Tap tap.
Angel rolled over on his side, facing the wall. The noise was probably the rain against his door, not worth leaving the warmth of his blankets for.
TAP TAP.
He rolled onto his back to look at the ceiling and groaned.
"No one can ever bother me while I'm awake, can they?" He grumbled to himself before pulling on a pair of sweatpants. He padded to the door barefoot and swung it open, letting it bang against the wall.
"What do-"
There was no one standing in the doorway. Luckily, the rainclouds hid the sun away from his doorframe, allowing Angel full view out the front of the door.
But directly above him.
Judy was gripping the top of the frame, standing on her hands. A bead of sweat trickled down her cheek. When Angel turned to close the door, she swung her weight down. The momentum sent her body swinging into the door way and slamming her boots into Angel's back.
He crashed to the floor with a grunt of pain before using vampire reflexes to leap back to the balls of his feet into a crouch. He froze where he stood; eyes wide and mouth agape. For a moment, his fists went slack and all he could do was stare at the girl standing before her.
"Why do always insist on fighting, Precious?"
"Shut up!" she cried out.
She rushed at the man and swung a right hook at his jaw. Taken aback, he could only retreat to avoid Judy's fist. She swung her left hand and this too was dodged. Keeping the momentum of her body's spin, she lifted her foot and aimed a kick for the man's torso. Her body was stopped abruptly as Angel expertly deflected her foot before she could make contact.
"Why do you want to fight so much?" He demanded, frustration creeping into his voice.
"I said shut it!" She exclaimed and twisted free from the man. She backpedaled and ducked behind a pillar to keep away from Angel's reaching hands.
"Don't talk to me like that!"
"You're not my father!" She yelled. "He's dead."
"I've apologized for that over a dozen times and I'll apologize again!" He shouted angrily, snatching her up by the front of her shirt and lifting her off the floor. Her pale, thin legs dangled. "And again until you calm down."
How dare he hurt her like this? How dare he taunt her with memories?
With a feral cry, she kicked at him again. He casted her again, sending her sliding across the floor into the wall. Stars appeared before her eyes as she cried out in agony. She ducked low and swung a leg at Angel's feet. Her shin connected with the back of the man's ankles and the force of the impact sent him flat on his back on the concrete floor. Before he had hit the ground, Judy was already up and preparing for her next attack.
She glared daggers at Angel, rising at vampiric speed to his feet and sprang again, her fist aimed at his solar plexus to render him immobile with air-deprived lungs. But Angel was too fast and slipped past her; slapping her hand aside and shoved her roughly into the wall.
Her head roared a second time with excruciating, sickly pain as it connected with the cement. She blinked the bright lights behind her eyes away and launched another attack. Again, Angel dodged. He didn't try to land his own attack but continued to dance just out of her range.
Frustration and her growing rage mingled with a clutching pain that gripped her heart and forced her breaths to come out in sobbing gasps. Her vision blurred dangerously. The pain from the night was taking a toll and her attacks became unfocused and feeble. Her punches went wide and Angel was walking around her instead of jumping away. Her legs shook, giving way for her to collapse to the floor.
Angel gazed at her sadly with large eyes. He fell to one knee beside her and touched her shoulder as she brought her knees to her chest with her hands clamped over her ears, crying out in pain.
"I want to help you, I really do. Judy, I hate how it has to be like this."
"Stop saying that! You know I don't believe – "
She was cut off by his fingers pinching a nerve in her neck. Her limbs slackened instantly as she fell unconscious instantaneously. He stood up, and crossed his arms while gazing down at the body on the floor.
"That was getting old. Either kill me or talk, don't be turn into Jackie Chan every time you get mad, for god's sake."
He reached down and scooped her up into a bridal carry, cradling her to his chest to inspect the damage on her head. Her forehead was bruised badly, a purplish-blue knot forming at her right temple. Her cheek was cut and bleeding badly.
The smell of the blood trickling down her skin was interesting. It was sweet smelling with an almost salty hint, like salted caramel. It drew him in like a moth to a flame. He lowered his head to hers, breathing in the scent deeply, making his mouth water.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"
He looked up to see Gunn standing at the bottom of the stairs. He had turned the corner in time to only see Angel about to taste the blood on her cheek.
Judy fell to the floor as Angel's arms went limp in shock. Gunn ran forward in just enough time to catch her head before it collided with the floor.
"Gunn, this isn't what it-"
"Don't tell me this isn't what it looks like! I swear to god I will stake you right here and now Angelus!" He warned dangerously, picking her up into his own arms. Judy's head lolled back against his shoulder as he bolted out the door, leaving Angel dumbstruck and severely confused.