#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!

[gh-0-stcup]

Okay, this opening scene (3.07 Offspring) has somewhat solidified my suspicion that James in 3.01 Heartthrob was kinda full of shit.

He was massively salty about Angelus selling out Darla and Elisabeth, used this to accuse Angelus of being incapable of love. The episode seems to support this accusation, suggesting that despite prior moments of tenderness, Darla and Angelus would have no problems letting the other die.

And yet - Angelus saved James in that episode. He warned James against attracting attention, but didn't leave James and Elisabeth high and dry when their reckless behavior put them all in danger. Angelus and James were outnumbered and surrounded by experienced demon hunters. Using Darla as bait allowed he and James to escape.

A bit cold, sure. But all four of them survived the encounter. Darla was Angelus' sire. He was 14 at this point, she was 161. There's literally no reason she wouldn't have been just as capable of defending herself as Angelus. If Elisabeth or Darla had been hurt in this encounter, James definitely would have mentioned it. So if Holtz and his men found the girls, it stands to reason they managed just fine.

And if Angelus does not believe he's actually putting Darla in real danger, how is this a callous display of his lack of care towards her? How is it a betrayal?

I was on the fence about what that episode said about Angelus and his relationship with Darla, then along came this episode. Four years after the Heartthrob scene, Holtz says he doesn't trust Angelus to actually give up Darla. This furthers supports the idea that Angelus' actions in the prior flashback was actually either an outright trick (Darla and Elisabeth didn't go to the docks) or a strategic manouever of some kind (luring Holtz and his men somewhere it was easier to fight/escape).

Darla also comes to save Angelus, showing that they will come through for each other - if there's actual saving that needs to be done.

[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]

[somekindofadeviant]

The snow recently cleared up here and even the ice is gone, only dreary rain remains. Who knows what the coming weeks will bring. Here are some Wintery recs to sip a mulled sommelier to. Also some Christmas ones, 'tis the time for family after all. Warning: Some of these fics are hosted on old archives, warnings may be absent or non-exhaustive. They may contain noncon and torture and oodles of murders. If you want detailed or specific warnings for a fic, please DM me or ask in the notes.

The Whole Family

A Winter's Tale by Coquette - Gorgeously descriptive and evocative. Viscerally captures the feeling of the freezing depths of Winter. Rating: Explicit, Era: Victorian House-Guests From Hell And How To Send Them Back There by Glassdarkly - The family have guests for Christmas. It goes about as well as you'd expect. Deliciously funny. Rating: Teen+, Era: Victorian The Perfect Present by Glassdarkly - A lil Christmas shopping. Rating: Teen+, Era: Victorian Charity Begins At Home by Glassdarkly - The fam doing good deeds for Gurnenthar's Ascendance. Spike's enjoying himself enormously. Rating: Teen+, Era: Victorian

The Party by whichclothes - When Darla and Drusilla decide to host a Christmas party, that new fledge just will not behave. It's up to Angelus to teach him a lesson. Tagged Spangelus, but the whole family is involved in the torment and fun. Rating: Explicit, Era: Victorian

William's First Death Day by Hello Spikey - A winter deathday party with presents and spankings, oh my! Delightfully fluffy. Rating: Mature, Era: Victorian

Red as Any Blood by Cornerofmadness - Christmas carols and fruitcake, can vampires survive it? Rating: Teen+, Era: Victorian

Skating Lessons by trixiefatcat - A wonderfully silly bit of fun. The family go ice skating and the men face their fiercest foe yet: a frozen pond. Rating: Mature(ish), Era: Victorian

Poached Pairs

Affectations by Chrystler - While Angel is hanging - literally - in LA, his sire is an entire continent away. And hating every New York minute. Rating: Mature, Pairing: Past Angel/Darla, Era: 1952

Equinox: Winter by Kita - Angel ponders four ways to lose his soul to the Seasons. Takes place right after Reprisal but before Epiphany. Rating: Mature, Pairing: Angel/Darla (other pairings in the other seasons), Era: A:tS Season 2

24 Hour Midnight by Rebcake - A little stay in The Icehotel. Rating: Teen+, Pairing: Drusilla/Spike, Era: 1996 Nothing to Dread by Rebcake - It's Christmas Eve a month after Buffy dropped an organ on him, and Spike still isn’t feeling it. Rating: Explicit, Pairing: Drusilla/Spike, Era: BtVS Season 2 Just a Couple of Misfits by Rebcake - A Sprusilla crossover with Rankin Bass's Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Rating: Teen+, Pairing: Drusilla/Spike, Era: Vague but Pre-Series

Home by Writtenbyfates - A sweet moment of contentment together in St Petersburg. Rating: Explicit, Pairing: Drusilla/Spike, Era: Victorian

It's A Christmas Miracle! by Laure Alexander -  Set after the church collapsed on him, Spike isn't recovering and it's Christmas time trapped in a musty basement in Sunnyhell. Rating: Mature, Pairing: Drusilla/Spike, Era: BtVS Season 2 Every Day With Her Is Like Christmas by Laure Alexander - Spike brings Drusilla her Christmas presents Rating: Explicit, Pairing: Drusilla/Spike, Era: 1970s or 1980s

The Gold Wrapped Box by duh_i_read - There's a bit of a mix-up at the department store. Woops. Rating: Teen+, Pairing: Drusilla/Spike, Era: Vague but Pre-Series

Waiting For Alice by thawrecka - He is not afraid. She is not bothered. It is not real. I don't know that this really fits the theme, except that the cold ice and wind is so very bitter and it's all so very chilling. Rating: Teen+, Pairing: Darla/Spike, Era: A:tS Season 5

The Tranquility of Christmas by Kindredspirit75 - Angelus celebrates Christmas with the younger members of the family. Gory cute fluff. Pairing: Angelus/Drusilla/Spike, Era: Victorian

The Truce by Glassdarkly - It's Christmas - a time for giving, and for old enemies (or should that be frenemies?) to bury the hatchet. Temporarily, at least. Rating: Explicit, Pairing: Angel/Spike, Era: A:tS Season 5

Twas the Night Before Xmas Spangel Style by vamptasticA - This poem is cute as heck Rating: Explicit(ish), Pairing: Angel/Spike, Era: A:tS Season 5

Strictly Come Vampires by fenderlove - Angel is forced to participate as Wolfram and Hart's representative in a charity event on New Year's Eve. Can Spike help him not make a fool out of himself? Rating: Explicit, Pairing, Angel/Spike, Era: AU from A:tS Season 5

Shining + Santa and his Blue Elf by Acacia5 - Some adorable Christmas fun, a lil double drabble with Spike subjecting himself to torment, then a ficlet of hijinks at the mall. Rating: Teen+, Pairing: Angel/Spike and Spike+Ilyria, Era: A:tS Season 5

Slip a Sable Under the Tree by Janet Lynn - The boys show each other a lil Christmas spirit. Rating: Explicit, Pairing: Angelus/Spike, Era: BtVS Season 2 A Merry Bloody Christmas by Singedbylife - Spike is facing yet another Christmas all alone. Rating: Teen+, Pairing: Angel/Spike, Era: Post-Series

History Repeats Itself? by snogged - A lovely little drabble. Spike and Angel repeat their “first time.” Rating: Mature, Pairing: Angel/Spike, Era: Unstated

Slice of Time by Josey - A delightful whiling away of time by the fireplace. Rating: Explicit, Pairing: Angelus/Will, Era: Victorian

Stranger Things Have Happened by Estepheia - Christmas 2001, Spike and Angel bury the hatchet. Rating: Mature, Pairing: Angel/Spike, Era: BtVS Season 6 Nothing Else Matters by Estepheia - 6 weeks after Christmas, a bruised and beaten Spike visits Angel. The sequel to Stranger Things Have Happened. Rating: Mature, Pairing: Angel/Spike, Era: BtVS Season 6

[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 and his name girl he likes gave a funny look not liking he likes her she walks away with him to different room saying how he’s be neath her and she doesn’t want 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 spike hasn't giving her loving attention in it wasn't fault he got hurt and was weak.) Angelus it 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 or she could go for that drooling idiot. spike told her and could tell it him like an exact replica of past him. She gets very giddy inside knowings what past him was like.

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) ( gets up backs up a bit) now that's quite close enough

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 and 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 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.

[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.

[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.

[gh-0-stcup]

It is canon that the following Fanged Four pairings had sex with each other:

Angelus/Darla

Angelus/Drusilla

Angelus/Darla/Drusilla

Darla/Drusilla

Drusilla/Spike

Angelus/Drusilla/Spike

Angelus/Spike

The only combo stated to have not happened was all four together. And they had 6 more years together after this was said. But given that Darla and Spike were never said or shown to have hooked up, it's possible she just wasn't into him.

None of these relationships were separate. They lived together for 20 years while they were all fucking each other. If that doesn't mean the criteria for a polycule, idk what does.

I think people get distracted by the stronger romantic relationships between Angelus/Darla and Spike/Drusilla, so it gets sorted into default monogamous pairings. Shenanigans outside of that is categorized as cheating because they're all evil.

So they never arrive at the realization that pretty much all four of them were fucking each other and everybody was mostly okay with it. Even Spike! He wasn't impressed with it at first, but came to both accept and embrace Drusilla being a package deal. Otherwise he wouldn't have been so close with Angelus.

sometimes I suddenly remember that there are people who don't think the fanged four were in a polycule and like ???? how???