Hyperion basement, Tuesday

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

Angel was down in the basement, going through his own private workout routine.

This was not a euphamism for anything.

Much

[ooc: for Parker]

Comments

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

*ring*

Parker's sitting on the roof of Pangolin. There might be yelling, just because, hello, it's Wings; in which case? Her cabin-mates don't need to hear that.

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

It took a couple of rings before Angel noticed his Blackberry.

He finally picked up.

"Angel."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"So, you're not at the bottom of a black pit of nothingness, and can't reach your computer to type." Parker paused. "You're just avoiding answering your e-mail."

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"From 'hello' to guilt trip in less than a second," Angel replied. "That has got to be a new record for you."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"That's me, continually striving to break the last record." Parker grinned. "Notice how I managed to avoid implying you couldn't *read* your e-mail now? I'm assuming you're farther along the learning curve by now. So it was kind of a compliment."

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"I sent emails!" Angel said, defensively.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Two weeks ago. You could have been eaten by a wild pack of fashion demons from Lorne's planet right after Marty and Angela left, for all I knew." Parker sighed sadly. "Oh well. Guess you don't want me to send Logan a prezzie."

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"I didn't say they were to you," Angel pointed out. "Wait - what prezzi - uh - present?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"I could say it's none of your business, but since he's getting this present for being such a loyal employee, for caring about what happens to you, for being there still after-- what was it? Oh, right. Two months...."

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"Two months? Really? Hadn't noticed," Angel totally lied said.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"You are so full of it. Good thing I didn't buy you a ticket for Vegas along with Logan's. They'd never buy your schtick at the high-stakes table."

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"I'm very good at Poker!" Angel replied. Because that was the point.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker chortled. "Your ability to make it all about you never ceases to amuse, Wings. You can always drive yourself out there and prove it, if you want."

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"We've been busy," Angel said. He finally sat down on his workout bench. "There's been clients and demons. Some clients that are demons, actually."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker grimaced, and re-adjusted her balance on the roof of Pangolin Cabin. "Is that a good thing? I mean, are they dangerous? Do they pay on time? Are you getting the right rep in L.A.?" She paused. "Not that I'm worried about you, exactly."

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"Of course not," Angel said. "That would imply caring and you having a... hang on. It's on the tip of my tongue. Oh yeah, heart."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker cackled like the Wicked Witch of the Northeast. "One of those, yeah. So? Well? And? Trouble with demons, bills, cops...?"

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"It's been okay," Angel said. "Money's still a little tight but luckily one of us doesn't need to eat solids."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"*That's* good. I know you're making your payments fine. If you do need a month or two off from those, I can probably arrange it. If that hotel develops dry rot or floods or something." Parker stretched. "So. Can you spare your houseboy for a weekend on his own in the Gomorrah of Nevada?"

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

It was probably lucky for Angel that Parker couldn't see him glance upstairs uncertainly. "I - um. I guess."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Goooood," Parker cooed. "Because after a sixty-day trial period on your one-of-kind sidekick, you have some decisions to make, Wings."

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"Well sure, I - " Angel paused, blinking. "What?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Look. You said he'd be temporary. You said he would't stay long. You said it was for just until he got on his feet again." Parker abandoned teasing for something approaching seriousness. "Sixty days is a long time, and you've taught him to swordfight, you've taken him on most of your jobs, and Angela just saved him from a vampire, and he's still there. Incidentally, why do I have to hear these things from Angela?" she asked, getting off on a tangent. "Really. It would kill you to drop me a line. 'Logan fine. False alarm. Still the only vampire in the Hyperion.' Is that so hard?"

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"Well, no, but now it's clearly unnecessary since you already know," Angel pointed out.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Pffftt. You didn't know I knew. For all you knew, I had no idea." Parker grumbled under her breath, then said, "The point is? If he's going to be a permanent employee of your agency-- if he's going to have a social security card in that dimension, and identity, pay taxes-- someone is going to have to set that up soon. Because we both know who's going to have to do the paperwork. He's at more risk than you are, in some ways, if he gets caught without real identity papers. So I want-- is this becoming clear?-- I want you to think about that. Please. While Logan is in Vegas, so your man-crush doesn't confuse the issue."