"But, Buffy!" Dawn's voice cried through the earpiece.
"Dawn, just do it. Please." There was a pause.
"Fine. But, I won't forget this."
"Thank you, Dawn. Love you." Buffy hung up the phone. She stood up and looked out her hotel window upon the quiet streets of Prato. A few miles away, or kilometers she supposed, was the hustling, bustling and beautiful city of Florence, Italy. If she squinted hard enough, maybe she could see the Fountain of Neptune, her favorite piece of architecture there.
"Nah, didn't work," she said to herself.
"What didn't work?"
She turned around. There stood a tall, dark, and muscular man. Just the sight of him made her heart beat a little faster.
"Huh? Oh. Uh, nothing."
He stepped forward. "Buffy, are you okay? You look upset. Did something happen?"
The elegant man, his long, dark hair pulled into a low bun, reached a hand out towards her, then pulled away, his skin singed slightly from the sun. Buffy looked at the sunlight peeking through the curtains. She reached up and closed them, then grabbed the man's hand.
"I'm fine. Just feel a little weird, that's all."
He pulled her closer to him, then kissed her on the forehead. Buffy swore she could feel the icy cool of his lips imprinting her brain.
"Listen, it's just a few hours more until the sun goes down, then we can go get some gelato. Hmm?" His voice hummed in a low tone that automatically put Buffy at ease, no matter what was on her mind.
"Mmmm...No problems that an incredible amount of sugar can't solve."
"I need to make a few calls. Are you alright?"
She kissed him in reply, and he left Buffy to her thoughts.
Why did she feel so strange? Had she eaten something bad? After a while, she shrugged away the thought and began to let herself relax. She turned on the television and began to absentmindedly channel-surf, letting her thoughts drift.
She was on vacation right now. In Italy. Things were going wonderfully with Sangue, though she didn't know what her problem was with having only vampire boyfriends. Must be that whole forbidden fruit thing, she thought to herself.
But in her defense, she picked hot vampire boyfriends. At least, that's what Willow told her. Though, whether Willow was the best for advice on the subject, she wasn't sure.
She didn't know what it was about Sangue that made her trust him so easily. She hadn't really felt this way about someone since...
"Spike."
Buffy hadn't said his name in a long time, and had been trying not to think about him. The loss for him was as great as the abyss that was now Sunnydale. But since escaping to Italy, that hole had become a little smaller each day. Or maybe just more manageable.
She was only alone there for about three months before everyone else followed. She wasn't upset, though. She knew they all needed each other and to be close to one another to function. But, she was still on vacation from being the Slayer. After all, she wasn't the only one now. She was able to take a break without some apocalypse occuring. Or if one did, there were plenty of back-up Buffys who were being trained—much to their enthusiasm she was sure—by Giles.
Buffy threw her head back and laughed a little. Giles was in his element: boring teenage girls to death was right up his alley. And poor Dawn just loved being his assistant. But Buffy had a feeling Dawn didn't hate it as much as she said she did. Dawn always had to complain when it came to something Buffy wanted her to do. But, she hadn't as much lately.
Buffy thought maybe Dawn was starting to come into her own a bit more. Xander agreed with her. Every time Buffy talked to him, he praised how beautiful, smart, and mature Dawn was becoming. It was as though she were his little sister. But Buffy didn't mind, and she knew Dawn certainly didn't. That little crush on Xander had never quite faded.
As for Willow, Buffy wasn't positive on her situation. She knew Willow was extremely happy with school right now, considering she was a graduate student and also taught two classes a week. Every time they talked, Buffy pretended to know what she was talking about and was, honestly, pretty bored. Alas, whatever made Willow happy, made Buffy happy. Something that confused her, though, was Willow's feelings about Kennedy, if there were any. Lately, Willow had been spending more time at Slayer Central and less time at her apartment with Kennedy. Buffy hadn't pressed her about it yet, and Willow hadn't said anything, so she decided to leave it alone for the time being.
Buffy loved being on holiday, but it was still hard for her to actually relax. She met Sangue shortly before her friends and family had arrived in Florence. Though, not exactly on accident, she still hadn't introduced him to anyone, they all seemed to approve of the idea of him. That's how she was able to escape with him on these mini-holidays. They never went too far away in case there was an emergency, but Buffy thoroughly enjoyed and needed the occasional weekend getaway. Sangue accompanying her and paying her way—though she wasn't sure how a vampire like himself had so much money anyway (he always just said "business")—was an added bonus.
"You ready?" Sangue stood before her in a chocolate brown turtleneck and grey slacks with expensive Italian shoes—though, they were just expensive shoes in general, on second thought—looking powerful with the dark colors of his clothing accenting his green eyes. While Buffy knew perfectly well just how handsome her beau was, she still felt a little taken aback by his presence that evening.
"Duh...yeah." Buffy felt a little lame in comparison. She looked down at her flowing pink silk skirt and sheer white camisole with her wedges in embarrassment.
"Buffy. You look beautiful." He touched her cheek.
She looked up at him and slowly smiled. "I'm ready."
Her current feeling of inadequacy was not an uncommon one. It was not Sangue's actions that brought this feeling about. No, it was nothing he did on purpose, but his mere appearance, countenance, and...power. Buffy pushed the thoughts aside. If she focused on them for too long, her gelato would taste bad.
She slipped her hand though the crook of his arm and smiled up at him. He bent down and kissed the top of her head.
"Any better?" he asked softly.
"Not yet."
She turned to him pulled him closer. He bent down to kiss her full on the mouth. "Now?"
"Much."
He smiled, revealing two rows of straight and beautiful white teeth (and two somewhat pointy canines), his eyes shining.
"Then let us a-go!" He jogged ahead to get the door for her. He always did this, and Buffy had yet to be tired of it.
"Grazie!" She curtseyed after exiting their hotel room. He smiled broadly and they began to walk towards the front door of the hotel.
"So what word will you teach me today?" she asked curiously. He had been teaching her little Italian phrases and words every day for about six weeks now. She had a hard time remembering all of them, not to mention how to say them, but her vocabulary had now expanded from the two words she had known before (ciao and bella, though she didn't know what the latter meant until Sangue told her).
He stroked his chin. "Hmm...Ti amo."
She repeated it thoughtfully. "What does it mean?"
"I love you."
Buffy stopped dead in her tracks. Her heart was beating so loud and so fast she was sure he could hear. Her mouth dropped open. This was new information. Scary information.
"Buffy, cara mia, are you alright? You do not look well." Suddenly, Sangue looked like Buffy felt, except the whole beating heart part. His naturally tan skin paled and he began stammering nervously.
"Did I say something wrong? Perhaps I should...leave you alone." He paused, then decisively turned away. Buffy's mouth had gone dry as she stood there and gaped at the man walking away from her who loved her, apparently. Where was he going? What if he wasn't going to come back? She couldn't lose him.
"Sangue, wait!"
He stopped walking, but didn't move towards her, or even face her. Buffy swallowed and ran towards him. She touched his arm and she was shocked to see how sad his eyes were. She took a deep breath before saying, "Ti amo...too."
Sangue chuckled. Then he swept her up into his arms and spun her around in the air with one arm and using the other to pull her head toward him for a kiss. "Good!" he laughed. "Now the gelato will taste better!"
After Sangue set Buffy down, she swayed a little. She felt somewhat lightheaded and dizzy, and it wasn't because her six-foot-four vampire boyfriend had just twirled her in the air. Well, he had something to do with it. She couldn't believe how well things were going for her since she moved to Italy and met Sangue. In any other relationship, she would fear that it was going too fast. But for some reason, she felt completely and totally secure with him. It was the safest she had felt since…
"Come, darling. The sugar rush is on our left." He grabbed her arm with a gentle, yet firm grip and guided her towards their destination. He put a protective arm around her as they walked. Buffy didn't feel like passing out anymore, so much as floating.
"Do you know what today is?" Sangue inquired, twirling a finger in her hair as they walked.
"Uh...Friday." They still had one more day before she had to return to Slayer Central and he to...whatever he did during the day.
"Well, yes, but there's something else."
"Is it your birthday or something? I didn't think we did birthdays! I mean there's only so many candles that can fit on one cake." She wrung her hands a little.
"No, no, no." Sangue clucked his tongue.
He seems amused. That's good, Buffy thought.
"What is today's date?" he tried again.
"February 14th. Wha-oh...Do they celebrate that over here?" She felt like an idiot.
"Anniversaries? Of course." Sangue eyed her bemusedly.
"Anniversary? What are you talking about? I meant Valentine-oh." Oh seemed to be a common word for Buffy these days.
"Buffy," he said shortly. Sangue let go of her and stopped walking. "We met on this day five months ago. Don't you remember?"
She looked up at him. He met her gaze with one eyebrow arched.
"Of course I remember. How could I forget? It's just the date that slipped my mind. I've never been good with dates. The only reason I passed history was because of Willow."
"Well, I am." He reached into his pocket and produced a small box.
"Ooh! Do I get a present?" Buffy reached out for the carefully wrapped square box.
"Go ahead."
She took it and tore apart the red paper. She slowly lifted the lid. Amid a layer of red silk lay a small, silver heart on a delicate, thin chain. She picked it up and examined it closely. Engraved in a simple script on the front of the heart were the words:
October 14th, cara mia.
Buffy jumped in the air and threw her arms around Sangue's neck, almost knocking him over, and producing an "Ooph!" from the vamp.
"You almost took me down!" he laughed as he squeezed her.
"Ti amo, ti amo, ti amo!" Buffy felt tears trying to creep out of her eyes, but she kept them at bay.
"Anything for you," he whispered softly.
Buffy felt her stomach vibrate low and deep at the words. She reached toward his face, lightly stroking his cheekbone and jaw. He grabbed her hand and kissed it, then pulled them forward.
She looked around them as they once again ventured for the ice treat. There were fewer businesses opened and less people in the streets as the night progressed. "At this rate, we'll never make it in time."
"No. We will make it," Sangue promised. "I know a shortcut." Suddenly, they turned right and walked through a small alleyway before coming out on the street where the gelato vendor sat.
Buffy smiled as Sangue began to order their hard-earned treats. She loved hearing him speak Italian. And she thought maybe she could love him as much as the gelato.