Where the streets have no name

Where the streets have no name. chapter 2

Author: Purpledodah
Fandom: Ats human AU.
Pairing: S/A W/X
Rating will be nc17
Disclaimer: Not mine, thy got of at my bus stop.
Warnings: m/m slash. Angst, some violence and drug abuse.
Summary: Angel is a homeless street kid, Spike is a New York cop.

This was written for a challenge set by katsa db lover over on strip off angel

Many thanks to rockstarpeach for the super fast beta, sablerose2 for the help with Dru, and w6c who did some research for me.
Chapter 2

Spike sobbed “NOOOOOO” tears falling as he felt Fred hug him. The sound of the ambulance sirens getting closer, too late to help filled his ears. He couldn’t help but notice Dru still held the young man’s hand, at least her last moments had not been alone. The poor bloke looked frozen and in shock. Spike felt the same.

On auto pilot Spike went through the motions as Dru was taken from him, giving in her details, he knew the drill so well. He stood and watched the ambulance drive his one true love away, disappearing from sight in the falling snow.

Hands, probably Gunn’s pulled him inside, gave him a mug of tea and wrapped a dry blanket around him. He was numb. He vowed he would never pray for any thing again.
He lost himself in memories for a while. He came back to himself to hear Gun and Fred talking to the kid, they were trying to get him to eat. The Irish guy, Doyle was wrapped in a blanket nursing a mug of something, eyes darting from Fred to Gunn, as though nervous, he stood behind the kid, as though protecting him. The kid looked bloody awful. He was shivering in soaking wet clothes, his sneakers were ratty and falling to bits, you could see his toes. Spike swallowed. The kid had been there for his Dru, least he could do was say thanks, perhaps he could talk him into eating. He went and sat next to him.

“You should eat too Spike, this has been hell of a shock and you were both in the snow on your butts for so long” Spike held up a hand to shut up the oncoming Fred babble.
He looked at the kid, cute thing, big brown eyes, long dark auburn floppy hair, needed cutting. He swallowed. This is what he did, he helped people, he could do this.
“Hey kid what’s ya name?”
“Angel”
Spike nearly fell off the chair. His mind flashing back.

Dru had shown up Christmas day, and they had sat and eaten together. She was quite lucid, but kept insisting “Your angel is coming my love, don’t turn him away. He needs help. You should never turn angels away”. She had let Spike clean her up in the washroom, and help her dress in warmer clothes. He’d told her she was his angel. A tear slid down her face as she stroked his cheek. “Not anymore I’m not my William. You don’t need me, move on with your new angel my love. And remember neither turn him away or let him leave, he needs you as much as you need him.” she had kissed him then, and left him huddled on the floor crying, as she left.

Gunn had found him. He and his wife Fred had picked him up and tried to comfort him. Spike had apologised. “No way for a 42 year old man to behave, sorry”.
They would hear none of it. And took him home with them. Home was next door, above the Goodwill store Fred helped run when she wasn’t working down the ‘free’ clinic. He had slept in their spare room that night. The sounds of their gentle lovemaking just making
him miss Dru all the more.

Spike shook the memory off. Even more determined to help this kid now.

“Tell ya what Angel, Fred here never shuts up till she gets her way. So if I eat, will you?

Big brown eyes looked into his. That lady that had just died had told him to trust this guy. Angel smiled, his face lighting up “I’ll chance it if you will sir” a feint Irish accent too his words.
“Well about time, Jesus you guys just love winding me up” muttered Fred as she went to fetch them something.
Spike heard a whimper, the puppy was tied to the table leg. More big brown eyes. He ruffled the fur on the top of it’s shaggy grey head.
“He yours?” Angel asked him, smiling at the daft looking puppy.
“Nah, one of the regulars found him, been thrown out with the rubbish. Said I’d take him till I find him a home”
“Well make sure they have a big house, he’s gonna be huge” Angel told him with a shy smile.
“What makes you say that?” Spike said, looking the small bundle of fluff over.

“Look at his paws, they’re so big compared to the rest of him” Angel told him, it seemed he knew his stuff. “He looks part Irish wolfhound”.
Spike looked. “Well don’t go growin’ while I got ya right?” he told the pup, the pup barked and wagged it’s tail, loving the attention.
“He likes you, animals are a very good judge of character, maybe you should keep him.” Angel said as Fred plonked plates of hot food in front of them.
Spike snorted. “Fuck knows why, I’m nothing special” he smiled his thanks to Fred as she squeezed his shoulder as she past behind him, on the way to sort out the last few homeless on their way out the door.
Angel blushed a bit. “That lady, Dru? She said you were very special, said I could trust you” he looked away at the sight of the tears in Spike’s eyes. Understanding the pain, he had lost his little sister last year, and if not for Doyle, he’d have died too.

They ate in silence, at first both just pushing the food around on the plate until Doyle told them “Stop pissing around with it and eat. Don’t know when ya’ll get to eat again boyo, so don’t waste the kindness of strangers” he began to eat his own food.
Angel blushed, he hated handouts. He dropped the fork, about to bolt. Spike knew the score. He placed his hand over Angel’s
“This ain’t a handout kid. I owe you. You were there for my Dru, means a lot that does. So eat, kay?” The look in Spike’s blue eyes left no room for argument.
Angel ducked his head and ate. He was starving. This was his first hot meal for over a month. The last one had been when he had stopped a guy robbing the till in a diner. He had gone in the diner because of one of Doyle’s weird dream things. Sometimes Doyle had this dream thing happen, and he and Angel would go to where the dream sent them, helping if they could. They had been fed as a thank you. He said nothing as he watched Spike not eat, poor guy must be hurting bad. Doyle had slapped him round the head to get him to eat after Cathy’s death. He hoped Spike had someone like Doyle.

Gunn turned up, an armful of clothes and fresh towels. Spike kept a set of clothes here. He often got messed up and was called to a shout and needed to change.

“Brought you both some dry things. Angel I think these will fit, and I guessed at your shoe size” Gunn began.
Angel stood abruptly, shaking his head. “Thank you kindly sir, but if it’s all the same to you I don’t ever accept handouts. I’ll be leaving now, thanks for the food” he went to walk away but Spike’s hand on his arm stopped him.

“Don’t go kid, I’ve not had the chance to thank you and Doyle properly yet. And I want to know if Dru said anything to you.”

“I’m sorry sir, I’m just not comfortable with this”

“Neither am I” Spike sighed. “Dru said to trust me?” Angel nodded. “She told me to help an angel when he came. She may have seemed crazy, but sometimes she could see the future. Humour me?”
Angels’ eyes grew wide. Dru had said a few things to him, and he knew she was like Doyle, except she didn’t need the drugs to see things. She had known about Cathy, knew her name, told him she would give Cathy a kiss for him when she was with the angels.
Angel nodded. “What do you want me to do?”
“Not much. Come and get cleaned up, have a hot shower and put on the dry clothes. It would make me feel better. Dru always gave her stuff away, to people she thought needed it. None of them was there for her, but you were. I’ll sleep better knowing you’re dry, and that spending the time on your knees in the snow won’t make you die of hypothermia” Spike’s crystal blue eyes shimmered with unshed tears as he spoke to Angel.

Angel swallowed. Cathy had died of hypothermia, and he almost had. He looked to Doyle. “Go get warm and dry before you end up sick again boyo” Doyle spoke softly, he hated handouts too, that’s why they never went in any of the shelters, but the thought Angel could end up sick again scared the crap out of him. “Ya no use ta me sick kid” he said when Angel looked like he would refuse.

Spike led Angel to the staff bathroom. He turned on two of the showers in stalls for them. A quick look in his locker found shower gel, which he threw at the kid.
“Thanks”
“No problem. Now get warmed up in the water.” Spike turned his back to give Angel some privacy as he dropped the blanket from around his own shoulders and began to strip, he was shivering himself.
The next time Spike looked over towards the boy, he was in the shower, the stall door shut, just visible from his chest up. Spike was in a shower of his own, letting the water warm him up. He closed his eyes, letting the tears fall now his head was under water.

Angel washed himself, but couldn’t help looking over at Spike. His eyes drifted over all the lean hard muscle in his chest and arms. He had appeared smaller in his clothes, he thought the guy must work out a lot to be that toned. Angel had never seen another guy naked, well apart from Doyle, and he didn’t count. He was getting aroused. He knew he was gay, he’d just never had chance to do anything about it. He was still a complete virgin.

Spike pulled himself together, shook the tears from his eyes, turned off the shower then wrapped himself in the towel that was over the stall door. He sat on the bench emptying his jeans pockets so he could put the stuff in the dry ones. His wallet fell open at the photo of Dru. His lip trembled. The tears fell once more as he stroked a finger over her image. Before he knew it he was wrapped in warm strong arms, his hair being stroked. He tried to pull away, extremely embarrassed. He never let anyone hug and touch him. Kept things like that for Dru.
“Shhh, let it out, it helps,” Angel whispered, holding him tighter.
Spike remembered Dru’s last words, and cried even harder now they had come true.
Angel just held him tighter, knowing from bitter experience this helped. He was quite a bit larger than Spike, and he all but had Spike sat on his lap as the smaller man sobbed brokenly. He just rocked him, stroking his bare back and cradling Spike’s head with a large hand so it rested on his chest. Tears of his own filled Angel’s eyes.

They lost track of time, huddled together. Gunn came in with two cups of coffee, heavily laced with sugar for the shock. He was surprised at the scene before him, but understood sometimes it was easier to let go in front of a stranger. He’d been talking to Doyle, he had told Gunn, Angel was a gentle giant, a big softie. Here was the proof.
Angel saw Gunn, Gunn held a finger to his lips, set down the mugs and left, not wanting Spike to feel embarrassed, the bloke had barley been holding his emotions together for a while, this might be what he needed.

After a few more minutes, Spike did the hiccup thing, trying to stop. Angel passed him a spare towel to wipe his face on, but kept his arm around Spike’s muscled back.
Spike wiped his face, blushing beet red. “I erm… I’m sorry. Thanks, I shouldn’t have let you see this.” He tried to pull away. Angel held him firm.

“Look I don’t know you, but that lady said I was to help you if I could. You just seemed like you needed a hug.” He hugged Spike a bit tighter, and was rewarded with Spike hugging back.
Spike nodded. “Yeah, guess I did, thanks” this time he did pull away, and gave Angel a shy smile.
Angel’s stomach flipped. That smile should be illegal. “Any time, free of charge” Angel told him.
Spike chuckled. The kid was adorable. “How old are you?”
“20 sir” Angel told him.

He had been devastated, as had Dru when she couldn’t have children. She had had a miscarriage twenty years ago. “I’m old enough to be your dad” Spike told him.
“That’s ok, hugs are universal. Makes no difference how young or old you are. Everyone can give or receive one” he said sincerely.

Spike felt oddly humbled. “I just want to say thanks, for what you did for Dru, and well now for me. You didn’t have too. So yeah, thanks Angel” he swallowed.

“It was the right thing to do, I couldn’t just leave her there. And she said some things, things only I know” Angel confided, it was now his turn to tear up.

“I’d like to know what she said, if she said anything about me if you don’t mind. But I don’t think I could handle it right now. “
“Oh I understand. That’s ok, I’ll tell you some other time”
“How will I find you?”
“Oh I’ll find you here, when it’s time. Or give me a number to call. I don’t live any one place. Any place I do stay, you can bet the street has no name” it was said casually, without malice, just a simple statement of fact.

Spike pulled on his clean black jeans, Angel noted he went commando, while he himself pulled on the silky feeling boxers Gunn had gave him, they were new, still had a label on, so did the socks. He swallowed, but knew he’d need the warmth.

Spike scribbled down his name and number, and the name and address of the diner.
“I live above the diner. If I’m not at work or here, I’ll probably not be far from there. Just ask for me, they’ll know where I am”
Angel took the bit of paper, folded it carefully and put it deep in a pocket.
“Any time kid, you need a meal, no strings attached, we’ll find something for you to do to earn it.”
“I … I just couldn’t”
“Food is universal, everyone needs it” Spike smiled at him. “Look I’m getting too old to be humping sacks of spuds for the little chit that runs it, and I have another friend always needing help shifting lumber. They will wear you out kid, soon as they see them muscles”
Angel smiled. “Yeah ok, I’ll think on it” having no intention of doing so.
“Hope ya do kiddo. Growing lad like you needs hot food once in a while, or you will get sick”
Angel blushed again, and finished dressing. He took a deep breath as Spike slid a tight black tee over his head, and his muscles rippled. Wondering if he went begging these friends of his for food, would he get to see Spike again.

Spike pulled out a comb, trying to bring order to the cute curls on his head. He won the battle with gel from his locker, Angel was dismayed, the curls gave him an innocent look.
Spike passed the comb to Angel, it got stuck in his long hair.
Thinking nothing of it, he always did Dru’s hair, Spike got Angel to sit while Spike patiently worked out the knots. “Want it tying back?”
“Er please” Angel had been lost in the sensations of Spike gently untangling his hair. If had been so long since anyone had touched him with anything like care.
Spike got one of the black cotton covered elastics he kept for Dru, and neatly tied back Angel’s hair.
“You’ve had a lot of practice” Angel said looking in the mirror admiring himself. He looked clean and tidy for once.
“You saw Dru’s hair. She could never get the tats out” Spike put things away, and gathered up all the wet things.
“The way this works is Fred washes and dries this stuff, so call back anytime soon and it’ll be here for you, and don’t even start with the ‘no I couldn’t’ speech.”
Angel giggled. “Yes sir”
“Good boy” Spike smirked at him as he watched Angel pull a warm jumper over his head and slip his arms into the fleece lined jacket Gunn had given him. The kid looked good, and at least he would be warm and dry.
“Them trainers fit ok?” Spike asked looking down at Angel’s feet.
“Yeah, they are the right size.” Angel stammered out, he was busy imagining being a ‘good boy’ for Spike.
Spike snickered. “Gunn is always tellin’ me other people have feet as big as him, now I know he wasn’t lyin’”
Both smiling they went back to the main hall.
Fred had a few tin foil packages. She held one up. “This one here is for that mutt, doubt you got anything the poor thing can eat, ya never have food for you.” She held up another. “And this one is for you Spike. Promise you’ll eat, ya never ate dinner again. You get more bony every time I see ya”
“I can buy food Fred, know where the store is and everything” Spike told her as he placed the bundle of wet things on the table.
“Yeah well, ya never do, so shut up and just take it”
Spike muttered something about being bossed about and henpecked. Angel hid a smile.
“Angel, got you and Doyle something for later too. Now don’t go all ‘oh no’ on me. Told Doyle ya need ta eat after the cold and the shock. He said he’d see ya did” She was taking no prisoners.
Angel blushed and looked at Doyle. “Can’t have ya sick again Ange” Doyle told him as he took the bag of food from Fred.
They said goodbye, Angel walked out with Doyle, turning back when he reached the door too lock his brown eyes with Spike’s blue one’s. They exchanged sad smile’s and with a small wave Angel left.