Angel / Protocol / Part Sixteen

PART SIXTEEN

Wesley woke with a sharp intake of breath.

"Good morning," Angel said.

"My Lord," Wesley said. He blinked, trying to clear his mind. Memories fluttered back to the surface of what he and Angel had done before Wesley had fallen asleep again. "I - I'm sorry, I was inattentive to your needs."

"*Inattentive?*" Angel asked. He looked as though he might say something else, but then settled upon, "No, I'm good with that. You call what you did with me *inattentive*?"

"I fell asleep," Wesley said.

"We had sex," Angel said. "Sometimes sleep happens."

"You were awake," Wesley insisted. "I should have been awake with you, making certain you were happy."

Angel's hand caressed Wesley's side. "I was. You did."

Wesley shook his head. "Not while I was sleeping. I couldn't have."

"You're pretty when you sleep," Angel said. He shifted position on the bed, drawing Wesley with him so that he stayed in Angel's arms. "And I liked that you were sleeping while I was with you. Made me feel like maybe you trusted me."

"I do," Wesley said. He weighed the impact of that admission and decided it was true. "My Lord, I do trust you."

"Even though I'm a vampire?" Angel asked.

"You've been very kind to me," Wesley said. Then belatedly remembered what he was *supposed* to say. "You are my husband. It doesn't matter to me what else you are. Only that is important."

"That's not true," Angel said.

"It's true for me, my Lord," Wesley told him.

"It's okay not to trust me," Angel said.

"I do anyway, my Lord," Wesley said.

"Were you really expecting me to be cruel to you?" Angel asked.

Wesley thought about what to say. "I tried to prepare for whatever your needs might have been."

"I don't need to hurt you," Angel said. "I won't ever need to hurt you."

"My Lord can hurt me if he wishes," Wesley said. "I am here to make you happy."

"I'm not happy if you're in pain," Angel said. He stood up, then offered his hand to Wesley. "Come on. Let's take a shower."

***

"So is that normal?" Angel asked, as the water cascaded down around them.

Wesley lathered up a washcloth, then began to swipe it across Angel's skin. "What, my Lord?"

Angel watched him for a moment. "You know I can wash myself, Wes."

Wesley hesitated. "I did not mean to imply that my Lord could not."

"Not that I mind what you're doing there," Angel added.

Wesley tried to give him an inviting look. "Then would my Lord care for me to serve him? My skills do go beyond those of the bedroom."

"My *mind* can't get beyond the bedroom when you're doing that," Angel said.

"Does my Lord wish me to stop?"

"Not really," Angel admitted. "But only if you're okay with it. Does it make you happy?"

Wesley swallowed on a mouth that felt dry. "Yes. Very much so. I would like to do this for you."

"Might make for a long shower," Angel warned.

"As my first priority is always your pleasure," Wesley said, "I find no problem with that whatsoever. My Lord could tie me up for the entire day, if he wished."

"I know you meant your schedule," Angel said, "but boy is that a nice mental image."

Wesley quirked an eyebrow. "Why does my Lord assume I was only referring to my schedule?"

"Because - oh," Angel said. "Really?"

"I have been taught in numerous techniques of social discourse, my Lord," Wesley said. He leaned in, pressing his body against Angel's. "Not all of them are what might be termed ordinary."

"Do you like any of them?" Angel asked.

"My Lord is aware that Council rules forbid me from having a preference in those matters?" Wesley reminded him.

"Okay," Angel said. "Let's reword it then. If you wanted to give your Lord the most pleasure, which would you recommend first?"

"My Lord might enjoy tying my wrists to the headboard with leather straps and doing to me whatever he wished," Wesley said. "Or perhaps my Lord would enjoy having me on my knees as I served him."

"Your Lord's brain has suddenly left the building," Angel said. He put his hands on Wesley's hips. Wesley felt himself harden at the contact. "But it'll get back to you any second now."

"Would that?" Wesley asked, nerves making his pulse skitter throughout his body. "Please you, my Lord?"

"Why the Hell do you think I don't want you?" Angel asked. "Wes, I know I was trying to avoid this before but I promise you that was only out of respect. You are… you are *seriously* tempting to me."

"I want to be tempting to you," Wesley said, then immediately corrected himself. "I *like* to be tempting to you."

"You're very successful," Angel promised.

Wesley resumed washing Angel down, massaging the cloth across the broad expanse of chest. "I like doing things that make you happy, my husband."

"Do you know you blush when you say that?" Angel asked.

Wesley ducked his head, feeling his cheeks redden. "Yes, my Lord."

"It's kind of cute."

"As long as it pleases you."

"It does," Angel said. "You do. So - is that a regular thing?"

"Pleasing you?" Wesley asked. He moved on to the left arm, massaging the muscles as he worked. "It's rather my raison d'etre, my Lord."

"Back on calling me an idiot, huh?"

"I merely assumed that perhaps you were not fully awake yet."

"Trust me, I'm up," Angel said. Then cleared his throat. "Um, I mean - "

"Either definition is acceptable to me, my husband."

"Good thing," Angel said. "And I meant what you did before. The personalized alarm clock."

"Providing you with some form of pleasurable start to your day is something I am trained to do," Wesley said. "Though it need not always involve some form of - "

"Wind instrument appreciation?" Angel asked.

Wesley smiled. "As you say."

"Nice," Angel said.

Wesley blinked. "What, my Lord?"

"What you did there," Angel reached up, tracing Wesley's lips with the thumb of his right hand. "The smile. It was nice."

Wesley felt his blush return. "My Lord, I - "

"Why do you get shy about that?"

"I don't know," Wesley admitted.

"I like that you smile," Angel said. "It means maybe I'm doing something right. Plus it's a long way from the guy who was terrified to be in the same room with me."

Wesley's hands lingered on Angel's wrist. "I'm not terrified to be alone with you, my Lord. Not any longer."

"I don't make you feel scared?" Angel asked.

Wesley shook his head. "No, my Lord. You make me feel… happy. I like being with you."

"Like being with you too," Angel said. He turned his left hand, taking Wesley's in his own and threading their fingers together until their wedding rings touched.

Wesley looked down at that, feeling his insides warm. Then, eager to show Angel how well he could follow the command to accept and share his emotions, he said, "You make me feel empty."

Angel took that in. "O… kay."

Wesley frowned. "Is that not a good feeling to have?"

"Usually no," Angel said. He squeezed Wesley's hand, pulling him closer. "Empty usually means there's something wrong, that you're missing something inside."

"But I am," Wesley said.

"Then I'm sorry," Angel said. "Can I help? Maybe try to make it better?"

Wesley shook his head. "No. You're not - *I'm* not allowed to request help, my Lord."

"But I can give things to you if I figure out what they are," Angel said. "And you're allowed to give hints in that area."

"I'm allowed to state facts," Wesley said. "What my Lord wishes to do with the information is entirely up to his discretion."

"Okay," Angel said. "So give me the facts. Why do you feel empty?"

"Because you're not inside of me," Wesley said.

"Oh," Angel said. There was a long silence, then, "Oh."

"I like when you are inside of me," Wesley said. He moved closer, letting Angel feel his hardening cock. "And I feel empty when you are not there."

"Is this common?" Angel asked, moving his hand down to stroke Wesley's cock, then tease his legs apart.

Wesley's eyes fluttered closed at the sensation of Angel preparing him. "Is what common, my Lord?"

"This thing where husbands get addicted to fucking their spouses?"

Wesley looked up at him. "I don't know, my Angel. I only have the one husband, but I would have no objection at all should that prove to be his way."

Angel pressed him back against the wet tiles. "I want you again."

"Take me, my Lord," Wesley said. Angel's hand cupped his balls, and Wesley felt the world start to vanish from his conscious memory. "Please…"

"You feel empty without me?" Angel asked.

Wesley nodded. "Yes. My Lord, achingly so."

Angel turned him around, pressing his own hard cock against Wesley's body. "Then let's fix that."

Wesley smiled as Angel slid himself deep inside of him.

***

"I want to do today differently," Angel said. He threw a shirt onto the bed. Wesley immediately picked it up and got it ready for him. "I don't want to leave you alone again. I didn't like that."

Wesley held the shirt up for Angel to slip into. "My Lord can leave me alone - "

" - whenever I like, yeah, I know," Angel said. He paused, looking at the tableau Wesley presented. "Do I need to waste time pointing out I can dress myself too?"

"Does my Lord dislike extra reasons for my hands to be upon him?" Wesley asked.

"When you're right you're right," Angel said. He let Wesley help him, then said, "Though maybe I should take care of the pants if we're ever going to get out of here today."

"If my Lord insists," Wesley said. He found he couldn't stop smiling. Part of him actually *didn't* want to leave the room, but Angel's wishes came first and regardless of that he was hungry.

"And you get dressed," Angel told him. "You're seriously distracting me."

"Yes, my Lord," Wesley said, at his most dutiful. He took a patterned silk robe out of his things and put it on, leaving it unbelted for the moment. "Does this suit you?"

As Wesley predicted, Angel's eyes traveled down the path of exposed skin. "It… seriously. Out of the room at some point."

"I could check to see if breakfast is ready?" Wesley offered.

"Might be a good idea," Angel said. "And if I find out you sent away the little teacups I'll be very annoyed."

Wesley lingered by the door. "Angel, you don't *have* to - "

Angel's eyes met his. "I *want* to. You're my husband, Wes. I like to do this."

Wesley smiled, then opened the door and made his way into the dining room.

"Hey."

Wesley jumped back, then immediately jerked his robe closed. "Connor. I didn't expect to see you this morning."

Connor was sitting at the table, a half-eaten plate of food in front of him. "When I'm around Dad and I always have breakfast together. Didn't he tell you?"

Wesley tied his robe tight. "My Lord did not mention that to me, no."

"Maybe he was distracted," Connor said.

Wesley pressed a hand to his eyes. "Connor, *please* tell me that - "

"Don't worry," Connor said, waving it off. "Trust me, some things I don't *want* to eavesdrop on. I wasn't here long, and far as I'm concerned I was deaf for all the time I was here." He gave Wesley a look. "Blind too."

"That's a fantasy I'll happily believe in," Wesley said. He set about pouring tea and blood into the appropriate vessels. He hesitated when it came to the blood, then added it to the teacups as Angel had requested.

"Dad likes coffee too," Connor said. "No cream, two sugars."

"Thank you," Wesley said. He began to prepare it.

"Do you have to do that for him?" Connor asked.

"I can allow a servant to do this for us," Wesley said, "but it's considered good form if I personally make certain that your father does not want for anything."

"Because that's your job," Connor said.

"Precisely," Wesley told him.

Angel came in, fully dressed and looking rather content. "Hey, Connor."

"Morning," Connor said. He pointed to the food. "French toast today."

"Good, I was in the mood for that," Angel sat down, then noticed the drinks by his setting. He gave Wesley a smile. "Thanks."

"I did as my Lord requested," Wesley said. He sat down, waiting for Angel to uncover his own dish before he began to eat his own.

"Connor usually joins me for breakfast," Angel said. "Kind of a tradition with us."

"Way for you to keep tabs on me, you mean," Connor said.

"It can't be both?" Angel retorted. "Anyway, I'd like to keep going with that, if you don't mind."

"My Lord can make our morning meal be whatever he likes," Wesley said.

"Though maybe you should've told him first," Connor added. "*Not* that I saw anything."

Angel frowned. "What would you - *oh*. Oh, Christ, Wes, I'm sorry. It didn't even occur to me - "

"It's quite all right, my Lord," Wesley said.

"I thought you would - " Angel made a vague gesture, then gave up, lamely. "I'm sorry."

"He's not a morning person," Connor told Wesley.

"My Lord is not required to tell me anything or to be anything," Wesley said. "It's all right."

"My mind completely blanked," Angel said. He offered Wesley a smile. "Told you you were distracting."

"Yeah, Dad?" Connor said. "Maybe we want to skip *past* this part if you don't want to make me lose my appetite."

"Right, sorry," Angel said. "Okay - so apologies to Wes, and no talking about gross stuff with you."

"Thanks," Connor said.

"It's not necessary, my Lord," Wesley replied.

"I don't care if it's necessary," Angel said. "If I hurt or embarrass you I *will* apologize. I told you I don't like it when you're not happy."

"But, my Lord," Wesley said, "you don't *have* to - "

"Wes, I get the final say, right?" Angel asked.

Wesley sat back. "Yes, my Lord."

"Then that's my final word," Angel said. "I hurt you, I apologize for it. End of discussion."

Wesley nodded. "Yes, my Lord."

"You know one of these days we'll finally work our way around all of that," Angel said.

"The rules are there for a reason," Wesley reminded him.

"Some of them are stupid," Angel said.

"Yeah, like the one where he can't question you," Connor said.

Angel looked at him. "What?"

Connor speared a piece of bread with his fork. "He won't question you. He does *exactly* what you tell him to. Like yesterday, he wouldn't sit down with me and the others because you told him to go talk to Gunn."

"Wes," Angel said, "I didn't mean it that literally. You could've said hi to everybody."

"I accepted the introductions your son gave me, my Lord," Wesley said. "But it is not my prerogative to alter what commands I am given."

"It is now," Angel said. "No more of that. I mean it. I don't want a zombie, Wes, and I don't want you not being able to have any fun because you're always doing exactly what I say."

"My Lord," Wesley said, trying to be as firm as possible, "I am not bound to my own amusements. I am bound to you."

"And I am telling you to have some amusements," Angel said. "Yeah, I need you to run this place. But that doesn't mean you can't take a break or read a book or hang out with everybody if you want to. Or would like to. As long as things get done I don't care. And that doesn't necessarily mean as long as they get done *first*."

Wesley gripped his fork, feeling the metal press into his skin. "My Lord, I am trained to please you and to follow your orders. I was not sent here for book-reading."

"Did I tell you to be nice to that little girl?" Angel asked.

Wesley shook his head. "No, my Lord."

"How did you know you were supposed to do it then?"

"I extrapolated based upon the known definition of my job," Wesley said. "My job is to represent you and to do it well to anyone who meets me. Being rude to guests in your home would have been a slight against you."

"Then being so stressed out from work you can't speak to anybody is a slight to me too," Angel said. "As is putting work above friendship. Look, I'm not saying you've got to be best pals with everybody or even anybody. But if you want to honor *my* rules then part of that is that around here we're more than just work. We have fun. We're a family."

Wesley looked back and forth between Angel and Connor. "My Lord… I think perhaps my definition of family might be different than yours."

"Then you'll learn," Angel said. "Today. We're taking a day off and you'll see what it's about. All right?"

"All right," Wesley said.

"Do I have to come too?" Connor asked.

"I'm sorry, did you just ask me to give you an earlier curfew?" Angel asked.

Connor made a face at him. "You're hysterical, Dad, really."

"Is this - " Wesley started to ask, then faltered a little.

Angel looked at him encouragingly. "What is it, Wes?"

"I'm sorry, my Lord," Wesley said, then recited his question because it was not allowed to pretend that he hadn't been about to say something stupid. "I was going to ask if what you and your son had is part of what you meant by family."

Angel frowned. "I don't know what you mean."

"The way you speak to one another," Wesley said.

"Oh yeah," Connor told him, nodding his head for emphasis. "Totally. Heck, you should hear Dad and Uncle Spike."

"Connor and I joke all the time," Angel said. "It doesn't mean we don't care about each other."

"I see," Wesley said, even though he didn't. He turned his fork over in his hands, then stopped himself from making such a childish gesture. He put the fork down then folded his hands in his lap. "I shall do my best to understand, my Lord."

Angel seemed as though he wasn't certain about that, but he nodded and said, "Okay."