It's for the ficlet challenge. No, really.
quinby requested Mark and Angel during canon, and here it is. I figure this is sometime that spring.
“Angel! What are you doing here?”
“What, I’m not allowed to drop in on my friends?”
“Oh, no, it’s fine, I just... wasn’t expecting you,” Mark finishes (rather lamely, he thinks).
Angel grins. “Collins is busy, I’m bored, figured I’d see what was up with you guys. But... is Roger not here, or is he hiding in his room again?”
“He’s not here. Mimi dragged him off somewhere-” The phone rings.
“Speeeak!”
“Mark Cohen! This is Alexi Darling!”
Mark makes a very interesting face indeed, and turns the answering machine off.
“She’s still bothering you, I take it?”
“She won’t leave me alone. Haven’t made it more than a week since New Year’s without her calling at least once, and it’s usually more than that.” He sighs. “I’m half tempted to take the stupid offer just to get her to shut up.”
“...You do realize that doesn’t make very much sense, right?”
“It did when I said it. But... I guess you’ve got a point.”
“The thing about Alexi,” Angel says, “is it looks to me like she operates on the same lines as Maureen does. She will not leave you alone until you do what she wants, and even that doesn’t guarantee safety. Don’t know why people work like that - probably because no one’s ever outlasted them before - but that’s what you’re up against.”
Mark buries his face in his hands. “Great. Just great.”
“That’s not to say you shouldn’t take her up on it, though. It might be something you’re good at, or it might just be a good learning experience so you know to run like hell next time anything similar comes up. Just... go with your gut on it, I guess. If you think it’ll drive you crazy, then don’t do it, that’ll just end badly for everyone.”
“That... helps a little, I think. Thanks, Angel. I just wish I wasn’t dealing with the same kind of person all over again.”
“Well, you’re not dating her this time, right?”
And Mark cracks up. “This is very true.”
“Angel! What are you doing here?”
“What, I’m not allowed to drop in on my friends?”
“Oh, no, it’s fine, I just... wasn’t expecting you,” Mark finishes (rather lamely, he thinks).
Angel grins. “Collins is busy, I’m bored, figured I’d see what was up with you guys. But... is Roger not here, or is he hiding in his room again?”
“He’s not here. Mimi dragged him off somewhere-” The phone rings.
“Speeeak!”
“Mark Cohen! This is Alexi Darling!”
Mark makes a very interesting face indeed, and turns the answering machine off.
“She’s still bothering you, I take it?”
“She won’t leave me alone. Haven’t made it more than a week since New Year’s without her calling at least once, and it’s usually more than that.” He sighs. “I’m half tempted to take the stupid offer just to get her to shut up.”
“...You do realize that doesn’t make very much sense, right?”
“It did when I said it. But... I guess you’ve got a point.”
“The thing about Alexi,” Angel says, “is it looks to me like she operates on the same lines as Maureen does. She will not leave you alone until you do what she wants, and even that doesn’t guarantee safety. Don’t know why people work like that - probably because no one’s ever outlasted them before - but that’s what you’re up against.”
Mark buries his face in his hands. “Great. Just great.”
“That’s not to say you shouldn’t take her up on it, though. It might be something you’re good at, or it might just be a good learning experience so you know to run like hell next time anything similar comes up. Just... go with your gut on it, I guess. If you think it’ll drive you crazy, then don’t do it, that’ll just end badly for everyone.”
“That... helps a little, I think. Thanks, Angel. I just wish I wasn’t dealing with the same kind of person all over again.”
“Well, you’re not dating her this time, right?”
And Mark cracks up. “This is very true.”