Title : Realization Hits
Author : Madd13
Rating : T - M for language
Disclaimer : All credit goes to Joss Whedon for the creation of BTVS
Characters : Buffy and the Scoobies, Spike, Angel and others
Summery : Set in an AU Season 6 where Spike's chip has ceased working, a little magic is worked on the gang, offering much to think about.
"Bollocks! Why is it always the nose?"
Spike growled, fangs out as he tackled a scaly green demon to the ground, taking his anger out on the beast. He did not take being hit in the nose lightly by anyone other than Buffy. Even she didn't get to do so without retaliation all the time. With a roar, he pulled the demon's head off with his bare hands. Effective, messy, and oddly the only sure-fire way to kill a …whatever it was called.
Buffy moved closer, a look of mild disgust on her face as she peeked over Spike's shoulder at his handy work. "Its an easy hit. Plus, it gets fun reactions," Buffy answered him, giving him a sweet smile as he glared back at her. The two blonds stayed like that a moment until Buffy pulled away. Always the first to back off, to walk away. This was to be expected and didn't hurt anyone at that particular minute. It was just time to move on from the slowly starting bad smell that promised to get oh so much worse.
Spike stood, letting the demon slide back into hiding as he followed the Slayer. "I'm amazed that it hasn't permanently broken after all you bloody assholes," He groused, unhappy that the center of his lovely face attracted the most fists. He let out another small growl and shoved his hands deep in his pockets. "Awe, is little Spiky gonna pout now?" Buffy teased, an irritating grin pulling on her lips. She was so lucky that she was loved so much.
He sighed, letting his anger go slowly. At least trailing behind her he got a nice view. He couldn't totally begrudge her a little teasing and gloating as long as she didn't notice his appreciating her female form. Luck would have it that she didn't until a small group of baby vampires tried to act like they owned the cemetery. The only thing that they did own was the graves that they crawled out of. Sadly, their dust piles were far off from on target on keeping their claims on those plots.
And then Hell came in a blaze of brooding glory.
"Buffy."
That one word. That tone. The thing attached to that voice sent chills down both Buffy and Spike's spines for very different reasons. Piercing blue eyes tossed his Sire a fiery death glare. Things had been going so well tonight. She was actually being friendly with him tonight. No one understood just how rare that was. It was either a lust-filled haze or nasty, hurtful running away. Though she had seen how good he was, even with the chip out of commission - an interesting discovery made while she was … gone - she seemed set upon refusing that he was a good person.
This was just icing on that particular cake. "Angel, what are you doing here?" The blond Slayer asked, a small lightness in her voice that was almost exclusive to the brooding vampire that appeared out of nowhere. It was a soft tone that Spike longed to hear aimed at him. Unlikely, ever, especially with Angel here now for a bit of literal compare and contrast.
Angel stepped out of the shadows, his unbeating heart jumping a little when he saw Buffy. For all that he had been through, certain events that were making him think of another, he still longed for her. If only things could be different, he knew they were fated to be together. He knew that he should be with this woman. But that one moment, that one second, that was the only thing that kept them apart.
Deep brown eyes drifted over to the peroxide blond man, a bit of warning in his gaze. But it almost vanished when he saw the near dejection in Spike's posture. Given his busy schedule and his forced detachment from the group of do-gooders, he hadn't heard of Spike's utter devotion. He didn't even know that his childe refused to attack humans though there was nothing holding him back anymore. In a way, it made Spike so much better in the redemption department.
But he ignored that touch of pain in the other vampire's eyes and turned to answer Buffy's question. "Danger, of course," He finally said, giving a half shrug and the slightest of smiles. "I can't give you many details because … I don't have them." He gave a sharp frown, displeased that he had so little information to give. He would be staying in town for as long as needed though. He wouldn't let anything happen to Buffy even though he didn't really understand what big danger was just on the horizon for her.
"Well, that's … unhelpful. I mean, I know the Powers like to be all 'Riddle me this' but being that vague? So not cool," Buffy sneered, rolling her eyes. She acted so indifferent to the news. It was as if she didn't feel threatened. Angel frowned harder, unsure he liked this attitude.
Spike stepped up, getting closer to his Slayer. "Well, pet, guess we'd best be getting the brain brigade gathered, yeah? See if the watcher has something in those books of his," He started, wanting to put his arm around Buffy's shoulder and lead her away. Annoyingly, he knew that would piss off both people present rather than just Peaches. He glanced back at Angel, giving a fake smirk. "Thanks for dropping by, mate. We'll be seeing you in a few years then."
Or never. Never worked astoundingly well for the bleach blond man.
As if that would happen.
"I'm coming with you. We don't know what we're up against so I better stick around to help." Captain Broody stepped forwarded, crowding in on the small blond woman's other side. Male gazes locked, each daring the other to try something. Whether it be making any kind of move on Buffy or throwing the first hit was questionable, but the object of the conflict felt the tension.
"Right, time to get home. I think there's still one pizza place open to cater the research party!" She announced loudly, pushing out from between the two posturing vampires. It was going to be such a long night. Most likely a very long week. Her only hope was that Apocalypse Tuesday was the one two days from now, not the week after. However, Tuesday was not on this month's freak-o-rama schedule.
And the cause of all the trouble would come from the most unlikely of places.
