TITLE changes
AUTHOR ophelia
EMAIL ophelia_rd@yahoo.com
DISTRIBUTION do not take without permission
RATING m
PART 2/?
FEEDBACK yes please!!!
VISIT ME http://au.oocities.com/dra_gon_fly_er
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"So tell me why he'd remember my name - let alone try to get in touch with wittle ol' me?" Lindsey asked bitterly.
Never taking his eyes off of Riley, Lindsey allowed himself to be lead through the heavy front door, into the save haven of the Hyperion.
"Listen, Lin." Riley yawned, not letting go of the other man's wrist. "We're both tired, so why don't I show you to your room so you can get a shower while grab you a sandwich or three...?" The ex-marine calmly met Lindsey's troubled blue eyes. "Don't worry Lindsey, everything's gonna be fine."
The former lawyer couldn't say what made him accept the quiet suggestion; the friendly smile or the genuine concern in the other man's eyes.
With a silent nod he signaled Riley to lead the way. Moments later the blonde youth opened the door to an almost sterilely neat, yet, amazingly enough, tastefully furnished apartment.
"It's Angel's room," Riley informed him in a matter-of-fact voice. "And before you get any ideas - it's the only room with a working shower and toilet," he finished with a wry smile.
Something about the other man's bemused inflection and the grin made Lindsey return the wry little smile. It was obvious that Riley was quoting words someone had attempted to use to reassure him with in the past.
Giving Riley a lopsided smile, Lindsey defiantly stepped into Angel's kingdom.
He couldn't say why, but for some reason he liked the gentle blonde boy.
There was something about him - something that made him feel welcome.
Welcome and safe.
"Alright, Lin, I'll just leave you to it." Riley's full voice cut through the silence of the night. "Take whatever room you feel comfortable with," he said as he turned back toward the open door. "Oh, my room's three doors down - on the right hand side."
Riley flashed him one last smile, before he pulled the door shut.
***
Shower.
Right.
Lindsey sighed as he turned on the water, trying to suppress the thoughts shouting that 'it was Angel's apartment', 'Angel's bathroom', 'Angel's shower cap...' Shower cap? Oh, right, the hair - never the hair! He grinned as images of the dark vampire, prancing around naked, with a soooo not sexy orangy-plastic shower cap flooded his mind.
Feeling a little more relaxed; Lindsey closed his eyes, allowing himself to enjoy the soothing warmth of the water caressing his skin. He hadn't felt so safe and so much at ease for a very long time.
"Angel..." he murmured.
He still couldn't believe that dark and broody had left an open invitation for him, or that he cared enough to make sure his co-workers and friends wouldn't send him away should he ever decide to come back...
He sighed contently let out another content sigh.
He felt warm, clean, and alive - something he hadn't felt since he'd left LA, no something he hadn't felt since the moment he'd joined leagues with Wolfram and Hart.
He felt like he'd come home - like he'd returned to the one place he truly belonged - the one place he never should have left.
Humming a happy little tune, Lindsey reached for a black, fluffy towel while stepping out of the shower.
That was when he heard it.
A low, muffled, animal-like whimper.
Angel?
His eyes quickly scanned the vampire's apartment, but he couldn't spot the source of the noise. Towel around his waist, Lindsey closed his eyes willing his other senses to sharpen. Concentrating he listened into the night, making a couple of tentative steps to the right he bumped into the pointed corner of Angel's queen-size bed.
"Damn it!" Cursing while opening his eyes to give the offending object his dirtiest glare, the former lawyer bent down to rub his maltreated shin.
He almost fell when his eyes caught a glimpse of a solemn, dark-haired figure curled up on the floor, less than 3 yards from his feet.
"Angel?" he whispered.
Nah, Lindsey immediately answered himself, too skinny.
If not Angel, then who? Who was the shaking brunette, clutching a fluffy pink blanket to his chest? Everything about the man screamed vampire to Lindsey and his first impulse was to just run. But then again, the stranger's hot tears, accompanied by heart-wrenching sobs, somehow made it impossible for him to walk away.
He hadn't cried for years, maybe that was why this shocking display of emotions was affecting him so deeply. Maybe his long-time suppressed humanity had finally managed to get the better of him.
Upon closer inspection, Lindsey realized that the vampire at his feet must have sensed, on some level, that someone was in the room. He scrunched up his nose as the vampire bit his own wrist - fine traces of blood staining his alabaster skin - in an apparent but ineffective attempt to calm himself down.
Holding out his right hand, palm up to indicate that he meant no harm, Lindsey ever so slowly knelt next to the shaking bundle. "Shhh, it's alright..."
Against his better judgement, he continued to extend his hand until he could rub small, hopefully comforting, circles up and down the vampire's back. Much to his surprise, the whimpering stopped almost immediately - startled blue eyes peered up at him from under thick, tear-flooded lashes.
Lindsey tried a little smile, in order to reassure the other man. However, his brain never had the chance to order the right muscles to bend upwards and curl, as the blanket came up and the tussled dark locks disappeared under the fluffy pink fabric.