By The Light Of The Blood Moon

Let's Do Lunch

Angel Dust looked around, trying to gauge where they were headed to, he hadn't really been to this side of Pentagram City very often, perhaps once or twice with Val, but even then, it had been a pass through on the way to somewhere else. He was sure he would have remembered if they had stopped anywhere, as there weren't quite as many buildings, and although everything still had the same dull red tint to it, there was actually honest to goodness forest here.

These trees were not massive, they were dwarfed quite a lot from what he could remember from his living days, but they were trees nonetheless, and he was enjoying the sight of them. Alastor seemed quite content to lead the way, and they were walking, so Angel was sure that they wouldn't be going too far or there would have been a car involved. Sure enough, he was being led from the roadway and down a path that gently sloped off at an angle and uphill just a bit. After walking a short distance, Angel discovered that they were on a bluff and as he looked out, he could see that the wilderness went on for as far as he could see.

"What's out there, Al?" he questioned, gesturing with his top right arm to the vast expanse laid out before them.

"There is nothing there." Came the answer, softly. "I mean, nothing there. Not even what you think you see. It's all illusion. Down there is the outer edge of this circle of hell. It just looks like that because there is a glamour placed on it." He gently shrugged as he grinned. "Aesthetics, I suppose."

"Well Whadaya know." Answered Angel, still in awe of it, even if it was an illusion. "A hell with a view" He chuckled, all four hands on his hips. Alastor did as well.

"Yes," he grinned, "exactly."

He sat the bag down and reached inside, producing a soft picnic blanket and as he unpacked the basket there were a few different breads and chunks of cheese, along with some water. "I hope you don't mind that I didn't bring wine instead. I thought in light of last night's events, vino might be a bad idea." He smiled ruefully at his companion, who fought, and lost, to stifle a giggle at his expense.

"Oh Al, you goof." He laughed. "water is actually just fine. Sounds good, as a matter of fact."

As the two were busy making their light lunch, they began to talk of little things, then worked into the more serious, as in how they were going to manage their lives now and what did this curse mean for them individually and together.

"How do you feel about all of this, Alastor?" Angel inquired, nibbling on a bit of gouda. He knew how he felt, but Alastor was still a mystery to him a lot of the time.

"Well," he began, "I'm still not completely used to the idea, to be honest, but" he said, returning his gaze to Angel, who was now looking at his lap. "I will admit that the whole business is growing on me."

Angel looked up to see a pair of red eyes that seemed to gaze right though him. "What's that mean, exactly? What do you think of when you think about our future? How do you see me...for that matter, how do you see us?" Angel asked, feeling apprehensive about hearing the answers. This whole situation was so hard, so complicated. Why did everything have to be this way? Even his living days had been this way, full of complications and caveats. Couldn't things ever go smoothly for once?

"I honestly don't know yet." Answered Alastor, sounding defeated. "I can't know, can I? Not until I know how you feel about things." Alastor touched Angel's hands, "How do you feel about all of this?" he asked gently.

Angel sighed. He knew that honesty would be best, but he didn't want to frighten Alastor away, either.

"Listen," he said, feeling to vulnerable to look Alastor in the eyes, so he looked at his chest instead. "I'm sure you knew from the start that I liked you, as in, liked you, liked you. I didn't exactly make it a secret. Hell, the first words I spoke to you were a proposition!" he laughed nervously before continuing, "and even though anybody would think that I should be over the moon now, I'm really not." Angel's voice cracked a bit, so he stopped for a moment to breathe and regain his composure. Damn, this was so hard! "If you're asking me how I feel," he chanced a look into Alastor's eyes, and even then, he could feel a tear already sliding down his face. "The only answer I can really give you is that I feel guilty. I feel like I managed to take away your choices and that makes me feel like shit. I don't want you feeling like you must stay with me just because of this curse. It's my fault that all of this happened, and I feel terrible about it." Angel broke off with that, and laid back on the blanket, turning his body away from Alastor and trying to get his emotions under control. He knew that everything he'd said was true but saying it didn't make him feel better and he didn't understand why.

He could hear Alastor moving around, then he felt him curl up behind Angel's back, sliding his arms around Angel, and laying his head between Angel's shoulder blades. He didn't say a word, he just let Angel have his cry for a while, until the tears slowed down, and Angel Dust turned back over to face Alastor. There were so many things that Angel wanted to say, but in the end, he just couldn't find the words. Alastor must have sensed as much as he looked up to see Angel's puffy eyes.

"Can I ask you something, Angel, about what you said a minute ago?"

Angel nodded, not trusting his voice to not betray him, again.

"How is this all your fault?" he asked. "I just can't seem to figure that part out. Can you explain it to me?"

Angel told Alastor about all the things he had thought about yesterday. How he had been the one to ask Alastor to go to the dance with him, and how he had been the one to suggest dancing, how the song was important to him, and why. Alastor patiently listened, making certain that he didn't interrupt. Once Angel seemed to run out of words, Alastor asked if there was anything else.

"No, Al, I think that's all of it." He said.

"Well, then." Said Alastor, sounding as if he had decided. Angel wasn't certain if he could stand to look at him or not, but the choice was taken from him as two hands gently lifted his face to his companion's face.

"This is not your fault, my dear." He said gently. Angel opened his mouth to disagree but was promptly shushed. "No, listen to me, cher. It isn't your fault. Let me explain." Angel remained silent but nodded for Alastor to continue. "When it comes to me attending the ball," he said gently, "I was invited as well, remember?" Angel nodded. "When I came to your room the day that you were looking through your closet? I came to see if you would accompany me, darling." Angel stared in disbelief, could that be true?

"That night at the dance, when you suggested dancing?" Again, Angel nodded for him to continue. "I knew I wanted to dance with you, and likely would have asked you anyway, and as for the song? Oh, my dear, it has always been one of my most treasured memories, and the fact that I got to share that dance with you, no matter how ill-fated it might seem, I will treasure that as well." Angel was in silent shock, attempting to process everything that he had just heard.

"The truth is, my darling Angel, that I think I fell for you long before we shared that dance. If I hadn't already, I was well on my way." With that, Alastor leaned forward, brushing his lips across Angel's, and finding that after a moment of shock, the kiss was returned, just as fervently as it had been delivered.