My entry
More Than This
Requirements were Lilah/Jenny, sarcasm and smut.

It's a cold day in Hell, and that's nothing new.

No matter what they tell you in Sunday school, Hell's always a little chilly.

Except for the weather, Hell's not that different from Los Angeles: miserable traffic, beautiful people, air you wouldn't want to breathe. Sure, the food's always a little off, most stores are only open on Sundays, and what they have in the way of entertainment makes the unpaid overtime a blessing in disguise.

If they let you work it, that is. "Ms. Morgan?" the disembodied voice of the remote secretary comes through the speakers.

Lilah looks at her watch: 3:47. Just in time to catch the worst parts of rush hour. "Yes?"

"I've been instructed to tell you to take the rest of the day off. For your health. Don't forget you have a seven o' clock and a ten o' clock tomorrow, and that Mr. Manners would like you to prepare another post-mortem on the effectiveness of the L.A. office's emergency response." A click followed by static followed by silence.

Lilah grabs her briefcase and goes. Outside, it's grey and miserable, and she wishes she had a coat, all the while knowing it wouldn't help. The temperature automatically adjusts itself to two degrees below comfortable according to your wardrobe choices, after all. She adjusts her scarf and heads out into the wind.

The bar's a little too warm. Figures. "Scotch, rocks, as old as you've got." It tastes like Pine-Sol; it always does. As old as they've got is prohibition-era rotgut. All they've got is prohibition-era rotgut. She downs it and orders another.

"I can't believe you can drink that crap." It's the woman sitting next to her. Dark hair and eyes, fairly pretty. The woman smiles before she reaches up and rubs the back of her neck.

"It's better than the other choices. Sore neck?" Lilah asks, not caring.

"Broken."

Lilah sets down her drink and slowly unwinds the green silk from around her throat, letting one manicured finger trail across the damage before she covers it up again. "Beheaded."

The smile widens. "I'm impressed, but I get the feeling that's what you wanted. I'm Jenny."

"Lilah. So, Jenny, what are you in for?"

"Gin and tonic. But if you mean why am I in Hell, I've been told it's because I was a liar. You?"

"Lawyer." Lilah shrugs. "It was part of my contract."

Jenny raises an eyebrow at that. "That's one hell of a contract."

"Good benefits, great pay, and plenty of room for advancement even after death. Don't knock it 'til you try it."

"I'll keep it in mind if I decide I need a career change." She leans forward, catching the end of Lilah's scarf in her hand. "Nice scarf."

Lilah feels the cool brush of Jenny's fingers against the inside of her knee as the scarf drops, and sees the invitation in Jenny's eyes, and decides to accept it. "I have more back at my place, would you like to see them?"

She's rewarded with a wide, wicked grin. "Sure."

Lilah's place is too warm, just like the bar--every building in Hell shares central heating. For once, she doesn't care. She slips off her Lorenzis, sets her briefcase down, and leads Jenny to the bedroom, wincing a little as she looks at the familiar decor. Lilah hates her apartment; it's identical to Wesley's, down to the number on the door: 105. Hell's department of housing assignments has a sick since of humor.

Jenny's skin is soft and cool, and Lilah can taste the bathtub gin on her lips when they kiss. She slides her hands under the soft blue cashmere of Jenny's sweater, and feels the memory of heat flood her body, almost like the real thing. Jenny's fingers quickly slip buttons from their holes and Lilah's blouse slips off her shoulders and falls to the floor.

"That was quick," Lilah murmurs, her own fingers busy unhitching Jenny's bra.

Jenny shrugs before raising her arms to let Lilah pull the sweater and bra off together. "Last time I dawdled, I ended up dead before we could make it to home base. I'm not taking any chances." She moves her hands to the hidden zipper at the back of Lilah's skirt, parting the dark grey gabardine and pushing it down.

"Careful," Lilah puts her hands over Jenny's to slow them. "Don't want to wrinkle it. Do you know how hard it is to find a good dry cleaner in this town?" She guides the hands slowly over her hips, weaving their fingers together and showing Jenny where to linger. "Dawdling in small doses does have its advantages."

"Mmm. You have a point."

Lilah shows Jenny the advantages of dawdling after they get their clothes off, too. She lets her mouth float lazily down Jenny's stomach, teasing instead of insisting. Under Lilah's palms, Jenny's nipples are hard, and her chest's rising and falling with hurried breaths that match Lilah's own. Sure, neither of them need to breathe, but it's force of habit.

Under Lilah's lips, Jenny's skin feels almost warm, almost damp. Lilah slides one hand down to Jenny's thighs, slipping it between them to where the heat and moisture has gone from almost to actual. She lowers her head, stops teasing. There's something to be said for being quick, too.

Jenny's whole body jerks upwards. "Jesus!"

Lilah lifts her head and smiles. "Trust me, he has nothing to do with this. If he did, maybe this place wouldn't be so damn crowded."

"Or crowded with the damned." Jenny's words end on a gasp as Lilah lowers her head again.

They twist and tangle together for hours. At one point, Lilah brings out the promised scarves, and they take turns tying each other up. Exhausted, but not quite exhilarated, Lilah runs her hand over a back that should be slick with sweat, but isn't and watches Jenny sleep.

The clock says 4:15. She has to be back in the office in a little less than three hours.

The room's still two degrees too warm, outside is still two degrees too cold, and Lilah's still trying to find a way to make Hell a little more comfortable. Jenny curls a little closer.

Lilah lets her. What the hell, it's better than nothing.

great fic, Plei!

Anyone around? I pretty much need a quick and dirty beta. (xposted with fic)

Except for the weather, Hell's not that different from Los Angeles

Heh. Hee.

Still gigling.

Plei, Jesus.

(Plei = Jesus. ...)

For the Wesficathon. Futurefic from Home.

Sunday Morning

Connor stumbled through the door, bags and papers spilling everywhere. He leaned against the counter and sighed, looking at the chaos on the floor, before bending to pick it up. He'd managed to shove a good portion of his papers back into his briefcase when he looked up at the sound of Wesley entering the room.

Wes gave him a small grin and stooped down to swipe a bag of oranges. "Need a hand?" he asked. Connor rolled his eyes and stood, brushing his lips across Wesley's as he rose, taking the oranges from Wes's hand. "At least this is one more thing I don't have to pick up. And this is what, the thirtieth time I've tripped over that stoop? I'm telling you, we need to get it fixed."

Wesley's fingers caught and traced the side of Connor's face. "You've been saying that since we moved in here. Surely, had you really wanted it fixed, you would have taken some measure to do so in the past four years."

Connor gave him a mock glare. "Surely had you cared for my well-being and all those stubbed toes I complained about, you would have done it for me."

Wesley stepped closer, hands slipping around Connor's waist and pulling him near. "Maybe I just liked hearing you complain."

"Well, you're a crazy old man, then," Connor whispered before they kissed.

They kissed tenderly for a few moments, Connor's fingers running up Wesley's back and Wesley's hands tightening on Connor's waist, stumbling backwards searching for purchase against the wall.

There was a loud squishing noise, and they pulled away, looking at the floor. Connor groaned with a grin on his face, his head tipping backwards to knock gently at the wall. "I was really looking forward to using that dressing on Thursday night, too," he sighed, poking gently at the distorted plastic bottle with his foot.

"We can always get more," Wesley pointed out as he began to pick up the other groceries from the floor. He paused to look at the bottle. "Besides, you know Laura doesn't like Parmesan."

Connor sighed. "I'd hoped I could sneak it past her. The woman has no taste."

Wesley hefted his armful onto the counter and leaned backwards, watching Connor bend to pick up a can of tomato soup.

"Today's count?" he asked finally, nodding towards Connor's briefcase.

"We're about three-fourths of the way through, now," Connor said, placing the rest of the food on the island and running a hand through his loose hair. "We got chapter twenty-two out the door, and that was the real bitch, you know, but now we're past the hump and Katie's relatively confident we'll finish it before the month is out. Which gives three months for revisions and edits before we put it to the board. I know we're cutting it close, especially after the horror stories you told me about your own dissertations, but Wes, I can totally feel it now. We're going to make it, and you will be looking at a brand spanking new holder of a costly piece of paper."

Wesley nodded, putting away the things strewn around the kitchen. "I never doubted you. You've been working quite hard, though. I've certainly missed you around here--who else would wake me at six in the morning to play basketball against the side of the house?"

Connor grinned, smacking a kiss against Wesley's cheek. "You know you like me all sweaty and half-naked."

Wesley arched an eyebrow at him. "On the whole I prefer you sweaty and all-the-way naked."

"That could be arranged," Connor murmured against Wesley's ear, pressing himself flush against Wesley's side.

Wesley hummed an assent, twisting to fasten his lips to Connor's. His hands threaded in Connor's hair, and Connor shifted in his arms, pulling Wesley ever closer. Their kisses were slow, languid, full of memory and promise. They were old lovers, knowing hands working on each other carefully and touching with reverent, loving fingers. They moved against each other, quiet moans and gasps the only sounds.

Later, they found themselves tangled in the bed sheets, the evening news on the television and Chinese takeout boxes littering the floor. Bits of the Sunday paper were crumpled at the foot of the bed, Wesley's scathing comments captioned in red against the print of the page.

Wesley's glasses hung precariously on the end of his nose, and he was hugging Connor close, supporting his weight and looking over his shoulder at the latest chapter completed that afternoon. Connor was candidly pointing out how they'd resolved a number of issues with the data and concepts, but Wesley's eyes were barely glancing over the page.

He was concentrating more on the deep sound of Connor's voice against his chest, the way Connor's arms would wave and his hands would almost lose the pages he was clutching. He kept each of these moments close in his mind, desperate not to lose any of them, because he knew what he had and cherished it.

finally, things are moving quickly now. I'm probably within thirty pages of the end.

Xander didn't move from his spot on the pew when all the shouting broke out. From what he gathered, it was all finished, Glory beaten, everyone home, the good guys win again. Yippee. He might care some decade.

The nuns talked among themselves about clean-up and gravedigging and, oh yes, someone would need to go milk the cow and feed the chickens, because things do go on, despite the epic battles that take place. Xander approved, in a quiet corner of his mind that was still acknowledging that the world had relevance to his existence. No matter what, there were still jobs to do.

There was a job he didn't think he could stand to leave to anyone else. Damn, but it hurt to move. Regardless, he pushed against the pew and forced himself to his feet. Baynar, the baby Minoto, came over slowly, squeaking at him.

"Hey, little dude," Xander said wearily. "You OK?"

Baynar glanced towards his mother and the other Minoto, then bobbed a little in apparent reassurance.

"Good. You ought to stay in here a bit longer. It's a bit of a mess out there." He squared his shoulders. "Ought to go help clean it up."

Sister Agnes stopped him before he took more than a couple of steps. "You should rest," she said. "You've had a very long night."

"And long nights are followed by long days. I helped make that mess, I should help clean it up."

Baynar's mother and the other Minoto came forward. "No, you have done enough."

Xander winced, even though he knew it was very true.

The demon didn't seem to notice. "All night you have fought and bled to defend us and this place while we hid inside. It is time for you to rest and let us have a turn at being useful."

Xander blinked at her. "Uh, I'm sorry, but I really didn't do it for you."

"It does not matter. We were benefitted by your work, we owe you a service. Rest. Heal what you can. We shall see to the fallen."

He didn't know how to say what was mostly on his mind. He couldn't just leave them to someone else, those soldiers he'd wounded, the man he'd killed. It was too easy to brush away their existences, especially when the gruesome part was still to be done. A part of him insisted that he see up close the work he had done, the damage he'd inflicted. He owed it to them. Didn't he?

Baynar took his hand and tugged hm back towards the pews, chattering to him. Xander stared at him, then looked at Sister Agnes and his mother.

"He says you need to sit down before you harm yourself," his mother said. "He can be a little bossy."

Sister Agnes patted Xander's shoulder. "Rest, nino. There will still be work to do when you wake up."

He thought of the dormitory and the beds, then of the long walk over there and the probability of someone insisting on talking to him. then of Anya's things there in the room.

He wobbled, and Baynar tugged again, more insistently.

"I can't sleep in here," he said.

"You wouldn't be the first," Sister Agnes smiled. "The pews are surprisingly comfortable, and no one will mind."

Finally he gave in to superior forces and followed his tiny demon guide back to the front of the chapel. The world was fuzzing as he stretched out. The seat of the pew was almost wide enough for him to lay flat, but he curled up on his side, as close to fetal as he could manage. Baynar watched him for a moment, then bustled away. He returned dragging a rectangular embroidered pillow, one of the kneelers from under the pew. It was faded and old, but Baynar hoisted it up onto the pew seat. He wiggled his hand underneath Xander's head and tried to lift. Bemused, Xander raised his head and let Baynar shove the cushion underneath. When he dropped his head, he couldn't help sighing in relief, because the cushion was the perfect pillow height and smelled companionably of dust and incense and old cloth.

Baynar pointed at Xander, then at his own eyes. He closed his eyes tightly, then looked sternly at Xander. Smiling, Xander closed his eyes obediently. He opened one a moment later, to find Baynar still watching him. The demon scowled at him and pointed at the open eye.

So the resolve face transcended species. Xander blinked back tears and closed both eyes. The soft darkness rose around his mind. The last thing he felt was a small scaley hand patting his cheek while a tiny voice hissed at him.

Awww. I love Baynar.

So the resolve face transcended species

Awwwww! Baynar is adorable.

Connie, this whole thing has been fantastic.