The party gets into full swing, and the music drowns out all but the more boisterous conversation.
Buffy gets up from the couch to get a drink from the kitchen. Spike watches her, draining his beer, and follows her out.
In the dining room he catches her by the elbow.
"You wanna slip away for a minute, luv?"
Buffy blinks.
"What?"
Spike moves in closer, pulling her by the arm.
"I'll let you blow out my candles." He leers, eyes glinting.
"Here? Now? I don't think so."
"Oh, what, you worried about Richard? You don't wanna make your new boyfriend jealous, huh?"
"Shut up. He's..." probably the dullest man alive "-sweet."
"Oh, shut up, he's sweet." He leans in, fingers the choker at her neck, trailing down over her shoulders to the edge of her silk top.
"Are you jealous?"
"Yes. Come upstairs with me."
"No!" she whispers.
"Just for ten minutes."
"Definitely not."
"Fine, an hour."
"Get off," she laughs.
"Buffy?" Dawn calls into the room, and Buffy pushes Spike away from her.
"Can we do presents yet?"
"Uh yeah. I'll be in in a sec. I'm just gettin a drink." She straightens her top, the off-the-shoulder neckline having slipped a little low from Spike's touch.
"Can you try and behave for just five minutes?"
"What do I get out of it?" He follows her into the kitchen where she grabs a soda from the fridge.
"Nothing. You could call it a birthday present."
He smiles, checks behind him to make sure no one is watching, then moves in close. Dangerously close.
He presses he up against the fridge door, his chest crushing against hers. He moves his leg in and up between hers, pushing her up. Buffy gasps from the pressure and he grips her hips and rocks her back and forth, pressing against her with his thigh. The heat starts to rise between her legs, her breath hitches. He moves a hand to below her jaw, pushing her chin up towards him with the back of his fingers. Her lips part and he leans closer in brushing them with his own. She moves in to kiss him but he keeps her waiting, kneading her. She groans softly and at that point he pulls back completely leaving her panting.
He pulls a beer from the icebox and cracks the top off heading back in to the living room.
"See you in five minutes then."
Buffy sits on the couch, looking confused by the device she's unwrapped from Willow.
Please... please for the love of God, tell me Willow hasn't gotten me some mad vibrator thing.
"Um..."
"See? i-it's a battery-operated back massager. And it's portable so you can take it with you on patrol."
"Oh...uh huh."
"It's like, instant gratification for all your little acheys."
Oh my God.
She can't help but notice Spike leer. As he catches her eye he raises an eyebrow, smiling a wicked smile. She feels the blood rush to her cheeks and hopes she doesn't look as red as she feels.
"Great. Uh. Thanks! What's next?"
"Here, do mine!"
Dawn pulls a large flat box from behind her wrapped with a red ribbon. Buffy takes the box and begins unwrapping it, not seeing the look Dawn shoots at Spike as he leans in the doorway. He takes a sip from his beer.
"Oh... Dawn."
"Do you like it?"
Buffy lifts the jacket out, the leather soft like butter underneath her fingers.
"It's ... gorgeous. How... How on Earth did you afford this?"
"I-," she looks at Spike again who smiles back at her, "I've just been saving up."
"Oh... thank you Dawnie," Buffy hugs her, swallowing back a tear, "you can't borrow it though!"
"Har har. You're not allowed to let anything put a sword through it." Dawn breaks the hug, grinning from ear to ear.
"Sure. Fancy patrols only."
"Happy birthday, Buffy!"
Xander and Anya wheel in a large wooden chest.
"Oh my god! Did you guys make that?"
"Uh, well, uh, Xander did the building," Anya beams at Xander proudly, "I offered helpful suggestions while observing from a safe distance."
"It holds basic weapons, plus a few non-basic ones too. Plus, there's a handsome CD holder."
"It's beautiful, thank you guys so much," Buffy leans over and kisses Xander on the cheek from across the chest, and hugs Anya.
Spike moves back into the hallway. Tara's leaning on the stairs sipping a drink.
"How's it going, Glinda?" He leans next to her, back against the stairs. He's itching for a cigarette, the crowd of people in the living room is starting to make in feel antsy and on edge.
"Good. You?"
"Mmhm." He takes another sip of his beer, "any interesting reading lately?"
"Uh... I-I-"
"Tara. I'm keeping it. I'm not giving up it."
Tara's silent for a while, the blare of the music and the chatter from the living room making them feel all the more separate, alone in the hallway.
"That's... definitely what you want?"
"Yes."
They're quiet for a while longer.
"You said it wasn't permanent yet, though?"
"No."
"How do we make it permanent?"
"Spike-"
"Tara. How?"
"I need to look into it a bit more. I'm not... it's not clear."
"What's not clear?"
"Th-There's.. it's-"
"Just tell me-"
"Hey!" Dawn appears in the doorway to the living room, "we're cutting the cake!"
Spike swallows, muscles clenching in his jaw. "Coming, Bit."
"She really liked the jacket!"
"Knew she would."
Dawn darts back inside.
"Talk tomorrow?"
Tara nods, following him into the living room.
The evening winds on, music getting a little louder. Buffy leaves the living room, intending to find more chips for the chip bowl, and nearly walks straight into Richard coming from the kitchen.
"Oh, hey."
"Hey." He smiles, and she can tell this was a moment he'd been waiting for. The thought of it makes her stomach knot, but he seems to take her momentary shock for shyness. He smiles wider, "great party. Everyone's having fun."
"I hope so."
"I mean, look what time it is and no one's even thinking about leaving. I, uh... can't tear myself away."
"Yeah?"
This is excruciating.
"Can I get you a drink?" From over his shoulder Spike materialises. He leans against the doorway of the kitchen, folding his arms, watching the whole awkward performance play out, smiling sinfully. Buffy feels another rush of blood rising to her face.
"Uh... I'm good, thank you. I think I'll just ... head back in."
Richard notices her fluster and a smile spreads across his face, thinking it's for him.
"Well ...I'll look for you."
"Okay." She smiles as charmingly as she can muster. Richard walks past her back into the living room, and she lets out a breath.
"Oooh, Buffy. Can I get you a soda pop? I think I'm in looove." Spike croons, pushing himself off from the doorway, reaching for her hips.
"Stop it. Someone's gonna see-"
"Mmhmm. Well I've been on best for well over five minutes, pet. Feel like I've earnt a little bad behaviour."
"Seriously, stop." She tries to move passed him, but he blocks her way.
"I've barely seen you all evening, just give me a moment, Slayer."
"Spike-"
"I'm being serious, no ill intent. Just us in the kitchen, two minutes."
She rolls her eyes but he's pulling her by the hand. He flicks the lights off in the kitchen, leaving them in the glow from the dining room, and pushes her into a corner.
His kiss is soft at first, hands scooping up her arms until they're on the back of his neck, cool breath sighing softly over her lips. She kisses him back, winding her tongue round and over his. She feels his hand on her thigh and realises it's actually in his pocket, pulling something out.
She hurriedly breaks the kiss.
"Spike-" but he's holding a small black box up to her. She blinks.
"What's that?"
"It's a birthday present, you muppet."
Her brain scrambles to make sense of the situation.
"You... got me a birthday present."
"Well I heard it's the accepted custom. Hate to be tacky."
She raises a disbelieving eyebrow, and opens the box.
Inside two battered gold hoops glint in the warm light of the dining room. She fingers the metal, realises she hasn't taken a breath.
"They're... beautiful."
"Do you like 'em, pet? Been a while since I actually bought a gift."
"You bought them?"
"Mmhm. Guess your good influence is rubbing off on me."
"They're lovely. Thank you." She undoes the studs in her ears and slips the hoops through her lobes. Spike smiles a warm, satisfied smile.
"Pretty girl." He tucks her hair back, watching the light catch the gold. She kisses him first this time, one hand on his chest, the other curled round her shoulders. He slips his hand up onto the base of her back, cupping her face with the other, his third and forth finger either side of her ear, feeling the hoop sway against his hand.
"We should go back in." she mumbles around his lips.
"I don't honestly think I can."
She pulls back, resting a hand against his chest, pushing him gently back.
"Stop Spike..."
"Make me."
"I'll make you." Xander's suddenly behind him, spinning him round by the shoulder, and landing a hard punch across his face. Spike lands back against the edge of the kitchen table, blinking dazedly.
Xander lands another punch to his gut and he doubles over, coughing.
"Get up." Xander sneers.
Buffy is too dazzled for a second to realise what's happened.
"Get UP, you creep."
Spike straightens up, leaning hard against the table. Xander grips the neck of his shirt in his hand, twisting it so the fabric bites into Spike's neck. He pulls a fist back to land another punch but Buffy pulls him off.
"Xander what are you doing!?"
"What am I doing? What are you doing, Buffy? He's a fucking monster! Why do you keep letting him back into this house?" He's nearly shouting, froth collecting of the corner of his mouth.
"I- I don't need to explain myself to you Xander. He's a friend."
"Just a friend?"
Buffy locks eyes with Spike. He's watching her intently. Pleadingly.
Just tell him, Buffy. For God's sake.
But he knows she won't.
"Yes." Buffy avoids Spike's gaze but she can feel it burning into her. He pulls the collar of his shirt back into place. Xander makes a move to step towards, but Buffy stops him with a hand on his arm.
"S'alright, mate. I can show myself out." He shrugs his coat back into place and steps out of the backdoor into the dark.