Rosebud: Say Yes
Written for ba_rosebuds
Title: Say Yes
Prompt: Say Yes (inventive, I know)
Word Count: 450
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Sugar excess
Summary: In the afterglow of Innocence, in a world without a curse
A/N: The Claddagh rings have really been on my mind lately, as you can see from this rosebud and my last one. I should be working on Part II of Honesty is the Best Policy, but I just can't seem to write dark today. This is definitely the opposite of dark.
Buffy snuggled closer to Angel’s side, enjoying the novel feeling of skin on skin. Though naturally cool, he reflected her heat back to her, unexpectedly warming her. She couldn’t believe what had just happened. Had they really just had sex? Made love? What was the right term for what they had done?
Her head was spinning from the night’s events. She had gone from mild contentment at celebrating her birthday with her friends, to unbearable grief at Angel’s imminent departure, to terror from almost losing him, to…this. Slipping into a more introspective mode than she normally allowed herself, Buffy searched her mind, trying to work out what she felt.
Safe. She felt safe.
Angel stirred at her side. “Doing okay over there?”
She smiled up at him. “’Okay’ doesn’t begin to describe it.” His answering smile was warm, loving, relaxed. It gave her the courage to ask the one question that had been nagging her for last few hours. “Angel, why did you put the ring on my left hand?”
His mouth held the smile, but his eyes relaxed. He seemed to be considering his answer. “You noticed that, huh?”
“Uh, yeah, it was kinda hard to miss.” She kept her tone light, hoping to coax out of him the answer she already knew. Getting no response, she went for the more direct approach. “Are we married?”
Angel’s mouth dropped open, but still he said nothing. Buffy pushed further. “I’m going to take that as a yes.”
He gave her a sheepish look. “I was going to ask you, but -“
“- but you were afraid I wouldn’t say yes?” Could the man really be that blind? Or was it something else? Had he changed his mind?
“I…There was just so much. All of a sudden, I was leaving for the other side of the world. I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again. I didn’t want to you to be tied down to me if I never came back.” His expression was pleading
Buffy smiled indulgently, “Well, unfortunately for you, you got to stay.”
A glint of hope crossed his face. “Is that a ‘yes?’”
She squeezed him tighter. “Of course that’s a ‘yes!’ There’s no one I’d rather be tied to.”
He broke into a full grin. “I know that things are different today, that people get married a lot later than they used to.”
Buffy considered this for a moment. Had she ever imagined herself married at seventeen? “My life is so weird, what’s one more twist?” Besides, she thought to herself, if she waited, she’d probably never have the chance. Her life was on the fast track. Best to enjoy the good while it lasted.