Summary: Willow helps a wounded Angel.
Rating: PG
Series: Nope. Unless I get enough feedback (don’t make me beg)
Disclaimer: Joss and Fox and Mutant Enemy and WB and… You know, one day I will do it. I warn you, I will be the Bruce Macavaney of disclaimers… (aussie joke)
Note: Set sometime during season one.
No Relevance Whatsoever: Go Sydney 2000! Shoutout to all the Aussie W/A shippers!
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Willow looked up hesitantly from the glaring computer monitor.
"Angel?" she queried, wondering what the vampire was doing knocking on her window at... Her eyes flitted to her watch for a moment; it was 3:00 a.m.
"What are you...?"
He pressed his fingers to his forehead, a dazed expression on his face. Pulling his hand back, she noticed the crimson substance that lingered there. Blood, she realized .
"Oh.. oh, you're hurt" she mumbled, quickly uncrossing her legs and rushing over to him. She fumbled, unlocking the curtain-less doors, drawing them open.
"I'm sorry to burst in on you... I.. There was a demon" he explained softly, voice shaky.
"A-Are you okay?"
"Well, I.." he stalled, a hesitant look crossing his face, "Can I.. come in?"
"Oh..Oh, oh, sure! Come in. I, uh, invite you, Angel."
He stepped inside, turning back to peer into the night, cautiously scanning left to right. After a moment, apparently satisfied, he turned to meet her gaze.
"Do you mind if I.. close this?" he asked, pausing, "I mean, lock the doors, that is. It's just, I was just outside when they attacked and I think they still might be. around.."
Willow nodded her approval, her eyebrows meeting as worry marred her normally easy expression. She shifted hesitantly from foot to foot, unknowingly biting her lower lip.
"Marja demons" he announced quietly, the foreign name flowing easily off his cultured tongue. His muscles strained as he began to work his trenchcoat from his back, emitting a low grunt as his face tightened into a pained expression.
Willow fiddled anxiously, unused to seeing Angel in any mode other than his usual quiet and intraverted nature. Seeing him in pain- and him actually showing an expression- was... unnerving.
Her eyes flitted to the open bedroom door for a moment in sudden axnxiety; her breath released sharply in relief when she remembered that her parents were at some convention in Boston for the next week. They didn't really deal well with her having friends over. Or, you know, boys. Not that she was having Angel over, or anything, it was an unscheduled appearance, but...
Her mind aimlessly wandered as Angel finished removing the coat, to wonder why Xander was always allowed in her room by her parents. A strange sort of one off allowance. Well, she thought, he was her best friend. For all childhood. But then, there had been that brief time of his banning when he had brought over some mistletoe and tried to seduce her cousin Marie at Hannukah when he was twelve... He never really understood any of the Jewish traditions.
"Willow... can you?..."
"Oh.. Angel" she breathed as she took in in his torn and bloody shirt. Her hand came up to her mouth as she gasped.
"It's not as bad as it looks" he assured her, moving to sit down on the bed.
"Do you.. want me to get the first aid kit?"
He nodded. She knew he was trying to keep his calm demeanor, but she could see his arm muscles twitching, fists clenching in an effort to ride the pain. She could see him struggling to keep his face.
She turned on her heel, trotting out of the room quickly.
---
"First Aid Kit..." she mumbled under her breath to herself, searching the bathroom cupboards. Her brain was going on autopilot.
Spotting it, she grabbed it quickly, first opening it to check it had all the right stuff in it- bandages, antiseptic...
Satisfied, she closed the cupboard door, hurrying down the corridor back to her room, her step faultering when she saw Angel.
His eyes were closed, features drawn together in obvious discomfort, oblivious of her prescence. Her heart beating faster, as her gaze lingered on his naked chest, taking in the muscled, pale flesh with virgin eyes.
Suddenly, his dark eyes opened, catching hers. Her breath caught in her throat momentarily, quickly averting them to the kit in her hand as she resumed walking towards him, hoping he wouldn't notice the pink flush that spread rapidly, staining her cheeks.
"I...I got it" she announced, settling the kit on the bed beside him. His eyes flickered to the plain white box, then back at her inquiring expression.
"They had a weapon. A Jhantil" he offered, shrugging, knowing that she wouldn't know the term. He hurried on. "It's symbolic- adopted from a Catholic cross. They stabbed me with it- just missed the heart. I managed to get most of it out, but there's still some..."
Willow looked once again at his bare upper body, surprised she hadn't seen the few deep wooden slivers that protruded from his chest. Avoiding getting distracted by the gentle scent of him, she reached over to open the first aid kit. She knew her task, and was not going to get distracted by the masculine expanse of smooth, flowing skin... Oh, Goddess, she was a bad bad person.
She knelt on the floor before him, and then picking up a tweezer, she looked up finally at Angel.
"This is going to hurt a little" she cautioned, going into doctor mode; something that she had perfected as a child with far too much time on her hands. She missed the brief, slightly amused glance that crossed the vampire's face after she had resumed her focus back to the splinters.
Her breath was warm on his cool skin, her eyes squinting as she surveyed the damage. The area- just above his heart- was reddened, the flesh burned from the holy artifact. She grimaced at the painful sight, before a look of wonder crossed her face. Right before her eyes, the skin around the wound swayed slightly, trying to regenerate. Unable because of the remaining wooden shards.
Curiously, she prodded the area, her fingertip lightly brushing the swollen area.
The muscles beneath her hand bunched suddenly, an almost imperceptible low rumble running through Angel's vocal chords.
"Oh, I’m so sorry" she apologised swiftly, eyes looking worriedly into Angel's. He waved his hand slightly, urging her on.
With renewed determination, she took the tweezers. Making sure she had a steady grasp on the first splinter, she pulled slowly and easily. It slid out without any struggle, to her relief. Dropping it to the ground, she focused on the next one- there were only two left that she could see. They both came out relatively easily, dropping to the floor with the first wooden remain.
"There… All done" she announced, patting him twice on the leg for comfort.
"Thanks" he replied, offering her a curl of his lip. She took it as a smile.
They sat in silence for another long moment, neither moving.
Willow’s gaze trailed back down to his chest. He was.. so big. Not like, overweight- but more like big wide, as in big, bulky man type. Strong.. muscular. Virile.
Shaking her insipid hormonal gaze, she looked back up at Angel; pink swallowing her cheeks in an annoying habit as she caught his steady stare. Why couldn’t she have normal cheeks for once? Did they always have to betray her like this??
She floundered for another second, before reaching out to get his trenchcoat. It broke the spell; he began rising from the bed. She, too, stood, offering him back his coat.
He took it, thanking her silently with those brooding eyes.
"Thanks" he said slowly.
Unsure of whether he meant the jacket or the operation, she just nodded.
"Well… I better be leaving"
"Are the, the demons still out there?" she asked apprehensively, then rushing on as she noticed him open his mouth in defense. "I mean, m-my parents are out, it wouldn’t be a bother- you could crash in their room. It has drapes. Heavy ones. They’re a-actually very heavy, and hard to lift, because when we first got them we had to-"
"I really don’t want to bother you any more than I have to…" He cut in.
"Oh. There is no bothering, Angel. You’re welcome" she said seriously.
"I don’t…"
"Stay." She commanded, raising an eyebrow.
His mouth opened. She was too quick.
"You’re staying" she insisted again.
"Are you sure it’s no problem?" he asked uncertainly.
"I’m positive…. Here", she said, tugging his hand quickly, signalling him to follow behind her.
Casting a look back at the balcony doors, he followed behind her obediently down the hallway until she stopped at the door at the end. Twisting the doorknob, she pushed the door open wide.
Pointing, she narrarated. " See -- Drapes."
He nodded his response.
"Well… I’ll let you settle in."
She smiled encouragingly, knowing that he didn’t like to depend on anyone or put anyone out. He needed some time to rest, too.
He looked down at his hands, before raising his eyes to meet hers.
"Thanks" he said softly, seriously. "It’s very generous…"
"I-It’s no big deal, really, Angel" she stammered, denying the rush of pleasure that his words stirred in her.
He looked down again, his gaze resting this time on her own hands, remembering the inquisitive touch as she had explored and cared for his injury.
"No," he disagreeed firmly, "It means a lot to me."
Willow’s cheeks burned to a previously unrecorded temperatures, her silky red hair falling to hide her face from him as she glowed from the compliment.
"Thanks" she murmured, briefly looking up at his face before turning and making her way down the corridor.
After a second, she turned, brow furrowed in sudden puzzlement.
"Angel?"
He shifted to attention, looking up at her bewildered expression.
"Yes?"
Her head titled to the side as she mulled over her abrupt thought, her smoky green eyes deep in concentration.
" Before. You said you were attacked by the demons when you were outside my house…" she experimented,
He nodded in agreement, not seeing her point and urging her to continue.
She paused for a long moment, eyebrows drawn together.
"Why were you outside my house?"
Angel stared, taken aback. His lips spoke silent syllables as he searched for the answer, or the appropriate excuse.
After a moments floundering, he responded with a controlled voice.
"I, uh… Just out walking"
"Oh…" Willow murmured softly.
"Well.. Goodnight." She suggested finally, before moving off to her room.
Angel paused, his eyes lingering on her retreating form. He spoke under his breath, softly muttering.
"Goodnight…"
The End