Set During Smile Time. Angel’s having rough day but the day only gets worse when a surprise visitor arrives with a package containing a new threat that he never imagined. Thanks to Tam for the awesome job she did cleaning this one up! *big hug*
Seduction: The Feel of Felt
Buffy stood on the sidewalk staring up at the imposing structure, her arms wrapped around a long white box. Wolfram and Hart looked like every other high-rise building. It was only the pulsating vibe of evil it emitted that allowed her to tell the difference. She took one last deep breath before making her way into the darkened lobby.
Dozens of people dressed in suits and skirts rushed from office to office in an endless procession. It seemed like total chaos to Buffy, but she figured they must know what they were doing. She clutched the package close to her chest and made for the main receptionists desk in hops that she would lead her in the right direction.
She waited for the woman to hang up the phone before speaking. “Hi. I’m looking for Angel. Could you tell me where I need to go?”
The woman flashed a brilliant smile that had the slayer shifting her stance warily. She had to be a demon, no one was that happy on a Monday. “Sure thing, sweetheart. He’s on the twenty-ninth floor. Exit the elevator and his office is on the left. Just let his secretary know you’re there.”
“Oh, um. Thanks.” Wow, that was a scary thought. Angel with a secretary, how weird was that?
She was only mildly freaked to find her self in trapped inside with two vampires and an unknown species of demon when the elevator doors closed. Demon law firm. Ergo, it has to have demons in it, she thought. She had to fight to keep her stake to herself during the entire ride. The slayer was relieved when the doors finally opened to the correct floor. Exiting quickly, she turned to the left and made her way to the only desk in view.
“Hi. I’m Buffy Summers and I’m here to see Angel.”
Buffy stared at the top of the blonde receptionist’s head and waited to be acknowledged. She’d noticed how the woman behind the desk had tensed as soon as she had announced her presence. Sensing the other woman was a vampire, she attributed it to being able to recognize her as a slayer. Oh well, if she had to be uncomfortable in a building full of demons, they could just deal with the fact that there was a slayer among them.
She was shocked when the receptionist finally looked up with a goofy smile, wiggling her fingers in a little wave.
“Hi, Buffy. Small world isn’t it? I bet you didn’t think you’d see me here, huh?” Harmony gave a nervous giggle.
The blond slayer tried to grasp the significance of the image in front of her. Harmony was Angel’s secretary. Harmony…was Angel’s secretary. She looked frantically around the room, sure that she had fallen into some alternate hell dimension. Harmony was…
Buffy shuddered at the image of Angel and the ditsy blond engaged in quirky office chat and bloody martinis during their business lunches. Just get this over with and get the hell out of here, she told herself. You came to deliver something, so do it already.
“Harmony as wonderful- and downright disturbing- as it is to see you, I’m not really interested in a reliving the glory days. I just need to see Angel.”
The blond behind the desk immediately shook her head negatively. “I’m sorry, Buffy. Angel’s not taking appointments today and maybe not tomorrow, either. Maybe if you come back next wee- eek!” Harmony squeaked and flinched back as the slayer leaned across the desk, her eyes narrowed in anger.
“Listen to me, you vapid excuse for a vampire. I’ve just flown in from halfway across the world to see Angel and deliver a package. I’m tired and cranky, and if I don’t see him the next five minutes, dust is going to fly.” Slamming a stake she had pulled from somewhere on her body down on the counter, she smirked at the vampiress. “Never leave home without it.”
Harmony twitched and gave a nervous laugh. “Go on in, Buffy. I’m sure it will be fine.”
“Damn right it will,” the slayer muttered. She grabbed the white box from Harmony’s desk, wasting no time in storming through the closed doors. She smiled in satisfaction as she heard the distinct sound of cracking wood as the door swung hard into the wall.
“Knock, knock,” she called mockingly. She scanned the room, confused when she didn’t see her ex. “Angel, are you here?” she called out. She could swear she sensed him in the room, but there wasn’t any place large enough for him to hide that she could see.
Surely Harmony wasn’t stupid enough to lead her into an empty room. Wait. Scratch that. Of course she was that stupid. A little slaying was beginning to sound like a good idea. “Fine, I guess I’ll just have to start searching the building.”
“NO!” came the frantic cry from somewhere behind the desk.
She jumped, the box falling at her feet. Cautiously creeping closer to the desk, she called out again. “Angel, is that you? What are you doing?” She paused, her hands dropping to rest on her hips as she stared around her suspiciously. “Are you invisible? Because I have to say; I don’t think you’d like being pudding and I forgot my ray gun back in the crater.” She craned her neck over the top of the desk trying to get a glimpse of the unseen vampire.
“Just stay back; I don’t want you to see me like this.” His voice sounded strange- slightly squeaky and panicked.
“See you like what, Angel? Are you having a bad hair day or something? Run out of hair gel?” she snickered. She quickly sobered up when she realized what she had said. “Look, I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. I guess Spike must have rubbed off on me the last couple of years in Sunnydale.” She paused for a moment as the feeling of grief washed over her before shaking it off to deal with the immediate issues. She could take time for the memories later, like the way Spikes voice sounded when making fun of the broody vampire. “You know, it really would be a lot easier to do this if I could actually see you.”
“Just say what you came to say and then leave. I mean…and then you can go. Maybe we can meet up in a day or two and have some coffee or something.” His voice cracked and he hit his head on the desk as he tried to scramble further back into the comforting darkness.
This is just what he needed right now; Buffy showing up to add to his humiliation. If she saw him like this, he would never live it down. Plus, he couldn’t help but think she would think less of him after seeing him covered in felt and fuzz. It was so unflattering.
“Angel I swear if you don’t get out here right now, I’m coming back there and dragging you out,” the slayer snapped, giving him only a moment before starting around the desk.
“Wait! Okay, but just remember; I’m not myself right now. I kind of had a little accident and I’m not exactly me.” Angel hoped that she would show him a smidgeon of mercy and let him keep a little of his dignity. He wished they would all just leave him be.
“Oh my God, Angel. Are you alright?” The click of her heels was loud in the room as she hurried to the desk.
So much for that idea, he thought bitterly. One felt hand reached out, bracing himself as he crawled out from his impromptu hiding place. He heard her footsteps pause, followed by a slight gasp.
“Angel?”
He cringed at her horrified expression. “Hello Buffy, long time no see. How have you been? You look great.”
“What…why…how?” Her eyes seemed to grow impossibly wider, transfixed at the sight before her.
“Well, it all started with these demonic puppets-” he stopped as she broke into hysterical laughter. Sighing heavily, he tossed himself into his desk chair, and sent her into another fit of giggles when his padded rear made a loud whoopee cushion sound. He slammed his head into the desk, but the effect was muffled by his felt forehead.
This day just kept getting better and better, he railed silently. He ticked though the events in his mind. First, being turned into a puppet. Then the misunderstanding with Nina, followed by Spike’s open glee at his predicament. And then, of course, being mauled by his would-be girlfriend in a less-than-pleasant way. Buffy showing up was just the icing on the cake.
At least Spike was out of the office. If he could just find out what she wanted and get her out of here before the bleached pest showed back up, then maybe he could count that as the first plus in a long list of minus’ for his day.
“If you’re finished laughing, maybe you could tell me what it is that brought you here?” he demanded peevishly. His hurt and exasperation were poorly concealed. Damn puppet emotions! It was a struggle for him not to break down and cry.
Buffy wiped the tears from her eyes, but couldn’t get rid of the smile on her face. “I’m so sorry, Angel. What were you saying about demonic puppets?” she choked out between giggles as she tried to keep a serious look on her face.
“Look, you don’t need to worry about it. I’ve got my best people on it and we’ll have it all sorted out. I’d rather hear about why you’re in LA.”
“Oh, well, I came to deliver something,” she said as she moved across the room to retrieve the box she had dropped in all the excitement. Picking it up, she walked back to the desk and began to open the package. Once she had removed the lid, she tilted the box to allow him to see the contents.
There amidst the tissue paper lay Miss Edith, his mad childe’s favored doll. The vampire-turned-puppet cast a question glance at the blond, raising one small felt eyebrow.
“It just showed up at the Council’s offices one day. It was addressed to me, but the card inside is for you. Seeing as how mysterious packages from Drusilla couldn’t be anything other than bad, I decided to bring it to you and see if you knew what it meant.”
She handed him the envelope, only to take it back once again when it was clear that his small stuffed hands wouldn’t be able to manage the task. Pulling the card from the envelope, she opened it wide before handing it back Angel.
She watched as his large eyes scanned the note, using his distraction as a perfect opportunity to take in his transformation. She resisted the urge to giggle again, not wanting to cause him further distress.
I’m going to need therapy after this one, she thought. Nevertheless, she had to admit he was kind of cute this way. Less with the brooding and more with the fuzz.
“Golly gee, Dru’s really slipping. She even put her return address on this.” Puppet Angel frowned, making his fuzzy brow furrow.
Shaking her head, Buffy asked, “Did you actually say ‘golly gee’?”
“Um, yeah. Must be a puppet thing.”
“Right. Anyway, we checked out the location. It showed signs of activity, but had been cleared out. She must have left as soon as she sent the package.” The slayer was having a tough time concentrating as she watched her former love pace the floor on his newly shortened legs, the card still in his hand.
“Well, I appreciate you coming all this way to bring this to me, but I don’t think it means anything. So, when’s your return flight? Do you need someone to take you to the airport?” he asked fumbling around on his desk as he tried to press the call button.
“Are you trying to get rid of me, Angel?” she asked suspiciously. He was acting really weird, even for a puppet. “Because it’s not like I’m here throwing myself at you or anything. I just came to drop off the package that I received from the vampire you drove insane. I thought we were past all this, that we could finally try to be the ‘friends’ that we always said we were.”
“It’s not that, Buffy. I’ve just had a really bad day with this whole turned-into-a-puppet thing. Then, that crazy scene earlier with Sp-some people. It’s just not a good time right now. Maybe you could come back for a visit when things set-“
“Oi, peaches! There’s something wrong with that last car. For some reason it got impounded.” The bleached vampire smirked as he bounced into the office. He stopped cold when his eyes landed on the blond head that had yet to turn in his direction.
He took a deep breath, inhaling her scent and noting her increased heartbeat and tense stance. Slowly she turned and twin gasps filled the air followed by a muted thud as Angels head once again made contact with his desk.
“Spike,” she said faintly, his name barely a whisper on her lips. “Is that really…are you actually…oh, my God, it can’t be.”
“It is. It’s me, love. A little less crispy than last time you saw me, but still me.” His eyes softened when she took several halting steps towards him, reaching out to touch his sleeve softly. Her questing fingers growing bold when she found him to be solid, rubbing the leather of his duster between her fingers. The familiar texture and smell was almost overwhelming.
“How?” she asked. Her eyes betraying her need for so much more than the simple word conveyed.
“It’s a long story, love. There’s a lot to tell, a lot of technical mumbo jumbo that I still don’t understand.” Blue eyes drank her in, worried that she would disappear too soon, back to her new life, new country, possibly a new boyfriend.
“I’ve got time and I can reschedule my flight if it turns out to be one of your more longwinded stories.” Buffy grinned broadly, finding herself giddy just to have this opportunity to tease him once more. “Is that someplace that we can go to talk?”
He grabbed her hand and she gladly trailed behind him, not caring where he was leading as long as she could see and hear him, knowing that novelty wouldn’t wear off anytime soon. Here was the one person she had thought was lost to her, the one that she wanted more than anything else.
Already her mind was buzzing with plans, phone calls to make, flights to reschedule, asses to kick. On that last note she turned back to the desk where Angel sat, pinning him to his chair with a look that promised the direst of retribution. “We will be having a talk later,” she warned before shutting the doors firmly behind her.
Angel growled in frustration. Could this day get any worse? Sullenly, he slid from his chair and made his way across the room toward the doors, wondering if his team had made any progress looking into his situation.
“Having a bad day, big boy?” a voice called out.
He quickly turned around, scanning the room for the unknown visitor. After all, this was Wolfram and Hart. Who knew what evil lurked in every corner?
“Who’s there? Show yourself,” he commanded.
“Oh, I love a man who’s all tough and forceful. Why don’t you growl for me again, baby.”
There was a faint rustle of paper and suddenly, Miss Edith was slowly sitting up in the box. She gave him an evil grin. “Hello, lover.”
The shock was plainly written on the expressive puppets face. “What the hell?”
“It’s nice to see you again, Angelus. It’s been a long time. I must say you’re looking rather tasty, but then, I’ve always been a sucker for felt. Less chafing that way.”
“What is this, a setup, a trap?” He worriedly looked at the door expecting to see them burst open.
The doll laughed wickedly, lifting herself from the box to stand defiantly on his desk. “No, no trap. I must say I was pretty pissed when Drusilla decided to ship me to the little do-gooder. She kept nattering on and on about those damned burning baby fishes being reunited with ‘effulgent warriors of the light’. God, it’s almost enough to drive a doll to drink, I tell ya!” she exclaimed jumping down to land gracefully on the floor.
Angel backed away cautiously as the small porcelain doll sauntered across the floor in his direction. “She also droned on about naughty daddy’s who didn’t see what was right in front of their faces. So…lover,” she drawled. “You wanna show me just how naughty a daddy you can be?” She leaned into him, causing him to fall backwards over the coffee table.
“What? No!” he cried trying to scramble away from the demented figure.
“Please, look at you. You don’t have to act all shy with me; I’ve seen you in action. You think I didn't watch you all together? That I didn't see all the little games you like to play? But I bet this is news to you, dear boy. I could give you a ride that would make your ears fall off.” One eyebrow arched mockingly, her painted on face seemed to ripple as she moved. “Not that it would be hard to do, given your current state."
“H-have you always b-been like this?” Angel stuttered, as he went through his escape options in his mind.
“You mean a doll, or this forward when facing something I want?” Her grin seemed demonic to the freaked out puppet.
“Both. I mean- a doll,” he corrected.
“No, I was a very exclusive brothel owner at one time, until a jealous old hag put a spell on me.” The doll shrugged. “She claimed I was using black magic to keep some of my clientele returning frequently.”
“Were you?” Angel asked as he tried to back slowly to the door, hoping to make a getaway and call in some reinforcements.
“Actually, yes, but it’s not as if she didn’t use it herself, otherwise she never would have landed her husband in the first place.” She ran a delicately painted hand down the leather of his shrunken duster, her touch causing the vampire puppet to shudder. “I think a few decades as a doll at the whimsy of a mad woman should be enough penance to pay, don’t you?” she asked seductively, sliding even closer.
“Why haven’t you spoken up until now?” Angel whimpered, his voice breaking as she stroked her hand down the front of his pants.
“Pfft, it’s some ‘only other dolls and toys can hear you’ clause the old witch thought up. People walk into the room and poof, no more talk-y, no more walk-y. It’s back to being a plain doll for yours truly. You have no idea how boring it is, sitting around waiting for everyone to leave. Dru’s the only one who could ever hear me. You’d be surprised how many possessed toys there are in the world, but they never lasted long when the insane one would have one of her fits.”
She trailed close to him, never letting him get more than a foot away at any time. Angel was growing steadily more nervous at each step gained and lost in their game of follow the leader. Finally he took a wrong turn and found himself backed against one of the large armchairs with Miss Edith pressed firmly against his body. She was much stronger than he had anticipated, and he was finding breaking away from her a difficult task.
“Come now, lover. No need to be shy, you don’t think we still have urges this way, we’re cursed not dead.” She finished by allowing her hands to slip into his pants, causing him to emit a decidedly unmanly squeak in surprise.
Suddenly the doors to the office opened and Wesley and Fred entered, talking excitedly before coming to a shocked stop. Both sets of eyes focused on their newly transformed boss and the small doll poised stiffly in front of him.
“Um. Angel, is this a bad time, because we could come back in a little while if you need time to…um…finish up whatever it is your doing.” Fred blushed, averting her eyes from the display in front of her.
“No! Guys, it’s not what it looks like. Really! She was coming on to me. She’s possessed,” Angel cried out, seeing only acute embarrassment on both of their faces.
“Right. Possessed. Angel, I realize that this has been a somewhat traumatic experience for you. Rest assured that we won’t hold you accountable for any, erm…missteps which might occur as a result of these unfortunate circumstances,” Wesley assured him.
“Hey, bossy, I need some signatures on-What the hell? Eww, that’s sick! And I thought Spikey lusting after the slayer was bad. That’s just gross!” Harmony shuddered, spinning on her heel and exiting quickly.
Wesley and Fred backed towards the door as one, hoping to leave their boss alone to regroup himself.
“No, wait guys. Really, it’s not what it looks like,” he called after them, struggling to get the unmoving dolls hands out of his pants. His efforts only made the duo flee faster, slamming the door behind them.
Miss Edith sprang back to life and he shoved her away. Finally free, Angel ran to the door, only to find that his felt covered hands couldn’t turn the knob. He began to pound frantically on the door, the sounds muted due to the padding in his fists. Suddenly he felt a hand moving up his back to caress his neck enticingly.
“You might as well give in, lover. It’s been so long since I’ve had a real man, but you’ll do in a pinch.” She chuckled as she wrapped her arms around his struggling body. “You used to have such a wicked imagination. Let’s put it to the test.”
Outside Angel’s office, Harmony tried to block out the pained screams coming from behind the closed doors. She didn’t even want to imagine all the sick and twisted things her boss was doing with the poor doll.
Buffy and Spike walked back into the lobby grinning widely at each other, their bodies bumping against each other as they walked. It had taken some yelling, a bit of kissing, and lots of talking, but they had worked out their issues. Both had decided to take things slow, which lasted all of five minutes before the kissing started. They had broken off reluctantly in order to finish the much needed talk.
They made their way to Angel’s office to say goodbye and inform him that Spike would be leaving before heading to the airport. If they left now, they could be gone right after sunset.
Buffy stopped short as Harmony stepped in front of the door. “Believe me when I say you do not want to go in there,” the ditsy secretary announced, her face distorted in disgust. “There’s some major freaky stuff going on in there.”
“What are you going on about, Harm?” asked the annoyed blond vampire.
“Angel. Wesley, Fred and I caught him getting nasty with the stupid doll of Drusilla’s. I thought I was going to throw up my whole cup of lunch. It was even sicker than you two.”
The slayer and vampire turned to the office door, focusing in on the noises and sounds from within. Suddenly a loud squeal echoed through the door followed by a crash and a faint moan. Buffy backed away quickly when something bounced against the door, making it shake violently before the disturbance moved back into the room.
Mirrored looks of revulsion crossed the blond couple’s faces. “Maybe we should just from the plane, or maybe send him a postcard next month.” The ick factor was making Buffy’s imagination run wild and she was desperate to put as many miles between her and L.A. as possible.
“Sure, love. I just want to run up to the lab and say goodbye to the rest of the group and then we’ll be on our way.” Grabbing her hand he led her up the stairs, knowing that where he found Fred, he would find Wesley as well.
With the faint sounds of violence from the room behind him still sounding in his ears, Spike thought briefly about letting Buffy know about Miss Edith being possessed but decided that what she didn’t know or knew that he knew wouldn’t hurt him. Besides, he felt sorry for the old bird being trapped in the little dolls body for decades. Dolls needed love, too, and Dru had always said that Miss Edith loved the feel of felt.
~~~~~
That's it, another insane bunny set free, hope you liked it! |
