Chapter Text
Wesley’s attention was on Xander. The young man was standing in the corner of the room with Liam pressed against his chest. Xander had made sure to be as far away from Angel as possible.
Angel was sitting on the couch by the door, his eyes downcast and his hands clenched into fists. Wesley sighed and shook his head.
“Why didn’t you just tell me about the claim from the beginning?” Wesley asked.
“We wanted time to adjust,” Angel almost whispered his eyes firmly focused on the carpet.
“Well, I assume you have completed the claiming. If not Angelus wouldn’t…” Wesley said looking at Xander.
“Completed?” the young man said, his eyes glued to Angel.
“Yes…um…sex,” Wesley stuttered rather embarrassed. Angel shook his head “Why…um…why not?”
“We wanted time to adjust…and I didn’t think it would be necessary,” Angel said eyes finally finding Xander’s. The young man looked away.
“But…oh…that explains the touching,” Wesley nodded “But…I don’t know much about the claim between a vampire and a human. The books are rather spares on the subject.”
“It’s rarely done,” Angel said “Normally the human is just turned,” Angel looked up and found Xander staring at him “I did it to save Xander’s life.”
“Be that as it may…and perhaps a claim doesn’t normally require…but you, Angel, are hardly an average vampire. Perhaps your dual nature…Demon and soul …is the reason Angelus is so close to the surface,” Wesley speculated.
“So the claim released Angelus?” Xander asked as he shushed the infant when it started whimpering.
“No not released…” Wesley said “And please remember that this is pure speculation…but Angel has been acting more possessive and aggressive since you moved in,” Angel looked at the watcher with surprise “Ah, you hadn’t noticed ?” Wesley asked.
“No…I…I just felt more protective and when Gunn touched him,” Angel watched as Xander flinched.
“Well…my theory is that Xander still hasn’t been claimed properly…at least not in the eyes of Angelus and an unclaimed human is…unprotected,” Wesley gestured to Xander “Angelus might be worried that someone else will…um…take Xander.”
“So abusing me and telling me he was going to…rape me…threatening Liam…was Angelus’s idea of being romantic?” Xander said and stepped away from the corner but still kept out of Angel’s reach.
“Xander,” Angel said “Angelus’s idea of romantic revolves around chains and hot pokers as foreplay,” The vampire turned to Wesley “Is there a way to control Angelus?”
“There is a spell,” Wesley said carefully “But the spell doesn’t solve the core problem.”
“What do you mean?” Xander said stepping closer to Wesley’s desk.
“Even if we can control Angelus with the spell it will only be temporary…eventually the spell will become useless and the situation will be the same. I’m afraid there’s really only one solution to the problem,” Wesley said looking apologetic.
“We finish the claim?” Angel asked. Wesley nodded.
“Even if…” Xander said “Even if I would agree to something like…that. There is still the curse to consider,” Both Angel and Wesley nodded.
“Yes, and that would be the core problem.” Wesley said.
“I want you to find a way to annul the claim,” Angel looked at Wesley.
“I don’t think…” the watcher began.
“It hasn’t been done before…I get that,” Angel said “but that’s because no one tried. I want you to try Wesley. Please.”
Xander mumbled something too quiet to be heard and then started laughing.
Angel stood up. The laughter slowly turned into sobs as Xander finally let go. Angel took a step toward Xander making the human flinch. The vampire looked over at Wesley. The watcher stepped forward and slowly took the infant from Xander. Wesley turned in the doorway and looked at Angel.
“I won’t hurt him,” Angel said.
“It’s not you I’m worried about,” Wesley said awkwardly holding Liam.
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“If we do the spell it still doesn’t change things…not really,” Xander said still standing as far away from Angel as possible. He dried his eyes with the back of his hand.
“I know,” Angel said “Look if I had known…”
“I know. We didn’t really have any choice. It just…” Xander stopped and looked at Angel.
“What?” the vampire asked anxiously.
“It’s fucked up. It’s not fair,” Xander said “To me or to you.”
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The spell was in place.
The casting had been strangely anticlimactic. A few mumbled words and that was it.
For now.
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“So,” Angel said standing in the doorway to Xander’s room. They hadn’t touched for a whole day now making Angel tense and nervous. Xander was sitting on his bed Liam’s baby blanket in his hands.
“I want to sleep alone,” Xander said.
“You can’t…I mean if…” Angel walked over and sat down next to the human.
“I know,” Xander said and looked at Angel. “It already hurts. Wesley said…” Xander sighed “Wesley said there wasn’t a spell to make the…the touching unnecessary.”
Angel reached out a hand and said “When Wesley finds a way to annul the claim…”
“If…” Xander looked at the vampire’s hand “If Wesley finds a way,” The human took the offered hand and squeezed it. “I’m still sleeping in here…Alone.”
Angel nodded and walked to the door.
“Good night, Xander.”
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His skin hot to the touch and his throat dry Xander couldn‘t find a comfortable position to sleep in. Sleep seemed like a foreign land. He could faintly glimpse but never reach it.
In the end Xander simply passed out.
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Angel could hear Xander whimpering. No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t block out the sound. The vampire got up and walked out into the hallway. The door to Xander’s room was closed. Angel knew how uncomfortable he was himself. If Xander felt just half of that discomfort and pain…
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Xander woke up feeling well rested. He sighed and stretched so hard every bone in his body creaked. Something held on to his leg just below the knee.
Xander looked down.
Angel was sleeping leaning against Xander’s bed. The vampire’s head resting on the edge of the mattress in what had to be a very painful angle. Angel’s hand was curled around Xander’s leg.
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Angel woke up to fingers running through his hair. With bleary eyes he looked up and into Xander’s sad brown eyes. Angel hastily pulled away and got up.
“Sorry,” the vampire mumbled.
“It’s okay,” Xander said and got out of bed. “I’m guessing you’re the reason I slept so well.”
“I kinda had a plan,” Angel said.
“You were gonna sneak out before I woke up?” Xander smiled as he woke up Liam.
“Yeah,” Angel would have blushed if he could.
“Ah the plan of a master criminal,” Xander quipped. Angel snorted and walked over to Liam. The infant was looking slightly offended, as if waking up hadn’t been on his list of things to do. Angel started changing Liam’s diaper. Xander sat down on the bed and watched.
“Angel,” the human said. Angel looked up. “I’ll stake you if you ever hurt him…or me.”
“Deal,” Angel said and blew a raspberry on the baby’s tummy.
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Gunn, Cordy and Fred were all watching Angel, Xander and Wesley mumble their way through an explanation.
“Wait a second!” Gunn said and pointed at Xander “You had a kid…I mean like gave birth to it?”
Xander blushed and looked like he might pass out any second now. Cordy looked at Xander and started laughing.
“Oh my God!” she giggled “Man you almost had me there…what with the blushing and everything,” She continued laughing until she noticed that she was the only one. “Oh come on. You’re human. I should know. I dated you.”
“Well…um…yes. I was human. As in used to be…Do you remember the swim team?” Xander asked.
“Sure. Coach Marin experimented on you guys…Oh…” Cordy looked uncertain.
“So,” Fred said her voice small but she couldn’t hide her curiosity “Who is the other…um…parent?”
Wesley stepped forward and said “Angel and Xander were gone for a week. A week they don’t remember. According to Xander the…um…impregnation,” at that word Xander’s face turned bright red “must have happened during that period of time.”
“Im-im-impregnation?” Cordy squealed and started laughing again. Gunn snorted and Fred blushed and held a hand over her mouth.
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Wesley was on the phone. It had been awkward calling Thomas after being out of touch for so long. But the man was the only one Wesley would trust when it came to this. Actually Thomas was the only one Wesley knew who would do it. The old friend was as disillusioned by the Watchers' Council as Wesley was himself.
“Yes…a way to annul a claim…between human and vampire…ah you heard about my association with Angel…yes it is true…he does have a soul. I’m not sure…the thing is the demon seems to be close to the surface…yes after the claim. If you could…spells or rituals…yes. I would be very grateful.”
Wesley laughed “No not that grateful!”
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A week later a package arrived for Wesley. In it was a videotape with a yellow Post It stuck to it.
Let the vampire and his claimed watch this in private.
Thomas.