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The second Part of Cursed to Eternity. Grrr... I don't even like the title!
Part 2/6
As the trio entered the apartment, Xander immediately flopped down on the couch and rested his head in his hands. He lets out a low moan and continued his flop to stretch across the couch. “Why me? I know Willow says I’m a demon magnet and all, but for once it would be really nice if I could get through just one fight without getting possessed or enthralled or cursed. Just one.”
“What’s his problem?” Cordelia asks.
“There were some side effects to killing the demon.” Angel says, glancing at the still muttering boy.
“Exactly what side effects are we talking about?” Wesley flopped down into one of the chairs.
“Deadboy here is talking about the fact that I’m a freakin’ vampire.” Xander started to thump his head lightly off the arm of the sofa.
The three humans scattered toward the edge of the room, fear radiating off them in waves. “Xander? Care to repeat that?” Cordelia demanded. “Cause I could’ve sworn I just heard you say you were a vampire.”
“He did. He is. A vampire, I mean.” Angel explained, settling into one of the chairs with a sigh. “Before we had a chance to kill the demon, it cursed us. Xander with vampirism and we don’t know what my half of the curse is. He’s got a soul, though, no worries.”
“Um, no worries? Angel, I have to drink blood. Blood! I would say that’s a cause for worry.” Xander stood and started pacing around the room, ignoring the looks from the three humans.
“I thought the curses all ended when the demon died. Is the demon dead?” Wesley asked, confused.
“Yeah, it’s dead. But the curse was different. The demon’s curse for us was only activated after the demon died. The bastard gave us a choice between never having a true slayer again, or taking our own curse. He didn’t tell us what it was until after.” Angel looked at Xander with a pained face before he continued in a whisper. “It was based on wishes we made just before he jumped us.”
“Angel,” Xander growled and erupted into game-face, “what exactly did you wish for? No seriously, I’d really like to know. Hmm, let’s see, maybe you thought if I was a vampire I’d stop calling you Deadboy. Or maybe you wished you could get back at me for all those years of insults. Or- “
”I wished you knew what it like to have a constant battle with a demon, ok. I didn’t want this, only wanted you to understand how it felt for me!” Angel interrupted, also in game-face. “I wouldn’t wish my existence on anyone.” ‘Especially not to you.’
“Yeah, well, not to be picky or anything, but ya kind of did.” Xander’s face returns to normal.
“But I didn’t mean it that way! I wanted you to understand, not experience.” He was seriously losing patience.
“Um, Angel?” Wesley manages to break into the argument. “What exactly was it you wished. The exact words.”
“Why does it matter?” He sighs, catching the look from Wesley. The exact words? I wish Xander knew what it’s like to be in a constant battle with a demon.”
“Hate to point this out, but there’s a difference between knowing and understanding.” Cordy says. “The demon would have twisted your words around and come up with what he wanted.”
“Oh, God. I did, I said ‘know’, didn’t I? Shit, Xander, I’m sorry.” His face shifted back to it’s human guise. All he wanted to do was go to his bedroom and maybe brood for a couple of hours. But he still need to tell them the rest of the curse. “That’s not it, though.”
“There’s more? He didn’t think living as a souled vampire that can never be truly happy wasn’t torment enough.” Gunn ranted.
“He can have perfect happiness, he took that clause away. So can I for that matter. But - “
”He took the happiness clause away? That’s a good thing, right?” Cordy again interrupts.
“Yes, but he added on his own little clause. To keep our souls, both of them, we - “ He stopped, not sure of whether Xander would want them to know this information. A quick glance over and a nod from Xander and he continued. “We have to drink each others blood every night before midnight.”
“What?! You have to drink each others blood? Can I just say eww.” Cordelia grimaced at the picture of her ex-boyfriend and her boss drinking from the other.
“If the curse was based on your wishes, it’s likely we can figure out your half of the curse.” Wesley says, turning to Xander. “Well? What was you wish, word for word.”
Xander looked nervous as he relaid his wish to the crew of Angel Investigations. “I wished Angel understood how I felt about him without me having to say the damn words!” He cringed at his words and quickly tried to steer people away from their true meaning. “I don’t hate him. I think of him as a friend, but every time I try to tell him, I end up insulting him.” ‘Oh, please don’t let him find out. Please?
“Find out wha, Xander?” Angel asked distractedly. He stopped when he noticed the others looking at him strangely. “What?”
‘He looks so cute when he’s confused.’ Xander thought.
Angels head snapped toward Xander. “What!”
“Oh shit!” Xander yelped. “Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. Angel, I think I just figured out you half of the curse, and I gotta say, I’m not liking it too much.”
“Of course!” Wesley again. “If you wanted him to know how you felt, there would have to be some form of telepathic powers. But I wonder if it goes both ways.”
‘God, I hope not.’ Angel responded silently.
“Why?” The younger vampire questioned Angel.
“I’m simply curious, no need to get offensive.” Wesley said.
“No, not you, Wesley. Why would you hope not, Angel?”
“Guess that answers that question.” Gunn laughed, slowly shaking his head.
“This isn’t good.” The two vampires said together, getting a laugh from everyone. Oh, it felt good to laugh, they didn’t think they’d be doing much of it anytime soon. It’s hard to be happy when you know that one mistake can cost you your soul.
“Yeah, guys, I hate to break the moment, but what are you going to tell Buffy?” Cordelia asked, sobering up. “And is Xander moving here to LA? It’d be nice to get to know him again.”
Xander hadn’t given it much thought until that moment. It was obvious he’d have to move here with Angel, after all, Buffy didn’t really need him and he couldn’t really ask Angel to move away from his work and family just to go to Sunnydale with him. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to go back. He was needed here. He hoped they wouldn’t find him useless.
‘Your not useless, Xander.” Angel said, testing out their new link. He knew it was working when Xander glanced toward him. ‘You saved Buffy’s life, again I might add, as well as the world. You’re always welcome here.’
‘Thanks Angel. I needed that.’ The young vampire’s stomach growled and Xander looked up, startled. “Is it still supposed to do that? I didn’t think vampire’s stomachs growled. I’m hungry.”
“Cordy? Wes? Gunn? Go home and get some rest, I’ll call you tomorrow. I’m gonna set Xander up with a bed and some, uh, breakfast. Um, need sleep now, go away.” He finished in a completely Xander-like way. Hedid that cute little vampire blush thingy again. “Please go now before I have an early death from embarrassment.”
‘You can’t die, remember?’
‘Yeah, Xander, I remember.’ Angel replied, then realize there was something he hadn’t told the crew. “Oh, one more thing about the curse?” He took an unneeded breath and looked up. “I can never regain my humanity and we, Xander and I, are supposedly impervious to death, including sunlight.”
“You can’t have your humanity?” Cordelia asked, her voice choked with tears. “But you worked so hard for it! That’s so sad. Hey, are you still going to work for the powers?”
“Yeah, Delia,” Angel answerd with a soft smile, “and I have a feeling they’ll end up roping Xander into helping them too.”
“Well that’s good. I’m sick of hearing about the way they treat you in Sunnyhell, Xander. You deserve better.” Cordy walked over and gave both brunettes a hug. “Bye guys.” She finished and left with Gunn and Wes.
“Ready for your first meal as a vampire?” The elder of the two askd when the trio of humans were gone.
“Um, no. Just, can you be there?”
“Always.”
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Part 2/6
As the trio entered the apartment, Xander immediately flopped down on the couch and rested his head in his hands. He lets out a low moan and continued his flop to stretch across the couch. “Why me? I know Willow says I’m a demon magnet and all, but for once it would be really nice if I could get through just one fight without getting possessed or enthralled or cursed. Just one.”
“What’s his problem?” Cordelia asks.
“There were some side effects to killing the demon.” Angel says, glancing at the still muttering boy.
“Exactly what side effects are we talking about?” Wesley flopped down into one of the chairs.
“Deadboy here is talking about the fact that I’m a freakin’ vampire.” Xander started to thump his head lightly off the arm of the sofa.
The three humans scattered toward the edge of the room, fear radiating off them in waves. “Xander? Care to repeat that?” Cordelia demanded. “Cause I could’ve sworn I just heard you say you were a vampire.”
“He did. He is. A vampire, I mean.” Angel explained, settling into one of the chairs with a sigh. “Before we had a chance to kill the demon, it cursed us. Xander with vampirism and we don’t know what my half of the curse is. He’s got a soul, though, no worries.”
“Um, no worries? Angel, I have to drink blood. Blood! I would say that’s a cause for worry.” Xander stood and started pacing around the room, ignoring the looks from the three humans.
“I thought the curses all ended when the demon died. Is the demon dead?” Wesley asked, confused.
“Yeah, it’s dead. But the curse was different. The demon’s curse for us was only activated after the demon died. The bastard gave us a choice between never having a true slayer again, or taking our own curse. He didn’t tell us what it was until after.” Angel looked at Xander with a pained face before he continued in a whisper. “It was based on wishes we made just before he jumped us.”
“Angel,” Xander growled and erupted into game-face, “what exactly did you wish for? No seriously, I’d really like to know. Hmm, let’s see, maybe you thought if I was a vampire I’d stop calling you Deadboy. Or maybe you wished you could get back at me for all those years of insults. Or- “
”I wished you knew what it like to have a constant battle with a demon, ok. I didn’t want this, only wanted you to understand how it felt for me!” Angel interrupted, also in game-face. “I wouldn’t wish my existence on anyone.” ‘Especially not to you.’
“Yeah, well, not to be picky or anything, but ya kind of did.” Xander’s face returns to normal.
“But I didn’t mean it that way! I wanted you to understand, not experience.” He was seriously losing patience.
“Um, Angel?” Wesley manages to break into the argument. “What exactly was it you wished. The exact words.”
“Why does it matter?” He sighs, catching the look from Wesley. The exact words? I wish Xander knew what it’s like to be in a constant battle with a demon.”
“Hate to point this out, but there’s a difference between knowing and understanding.” Cordy says. “The demon would have twisted your words around and come up with what he wanted.”
“Oh, God. I did, I said ‘know’, didn’t I? Shit, Xander, I’m sorry.” His face shifted back to it’s human guise. All he wanted to do was go to his bedroom and maybe brood for a couple of hours. But he still need to tell them the rest of the curse. “That’s not it, though.”
“There’s more? He didn’t think living as a souled vampire that can never be truly happy wasn’t torment enough.” Gunn ranted.
“He can have perfect happiness, he took that clause away. So can I for that matter. But - “
”He took the happiness clause away? That’s a good thing, right?” Cordy again interrupts.
“Yes, but he added on his own little clause. To keep our souls, both of them, we - “ He stopped, not sure of whether Xander would want them to know this information. A quick glance over and a nod from Xander and he continued. “We have to drink each others blood every night before midnight.”
“What?! You have to drink each others blood? Can I just say eww.” Cordelia grimaced at the picture of her ex-boyfriend and her boss drinking from the other.
“If the curse was based on your wishes, it’s likely we can figure out your half of the curse.” Wesley says, turning to Xander. “Well? What was you wish, word for word.”
Xander looked nervous as he relaid his wish to the crew of Angel Investigations. “I wished Angel understood how I felt about him without me having to say the damn words!” He cringed at his words and quickly tried to steer people away from their true meaning. “I don’t hate him. I think of him as a friend, but every time I try to tell him, I end up insulting him.” ‘Oh, please don’t let him find out. Please?
“Find out wha, Xander?” Angel asked distractedly. He stopped when he noticed the others looking at him strangely. “What?”
‘He looks so cute when he’s confused.’ Xander thought.
Angels head snapped toward Xander. “What!”
“Oh shit!” Xander yelped. “Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. Angel, I think I just figured out you half of the curse, and I gotta say, I’m not liking it too much.”
“Of course!” Wesley again. “If you wanted him to know how you felt, there would have to be some form of telepathic powers. But I wonder if it goes both ways.”
‘God, I hope not.’ Angel responded silently.
“Why?” The younger vampire questioned Angel.
“I’m simply curious, no need to get offensive.” Wesley said.
“No, not you, Wesley. Why would you hope not, Angel?”
“Guess that answers that question.” Gunn laughed, slowly shaking his head.
“This isn’t good.” The two vampires said together, getting a laugh from everyone. Oh, it felt good to laugh, they didn’t think they’d be doing much of it anytime soon. It’s hard to be happy when you know that one mistake can cost you your soul.
“Yeah, guys, I hate to break the moment, but what are you going to tell Buffy?” Cordelia asked, sobering up. “And is Xander moving here to LA? It’d be nice to get to know him again.”
Xander hadn’t given it much thought until that moment. It was obvious he’d have to move here with Angel, after all, Buffy didn’t really need him and he couldn’t really ask Angel to move away from his work and family just to go to Sunnydale with him. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to go back. He was needed here. He hoped they wouldn’t find him useless.
‘Your not useless, Xander.” Angel said, testing out their new link. He knew it was working when Xander glanced toward him. ‘You saved Buffy’s life, again I might add, as well as the world. You’re always welcome here.’
‘Thanks Angel. I needed that.’ The young vampire’s stomach growled and Xander looked up, startled. “Is it still supposed to do that? I didn’t think vampire’s stomachs growled. I’m hungry.”
“Cordy? Wes? Gunn? Go home and get some rest, I’ll call you tomorrow. I’m gonna set Xander up with a bed and some, uh, breakfast. Um, need sleep now, go away.” He finished in a completely Xander-like way. Hedid that cute little vampire blush thingy again. “Please go now before I have an early death from embarrassment.”
‘You can’t die, remember?’
‘Yeah, Xander, I remember.’ Angel replied, then realize there was something he hadn’t told the crew. “Oh, one more thing about the curse?” He took an unneeded breath and looked up. “I can never regain my humanity and we, Xander and I, are supposedly impervious to death, including sunlight.”
“You can’t have your humanity?” Cordelia asked, her voice choked with tears. “But you worked so hard for it! That’s so sad. Hey, are you still going to work for the powers?”
“Yeah, Delia,” Angel answerd with a soft smile, “and I have a feeling they’ll end up roping Xander into helping them too.”
“Well that’s good. I’m sick of hearing about the way they treat you in Sunnyhell, Xander. You deserve better.” Cordy walked over and gave both brunettes a hug. “Bye guys.” She finished and left with Gunn and Wes.
“Ready for your first meal as a vampire?” The elder of the two askd when the trio of humans were gone.
“Um, no. Just, can you be there?”
“Always.”
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