Rock'n' Roll Lifestyle

Author: Janet Lynn

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: Spike/Angel sort of

Warning: This contains m/m slash.  If this offends your sensitive nature, please avert your eyes.

Disclaimer: All things BtVS and AtS belong to Joss Whedon (my god), Mutant Enemy, etc.  I own nothing, so please don't sue me.  I just want to play with the yummy beings that Joss created.

Spoilers: None

Distribution: Shara Nesu's Place, Red's Soulmates, The Inspiration and list archives. Everyone else, just ask.  I'm generous.

Website:  http://www.geocities.com/stricken_girl/FortheFaithfulEntrance.htm

Author's Notes: This is completely AU.  Everyone will eventually make an appearance, but no vamps or demons.

AN2:This is in response to my own challenge and a challenge from the BtVS Inspiration group.  It's actually just a thinly veiled excuse for me to
write a story where I can make Spike sing whatever song I want.  So you all will be subjected to my strange and eclectic taste in music.

AN3:  The title comes from the Cake song of the same name.

Summery: Spike is in a band and discovers he has a new groupie.

A huge thanks to my sis Stephanie who is betaing for me.  You rock babe!

Thoughts indicated by <>

Songs are indicated by italics.  Songs used in this chapter are "Roxanne" by the Police and "Mad Brilliant" by Ghost of the Robot.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
 
 
 

Rock'n'Roll Lifestyle

Well, your CD collection looks shiny and costly.
How much did you pay for your bad Moto Guzi?
And how much did you spend on your black leather jacket?
Is it you or your parents in this income tax bracket?

Now tickets to concerts and drinking at clubs,
Sometimes for music that you haven't even heard of.
And how much did you pay for your rock'n'roll t-shirt
That proves you were there,
That you heard of them first?

How do you afford your rock'n'roll lifestyle?
How do you afford your rock'n'roll lifestyle?
How do you afford your rock'n'roll lifestyle?
Ah, tell me.

How much did you pay for the chunk of his guitar,
The one he ruthlessly smashed at the end of the show?
And how much will he pay for a brand new guitar,
One which he'll ruthlessly smash at the end of another show?
And how long will the workers keep building him new ones?
As long as their soda cans are red, white, and blue ones.
And how long will the workers keep building him new ones?
As long as their soda cans are red, white, and blue ones.

Aging black leather and hospital bills,
Tattoo removal and dozens of pills.
Your liver pays dearly now for youthful magic moments,
But rock on completely with some brand new components.

How do you afford your rock'n'roll lifestyle?
How do you afford your rock'n'roll lifestyle?
How do you afford your rock'n'roll lifestyle?

Excess ain't rebellion.
You're drinking what they're selling.
Your self-destruction doesn't hurt them.
Your chaos won't convert them.
They're so happy to rebuild it.
You'll never really kill it.
Yeah, excess ain't rebellion.
You're drinking what they're selling.
Excess ain't rebellion.
You're drinking,
You're drinking,
You're drinking what they're selling.
 
 

~Part: 1~

Will sat backstage holding his guitar, waiting for the band opening for them to be finished.  He was glad to be back home, playing at the Bronze.  Sure, LA had been awesome.  They got to play in some new venues and meet some new people in the business.  But playing in front of your home crowd, singing for people who not only liked the covers, but could sing along with the original songs you wrote as well was a rush that just couldn't be compared.

This was their first performance in Sunnydale with their new drummer.  The original member had left just two months before.  The rest of the group was so upset when Parker announced he was done with the band, but they had to move on. Parker, it seems, was just a big flake.  Hence the trip to LA. They held auditions.well, they hung up fliers in a couple of music shops and three people showed up.  Luckily, they all hit it off with the first guy and Gunn became the newest member of "The Scourge of the New World".

Will was listening to the band that was currently on stage and knew they were about to wrap up their set.  He checked to make sure that the rest of the band was ready to go.  Xander was doing his usual backstage ritual which consisted of him muttering his way through the line up and trying not to throw up.  Oz was sitting on the floor in the lotus position and concentrating on his breathing.  Gunn was making out with yet another girl.
It seems the drummer was quite the ladies man.

The blonde felt his whole body vibrate with excitement as the band finished playing.  They said their thanks and began to head off the stage.

Jonathan, the stage manager, poked his head into the waiting area and said, "You guys ready, Spike?"

"Yeah" the blonde reply with a nod.  Xander took in a deep breath, trying not the vomit and Oz climbed up off the floor and grabbed his guitar.  Gunn simply pushed the girl off his lap before wiping his mouth and saying, "Let's do this thing."

As soon as "Turnabout" was cleared off the stage, the four friends began to set up their equipment.  <Need to get some bloody roadies> Will grumbled to himself as he set up his amp and did a quick sound check.

Once everyone was set up and ready to go, he walked up to the mic and smiled out at the waiting audience.  Pushing forward the harsher accent he used for the band, Will said, "Oi!  'ow's it goin'?  I'm Spike and we're 'The Scourge of the New World'."

Applause broke out from all over The Bronze and Xander started the bass line of their opening song.  Ever since they had acquired this prime slot at the local club, they had always started the set with this cover.  It was like their lucky charm.  Everyone liked it and they did it well.  Slowly, the
rest of the band members joined in and Spike, as he was known on stage, made his way to his mic and began to sing in his deep and husky baritone.

Roxanne
You don't have to put on the red light
Those days are over
You don't have to sell your body to the night

Roxanne
You don't have to wear that dress tonight
Walk the streets for money
You don't care if it's wrong or if it's right

Roxanne
You don't have to put on the red light

Will was excited to see the amount of people at the club that night.  A lot of them were dancing, but many were happy to just sit back and sing along with the band.  With Gunn and Xander singing along at the chorus, Will took the chance to get a good look out at the audience.  As he scanned the crowd, he saw someone that looked familiar, but he couldn't place the face.  He was sure he had seen the man before. As they came back around to the verse, he continued to sing.

I loved you since I knew you
I wouldn't talk down to you
I have to tell you just how I feel
I won't share you with another boy
I know my mind is made up
So put away your make up
Told you once I won't tell you again
It's a bad way

Roxanne
You don't have to put on the red light
Roxanne
You don't have to put on the red light

The song finished and the club erupted in applause again.  The sound of joy and adoration from people watching him was addicting to Will.  That was one of the reasons he had started the band in the first place.  Well, that and of course, the groupies.  Maybe he'd get a few of those soon.

Once the applause died down, Will stepped up to the mic again and said, "Thanks, pets.  Here's one off our first album that will be coming soon.
It's called 'Mad Brilliant'."

He smiled when that got a fairly good response.  He tried to see who seemed to like the song.  He recognized most of his friends and some of the
regulars who had heard their songs more times than he could count applauding and smiling at them, but there was a stranger on the far side of the club clapping as well.  Will squinted to try and see who it was.  It was the same man he had recognized earlier.  The man was tall, dark and.well, handsome. The smile he gave Will was amazing.

He was so lost in the smile; he almost missed his cue to sing.  He took a deep breath as he broke his eyes away from the gaze of the mystery man and started the song.

We are bitter opposites, it stings when you hit
Me like a kick to the head when I heard what you said
Did you even consider, you are making us bitter
I guess you're justified, because of your weak mind

When our lips first met, you didn't get the hang of it
I bet that you still kiss like me,
you realize it when you hear this

Hesitantly, almost shyly, Will looked up from under his eyelashes to see if the dark man was still watching him.  He was almost disappointed to discover that he wasn't until he noticed that the other man was scribbling something on a pad in his hands.  Suddenly the man looked up and their eyes locked again.

The singer smiled when he saw the flush that stole over the dark man's face. He smiled at the gesture and his heart jumped in his chest when the other man smiled back.  This time, he kept their eyes locked as continued to sing.

You have managed to steer clear, for yet another whole year
Although I did see you, I only caught lies you threw
When you were there with the band,
acceptance letter not in hand
Hugging your "cool" boyfriend, did you ever tell him?

When our lips first met, you didn't get the hang of it
I bet that you still kiss like me,
you realize it when you hear this

Realize it when you kiss

The song ended and the man clapped and whistled his approval.

The rest of the set was a blur for the young blonde.  Each song seemed harder and harder to get through as he watched the dark man smile and
applaud and write in his pad.  Will couldn't wait for the set to end.

Once they ended the set with their rock version of Journey's "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'", he hastily put his guitar and amp away and went in
search of the mystery man.

When he got to the spot where the dark stranger had been, he found nothing but a discarded, crumpled up piece of paper and a scattering of eraser goo. He looked around the crowded club frantically, but other than the paper he held in his hand, there was no evidence that the stranger had ever been there.

Will sighed heavily.  He was surprised at how disappointed he was that he could not find someone he had never met before.  He remembered the discarded piece of paper and slowly opened it.  He gasped at the image he saw there. It was him on stage singing.  And he looked amazing.  Now he was really intrigued.  He knew I had to find this man.

~Part: 2~

Will sauntered into the Bronze like he owned the place.  In a way, it was almost like he did.  Everyone there knew him and most everyone liked him. The only ones he knew that didn't like him were the boyfriends of the girls who had drooled over him.

He didn't try to fool himself into believing that he had a fan club or groupies waiting around for him, but he also knew that he was good looking and was looked at often.  At least he had better.  He put a lot of time and money, his father's money, into this persona he had developed for himself.

Spike was a stage name he had made for himself not long after they had formed the band.  After all, every good rock star was an over the top character.  He picked the name Spike because it was hard and strong and impossible to shorten.  Along with the name came the look.  Will bleached his dirty blonde locks, cutting them short enough to tame the natural curl that made him look so young.  Gone were the jewel toned shirts, blue jeans and sneakers he had lived in during his high school years, only to be replaced by black; black jeans, black Doc Martins, black shirts and, his favorite, black duster.  To top it all off, he hardened his normal proper accent to a rough cockney that his father hated.

As much as Will had wished, his throng of beautiful female groupies never quite materialized, but that was alright.  It gave him more time to focus on his music and that was what he needed to do if they had any chance of getting a record deal.

Although after their last tour in LA he did develop quite a following, although it wasn't exactly what he had been hoping for.  Gunn had set up several clubs for them to play in and one of them, Faces, turned out to be a gay club.  From that night on, Spike had a rather large gay following.

Will walked to the bar and nodded to Chris, the large man behind the bar. The bartender handed the blonde his preshow drink, a large glass of cool, not cold water with a lemon and a lime.  He sipped the water slowly and looked around at the growing crowd.  He smiled, knowing that some of the people gathering here tonight were coming just to see the band.

His heart skipped a beat as he spotted a familiar patch of dark brown hair. Peering frantically around some silly bint that refused to get out of his way, Will practically stood on the stool next to him to see if the man was the mysterious stranger he had seen the night before.  Not that he was looking for that man or anything.  He just wanted to know what the man was doing drawing pictures of him.

The dark haired man turned around and Will was surprised by the wave of disappointment that overcame him when he realized that it was not the man he was seeking.

Will looked down at himself and checked his clothes.  For some reason, which the blonde refused to accept, he had forgone his normal outfit for something slightly more provocative.  Instead for the every present T-shirt, he had worn what Xander referred to as his 'rent boy' shirt.  It was a sheer black button up with velvet designs that covered only certain thatches of flesh, including the blonde's small nipples.  The shirt was suggestive without leaving the man overexposed.  His jeans were replaced with tight leather pants that hung low on his hips.  The silver jewelry would shine wildly under the bright lights.  His hair was gelled as always, but instead of being slicked back against his head, Will had spiked it up in places, making him look like some sort of rock god. He had worked hard to look good and it showed.

The blonde checked his watch and realized he had an hour until the band was set to go on stage.  He knew Oz and Xander would already be here, most likely in the back, checking on the equipment.  Oz, despite his laid back, laconic personality, was quite the time freak.  He took being late as almost a personal affront to him.  In fact, it was one of the main reasons they had chosen Gunn as their new drummer.  He was the only one who showed up to the audition on time.  And wherever Oz went, you knew Xander would be there too. Those two were connected at the.well, hip, if you must know.  Will always thought it was interesting that those two had gotten together; they were so different.  But they were good for each other and so they were good for the band.  He just hoped they never broke up.  That was a "Behind the Music" segment he didn't want to happen before they were famous enough to even have a "Behind the Music" episode filmed about them.

Pulled from his musings, Will saw Gunn walk in and saunter up to him, another new girl on his arm.

"Spike, my man, how's it hangin'?" the bald man said, clapping the smaller man on the shoulder.

"Low and to the left, Charlie," Spike said, looking over the petite brunette hanging on the drummer.  "Ready?" he asked before draining the water remaining in his glass and heading for backstage.  Knowing the taller man wouldn't be far behind, Will turned around and scanned the crowd.  He still didn't see the man that Will was convinced he wasn't looking for.

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

The band was having a great set.  They had played the requisite covers, just enough to keep the dancers and crooners happy.  Being the hometown crowd, they were able to play more of their original songs without the crowd getting restless.  They were just getting back into their covers of 80s songs.  For some reason, Oz took evil pleasure in finding the oddest 80s songs and giving them a harder rock makeover.  It had become their signature.

They were half way through Billy Squier's "Everybody Wants You" when Will thought his heart stopped.  As he scanned the crowd,  he was captured by a pair of piercing chocolate brown eyes.  He smiled when he realized that they belonged to the mysterious artist from the night before.  The brunette was sitting at the same table Will had been in at the beginning of the night. The blonde figured it was just an odd coincidence.

Bringing himself back to reality, Spike tore into the next verse after subconsciously winking at the man staring back at him.

You crave attention--you can never say "no" Throw your affections anyway the wind blows You always make it--you're on top of the scene You sell the copy like the cover of a magazine Puttin' on the eyes 'til there's nobody else You never realize what you do to yourself The things that they see make the daily reviews You never get free when everybody wants you

Everybody knows you Everybody snows you Everybody needs you...leads you...bleeds you

Spike closed his eyes and tried to concentrate.  The eyes on him were distracting.  He mentally berated himself.  He was used to being on stage by now, but for some reason, this pair of brown eyes was turning his insides into Silly Putty.  He kept his eyes closed, rocking to the beat of the music and moving in a way that he knew made him look good.  He waited until the very last line before opening his eyes and holding the gaze of the smiling man, singing the line to him and him alone.

Nights of confusion and impossible dreams Days at the mirror, patchin' up around the seams You got your glory--you paid for it all You take your pension in loneliness and alcohol Say goodbye to conventional ways You can't escape the hours--you lose track of the days The more you understand, seems the more like you do You never get away...everybody wants you

The song wound to an end and the crowd went wild.  Spike was happy to see that the brunette was among the people applauding wildly.  Knowing which song was next, Spike stepped back and waved the rest of the band in to him. He whispered what change he wanted to make to the line up and the other members smiled.

"Want to do something special for you tonight," Spike drawled into the mic, smirking at the screams that followed.  As the song started, he knew by the smile on the dark man's face that he had chosen well.

The song, "Black Hole Sun" flowed from the speakers and into the crowd.  The group loved this song.  Oz got a great guitar riff, Xander got to sing what he called 'the great backup part' and Gunn just got to let loose.  Spike liked it because it was perfect for his range and he knew he sounded good. He was in the mood to impress.

In my eyes, indisposed In disguise as no one knows Hides the face, lies the snake The sun in my disgrace Boiling heat, summer stench 'Neath the black the sky looks dead Call my name through the cream And I'll hear you scream again

Black hole sun Won't you come And wash away the rain Black hole sun Won't you come Won't you come

Spike lost himself in the song.  He loved the feeling of the music surrounding him and filling the parts of him that felt hollow.  He rocked his hips against his guitar as he sang and moved to the music.  He opened himself to the crowd and hoped they wouldn't crush him.  He continued to sing.

Stuttering, cold and damp Steal the warm wind tired friend Times are gone for honest men And sometimes far too long for snakes In my shoes, a walking sleep And my youth I pray to keep Heaven send Hell away No one sings like you anymore

Hang my head, drown my fear Till you all just disappear

Black hole sun Won't you come And wash away the rain Black hole sun Won't you come Won't you come

The song ended and the place erupted in applause.  Spike didn't hear it.  As he came back from the place he had lost himself in, he opened his eyes and blushed when dark brown met his, smiling with a warmth he had never known before.

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

As soon as the set was over, Will put his guitar away and rushed out into the club, trying to catch the mysterious man before he left.  He smiled when he saw the brunette was still sitting at the table and quickly made his way over toward him.

The man met his eyes and held them the whole time Will walk over to him. Once he was at the table, Will simply stood there, looking down at the smiling man.  He knew he should say something but no words would come out. After a moment or two, they were interrupted by a loud voice behind Will.

"Angel, man, glad you could make it!" Gunn exclaimed, pushing past Will to hug the brunette as he stood to receive the embrace.

"Thanks Gunn" Angel replied.  Will shivered at the rich voice, just lightly tinged with some sort of accent.

Gunn turned to do the introductions.  "Spike, this is Angel.  Angel, this is Spike."  The two men smiled at each other and slowly reached out and shook hands.  Will felt a jolt of something similar to electricity shoot through him at the contact.

The three men sat down at the table together.  Gunn waited for someone to say something, but when the two other men remained quiet he took the initiative.  "Angel's wants to do the cover art for the demo, if that's cool with you."

Will simply nodded his head.   He seemed incapable of speech.  Gunn looked between the two men, confused.  He knew both men and neither of them had ever had a problem talking before. Well, maybe Angel when he was in a brooding mood, but once you got him talking about something he liked, he was hard to stop.  Gunn figured maybe he was hindering the process, so he stood quickly and said, "Well, I can see ya'll have a lot to talk about, so I'll just head out and see if I can find Rachel again.  Later."

The two men nodded, acknowledging the drummer's departure.  They sat, staring at each other for a while.  Finally, Angel broke the silence.

"So what kind of name is Spike?" he asked.

"Stage," the blonde replied curtly.  "What kind of name is Angel?" he asked, slightly annoyed.

"Nick," the brunette replied with a small smile.

The two men laughed and sighed as the tension was broken.  "So what's your real name?" Angel asked.

"William Randall Giles, if you must know," Will said, grinning at the easy rapport he felt with the larger man.  "You?"

"Liam Angelus Connolly," Angel said, letting more of the brogue slip through.

Will smiled lightly.  "I knew I heard an accent in there.  Why do you hide it with that horrible California accent.  It just doesn't suit you, luv."

Angel blushed as he ducked his head slightly.  He wasn't used to such easy praise.  He raised his gaze and asked, "You want something to drink?"

Will nodded and gestured at the bartender who sent over a waitress with a pitcher of the singer's preferred water.  At the raised eyebrow from the brunette, Will said, "Water.  It does a body good."

He wasn't sure, but he thought he heard Angel whisper, "Damn straight."

"You're probably wondering what's up, right?" Angel asked suddenly hiding his hands under the table.  Without waiting for a response, he continued. "I saw the band while you were down in LA and Gunn said you guys were trying to cut a demo.  I told him I'd like to do your cover art, if that's cool with you.  I'm an art major at UCLA and right now I'm taking a graphic arts class.  I have to do a large project for my final and I thought that his would be the perfect idea."

He paused and waited for the blonde to say something.

Realizing that he was waiting for an answer, Will nodded.  "That's cool," he said nonchalantly.  "What did you have in mind?"

Angel smiled as he pulled out the large sketch pad out from under the table. "I know this sounds weird, but I had this ideas as you guys as monsters," he started.  "You know, to kind of go with the whole 'Scourge of the New World' thing.  I could do a front cover of you guys as different creatures and then as yourselves on the inner picture.  Here."  He handed the pad to blonde, opened to the appropriate picture.

Will gasped as he saw the sight before him.  The picture was of the band, but they were all.different.  "I'm a vampire," he whispered, awed by the looked of darkness of his distorted features.

"Yeah," Angel whispered, trailing his fingers around the sketch, indicating the other men on the page.  "See, Oz is a werewolf, Xander's like a hyena creature and Gunn is like a panther.  I thought it was rather fitting."

Will stared at the picture.  It was amazing.  "Wow," he whispered.

"You like?" Angel asked, happy that the other man liked his work.

"Yeah," the blonde said, enthusiastically.

"Here's what the inner art might look like," the artist said, flipping to the next page.

Will smiled again, awed by the sight.  This picture had them in exactly the same position as the first, but they were all as they were on stage.  He reached up to touch the picture at the same time as the brunette and their fingers met on the page for the briefest of moments.  He reluctantly pulled his hand away and whispered, "You're very talented, mate."

"Thanks," Angel answered as he dropped his hand into his lap.  "So are you."

After a few moments of silence, Will asked, "So, you want to get out of here?"

"What were you thinking?" Angel asked, his eyes sparkling with something Will couldn't place.

"Thought we could talk, or whatever," the blonde said, unsure why we was even asking.  "It's a little loud in here."

"Sure," the darker man said as he stood and held out his hand, silently asking for his sketch pad back.  Will handed it to him and stood to follow him.  "I'm staying with Gunn this weekend.  Do you mind hanging out there?"

"Nope," Will said, smiling widely.  He wasn't sure if he was happier to spend time alone with the man or to get out of the loud, hot club.  Either way, he sighed deeply when he stepped out into the cool night air and suppressed the desire to reach out and grasp the taller man's hand as they walked out into the night.

~Part: 3~

The two men wandered down the quiet Sunnydale streets, chatting amiably. They had seamlessly slipped into a safe conversation about music.  They argued as they made their way to Gunn's apartment over which bands were the most influential to modern rock.

Will argued for The Sex Pistols, The Rolling Stones and Nirvana.  Angel thought U2, The Clash and Green Day were better than Spike's choices.  The brunette really surprised Will when he tried to tell the blonde that Spike was heavily influenced by The Doors.

"The Doors?" Will yelled indignantly.  "How do you figure?"

"Please," Angel snorted.  "Jim Morrison defined the image of a rock god and you, my friend, are following the dress code to a tee."

Will cocked an eyebrow questioningly, waiting for the rest of the explanation.

"Leather pants, unruly, slightly curly hair, and the shirt that can easily hang open as stay buttoned" Angel said as he ran his approving gaze over the smaller man.  "Sounds like Jim Morrison to me.  Not that I'm complaining or anything, mind you.  It's obviously working for you."

Will practically sagged with relief.  When Angel first started talking about his outfit, he was worried that the brunette didn't like it or was making fun of him.  Now it seemed the opposite might be true.  The thought brought a small smile to the blonde's face.  "It better be working for me," he said as he smoothed his hands over the butter-soft material.  "Da paid a pretty penny for this kit."

The blonde suddenly stopped and shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his duster.  "Just a mo," he said to Angel before he turned his back and pushed the speed dial button on the phone.  "Hello Da," he said into the small cell phone.  "Yeah, it was a good show.  Look, I'm goin' to stay at Gunn's tonight, yeah?  No Da, tomorrow's Saturday.  I don't have class. I'll be home before 2.  Ten?  No way.  Noon.  Alright.  See you tomorrow, Da.  Yeah, me too.  Ta."

He stabbed off the phone and turned back to a smiling Angel.  "Calling your father?" he asked.

"Yeah," Will said, ducking his head slightly in embarrassment.  "He worries about me if I don't check in.  Ever since it's been just the two of us he worries about me.  I try to humor him."

"I think it's nice that you're close with your father," Angel said softly, looking at the younger man's flushed face.  "What happened to your mother, if you don't mind me asking."

Will sighed heavily before looking the taller man in the eyes.  "She was an archeologist on a remote site in Indonesia.  It was some really big deal for her.  Mum had been searching for this artifact for years.  She finally found Acathla but the tomb collapsed and killed everyone inside, including her."

"God, Will.  I am so sorry."  Angel reached over and squeezed the leather covered shoulder.  "How old were you?"

"Eight," the blonde said softly.  He was trying not to concentrate too hard on the warm hand on his shoulder.  "Da took it really hard.  That's why we moved to the States.  He couldn't stand seeing places and people that reminded him of her."

"What's he do?" the brunette asked.

"He teaches history over at UC Sunnydale," Will explained as he continued walking to his friend's apartment.  "That's where I'm going now.  It's weird attending a school where everyone knows your father,"

"What's your major?" Angel asked.

Spike was slightly confused at why Angel was asking so many questions.  He figured the man was just curious about him.  "English," he said with a smile.  "I thought it would be easy, being English and all, but it's been a lot of hard work."

Angel snickered for a moment at the younger man's answer.  "Things worth doing are usually hard.  That's what makes them worthy of our time."

Will turned his head quickly to look at the brunette.  "What are you, some sort of poet?" he asked.

Angel just chuckled. "Nope, just a fan."

By that time, they had reached their friend's apartment.  Angel reached into his pocket and pulled out the keys. Stepping into the quiet room, Angel turned on the light and walked into the kitchen.  Spike stripped off his duster and hung it on a hook by the door.  He had been here a couple of times, but it still seemed odd being alone with this stranger in the drummer's apartment.

Angel walked in and handed the blonde a beer.  As the two men settled on the soft, ratty couch, the brunette said, "So, tell me all about yourself."

The two men sat for hours talking about everything they could think of. Angel talked about his art classes and his passion for drawing.  Will talked about the band and his thoughts for the future.  He admitted to the brunette that he had aspirations to become a writer, although he doubted himself about being able to pull it off.

"Don't say that, Will," Angel chided as he playfully ruffled the blonde hair as he stood, before plucking the empty beer bottle from the boy's hand.  If his fingers lingered a little too long in the curling locks, neither man mentioned it.

As he came back from the kitchen, he paused before handing the beer to the other man.  "How old are you?  I'm not going to get in trouble for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, am I?"

Will smirked as he reached up to pluck the bottle from the brunette's hand. "You're fine, mate," he said after his first sip.  "I'm twenty.  I'll be twenty-one in just over a month.  So as long as I stay indoors until the buzz wears off, you're safe as houses."

Angel chuckled at the comment and settled down on the couch next to the smaller man.  "If you insist," he said lightly.

Will looked at the taller man out of the corner of his eye.  "So," he started.  "How old are you, if you don't mind me asking."

"Twenty-three," Angel replied without a pause.

"And still in school.  You must be on the five year plan," Will says with a slight smirk on his face.

Angel smirks back.  "Yeah, actually I am," he said before softly adding, "But I still have a year and a half before I graduate.  I took a leave of absence last year."

"Why?" Will asked, suddenly very curious about the man next to him.

The dark man sighed heavily before reaching into his back pocket to retrieve his wallet.  He pulled out a picture of a pretty dark haired girl, smiling at the camera.  "This is my sister Kathy," Angel explained.  "Last year, she became very ill.  My mother called me and said Kathy wanted me to come home. When I got to Galway, I found out she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. We were all a wreak.  I went to the doctor and offered to be a bone marrow donor for her, but I wasn't a match.  My Da told me I was a failure.again."

"Not your fault you're not a match, mate," Will said softly, wanting to help take away the man's pain. He reached over and gently laid his hand on the older man's arm before squeezing in a manner he hoped was reassuring.  "How could he say such a thing?"

"That's my Da for you," Angel said as he leaned into the gentle touch.  "He was furious when I left for the States.  That may have upset him more than my announcement that I was going to study art."

"What did bring you to the States?"

"Scholarship."

Will was intrigued but the only sign of it was a single raised eyebrow.

"Football," Angel supplied.  "I was scouted by several schools, but UCLA has a great art program, so off I went to California with me Da yelling that I was only going to be corrupted."

"You play Footie?" Will practically yelled.  "Like Beckham?"

"I wish," Angel said with a smile.  "But I was pretty damn good, if I do say so myself."

"Was?" the blonde asked.

"Kathy didn't make it," the older man whispered.  "After she died, I came back to school, but my heart wasn't in it.  During the fourth game of the season, I was distracted and I blew out my knee.  It wasn't pretty.  Four painful surgeries later and I was deemed unsuitable for collegiate play. Lost my scholarship and was forced to find a job.  That's how I met Gunn, actually.  His sister Alana and I work together at a local martial arts studio, teaching classes almost every night of the week."

Will nodded as he took in the information.  It was hard to believe that this man, who was so young, could have lived through so much already.  He turned the picture over and read the small print on the back.

To Liam, my angel.  No matter what Wesley says.  Kathy

"Who's Wesley?" Will asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"He's the one who gave me the nickname," the brunette said as he ducked his head slightly.  Will was surprised to see a touch of redness on the older man's cheeks.  "He thought it was a funny play on my name."

"He was your friend?" the blonde asked.

"Boyfriend," Angel replied.  "Ex-boyfriend."

Will was struck silent for several long moments.  Finally he broke the tension as he laughed out, "You're gay."

Angel didn't know whether to laugh with the younger man or punch him.  Once Will stopped laughing and collected himself, Angel said, "Actually, I'm bi. I've had both male and female lovers.  It's another reason my father hates me so.  I'm a deviant in his eyes."

Will instantly sobered.  "I'm sorry," he whispered as he reached over to lay his hand gently on the other man's thigh.  Once he realized what he had done, he pulled it away sharply.  "Sometimes my mouth gets ahead of my brain."

"It's alright, Will," Angel said as he reached over to squeeze the hand that had previously been on his leg.  "A lot of people have that reaction at first.  But it is my personal belief that everyone is bisexual to some degree."

The blonde thought that over for a few moments, surprised that he could accept that idea so easily.  Before he could make another comment, Angel completely changed the subject.

"So, Gunn's got the entire 'Monty Python's Flying Circus' series on DVD if you want to watch," the brunette said as he released the hand he was holding.

"No shit," Spike said surprised that the drummer would enjoy a spot of British humor.

Angel simply gestured toward the full set of DVDs sitting in the entertainment center.  They laughed as he put the first disk in and they settled in to watch.

~~~*~~~

Several hours later, Angel was surprised to notice that Will was not laughing as John Cleese was strolling across the screen as the Minister of Silly Walks.  When he looked down, he realized that the blonde was fast asleep.  The brunette took a few moments to look at the younger man unguarded.  He was amazed at the beauty of him.  His blue eyes, sharp cheekbones and pale skin were like a siren's call to the older man.  Angel wished he could reach over pull the boy into his arms.

Suddenly the blonde sighed and shifted so he was snuggled into Angel's side. The taller man settled himself  more comfortably on the couch and shut off the television.  Just before he closed his eyes, he reached over and traced the delicate features with a single fingertip.  "Goodnight Will," he whispered as he dozed off for the night.

~Part: 4~

Will woke up abruptly to the sound of a pounding bass beats.  He had been sleeping so soundly, so he was surprised to note unusual position of his body.  He was apparently draped over a body.  A large warm body.  A large warm body that was currently holding Will close as he slept.

Curious blue eyes crept up to be captured by the chocolate brown eyes watching him.

"Morning," Angel said, smiling down at the younger man who was practically lying in his lap.

Will stared for a moment, stunned.  He couldn't believe that he had cuddled close to a stranger in the middle of the night.  Even worse, he couldn't believe how good it felt.

"Morning," he croaked back, his voice husky and strained from sleep.  He opened his mouth to say more when he heard the loud music from behind the closed door down the hall.  "I take it Gunn's back."  His next comment was cut off by a loud, obviously female moan.  "And he's not alone."

Angel chuckled and tightened his grip on the warm body in his arms.  "No, he came in with a newbie about twenty minutes ago.  They're going to be a while.  He's got the Black Eyed Peas on.  It seems to be his grinding music of choice.  You want to get out of here before they really get loud?"

Will snickered a little as he turned his face into the warm, muscular chest. "I take it you have heard more than your share of Gunn lovin', huh?"

Angel laughed out loud at that. "You have no idea.  That boy is such a player."  He hated to let go of the boy snuggling into his chest, but if they didn't leave soon, Gunn and his entertainment of the evening would be making enough noise to embarrass them both.  He knew he was already sporting a rather impressive morning erection and he really didn't want to scare of the poor boy now.  He figured they had better leave and quickly.  "How about I buy you breakfast?"

Will smiled at the idea.  He was looking forward to spending more time with the older man, but he really didn't want to move.  It felt good to be held in the warm strong arms. But his stomach suddenly answered for him and both men laughed out loud.

"I think we'd better go and get you something before you waste away, scarecrow," Angel said as he reluctantly dislodged the blonde from his side.

"You're just jealous," Will said as he stood and stretched languidly.  "You know you're hot for my tight bod."

Will froze.  He couldn't believe the words that came out of his mouth.  He turned quickly to see if he offended the other man and was shocked to see the brunette staring at the bit of flesh he had exposed as his shirt rode up.  "So.food?"

Angel chuckled lightly, "Yeah, food."

They quickly pulled on their shoes and coats and moved to head out of the apartment.  As they passed the bedroom, they heard a moan followed by a loud, "Who's your daddy?"

Both men ran out of the apartment, trying to hold off their laughter until they were well away from the happy couple.

Will lead them to The Two Bit Café, his favorite diner, for breakfast.  It had good, cheap food and was right down the street from Gunn's apartment. They sat and chatted about movies and music over waffles, eggs and coffee.

After they were done eating, Will glanced at his watch and practically jumped up out of his seat.  "Shit!" he exclaimed, quickly reaching into his pocket to grab his wallet.

"What's the matter?" Angel asked, confused.

"I'm going to be late," he said as he shuffled from foot to foot, anxious to get home.

Not wanting to get his new friend in trouble, Angel grabbed the bill from Will and proceeded to pay for the meal.  "You want me to go with you, you know, to help explain to your dad?"

"You'd do that?" Will asked.

"Sure," the taller man said, flashing his most dazzling smile.  "Besides, I'm sure he has some great stories about you."

"Great," the blonde said as he rolled his eyes before rushing out of the restaurant and towards his home.

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

As soon as the door was opened, the blonde heard the cultured voice calling out, "William?  Is that you?"

"Yes, Da," the young man answered as he closed the door behind him.  He led Angel in through the spacious house and into what appeared to be a study. Sitting behind a large desk, surrounded by a multitude of books sat Will's dad.

"William," the man said with a large smile as his son entered the room. "I'm glad you're home.  Did you have a nice night?"  He turned to look at Angel and asked, "Who's your friend?"

Angel walked forward and offered his hand.  "Hello sir.  My name is Liam. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"It's very nice to meet you as well, Liam," the older said.  "And please, call me Rupert or Giles."

"Ok," the brunette said, shaking the man's hand.

"He's an art student.  He said he'd do the cover art for the CD," Will said, smiling up at his friend.

"Excellent," Rupert said.  "Why don't you stay for lunch, Liam?  We could chat for a while."

"I'm sorry, but that's not possible," Angel explained.  "I have to get back to LA in a few hours.  I just came over to meet you and make sure Spike had my number, in case he needed to get a hold of me before I made it back here next week, you know, with ideas for the cover."

Rupert chuckled as the two young men left the study in hurry to get upstairs.  ~Liam certainly is a nice boy~ Rupert thought.  ~Good looking too.~

As the men went up the stairs, heading towards Will's room, Angel had to stop and look at the pictures that littered the wall of the stairwell.  He chuckled at the school pictures, showing Will with curly sandy brown locks and small wire rimmed glasses.  He looked absolutely adorable.  A few pictures over, he saw a picture of a young man, obviously a punk with a black leather jacket and torn jeans, playing on a stage holding a familiar looking guitar.

"Who's that?" Angel asked.

"Me," Rupert said, standing next to the gaping man.  "Back in the day.  I had a band, just like William.  We were called 'Chaos Bleeds'.  Didn't do too bad in London back in the day."

"Nice guitar," Angel said, smiling at the professor.

"It's William's now.  I figured I had my chance to be young and rebellious, now it's his turn."

"Da!" Will protested loudly form the top of the stairs.

Both men laughed at the blonde's whining.  Angel looked at the picture next to the rock star.  It was obviously a family portrait.  It had Rupert proudly holding a very young Will.  Angel smiled at the image of the crystal blue eyes twinkling with joy and the dark blonde locks curling over the young boy's ears. He gaze was then drawn to the beautiful woman standing next to them with the most amazing smile on her face.  Angel somehow felt drawn to the woman and he reached over to trace the long black hair with a single finger.  At the same moment, Will brought his hand up to touch the image of his mother.  Their fingers brushed and a spark of electricity shot through them.  They stared at each other for a few moments before Rupert interrupted the moment.

"That's Drusilla, Will's mother," he said wistfully. "She was a wonderful woman."

"I'm sure she was," the brunette said as his finger lingered over the callus roughened finger of the blonde.

Will suddenly broke the spell between the two of them by clearing his throat.  "We should go, Da," he said, taking two stairs at a time.

Angel followed quickly and Rupert stood on the stairs watching the two boys, wondering what exactly was between them.  He had noticed the way they touched and he smiled to himself.  His son had a new friend.

Once in his room, Will threw his duster on his bed and turned on the stereo, flipping quickly to his favorite radio station.  He noticed Angel looking around at the room and he hoped he had hidden all his most embarrassing stuff.  For some reason, he really wanted this man to like him.

"Nice room," Angel commented.  He noticed the three guitars, multitude of posters, some signed, some not, and the huge number of CDs.  "Where'd you get all this stuff?"

Will chuckled lightly.  "Da and I have an arrangement.  If I stay in school then he pays for my stuff for the band.  I mean, someone has to support my rock'n'roll lifestyle until I make it big."

"I'm sure you will," Angel said softly as he continued to look around the room.  "You're good enough, you know?"

Will turned and looked into the sincere, warm eyes.  He thought they were the most amazing chocolate color he had ever seen.  The silence stretched out as the two men stared at each other.  Finally the spell seemed to break.

"You really have to get back today?" Will found himself asking as he turned away, pointedly not looking at the taller man.

"Yeah," Angel said.  "I have classes and work.  But I do want to give you my number.  So you can call me, if you want."

"For cover ideas and stuff, right?" the blonde said, sounding slightly disappointed.

"Or if you just want to talk.  If I'm going to be working with you and the band, it might help me if I get to know you better.  You know, the man behind the music.  That is, if you don't mind."  The brunette wanted to slap himself.  He was babbling like a nervous school girl.

"That would be cool," Will said with a blinding smile.  They pulled out their cell phones and quickly traded numbers before Angel began to head for the door.  "So I'll see you next weekend?"

"Maybe, if I can get away," the taller man said.  "I'll talk to you later." Before he walked out the door, he stepped closer to Will and the younger gasped softly as a warm thumb lightly brushed against his bottom lip.  He felt himself harden in his too tight jeans as Angel brought the thumb to his own lips and licked it with just the tip of his pink tongue.

"Syrup," he explained.

Will simply nodded, not knowing what to say, if he could say anything at all.  He watched as Angel quickly turned and left the room, leaving the boy with a pounding heartbeat and a rock hard erection.  He threw himself on the bed and wondered how long it would take Angel to get to LA.  And how soon after he got there could Will call him and not look completely desperate.

~Part: 5~

Will sat at the bar sipping his water and trying hard not look like he was watching the door. Angel had called the night before and promised that he would be at the show tonight, even going so far as to suggest that he might stay the entire weekend.

The blonde singer glanced down at his outfit, wondering for the tenth time if he should have gone with the red shirt instead of the blue. He pulled the midnight blue silk away from his torso and studied it, hoping Angel would like it. Cordelia always said that this shirt brought out the color in his eyes. Who was he to disagree with her? That girl was a walking fashion magazine.

Will shook his head at himself. “When did I turn into a girl?” he muttered as he stirred the water around in his glass. He couldn’t believe that he had spent nearly an hour trying to decide what to wear. He never had a problem getting ready for a show before but tonight, nothing seemed to go right for him.

Running his hands over the soft textures of his outfit, Will smiled, knowing he looked good. After tearing through his wardrobe, he had finally settled on the butter-soft black suede pants that laced up the sides and the fly, giving a flash of skin and the impression that they could come open at any minute. The shirt was a dark shade of blue that almost looked black until it was in the right light. It was so tight on his lithe frame it seemed a size too small, but Cordelia told him it was just right.

Glancing at his watch and then the door, he was saddened that his friend was now…two minutes late. Will sighed. “What is wrong with me?” he asked out loud to no one in particular.

“You need to get laid,” the amused voice came from behind him.

Will spun around on his chair and stared into the dark brown eyes staring at him. “How can I, Charlie? You’ve fucked every available woman in town.”

Gunn laughed at the smaller man. “Sorry, man. What can I say? I’m irresistible.” Both men laughed as the larger man’s hand wrapped around the thin shoulder. “You better get back stage. Oz is starting to look like he might start pacing in a minute.”

That is always a bad sign. Oz is the single most laid back person Will had ever met, so the fact that he was upset that Will was late means the singer had better get going, and quick. He took one last look around the club when he spotted the familiar brown eyes smiling at him as Angel entered the room.

Will felt his face break out in an embarrassing smile, but he couldn’t help it. He bounced over to his friend and got the strangest feeling that he want to throw myself in the taller man’s arms for a bear hug. He stopped himself just as they approached each other.

“So you made it,” Will said, trying to sound nonchalant, but his hands were sweating and all he wanted to do was to reach out touch him, make sure he was really there.

“Yeah,” Angel said, smiling as he felt the gentle touch. “Traffic sucked. There was a big accident and I thought I’d never make it here. Just glad that I didn’t miss the set.” He took a moment to look over the smaller man before smiling appreciatively. “Nice.”

Will blushed slightly before turning his head in his trademark, ‘who me?’ pose. Smiling he said, “Yeah, you made it on a special night. We’re doing the “sex set”. One of my favorites.” He glanced over at the stage and noticed the brunet head bouncing, trying to get his attention. “I’d better go. Xander looks like he’s going to hurt himself getting my attention over there which means Oz is probably freaking that I’m not back there. I’d better go.”

Angel smiled and watched as the younger man all but bounced backstage. He found a seat at a table near the bar and settled down to wait.

~~~*~~~

Angel sat, entranced. He had seen Will perform before, but tonight’s performance seemed different. This “sex set” was amazing. All the songs had to do with sex or being sexy and Will was the personification of that. The leather pants and silk shirt showed off his body to perfection and his slightly husky voice made each song sound like he’d just had great sex. Angel knew he was half hard and he was doing his best to hide that fact. Didn’t want to scare off the young man, did he?

The band had just started a new song and it seemed a perfect fit for Spike.

**Hangin' round downtown by myself And I had so much time To sit and think about myself And then there she was Like double cherry pie Yeah there she was Like disco superfly I smell sex and candy here Who's that lounging in my chair Who's that casting devious stares In my direction Mama this surely is a dream

Hangin' round downtown by myself And I had too much caffeine And I was thinkin' 'bout myself And then there she was In platform double suede Yeah there she was Like disco lemonade

I smell sex and candy here Who's that lounging in my chair Who's that casting devious stares In my direction Mama this surely is a dream Mama this surely is a dream

I smell sex and candy here Who's that lounging in my chair Who's that casting devious stares In my direction Mama this surely is a dream Mama this surely is a dream Yeah mama this must be my dream**

The crowd went wild and Will smiled out at the audience, flirting shamelessly. “Ok, one more for the night and then we’re out of here.” He looked directly and Angel and winked. “We hope you see you again soon, but for now…”

And Oz started and guitar rift and screaming sounded around the club.

Come over here

**All you got is this moment The 21st Century's yesterday You can care all you want Everybody does yeah that's okay

So slide over here And give me a moment You moves are so raw I've got to let you know I've got to let you know You're one of my kind

I need you tonight cause I'm not sleeping There's something about you love That makes me sweat**

Angel shivered, listening to the seductive words of the song. He smiled when he noticed Will had changed to word ‘girl’ to ‘love’. Will had called Angel ‘love’ all the time when they talked. He wanted to believe that Will was singing to him, but the boy was straight, wasn’t he? But the way the boy moved practically made Angel’s mouth water: the way the lithe body was rocking against the back of the guitar was almost obscene, like it was a preview of something else to come.

**How do you feel I'm lonely What do you think Can't think at all Whatcha gonna do Gonna live my life

So slide over here And give me a moment You moves are so raw I've got to let you know I've got to let you know You're one of my kind

I need you tonight Cause I'm not sleeping There's something about you love That makes me sweat

How do you feel I'm lonely What do you think Can't think at all Whatcha gonna do Gonna live my life How do you feel I'm lonely**

Will’s eyes traveled over the club, casting flirtatious glances at different people as he did. This was his element. This was where he belonged. On stage, where no one could touch him, he was the master of his world. The power he felt made him bold and he sought out the one person he wanted to sing to. Blue eyes caught the chocolate brown ones of Angel and Will smiled as he played and danced and sang to the end of the song.

**What do you think Can't think at all Whatcha gonna do babe Gonna live my life

So slide over here And give me a moment You moves are so raw I've got to let you know I've got to let you know

So slide over here And give me a moment I've got to let you know I've got to let you know

You're one of my kind**

~~~*~~~

As soon as the show was over, Angel slipped backstage to see the band. He wasn’t at all surprised to see them surrounded by adoring fans. It may have only been five or six and they may have been just star-struck teeny boppers, but adoring fans, none the less. Angel didn’t know how anyone could resist them, especially Will. He tried to force down the jealousy he felt, knowing that he had no right to feel that way, but it was difficult regardless.

When the ‘groupies’ finally left, none too soon as far as Angel was concerned, he slowly made his way over to the group.

“Angel, man,” Gunn said, shaking the larger man’s hand. “Glad you could make it.”

Will smiled at Angel. He walked over and asked, “You planning on staying with Gunn this weekend?”

“Yeah,” Angel said, trying to talk over the noisy crowd backstage. “That’s assuming he doesn’t have too many adoring fans over to keep me up.”

“You could stay at my house,” Will offered, the words rushing out of his mouth before he could stop them. He was as shocked as the rest of his bandmates at the statement. He hardly ever let anyone stay at his place, afraid that his dad would pull out baby pictures or something else equally as embarrassing. “What? I’ve had people over,” he blurted, looking around awkwardly at his band mates.

“Yeah, but I was ten, Spike,” Xander said with a huge smile on his face.

“You really don’t mind?” Angel asked, trying to hold in his excitement over the prospect of sleeping under the same roof as the singer again.

Will smiled up at the older man. “No, I’m sure Da won’t either. He’s always bugging me to bring people over. But if he pulls out the photo album, run.”

“Will do,” Angel agreed. “So what’s the plan for tonight?”

“No plan,” Oz said. “Lindsey’s tomorrow.”

Noting Angel’s confusion, Xander explained, “Lindsey’s this dude in college here. Some big hotshot or something but he throws these kick ass parties. It’s a big deal to get an invite. He asked the band to come and do a set. So we play for thirty minutes or so, then sit back and enjoy the spoils.”

“You’re invited too, man,” Gunn said, slapping Angel on the back. “We’ll just say you’re our roadie or something. Cool?”

“Very,” the dark haired man said, smiling at the drummer.

“Then I suggest we go and rest up for the party,” Will suggested, wanting to get the older man to his home. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

~~~*~~~

The ride over was relatively uneventful, even though Will had a hard time resisting the urge to reach over and hold the large hand resting so close to his own. He couldn’t help but notice that the older man had laid his hand on the seat between them instead of keeping it on the steering wheel. His fingers twitched twice before he shoved them into this pockets to keep from doing something he might regret.

Once they got to his house, he explained to his father that Angel needed a place to stay and Giles was more than happy to offer the guest room for Angel to stay in. When his father tried to talk to Angel, Will quickly ushered his father out the room, worried that his Da would embarrass him.

The two friends sat in the living room, watching TV and chatting about whatever they could think of that they hadn’t already covered when they talked during the week.

Finally, Angel stretched and yawned widely. “Sorry,” he apologized. “Long week.”

“No problem,” Will answered, smiling as he helped his friend up and directed him up the stairs to the guest room. “I probably shouldn’t have talked your ear off. This is the guest room,” he said, indicating which room. “My room’s right next door, if you need anything, but you already know that. Da’s room is at the other end of the hall, so don’t worry about waking him up with music or anything. He sleeps like the dead anyway. The bathroom’s right there.” He paused, not really knowing what to say next. ‘I think you’re cute. Can I give you a good night kiss?’ came to mind, but didn’t really seem like a good idea. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Sounds good,” Angel said as he reached down to pick up the bag he had brought with him. “See you in the morning, Will.”

Before he opened the door, Angel reached out and trailed his fingers over Will’s face, causing the younger man to turn his head into the touch, silently asking for more. Much to Will’s disappointment, the taller man dropped his hand away quickly and walked into the room, smiling at the blonde singer before closing the door behind him.

Will closed his eyes and sighed as he turned to go into his own room when suddenly he remembered he forgot to tell Angel something. He went to the guest room and, without thinking, opened the door and stepped inside. The sight before him stopped him in his tracks.

Angel had just finished removing his shirt and was in the process of taking off his belt when Will walked in. The muscular back was exposed to the younger man’s greedy gaze and he couldn’t resist the urge to come closer and touch the beautiful design before him.

“Beautiful,” Will whispered as his fingers began to trace the design held captive in the older man’s skin. “What is it?”

“It’s a gryphon,” Angel explained. His voice sounded husky, even to his own ears, but the desire in his blood wouldn’t be contained now that Will was touching him so intimately. “Kathy loved them and I designed it just before she died. The ‘A’ is sort of an inside joke. She was the only one in my family to call me Angel. Sometimes she even called me by my middle name just to tease me. But she always called me Liam when she wanted something or to tell me that she loved me. I miss that sometimes.” His breath was coming quickly now as Will continued to stroke the soft skin, worshipping the beauty of the mark on this beautiful man.

Finally, Angel couldn’t take it any longer. As he spoke, the long forgotten brogue slipped through. “Like what ye see, boy?”

The desire in the husky voice shot straight through Will and he shuddered lightly before pulling his hand away. “Yeah, actually, I do.”

Angel turned around and smiled at the smaller man. “Good. But for now, get some sleep. Maybe tomorrow we can talk some more and I’ll tell you the whole story behind the tattoo.”

Will cleared his throat, fighting for some control. “Ok,” he finally squeaked out. “I’ll see you.”

Before he could turn to leave, Angel darted forward and placed a soft, chaste kiss on the Will’s lips. “Good night, Will,” he said, mischief playing in his eyes.

“Good night, Liam,” Will said with a smile. After he closed the door to the guest room, he walked in a daze to his bedroom and stumbled inside, slumping against the closed door. Slowly, he brought his hand up to his lips and closed his eyes, hoping to hold onto the memory for a few more minutes.

That night, both men dreamed of the other.

~Part: 6~

Will rolled over and looked at the clock. Nine am. A truly ungodly hour for any self respecting rock god to be awake. But the smell of french toast and fresh coffee had roused him from his sleep and there was no way he was heading back to dreamland now.

Reluctantly, he rolled out of bed and pulled on a pair of sweatpants before he slowly made his way downstairs. He was scratching his head and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he turned the corner and realized just why his father was cooking.

There, on the couch, sat Angel, flanked by Xander and Oz, all of them hunched over a photo album, no doubt full of embarrassing baby pictures.

"Oh my god, Will," Xander cried as soon as the young punk came into view. "You were so cute! I miss your curly hair."

"Da!" Will all but whined and rushed into the kitchen to hopefully cover the blush creeping over his cheeks. Once he was face to face with his beaming father, he began to complain, "I can't believe you pulled out the photo albums. You are going to totally screw up my rocker image with my naked ass in the air and the curly hair and glasses."

"But it's such a cute little ass," Xander teased from the other room.

Will groaned and dropped his head, staring at his bare feet. 'This sucks,' is all he could think. Luckily, breakfast was ready and Rupert happily called his guests in to eat. The boys all clambered around for position and soon they were in place, Rupert at the head of the table, Xander and Oz on one side and Angel and Will on the other. They ate the tasty food and demolished the coffee in no time as they told stories from when Will, Xander and Oz had been young.

Finally unable to take it any longer, Will got up from the table and dumped his plate and mug in the sink. "Well, I think I'm going to go upstairs and grab a shower while you three completely embarrass Angel with these obviously fabricated stories."

All four men at the table laughed as the sullen young man made his way upstairs.

~~~*~~~

After his shower, Will quickly went back to his room and set about putting Spike firmly into place. He felt safer, more secure when his alter-ego was in charge. Finally feeling like he could safely leave his room without suffering too many more indignities, he stepped out of his room...and straight into Angel.

"Sorry, luv. Didn't know you were there."

Angel smiled down at his friend. "No problem. I hope you weren't too embarrassed by all that. It was really nice to get to know your dad and some of your history. You have really great friends."

Will smiled. It was nice to know that they hadn't completely scared his friend away. "You up here to take a shower?"

"Yeah," Angel replied, as he obviously checked out the 'Spike garb'. "Your dad's downstairs right now setting up the film projector to show us some home movies when I'm done.

Will just rolled his eyes heavenward and groaned, "Oh, bloody hell!"

~~~*~~~

The boys spent most of the day together, hanging out, telling stories, just generally goofing around. Rupert hadn't been so happy in a long time. It was nice to have young people in his home again. Besides, Will really seemed to enjoy himself, even if he protested for the major part of the day.

Finally, it was time to head over to the party. All four boys rode over in Oz's van and Angel just couldn't help but make comments about the shag carpet covering the floor, walls and roof of the back of what Xander dubbed "the love machine". Will and Angel sat side by side in the back, leaning against the soft wall, trying not to be squished by the equipment pressing them toward each other. Will noticed that every time they almost touched, Angel made sure to move away. He wasn't sure why, but he had a feeling that Angel was making an effort not to touch him.

They arrived at Lindsey's and as they began unloading the equipment, Gunn came out with a beautiful young girl under each arm.

"Hey guys," he shouted as he approached. "'Bout time you got here. Lindsey's been bitching for over an hour."

They four confused men looked at each other, each hoping for an explanation. "But he told us to be here at nine and it's only a quarter 'til," Oz complained.

"Yeah, people started showing up early and he wants some tunes."

Xander rolled his eyes and started to quickly unload the van. The five men made quick work of setting up, ready to get started. Just as Will turned toward the mic, Lindsey stalked up and growled, "About fucking time you guys showed up. Made me look like an ass with no band here."

"You didn't need that to look like an ass," Xander grumbled under his breath. Gunn snickered and Oz threw his boyfriend a look that said, 'Shut up'. Will turned on the charm and Spike purred, "Lindsey. You know what they say about the fashionably late. By the time we're done, everyone will be happy and you'll end up smelling like roses, k?"

Lindsey simply snorted and, turning quickly on one heel, stalked away from the band and toward the bar.

Spike turned and grinned at the band. "Let's do this thing!"

~~~*~~~

Spike sang and the band played as the gang of teenagers and young adults wandered around, drank, tried to talk and make out. It was different from when they played the clubs, but it was still fun. Spike enjoyed the fact that he could see Angel better in this atmosphere. The brunet stood by himself in the corner of the room they were playing in, just watching him. Every once in a while, someone would walk over to talk to him or hand him a drink, but Angel would just politely accept what they gave him and turned his attention back to Spike and the band.

Spike sidled up to the mic and purred to the crowd, "Last one of the night, people. Enjoy yourselves."

I love the way you look at me
I feel the pain you place inside
Lock me up inside ya dirty cage
While I'm alone inside my mind

I like to teach you all the rules
I'd get to see them set in stone
I like it when you chain me to the bed
There ya secrets never shone

I need to feel you
You need to feel me
I can't control you
You're not the one for me, no

I can't control you
You can't control me
I need to feel you
So why's it involve

I love the way you rape my skin
I feel the hate you place inside
I need to get your voice out of my head
Cause I'm the guy you'll never find

I'm faking all of the rules
There's no expressions on your face
I'm hoping some day you will let me go
Release me from my dirty cage

I need to feel you
You need to feel me
I can't control you
You're not the one for me, no

I can't control you
You can't control me
I need to feel you
So why's it involve...you and me..

I love the way you look at me
I love the way you smack my ass
I love the dirty things you do
I have control of you

I love the way you look at me
I love the way you smack my ass
I love the dirty things you do
I have control of you

I need to feel you
You need to feel me
I can't control you
You're not the one for me, no

I can't control you
You can't control me
I need to feel you
So why's it involve you and me...

You're not the one for me, no
You're not the one for me, no

They were finished and the crowd went...well, not wild, but at least moderately beyond the norm. Spike was bounding off the makeshift stage and toward Angel before the other guys could even get away from their instruments. As Spike approached, Angel held out a cup filled with beer.

"Great job," Angel said with a smile as he quickly pulled his hand away, his fingers not even brushing Spike's as he handed over the drink. "You sounded great."

"Glad you thought so," Will said quietly, surprised at his own embarrassment at the compliment.

Xander and Oz watched the exchange before Gunn came over and asked, "Anyone need a ride, 'cause I'm out of here."

"What?" Angel asked, "You're not sticking around?"

Gunn looked over his shoulder at the two scantily clad coeds smiling and giggling at him. "Nope. Got places to go, people to do."

The four remaining guys laughed as their horndog drummer walked away. Xander turned toward Angel and pouted. "So, what? You'll get a drink for Spike and not us? That's discrimination, man!"

Will smirked as Angel blushed and stammered for a few seconds before he stopped and smiled. "What do you two want?"

"Beer," Xander and Oz both chimed in unison as Angel laughed and playful smacked Xander on the shoulder as he headed toward the bar. Will watched as his friend walked away, only to have his thoughts disrupted by a quiet snicker. He turned to see Oz quietly laughing at him. "What?" he asked indignantly.

"He likes you."

Will stared in shock at his two friends. "What are you talking about? He hasn't even touched me all day."

"Exactly," Oz proclaimed triumphantly.

Will knew he friend could be laconic, but this was ridiculous. He looked at Xander and asked, "Translation, please?"

Xander sighed. "Ok. So it's like this. Say you only like chocolate a little bit, like a friend or something. So when someone gives you a whole bowl of M&Ms, you're cool if you only have one or two, no big deal. But let's say you really like chocolate and want to get to know it better. So you can't have just one or two M&Ms. You know if you have one, you'll want another, and then another. So you're M&Ms and Angel really likes chocolate."

The analogy was completely lost on Will and he turned pleading eyes back to his redheaded friend.

Oz smiled gently. "Angel likes you and he's afraid that if he touches you, even innocently, he'll do more. Maybe more than you'd find appropriate."

"That's what I just said," Xander exasperated.

"How do you figure that?" Will asked, suddenly curious about this new theory.

"Well," Xander began. "You sat next to each other all day at your house and I don't think we ever saw you touch, even just to have your knees brush against each other. Then in the van, you two were crammed back there with the equipment and stuff, but there was still the theoretical daylight shining between you. Even when Oz took that one corner way too sharp, he reached out and braced himself on one of the amps instead of your knee, which was way closer."

Will took all of this in. He thought back over the day and they were right. Angel never touched him, no matter how close they were or how much encouragement Will gave him. He opened his mouth to ask another question when the object of his confusion approached, two full cups of beer in his hands.

"Here you go," Angel said, handing over the liquid happiness and Xander reached over, slapping him on the shoulder.

"Thanks, big guy," he said with a smile as he grabbed Oz's elbow and started pulling him toward a secluded, unoccupied corner. "See you two later. Don't forget the M&Ms."

Will knew he was blushing and he fought down the urge to walk over to Xander and punch his lights out.

"What was that about?" Angel asked as the couple walked away.

"Nothing," Will grumbled. "Let's go find a place to sit or something." They walked away into the crowd and Will thought he could almost feel the hand that hovered over the small of his back, threatening to touch, but not quite daring to.

~~~*~~~

They sat and talked for a long time but Will was getting anxious. Oz and Xander's little M&M talk had just about drove him crazy with suspicion and he seemed to be turning every glance, every non-touch into a sign. He sighed and knocked back the last of his drink.

"You alright?" Angel asked, concerned. "You seem a little...off tonight."

"Sorry, " Will apologized to his dark eyed friend. "Something Xander and Oz said just set me off is all. It'll all be good again soon." 'As soon as I get my hands around Xander's stupid neck.'

"You want another?" Angel asked indicating the empty cup in Will's hand.

"Sure." Will looked around, not surprised to see Xander and Oz slipping out of the house, tangled tight in each other's arms. Heading out to the van, most likely. He watched as they left and suddenly he realized that Angel had yet to return. Looking around the room, Will felt his blood boil when he saw who had Angel cornered by the bar...Lindsey.

Stalking toward the chatting couple, Will pushed a couple of chatty, too happy girls out of the way toward his goal. Just as he thought, Lindsey was standing way too close, talking way too quietly, flirting way too much with his...what? What could Will call Angel? His friend...more? He wasn't sure, but he knew he didn't like Lindsey standing so close to his...Angel.

"Hey," he said, trying to sound calm and nonchalant as he approached the two men.

Lindsey turned and snarled but Angel smiled at Will. "What do you want, Spike? Can't you see I'm talking to Angel?" Lindsey said, ignoring the blonde punk as he stared at Angel, rubbing a hand down Angel's arm.

"Well, Lindsey," Spike snarked back. "Angel came here with me, so if you don't mind, I'm just going to take my friend and go."

Spike was thrown a little when Lindsey started to laugh. The lawyer 'wanna be' turned to Angel and smirked as he leaned in just that much closer, "What? You're not going to get very far with 'straight boy' here."

Angel chuckled lightly and pulled away from Lindsey before turning his attention to Will. Slowly, he started leaning toward the gaping blonde. "I don't know about that. What do you think, straight boy?"

Will gasped as Angel leaned in impossibly closer, just like he had when they had kissed the night before. He parted his lips in anticipation, but he was shocked when Angel was suddenly pulled away. He saw red as he watched Lindsey wrap his hand around the back of Angel's neck and pull him down as he said, "Well, you'd be missing one sweet, sure thing here."

Will felt Spike take over and he couldn't stop himself before he hauled his arm back and was swinging his clenched fist at Lindsey's jaw. The blow connected hard and an unsuspecting Lindsey went flying to the side. He flew right into Larry, the school's quarterback and jerk extraordinaire. Larry took offense to whoever spilled his beer all over his girlfriend, never mind that it was the party's host. He pushed Lindsey into Percy, who was upset that his make out session was disturbed and he took a swing that knocked someone else down.

Will looked around at the confusion as the whole place broke out in a fight. He grabbed Angel's hand and dragged him out of the mêlée and into the night air. They stopped for a minute to laugh and Angel said, "Well, now what?"

"Now we get the hell out of here. Lindsey will be wicked pissed and will be out here any second."

"So, how do we get back to your house?" Angel asked, swaying slightly from the amount of alcohol in his system.

"Well, let's see...perfect! Xander and Oz are still here." Will pulled Angel over to Oz's van, hoping that their friends were inside, getting high, and they could make a quick getaway before Lindsey found them. But as they approached the van, they realized that their friends weren't getting high...at least not like that.

Will and Angel stopped, side by side, frozen at the sounds coming from the back of the van.

"Oh god. Fuck, Oz, yeah."

"So sweet, Xander. So good."

Will blushed. Angel covered his mouth with his hand to keep in the laughter that threatened to burst out. Lindsey's voice could be heard from inside the house above the sounds of things breaking and people shouting, "Somebody find those fuckers!"

Will grabbed Angel's hand and they ran down the street, trying to avoid the beating they knew would be coming if Lindsey found them. Will lead them through the streets and alleys on the way back to his house. Several blocks later, he slowed, feeling safe enough and turned to a laughing Angel.

"Well," Angel gasped out between laughing and panting for air. "You certainly know how to show a guy a good time."

Will turned to his taller friend, glad for the relative darkness to cover the blush staining his cheeks. "Sorry about that. Don't know what came over me, I..."

Angel interrupted Will with a soft hand placed in the middle of his chest. Suddenly, the brown eyed man turned and pressed the young punk against the wall. He leaned over him and whispered, "Do you trust me?"

Will could only nod, surprised by his friend's sudden movement. Angel dropped his head down and nuzzled Will's neck. His lips finally reaching the soft ear, Angel whispered, "There's a cop car heading this way. I'd rather get told to find a room than picked up for drunk in public."

Will nodding his head, shivering slightly as the warm breath caressed his ear and neck. Angel had his hands around his waist and was slowly stroking beneath Spike's black tee shirt. Suddenly, they were bathed in bright white light.

"What seems to be going on here?"

Angel pulled away slightly, reveling the panting, flushed blonde beneath him. "Is there a problem, Officer?" he asked amiably.

"Oh," the cop said in surprise at seeming another male. "You two shouldn't be doing that out here on the streets. Better get home."

Angel smiled, nodding as he leaned in close to Will again. "Will do, Officer. Have a good night."

They watched as the cop got in his car and drove away. They both sighed in relief and Angel moved back into position pinning Will to the wall. "So," he asked once he was face to face with the blonde, "Why'd you punch Lindsey? Jealous?"

"Why would I be..." was all Will got out before his mouth was attacked by Angel's. It was an onslaught of lips and teeth and tongue. Will immediately opened to the assault, giving everything Angel asked for and gave back more. Long, guitar string callused fingers threaded through short dark hair, trying to pull to taller man close, closer, closest.

Will could feel his heart speed up to break neck speed, the desire and alcohol making him dizzy and before he knew it, Angel had an arm around his waist to keep him upright. Finally pulling away for a breath, Angel stared into the lust tinted crystal blue eyes and asked, "You ok with this?"

"More than," Will groaned. He leaned in for another kiss but Angel pulled away with a smirk. He not so subtly dragged the young punk into the neighboring alley way and press him into the wall again.

"Do you have any idea how long I've been wanting to do that?" the taller man asked, his voice husky, even to his own ears.

"Jesus," Will whispered, longing to be kissing him again. "I wish I'd known it was like this. But don't stop."

Angel quickly and easily complied. He pressed his entire body against the pliant man beneath him, not surprised to find an erection there to match his own. They kissed and thrust and touched frantically, like they couldn't get enough of each other.

Will was shocked into silence when he felt his pants slowly being opened and a warm hand slipped inside to wrap around his aching cock. Slowly, he began to thrust in time with Angel's strokes, panting into the taller man's open mouth. He gasped when he felt Angel's naked length pressing against his own, hard and hot and wanting. Angel wrapped his large hand around both cocks, finding the rhythm again as their mouths mimicked the motions of their pelvises.

Angel pulled his mouth away from Will's as he kissed and nipped his way down the sharp cheekbones, over the strong jaw and across the silky neck toward the tender ear. Taking the lobe in between his teeth, Angel bit down gently before licking the sore spot and moaning loudly. "Christ, Will. You feel so good."

"Yes, Angel. Fuck, I had no idea it could be like this."

"It can be this good and so much more, my Will. Please, call me Liam. Want to hear you say my name."

The familiar tingling in Will's stomach signaled his impending release. He groaned and bit the inside of his cheek, hoping just to hold on for a few more seconds. He was doing well until Angel licked the shell of his ear before blowing on it and whispering, "I want you to come, Will. Want to feel you come."

That was all the encouragement he needed. Arching his body, pressing against Angel as hard as he could, Will cried out, "Yes, Liam!"

Feeling the blonde pulsing in his hand, spilling over his hand and cock sent Angel over the edge. He came hard, thrusting against Will with a strength that he was sure would hurt the smaller man. He heard his name and gasped, whispering his lover's name in return, "William."

Slowly coming down for the post orgasmic high, Will looked at a very satisfied Angel. "So," Will said as he slowly righted his clothes after tucking himself back inside his impossibly tight black jeans. "I guess Lindsey was wrong calling me 'straight boy', huh?"

Angel smiled, raising his hand to his mouth and licking away their spendings. He moaned at the taste, relishing every drop before pulling the last finger from his mouth with a pop. "Oh yeah. Lindsey was wrong, all right."

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