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He watches from the shadows in the library, sees the new Slayer, exceptional good-looking, and her Watcher ... exceptional good-looking. The corner of his mouth twitches amused. It takes no genius to know where this is headed ... has already, in fact.
The blonde girl leaves now, though not without a flirty smile and a perky spring in her step.
Tsk, Cheerleaders.
Angelus turns around and Ripper can see his face. There's a blush and a smitten smile. His heartbeat starts to normalize again.
"When I offered my help, I didn't think it would be relationship advice," Ripper says loudly and steps out of the book aisle, again an amused grin on his face as the young man startles.
"Rupert," Angelus says with some kind of relief. "I didn't see you there."
"No, you're attention was fixed on something completely different."
Angelus takes a step back, subconsciously defensive without a doubt. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, don't you now," Ripper sighs and descends the steps, stopping in front of the Watcher. "Listen, I understand. She's pretty and funny, extraordinary of course ..."
Angelus tries to keep himself from smiling.
"... and she is a Slayer. YOUR Slayer to be more precise."
After a short moment Angelus purses his lips and sighs heavily.
"I'm aware. And I know you're right. Don't you think I'm trying to fight it? I lie awake at night, trying to stop myself from feeling what I'm feeling, and every day I come in here and think 'today, it must end today!' ... But then she appears, and everything else is gone."
Ripper looks at the man and believes every word. Even without his vampire senses he can feel Angelus' pores dripping of honest torment.
"You know what could happen ... WILL happen eventually," he says with a softer voice.
Angelus nods. "I know."
"And I hope you'll remember. Next time act like her bloody Watcher, not some pathetic boy in love."
Ripper turns around and leaves the library the way he came. He doesn't have to look back to know the hurt face of the Watcher, but he needs to hear it. More often, in fact.
Back outside the vampire massages his temples. What did he get himself into? The Harvest is about to begin, the Master on the rise ... and this new Slayer is a joke. When he offered his help to Angelus, he had had high hopes for this new generation. The Watcher is not only exceptional in his looks, but also very knowledgeable for his age. He read the right books, asked the right questions, had shown professional eagerness when Ripper revealed himself to him.
"And then he falls for a pretty face that just isn't for him," he mutters to himself. "Well, let's see how this will end."