The binding of two souls [cw]

Buffy tried her best to listen to their advise, but it was always hard when your head was already filled with worry. Closing her eyes she focussed on her breathing, feeling Baal's lips kiss her knuckles ever so carefully made a faint smile appear. She couldn't deny the effect he had on her, that just the smallest gesture could make her ever joyous. The affirming voice of both Aiden and Xander saying that they would be there for them made her feel a warmth spread in her chest. When she had felt herself calm down further she opened her eyes, looking up at her daemon as she smiled. The fenix simply had to rely on the things she knew for sure. She knew that she loved Baal, more than anything, and she knew that he loved her back. Another things she was certain of was that once they were bound, not even a whole clan of daemons could keep them apart. And lastly she knew that when all of this was over, she was really just anxious to give him the surprise she had been planning. Xander had helped set it up, with a bit of help and funding from Leona, as well as some money that Buffy had inherited from her mother. Taking a deep breath she nodded at Aiden's motherly advice. Xander and Aiden stepped out, but Buffy sat for a while with Baal until he spoke, making her look at the hand he was caressing. "With you by my side, I feel like I can do anything," she confessed, looking at his green eyes for a while. Her face softened up for a while, just taking in how he looked. In her eyes he was as handsome as ever, despite his sleepless nights, she could still see the real him underneath. Leaning closer she stole a sweet yet simple kiss before they exited the car. Outside there were a lot of people, mostly clergies trying to find a way to run all of the temples in perfect unison, so that there wouldn't break out a war between the feuding races. "We'll just need to make it to the woods, then it'll all work out," Buffy said under her breath, placing her hand around his arm and hugging herself closer to him. Flipping up her hood of her jacket she was just trying to stay warm, and perhaps hide herself a bit. "I love you," she whispered, feeling her body tremble a bit as they started walking.

Walking beside him she felt her heart race the closer they got to the edge of the woods. There were a lot of people out here today, paying tribute to their gods and spending time with family even. It was strange how the holidays could bring people together here in Raleska. They were only a few steps away from the woods as Buffy noticed a woman walking towards them. Looking down she just kept moving ahead, wanting to reach the woods and just leave everyone behind. However as they reached the first tree at the edge of the woods, the woman grabbed a hold of Baal, pulling him and subsequently Buffy with her into the woods. The green eyes of the woman were almost startling to Buffy as Alyssa let go of the daemon to instead grab the fenix by her throat. The empusa made a wide grin, chuckling under her breath. "Green eyes and blonde hair? I guess you do have a type, Belial," Alyssa said, turning her eyes away from Buffy to look at Baal instead, however still holding Buffy by her throat. One wrong move and she could snap the neck of the fenix with ease. "Simeon is worried about you, and you know how I love seeing him in pain - You are his prized possession," she said in a rather cold voice. Buffy tried speaking, but all that came out was a squeaking sound.

They had been so close but as soon as he felt someone grab a hold of him and pull him into the woods with Buffy, he wasnt sure what to think or feel. Buffy was torn from his side and held by the woman that he all too soon recognized. “No...” he whispered quietly. He frowned as his eyes seemed a little distant, before he looked away, gritting his teeth. He kept the distance the empusa had made, knowing Buffy’s life wasnt something he wanted to gamble with. “I’m no prized possession. Not more than any of the rest of our kind. It’s not even about me he just likes control,” He said, lifting his hands up to show he wasnt going to play any tricks. He glanced at Buffy, frowning a bit more as he felt so helpless, but what could he do? He couldnt get there in time to stop Alyssa from breaking Buffy’s neck if she wanted to. Then he realized something, “What do you want, Alyssa? If you really wanted to kill her, you would have already. It’s obviously not the insentive of jealousy that has brought you here?” He asked, sounding dull, almost bored in a sense as he just stood there with his hands up. Trent’s mark was itching and it was starting to annoy him further.

“Jealosy? Oh dear Belial, do you take me for a petty person?” Alyssa asked with a smile on her face. It was clear she was enjoying seeing Baal change demeanour. To her this was a game, or at least he was part of a piece in her game. It was no secret that she didn’t like the power that Simeon had, often wanting more herself, however one thing was true. She was devoted to their god. “Of course I don’t want to kill her, that would ruin the fun,” she chuckled, turning her head to look at Buffy. Alyssa was not blind, she could see beauty in that fenix woman, but it didn’t make her jealous. “I want to win my bet with Simeon of course, one that he made a long time ago with me,” she said with an almost warm smile as she moved her hand up from the fenix’ throat to touch her cheek. Buffy felt like she could breathe again, gasping softly before her eyes turned to Baal, however the woman in front of her demanded her attention. Alyssa ran her thumb along Buffy’s lower lip, smiling to herself as if she was already thinking of stuff to make the fenix plead in pleasure. “So please indulge me, dear Belial, what do you see in this mortal?” She asked, genuinely curious. “I can see the fire in her eyes, that would certainly draw you in, but is it perhaps something else? Something hidden within her soul?” She asked, her other hand grabbing Buffy’s waist and pulling herself closer. “Please stop,” Buffy whispered, closing her eyes as she didn’t like looking at the empusas enchanting eyes. “I won’t hurt you, little dove, I promise you that as long as I’m alive I’ll never hurt you,” Alyssa whispered almost seductively. Clearly she wanted to get a rise out of Baal, knowing that he could have a temper when someone took his quote on quote toys.

"What bet?" he asked a little impatiently, feeling himself restless when he could only stand there and watch as the empusa did whatever she wanted. He could feel his blood boil the longer Buffy was closer to the daemon and he cursed her with every dark word in his mind for holding the fenix the way she did. Her question made him frown, "I dont have to answer to you," he answered her quite spitefully in his tone like the mere suggestion that he was inquired to answer her was disgusting him. Even more was the way she was looking at the fenix, like Buffy was nothing more than a toy to her, making him that more disgusted with her. The daemons were all the same in the way they viewed the world and even though it didnt surprise him that she was just like the rest, didnt soothe the feeling he felt so strongly.
"Let her go," he demanded in a cold tone, stepping closer but not in a threatening way as his hands were still up and present. He looked at Buffy, feeling his jaw tremble a little with anger and he had to clench his teeth to remind himself to calm down. "I know why I havent been killed for what I've done," he said in a cold tone, frowning as he looked away from Buffy to look at Alyssa, "Simeon wants to know if the rumors about my mother's claim of who my father may be, is true," he said, looking at the mark in his hand before looking at the name in his palm. "Neither of you will find out if that fenix isnt left unharmed and untouched by either of you," he said with eyes as serious as his tone. "Let go of her," he said once more, gritting his teeth slightly.

"Oh the bet was silly; He claimed that any other summoner would never be able to take his place - But I beg to differ," Alyssa said, a wild look in her eyes as she thought of Simeon disgraced. She didn't mind that her brethren didn't reply, she really held no power over him, but she did have a loyal group of empusas willing to do her bidding at the snap of her fingers. As Baal stepped closer, Alyssa didn't feel in the slightest threatened. She in fact found it more interesting that a summoner would try and negotiate instead of just claiming what was his, like the animal he was. "Oh, I don't need to find out, I already know that you're my brother," she chuckled, licking her lower lip a little as she looked at Buffy before turning her head to Baal. It had been no secret that Alyssa was in fact a true born daughter of Bael, one that was very powerful. She had a thing about her that made people follow her orders, and even Simeon had been forced to bend himself from time to time. "And as your sister, I'm sworn to protect your spawn; Even if it is a halfbred," she said, finally letting go of Buffy, making the fenix run to Baal. Buffy wrapped her arms around Baal, hiding her face in his chest as she tried to hold back crying. "But humor Simeon for a while longer, I want him to break," Alyssa said with an almost terrifying smile on her lips. "He did promise me for better or for worse, so I'm going to give him hell for thinking he could ever lay a claim on me," she snarled. "Now, brother dear, it seems like we could go two ways; You could help me throw Simeon off of his stupid little throne, or you could let me whisper in his ears what our little dove is carrying in her stomach," Alyssa said, clearly putting an ultimatum on him. She wouldn't really care for his reply, because she felt like she knew the answer already. "Baal?" Buffy asked in a weak and concerned voice. She couldn't really understand what the two of them were talking about.

He was surprised at her answer, frowning a little when he realized that if she was certain, then it meant they were related and something in him found that quite unerving with their history. Though it wouldnt change much now, he was still raised the way he was and finding out now that he had a sibling changed nothing about the past. She finally let Buffy go and he felt like he could breathe again as he wrapped his arms close around the fenix and held her like hadnt he held her in years. "You could have fooled me," he said to his sister, though it wasnt a friendly remark in any sort of way. He closed his eyes as he pressed his face into Buffy's hair, inhaling her smell to calm himself. But as Alyssa spoke, he opened his eyes again and stared into the blonde strands on the one he loved. He was ready to snap at her for using his child as a bargaining chip to her own advantage. He made a deep sigh, but then he looked at the ground for a bit, his face relaxing for a moment. He lifted his head, looking into her eyes as he seemed to think of something quite clever. He looked down at Buffy, kissing her forehead, "She's suggesting that my kind of daemon is in need of new leadership," he told her before looking at Alyssa. "You said it yourself. You're sworn to protect my spawn, a halfbred daemon, the other half seraph. You know what they would do to her," he argued, flashing a faint smile, hugging Buffy closer. Maybe his daemon nature was showing a little too much as he found it humorous, "Telling him would betray your blood, even if it's mixed with our mortal enemies," he shook his head.

A new leader? Buffy felt her stomach turn with fear as she thought about it. It sounded like a war that could break loose within the daemon race, and she didn't like the thought of that. Though being in his arms calmed her, she still felt like the empusa's eyes were burning right through her. Alyssa chuckled at Baal's words, shaking her head. "They won't harm her if they know her true heritage; Imagine being known as slaying a descendant of our Lord?" she said, her smile turning a little twisted as she stepped closer to the pair. As Baal said that telling Simeon would betray her blood she clicked her teeth, touching Buffy's hair before reaching her hand up to grace Baal's cheek. "I won't tell him anything, brother dear, but I could suggest where he could go to find your little fenix, once she has given birth; I could make sure the child was safe, but let us be honest, our little dove here might not survive Simeon's anger," she said, looking in to Baal's green eyes. She chuckled softly before letting go of his cheek, walking over to look up at the sky through the thick branches. "But I really don't need to give you an ultimatum; If you truly want to be with your fenix and your child without hiding, you have to cease control yourself," she said shrugging as if it was as easy as anything. Simeon did have a lot of followers, but most just followed him because of fear and his controlling ability. But once that ability was stripped away along with his title, he would just be the weak daemon that Alyssa had always seen him as. "Could ... Could we have a chance of an actual life together?" Buffy whispered. She knew that the empusa could hear her, but she wanted Baal's answer.

It had annoyed him when she touched Buffy’s hair but as soon as her hand touched his cheek, his hand flew up to grasp her wrist a little harder than intitially intended, but not in a hurtful way. There was just no way he’d ever let her touch him like that again, because the mere thought of what they had done made him sick to his stomach. He frowned at her. “You know Simeon would do anything to keep his power. Anything to keep the rest of his kind obidient and docile at his command. If he found out that the child is halfbred with seraphim blood, he’s not gonna care about how much of our lord’s blood is in her,” he said, raising his eyebrow a little.
Then Buffy was mentioned and he grit his teeth a little, knowing she wad right. The child could be left unharmed, but Buffy would be in danger. He let go of her hand, almost shoving it back to her before he placed his arm safely around Buffy again. He felt so angry because he was being left with no other choice than the one Alyssa was throwing at him. He knew what she was suggesting, but it wasnt something that he wanted. He wanted to be free and not have to hide, that much was true, but controlling his own kind like Simeon once had? He looked down at Buffy as she spoke, his eyes turning a little sad when she seemed to catch on and even consider it. “No. It would be a chance at a life, but not together. Leading is not something I was raised to or want, it would take all the time I could have spent with you” he said before he looked at Alyssa. He made a deep sigh. “But I dont have a choice do I?” He asked her, already knowing the answer. And the way Buffy had sounded so hopeful just felt like a knife in his heart.

"Don't fool yourself, Belial, you were not born and chosen just to let it go to waste," Alyssa said, clearly not faced by how he was grabbing her wrist. In fact, she just smiled at him, chuckling at how disgusted he looked. She heard Baal trying to comfort his fenix, making her roll her eyes a little. Could he not see the benefit? "You don't have to spent any moment away from her if you don't want to; You could change the rules, make it so that they were bent to your will and not Simeon's," Alyssa said. She sighed as he asked if he had a choice, making her shrug. "You always have a choice, dear Belial, however if you want your little family to be accepted, you could help me turn everything over," she said. She had long hoped to change a lot of things about the Orders that were set up, but it would take people she could trust to be in their right places.

Buffy felt a little overwhelmed, looking up at her daemon with a soft look in his eyes. Her hand moved up to his cheek, cupping it gently as she looked in to his eyes. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to," she whispered. She felt sad that they had to hide, but if that was how it was going to be, then it was how it was going to be. "I love you, and nothing can change that," she promised.

“The name Belial suggests otherwise,” he said to his sister as he could not deny that their so called father had chosen the worst name for a child if it was meant to lead anyone at all. He clenched his jaw at Alyssa’s intruding words as he explained the reality of the situation to his love. Couldnt she just admit that it wasnt for his gain but just her own? It would have worked on any other power-hungry daemon but Baal was only thinking about Buffy and their family together. He wondered if his special blood allowed him to long for other things than what the regular daemon would have had their focus at. “So I will be your puppet again?” He asked Alyssa, still looking so angry when he looked at her. No way. He remembered the last time he let her have her way. He felt almost ashamed thinking off it but then Buffy cupped his face, and it was like the memory faded. Looking down at the fenix he leaned down to kiss her. “I will do what I have to to keep you and our daughter safe, as my main priority,” he whispered against her lips, closing his eyes for a bit before he sighed. “I will help you. But dont think for one moment that it means you would have any control over me or my kind,” he said as he looked back at Alyssa, but he wasnt exactly looking directly at her.

“Hey you two! Why did you disappear?” Aiden called in the distance before she moved closer to the pair, not having noticed the empusa yet.

Alyssa couldn't help but chuckle at his words, rolling her eyes. Of course his name was odd, but was hers not the same in that way? What ever their father and lord's plan was, they had to follow it. That was at least what Alyssa believed. Her and her brother was not born by mistake, no, their blood was strong, they had powers yet to be discovered. "You will not be my puppet, you'll be my brother; I need you to trust me and I need to be able to trust you," she said in a calm voice. She was collected, and she knew that what had happened might anger him further, but Alyssa was a curious creature. When she had met her brother, she had wanted to feel if, when they connected, it would feel different. Sadly it hadn't, but then she didn't have to wonder. Alyssa smiled as Baal agreed to help her, clapping her hands together in an excited motion. "It'll be like a family event," she chuckled. Most people saw her and thought of her as a maniac, one out merely for her own gain and pleasure. However there was something bigger at stake here. Then she heard someone come, the scent that followed making her frown. "Making a harem already? Oh you humor me," she chuckled as she moved towards the voice that neared. "Please; She's just one of my friends," Buffy pleaded, hoping that Aiden would hear her and turn around. "A friend? That's rather convenient that you have someone that Simeon wants to kill - Were you going to trade her for the safety of your child," Alyssa asked, looking at Baal with a raised eyebrow.

He groaned in annoyance when she seemed to find it amusing, even clapping as he agreed to do it. He just looked at Buffy instead, holding her close to him to be sure she was fine. Hearing Aiden call out for them made him stare out into the woods, but despite his sister’s mocking, he said nothing. Buffy was the one to warn her, making Aiden stop before she got too close. She looked at them rather worried, before she looked around for Xander. “I’ll.... go find Xander,” she said, though hearing the empusa’s words reminded her of what had once been at stake. Was it still so? She knew she would always be on the run from the daemons. She went back to the crowd, feeling her eyes well up a little as an icy feeling of something uncomfortable slid up her spine, she could feel the goosebumps form on her back. Biting her lip, she moved faster around, “Xander?” She called a little hasty with panic.

Baal grit his teeth when his sister seemed to think that they would even consider that a possibility. “Friends are not just something you sacrifice,” he said but he wasnt trying to lecture his sister on maintaining friendships, because frankly he didnt care how she dealt with her friends. He just wanted her to leave so he could be bound to Buffy like his heart was begging him to. He was sure they had to be there in mere minutes. “We have to go,” he then said, letting go of Buffy to grab her hand and lead her away from his sister.

Buffy felt relieved to hear that Aiden would turn around, mostly because she didn't like to think about what might happen if their hybrid friend was taken at a time like this. Alyssa didn't seem to care enough to pursue her. "Sacrifice or not, some friends just beg to be the victim," she said in a rather cryptic voice. The empusa watched as the pair walked away, smiling to herself. "Oh, and congratulations!" she yelled after them before disappearing herself. She had matters to attend, now that her plan could be set in to motions.

Xander came running, looking at Aiden with a worried gaze. "Are you alright?" he asked, seeing how distressed she looked. Then he saw Baal and Buffy coming up to them. "The priestess is ready; She's at the Hollow Tree," he said, looking from the daemon to his sister. He felt worried, mostly because Buffy seemed upset. "What happened?" he asked.

Buffy shook her head. "Not now, Xander; I'll tell you both when we're done," she said, walking with Baal until they reached the location they needed to be at. Taking a deep breath she found herself worried. Looking up at her daemon, she gave his hand a squeeze. "Try and forget her for a while ... For now it's just the two of us," she pleaded in a soft voice.

Xander nodded, wrapping his arms around Aiden, holding her close. "We'll go home, I promise," he whispered in to her dark hair before looking at Buffy and Baal as they left. He left with Aiden, making sure to be as careful as they could getting out of the woods and reaching her car.

Buffy closed her eyes as he kissed her, sighing against his lips as she felt her body relax. His apology made her shake her head, smiling at him. There was nothing to apologize for. She knew the risks this would bring, but right now those precautions needed to be put aside. As he let go of her to grab her hand, she entangled their fingers, following by his side through the woods. Soon the large Hollow Tree stood before them, it's old bark shining even though the woods around it made the sunlight from above dim. A priestess dressed in white with flaming red hair stood by it, making Buffy smile. "Eudora," Buffy said in a relieved tone. The red headed woman turned around, sending the two a bright smile, her eyes lilac with blue flames. "No cold feet then," she teased, making Buffy chuckle, looking up at Baal by her side. Eudora walked over to them, talking their hands that they held together, smiling as she turned them a little. "Love is clearly between you, it will only make your bond stronger," she said, letting go of their hands before walking to the tree once more, running her hands over the bark. "You've brought your offerings, yes?" she asked. Buffy nodded, reaching down in to her purse and pulled out a small ribbon. "Faeth values memories, so I brought the first ribbon my mother tied in to my hair," Buffy said, looking down at the old but beautiful ribbon in her hand. "Always thoughtful," Eudora remarked with a smile, turning her head to look at Baal.

He choose to try and clear his mind which helped as they arrived at the hollow tree. He looked at the priestess, keeping his hand entangled with Buffy's. He just didnt feel safe letting go of her, even now when it seemed like nothing could happen. He looked at Buffy at the priestess' tease, sighing shortly as a faint smile fell over his lips. As their hands were grabbed, he looked at Eudora, feeling like they were being read like an open book just from their entangled hands. He nodded at her question about the offering, looking at Buffy as she presented hers. He looked at the ribbon, pinching his lips a little when Buffy mentioned her mother. He still felt bad for what could have happened, but luckily for them it hadnt. He felt Eudora's eyes on him and it wasnt that he was trying to be impolite or passive, it was just with his history of living at the temple, there was just something about priests and priestesses that intimidated him more than anything. He pulled out a small coin from his pocket, "I was given this coin when I finally left the temple. It was meant to help me get a roof over my head but I kept it as a charm instead," he said, frowning a little. He would have brought something else, something that might not have been connected to the daemons with the same sentimental value, but going home hadnt really been an option in their position.

Eudora smiled gently at Baal as he told about the coin, nodding at both of them. "Hold on to them for a little while longer, they will be very important," she said. She could sense that the daemon was not quite comfortable with her, but she could understand to some degree. Buffy nodded, looking at the ground she saw a red cloth laid out on the ground. "Take off your shoes and outerwear; then you can step up to the cloth," Eudora said with a warm smile. She herself was only wearing her white dress that reached the ground. Buffy felt a little unsure, especially as she was always so easy to freeze. "Trust me, you'll warm each other," she promised, making Buffy nod before she let go of Baal's hand. Removing her shoes, gloves, jacket as well as her scarf, she quickly felt the cold sneak up on her. Stepping on to the red cloth, she trembled a bit but in one hand she held the ribbon, her other hand reaching over to grab Baal's hand. "Together," she whispered to him in a fond voice. She could feel her heart race, feel the excitement so clear and it was such a good feeling. "Now that you are both standing here, there is no going back; I cannot stop until you two are bound," she said in a serious voice. Reaching down, she grabbed a white piece of long silk from the red cloth, holding it up so the two of them could see it. "I am going to ask you to make a small cut in each other's palms, drip blood on each of your offerings and lastly on this piece," she said, handling each of them a small blade. Buffy looked at the blade in her hand, shaking a little at the thought of needing to place it against Baal's skin.

It felt surreal in a sense, to know that soon would he be bound with the woman he loved forever. There wasnt a feeling that could quite compare to the feeling he felt when he slowly seemed to come to realization that this was happening. He took off his jacket and got out of his shoes, not feeling the cold that badly, though he worried for Buffy, "Always," he whispered back to Buffy in all seriousness. Standing on the red cloth, he nodded at the priestess' words as he looked at the fenix in front of him. The feelings that Alyssa had instilled in him was fading fast and as they stood there, he looked at her with such tender eyes. He looked at her a little while longer before turning his head to look at the white cloth, just listening with a resting expression. A small frown twitched on his brows when he received the knife, looking at Buffy and her shaking hand. He shook his head at her with a small smile, "It's alright," he said in soft tones before he lifted his palm to hers holding the blade. He wanted her to make the first cut so it was over with for her part, no matter how much time she'd need to do it. He didnt realize that he would be in the exact predicament once it was his turn to cut her palm.

Buffy looked at Baal's soft green eyes, feeling the need to just stare at them forever, but the thought of hurting him was repelling to her. Although he said it was alright, it didn't feel right. However she would have to do it, to sacrifice more than just a trinket to be with him. "I'm scared," she whispered, biting her lower lip as her hand gripped around the small knife. Buffy had never hurt anyone, not by purpose at least, so this felt wrong. "I don't want it to hurt you," she said, frowning as she considered her options. However she knew his words would be encouraging, and so she held her breath as she made a careful cut in to his palm. She winced a bit, mostly because it hurt her to see him bleed. She moved her trinket under his palm, letting it catch a droplet of blood, then letting him place a drop on his coin as well before Eudora wrapped one half of the white silk around his wound rather tightly, staining the fabric. Buffy felt her breath halter, holding out her palm for Baal to cut, hoping he would do it quickly.

"It wont be too bad," he encouraged her with a trying smile. He didnt want to pressure her to cut him and it seemed that she finally decided to do it as he felt the blade cut into his palm. He clenched his jaw slightly, but compared to what he had been through with the wound on his chest, this didnt feel like much. He tensed his hand a little to let a few droplets escape the small cut. He placed the coin against the cut, scraping off what he could. Then the priestess wrapped his hand, he looked at the fabric before he realized it was his turn when Buffy presented her palm. He blinked a few times, looking up into her eyes before he grabbed her hand. He lifted her palm to his lips, kissing her skin carefully before he sighed. It felt silly, hoping that his kiss would somehow dull the pain he was about to inflict on her. He rested his lips against her palm for a bit before moving it away, carefully making a small cut before turning her hand to let a small drop fall onto his coin. He felt bad for even making the smallest cut on her and it showed by the way he looked at her. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, looking at the cut in her palm with a sadness in his eyes.

Buffy felt her nerves running wild, and her eyes filled with tears as she noticed how his jaw tensed. She knew he was trying his best to play it off, but it was like she could feel him hurt. Maybe it was just phantom pain, but it felt real. She looked at Baal, seeing how he lifted her hand to his, kissing his palm. It made her body relax more, because she was a little afraid about how much it would hurt. As he made the cut it was fast and clean, making her whimper under her breath as it felt more like burning than actually hurting. When his coin had gotten a drop, her ribbon got one as well before Eudora wrapped the other half of the silk fabric around her wound. This way their hands were wrapped together, and for good measure, Eudora fixed their fingers to be interlocked. "You're life together will be clouded with hard choices, it will be full of hardships; but do not get lost in that - Remember that you have chosen each other, you have love for each other and that the bond you share from this point on will grow stronger by each passing moment," Eudora explained, smiling and gesturing for them to place their offerings in the hollow part of the tree. Buffy looked at Baal, smiling at him as they walked to the tree together. She looked at her ribbon and then at his coin, smiling softly at him. This was it. With her free hand she placed her trinket in the tree, biting her lower lip and as Baal would place his inside the tree it would feel like a strong wind shoving them backwards. Buffy blinked a few times, seeing Eudora smile at her made her know that everything was going after the plan. "Your gods have accepted your offers, seen how willingly you shed both memory and blood to be together," the priestess pronounced. Buffy felt her eyes well up with more tears, happy tears as she looked to her daemon. "I'm yours," she whispered in a broken yet so happy voice.

Hearing her whimper made him frown a little but they couldnt stop now, and as soon as her offering had  gotten it's drop, had the priestess wrapped their hands together. He gave her hand a soft squeeze, it was more like he was adjusting his hand wrapped tightly in the stained fabric, though it didnt hurt or annoy him. He just didnt want to press her hand in a way that would make pull at the cut and make it tear up her skin. He nodded at Eudora's words as his eyes were on Buffy's, feeling his nerves make his breath a little slow and deep. He followed her to the tree as they went up to face the gaping hole in the ancient bark and he looked from her to the hole before he looked at his coin. He dropped it inside of the tree after she dropped her ribbon, to then feel the wind shove them away. He was afraid to stumble and bring Buffy with him but he was oddly aware of his footing. He swallowed hard when the priestess pronounced a success, turning his eyes to Buffy as a broad smile spread on his lips. Nodding at her whisper he turned to her, placing his free hand on her cheek before leaning forward to plant his lips on hers in a deep tender kiss. He felt his eyes well up under his lids and the tension and nervousness he had felt all morning seemed to finally have slipped up on it's grip. "And I'm yours," he whispered against her lips, opening his wet eyes to look at her.