He follows her up the stairs, his fingers twined into hers. She's nervous, he can feel it in the ticking of her pulse. Like holding a little bird in his hand.

They close the door to her bedroom. The light stays off. He watches her leaning against the door. He moves towards her but stops. There's something in her eyes. It looks like tears. Ready to spill.

"What's wrong?"

She shakes her head, not meeting his gaze, yet.

"Buffy, I-"

"Tell me you love me." She stares at him then, defiantly. The shock of it unbalances him for a moment.

"I love you…you know I do."

She bites her lip. Ducking her head again.

"…Tell me you want me," this time no more than a whisper.

"Desperately," the word catches in his throat. She turns her gaze back to him, "what is this, luv?" He touches her arm but she moves away. It's unlike her to look so vulnerable. So nearly broken.

"Everyone always leaves. They always leave and I'm always alone…." She sighs, wiping underneath her eyes, "it's awful."

"Angel?" he asks, the name making his mouth grimace. Like a bad taste.

"And Riley… every time. Every time I get close they leave."

"That's not your fault, pet."

"It's like there's something wrong with me." He grabs her arm this time.

"Don't say that." He kisses her then, holding her throat so she doesn't move away, "I'm not going anywhere. I know we've had a bad time getting to here but it's over now." His tongue licks up her neck, biting her chin before finding her lips again.

"Unlike those two ponces my pride can take a fair bit of kicking. I won't go until you tell me to," he bites her lip, "probably not even then."

Their kiss is slow and steadying, tender and deep.

Buffy chokes back a sob. I've was so cruel. Tears fall but he wipes them away without breaking the kiss, his hands around her face. She wraps her hands along his hard jaw, and they stand like that for a while, just breathing into each other, tongues curling around each other.

He pulls back, and steps out of his boots, losing an inch in height.

Huh- he doesn't wear socks Buffy thinks, her mind roaming as he takes off his shirt, dropping it to the floor. He unbuckles his belt and steps out of his jeans.

…Or underwear.

He stands infront of her, letting her see him in the gloom of her bedroom. There are still cuts and bruises from their fight. She moves to touch him and he pushes her gently back against the door, placing her hands back at her side.

He starts to unbutton her shirt, bottom button first. She can hear his steady breathing. The smell of his cigarettes and leather. He pulls her shirt down gently over her shoulders, off her arms. Reaches behind her and undoes her bra with one hand, pulling it off with the other. She's shivering slightly now. He unzips her skirt, pulling it down with her panties, levering her legs out from the folds of the clothes on the floor.

He stands up in front of her and puts his hands on her hips. She gasps slightly, feeling the electricity of his touch after the anticipation. His rings cool against her skin.

He wraps an arm behind her waist, winding around her back, fingers splayed over a shoulder blade. She strokes the back of his neck and he shivers against her. Her fingers stroke down over his shoulders, brushing against his bite mark. He gasps. Holding her close, every part of them touching. He pulls her, pushes her, waltzes her over to the bed, his tongue over the pulse in her neck, hand in her hair. He can hear her heart beat fluttering, feel the air in her lungs pushing against him, spilling down over him. Her nipples harden against him, grazing his chest. It makes his heart lurch.

He folds back the covers and pulls her down into the bed next to him. The softness, the warmth, the smell of her wraps round his mind like a cobra and squeezes. She curls into him, her fingers tracing the cuts on his chest. He pulls her hand away.

"Don't give it another thought, luv," brushing her hair back from her face.

He pulls her leg over his hip, slipping closer to her, arms pulling her down, cradling her. His hips rocking against her gently. She groans at the movement, feels his cock pushing against her, his hand pulling her leg further over him.

"Do you want it kind again?" he whispers.

"Kind," she murmurs, "but… not gentle." She's rocking back against him, each thrust making her feel like she's fainting.

"I can do that."

He drags her towards him then, arms pining her to him. He's pushing his tongue into her mouth and she bucks underneath him, moaning, desperately grabbing the back of his head. She pulls out of the kiss and bites his earlobe. He groans uncontrollably against her. She's working her way down his neck, her tongue darting over his jugular.

"Oh, God…Buffy," he whimpers, both hands deep in her hair, pushing her mouth down harder onto his neck. Her tongue hits a nerve and his whole body spasms, swallowing a moan. She pushes her tongue down on the spot harder and for a moment he sees white, ears ringing. Her hand unwinds itself from him and covers his mouth. Her tongue moves back to that spot but this time she bites down. He screams against her hand. Between her teeth his skin is singing from the sensation, her tongue caressing, mouth sucking.

He pushes her legs apart. He can hear her blood pumping, her lungs heaving. She's pulling him down, pulling him in, mouth still clamped around his neck, teeth nearly breaking the skin. He pushes into her and she groans, the vibrations of her groan sending shockwaves through the skin in her teeth. Each thrust makes her moan, and he feels it in his neck like an electric shock each time. Her moans get deeper, louder, muffled by his skin, breaking him apart. He feels like a wave crashing against rocks, breaking himself apart on her. He can feel they're both close, each breath covering another inch. When she comes she pulls him down on her, legs squeezing, arms crushing the air from his lungs. Her walls flutter around his cock and he explodes from it, biting back another scream. His legs are shaking, mind swimming. He moves away from her hand, lips finding her shoulder, nipping gently. She's still got her teeth sunk into his neck, and when she unclamps it's another shivering release. They lie together like this for an age, breathing together. He moves off her gently, manoeuvring her against his chest, legs entwining. Listening to her unwinding, heartbeat slowing down. He lets out a shivering breath, and fingers the mark she's left at his neck. No blood, but he can feel a welt there. He can feel each dip where her teeth gripped him. The sensation of it makes his cock stir again.

He pulls the blankets around them, pulling her head up from his chest.

He kisses her, softly, and she sighs. Sleep creeping across her face. He watches as her eyes close. One hand still on his chest.