Hmm...I like the comparison of the passages that you quote.
My take on things are that Riley's not wrong; two people in a lasting committed relationship should feel that way about each other, otherwise, what's the point. And I can see Spike saying something very similar, even if he never said it. And when he's talking to her in Touched and he says he's not asking for anything, it doesn't mean that he doesn't want anything from her, he's just clarifying what it means when he says that he loves her. And I can see Riley saying something very similar, and in fact he did in As You Were.
After what happened with Angel, Buffy closed off her heart and really could not give of herself to anyone. The difference between the two guys is that Spike was willing to accept anything from Buffy, while Riley decided he didn't want to. That's really laid out in their male bonding scene in Into The Woods (and man I could wax poetic about that scene all day). There are merits to each decision. Riley's decision was definitely healthier, and he left for his own good. He healed, moved on, and found some one else he was happy with. And can you imagine him in season 6 trying to date Buffy while she was dealing with her depression? Spike had the strength (physical and emotional) to deal with Buffy, while Riley did not. Spike's decision was unhealthier, and their relationship ended up being self-destructive, but, he stuck it out through thick and thin, in the end it turned out to be worthwhile. He got his soul back, became her Champion, and she gave him her love. He helped to heal her heart.
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My take on things are that Riley's not wrong; two people in a lasting committed relationship should feel that way about each other, otherwise, what's the point. And I can see Spike saying something very similar, even if he never said it. And when he's talking to her in Touched and he says he's not asking for anything, it doesn't mean that he doesn't want anything from her, he's just clarifying what it means when he says that he loves her. And I can see Riley saying something very similar, and in fact he did in As You Were.
After what happened with Angel, Buffy closed off her heart and really could not give of herself to anyone. The difference between the two guys is that Spike was willing to accept anything from Buffy, while Riley decided he didn't want to. That's really laid out in their male bonding scene in Into The Woods (and man I could wax poetic about that scene all day). There are merits to each decision. Riley's decision was definitely healthier, and he left for his own good. He healed, moved on, and found some one else he was happy with. And can you imagine him in season 6 trying to date Buffy while she was dealing with her depression? Spike had the strength (physical and emotional) to deal with Buffy, while Riley did not. Spike's decision was unhealthier, and their relationship ended up being self-destructive, but, he stuck it out through thick and thin, in the end it turned out to be worthwhile. He got his soul back, became her Champion, and she gave him her love. He helped to heal her heart.