Angelo, Paige and Deep, Dark Secrets

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Angelo walked slowly along the corridor towards the kitchen, still in some pain from the incident on Monday night. Arriving at the door, he went inside and headed for the fridge, stopping only when he heard water running and glanced up to see Paige standing by the sink washing dishes. "Paige! Hey! Been lookin' for you..."

Paige turned and brought out a large smile. "Hey, puppy. How are you?" She had taken off the pair of large rubber gloves that most people wore to avoid dishpan hands and set them next to the sink.

Angelo smiled back, not so widely but that was mostly on account of the bruises. "Not so bad", he answered.

"There's a boy. I made Jell-O earlier if you want. Easy to chew," she commented, turning back to the dishes to scrub away.

"Thanks", he answered, turning back to the fridge in search of the Jell-O and continuing tentatively, "And how are you?"

Paige set a bowl in the rack and got to work on a frying pan. "Good. You been going to class or are you taking the week off?"

"Goin' to class", he told her, eyeing her in cautious concern while she wasn't looking. "Think I missed enough already, it's gonna be hard enough to catch up..."

"I'll tutor you if you'd like, pet. You know that. We'll just have to set in a public place so we get some actual studying done." Paige grinned, pulling out a scrub brush to try and get rid of the burnt food that seemed reluctant to come off.

Angelo grinned back wryly. "Tutorin' sounds really good, actually. An'... yeah. Public might be an idea."

"Awesome. I'll pen you in," Paige replied, finally able to set the frying pan into the rack as well.

Angelo nodded. "You been keepin' busy, then?"

Paige looked over her shoulder at him to give a little look. "When don't I?"

He grinned and moved to her side, idly picking up the frying pan and a dishcloth to rub it dry. "True. You work too hard, I've said it before."

"I just don't like sitting around, puppy," Paige said in defense, nodding her thanks at his help.

Angelo shrugged, heading off that line of discussion before it could even begin to turn into an argument. "Fair enough."

Paige handed him a plate, enjoying the ease that they work in. "Thank you." She pulled a dishwasher unsafe mug from the counter and began working on that. "You've been... taking care of yourself?"

"Best I can", he answered quietly. "Physio an' all."

"Of course," Paige replied soothingly. "Just meant you aren't doing stupid things like running around into doors or something."

Angelo raised a teasing eyebrow. "Never did that, mouse."

Paige flicked a little bit of water at him. "I just wouldn't put it past you, that's all."

Lacking water, he flicked his dishcloth in her general direction, lightly. "Ha, ha."

"That was dangerously close to my rear end, pup. Save that for the boys locker room," she teased.

Angelo took a step closer, smiling a little. "Whatever you say."

"That's right," Paige said smugly, grinning.

He nodded, deadpan. "You're always right."

Paige patted him with a damp hand. "Good boy."

Angelo grinned, taking her hand before she could pull it back. "I learn fast."

"Hey. I'm supposed to be cleaning here. You're making it very difficult," Paige said, but didn't pull at their hands.

"The dishes aren't goin' anywhere", he said lightly. "Come sit with me."

Shrugging, Paige dried her hands on his shirt with something resembling a giggle. "I guess I could handle a break."

"Everybody could handle a break sometimes", he told her, tugging her over towards the table and the stools around it.

"Remember, pup. You're not my mother," she replied, poking him playfully and settling on his knee to match her mood.

Angelo chuckled, sliding his arms around her. "No, I'm not. But she's not here and somebody has to look after you."

Paige stuck out her tongue, turning so that he could see. "I can take care of myself, thanks."

Angelo looked at her affectionately, brushing her hair back. "Of course you can. But you shouldn't have to, not all the time."

"Mm. You're sweet." Paige made a pleased noise, moving into his hand.

He just smiled, moving his hand to her face. "Love you."

Feeling her face warm Paige smiled and turned her head to kiss his palm. "Love you too, puppy."

Angelo sighed and pulled her securely into his arms. "And... that's why I wanted to talk to you. When I e-mailed you, I mean."

Paige made a dramatic 'oof'ing noise, settling into his lap more comfortably. "Well, I already knew that you love me."

He nodded. "Good. Marie told you what happened, right?"

"Mhm," she hummed.

Another nod, as he tried to work himself up to it. "Right. And you know what her power does? Her original power?"

Paige raised an eyebrow. "You know I do, Angelo. I was her room mate. No one has that many pairs of gloves for no reason."

"Of course. Yeah." He swallowed. "Well... I want you to know all the stuff she knows now, but that involves actually tellin' you, and... this isn't easy, y'know?"

"Angelo..." Paige drawled, turning to kiss the corner of his mouth. "Love, you don't have to. I understand. It's not like you planned this, like you wanted to tell Marie. You don't have to tell me."

"I didn't tell Marie", he reminded her. "Never talked about this stuff with anyone, really. But I love you an' I want you to know who I am. Only now I come to it... this really, really isn't easy."

"That's what I mean," Paige said, trying to explain. "You didn't want to tell her. She just stole your memories, which certainly wasn't volluntary. I don't blame her, it needed to be done, but when push comes to shove, if you'd had a choice, you certainly wouldn't have had anyone know whatever it is."

Angelo shook his head, disagreeing to a certain extent. "No... I think I would've. Just not all at once like that. An' you'd've been first."

Paige bit her lip, wanting really nothing more than to still the slightly panicked look on Angelo's face. "Well. If you want to, I'm here."

He nodded. "I know. An' I want to, I just... don't know where to start."

"At the beginning?" Paige said gently, stroking back his hair.

"I don't even know where the beginnin' is", he said softly. "My manifestation? My initiation? Somewhere back before that, even?"

Paige kept her gentle tone, stroking at the hair at his temple with her thumb. "Just start where ever it is easiest, okay? Do whatever it takes to make it easiest."

Angelo nodded, closing his eyes. "Okay. Well, some of it you know already - or enough of it to guess the rest." He swallowed. "The only thing you definitely don't know... unless you do... is about what the time between manifestin' and comin' here."

Humming in affirmation Paige made no other remark in case she were to interupt.

He sighed. "Thing you have to understand is, when you're desperate... you do stuff you'd never do otherwise. For money. For food. Hell, even for a warm dry place to spend the night, if you're that lucky."

Paige nodded, thumb still rubbing over his temple gently. Angelo sighed again and continued. "So. Yeah. It's not somethin' I'll ever be proud of, but... sometimes, there weren't all that many choices. Stealin'. Beggin'. The other way of makin' some money on the street that didn't involve havin' money to start with, like dealin' would've done, was..." He trailed off, hoping she'd get it before he had to spell it out, but not really expecting her to. She'd never been there, after all, and he was intensely glad of it.

Tilting her head, Paige gave him a confused look. "I... Angelo, what are you talking about?"

He closed his eyes. "You're gonna make me say it. Okay. What I had to do... sometimes, to survive... was... sell myself to whoever'd pay for a homeless kid with gray skin." He grimaced at the memory.

"I'm not making you..." She looked slightly distressed but softened instantly, swallowing hard. "Oh, Angelo. Oh, love, I'm sorry. And... I'm sorry." She rested her cheek against his, words failing her as they often did and closed her eyes.

Angelo put his arms around her, as much for his comfort as for hers. "I know you didn't make me. I shouldn't've said that. It's just... not easy t'talk about."

Paige shook her head a little, slipping her arms around him in turn to pull herself close. "I know. I know. And I'm sorry. No one... no one deserves that, puppy, least of all you. I'm sorry."

"I was lucky, by some standards", he told her. "I got out, an' before I'd even been there very long. It wears you down, after not long at all - I've seen it. You get hooked on whatever you can get, just to get through it. But I was lucky."

"And brave. Lucky and really, really brave." She turned her head to kiss his neck, eyes still closed tight. "I can't... I can't even fathom..."

"I wouldn't want you to", he told her quietly. "'Cause to really understand how it is, you have to've been there. An' that's the last thing I'd ever want for you."

Paige nodded, stilling herself by listening to his pulse. "I know. I'm sorry."

Angelo tilted her head up to look her in the eyes. "No. For real. I'd go back there tomorrow if it meant you didn't have to. I love you", he finished, as if it explained everything he meant.

"You know I wouldn't let you," she replied, brushing her lips against his. "I love you, too. Very much."

"Just be safe", he responded, returning the gentle kiss. "All I want."

Paige smiled, giving him a look. "I always am. You're the one with the med lab membership card."

"That's not quite what I meant", he said seriously. "You can get hurt physically, an' still be safe... or the complete opposite. Be safe."

"Okay, okay," Paige said, holding up her hands. "I'll be safe."

He nodded, satisfied, and reached to run a hand through her hair. "All I wanted to hear."

Paige rested her hands on his shoulders. "I could say the same for you, mister. Are you going to be safe?"

"The way I meant... I hope so. I'm not goin' anywhere, anyway. As for the other... well, that depends on if people stop attackin' this place, doesn't it? 'Cause I won't promise not to fight to defend it, if I have to."

"There's defending smart and stupid, puppy. About time someone taught you the difference," Paige answered to that, thought, not especially cruelly. "You are such a Gryffindor sometimes."

"What did you want me to do?" he asked bluntly. "Leave someone in the fire to burn? I didn't know it was John, or I might've done things differently. It could've been someone who actually <i>would</i> burn."

Paige opened her mouth to retort to that before snapping it shut with a click of teeth. "It's not my place. Someone with more training will be giddy to tell you, I'm sure. I don't want to pick a fight."

Angelo sighed, relenting. "It seemed the best thing at the time. Didn't exactly have the time to think it over too carefully, you know? Things were a bit chaotic."

Paige shrugged awkwardly in their closeness. "That's what we're here for, in part. To learn how to think fast." She smiled at him. "You and I would make a fantastic team one day. You can be the grr and I can be the brains. I even have enough first aid training to bandage you up when you go get yourself beat up again."

Angelo chuckled, tangling a hand in her hair. "We would, wouldn't we?"

"Mhm. Logan's even teaching me how to kick butt," Paige replied, tilting her head into his hand. "Double the fun."

Angelo grinned suddenly. "'m gonna ask him to train me too, y'know", he told her. "When my ribs are fixed."

Paige raised an eyebrow, giving him a playful look. "Oh, that could be fun. Perhaps when you get good enough Logan will let you and I spar."

Angelo's grin turned wicked. "I'd like that."

"So would I. Kicking your butt would be entertaining," Paige answered breezily, eyes bright.

Angelo laughed, one eyebrow raised in turn. "You're very confident."

Paige grinned in answer, the smug look vanishing instantly. "Not right now. Right now I'm just doing a fabulous job at pretending."

Angelo grinned back, leaning forward to kiss her quickly and lightly. "We'll see who kicks whose ass."

"I guess so," she retorted cheerfully. "I suggest wearing a pillow that day, though."

"Same goes for you, mouse", he replied lightly.

Paige beamed at him and patted his head. "I was talking about in front. I think I'm fairly safe, there."

Angelo grinned. "And again I say, we'll see. If we spar properly, could be no holds barred."

"Mhm..." was Paige's noncommital response, twirling a piece of gold hair around her finger. "We'll see."