Gorgeous in an Annoying Sort of Way
I've been trying to complete a third sequel/prequel for my story Those Things for a while now, and all I've managed to come up with are bits and pieces that don't even come together well enough to make the sort of bits-and-pieces story that Those Things is
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When I rewatched with the hubby, I definitely noticed that Buffy ran hot and cold with Angel until mid-S2 (see, it wasn't just Spike!). She doesn't completely fall for his creepy behaviour from the get-go. And then, all of a sudden, they were just together. Without any real good reason... other than it was time, I guess. She was getting close to 17 and they could have her have sex onscreen (oh, cynical me).
I've been thinking about this all day. If I remember right, by this time she'd had a few attempts with 'normal' boys such as Owen, none of which had worked out. So I wonder if Angel being stronger, more able to care for himself, able to be participate in her Slaying without her having to worry, is part of the reason? It's not *Angel* she falls in love with, so much as what Angel is. Strong. Handsome. Trying to redeem himself. Tall, dark and broody... er, I mean, mysterious.
That I can't understand why Buffy falls for him could be my bias, too. I like Angel well enough, more so once he leaves Sunnydale, but I can't see why Cordelia falls in love with him either. At least Buffy had being young, stupid, and the pressure of a mystical destiny which would never let her be normal going in her defense. Which leads into what you said, Fox. I can see the relationship in the context of teen melodrama, but after that... is it real love, or does she love the idea of being in love with Angel?
Speaking from personal experience, I chose melodrama for relationships when I was younger because it was so *passionate* (*gags*), and it didn't feel like love if there wasn't so much high emotion (remember Buffy saying the same?). And even after the relationships were over, I held onto them for a looooong time. Because it was *true love*, and we would overcome any obstacles eventually! (*gags again*). This sounds familiar, no? Buffy was only, what, 22 when the show ended? That's still very young, emotionally, and she didn't have a whole lot of healthy relationship experience to learn from.
So why does she still love Angel, if it's not just teen love? You probably need to ask some Bangel shippers... ones who have thought about this, that is, rather than swallowing and repeating the show's dross about eternal soulmates and star-crossed lovers. Because I couldn't really say either. Then again, the last 24 hours is probably the most thought I've ever put into it. :)
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Ah, but I don't have issues with Buffy still having feelings for Angel, honestly because they mostly function as star-crossed lovers. They can't quite ever make themselves come together for an extended length of time, and that's allowed Buffy to maintain the idea of Angel that her sixteen-year-old self created, which, at least from my perspective, is what she actually fell in love with.
I can see her, at sixteen/seventeen, creating an image of Angel that she found desirable, since she never did know all that much about him, and falling wildly in love with that version of Angel that she'd made up. And since Riley and Spike could, naturally, never contend with Fantasy Angel, which from Buffy's point of view would be the same as actual Angel, she dismissed whatever she did feel for them as inferior to what she'd had with Angel. Add on top of that that teenaged 'life-and-death' approach to romance, which she just can't attain any more, I have no problems with her being in love with Angel. Just so long as she isn't spending time with Angel while she's being in love with him.
Emotions tend to run rather high when Buffy and Angel are in a room together, after their break-up. (Not that things were ever particularly calm between those two.) Things escalate quickly, and I'm not sure how long Buffy could maintain that she's still wildly, passionately, undoubtedly-meant-to-be in love with Angel, but I doubt that, as stubborn as she is, she could make it to the point of buying a house together and settling down before realising/admitting that they have issues.
I'm somewhat worried about having to make them fall in love to justify my story, because if I have to force it, then I'm definitely crossing my line of what I should and shouldn't do in fanfiction. If it needs to be forced, then it's probably out of character, and if it's out of character, then what the fuck is the point of writing fanfiction?
The one good thing is that, if I do end up reaching the point at which I need to sit down and have her fall for him, at least she's still got motivation for falling in love with him. I don't think it would be crazy for Buffy to want to love Angel.
Of course, then I'll have to face the task of making someone fall in love with Angel, but maybe I've earned that for somewhat writing myself into a corner here.
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