#darla x angelus

[somekindofadeviant]

A lil smattering of Fanged Four drabbles <3

Gone Spelunking

Prompt: Fool's Gold Pairing: Spike & Angel Rating: Teen+

Amanes

Prompt: Giving Up Character: Darla Pairing: Past Darla/Angel Rating: Teen+

Clearing The Heir

Prompt: It Comes In Threes Pairing: Spike/Drusilla Rating: Mature

L'appel du Vide

Prompt: A Dark Void Pairing: Spike/Drusilla Rating: Teen+

Spirit Rappings

Prompt: Ghosts Pairing: Darla/Angelus Rating: Teen+

Experiments

Prompt: Sneaking Around Character: Drusilla Pairing: Gen Rating: Teen+

[spikespeaches]

2 tickets to barbie please

2 tickets to oppenheimer please

[dailyats]

Angelus & Darla in 2.05 Dear Boy Requested by @rampantwavess

[lizzie-queenofmeigas]

Darla and Drusilla were low-key romantic when turning their boys. Sure, it was in an alleyway, but they fitted together as we can tell from their words.

Forever mourning the Fanged Four and my girl Darla.

[runsintheblood]

Our last weekend of Family Bingo, enjoy this gorgeous entry:

Divine Comedy in the Pool of Lethe by QueennHalloween

Darla needs to hold on to her memories-- losing them is the same as losing herself.

Subpairing: Darla/Angel, Rating: Explicit, Length: 2,792 words, Bingo Card: Blue, Bingo Square: Accidental Stimulation + Stuck Sex + Play Fight

Enjoy, and show some kudos/comment love <3 @queennhalloweenn can also be found and followed on our beloved hellsite.

[reallyreal-madeingold]

Trick or treat!

You get...an idea for a sequel!

Ok, so a while ago I wrote a pwp oneshot that was a foursome with Angelus/Darla/Willow/Gilles. I know, I know, a wacky combo. But recently, I've been thinking about writing more of it. Maybe something with plot. Or something with domestic fluff. I don't know. I feel like they'd have a very interesting and fun dynamic!

[iamnotathornbird]

thankfully vampires are immortal so our fandoms can be, toooo!

I hate that planned obsolescence is starting to reach fandoms. I hate that fandoms are starting to die after two, three years, I hate that whenever you stop getting content that means the fandom will die and be gone.

I need people to stop trying to brush off old interests as being 'cringe' as soon as you lose interest, or worse: make it seem like it's imoral to like something that they themselves held so dear before.

Fandoms are meant to last for years and years, the moment content stops being created is the moment we truly thrive because we keep creating the content ourselves the way we love it and expand on the things that are already there for us.

I don't care if you lost interest on something, it's fine and normal even, but stop trying to blame and make fun of people who still do love the fandom and the content and the things we can create.

I need people to enjoy fandom again

[savagebynaturecustoms]

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Saturday, November 9

WILLOW: By the way, are we hoping to find a body, or no body? XANDER: Call me an optimist, but I'm hoping to find a fortune in gold doubloons. GILES: Um, body would mean flesh-eating demon, no body would point towards the, uh, army of zombies thing. Take your pick, really.

~~BtVS 2x02 “Some Assembly Required”~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Red Moon (Darla & Drusilla, not rated) by SeleneBlue

speaks volumes (Buffy/Faith, M) by storiesfortravellers

Surprise (Buffy/Angel, E) by MeTheMermaid

Chemical X (Fred, Maggie Walsh, E) by Kittenwritings

[Untitled] (Giles/Reader, M) by romeactivelycries

[Chaptered Fiction]

Okay Dad, Chapter 1/6 (Ensemble, T) by Work

Tears of the Slayer, Chapter 1/? (Buffy/Angel, Buffy/Spike, E) by MadMaster

You're a Beautiful Person, Chapter 3/? (Willow/Tara, M) by firagasauce

The Comedown, Chapter 2/2 (Buffy/Angel, T) by Descended_from_Hufflepuffs

Maps, Chapter 4/6 (Buffy/Faith, E) by thisyearsgrrl

The Right Swipe, Chapter 15/? (Buffy/Giles, E) by DancingAngel0013

The Phoenix, Chapter 1/? (Buffy/Spike, ensemble, E) by OffYourBird

Firebell in the Night:, Chapter 50/150 (Willow/Tara, E) by TheLightdancer

With Sprinkles, Chapter 44/? (Xander, anime xover, M) by dogbertcarroll, Narsil

Little Light, Chapter 16 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Melme1325

Oh My Goddess, Chapter 11 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Maxine Eden

Incarnate, Chapter 21 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Sigyn

Oh My Goddess, Chapter 11 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Maxine Eden

[Images, Audio & Video]

Gifset: Cordelia Chase + Outfits (Season 2) (worksafe) by clarkgriffon

Artwork: “She’s cold, she’s dark, she’s cynical (Buffy/Spike, depiction of blood, mostly worksafe) by o-cm-draw-o

Artwork: Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, S3 Ep8 “Lovers Walk” (worksafe) by nightheartcomics

Artwork: Collage #228 (Buffy/Spike, worksafe) by thedecadentraven

Artwork: Collage #230 (Spike, worksafe) by thedecadentraven

Video: Drusilla's Diary Entry 1 by Slayin It with Juliet Landau

Crafts: Fun little embroidery project I made for my friend’s birthday [Scenes from Gile’s slide show in ‘Hush’] (worksafe, depiction of show-typical violence/blood/death) by littlethingstitching

Crafts: I’m creating an art piece for every episode of Buffy and Angel: BTVS 601. Bargaining Pt. 1 (worksafe) by tmcarlee

Nail art: My friend did Buffy nails for Halloween and I finally get to show them to this sub! (worksafe) by Confident-Smoke-6595

[Reviews & Recaps]

Season 4 first time viewing! by Specialist-Orchid-80

I am SUFFERING through Angel season 4 by Anna3422

PODCAST: You Said Glice! (S5E4) by It Stakes Two

PODCAST: Big G and The Slaymaster General (S5E5) by It Stakes Two

[Fandom Discussions]

i just finished watching buffy s1-s7 for the first time and like. s6 is good. not perfect, but still by beets-are-not-green

Look I’m just saying if we got to see Spuffy have explicit sex multiple times we deserved to get to see when Spike and Angelus did by thequeenofsastiel

i do find it immensely boring when your interpretation of spike’s complexity involves dumbing him down to some variation on “human good, demon bad” the same way the show tried by slugessence

I don’t think we give Cordelia enough credit for driving a car through the school by aphony-cree

more on Faith and dog parallels! by juanabaloo

[anon ask] So, apart from how it happened, what’s your take on the Spike soul thing? answered by thornfield13713

Were the slayers a good idea? continued by multiple posters

Buffy Season 2 rewatch by Btvs fan, multiple posters

Lilah and Cordelia were Outstanding by Nostromo87

Very minor criticism that drives me crazy whenever it happens by Agvahl

The Beast is by far one of my favorite baddies/demon/monster of the Angel verse by moses616

S7 E6 "Him" by distortionisgod

The Inca Princess by opmdl6

Anyone else wish Buffy and Willow didn't become roommates so fast in season 4? by jdpm1991

Angel finale by anthonycaruana

When Groo left, after realizing that Cordy did not love him, what do we think happened to him? by jengafat

tell me you’re a BTVS fan without telling me you’re a BTVS fan by perfectmoonwalker

How do you feel about every season having its own unique feel to it? by precita

Demon Sports Team by No_Introduction_4136

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

PUBLICATION: The Best Fighters in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Franchise, Ranked by CBR.com

PUBLICATION: How an Iconic Episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Explores Queer Issues by Tell-Tale TV

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

[mewmewgirl101]

Spike x slayer oc x William. I love how spike was and I’d hopelessl helpless Romantic

William was At a dinner party write a love poem about a girl he liked. when her and her friends make fun of him and his poetry . The girl he likes gave a funny look not liking he likes her she walks away with him to different room saying how he’s beneath her and she doesn’t want him or anything to do with him. ( btw I thought she was demon and the moment she said she she started to reject him I laughed so hard and when i found out i was right i was like I knew it I know she was a demon.) he left party in tears ripping up his poem.

Sosha said drinking her blood red tomatoe soup from blood bag. Saying how board and sad and kinda lony she is cause spike hasn't giving her loving attention in it wasn't fault he got hurt and was weak.) Angelus tells her that not true she has them. asks if she was happy she shook head no say not it the least they don't even Chace her around Darla said all she had to do was was ask. Angelus Suggested if she’s board to find her self and second play mate play mate to prove shes one of them and not just glorified vampire version of pepper pots. spike didn't care as long as the new guy doesn't try and keep sosha for him self a or steal all her attention from him. Sosha said she could pick the wisest bravest most handsome knight in all the land and make him hers forever with a kiss. Seconds later a man bumps into to them saying watch were your going after knocking her down on spikes lap in his wheel chair he let's out a loud oof sound when her butt lands on his lap hard. Darla sailing she could go for that drooling idiot. spike told her could tell it was his carbon copy like an exact replica of past him.She gets very giddy inside knowings what past him was like.

Sosha followed him walks in barn seeing him crying and ripping up paper she couldn’t help but feel sad for him wondering why such a cute guy is crying and and ripping up paper

Willam( sitting on hay tears in eyes and down his cheeks) ( sniffs ripping paper up ) i wish to be alone

Sosha: what brings such a handsome man to tears ( walks closer to him) I see smart handsome man surrounded fools who can’t see his vision his glory.

William( getting flustered )( breathing very nervous) ( swallowed hard ) gets up backs way

Sosh( can’t over how nervous he is starts feeling very very beautiful.never made any guy get nervous before ) your wealth lies her( touches his head) and here ( touches his heart) and in spirit.

He just backed away more getting more nervous and flustered by the second saying his mother is waiting and he should go. Can't believe a beautiful girl like her is talking to him and is being so nice to him or how nice one can be when most have been mean or rude to him or hurt his feelings She remembers this cause spike told her everything she couldn’t believe how those people could be so mean to him when he’s a total sweetheart she once told him he was a total sweetheart once and he choked on his cigarette smoke telling her to take it back. She didn't He knows deep down he's nice but won’t admit to anyone not even her or him self.sees him self as the big bad. Not some wimpy who’s to scared to play cat and mouse with his girlfriend or slayer with them. just for fun or as practice for self defense or just pass time

Sosha: you walk in worlds they can’t even begin to imagine imagination. ( she puts her finger under his chin

William( swallows hard still breathing heavy getting even more nervous)( can only whisper) oh. yes

Sosha( fingers still under his chin) I see something glowing something glistening something effulgent

William( whispers) ellulgent

Sosha: do you want this ( his hand on her heart

William( breathing heavily)( whisper) oh yes god yes

She smirks shows her fangs hisses ( doesn’t have vampire face just fangs and there all ways out) she looks for his soft on his neck he moans from her kissing his neck.She his soft spot and smirks bites hard sinking her fangs in his neck. He yelling ows over and over yells in pain. Soon starts moaning loudly in pleasure shaking breathy laugh. Slides down wall head up she bites harder causing him to moan more the fanged four smirk and Williams pain she lets go walking way saying board now.After he was turned they go to her hide out that night spike and William have the same dream we’re they both got turned soaha dreams about her old friends and new friends.the next afternoon Sosha hears a knocking sound on her door she opens it and leans on door of club house seeing girl who didn't give her an invitation to the dinner party and Anya only let's Anya in from rain saying no more seats available. when William comes over writing in his new poem Book she got him with blue pen with blue tuft on top and pink glitter pen in his pocket coat pocket and book mark. She asked him if this is the girl who was so mean to him. He Frowned and He nods. The girl said they call him William the bloody for his bloody awful poetry.soaha just growls at her wanting to punch her but Anya grabs soahas clenched hand shaking her head. Soaha asking if she was was demon or some thing and giggles it starts raining slowly

The girl then asks if she could come in out of the rain Sosha just looks at her like you really think am that stupid that I would let you in here knowing full well she’ll just laugh and make fun of everything she sees and complain about everything and brag about her self and bring up Time she thought was funny and it really wasn’t and it miserable for everyone and call her friends so they can join it on the teasing. By then it pouring starts laughing again then shuts door and locking it saying bye. she then looks through her costumes for the right oneshe goes to change. She had her pants on. But William walked in on her taking her bra off. What he sees If he could blush his hole face would be red. Faints with a loud manly groan. She runs to him after she’s covered.to see if he’s ok he just groans more. When he the front of her to pick up blood from hospitals blood banks and veterinary clinics she’s about to leave when spike blocks her asking were does she think she’s going in the storm when the sun is still up.she looks over at William snatched poem book from him quick laugh siting up were he can’t retch ignoring his pleas to give it back. She just wants to read it. She starts reading it and asks who there for he tells her there about her telling her to go head laugh cause everyone else does. She jumped down hugs him touched. Gave him book back. He takes it back can’t believe she didn’t laugh or make fun of them.he

Yet her smell, it doth linger, painting pictures in my mind.

Her eyes, balls of honey,

Angels’ harps her laugh.

Oh, lark, grant a sign if crook’d be Cupid’s shaft.

Hark! The lark! Her name it hath spake: “ sosha” it discharges from twixt its wee beak. William

"My soul is wrapped in harsh repose,

midnight descends in raven-colored clothes,

but soft... behold!

A sunlight beam

cutting a swath of glimmering gleam.

My heart expands,

'tis grown a bulge in it,

inspired by your beauty...

effulgent." William

Spike whispered to William that soaha isn’t like the girl who rejected us she’s different she’s nice sweet and loves us she just won’t admit to her self when then she is well be there

Buffy: SOSHA DID YOU TURN THIS GUY ( jesters to William) IN TO A VAMPIRE.

William( he just gave a dreamy nod and said )ya she did (hand on bite mark dreamy sigh) ( slides down wall) and it felt like heaven

Xander: you promised us you wouldn’t do that

Spike intervenes stepping in front of her. saying she had to caused she had to prove her self to Angelus. that she’s one the fanged four but they let her pick who she wanted to or Angelus would have killed her if she didn’t she would be dead now again and she wouldn’t be here cause Angelus would have killed her slowly and painful if she disobeyed his orders or he would’ve burn her club house down. Soaha looks at them if there going to abandon her like her family and other friends did her friends did go head willow Xander and Anya stood by her saying no cause she’s different than other vampires willow sets every thing she needs to give Angelus his soul back sosha sits down holding willow’s hands chanting the spell they hear Angelus and and Darla a soul they hear them yell no. Angelus runs to club house hugs sosha falling to his knees in tears apologizing for everything and begging for forgiveness. Saying he’ll make it up to her.he tells her before he turned to angels he was going to start a helping the helpless agency witch the paranormal saying she get his paychecks.She thinks about it saying he can make it up to her

.spike walks by missing his shirt looking for it sosha sniffs it love sent of cinnamon sticks and his natural musk she hides it behind her back be for spike sees it continues looking makes sure to make his muscles flex. He Hears ding runs to stove gets oven mitts and pulls out chocolate and mm cooks and brownies. You treats I made you are done ( really good baker used to bake for his mom and dru all the time.) puts everything on cooling rack. She gasps can’t believe he baked her treats. She deep breath and blows out slowly tips drink back liquid courage fast it kicks in. telling her self twenty seconds go she walks over to spike and William telling them she loves them with all her heart and hopes they feel the same.spike grabs her cheeks and kisses her hard pulls away saying she’ll never know how much him and William love her.

[bangelism]

darla and angel x vampire

i wrote a little something to go with this edit, and i don't really have anywhere else to share it, so i thought i'd put it here and see how i like doing stuff like this on here

🩸 🦇 🖤

darla and angel: control and influence

a take i’ve seen thrown around in this fandom quite a bit is one that implies that angel is a large reason why spike was an ‘evil’ vampire; that spike learned everything from angel, and was only ever ‘bad’ to earn angels approval. to the point where i have seen suggestions that everything evil that spike did is all largely at the fault of angel. and by the logic of that take, it can be said everything angel ever did that was evil is at the fault of darla. 

from the moment angel is sired, darla provides him guidance and controls a large part of his vampiric existence. when he rises, she is there awaiting him, and as he makes his first kill in the graveyard, he looks to her for approval and reassurance that he is doing the right thing, to which she smiles and nods, and so it begins. after he murders his family, darla finds him in his old home and approves of what he has done but not without reminding him of how his father will always have defeated him, even if angelus ultimately killed him (ats 1x15). the power dynamic between the two is reminiscent of a mother and her son, and the narrative presents it to the audience as such a relationship through a myriad of metaphors and their overall dynamic.

darla may be the one who stands in the shadows behind angelus and his reign of terror, but she has a significant amount of control over him that goes rather unnoticed. it is darla who picks out drusilla for angelus and gives him the plan to torture her, and it is darla who kidnaps the romani girl for him. and thus she kicks off the catalyst of events that leads to angelus regaining his soul. a soul to which darla reacts with horror to, and forces angelus to leave. a common pattern in their relationship is her leaving angelus whenever it suits or betters her (see ats 1x18, 2x09, 5x8). reinforcing that she is the one who holds control over their relationship, and angelus who becomes almost lost when she isn’t around.  

angelus notably allows her this control, something rather uncharacteristic of him (possibly suggesting something about the nature of sire/childe relationships). and he is shown to do almost nothing without her approval. it is only when he has a soul does he truly defy her wishes, made clear with the weight and impact of his decision to save the baby rather than kill it for her approval (ats 2x07). with approval from her being something he is shown to be desperate for, time and time again. all angel wants from the moment he rises is for darla to approve of him as a vampire. and this holds years after their relationship has ended, shown in the way her words have a profound impact on him when she finds him attempting to restart his life in sunnydale. years after first siring him, she is still bleeding him dry.

[mermaidsirennikita]

IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME AGAIN......... what are your favorite ships from horror content?

(Sorry it took me so long to answer this I had to consider).X

I honestly haven't watched enough romantic horror movies; I know this because I googled it and went "oh shit I need to watch ALL of these". I feel like a lot of what I watch re: horror has relationships that are more... psychosexual than romantic?

Hannah/Owen, The Haunting of Bly Manor. I recently rewatched this and my God, one of the most tragic love stories I've ever seen onscreen? But gorgeous? Just when he's lighting the candles at the end and the narration talks about him accompanying her body to the morgue and cleaning her, and about how "he loved her the whole way" and how he loves her still? JESUS. A SOFTER one. I also love Dani and Jamie, but Hannah is my... favorite, so if I had to pick between the two, it's Hannah/Owen.

Louis/Lestat, Interview with the Vampire (2022). Toxic and horrific and I'm oBSESSED. The way this show has Jacob Anderson AND Sam Reid, perfectly cast and giving it their absolute all... with some of the most intense onscreen chemistry I've ever seen... PLEASE. "He was my murderer, maker, my maker, and my lover" lol God.

Gomez and Morticia Addams. I mean, if they count, which I say they do. I love them so much I named my cats after them. And I'm sorry to purists, but the 90s version played by Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston is THE STANDARD. They have such incredible chemistry. They're so in love! They're so horny! They're so goals. I'm literally watching the scene where they're on the couch in the graveyard and she's talking about how one day they're going to be buried together, and they get so worked up they fuck on the couch. And presumably??? Conceive Pubert???? God I love them. Top tier. Inspirational romance.

Google tells me The Mummy counts, so Rick and Evie, obviously. They deserve to be EVERYWHERE.

I kinda loathe to bring up Joss's work, but I do think the Angelus/Darla thing was.... quite formative for me.

[buffydataviz]

BTVS ships episode count review

I was thinking about Buffy's 3 main ships (to me): Bangel v. Spuffy v. Fuffy. I was wondering how many episodes (BTVS or ATS) where each ship has scenes together. Then inspired by these two polls I decided to add in two other non-Buffy ships: Gethan and Spangel.

Kudos to the Fuffy and Gethan shippers, who are working with not a TON of episodes with scenes together. Especially Gethan shippers, who only have 4 canon episodes! To be fair, Spangel fans only had 13 until S5 of ATS.

Summary ship episode count: Spuffy (Spike x Buffy): 71 Bangel (Buffy x Angel): 49 Spangel (Spike x Angel): 35 Fuffy (Faith x Buffy): 21 Gethan (Giles x Ethan): 4

Any blatant negative ship comments, like calling a specific ship indecent will get you blocked. Ship and let ship. Other comments welcome.

Full details under the cut!

What's the Universe? The TV Buffyverse. (BTVS TV or ATS TV eps, the comics and books don’t count.)

How to start? I started with the pre-count. The pre-count is episodes where both characters in the ship appeared.

Spuffy pre-count: 96 (inc. 0 on ATS) Bangel pre-count: 56 (inc. 2 on ATS) Spangel pre-count: 42 (inc. 22 on ATS) Fuffy pre-count: 21 (inc. 1 on ATS) Gethan pre-count: 4 (inc. 0 on ATS)

How to verify? I did not rewatch all the episodes! I rewatched a few, after checking transcripts, recaps, and ship gif pages.

What doesn't count? Someone talking about the other person, because I am not trying to include the various episodes where Faith is haunting the show. They must appear in a scene together for it to count. They must both be fully aware of each other. Shared dreams (like the Fuffy ones) do count, but regular dreams do not. Buffy Bot, Wishverse Buffy, and FirstEvil Buffy do not count. I treated Faith and Buffy as their "mental" selves during the two body swap episode scenes. Also I treated Angel the same as Angelus and soul-less Spike the same as soul-ed Spike.

Notes per Ship...

Spuffy (Spike x Buffy) 71 total S1: 0 / S2: 7 / S3: 1 / S4: 9 / S5: 18 / S6: 17 / S7: 19 / ATS: 0 4x06 Wild At Heart does not count because in the cemetery she is not aware he can hear her speech "to him." 4x16 Who Are You? does not count because Spike encounters Faith in Buffy's body, so I counted that as a Faith-Spike scene. 4x22 Restless also does not count because while he appears in Xander's dream and so does Buffy, this is Xander's dream so neither appearance counts. 5x08 Shadow does not count because he dreams of her, but it's not a shared dream. Bangel (Buffy x Angel) 49 total S1: 6 / S2: 19 / S3: 18 / S4: 1 / S5: 1 / S6: 0 / S7: 2 / ATS: 2 (S1) 3x03 Faith Hope and Trick does not count because when naked Angel appears at the end Buffy has already left. 3x09 The Wish does not count because Wishverse Buffy is not regular Buffy. 4x08 Pangs does not count because Buffy is not aware of him. Spangel (Spike x Angel) 35 total S1: 0 / S2: 10 / S3: 1 / S4: 0 / S5: 0 / S6: 0 / S7: 0 / ATS: 24 (S1, 2, 5) 4x08 Pangs does not count because Spike does not share a scene with Angel. 7x21 End of Days and 7x22 Chosen both do not count because while Spike watches Angel, Angel does not seem to be aware of him watching. For ATS, besides all of S5, they share scenes in 1x03 In The Dark and 2x07 Darla.

Fuffy (Faith x Buffy) 21 total S1: 0 / S2: 0 / S3: 13 / S4: 2 / S5: 0 / S6: 0 / S7: 5 / ATS: 1 (S1) Every Faith appearance in a BTVS episode means she will have a scene with Buffy. She has 5 Buffy-less episodes on ATS. I did count the dream sequence in 3x22 Graduation Day Part 2 because I read it as a shared dream. They are both aware of the other.

Gethan (Giles x Ethan) 4 total S1: 0 / S2: 2 / S3: 1 / S4: 1 / S5: 0 / S6: 0 / ATS: 0 Similar to Faith, whenever Ethan appears in an episode, he will have a scene with Giles.

This doesn't have visualization yet but I wanted to share the results.

[runsintheblood]

Another chooser of the blue card, and our longest entry so far, we have:

Divine Comedy in the Withering Heart by QueennHalloween

Darla is dead… again. It's the only thing she's actually sure of.

Subpairing: Darla/Angel, Rating: Explicit, Length: 4592 words, Bingo Card: Blue, Bingo Square: Rough Sex + Biting + Scratching + Teasing

Enjoy, and show some kudos/comment love <3 @queennhalloweenn can also be found and followed on our beloved hellsite.

[we-pay-for-everything]

So I’m watching Angel for the first time and I cannot be the only one who is extremely confused about the Angel and Cordelia pairing.

I really don’t understand why Angel is acting the way he is at the beginning of season 4 when Cordelia is in the higher plane. You would think he just lost his wife of 50 years or something. I get that Angel can be obsessive but there is just no basis for this bizarre and kind of childish behaviour, especially when the Connor love triangle starts (which wtf is that even?). I can buy into him having feelings for her in season 3 and her being oblivious but them pushing this as some kind of great love in season 4 is absurd to me. There was absolutely no build up to this, there was nothing. They’ve never even talked directly to each other about their feelings for each other, they’ve never even kissed each other, there was never a romantic relationship at all and every single one of their love scenes was either when they were under possession, in a hallucination or a dream and I’m expected to believe that this is some grand love story? It just does not come off as a love story, it comes off as a story about misunderstanding and miscommunication and honestly, delusion. Like was it ever actually going to be a thing or were they just going to do the will-they-won’t-they forever? Not that I was ever rooting for it in the first place but it feels like the show is doing everything it can to make people NOT ship this. I’m starting to get very irritated by this in an otherwise much more interesting season than season 3…I hope this doesn’t drag on for much longer as I just watched the episode awakening and Angelus just returned and I just really want to enjoy Angelus.

First of all, I hope you're enjoying Angel! Do let me know what you think, especially about the ending of season 4 and season 5!

Secondly, I feel you and I agree with you. You haven't finished season 4 yet, but, in my opinion, season 4 is the season that most effectively "undermines" Cangel but highlighting how destructive, selfish and OOC Angel behaved because of Cordelia. He put his son second and that's not Angel. He was a mess and clinging to a delusion. Like you said, it was a delusion. Angel spent a summer dreaming of his perfect family. It wasn't really about love, it was about making that dream that had been permanently engraved in his brain a reality. We know Angel has a tendency to grab onto one ideal or dream that he thinks will lead him to salvation or happiness, and pursue it to the point of obsession and self-destruction (ie. Shanshu and Darla in season 2). Season 4 is just another example of that. I think seasons 2 and 3 have a lot of continuity in that sense. He wasn't in love with neither Darla nor Cordelia and sleeping with them was not perfect happiness (one was perfect despair and the other didn't even happen).

After you finish season 4 (or before, if you don't mind spoilers), I've written so much about Angel and Cordelia's relationship, particularly in season 3: x x x x x x, etc. I could only find old asks... You can look through my ATS asks if you ever feel like it though, haha. Sorry that I couldn't find my best posts. I don't really have time to hash it out now so I'll just have to refer you to my blog if you want my thoughts. And thank you for at least appreciating season 4 more than season 3! Season 4 packs one hell of a punch, especially after the Angelus arc.

Thanks for the ask! Feel free to come vent anytime! I'm curious about your first time reactions :)