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eclectic_friendsTitle: Less and More Than Friends: I Came So Far for Beauty
Author:tmbreck / ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
eclectic_tongue / ![[insanejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/ij-userinfo.gif)
eclectic
Beta:velvetwhip
Rating: FRT (so far)
Pairing: Angel(us)/Willow, referenced Angel(us)/Spike
Warning: none really
Summary: Spike comes to town on personal business.
A/N: Written for my ever encouraging beta,velvetwhip, who writes and corrects like a dream. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't still be trying to write.
Spike moved quickly and silently through the garden of the Crawford street mansion. While it wasn't exactly necessary to hide from good old Angel, the look on his face when Spike managed to sneak up on him was always worth the effort. Now if he had a bit more patience, he'd wait until he'd gotten what he had come to town for before confronting his absentee grandsire. Patience, however, had never been, and probably never would be, one of Spike's strong suits.
Slipping into the main room, he caught sight of Angel brooding by the fireplace, some pretentious and snooty book forgotten in his hand. Moving closer, Spike caught a scent he half remembered from objects Angelus had brought back to the mansion after a night of stalking and also from one memorable meeting in a school library. While he couldn't see why the little girl would forgive the vampire that had planned to turn her and suck the world into hell, it was her he could smell in the room. Apparently, he had underestimated the stupidity of white hats.
The scent was relatively fresh, but she had been here alone. Now, it could be something perfectly innocent, but he had known Angelus too long, and vampires didn't change all that much – not at their core. Soul or no soul, he could see the signs of Angelus playing out a long game on some poor unsuspecting chit – even when the overly dramatic vamp couldn't see it himself. Stepping further into the room, anticipating how much fun this was going to be, Spike let the glee show in his voice.
“Someone's been a naughty, naughty boy.”
He was disappointed in how surprised Angel was to see him. There had been a time when he could never have gotten this close to his mentor undetected. This wasn't the same demon he'd almost worshiped – not the same vampire he'd spilled blood, sweat, and various other bodily fluids with. This was a hollow shell; not worth the effort of taunting. A flirtatious grin tilted his lips and an amused twinkle entered his eye as he amended his thought: almost not worth the effort.
“What were you doing with that sweet little morsel alone in this big, empty mansion? I'm sure her friends and that – ahh – fatherly watcher would just love to know your intentions.”
He couldn't suppress a chuckle when Angel's fists clenched and he heard a growl rumble up from his chest.
“Spike. What are you doing here? Drusilla get tired of you again?”
A sharp stab of resentment, pain, and anger welled up in Spike's chest. A large part of him wanted nothing more than to go at Angel fists and fangs bared. However, that wouldn't get him what he really wanted. Taking a deep breath, he let out a chuckle and spread a hand over his chest.
“That hurt, mate.”
Dropping his hand back to his side, he strolled past Angel, lazily threw himself into a sprawl on the couch, and began to root around his pockets for a smoke and a lighter. Angel slowly followed him, apparently deciding this was a talking visit, not a fighting one. The only problem was, Spike really didn't have a conversation planned. Taking a drag from his now lit cigarette, he shrugged his shoulders and went with that he did best: he would wing it.
“You know, I don't get you. Is the girl really worth staying in this bloody town for? S'not like she's really going to give you the time, now is it? You killed her boyfriend and tormented her; humans get upset over that kind of thing. They don't get it like we do.”
Turning his head to stare at the fireplace, Spike changed his tone from condescending to self-pitying, deciding in a split second to take a risk. After all, the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward.
“Of course, who am I to say anything about it? Here I am, still beating my head against a brick wall over Dru, jumpin' through any hoop she wants me to. Why I'm here, ain't it? She said I needed to come back to Sunnyhell. Something 'bout needin' closure or some such nonsense.”
While it may have looked like Spike was lost in his own little monologue, he was actually keeping a close eye on Angel. It was a dangerous game he was playing, talking about why he was here, the whole time making Angel think it was all about him. While he wouldn't be around to see the ponce beat himself up over it, he would have fun imagining the dawning horror when Angel realized that he could have saved Willow and hadn't. The thought alone was enough to bring a maniacal smile to Spike's face.
“So that's why I'm here, Daddy, to tie up loose ends and make everything right in my princess's eyes.”
Angel had tensed up when Spike called him Daddy. It had obviously brought back memories of games they used to play when the days were too long and they were both far too bored, Drusilla clapping her hands and squealing as she watched. There was a reason Spike had almost worshiped him; Angelus had been damn good at whatever he put his mind to, especially with a willing and eager pupil.
And he'd been willing and ever so eager, hadn't he. He learned every sly look, soft touch, and cunning pose. Angelus had taught him the right tone to use and how to spot the chink in a person's armor and then exploit it. The rewards for success were spectacular, but the punishments for failure had their own appeal. The slice of a well handled knife carving his sins into the skin of his back, or entire days spent hard and wanting, tied to a bed and not allowed to come while Angelus and Dru tormented him. The memory alone was oftentimes enough to have him on the edge and ready to go in seconds. School was out, however, and it was time the teacher learned a lesson or two.
Giving him a disappointed once over, Spike flicked his still burning cigarette into the fireplace. His days of longing for Angelus to return, to focus his attention on him were gone.
“You're not the demon I need to talk to. Haven 't been him in a long time, now have ya?”
Shaking his head as if to clear it, he gave Angel a smile calculated to leave him on edge and wary.
“Ta, love. I've got some last minute things to pick up for the princess, then I'll be out of your town and out of your overly-gelled hair.”
He was almost through the door when Angel's voice stopped him.
“Whatever you're here for, Spike, get it and get out quick. Buffy may have worked with you before, but that doesn't mean she won't stake you on sight.”
Without turning back, Spike chuckled and replied, “Why, Angel, it almost sounds like you're worried about your little boy. I'm touched.”
Before Angel could reply, Spike was out the door and had it closed behind him.
As he got behind the wheel of his DeSoto, Spike considered taking Angel's advice. He could just grab Willow and leave town with her. However, Drusilla had been very specific on how she wanted her new sister turned. She had left some of it up to Spike – which dress Willow would wear and how much of their plans he could reveal to the little human – but it had to be done in Sunnydale. Luckily for Spike, there were a few empty homes he could choose from so they could be alone without any pesky do-gooders interrupting, including a very nice one at the edge of town he had decided was perfect for his plans.
Having parked his car a few blocks from her house, Spike made his way through several backyards until he reached the patio outside Willow's room. As eager as he was to start in on his fun, he still couldn't resist stopping and just watching her. It had taken him some time to really see what had Angelus so enthralled with the little redhead. In all honesty, he hadn't really gotten it until he'd actually been in the library helping them to plot Angelus's downfall.
Spike had gone through with his plan and the girl had remained with her friends, unharmed. It had been a mistake on his part, one that Dru had sent him here to correct.
There were countless ways to lure an unsuspecting young thing outside at night but sometimes the simplest ways were best. As he reached the edge of the pool of light spilling from the doorway, he made sure to lightly tap a potted plant with the side of his foot. The plan worked better than he had thought it would; Willow immediately threw open the doors and stepped outside, starting to talk even before she had fully crossed the threshold.
“Angel, I'm sorry I said...”
Spike had been in motion from the moment she was through the barrier, so his surprise at hearing Angel's name didn't stop him from grabbing her by the arms. By the time Willow had registered that not only was it not Angel outside her house but that she was in danger, Spike had already maneuvered both of her hands behind her back and was holding them with one of his, while his other hand went to her mouth.a
Leaning in to where her neck and shoulder met, he inhaled deeply, enjoying the scent of fear coming off her. He let a soft growl rumble out of his chest and chuckled at the small whimper she gave in response. Eyes closed in near bliss, he lifted his head slightly, letting it rest against the side of hers, his mouth near her ear.
“Sorry, Red, Angelus isn't here right now. I'm sure he'll be so disappointed he's missing all the fun we're gonna have together, though.”
Author:
tmbreck / eclectic_tongue / eclecticBeta:
velvetwhipRating: FRT (so far)
Pairing: Angel(us)/Willow, referenced Angel(us)/Spike
Warning: none really
Summary: Spike comes to town on personal business.
A/N: Written for my ever encouraging beta,
velvetwhip, who writes and corrects like a dream. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't still be trying to write.Spike moved quickly and silently through the garden of the Crawford street mansion. While it wasn't exactly necessary to hide from good old Angel, the look on his face when Spike managed to sneak up on him was always worth the effort. Now if he had a bit more patience, he'd wait until he'd gotten what he had come to town for before confronting his absentee grandsire. Patience, however, had never been, and probably never would be, one of Spike's strong suits.
Slipping into the main room, he caught sight of Angel brooding by the fireplace, some pretentious and snooty book forgotten in his hand. Moving closer, Spike caught a scent he half remembered from objects Angelus had brought back to the mansion after a night of stalking and also from one memorable meeting in a school library. While he couldn't see why the little girl would forgive the vampire that had planned to turn her and suck the world into hell, it was her he could smell in the room. Apparently, he had underestimated the stupidity of white hats.
The scent was relatively fresh, but she had been here alone. Now, it could be something perfectly innocent, but he had known Angelus too long, and vampires didn't change all that much – not at their core. Soul or no soul, he could see the signs of Angelus playing out a long game on some poor unsuspecting chit – even when the overly dramatic vamp couldn't see it himself. Stepping further into the room, anticipating how much fun this was going to be, Spike let the glee show in his voice.
“Someone's been a naughty, naughty boy.”
He was disappointed in how surprised Angel was to see him. There had been a time when he could never have gotten this close to his mentor undetected. This wasn't the same demon he'd almost worshiped – not the same vampire he'd spilled blood, sweat, and various other bodily fluids with. This was a hollow shell; not worth the effort of taunting. A flirtatious grin tilted his lips and an amused twinkle entered his eye as he amended his thought: almost not worth the effort.
“What were you doing with that sweet little morsel alone in this big, empty mansion? I'm sure her friends and that – ahh – fatherly watcher would just love to know your intentions.”
He couldn't suppress a chuckle when Angel's fists clenched and he heard a growl rumble up from his chest.
“Spike. What are you doing here? Drusilla get tired of you again?”
A sharp stab of resentment, pain, and anger welled up in Spike's chest. A large part of him wanted nothing more than to go at Angel fists and fangs bared. However, that wouldn't get him what he really wanted. Taking a deep breath, he let out a chuckle and spread a hand over his chest.
“That hurt, mate.”
Dropping his hand back to his side, he strolled past Angel, lazily threw himself into a sprawl on the couch, and began to root around his pockets for a smoke and a lighter. Angel slowly followed him, apparently deciding this was a talking visit, not a fighting one. The only problem was, Spike really didn't have a conversation planned. Taking a drag from his now lit cigarette, he shrugged his shoulders and went with that he did best: he would wing it.
“You know, I don't get you. Is the girl really worth staying in this bloody town for? S'not like she's really going to give you the time, now is it? You killed her boyfriend and tormented her; humans get upset over that kind of thing. They don't get it like we do.”
Turning his head to stare at the fireplace, Spike changed his tone from condescending to self-pitying, deciding in a split second to take a risk. After all, the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward.
“Of course, who am I to say anything about it? Here I am, still beating my head against a brick wall over Dru, jumpin' through any hoop she wants me to. Why I'm here, ain't it? She said I needed to come back to Sunnyhell. Something 'bout needin' closure or some such nonsense.”
While it may have looked like Spike was lost in his own little monologue, he was actually keeping a close eye on Angel. It was a dangerous game he was playing, talking about why he was here, the whole time making Angel think it was all about him. While he wouldn't be around to see the ponce beat himself up over it, he would have fun imagining the dawning horror when Angel realized that he could have saved Willow and hadn't. The thought alone was enough to bring a maniacal smile to Spike's face.
“So that's why I'm here, Daddy, to tie up loose ends and make everything right in my princess's eyes.”
Angel had tensed up when Spike called him Daddy. It had obviously brought back memories of games they used to play when the days were too long and they were both far too bored, Drusilla clapping her hands and squealing as she watched. There was a reason Spike had almost worshiped him; Angelus had been damn good at whatever he put his mind to, especially with a willing and eager pupil.
And he'd been willing and ever so eager, hadn't he. He learned every sly look, soft touch, and cunning pose. Angelus had taught him the right tone to use and how to spot the chink in a person's armor and then exploit it. The rewards for success were spectacular, but the punishments for failure had their own appeal. The slice of a well handled knife carving his sins into the skin of his back, or entire days spent hard and wanting, tied to a bed and not allowed to come while Angelus and Dru tormented him. The memory alone was oftentimes enough to have him on the edge and ready to go in seconds. School was out, however, and it was time the teacher learned a lesson or two.
Giving him a disappointed once over, Spike flicked his still burning cigarette into the fireplace. His days of longing for Angelus to return, to focus his attention on him were gone.
“You're not the demon I need to talk to. Haven 't been him in a long time, now have ya?”
Shaking his head as if to clear it, he gave Angel a smile calculated to leave him on edge and wary.
“Ta, love. I've got some last minute things to pick up for the princess, then I'll be out of your town and out of your overly-gelled hair.”
He was almost through the door when Angel's voice stopped him.
“Whatever you're here for, Spike, get it and get out quick. Buffy may have worked with you before, but that doesn't mean she won't stake you on sight.”
Without turning back, Spike chuckled and replied, “Why, Angel, it almost sounds like you're worried about your little boy. I'm touched.”
Before Angel could reply, Spike was out the door and had it closed behind him.
As he got behind the wheel of his DeSoto, Spike considered taking Angel's advice. He could just grab Willow and leave town with her. However, Drusilla had been very specific on how she wanted her new sister turned. She had left some of it up to Spike – which dress Willow would wear and how much of their plans he could reveal to the little human – but it had to be done in Sunnydale. Luckily for Spike, there were a few empty homes he could choose from so they could be alone without any pesky do-gooders interrupting, including a very nice one at the edge of town he had decided was perfect for his plans.
Having parked his car a few blocks from her house, Spike made his way through several backyards until he reached the patio outside Willow's room. As eager as he was to start in on his fun, he still couldn't resist stopping and just watching her. It had taken him some time to really see what had Angelus so enthralled with the little redhead. In all honesty, he hadn't really gotten it until he'd actually been in the library helping them to plot Angelus's downfall.
Spike can feel Angelus's newest obsession at the end of the table radiating sheer terror. What he feels underneath her fear, however, is what makes his eye teeth practically itch to drop down.
It's power. Nothing refined, sharpened, or honed – but power nonetheless. It calls out to an instinct that came with his demon soul, the instinct to gather power and make it his own. He's so very tempted to abandon his plans all together and simply snag the girl and run off. He can already picture what a beauty she'll be, all corrupted and dark, brimming with power and all his.
The thought naturally leads to his dark goddess and the reason he came here in the first place. As tempting as the potential powerhouse is, Drusilla is his destiny; always has been and always will be.
Spike had gone through with his plan and the girl had remained with her friends, unharmed. It had been a mistake on his part, one that Dru had sent him here to correct.
There were countless ways to lure an unsuspecting young thing outside at night but sometimes the simplest ways were best. As he reached the edge of the pool of light spilling from the doorway, he made sure to lightly tap a potted plant with the side of his foot. The plan worked better than he had thought it would; Willow immediately threw open the doors and stepped outside, starting to talk even before she had fully crossed the threshold.
“Angel, I'm sorry I said...”
Spike had been in motion from the moment she was through the barrier, so his surprise at hearing Angel's name didn't stop him from grabbing her by the arms. By the time Willow had registered that not only was it not Angel outside her house but that she was in danger, Spike had already maneuvered both of her hands behind her back and was holding them with one of his, while his other hand went to her mouth.a
Leaning in to where her neck and shoulder met, he inhaled deeply, enjoying the scent of fear coming off her. He let a soft growl rumble out of his chest and chuckled at the small whimper she gave in response. Eyes closed in near bliss, he lifted his head slightly, letting it rest against the side of hers, his mouth near her ear.
“Sorry, Red, Angelus isn't here right now. I'm sure he'll be so disappointed he's missing all the fun we're gonna have together, though.”
