__A Watcherly Infatuation__
By Ashely
Wesley was naked.
Well, naked in the just-about-to-take-a-shower-because-you're-covered -with-demon-slime kinda way, but still, naked. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, but normally your door doesn't knock at 1:30 in the morning, and normally, you can find your robe. Wesley's life didn't really revolve around the word "normally".
The knock came again, more urgent this time.
Wesley quickly decided on a large bath towel. He didn't have time to conduct a search for the missing robe.
Whipping the towel around his waist, he ran to the door, unlocked it and threw it open.
*******************************************************
Anna stared, shell-shocked. She stared a the very handsome, very barely dressed man standing in the doorway.
"Ah...W-Wesley Wyndham-Pryce?" She stammered.
Wesley's eyes lit up as he recognized the pretty, blonde woman. "Anna!" He almost threw his arms around her to hug, but remembering the bath towel, quickly decided against it.
She smiled, glad he remembered his old pal, but couldn't help staring at the towel.
"Oh, uh, sorry about the uh, um, lack of attire..." Wesley trailed off as he noticed her eyes on the towel.
Anna quickly jumped back into reality. "Oh! Uh, don't worry about it, I guess I deserve it, waking you up this early." Oh, she must have done *something* good to deserve this!
Wesley politely invited her in, still apologizing, while holding tightly onto the towel.
She accepted, and stepped inside, examining the run-down apartment with great interest. "I guess you're not with the Council anymore, ha ha."
Wesley nodded. "Yes, I was sacked. But you must have heard about that." he cleared his throat. "Are you still with the Council yourself?"
Anna smiled bittersweetly. "Yes, but it's not all fun and games. A large portion of excellent Watchers-in-training left after Rupert was fired. I would've gone, too, but they promised me the next Slayer, if I stayed. It was too good to resist."
Wesley looked at the floor. "Well..." It seemed like his departure had meant nothing. He adjusted his towel (which had been slipping) and changed the subject. "So, what brings you here, Anna?"
She flushed. "Well, I'm sorry to say it's all about the past." She looked a him. "Do you remember the Academy?"
He smiled. "Yes. I was a pompous ass, who thought he knew everything. And I had a terrible crush on you."
Anna laughed. "And I knew all along. Actually, that' why I've come."
"Oh, really?" Wesley gulped, and pulled his towel closer around him.
"Yes." She whispered, putting her hands on his shoulders. "I have something to tell you."
"A-And that would be?" Wesley squeaked. She was so close.
"Wesley, I'm in love with you."
He dropped the towel.
*******************************************************
Cordelia leaned back in her chair. Silence. It was nice. No ringing phones, no brooding bosses, no irritating, former Watchers. If only every morning could be like this.
The door burst open.
Fantastic, Cordelia thought, as an out-of-breath Wesley flew into the front office, dragging a blonde stranger behind him. Murphy's Law,
Wesley would drag a new case in on the only quiet morning she's had in months. Sometimes she wondered what his childhood trama was. Right now, Cordelia glared.
“Cordelia, good morning!” Wesley didn't notice her glare. There's someone I'd like you to meet.” He pulled the blonde in front of him, and introduced her as Cordelia stood up and politely shook hands with the newcomer. “Anna, this is Cordelia Chase, a friend of mine from Sunnydale. And Cordelia, this is Anna Manning, a friend of mine from
the Academy, and a future Watcher.”
Cordelia was surprised. A friend? Hmmmm, this had potential. She was about to comment out loud, when Angel appeared from the elevator shadows.
“Ahhh! God, Angel, do you have to sneak up on us like that? Your stealth skills used to be impressive, but now they're just getting on
my nerves! Try entering a room like a normal person next time!” Cordelia shouted, then angrily sat back down. She was just about to embarrass Wesley in front of his new girlfriend!
Anna managed to turn her attention back to Angel after Cordelia's outburst. “Angel? As in Angelus?”
Wesley coughed, and Cordelia shuffled papers.
Angel smiled uncomfortably, “Yes. I heard Wesley mention that you are a Watcher, so you must know all about me then.”
“Well, yes, it is required reading.” Anna looked desperately at Wesley. This was getting too akward.
“Duh, Angel was a major baddie back in his day.” Cordelia piped up. “But don't worry, he's reformed. Like, twelve step program for vampires.”
Wesley put his head in his hands and sighed. Angel rolled his eyes. “Ah, Wesley, can I see you in my office?”
“Yes, of course.” He excused himself, and followed Angel into the vampire's office, a bit leery about leaving Anna with Cordelia.
His suspicions were well founded. The second the door closed, Cordelia pounced. “So, Anna....you went to Watcher school with Wes, hmmm? Tell me, was he always this annoying?”
Anna laughed. “If you want to call it that, then yes, he was. But Wesley has always has a courageous and caring heart. I'm hoping to get to know him even better.” She winked.
Cordelia didn't hide her surprise. “Are we talking about the same Wyndham-Pryce here? 'Cause when I dated him....”
Now it was Anna's turn to be surprised. “*You* dated *him*?! Well, what I mean is that, ah, you, uh, and, well....”
Cordelia scoffed. “Whatever! It was like, two dates, and anyway, after I found out how he kissed...talk about the end of the affair!” Oops. Cordelia had originally planned to faze Anna, and laugh at Wesley's expense. But now she liked Anna (hey, she's got great fashion sense), and it was so easy to get Wes' goat anyway, that Cordy decided to wait. He was pretty good looking, and hey, he did learn how to kiss over the summer! She decided to try and patch
things up.
She laughed girlishly and waved away her last comments. “I mean, his kissing sucked *before* the summer. After, it was like, WHOA! Cool demon hunter in *LEATHER* guy. I don't know where he learnt how to
kiss, but, ya know, it may have something to do with his knowledge of demon brothels....” She was at it again. Smooth like sandpaper, Cordy.
Thankfully, Anna was so busy concentrating on the thought of Wesley in leather, that she hadn't registered the last remark. When she snapped out of it (after Cordelia had cleared her throat a couple of
times), she smiled gamely and sat in a chair facing the former May Queen. “Well, Cordelia, you seem to know a lot about Wesley. Is it possible that you could help me with something along those lines?”
The socialite in Cordelia sat up and took notice.
“What do you mean? Like a date?” Anna smiled, nodding.
“Oh, that's soooo easy!” Cordelia was practically bouncing out of her chair. She flipped through an ancient Rolodex on her desk. “With Wes, you'll want to go the classy route. Oh! And a word of advice: he looks way OO7 in a tux...”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Inside Angel's office, the discussion had just ended.
Wesley was unable to take a the day off, because they had meetings with three prospective (read: rich) clients Cordelia had set up. However, Anna was allowed to help out in anyway she could during her vacation, starting the following day. Angel may be dead, but he wasn't stupid. Having two Watchers on his team was very valuable indeed. Especially since the battle with Wolfram & Hart was heating up.
The men exited the office and explained the situation to a very excited Anna.
“Fantastic. I've got some arrangements to make today, but I'll see you tomorrow at 8am.” Anna smiled at Angel, and winked at Cordelia.
Wesley frowned, as Angel retreated in to his office. Cordelia was up to something...Still frowning at her obnoxious grin, Wesley took his eyes off Cordy to put his arm around Anna's waist, holding her tightly. So here, Ms. May Queen, 1997! Jealous now?
“I'll walk you out.” He led Anna out onto the street.
“Bye Wes! Bye Anna!” Cordelia called out happily. Score 1 for the matchmaker!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Outside, Anna grabbed Wesley's hand and pulled him farther down the street, towards her rental car. “You don't have any plans tonight, do you?” She made it sound more like a statement, than a question.
Wesley shook his head quizzically. “Noooo, no more slime demon arisings that I'm aware of.”
Anna pinned him up against the wall and whispered, “Then meet me at the hotel at 8.” She kissed him deeply. “And make sure you wear a tux.”
With that, she hopped into her rental, and drove off.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Wesley stumbled back into the outer office, an amazed look on his face.
“Angel!”He shouted, bringing the vampire out of his office. “Where can I get a tuxedo?”
Cordelia leaned back in her chair, smiling smugly. You go girl.
*******************************************************
Wesley looked hot. Hot in the "ten-times-more-suaver and-cooler-than-James-Bond" kinda way, but about one thousand times as nervous.
He arrived at the hotel promptly at 8, wearing the tuxedo Cordelia had helped pick out. He pulled at his collar, trying to let some air in as he rode the elevator up to Anna's suite. Yeah, definately nervous.
Strangely, Wesley couldn't help but think back to last night (or, technically, morning) when Anna had confessed her love to him. She hadn't mentioned it again, so he had tried to blow it off with logic – she had just stepped of the plane, she hadn't seen him in a while, she could have been on medication, he was partially nude.....
Ah, well, now was not the time to analyze Anna. If she really did mean it, she would tell him tonight, over dinner (if that's where they were going).
He exited the elevator, found her room number, and knocked on the door. Wesley had known Anna for a long time, and wouldn't be surprised if she had a trick or two up her sleeve.
Anna opened the door.
Actually, she wasn't wearing *any* sleeves. Or straps. Or anything that came remotely near her shoulders.
"Hello, Wesley. You look fabulous."
Message to Wesley's brain: WORK!
"A-And you look..." Wesley struggled to keep his eyes on her face. "Smashing!"
Anna blushed. "Thank you."
He somehow was able to hold out his arm. "S-Shall we?"
She hooked her arm in his, and they walked down the corridor, together.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Wesley almost strangled Anna when she pulled up in front of the classy restaurant, Les Freres D'Heurere (I know, I know, another "Frasier" reference). She had refused to let him drive, and mum was the word on where they were going, so he didn't have time to prepare.
She smiled innocently at him. "I heard this was an excellent
restaurant. But Cordelia told me it specializes in something else..."
He glared at her. "Would that 'something else' be *ballroom
dancing*??"
Anna grinned, and got out of the car.
Leave it to Anna to remember everything. He had gone to an all boy's school all of his life, and had been forced into ballroom dancing lessons "to improve himself socially". She never let him live it down. They had been neighbours since birth, and she knew exactly how to get at him. So if there was a god in heaven, he would drop dead before they reached the entrance.
"I really do hope I can remember all the steps..." Anna teased, and pulled him in to the restaurant before he even had time to drop dead.
She lead him to the tables surrounding the enormous dance floor. A lively cha-cha was playing.
"Next song?" She batted her eyes, obviously enjoying this.
Wesley raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. He needed a drink.
They sat in silence, Watchers watching. But Anna wasn't concentrating too hard on the other patrons.
She kept glancing over at Wesley, in his tux. He was looking especially hot tonight, as Cordelia liked to say.
Finally, the cha-cha stopped, and a wild mambo started. Anna pulled Wesley up, and onto the dance floor.
"Let's dance."
She pulled him close, starting the steps slowly, letting him get used to the music. It seemed to be coming back to him, and Wesley began to lead. Anna laughed, and enjoyed the music, enjoyed being with him. They danced a bit faster, trying not to step on each other's toes.
When the mambo ended, Wesley was breathing a little heavily. "That was....interesting." He put his hands on his knees and bent down.
Anna laughed. "Oh, come on Pryce! A former Watcher's gotta have better stamina then that!"
Wesley looked up at her as the tango, the dance of lovers began. "We shall see."
He grabbed Anna's waist tightly, surprising her. Staring into her green eyes, he took the first steps. Staring back into his ice blue ones, she swayed her hips a bit. And he swayed back.
Wesley's insecurities were gone, as he tangoed furiously across the floor. Swaying, swinging and and spinning, he let loose. That'll show her.
Conversations at tables stopped, as diners stared, trance-like, at the handsome man in the tuxedo, and his lovely blonde partner, in the red.
All Anna could see was Wesley's face. Everything around her, every*one* around her, all of it melded into one large blur. She spun, getting high on the
exhilerating, dizzy feeling of dancing with Wesley. Wonderful Wesley.
More and more, the other dancers stopped, stared, and made room for the Watchers.
Wesley and Anna's bodies moved together as one, like dancing was second nature. Like dancing was breathing.
The music was reaching it's furious climax. It got louder, and louder, and the entire room held it's breath. Wesley, on instinct, grabbed Anna's waist, lifted her up above his head, and spun. Her dress fanned out, and as they flew in circles, it looked like a red halo around them. She couldn't breath, but that wasn't a problem.
The music concluded, and she dropped down in front of him, face to face, milimeters apart. Panting, they stared at each other, and spoke in whispered unison:
"The hotel."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Anna let Wesley drive this time, and he broke all possible speed limits as he raced to the hotel.
Hands tightly clasped together, they ran to the room, Anna fumbling with the key, wasting valuable seconds. She finally got a hold of it, and quickly unlocked the door. They rushed in, and shut it just as
quickly.
Wesley kissed her deeply, holding her hips, then moving his hands along her back. Anna grabbed his neck, and kissed him hard, running her fingers through his hair.
The couple finally managed to pull apart, and lock the door. They ran to the bedroom, and Wesley closed that door, too. He turned around, and Anna pinned him to the wall. She pushed off his jacket, and kissing his neck, undid his tie. She slowly unbuttoned his shirt, and kissed his chest. He kissed her neck with soft, butterfly kisses.
"Wesley," she managed to get out between kisses.
"This may be a bad time, but did you ever sleep with Cordelia?"
He laughed softly, and kissed her face again. "She once told me that hell would freeze over before we had sex."
Anna smiled sweetly. "At least you won't have to wait *nearly* as long with me." She held him closer.
Wesley kissed her neck, as he slowly undid her dress...
* * *