GOING ONCE (16/?)
 

Willow walked slightly ahead of Spike, her eyes looking anywhere but at him.
He frowned, wondering what he had done wrong. He thought back, not really
seeing what he had said to hurt her. She couldn't possibly be upset that he
thought her couch was lumpy. Yet, something had changed. Their easy
conversation had stopped. She had looked so sad and he had felt worse than he
ever had before for causing that sadness. Damn it, he was such a bloody
poofster. He had suggested this walk in hopes that she'd be forced to talk to
him. Instead, she seemed hell bent on ignoring him.
 

Willow felt Spike behind her. She could hear the sound of his boots on the
sidewalk, hear the irritated sighs that he was making. She couldn't believe
she had been so stupid. She'd honestly thought that he enjoyed being with
her, that he might like her the way she liked him. He'd just been using her
for her house. She should have known better. She'd let Buffy and Anya
convince her that it might be something more.
 

"Enough," he snarled, anger in his eyes and voice. He watched her turn
around, her eyes sparking with anger of her own but there was a tint of fear
in their green depths. He stared at her, not backing down, "I will not have
you ignore me like some petulant child."
 

"I'm not ignoring you," she said tightly. "I've forgotten you exist."
 

He snorted, "Baby, you couldn't forget about me even if you tried. Quit
acting like some silly brat and talk to me."
 

"What should it matter to you if I talk to you?" she asked. "You still get
your nice warm place to stay and the free cable. My friendship doesn't happen
to be part of the bargain."
 

"Bugger that," he said, glaring at her. "Your friendship isn't part of the
bargain? What the hell did I do? You're the one that asked me to move in. I
didn't ask. Fuck it. I won't move in. If this is going to make you all pissy,
I can stay where I am."
 

"You don't want to live with me?" she asked, her anger leaving as she
imagined living at her house without Spike. She didn't like that image.
 

"What I want doesn't matter, pet," he said, knowing that at that moment he
wanted nothing more than to sink deep inside her and fuck her standing on the
damn sidewalk. "I'm not losing you over this."
 

She slowly smiled, watching as he fumbled for his pack of cigarettes,
lighting one and avoiding her gaze. He would give up the warm house and free
cable to keep her friendship. She knew it was silly, but, to her, that was
better than any declaration of love. Spike giving up cable was like most men
sacrificing themselves. Oh, he didn't love her. Not like she loved him, but
friendship was good. Seeing him everyday and sharing her life with him, that
was good too. She watched as he scowled, his eyes looking at the sky as he
continued to smoke. "Spike?"
 

"What?" he barked, angry at himself for having almost said too much. Hell,
he'd already said too much as it was. He didn't want to lose her, his demon
mimicked in a right poofy tone. Like some pathetic little human. He saw her
soft smile and sighed, not caring that he'd had to be poofy to earn it.
 

"I want you to stay with me," she said quietly, chewing on her lip. "I
changed my mind....friendship can be included."
 

"I won't do this if its gonna make you all snitty," he warned, facing off
against her.
 

She laughed softly, shaking her head. "I'm sorry. I overreacted a bit. It
just...I didn't like being used."
 

"No one does, pet," he said, taking a drag from his smoke.
 

"Come on, Romeo," she said, giving him a large smile. "We have an application
that still needs to be finished."
 

"Don't remind me," he groaned, making a face as he smiled back at her. He
slung his arm over her shoulders in what he hoped was a friendly way. He
ignored his demon's coaxing voice telling him to claim her there and then. He
would wait. At least until this bleeding auction was finished.
 

"It will be fine," she said, ignoring the rush of heat that spread over her
from the casual touch. "It will all be over next week."
 

"Thank God," he muttered, looking forward to Willow claiming her prize. He
smiled a wicked smile as he imagined that night and everything that he had
planned for his little redhead witch.
 

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