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Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit, amateur effort not intended to infringe of the rights of Joss Whedon, the WB, Mutant Enemy or any other copyright holders of Angel.

Easter Interlude
by The Brat Queen

Spoilers: Takes place after Epiphany.

Rated: R

Summary: Angel and crew take a moment to enjoy the holiday. (Partially inspired by the AngelSlash Easter Challenges)

Previously, on the Epiphany Series: Angel and Wes started sleeping together, Cordy and Gunn found out about it.

"Hey, guys," Cordelia said as she came through the office door. She held up some plastic shopping bags. "I've got Easter candy!"

Wesley looked up from his laptop, pausing only long enough to save the spreadsheet he'd been working on. "Really? Thank you, Cordy."

"Well, you know - 'tis the season for sweets and all." She glanced around. "Where's Angel?"

"Over there," Wesley said. He gestured to the desk against the far wall. Angel was lying underneath it with only his legs to be seen.

"Um," Cordy said, titling her head in an effort to see better. "What's he doing?"

"Being a prat," Wesley replied. He took one of Cordy's bags and began searching through the pastel-colored insides.

"We've been over this already, Wes," Angel said. There was a thump, then a slight hissing sound.

"Yes, we have," Wesley said. "And we established that you're a prat. Or didn't you understand that part?"

"Ok, clearly coming in the middle of something," Cordy said. "Do I want to know?"

"Angel's gotten it into his fool head to try fixing the electricity," Wesley explained. Finding nothing that he liked in the first bag, he proceeded to search through the second.

Cordy shot Wesley a questioning look. "Why is Angel fixing the electricity?"

"Because you can't afford a repairman," Angel said. He pulled himself out from under the desk and propped himself up on his elbows. "And someone thinks it's a good idea for a mortal to be doing this."

Wesley pointedly refused to look at him. "Someone knows more about electricity than certain vampires do."

"What's so hard?" Angel asked. He turned, appealing to Cordy. "I know how to cut power off. Isn't fixing it just doing that in reverse?"

"Don't ask me," Cordy said. She sat down on Wesley's desk and began emptying the other bags. "I didn't take shop back in high school."

"Yes, and neither did Angel," Wesley said. He began to help Cordy sort through her purchases. "Which is too bad, because then he might remember that electricity really isn't that much different from fire."

"Is it?" Cordy asked.

"If anybody is going to get shocked," Angel said, "it's going to be me."

"Thus proving," Wesley said, "that on the list of non-functioning vampire organs we can now add Angel's brain."

"Wes - " Angel said, looking thoroughly unamused.

"Hey, look!" Cordy said, jumping in between the both of them. "I bought chocolate! Who wants some?"

Wesley perked up. "Are those Creme Eggs?"

Cordy held up a box. "The one and only."

"Please," Wesley said, glad for anything which distracted him from the now old argument. He took the box from her and pierced the plastic covering with a letter opener. He took one egg for himself and handed a second to Cordy.

"Want one, Angel?" Cordy asked, offering her own.

Angel shook his head. "No, thanks. You know me - not much for solids."

"It's not solid!" Cordy said. She crossed the room to show Angel the candy. "See? It's cream."

Angel frowned at the red and green label. "They spelled it c-r-e-m-e."

"Yeah, well," Cordy said, waving this off, "that's for legal reasons." Off Angel's look she added. "Oh come on! It's chocolate. Nobody can be unhappy after having chocolate. Not even you."

"Thanks."

"For what it's worth they are very good," Wesley said. He unwrapped his own egg, bit off the end and sucked out the inside. He noticed Cordy and Angel staring at him. "What?"

"Oh, nothing," Cordy said. Her eyebrows were raised. "Just an interesting eating method you've got there, is all."

"Ok, let me have one," Angel said. He took Cordy's, then frowned. "Do I have to eat it like he did?"

"That's seriously optional," Cordy replied.

"Nothing wrong with my way," Wesley muttered. He ate his empty shell in a few bites, then watched Angel puzzle over the confection.

"Cute chicken," Angel said, indicating the wrapper. He then pulled off the foil and turned the chocolate around in his hands. "So you just bite it?"

"Boy, it has been a long time for you on the eating thing, hasn't it?" Cordy said. "Yeah. With your teeth."

"Any end in particular?"

"Not really, no."

Angel nodded. He turned the egg around so that the narrow side faced him, then took an experimental bite.

The look on his face not one moment later, Wesley thought, was worth it.

"Son of a -" Angel leapt to his feet and aimed for the trash can, spitting the candy out with stunning velocity. "Wes, I'm gonna need your -"

Without a word, Wesley handed over his glass of water.

"Thanks," Angel flashed him a quick smile, then downed the water in a few quick gulps.

Cordelia pouted. "You didn't like it?"

"What - what is that?" Angel asked. He wiped his mouth a few times as though to rid himself of the taste. He held up the candy for Cordy to see. "Glue?"

Cordy looked into the shell. "Oh - you got a dry one."

"They get dry?"

Cordy smiled brightly. "Try not to think about it."

"You'd be surprised at how hard I'm going to do that," Angel said. He looked down at the candy sadly. "Except - I think this is a memory that will linger. Here, take it."

Cordy stepped back. "Oh no. Sorry, Angel. Love you like a brother and all, but eat something covered in vampire spit? No way. Why don't you give it to Wes?"

"Oh, thank you, Cordelia," Wesley said dryly.

"Well," Cordy shrugged, "you and he swap spit anyway, it's not like you aren't used to it."

Wesley rolled his eyes. "Yes, thank you, Cordelia."

"Um," Angel interrupted them. He looked at Cordy uncertainly. "Did you say like - like-"

Cordy saw Angel's glance but, for reasons unknown to Wesley, chose to ignore it. Instead she busied herself in one of the file cabinets. "I know we've got some plastic bowls around here somewhere. Maybe we could put some of the candy in that. Leave it out for our customers. If we had any customers."

Whatever Angel might have said in response to this was lost as Gunn walked in. "Damn! Did the Easter bunny throw up in here or what?"

"Cordelia bought candy," Wesley said.

"I can see that. Here, take a look - new flyers," Gunn tossed a bundle of papers at Wesley, then shed his coat. "What'd you get, Cordy?"

"Little of everything," Cordy said. She found a package of plates and began putting the candy on them.

Angel stepped back into the conversation, picking up an egg and showing it to Gunn. "Hi, Gunn - Creme Egg?"

"You kidding me, man?" Gunn asked. "I don't eat that shit."

Angel shot Cordy and Wes a look of satisfaction before slipping the egg into his pocket.

"Hey, you got Peeps!" Gunn smiled, then went over to the cabinet Cordy had opened. "Where are the toothpicks?"

Cory raised an eyebrow. "You know, Gunn, things are pretty informal around here. I don't think we need to serve the Peeps up like hors d'oeuvres."

"Who's serving them up?" Gunn asked. He found a box of toothpicks and opened it, spilling a few out onto a paper plate. "I'm talking about Peep fights."

They all looked at him.

"You know," Gunn said. He opened a package of yellow chicks and stuck a toothpick into it like a sword. "Put toothpicks in 'em, put 'em in the microwave -"

"Oh, I get it," Angel said. "They blow up and stab each other." Off Wesley and Cordy's looks he said. "I've got a thing for microwaves."

"That's it," Gunn said. He put a toothpick into a purple rabbit and set it on a plate, facing the chick. "Anybody want to place bets?"

"This is too deranged for words," Cordy said.

"Rabbit," Angel said. He pulled out a dollar. "They're pretty wily. Plus it's bigger."

Gunn took the dollar. "Rabbit it is. You in, Wes?"

"I'm pretending I've never met either one of you," Wesley replied. He nodded at the flyers Gunn brought in. "These are good, however."

"Yeah, we'll talk about it in a bit," Gunn said. He picked the plate up and headed into the backroom where the microwave was kept. "C'mon, Angel. Our boys are getting ready to rumble."

Angel grinned, and followed.

"Ok," Cordy said, after they'd both left the room. "Maybe we need to tell Angel to lay off the hair gel for a little while. Obviously he's not thinking clearly."

"What about Gunn?" Wesley asked.

"He never thought clearly," Cordy said. She sat down in a chair, pulling it over to sit beside Wesley. "So - what's up?"

Wesley pointed to the spreadsheet he'd been working on. "We are, a bit. We're barely treading water, of course, but we can at least pay our bills. Not pay them in full… or even the minimum. But we can at least send something."

Cordy glanced towards the backroom. "What about him?"

Wesley adjusted the spreadsheet to account for the cost of the flyers. "Who?"

"You know who! Angel," she said. "Why's he fixing the electricity instead of inviting us back to his place?"

Wesley tried to think of a way to change the subject, but failed. "I don't know," he admitted.

"Haven't you talked with him about it?" Cordy asked. She nudged him with her elbow. "You know - you, him, alone, doing whatever it is you do. You lean in and -"

"Yes, Cordy," Wesley said, adjusting his glasses, "could we perhaps dispose of the mental imagery?"

"Fine," Cordy said. "But you're still the best one to ask him."

"Cordelia, the Hyperion is Angel's home," Wesley said. "It's entirely up to him if he wants to have the offices back in it or not."

Cordy sighed. "But it'd be so much cheaper! He can't afford his place, we can't afford this place - why not dump the office and split the cost of the hotel?"

"I'm aware of all this," Wesley said. He motioned to all of the numbers in red on the budget. "Believe me, I do know. But the ultimate decision is still Angel's."

"Maybe he's waiting for someone to bring it up," Cordy said.

Wesley acknowledged this. "But perhaps he's hoping that we leave it alone."

"Leave what alone?" Angel appeared in the doorway.

Cordelia quickly covered her guilty look. "Huh? Nothing."

"The electricity," Wesley said. "We were hoping you'd stop playing with it."

"See?" Gunn said, appearing from behind Angel and coming back into the room. "I told you they heard the microwave."

Wesley longed not to ask, but knew he had to anyway. "The microwave?"

"That - um - would be me," Angel said. He looked sheepish. "Set the power too high. Came out to get some paper towels."

Gunn shook his head. "And they wonder why LA keeps having blackouts."

Angel pointed to the lights. "Electricity's still on."

"Yeah," Gunn said, "And the microwave's still sticky. Remind me never to make popcorn at your place. I hate to think of how you screw up a cup of blood."

"Got that on auto-program," Angel said. He took some paper towels out of the office's supplies, then glanced over at Wesley. "Hey, um, Wes? Want to - to give me a hand?"

"I don't see why," Wesley said. "It's your mess."

Angel shifted back and forth. "Yeah but - um - you could make sure I don't make it worse. Or break something."

Wesley looked up. Angel seemed off, somehow. Wesley couldn't tell why. He saved his work, and snapped his laptop closed. "All right, then. Gunn, we can go over the flyers later?"

Gunn shrugged. "Take your time, man."

"Thank you," Wesley walked into the back room and peered into the microwave. "So what did you do?"

Wesley heard Angel close the door, then felt Angel's hands against his waist. "Um, nothing, actually. Or - not as much as I said I did. Sort of lied, there."

Wesley stood up, turning around to face Angel. He frowned. "Why?"

"Wanted you to myself," Angel said. His thumbs traced the top of Wesley's belt. "To talk."

"What about?" Wesley asked.

"Make sure we're ok," Angel said. "Look, Wes, I know you all have your own ideas about running the place and that's good. But if I see something I can do to help - "

"Oh God, you are a prat," Wesley said. Then, seeing the hurt look on Angel's face, he quickly kissed him. "Angel - you didn't do anything wrong. I value your help - we all do. But there are things you can do which do not involve playing around with live wires. Believe it or not, you have skills beyond the fact that you don't die as easily as the rest of us."

Angel looked uncertain. "I don't know. Seems like a valuable skill to me."

"In a fight with some demons, yes," Wesley said. "In that case I'd agree with you. But not in a fight with our building." He touched Angel's cheek, then felt himself start to grin. "You know, Angel, when you agreed to battle the forces of darkness with me I didn't really think you meant -"

"The lighting," Angel finished. He gave a small laugh. "Funny, Wes."

"I thought so." Wesley allowed himself to look smug. "Are you feeling better now?"

"Yeah," Angel said. "Thanks. And - um - thanks for letting me do this here." He indicated the closed door. "I know it's work and all, but I didn't want to wait."

"Well, I run a tight ship," Wesley said, "but I don't mind stopping for personal business. Particularly with certain employees."

Angel grinned. "I dunno. Isn't that harassment?"

"Why, are you planning on suing?"

"Not if I get what I want," Angel said. He pulled Wesley closer.

"And what might that be?" Wesley asked. Then he felt something against his leg. "Ah - I see."

"Huh?" Angel pulled back, looking at him. Then he saw Wesley's expression and looked down. "Oh - no. That's - that's something for you."

"I should hope so."

Angel gave him a look. "Not that. Here, close your eyes."

Skeptical, Wesley complied.

There was a rustling sound. "Open your mouth."

"Angel - "

"Trust me."

"All right," Wesley said. Keeping his eyes closed, he did as he was told.

"Ok, now bite."

Wesley closed his lips, then smiled in surprise as he tasted familiar chocolate. He bit down and took in a morsel of Creme Egg. "That's very -"

"Ah, eyes closed," Angel said as Wesley started to open them again.

Wesley shut his eyes firmly as he chewed. "Angel, what are you doing?"

"Enjoying something," Angel said. "Here, keep eating."

Wesley took in a lick of sugar cream. "Have you had that on you the whole time?"

"Yeah," Angel said. "Nice thing about being a vampire - milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand."

"Yet another skill for you to offer," Wesley said, hoping Angel wouldn't mind the joke.

"Anything to make sure you don't fire me," Angel said. "Want more?"

Wesley folded his arms, still keeping his eyes closed. "All right."

"Open up," Angel said.

Wesley did and felt a drop of sugar fall onto his tongue. A moment later it was followed by Angel's finger. Angel had coated it with the candy's filling. Suddenly understanding what Angel was enjoying about this, Wesley wrapped his lips around Angel's finger and began to suck.

He felt Angel nuzzle his cheek. "Perfect, Wes."

Dimly, Wesley thought that it was not the time to do this. That, being in the office as they were, it would be rude to lock themselves away while Gunn and Cordy were working in the other room. But then Angel pushed his finger in deeper and Wesley stopped worrying about it.

"I gotta buy some of these," Angel said. He pulled his finger out long enough to coat it with filling again, then give it back to Wesley. "You really seem to like them."

"They're rapidly becoming my favorite food," Wesley said. He licked the underside of Angel's finger, trying to clean it.

"That good, huh?" Angel asked. He removed his finger again, leaned in, and replaced it with his tongue. Wesley found himself reeling as Angel kissed him thoroughly, his tongue seeking out every corner of Wesley's mouth. "You're right, Wes. That does taste nice."

"So do you," Wesley murmured. He put his hands around Angel's neck, drawing him closer. "We really should stop, though."

Wesley opened his eyes enough to see Angel's concern. "Do you want to?"

"Not particularly," Wesley said. He could feel his own body's response and knew one way or another he was not returning to the outer room anytime soon. "I just thought it should be said."

"Duly noted," Angel said. He kissed Wesley again, then offered him the shell. "Want it?"

"Absolutely." Wesley took the candy into his mouth, licked tiny crumbs of chocolate from Angel's fingers, then began to chew.

"Eat slow," Angel told him. After seeing Wesley work to savor the chocolate, Angel slid his hand down to the front of Wesley's pants. "I think we should both finish at the same time."

Not needing a vision to know what was happening, Wesley moved back to rest his weight against the microwave's table. He was glad for the support as he felt Angel unzip the front of his pants, then slide his hand inside to stroke Wesley's erection, pulling it out of the fly as he did.

"Good thing we've got those paper towels," Angel said, grinning just a little. He bent down to kiss Wesley's neck, sucking and teasing the tender flesh there. "Hate to have you all messed up while we're at the office."

"I often suspect you could have me at a bus depot," Wesley said. He continued to chew, trying not to choke as Angel's steady hand worked to distract him.

Angel nipped his ear. "I'll have to remember that, Wes."

Wesley gripped the table even tighter as he felt his legs nearly give way. "I've got to stop giving you ideas."

Angel's hand moved faster. "You've got to stop talking. I'm a little hurt. Normally you're gasping by now."

"Trust me," Wesley said, abandoning the table in favor of resting against Angel's chest. "it's talk or scream. And I don't think Cordy and Gunn would appreciate the latter."

"Oh. Why didn't you say so?" Angel asked. He licked Wesley's lips. "I can keep you quiet."

Wesley didn't even bother to reply as Angel covered his mouth with his. Instead he gave in to the kiss, letting Angel taste his fill of the remaining candy. Angel's hand continued to work against him and soon Wesley found himself moaning against Angel's lips, glad for their quieting effect. Angel stroked him, alternating strength and speed until finally Wesley could take no more. He came, muffling the sound of it as best he could, then relaxed into Angel's embrace.

"Love you, Wes," Angel said. He kissed the top of Wesley's hair. He paused, then added. "We've got to thank Cordy for the chocolate."

"Yes," Wesley said. He spoke slowly, still enjoying the dream-like state he was in. "But, perhaps, without telling her why."

Angel laughed, kissing him again, then held him until they were ready to face the world.

- fin -