Chapter Two - The Sappy Movies

Bastard. Just where the hell did he get off, calling her a tease? She had never done anything to him, never given him any reason to think so. Hell, compared to her days in Sunnydale, her time in Los Angeles could have made her eligible for a convent. Just because she and Doyle did a little harmless flirting, didn’t mean he had a right to make her so furious and hurt she wanted to scratch his eyes out. Work partners or not.
Just because *he* wanted to live his life as a eunuch-

She sighed, forcing herself to stop her train of thoughts. She knew the pattern. She and Angel bickered like old ladies sometimes, and it would always come to this. She would find herself getting so worked up that she wouldn’t talk to him for days, and she couldn’t afford that now. There was that demon pair that they had been tracking for months, they almost had them, and they couldn’t afford to let a petty fight get in the way.

Course, that is something the soul guy should have thought of before he went all jerk off on her.

The doorbell rang, and she checked her watch, wondering curiously who it could be. With a sigh, she plucked the lint off of her boxers as she called out in a slightly annoyed voice, What?

It’s me.

She froze, recognizing the voice immediately. What the hell was he doing here? Didn’t he have the sense to stay away after he had gone and insulted her completely? He knew her moods.

She glared at the door for a full minute, before he called again, Come on, Cordy! Open the door, please? The last word had a soft whine attached to it, and she felt herself deflate, her resolve to leave him standing in the rain crumbling with it.

What that guy could make her do with just a hint of a whine in his voice was not normal.

She opened her door, and her jaw dropped in surprise in what she saw. Angel was standing in the pouring rain, nothing covering his head, in a sopping wet black trench coat, a bottle of wine in one hand and a box of chocolates nestled in his coat in the other.

On his face was a somber, pleading expression, so different from his usual uniform expression that Cordelia could only stare for a minute.

And then she couldn't help it, he looked so lost and pathetic and so damn cute like that, she began to crack up.

Angel's face registered shock for a moment when she began to laugh, and then he lifted his hands in resignation, looking up to the dark sky, the raindrops sliding off of his face.

"She's laughing." He said to no one in particular. "Her best friend is standing out here sopping wet. And she's laughing."

This comment only made her laugh harder. "Oh, Angel." She gasped, choking for breath. "It's just.. you're out there... and you're wet... and your face.." She erupted into laughter again.

He only stared at her, grimacing when he felt the rain go through his coat and down his back. "Fine." He muttered, attempting to mop away the drops and failing miserably. "I deserve it. Done laughing?"

She could only hold a hand to her mouth and shake her head, still convulsing with giggles.

"Not yet?" He shrugged. "Still angry?" He asked. Her head shook furiously up and down. He sighed, turning the chocolate tighter against his body so it wouldn't get wet. "You sadist." He accused. "Fine. Look, how about if I roll around in that puddle, maybe then -"

"Oh, come in, you idiot," She burst, her voice still shaking with laughter as she grabbed his arm and pulled him inside.

He gave her a relieved smile. She was still grinning as she took the bottle and box of chocolates quickly from him and set it aside, moving back immediately to take his drenched trench coat away from him.

Oh, eww. She remarked, wincing under the weight of the black coat as she noticed the puddles it and it’s owner were causing in the hallway. You are gonna mop that up later.

Yeah, whatever. He wrung at his satin shirt, grimacing as he felt it cling to his body. I’m sopping wet. He complained.

She turned back to him, and suddenly her happy expression froze. He looked up in concern. What’s wrong?

She closed her eyes, and turned from him, picking up the wine bottle. Nothing. There’s some extra big shirts and stuff in the closet, some shorts. Put those on while we air dry your stuff.

He looked a little puzzled at her change, but nodded, sloshing his way back to the bathroom. When he was gone, she leaned against the table, forcing herself to breathe. This had to stop. These damn... feelings she was having for the damn vampire were going too far. This was her best friend. This was a vampire.

This was so not her type. Plus, he did that whole vamp morph thing, how gross was THAT? And the worst thing, she had stopped caring about that. When he vamped out, it was just Angel vamping out. That was it. She stopped being scared of him years ago. That shouldn’t happen. She shouldn’t trust him like this. She trusted him like she would trust, well, like a lover. She closed her eyes, for the moment wanting to kick herself. What was her problem, anyway? This was her best friend in the whole world. She wasn’t supposed to be getting this love vibe from him. Yet, when she turned around and saw him like that, drenched, the clothes clinging to his body-

Stop. Stop. Stop.

She couldn’t fall in love with the Soul Guy that would love her friend the Slayer for the rest of his Immortal life, what was she, Xander? Him and his Idiot Jed, glutton for punishment! The ex-boyfriend made it rub off on her too! She didn’t like it!

She couldn’t love Angel like that. All she was asking for was bad, bad things.

Hey. She turned. He was standing in the hallway, one hand rubbing a towel through his spiky hair. On his face was a look of concern. You okay?

She sighed, putting her thoughts aside. Yeah, I’m fine. You didn’t leave your clothes just soaking on the floor did you?

He rolled his eyes. No, I put them in the tub, laid them out to dry. He bit his lip as she turned to inspect the wine. I’m sorry, about... you know. I didn’t mean it.

Yeah, well, you’re an ass. She remarked flippantly. And if you think that all you have to do is come here sopping wet and give me that puppy dog expression- DON’T do it! She warned, one hand up when his face threatened to turn to that expression again.

He relented, grinning slightly at her panicked look. Sorry.

Just... get popcorn and come into the living room. She said, sighing. Scent of a Woman is on tonight.

He blanched. Scent of a Woman? The blind guy who finds inner peace?

That’s right. She gave him a triumphant smile. And after that, we’re watching Untamed Heart, and after *that*, I’m going to dig up Meet Me In St. Louis.

His eyes widened. A musical? A Judy Garland musical? You can’t stand those. You only had that cause Willow got it for you.

She gave him a smug glance. That’s right. And you loathe them. Come on, Angel. You owe me.

He groaned, holding his hands to his head as he followed her into the living room. This was not looking like a good night.

**********************

Is it just me, or is Marisa Tomei so pathetically desperate in this movie? The question came out of the blue, and Angel suppressed a yawn as he turned to look at her.

The whole movie is pathetic, Cordy.

Her answer was a smack on his shoulder. No, the story is beautiful. It’s tragic. It’s supposed to make you believe in love.

He squinted. Cordy, we *are* the official lonely hearts club here in LA. How many times have you and I stayed up whining and groaning about Buffy and Xander in the last five years?

She glared at him. Go with it, Angel. She grumbled, turning her attention back to the movie. Just stop being cryptic boring guy and watch the movie. You might enjoy it. She shows her boobies and everything.

Oh, yay.” He kidded. She reached to smack him again but he caught her hand deftly, instead using her momentum to pull her toward him. Her body fell against his, and he immediately wrapped his arms around her, bringing her close.

“Hey.” She grumbled, her face muffled in his T-shirt, but didn’t complain, merely readjusted herself so she was lying flat against his body and turned her face so she could watch the screen.

It was a beautiful movie. By the end of it, Angel felt his eyes burning, especially when he saw Marisa’s brother pulling Christian Slater’s dog away from the grave, and then that monologue with Marisa telling Rosie how he was the only thing she never gave up on. He felt choked at the unfairness of it all. Christian Slater should have lived. They should have been able to be together. He had never done anything wrong, all he had done was loved her, loved her so deeply.

And then came that records playing thing. Oh, man. He felt slightly ashamed when he realized what he must look like to his friend, a 244 year old vampire allowing himself to get so affected. His eyes quickly drifted down to her face to see if she had noticed.

Her eyes were closed, she wasn’t even facing the tv. Her face had nestled into his chest, her body a dead weight. She had fallen asleep. He had been weeping buckets over this dumb movie, and she had fallen asleep.

He leaned his head back, sighing, feeling her body rise and fall above him. Checking his watch, he winced. He had to go. He still had things to do, and he had taken way too much time here anyway.

“Cordy.” He whispered, shaking her gently.

“mm.” She mumbled, her eyes not opening.

He grinned, sitting up, bringing her sleepy form with him to a sitting position. “Come on, mean girl. Wake up.” He cupped her face with his two hands and patted her gently.

When she opened her eyes, she was still in a feverish haze, his face was inches from hers. She blinked once, a soft expression in her eyes when she looked at him, and for a moment, Angel was taken aback by the tenderness in her face. It was something she rarely showed, and the fact that the emotion was directed at him filled with so many conflicting emotions he immediately pulled back before he would do something stupid.

“I gotta go.” He whispered hastily, leaning forward, planting a quick kiss on her cheek and scrambling up to the bathroom.

She watched him go, still sleepy, not quite awake enough to understand what had just happened.

“Kay.” She mumbled, falling forward on the couch again, drifting almost immediately back to sleep. “Bye.”

He came back, now dressed in his dry clothes, pausing in the entrance of the living room to watch her sleeping form. She was absolutely beautiful.

Groaning, he flung her door open and stepped out into the cold night air. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

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