2 Buffy/Angel ficlets set in Season 3 of Buffy based on challenges from the LiveJournal community 15minuteficlets.

1.

"So, yeah, Giles kept talking aobut this seductress demon, and then he showed us a picture, and she was such a zaftig woman."

"Buffy, zaftig?"

"Yeah, it means like, plump, and heavy, and..."

"No, I know what zaftig means, but that's because I'm 244 years old. Where did you learn? Did you just imitate Giles again?

"I most definitely did not! I'm not stupid, you know. I have more words in my vocabulary that 'like' and 'totally' and 'oh my god', you know."

"Of course."

"God, Angel, stop mocking me! My own boyfriend thinks I'm stupid."

"I don't think you're stupid. And I'm not mocking you. I'm simply..."

"See? Ha! You are mocking me! I'm right, you're wrong, and that's all there is to it."

"Fine. You're smart. Then what does does gravitas mean?"

Long, silent pause.

"Just go back to brooding, sweetie."

2.

Sometimes he would just watch her without really listening. She would be chattering on about everything going on in her life, and all he could do was sit there, watching her lips move and her eyes sparkle in the light of the fire. She talked about anything and everything, from the latest monster of the week to Cordy and Xander's latest insult war. The latter always made him laugh.

It was moments like this that made him feel like he had a place in the world. He felt content, breaking right on the verge of happiness. He felt like the pull of her soul had reached his. But when their souls connected, he had to pull away.

He would vamp out and escape to the other side of the room, huddling in a dark corner. He couldn't let himself get too close. He couldn't let himself hurt her. It would feel like the end of the world if she was gone.

And then she would come over and put his head in her lap, stroking his ridged face and murmuring soft, soothing words until he calmed down. He never told her how scared he was of losing control, but he had a feeling that she knew anyway.
She always did.