The Haunted House on the Hill

Denny raised his hands defensively. "I'm not getting in the middle of your tiff."

"No." Joseph said. "Agel, stop trying to make yourself a martyr, and focus on staying alive."

"I'm not trying to make myself a martyr, I'm trying to get all of you out alive!" Angel said. "It's either that, or you're staying." she said angrilly.

"And we want you to leave with us!" Joseph said. "And none of us is going to settle for anything less, so I am going, and no one is leaving the other behind, and THAT. IS. FINAL!"

"And I'd rather not have you die because I'm a Steve magnet! Joseph, I'm trying to make sure you don't get hurt! I'm trying to make sure all of you don't get hurt! Please, Joseph! Stay!" she begged, tears welling in her eyes.

"And I'm making sure you don't get hurt!" Joseph shot back. "You. Are. Not. Going. Alone."

"You'd increase my chances of getting hurt because I'd feel a need to protect you!" Angel said irritably. "I. Have. To. Go. Alone."

Quil sighed. "Angel, if you're a Steve magnet, let Joseph go and protect you," she stated, scowling. "Use the buddy system." With that, she pushed the two of them out the door, leaning against it so they couldn't get back in, dragging Denny over to do the same.

"No! This isn't a good-" Angel's protests were cut off as the door was slammed in her face. "-idea." Angel banged on the door. "Let him in!" she said angrilly.

"If he comes in, you both come in~" Denny called mockingly from against the door.

"How about he comes in, and I run off alone?" Angel called.

"Lemme think about it..." Denny began, humming in thought.

"No," Quil finished, her voice hard. "Now get moving you two, or I'll kick both of your asses into next week."

"You wanna go, Quil?" Angel said, tensing up.

"Hey, I'll beat the shit out of you if need be," Quil answered, shrugging although Angel couldn't see her.

"I'll beat your shit out too, Quil." Angel growled, beating the door some more.

"Now, now, there's no need for fighting. You want to take a look around? Take Joseph with you. Use the goddamn buddy system, Angel," Quil told her.

"I know my way around the house, but I don't want to use your 'buddy system' if my 'buddy' is at risk of getting killed!" Angel screamed. "LET. HIM. IN."

"C'mon, Angel, don't be a brat and just take Joseph with you. You can protect him, can't you? It'll be fine. Quil will get what she wants, and everything will be just fine, okay? The longer you wait out here, the more danger you're putting you and Joseph in, right?" Denny asked her, for once trying to talk reason into Angel.

"How about I find my own way to leave him here? It'll be a lot more reckless, and crazy. It could be potentially dangerous for him, so you might as well just take him...." Angel said, almost singsonging it.

Denny laughed. "Silly, silly, Angel. You wouldn't leave poor Joseph all alone, would you? Especially not him of all people..."

Quil raised an eyebrow, not sure what the hell Denny was going on about.

"Angel, stop this!" Joseph said. "You're not going alone, and that's final."

Angel ignored Joseph, and flushed red at Denny's snark. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Joseph sighed, before turning to the stairs. Angel was wasting their time by doing this.

"You thought I of all people wouldn't notice? I am the ultimate master of all emotions, 'specially what you know I'm talking about," Denny grinned cheekily. "So, when should I tell him? 'Cuz if you leave him here, guess what I'm gonna do...~"

"Fine, go ahead!" Angel said angrilly. "As long as it keeps him here!"