Playing House
Chapter 1
AN: Takes place early 6th season, maybe after Tabula Rasa if it really matters to the readers. This is based loosely on an RPG I did with Amy (ChocoholicGirl) and changed to fit better into canon for the fic, though at the same time not to be taken TOO seriously, okay? This is for fun even if every second isn't a laugh riot and there are bits of angst here and there. And thanks to my betas for their help with this.
Buffy dusted her hands off on her pants as she walked through the door. Patrol had been pretty routine. Couple fledges. The annoying bleached one had thankfully been absent. She should have been worried by that, but chose to be relieved as she closed the front door behind her. The house was dark at this late hour. She crept through the darkness towards the kitchen groaning at the ache of her muscles.
She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and headed upstairs slowly to take a shower before turning in for the night. As she headed down the hall, she noticed a light coming from under Dawn's door. She figured the teen was up late studying or doing her homework. She would give Dawn a bit more time to finish up she decided and hobbled to the bathroom.
A long scalding hot shower helped with her muscle aches as well as the lingering vamp dust. She felt a bit more relaxed as she emerged later in a Victoria's Secret robe that matched her green eyes. She headed for Dawn's room to check in on her and get her to go to bed. Maybe she should be pleased, though, that for once maybe her sister could be taking her schoolwork seriously.
She opened the door and started to say something but froze at the sight that greeted her. A brunette head and a bleached one leaning close, backs to the door, sitting on her bed, talking to each other in hushed tones.
A growl proceeded the yanking of lean black clad shoulders up roughly. Buffy was dragging him out the door as Dawn yelled in surprise and then anger. The slayer dragged the bleached menace down the stairs and towards the front door. She was a bit surprised he was putting up no fight as he was manhandled. He was tossed out the door like a bag of trash. She stood blocking his re-entry and dusting her hands off with a frown.
"Buffy... why is Dawn crying?" Willow asked from the stairs. "Is something wrong?"
"Found Spike in Dawn's room just now when I went to see why she was still up at this time of night. Did you let him in?" she looked back at her best friend. She held out her hand to keep Spike back as he got to his feet again.
"Yeah... but thought he had left a long time ago. I wouldn't have left them unsupervised if I had known." The redhead wrung her hands worried her friend would be mad with her.
"Oi! Was helpin' Bit out with her homework!" The vampire in question said defensively. "What are you yammerin' 'bout? Don' need no bloody supervision 'round Nibblet. Just stayed a bit later than I meant t'. Lost track of time. Not a bloody crime!"
Buffy pushed him away from the door again and looked at Willow over her shoulder. "Might be best if for now we dis-invite him from the house and keep an eye on Dawn so she doesn't invite him back in without my say."
"Buffy..." he started towards her again.
Willow hurriedly pointed. "S-say invitation revoked."
"Invitation revoked!"
Spike came up against the barrier inches from Buffy. He looked down at her stunned and reached his hands out to place them on the invisible wall. He started to say something then growled and started stepping back away from it. "Right then." He turned to go. "Tell Nibblet good night for me." He looked back at her from the bottom of the steps. "Hope she does me proud an' gives you hell for this, Slayer. Don' know what I got t' do t' get you t' trust me anymore."
He lit up as he headed down the street still muttering curses about blonde, uptight slayers with to-die-for asses.
Buffy sighed and slumped against the doorframe. There was a hand on her shoulder and she looked back at Willow with a tired face. "If it's dark out, need someone to be here so Dawn can't just let him back in without us knowing."
The witch nodded solemnly. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something about the scene that just played out before her, but closed it again. They could talk about it tomorrow when they were all rested and nerves were calmed. "I'll go check on Dawn, make sure she didn't run away or is packing a bag to do so. She most likely won't want to see you right now."
Buffy nodded and watched her walk upstairs. She looked out into the night for a few more moments before closing the door. Tomorrow she could figure out if it had been worry for her sister or some slight jealousy at their closeness that had made her toss Spike out on his ass. Maybe even both. But tomorrow. Tomorrow she and Willow could sit down over coffee after they got Dawn off to school. Right now she just needed her bed and Mr. Gordo.
The next morning Buffy hid in her bedroom until there was a soft knock on her door. She figured Dawn was of course going to still be mad at her and was going to avoid a stand off in the kitchen downstairs. She got up and tugged on a pair of jeans and a shirt before opening it to Willow's nervous smile.
"Hey, figured you were up and hiding in here," she said and motioned over her shoulder. "Dawn left. The coast is clear and I made us some of the good gourmet coffee so we can have some talk time. You know... if that's okay."
The blonde slayer nodded and followed her downstairs to the kitchen. She sat at the table and Willow brought them two steaming mugs of fragrant coffee. She sat down and cradled her mug between her hands while Buffy lifted hers to inhale the scent then blow on it daintily.
"Last night... as much as I hate to admit it... Spike had a point," Willow finally said quietly. "I didn't want to say it at the time and be all undermine-y, but yeah. He hasn't given us any trouble in a long while, but you still treat him like some big bad at times." She held up a hand before Buffy could argue. "I still agree it was irresponsible of either of them to be in her room alone at that time of night... actually morning... and was all figuring the dis-invite was like a timeout... but you are eventually going to let him come back... right?" She looked up at Buffy worriedly, their friendship already tenuous and strained. They were just getting comfortable around each other and she didn't want to drive them apart again.
"Maybe... when I cool down a bit." She frowned behind her mug. "I didn't want to think about it too much last night while I was upset. Would have kept me up all night..." It had, actually, but she wasn't going to admit that she had spent all night thinking about Spike.
She didn't need to admit it, though; Willow could tell her friend had gotten little sleep. But, she wouldn't call her on it if she didn't want to talk about that.
"Might as well admit it, though, and get it out..." She shook her head. "Right afterwards, I realized that while yes, the main reason I tossed him out was because I didn't like him coming and going as he pleased, and being here with Dawn that late unsupervised... might have been a bit jealous when I thought they were getting all cozy." She frowned intensely at her mug.
"Jealous?" Willow's mind raced as several things ran through her mind at once. She took a long drink to sort it out before speaking again. "Buffy, that's ridiculous... her and Spike? They're just friends. He thinks of her as a baby sister as far as I've seen. Was close to your mom so when you died he took it upon himself to do right by her and look after you guys, and then you died so he got really protective of Dawn. He didn't want to lose her, too."
"I know... but they look so cozy together... and that's not the sort of jealous I am. It's jealous at him getting so close to her. She treats me like some big ogre she has to put up with, but at the same time would rather get all comfy with an evil vampire." She huffed and gulped down some coffee. It was times when she got like this that she got all bitter about the fact that Dawn wasn't even her real sister... something that would normally appall her. If anyone else said that to her, it would get them a broken nose and a black eye.
"Oh, I thought you were all jealous because you liked Spike and thought he liked her better or something."
"Ugh! No!" Buffy sputtered and nearly made the world record for distance of coffee spit across the room. She pouted at the insult after wiping her chin. "That is so far from it. Couldn't not like him more."
Has she never heard of 'the lady doth protest too much'? The redheaded witch thought to herself with a small smile. "I just thought, well never mind..." she sighed and swirled her coffee. "Dawn does love you and care for you, would fight for you as fiercely as you would fight for her. She's a teenager, she's supposed to be all angst-y and rebellious. She'll eventually mature someday." She offered a small smile.
"So don't like him. Never ever." Buffy grumbled to herself as she went to take her mug to the sink. She frowned at the window. Okay, so she had make out sessions with the bleached menace once in awhile, but she was just bored or something. Bored and lonely. Sexually frustrated even because she hadn't had a date in a good long while.
She turned back to Willow. "I need to go run some errands. I'll be back later."
Willow nodded. "Okay... I have... Tara's coming over to get some stuff she forgot." She looked down at her hands with a sigh. She would have preferred Buffy be there when Tara came as support, but at the same time... if they were alone, maybe she could get Tara to talk to her about this... She shook her head to herself and headed upstairs slowly.
Buffy watched her go, chewing her lip, then headed out the door and made her way towards Spike's crypt. She pushed the door open without knocking and barged right on in. She was frozen in her tracks with wide eyes when for the second time in twenty-four hours she opened the door to a shocking sight. There in front of her was a nude Spike with his taught little backside facing her. Her eyes were riveted to his gluts as they flexed.
"Oi! Learn t' knock, Slayer!" He turned around towards her to stand there boldly, not bothering to cover himself at all. He stood there with a relaxed pose; the only thing belying the nonchalant pose was the twitching of his member as he looked her over.
"Well that answers the debate on whether you're really male," she tilted her head and blinked as she studied him. Man, he was big! Bigger than Angel or Riley easily. She blushed when she realized she was staring at his package. "Do you just go around naked all day long? Waiting for your one outfit to wash?"
"Did you brake int' my home just t' insult me some more an' continue t' treat me like slime?" He asked tiredly.
"Not really," she shoved her hands in the pockets of her jeans and nudged the door closed with her hip. "Was going to try the mature talking thing..." She shifted embarrassedly. "Can you at least put on some undies or do the two handed hold thing?"
"Think I need two hands, luv?" He smirked and cocked his head. "Is the sight of me makin' you all hot an' bothered?" He ran his hands down his chest and abs, over the front of his thighs, thrusting forward slightly to show off for her benefit.
She rolled her eyes and turned back towards the door. "Shoulda known maturity was beyond you..."
He hurried over and took her arm. "No, don' go. Sorry, Buffy... couldn' help a bit of fun. The look on your face..." He chuckled. "Totally deserve it too after what you did last night." He pulled her deeper into the room and sat her on the stone sarcophagus. "Wait here, will get decent now that I had my fun."
He went down the stairs out of sight and she looked around with a sigh. She needed to use this time to collect her thoughts on what she wanted to say to him. She had thought it over briefly on the way here, but at the sight of him completely nude all thoughts had went flying out of her head except for a few yummy images that she would never admit to. Never ever.
She looked up as Spike returned in leather pants only.
"Better, luv?" He arched a scarred brow at her and looped his thumbs in the pockets, fingers splayed over the front of his pants, which did not help her get her mind off his delicious naked body. "Now what was it you wanted t' talk t' me about?"
She swallowed and dragged her frazzled green eyes back up to his smug face. She frowned. If she wasn't trying to be mature Buffy at the moment, she would go knock that look off his face. "Well obviously about last night. And this whole thing with me and you and Dawn."
"Look really, pet, we were workin' on the Bit's history homework. She uses me as a bit of a tutor seein' as I lived through much of what she's learnin'. Last track of time, I swear."
"Fine, I believe you, but that doesn't change my mind about the dis-invite. You've been sort of grounded for the time being. One of you should have kept track of time, and you being the adult... or supposed adult... should have made sure she didn't stay up all night chatting it away with you when she needed to get to bed and get rest." She braced her hands on the cool stone beside her thighs. "Willow agrees about this short time out."
"Look..." he shifted and looked at her with a frown. He started pacing, "I care 'bout the Bit an' wouldn' hurt her. Yeah, wasn' good of me t' keep her up, but it was nice t' feel needed an' wanted. Only person who makes me feel like that. Great big pain in the ass t' the rest of you."
She swallowed and slid off the sarcophagus. She stood in front of him, stopping his pacing effectively. "You are needed and wanted. Like Willow pointed out to me back in the kitchen like the good friend she is, you have been there for me and Dawn since mom died. When I died you went even further to take care of Dawn like she was your own family. I should have made sure to thank you for that before now." She crossed her arms. "And since you got that chip you've been a big help with the whole fighting baddies thing and will admit you are a big help on patrol."
He smiled faintly. "Thanks for sayin' that pet, but don' need t' lie for my benefit."
She growled and stamped her foot. "I am trying to be all with the nice here, the least you could do is accept it and not accuse me of lying."
"Right, I'm a bad rude man," he grinned.
"Anyways..." she rolled her eyes at him and stepped away. "Figured part of me is just all jealous of you and her, and before you say the same thing Willow did, it's not of her being all on you, kay?" She frowned. "It's of you getting all close to her when she acts all nasty towards me most of the time."
"Ah... well, she loves you pet. Don' take her teenage angst personally."
"Okay, so I spilled my beans to you. You're still all off limits from my house for now." She rubbed the back of her neck and looked around. "And eventually she'll forgive me for tossing you out. We can hope." She bit her lip and went to move past him towards the door.
His arm went out and caught her around the waist to stop her. He tilted his head to look down at her face with a small smile. "Weren' jealous of Nibblet at least a small bit? Wanted Spike sittin' on your bed all cozy like?"
She rolled her eyes at him and pushed at him. "Get over yourself, that can't be further from the land of truth."
"Oh really? I seem t' remember a certain blonde slayer bein' an eager partner in our little make out sessions," he tugged her back.
"I'm pretending you're someone else to get through it."
He gave a growl and his eyes flashed gold. "The bloody hell you were!"
He pushed her against the wall and kissed her roughly. He pinned her hips with his own and cupped her breast with one hand while the other buried in her hair. He ground into her, showing her just how much she affected him.
She returned the kiss a brief few moments before pulling away. "You can't just shove me against a wall and kiss me silly to get your way all the time." She frowned up at him.
"It sure helps," he chuckled and nipped at her neck. "Just provin' t' you that it's no one else you're thinkin' 'bout when I kiss you, pet."
She pushed him back. "Fine. You got me. Doesn't really change anything. Only that maybe I should stop making out in dark corners with bad guys I should be staking." She started to walk around him towards the door. "And I will tell you if and when I decide you get Dawn privileges again. If I catch her running off to see you here behind my back, I'll chain you both up."
Buffy walked back into her house that afternoon and headed for the kitchen. She hurriedly smoothed her hair and straightened her shirt. Willow was coming in the back door and her eyes lit up, but Dawn was right behind her. The teen frowned at her sister, looking her over and getting angrier. She was not stupid and she knew what that whole disheveled look meant along with the fact Willow told her Buffy had been gone most of the day.
"Oh, so it's not okay for me to do homework with him all innocently, but it's okay for you to go out and get a booty call while I'm at school?" Dawn growled at her and stomped upstairs.
Buffy turned towards Willow with a sigh. "I went to tell him about what me and you talked about, and I remember trying to leave after that... but it went downhill after that, I guess." She scratched at the back of her neck and blushed slightly. "I just don't know what happens to me where he's concerned."
"Well, I have a good idea on what happens, but will keep it to myself," the Wiccan smiled slightly and moved past her. "I'll try and smooth it over with Dawn. You might want to take a shower."
Buffy watched her walk off and nodded to herself. She heaved a big sigh before heading upstairs to do just that. The scalding hot spray helped to relax her to forget some of her worries and the flowery aromas relaxed her. She wrapped herself in a robe and head back to her room with a sigh. She was at the closet looking for something clean to change into when Dawn came storming in.
"Willow told me what you said about me," She glared and put her hands on her hips.
Buffy blinked back at her slightly confused. "Huh?" She clutched the towel to her so there was no flashing of the wet body parts to her sister.
"Said you were all jealous of me and Spike." She lifted her chin. "Said I treated you badly. I hated you and all that." She swallowed. "Well you know what, I do. I hate that mom died and you thought you could take her place. Be all mommy Buffy instead of my sister. I hate that you let Willow and her girlfriend have lesbian fun time in mom's bed. And you chased Giles away and you let yourself die, and Spike took care of me since you weren't there, but you still treat him bad. Except for when you use him for a little fun and pretend you aren't doing anything. We all know, Buffy!"
"Dawn, I-"
"Just stop it. You're not mom and you're not the ruler of the universe. Just stay out of my life." She turned and slammed the door.
Buffy stared at it with a horror stricken face. She sat down on the bed and swallowed. Her eyes went around the room unseeing, glancing out the window for a moment before looking down at her hands. She buried her face in them and started to cry. Dawn was right. She just ruined everything. Hadn't been able to cope since they brought her back. Been all distant and seriously on automatic. Only time she felt anything was when she was slaying. Maybe a spark or two when Spike was kissing her, but so not ready to go there.
She got up and shoved some clothes into a bag. She threw in a few other essentials and then headed downstairs past Dawn's tightly shut room. She didn't see Willow and went to leave a note for them telling them she was moving out. She wasn't sure if it was just for a while until she sorted things out or a permanent gig. She would get a job and do the adult thing. Willow could have her room if Dawn really had a problem with Willow staying in Mom's old room.
With that she threw her bag over her shoulder and hurried out the front door without looking back. She'd probably get a hotel room for the next couple days while she looked for a job and a decent apartment. She wondered if as soon as she was gone Dawn would take the chance to invite Spike right back in, glad the wicked sister was out of the way so she could hang out with her buddy.
tbc...