Some Devil 8/11
Title: Some Devil Author: twisted_reach Pairing: Spike/Angel, Will/Liam Rating: T Warnings: Starts with very strong language. Time frame: goes AU post NFA Summary: A take on how Shanshu might work - after the battle Spike wakes up to Will’s life. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7
He felt ashamed; he was avoiding Jim, and for the pettiest of reasons. Jim wanted to know what he wanted to do for his birthday. He wasn't planning on a big party, or a cake with a stupid number of candles on it. No, Jim just wanted to know if he fancied going to a club, or out for dinner, or, god forbid, karaoke again. And it was mainly so Jim and Isa could arrange a baby sitter in advance.
Will just wanted to forget he'd been born, and died, and been undead, and died, and been undead-undead, and undead, and died, and… yeah, lot to recommend forgetting there.
He also wanted to forget he was mortal. If forever was a long, lonely time, then three-score and ten, rushing by at an alarming rate, was somehow even lonelier.
Jim cornered him on Friday after a lecture, "Gotcha, ya bastard."
"Hi." He looked suitably shifty, and contrite.
"If you want to forget you're one year older, you just had to say. We don't have to do anything. As long as you weren't planning on drinking yourself into a coma like when you turned thirty."
"Damn, you got me. I'll have to stupefy myself some other way."
Jim snorted, "Seriously, if you just want a quiet night in with your slippers and pipe…"
"Actually, that sounds… horrifying. But I still don't want to go out, okay."
"Okay. You're looking better. Sleeping again?"
"Yeah, better than I was."
"Good. I'll see you Monday then. Have a good birthday… old man." Jim sniggered and dodged out of the lecture theatre, the board eraser hit the door jamb where his head had just been.
Saturday. His birthday. He was now an age he was never supposed to reach. He toyed with the idea of staying under the covers all day, but he knew that was bad for insomniacs, and near impossible for hyperactives, so he got up, got out and hammered the credit cards.
That evening, wrestling happily with the cellophane from a ridiculous number of CDs and DVDs, he decided there was something to retail therapy after all.
The intercom buzzed.
"Hello?"
"Will, buzz me in, I brought you a present."
"I'm busy."
"Open the door, you miserable bastard, or I'll buzz all your neighbours."
He laughed and buzzed Debbie in, unlocked his apartment door, and went to sit back among the plastic bags on the floor.
"Woah! Did Santa come early this year?!" Debbie tumbled through the door as it came unstuck and surveyed the cellophane devastation surrounding Will like a nest.
"Felt like treating meself." He said defensively.
Lise appeared in the doorway and waved, "Hey, nice to meet you again. Sorry to intrude."
In the presence of less familiar company he regained some manners, "No, no. Come in," he cleared wrapping, bags and discs out of the path to the sofa, "Can I get you ladies a drink?"
"Nope. We'll get you one when we get there."
He eyed her suspiciously, "Get where?"
"Duh, the club silly." She grabbed his arm and started to pull him toward the bedroom, "You'll need to get changed, you look like an off duty lecturer."
"I am an off-duty lecturer. And I don't wanna go to a club."
She stopped and faced him, then put a palm against his forehead, "You feeling okay? You've never turned down a night out in living memory."
He batted her hand away, "Maybe I'm getting old." he sniped, "'sides, every time I've gone out recently some git has 'brought a friend' they 'knew I'd get along with'. All you bloody couples can't stand to see someone single can you. No offence Lise."
Lise waved aside the comment and went back to looking through a handful of discs, "Mind if I put on one of your new Cds?"
He shrugged agreement.
"I'm not trying to set you up I swear! Come on, if you're not having fun by 10 I'll pay for your cab home." She did a fair impression of his own pout and eyelash flutter.
He rolled his eyes, "Fine. Give me… 30 minutes." He stomped into his room and shut the door before she could follow.
"William Haddon, you've had over an hour. I have never in my life taken that long to get ready. Have you climbed out the window? Cause if you have I'm going to kill you slowly and painfully."
He added some finishing touches, "Off-duty lecturer, my rather fine arse," told his reflection, then went to stop the hammering on the door.
"WILL- Finally- Wow!"
"Pass muster?" said a close approximation to 1977's punk Spike.
"I'll say. I take it the bleach is what took so long? Ya coulda left it ya know! Now get your ass in gear or the place'll be full."
"She this bossy with you?" He asked Lise as they headed towards a dull thudding sound that signalled the bass track from the club Debbie was leading them to. Lise just smiled.
Debbie and Lise waved membership cards at the doorman, Debbie dragged Will to a desk and had him signed in as her guest.
"Private member's club, eh? I'm impressed. Does that mean a higher class of drunk or do they let anyone join?" He followed them down the steps, the music gaining higher harmonics as they went, until finally they turned a corner into the club proper, "Oh. It's a gay club." He stated it matter-of-factly, and looked about him to confirm his assessment.
"Told you I wasn't trying to set you up." Debbie grinned at him.
"Never say never pet." He caught the barman's eye and swept towards the bar swinging his hips shamelessly as he went. Debbie and Lise, paused for a second then rushed after him giggling.
Okay, he could admit it, he was kind of having fun. DJ had half a clue, Debbie and Lise and a few suitably impressed men had kept him in drinks all night, he'd danced and sharked and was fairly confident he could have pulled a dozen times if he'd wanted.
Maybe he did want.
He chucked back the tequila shot and pushed away from the bar as a decent song came on.
Less than ten minutes later he was bodily pressing the guy up against the side of the toilet stall, leaning up to crush their mouths together. He sucked and licked at the man's neck, hands trailing lower.
"Jesus. That's good. Fuck!" The man's head fell back with a thud against the cubical wall.
Will grinned against the skin then bit lightly, hand squeezing just so -
"Ah! Oh man. Shit don't leave a mark, my boyfriend'll kill me."
"Boyfriend, eh? Naughty, naughty." Will dove in for another kiss.
The man groaned. Will suddenly found himself pushed against the opposite wall, the man on his knees in front of him, hands on his belt buckle.
"Is that accent real?"
Will curled his tongue, raised is eyebrows and nodded.
"What's your name?" Belt undone now, hands inside his jeans.
"Will."
"Huh? Funny."
Christ, a conversationalist at a time like this, "Funny how?" He managed to gasp out.
"I'm Liam, it's like the same name isn't it? William."
Will wasn't sure where all his blood had gone, but it sure wasn't in his face and it wasn't where it had been a moment ago. He pushed Liam back onto his heels and did his own jeans back up.
"Liam? I think maybe you should go back to your boyfriend."
Out on the sidewalk Debbie caught up with him. He leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths of cool night air.
"Will, you okay? You shot out of there like a bat outta hell."
He nodded, still gulping air, "Think I should go home. Had a bit too much to drink."
"You sure you're okay?"
He laughed at a suddenly hysterically amusing piece of trodden-in gum on the ground, " 'M fine. Had a great night, babe. Thanks for dragging me out." He pulled her into a hug, kissed her on the cheek then hailed a passing cab.
"Why can I never get a cab like that?" Lise snapped her fingers. Part 9