SUMMARY: Buffy and Angel go for coffee
SPOILER: Reptile Boy
RATING: TV-PG
DISTRIBUTION: http://planetslaythis.homestead.com, fanfiction.net under Goddess Isa, anyone wants it just LMK
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters. Joss does. Screw him.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I CANNOT stop singing O-Town music. I love O-Town. This is getting serious. If anyone else is suffering, do email me and we'll suffer over the beauty that is Ashley together :) 6/24/01

"Coffee."

Buffy turned around and saw Angel standing behind her with one of those take-out Styrofoam trays. There were two cups of coffee, some stirring straws, napkins and sugar packets.

She smiled. "I thought we'd actually *be* at The Bronze but this could work too."

"It's a start," Angel set the tray down on a headstone and Buffy put her stake in her backpack. "You want sugar?"

"Like fourteen," Buffy smiled and began dumping them into her coffee cup. "I'm sure you take yours black."

"Yeah," Angel sipped his drink and looked at her. "Any luck tonight?"

"A couple newbies thought they could take me. I showed 'em how much of a myth the dumb blonde thing is."

"Good," Angel smiled.

"It's fun to kick ass now and then," Buffy stirred her coffee and then sipped it. "So. Is this a sign of things to come?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, are we going to start seeing each other in places other than dark crypts and cemeteries now. Are you going to take me on a real date?"

"Do you wanna go on a real date?"

"Yes."

"Then yes," Angel agreed.

Buffy practically grinned from ear to ear. "Good. But no frat parties."

"Never," Angel picked up his coffee with one hand and wrapped the other around Buffy's hand. They started walking through the night together, no specific destination in mind. Buffy leaned her head against Angel's shoulder and sighed.

"This is nice," she told him sincerely. "The whole you-trying-to-be-normal thing."

"I'm not normal," he reminded her.

"That's a good thing. Normal guys would've made a move by now and would be crouched over in an alley somewhere, holding their family jewels and sobbing hysterically while waiting for the pain to subside."

Angel actually laughed at her. "My tough woman."

"I'm nobody's woman," Buffy snapped. "But there's always the possibility of boyfriend and girlfriend."

"Only the possibility?" Angel knew he shouldn't be asking her that. They could never be a couple, not really. Not with their destinies already mapped out for them. She was the Slayer, the most powerful one in history, and he was the most violent vampire that had ever lived.

Or not lived. He wasn't really sure how to refer to a vampire's life. Or unlife.

There was no relationship more forbidden than theirs. They were cursed in lots of ways, blessed in others. They wanted to be together, but they knew they couldn't. Not really.

But when Angel looked at her, when he saw her hazel eyes and bright smile and beautiful hair.....he couldn't resist.

Angel knew there was more to him being in Sunnydale than just being Buffy's protector, should she ever need one. He was there because he was meant to love her. He was pretty sure he'd never be able to figure out exactly why, but he was.

And he did. More than he'd ever thought possible.

"You're quiet," Buffy observed.

"No more than usual."

Buffy looked at him. "You seem........I don't know. Not like yourself."

"I'm me," Angel said, and Buffy laughed.

"You're one of a kind," Buffy admitted. "Angel?"

"Hmm?"

"My birthday's coming up."

"I know."

Buffy stopped dead. "You know?!"

"I have my sources."

"Oh," Buffy started walking again, leaning more against Angel now than before. "Anyway, I'm getting my family obligations over with next weekend--my dad's taking me to the ice show in LA--so I was thinking maybe we could do something."

"Maybe," Angel replied vaguely.

"You're playing me, aren't you?"

Angel shrugged.

"Men," Buffy gave him a playful shove.

"My coffee's cold," Angel commented, tossing his cup into a trash can.

"The Bronze is still open," Buffy offered, smirking.

"It is?" Angel asked, even though he knew she knew that he knew the hours of operation of just about everything in all of Sunnydale. It was invaluable to know where and when he could go after dark, and what stops required traveling through the sewers.

"Yeah. And Cibo Mato's playing again," she turned so they were face-to-face. Buffy leaned slightly against Angel and kissed his lips gently. "Maybe we could dance?"

Angel nodded. "I could handle that."

"Yea!" Buffy pretended to be a cheerleader for a minute and did a little dance.

"Except for the dancing," Angel added.

Buffy frowned.

"I don't dance," Angel said honestly.

"Not even for me?" Buffy stuck out her lower lip.

She had him. And she knew it.

Angel growled. "We'll see."

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