"You don't actually think we're that bad, do you? After all this time we're not still... Because that's just... I don't know how to... What does that even mean?"
"No. No, of course not. We're definitely not. Well, maybe..."
"I mean, I'm always happy to see you--except when I'm not. And I'm always gonna love you--even when I try not to. And I can't help that when I see you, when I'm around you, it's just like... Angel. You know?"
"I can see that. I think. It's different for me."
"What? You mean I'm always gonna carry the torch and you're just gonna move on? Well, that sucks. Can we trade places?"
"No, I mean..." He frowns and takes a deep (unnecessary) breath. "I'm always gonna love you, but..."
"But you're not in love with me."
He hesitates. "No."
Relieved, she exhales the air caught in her throat and leans close to confide in him. "Me either. I mean... I'll always love you--always--but it... it doesn't hurt to not be together anymore. I love you. I love you and I'm happy we're not together. What is that?"
"I think that means we're friends." His head rocks back at the realization.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
She absorbs this with a nod. "Okay. So, we should probably stop using our tongues to say hello, huh? I mean, kissing. We should stop all the kissing."
He laughs. "Right. No kissing. Sounds good."
"It does, doesn't it?" She smiles, then falters. "Can we still hug, though?"
He contemplates her question, then softly says, "I'd like that."
She answers in a whisper, "Me, too."
"Right now?"
"What? Like to seal the no-kissing-only-hugging deal?"
"No, I just thought... can I hug you?"
Her smile dimples her cheeks. "Okay. Why not?"
He wraps her in his arms and she squeezes him tight, pressing her cheek against his shoulder.
She whispers, "I want you to be happy. Wherever you are, whoever you're with. I just want you to be happy."
Deadpan, he notes, "Not too happy, though."
She laughs. "Right. Not too happy."
He sighs and rests his cheek against her temple. "I want you to be happy, too. That's all I've ever wanted for you."
BtVS | Buffy/Angel | love is forever, right?
"No. No, of course not. We're definitely not. Well, maybe..."
"I mean, I'm always happy to see you--except when I'm not. And I'm always gonna love you--even when I try not to. And I can't help that when I see you, when I'm around you, it's just like... Angel. You know?"
"I can see that. I think. It's different for me."
"What? You mean I'm always gonna carry the torch and you're just gonna move on? Well, that sucks. Can we trade places?"
"No, I mean..." He frowns and takes a deep (unnecessary) breath. "I'm always gonna love you, but..."
"But you're not in love with me."
He hesitates. "No."
Relieved, she exhales the air caught in her throat and leans close to confide in him. "Me either. I mean... I'll always love you--always--but it... it doesn't hurt to not be together anymore. I love you. I love you and I'm happy we're not together. What is that?"
"I think that means we're friends." His head rocks back at the realization.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
She absorbs this with a nod. "Okay. So, we should probably stop using our tongues to say hello, huh? I mean, kissing. We should stop all the kissing."
He laughs. "Right. No kissing. Sounds good."
"It does, doesn't it?" She smiles, then falters. "Can we still hug, though?"
He contemplates her question, then softly says, "I'd like that."
She answers in a whisper, "Me, too."
"Right now?"
"What? Like to seal the no-kissing-only-hugging deal?"
"No, I just thought... can I hug you?"
Her smile dimples her cheeks. "Okay. Why not?"
He wraps her in his arms and she squeezes him tight, pressing her cheek against his shoulder.
She whispers, "I want you to be happy. Wherever you are, whoever you're with. I just want you to be happy."
Deadpan, he notes, "Not too happy, though."
She laughs. "Right. Not too happy."
He sighs and rests his cheek against her temple. "I want you to be happy, too. That's all I've ever wanted for you."
She closes her eyes. "I love you, Angel."
He smiles ever so slightly. "I love you, Buffy."