Buffy zips up her boots, picks up her jacket and shakes the rubble and dust out of it. Spike stands by the door, fully clothed, watching her redress. She catches his eye, and smiles despite herself. He sighs.
"Slightly better parting this time round, at least."
Buffy pulls her fingers through her hair unleashing a torrent of dust.
"I've got to get back to Dawn," she smiles, a little sadly, "you're uh… still a little in the way."
"I'll see you tonight then."
"Spike… this isn't-"
"I'll see you. Tonight. My place."
"No."
"Yours, then." His tongue skims across teeth. He looks hungry.
"Spike." She sighs.
"I haven't seen the Niblet in ages anyway." He smiles, innocently but his eyes were rebellious.
Buffy levels an eye roll in his direction, "fine. But you've got to stop teaching her how to cheat at cards."
"Upset she's getting better at it than you, is it?"
"That and the fact we never seem to re-find the aces," she lets him pull her back towards him as he leans on the door, "you haven't…uh…" his lips tracing hers, "you…haven't..."
"Haven't what, pet?"
She pulls herself away from his lips, "seen my underwear? They seem to have gotten um… misplaced."
"Uh yeah. I have."
"Where?"
"In my back pocket." She steps back and holds out her hand, clicking fingers.
"Give."
"Mmm…no."
"Yes."
"No."
"Spike."
"You're becoming a spoilt brat, pet. You want them you can get them yourself," he grins, all canines flashing, "or walk home without them."
"Buffy! Uh, where were you, are you okay?" Dawn and Willow spin round from the kitchen counter, Dawn nearly knocking a bowl of cereal over the floor.
"I'm fine." Buffy winces in the bright light streaming in through the kitchen windows. Were they always this bright?
"You're not, you're all sore and limpy." Dawn is staring anxiously at what looks like a deep dark bruise under her ear.
I reeaallly hope she thinks it's a bruise. Big nasty bruise.
"I'm not ... sore, I just... I had a fight, you know, the ... all-nighter kind." Poor choice of words.
"Figured. I knew that's why you didn't call. So, what's the big bad? Uh, should we be worried?"
"No. I mean, I, I think you guys are…are safe. I saw Tara on the way in. She was here?"
Willow flushes, "I guess she stayed over with Dawn."
Buffy stiffens.
"You guess? Where were you?"
"Went out with Amy, we… kinda lost track of time."
"Oh."
"I never would have if I knew you weren't coming home." Willow bites her lip, casting an eye across at Dawn.
"No, o-of course, I mean, you know, it wasn't... intentional. And you know, everyone's safe. You are, right Dawn? You're okay?"
"I'm fine."
Buffy and Willow nods, casting glances at each other.
"I've, uh... I've gotta get some sleep."
"Okay Will. Good…morning I guess."
Willow slinks out of the kitchen.
"You sure you're all right? I'm sorry about… everything."
"It's okay. You should rest. You're beat from monster-wrestling all night."
"Yeah. Right. So uh… Spike will probably be coming over tonight."
"What really?" Her spoon pauses on the way to her mouth, "for like, Slaying-y reasons?"
"No, just. He said he missed seeing you and wanted to check how you were doing."
The colour rises in Dawns cheeks, "he said that?"
"Not you know… verbatim."
"Is he staying for dinner?"
Buffy furrows her eyebrows.
"Did he a lot?"
"Mmhmm," Dawn mumbles through a mouth through of cereal, "when you were…gone he did a lot. The big four patrolled and he was here as like a… body guard type deal."
Buffy smiled sadly.
"That's… sort of nice."
Dawn nods, "he taught me how to cheat at all the major board games. We've still got his blood mug."
"His… what?"
"Blood mug," Dawn points over to the cupboard, "the Kiss the Librarian yellow mug? He used to heat his blood up in the microwave in it."
Buffy's face is transfixed with disgust, "I made coffee in that mug last week."
"Haha, that's disgusting."
"It isn't funny."
"It is a little funny."
"OH. MY. GOD! You WATCHED me drink out of the blood mug."
"Hahaha."
"You're evil. I'm telling Willow you let me drink from the blood mug, you total teenage brat!" Buffy pinches her in the side making her squeal, watching Dawn snort milk out of her nose. Dawn punches her back on the arm.
"You should get some sleep, you look all beat up and dusty."
"Yeah alright."
"I'll make you tea if you like? In your favourite muuuuug."
Buffy throws a spoon at her as she leaves the kitchen.