Spike

My senses wake me as the sun rises, warning me to seek shelter from the harmful rays. Of course I don't need to; I'm already inside, in bed with a warm soft body in my arms…

Wait.

My eyes snap open and I realize that at some point in the night, Buffy and I moved closer together. Now my arms are around her and her back is too my chest, spooned gracefully against me. It's almost like she belongs there; like we fit. We're like to halves of the same entity…

No. Stop. This is bad. She's gonna stake me when she wakes up…even though sharing a bed was her idea to begin with…

Too late do I hear her heart rate pick up and realize that she's awake. I quickly remove my arms before she has the chance to say something. "Sorry, sorry. We must've…rolled, or…something…"

She turns over to face me. "That's my bad. I move a lot in the night. Sleepy sub-conscious me must've decided that you make a great snuggle buddy."

This woman's grip on the English language can be both infuriating and adorable. "So you don't have a stake waitin' ready for me under your pillow?"

"No, that's dangerous," she says. "I keep mine under the bed within arms' reach."

"How comfortin'."

She giggles before sitting up to stretch. "Ew. Stay away from me; I have bad breath."

I decide not to mention that I can smell it from where I'm sat. "So how do we wanna do this? I leave first and sneak back to the couch?"

She shrugs before looking at the clock. It's 7:30. "Xander will still be asleep, and he's the only one you really have to worry about. I can talk Giles down. I don't think the others other than him and Mom will be up yet; it's too early."

"Right. I'll make my swift exit then." I leave the room quickly and quietly. On my way through the hall, I listen to all the doors to check who's up and who's not; the Whelp and Demon girl are still sleeping, as are Red and Glinda. I don't hear anything from the Watcher's room or Joyce's, which doesn't surprise me. The Nibblet's room is quiet too, which does surprise me. Aren't teenagers supposed to sleep until noon?

I almost make it to the couch when a voice stops me. "Morning, Spike."

I turn to look at the kitchen and see the Nibblet sat at the breakfast bar with a bowl of cereal. Well, I guess there's no hiding from her where I was last night. Then again, she'd probably be alright with it. She was the one who kept spewing out all that 'Beauty and the Beast' crap.

"Mornin', Nibblet." I abandon the couch and instead walk into the kitchen to join her. "Didn't think we had food."

"Mom got breakfast stuff at the airport last night," she says. "She packed a couple packets of blood in her suitcase, too. They're in the fridge."

"Thanks." I take out a packet before placing it into the microwave.

The Nibblet watches me carefully, and I know the question is coming. "Why were you in Buffy's room? And before you start denying it, you wouldn't be anywhere else. I'm not stupid, you know."

"I know you're not," I say. "And we weren't doin' anything naughty, you here? Your sis just thought it'd be kinder to let me sleep in a bed rather than on the couch. I tried to tell her differently, but she wouldn't have it."

"She feels bad about being mean to you," says the Nibblet. "Not sure how long that'll last, since she's normally a first class bitch."

I raise my eyebrow. "You use language like that 'round your mum?"

She rolls her eyes. "How dumb do you think I am? Besides, all the girls at school know the word. I'm not in pre-school."

"You were when I first saw you."

"I wasn't that young. I was eleven." Then she smirks. "And I still kicked your ass."

"Language." But I smirk anyway. I can still remember it; there I was about to finish off the Slayer when Joyce comes along with an axe and whacks me with it. And then along came the Nibblet who felt the need to kick me repeatedly until I scrambled away.

Back then I thought it was embarrassing. But now I know that I shouldn't expect anything less from the Summers women.

"Oh, by the way," she says, "I think Giles wants to have words with you when he gets back."

I cringe. "I can only imagine why. Where's he gone?"

"With Mom to get shopping," she replies. "She told us yesterday, remember?"

I do. I think sleeping next to the Slayer has permanently turned my brain into a muddled mess. "Right, well I'll be off to hide in the closest and away from the Watcher-"

She laughs. "I don't think he's mad. He's just…cautious. I'm sure you remember the last time Buffy got involved with a vampire."

Like I could forget. It's what got me into this mess in the first place, though I'm finding that I'm minding my situation less and less. I also recall the reaction of the Watcher when Angelus killed his girlfriend – that's why I'm going to go hide in the closet.

Then it processes what the Nibblet's said. "We're not gettin' involved, or anything like that. Don't rightly know what's goin' on between me and the Slayer."

"I've already told Buffy; it's Beauty and the Beast. If you've heard the song-"

"I've heard the soddin' song." And I'm not liking the comparisons. It's a little too close to our situation. No wonder the Slayer ran out that time.

She sulks. It's pretty adorable. "You don't have to be so moody about it. I'm just pointing it out."

I go to apologize – I like the Nibblet and she didn't deserve me snapping at her – but then the microwave finishes and I take out the blood. And then the Slayer shows up and the conversation ends.

Her hair is all wet and she smells like soap… Oh hell, am I in trouble…