of Partners and Horses

Spike didn't want her to think he approved of her bad habits, but if she was going to go anyways, he figured it wouldn't be so terrible to join her and see what all the fuss was about.

Though, it did not happen without weeks and weeks of convincing.

"Come on Spike, you don't know what you're missing out on!"

"It really is a lot of fun. I thought you liked living on the edge, hmm?"

"WE NEVER DO ANYTHING I WANNA DO!"

"Fine, I guess I'll just have to ask one of the many men there to buy me a drink instead…"

And as usual, she eventually got her way.

Spike would never understand the power of women and their witchy abilities over men. Or perhaps he was simply not as tough as he thought he was.

It was hot, humid, crowded, and noisy. Really, REALLY, noisy.

The man was a miserable spectacle among a group of other, more burly men, who jumped around like buffoons and shouted at their horses. He had to wonder, yet again, why he put himself through such things. He was reminded when a familiar squeal reached his ears and her body slammed against his back. He let out a surprised grunt from the impact, but he knew exactly whose arms wrapped around the front of him, holding the bottle of beer he had requested.

"Look! Do you see that beauty? I think she's actually gonna make it."

Just as soon as she was there, her form was gone and at his side instead. She took a distracted bite from her sandwich.

Wait, they have food?

The two of them were situated near the front row of a big outdoor racetrack, part of one of Faye's favorite horse races.

She was practically jumping in place, as all the men around her were, though he had to admit it was a lot cuter on her. He might have told her as much if he wasn't so directed by the sandwich in her hands.

"Come on let's go down!"

She took hold of his wrist and suddenly he was up and being dragged though the sweaty men like a string. He couldn't help but cringe at the uncomfortable feeling, but soon enough that slinky woman got them to the very front row, where they were practically pushed up against the railing.

"Yeah, this is the view, you still want the binoculars?" She lifted them from around her neck.

Spike shook his head and looked at her sandwich. "No, but gimmie some of that."

Without taking her eyes off of the track, Faye wordlessly passed Spike the sandwich, which he took a big and grateful bite from. They'd been there since after breakfast and it was almost near sunset.

As he munched, Spike looked out at the track as well. The horses were quite beautiful, as Faye had raved about hours prior. Though, people were more interested on how fast they could run. A few moments later and Dusty-number four started to fall behind. Faye and the crowed around them began to moan in disappointment.

"What's going on?" he asked, mouth full.

"Can't you see!? She's falling behind." She grabbed onto the railing and pushed herself up and forward, "Come on girl!" she hollered out.

Spike couldn't help but laugh, he'd never seen her so excited, and all because of a bunch of horses.

A big man squeezed his way in next to Faye and started yelling for his own horse, Pixie. He took up so much space that it pushed them both to the Side and into others. Faye was instantly annoyed and there was some complaint from the people around them as well.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing? MOVE!" she protested. Spike looked mildly startled at the retort, not because he was afraid of the man, he just wasn't in the mood for an altercation, especially one led by Faye.

The gruff man turned to her, his eyes in thin slits of annoyance. "You got a problem with my being here missy!?"

Faye only stood up taller on the railing, the man was much larger than her. "You're damn right I got a problem, go back to your side!" The men around her started to jeer her on with yeahs and that's right. Spike suddenly felt like he was in a different universe.

"What's a tiny little thing like you gonna do huh?" He eyed Spike and started laughing. "Get your scrawny boyfriend to shoo me away, huh?"

Spike raised a brow at that. Scrawny?

Faye scoffed, "no thanks, I'd rather kick your ass myself!"

Spike couldn't help the small hitch of arousal at her bold statement, but when it looked like she was about to lunge for the man and he nervously wrapped his arm around her waist, as if to pull her back. Before he needed to, the man started to move away with violent waves of his hands.

"Yeah whatever chickie, my Pixie's gonna kill your Dusty out there!"

"Oh, big talk from the big man, I don't see any action!"

The man walked away with some curses and more waves of his hands. The men around them cheered and laughed then continued to watch the scene of hooves on the ground before them.

Faye was suddenly all smiles as if nothing had happened at all.

"So, you just go around kicking big-guy ass huh?"

Faye laughed and waved her hand about, "oh that's normal. Little brawls like that are all part of the game, sometimes the better part. Right Mike?" She looked over to another man who stood close by. He had on a cap and was busy counting something on his comm.

"Oh yeah, everybody likes to talk trash here. Don't worry, we watch out for miss Val."

Spike was perplexed. "Miss Val? Wait you know these Guys?"

Faye shrugged, "sure, most of us are regulars." There were a few grunts and nods of confirmation around.

Now he really felt like he was in another universe and it was all hers.

Faye popped up to this ear, "These guys used to try and play me like a fiddle, now I've got them giving me the best odds, like putty in my hands." He looked at her and she winked, then leaned forward again, in search for Dusty's place.

"Huh. Guess I shouldn't expect anything less."

He smirked and went to take another bite of the sandwich, but Faye turned around and quickly snatched it from him. "Hey, don't finish it all!"

Spike was peeved but brushed it off and took a good swig of his beer instead.

She reached his height exactly with the way she was propped up. He looked out at the horses and followed Dusty's course with a close eye. She was still a little behind, but if her "Jockey," as Faye called them, could handle her right, she just might win. It would certainly be a rarity to see Faye actually win something like that. He would actually really like to see it.

As Dusty started to run up on Pixie, Spike found himself being emerged into the energy of the race. Eventually he joined Faye in shouting the good graces to the mare. The gray horse drew closer, and closer, and closer…

Within seconds a loud buzzing noise rang and the crowd, along with Faye, grew rowdier as Dusty barley made it through the finish line.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Faye called as she jumped up and down on her platform. Spike couldn't help but carry a big smile of his own from the adrenaline rush, he couldn't believe the horse actually won. He turned to Faye, remembering that he wanted to catch the moment, and the pure exhilaration on her face was like nothing else. There was something so youthful and free there and he realized just how genuinely passionate she was about it. It was something to witness.

In a split second, she turned and nearly fell onto him as she left a firm and excited kiss on his lips. They laughed through it, then she was off with talk about going double.

It took a moment for Spike to realize what she had said and that she had taken off with his money card as well. Instantly, the smile was gone, and he chased after her.

"Wait Faye!"

…

"So, you're telling me that this is what usually happens? You win, push your luck, and then you lose?"

Faye sighed, "yup, that's basically the gist."

Spike grumbled and took a bite from his taco. "I told you to quit while we were ahead," he reprimanded, through his mouthful.

The two were situated at a small table outside of a food truck.

Faye chuckled, "where's the fun in that?" she took a bite from her taco.

"Huh?" he was perplexed, wasn't winning the fun?

She smirked even deeper, "It doesn't hurt if you win."

Spike responded with his own dark smile, "so you're a masochist now?"

Faye only laughed; Spike eyed her curiously. "I don't get it, usually you're all mopey after something like this."

"Hmm, yeah I guess so," she paused and took another bite. "Today was different though."

"How so?"

She smiled and shook her head, he was even more curious now. "Hey come on, what?"

Faye wasn't going to budge, after a while he let it go and started to eat again. Faye nudged his leg with her foot. "Hey," she started, he looked up mid-chew, "thanks for coming with me."

"I guess it wasn't terrible. Still don't think it's your best passion." He took a swig of his third beer.

"I've been a good girl lately." There was something mischievous in her grin.

"I'll give you that. Hey?"

"What?"

"Should we go home and let you can kick my ass?"

Faye chuckled, stood to her feet and reached for his hand, which he took tenderly.

"You better not say things like that, or I might take you seriously."

They walked along the river.

"That's what I'm hoping for Romany."

Losses didn't matter too much when you lost with the right person.

...

A/N: So I didn't really utilize much of the real "horse racing culture" for this, I mostly made up my own just based off of Faye's scenes from Speak Like a Child lol. However, I did include a few real life facts about horse racing. Also, Faye chillin with burly men at the races? I mean maybe yo.