Chapter 10
Buffy plastered a false smile on her face as her friends piled presents in front of her. It wasn't that she didn't want them. She just didn't want them today. Birthdays were never good.
At the encouragement of those around her, Buffy reluctantly lifted a present and began to unwrap it.
"That's mine," Xander interjected as the jolly paper fell to the floor unnoticed. Buffy glanced up at him with a small smile and lifted the gift for the others to see. It was a simple silver bracelet, not unlike the one he'd given her before she and Angel's relationship had become serious. But the inscription was different: i So you're Angel's alwaysi. Reading it, Buffy smiled a little more.
"Thanks, Xand," she replied, slipping it on. She'd let Angel know what the inscription meant later, but Buffy sensed Xander wasn't all that keen for the rest of the group to know what it said. Accepting the apology, she moved on to Anya's present; Xander had refused to give it to her with Anya and, as she tossed the paper aside, Buffy knew why.
It was a simple present, but not something anyone would expect. Well, except maybe from Anya.
"You know, I don't really need these, considering Angel can't, y'know, and all."
"Well, I figured, this way you can have sex with many men, and not have to worry about the consequences," Anya explained, proud that she'd done something to show she cared. Buffy simply nodded once, slowly, and rested the pack of multi-coloured condoms on the carpet.
"Here," Willow said, handing a pale pink package to the blonde Slayer. Buffy took it silently, more cheerful than she had been earlier, but still apprehensive. Turning it over, Buffy peeled back the paper to reveal a silk pouch. At Willow's encouragement, she opened the black pouch and emptied its contents on to the floor.
"It's a set of healing crystals," Willow explained. "See, the different stones help regulate and balance your body, making it easier for your immune system to function. Plus, they each have different properties; clear quartz - that's the clear, wand-shaped one - is for clarity. Depending who you ask, it varies slightly, but I think it can help guard against betrayal. although that might be amethyst - the purple one - or agate - the blue one. Or another one altogether. There's a leaflet you can get that lists the most common. All the stones have unique powers. I just figured it might help with Slaying and getting all bruised and battered."
Buffy smiled genuinely for the first time that morning. "Thanks, Will."
"Here," Cordelia said, handing Buffy a package enclosed in Tiffany's paper. Tenderly, Buffy removed the gift and blinked.
"Cordy."
"What? You've gotta have something nice enough to use it with!" Cordelia complained.
"It's not that. It's just. I know pink's in fashion an' all, but blood red? And the bright pink flower thing? Not exactly me. But, thanks, anyway."
"Hey! That's a one-of-a-kind original! Plus I had to pay for the paper, since I didn't buy anything for the shop to gift-wrap!"
"I don't know," Angel murmured form the shadows. "I think blood red could be a nice colour for you."
Buffy abandoned the purse on the floor and ignored Angel's comment, moving swiftly on to the next gift and praying it would be less embarrassing.
As it turned out, the rest of the gifts were fairly average, with chocolate and money being a very pleasing part of the day for the Slayer. For Angel's present, however, she'd been told she'd have to wait.
Buffy passed the day warily, but laughed until her sides ached and she couldn't breathe. When night fell and Angel took her aside, the laughter continued in the next room.
Angel cupped Buffy's face gently and gave her a hint of a kiss that was so light Buffy wasn't sure it was real. His fingers stroked her face and gently pushed her eyelids down. When she opened her eyes again, Buffy was smiling and peaceful, all worries melting under Angel's intense gaze.
"You want your present yet?" he whispered, stroking her ear with his thumb. Slowly, wrapped in a bubble of bliss, the girl nodded. With one deft movement, Angel scooped her into his arms and silently left the house.
He carried her back to his mansion, talking quietly to her all the way, continuously striving to stop her thinking of all the things that could go wrong. Angel was determined that Buffy would be happy on her birthday.
Buffy plastered a false smile on her face as her friends piled presents in front of her. It wasn't that she didn't want them. She just didn't want them today. Birthdays were never good.
At the encouragement of those around her, Buffy reluctantly lifted a present and began to unwrap it.
"That's mine," Xander interjected as the jolly paper fell to the floor unnoticed. Buffy glanced up at him with a small smile and lifted the gift for the others to see. It was a simple silver bracelet, not unlike the one he'd given her before she and Angel's relationship had become serious. But the inscription was different: i So you're Angel's alwaysi. Reading it, Buffy smiled a little more.
"Thanks, Xand," she replied, slipping it on. She'd let Angel know what the inscription meant later, but Buffy sensed Xander wasn't all that keen for the rest of the group to know what it said. Accepting the apology, she moved on to Anya's present; Xander had refused to give it to her with Anya and, as she tossed the paper aside, Buffy knew why.
It was a simple present, but not something anyone would expect. Well, except maybe from Anya.
"You know, I don't really need these, considering Angel can't, y'know, and all."
"Well, I figured, this way you can have sex with many men, and not have to worry about the consequences," Anya explained, proud that she'd done something to show she cared. Buffy simply nodded once, slowly, and rested the pack of multi-coloured condoms on the carpet.
"Here," Willow said, handing a pale pink package to the blonde Slayer. Buffy took it silently, more cheerful than she had been earlier, but still apprehensive. Turning it over, Buffy peeled back the paper to reveal a silk pouch. At Willow's encouragement, she opened the black pouch and emptied its contents on to the floor.
"It's a set of healing crystals," Willow explained. "See, the different stones help regulate and balance your body, making it easier for your immune system to function. Plus, they each have different properties; clear quartz - that's the clear, wand-shaped one - is for clarity. Depending who you ask, it varies slightly, but I think it can help guard against betrayal. although that might be amethyst - the purple one - or agate - the blue one. Or another one altogether. There's a leaflet you can get that lists the most common. All the stones have unique powers. I just figured it might help with Slaying and getting all bruised and battered."
Buffy smiled genuinely for the first time that morning. "Thanks, Will."
"Here," Cordelia said, handing Buffy a package enclosed in Tiffany's paper. Tenderly, Buffy removed the gift and blinked.
"Cordy."
"What? You've gotta have something nice enough to use it with!" Cordelia complained.
"It's not that. It's just. I know pink's in fashion an' all, but blood red? And the bright pink flower thing? Not exactly me. But, thanks, anyway."
"Hey! That's a one-of-a-kind original! Plus I had to pay for the paper, since I didn't buy anything for the shop to gift-wrap!"
"I don't know," Angel murmured form the shadows. "I think blood red could be a nice colour for you."
Buffy abandoned the purse on the floor and ignored Angel's comment, moving swiftly on to the next gift and praying it would be less embarrassing.
As it turned out, the rest of the gifts were fairly average, with chocolate and money being a very pleasing part of the day for the Slayer. For Angel's present, however, she'd been told she'd have to wait.
Buffy passed the day warily, but laughed until her sides ached and she couldn't breathe. When night fell and Angel took her aside, the laughter continued in the next room.
Angel cupped Buffy's face gently and gave her a hint of a kiss that was so light Buffy wasn't sure it was real. His fingers stroked her face and gently pushed her eyelids down. When she opened her eyes again, Buffy was smiling and peaceful, all worries melting under Angel's intense gaze.
"You want your present yet?" he whispered, stroking her ear with his thumb. Slowly, wrapped in a bubble of bliss, the girl nodded. With one deft movement, Angel scooped her into his arms and silently left the house.
He carried her back to his mansion, talking quietly to her all the way, continuously striving to stop her thinking of all the things that could go wrong. Angel was determined that Buffy would be happy on her birthday.