thatotherperv: (jeff)
thatotherperv ([personal profile] thatotherperv) wrote2007-02-26 12:17 pm
Entry tags:

Strength in Numbers, part 15

you know, once a month something just goes 'bing' in my head, like...'oh, it's time to post more Strength now'. that happened today. :)

Title: Strength in Numbers
Author: Mel ([livejournal.com profile] btvslover82)
Pairings: Spike/Dawn, Angel/Spike, and Angel/Dawn. eventually S/A/D. References to A/B and S/B.
Rating: NC-17
Summary: The nerds were successful in assassinating Buffy in late season 6, and this fic spins events out afterwards. See A/N in part 1 for where it goes AU.
Warnings: sex with a minor (16yo at the youngest point), eventual slash, eventual threesome, character death (Buffy, that is)…errr…. bloodplay. I think that's it.
Disclaimer: Joss would blush. I am, alas, still poor. don’t sue me.
Feedback: please!

Previous parts are here


banner by the talented [livejournal.com profile] fanbot




Part 15

Spike’s proverbial blood pumped as he chased his prey round the corner and into the cemetery. Two baby slayers, and for a moment he allowed himself to pretend—fantasize—what he’d do if he were free of the chip. If he didn’t have Dawn to think of.

He wondered if they tasted as intoxicating as the real thing. He remembered the rush of it. Power and sex and death, all rolled into one spicy concoction that made his dick twitch.

He’d been too proud with the second, but had he known what the government had in store for him, William the Bloody would have drunk his fill of that one as well.

When his prey made the fatal error of rounding on him like frightened mice making a stand against the neighborhood tomcat—stakes clutched nervously in both hands—Spike reigned in the instinct to snap their necks. Just barely. Knocking the one out of the way and clutched the other to him, lunging in for the faux kill. She was a twiggy little thing, the redhead, and she shrieked, heart banging against this forearm as she passively waited for death.

Bloody hell, how was he supposed to save the world with backup like this?

Spike released her and quickly stepped back, slipping into teacher mode. Shaking off the game-face that wanted to stick because the air was heavy with terror and arousal.

Slayer line, in love with death—every last one of them. Plus, they all thought he was hot…as they well should.

“Alright…these two are dead. Why?”

There was a murmur of uncertainty through the nearby herd. The girl he’d knocked down rose to her feet, dusting herself off. “I’m dead because you’re a vampire. I don’t have slayer strength, slayer speed. It wasn’t a fair fight.”

“Cry me a bloody river. You think I’d care what’s fair?” Two and a half dozen blank stares were reflected back at him. “I see you’re still not gettin’ it. My instinct was to hunt you lot down, suck you dry, and use your corpses as funny little puppets until they began to stink.” They all paled. They didn’t know the half of it—the entirely different instinct they also provoked—but he only wanted them scared, not petrified to sleep under the same roof. “What was yours?”

Some brave soul spoke up. “Run. Keep running.”

“Right.” He turned to Twiggy. “You too?”

She nodded.

“Why’d you stop then?”

“I’m…we’re supposed to kill vampires. I thought—”

“Stop thinking. Killing vamps is the goal. But the first objective’s to not get dead, or the rest gets a bit difficult. Go with your gut. If you have any doubt of yourself at all, you’ll hesitate, and if that happens, you’re dead. Killed two slayers myself, and all it took was one good moment.”

Spike surveyed the crowd with dismay. Shakin’ in their boots.

“And they were a hell of a lot more formidable than you lot. But that’s why we’re here. Let’s go again. Any questions?”

Spike regretted the offer immediately as five hands shot up in the air.

He pointed at one. He wouldn’t even pretend to know her name. “What do you want.”

Silly bint shrank back from his short tone. “I was just wondering…just wondering, Mr. Spike, if this is going to be on the test.”

Oh for Christ’s—“One, I told you not to call me that. Two, for the last bloody time, there’s no bloody test!”

Three other hands wilted down from the air, apparently thinking along the same lines. Institutionalized little robots, every last one of them.

Spike ground his teeth, pointing to the last. “Yes?”

“When we get back, can we have hot chocolate? Because…” The bint wisely trailed off at the growl rumbling from his throat.

Spike had been generous in offering to take them out alone, but it wasn’t to be repeated. He’d kill them all if he had to do this again. Usually he left the real wrangling to Harris, who had a disturbing knack with teenage girls, but Spike had given he and Willow as much of a vacation as they could arrange under the circumstances. The girl was healing well, but Xander didn’t like to be far from her side just yet.

Spike couldn’t blame him. He himself was startlingly glad to have the witch back. And not just for practical reasons. Coming upon her so battered in that cave—Spike was glad he hadn’t sent Harris alone, because the boy had been too shaken to carry her out. Took it like a trooper, she did. Always was a good sort, and stronger than she looked in ways that had nothing to do with magic.

As it always did, Spike’s mind wandered to Dawn. Dawn, who would never dream of asking him for a snack at a time like this. Which brought him right back around to irritation.

“If you’re all very good,” Spike said finally, wanting to strangle them, “I’ll make sure ‘Mr. Harris’ gives you some before bed. But for the moment, let’s try to remember this isn’t sodding summer camp. Now can we get on with it?”

They all nodded quickly, nervousness wafting from them like a collective perfume. At least they weren’t all menstruating—they came into it en masse like clockwork. Frazzled his last bloody nerve.

Nibblet wasn’t anywhere near this worthless. He’d bet she was taking to her lessons like a duck to water. A breed apart, his girl.

~*~*~*~

“So, after I kick your ass, can we go out for pizza?”

“You’re not kicking my ass. And we just had pizza yesterday.” When Angel lobbed a series of punches in Dawn’s direction, she used her slighter form to dodge them as he’d taught her, surprising him when she popped up behind him and hit him hard in the kidneys.

Aahh. Good thing he wasn’t using those.

“Yeah, but that was delivery. There’s this new eat-in place I want to try. I saw it when I went to get tacos with Fred.”

They danced for a few moments and Angel squinted at her. “Shouldn’t we be feeding you vegetables or something?”

Dawn snorted. “Why, cuz everything else goes straight to my non-existent hips?”

His eyes dropped to them involuntarily. “They’re not…they’re….”

She struck in his moment of befuddlement and gave him a rattling uppercut to the jaw. Before he could recover and remind her that they were sparring, she hit him in the solar plexus.

Dawn backed off and watched him smugly. “Told you I was kicking your ass.”

“We’ll see about that.”

But he would let her win, of course he would. For now. There was time enough later for lessons about fallibility. This was about practicing technique.

Angel lobbed a kick at her side that would be easy enough to block. She did, kept her balance, and staged an attack too soon that was easily avoided. Started another ill-advised move, but this time it was a feint, and a good one at that. He didn’t realize her game until she was rounding on him for a kick.

He let it connect. The move left her right side open—she always left her right side open, no matter how many times he told her to keep it guarded.

He lunged in and struck, fingers digging into her ribs, merciless when she clutched her side and began to giggle.

“Angel! Angel, stop! Tickling…tickling isn’t playing faaaair.”

He grinned, using her off-balance posture to topple her to the ground and following her down, attacking her other side with tickling fingers as her hands flailed to protect her right.

“I dunno, a good warrior makes use of every available weapon. Write that down, it’s very important.”

Dawn was laughing in gasps, peels of giggles punctuated by screams—as if anyone in the hotel would think he was hurting her, when they heard the two of them. Angel found himself laughing too as she feinted a knee to the groin and went for his armpit instead, slender fingers digging into his flesh as he squirmed helplessly—knowing he could easily put a stop to her attack but not wanting to.

When was the last time he had played? Cordelia and Gunn and even Wesley had taught him to see life a little lighter, but even so, there was never such sheer silliness. Angel caught her off guard by switching his siege to the soft skin under the crook of her chin, and she squealed and went for his side.

His stomach hurt from laughing. His face was sore. Already sweaty from training, he was pleasantly exhausted from the endorphin rush.

Dawn wasn’t quite ready to cede the battle when he rolled onto his back, putting an end to the game, but he fended off her attempts at teasing him easily.

“Dawn…Dawn!” He caught her wrists and snorted laughter as he saw her faking a disappointed pout. “No more, I give up. Not all of us are young—”

Angel sighed out the rest of his sentence when Dawn brushed her mouth against his. She was watching him with wide gray-blue eyes locked on his own, obviously waiting to be rejected…but Angel found that he didn’t want to, and when she wasn’t, she repeated the innocent gesture. Testing the waters. But Angel wanted to kiss her, and for once, he couldn’t remember what was wrong with it. This wasn’t about Spike, and it wasn’t about Buffy. It was just about them.

“All available weapons,” she murmured. A grin stole over Angel’s face at the explanation before he cupped his hand at the base of Dawn’s skull and pulled her down for another kiss.

He waited until her eyelashes fluttered closed to fan against her cheek before he closed his own.

There was no first-kiss awkwardness. In some ways, it didn’t feel like a first kiss at all—they knew what to expect from one another. Dawn had been taught by his own protégé, so there was no need to negotiate over style. No awkward dancing.

But Angel had never kissed her. She was so…soft. Dawn could be strong-willed, but when she was content—when she got her way—she could be so guileless and silky. Sleepy little kitten. Darla and Buffy and even Drusilla all had their soft sides, but they kissed like predators. Hungry. And Spike, of course…that went without saying. None of them ever really put aside that part of themselves, the part that was at war with him. For what he was…for how easily he could hurt them. It was instinct. Always, always just the smallest part, on guard.

He couldn’t remember kissing anyone quite so delicate. She just yielded to him. Kissed him back with a little purr when he rocked her onto her back so his upper body covered hers. No defenses. Not a muscle tensed when he slid his lips over her throat, just a small hand curling into his hair, kneading her contentment.

It made him even more careful with his hands. He put no strength behind them when he cradled her face and brushed large thumbs over her cheeks. She was such a tiny little thing.

Made him feel big and protective and reluctant to do much more than slip his tongue along the inside of her lower lip. He pressed one last kiss to her mouth before easing back.

Dawn’s eyes blinked open drowsily. “Huh. Can’t say I actually expected….” She licked her lips. “What gives?”

“I just….” Angel didn’t really know why. His conversation with Cordy came to mind, but it was all too confusing. “I just wanted to.”

Dawn studied him a moment before smiling. “I can live with that.”

woohooo, more phone sex...let's face it, that's the only way Spike's getting any at the moment






A/N: Some dialogue adapted from Bs7’s Potential. And obviously I embellished on the number of girls. *g*

[identity profile] girlpire.livejournal.com 2007-02-26 08:37 pm (UTC)(link)
yay, angel kissage! go dawn. except i hate her. but not in this story, because angel kissage! :D

[identity profile] thatotherperv.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 02:17 pm (UTC)(link)
lol. angel kissage cures all

[identity profile] xenachakram12.livejournal.com 2007-02-26 09:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Ooh, baby; here we go! Great chapter--way to tease, lol.

[identity profile] thatotherperv.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 02:18 pm (UTC)(link)
*snickers* that's me. I'm a tease!

[identity profile] samifidler.livejournal.com 2007-02-26 09:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Go Angel! About time, too. And jsutcause you felt like it ;>) I like the turn the story is taking. Poor Spike. heee

Sami

[identity profile] thatotherperv.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 02:20 pm (UTC)(link)
haha. yeah, he had to carpe diem at some point.

and meanwhile, Spike is stuck with all those brats. *pets them*
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[identity profile] thatotherperv.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 02:23 pm (UTC)(link)
:) he so does! lol. I figured that in the absence of everyone else, Xander would step up. especially in comparison to Spike. *snerk*

hahahaha. yeah, he would totally eat them if he could. he would chow down and have a field day.

thank you! I'm glad the slow growth of Angel/Dawn works for you. I couldn't see it any other way than snail's pace. lol.

[identity profile] i-luv-trees.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 01:34 am (UTC)(link)
This is an awesome story, I wasn't a fan of this pairing(s) until I started reading this, but you are absoulutely making it rock!

The details you put in like all the slayers having that 'time of the month' at the same time (which I've read about in rl), and making Angel laugh and feel happy for a momement just blow me away.

And a very believable first kiss, love the way it just happened very naturally and love the way Angel felt it was different than all the past ones.

Can't wait till you feel that 'bing' again, and hope your computer woes are fixed ASAP.

Thanks for the lovely words, C

[identity profile] thatotherperv.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 02:26 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm so glad you're enjoying this!

yeah, women totally synchronize if they live together, and that many girls...*shudders to think of the pms* poor Spike.

and yeah. Dawn brings something out in Angel, doesn't she? some silliness. I think it's good for him. I'm glad you found their first kiss natural and believable!

thanks babe!
laisserais: kiss (a/s - cuddles)

[personal profile] laisserais 2007-02-27 04:52 am (UTC)(link)
oh man, the scene with Spike and the potentials is awesome! i know you're probably tired of hearing it, lol, but i love this version of spike so so so much. he makes me laugh and empathize pretty much exactly like canon spike c. season 2. so rad. i love how he's sort of... naturally his own predator-y self, but kept in check by other priorities. and the potentials! hee! such hopeless dweebs. i loved how dawn, compared to them, is just so much better.

“I dunno, a good warrior makes use of every available weapon. Write that down, it’s very important.” this line was so unbelievably cool. you capture a certain prism of angel refracted through his relationship with dawn that... i dunno. it makes them both better. dawn in this story is so much better than dawn in canon. lol. i know i've already said that too. but i think she brings out something in angel that was always there, we just never got to see it before. i heart it lots.

and then this happened: None of them ever really put aside that part of themselves, the part that was at war with him. For what he was…for how easily he could hurt them. It was instinct. Always, always just the smallest part, on guard. and i'm... blown away.

wow.

that just makes so much sense. there's so much like, obviousness, to that, but i had never seen it before. that was truly gorgeous.

[identity profile] thatotherperv.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 02:32 pm (UTC)(link)
haha, for the record, I will never get tired of hearing it :D

I'm glad you liked the scene with the potentials. I am a little in love with the idea of a soulless spike being left in charge of them. it's just really funny to me, like a great cosmic irony. the powers are laughing their asses off at him. :)

I'm glad you're digging the Angel/Dawn dynamic. what was fun about starting to write Angel/Dawn as a ship is that I'd literally never seen it done before. I'd seen it done as a rape scenario (ew!) and as a friendship scenario, but never romantically. so it was like I got to invent them from scratch. it was so fun to decide what they'd be without all the fanon bogging me down. and one of the things I decided would be integral to their dynamic was that she would bring out the silliness in him...that she would make him play. we see some silly moments with him in canon (a couple with Cordy, and with baby Connor for sure). the other is that Angel would give her some of the stability she never had.

and I'm so glad you loved that line about the kiss. *squishes you*

[identity profile] plushpenguin.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 02:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Can I just say, I love your writing. I went back and read all the other chapters of this last night. What fun! And usually I HATE Dawn with a passion, but I love they way you portray her. :)

[identity profile] thatotherperv.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 02:34 pm (UTC)(link)
thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying the fic, and I'm glad you're enjoying my Dawn. there are certainly a lot of you that have told me that you hate Dawn but you like mine...it always makes me wonder what got you reading in the first place :) but hey, you don't see me complaining! I'm glad that you gave me a shot and that I stood the test.

[identity profile] jans-intentions.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 02:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, I loved this one. I knew she'd grow on him eventually.

[identity profile] thatotherperv.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 02:35 pm (UTC)(link)
yeah, it was pretty inevitable :) I'm glad I went slow though. slow growth suits them. cuz we all know Angel moves at the pace of glaciers. lol.

[identity profile] denied-heaven.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 06:39 pm (UTC)(link)
lmao woo
i loved spike and the slayers, he's so bad lol
Silly bint shrank back from his short tone. “I was just wondering…just wondering, Mr. Spike, if this is going to be on the test.”

Oh for Christ’s—“One, I told you not to call me that. Two, for the last bloody time, there’s no bloody test!”

*snickers*
and and
There was no first-kiss awkwardness. In some ways, it didn’t feel like a first kiss at all—they knew what to expect from one another. Dawn had been taught by his own protégé, so there was no need to negotiate over style. No awkward dancing.
OOoo thats nice lol
but what got me from this chapter
was the uh
*finds*
He couldn’t remember kissing anyone quite so delicate. She just yielded to him. Kissed him back with a little purr when he rocked her onto her back so his upper body covered hers. No defenses. Not a muscle tensed when he slid his lips over her throat, just a small hand curling into his hair, kneading her contentment. after his thoughts on how the other's kissed and she just *sigh*
so perfect

[identity profile] thatotherperv.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 07:38 pm (UTC)(link)
hee, I think Spike/baby slayers is rapidly becoming one of my favorite things about this fic. I'm glad you liked that line. one of my faves :)

I'm glad you liked the kissing. I was kind of nervous about that, but everyone seems to like that part, so yay! *hugs*

[identity profile] kayt-arminta.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 08:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh noes! This wasn't in your memories! Thankfully I'm a rabid enough fan to hunt this down in other ways.

YAY!

[identity profile] thatotherperv.livejournal.com 2007-03-01 12:11 am (UTC)(link)
ah. yeah, sometimes I'm a little slow on that. glad you found it though!

[identity profile] skytteflickan88.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 08:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Finally. Such a sweet first kiss. Damn, now I'm jealous. I want Angel kissing me too.

Well written. A very good first kiss.

[identity profile] thatotherperv.livejournal.com 2007-03-01 12:12 am (UTC)(link)
I'm very glad you enjoyed their first kiss :) thank you!
(deleted comment)

[identity profile] thatotherperv.livejournal.com 2007-03-01 12:13 am (UTC)(link)
heee. I know, poor guy. he doesn't exactly have the patience of a saint. meanwhile, Angel gets to kiss Dawn. life just isn't fair :D

[identity profile] angelicvampyre.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 07:01 am (UTC)(link)
oh thanks for that so pretty!

[identity profile] thatotherperv.livejournal.com 2007-03-01 12:14 am (UTC)(link)
you're quite welcome. thanks!

[identity profile] lily-lioness.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 07:16 pm (UTC)(link)
I love the way angel and dawn's relationship is progressing. If it were rushed straight to the porn it wouldn't ring true for these characters, especially for angel lol :P

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this fic and I hope you update soon...pretty please (giving puppy dog eyes)

^_^

[identity profile] thatotherperv.livejournal.com 2007-03-01 12:20 am (UTC)(link)
thank you! I'm glad you feel that way, because I wholeheartedly agree. this is a slow-growing ship, especially under these circumstances...their hearts are all complicated by grief. spike and dawn had a foundation of friendship, but Angel and Dawn were virtual strangers.

hee. I'm so glad you love it. I'll see what I can do.

[identity profile] dicecanntcry.livejournal.com 2007-03-01 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
Whoo! Things seem to be moving right along! :)

[identity profile] thatotherperv.livejournal.com 2007-03-01 04:44 pm (UTC)(link)
haha, yes! slow but steady :)

lmao, I love your icon. I'll take both! I love that Spike has kind of a goofy smile.