The early morning sunlight was just peeking through the cracks in the curtains when Kat was woken up. It wasn't a pleasant slow awakening, it was loud and startling.
"Happy birthday!" Dawn and Buffy yelled cheerfully, Dawn hopping into the bed as Buffy yanked the curtains open and blinded Kat. Kat groaned, burrowing into her duvet more to hide.
"No," she muttered. Dawn snorted and Buffy hopped onto the bed the other side of her, trapping her between the pair.
"No isn't allowed today. I have work and Dawn has school, so we have to do our annual celebratory pancakes," Buffy grinned, nudging the lump of duvet that was Kat with her shoulder. Her head poked out then as she blearily blinked at her.
"Chocolate chip?" She asked, her voice still thick with sleep.
"Uh huh. Is there any other kind?" Buffy snorted. Okay, maybe it wasn't so bad. The girls left her to get up and she didn't bother getting dressed, sleepily shuffling downstairs in her pajamas as she rubbed her eyes. It was far earlier than she wanted to be awake but she couldn't not do their tradition of birthday pancakes. It was a rule. She heard the girls chattering as she got to the bottom of the stairs, the smell of freshly made pancakes making her belly growl. It was her first birthday without Joyce but she decided not to think about that.
"There's the grumpy birthday girl," Dawn sang playfully as she entered the kitchen.
"Not grumpy. Sleepy," Kat muttered, flopping onto a chair at the table.
"Oh please, you're always grumpy on your birthday. You're like the Grinch of birthdays," Buffy smirked, plating up the mountain of pancakes on Kat's plate.
"You wouldn't even let us throw you a real party. You're 21, Kat. That's just lame," Dawn huffed before she shoved a large fork full of pancake in her mouth.
"You're lame," Kat retorted with narrowed eyes, pouting as she ate some of the chocolate chip pancakes. She moaned at the taste, eating them more eagerly as she savored them.
"Now now, children," Buffy snorted, finally sitting at the table herself as she started eating her own food.
"Besides, Kat at least said we could do a super casual, low-key thing at the Magic Box," Buffy said cheerfully. When Buffy mentioned she wanted to throw her a big ass party at the Bronze, Kat quickly shut that shit down. She really wasn't into big parties, mostly if they were for her. She had to haggle with the blonde until they got to a small get together, just the usual gang, at the shop. Buffy drove a hard bargain. Kat had just planned to veg out at home and eat cake.
They all ate and chatted until Dawn and Buffy had to leave.
"Leave the dishes, I'll get them later. Also, presents later at the shop," Buffy smiled as she put her jacket on.
"Buffy…" Kat whined, giving her a look. "I said no presents. You know… 'cause we're broke," she muttered flatly.
"Laaaame," Dawn teased, getting a piece of pancake thrown at her for her troubles.
"You said no presents. I didn't say no presents. Anyway, we were thrifty, right Dawnie?" Buffy asked, looking at her younger sister.
"Totally. The thriftiest of thrifters. The thriftiest thrifters to ever thrift," Dawn agreed, grunting when Buffy elbowed her in the side. Kat wasn't sure she believed them.
"I swear to god. If you broke the bank just for my birthday, I'm gonna…" Kat muttered, trailing off with a squint.
"You'll what?" Buffy smirked teasingly.
"I'll switch out all your fancy conditioner with a cheaper brand," Kat grinned, quirking a brow. Buffy's eyes went wide, her hands flying to the ends of her hair.
"But… the frizz," she murmured, sounding horrified.
"All the frizz," Kat agreed with a smirk.
"Well, we don't need to worry about that 'cause we were thrifty," Dawn said firmly, giving Buffy a look as she shoved her to the door.
"My poor hair," Buffy lamented quietly as Dawn muttered at her to shut up.
Once they left, Kat picked up the piece of pancake on the floor and washed the dishes. It might be her birthday but she wasn't going to let Buffy do it after being in work all day. Kat had the day off. She was still a little tired and ended up back in bed. The place was silent and she didn't really want to be alone until the get together later. It was too early to bother Spike and she didn't want to sit in her place of work all day when she didn't need to be there. She hadn't been sleeping great since her dream was still tormenting her, so it didn't take long before the darkness tugged her under once more.
It was many hours later that she sat up abruptly in bed, panting with a yell dying on her tongue. She was really sick of this bullshit. Couldn't she dream of something else for once? The dream had been every so often at first but now it was every time she slept. She still had no idea what it meant and she was stubborn enough to not really look into it any further than she had. A quick glance at the clock had her diving out of bed. It was late and everyone would be at the shop soon. She didn't want to turn up late to her own party that wasn't really a party. She got dressed quickly, not bothering to dress up too much. Before long, she was entering the magic shop. Buffy and Dawn weren't there yet. Anya was still behind the register, counting the money. Giles was nowhere to be seen but she was sure he'd be in the back. Xander was trying to talk to Anya but she was pointedly ignoring him to keep up with her task. And Willow and Tara were in their usual spot in the corner, surrounded by books.
"It's the birthday girl!" Xander beamed, practically bouncing over like an excited puppy. He gave her a big hug as she snorted.
"Nice to see you too," she muttered wryly as he moved away.
"How do you feel? Older? Wiser?" He asked playfully.
"Just about the same," she shrugged, making him roll his eyes playfully at her.
"Kat! Very happy day of your birth. Here," Anya grinned, rushing around from the other side of the counter. She held out a stack of bills that Kat was sure just came from the register.
"An… honey… that's not your money," Xander stated slowly. Anya frowned at him then.
"It's her birthday, Xander. What better gift than money? Do you hate her that much?" She scolded, deadly serious, as Xander just blinked at her.
"We got her a gift," he explained, giving her a look.
"Yes. A boring, stupid gift that isn't as good as money," she huffed.
"It's okay, Anya. I'm sure I'll like the stupid, boring gift," Kat smirked. Anya looked at her then and her shoulders sagged in relief.
"Oh… good. I didn't really want to give you the money but I wanted to be a good friend," she said with a smile. Kat snorted as Xander shook his head, watching Anya as she trotted off back to the cash register.
"So!" Xander clapped his hands, raising his brows at Kat in a way that made her laugh lightly.
"Hugs for the special lady," Willow grinned as she came over, wrapping her arms around Kat. When she moved away, Tara took her place.
"H-H-Happy birthday," she said softly, making Kat smile as she moved away.
"Thanks, guys," she said warmly.
"Buffy and Dawn should be here soon. Oh, and Giles! Where is Giles?" Willow murmured, looking around like she expected the man to materialize out of thin air.
"I think he's in the back," Tara said softly. Willow was off like a shot before both she and Giles emerged from the back of the store.
"Happy birthday, Katherine," he smiled as he walked over. He graced her with a rare hug and she hugged him back tightly. The bell for the door chimed as Dawn and Buffy burst in.
"Are we late? We're not late, are we?!" Dawn asked frantically, sounding out of breath.
"Not late, just in time," Willow grinned.
"We wouldn't be almost late if clumsy McClumserson here hadn't decided to fall over on their way," Buffy glowered at her sister.
"Hey! It wasn't my fault, I tripped!" Dawn argued with a pout.
"On air!" Buffy huffed, throwing her arms up.
"On that note, why don't we get to the presents?" Giles asked with an amused smile. Dawn and Buffy perked right up and ran into the back room. Kat presumed the gifts were hidden back there.
She glanced around the room, a strange pang of disappointment settling in her chest when she realized someone was missing from her birthday celebration.
"Spike's not here," Willow said with an apologetic smile, as if she could read Kat's thoughts. Kat felt her cheeks heat up slightly at being so obvious.
"We uh… we went over. To his place. I wanted to invite him since I know you two are like besties now. He wasn't there, though. Which is kinda weird 'cause it's not like he has anywhere else to go, but…" she shrugged softly.
"It's alright. Thanks for trying anyway," Kat said with a smile. She was disappointed and also a little curious as to where Spike was. Willow was right. He didn't go many other places these days. She wasn't going to let his absence ruin her birthday, though. It wasn't like he was obligated to turn up or wish her happy birthday. She was being ridiculous.
The night went on without a hitch. Buffy and Dawn had gotten Kat a new pair of Docs since her own were falling apart. She knew they weren't cheap but they were so excited she decided to reconsider her threat to Buffy's hair. Especially since they also made her a scrapbook about the three of them. Willow and Tara got her a large geode of amethyst. It was insanely pretty and she couldn't wait to put it on her nightstand. Xander and Anya got her a cactus in a cute little pot. Anya complained the whole time about how the present was stupid and lame and how disappointed she'd be if someone gifted her one. But Kat loved it, and she made sure to let them know. Giles bought her an old edition of Titus Andronicus, her favorite Shakespeare play. It was rare and old and it caught her off guard. She'd only mentioned wanting it once but he'd clearly listened. It would go well in her little mini library, that was really just one bookcase of antique books. She had a great time and they'd even got her a cake. They kept it low-key as promised. By the time she was back in bed, she was tired but couldn't sleep. Buffy was out patrolling and Dawn was fast asleep in bed. She didn't want to sleep because of her dream, but her brain just wouldn't switch off either. Spike hadn't turned up at all and it confused her. She'd considered them to be close friends now and she'd been sure it was mutual. He seemed to really enjoy her company and talking to her. She knew that he knew her birthday was today because Dawn wouldn't shut up about it for the past few days. She knew it was stupid. She didn't expect anything from him but she thought he'd have at least popped by to say happy birthday. It left her feeling a little deflated and confused. The clock was glaring at her, telling her it was 1am, yet she tossed and turned in frustration.
She was startled out of her misery by a tapping on her window. She jumped out of bed, seeing a shadow lurking on the other side of the window behind the curtains. Padding over quickly, she ripped the curtains open, her body relaxing when she saw it was just Spike. Then she was just more confused. She opened her window as he smirked at her.
"You do realize we have a door, right?" She asked dryly. He was crouched beside the window as he shrugged lazily.
"And meet the end of a pointy stick? No, thanks. Slayer needs her beauty sleep after all," he replied with a sly smile.
"She's not even home," Kat muttered as she leveled a look at him.
"Well then… doesn't matter now anyway. Gonna let me in, Kitten?" He asked, practically fluttering his lashes at her. She rolled her eyes and stepped out of the way, watching as he gracefully slipped inside. He shut the window behind him as she moved to sit on the bed near the headboard.
"And what do I owe this late night visit?" She asked. She was a little salty about him not turning up but she tried to remind herself he didn't owe her anything. She hated the fact she felt a seed of blossoming happiness just because he'd turned up. He moved over to perch on the bed, grabbing something from his pocket. He pulled out a hand sized package that was crudely wrapped in newspaper.
"Happy birthday, KitKat," he grinned. She blinked at the package for a moment. She really hadn't expected a gift from him.
"Take it then," he muttered impatiently, setting it in her hands.
"You didn't have to get me anything," she murmured with a small frown as she looked at him. He looked somewhat bashful as he shrugged, not looking at her.
"Well I did, so bloody open it," he shrugged again, raising a brow as he finally looked at her.
She tore off the newspaper and just stared at the gift in her hands. It was a Tarot deck. The same one from the store she'd been eyeing up but couldn't afford. The same one from her dream.
"Spike… these were expensive," she frowned deeper, tearing her eyes away from the deck to look at him.
"You're worth it," he replied sincerely. His words made a swarm of butterflies erupt in her stomach. She knew she shouldn't read too much into it, but it sent her body into a frenzy anyway.
"You didn't steal them, did you?" She asked playfully. Anything to diffuse the seriousness of the moment. To get rid of the butterflies.
"Thought about it," he smirked wryly. "But it wouldn't mean much of a gift if I did that," he added, his blue eyes piercing into her.
"Thank you. I don't even know what to say," she murmured, her fingertips gliding along the box.
"Don't have to say anythin', pet," he said softly. There was a strange silence that fell over them then, an odd seriousness that seemed to blanket them. She wondered if she was just imagining it or if he noticed it too.
"So, uh… where have you been all day? I had a birthday party thing. Willow went to invite you but she couldn't find you," she asked curiously. He frowned a little and shook his head with a sigh.
"Bloody Harmony," he bit out.
"Harmony?" She asked slowly. She'd had enough of the annoying girl when she was alive, but now she was undead, she was insufferable. She remembered how she and Spike were together for a bit and she tried not to let the green-eyed monster rear its head.
"She came by last night. Wants to make another go of it… told her no, of course, but she didn't wanna listen. Now she's stalkin' me. Won't leave me soddin' alone. Been hidin' out all day," he complained.
"You've been hiding from Harmony?" Kat snorted, earning a scowl from him.
"Of course I am. She's bloody relentless," he huffed.
"Wow. The big bad Spike is scared of Harmony. Who woulda thought?" She teased. He gave her an unimpressed look as he sat up straighter.
"Not scared. Wipe that bloody smile off your face before I do it for you," he glowered.
"What are you gonna do? Glare it off my face?" She grinned. His eyes narrowed but his lips quirked up a little as he shoved her lightly.
"I don't even know why we're friends. You're a bully," he feigned being hurt and held a hand over his chest.
"Sorry to hurt your precious feelings, Spikey," she smirked deviously, and he groaned at the nickname Harmony had coined for him.
"Evil," he muttered in contempt.
"Jealous?" she asked, batting her lashes innocently.
"Obviously," he answered instantly. He watched her for a moment, a little smile playing on his lips. She could feel her cheeks heating up and she wanted to hit herself. She had no idea why he was looking at her like that. Like he was looking for something.
"Well… I best be off. Let you get some kip," he muttered as he stood, the moment ending. She put the cards on the nightstand before she followed him to the window.
"I'm glad you came," she admitted softly when he opened the window. He turned back to her then and smiled. She was caught off guard when he wrapped his arms around her, since she'd been the one to initiate the hugs between them. Maybe they really were huggy friends now. It didn't last long and as he moved away, he tucked some of her hair behind her ear and she swore her heart skipped a beat.
"Happy birthday," he murmured.
"Thanks," she replied, feeling breathless. He gave her one last look before he hopped out of the window. He gave her a wave before he jumped down and she shut the window. She flopped back onto the bed, her head swimming with their interaction. She really didn't want to be that kind of girl. The one that would pour over all of the moments and pick it apart to find anything to feed her feelings for him. She couldn't help it, though. When she finally drifted to sleep, it was surrounded with his scent that he'd left in her room.