A Piece that Can't be Touched
I love the summation of Willow and Xander’s relationship that is given in 3.10 “Amends”.
It’s a good set-up for the season six finale, is what it is really. Girls may come and go, and as strong as their love may be, Willow and Xander will always have a place for one another in their hearts.
I think it’s also really important that Oz understands this. Once Willow is capable of painting the line and separating her affections for Xander from her attraction towards Oz, Oz is okay with it. He knows he can’t expect to come between them. They’ve been best friends forever. Xander will always have a place in Willow’s heart and vice versa. That doesn’t mean Willow can’t love Oz, or Tara. It does not diminish her affections towards them, it simply shows that they are all mature (though Anya wavers) enough to differentiate their emotions and the different types of love and affection.
This is somewhat reflected in the jumbled up mess of a relationship formed by Buffy, Spike, and Angel. With Buffy and Spike, I think it is important that people not dismiss their emotions towards Angel. It’s one of the most annoying things for me, when I read fanfictions, when someone just handwaves Angel from their lives because they don’t like him, or because they can’t stand the idea of loving multiple people.
Angel is and should be important to both of them. Just because they aren’t actively with Angel, just because they aren’t getting along at the moment, doesn’t mean they suddenly stop loving him.
Angel towards Buffy as well. She’s the one who helped him become who he is. She turned him into the hero. Just because he may end up with Cordelia or Spike, doesn’t suddenly mean she becomes unimportant.
I absolutely think that Buffy will always love Angel, and that Angel will always love Buffy, Spike will love Buffy and Angel and Drusilla and that’s okay. It makes me happy when I see people acknowledge this in their stories.
Yay for y’all.
Also, I just love the shot of Angel and Buffy walking in the snow at the end. It makes me weirdly happy.
Have a happy Christmas and Gurnenthar's Ascendance.