KissBingo : emotion : jealousy
Title : Green Eyed Angel
Pairing : Buffy/Angel mentions of Xander/Spike
Rating : R
Summary : Based in the defender!verse. Still awaiting Buffy's decision about the claim, Angel watches and waits...

He knew, and accepted she needed space. Cordelia might say he had the sensitivity of a rotting tree stump but that didn't mean he was a complete idiot. And it was obvious Buffy was struggling. She wasn't used to indecision - was much happier making a plan and implementing it, changing it as and when necessary but in essence just getting on and doing it. All the pros, cons and unknowns with the Mating Claim were messing with her head and it was turning her into a major bitch. All they did lately was fight - argue, shout, spar with more aggression than was absolutely necessary. Even sex had turned into something more like a wrestling match - who got to be on top, who was more in control, as though orgasm was losing face somehow. Xander had made the point that it was two alphas fighting to decide supremacy but that they were mostly human so had the option to put aside the animalistic posturing and make the decisions using their brains instead of their muscles. But then Spike and Xander had gone - ostensibly to patrol, but more than likely to find somewhere secluded to wallow in the beauty of their mutual claim or as Spike put it 'shag like bunnies'.

From the shadows at the Bronze, he watched her. She was flirting with the muscley TA - Riley something or other - who was so earnest it set Angel's teeth on edge. Buffy couldn't have gone for someone less like Angel if she had placed an ad in a newspaper. The boy was straight up, straight down - a good ole boy with his aw shucks charm. It made Angelus want to rip him apart piece by piece. Hell, it made Angel want to rip him apart.

She laughed at something the big lunk said, tossing her hair back and baring her neck. Her long, tanned, beautiful neck. He could almost feel his fangs sliding into that luscious flesh, taste the intoxication of Slayer blood. But not justany slayer blood - the blood of his slayer, full of love and lust and want. Momentarily ashamed of his thoughts, Angel once again considered walking away and never coming back. Buffy brought out so many of his animalistic tendencies - his demon wanted to claim her, mark her good so that everyone knew she belonged to him, with him. And the man wanted her to accept his claim, wear his ring, make a commitment - tell the world they were together.

He wanted them to be like Xander and Spike - the way the boy wore his claim from Spike nearly always got him hard, however much he might want to deny it. Xander flaunted his claim mark, even dressed to show it off to all and sundry. He never made a secret of how much he loved Spike - all of Spike, even the parts that Spike himself didn't like too much. He was so jealous of what Spike and Xander had, sometimes he had to leave the room to stop himself reaching out and forcibly reclaiming his childe, and by doing so claiming his mate. Angelus "wanted" what belonged to Spike to belong to him, and therein lay part of the struggle. Angelus didn't actively "want" Buffy. Oh, he wanted the kudos of having a slayer as mate, the natural demon tendency to crow about achievements and possessions. But he didn't love Buffy, not the way Angel did. And maybe that was why Buffy was fighting his claim. Because she knew that his soul loved her but his demon did not.

Shaking off his introspection, Angel returned his gaze to Buffy and Riley, his hackles rising and his fangs dropping as the muscle-bound hick put his arm around Buffy. Ok, he was doing it to lead her towards the door but he was putting his arm on Angel's property, and that could not, would not be borne! Before he even realised it, Angel found himself in front of them, blocking their exit.

"Hey, excuse me buddy".

"ANGEL!" Buffy sounded surprised, and then wary, her slayer instincts kicking in and telling her this was closer to Angelus than Angel, that the demon was at the forefront and she needed to be on high alert.

"Buffy".

"Errr, obviously you two know each other. Whatever, sorry pal, we were just leaving..." Riley tried to move past him, jumping back in shock as he found Angel once more very much in his face. "...listen here..."

"Do you really want to drag someone else into this?" Angel had not once taken his eyes off Buffy, watching as she subtly moved until she was in a better fighting position.

"I don't know what you're talking about" she replied, avoiding his gaze.

"Oh but ye do, me leannan".

"Listen up, buddy, I don't know who you think you are but me and the lady are leaving. And I suggest you back off". Riley's bluster barely registered as Angel finally managed to stare Buffy dead in the eye. For a moment she faced him, indecision in her eyes before she sighed and dropped her gaze.

"Look, Angel, let's talk about this another time - ok?" She moved to brush past him, and finally pushed to his limits, jealousy over-riding any hint of common sense he grabbed her by the shoulders, lowered his head and took her mouth. For a moment she struggled in his grasp, hands pushing against his shoulders, mouth stubbornly closed. And then she moaned, sighed and gave in - opening her mouth to accept his tongue, body melting into his, arms reaching up and around to hold onto his neck and pull him closer.

"Huh. Well, I guess I'll - yeah, I'll leave you to it Buffy - catch you at class or something". Riley's words barely impinged on her consciousness, her full attention on the magic Angel was weaving with his tongue, the feel of his body pressed against hers. He pulled his mouth away, turning to look at Riley.

"She's mine. You lay hands on her again, and I'll be teaching ye a lesson you won't soon forget". Recoiling in horror, Buffy wrenched herself from his arms.

"Angel! I'm not some thing you own! How dare you?" Staring at him angrily, she turned and said "Riley! Riley - please wait, let me explain..." Leaving Angel staring after her, the feel of the jealous kiss still moist on his lips, the pain of her rejection stinging deep. No, she wasn't a thing but he was a demon and she knew how possessive his demon was.

Stepping back into the shadows, he turned and strode out of the club through another exit, determined that this time he would not be coming back. She had rejected the most basic part of his nature - vampire equalled possessive - and let another man touch what was his, knowing full well how it would make him feel. Letting the demon out, Angel ran as fast as he could towards the nearest cemetery - he needed to burn off the anger somehow, and patrol was the safest way, for all concerned.