Rating: PG-13
Summary: Angel and Willow discuss their natures while stargazing.
Disclaimer: The characters in this story belong to me. I’m really Joss, lurking in your midst this whole time, looking for new ways to torture you. Why do you think I haven’t given these characters a decent scene together since “Lie to Me?” ;P
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"Why do you deny your nature?"
The question seemed to come completely out of the blue. Angel and Willow were settled on a blanket in Willow's back yard, stargazing. His on-again, off-again relationship with Buffy was currently off-again, and Willow had recently broken up with Oz. Figuring that misery loved company, he had taken to keeping the lonely hacker company on nights when her parents were away, Buffy was out patrolling, and Xander was... well, doing whatever it was he did while he neglected his friend. Angel thought of their time together as something that would help Willow, or so he told himself; the truth was, he often felt it was Willow who helped him by allowing him the companionable nights he found himself so looking forward to. At the sound of her voice, Angel shifted his gaze away from the stars above to the young woman sitting next him. "I should think that's fairly obvious, Willow."
"No, I mean... Well, obviously, you can't do the hunting and killing thing, but that's not what I meant." Willow continued her intense study of the vampire laying beside her. At his confused expression, Willow continued. "You have this... I don't know, this dark passion to you. I used to think it was the demon, especially when you lost your soul, but now I'm beginning to see that I was wrong. It's part of your personality. Not the whole of it, mind you, but still a major part. The more I get to know you, and the more comfortable you become with me, the more glimpses I catch of it."
Angel sighed sharply, and returned his eyes to the sky. He hadn’t realized that he had allowed his darker emotions so close to the surface when he was with Willow. In fact, he often tried to suppress them more than he normally would, knowing how sensitive the teen was to her friends’ emotional states. "I'm sorry, Willow. You shouldn't have to be exposed to that side of me. I didn't--"
He was interrupted by Willow slapping his arm. "Quit! Why do you take everything negatively? I said it was dark, not bad. Frankly, it intrigues me." She blushed the moment the words passed her lips.
Angel turned his head toward her and smiled softly, his eyes glinting mischievously as he caught sight of the flush creeping over her face. "It intrigues you? Now, why does that not surprise me?"
Flustered, Willow dropped her eyes and began play with the edge of the blanket. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Suddenly serious, he answered, "It means, why do you deny *your* nature?" When she opened her mouth to protest, Angel sat up and placed a silencing finger against her lips. "Come on Will, I know there's more to you than the masks you show. More than just the "Research Girl," or the best bud, or the straight A student, and more than the shy little mouse. Remember, I met your doppelganger." Willow flushed a deeper red, remembering her vampire self. Angel smirked, then continued. "But I knew before then. That time you chewed me out in the library? I knew then that the mouse was really a tiger." As he spoke, Angel slid his finger from her lips to rest under her chin, tipping her head up so that she was forced to look into his eyes. His voice became softer, deeper, and Willow leaned forward to hear, never breaking eye contact. "Tell me, Willow, did Oz know that he had a tiger by the tail, every time he held you? Could he make you purr? Like I could?" The words dropped to a whisper as Angel closed the distance between them and placed a feather-light kiss on her lips. Though she was slightly startled by Angel’s rapidly shifting moods, Willow automatically leaned in, trying to get more pressure from his mouth. Abruptly, he pulled away and stood.
<Stupid! He realized who he was with.> The self-depreciating thought came into Willow's mind unbidden as she struggled to remain upright. Finally winning the battle with gravity, she glanced up at him as he stood over her, his face turned away.
"Buffy." Angel's voice was still soft.
<Of course, he's thinking of Buffy. He probably just got caught up in the moment, stargazing and all...> Willow tried desperately to fight off her tears as she got awkwardly to her feet. She ducked her head, hiding her face behind her hair when Angel turned back to face her.
Realizing immediately what was going through Willow's mind, he once again placed his finger under her chin, and tipped her head up to look at him. He gently brushed a tear away from her cheek, then leaned down to kiss her more firmly before pulling back and smiling at her. "I'll see you tomorrow, Tiger." He stepped back, sliding into the shadows of the yard, leaving a very confused Willow staring after him.
"Hey Will! Whatcha doing out here all alone?" Buffy's voice startled Willow, and she whirled around to see her best friend coming around the corner of the house.
"Um, I was, uh..." Willow searched desperately for a plausible excuse, all the while peering over her shoulder toward the corner of the yard where Angel had disappeared. "I was just... looking at the stars." <Well, it is sorta the truth> she rationalized.
"Oh, okay." Buffy shrugged, not understanding why her friend seemed so flustered. "Look, I finished patrol early, I thought maybe we could get some ice-cream, rent a chick flick, and have a gossip fest at my place. You may as well spend the night, since your folks are gone. Sound good?"
Willow took a last glance over her shoulder before turning her full attention back to her friend. "Sure. That sounds fine. Let's go inside, and I'll pack a bag."
Angel waited for the two girls to enter the house before stepping out of the shadows. "Definitely be seeing you tomorrow, my Tiger," he murmured, a small smile playing across his lips.
The End
read the sequal 'Street Fair'