reality_bends | Trying to get along. Ha!

Trying to get along. Ha!

Continued from here.

"No, I know," Angel said, sounding good-natured. Wesley wasn't sure if it was genuine or an act, and the fact that he couldn't tell made him uncomfortable. "I just want to know."

Feeling rather helpless, Wesley shifted his chair sideways a bit and rested his hand on Spike's thigh, the tension in the vampire's frame impossible to miss.

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"It's you. And Spike." Angel seemed to think that that was explanation enough.

"You don't get points for knowing who we are," Spike said, relaxing back in his chair and lacing his fingers through Wesley's.

Angel shot Spike a fairly mild glare, all things considered. "I mean, Spike's always worshipping somebody, but the two of you...?" He shook his head. "It doesn't make any sense, and it's giving me a headache."

"Imagine what would happen if I kissed you," Spike commented to Wesley. "Might save us all a lot of trouble."

Wesley could tell that Spike was pleased with this new development, but the thought that Angel didn't consider him worthy of Spike's attention meant that all he could do was offer them both a strained smile and say, "I'm sorry you find the idea physically debilitating, but you'll have to get used to it."

"Are you sure when you got your memories back you didn't knock something else loose?" Angel asked. "That's Spike." Again, he said it like the name carried a whole host of meaning, which it probably did to him. "And didn't you have a thing for Fred?"

"Times change, mate," Spike said rather more confidently than he felt.

"Yes, I'm well aware, and yes," Wesley said. "In that order. But please, Angel, come right out and say whatever it is you're thinking."

That earned him a momentary blank look before Angel recovered. "It won't last, you know that, right?" Angel asked.

Those words struck a little bit too close to Wesley's own fears. "Why? Because he's just using me?"

"I'm not using you," Spike said immediately, frowning.

"Spike, come on," Angel said. "Wes is a good guy; he deserves the truth. As soon as you pull yourself together you're going to go trail after Buffy like a homeless puppy."

Spike tensed in his chair, ready to strike. "I bloody well am not!"

Wesley didn't know what to say -- he couldn't help but wonder if there was some truth to what Angel had said. He squeezed Spike's hand reassuringly.

"You are," Angel said. "And I don't want to see Wes get hurt like that."

"You don't know a bleeding thing," Spike said sharply. "If you'd paid half the attention to me over the years that you have your sodding hair you'd know I wouldn't do that."

"You know, Harmony does work for me, and she only stops talking once in a while," Angel pointed out. He was beginning to look almost smug, and that made Spike even angrier.

"Harm knew I never cared about her. Wes is different, and he knows it." Spike turned to Wesley. "Right?"

Startled by his sudden inclusion in the discussion, Wesley blinked. "Yes. Right." He blinked again, then brought his free hand up and pinched the bridge of his nose wearily. "Angel, is there some reason you feel that this is your business?"

Angel frowned. "You're my friend -- I just want to know you're okay."

"I am okay," Wesley said.

"Okay and not with someone who's going to lose interest in a couple of weeks," Angel added.

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Trying to get along. Ha!

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