Work Text:
Love Is A Funny Thing
by Bryony Leask
Parents
Angel had never understood why some parents don't love and care for they're children, like his father always telling him the he was a drunk, which he was but alone after being tolled and tolled he was one. He especially didn't understand Xander's parents, his mom ignored him, didn't feed him or care if he was home at a sensible time, but it was Xander's dad that hit him, shouted at him, and almost raped him.
Angel only know this but because he had arrived in Sunnydale three years early then he had been tolled that the slayer , Buffy, was to appear. He wonted to be familiar with the place, demon bars, graveyards and snitch, and most important was that it looked like he had not just move in to town for the slayer.
Angel looked at the body of a boy laying on the bed which he was sitting next to in a small stool and remembered how they met.
Flashback
Angel was walking around one of Sunnydale's graveyards at three in the morning when he heard whimpering in a crypt and the smell of tears and semen. He had slowly walked to the crypt and opened the door. He peered in only to see darkness but the whimpering had stopped. He walked in and homed in on the smell of tears and semen which lade him to the right corner of the crypt. Curled up in the corner was a small person who's breaths was coming in sort pants and was looking at him with big brown wet eyes that were filled with fear.
Angel slowly kneeled down in front of the person a few feet away, unable to tell if they were a boy or girl`.
"Hello, I'm Angel, who are you?" Angel asked quietly so not to starlet the person.
"X-X-X-X-Xander." Was whispered back.
"Xander. That's a nice name, is it short for something?"
"A-A-Alexander. B-but I don't l-l-like being called that."
"Why not? It's a good name."
"C-cause when my dad is mad he always yells Alexander, then he starts hitting me. Opps I'm not to tell anyone. Please don't tell anyone, my dad will get in trouble and will get more mad. Please."
Angel had been shocked. This sweet little boy who had warmed Angel's non betting heart in over 100 plus years in such a short time, was begging him not to tell anyone that he was being abused.
"I wont I promise. How old are you Xander?"
"13, 14 in may which is just under 5 months away."
That also shocked Angel cause he could smell semen and at the age of 13 he was sure that he had not had sex willing, so that meant one thing
"Xander have .... have you be be raped?"
Xander looked even most scared if it was possible. He was looking at the floor, the wall, anywhere but him. His breaths were coming in pants again and Angel was fright that Xander would pass out.
"Xander cam down ok. Please. I'm sorry I asked but I need to know so I can help you."
"N-n-n-n-no I-I was not ra-p-ped."
"Can you tell me happened?"
"What will you d-d-do if I t-tell you?"
"I'll see if I can help you."
"I-I was bad again at school. Some of the letters look the wrong way, so I-I-I read them wrong. So they phoned ho-m-me and dad got mad so he hi-it me a lot. After he said he was sorry, that was the first time he said sorry to me. He was looking at me funny and he start-ted to un do his pants and pulled them down and he was ha-r-rd and and he started to rub angst me. I hit him and ran out of the house to here. Please don't make me go back yet."
Angel just looked at Xander with shock.
"Xander I wouldn't do that. Ok."
Angel was think about what wont to do with Xander. He couldn't go home and he couldn't stay here.
"Xander do do you wont to come home with me."
Xander looked at him and slowly opened his mouth and shut his mouth.
"A nice warm bed, good food, clean, warm water and shelter."
"Why? What do you get out of it? I don't have money to give you or anything."
"I'm not asking for anything. Just to get to know you and to make sure that you are looked after. That's all. Ok?"
Angel slowly stud up and healed out his hand. Xander looked at it of a minute before putting his had in Angel's. Angel slowly pulled Xander Incas he was in a lot of pain.
"Where do you live?" Xander asked as they walked out the door.
"I live near the Bronze."
"Ok."
The walk back to Angel's flat was quit but it give Angel time to think about what he was going to with Xander. `He can't go back home, his dad will most likely kill him. I don't wont to think what will happen if he goes to a home. I'll just have to look after him if he's ok with that, but I'll have to see if I can get a bigger place.'
"Here we are. Home sweet home." Angel said as he opened the front door and walked in and looked at Xander, who was standing in the door slowly walking in looking around the flat.
"It's alright. Come in." Angel said softly "Do you wont to go to sleep? Have a shower or get something to eat?"
"I-I-I'm not that huger. I just wont to sleep if that's ok."
"yeah that ok. I just have the one bed though. That ok, it's pretty big."
"O-o-oh y-y-yeah."
"Xander if your not comfortable with me sleeping next to you tell me."
"N-no it's ok. Really."
Angel looked in to Xander's eyes and saw he was scared but just a bit and he didn't wont to push him so walked into the bedroom. As he turned down the sheets Xander took off his shoes and jacket and as Angel took off his shoes and jacket, Xander got in the bed. When Angel turned to get in he saw that Xander was looking down at the sheets as if he had never seen sheets before.
"Xander I can sleep in the sitting room on a chair if it make you more comfortable."
"NO. I mean no it's your bed I don't wont to kink you out."
"Ok. If you sure."
Angel slowly got in and pulled up the sheets and turned on his left side so that his back was to Xander and waiting for Xander's breathing to even out as he went to sleep.
"Good night Xander." He whispered as he dropped off to sleep.
End of Flashback
Angel looked at the face of Xander as the boy turned to look at him.
"Hey Sexy. When did you get in?"
"Hey. Just now."
"What are you brooding for now?"
"Hey I don't brood. I was just thinking about how I met you."
"Yes you do. Come to bed please so I can get some sleep and I can go to school in the morning, which it in 4 hours."
"Sir. Yes. Sir." Angel said was he claimed in to bed and was instantly had Xander's arm around his cheated and his head in his neck.
`It doesn't mater if Xander's Parents love him or not, he is mine now and has been for the last two years and I'm not giving him up for anything.' Was Angel's last thought as he dropped of to sleep with Xander asleep on his cheated.
end