Author's note: I love you awesome readers! *hugs all of you*

Beta'd by amazing dawnofme and Mabel Marsters.

Disclaimer in full effect.


Chapter 6


They sat on the couch in Giles’ living room, both of them pretending to be focused on the television. Freshly showered, too, Buffy squirmed on the cushions, wringing her hands in her lap. Her mind raced as she tried to come up with a safe topic to break the awkward silence.


“So we gonna avoid this then?” Spike asked, effectively shining the spotlight at the big elephant in the room.


“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”


“Come on! I had a bloody wank, so what? I don’t see why you’re making such a big deal outta this.”


“I thought I wasn’t. You’re the one bringing this up and this is me, not talking about it anymore.”


“Yeah, alright. As you wish, Slayer. In point of fact, we don’t have to talk at all.” He crossed his arms over his chest, sulking as he pretended to watch the news.


Now Buffy sighed in annoyance as the heavy tension around them pushed her to say something. Anything. She glanced at Spike from the corner of her eye.


“So… what’s up with the ensemble?” she asked, eyeing the blue ripped jeans and the white tank top he had put on.


Spike furrowed his brow as he turned to face her, visibly contemplating if he should reply or continue his brooding. “What?”


“The jeans and the top. I don’t think I’ve seen them on you before. Plus, you’re not wearing anything black so something must be up.”


“Oh. Yeah, contrary to the popular belief I do own more than one article of clothing. Actually, these are just like the ones I wore during my punk phase.”


“You mean to tell me… what you usually wear is not your punk phase?”


Spike laughed suddenly, the rich sound washing over her, making her shiver. Who would have thought Spike laughing could make him appear so… pleasant.


“You have no idea, Slayer. I used to wear this tank… just like this one, except black.” Buffy harmlessly ogled his bare arms. “And there were safety pins on it and what not. Lots of jewelry, piercing-”


“Piercing?” she asked with interest. “Where?”


Spike grinned suddenly and she had a bad idea he was about to say something that would earn him a broken nose. “Any old place… eyebrow, nipples… tongue. Dru used to love the tongue one.”


“Why would she…. Oh.” Buffy blushed and cursed herself for bringing up the topic. How did the previously harmless conversation get to this point anyway? It seemed like curiosity really might have killed the cat after all. And she so didn’t need to hear about his sexcapades with the nutcase Drusilla.


“Yeah,” he drawled. “Birds love it. Ever had a man see to you with his tongue pierced, Slayer?”


“You say it like I pick up strange men whenever the mood strikes me, and I don’t. I’ve only slept with three so that hardly makes me-”


“No need to get snippy. Just asking a question.”


“Yeah, well… you bring out the not so nice part of me.”


“The bitch in you, you mean.”


“See? Now I just want to punch you.”


“Hold the temper, Slayer. Besides, you didn’t answer, though it is rather pointless. Corn boy wouldn’t have the balls to pierce anything of his and the less spoken about your Angel bear, the better. .”


Buffy snorted. “It’s not like I haven’t seen you wear eyeliner, you know. Anything you might want to tell me, Spikey?”


His eyes widened. “Hey! I’m a ladies man all the way… though there was that one time with Angelus, but we were three sheets to the …” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, Dru said it brought out my eyes.”


“You and Angel?” Buffy gaped at him. Spike and Angel? Naked, preferably covered in oil as they wrestled around and then…


“Got a dirty mind, Slayer. I can see all those images just flying through your brain right now.”


“What? Don’t be ridiculous.”


“Nothing to write home about if you want to know. I barely remember it, we were so hammered. No bad though, taught me a lot… Angelus did.” Spike winked at her and licked his lips. “I change my question.”


“Are we playing truth or dare without the dare part and I haven’t noticed?” Buffy stared at him incredulously. He was such a kid. A kid with a very dirty mind. She should really start learning how to ignore him.


“Now there’s a thought. We might get to that later seeing as we’re stuck with each other. So, has anyone ever gone down on you?”


“What kind of question is that?”


“Are you avoiding answering?” Spike asked.


“Why would you even want to know?” she whined.


“Dunno, just do. Now stop dodging it and answer. Yes or no?”


“Eh… sure. Once.”


“That’s it? Now say it once more, with feeling.”


“God, what do you want from me? As you said, it was nothing to write home about. I didn’t like it, so… there… now change the topic.”


“How could you not have liked it? I bet the wanker in question… Captain Cardboard, I guess… had no idea what he was doing.”


“Whatever, Spike. So… we should go buy you some blood, and pizza for me--”


“You know, I could show you… I could make you fly.”


“God, you’re such a pig! Would you let it go? Please?”


“Alright. But if we shagged, I just know it would be bloody marvelous.”


Buffy’s shoulders slumped. “It’s wrong. We’re supposed to be… enemies. It would lead to no good.”


The longer he was near her, the more he wanted her. Spike knew she was right, but he was no longer sure if he cared. He wondered what it would feel like to hold her in his arms, so open and his. Trusting him to bring her pleasure and not hurt her afterwards. And maybe there was the tiniest bit of longing within him to let her do the same for him. Nobody had ever made love to him. Not shagging or fucking, just loving him selflessly and without question. What would it feel like to be loved by Buffy Summers?


“I know,” he said. “So… feeling peckish?”


It didn’t matter anyway. She would never love him. Not without a precious soul. And he would never love her. Spike was through being anybody’s bitch, least of all the Slayer’s. That would be akin to a death wish. No need to even think of the silly notion, right? Right.


******


Buffy rummaged through her dresser as Spike paced behind her in dizzying circles. They came to her house after she forced Spike to help her clean Giles’ house and water the plants. Now she searched for a change in clothes. She already pulled out beige shorts.


'Red top or green? Hmm…'


“Bloody hell, woman. Just pick something already.” Spike yanked the clothes from her hands and eyed them critically. “Take the red one.” He tossed the green one into the open drawer and handed her the red one.


“Are you sure? It’s all cleavage-y.”


“That’s why I picked it.” Spike waggled his eyebrows and grinned at her with his tongue tucked behind his front teeth. He was convinced she’d wear the green one just to spite him.


“Okay.”


“What? What do you mean ‘okay’?” he asked.


“I wanted to wear that one anyway. So, wanna go kill things?”


“Alright.”


******


It wasn’t just hot outside. The sweltering heat rushed against Buffy’s skin like it did when she helped her mom cook and opened the oven to peek in. It wasn’t as bad as during the day though, thank God. They walked side by side through the cemetery in a comfortable silence.


'Who would have thought Spike could shut up for more than five seconds? He’s not so bad to be around, I guess.'


The warm breeze picked up a little, brushing over her heated skin just before the rumbling noise of a grave being stirred interrupted their stride. Buffy glanced at Spike and he grinned at her as they broke in to a run.


Three vampires surrounded a grave where a fledgling was digging his way out of the earth.


“Don’t you have anything better to do? Sunbathe maybe?” Buffy asked, widening her eyes in fake innocence. The vampires turned to face them, glaring at Buffy and Spike with yellow eyes.


“And don’t you children have anything better to do than roam the cemetery at night?” asked a female vampire.


“They probably came here to make out,” said another.


Buffy narrowed her eyes and pulled out her stake from behind her back where it had been tucked in the waistband of her shorts. She saw Spike do the same and the vampires snarled, spreading out to circle them as the fledgling crawled out of the grave and joined them.


“The slayer, huh? We’re going to enjoy killing you and your boyfriend.”


“He is not--” Buffy rolled her eyes and kicked the female vampire in her knee, smiling at the sound of her bone shattering. “Anyone else?”


All four of them threw themselves at Buffy and Spike who were standing back to back. Their attackers didn’t stand a chance. Spike shifted into his game face and sucker punched the vampire while kicking the other one in the torso, sending him flying back several feet away.


“Traitor!” snarled the fledgling.


“Yeah, well… never been one to follow the rules.”

Spike jumped up to avoid his feet being kicked out and rammed his heavy boot into the fledgling’s face who was now lying pitifully on the ground. Spike didn’t hesitate and straddled him, ramming the stake home. He glanced at Buffy and grinned as he saw her stake the two vampires with quick effective stabs. The last vampire picked himself up and turned to flee. Spike gripped his stake and sent it hurling straight into the vampire’s back. The dust swirled to the grass.


“Now that… was fun,” Spike said as they resumed their walk.


“Speak for yourself. I’m all covered in vamp dust and I’m sweaty.”


“Umm… slayer musk. Don’t shower on my account.”


“Eww, Spike.” She wrinkled her nose. “We rocked though.”


Spike laughed. “Yeah. Felt like I’ve been fighting by your side forever.”


“You’re left handed. It makes for a great slaying partner, you know. That way, we cover everything around us.”


“Suppose you’re right. But I’m only doing this ‘cause I’m bored, so… don’t get used to it.”


“It’s not like I have any money to pay you even if it became a regular occurrence,” Buffy said with a sigh.


Spike squirmed and rolled his eyes. “Bloody hell. I’d do it for free, alright? But I have a condition.”


“I’m not sleeping with you.”


Spike arched an eyebrow and she blushed. “Wasn’t gonna say that. Just… all I ask is a little respect. No mean remarks and no calling me a thing.”


“Deal.”


Buffy felt kind of bad. Not that she’d tell him. She had no idea Spike would ever let the jibes get under his skin. He was… Spike. A mean, cocky, egoistical vampire that nobody could possibly offend. Could it be that he was more than that?


“Spike…”


He glanced at her from the corner of his eye and suddenly the back of her neck tingled. Spike’s eyes widened as he looked past her shoulder at something she couldn’t see. He grasped her shoulder and tried to whirl them around, but it was too late.


Pain shot through her with such blinding clarity her knees buckled, and the only thing Buffy knew was the smell of Spike’s skin before the blackness clouded her vision.


TBC


Author's note: Hee... I know what happens next. :P I can't wait for you to find out!