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Souls Standing By.	By : JanetNoga Category: AtS AU/AR > Slash - Male/Male Views: 3823 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Angel: The Series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Disclaimers: I on't own Buffy TV series or Angel TV
series and I'm not making any profit from this fanfic. Also, the plot line is mine, as is my own characters used in this story, so hands off!

Warnings: Angst, slash A/W S/X, and Angel and Buffy
seasons crossing. Plot happens after episode �Ground State� and after Anya
sleeps with Spike. Enjoy my new edited chapters.

Prologue.

Angel hating doing laundry.

Liam, the man he had been once upon a time, had
never had to worry about doing his own washing. That was a chore for his
family�s servants and after his turning; Angelus had his sire�s minions for the
job. Even souled and living in the hotel in the golden days of Hollywood�s era,
he always sent his clothes out to the dry cleaners. Then for the longest time
he wore nothing, but the rags of a homeless bum until Whistler waltzed into his
life and Angel found himself being taught the simple everyday chores, including
washing his own clothes.

He hated it and didn�t know why. Maybe it was that
part of Liam or Angelus in him. Whatever the reason, Angel would always put off
doing his laundry until he was either forced to load up the blasted machine,
buy new clothes, or wear absolutely nothing at all. While he had a wonderful
physic and ass to boot, Angel was sure neither his friends nor the general
public would appreciate him walking around in the nude because he just didn�t
want to do his laundry.

The hamper in his bathroom was staring to overflow,
vast expensive shirts, pants, socks, and other articles of his wardrobe
spilling onto the smooth tile floor and generally making a nuisance whenever he
tried to get passed the door. He hesitated, looking at the pile and wondered
why Wesley had forgotten his promise about taking care of his boss� laundry for
him?

It had been a small joke among the three members of
his team on that particular day of one, two years ago? Well afternoon by the
time Angel got up and saw that the hamper in his bedroom was overflowing.
Grumbling to himself, Angel squashed as many clothes as he could into the
laundry basket in order to save on trips to and back the laundry room and his
bedroom. He was halfway down the stairs of the lobby when his usual grace
abandoned him and sent Angel flying down the stairs, his clothes airborne with
newfound liberty of their hamper prison.

He looked up and growled at Cordelia as the brunette,
having seen the entire show, starting laughing so hard until she was crying and
having a hard time putting together the apology of laughing at his accident.

� Think maybe you could help me instead? � Angel
had growled at her. Friends weren�t supposed to laugh; friends would come over
and help him pick up his blasted clothes!

� S-sides� a-aching! � She squealed.

� Here. �

Wesley had knelt besides him and started helping Angel
gather up his laundry and the vampire couldn�t help, but thank him over and
over again, telling himself here was a true friend, this friend was helping
him, not laughing at him! There was a twinkle of amusement, but understanding
in those winter blue eyes of his only male friend since Doyle.

� I really hate doing laundry, � Angel made the
effort of conversation in order to cover up some embarrassment he had felt.
People and demons tripped all the time; it wasn�t anything out of ordinary if
he should too.

� Oh, god me too! I�d sent out for drycleaners all
the time if it wasn�t so expensive! � Cordelia had said.

� Well, I must be one of the few who don�t mind
doing their laundry. I like it, actually, � Wesley had remarked, almost shyly as he
picked up Angel�s laundry basket and headed off in direction of the laundry
room.

Cordelia had only shrugged and went back to her
magazine. Angel followed.

� Why? � He had asked, flipping on the light switch for
the man.

� Oh, it�s because it�s one of the few memories I
have of my mother before she died. A memory of smell rather then sight, really.
She died when I was very young. I don�t remember her face and my father never
kept any pictures of her, � Wesley had replied, walking down the stairs and setting
the basket on the ancient looking dryer.

� I�m sorry to hear that, �Angel had said. He wished he
had right to remember his mother fondly.

Wesley had shaken his head. � No, I enjoy talking about
her. I don�t remember her face, but I remember always feeling loved by her. I
can remember the clean smell of the sheets, the way the damp linen would flap
in the wind, the sun on my face, and her. She liked doing laundry because it
was a simple way of letting her care for those she loved. That�s why I like
doing laundry, even for myself, � he had smiled.

For once there was no dark shadows in the former
watcher�s winter blue eyes when he spoke of his past.

� That�s a great reason, �Angel had smiled back,
basking in the warmth of his friend�s happy memory. He often found that when
his friends, his family was happy, Angel was happy.

Dials were spun, laundry detergent and softener
were measure and poured, and finally clothes were added. The lid was closed and
the machine gently vibrated.

� The weather right now is perfect for drying
laundry outside, especially with a clothesline on the roof. If you like I can
wash a load for you every week on Tuesdays so you wouldn�t have to worry about
your hamper overflowing, Angel, � Wesley had offered.

� You don�t- �

� It�s no problem, really. Half the day is gone by
the time you�d be up and we all know sunlight is bad for vampires. Just move
the hamper to the bathroom, � he'd insisted.

Angel had thought it over for a moment. � You don�t mind? � He
asked.

� It would be my pleasure, � Wesley had smiled.

text-autospace:none'>� �� Because it was a simple way of letting her
care for those she loved. � �

� I�d like that, Wesley. �

It was next Tuesday that Angel had found himself
appreciating Wesley�s offer. Having woken up and halfway dressed, the shirt,
one of his favorites that he'd intended to wear wasn�t in his dresser. The hamper in
his bathroom was empty, shirt gone, and Angel wondered if it was dry enough for
him to wear yet? Heading towards the roof, ignoring Cordy�s wolf whistle, he
found Wesley in the middle of checking on his drying clothes. The British man
was right. Plenty of sunlight and there was a strong breeze.

� Looking for something? � Wesley moved from behind
dark silk sheets.

� Ah, you wouldn�t have happened to have washed my
dark blue chiffon tee? The one with the strip? � Angel had asked, almost shy.

Wesley had only grinned. � Thought you�d want that. Here. �
And he handed Angel the article in question, already dried since it had been in
the first wash load.

As much as Angel hated doing laundry, he loved the
smell of freshly washed clothes and took a moment to appreciate the smell. It
smiled of the lightly scented detergent, the sunlight, and� � Lavender? �

� Lavender linen water, actually. My mother often
used it and it's wonderful for delicates, � Wesley smiled. He then looked
away before Angel saw his blush.

Angel smiled. � Thank you, Wes. �

From then on his clothes always smelled like
sunshine and that lavender water Wesley used in every wash. In the days to come
Cordelia or Gunn would joke about the floral scent and teased Wesley about
making Angel smell like a flower. He�d look away, embarrassed and wondered if
he should stop, but that smile Angel gave him always made the teasing worth it.
Sometimes he helped Wesley with his laundry when the man�s smiles were too
contagious; and once he had helped Wesley bring in his laundry when a sudden
storm burst open, darkening up the skies and soaking Angel�s almost dry wash.
He helped him, Wesley cursing at the weather and the both of them getting
soaked. It was just a bunch of sheets; he kept trying to tell Wesley.

� But it�s going to wash out the lavender, � Wesley had
pouted.

That bottom lip sticking out was too cute and Angel
had to kiss him. And kiss him again for all the love Wesley applied to washing
his laundry because he loved his friend and it was a simple way of showing it.
They had almost forgotten about the storm until the first boom of thunder. On
days when Angel�s laundry couldn�t be hung outside, Wesley would still use the
linen water.

There was a glass bottle of the lavender linen
water with just a fraction remaining at the bottom, now collection dust on top
of the washer in the basement where Angel was making his way too when he ran
into Wesley in the middle of the lobby.

� Sorry, �Angel said, bending down to help pick up
his own clothes and gather up what he had knocked out of the man�s hands.

� I apologize, too. I didn�t see you there, � Wesley
answered with hardly any emotion in his voice; not even distrust or hate or
sadness as there had been before.

Angel stood up, peering at the demonology leather
bound volume in his hand.

� I just stopped over to pick up the last remains
of my things. That includes these, � Wesley said with a simple gesture of the
volumes he was tucking into his leather sack that went onto the side of his
motorcycle waiting outside, � I�ll be needing them in the future. �

� For what? � Angel asked quietly, handing the
volume over, but he knew. He knew inside that Wesley was never coming back,
that he was going to have nothing to do with his former friends no matter how
much Angel wanted his family back together again. All his hate for the man for
stealing his son was gone, Angel understood why Wesley had done what he�d done,
but the trust and affection between them was gone. Leaving a another empty emotion
that had a tight grip around his un-beating heart in its place.

Wesley tightened the buckle on his bag and tossed
his over his shoulder. � The Powers that Be have a mission for me. They would
like for me to continue with my pervious path as a rouge demon hunter, to
travel where there are no slayers or champions. They gave me strength more then
that of a slayer's to assist me on my new quest as well as a partner. He�s in the middle of a hard time and the Powers believe a new direction in life is in order to keep him from falling into the wrong hands, � he said.

� Oh, � was Angel�s very quiet reply.

� And I believe it�s a good idea for me as well.
Time for wounds to heal and all that for all around, � Wesley added.

� Wesley, I�m so sorry. I know that I can�t change
what happened between us, what I almost did at the hospital, but I�m so sorry.
I don�t want you to leave because of something I did, � Angel blurted out.

text-autospace:none'>He turned and headed for the door before anyone
else could arrive. He really didn�t want to havet to deal with Fred right now.

� Wesley! �

Damn himself to hell, but Wesley paused at the door
and turned around.

� I�m- I�m doing laundry, � Angel said, an offer, a
plea.

� Yes, very good for you, � Wesley replied blankly
and walked out.

The closed door muffled Angel�s sob. He kicked the
laundry basket across the floor and storm off anywhere inside, but where his
basket had landed.

God, Angel hated doing laundry!

text-autospace:none'>TBC.
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Souls Standing By.