BtVS Fic: A New Beginning
Sep. 8th, 2025 05:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
badly_knittedTitle: A New Beginning
Fandom: BtVS
Author:
badly_knittedCharacters: Buffy, Angel
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1227
Setting: Several years after the show ends.
Summary: After several years of no contact, Buffy and Angel meet again.
Written For: Prompt ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy/Angel, Reunion’ at
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spring_renewal.Disclaimer: I don’t own BtVS, or the characters.
How long has it been since they last met, or even talked? Four years? Five? Buffy is not too far off thirty now, although she still looks younger than her years, and if anyone asks, she’s twenty-five, thank you. As for Angel… Looking at him, Buffy sees unexpected differences in his appearance.
“You look… older somehow.” There are new lines around his eyes and mouth, as if he smiles a lot.
He smiles now, slightly crooked, and as always, it takes Buffy’s breath away. She’s tried to move on over the years, has dated other boys, other men, but all it takes is seeing him face to face and the old feelings are still there, as strong as ever, despite all her efforts to bury them.
“I am older. People age, it’s a fact of life, but you still look exactly the same. I like your hair.”
“Yeah?” He’s flirting, and she flirts back, offering a coy smile; it’s so easy, like falling off a bicycle or something. She never could keep her metaphors straight.
“Yeah.”
“Sweet talker.”
“Hey, I’m just being honest. Aside from the hair, no different at all, still just as beautiful.” He moves closer, and Buffy thinks maybe she should take a step back, not let them get too cosy, because of… reasons, but then she feels the warmth radiating from his skin, sees how tanned he looks, and she knows. Vampires don’t tan; they stay out of the sun. Her entire body tingles with the realisation.
“Oh my God! Angel! When? How?”
His smile widens impossibly. “Couple of years ago now. It wasn’t easy, took a lot of research, and a lot of bargaining, but in the end I found a way.”
“You found a way to become human again and you didn’t call me? Did it just slip your mind?” Buffy doesn’t know whether she feels angry, hurt, or both. How could he not even pick up the phone?
“I wanted to, I thought about it every day, a hundred times a day, but it wouldn’t have been fair to you. It… wasn’t the easiest transition, I was a mess afterwards. I had to learn about being human all over again. It didn’t exactly come naturally after so long, and I didn’t want you to see me like that.”
“I could’ve helped you!”
“I know, you would have dropped everything, but I didn’t want to put that burden on you, not when I knew you had so many other responsibilities. It wouldn’t have been fair to you. I’ve been in Japan, training, getting strong, doing some slaying on the side. Now here I am, fit, healthy, and doing okay. I go by the name Liam Devlin these days.”
“Liam. That might take some getting used to. You’ve always been Angel to me.”
“I still can be. I mean…” Angel shakes his head. “I’m not expecting anything from you, Buffy, that’s not why I’m here. I just wanted to see you, tell you in person. I know you have a life of your own, and I’m not going to get in your way, I won’t intrude.”
“What if I want you to? And it wouldn’t be an intrusion.” This time it’s Buffy who steps closer, resting her hand on Angel’s chest, feeling the warmth of his skin through his t-shirt, the quickening of his heartbeat thrumming beneath her palm, matching the pounding inside her own chest. “Don’t you see? No matter how much I’ve tried to fight it, you’ve always been the one, right from the start. Even when there was someone else in the picture, I never stopped wishing he was you. This is all I’ve ever wanted; a chance for us to be together. Unless I’m too old for you now.” Buffy ducks her head, suddenly uncertain.
Angel’s fingers slip beneath her chin, warm and gentle, but with a hint of new callouses, tilting her head up again. “You’re not old, Buffy, and you’re even more beautiful now than you were back then. What does age matter anyway? You’re still the same inside, and that’s who I fell in love with all those years ago, not just the way you look but the amazing and wonderful person you are. I’ve loved you for so long, I’m not sure I know how to do anything else.”
Buffy smiles. “I know the feeling.”
When he kisses her, it’s so familiar and yet still so totally different. His breath is warm, and he tastes of coffee. His lips are soft but slightly chapped from the sun, and she breathes him in, opening herself to him as she winds her arms around him, toying with the hair at the back of his neck. It’s a little longer than she remembers, and she winds a few strands around her fingers. His skin smells of sunscreen and vanilla bodywash, his hair smells of apples, and she wants to taste him all over, explore every inch of him with her lips and tongue. The thought brings a blush to her cheeks, even though she’s had several lovers over the years.
It’s Angel who breaks the kiss, his breathing fast and unsteady. He holds her close, murmuring her name into her hair. “Buffy. I’ve missed you so much.”
“Me too. I tried to forget, but I never could.” Her voice cracks slightly, emotions long buried welling up. She’d thought she’d never get to hold him like this again, and yet here he is. Here they both are.
Pulling back a bit, Angel looks deep into her eyes. “We should probably take this slow, a lot of time’s passed and we’re not the same people we were… before.”
Buffy can’t help but laugh. “You’re certainly not. I mean, you are, but…”
“I’m completely human now, no more demon.”
“Which is a good thing. The best. I’m not sure I’ve changed all that much. A few years older, hopefully a little wiser, but I’m still a Slayer. I’m kind of stuck with that. I’m not a kid anymore though, I’m all grown up and totally legal. I’ll be twenty-eight next month, and while slow might be the sensible, mature way of doing things, I’m not sure it was ever our way. We’ve got a lot of time to make up for, so why waste more?”
“I don’t want to rush you into anything.”
“And you’re not. Am I rushing you? Because if you need to slow things down…”
“No.” Angel shakes his head. “I’ll let you set the pace, whatever you want.”
“Smart move. So, my place or yours?”
“I don’t really have a place right now; I’m staying in a motel. It’s… not great.” He smiles wryly. “Only got into town yesterday, and it was the only place I could find with a vacancy.”
“My place it is then. We can pick up food on the way, or… I know a great sushi place; it’s on the way. Do you like sushi?”
“I love sushi. Sounds great!” Angel’s grinning again, and Buffy feels like she’s walking on air. In some ways it’s like no time at all has passed, and yet everything has changed, in the best possible way. For once Buffy is completely sure of herself, there are no doubts. They’ve taken the long way around to get here, but something tells her this is just the beginning.
The End
“You look… older somehow.” There are new lines around his eyes and mouth, as if he smiles a lot.
He smiles now, slightly crooked, and as always, it takes Buffy’s breath away. She’s tried to move on over the years, has dated other boys, other men, but all it takes is seeing him face to face and the old feelings are still there, as strong as ever, despite all her efforts to bury them.
“I am older. People age, it’s a fact of life, but you still look exactly the same. I like your hair.”
“Yeah?” He’s flirting, and she flirts back, offering a coy smile; it’s so easy, like falling off a bicycle or something. She never could keep her metaphors straight.
“Yeah.”
“Sweet talker.”
“Hey, I’m just being honest. Aside from the hair, no different at all, still just as beautiful.” He moves closer, and Buffy thinks maybe she should take a step back, not let them get too cosy, because of… reasons, but then she feels the warmth radiating from his skin, sees how tanned he looks, and she knows. Vampires don’t tan; they stay out of the sun. Her entire body tingles with the realisation.
“Oh my God! Angel! When? How?”
His smile widens impossibly. “Couple of years ago now. It wasn’t easy, took a lot of research, and a lot of bargaining, but in the end I found a way.”
“You found a way to become human again and you didn’t call me? Did it just slip your mind?” Buffy doesn’t know whether she feels angry, hurt, or both. How could he not even pick up the phone?
“I wanted to, I thought about it every day, a hundred times a day, but it wouldn’t have been fair to you. It… wasn’t the easiest transition, I was a mess afterwards. I had to learn about being human all over again. It didn’t exactly come naturally after so long, and I didn’t want you to see me like that.”
“I could’ve helped you!”
“I know, you would have dropped everything, but I didn’t want to put that burden on you, not when I knew you had so many other responsibilities. It wouldn’t have been fair to you. I’ve been in Japan, training, getting strong, doing some slaying on the side. Now here I am, fit, healthy, and doing okay. I go by the name Liam Devlin these days.”
“Liam. That might take some getting used to. You’ve always been Angel to me.”
“I still can be. I mean…” Angel shakes his head. “I’m not expecting anything from you, Buffy, that’s not why I’m here. I just wanted to see you, tell you in person. I know you have a life of your own, and I’m not going to get in your way, I won’t intrude.”
“What if I want you to? And it wouldn’t be an intrusion.” This time it’s Buffy who steps closer, resting her hand on Angel’s chest, feeling the warmth of his skin through his t-shirt, the quickening of his heartbeat thrumming beneath her palm, matching the pounding inside her own chest. “Don’t you see? No matter how much I’ve tried to fight it, you’ve always been the one, right from the start. Even when there was someone else in the picture, I never stopped wishing he was you. This is all I’ve ever wanted; a chance for us to be together. Unless I’m too old for you now.” Buffy ducks her head, suddenly uncertain.
Angel’s fingers slip beneath her chin, warm and gentle, but with a hint of new callouses, tilting her head up again. “You’re not old, Buffy, and you’re even more beautiful now than you were back then. What does age matter anyway? You’re still the same inside, and that’s who I fell in love with all those years ago, not just the way you look but the amazing and wonderful person you are. I’ve loved you for so long, I’m not sure I know how to do anything else.”
Buffy smiles. “I know the feeling.”
When he kisses her, it’s so familiar and yet still so totally different. His breath is warm, and he tastes of coffee. His lips are soft but slightly chapped from the sun, and she breathes him in, opening herself to him as she winds her arms around him, toying with the hair at the back of his neck. It’s a little longer than she remembers, and she winds a few strands around her fingers. His skin smells of sunscreen and vanilla bodywash, his hair smells of apples, and she wants to taste him all over, explore every inch of him with her lips and tongue. The thought brings a blush to her cheeks, even though she’s had several lovers over the years.
It’s Angel who breaks the kiss, his breathing fast and unsteady. He holds her close, murmuring her name into her hair. “Buffy. I’ve missed you so much.”
“Me too. I tried to forget, but I never could.” Her voice cracks slightly, emotions long buried welling up. She’d thought she’d never get to hold him like this again, and yet here he is. Here they both are.
Pulling back a bit, Angel looks deep into her eyes. “We should probably take this slow, a lot of time’s passed and we’re not the same people we were… before.”
Buffy can’t help but laugh. “You’re certainly not. I mean, you are, but…”
“I’m completely human now, no more demon.”
“Which is a good thing. The best. I’m not sure I’ve changed all that much. A few years older, hopefully a little wiser, but I’m still a Slayer. I’m kind of stuck with that. I’m not a kid anymore though, I’m all grown up and totally legal. I’ll be twenty-eight next month, and while slow might be the sensible, mature way of doing things, I’m not sure it was ever our way. We’ve got a lot of time to make up for, so why waste more?”
“I don’t want to rush you into anything.”
“And you’re not. Am I rushing you? Because if you need to slow things down…”
“No.” Angel shakes his head. “I’ll let you set the pace, whatever you want.”
“Smart move. So, my place or yours?”
“I don’t really have a place right now; I’m staying in a motel. It’s… not great.” He smiles wryly. “Only got into town yesterday, and it was the only place I could find with a vacancy.”
“My place it is then. We can pick up food on the way, or… I know a great sushi place; it’s on the way. Do you like sushi?”
“I love sushi. Sounds great!” Angel’s grinning again, and Buffy feels like she’s walking on air. In some ways it’s like no time at all has passed, and yet everything has changed, in the best possible way. For once Buffy is completely sure of herself, there are no doubts. They’ve taken the long way around to get here, but something tells her this is just the beginning.
The End
Tags:
Aww ...
Date: 2025-09-09 01:44 am (UTC)I have added it to my list of Best Fanworks Found in 2025.
Re: Aww ...
Date: 2025-09-09 08:46 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-10 08:59 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-10 09:01 pm (UTC)