"So..."
We were sat, side by side, on a park bench- in what had previously been a very awkward silence.
"Sorry, I um... I'm not very good at this," William stammered.
And to think he'd be bitten and become the most charming rogue you'd ever meet.
A giggle escaped- and before I knew it, I found myself in a fit of uncontrollable hysterics. But, it's not like you couldn't possibly blame me. There was no situation more bizarre than being sat next to a human Spike, having a poetry lesson- which was going absolutely nowhere, due to his current incapability to even string a sentence together. However, as my laughing fit gradually subsided, I saw a flash of hurt in William's eyes.
Oh boy, now I feel like I've just kicked a puppy.
"I do apologize for that little... outburst, William," I giggled, wiping my eyes. "But I promise I wasn't laughing at you-"
"Don't worry, I'm used to it," William sighed, pushing his glasses back into place.
"Honestly! I was just remembering something amusing, that's all!"
William eyed me suspiciously, and then shook his head. "Very well..."
"Now, where were we?" I asked, smiling warmly.
"I think, I may have been in the middle of apologizing to you," he blushed. "So yes, please forgive me for the lack of progress with your lesson thus far, although I must confess- it is probably due to my lack of, um, experience in this area. You see, I'm simply not... not used to being around women as beautiful as you." My expression softened, as William suddenly found immense interest in the paved path beneath his feet.
"You do flatter me, William... but honestly, there's no need to worry! It's not like I have an urgent need to learn about poetry- at least, not right away..."
Or, how about never?
"Can't we just, ya know, have a chat?"
I was met with a blank expression.
"...I mean, engage in a nice conversation! Talk. We barely know each other- there's still so much about you that's a mystery to me!"
William breathed an obvious sigh of relief. "...Talk? Why, certainly!" he agreed happily. "Although I'm afraid, Miss. Elizabeth, there isn't really an awful lot to know about me- I'm hardly the 'mysterious' type!" he chuckled.
Oh really? Yeah, try telling me that in a century or so...
"Besides, I'd much rather hear your stories-"
"Give over!" I laughed, punching him playfully on the arm. "It was me who brought up this whole 'getting to know you' thingy!"
"I do love the way you speak," William replied admiringly, returning my joke-punch with a gentle pat.
"Well, if that's the case, you should feel pretty prepared to follow the rules."
"...There are rules?" William asked, his face a picture of bewildered innocence.
"Of course," I smiled coyly. "There are plenty of rules, my friend, which you will be informed of... in good time. But the first, most obvious one, is that- seeing as I asked for us to have this chat- it should be me who decides what the topic is."
William quirked an eyebrow, subconsciously imitating his future vampire self- a feat which sent unwilling shivers down my spine. "That doesn't sound like a very legitimate rule, Elizabeth-"
"Are you gonna play nice, or do I have to start being forceful?"
William laughed- a real, genuine laugh. Again, it was exactly the same as Spike's. Not when he smirked... or snickered, or chuckled evilly to himself, of course. Which I'll admit, was the majority of the time. But on occasion, I had the privilege of hearing him actually laugh... and, as much as I hated to admit it, it was utterly infectious. So, when William laughed, I couldn't control my grin- despite the valiant attempt to maintain a mock pout.
"Forceful?" he spluttered. "I'm not sure if I like the sound of that!"
"...Or do I?" Spike whispered seductively.
Get out of my conscience, Spike. You're not welcome here.
"So, are ya gonna tell me everything there is to know about you, or do I have to resort to such drastic measures?" I asked, still grinning widely.
"Fine, fine, if I must!" William chuckled, suddenly seeming to be completely at ease. "But as I said, there isn't much to tell..."
I gave him a stern look, to which he simply smiled good-naturedly. "But, I will tell you all that I deem necessary!" He cleared his throat. "So um... well, firstly, my name is William Pratt- as you already know. I am twenty-four years of age, and have lived in the same house all my life. It is a beautiful house, I- I have been lucky enough to have a rather privileged background; one which I believe has shaped me as a person, without negatively affecting my judgement. Unlike some..." he added bitterly, a statement which instantly increased my curiosity. But then, the subject changed. "Although, my... my father died when I was merely a small child, which I suppose makes my experiences differ somewhat to others with similar financial circumstances."
"Oh my god! I'm so sorry, William-"
"No no, Elizabeth, do not apologize! As I said, it was years ago," he soothed with a reassuring smile. "I have little recollection of my father... although, my mother deemed it her duty to compensate for this loss. Which, she most certainly did- I am utterly blessed to have been raised by such a caring, doting, wonderful woman. Her name is Anne, and I still live with her now. I love her very, very much," he stated softly, eyes shining.
I'd forgotten that even Spike had a family once. God, and to think that his dad died before he could remember him... not even an undead bloodsucker deserves to endure such a tragedy when they were alive. And then, there's the blatant fact that he was total mummy's boy... talk about the unexpected! Although I suppose now, I pretty much expect the unexpected.
But what was most unexpected, was how I couldn't possibly deny that such a display of love in its purest form was utterly... adorable. And calling Spike, in any form, 'adorable' was not something I'd expected to happen. Ever.
"That's lovely," I cooed, finding myself incapable to control my smile. "I guess I'm kinda the same... my dad left when I was little, so it was pretty much just mum and me. And Dawn," I added quickly, almost expecting her to jump out from behind a bush and get all stroppy at me for almost forgetting her. "She's my little sister... the stereotypical pain in the ass who you can't help but love to pieces."
"You have a sister? How delightful!" William beamed. "I've always longed for a brother or sister, but, alas, I'm an only child. Nevertheless, may I add, I am dreadfully sorry for your father's departure... although, I suppose you too consequently share an extraordinary bond with your mother. Do her and... Dawn... travel around with you?"
I paused. "N-no, um... Dawn still goes to school back home, and... my mum died last year."
William's smile faded. "Oh heavens, I... I am so, so sorry for your loss, Elizabeth." His impossibly blue eyes shone with sincere sorrow. "I cannot even begin to imagine the pain, I..." he trailed off, at a loss for words, yet the timid touch of his hand, brushing against my own in an attempt of comfort, spoke volumes.
Get a grip, Buffy! The last thing the poor guy needs is to see you cry.
"You're right. Losing a parent is one of the most painful things this cruel life could possibly throw at us- and afterwards, I wasn't myself for a long time," I replied weakly. "But, in the end, I think that if anything, her passing has made me a stronger person. Because I had to be. People... rely on me. And also, she had a brain tumour, you see, so I suppose I can at least comfort myself with the knowledge that she... she isn't suffering anymore."
For the love of God, Buffy, don't you dare cry...
As I fought back the tears which threatened to fall, I felt William gently squeeze my hand. I looked up at him fully, and saw a face wracked with sympathy; a beautiful face contorted with emotion, as if he too was holding back tears.
"You are a very strong woman, Elizabeth. And for that, I admire you endlessly."
"Yeah, well, I'm sure there's someone else- a female someone else, to be more specific- who you admire just as much as me, if not more!" I countered, with a shaky smile.
"Oh really? Why, Elizabeth, you do make outlandish assumptions!" William matched my jovial tone, quickly noticing my desire to shift to a more light-hearted topic.
"Perhaps, but it is a well-known fact that any 'outlandish' assumptions I make are always, well... true!" I declared smugly, my forced smile transforming into a wicked grin, as I noticed a blush subtly staining William's cheeks. I decided to stay true to Buffy form, and get straight to the point. "So... who is she?"
"Oh no, Elizabeth, you are quite mistaken... there isn't anyone! I do not harbor feelings of... that kind, for anyone! Not anyone at all!" William stuttered, his face crimson.
I shook my head at him pityingly. "And you seriously think I'm gonna believe that? Trust me, William, I've been places. And no matter where it is I go, it's impossible to mistake the face of a man in love. So come on, tell me... who's the lucky girl?"
"Fine, fine!" William huffed. "If you must know... her name is Cecily."
There was a long pause, implying that he had stopped speaking, yet I continued gazing at him expectantly. He sighed again.
"I- I don't entirely know what it is you would like to know about her, but-"
"Just tell me more about her! What's she like? How did you meet? What was it that, ya know, drew you towards her?"
Why am I asking so many questions? It's not like I care about who Spike hooked up with in his days as a Victorian nerd.
'Spike' and 'nerd'. Now, those are two words I never thought I'd put in the same sentence.
"Well, I suppose I've never been much of a 'catch', as such, when it comes to women..."
Just you wait. You're practically a pussy magnet in the 20th century.
"And I know many men who are far more confident and charming than I am... why, I just sit in a corner and write my poetry! Therefore, I've never really had the courage to approach a woman who caught my eye- I suppose it just isn't in my nature! But, Cecily..." He breathed her name as if it were a prayer. "Cecily and I have certain... family connections, so have been well-acquainted for quite some time now. She is beautiful, intelligent, sophisticated... a true woman of class. Of course, she is consequently entirely out of my league- yet, a man can dream."
Why have I already assumed that she is a total bitch?
"And, on occasion, when her family visits mine, Cecily willingly listens to my poetry! So, I sit and recite to her on these rare and blissful occasions- never once telling her that... every last poem is written about her."
I sat in stunned silence, overwhelmed by the utter romance of such a gesture. I also found myself incapable of ignoring the way I felt when he stared dreamily into the distance, smiling adoringly every time he said her name.
I'm not jealous. Why would I be jealous? As if I'm jealous in any way, shape or form!
"I have never experienced such... feelings before, hence, I discovered that writing poetry was the only way fit to express what is within my heart."
Okay, maybe I am a little jealous...
But only a little. And it's not because this is human Spike or anything, it's just because this whole scenario is so darn cute.
"Aw!" I squealed, clapping my hand to my mouth. "That is just about the most adorable thing I have ever heard... ever!"
William laughed, looking slightly flustered. "I highly doubt that! Nor was it my intention to-"
"All I can say, William, is that if Cecily doesn't realize how lucky she is to have somehow earned this place within your heart, she is the craziest woman in the whole of London," I proclaimed, surprising myself by meaning every word. William gazed at me in awe.
"G-goodness, nobody has ever said anything so... goodness." He seemed to be at a loss for words. "Thank you ever so much for your kind words, Elizabeth. You really are the most extraordinary woman I have ever had the privilege of meeting."
"Well, being 'extraordinary' has always been my forte!" I replied jokingly, with a wink.
"So... surely, there is a young man somewhere in the world who has the honour of courting you?" William asked, with great enthusiasm- seeming keen to change the subject from himself. I opened my mouth, ready to tell him that no, I wasn't courting anyone- and didn't plan on doing so anytime soon. But then, William spoke again.
"Are you too in love with someone, Elizabeth?"
The house was deserted, empty- yet certainly not filled with silence, due to its two very noisy occupants. I, being one of them, punched my usual opponent, Spike, square in the face. He was really pissing me off today. There he was, being all sarky and smug and oh-so-cocky; acting like he knew me, like he understood me- when in reality, he had no idea.
"Oh, poor little lost girl," he sneered, blocking my second swing at his face with an iron fist. "She doesn't fit in anywhere." I found myself pushed roughly onto the hard, stone floor, as he stood over me menacingly. "She's got no one to love."
Rage coursed through me like hot lava. "I'm lost?" I swiftly jumped back up onto my feet, before shoving him so forcefully that he flew across the room, landing in a crumpled heap by the broken staircase. I strode towards him, anger burning in my eyes. "Look at you, you idiot!" I laughed disdainfully. "Poor Spikey! Can't be a human, can't be a vampire... where the hell do you fit in? Your job is to kill the Slayer, but all you can do is follow me around making moon eyes!"
"I'm in love with you." he whispered wretchedly.
...Why? Why did he have to keep saying that? Why did he have to make this whole damn situation even more confusing than it already was? Did the bastard enjoy messing with my mind?!
"You're in love with pain- admit it!" I demanded, allowing my building anger to flow freely, gushing out of me like a faucet. "You like me because you enjoy getting beat down. So really, who's screwed up?" My expression was one of pure disgust.
Spike fluidly jumped back to his feet with a swish of leather and the resounding thump of his boots; all traces of pathetic pining gone- only to be replaced by a look of lethal fury.
"Hello? Vampire?" he mocked, sauntering towards me- signature swagger back on point. There was the Spike we all knew and loved. Well, hated, in my case. But regardless, I breathed an inward sigh of relief, as my thoughts returned comfortably back to loathing him- without any excess confusion. I almost cracked a smile, as he seized me roughly round the neck. "I'm supposed to be treading on the dark side. What's your excuse?" he snarled, throwing me violently against the opposite wall. I was stunned for only a few seconds, yet as I regained my strength, I found Spike standing astride me, pinning me to the ground with one muscular arm. Electricity infiltrated the air between us, as I became very aware of his body's close proximity to mine.
"I wasn't planning on hurting you," he began threateningly, yet I quickly shoved him off me. However, his reflexes were sharp, and he fought me off, yanking me upwards until we were standing directly face to face. "...Much."
I laughed bitterly. "You haven't even come close to hurting me!"
"Afraid to give me the chance?" he purred, in a deep, threatening, provocative voice.
That did it. Spike had finally pushed me over the edge; I grabbed him by the collar of his leather duster, pinning him brutally up against the wall. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins with the desperation to... well, pretty much beat the living crap out of him.
God, I hated him so much.
Yet, in that split-second where I was pressed to him, against the wall, I found myself painfully aware of the solid, masculine strength of his body. He was more than a match for me in a fight, and it was easy to imagine how, under very different circumstances, the animalistic energy which fueled our dangerous 'dancing' could be channeled in a... a different way. And it was this very different scenario which often made an unwanted appearance in my thoughts whilst we were fighting- and was certainly consuming them now. In fact, it was all I could think of as I breathed in his distinct scent of leather, cigarette smoke and musky fragrance. It was intoxicating; and was only accentuated by the feeling of tensed, compact muscle through the thin material of his T-shirt.
And... oh God.
Another, very masculine part of him was suddenly quite obviously pressing against my thigh.
My eyes locked with his, and it was clear by the expression on his irritating, flawlessly beautiful face that he was entirely aware of this fact. He smirked at me devilishly; his usually slicked-back hair mussed into a mess of blonde curls; his eyes a dark, smouldering, stormy blue which bore into my own.
"Are you afraid, Slayer?" he drawled in that rough, London accent- the words leaving his mouth in low, predatory tones which made my lips part, my knees weaken and the throbbing ache in my lower body become practically unbearable. I tightened my grip upon his collar, yanking him further up against the wall- yet also pressed myself flush against him. We were mere inches apart, and I was struck by a sea of conflicting emotions- which were overcome by a consuming wave of passion as he spoke again, in a deep, threatening timbre.
"Are you afraid I'm gonna-" he began, only to be cut off by my desperate, hungry lips devouring his.
"...Elizabeth? Miss. Elizabeth, are you quite alright?"
I shook my head, attempting to erase such potent, unwanted memories from my mind.
"Huh?" I refocused my gaze to the innocent, smiling face of William; feeling an odd guilt about the explicit, erotic scene- starring his future self- which I was currently replaying in my head.
Thank God people can't read minds...
"It just seemed as if you were miles away!" he confessed, eyes flickering over my face in concern.
"...Me? Oh, God no!" I laughed a little too loudly, trying to conceal the fact that I was blushing furiously. "I'm very much here. Here- meaning, totally in this dimension!"
William looked slightly confused, yet regardless, he rewarded me with another of his charming smiles. "Well, in that case, I am very glad that you are here! Although, you never did answer my question..."
"Oh. Y-yes." I stuttered, stumbling for words. "Well, I suppose you could say that I was involved in some sort of relationship- if you could even call it that- back home... but it was kind of a- um, kind of a forbidden romance. If you get my drift?"
Come on, I had to make it sound slightly poetic...
William's eyes were like saucers. "Really? A forbidden romance?! Oh heavens, that sounds like something straight from a novel! How... exotic."
"Yeah, I guess you could say that," I laughed nervously, feeling decidedly uncomfortable discussing my naughty sexual relations with the vampire version of the man I was talking to. Particularly seeing as this man was clearly at a stage of innocence, in every sense of the word.
"Please, do tell me more! I would simply adore to hear about-"
"Actually, William, don't you think it's getting kind of... late?" I interjected suddenly, gesturing towards the darkening skies.
William, thankfully distracted, pulled out a pocket watch from the inside of his waistcoat. He inspected it carefully, before gasping, "Goodness! How time flies... mother will surely be expecting me home by now-" He paused, tilting his head to one side- again, reminding me painfully of Spike. "Ah, but it appears that I became so immersed by our conversation, that the very thought of poetry completely slipped my mind! Do forgive me, Elizabeth."
"Oh no! No, no, trust me- that is absolutely fine, I don't mind-"
"Perhaps... perhaps you would like to accompany me? It would be grossly ungentlemanly of me to not at least escort you home; yet, if we returned together to my humble abode, we could continue our lesson as previously promised! I just feel terribly guilty, Elizabeth, for wasting your time in such a presumptuous manner-"
"Honestly, William, you have not wasted my time one bit," I interrupted softly.
William looked positively elated. "Well, I am glad! I certainly feel that this has been a most... productive, and highly enjoyable 'chat'- I for one, propose that we should have another of these 'chats' very soon!"
"Agreed!"
"But I still feel as if I have failed you, Elizabeth," he concluded, frowning. "So please, will you do me the honor of returning home with me? I shall escort you back to your abode afterwards, of course."
Well, my choice is pretty obvious.
Firstly, I don't really fancy staying at that shabby Victorian hotel any longer than necessary.
And, as much as I knew I shouldn't- especially given the nature of my 'mission' which I'm trying so desperately to forget- I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with William. And that's what they told me to do, right? Become well-acquainted? Spend time with him? So, that's exactly what I'm going to do.
"I'd love to," I exclaimed happily. "The honor would be all mine."
"Wonderful!" William beamed. He got to his feet, dusting down his pristine waistcoat, and then offered me his arm. "...Shall we?"
I gave an inward squeal at his gentlemanly behavior, feeling every inch a proper 'Lady'.
"We certainly shall," I replied, linking my arm through his.
Yet as we strolled down the path, arm in arm, any feelings of happiness were instantly overshadowed by the constant reminder of my mission.
I have been sent here to kill this man; this dear, sweet, lovely man.
And why? Because I can't decide whether I lust for him or loathe him now he's a smoking hot vampire?
Surely, if anyone should be stabbed- it should be me, for being an indecisive bitch.
But soon, these conflicting thoughts were swiftly overridden by the mental reminder that I am the Slayer. And the Slayer can't afford to allow anyone else to control her feelings.
