A/N)-Alright, here is the beginning! Its the beginning of Angel/Connor days- 5 nights (including Christmas Eve) of father and son bonding. Its still Tuesday night, so there's Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday left. Sunday is Christmas day and will b the end of all warmies. CONNOR TORTURE IS CHRISTMAS DAY AND BEYOND, just 2 let u all kno why its taking so long. I hafta get these days out of the way 1st, plus Im just a sukker for Angel and Connor fluff. XD Connor's birthday (the 1 I kreated 4 him- December 28) will b the ending 2 this fik. Maybe a prologue after because of what I have planned for Lorne, but...heh.
Ok. Chapter 12 now.
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A dark-suited and eager vampire was practically flying out of his workplace before the hand twitched to ten pm, ignoring every odd look given to him and every hectic request thrown at him as he raced for the large parking garage, already knowing which specific car would best fit his needs.
He took off down the streets, the car nearly hitting 90 and squealing as it weaved in and out through traffic, catching the eyes of surprised cops who didnt even attempt to follow the fast automobile that picked up speed through yellow and tore under red.
Not that they could, anyways.
The racing fans out of the bunch of blue and black uniformed men were much more happier just watching the sleekness of the creature that passed before them almost quicker than the eye could handle. No one dared to follow it.
Angel pulled up to his destination, eyes alighting as they fell upon his Firebird parked outside, but no matter how much his suddenly frazzled nerves quivered or his mind screamed to leap out and bolt for the door, he stayed put, his body firmly planted within his low-rider car.
Connor was just inside before him, not more than a few yards away and this was technically the first night to be spent together. Out of a year of missed chances and bonding moments ruined, this was finally the start of something he had always hoped for.
Father and son together.
No demons, no interuptions, no hate, and nothing bad to come inbetween. Every step now would erase every mistake ever made.
He frowned suddenly, flicking open the viser mirror to...
He then stupidly realized...yeah, he didnt have a reflection.
Connor. Its Connor. Connor is right in front of me, two doors away, waiting for me, Angel thought over and over again, trying to gather as much courage as possible, but only feeling seemed to surface, one that he didnt feel too often.
Fear.
No, apprehension. This was not something to be afraid of, he told himself yet again, but truth was, he was terrified.
Shaking himself out of his unnerving thoughts and now feeling completely dumb, he finally slipped out from the car, as if a shadow to further blend into the night. Pausing before closing the door, he took the steps up to the hotel two at a time, feeling the familiar swell of eagerness pool into his body again.
Just before the door, though, he stopped and furthermore frowned, cursing his nerves as they shook his entire body. What was he going to say once he saw the boy? What would his son say to him? He didnt even have a clue as to what they were going to do that night. He hadnt thought up a plan of action at all.
Dammit, he thought, why is this so hard?
Growing frustrated and stealing back strength, he continued on his way forward, his brain running a mile a minute, but whatever was to happen, he told himself, it all would be ok. His son was finally with him again. Everything would turn out alright. He was there to be whatever love his son needed and wanted and that was the only thing he was positive about.
And the only thing he, himself, needed.
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"You can leave from the door, you know. He wont be here until later anyways. That place is never over early."
"I know," Connor replied with a shrug from his perch on the bottom step of the hotel's entranceway. "But I want to wait for him." Plus, he didnt feel right entering all the way without Angel. This was Angel's home, Connor had to remind himself, not his.
Not yet, at least.
And a chill had crawled up his spine when he had first walked in with Spike, but he hadnt followed all the way, instead opting to drop onto the last stair he stepped across. Angel wasnt with him. Angel wasnt there.
He would go no farther until he saw his father.
Spike looked away, grumbling to himself. He didnt understand why it bothered him so, watching the kid with an almost pathetic puppy look to his face as he waited for his father. The kid hadnt budged an inch since they got there.
Then his eyes fell on the thing that caused even more aggravation.
"See that tree there?" He motioned to the big green thing in the corner. "Yeah, its yours."
"What?"
"That tree. He bought it for you."
Connor laughed. "He's giving me a tree?"
"No, you twit, its for your holiday." He didnt celebrate Christmas, after all. "Made me lug that bloody thing all last night from the 'evil empire' itself, useless poof he is."
Connor raised a delicate eyebrow. "Why do you still call Wolfram & Hart evil? My dad's there now running for it. Its a good place." Again, he was bewildered why it was so easy to refer to Angel as his dad when the vampire wasnt actually around. And it was just plain weird hearing it come out of his mouth when describing the other man.
But Spike ignored the question, instead, continuing his rant as if he was the most abused and selfless creature that was ever placed on God's green earth. "Made me carry the damn thing here, he did. And this whole place is cleaned because of me. Your blue-arse room, well, the door atleast, dusted and the fridge restocked all because Im the mighty slave now that your daddy there begged me to be. Even a tele, I bought you wankers. Bloody hunk of junk if you ask me, but he begged me to purchase it, I tell you...No, more like got down on his hands and knees and groveled before me-"
Connor jumped up.
He was here.
"What was I doing now?"
Connor walked over quickly but stopped just before reaching the older man and stared up at him with a wide semi-bashful smile. Angel crossed his arms and glanced over at Spike.
"I was just telling him how last night went along."
"Ahuh, with some untruths added in for good measure?" But Angel lost his scowl as his eyes met his son's. "Hey." He contemplated walking forward and just hugging the boy outright, but thought better of it as his apprehensive level peeked. So he stood there silently and waited for his son to say something.
However, Connor was facing the same dilemma, his nervousness sky-rocketing through the roof. He folded his arms to match his father's and looked down for a moment, hoping to find something to distract himself with, but seeing only the impeccable marble floor, he looked up and trained unsure eyes on the person in front of him.
Angel cleared his throat finally. "So...how was your day?"
"...Good."
"I uh...see your clothes fit."
Connor's eyes shifted. "Yeah, they do...thanks."
Angel nodded and tried to think of something else. Connor looked up at him expectantly. Spike just gave them both a funny look.
"Did ou bring your night things?"
A nod.
"Last day of school?"
"Yeah."
"Was it fun?"
"No."
"Oh. I know school's never fun bu-"
"-I got detention."
"...What?"
A grin. "Didnt go, though."
"..."
Spike rolled his eyes, finally sick of it all. "Oh for bloody Pete's flamboyant sake, just get it over with already!" He climbed up the stairs and moved behind the older man, giving him a hard shove. Angel went flying forward with a small noise and wide eyes. "You're going to make me hurl with the way you two are carrying on like this!"
Angel landed unsteadily in front of his son, shooting the platinum vampire an angry gaze, but Connor soon blocked half of his view with his small statue and grinned up at him, opening his arms wide.
"Now this is where you create one of those daytime soap scenes and move into your bouncing baby lad's arms, all-the-while promoting the destruction of tile floors by heavage," Spike drawled out sarcastically as he leaned onto the door behind him when Angel made no attempt to step forward.
"Im giving you the invite here, Angel," Connor grinned impishly, still holding his arms open wide, though turning his head away.
But when Angel reached out, it was not to grab his son, but the boy's shirt collar instead. Another thought had come to mind. With gentle expertise, he inspected, and to his relief, ...found nothing. "It healed up nicely," he commented with a smile.
"Yep. Was completely gone by this mornin-" His words were muffled as he was quickly pulled into a tight hug. Spike, from behind, rolled his eyes as he lit a smoke.
"Im glad." Angel secured his arms around Connor's shoulders, bringing him closer, but after a second of breathing in deeply, the boy pulled away, noticing with a blush it was a difficult task. He crossed his arms and looked away again, becoming embarrassed. Angel just gave a crooked smile, completely understanding, but still weaved his cold fingers through the boy's silky hair, wanting to keep the contact in some way.
"Bloody hell, I feel it coming..."
Connor raised an eyebrow, shooting his father a grin. "I had to sit and listen to that for hours, you know." The mushy tension was over and he was relieved to see the older vampire grin right back at him.
"Now you see what I have to put up with everyday," Angel sighed, folding his arms.
"Put up with me? I damn well say I have to put up with you and your bloody daft ideas of saving people and lamebrain excuses for not doing your intended job-"
"-Spike, you know that character from Snoopy, the guy that always goes 'WahWahWahWah' in a low key voice? Yeah, thats all I hear every time I see you open your mouth."
"What in the blazes is a snoopy?"
"Youve never seen Snoopy before?" Angel was shocked! Everybody who has every laid eyes on a television set must have seen Snoopy at some point in their life!
"Watching a black and white cartoon mutt dance across the screen to get to his doghouse is not my idea of jolly good times, thank you very much."
"But you know what it is," Connor then pointed out with a sly grin. He knew it.
"..."
Angel turned to his son. "So uh you hungry?" And when the boy nodded, he shot the platinum haired man behind him a glare.
Spike inspected his smoke before putting it back to his lips, looking indignant. "I asked. Said he wasnt hungry, he did." He suddenly tossed a pair of keys to the other vampire which Angel caught easily with one quick swipe of the air. "Beer's waiting for me, mate. I'll be taking my leave now, if you dont mind." It was hard letting them go, those keys, but he half-wondered what Angel had brought for him to complete his excursion back.
But he was surprised when the older man instantly threw back the keys with no amount of hard-up expression on his face. Spike raised an eyebrow.
"Give it a good run for me, Spike."
"What?"
Connor grinned from behind his father as Angel looked up again, smiling as if he caught the white-haired man doing something black-mail-worthy. "And fill it up when youre done with it. All the way."
Spike, at first, looked shocked then groaned, immediately realizing the hidden meaning. "How 'bout I just drive back the clunker you surely trailed after your pissy arse to-"
"-You couldnt handle what I took to get here."
As soon as the mocking words left the older vamp's mouth, Spike rushed directly to the door, flinging it open like a crazed child just told the best present in the world was merely a few feet away outside, but he stopped before running out and dropped his head with a hearty sigh of annoyed disappointment as he heard the tinkling sound from behind him.
Angel stood, with his son, jingling a keychain of silver keys in the air with a wry grin.
"Bloody wankin'-"
"-Ready to go?" The vampire father asked the boy next to him, patting his back with eager enthusiasm.
"Yes, well, fix yourself up for a pissin' swell surprise in the morning, you bloody arse," Spike glowered, still trying to gain the upper hand on the other immortal as the duo walked right on past him out the door. "A little redecoration is in order, if I must say. Flames as bright as the sun adorning your precious car in paint, how would you like that?"
"Spike..."
"And junior, better watch out for that one," Spike motioned with his head to the older man. "Heard bossy-boy there goes a little potty in the wee nights. Something about waking up and screaming he's not a eunuch-"
"-Spike!"
"Whats a eunuch?" Connor tilted his head up at his father in curiosity as Angel kept his glare fixed on the man in front of him.
"Why, come closer and I'll tell you, li'l poof," Spike grinned, seeing Angel's angry face.
"Is it something bad?" Connor asked innocently, while beginning to move back to the smoking vampire, but Angel stopped him with a hand to his thin shoulders, turning him around.
"Connor, lets get some food into you. Its late. And you," he glanced back at his old friend, eyes glinting with dark brown excitement as his smirk was back in place. "I'll race you out of here, Spike."
And Spike took that challenge.
Like a little boy, he raced for the old but fashionable black car and jumped in, eagerly starting it but also lighting up another smoke, all the while thinking he had it all. The car, his smokes, and the win. The ignition started and he pulled out, just about to get onto the road when Angel pulled up beside him, passenger window rolled down and Connor grinning out as the older vampire waved with a broad, mocking smile from just behind.
Spike's jaw dropped.
And smoke fell out.
"Bloody glutton-poof bastard!"
A silver 1997 McLaren F1 was rumbling beside him, quiet 620 horsepower engine humming like angels playing music to his ears. Chrome exterior and black indents all around left the car with the look of a well-chiseled arrow and leaning upwards to get a better view but not having it look so noticeable, Spike saw black leather interior with blue lights everywhere the two's feet could possibly step.
"Like what you see, Spike? This car was part of the only 8 created for the FIA GT World Championships of its time." Angel then gave a laugh. "And this car won." Spike glared at that. Of course the 'Champion' would have a 'champion' car. "This baby is one of the fastest, most powerful, and most expensive road cars ever created. It can go from one to a hundred miles per hour in less than 7 seconds, but thats not all. Guess what highest speed it has- the highest speed ever recorded with THIS car."
Spike growled as Connor answered for him, eyes shining bright. "241 mph! How kool is that!" he said, as if just finding out himself.
"And look. The doors open up," Angel demonstrated, pressing a button and watching as his side lifted high into the air. "By the way, Spike, youre not going to win, so you might as well just give up now," he grinned.
But Connor, taking pity on the other vampire, looked over again. "Do you want to come with us?"
"What do you say, Spike? Up for a little bite to eat? If you want, you can follow us," Angel laughed again, "if you can keep up, that is."
"Kiss my Motherland arse," Spike then put out his cig on the outer side of the Firebird door, watching with satisfaction as Angel's eyes narrowed.
"Suit yourself. And you'll be kissing my a...-" He quickly looked to his son, switching his word instantly, "asphalt any way you look at it. IF you can see it." With that, he revved the silver creature he was in and took off, the car making a quick turn, then hitting the road at a speed limit far from legal.
Spike slumped in his car and thumped the steeringwheel harshly, muttering curses. Still glaring, he drove away, headed for an old buddy that did lovely craftsmanship and detail, especially of the bright and orange variety.
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They stopped at a popular outside fastfood joint in the center of L.A., got their food, and chose to sit down at one of the many circular tables littered around with hard umbrella tops overhead. Teenagers flocked around and large groups of friends sat at other tables surrounding father and son, conversing loudly about past events.
One group in particular almost as loud as what a commotion would be defined as, but Angel ignored them, smiling at his son across from him, who was casually sipping on his soda.
"So detention, huh?" Connor nodded. "For what?"
"Not paying attention."
"What were you doing?"
Connor smiled. "Talking to you."
Angel looked almost apologetic while stern at the same time. Just like a father, Connor thought with a wistful look in his eyes. He never had paid close attention to the vampire before.
"Connor, I didnt-" But he stopped, seeing his son just wave away the comments.
"-It doesnt matter anymore and what are you going to do, ground me for it? You know I'll only like that." The boy surprised himself with his honest answer even though he covered up all the traces of hidden meanings with a smirk. Angel only stared back at him, mouth agape, as Connor turned away again, quietly munching on French fries.
They were quiet for a moment, not uncomfortably so, but time just seemed to... flow away, and after a while, Angel pushed his food to the side, having no intention of eating.
"So...what time exactly do you need to be...back?"
Connor caught how the man hesitated on the word and he, himself, inwardly cringed at it too, plus the bottom line was he didnt even want to think about yet.
Going 'home', that is.
"Just sometime in the morning. Probably before Dormon goes to work." It was so easy saying 'Dormon' now instead of dad and he thanked his brain for that.
Angel was his dad, after all.
"Well, when's that?" Angel gave him a steady look, masking the twinge of anger at the name that came from his son's mouth.
"8am." Suddenly, Connor's eyes widened and he put a hand to his lips, trying to muffle the laughs that escaped. His father raised an eyebrow at the boy's strange antics. Connor just pointed, his eyes dancing with mirth.
"What? What is it-Hey!" A dog, quickly wagging his black shiny tail to and fro, was hungrily gobbling up his food on the table. "What the-!" The dog's head shot up at Angel's surprised voice, instead, devouring the rest in a heartbeat, then practically galloped over to Connor and stuck his head on his lap, sniffing him. Connor continued to laugh as he pet the mutt happily.
"Connor, dont touch it. It could hav-"
"Oh, excuse me, Im so sorry! Thats my dog." A slightly chubby blonde girl walked up, looking embarrassed. "Monkey! Cmon, we're done. Lets go home." She looked back at Angel again as Monkey didnt move from his place at Connor's side. "Im so sorry. I'll buy you back your food, if you want..."
"He wasnt going to eat it." Connor looked over at his father, grinning, then tilted his head up at the girl, who was blushing madly. "He's still a puppy, right? Why did you name him 'Monkey'?"
"He's actually my little sister's dog and yes, he's still a pup- a really big pup. My sister wanted a monkey at first then saw him. She's only five. Monkey's almost a year old now." With one more hearty pat, Connor motioned for the dog to follow his owner while the girl blurted out one more apology before leading the gratefully full 'Monkey' away.
The blue-eyed Miracle Child grinned over at his father. "That was so funny! You should have seen your face!" He laughed some more, before finishing his food, waving each fry before the man that had nothing left to eat. But Angel didnt fall for the teasing bait, instead smiling gently back at his son. Connor raised his eyebrows after a while, getting confused. "What?"
"You seem to like dogs..."
Connor straightened. "Well, yeah. Big dogs, though, not those little ones. Puppies are...cute. I always wanted a dog. Dormon hates animals..." He looked down and fidgeted, feeling slightly embarrassed for a reason he didnt know of.
Angel again smiled, thankful he had another idea of what to get his son for Christmas.
The commotion behind them suddenly escalated, but Connor paid it no mind, instead yawning. He didnt sleep in any of his classes like he usually did.
"Tired?"
"Yeah," Connor yawned again. "I didnt get much sleep last night."
Angel gave a lop-sided smile. He himself had tossed and turned all night long too, feeling uncomfortable without having a certain somebody around. "Me neither. Finished eating?" When Connor nodded, Angel stood, reached over, and ruffled his son's hair affectionately. Connor ducked his head, trying to hide his small beam. "Alright. Lets head back and get some sleep. Its almost midnight anyway."
Connor grinned. The thought of sleep was the best idea all day. It would be his first night back at the Hyperion. It felt like he hadnt slept there in years, and the thought was even more pleasing now that Angel was back with him. He missed his old room, even though nothing was to be surely left in it, and didnt care for the one at the Rilleys, but nothing compared to the simple fact of him staying the night under the same roof as his vampire father.
Nothing compared at all.
Standing up, he grabbed his coke, and as Angel went off to dispose of the trash, he suddenly felt the loudness behind him come closer. Before he even realized it, a man, laughing gaily and probably drunkenly since he seemed to be playfully fighting with other red-faced friends, crashed into his back and, once realizing he had crashed into a kid, grabbed Connor harshly to prevent the boy from falling.
But Connor froze, far from falling, and gasped as a memory crashed into him also, not a painful one but a chilling one that had happened just that morning.
-"Dont you fucking dare give me that again! You were with him, werent you!" Dormon was right behind him and he heard himself gasp as he was violently pushed from behind to fall on outstretched arms to the bed under him. "Werent you!"-
It was over just as quickly as it had popped up, being brought about suddenly from the jolt of the other man, but the effects left him shaking as the memory disappeared and uncomfortable arms wrapped around him, a deep and laughing voice close to his ear.
"Woh! My bad! Why, arent you a pretty little thing! Im so drunk, you have nooo idea!"
Connor gasped, trying to fling the offending parts off, but he was suddenly pulled into safer-feeling arms, bigger arms, ones that held him gently but firmly even as his own arms clung tightly and protectively to his chest. The other man stumbled back, not the alcohol's doing, as he saw the hateful glare that promised death to him if he repeated the acts he had mistakenly done. Connor clung to the man that held him, still shaky from his own torment that others hadnt witnessed, and Angel, seeing his son burrow into his dark jacket as if frightened, grew even more enraged at the man and his friends now circled around.
Directing his cold gaze to the man that had touched the bundle in his arms, he shot off each word like a deadly threat. "Dont ever come near my son again."
The drunk man cocked his head to the side as he stared back at the vampire, a creature more like a lion ferociously protecting his cub, then wondered, along with the rest of his red-faced buddies, why the enraged immortal hadnt made a move to fight him. They were all drunk. They were all eager to be set off. They were all ready for a good rumble if it came.
But after leaving enough silence for his deadly demeanor to have its intended significance, Angel did something he hadnt done in a long time, while looking around and seeing the growing crowd of stunned people all around them, and it didnt take long to rethink his options and come to the same conclusion.
Angel walked away, a silent Connor in tow.
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The trip back to that part of the city's large parking garage was filled with silence, excluding the noises of all of L.A. around them, Angel lost in thought and Connor feeling blank.
Once inside and heading for the car, Angel drew closer to his son who had quickly broken from his fierce embrace once they had walked away from the restaurant. He cleared his throat, the sound echoing, and matched strides with the boy, now both walking side by side.
"Connor, are you alright?"
"...Yeah." Connor looked down, watching his shadow tremble below him along the dark concrete.
"Im sorry about all that before. Its just when he...when he touched you, I-"
"-Its ok. It wasnt your fault. They started it." Connor quietly cut him off.
More awkward silence.
The vampire sighed as they continued to walk. "Are you sure youre OK?"
"Quit asking that."
"..."
The boy sighed. "Angel-"
"-I saw what he did."
Connor started to grow nervous and didnt reply.
"And I saw how scared you were." Angel swallowed.
Again, Connor was silent, turning away as they both went up a level more towards the car. He almost wished they had taken the elevator now, but Angel had led him away, seeing how full it already was.
"...Why were you so frightened?"
"He caught me by surprise is all-"
"-I saw your face," Angel pointed out quietly, keeping his voice both low and gentle. "You were scared of something, Connor. Something else." He was quiet for a second then figured the best bet to know what had troubled his son was to just full-out ask. "What were you afraid of?"
"Nothing. He caught me by surprise," Connor repeated the excuse.
"Look at me and tell me that, son."
They both stopped, oddly enough in front of the silver McLaren, and Connor turned to his father, staring straight into his eyes with as much honest calm as he could muster.
"He caught me by surprise, Angel. Thats it."
And Angel reluctantly tried to believe him, dropping it, but left it open in his mind, even though frustratingly shoved back with all other worries to mull over at a later time. "C'mon. Lets go home." He tried to make his voice lighter as they both quietly got into the car and left, one still worried and the other feeling ashamed at the lies he had already begun to start.
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They entered the hotel, the awkwardness thankfully replaced with grinning chitchat on the car ride home as they talked about Christmas and presents and events after, but the day of Connor's seventeenth birthday hadnt come up, neither wanted to talk about it, not until Angel led his grinning son up the stairs and around the corner to the boy's old room, the vampire smiling widely himself.
He opened the door and ushered Connor in, his boy looking around himself and shivering with unhindered pleasure as long-ago memories washed over his body, delighting him to the core.
Angel treaded over to the bed and grinned. "Remember this little thing?" He was holding up the gameboy. "Replaced the batteries of course, but I never moved it. And I never let anybody else in this room after you...left." His gaze grew sad for a second but was quickly replaced with an eagerness to please his son. "Your birthday's close after Christmas. I was thinking I could take you out on a really big shopping spree to get whatever else you wanted to put in here. Or even redecorate the whole room itself, if you want." Anything to keep his son happy.
Anything to keep him there.
But Connor mutely shook his head.
"Oh." Angel's grin fell for a second as he misunderstood, then abruptly turned it back into a smile. "Or we could do that first. I mean, if you have something else in mind for your birthday-"
"-Thats not what I meant." Connor walked over and sat on the bed, looking around. "I dont want this room changed. I like how it is."
"But...it has nothing in it." Just a gameboy, Angel thought, shocked.
But Connor again firmly shook his head, smiling. "I like it. This is my room. It feels like my room." His other room didnt feel like his, it wasnt comfortable. And it didnt feel like...smell like...
Angel.
Angel's eyes softened as he understood. "Well, about your birthday...I was thinking about something." Angel absently scratched at his nose while sitting down next to his son, keeping close. "Maybe I could talk to them. Work out something that would have us both see you that day. I know they would want you...there, but...I want you here with me, too, Connor."
Connor nodded, looking down at his hands that he soon shoved under his thighs. "I'll talk to them. It'll probably be OK." He suddenly yawned again, then soon after, felt his father get closer, and stiffened, but Angel paid no attention as he ruffled the boy's dark hair with affection.
"You should get some sleep. Let me grab you some extra blankets while you change out of those clothes."
When he returned, Connor was still just sitting on the bed, fully dressed. Angel raised a thick eyebrow. "Didnt you bring some nightclothes? Err PJs?"
Connor gave a bashful smile, ducking his head. "Oops. I forgot." Another lie. "Can I borrow one of your shirts?"
Angel nodded. "Any kind?"
"A big one."
"They'll all be huge on you, Connor," Angel laughed but moved away to grant the request. He came back and threw the shirt lightly on top of his son's head as the boy gave a small blush. "Anything else?" Connor shook his head. "Did you bring a tooth brush? And your phone charger? An outlet's right by the bed..." Angel stood, looking timid, as Connor nodded, almost laughing at how nervous his father seemed.
"Yep, got it."
"OK, well, I guess..." He moved back over to the bed and leaned down, pushing back Connor's bangs, and planting a gentle and loving kiss on his boy's forehead. Connor just stared up, body tense. "Goodnight, then, son." He straightened, letting loose a crooked smile. "I would tuck you in, but..."
"Im fine, Angel, geez."
Angel nodded.
He knew his son wouldnt let him indulge in the one thing he, at the moment, wanted, anyway.
Needed.
But Connor's wishes always came first.
"Ok, well goodnight again. Im just a few rooms down if you need me."
"I know. I remember."
"Alright." He looked hesitant, extremely hesitant to leave, but did so anyways, closing the door shut with a click.
Then soon opening it.
"Do you want me to shut the door all the way?"
"Whatever."
"OK." He closed the door.
And again, opened it. Connor raised an eyebrow.
"Do you need more pillows? More blankets?"
"Im fine."
"OK." The door closed again. Connor waited.
Open. "Are you sure you dont need anything? Maybe a glass of water-"
"-Angel..."
The vampire nodded, closing his mouth along with the door again. Connor didnt move.
Open. "I forgot to tell you," Angel laughed a little, eyes looking agitated, "If you wanted to take a shower in the morning, towels are in the closet across the hall-"
Connor just huffed.
"Right, right, Im going. Just wanted to say that. 'Night." The door shut for the hundredth time.
Connor tapped his foot, both hands on the bed.
...Open. "If you want me to turn up the-"
"-Dad. Get out."
"Right. Sorry." Close.
Finally left alone, Connor took out his things, overlooking a certain nightshirt but taking out his old pair of soccer (a sport he had despised and thanked whatever it is out there that the memory wasnt even real) shorts, and set up the phone charger for the cell's next day use. Putting on the large black shirt and shorts, he undid the bed and got in, smiling as he was surrounded by everything Angel, everywhere around him and now on him.
Just as he had settled though, wondering distractedly what his father was doing at that very moment, the said-man popped in yet again, answering his silent question.
Connor huffed again, sitting up, but when seeing the vampire, he started to laugh, finding everything just too funny.
And Angel must have heard.
"Oh my God, I only came back to give you this, I swear!" Angel stood in the doorway, head turned away and one hand over his eyes oddly, as he waved a teddy bear out towards his son. "I swear, Connor."
But the boy just rolled his eyes, climbed out of bed, grabbed his pillow, and stalked past the older man, not turning around even as Angel's shocked voice called out behind him.
"Wait! Connor, Im sorry! I seriously only..." He trailed off as he watched the boy open a door from down the hall and walk in.
His room.
He slowly walked in after, greeted with the sight of Connor already tucked away inside his large bed. The bed itself dwarfed his boy and contrast of black on white stood out noticably well.
"Connor,...you do realize where you are, right?" Angel stood in his doorway, not moving. Connor didnt respond, snuggling in deeper under the covers.
They were both silent for a while until the boy looked over. "I cant go to sleep with you standing there like a stalker, Angel. Get in before you start to creep me out. I couldnt sleep well last night for a reason, anyways."
"...What?"
"Oh jeez, I hope your kind of intelligence doesnt run in the blood." Connor didnt want to say it, wasnt going to say it.
The reason why he couldnt sleep.
But his eyes widened as Angel started to grin, making his way over and silently slipping in, pulling his son close while Connor let him.
"Then how about we get rid of all that stupid pesky blood inside you?" Angel bared his teeth playfully, feeling a hundred percent comfortable with making his joke and equally confident with his son taking it as just that.
A joke.
But Connor only obliged, turning his head and offering his pale and youthful neck as he scooted closer into the arms of his vampire father. "Go ahead," he smiled.
Angel went further with the joke, bending his head even closer and now hearing the pulse beat rhythmically beneath unblemished skin, but when Connor didnt even hold his breath or flinch, only closing his eyes with an almost peaceful look, his father suddenly became worried, and sickened himself with the true thought of feeding off his own beautiful offspring.
He grimaced and pulled away, then bent down low again and kissed the precious warm skin below him. At that moment, Connor did flinch. He looked up in surprise at his father, fingering the spot on his neck the vampire's lips had touched only seconds ago.
"I would never think of hurting you, Connor," Angel smoothed back the boy's hair, speaking gravely. "Never in any lifetime would it even be possible."
The vampire rested his head on the pillow again and brought his son closer to his chest as the boy gazed back at him with an embarrassed smile, which turned into an impish smirk in a heartbeat.
"You did it wrong, anyways."
"What?" Angel watched as Connor pulled away to lie on his back.
"Youre suppose to say: 'I vant. To suck. Your blood!' "
"..."
"And you gotta say it in that voice. You know, that Transylvanian vampire accent?"
"..."
"Then you gotta do this crazy laugh- Muwahahahahahaaaaa! Like that."
"..."
"I think you have to count with somebody, too...Wait, noooo, thats a different cartoon..." Connor poked his chin, contemplating.
"Connor?"
"Hm?" The boy looked over with a grin, his eyes twinkling bright even in the darkness of the room.
Angel kissed him lightly on the forehead then gave him a look, still smiling however. "Go to sleep."
"'K."
lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost
He was shaking so hard he couldnt even walk straight. His dad was drunk again. Home from work, drunk, and now mad. Connor's stomach rumbled loudly with hunger as he continued his unsteady trek to the kitchen, hoping he would just be left alone for the night.
But he was in no such luck, because the man suddenly appeared right in front of him, looming like a shadow that was clinging to the entryway, a semi-empty bottle of cheap whiskey in a lax grip.
"Where ya think yer goin'?" Connor warily walked past him as the man tried to keep his balance, leaning heavily against the white wall. "I asked ya a fucking question, you lil shit."
Connor chose to keep his mouth shut as he surveyed the dimly lit area quickly, eyeing the food already prepared but cold on top of the black stove. He reached up at the cabinet door in front of him, taking out a plate as he felt and smelled the presence behind him come closer.
"Aw, gettin' food?" came an intoxicated and cooing voice filled with obvious mockery as Dormon again found a wall to lean on, raising the bottle to his cracked lips. "I dun think ya really need any."
The small sixteen year-old turned and held the clean, ceramic plate to his chest in an almost shield-like action, waiting and hoping the man would go away to leave him on his own.
He suddenly flinched harshly as a tan-skinned arm flung out in front of him, knocking the plate violently out of his hands to crash to the kitchen's tiled floor below. It shattered and rang in the boy's ears as he stood there, staring down in shock.
Dormon looked down at it too, as if it was something fascinating, then swung his drunken gaze to the boy, sneering. "Well? Clean it up, boy."
Connor started to shake again as he bent down, his fingers trembling as they picked up the biggest pieces first and then the jagged ones, wincing slightly as the small pearl-white fragments cut into his skin. When finished, he stood up, the pieces piled up in his open palm.
Dormon just stared back at him, eyes blank.
"W-Where do I put them?" The boy stuttered, noticing now how quiet the whole house was as he heard his voice shake almost too loudly around him.
"Down yer throat." Dormon turned away, cracking up, as he maneuvered his body away from the paralyzed boy. "Maybe then, I won' hafta feed ya anymore."
A droplet of blood dripped onto tile as Connor looked on as if in a daze, an unfamiliar feeling of fear grazing up his spine as the drunk man walked out.
XFLASHX
He was suddenly at the Hyperion, on the bottom level. Everything looked to be moved back again, the red, plush furniture pushed off to the side as if dejected and the floor was bare...
Save for one lone boy sitting in the center, black chains circling thin arms and legs.
Connor looked at him guardedly, backing away, trying to keep his distance as the boy looked up and gave him a cold glance. He then quickly fazed out, only to reappear in the same spot, but standing, chains still encircled around him.
"Where's your hate?" He asked, now looking calm, then gave a feral grin, answering his own question. "Here I am." He stepped forward, then stopped, as if just realizing he was bound to the floor. He looked up, grin gone and dark hair falling over one stormy blue eye.
"I'll show you their past. Look for me."
XFLASHX
He was climbing up the stairs now of his home.
No, their home.
He didnt know why, but it was something he had done a thousand times, going up and then turning to the right, heading for the bathroom.
His body was strangely heavy and head fuzzy like he wasnt actually there, that he should be somewhere else, doing something else, but he had done this so many times.
Up the stairs and over to the bathroom before going to his own room to sleep.
No, not his room.
The room they gave him for the time being.
The stairs ended and he turned, seeing the bathroom. The light was on, he could see it shining underneath the door, but the door itself was closed shut, meaning somebody was in there.
There was another bathroom in his parents' room...
No, their room.
Woke up in the evening
To the sound of screaming
Through the walls it was bleeding
All over me
He turned to his left and made his way down the hallway, seeing the door in front of him. It was also closed, but there was no light shining through the cracks. He would have to be quiet if they were asleep.
Untied and weightless
Unconscious as we cross
The international dateline
Let's end it here
But they werent. He could hear muffled voices beyond it, one obviously Emily's small and tearful one-she was always crying- and the other, a voice very different from Dormon's.
"Len, please, we cant do this. I love my husband. I love him. I wont hurt him again," came Emily's whispered sobs. Connor stepped closer, listening, his hand pressed against the door.
"Shhh. He wont know. He's a little busy right now, anyways," Len laughed. "He wont know at all-"
"-No. Len, no! We cant do this!"
"Emily, I want you. Ive wanted you for so long and I always get what I want." Now his voice was hard and Connor could hear the woman start to sob loudly along with other noises. He pulled away from the door and backed away, brain now so fuzzy he couldnt very well comprehend what he had just heard. But he knew one thing, one thing that actually surprised him because he didnt hesitate in doing so.
He had to get his 'father'. He had to get Dormon.
Dormon would save Emily from whatever was going on in that room.
Grown tired of the show-coast
And then as we toast
There are all zeros
Around here
"D-Dad?" he called out quietly as he turned around. He cautiously moved for the stairs then swiveled his head to the left, looking back at the bathroom again. Val was too young to be up this late, he knew, so it wasnt her in the bathroom.
That only left one other person.
Untied and weightless
Unconscious as we cross
The international dateline
Let's end it here
He hesitantly came closer to the door, now hearing a loud pounding noise from within. He steeled his nerves and gripped the doorknob but didnt turn it as he stood there like a statue, throat nervously swallowing and body quivering now that he could feel the steady thumping through the door.
If Dormon was drunk again...
He pushed that worry aside, though. Emily was being hurt- she needed help.
Let's end it here
Let's end it here
Let's leave it here
Let's leave it here
He turned the knob and opened the door slowly, the light almost blinding him since his eyes had quickly gotten used to the darkness.
He pushed the door open more.
And saw it.
Woke up in the evening
To the sound of screaming
Through the walls it was bleeding
All over me
Blood.
Red on the floor, pooling around in the center of the bathroom.
Red streaking to the door.
Red climbing up the walls in bloody handprints.
Red splattered on the sink.
Connor's eyes grew wide but he didnt make a sound, his voice being stolen by the horrendous sight before him. He had never seen so much blood, not in a long time atleast. Not since...
Quor-toth.
And then like ghosts flitting silently into view, a head- the head of a little boy no older than ten with light brown hair- appeared in the circle of red liquid, connected to a small body that was shaking and being beat about by the heinous blows of the cruel man above him, over his frail and tortured body.
Untied and weightless
Unconscious as we cross
The international dateline
Let's end it here
Connor now moved, backing away in terror as he saw Dormon raise the screaming child's head a little by the shirt collar then slam it to the tile floor, the man all the while watching with a sick smile as more blood appeared below him.
/POUND/
"Gonna cry some more? You look like him, so you should! Cry! Do it! Mommy aint gonna save you now! Cry, you little shit, Cry! Maybe daddy will hear you from six-feet-under! Cry!" He repeated the action, again and again, loving the strangled screams and moans from the boy under him.
/POUNDPOUNDPOUND/
Connor continued backing away, his chest heaving and stomach threatening to spill its contents as he gasped at the scene still being played out in front of him.
The bloody boy beneath the twisted and enraged man was now flickering, at first just the boy then...
/Flicker/
Connor saw himself.
/Flicker/
The boy.
/Flicker/
"Where's your hate?"
Connor's back finally hit the wall, nowhere else to go, and now seeing himself beat so viciously and hearing his own screams echo all around, he dropped to the carpet, held his head to block his vision, and joined in his own double's fearful cries.
Let's end it here
Let's end it here
Let's leave it here
Let's leave it here
lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost lost
(A/N): LUV 2 my BETA Halliwell's lil Angel! I LUV HER!
Song was International Dateline by Ladytron. Kool, kreepy, and sad song. Thanks 4 the reviews and an apology out to SyaoranSakura4ever kuz I guess we got on2 a wrong start. Byz!