Author: Spikedluv
Rating: NC17
Pairing: Willow/Spike (as it should be)
Spoilers: Through end of season 4 to be safe.
Summary: Willow's back from vacation.
Notes: Fluff, the whole fluff, and nothing but the fluff. ** indicate emphasis. AU, of course. Tara who?
Feedback: It's ALL about the feedback (and naked Spike)! Don't make me beg, it's not pretty.
E-mail: spikedluv@midtel.net
Distribution: If anybody wants it, please take it. Just tell me where it goes so I can keep track...OK, so I can pull it up and just stare at it for a while!
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, just borrowing them for awhile. Everything belongs to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Kuzui Enterprises, Grr Argh, the WB, UPN and whoever else they really belong to, although I wouldn't mind having a Spike of my own. Who would?
Dedication: To Aj, Alex, Amanda, Angel S., Aradia, Chelsea, Danyelle, Ina, Karen, Micki, Poppy, Red, Shannon, Suzie, Wicca and everyone else who has been unstinting with the feedback and support! Thanks so much!
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The first thing Willow wanted to do when she and Buffy got back to Sunnydale was go to Giles' apartment and see Spike. Buffy, on the other hand, was dying to see Riley, who had gone to Iowa for Spring Break.
"But, don't you have to patrol?" Willow asked as she tossed her dirty clothes into the hamper.
"Oh, Wills," Buffy whined, "I just want one more night off."
"Fine," Willow said, "but I'm still going to Giles'. Besides, Xander and Anya'll probably be there and I'd like to see them," she said at Buffy's pout.
"But then Giles will know I'm back!"
"Why don't you just call Giles and tell him you'd like to spend the evening with your boyfriend whom you haven't seen all week. I'm sure he'll understand," Willow tried to compromise. It was awfully hard for her to begrudge Buffy wanting to see Riley when she was desperate to see Spike. Especially when she and Spike weren't even...dating, or anything...other than that...thing...that they did before she left for the week that she couldn't stop thinking about.
After they finished unpacking Buffy called Giles from their dorm room and told him they were home and asked if he would mind covering patrol for her for one more night. Giles was happy to hear that they'd had a good time and had arrived home safely and since there was no big bad threatening Sunnydale for a change he readily agreed to take patrol for another night. Buffy gave Willow an excited hug goodbye and raced off to find Riley.
An hour after they'd arrived back in Sunnydale Willow found herself standing outside Giles' apartment. She knocked on the door, then pushed it open.
"Hey, Giles!" she called happily to the man sitting at the table with his head bent over a book. "Hey, Xan, Anya!" Willow gave a little wave to her friends as she shut the door.
"Willow," Giles looked up and smiled. "It's good to have you back. I understand you had a good time at the beach," he made it sound like a question.
"Hey, Wills," Xander slid off of the stool at the kitchen counter and walked over to envelope her in a big hug. "Looks like the beach agreed with you!" he stood back with his hands on her shoulders and looked her over appraisingly.
"Welcome back," Anya said from her seat on the recliner. "Great tan!"
"Thanks, Anya. Yes, the beach was wonderful," Willow told them as she sat her book bag on the table. "And I got a tan! I was so afraid I'd burn, but I was really careful with the sunscreen and I can't believe it, but I actually got some color," Willow's words came faster and she lifted her arm to examine it, walking toward the living room and Anya as she spoke.
"Let me see," Anya commanded as she shut the book she held and slid to the edge of the chair.
"See what?" Willow asked as she stopped at the end of the coffee table, her arm still held out in front of her.
"Your tan line," Anya clarified, "so I can compare, you know, before and after." Anya's tone said `duh' though she didn't actually voice the sentiment.
"Oh," Willow froze. "Well, I, um, uh..."
"What's the big deal?" Anya asked. "Just pull your collar down or something," the ex-demon suggested.
"It's just that, well, I don't, um," Willow swallowed nervously. "I don't actually *have* any tan lines," she finally admitted as her face turned red. "At least, not any that I can show you."
"Oh, you went topless," Anya said casually, as if Willow did it everyday.
"What!?" Xander yelped.
Willow turned around at Xander's outburst and saw Spike standing in the kitchen. He was leaning against the counter with a mug of blood frozen half-way to his mouth. Willow's heart started to race at the sight of him. He looked so good, with his tight black t- shirt and his mussed up hair. He was so sexy...and just looking at him was making her so hot...
"Xander, you and I should go to a nude beach," Anya suggested.
"What?!"
"Spike!" Willow said. "I, um, I didn't know you were there," her voice squeaked. "Hi!" she gave a nervous little finger-wave.
"Witch," Spike said when he had removed his tongue from the roof of his mouth, his eyes roaming hungrily over her body. Her tanned, with no tan lines, body.
"Vampire," Willow pretended to be annoyed, but her pounding heart and heavy breathing gave her away. She turned away from him with a flounce and gave her attention, at least the part that wasn't fixated on the blond vampire, back to Anya and Xander.
The five of them pretended to research, but actually spent more time talking about anything other than demons and the hellmouth than doing research until Giles announced that it was time for patrol. As he and Xander got ready, Willow realized that Anya wasn't going to go with them. She was disappointed, but tried to mask it.
Anya, however, wasn't fooled. She'd seen the way that Spike and Willow had been dancing around each other all night. How Willow would blush and stutter every time she looked at him or he got close to her. How Spike couldn't take his eyes off of her. Anya grabbed Willow's hand and dragged her into the kitchen as the guys pulled weapons out of the trunk.
"I'll go on patrol with Xander and Giles and leave you alone with Spike if you answer one question for me," Anya crossed her arms over her chest and came directly to the point.
"Wh-wh-what do you mean? I-I don't want to be a-a-alone with S-Spike," Willow stammered.
"Don't bother lying," Anya waved her hand in the air. "Just tell me if you're going to have sex."
"What?!" Willow yelped loudly, then, "What?" more softly. "Spike wouldn't...I don't...we aren't...,"
"Yes!" Spike called from the living room and Willow stiffened as color suffused her pale, though lightly tanned, skin.
"Spike!" she hissed as she turned around to look at him through the window. The blond vampire just winked at her and smirked. Willow turned to Anya, but the ex-demon was already turning away from her.
"Okay!" she smiled happily. "That's all I wanted to know," she said as she walked out of the kitchen. "Xander, I'm going on patrol with you. Willow's going to vamp sit tonight."
Willow followed Anya out of the kitchen to make sure she didn't say anything else about her and Spike.
"Anya!" she hissed in the other girl's ear as she pulled on her jacket.
"Don't worry, I won't say anything," Anya assured her. "You just looked way happier than you did last time I saw you and I could tell someone gave you good orgasms. You should have more."
Oh, goddess, Willow thought as she closed her eyes and slapped her palm to her forehead.
***
"Bye, have a nice patrol!" Willow called nervously just before she shut the door behind Giles', Xander's and Anya's retreating backs. She turned around and gave a startled yelp.
"Spike!" she took an involuntary step back and ran into the door, then slapped his chest. "Don't *do* that! You scared me."
"Really?" he asked hopefully as he trailed a finger down her arm.
"Spike," she moaned as his touch made her body tingle.
"Did you miss me, Red?" he asked as he leaned down to kiss her.
"Yes," she whispered against his lips just before they claimed hers. He ran his hands up both arms to her shoulders, then up her neck to cup her face as he deepened the kiss. Willow grabbed his waist for support as his tongue explored her mouth.
Spike pulled back to allow her to breathe and trailed tiny kisses along her jaw.
"Did you think about me, baby?" he whispered in her ear before closing blunt teeth over her earlobe.
"Nhh, yes," Willow moaned. "Every day...every...long...night."
"What did you think about?" he licked a path up her neck.
"What, mmm, what we did...the things you did to me...and I, I dreamed...about what you'd do when I got home," she admitted breathlessly.
"How's the real thing measuring up?" Spike asked as he sucked on her pulse point, his hands going to her breasts.
"Better," Willow moaned as he kneaded her breasts and rolled her nipples between his fingers. "Oh, goddess, much better!" her head fell back against the door and her hands convulsively gripped his waist as she felt tingles in her belly.
Spike froze, "This is better'n your dream?"
"Yes," Willow replied. "What's wrong?"
After a moment Spike said, "I think that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me. It, uh, it was a *good* dream, right, not a nightmare?"
"Well," Willow gave a little shrug of her shoulders as she smiled coyly at him, "I screamed."
"Did ya, now?" Spike raised an eyebrow as Willow ran her hands up to his chest and then back down to his waist.
"Make me scream for real, Spike?" she asked as she pulled his t-shirt out of his jeans and ran her warm fingers over the cool flesh of his stomach.
"I'll make you scream, baby," Spike promised. "I'll make ya scream real good," he lowered his head and captured her lips as his hands moved to her bum, pressing her against his erection. Willow ran her hands around Spike's back and dug her fingernails into his flesh as her tongue battled his.
Spike pulled back to allow Willow to breathe. As soon as she could speak she breathlessly said, "Shirt," as her hands pushed his t- shirt up. Spike raised his arms and Willow lifted the shirt over his head.
She turned them around so Spike was leaning against the door and ran her hands over his chest. She explored his hard planed body with her fingers as she placed small kisses across his chest. Her mouth closed over his nipple and sucked on it as her tongue laved it.
"Willow," he groaned as her fingertips trailed teasingly over his erection. He ran his hands over her shoulders and into her hair, holding her head as she kissed and licked his chest.
"Spike," Willow moaned as she moved her lips up his chest to his shoulders and then higher until she reached his neck. "Spike," she breathed against his ear as she buried her fingers in his hair. She bit his earlobe, then placed tiny bites along his neck before sucking on his skin.
"Cor, Willow," he groaned again, "you're killing me." One hand tightened in her hair as the other moved to her hip.
"You're already dead," she smiled at him, then flicked her tongue out to lick his lips. She pulled his lower lip between her teeth, then sucked it into her mouth.
"Know what else happened in my dream?" she asked breathlessly against his lips as both hands moved to the waistband of his jeans.
"What?" he growled as she unbuttoned and unzipped them.
"I," she shoved his jeans down his hips, "made you scream, too." She wrapped her hand around his shaft and lowered herself to her knees.
"Willow," he groaned as both hands brushed through her hair.
"What?" she asked, looking up at him innocently as her tongue darted out to lick the pre-cum coating the head of his penis.
"Bloody...hell," he groaned, his head falling back as her mouth closed over him, her tongue laving the tip as she sucked on it. While she sucked one hand pumped his shaft as the other massaged his testicles. She relaxed her throat and took more of him in until he brushed the back of her throat.
"Willow!" he cried out as his body began to stiffen under her ministrations. "Cor, Willow!" his body shuddered as he spurt his dead seed into her mouth. "Bloody hell," he groaned again as she sucked him dry and then licked him clean.
With one hand in her hair and the other on her arm Spike lifted her to her feet and pulled her against him. He lowered his head and licked the remaining traces of his seed off of her lips, then plundered her mouth, the taste of him and her mingling together on his tongue. His hands roamed over her body, down her back to her bum, then back up over her hips and waist to her breasts.
He raised his head and Willow filled her lungs with air. Spike grabbed her tank top and lifted it over her head, her small breasts bouncing tantalizingly as he released them from confinement. With one hand on her hip he lowered his head and sucked a pebbled nipple into his mouth, his other hand moving to knead her other breast. Willow grabbed his shoulders for support as her head fell back.
"Spike!" Willow moaned as he closed blunt teeth over her nipple and pulled on it. His hands moved to her shorts, unbuttoning and unzipping them as he moved her backward toward the living room. He shoved them down her hips and slipped his hand between her thighs and into her damp curls. He slid a finger between her slick folds and Willow jerked against him.
"Goddess, Spike!" she cried as he touched her. She sucked on his neck and pulled his skin into her mouth, then bit down. Spike groaned as she broke the skin and tasted his blood. He stumbled and took them both down to the floor. Willow continued to suck on his skin, dragging her teeth over it and moaning as his fingers pleasured her.
Spike pulled away from her, shoved her shorts down her legs and over her feet, then climbed between her legs and spread them. He looked into green eyes glazed over with desire.
"I think I found that tan line," he smirked before slowly lowering his head to her center. He licked and sucked on her swollen flesh as she grabbed onto his hair and lifted herself against him. He slid a finger inside her, pressing against her as he sucked her clit into his mouth, worrying it with his tongue and teeth until her body tensed and she came, screaming his name.
Without giving her time to recover he slid up her body, positioned himself at her entrance and drove into her.
"Spike!" she cried out as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as he pounded against her clit with every thrust.
"Willow," he moaned as he pumped into her tight, wet heat, "welcome home, baby."
"Spike...oh, goddess, Spike...it's so good to be home," she pulled his face down to hers and kissed him gently before pulling his lip between her teeth and biting down. He growled and morphed. She groaned and slipped her tongue into his mouth, cutting it on his fangs. The taste of her blood was intoxicating. He quickened his pace as he sucked on her tongue.
"Spike!" Willow's body tensed again, her back arched and she threw her head back. Spike felt her muscles clench around him and automatically lowered his head to her breast, sinking his fangs into her soft flesh. He drank her blood and Willow screamed as the most powerful orgasm she'd ever had tore through her body. Spike cried out her name as she carried him over the edge with her.
***
It was several minutes before Willow could even find the strength to open her eyes. She looked down at the blond head that was resting on her breast and lifted her hand. It took two tries before she could get it to land where she wanted it and she gripped his hair so it wouldn't fall back to the floor.
"You really like it down here, don't you?" she asked, her voice breathless, sleepy, as she stared up at the ceiling.
"I like it anywhere you are," Spike replied without moving, his breath cool against her heated flesh. Willow smiled a slow, lazy, satisfied smile.
"You do?" she asked as her fingers played with his hair.
"Mmm," he lifted his head and looked at her, then pulled out of her and flopped over onto the floor, pulling her with him. Willow curled up against his side and lay her head on his shoulder.
"So," Spike said after a couple of minutes, "you've read the Watcher's Diaries, right?"
"Yeah," Willow gave a nervous giggle. "I wasn't supposed to, but I snuck them out of Giles' office."
"Did they say anything about, oh, vampire claims?" he asked with an attempt at casual.
"Mmm, yeah," Willow lifted her head as she thought, "the vampire...," she trailed off as her mind raced. She suddenly sat up and stared at Spike. Wide green eyes darted to the bite at his neck, then she looked down at the bite on her breast.
"You...," she pointed at him, "I...," she pointed at herself, "you...," her finger kept moving back and forth, "we..."
Spike just nodded his head.
"Oh, goddess," tears filled her eyes and she crossed her arms over her chest, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "I'm sorry. I didn't think...I didn't mean...I'm sorry. Can you undo it?"
"You *want* me to undo it?" he asked softly.
"D-don't *you*? I mean, you didn't want...did you?" her hand reached out to touch the bite on his neck, then she pulled it back. "I mean, this is like sleeping with a guy and getting pregnant, and the guy feels trapped and you get married and he ends up hating you...only, you know...different," she babbled, looking anywhere but at him.
"Willow," he said and she turned to look at him.
"Y-yes?"
"Shut up and kiss me," he reached out for her and pulled her against him. Willow's eyes darted madly about and Spike could almost see the wheels spinning in her head.
"Spike," she finally said.
"Yes, luv?"
"Don't ever tell me to shut up," she kissed him, crawling onto her knees and straddling his body, her hands running over his chest, his shoulders, tangling in his hair.
"So," she said as she lifted her head and took a deep breath, "are we like, engaged?"
"Luv, we just eloped," he waggled his eyebrows and smirked at her. Willow reached down between them and closed her hand over him, wiping the smirk off of his face.
"So," she smiled, "that would make this our wedding night, right?"
"Bloody hell," he groaned as she stroked him.
~~~*~~~
The next day Willow was nervous. It was one thing to claim each other in the heat of the moment and quite another to examine their actions in the bright light of day. How could he possibly want to be with her? She was...she was *Willow*! Plain old, nerdy Willow. And he was...hot. Okay, vampire, but still, hot!
She waited for Buffy to walk over to Giles' with her that evening, then dragged her feet on the way over there, afraid she'd see the look on Spike's face that told her he realized they'd made a mistake.
"Wills, you okay?" Buffy asked as they walked down the steps to the courtyard outside Giles' apartment.
"Yes, of course. I'm fine. Why do you ask?" Willow babbled.
"Well, you just seem awfully quiet," Buffy rubbed the redhead's arm.
"Oh, no, just thinking...about school...lots of homework already," Willow lied as she followed Buffy into the apartment.
"Hi, Giles," Willow heard Buffy greet the Watcher as her eyes scanned the apartment for Spike. He was slouched in the recliner, his knees bent with his bare feet on the foot stool. Willow sucked in a breath as she saw his eyes boring into her.
The evening passed slowly for Willow. She wanted to talk to Spike, and then again, she didn't. She was going to offer him his freedom, if there was a way they could do it, but she didn't really want to. She was jumpy and Buffy caught her lost in thought more times than Willow could count.
When it came time to leave for patrol Giles went with Buffy so they could catch up on the hellmouth activities of the last week and Anya, sensitive to the looks Willow and Spike were giving each other, told Xander she had a headache and asked him to take her home.
Suddenly Willow and Spike were alone in the apartment. The place Willow most wanted to be in the world, and that she most dreaded. Before she realized what had happened Spike scooped her out of her chair and carried her toward the living room.
"Spike!" she squeaked. "Wh-what are you doing?"
"You've been thinking," Spike accused as he sat down on the couch with Willow on his lap.
"A-are you sorry?" she asked, afraid to look at him.
"Are you?"
"I-I asked you first," Willow retorted. Spike grabbed her hips and ground her bum against his erection.
"Does it feel like I'm sorry?" he asked. Willow blushed.
"B-but that's j-just sex," she pointed out. "Th-the other thing...,"
"The claim?" Spike supplied.
"Y-yes, th-the claim is much...much bigger than just s-sex," Willow stuttered.
"Do you want it to be just sex?" Spike asked.
"I-I want to know what you want," Willow looked down at her hands.
"If I wanted `just sex' I never would have picked you," Spike told her. Willow stiffened at his words.
"Wh-why? `Cause I'm n-not good enough for `just sex'?" she asked, then frowned, realizing something didn't sound quite right with that, but unable to figure out what it was. Spike fought back a smile as he watched Willow reconsider her words.
"No," he finally said as he ran his hand up her back and into her hair. "Because with you...it could never *be* `just sex'," he pulled her head down to his and kissed her.
"I love the way your mind works," he said when he pulled away so she could breathe. "I love to hear you laugh," he kissed her neck as one hand slipped beneath her shirt to cup her breast.
"Spike," she moaned as she pressed herself against him.
"I love the way you say my name," he sucked on her pulse point. She moaned wordlessly at his touch.
"I love your green eyes, your red hair, your soft skin," he nipped at her neck and Willow giggled.
"I love your smile," Willow buried her hands in his hair as he licked her neck. He pulled away from her and sat back, staring into her eyes.
"And I love the way you feel when I'm inside you." Willow blushed and her breath came fast.
"Wanna be there now?" she asked shyly.
"Bloody hell, yes!" Spike lifted her to straddle his legs. He ran his hands up her thighs and slipped them beneath her skirt. He froze when his hands encountered her bare bum. "Red?"
"Less talk," Willow responded breathlessly as she pulled her shirt over her head and then grabbed at his, "more touching."
***
"Well," Spike said later as they lay sweaty and naked on the couch, "we pretty much covered why I'd be a fool not to want to be with you. Why would a smart girl like you want to be with a demon like me?" he asked as he brushed damp hair off of her face.
"You mean, other than the obvious?" Willow asked breathlessly as she recovered from their exertions.
"What obvious?" Spike asked.
"You know! The hunk factor."
"Hunk factor?" Spike scowled.
"You're going to make me say it, aren't you?" Willow complained. "Alright. You're gorgeous. *And* you know it."
"Gorgeous?"
"Mmm hmm."
"Can men be gorgeous?"
"No," Willow teased. "Only male vampires can be gorgeous. Would sexy make you happier?"
"You think I'm sexy?"
"Oh, please," Willow rolled her eyes.
"Hey! Haven't seen a reflection in 126 years!" Spike reminded her.
"You really don't know?"
"Well, you know, I can see some things," he looked down at himself and smirked at her.
"Yeah," she rolled her eyes again, "that's magnificent, too." She rolled so that her elbows were leaning on his chest and looked into his eyes.
"You have the most beautiful blue eyes," she told him. "You hair has a little wave in it that looks so...rakishly sexy," she brushed her fingers through it. "And your cheekbones," she traced them, "are to die for. Your lips," she ran her thumb over them, "especially when you do that pouty thing," she tried to make her lips do it. Spike pouted and Willow smiled.
"Yeah," she said breathlessly, "that. And your voice is so-o sexy," she continued. "Your body is all hard and muscle," she ran her hands over his shoulder. "And your hands," she ran her fingers down his arm and entwined them with his, "your hands are hard and soft at the same time. I get all hot just thinking about you," she admitted as her breathing began to quicken again.
"So, it's all physical?" he asked, trying to cover his disappointment with a smirk.
"No," Willow denied. "You make me laugh...you're aggravating in the extreme...you make me think, and you said you liked that about me," she reminded him and he grinned.
"But you're going to have to spend the rest of your life in the dark," he said as he traced a finger along her jaw.
"Hello, living on the hellmouth, battling evil. I already spend most of my life in the dark. Besides," she said shyly, "someone once told me that I look really good in the moonlight. Of course," she lightened her voice, "he was a werewolf, so what does he know, right?"
"Werewolves have very good eyesight," Spike stroked her nipple with his thumb. "And they're experts on moonlight," he kissed her.
***
Spike stiffened when he sensed Xander's approach, then decided not to move Willow who'd fallen asleep with her head on his chest. The door opened and Xander entered the apartment.
"Hey, Junior," he called to the back of Spike's head where the vampire sat on the couch as he walked toward the living room. "I just forgot...what's going on?" he yelped, his hands dancing in the air, when he saw Willow lying across Spike's chest.
"Quiet, ya moron, she's asleep," Spike scolded.
"Well, move her!" Xander cried.
"I'm not moving her, it'll wake her up," Spike tightened his arm around Willow's shoulder.
"Mmm, Spike," Willow started to wake.
"Go back to sleep, Red," Spike answered her, glaring at Xander for having disturbed her.
"Love you," she settled back against him. Spike froze, then decided, damn the consequences.
"Love you, too, Red," he ran his fingers through her hair. He looked up at Xander who stood with his arms out and his mouth open.
"You say anythin' to hurt or upset her, I'll kill ya, no matter how much this soddin' chip hurts," he threatened. Xander's mouth continued to open and close.
"Spike, what's wrong?" Willow mumbled sleepily.
"Nothing, Red. Go back to sleep, baby," Spike rubbed her back.
"Who's here?" she asked without opening her eyes.
"It's, uh, it's me, Wills," Xander said as he sat on the coffee table in front of her.
"Xander?" Willow smiled. "Don't tell Buffy, `kay?" she snuggled up close to Spike. Xander looked from Spike's narrowed eyes to the smile on Willow's relaxed face.
"Okay," he agreed, wondering what he was doing even as he said it. Suddenly Spike stiffened.
"Slayer's coming," he told Willow as he gently tried to disentangle them. Willow resisted until the front door slammed open.
"I'm awake!" she cried as she jolted up into a sitting position.
"Uh, that's nice, Wills," Buffy said as she raced past. "I've got to use the ladies," she explained her hurry.
After Buffy disappeared down the hall Willow froze, staring straight ahead, her eyes wide and an uncertain look on her face, then raised one hand to rub at her chest as the other rubbed her legs.
"Uh, what was that?" Xander's eyes were wide with shock as he pointed accusingly at her.
"N-nothing," Willow replied.
"You...were you just checking to see if you had *clothes* on?" Xander yelped.
"No!" Willow lied unconvincingly as she blushed.
Spike just smirked. Before Xander could say anything else Anya walked into the apartment with Giles. As Giles moved over to the weapons trunk to clean and store the weapons he carried with him Anya walked into the living room.
"Xander, did you find your phone?" she asked, referring to the item they'd returned to the apartment to retrieve. Xander shut his mouth.
"No," he finally said, "I found...," he pointed wildly at the two sitting on the couch in front of him.
"Oh!" Anya said. "Were they naked?" she asked, hoping for some details.
"No!" Xander yelped, then gave Willow a dirty look. "Although some of us were confused on that issue for a moment." Willow blushed. After a moment of staring at his friend, Xander realized what Anya had said.
"Wait," he looked up at her, "you knew?"
"That Spike and Willow were...," she was interrupted by Buffy, who was just returning from the bathroom.
"Whew! I feel *so* much better now!"Anya spun around at the sound of Buffy's voice. "So," she continued, "that Spike and Willow were what?"
"Oh, well, that, um, Spike and Willow are, uh, planning a surprise party! For you!" Anya said. Everyone stared at her.
"What?!" she cried. "I don't lie very well. That's one human behavior I haven't learned yet."
"O-kay," Buffy said. "So, Spike and Willow are...what?" she asked again. Nobody spoke, but she noticed the blush creeping up Willow's neck.
"Wills?" Buffy asked the girl who was busy pleating her skirt. She darted a look at Spike who had his usual smirk on his face. He let his tongue slip out between his teeth suggestively as he reached out and ran a strand of Willow's hair through his fingers.
"You son of a bitch!" Buffy cried as she pulled a stake out of her pocket. "I'll kill you!" Willow glanced up at Buffy's outburst and saw the stake in her hand and the determined look on her face.
"Buffy, no!" she scooted sideways on the couch until she was sitting on Spike's lap. "You can't kill him!" she leaned back against him protectively and Spike wrapped his arms around her.
"Uh, what's going on here?" Giles asked.
"I'm going to kill him!" Buffy explained.
"No!" Willow responded.
"He was just yanking your chain," Anya said with a roll of her eyes.
"I really don't want dust in my carpeting," Giles muttered.
"Maybe we should get out of the way," Xander touched Anya's arm.
"What did you do?" Willow elbowed Spike in the stomach as she kept an eye on Buffy.
"Hey!" he grabbed her arm. "I didn't do anything. I'm innocent," he claimed.
"He's going to kill you!" Buffy insisted.
"Well, granted, it's hard to keep up sometimes...," Willow trailed off. "That's probably not what you meant."
"Willow!"
"Buffy, he's not going to kill me. Well, you know, except for...never mind."
"How can you know that?"
"Well, because...he loves me," Willow admitted softly.
"You *believe* him?" Buffy asked in disbelief.
"Yes!" Willow's brow furrowed in hurt as she looked at her friend.
"What's not to love?" Spike breathed against her neck as he ran his hands up her arms. Willow shivered.
"Giles, would you, um, take Buffy over there," she pointed to the table, "way, way over there, and explain to her what a claim is. Please?"
"Oh, good lord! He claimed you?" Giles pulled his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"What's a claim?" Buffy asked.
"Well, actually, I, um, claimed him first. I didn't know...but we're not undoing it," she added hurriedly. "Right?" she tilted her head toward the vampire behind her.
"Right," he agreed.
"So...there," Willow concluded with a little nod of her head.
"That's another thing I love about you, Red. You're so mature," Spike teased.
"Shut up," Willow pouted as she elbowed him again.
"You shut up," he replied and Willow stiffened.
"I told you," she turned around in his lap, "not to tell me to shut up," she dug her fingers into his ribs.
"Hey! Stop that!" Spike tried to fight her off.
"Make me," Willow grinned.
Spike stood up and dropped Willow onto the couch, then backed away from her. Willow just gave him an evil smile and stood, stalking after him. She lunged at him and he tripped over the foot stool. He rolled to take the brunt of the fall and landed on the floor with Willow lying on top of him.
"Hi, Spike," she smirked down at him and Spike wondered if he looked that...evil...when he smirked.
"Red," he swallowed hard.
"You were bad," she whispered as she nipped at his lip.
"Very bad," he agreed as his hands gripped her hips.
"I think you need to be punished," she bit harder.
"I do," he agreed excitedly.
"Uh, maybe we should leave now," Xander's voice squeaked and he reached out for Anya. Anya just shook his hand off as she stared intently at the two on the floor.
"Don't you guys want to use a bed? Or the couch?" she asked.
"No," Willow licked his lips. "Spike likes it down here on the floor," she whispered just before she crushed her lips to his.
End