DISCLAIMER: Joss, that evil, evil man who has come straight from the bowels of Satan himself, owns these characters, so does Mutant Enemy, David Greenwalt, blah blah blah. I own nothing but the premise for the story, etc.
DEDICATION: Molly, the Slay Gal Extraordinaire who inspires all the fluffy and/or smutty B/A fics I write...and will probably be upset with my upcoming story...but I'll keep it hush-hush for now.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a little fluff based after ADOLESCENCE, just a little addition like BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE that has our favorite couple being all happy and stuff. I don't mean any disrespect to Connor, I love the lil' guy, but here he doesn't exist. Sorry.





BLACK ELASTIC


"I'm a cow."

Buffy Summers examined her body in the full-length mirror that stood on the back of her door. She was wearing a gray tee shirt and black training sweats and socks, but no shoes, as they pressed in on her already swollen ankles. She ran her hand delicately over her swollen tummy, and she couldn't help but smile as the life growing inside of her gave proof of it's existence by kicking into her palm. She continued to slight herself, but in a more mocking tone. "I'm a pig. A whale. A blimp. I could be classified as a planet if I get any bigger."

Angel came up behind his wife, draping his arms over her generously proportioned stomach with loving tenderness as he placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "It just means the twins are growing healthily. Besides, I think you're as beautiful as ever. Especially in those sweatpants." He grinned, kissing along her neck gently. "You know how I love a woman in black elastic."

Buffy smiled, tilting her head so she could better kiss her husband. They had entered a world of unadulterated bliss since he came back to her as a human and started a family with their firstborn daughter Angelina, and now, eight months later, they were going to have two more additions to the Summers' family tree. That's right. The Summers'. Angel had taken her last name at the expense of losing the respect and fear of the demon world. Let's face it, "Angel Summers" isn't exactly filled with menacing darkness and avenging fury.

But he had adjusted to human life well, although he still had a habit of wearing black. Cordelia would visit occasionally, and on her most recent she introduced him to kiwi green. Angel quickly got out of trying on sunrise yellow by playing the tape of his wife's sonogram, on which the black and white image of his two daughters was recorded. It's amazing how something so simple can grant so much joy.

"You are becoming such a guy." Buffy said playfully, nipping along his jaw with her lips. "I'm a balloon, and all you can think about is making love to me."

"When I'm around you, I can think of nothing else." Angel replied, returning her shows of affection with some of his own, well-placed kisses greeting her neck.

"I can't believe you still think I'm attractive like this." Buffy said, laying her head back on air so Angel could better access her neck. Any more of this treatment, and they'd assuredly have a multitude of children to raise.

"Buffy," Angel said, turning her around and winding his arms around her waist. He looked down at her, deep into her eyes, nearly beaming. "When I didn't have a soul, I killed hundreds, maybe thousands of people. And now, I've helped bring three wondrous lives into this world. I've suffered so much for what I've done in my past, but when I look at you or our daughter, or when I think of what's to come when you give birth to our little miracles, it makes it all go away. I think, maybe I've done something right. Angelus took lives so easily. Anyone can just take a life in hatred or twisted delight. But to make a life, to join in love and produce something so significant to this world...to make not only a symbol of that love, but to create someone that can make a difference in the world, someone that can show just what love can do for this planet...that is an accomplishment.

And we did that. Together. We created three little marvels that will give this planet something to hope for. And you, the mother of those miracles, are carrying two of them inside of you, nurturing them, developing them until the time where they can come into this world. Then we're going to raise them and teach them what's right and good. When I picture you teaching them to walk or to ride a bike or maybe even to slay a vampire, it warms my heart in a way I've never felt before. I could think of nothing better than making love to the woman who has brightened my life just by being near me, and now she's carrying my children. That makes you the most beautiful woman in the world to me."

Buffy beamed, her eyes glistening with tears as she rested her head on Angel's chest, hugging him close to her. "That was..." she sniffed, wiping her eyes on his shirt. Then, she began crying. "...God, that was so beautiful."

Angel smiled slightly as he held her, not minding his dampened shirt as she trembled in his arms. "It's either that, or the sweatpants."

Buffy giggled, looking up at him with puffy red eyes, the tears not detracting from the love held within them. "A perfectly spoken speech, and then that comment."

"What can I say?" Angel said, kissing her lips softly. "I love to see you smile."
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