A/N Okay, guys, here’s a new story. I have been so busy lately that my friend
Allison (who is an awesome writer) was generous enough to co-write this with me.
Our writing styles are very similar, so you (hopefully) won’t even notice. This
story has a lot of UST, so if you don’t like that you might want to wait and
read it when it’s finished. Please leave lots and lots of reviews!
Chapter 1 - Misunderstanding
Spike followed the blonde into the apartment, admiring her as she walked.
“All hardwood floors, kitchen to the left…obviously,” she said with a
sheepish grin, since the huge apartment was essentially one large, open
area. “Living room or area, more accurately,” she continued, pointing
straight ahead. “Office.”
Spike turned to the right and saw the bookshelves, desk and computer sitting
in an alcove that constituted an office.
“Loft is up those stairs,” she said, pointing to the spiral staircase next
to the alcove. “That’s my room up there. Extra bedroom is down the hall,
this way,” she continued, leading him to the back right corner of the
apartment and down a short hall to a large bedroom filled with boxes.
She turned to him with a smile. “The boxes will be moved out. I’m kind of
a packrat.” Spike smiled as they walked toward the bathroom. “And that’s
the grand tour. Any questions?”
“Your name, pet?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I’m Buffy Summers,” she said with a light blush tinting her
cheeks as she offered her hand.
Spike smiled, taking it and brushing his lips along the top of it, his smile
widening as she got visibly flustered and looked away. “And you already
know my name.”
“Spike,” she reaffirmed with a nod.
“It’s a nice place,” Spike said, looking around as they walked down the
hallway to the main room.
“Yeah,” Buffy said with a nod. “So do you want it?”
Spike looked at her in surprise. “No applications? No interview?”
Buffy shrugged. “You seem like a nice enough guy. It’s not like we have to
be best friends. As long as you pay your share of the rent on time and
you’re not some serial killer, I think we’ll be able to co-exist together.”
“Alright then,” Spike said with a smile. “I’ll take it.”
“Great!” Buffy said with a bright smile. “You can move in whenever you
want. Tonight if you feel like it, and don’t worry, I’ll have those boxes
out of there.”
Spike smiled and nodded. “I have something to take care of tonight and then
I’ll start moving my stuff in.”
* * * * *
“Harmony, I’m trying to explain it to you. It’s just not working out, it
hasn’t been for a while.”
“Don’t be silly, blondie bear. I know you would never break up with me,
unless you had a good reason.”
“I would think ‘not wanting to be together’ constitutes a good reason.”
“Now, Spikey, you’re just being testy. Have a drink, and then we’ll talk
about what’s really bothering you.”
Spike sighed, rolling his eyes upward as he tightened his jaw. Looking
around the restaurant, he finally got up to walk to the bar, clenching and
unclenching his fists as he walked.
“Bourbon,” he said to the bartender who nodded and walked away.
“Rough night?”
Spike turned to the owner of the voice, his eyes lighting up when he saw
Buffy sitting there, giving him a friendly smile.
“You could say that,” he replied with a smile. “You meeting someone, pet?”
Spike asked, silently thanking the bartender for taking so long with his
drink.
“I was meeting my friend, but she called me a minute ago and said she
couldn’t make it. Would you…like to join me?”
“I would, but I’ve got a little bit of unfinished business,” he replied,
looking across the restaurant to see Harmony complaining to the waiter about
what she ordered. “Rain check?”
Buffy followed his gaze, seeing the blonde at the table. “Maybe that’s not
the best idea.”
Spike’s eyes widened. “Oh no, we’re not together,” he said, shaking his
head as he gestured to the table behind him. “Well, not from my perspective
anyway. She seems to have different ideas.”
Buffy smiled. “And why are you not together?”
“She’s not my type,” he said with a shrug as he was handed his drink.
“Listen…if you’re still here after I…wrap this up, maybe we could get to
know each other better.”
“Umm, I’m not really-“
“Not that way,” he said with a smile. “I was strictly talking in the
getting to know each other as new roommates. Nothing else.”
‘For now,’ Spike thought.
“I guess we’ll have to see if I’m still here,” she said with a flirty smile.
* * * * *
Twenty minutes later, Spike was still trying to convince Harmony that it was
over (and rapidly holding himself back from banging his head against the
table).
“Spikey, the only way a man would consciously decide to leave me is if he
was gay.”
‘What harm can it do?’ Spike thought to himself. ‘It’s not like I’ll ever
see this bint again.’
“That’s me,” Spike blurted out before he could think about it much longer.
“Excuse me?”
“That’s me…I…I’m…gay.”
Harmony’s eyes widened. “When did you come out?”
“Fairly short time ago,” he said with a sardonic smile.
“Ohhhh,” Harmony said with a nod. “It all makes sense now.”
Spike’s eyes shot up to hers. “What!? What all makes sense now?”
“Oh, nothing. Just a few things fell into place,” Harmony said, standing up
and grabbing her purse before dropping a kiss on the top of his head.
“Don’t worry, blondie bear, I’m sure you’ll find someone perfect for you.”
Spike didn’t say anything. He was still trying to figure out what could
have possibly fallen into place as Harmony walked away.
* * * * *
Buffy looked up from reapplying her lipstick as the bathroom door opened.
“Men!”
Normally Buffy didn’t try and make conversation in the bathroom, but this
was the girl who was sitting with Spike, and she seemed distressed about
something.
“Is something wrong?” Buffy asked quietly.
“Men!”
“Yeah…I got that part.”
“He likes men!”
Buffy’s eyes widened. “The guy you’re here with?”
“Yeah, he’s gay.”
‘The kiss on the hand, the bleached hair, telling me she wasn’t his type,
wanting to get to know me, but not in *that* sense. Of course he would be
too good to be true.’
“Well,” Buffy said with a compassionate look. “There’s other guys out
there.”
“Yep,” Harmony agreed. “But he’s such a hottie.”
Buffy watched her walk into one of the stalls before sighing. “Yeah,”
she whispered to herself before walking out the door.
Spike sat at the bar, looking up with a smile when he saw Buffy.
Intercepting her before she could walk out of the restaurant, he gave her
one of his most winning smiles. “I thought you left.”
Buffy smiled. ‘At least he seems like a nice enough guy.’
“I was just heading out.”
“Mind if I join you?” Spike asked, in a hopeful tone. “Maybe I could walk
you home…if you’re not driving that is.”
“I don’t know…”
“Come on,” Spike said with a smile. “We’re going to be living together.
And I promise to behave myself.”
‘Well, that’s a given.’
“Sure,” Buffy agreed with a smile of her own as Spike led her out of the
restaurant.
‘Well,’ Buffy thought. ‘At least you’ll get a new friend out of this.’
Chapter 2 – Moving Day
Buffy figured she should probably get an idea of who Spike was, apart from what
the woman he was with had told her before in the bathroom.
‘So what if he’s gay? They usually tend to be incredibly sweet. And maybe there
will even be perks to it. We can go out shopping together, he can help me judge
other guys- this might be fun after all,’ she thought before frowning. ‘Is he
going to bring back other guys to the apartment? Uh oh.’
“So, luv, what’s your story?” Spike asked, looking at her, trying not to stare
too much at the beauty that radiated off of her in waves.
‘I get to live with this woman. There really must be a God.’
“Well, I’m 21 and a student at the college here in Sunnydale,” she began to
explain. “I used to room with my boyfriend, but he and I broke up not too long
ago, hence I was in need of a roommate.” She looked at him, smiling. “And that’s
where you come in.” Spike couldn’t help but smile back at her, silently making a
note to thank her ex-boyfriend, if he ever met him, for letting him live with
her instead.
“But other than that, there’s not too much to my past,” she shrugged. “I grew up
in Los Angeles and moved here for college three years ago. It’s a much nicer
place here, I think. I miss home sometimes, but Sunnydale has been good to me.”
‘It’s been good to me, too, since I met you,’ he thought, somewhat surprised at
how attracted he was to her, after such a short period of time.
“What about you, Spike?” she asked curiously. “What’s a guy like you doing in
this small town?”
“Well, I got offered a job on a construction crew a couple of weeks ago and
decided to go for it,” he said. “My friend Xander knew I wanted to move, so I
figured why not.”
“Why did you want to move, if you don’t mind me asking?” Buffy asked hesitantly,
not wanting to push too hard for details. She definitely didn’t want to scare
him away yet, when he hadn’t even moved in.
“Dru, my ex,” he answered. Buffy raised an eyebrow. “Bad break-up. I couldn’t
stay.”
‘Drew? What kind of guy would give up a hottie like Spike?’
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly, looking down at the sidewalk as they continued
their way back to her apartment. Well, their apartment. “It’s not my business.”
“I don’t mind,” he shrugged. “Sounds like we both had bad relationships.” Buffy
nodded. “So, are you single?” She looked at him.
‘See, most girls would think he’s flirting with me, but nope, he digs guys. How
come the cute ones are always gay? Is that some type of cosmic joke?’
“Yeah, I’m single,” she answered. “What about you?” He nodded.
‘Good, he shouldn’t bring anyone home,’ she thought. ‘For a while, at least.
Hopefully.’
Little did she know that Spike was thinking the exact same thing.
As they reached the front door of her apartment, a slightly awkward silence
engulfed them as Spike nervously shoved his hands in his pockets.
“Well, I’ll let you go inside,” Spike said, looking at her. “What time should I
be here to move in tomorrow?”
“Whenever you’d like,” Buffy answered. “Here, let me just go inside and get you
the extra key.” She unlocked the door and went inside, as Spike stood in the
doorway, watching her move around.
‘I love the way her golden hair bounces. It’s…effulgent.’
Buffy briefly gave him a funny look, before waving him inside. “You can come in.
It’s not like you need an invitation.”
“Huh?” he asked, breaking out of his daze. “Oh, right. Sorry,” he replied before
taking a couple of steps in.
She walked over to him with the key in her hand, giving it to him. He smiled,
his fingers brushing against hers lightly before they pulled away and Spike put
it on his key ring.
“How about around nine?” he asked. “I can bring us breakfast.” She smiled.
‘I think I’m going to like this roommate thing. Much more than being with Riley,
that’s for sure.’
“Nine sounds perfect,” she answered, walking with him towards the door. “I can
help you unpack.”
“I’m sure you have better things to do than to help me unload my stuff,” he
smiled, stopping at the door.
“Nonsense,” she replied, smiling back at him. He looked into her eyes.
‘Heaven help me. I could get lost in those eyes. The way they sparkle when she
smiles is enough to do me in,’ he thought, pausing. ‘But what a glorious
demise.’
“We’ll see how you feel when you see how much I’m moving,” Spike said, opening
the door again. “Well, I’ll see you in the morning then. Good night, Buffy,” he
said softly, leaning forward slightly, before stopping himself from kissing any
part of her face, deciding that he didn’t want to scare her off.
Spike backed away, toward the door, as he warned himself, not wanting to ruin a
good thing when it was practically hitting him in the face.
“Good night, Spike,” she said, smiling softly. “Good luck packing.” He nodded
and walked away, leaving. She went back inside her apartment and locked the door
behind her before leaning back against it.
‘He must be gay. He didn’t even try to kiss me on the cheek. After we shared
what could’ve been considered a moment,’ she thought, sighing. ‘Or he’s just
being a gentleman. Oh, who are you kidding, Buffy? He’s gay, and there’s nothing
you can do about that. You can’t just change someone’s orientation.’
She walked towards her room and sat on her bed, looking through the window at
the town that surrounded her.
“I’m rooming with a gay, Billy Idol wannabe,” she said quietly, shaking her head
in disbelief.
'Too bad Riley's not around to see this. He wouldn't believe it.' She hesitated.
'Even I don't believe it.'
* * * * *
Buffy opened the door the next morning with a bright smile on her face.
Spike involuntarily swallowed as he took in her cut-offs and midriff baring
tank top. He felt a twinge of arousal as she opened the door wide to let
him enter.
“Good morning,” she said in a bright mood, tilting her head and letting her
long blonde ponytail swish around her shoulders.
“Morning, luv,” he said in a husky whisper before clearing his throat and
holding up a bag of food, trying to get his mind off of other things.
“Breakfast.”
“Great!” Buffy said, practically bouncing toward the kitchen as she pulled
out glasses, plates, and orange juice to set on the table. Spike had to
suppress a groan as she reached upward onto the tallest shelf to get the
glasses. He could have offered to help, obviously being the taller of the
two, but then he wouldn’t get to admire how her shirt slid up her torso,
showing off her toned stomach.
“Did you get all packed?” she asked, glancing at him as she began to pour
two tall glasses of juice.
“Uh, yeah,” he replied, forcing himself to snap back to the present and stare at
her eyes as he
sat down at the table. “My friend Xander came over and helped me load it
all this morning.”
“You didn’t have to work?” Buffy asked, sitting down next to him.
“Not until tomorrow. Xand wanted to give me some time to settle in.”
“That’s nice,” Buffy said with a soft smile, wondering if there was more to
this friendship with Xander than he was letting on about. She decided now wasn’t
the time to ask.
Spike pulled out several breakfast sandwiches and hashbrowns as Buffy raised
an eyebrow at him. Spike saw her look and glanced down at the four
sandwiches on the table. “Sorry,” he said with a smile. “I didn’t know
what you would like, so I just ordered a variety."
Buffy shrugged before reaching across the table and grabbing two of the
sandwiches. “No problem,” she said, unwrapping one and taking a huge bite
out of it before seeing Spike’s look. “I’m not picky about what I eat,”
she said, swallowing the mouthful. “And I have a big appetite.”
“Good to know,” Spike said with a grin before unwrapping his own sandwich.
“Now I know to label all my food,” he continued, laughing when Buffy threw
her discarded wrapper at him.
* * * * *
Spike and Buffy spent a leisurely hour unloading the boxes from the truck
Spike rented. Neither in a hurry, since Buffy didn’t have class that day
and Spike wouldn’t be working. When all of the boxes were successfully
stored in his room, he met Buffy out at the truck and smiled as she sat on
the edge, kicking her feet like a little girl.
He glanced in the truck, seeing only the furniture left. “Thanks for the
help, luv.”
“We’re not finished yet,” she said, hopping up from her seat and boosting
herself into the truck before walking over to the couch that would be going
in his room.
“Don’t worry about it,” Spike said, shaking his head. “I’ll have someone
come over and help me tonight.”
“It’s really no problem,” she said with a smile, waiting for him to climb
into the truck.
“It’s okay,” Spike said, waving his hand in dismissal. “I don’t want you
getting hurt.”
Spike realized his poor choice of words a moment too late. “So you think a
girl will get hurt, just because she’s a girl?”
“No, that’s not what I meant,” Spike backtracked. “It’s just…well…I…I have
this bad tendency of sticking my foot in my mouth.”
Buffy smiled at his explanation but wasn’t about to back down. “Get your
ass in the truck, bleach boy.”
Spike chuckled, hopping into the truck and walking over to his side of the
couch. “If you need a break, let me know.”
Buffy raised an eyebrow before lifting her end of the couch before Spike
even had a grip on his. She led them down the small ramp and into the
building, never once saying a word or complaining- although Spike did come
close several times.
Finally reaching the apartment, they set the couch down against one wall in
his bedroom before Buffy turned those wide green eyes on him. “Ready to
get the bed?”
Spike looked at her in disbelief. “What are you? Wonder Woman?”
Buffy giggled, skipping out of the room as Spike trudged behind her.
* * * * *
Two hours later, Buffy was lying on Spike’s bed, lazily flipping through a
magazine as Spike unpacked his things. He was happy she seemed so content to
spend time with him, and she already appeared to be comfortable in his presence.
Something about that gave Spike a warm feeling.
“So what’s your major, pet?” he asked, breaking the comfortable silence.
“Art,” Buffy said, looking into his eyes and noticing how blue they were.
“An artist. Well, I’m impressed,” Spike replied, throwing a winning smirk
her way and smiling when she blushed. “I thought most artists like to
showcase their work. Where’s yours?”
“My room,” she said, gesturing to the ceiling. “I didn’t think it would be
fair to subject my new roommate to my finger-paintings.”
“I hardly think they’re finger-paintings if it’s your major.”
Buffy shrugged, turning her attention back to her magazine as Spike stood
up. “Well, I think I’m going to hit the showers.”
Buffy felt her mouth go dry at the thought of him standing under a cascade
of hot water, droplets flowing down his skin, steam rising up around him…
‘Stop it, Buffy!’ she inwardly yelled at herself, standing up.
“I’ll go make us some lunch.”
“Good idea,” Spike said with a smile as he stripped off his soaked t-shirt.
Buffy felt all the air leave her body as she looked at the exposed muscles
of his chest, letting her gaze travel downward to his chiseled abs, licking her
lips before
backing toward the door, wringing her hands together as she walked. “Yeah…I’ll
just go and-“
Buffy stopped as she ran into the door. Pushing it open, she gave Spike a
small, embarrassed smile. “I’ll just go…enjoy your shower.”
Spike smiled as she left the room. ‘She’s checking you out, that’s the
first step.’
Buffy smacked her head repeatedly against the palm of her hand. ‘Stupid
Buffy! Don’t go ogling your roommate. Especially when there’s no
possibility of anything happening with him!’
Chapter 3 – Quality Time
After they finished eating lunch, Buffy cleared away their dishes, taking them
to the sink.
‘She wasn’t kidding about having a big appetite. For being so petite, she sure
can pack it away. But she still has the body of a goddess,’ Spike thought,
smiling.
They both heard a knock on the door, as Spike went over and opened it. A blonde
man not much younger than him was standing there, unabashedly staring up and
down Spike’s body.
‘Who the bloody hell is this?’ he thought, feeling uncomfortable at the
scrutiny. ‘He’s not dating Buffy, right? I’d hope not, because I think this
bloke might be gay.’
“Hi, Andrew,” Buffy said, approaching the two men. She couldn’t help but giggle
when she saw how Andrew was appraising Spike.
‘It would be funny if they hooked up. Although, I think Andrew might be too much
of a nerd for Spike.’ She paused. ‘What exactly is Spike’s type? A sophisticated
kind of guy? But didn’t he say that his friend Xander was in construction? So
maybe a muscular guy?’ She mentally chided herself. ‘Stop it, Buffy. You
shouldn’t be thinking like this.’
“Hey, Buffy,” Andrew said, tearing his eyes off of Spike for a second to look at
her before returning his gaze to Spike. “And who are you?”
“Spike,” he said, extending a hand. Andrew shook it, but when he didn’t seem
like he was going to let go, Spike pulled it back and shoved both of his hands
in his pockets. Buffy bit her lip to keep from laughing.
‘I think this is going to be quite a nice living situation. Andrew can stalk
Spike, and I can continue to ogle him, knowing that I’ll never have him,’ she
thought before frowning. ‘Besides, you don’t need a relationship right now. Not
so soon after Riley.’ She paused again. ‘Or maybe that’s exactly what you need.’
“I’ve got some stuff to catch up on,” Spike said, looking at Buffy. She nodded,
and he quickly walked away to his room, shutting the door behind him.
“That’s your new roommate?” Andrew squealed, grinning from ear-to-ear. “He’s
gorgeous! With a body like that, I bet he has the pectorals of Viggo Mortenson.”
‘Oh, he really does,’ Buffy thought happily. ‘But Viggo has nothing on Spike.’
She paused. ‘Stop that!’ she chided herself again.
“So, what can I do for you, Andrew?” Buffy asked, trying to steer the
conversation off of Spike.
“I saw you helping someone move in before and wanted to see who it was,” Andrew
smiled. “And boy, am I happy I did! How come you have such good luck when it
comes to finding guys?”
“Au contraire,” Buffy replied sadly. “I have horrible luck.” She leaned closer
to Andrew. “Spike’s gay.”
“Really?” Andrew shrieked as Buffy nodded. “I thought I caught a vibe there, but
I wasn’t sure.”
‘Is Andrew beaming?’ Buffy thought, raising an eyebrow. ‘Oh dear, he’ll be
devastated when Spike starts dating someone else.’ She frowned. ‘So will I. Not
that I have a chance, but…Buffy, you really need a man in your life. Of the
straight variety.’
“Can you maybe put in a good word for me?” Andrew asked. Buffy hesitantly
nodded, trying her best not to laugh at how excited he seemed. “Thanks! You’re a
peach.” He sighed, smiling. “Well, I’m going to head back to the apartment. See
you two around.” He walked down the hallway to his apartment as Buffy shut her
door.
‘Time to go talk to Spike,’ she thought. ‘Hopefully Andrew didn’t make him want
to move.’
She walked to his room and knocked on the door before opening it, seeing Spike
standing in front of his open window, smoking. He looked at her and Buffy
finally let herself laugh at what had just happened.
“I don’t think it’s bleedin’ funny,” Spike said, flicking the cigarette out of
the window.
“Sure it is!” she said, crumbling into hysterics. “He was sizing you up like you
were his prey!” She sank to the ground, bowled over laughing, clutching her
stomach and letting tears roll down her cheeks. “I wish I would’ve taped that!”
She tried calming down, catching her breath slightly before laughing again. “He
compared you…to Viggo Mortenson!” Spike started chuckling before going over to
her and helping her up, both of them laughing.
‘She’s beautiful when she laughs. Drop dead gorgeous.’ He smiled. ‘She’s always
like that, though.’
“Sorry,” she said, finally composing herself, wiping off her cheeks, looking up
at Spike’s eyes. She noticed how he was looking back at her and was surprised.
‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen a gay man look at me adoringly,’ she thought. She
cleared her throat and took a slight step back, noticing how Spike broke out of
his daze.
“Is he a friend of yours?” Spike asked, sad that she moved away from him a
little, before frowning, wondering if she wasn’t interested in him.
“Not really,” she said before grinning. “He lives just down the hall.” Spike
frowned, and she started laughing again.
“Just keep on laughing, luv,” Spike said sternly, crossing his arms. On the
inside, he loved it.
‘Any chance to see her be happy like that is fine with me, even if it’s at my
expense.’
“Well, I’ll let you return to whatever it is you ‘had to catch up on’,” Buffy
said, heading for the door, still giggling a little. “I’ll be up in my room…Viggo.”
She broke down laughing again as she left, and he heard her upstairs even a
couple of minutes later.
'Yeah, you think it’s so funny,’ Spike thought with a smile, shaking his head.
‘How would you like it if a gay guy was interested in you, pet?'
* * * * *
A few days later, Buffy rubbed her neck in exhaustion as she walked through the
front door of
her apartment. She had been studying at the library for the past three
hours, and she was physically and mentally wiped out from staring at stacks
of books and rows of computer screens.
Tossing her keys on the kitchen counter, Buffy smiled when she saw Spike
sitting on the couch with a bowl of popcorn. It had been a week since he
moved in, and the two had settled into a comfortable relationship, enjoying
the opportunity to spend time with each other, instead of going out most
nights. Buffy was thankful to have gained not only a roommate, but a man
who was turning into a very good friend.
‘Plus, when the guy is incredibly hot, that’s just a bonus…even if he is off
limits.’
“I was beginning to get worried, pet,” Spike said, moving over so Buffy had
a place to sit down.
“Sorry,” Buffy replied, collapsing on the couch next to him and immediately
curling herself into a ball and laying her head on his shoulder.
Spike smiled at the tender gesture, slipping his arm around her shoulders as
her hand snaked around to grab a handful of popcorn. “Hey,” he said with a
smile. “Go get your own.”
Buffy giggled, deliberately popping the kernels in her mouth before looking
to see what he was watching.
“You like ‘Friends’?” Buffy asked, turning to look at him.
“One of the only things you bleedin’ Yanks have going for you,” Spike said
good-naturedly, smiling when Buffy smacked him on the chest. “Why? You
don’t like it?”
“No, I do,” Buffy replied, nodding her head before turning her attention
back to the TV. “It has its high points, aside from being funny, that
is.”
“Such as?” Spike asked, eating some more popcorn.
“Well, the whole friends thing for one. All of the meaningful relationships
were as a result of strong friendships. I think that’s the best way to
really be with somebody. You should really get to know the person beforehand- it
just seems to have a better result in the end.” Spike didn’t say anything as
Buffy turned to face him. “You don’t agree?”
“No, I think you’re right,” Spike said with a reassuring nod. “But what
happens if they break up? They lose the friendship.”
“Not necessarily,” Buffy argued. “I guess it depends on the break-up and if
both want to salvage the relationship. Look at Ross and Rachel. They got
together, broke up, got together again, broke up again, got married, got
divorced and had a baby.”
“You really do like this show,” Spike said with a smile.
“It’s fun. It’s a nice way to unwind at the end of the day.”
‘Well, if I have to be friends with you for a while, that’s fine with me,’
he thought. ‘As long as no other bloke swoops in and tries to steal you
away.’
“Where were you tonight, pet?” Spike asked, deciding to change the subject.
“The library,” Buffy replied with a groan, letting her head fall back on the
couch. “I swear it’s just a modern torture device for college students.”
Spike chuckled. “You’re probably right.” His smile slowly faded as he
watched her squeeze her eyes shut as her hand went up to her neck. “You
okay?”
“I’ve been better,” Buffy murmured with a sigh.
“On the floor,” Spike said, moving to sit up straight.
“What?”
“Get on the floor.”
Buffy did as she was told, watching him in confusion. Her face slowly
relaxed as his hands began moving along her neck and back, working the
stress out of her muscles.
Buffy moaned in pleasure, resting her head on his leg, creating a more
intimate setting as Spike fought his growing arousal while still trying to
continue his movements.
“You have magic hands,” Buffy murmured in a breathy voice.
Spike bit his tongue against any sexual response. Focusing his attention on
her, he fought the urge to let his lips brush against the exposed skin of
the back of her neck, remembering what she said about being friends first.
If that was important to her, then he wasn’t about to let the opportunity
pass him by.
“You’ve turned into the best roommate of all time,” Buffy said with a smile,
leaning her head back to look at Spike upside down.
“Is that right?” Spike replied with a smile, unable to resist as he leaned
forward and playfully kissed the tip of her nose.
Buffy giggled at the affectionate side of him, slowly getting to her feet
and stretching as Spike suppressed a groan.
She resumed her seat next to Spike, giving him a kiss on the cheek in
thanks before grabbing the bowl of popcorn and putting it on her lap.
“Hey!” Spike cried in mock indignation. “I told you to get your own.”
“But this is already here,” Buffy said with a pout, immediately smiling when
Spike grinned at her. “And you do make the best popcorn.”
Spike chuckled, unable to resist her. They turned their attention back to
the screen as ‘Friends’ ended, only to be replaced by an episode of ‘Will &
Grace.’
‘Well, isn’t this ironic,’ Buffy thought with a raised eyebrow. ‘Me and my
gay roommate, watching a show about a woman and her gay roommate.’
Buffy smiled slightly as she shook her head a little. Spike glanced at her
but didn’t say anything as the show began.
“This is a good show,” Buffy said after a few minutes.
“Yeah,” Spike agreed. “But the guy doesn’t seem that gay.”
“Jack?” Buffy asked in surprise. “He’s the stereotype of gayness. Even more
so.”
“Not Jack, the other one.”
“Oh, Will,” Buffy said with a nod. “I guess they wanted to have diversity.
Not everyone is that open about it, right?” she asked, looking at him.
“I guess not,” Spike agreed.
Both looked up after a moment when there was a knock on the door. Buffy
got up, walking over to the door. “Who is it?” she asked with her hand on
the doorknob.
“It’s me.”
Buffy began unlocking the door before she heard Spike’s voice.
“Who’s ‘me’?”
“Our own personal Jack,” Buffy said, smiling at Spike’s confused look.
“It’s Andrew.”
“Bloody hell,” Spike muttered.
Chapter 4 – ‘Will & Grace’
“Hello,” Buffy said, opening the door to reveal Andrew. Spike sank down on the
couch.
‘He’s going to crash our night, isn’t he?’ he thought bitterly. ‘Bloody ponce.’
“Hey, Buffy,” Andrew said, looking around the apartment until he spotted
platinum hair poking up from the couch. “Spike! What a surprise.” Buffy giggled
quietly, watching Andrew head over to Spike.
“Andrew,” Spike said, merely nodding in acknowledgement as Buffy walked over to
them.
“Would you like a drink, Andrew?” she asked. “Or a refill for you, Spike?”
“I’ll have a beer,” Spike said, wishing he had something stronger to drink
suddenly.
“Me too,” Andrew said. Buffy raised an eyebrow and went to the kitchen area.
‘I suppose having him here for a little while wouldn’t be too bad. I mean, the
way he acts around Spike is entertaining,” she thought, smiling. “I love
watching him squirm.’
She grabbed two beers and a soda for herself before going back to them,
dispersing the bottles to the guys. Andrew was sitting on the couch where Buffy
had been prior, so she sat on a chair opposite them. Spike frowned, wishing she
wouldn’t have let Andrew in.
‘Can’t I just ask him to leave?’ he thought, looking at the TV. “But then Buffy
would think I’m a jerk. Guess I’m stuck sitting next to him.’
Buffy looked at Spike and smiled at how uncomfortable he appeared. ‘This is
almost better than the show.’
Spike looked at her and shot her a look, as she looked back at the TV, smirking.
He smiled, too, and decided it could really be worse.
“I couldn’t ever date a guy like Jack,” Andrew suddenly announced. Both blondes
looked at him. “I’d rather date someone who isn’t too openly gay.”
‘Right, because you want to be the woman in the relationship,’ Spike thought,
smiling to himself.
“Someone like Will?” Buffy asked conversationally. Andrew nodded. “I like Will.
He seems like a good man.”
Andrew smiled, nodding. “He’s a lawyer, he dresses nicely, and he can cook,”
Andrew replied. “What more could you want?”
“A guy who will treat you nicely?” Spike asked. Andrew looked at him. “Have you
seen how Will treats Jack? I mean, sure, he’s great with Grace, but he can be
kind of an ass sometimes.” Buffy stared at Spike, surprised that he was talking
about that.
‘Has he been in a relationship with someone like Will? That Drew guy maybe?’ she
thought. ‘I can’t picture him being like Jack in a relationship, but you never
know.’
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Andrew said, smiling at Spike, who in turn looked
back at the TV, somewhat angry that he said what he had.
‘You’re comparing Will Truman, a fictitious character, to Dru,’ he thought
sadly. ‘You really do have issues, mate.’ He paused. ‘But Dru was genuinely an
evil woman. At least Will has a good side to him.’
“Do you guys think I’m like Jack?” Andrew asked, tilting his head and studying
Jack on the screen, shrieking in outrage over something Will had accused him of.
Buffy and Spike shared a look.
“You don’t have a Karen, so no,” Buffy said, not wanting to hurt his feelings by
saying he was exactly like Jack. Andrew looked at her and smiled.
“I like Karen,” he said. “She’s got a lot of character. She can be really sweet
sometimes.”
“Before she says the wrong thing and inadvertently hurts someone’s feelings,”
Spike replied. Buffy looked at him, and he was reminded of the comment he had
made in the moving truck about him not wanting her to hurt herself by doing any
heavy lifting. He smiled weakly at her, but she flashed him a bright smile.
‘That will be my demise. If she keeps doing that, I’m in this for life.’
“She’s a powerful woman,” Buffy smirked, looking at Andrew. “She’s probably not
too worried about who she hurts, and she does what she wants to. She’s taking a
fun approach to life.”
“I wish I could do that,” Andrew said, looking down. Spike looked at him and
raised an eyebrow.
“Why don’t you?” he asked. “You’re young, you seem to have a pretty good head on
your shoulders- what’s keeping you from living the life you want to?”
Buffy was shocked. ‘Is Spike taking a liking to Andrew? Is hell freezing over?’
She was tempted to look out the window to double-check even. ‘Spike’s being nice
to him. Wow.’
“I…I don’t know why,” Andrew answered. “I guess I’m just afraid to go for what I
want.” The telephone rang, and Buffy got up to answer it.
“Well, what is it that you want?” Spike asked. Andrew looked at him and smiled.
‘That was a loaded question, Spike. Why would you set yourself up like that?’
“Are you single?” Andrew asked Spike, trying to be casual. Spike restrained
himself from smacking his forehead.
“Yes,” Spike answered. “But…Andrew, you’re…not really my type. I’m sorry.”
Andrew sighed.
“I know, but I figured there was no harm in asking,” he shrugged, standing up.
“You’re right,” Spike replied with a nod. “Never any harm in it.”
“Well, thank you for the insight tonight, Spike. It’s really cool of you.” Spike
nodded, watching Andrew head over to Buffy, who had just gotten off the phone.
“Are you leaving already?” she asked, surprised. Andrew nodded. “Did something
happen?”
“He told me I’m not his type,” Andrew answered sadly. “Not that I’m surprised,
but…it’s okay. I have some stuff I have to do at home as it is. I just wanted to
stop in and say hi to you both.”
“Well, have a good night then, Andrew,” Buffy said, feeling sorry for him. She
let him out and locked the door behind her, going over to the couch to sit
beside Spike.
‘I hope Spike was at least nice about it,’ she thought. ‘I’m sure he was. He’s a
good guy, after all.’
“Andrew’s a good kid,” Buffy said. “Don’t you think so?” He nodded, drinking
some of his beer.
“I hope I gave him some good advice before,” Spike replied. “You know, getting
him on track.”
“I’m sure you did,” she smiled softly, looking at him. He smiled back at her.
“Oh! I forgot that ‘ER’ is on soon!” She grabbed the bowl of popcorn again and
set it on her lap. “I liked the old seasons the best, but these aren’t too bad.”
“Let me guess, you had a yen for George Clooney?” Spike asked, amused. She
shrugged.
“He wasn’t so bad,” she said. “But I used to have the biggest crush on Noah
Wyle.” He frowned.
“Yeah, I bet you did,” he said quietly, taking a handful of popcorn. She smiled.
“This should become a routine,” she said, looking at him. “Must-see TV,
popcorn…”
“With or without an appearance by Andrew?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. She
simply giggled in response, munching on several popped kernels and paying
attention to the show.
‘I vote us being alone together becomes a routine. How about you, luv?’ he
thought, sighing.
Chapter 5 – Meet the Family
“Spike!” Buffy yelled from across the street, waving in his direction.
“Whoa!” Xander muttered, elbowing Spike in the side. “Who’s the hottie
calling for you?”
Spike glared at Xander before turning his attention back to Buffy as she
crossed the street and jogged toward the construction site.
“She’s my roommate, Harris, so lay off,” he growled possessively.
“Roommate, huh?” Charles Gunn asked with a smile. “Well, she can room with
me anytime.”
Spike spun around to give his friends a look. “She’s a nice girl. I don’t
want anyone harassing her, understand?”
“Since when do we harass women, Spike?” Xander replied.
“You know what I mean.”
“Yeah,” Gunn said, slapping Xander’s shoulder. “It means our boy has it bad
for his roommate.”
Spike didn’t respond as Buffy came within hearing distance.
“Hey!” she said with a bright smile, blushing at the number of men who were
staring at her.
“Morning, luv,” Spike replied, noticing the blush and turned around to shoot
a look at his coworkers who didn’t hear his speech to Xander and Gunn.
Turning his attention back to Buffy, he offered her a smile. “Is something
wrong?”
“Oh, no,” Buffy said, shaking her head before glancing around again. “I’m
not going to get you in trouble by being here, am I?” she asked worriedly.
“No, pet,” Spike said with a smile, placing his hand on the small of her
back and leading her over to his friends. “This ponce is the boss, and he
surely doesn’t mind when a beautiful woman drops by. Xander Harris, meet
Buffy Summers.”
Buffy blushed at being called beautiful, but brushed it off, offering both men a
smile and
shaking Xander’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you. Spike’s told me a lot about you.”
“All good, I hope,” Xander replied with a friendly smile.
“I plead the fifth,” Buffy said with a laugh.
Spike frowned at the flirty behavior, turning her attention to his other
friend. “And this is Charles Gunn.”
“Hi,” Buffy greeted, shaking Gunn’s hand. “I haven’t heard anything about
you,” she said, shooting Spike a look.
“I’ll consider that good news then,” Gunn said with a laugh. “It’s nice to
meet you, Buffy.”
“You too,” Buffy said with a smile before turning back to Spike. “I was on
my way to class and saw you working. My mom wanted to know if we wanted to come
over and eat tonight.”
“In Los Angeles?”
“Well, being that it’s where she lives…yeah.”
“She wants to meet me?” Spike asked in surprise.
“Of course, silly,” Buffy said with a playful smack on his shoulder. “She
wants to make sure her daughter’s not living with a serial killer.”
“That’s encouraging.”
“Sorry,” Buffy said in a tone that didn’t imply she was sorry at all. “If
you don’t want to go, I’ll understand. I know it’s a Friday and you
probably have other plans, but-“
“I’ll be there, pet.”
“Great! Well, I better go or I’ll be late to class. It was nice meeting
both of you.”
Gunn and Xander returned the sentiment as Spike put a hand on her back,
leading her off the site. “I really hope I didn’t bother you, Spike,” Buffy
said, turning to him.
“No worries. Feel free to stop by anytime. I’ll see you when you get
home from class.”
“Okay,” Buffy replied, giving Spike a quick hug and turning a brilliant
shade of red when all of the guys began cheering. “I’ll see you later.”
Spike smiled as Buffy hurried down the street before turning and flipping
off his crewmembers.
* * * * *
“Bloody hell,” Spike gasped, breathing heavily and gripping the door handle
as Buffy came to a screeching halt in front of her mother’s house.
“Oh, stop being so dramatic, you big baby,” Buffy said, throwing the car into
park and getting out.
Spike followed her, trying to regulate his breathing. “No wonder you never
drive around Sunnydale.”
“Yeah, well, Mom said I could have a car as long as I only used it for
coming to visit her.”
“Thank God for small favors,” Spike muttered under his breath. “Although, I
would have opted for a bus ticket.”
“Hey!” Buffy cried indignantly. “I resent that.”
“Resent whatever you want, luv. I’m driving home.”
Buffy shot him a mocking glare as she walked onto the front porch.
“You sure I look okay?” Spike asked, fidgeting with his khaki pants and
black button-down shirt.
“You look great, Spike,” Buffy replied, knocking on her mom’s door. “I told
you that you didn’t need to get all dressed up.”
“This from the girl in the dress.”
Not that Spike was complaining. The pale blue sundress accentuated all of
Buffy’s curves to perfection, setting off her golden tan and blonde hair.
Buffy was about to respond when the door swung open. “Hey, Dawnie!” Buffy
said excitedly, hugging her little sister.
“Buffy!” the younger girl squealed. “You haven’t been home in months.”
“It hasn’t been that long,” Buffy replied, grabbing Spike’s hand and leading
him forward. “Dawn, I want you to meet my friend, Spike.”
“Hi,” Dawn said with a smile, shooting Buffy a look that was clearly asking,
‘Friend?’
Spike greeted the younger of the Summers women before turning his attention
to an attractive woman walking down the stairs. He knew it had to be
Buffy’s mother- the resemblance was too strong to be anyone else.
“Mom!” Buffy cried excitedly, running into the house and wrapping her mom in
a hug. “It’s so good to see you.”
“You too, dear,” she said with a smile. “And who is this handsome young man
you’ve brought with you?”
“Oh, sorry,” Buffy said sheepishly. “Mom, this is Spike. Spike meet my mom,
Joyce.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Summers.”
“Now, you heard my daughter. It’s Joyce,” she said with a smile, giving him
a warm hug.
Spike blushed as Joyce pulled away. Something that did not go unnoticed by
Buffy, and she found it endearing.
“How was the drive?” Joyce asked, laughing when Spike visibly paled.
“He’s just being a silly,” Buffy said, waving her hand dismissively. “It
was fine.”
“Yeah, as long as people could see her coming.”
Joyce and Dawn laughed as Buffy gave Spike a look.
“Well,” Joyce said, clapping her hands together. “Who’s hungry?”
* * * * *
An hour later, Buffy stood in the kitchen with her mother, helping with the
slices of pie they were having for dessert.
“I like him, Buffy,” Joyce said softly. “You two seem to get along so well,
and he seems like such a nice young man. Much more impressive than Riley.”
“I’m not dating him, Mom,” Buffy replied, sitting down at the island.
“Why not?”
“I’m not his type.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Buffy. You two seem like you’re made for each other.
I’ve only known him an hour, and even I can tell that. He seems very
protective over you.”
“He is,” Buffy agreed with a nod. “He’s a great guy. He’s handsome, and
charming, and genuinely nice...and he likes men.”
Joyce’s eyes shot up to meet her daughter’s. “What?”
“You heard me,” Buffy replied with a sigh, looking at her hands.
“Oh,” Joyce said with wide eyes before a small smile played on her lips.
“Maybe you could convert him.”
“Mom!” Buffy cried, throwing a dishtowel at her mother before they were both
consumed with laughter.
* * * * *
Eventually, it was around eight o’clock, and Buffy wanted to head home. “Well, I
think Spike has to work, don’t you?” He nodded. “We should probably go then.”
All four of them stood up, going towards the door. Buffy hugged her kid sister.
“Bye, Dawnie. Take care of yourself.” Dawn smiled up at her sister. “And I
promise to be back again soon.”
“We’d both like that,” Joyce replied, hugging her daughter before hugging Spike.
“It’d be nice for you to join us again also, Spike. It was lovely meeting you.”
Spike smiled at her. “Take care of my daughter for me, and make sure she eats.”
Spike chuckled.
“Trust me, your daughter eats,” he replied, looking at Buffy, who shot him a
look, trying not to smile. “She eats way more than I do, I can assure you.”
Buffy slapped his arm. “Hey! Oww! At least you hit like a girl.” She was about
to hit him again when he grabbed her wrist. “Now now, no more of that. I’m the
one driving you home, don’t forget.”
“Thank God,” Joyce said quietly. Buffy looked at her mother indignantly. “Have a
safe trip.”
“Good night, Mom,” she said, opening the door. “See you both soon.”
“Nice meeting you two,” Spike said before following her to the car. Both Dawn
and Joyce watched them go to the car, smiling.
“He’s a keeper, don’t you think?” Joyce asked. Dawn nodded vigorously. “Too bad
he’s gay.” Dawn raised an eyebrow as Joyce closed the door.
“Wait, he’s what?” Dawn asked, watching her mother walk upstairs to her room.
In the meantime, Spike and Buffy got to her car. He held out his hand. She
looked at it, confused.
“I need the keys, luv,” he said, looking at her expectantly. She frowned,
crossing her arms. “Please?”
“You were being mean before,” she said sadly. “Apologize.” He smirked.
‘I can think of several good ways to make it up to her,’ he thought to himself.
“I’m tremendously sorry for embarrassing you in front of your family and saying
you hit like a girl,” he said. She sighed and gave him the keys. “But in all
fairness, you are a girl, so you should hit like one.” She frowned, but he
opened the door for her, causing her to be surprised.
“Since when are you so chivalrous?” she joked, getting in. He smiled and shut
the door before going over to the driver side and getting in, starting the car.
“Wait, you have a California driver’s license, right?” He looked at her.
“How different can it be from driving in London?” he asked. Her eyes widened.
“Just kidding, pet. I got my license shortly after I moved here. I know how you
lot drive in the States. It’s not the right way, but then again, nothing here is
the right way. Why couldn’t you all accept the metric system and measuring the
temperature in Celsius?” She laughed.
“Maybe because we were sick of living by England’s dumb rules,” she offered,
looking at him. He frowned and pulled away from her house as Buffy yawned and
curled up in the seat.
“Might as well sleep, pet,” he said. “We’ve got a couple hours ahead of us.” She
smiled graciously at him before shutting her eyes and dozing off.
‘And I love watching you sleep.’ He smiled and turned his attention back to the
road.
Chapter 6 – Coming Out
The next afternoon, Spike came home from a long day at work, looking forward to
seeing his roommate.
‘She makes a bad day become so much better,’ he thought, smiling as he opened
the door. He was surprised when he saw her at the kitchen table with a brunette
man, laughing about something. ‘Who the bloody hell is that?’
Buffy looked up and saw Spike coming through the door. She smiled at him, but
noticed the sad look on his face.
‘I wonder what’s wrong,’ she thought, standing up.
“Hey, Spike,” she said. He came over to them hesitantly. “Spike, this is Angel,
a friend from my history class. Angel, this is Spike, my roommate.” Angel stood
up, facing Spike.
The two men shook hands, sizing each other up. Buffy raised an eyebrow at the
way Spike was studying Angel.
‘Oh God, he’s not attracted to him, is he?’ she thought, frowning. ‘No, he looks
more jealous. Wait, that’s nonsense. Spike’s not jealous- he’s just being
protective.’
“He’s just helping me study for our midterm next week,” she said, successfully
getting the two to stop looking at each other.
‘Right, he’s just helping her study,’ Spike thought, trying to mask his anger.
“Sounds good,” Spike said finally. “Whatever helps you do well in school is fine
by me.” She smiled at him. “I’ll let you two study then.” He walked away, going
to his room and shutting the door before clenching his fists.
‘If he even touches her, I’ll rip his arms off and beat him to death with them.’
* * * * *
A couple of hours later, Angel left, and Buffy went to Spike’s room, surprised
that he hadn’t left it since he returned home from work.
‘I hope he’s not mad at me,’ she thought. She knocked on the door and opened it
up a crack, seeing Spike sitting on his bed, reading a magazine.
“Hey,” she said quietly. He looked at her and smiled. “How’s everything going?”
“Perfectly fine,” he answered. “Did you two finish up studying?” She nodded.
“Good.”
“You don’t mind that I had him over, do you?” she asked, leaning against the
doorframe.
‘Of course I do,’ he thought, furious. ‘I don’t want another man in my home. Our
home.’ He smiled to himself. ‘I like the sound of that.’
“It’s okay,” he replied, putting down his magazine. “It’s your apartment, too,
Buffy.”
“Thanks,” she smiled. “Hey, I was thinking of going shopping tomorrow. Would you
maybe want to go along with me?”
‘Shopping? I hate shopping,’ he frowned. ‘But wait, does that include clothes
shopping? Her trying on clothes? Why the bloody hell not?’
“Sure, I’d love to,” he said, smiling. “I enjoy shopping.”
‘Yep, he’s definitely gay,’ she thought sadly. ‘Straight guys don’t like
shopping.’
“Great,” she replied. “Then it’s a date.” She left and went up to her room.
‘I really hope it is,’ he thought, smiling, opening his magazine again.
* * * * *
Spike leaned against the counter, suppressing a yawn as Buffy went through
bottle after bottle of perfume. He was holding five bags, all belonging to
her, and none containing any clothes. The woman had been to three shoe
stores and spent an hour in each one- now she had moved on to cosmetics.
“You’re not bored, are you, Spike?” she asked, sampling some lotion that she
liked.
“I’m just wondering where you get the money to pay for all this, since you
don’t work.”
“The joys of having an absentee father,” Buffy responded dryly. “You get a
birthday card and a credit card.”
“Something tells me you’d rather have your father,” Spike said gently.
Buffy shrugged, moving to another counter, obviously wanting to drop the
subject. “If you’re bored, we can always meet up a little later.”
“No,” Spike replied, shaking his head, not wanting to leave her company.
“I’m with you, wherever you go.”
“Great,” Buffy said, returning to the counter she had just vacated and
picking up the lotion. “What do you think?” she asked, holding her wrist
under his nose.
Spike closed his eyes as the scent of vanilla radiated off her skin. “It’s
perfect, luv,” he said softly, trying to control his arousal as she turned
around to pay for the bottle.
Twenty minutes later, they sat in the food court, splitting some French
fries. “So, how are you liking it here?” Buffy asked.
“In the mall?” he asked with a smile as Buffy threw a fry at him.
“In Sunnydale, Captain Peroxide.”
“Hey!” Spike cried indignantly. “This hair is all natural,” he finished
with a smile.
Buffy laughed as he threw the fry back at her. “Your roots are showing,”
she said with a giggle.
Spike raised an eyebrow at her. “Yours, too,” he said with a grin as
Buffy’s mouth dropped open.
“Are not!”
“So you admit it?”
Buffy growled playfully as she looked at him before crossing her arms over
her chest and looking away.
“Now, luv, don’t be mad,” Spike said with a smile, sliding his chair over to
her side of the table and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. His smile
broadened as she shrugged off his arm before his eyes lit up.
Buffy gasped when she felt his fingers tickling her ribs, squirming in her
seat as she tried to get away from the assault. “Spike, no,” she giggled,
pushing him away. “I give,” she cried, causing passers-by to look at them
with a smile, obviously thinking they were a happy couple, in love.
“Uncle…white flag…I give up…anything.”
Spike finally took pity on her as she began to gasp for air. He smiled,
grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the seat. “Come on. I know you’re
dying to get back in those stores.”
Buffy pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek before walking away, still holding
his hand.
“Oooh,” she said excitedly, pulling Spike faster as he struggled to hold
onto all of her bags.
“How did I get stuck carrying all of your bloody packages?”
“You’re the man,” she said, never slowing down.
“Why are you trying to rip my arm off, Summers?” he asked as she continued
to pull him down the corridor.
“I’m sorry, but Victoria’s Secret is up ahead, and I’ve really been needing
to go there.”
Spike’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head as he stared at her. ‘THIS is
why I’ve wasted my day shopping. Just to watch her walk around a lingerie
store and imagining what it looks like on her, will make my whole bloody week
worthwhile.’
Spike picked up his pace, practically pulling Buffy into the store before
she paused to look at one of the mannequins, wearing a black teddy. “That’s
nice,” Buffy commented as Spike swallowed hard.
‘Please tell me that she’s not waiting for my opinion, because my foot will
be shoved so far down my throat I’ll never see it again.’
But Buffy was already moving along to the next thing that happened to catch
her eye. Spike watched, surprised she wasn’t being at least a little bit
shy, as she began to go through rows of lacey panties and matching bras.
“What do you think?” she asked, holding up a pair of red lace boyshorts.
Spike closed his eyes for a brief moment, wondering if she was really asking
him. Opening his eyes, he saw her looking down at them before meeting his
gaze again. “Well?”
“Nice,” Spike said in a choked whisper, strategically placing the bags to
cover his growing erection.
“Great!” Buffy said brightly, grabbing several colors before moving on to
select different styles of chemises and slips. “Okay, I’m going to go try
some of these on- why don’t you sit down?”
Spike took a deep breath, trying to calm his overactive imagination.
“Umm…where?”
“Oh, sorry! You’ve probably never been in here. There’s some chairs in the
dressing area.”
Spike felt short of breath as he sat down, watching Buffy disappear into one
of the stalls.
‘This must be too good to be true,’ he thought as he stared at the row of
mirrors in front of him. Those thoughts soon changed when the door opened
to reveal Buffy in a white chemise. ‘I have to be dreaming, that’s the only
explanation,’ Spike thought as he watched her walk to the mirror, pivoting
slightly so she could see herself better.
“Does this look okay?” she asked, giving a little spin. Spike thought he
would pass out as the material fluttered slightly, giving it a nearly
transparent quality.
“Oh, I’m sorry!” Buffy exclaimed, misreading his reaction. “Am I making you
uncomfortable?”
“No,” Spike said in a soft whisper, blinking rapidly to focus his eyesight.
“Oh good,” Buffy said with a relieved smile. “I guess I just figured with
you being gay, you wouldn’t mind seeing me like this.”
Spike felt his body jump as he comprehended what she had just told him.
“Excuse me?”
Buffy gasped. “Did you not want me to know? I’m sorry, Spike, it’s just
that when I ran into your date or ex…or whoever she was at the restaurant,
she told me. If you were trying to keep it a secret…”
Spike watched her, fading in and out between the reality that she thought he
was gay and the fact that she was standing in front of him, wearing
practically nothing.
“I mean,” Buffy continued, turning to look at her reflection. “It’s not
like I would be standing here if you were straight, since that wouldn’t be
the best of situations,” she said with a laugh. “I just figured you could
give me an unbiased opinion.”
Whatever made Spike say it, he knew he would later regret it, but something
about seeing her being so open with him, even if it was under false
pretenses, made the words come out of his mouth. “No…I don’t mind you
knowing, pet.”
Buffy smiled, blowing him a kiss as she disappeared into the dressing room.
Once she was out of sight, Spike’s head dropped into his hands. ‘Tell her
the truth, you ponce,’ he thought angrily. ‘It will only get worse if you
don’t tell her now.’
“You ready?” Buffy asked, reappearing.
“Yeah…let’s go.”
‘What the bloody hell have I done?’