shanshuinla:

Angel tentatively, protectively relinquishes the kitten, making sure that she’s tucked snugly into Cordelia’s arms before letting go completely.

“Really?” He wasn’t expecting that. He searches Cordelia’s face for a sign that she’s messing with him, but he doesn’t find one - only a characteristic twinkle in her eyes, a strange sense of fondness. They’ve been friends for a while, but it still feels like such a new concept to him. It’s a sort of warmth, the kind he can’t remember allowing himself the luxury of. So, this once, he allows himself to linger in the moment - the proximity, the familiarity, the fact that he has a friend.

And then - he can’t help it - he beams.

“Alright! ‘Mandy’ it is.” His smile falters, as quickly as it came upon him - he’s struck with a horrible thought. The other kittens. What were they going to do with the other kittens? He looks at the basket despairingly, as if expecting them all to come bolting out again. “Uh. You won’t name all of them… will you?”

“Really.” She nudges his side playfully and echoes his expression, a slow grin spreading across her face. It’s one of the few times she’s seen Angel smile like this– - more often than not, the vampire is all brood and no fun, though the brooding has lessened since they’d left Sunnyhell and Buffy behind– - but nevertheless, a true smile is still a rarity.

Her brow furrows in confusion as Angel’s smile disappears, his gaze shifting away. What could it be it this ti– -

Oh. The other cats. Right, she’d almost forgotten about those.

“Of course not,” she replies, her signature look that screams ‘Well, duh,' painted all over her face. “If I do, we’ll get attached. And as cute as they all are, I think Phantom Dennis would go crazy with that many cats in the apartment. Not to mention the fur they’d get everywhere.” She shudders at the thought. “Mandy is more than enough.”

(via shanshuinla)