Some Devil 11/11
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 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10
"He called you Spike." Debbie put her tray down on his table and sat across from him.
"What?"
"The cop you beat on. He called you Spike, when he saw me and Jim waiting for you. He said, 'Don't worry. Spike'll be released soon. We just need a little chat'. "
"And?"
"And… is he from another lifetime too? Cause you're quite a young guy to have had so many lifetimes. I've known you, what, six years. You must've had a busy youth."
Will dragged a puddle of condensation around the table top with the base of his bottle.
"Will!"
"Bloody hell, woman! What do you want me to say?"
Debbie levelled a look at him, "I don't know. But a free piece of bartender advice… He obviously meant a lot to you or you wouldn't have swung at him like that."
"You've seen me take ill advised swings plenty to times. Never decided it meant I loved any of the targets before."
"You used to pick fights in bars, with a look of barely contained glee. Not in front of your boss, with a look of…"she trailed off, bit her lip.
"What? A look of what?" he snapped at her.
"You looked hurt."
Will snorted and drained his beer, "Whatever. Take a tip, love. You're a waitress not a bartender, keep your cod psychology, and bring me another of these."
"I prefer my tips in cash, thanks." She scowled and stood to go back to work.
Will frowned when she didn't walk away. He looked up at her, expecting another round of grilling or advice, but she was staring at someone behind him.
"Whiskey straight up, please."
She snapped her mouth shut, turned on her heel, and scurried back to the bar.
"What do you want, Angelus?"
"Liam will do thanks." He settled on the recently vacated seat.
"Liam." Will muttered quietly.
"Everyone calls you Will here, don't they?"
"Yeah. Haven't ever been Spike. Billy when I was little, back in Britain."
"Uh-huh."
Will steadfastly refused to look at him, because… if he did… if Will did…
"I'm not sorry I staked you. They'd have tortured you. They did me, imaginatively, and I've been to- " He stopped abruptly as Debbie came back with their drinks. Angel just looked at her until she gave up lurking and left again.
Will suppressed a laugh, it came out a soft snort - she couldn't out-lurk the master.
"Persistent."
"You have no idea."
"Did you mean what you said to her."
Will frowned, "When?"
"Just now. About loving the target."
Will finally looked at Liam. A being with several hundred years on them should be capable of looking so young and vulnerable. Twenty-seven. Only twenty-seven. Did that make him the grown-up at thirty-two?
"I let it all go. When I knew I couldn't go back. Grieved sort of. Accepted it was over. Stopped the dreams finally. Did you get those?"
Liam nodded. It was his turn to study the table. "Still do. I drew them, Darla, Dru, everyone, pinned them down so they'd stay on the paper and out of my head. You." His hand made involuntary sketching motions.
"I wrote it all down. Everything that kept me awake. To each their own I guess." Will downed his beer. A bit too fast. He coughed as some threatened to choke him. Mortal. Human. I'm nearly halfway through my three-score and ten, I've got grey hairs, life is really bloody short.
"Didn't work." He coughed some more, "Couldn't get you out of my skull could I."
Liam's eyes were very wide, and he looked scared to death, which was really fucking funny all things considered, "Didn't work for me either."
Will wiped his streaming eyes, "You kissed me you wanker."
"You punched me. Let's call it even." a sly smile curled one side of Liam's mouth. Face of an angel, bet there's still some demon inside though.
"Yeah. I meant it." The End. Except for a tiny little epilogue that doesn't fit in aperfectworld so will be posted only at my journal. Thanks for reading, twisted_reach