Chapter 24 – Seeking Male Approval


Sunnydale, 2000


That night, Buffy found herself standing beside Spike in front of Giles’ front door, anxiously wringing her hands as she tried to formulate what she would say to him.

“Maybe we shouldn’t tell him,” she said after a moment, looking at Spike. “He doesn’t need to know, does he?”

“He’s bound to figure it out eventually,” he replied. “Your mum and Willow already know, and I don’t plan on keeping our relationship hidden from anyone.”

“Even your fanged friends?” she asked, smiling when he glared at her.

“You know they’d come after the both of us if it became common knowledge that Spike’s whipped by the Slayer,” he said.

“I thought you didn’t mind being at my mercy?” she asked, giggling when he growled. “I’m just joking in an attempt to forget how nervous I am.”

“You have nothing to worry about,” he said. “What’s the worst that can happen? Rupert doesn’t approve? Not like it’d be that surprising.”

“No, the worst that can happen is Giles saying something rude to you and you responding by killing him, your chip be damned,” she replied, crossing her arms.

“Do you really think I’d kill your Watcher?” he asked, amused.

“If you were provoked, yes,” she said, sighing. “We don’t need to do this tonight.”

“We might as well get it out of the way,” he said as he knocked on the door, ignoring her when she narrowed her eyes at him.

Rupert opened the door a minute later, looking between them and frowning. “What’s wrong? Has something happened?”

“You have no idea, mate,” Spike answered, grinning mischievously. “Can we come in?”

“Buffy?” Giles asked, noticing the worried look on her face. “Is everything alright?”

“It will be,” she said, walking past him and going inside.

Spike followed her, and Giles closed the door behind him, beginning to feel a sense of dread course through him as he started contemplating what Spike and Buffy came to tell him.

“So, do you want to tell him or should I?” Spike asked, looking at Buffy.

“I will,” Buffy said, taking a deep breath to try to regain some confidence. “Giles, Spike and I are-”

“Please don’t tell me you’re Mated,” Giles cut in, his gaze darkening as he looked at Spike, who raised his hands in surrender.

“No, we’re not,” Buffy said. “We’re dating.”

“Good Lord,” Giles murmured, in a state of shock. “You two are-”

“Shagging like rabbits?” Spike offered, smirking when Buffy picked up a book off of Giles’ coffee table and threw it at him.

Giles swallowed hard and visibly paled as he thought about what they had said. “I… I think I need a drink.”

“I wouldn’t say no to one,” Spike said cheerfully, his expression falling when Giles’ eyes traveled to his.

“If you did a spell or somehow convinced her to-”

“He didn’t do anything,” Buffy cut in. “I made my own decision to start a relationship with him.”

“But why would you date him?” Giles asked, not surprised when he heard Spike growl quietly.

“Because I care about him,” Buffy answered, not willing to admit to him yet that she loved him. “And he cares about me, too.”

“He’ll hurt you,” Giles said.

Before Spike could respond, Buffy said, “It’s more than likely that I’ll hurt him worse if he ever does something wrong.”

“Isn’t that the bloody truth,” Spike mumbled, giving Buffy a sheepish look when she turned towards him.

“You’re telling me that you want to be with him?” Giles asked Buffy, and she nodded. “And you realize what possible ramifications there are of dating a vampire?”

“Um, Giles, are you forgetting that I’ve already dated one?” she asked. “I’m pretty sure I know all of the consequences of being with a vamp.”

“And I’m not like the poof,” Spike added. “Don’t have a soul to lose when we-”

“I think it’s better if you don’t talk,” Buffy interrupted, shooting him a warning glance. “Giles, I know what I’m doing… and I hope you’ll support me.”

He looked at her for a long moment before taking off his glasses and beginning to clean them off with a handkerchief.

“I didn’t approve of you dating a vampire before, and I’m not going to now,” he said. “But I know you can handle yourself, and you’re not a child anymore. If you want to date Spike, I can’t stop you.”

“Is that your way of giving us your blessing?” Buffy asked.

“I suppose it is,” he answered, smiling softly when she hugged him. “And you know that Spike will be dust if he gets out of line, yes?”

“I’d dust myself before any of you Slayerettes could come calling,” Spike replied. “Especially the whelp.”

“Does Xander know of this yet?” Giles asked.

“No, but we’re meeting up with everyone soon at Xander and Anya’s apartment,” Buffy answered, frowning.

“That’ll be a picnic,” Spike replied.

“But Willow knows, so I’m assuming she’s told Tara,” Buffy said. “Anya probably won’t care, but Xander definitely will have something to say about it.”

“He should know by now that whatever he says won’t keep you from doing what you want,” Giles replied.

“Yeah, you’d think so,” Buffy said, managing a small smile.

~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone sat in silence in Xander and Anya’s living room after Buffy told them about her new relationship with Spike. Spike and Buffy shared a look as more time passed, no one responding. When Buffy looked at Xander, she noticed that his hands were clenched into fists on his lap, which caused her to worry even more.

“Here it comes,” she whispered, grateful when Spike put his hand on hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Xander?”

“You’re dating Spike?” he asked, maintaining control over his emotions as he tried to comprehend what she had said before. “I knew it was probably going to happen, but I guess I never really thought about what I’d say when this moment came up.”

“I personally think it’s great,” Anya said, shrugging. “If Spike can provide Buffy with mind-blowing orgasms, then they have my support.”

“If you could leave that word out of the conversation, I’d be very thankful,” Xander replied, scowling at her.

“What? Support?” Anya asked innocently.

“And you already know that we’re behind you two one-hundred percent,” Willow said, and Tara nodded beside her.

“I don’t really have a say in it, do I?” Xander asked dejectedly.

“Afraid not,” Spike answered, grinning.

“So even if I say that I hate the thought of you two dating and that I’d rather see Spike in a pile of dust than hanging out with us, it won’t make a difference?” Xander asked, ignoring the look Spike gave him.

“Not at all,” Buffy said.

“Then I’m not going to waste my breath and try to convince you otherwise,” he said, sighing. “I’m not pleased about it… but if he makes you happy, then I suppose I can overlook how I feel about the situation and let you do your thing, just as long as I don’t have to see you two do anything that’s PG or worse.”

“I’ll make it a point to abstain from any public displays of affection in front of you,” Buffy replied. “You’re okay with it, then?”

“I know you, Buffy – when you want something bad enough, you ignore everyone else’s opinions and go for it,” he said. “I’ll always support you, even if I don’t exactly agree with you.”

“Thank you,” she said, getting up and walking over to him, feeling relieved when he hugged her. “It means a lot to me.”

“And I’m sure Spike knows by now that he won’t have a chance to run if he-”

“I’ve gotten warnings from everyone,” Spike cut in. “I know what will await me if I mess up.”

“Good,” Xander said, going over to him and extending his hand.

Spike looked at it and tilted his head. “What’re you doing?”

“It’s my feeble attempt at offering an olive branch of some sort,” Xander said.

Spike smirked and nodded before shaking Xander’s hand. “Thank you, whelp. It doesn’t matter much to me what you think, but Buffy cares, so if she’s happy, then I am, too.”

“Well, now that we’ve got that out of the way,” Willow began. “Who wants to go out and work off some tension?”

“We could do that here,” Anya offered. “We have ample room for an orgy of some sort.”

“Anya!” Xander replied, glaring at her. “I think she meant that we should go out and get a drink or something.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Anya asked, pouting.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Buffy said, smiling.

“And then afterwards we can come back for an orgy?” Anya asked with a hopeful expression.

“No!” everyone replied in unison before walking out of the apartment.