Two Is Company

Bangel or Spuffy? (BtVS)

"C'mon, Lauren, he's like two hundred and forty years old!"

"So? He's a vampire, duh."

"And what, the laws against pedophilia don't apply to him?"

"Look, Camz, it's not like Angel was stalking underage girls and luring them into his sex trap with his smoldering gaze and brooding aura and his vampire with a soul schtick."

"That's exactly what he's been doing his entire vampire life! Did you forget about Drusilla?"

"But he's in love with Buffy! She's his first love, and vice-versa. Doesn't that count for anything?"

"Oh it counts alright... It counts as pedophilia!" Camila scoffs, while Lauren rolls her eyes.

"So you scorn true love just because of a little age difference?" Lauren challenges.

"A little age difference?" Camila cackles sarcastically. "Buffy was like fifteen or sixteen when they met! Even if we don't count his vampire age, he'd still be like twenty-seven, ew!"

"And you think Spike is any better? Isn't he around one-hundred and fifty or something?"

"At least he didn't hook up with Buffy until she was legal."

"Well duh, that's because he's too busy trying to kill her! How sweet! I'm melting."

"Weren't you always threatening to drown me in toilet water before?" Camila cocks an eyebrow at Lauren.

"That's different! I wasn't trying to suck your blood."

"Yeah you just kept on making my blood boil."

Lauren gives Camila an unimpressed look.

"Ok, I know how bad it looks like -- but all I'm saying is that while the age difference is a little disturbing considering that Buffy was a minor, calling it pedophilia is a bit harsh, because Angel is essentially a good guy. Their relationship didn't start with any ill-intention or any sort of manipulation to purposely seduce her. He was legit just trying to help her and Sunnydale. He didn't set up any predatory trap for his sexual deviances -- he simply fell in love. And Buffy, considering she already died (just for a little bit!) and that she's a slayer, makes her mature for her age."

"Shouldn't have Angel controlled himself? He's supposed to be the mature one, after all."

"He tried, didn't he? He left. But can you control love, really?"

"Well, he could at least control his physical urges and waited until Buffy's legal." Camila pushes.

"Well, my dear Camz, sometimes you can't control desire, can you?" Lauren smirks, raising an eyebrow.

"You're too chill when it comes to morality issues, aren't you?"

"If it's worth it, yeah I am." Lauren stares at her hard, and Camila gulps and breaks eye contact.

She gets up to grab a couple of bananas because she feels that all this pedophilia talk has lowered her potassium level.

"Plus, Giles didn't seem to have any problem with Buffy's relationship with Angel," Lauren says. "And he's her watcher. If there's any real issue that was raised then, it's that he's a vampire."