Night & Day
And again thx to melissasjack for starting this ball rolling & waking my muse & tempertemper who is the most amazing beta! So much fun & so grammatically aware, rly, she's the best.
Title: Night & Day
Author: mystizan
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Fluff & Happiness With a Pinch of Oblivion for Humour
Prompt: samsom (I hope u like it!) Cordelia sleepwalks…and ends up in Angel’s bed night after night. Angel fights between his desire for her and his sense of fair play (not to mention the curse) because Cordelia is completely unaware of her own unconscious feelings for him when she’s awake.
Summary: Read the prompt? Yea, that's pretty much it.
Spoilers: If the words "Hyperion", "Lorne", "Wes", "Fred" & "Gunn" ring a bell, ur safe. Also u know I feel obligated to bring the happy ;)
Disclaimer: I didn't create Angel (or it would have had more happy endings). I also do not profit from this (except that it allows me to bond with TT & Mel).
The first time he thought it was some kind of joke, a prank the gang had decided to play on him for their amusement. He rolled over and his hand hit something-someone- he realised. He went from wary to confused when he saw it was only Cordy. Cordy? In his bed? Why? The more he stared at her trying to answer that question, the less he thought about the question and the more he had new ones. Like did she always look so adorable in her sleep? Did she always sleep in PJs or was that because she was staying at the Hyperion until the Angel Investigations team cleared her apartment of its present infestation? What would it be like to have Cordy climb into bed with him on purpose? And that last question led him to the kinds of thoughts that would make Hefner blush. And he knew he had to remove her from his room for both their sakes.
He put on a robe like a shield against all that Cordy stirred in him by day, never mind by night. In his bed. Looking all soft and adorable and like she belonged there. He very carefully lifted her and carried her down the hall, tucking in her in, letting the tender affection he had for this selfless woman shine in his eyes. He stepped back and watched her breathe. It was hours before he could tear himself away from her and return to his room. When he did, his step was heavy with wanting what he could not have.
~~~
The cases on their plates that week involved cleansing Cordy’s apartment of whatever strange evil Wolfram and Hart had unleashed to annoy them all and tracking down a girl who had been kidnapped for a ritual sacrifice, plus they were behind on the bills (again). So when Angel snapped at Wes and stormed off, Cordy broke the ensuing stunned silence with “Jeesh! I guess all this stuff is really getting to him.” She lowered her voice conspiratorially, “I mean I think he’s been in my room at night ya know? Taking solace or something.”
“I don’t mean to be rude, babycakes,” Lorne spoke from his place in the lobby, “but I think Angel has wanted to be in your room from loooonnnnggg before this case.”
There was a series of knowing looks and a giggle Fred tried to hide behind a sudden riveted interest in one of Wesley’s ancient tomes.
“What?” Cordy asked the room at large.
“I’ve got to go clean the-“ Gunn started, pointing vaguely through the door.
“Me too!” Wes piped up, grabbing his coat on the way out. For the next several hours, Lorne stayed with her in the office helping her with administrative duties. She could have sworn he was singing “Love Boat” the whole time but she couldn’t be sure.
~~~
The next time Angel woke to Cordy in his bed, she was entangled with him as if she were a boa constrictor and he was her next meal. It was hard to tell where she ended and he began. There was only so much of Cordy’s warm, soft, luscious body pressed against his that he could take. He took a deep, fortifying breath, an unconscious gesture to summon some willpower. Which led to another breath as he rediscovered that Cordy’s scent was like an aphrodisiac to him. And a third as he wondered how long this had been true. And a fourth, because really, could he ever get enough? And a fifth as he nuzzled her neck. That was a very bad idea though because apparently nuzzling triggered a more awake Cordy.
“Ready for another round Lover?” Cordy chuckled and kissed him sleepily but soundly. In the nanosecond it took him to realise she was dreaming, he was defenseless and, he was ashamed to admit, started kissing her back. His friend. Who didn’t know what she was doing. And was probably having random dreams about some guy. He pulled away, and was a little surprised to find his hands tangled in her hair. When had that happened?
“Angel?” So much for the “dream about random guy” hypothesis. “Don’t you want this, baby?” Man, he wanted it too damn much by half.
“Cordy-” he started but realised talking to her while asleep was not a good idea. The rumbling of his voice beneath her ear where she had placed it on his chest seemed to soothe her. The tiniest smile settled on her face and she wrapped her arms around him contentedly.
“I love you, Angel.” Cordy slipped into the most restful sleep she had had since awakening to the sure knowledge that Wolfram and Hart was trying to use her home in some sort of evil scheme. Angel couldn’t move. She loved him? He was torn between logic and longing. He really should return her to her bed but she looked so…peaceful. And beautiful, her face gently kissed by moonlight. He touched her hair hesitantly and then he stroked it. When his hands went around her possessively and her scent and nearness lulled him back to sleep he would never know. Hours passed before he woke again, her warmth permeating his body and messing with his emotions. Much like a bomb technician with a volatile liquid, he carried her carefully down the hall and laid her in her bed. He couldn’t resist letting his lips linger on her forehead. He left before she knew he had been there.
~~~
Angel stood before his bedroom door on the second floor of the Hyperion, wrestling with himself. The gang had dispersed leaving Cordy only a few doors down this very corridor. He knew what would happen tonight- Cordy was sleepwalking all the time now. He also knew that it was getting harder to pretend these nights were not happening- he was more attuned to her whereabouts, she was always in his thoughts and just tonight he had almost kissed her on his way to the fridge. He wanted her but he had decided to leave dreaming about Cordy as just that- a dream. He turned the key in the lock of his door with a heavy heart.
~~~
There was keening…keening? Wait-where was he? He reached out. In bed apparently. He sat up and followed the sound to his door. He opened it and had to catch Cordy to prevent her from falling head first into his bedroom. Now she was crying against his chest and refusing to settle down. He carried her over to his rocking chair and held her.
“Hey. Hey, Cordy shhh, it’s ok.”
She looked at him-can sleepwalkers do that?- “How can it be ok if you lock me out of our room Angel?” Her eyes closed again and she rested easily in his arms. He sighed heavily. He was gonna have to get help with this tomorrow. He couldn’t take another night of this.
As it turned out, not all of the gang had left the Hyperion.
“Angel?” Lorne called softly.
“Yea, Lorne, come on in.”
Lorne assessed the situation in one glance. “Yea, I had a feeling this might happen.”
“A feeling what might happen?”
“Well Cordy, she doesn’t know it, not consciously anyway, but she’s in love with you. I’m talking head over heels, rainbows and kittens, strike up the band, get Etta James to do a solo, in love.”
“Lorne-” His distress was evident in his tone.
“Don’t start, Angel. The Apocalypse is coming one way or the other. There will always be one more demon to fight or vamp prey to rescue or Wolfram and Hart scheme to defeat. You’re never gonna have total peace on the home-front. But Cordy? This lovely kitten here is willing to do more than be a team player…she’s willing to walk with you in every battle as YOUR life partner. Think about it: strong, beautiful, wise, on your team and yours in a way that she is no one else’s, in a way that she doesn't want to be anyone else's.”
Angel considered the words his friend shared with him as he stared down at Cordy’s face. Was it possible? And suddenly she was staring back, all sleep confused and tousled and adorable. She stretched.
“Angel? What am I doing here?”
“You’ve been sleep walking, Cordykins.” She turned toward the sound of Lorne’s voice.
“I thought you went home.”
“Nah, couldn’t. Found something out Angel needed to know.”
She sat up in Angel’s lap, more alert now.
“What? Is it about the Wolfram and Hart thing?” Angel sent a warning glance Lorne’s way that the empath ignored.
“No it’s about the Cordy is in love with Angel but refuses to acknowledge it so she’s been sleepwalking into his room thing.”
She stood, putting distance between herself and Angel, suddenly uncomfortable.
“WHAT?”
“Oh, Cordy…Cupcake, it’s all over your aura. You don’t even have to sing.”
Lorne saw the resignation in her shoulders the moment the truth snuck past her denial.
“Well,” he said, slapping his knees and standing, “my work here is done. Caritas needs me.” Lorne stepped out closing the door behind him.
Cordy slowly turned to face Angel, suddenly shy. He sighed.
“Look, Cordy, we don’t have to get into this if you don’t want to. But you should know that…that I have loved you for a while now. I just…I never thought anything would come of it, could come of it. I can’t offer you anything really. I mean most of my life as Angel has been about sacrifice and battles and loss and I…didn’t want to drag you into that.”
Cordy straightened.
“Really? Drag me into that? And what if I wanted to be in it? Ever thought of that, big guy? I have a role in all this Apocalypse business too you know-”
“Cordy-”
“I am not the damsel in distress!”
“Ok…” Angel dragged the word out into three syllables. “What are you upset about exactly?”
Cordy stepped closer to him. “I’m in love with you. And you’ve already decided you’re too dangerous for anything to come of it. Us, Angel. What if we’re meant to be? Right now I’m your friend and employee but…what if we’re perfect for each other? Are you really willing to walk away?”
Passion roughened his tone, “Yes! Cordy I can’t-” he exhaled. He reached out to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear to calm himself down. “Cordelia, I couldn’t bear it if I hurt you, if somehow being close to me made you a target.”
Cordy held on to his wrist and leaned her cheek into his palm. “I’m already a target, Angel. And I like being part of Angel Investigations, I like sticking it to the bad guys. Regardless of what happens between us this is where I’m gonna be. This is where I belong. And I don’t want not taking this chance on there being an ‘us’ to be something I regret for the rest of my life. Do you?”
The lie was on his lips but somehow, looking into her eyes, the truth just slipped out. “No.”
Her answering grin was infectious. “Good. ‘cause if I had to go back to my room I’d be disappointed. Take me to bed, Angel.”
His shock was large and palpable like a third person in the room. Cordy laughed softly and swatted his chest.
“Not like that! Not yet anyway.” She raised her hands toward him. “Just pick me up and take me to your bed and hold me until we fall asleep. I’ve wanted to know what that would be like for a while now. And what it would be like to wake up to you beside me.”
Could it really be that he was about to find out what it was like to have Cordy be his? He smiled as he picked her up, kissed her neck and carried her to bed.
Title: Night & Day
Author: mystizan
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Fluff & Happiness With a Pinch of Oblivion for Humour
Prompt: samsom (I hope u like it!) Cordelia sleepwalks…and ends up in Angel’s bed night after night. Angel fights between his desire for her and his sense of fair play (not to mention the curse) because Cordelia is completely unaware of her own unconscious feelings for him when she’s awake.
Summary: Read the prompt? Yea, that's pretty much it.
Spoilers: If the words "Hyperion", "Lorne", "Wes", "Fred" & "Gunn" ring a bell, ur safe. Also u know I feel obligated to bring the happy ;)
Disclaimer: I didn't create Angel (or it would have had more happy endings). I also do not profit from this (except that it allows me to bond with TT & Mel).
The first time he thought it was some kind of joke, a prank the gang had decided to play on him for their amusement. He rolled over and his hand hit something-someone- he realised. He went from wary to confused when he saw it was only Cordy. Cordy? In his bed? Why? The more he stared at her trying to answer that question, the less he thought about the question and the more he had new ones. Like did she always look so adorable in her sleep? Did she always sleep in PJs or was that because she was staying at the Hyperion until the Angel Investigations team cleared her apartment of its present infestation? What would it be like to have Cordy climb into bed with him on purpose? And that last question led him to the kinds of thoughts that would make Hefner blush. And he knew he had to remove her from his room for both their sakes.
He put on a robe like a shield against all that Cordy stirred in him by day, never mind by night. In his bed. Looking all soft and adorable and like she belonged there. He very carefully lifted her and carried her down the hall, tucking in her in, letting the tender affection he had for this selfless woman shine in his eyes. He stepped back and watched her breathe. It was hours before he could tear himself away from her and return to his room. When he did, his step was heavy with wanting what he could not have.
~~~
The cases on their plates that week involved cleansing Cordy’s apartment of whatever strange evil Wolfram and Hart had unleashed to annoy them all and tracking down a girl who had been kidnapped for a ritual sacrifice, plus they were behind on the bills (again). So when Angel snapped at Wes and stormed off, Cordy broke the ensuing stunned silence with “Jeesh! I guess all this stuff is really getting to him.” She lowered her voice conspiratorially, “I mean I think he’s been in my room at night ya know? Taking solace or something.”
“I don’t mean to be rude, babycakes,” Lorne spoke from his place in the lobby, “but I think Angel has wanted to be in your room from loooonnnnggg before this case.”
There was a series of knowing looks and a giggle Fred tried to hide behind a sudden riveted interest in one of Wesley’s ancient tomes.
“What?” Cordy asked the room at large.
“I’ve got to go clean the-“ Gunn started, pointing vaguely through the door.
“Me too!” Wes piped up, grabbing his coat on the way out. For the next several hours, Lorne stayed with her in the office helping her with administrative duties. She could have sworn he was singing “Love Boat” the whole time but she couldn’t be sure.
~~~
The next time Angel woke to Cordy in his bed, she was entangled with him as if she were a boa constrictor and he was her next meal. It was hard to tell where she ended and he began. There was only so much of Cordy’s warm, soft, luscious body pressed against his that he could take. He took a deep, fortifying breath, an unconscious gesture to summon some willpower. Which led to another breath as he rediscovered that Cordy’s scent was like an aphrodisiac to him. And a third as he wondered how long this had been true. And a fourth, because really, could he ever get enough? And a fifth as he nuzzled her neck. That was a very bad idea though because apparently nuzzling triggered a more awake Cordy.
“Ready for another round Lover?” Cordy chuckled and kissed him sleepily but soundly. In the nanosecond it took him to realise she was dreaming, he was defenseless and, he was ashamed to admit, started kissing her back. His friend. Who didn’t know what she was doing. And was probably having random dreams about some guy. He pulled away, and was a little surprised to find his hands tangled in her hair. When had that happened?
“Angel?” So much for the “dream about random guy” hypothesis. “Don’t you want this, baby?” Man, he wanted it too damn much by half.
“Cordy-” he started but realised talking to her while asleep was not a good idea. The rumbling of his voice beneath her ear where she had placed it on his chest seemed to soothe her. The tiniest smile settled on her face and she wrapped her arms around him contentedly.
“I love you, Angel.” Cordy slipped into the most restful sleep she had had since awakening to the sure knowledge that Wolfram and Hart was trying to use her home in some sort of evil scheme. Angel couldn’t move. She loved him? He was torn between logic and longing. He really should return her to her bed but she looked so…peaceful. And beautiful, her face gently kissed by moonlight. He touched her hair hesitantly and then he stroked it. When his hands went around her possessively and her scent and nearness lulled him back to sleep he would never know. Hours passed before he woke again, her warmth permeating his body and messing with his emotions. Much like a bomb technician with a volatile liquid, he carried her carefully down the hall and laid her in her bed. He couldn’t resist letting his lips linger on her forehead. He left before she knew he had been there.
~~~
Angel stood before his bedroom door on the second floor of the Hyperion, wrestling with himself. The gang had dispersed leaving Cordy only a few doors down this very corridor. He knew what would happen tonight- Cordy was sleepwalking all the time now. He also knew that it was getting harder to pretend these nights were not happening- he was more attuned to her whereabouts, she was always in his thoughts and just tonight he had almost kissed her on his way to the fridge. He wanted her but he had decided to leave dreaming about Cordy as just that- a dream. He turned the key in the lock of his door with a heavy heart.
~~~
There was keening…keening? Wait-where was he? He reached out. In bed apparently. He sat up and followed the sound to his door. He opened it and had to catch Cordy to prevent her from falling head first into his bedroom. Now she was crying against his chest and refusing to settle down. He carried her over to his rocking chair and held her.
“Hey. Hey, Cordy shhh, it’s ok.”
She looked at him-can sleepwalkers do that?- “How can it be ok if you lock me out of our room Angel?” Her eyes closed again and she rested easily in his arms. He sighed heavily. He was gonna have to get help with this tomorrow. He couldn’t take another night of this.
As it turned out, not all of the gang had left the Hyperion.
“Angel?” Lorne called softly.
“Yea, Lorne, come on in.”
Lorne assessed the situation in one glance. “Yea, I had a feeling this might happen.”
“A feeling what might happen?”
“Well Cordy, she doesn’t know it, not consciously anyway, but she’s in love with you. I’m talking head over heels, rainbows and kittens, strike up the band, get Etta James to do a solo, in love.”
“Lorne-” His distress was evident in his tone.
“Don’t start, Angel. The Apocalypse is coming one way or the other. There will always be one more demon to fight or vamp prey to rescue or Wolfram and Hart scheme to defeat. You’re never gonna have total peace on the home-front. But Cordy? This lovely kitten here is willing to do more than be a team player…she’s willing to walk with you in every battle as YOUR life partner. Think about it: strong, beautiful, wise, on your team and yours in a way that she is no one else’s, in a way that she doesn't want to be anyone else's.”
Angel considered the words his friend shared with him as he stared down at Cordy’s face. Was it possible? And suddenly she was staring back, all sleep confused and tousled and adorable. She stretched.
“Angel? What am I doing here?”
“You’ve been sleep walking, Cordykins.” She turned toward the sound of Lorne’s voice.
“I thought you went home.”
“Nah, couldn’t. Found something out Angel needed to know.”
She sat up in Angel’s lap, more alert now.
“What? Is it about the Wolfram and Hart thing?” Angel sent a warning glance Lorne’s way that the empath ignored.
“No it’s about the Cordy is in love with Angel but refuses to acknowledge it so she’s been sleepwalking into his room thing.”
She stood, putting distance between herself and Angel, suddenly uncomfortable.
“WHAT?”
“Oh, Cordy…Cupcake, it’s all over your aura. You don’t even have to sing.”
Lorne saw the resignation in her shoulders the moment the truth snuck past her denial.
“Well,” he said, slapping his knees and standing, “my work here is done. Caritas needs me.” Lorne stepped out closing the door behind him.
Cordy slowly turned to face Angel, suddenly shy. He sighed.
“Look, Cordy, we don’t have to get into this if you don’t want to. But you should know that…that I have loved you for a while now. I just…I never thought anything would come of it, could come of it. I can’t offer you anything really. I mean most of my life as Angel has been about sacrifice and battles and loss and I…didn’t want to drag you into that.”
Cordy straightened.
“Really? Drag me into that? And what if I wanted to be in it? Ever thought of that, big guy? I have a role in all this Apocalypse business too you know-”
“Cordy-”
“I am not the damsel in distress!”
“Ok…” Angel dragged the word out into three syllables. “What are you upset about exactly?”
Cordy stepped closer to him. “I’m in love with you. And you’ve already decided you’re too dangerous for anything to come of it. Us, Angel. What if we’re meant to be? Right now I’m your friend and employee but…what if we’re perfect for each other? Are you really willing to walk away?”
Passion roughened his tone, “Yes! Cordy I can’t-” he exhaled. He reached out to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear to calm himself down. “Cordelia, I couldn’t bear it if I hurt you, if somehow being close to me made you a target.”
Cordy held on to his wrist and leaned her cheek into his palm. “I’m already a target, Angel. And I like being part of Angel Investigations, I like sticking it to the bad guys. Regardless of what happens between us this is where I’m gonna be. This is where I belong. And I don’t want not taking this chance on there being an ‘us’ to be something I regret for the rest of my life. Do you?”
The lie was on his lips but somehow, looking into her eyes, the truth just slipped out. “No.”
Her answering grin was infectious. “Good. ‘cause if I had to go back to my room I’d be disappointed. Take me to bed, Angel.”
His shock was large and palpable like a third person in the room. Cordy laughed softly and swatted his chest.
“Not like that! Not yet anyway.” She raised her hands toward him. “Just pick me up and take me to your bed and hold me until we fall asleep. I’ve wanted to know what that would be like for a while now. And what it would be like to wake up to you beside me.”
Could it really be that he was about to find out what it was like to have Cordy be his? He smiled as he picked her up, kissed her neck and carried her to bed.