The sun is setting. The last long fingers of sunshine stretching down the street, fading quickly.
Buffy sits on the sofa flicking through the TV channels; her eyes flitting back to the door every couple of changes. The last bit of light is seeping out of the day.
Restlessly she shuts off the TV and goes to the kitchen, staring out through the windows.
"'Evening, pet."
She spins round with a gasp. He was leaning casually in the entrance to the cellar.
"God, Spike. Ever think of wearing a bell?"
He lets out a low growl from his throat, almost a purr, moving in front of her.
"Come with a nice leather collar, does it?"
"I didn't hear you come in, you creepy lurker."
"Yeah well. I can be very quiet when I want to be," he leaned in and bites her earlobe, catching her earring with his tongue, "worth knowing for later."
Buffy hears Dawn's door clack shut above them, and the stomp of her feet at the top of the stairs.
"Dawn's coming," starting to push him away.
"I hear her," his mouth is on her neck, lifting her chin away with his hand. She shivers.
The clomping is half way down the stairs.
"Stop it, Spike." She sighs
"Not yet," he kisses her deeply. His hands slipping down her front. His thigh comes up between her legs, pushing her up, making her gasp a little from the pressure. Dawn's footsteps have reached the bottom step. Spike steps away leaving their kiss unfinished. He leans back against the kitchen table, his self-satisfied smirk playing across his lips as he watches Buffy catch her breath.
"Spike!" Dawn runs across to him and hugs him. He hugs her back with one arm.
"Hello, Niblet," he pulls back from her, all his attention now on her, "how's tricks?"
"Tricks are fine."
"How's school?" He pulls a packet of cigarettes from his back pocket and lights one.
"School is…fine." He raises an eyebrow at the pause.
"Big sis says not so much."
She winces, "just a bit hard getting out of bed in the morning. Keep being late."
Buffy is momentarily taken aback by this sudden honesty.
"You didn't have that problem before." He takes a drag of his cigarette.
"Yeah, well, I also had someone here threatening to pull all my fingers off and make finger salad." He grins, avoiding Buffy's eye.
She turns to Buffy, "what's for dinner?"
"Thought we'd order a pizza?" She says picking up the phone.
"Extra anchovies?"
"Ugh." Buffy grimaces. Dawn beams wide.
"Spike, you wanna play Go Fish?"
They play, and Buffy watches. Spike has pulled off his duster, sitting across from Dawn in his trademark black t-shirt, silver rings adorning his fingers.
"Got any 3s?" says Dawn.
"Go fish," Spike mumbles around his cigarette. Dawn picks up a card from the deck and a slice of pizza from the box.
"Got any 10s?"
"Go fish," her words garbled from the pizza slice in her mouth.
"You bloody liar!"
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Not!"
"Are too, and a bad one, hand 'em over."
"Trade you for those threes you say you don't have, but are reflected in the bread bin."
Spikes jaw hardens as he bites back a smile. He pulls out three cards and hands them over. Dawn puts down her set, taking the lead.
"Yeah, who's the Big Bad now."
"You're the Little Bad who cheats at cards. Hand over those tens."
"What tens?" She smirks at him, and Buffy is briefly stunned at how much her expression mimics his. She shows him her cards. She's only got face cards left and a couple of fours.
"You played me!"
"Yeah." She pats him on the arm in mock pity.
He takes a last drag of his cigarette before dumping it in a mug next to him. It sizzles as it goes out.
"Your double bluff is getting better." He throws his cards down and takes the last slice of pizza, "telly time?"
"Not Passions." Dawn groans.
"Yesss Passions." He grabs the top of her head and manoeuvres her like a puppet, into the living room.
Dawn and Spike lounge on the sofa, his big boots dangling over the corner of the coffee table. Buffy slouches in the armchair, watching the TV. A prickling sensation rises at the back of her neck. She glances over and Spikes eyes are staring at her. Burning at her.
The show finishes and Spike shuts off the TV.
"Bedtime, Niblet."
"But it's only 10:30!"
"No whining, go to bed, and you're getting up on time tomorrow."
"Or what, you'll drink from my brain stem?" She rolls her eyes, getting up to stretch.
"And turn your kneecaps inside out."
"Pfft." She leans backwards, cracking her back, "will you be here tomorrow then?" She asks it nonchalantly but he hears the hope underneath it.
He smiles, "go. To. Bed."
She smiles back, dragging her feet up the stairs. They hear her bedroom door close.
The silence is suddenly deafening. They stare at each other.
Buffy breaks eye contact first, looking up towards the stairs checking Dawn isn't spying down on them.
"You always were good with her."
"Mmhmm." He cracks his knuckles one at a time, not looking away. Slowly he gets up, kneels in front of the armchair. Buffy stiffens slightly. He puts his hands on her knees, and starts pushing them up her legs. Her eyes close. Hooking his hands under her legs he pulls her forward, his torso between her legs. The first kiss is soft, sweet, blooming into something harder.
"I think it's our bedtime too, luv." He whispers in her ear. The tingling of his breath on her neck makes the skin break out in gooseflesh.