Kitten Poker

Author: Lilithangel

Fandom: AtS

Characters: Spike/Angel and a kitten called Sid

Rating/Warnings: only for the insanity of the writer.

Summary: Spike realises the enormity of his sins after getting his soul and Angel helps him come to terms with what he’s done, to kittens.




Spike was most of the way through a bottle of whiskey and a whole lot more guilt when Angel found him. Mainly because Spike had chosen to do his drinking and guilting in Angel’s office.

“How do you cope?” Spike said before Angel could order him out.

“With what?” Angel said in confusion.

“The weight of it all,” Spike said waving the bottle, “all those innocent lives snuffed out because you didn’t care about what happened after.”

“Are we talking about specific innocent lives?” Angel said cautiously.

“Of course we are,” Spike said with frustration, “I don’t remember their names, don’t even know if they had names. Didn’t care really, they were a means to an end, to my needs and pleasures. I’m a monster.” Spike looked up at Angel with torment in his eyes.

Angel understood torment, understood the weight of the soul, but he didn’t understand a word Spike was saying.

“What are you talking about?” Angel demanded.

“Fred had a kitten,” Spike said, “in the lab. She was cooing over it and talking about its sweetness and innocence and I realised what I’d done.” He took a big swig of whiskey.

“You ate kittens?” Angel said in horror.

“No,” Spike said with equal horror, “gambled with them. I knew where most of them were going just didn’t care. I as good as murdered them.”

Angel realised Spike had reached that point in a souled vampire’s existence, that moment of enlightenment. “Atonement,” he said, “it’s time for you to truly atone for your deeds.”

“What?” Spike blinked at him.

“When I reached that point Whistler found me and showed me my atonement, my chance to make conscious amend for my sins. He showed me Buffy,” Angel explained, the light of the true believer in his eyes, “Now it’s my turn to show you.”

“Already seen Buffy,” Spike said.

“This is your atonement,” Angel said, “for kittens.”

* * * * *

“I’ll name him Sid,” Spike said, staring at the small bundle of fur attached to Angel’s palm.

“Ow,” Angel said trying to pry the kitten loose, “couldn’t you pick one that liked me?”

“I like Sid,” Spike said firmly, “come on then sweetie, let go of the nasty vampire.”

“I’m not nasty,” Angel said.

“You called him ugly,” Spike said, “are you surprised he bit you?” He coaxed the kitten free and cradled it in his hands. “Don’t let the mean vampire scare you,” he cooed.

“He bit me,” Angel said with a pout, “maybe he’s a vampire kitten.”

“Dru was the only one that wanted to turn a kitten,” Spike said, rolling his eyes, “you just taste good.”

“You would know,” Angel said with a leer.

“Not in front of Sid,” Spike said in horror, closing his hand gently around Sid’s ears.

“Let’s just go shall we?” Angel said.

They turned to leave but Spike’s gaze was drawn to all the other cats and kittens still left there.

“Where’d they all come from?” he asked Angel.

“Abandoned mostly and a few gambling raids. The demon in charge tries to re-house them where they won’t be used as poker chips.”

“What happens to those they can’t re-house?” Spike said anxiously.

“It’s a merciful death,” Angel said but Spike wasn’t comforted.

Spike’s eyes were fixed on a thin white cat draped in one cage staring back at him with fatalistic calm. “We’re taking that one too,” he said firmly.

“But it’s all mangy,” Angel said dubiously.

“And nobody would want to adopt it,” Spike said, “We’re taking it too.” He knelt down in front of the cage, absently tucking Sid into one pocket. “You’ll have a nice home with us, Nancy,” he said, lifting the cat out of the cage.

“Nancy,” Angel said, “you’ve already named it?”

“Sid has to have a Nancy,” Spike said absently.

“You don’t even know if it’s a girl,” Angel protested.

“It won’t know the difference,” Spike said. He pulled Sid out of his pocket again. “Sid, this is Nancy, you two are going to get on really well.” Sid looked at Nancy dubiously but wasn’t about to pass up the good life so simply sniffed the other cat who blinked back at him.

“We’ll have to get them collars, and food, what do cats eat?” Angel said.

“No collars,” Spike said, “and everyone knows what cats eat.”

“And that is?”

“Meat stuff…” Spike waved a hand vaguely. Sid was back in his pocket and somehow Nancy had ended up draped around his neck.

Angel ended up carrying beds, toys and large bags of food to the car. He wasn’t exactly sure when Spike’s atonement had become his burden but he sure as hell wasn’t closing his eyes when those two cats were around, because he was still half certain they were in fact demons.

Some of Spike’s guilt was eased over his soulless days of kitten poker, and more was eased when Wolfram & Hart made a surprise donation to the cat shelter to ensure no cats needed to be put down until age or illness required it. Angel was never able to tell what he signed anyway.

Sid and Nancy spent most of their time draped around parts of Spike plotting the downfall of humanity (at least Angel suspected that was what they were doing) and taking the adoration of the female staff as their due (Angel was beginning to suspect Spike only kept them for the attention or maybe he was just sulking that Spike didn’t give him that much anymore).

Obviously Spike still gave Angel plenty of attention. Just not when the cats were in the room, or if they needed feeding or Sid looked unwell, or Nancy cried, or it was time for their walk.

Sometimes Angel hated atonement.

END