Disclaimer: I don't own, but I do have fun with these characters.
Author's Note: This is a very fluffy chapter. Sometimes, fluff is sweet so here is my dose of extra sweetness. Also, the beginning is mainly just to give you some backstory on the new players, and to set up the time frame (which is a year after Angel was made mortal). Sound good? And because of work and school, my mind totally trailed off from the story a bit. So if any of you have any suggestions, please, please give them to me. I like new ideas.
It had been some months since the incident in the cemetary. I hadn't seen heads nor tails of any of them since. I was never one to lie low, but Giles advised it. At least until he could find more information on the vamps I'd seen that night. Needless to say, someone wanted me dead. And he went by the name of Miroslav.
Giles tells me that Miroslav is a Master vampire from the Ukraine. Years and years ago, he destroyed half the country, looking for a girl. He was merciless, and powerful. The people called him Miroslav vid Riznya, which means Miroslav of Massacre. He travelled into Asia, up Russia and across Siberia, looking for this girl. Her name was Maroushka and she was a gypsy-girl with enough power to help Miroslav conquer the world. However, Maroushka was only six years old when he finally found her. The story goes that he kidnapped her from her village to watch her until she grew up and could use her power.
Unfortunately for Miroslav, a seventeen-year-old Maroushka (or Mishka, as he called her) did not want his conquests, but his love. As if that wasn't sick enough, she wanted to be sired, thereby losing her mortal powers and sending Miroslav for a downfall. Giles couldn't find out what her power was, or why it was so important to Miroslav. I told him I didn't care and I would kill them both if I had to, but Giles restrained me. I could tell - even if he didn't say it - he was worried that I would die again. Willow, Tara, Dawn, Xander...they all worried too. What was different about this time than others we they tell me 'Don't go, you'll die' was that I had something that needed me here, really needed. And he went by the name of Angel.
There was early morning sunlight pouring in from the window and it lit up Angel's skin that had - with time - darkened to a medium tan. I was half-way lying on his back, my chin against his warm flesh. I ran my hand over his smooth, wide back. I lifted my head and placed a couple of kisses on his shoulderblade, then a few along his spine. Softly, I traced the tattoo that resided on the opposite shoulder, fingering the 'A' with care. I felt Angel shuffle mildy underneath, so I leaned up to press my lips to the back of his neck.
"Mm," I felt the vibrato of the sound through him. "You're affectionate today."
"Can't help it," I said, touching my forehead to his head, blushing. "I'm Lovey-Girl. You make me so happy."
"You do, too," Angel murmured. I smiled and kissed his hair, pressing my body against his own.
Angel let out a deep, satisfied breath and I felt out his spine. I laid my head on him, cheek to skin. I put my arm around his waist, feeling so much at peace and so connected with him. I shut my eyes, and just listened to Angel breathe, a steady, deep inhale and slower exhale. His skin smelled like warmth and slightly salty from an earlier sweat. Though our lovemaking was not often, it was highly appreciated and very enjoyable. This time was especially so. Intense, perfect, and the right amount of heaven to bring tears to Angel's eyes.
So many things had happened in a relatively short amount of time. Besides for all the mortal Angel madness, there was the fight to get back into school, and moving to a new place and trying to avoid Miroslav and his Mishka. But that day, Miroslav and his plans for me were the furthest thing on my mind. All I knew was that I was there with Angel, one extraordinary moment.
"This can't get any better," I spoke, nuzzling him and smiling beside myself.
"You think so?" Angel asked in a suspenseful tone of voice. I lifted myself up, a brow raised in curiousity.
"What do you mean?" I asked, pulling a sheet around me. Angel rolled over and sat up. He cocked his head to the side and peered at me, as a puppy would. It was a strange look.
"What?" I cocked my head back at him, laughing lightly. He reached out and touched my cheek, then slid his fingertips down my neck, over my shoulder and down my arm. Which is where I caught him with my hand. I laced our fingers, and pulled his hand towards me until it touched my torso.
"I love you," Angel almost whispered. He looked at me intently, his dark amber eyes reflecting my own emotions. Then he watched as I pulled his hand against me more.
"I love you," I shut my eyes, the three simple words leaving my mouth made me want to drown in Angel's eyes. He moved closer to me, then wrapped his palm around the back of my neck. Holding me still, he brushed his lips over mine. I wanted more as our breath mixed in the air between us.
"Are we ready?" Angel asked me, and I could almost feel the movement of his lips. He threaded his fingers through my hair and I looked at him. I could see a question in eyes, and the answer never skipped a beat.
"For anything," I responded, leaning into his touch. Something like wonder flashed in his eyes briefly before he took his touch away. I went forward, about to reclaim it when I saw him reach for the nightstand. But he had already turned back to me before I could see what he was up to.
"What're you doing?" I asked. Angel only smiled coolly, and wrapped an arm around me. He pulled me into his lap where I settled, an arm around one of his shoulders while his hand massaged my side. He took my hand and kissed it while I leaned against him, still curious about what he'd done.
"Buffy," the sound of his voice grabbed my attention and held it like a choke hold. "There's never been anyone...that made me feel the way you do. Even when I was a vampire, you've always been the one I wanted." He paused and I sat up. "I love you more and more every day. I think - no, I know. There will never be anyone else like you...or anything like this ever again."
I couldn't say a word, I had no clue what to say. He looked up at me and all I could do was pray that he knew that I felt all the things he felt. I swallowed deeply while we stared each other. I reached up to touch his cheek, then followed with my mouth. I kissed him, pouring everything I felt into it. I didn't know what was causing this sudden spillage of hearts, but it felt so right.
When we pulled apart, my breathing was rapid and shallow. My head was spinning and my lips felt numb. Only Angel's kisses made me get this way. I slid my hand down his cheek and into my lap. I was still in the wave of emotions when Angel reached behind him. When he brought his hand back around, he was holding something in his fist. It must've been tiny because his fist was almost flat. I looked at him, questioningly. But he asked first.
"You're the only one for me, so..." Angel opened his hand, revealing a ring. A little golden band with the most perfect circular diamond on top, full of colored facets. The heat started to rise in my cheeks and I could feel a red-hot blush coming on. My mouth opened slightly and I stared at him.
"Will you marry me, Buffy?" He finished. Then took my hand and slipped the ring onto the finger. Words completely escaped me. I closed my mouth and lifted the ring to see it closely, to know that it was really there. Then I looked at me, realizing now the questions in his mind and eye had always been this. And this was it.
"Oh, God - " I felt my lips quivering, feeling the sting of tears well up in my eyes and throat. "Angel..."
I couldn't hold it in, so I dropped my head onto his shoulder. My tears poured out of my eyes and my whole body shivered. He clung to me, trying to soothe me with gentle words and touches. Another wave of emotion: love, shock and true joy. He clung to me, pressing our chests together. His heart was beating almost as fast as mine was. I let go of him slowly, still in the aftershock of the proposal. I turned his head to me, running my thumb across his cheek and taking a deep breath.
"I will," I said simply, trying not to cry again. "I will marry you, Angel."
I thought I saw tears in Angel's eyes too, before he brought me in for another of his intense, passionate kisses. I inhaled him, tightening my fingers in his hair. His arms were comfortably squeezing me, our skin sticking to each other's. We pulled apart with many little smooches, and he was beaming which made me smile incredibly. Angel cradled me in one of his arms while I held his hand with the one his ring was on.
"So," I began, watching our hands as we turned them and fidgeted. "You're ready to be Mr. Summers, then?"
"Yeah," Angel chuckled a little. "But I know it's all I want to be."
"I'm yours, you know," I said, looking up at him. "Forever."
"Good," Angel rocked me against him then we fell back against the bed. I rolled off to one side, draping an arm around Angel's midsection and resting my head on his chest. He toyed with my hair, spinning it around his finger while I drifted off to happy thoughts. There was a point in time when I never thought we would ever be able to really be together and then a lawyer comes along with a miracle. So there we were, Angel and I getting married. Nothing could stop us now.
