"
"Honey rosehip serum, I'm either cooking, bathing, or doing a rather complicated locator spell. I'm not sure what my theme is yet."
Once all the presents were opened there were deserts, and warm drinks. Angel looked at the doughnut in his hand and asked, "Is this dulce de leshe? I'm not sure I'm okay with this. Sufganiyahs need jelly."
"Trade?" asked Willow. "I haven't had one of those."
As they switched Shelia sighed, "Why can't you two ever eat off your own plates?"
Angel shrugged, "You trained us to share?"