Understanding
Oz turns off the ignition, putting his arms on on the steering wheel and resting his head there. He tells himself that he's just going to rest here for a minute and then he'll keep driving. Driving is the only thing that works for him right now. Aside from stopping for gas and occaisionally food, Oz feels that he could keep driving for quite some time.
He's awakened suddenly by a squealing voice and tapping on the passenger side window of the van. "Oh my God!! Oz?!"
Oz blinks and recognizes a familiar face. Cordelia.
"What are you doing here?" she asks, not even waiting for him to roll down a window to continue the conversation. "Don't tell me Buffy sent you here with another ring that'll make Angel invincible or something."
Oz shakes his head as he pulls the keys from the ignition. He gets out of the van and endures an energetic hug from Cordelia. "Just... driving," Oz shrugs.
She takes him by the arm and leads him into the building, quizzing him for updates about everyone in Sunnydale since his last visit.
"...of course she didn't really make time for small talk when she was here," Cordelia finishes as they walk into the offices.
Oz nods, because he understands that you never need to really say anything when talking to Cordelia, just nod or shake your head per the conversational prompts.
Wesley looks up from the tome on demons he's studying and pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Ah, Cordelia. I--" He notices that Cordelia is not alone, and it takes Wesley a moment to recognize the haggard-looking young man with her. "Oz? I presume you're here to deliver another item of a... delicate nature. I've heard about your previous visit."
"Nah," Oz replies. "Just stopping for a visit. Is Angel around?"
"Oh sure," Cordelia says. "He's probably brooding down in his apartment. You remember how to get there, right?"
Oz nods and waves at Cordelia and Wesley as he heads for the door. Their voices become a murmur as he closes it behind him and he walks down the stairs.
Oz stops in front of the door to Angel's quarters and knocks.
"Come in," a voice calls.
Oz enters and finds Angel, shirtless, sitting in a meditation pose.
Angel opens his eyes as Oz clears his throat. He blinks at the sight of Oz standing there and then invites him in.
"Hey," Oz says as he closes the door behind him.
"Hey," Angel says by way of reply as he gets to his feet and stretches. "I take it you're not here to deliver something."
"Nope. I was just... in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop in, catch up."
Angel nods at this. He pads over to the kitchen and asks if Oz would like anything. Oz declines.
After inviting Oz to have a seat on the couch, Angel joins him.
There's a silence between the two of them that endures for a few minutes. It's not an uncomfortable silence, just a silence that exists between two men who don't feel the need to make conversation unless it's necessary.
Oz eventually breaks the silence by asking Angel if he can use the bathroom. Angel nods and points out the way. When Oz returns, there are two mugs on the coffee table in front of the couch. One with steaming hot black coffee, the other full of warmed-over pigs' blood.
"Thanks," Oz says as he picks up his mug and sits down again next to Angel.
There's still a silence, as neither of them feels like talking. They know they could, if they wanted too. But they don't. And they're both okay with that.
Cordelia walks in on them later, and finds Oz asleep with his head on Angel's shoulder. The mug of blood is drained, while the cup of coffee remains mostly full. Angel signals for her to whisper.
"Listen, I just had this mondo vision and Wes says we need to handle it now."
Angel slowly and gently moves Oz's head from his shoulder and settles him on the couch. Cordelia retrieves a blanket from Angel's bedroom and drapes it over Oz's sleeping form.
When Angel returns from dealing with the demon in Cordelia's vision, he's covered in slime and gore. He quickly strips out of his clothes and heads for the shower.
Oz awakens soon after Angel's return with a pressing need to urinate. He stumbles to the bathroom and uses the toilet, not really noticing the noise of the shower. He flushes and there's a yelp from behind the shower curtain, which startles Oz awake.
"Sorry," he says loud enough to be heard over the water. Angel turns off the water and partially pulls back the curtain. "It's all right, I was nearly done anyway. Could you hand me a towel?"
"Sure," Oz says while passing one to him.
There's a palpable moment of tension as Oz can see behind the curtain and Angel probably saw through the curtain while Oz's jeans were down. Their eyes meet and Oz reddens briefly.
Neither of them acts on the tension, and after a moment, it's forgotten.
Oz turns to head back to the living room and Angel watches him go.
When Angel is dressed in clean clothes, he joins Oz on the couch once more.
"So... Sunnydale," Angel says.
"It's not home any more."
Angel's surprised by this, but says nothing.
"Willow and I... we're moving in different directions, becoming different people."
Angel nods. "Buffy and I had similar problems. Listen, if you need a place to crash, you're welcome to stay here for as long as you like."
"Thanks," Oz replies. "I think I'll be leaving soon, though. Got a monk to see about a flower." The way he smiles when he says this lets Angel know it's a joke.
"Stay the night at least."
Oz considers this, then nods.
"Wait," Angel says. "There's a full moon tonight, isn't there?"
"Yeah."
"And you don't need someplace special to stay? I'm sure Wes and I could rig something up..."
"Don't need it. I can control the change now."
"You can?" Angel is visibly impressed.
Oz nods. "Most of the time, at least."
He doesn't need to explain what those times when he can't control the change are. Angel understands.
The next morning, when Cordelia comes by with fresh doughnuts, coffee and blood, she discovers that Oz and his van are gone.
Angel finds a note addressed to him on the couch. He reads it, and smiles. Just like Oz, it's quick and to the point.
He takes a moment to sit down on the couch and breathes deeply. Underneath the usual smells of Oz, there's still the wolf.