The Orpheum Theater, Downtown Los Angeles | Valentine's Day Evening
Wesley had never been to the ballet before, but by the time he, Angel, Cordelia, Fred, Gunn, Warren and Karla made their way from their seats to the bar at intermission, he had to admit that the performance itself seemed quite nice. At least, in theory. Technically, their seats... well. Suffice it to say that they weren't the best. To say that their view was simply obstructed would be overly generous.
On top of that, the tension that had been present ever since retrieving Warren and Karla from their hotel room was becoming increasingly irritating, and still more upsettingly, despite Cordelia's encouragement that "the iron is hot," Wesley still wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to try to put his arm around Fred's shoulder during Act Two.
Gunn
"I'll say it once, and gloat all you want," Gunn said, holding up a hand before Angel could interject. "These guys are tight, and I am tripping out."
Wesley
"They certainly live up to their reputation," Wesley agreed. Turning to Angel, he wondered, "Has the choreography changed much since you last saw this troupe perform?"
Angel
"No," Angel answered at once, looking distinctly bothered. "Nothing's changed."
Wesley
Wesley looked impressed at that. "Well, it's wonderful that they're able to..."
Angel
"No," said Angel, "I mean nothing's changed. These are the same dancers I saw before."
Fred
"That's impossible," Fred said at once. "We're watching the exact same troupe you saw in 1990?"
Gunn
"Uh, I think he said 1890," Gunn corrected her.
Fred
"Oh," Fred said. "...Well, that's much more impossible."
Karla
"I guess the first question is: are they vampires or werewolves or demons or whatever?" Karla said, looking at the empty stage with an interest that stemmed completely from the information Angel was providing and not at all from avoiding the glowering face of her stupid boyfried. "If this evening is going to end in a massacre, I'd like to know up front please. I'll at least make sure to change my shoes."
Cordelia
Cordy pointed at Karla. "I like you."
What? Practical shoe-changing was an important part of demon-hunting that no one else on the team ever seemed to consider! Angel just rolled his eyes.
"Vampires is on the table. They're not a deeply tanned bunch."
Gunn
"That would explain the precision and the athleticism," Gunn volunteered. "I mean, some of those jumps were just..." He paused, taking in the stares. "You know, I was cool before I met y'all."
Angel
"Not it," Angel said. "I'd sense it."
"All the way back there?" Wesley asked dubiously. Their seats weren't exactly stellar, okay? When Angel eyed him, Wes amended, "With the-- panoramic view?"
Angel gave him a look. "We should check it out."
Fred
Fred glanced back toward the stage just as the lights began to flash, signifying the end of intermission. "Maybe after the show we should head backstage?" she offered.
Angel
"I was thinking now," Angel said. "I'm gonna head back, see what I can find. Anyone else?"
Warren
"I'm in," Warren piped up, squaring his jaw. He really couldn't picture sitting in the audience for the rest of the night. Especially not while sitting next to a girlfriend that he currently wanted to shake by the shoulders.
A moment later, he added, "... I don't handle sitting still for extended periods very well."
Karla
"Which might have been something to consider before agreeing to come to the ballet," Karla muttered, sotto voce. Then more loudly she said, "I'd like to go, too. I've got a bit of excess energy I should burn."
Cordelia
"I'll come too," Cordy said, raising one hand. "This ballet just isn't doing it for me. Wes..."
When Wesley winced somewhat, his gaze sliding over to Fred, Cordy held up a hand. "...Better head back with Fred and Gunn," she finished. At his grateful smile, she grinned. "Show's starting."
Angel
Angel didn't want to know what was going on with the three of them. He just didn't.
He nodded at Warren and Karla, instead. "You guys take the east entrance to backstage, Cordy and I will try to find another way in."
He paused. "And I don't know why I have to tell this to all of Wesley's friends, but you tend to get a lot more done if you aren't bickering."
Loki and Alex, he was looking at you.
Karla
Karla gave Angel a brilliant smile. One that showed a lot of teeth. "Thank you for the suggestion," she said. "Truly, your centuries of wisdom leave us awed."
Warren
Warren, meanwhile, just heaved a sigh and tried to ignore that his hidden wings made a very distinct annoyed-ruffled-feathers sound behind him as he took Karla by the hand and nodded toward the East end of the building.
"Intermission doesn't last forever, Karla. Let's not waste time picking fights with everyone else here tonight, too."
He wasn't going to wait for an answer before walking off, no. He was just going to start dragging.
[[follows this and this. premise & some NPC dialogue lifted from angel 3x13, "waiting in the wings," a.k.a. one of my least favorite episodes of the season but WE ARE FIXING THAT. preplayed with not-a-parakeet and glacial-witch. the spam will be ongoing, and nfb/nfi/ooc-good.]]
On top of that, the tension that had been present ever since retrieving Warren and Karla from their hotel room was becoming increasingly irritating, and still more upsettingly, despite Cordelia's encouragement that "the iron is hot," Wesley still wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to try to put his arm around Fred's shoulder during Act Two.
Gunn
"I'll say it once, and gloat all you want," Gunn said, holding up a hand before Angel could interject. "These guys are tight, and I am tripping out."
Wesley
"They certainly live up to their reputation," Wesley agreed. Turning to Angel, he wondered, "Has the choreography changed much since you last saw this troupe perform?"
Angel
"No," Angel answered at once, looking distinctly bothered. "Nothing's changed."
Wesley
Wesley looked impressed at that. "Well, it's wonderful that they're able to..."
Angel
"No," said Angel, "I mean nothing's changed. These are the same dancers I saw before."
Fred
"That's impossible," Fred said at once. "We're watching the exact same troupe you saw in 1990?"
Gunn
"Uh, I think he said 1890," Gunn corrected her.
Fred
"Oh," Fred said. "...Well, that's much more impossible."
Karla
"I guess the first question is: are they vampires or werewolves or demons or whatever?" Karla said, looking at the empty stage with an interest that stemmed completely from the information Angel was providing and not at all from avoiding the glowering face of her stupid boyfried. "If this evening is going to end in a massacre, I'd like to know up front please. I'll at least make sure to change my shoes."
Cordelia
Cordy pointed at Karla. "I like you."
What? Practical shoe-changing was an important part of demon-hunting that no one else on the team ever seemed to consider! Angel just rolled his eyes.
"Vampires is on the table. They're not a deeply tanned bunch."
Gunn
"That would explain the precision and the athleticism," Gunn volunteered. "I mean, some of those jumps were just..." He paused, taking in the stares. "You know, I was cool before I met y'all."
Angel
"Not it," Angel said. "I'd sense it."
"All the way back there?" Wesley asked dubiously. Their seats weren't exactly stellar, okay? When Angel eyed him, Wes amended, "With the-- panoramic view?"
Angel gave him a look. "We should check it out."
Fred
Fred glanced back toward the stage just as the lights began to flash, signifying the end of intermission. "Maybe after the show we should head backstage?" she offered.
Angel
"I was thinking now," Angel said. "I'm gonna head back, see what I can find. Anyone else?"
Warren
"I'm in," Warren piped up, squaring his jaw. He really couldn't picture sitting in the audience for the rest of the night. Especially not while sitting next to a girlfriend that he currently wanted to shake by the shoulders.
A moment later, he added, "... I don't handle sitting still for extended periods very well."
Karla
"Which might have been something to consider before agreeing to come to the ballet," Karla muttered, sotto voce. Then more loudly she said, "I'd like to go, too. I've got a bit of excess energy I should burn."
Cordelia
"I'll come too," Cordy said, raising one hand. "This ballet just isn't doing it for me. Wes..."
When Wesley winced somewhat, his gaze sliding over to Fred, Cordy held up a hand. "...Better head back with Fred and Gunn," she finished. At his grateful smile, she grinned. "Show's starting."
Angel
Angel didn't want to know what was going on with the three of them. He just didn't.
He nodded at Warren and Karla, instead. "You guys take the east entrance to backstage, Cordy and I will try to find another way in."
He paused. "And I don't know why I have to tell this to all of Wesley's friends, but you tend to get a lot more done if you aren't bickering."
Loki and Alex, he was looking at you.
Karla
Karla gave Angel a brilliant smile. One that showed a lot of teeth. "Thank you for the suggestion," she said. "Truly, your centuries of wisdom leave us awed."
Warren
Warren, meanwhile, just heaved a sigh and tried to ignore that his hidden wings made a very distinct annoyed-ruffled-feathers sound behind him as he took Karla by the hand and nodded toward the East end of the building.
"Intermission doesn't last forever, Karla. Let's not waste time picking fights with everyone else here tonight, too."
He wasn't going to wait for an answer before walking off, no. He was just going to start dragging.
[[follows this and this. premise & some NPC dialogue lifted from angel 3x13, "waiting in the wings," a.k.a. one of my least favorite episodes of the season but WE ARE FIXING THAT. preplayed with not-a-parakeet and glacial-witch. the spam will be ongoing, and nfb/nfi/ooc-good.]]