Buffy woke slowly, her head fuzzy, and mouth feeling horridly dry. She
opened her eyes, hating the gritty sandy feel to them, and looked over
her shoulder at the source of it all. Sleeping soundly on his back, no
covers, and a grin on his face that would make a mother warn her child
off. A slow, dark idea took over her hazy brain. Not only should he be
feeling as absolutely terrible as her, but he had ALSO used up his three
strikes, and... Her abused eyes widened. Mr. Spike had seen fit to leave
his pants on the wayside, with his shirt. Now he slept in nothing but a
pair of deep blue silk boxers.
She slipped to the bathroom to wash her face, brush her teeth, comb her hair, and make sure she looked a LOT better than she had felt when she woke up. Walking back into the room, her dark idea had blossomed into a black rose of a plan. She reached into the chest at the foot of her bed, drew out two lengths of rope. Tutted in her head. He really shouldn't be such a bed hog either. Using the rope, she tied his hands together above his head, then to the posts at the side of the headboard. On his feet, she used a dagger to cut the rop in half, tying him spread eagle. She walked slowly, purposefully to the bedstand and retrived two, small, instrumental pieces to this evilness. She tucked them into back of the waistband of her jamma pants. Now all he had to do was wake up. Using two fingers, she skimmed them over the inside of Spike's left thigh.
Spike twitched, and his eyes slowly opened. "Mornin' lu-" He stopped short, feeling the limited movement. He looked up, saw the ropes. A quick tug with each foot confirmed his worst fears. "What the bloody hell? Slayer!"
She smiled slowly. "Mornin', Spike."
"What do you think you're doin'? Let me GO!!"
She sighed. Truly seemed to consider the idea. Shook her head sadly. "I just... Don't think so. Did you sleep well?" Walked a slow circle around the bed to inspect her handiwork.
Tugging experimentally at his restraints, the vampire replied, "Yeah. Till about a minute ago." Nope. Too strong. This Slayer knew what she was doing. He growled low. "Are you mad at me or something? What's going on?!"
She smiled beguilingly. "Why would you think that?"
He stared at her. "Because I don't usually wake up tied to a piece of furniture. Where's Dawn, and Willow? Aren't you worried they'll see what you did?"
She sat down at the head of the bed, slowly ran one finger down his cheek. "Willow was so drained after therapy that she spent the night.... And Dawn, well, she had an early study group, which I suspect is a thinly vieled date with Andrew, with books to pretend to read."
He growled, pulled at the ropes again. They weren't painful, and he could pull a long time before they became painful, but that didn't help. It only meant that there was some reason that she didn't want him to move....
She tapped one finger on his nose. "Stop that."
He now wanted to scratch his nose. "You made me itch. Stop what?"
She tapped his nose again. "I'm asking questions. How do you feel?"
He bit back a sneeze. "Ok. The game's interrogation, eh? Sorry. Didn't mean to ask a question." He relaxed a bit. She didn't seem mad. Whatever she had in mind wasn't bad. He hoped.
She stood to stand at the base of the bed, on the floor, between his feet. "Well?" She cocked her head to the side.
"Uh, luv? What're you doin'? I feel fine, cept for the ropes."
She scraped a nail softly, slowly, down his calf. "What did I say?"
He twiched. 'Oh no. God please no...' "Uh, bout what?"
She sighed. "Questions, Spike. What did I say about questions?"
"I don't ask any."
She smiled brightly, patted his knee. "Very good."
He swallowed, froze. Waiting. All he had was questions, so he had to be quiet.
Her eyes kept roving over his body, stopping every once in a while to study a certain spot. The silence held for about five minutes.
Spike started shivering slightly. He knew which spots she seemed to be focusing on. 'God, please....'
"You can ask six questions. Only six." She smiled again. "Go ahead."
He swallowed. Six. Had to think. "Why did you tie me up?"
She gave a tiny smile. "Because I wanted to. Five."
Shivered again. "Uh, what are you going to do to me?"
She sighed, truly considered the question, mulled over the answer in her mind. "Whatever I want to. Four."
This wasn't helping. "Give me a hint?"
Inane smile. "No. Three."
"Does this have anything to do with what I did to you at the shop last night?"
"Some. Two."
"Uh.... Am I going to like this?"
Slow, seductive smile. "If I want you to. One."
"You still love me, right?"
She robbed the Mona Lisa of her smile by way of answer. "All done," she said quietly.
Pained nod. "I'm gonna die....."
"You're already dead."
"I'm gonna dust."
She tutted. "Boring. Now..." She touched a finger to the hem of the leg of his boxers, drew it down to his ankles. "Close your eyes." Considered. "Or would you rather a blindfold?"
"Can I close 'em for now, and get back to you later?"
"Mm." Disinterested, affirmative noise.
He closed his eyes. 'You're gonna tickle me, aren't you?', he said mentally.
Her mind was firmly blocked, not allowing hers out, but she wanted to smirk at his tone. She repeated the action with her finger, scraping it softly from the hem of the boxers to his ankles. "How does that make you feel?"
Squirmed slightly. "Good, mostly. Tickles."
She did the same thing to the other leg, slightly harder, not to the point of pain, but harder than a tickle. "And now?"
Low moaning purr.
She nodded clinically, enjoying her game. She walked to the head of the bed, ran her fingers over his chest, swirling patterns, varying pressure, sometimes nails, or just skin.
Spike squirmed, let out quiet laughs. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
She leaned down, bit slightly hard on his collarbone.
THAT elicted a moan, and he tugged at his restraints, wanting to touch her.
She pulled back, out of reach. "And that?"
"...good... real good..."
She tapped his nose again. "That's half-assed."
Supressed sneeze. "How about wonderful, bloody arousing. Does that tell you anything?"
She made a slightly dissatisfied noise. Tapped his nose. "Questions."
Sniff. "Sorry..." SNEEZE!!!
She ran her fingers lightly over the spot she had bitten. "Bad."
"Sorry again. I'm not tryin' to be bad, luv. Actually, this has been pretty fun so far."
She ran a hand down his chest, stopping at the elastic waist of the boxers, up to wrap lazily around his neck, her fingers stroking her half- moon claim mark on it. "I wanted... emotions, and nerves... and..." She scraped a nail lazily over it. "Everything."
He moaned, and his closed eyes crossed. "Emotions? Love, fear, a little anger, playfulness, excitement, you get the idea. Nerves? Well, my skin jumping should answer that."
She nipped across his collarbone, licked lightly at it. Gently bit his chin. "Why angry?"
"Being tied up, and not asked first. But that's going quickly."
She let a hand swipe softly at his wrists. "Yeah?"
Grin. "Oh yeah. I'm not minding this at all now."
She was feeling properly bad. She moved to kneel, one leg on either side of his waist. Ran her fingers over him.
He twitched, wanting desparatly to open his eyes. "S-stop that."
She leaned over him, very very close. "Why?"
"Cause it tickled."
"Mmm..." Feeling devious, indeed, she let her breath out to feather across his lips. "What are we gonna do about that?"
Now he wanted to kiss her. "Stop it. That's what I- I'd do."
She walked two fingers up each arm, leaning over him.
He twitched and shivered at the ticklish sensation. "Quit it..."
Throaty, "Mmmm..." Thoughtful, "No."
Quiet moan. Whether it was anticipation, or worry was not clear.
She leaned, her mouth centimeters from his. "Are you worried?"
"A little."
She knew he could feel the warmth of her mouth almost touching his. "Why?"
He swallowed, licked his lips. God, he wanted to kiss her. "I know what happens when you tickle me. And I don't know if I like it. I turn into a giggling mess, and I'm not supposed to giggle."
A slow smile she knew he could feel too. "Who's tickling?"
"Well... no one, but I used up my strikes, and that's what happens when you use up your strikes. But I actually think I'm just going to relax, and try to enjoy whatever happens. Won't be as much torture that way. I think."
Exhaled gently. "You think."
He felt her breath on his lips, debated leaning forward and trying to kiss her, but with his eyes closed, if she pulled away, he'd miss. And that would be embarrassing. "I think. I've never tried it before. I usually squirm like a maniac."
"Yes you do..."
He nodded, wondering if SHE would kiss HIM, since she could aim. "Yeah. And I thought, maybe it'd be fun to hold still. Or not. That might make it worse. Are you just going to talk all day?"
She turned her head, sucked on his earlobe, then drew back and blew cold air on it. "Maybe." Flicked his nose. "Questions."
He sneezed again. "Don't do that. The nose thing, I mean. Didn't really mind the other thing..."
She did it again. "That thing?"
Moan. "Oh, yeeeaaahh."
She was waiting. For one. Just one arch, gasp, croon, to let her know. To let HIM know. His body was hers, as much as he knew hers was his. She drew her fingers down his arms again, harder than a tickle, lighter than a scratch.
He moaned again, and pushed against her, his restraints pulling on the bed frame. "...Buffy..."
She let her fingers play at the hollow between his collarbones. "Yes?"
He let out a series of rumbling chirps, speaking vampiric too fast for her to follow, but she got the gist. He knew. Her's. All her's.
She leaned down again, her lips against his. Spike pushed into the kiss, straining his ropes. He nipped her lower lip playfully. Her body shuddered, and she smiled gently, pulled away and slid off the bed.
He moved around a bit. "Wha... Where you goin'?"
She set a piece of material across his eyes, not tying it, just lay it there. She placed three objects on his chest, untied him quickly, and slipped from the room.
He lay there, unsure if he was supposed to move, wondering about the things on his chest. On his chest were two feathers and piece of paper, written on it, "Just letting you know. Free torture, unlimited time, and here's the feathers." The door clicked quietly behind her. His eyes widened when he saw the objects, and got even biger when he read the note. He hopped up, slipping his jeans on, and followed her scent out the door and down the stairs. "Oh, Buffy! When are Dawn and Red getting home?" No answer. He trots downstairs, sniffing around, then heard the shower running. He tucked the feathers in his pocket, and the note. Then grabbed a post it, scribbled on it, "8:00. Don't forget. I'll pick you up. Spike" Then he darted out the door, making a mad dash for the nearest sewer entrance.
-=======================================================
"DAWN!" Buffy screamed. "If you don't get my camel pants in here in TWO SECONDS, I'll KILL YOU!!!!"
Dawn grumbled, and leaned in Buffy's doorway, tossing her the pants. "You're postal, you know that right??"
Buffy glared at her sister. "You could be helping me, you know?? I mean... it's already 7:30."
Dawn rolled her eyes. "Yeah... you've only changed clothes seventeen times!! You still need to get in about six more changes before he gets here!" Dawn pushed Buffy to the bed. Looked at her pitiful sister wearing make-up, hairspray, and underwear. "You're wearing the desert- rose shirt that laces up at the top, and the camel pants. And the turquoise jewelry."
Buffy looked at her sister hopefully. "I am?"
Dawn nodded. "Yes, Buffy. You look great in it. Now. You're gonna smudge dark mauve at the corners of your eyes, put a few braids in your hair here and there, and put on your camel boots, and walk to the door and breathe."
Buffy took a deep breath. "Right."
Dawn nodded. "Right. Now lets get to work."
========================================================================== =======
Spike had been busy all day. He had the DeSoto washed, repainted (which was only finished quickly because he had snarled at the guy in the paint and body shop, also got it for half price) and washed again. He had gone shopping, for the first time in.... He couldn't even remember. He had bought another blue collared shirt, a different shade, a new pair of black slacks, and a vest/jacket that went with it. He was nervous as he pulled up outside the Summers home. He parked, got out, walked to the door, took a deep breath, and knocked. Unlike the last time, this WAS a date. Gulp.
Buffy straightened her shirt one last time in the mirror, lamenting her choice to wear a different flavor lipgloss. Dawn said it went with the outfit more. Cherry blossom. Buffy went down the stairs, and took a deep breath again. Looked at Dawn sitting on the stairs.
Quiet knock. Second time.
And swung open the door. She had that awful huge-eyed stare, she knew it. "Hi." God, was that her voice?? Since when was that her voice??
Dawn smirked at the cuteness of it, holding her silence.
Spike cleared his throat to avoid a similar squeak. Unfortunately, it didn't entirely work. "Hey, luv." Swallowed nervously. Motioned to the car. "Our chairot awaits."
Buffy's hand clutched the olive green purse she had draped over her arm. Gave a shaky smile.
Trying not to snicker, Dawn said pointedly, "Twelve-thirty, Buffy."
Spike looked over Buffy's shoulder at the Key on the stairs. "And what if she's late?"
Her eyes glinted with the power she knew she held. "She's grounded."
Spike chuckled. "Don't worry, Bit. I'll have her back. Time to spare." He gently put a hand on Buffy's shoulder. "Ready?" His hand was shaking, he tried to make it stop. Since when did Big Bads act like love struck teenagers?
Buffy gave her sister a smile. The 'do I look ok,' grin.
Dawn nodded in the affirmative, and watched as they walked out the door.
Spike trotted ahead, and opened the passenger side door of the gleaming DeSoto. "After you, luv."
She slid in, noting the pristine... blackness of the old car. When he got in, she said brightly, "The car... looks... really, really nice."
Gave her a shaky grin, but there was pride in it. "Thanks. Anywhere you wanted to go?" He started the car. The engine purred like new. Reminded himself to mail the half of the payment to the body shop anonymously.
She shrugged. "I dunno. You said eight. It's eight."
He looked panicked. Hadn't thought of a place to take her! 'Damn it, knew I'd forget something. Now she's gonna guess that I've never been on a real.....' Stop the embarrassing thought. But too much had been "said".
Her eyes widened. Never been on a real date. Well, then. How freaky. "Um.... how about the park, or.. a restaurant?"
Swallowed. "You, uh, hungry?"
Her stomach was certainly SOMETHING. And food would halt uneasy silences. "Starving."
Grinned, gunned the engine. "Food it is. Any thing in particular?" 'And this was supposed to be hard? That's the last time I get information from sitcoms.'
"Um... I.. dunno. What're you in the mood for?"
Blank look. "I have no clue." By then they were driving around the neihborhood, and quickly found the highway. "If you see something you want, tell me and we'll stop."
She nodded. The silence was killing her. She switched on the radio. Groaned at the old music, and turned it to a pop station.
Oops. 'Idiot. Don't be quiet. SAY SOMETHING!!!!' "Uh, so. How was your day?" 'Bloody wanker.'
Blush, blush, blush. 'Well, I tied a guy to a- stop!' "Fine. Yours?"
Spike chuckled, and tried to bite it back. "Great."
"Yeah."
'I'm an idiot.' "Uh-huh." He paused, then turned to her. "Why do we have so much to say all the rest of the time, and now I can't even think clearly?"
She sighed. "I have no idea. I mean... I've already had sex with you. The hard part should be over now!"
He laughed, hard. 'God I needed that.' "You're right," he said, still chuckling. "Totally right. But I think that that's the easy part. Actually being in a relationship's the hard part." He chuckled again. "But then again, look at me. Not much experience either way. I kind of envy you, Slayer."
She rolled her eyes. "Yes. Envy me. Boink first boyfirend, almost cause apocolypse. Kill boyfriend one, send to hell dimension, deal with fallout. Then! Ooooh... nice boy with pulse. Turns out to be jerk-who-I- hate with a pulse. Then! Secret-army-guy- with pulse! Whooo! I'm too tough! Gotta get sucked off by vampy hoes! Run him off... and then... You. Oh yes... Envy me. Envy the nice bouquet of roses life has tossed me."
Spike tried to curb the chuckling, rather than the car. "But I do, and you don't get why! Peaches, Captain Cardboard, they loved you, no matter how it turned out. Dru, Harmony? They didn't love me. Never did. I didn't want them to, most of the time. Every time I fall in love, it winds up hurting. I didn't want that again. Then I fell for you. Just woke up one day, 'Damn, I'm in love with the Slayer.' Try that one on for size. And you started out proving my theory. But now.... I don't know."
She snorted. "What about me? One day, you're toting a SHOTGUN to my house, and the next day you're all, 'I love you...' Um... schitzo, much?"
"I loved you then! That's why I DIDN'T shoot you. And why I tried to help. And why I went home and cried in my blood. Thankfully, Harm went out before I got back. I'd have hated to explain that."
She laughed. "Oh... the horror. Harmony."
He chuckled. "It wouldn't be her knowing that would bother me. It's that she's a bleedin' blabbermouth, and would spread around the word to the rest of the demon community that I cry. Often. Even then. Although I used to be better at hiding it than I am now."
Buffy laughed. "If you'd have told me that.... four years ago, I wouldn't have believed you, and STILL told Xander."
He gave a playful growl. "But you won't now, right? There are certain... things.... that stay just between us, right?" He poked the new spot, the top rib, very gently.
Shiver and half-laugh. "Gotcha."
"Oh?"
"Right. I meant right." She pointed to her right. "Oooh! There! Stop!"
He pulled off the road and into the parking lot she'd pointed out. "Here? And what did you mean, 'gotcha'? You didn't tell everyone else, right? Rupert's bad enough!"
"No I didn't tell anyone else." She smiled at the old Chinese restaurant they'd pulled into.
He sighed. "Whew. Good." She started to open the door, but he stopped her. Got out, walked around the car, and opened it for her, then extended a hand to help her out.
She was puzzled. This sort of thing did not happen to her. She put a hand on his, like he was helping her stand after a fight.
He gently pulled her up, grinning, and closed and locked the door behind her. Offered her his hand again. "Shall we?"
She took his hand hesitantly. "Yeah."
He smiled. "Don't worry, luv. I won't bite. Unless you ask nicely first." That last part was accompanied by a chuckle.
She blushed lightly.
========================================================================== =========
After dinner......
Buffy grinned and reached for her fortune cookie. "Come on! Read it! Wait!"
Spike shook his head, but picked up his cookie. "What?"
"Do you play between the sheets?"
Spike snorted a barely supressed laugh. "Luv, you should already know this," he said playfully, knowing she didn't mean what it had sounded like.
She rolled her eyes. "No... You read your fortune, then at the end, say, 'between the sheets'. Whose ever's sounds best wins."
He chuckled. "Ok. Who's first?"
"You."
He cracked the cookie open, extracted the paper. Groaned. "This sucks. 'Consider gain and loss, but never be greedy, and everything will be all right.' Between the sheets." He shook his head. "That was bad."
She gave a small laugh. "Ok..." She laughed, hard. "Oh, man... I think I win. 'You will soon be involved in many gatherings, parties, and communications.' Between the sheets."
He laughed. "Oh God! You win." Snorted. "That was too good. Lemme see that!"
She passed him the paper. "See?"
Chuckled again. "Want to keep this? See if it comes true?" He handed it back. "And, are you ready to go? We've still got a couple of hours before curfew."
She grinned. "Sure." She tucked the tiny slip in her purse, stood. "Ready?"
He grinned back. "After you." They headed out to the car, got in, and drove around for a moment. Then Spike pulled into a small parking lot in Oak Ridge Park. "Wanna get out for awhile? Walk around?"
She grinned, moved to open her door. "Yeah. Sounds fun."
He 'tsk'ed. "Have you learned nothing?" He got out, rounded the car, and opened her door again. "I like doing it for you." He helped her out.
She was flustered. "I can open a door."
"I know that," he said with a grin. "Let's just say that chivalry really is dead." He trotted a couple of feet ahead of her. A fit of childlike playfulness was floating up inside him, and he wanted to share it. "Race you to the slide!", he shouted, taking off at full vamp speed.
She was puzzled, but hating losing. "Hey!" she called as she started running. "No fair!"
He laughed, turned around, running backwards. "Too slow, Slayer!"
She passed him. "Oh, really?"
Tripped over a bench in his haste to turn around, falling into the sand under the slide. He spit sand. "Not fair!!" Scrambled to his feet and chased her around the slide.
She ran, then tagged the steps. "Hahahaha! I beat you!"
He grinned, gave a play growl. "New game." He gave a half pounce toward her. "I'm gonna catch you!"
She bounced backwards. "No way!" She took off for the jungle gym.
Spike chased her, knowing he had no hope of catching her unless she wanted him too. So he had an idea. He ducked under one part of the jungle gym, then pounced when she came around again. He grabbed her, tickling her ribs quickly, then released, running off toward the swings. Playing tickle tag. Spike. Was. Playing.
Picking herself up off the sand, she took off after him. Tickle tag, huh? She had never been in a... playful relationship. She flying tackled his legs.
Spike crashed to the ground, but tried to kick her off, to scramble up, laughing all the while.
She climbled up his legs, one hand reaching up to grab at his ribs.
Spike laughed harder when she got his side, trying to grab her hands.
She was laughing, almost as hard as he was.
"S- stop i-it, S-s-slayer!!!", he choked out between laughing fits. They were rolling on the ground now.
"You- started...*snicker* it!"
He reached up, hands and fingers quickly finding ribs, he proceeded to defend himself.
She squealed, curling into the fetal position.
Spike grinned, still laughing, and released her, leaning back against a tree, panting and laughing hard. "Give up?"
She nodded quickly. She sat up, propping herself up on her hands. Blew her hair out of her face. "Well."
He chuckled again. "I'm too tough for you, eh? Good thing *I* didn't figure this out six years ago."
She rolled her eyes, smiled.
He pushed himself up, stretching and brushing the sand off his jacket. He helped her up and began brushing it off her as well.
She thanked God it was dark.
Spike got all the sand he could off of them, and walked over to sit on a swing, slowly rocking back and forth.
Her back still to him she smudged on a tiny amount of the cherry blossom lip gloss, stuffed it in a pocket, then moved to join him on the next swing over.
Without a word, he got up, walked over, got behind her, and lifted the swing off the ground, sending her zooming up when he released.
She gave a small shout, holding on with both hands tightly.
When the swing returned, he pushed it, gently, so as not to overload it's momentum. "Having fun, Slayer?"
She closed her eyes, leaned back and pumped her legs lazily, relishing the breeze on her face. "I forgot how much fun swings are."
He grinned, and returned to his own swing. With a couple of hard pumps of his legs, he was even with her. "Hey, you're right! This is fun!"
She laughed, looked sideways at him.
He twisted sideways, and made the swing spin around in addition to going back and forth. "WWWHhhhooooaaa!"
She snorted, then twisted her own swing, letting it fly back and forth, front and back.
Spike let out something that sounded suspiciously like a squeal. "Hoooww ddooo yyooouuu stttoopp!!??"
"Draaaaaaaaaaaggggg yooooo-oourrrr feeeeeeeeeet...." She demonstrated, sending sand and small rocks flying.
He tried it, and slowed, stopped the spinning, but didn't stop. Then, the next time the swing was as high as it would go forward, he let it catapult him into the nearest tree. He dropped, hanging from the lowest branch by his arms, about three feet off the ground. He hung there, laughing and watching Buffy.
She stood, wobbily, spun around to look for him. She focused on him, but... not really. He was still moving unnaturally. "Hey."
He grinned at her shakyness. "Help. I've fallen up and I can't get down."
She laughed. "Get down."
He chuckled and let go of the branch, dropping to the ground. "That was a good place for a MC Hammer joke, but I couldn't think of it right then." He grinned and walked over to her. "How ya feel, luv?" He hadn't entirely gotten his bout of playfulness out, but he also couldn't think of anything else to do, so he waited for her cue as to what to do next.
She smiled. "Good." She leaned against him, her head by the front of his chest. "This was fun."
He chuckled and purred, his chest rumbling under her head. "Yeah. It was, wasn't it?" He shook his head. "I wonder what got into me just then."
Her smile widened. "Dunno. But it was fun." She turned, her nose at his collarbone. She flicked one button open. "You look nice."
He grinned, ran a hand down her back. "You always look nice. And thanks."
She hid a very pleased grin. Caught a whiff of something, stood on her toes, snuffled at his neck. "Mmm... Is that you?"
"The scent, or the purr, because both are me."
"Scent." She snuffed a couple more times at his neck.
He grinned, kissed the top of her head. "Want to sit on a bench for awhile? We still have time to kill. Not literally, though. Night off."
She nodded.
He lead her over to a bench and sat down with her winding up half on his lap. Kissed her forehead. "So, I gather you've had a good time? And this was a good date?"
She nodded. "Way with the good time and good date. You?"
He nodded, nuzzling her gently. "Yes and yes. And fun, too, once we relaxed."
She nuzzled the side of his neck, almost into his hairline. Sniffed at his hair. "You smell like flowers."
"I do not."
She sniffed again, her nose in his hair. "Yes you do." Then she sniffed at his neck. "But not here."
He sighed. "It's the bloody shampoo. They were out of my normal kind, so I wound up with this. It's embarrassing. I smell like Dawn." He yawned for a moment, then fell silent.
She smiled. "Why with the quiet?"
He chuckled. "Just thinkin'."
"Bout what?"
"You. Me. This relationship. When the hell I got so bleedin' playful. Just stuff."
She nuzzled his neck. "Oh."
He sighed, and returned the carress. "What about you? Got any theories about my sudden attack of the playfulness?"
She shook her head. "No. Not thinking."
He chuckled. "Oh. What're ya doin' then?", he said, playfully shorting every word as far as he could. Had he just woken up like that, or did she do it to him? Whatever the cause, he decided that he liked it.
She nudged him, gave a soft smile. "Feeling happy. It's keeping me busy."
Quiet chuckle. "Me too. I don't think I've ever felt like this before. Relaxed, happy," -chuckle- "itchy. But mostly happy."
"Yeah.. it's... wierd. I feel like I should bottle it to pull out someday, when I forget what it feels like again."
He kissed her forehead. "Hopefully, that day will never come for either of us. I'll be around to help make a new bunch of feelings everyday."
An odd feeling rolled through her, and if she had ever felt it before, she would have been able to identify it as contentment. "Ok."
He purred, nuzzled up against her, holding her close. "*I love you.*"
Her eyes drifted shut and a smile curved her lips. It made her warm to hear him say that. "I love you, too." It always sounded better when he said it... more smoothly. More grace, more intensity evident in his voice.
As always happened when she said that, he sighed, and every muscle not required to hold them up relaxed. Nuzzled her hair, snuffling his nose around in it semiplayfully.
She gave a sighing laugh, shook her hair in his face.
A playful "grrrr", and returned to his snuffling, enjoying her scent. Smell was very important to vampires, and he was making sure that he had every scent, no matter how slight, committed to memory. He continued to purr, muttering endearments and little bits of poetry in vampiric.
A small shiver ran through her, the translations coming in pieces, some missing, some there. She moved back closer against his chest.
He slowed his purring, sensing that she wasn't getting all of it, repeated the last poem...
You are...
My life, My love, My passion,
My pain, My sadness, My joy,
My past, My future, My soul,
My enemy, My friend, My heart,
My only, My Slayer, My Buffy,
Always, Forever, Of love
She turned in his lap, her arms around him. She whispered softly in his ear, "You're beautiful." She pulled back a bit, let him see her weakness, the wetness in her eyes. "Your heart, your mind, your soul, your poems..." One hand fell to where his heart should have beat. "They're so beautfiul." She feathered a kiss across his cheek. "Thank you."
Spike's own tears filled his eyes to overflowing. "God... Luv... Buffy.. that's- that's the nicest thing... anyone... has ever said to me..", he choked out around happy sobs.
She nuzzled his cheek, kissing the salt from them.
He wiped at his eyes. "So bleedin' embarrassing..." 'Just take a compliment once, just once! Without turnin' into a crybaby!', he thought, slightly annoyed at himself.
"Don't worry," she said as she kissed the tears from one cheek, turning his face to start on the next. "We'll just have to keep giving them till you get used to them."
He grinned sheepishly, feeling alternately happy, bouncy, playful, all variations on a theme. He chuckled softly, hugging the Slayer tightly. "God, I love you, Buffy Anne Summers."
She smiled, the knowledge really, for the first time, filling her. "I know," she said in soft wonder.
He looked at her. "What is it?"
She shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I love you, too."
He grinned, a pleasureable shiver running through him at her words. He nuzzled her again, then glanced at his watch. 12:02. "Uh-oh. If we don't want Nibblet to ground you, we'd better get you home."
She laughed and stood. "Yeah... I guess so."
He stood up, and scooped her right off her feet. "Who said you had to walk to the car?", he laughed, carrying her to the car, playfully poking at her ribs the whole way.
She squirmed, kicking her legs the whole time. "Spike!"
He laughed, and plopped her in the passenger seat after opening the door one handed. "There you go, luv. You're free." He chuckled and got in the driver's seat, starting the car. "There's no one around, if you want to get me back while I drive. I'll go slow."
She smiled. "I think I've gotten you back quite enough for one day."
He chuckled. "With almost no tickling. The rule was: Use up three strikes, unmerciful tickle torture. No time limit, and feathers are allowed. It didn't say just mess with me for an hour."
She smiled that slow, woman-only smile. "There was an unmerciful tickle, and torture.. you never said they had to be one and the same."
Another chuckle. "Now it get's specific. Ok? No cheating."
She gave a pious smile. "That was not cheating."
"Was to."
She shrugged. "There was a point."
"Oh?"
She gave a defiant smack of her newly glossed lips. "Yup. And you got it."
He grinned at her. "No one told me the point. So if I got it, it was accidental. What was it?"
She turned to him, serious now. "You used to remind me, all the time, in little ways, big ways, in any way... My body was yours." She gave him a level stare. "I was just letting you know that's a two-way street. Your body is mine, Spike. As much as mine is yours."
He nodded. "*Me in you. You in me.*"
"Always. Forever."
"*Of love.*" That was said in unison. It was a good thing that they happened to be stopped at the moment, because Buffy speaking vampiric was still a little suprising. Spike grinned at her. "Guess I'm rubbing off on you, eh, Slayer?"
Half smile. "When it's important. So. Did you get the point, or do I need handcuffs?"
He chuckled. "Handcuffs and feathers. But I do get it. I was just talking about when I cash in the coupon you gave me."
She arched her brow. "Coupon?"
He pulled the note that he had found on his chest that morning out of a pocket, and waved it at her. "Coupon."
She tried to snatch at it. "That's not a COUPON. It's a... note. Just making sure we were clear."
He pulled it away and stuffed it back in a pocket. "No. It's a coupon. And I'm cashing it in, soon."
She sighed, knowing payback was a bitch.
He grinned. "Don't be suprised if YOU wake up tied to a bed sometime soon, luv." A playful chuckle. "And we're here. I'll walk you to the door." He got out, and once again opened the door and helped her out.
She was getting... slightly used to that. Stepping up to the front door, holding his hand, she said, "Why don't you park in the garage? I'll let you come cuddle tonight?"
Oh God he wanted to say yes, but.... "Actually, luv, I'd love to, but I got to get home. Feed Harm. He thinks I've been ignoring him lately." He kissed her gently. "I love you. I'll see you tomorrow?"
She knew she had been jipped on the kiss. "Love you, too. Yeah. Tomorrow."
He started to turn, then glanced at his watch. "Two minutes..." He pulled her into a passionate kiss.
She restrained her smile and kissed him back, her hands in his hair. He nibbled her lip for a moment, resisting the urge to continue down her neck, but he knew, cat or no cat, he wouldn't make it home AGAIN if he didn't pull back right then. He rested his forehead against hers. "Tomorrow?"
She took in a deep breath, moved her head to sniff at his neck one last time. "Oh yeah."
He nuzzled her one last time, then turned and headed for the car, calling back over his shoulder, "Tell Bit night for me, luv!"
"Kay!" She walked in the door, closed and locked it behind her, then rolled, her back against it. She closed her eyes and gave a huge, laughing sigh.
Dawn, from the exact spot she had been when they left, said, "Good date, huh?"
Buffy laughed and looked at her sister. Ignoring her question she made her way up the stairs past Dawn, and said, "Spike says night."
Dawn trailed her sister. "But a good kiss, yeah?"
Buffy closed the door on her sister's face. "Go to bed. And yes."
She slipped to the bathroom to wash her face, brush her teeth, comb her hair, and make sure she looked a LOT better than she had felt when she woke up. Walking back into the room, her dark idea had blossomed into a black rose of a plan. She reached into the chest at the foot of her bed, drew out two lengths of rope. Tutted in her head. He really shouldn't be such a bed hog either. Using the rope, she tied his hands together above his head, then to the posts at the side of the headboard. On his feet, she used a dagger to cut the rop in half, tying him spread eagle. She walked slowly, purposefully to the bedstand and retrived two, small, instrumental pieces to this evilness. She tucked them into back of the waistband of her jamma pants. Now all he had to do was wake up. Using two fingers, she skimmed them over the inside of Spike's left thigh.
Spike twitched, and his eyes slowly opened. "Mornin' lu-" He stopped short, feeling the limited movement. He looked up, saw the ropes. A quick tug with each foot confirmed his worst fears. "What the bloody hell? Slayer!"
She smiled slowly. "Mornin', Spike."
"What do you think you're doin'? Let me GO!!"
She sighed. Truly seemed to consider the idea. Shook her head sadly. "I just... Don't think so. Did you sleep well?" Walked a slow circle around the bed to inspect her handiwork.
Tugging experimentally at his restraints, the vampire replied, "Yeah. Till about a minute ago." Nope. Too strong. This Slayer knew what she was doing. He growled low. "Are you mad at me or something? What's going on?!"
She smiled beguilingly. "Why would you think that?"
He stared at her. "Because I don't usually wake up tied to a piece of furniture. Where's Dawn, and Willow? Aren't you worried they'll see what you did?"
She sat down at the head of the bed, slowly ran one finger down his cheek. "Willow was so drained after therapy that she spent the night.... And Dawn, well, she had an early study group, which I suspect is a thinly vieled date with Andrew, with books to pretend to read."
He growled, pulled at the ropes again. They weren't painful, and he could pull a long time before they became painful, but that didn't help. It only meant that there was some reason that she didn't want him to move....
She tapped one finger on his nose. "Stop that."
He now wanted to scratch his nose. "You made me itch. Stop what?"
She tapped his nose again. "I'm asking questions. How do you feel?"
He bit back a sneeze. "Ok. The game's interrogation, eh? Sorry. Didn't mean to ask a question." He relaxed a bit. She didn't seem mad. Whatever she had in mind wasn't bad. He hoped.
She stood to stand at the base of the bed, on the floor, between his feet. "Well?" She cocked her head to the side.
"Uh, luv? What're you doin'? I feel fine, cept for the ropes."
She scraped a nail softly, slowly, down his calf. "What did I say?"
He twiched. 'Oh no. God please no...' "Uh, bout what?"
She sighed. "Questions, Spike. What did I say about questions?"
"I don't ask any."
She smiled brightly, patted his knee. "Very good."
He swallowed, froze. Waiting. All he had was questions, so he had to be quiet.
Her eyes kept roving over his body, stopping every once in a while to study a certain spot. The silence held for about five minutes.
Spike started shivering slightly. He knew which spots she seemed to be focusing on. 'God, please....'
"You can ask six questions. Only six." She smiled again. "Go ahead."
He swallowed. Six. Had to think. "Why did you tie me up?"
She gave a tiny smile. "Because I wanted to. Five."
Shivered again. "Uh, what are you going to do to me?"
She sighed, truly considered the question, mulled over the answer in her mind. "Whatever I want to. Four."
This wasn't helping. "Give me a hint?"
Inane smile. "No. Three."
"Does this have anything to do with what I did to you at the shop last night?"
"Some. Two."
"Uh.... Am I going to like this?"
Slow, seductive smile. "If I want you to. One."
"You still love me, right?"
She robbed the Mona Lisa of her smile by way of answer. "All done," she said quietly.
Pained nod. "I'm gonna die....."
"You're already dead."
"I'm gonna dust."
She tutted. "Boring. Now..." She touched a finger to the hem of the leg of his boxers, drew it down to his ankles. "Close your eyes." Considered. "Or would you rather a blindfold?"
"Can I close 'em for now, and get back to you later?"
"Mm." Disinterested, affirmative noise.
He closed his eyes. 'You're gonna tickle me, aren't you?', he said mentally.
Her mind was firmly blocked, not allowing hers out, but she wanted to smirk at his tone. She repeated the action with her finger, scraping it softly from the hem of the boxers to his ankles. "How does that make you feel?"
Squirmed slightly. "Good, mostly. Tickles."
She did the same thing to the other leg, slightly harder, not to the point of pain, but harder than a tickle. "And now?"
Low moaning purr.
She nodded clinically, enjoying her game. She walked to the head of the bed, ran her fingers over his chest, swirling patterns, varying pressure, sometimes nails, or just skin.
Spike squirmed, let out quiet laughs. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
She leaned down, bit slightly hard on his collarbone.
THAT elicted a moan, and he tugged at his restraints, wanting to touch her.
She pulled back, out of reach. "And that?"
"...good... real good..."
She tapped his nose again. "That's half-assed."
Supressed sneeze. "How about wonderful, bloody arousing. Does that tell you anything?"
She made a slightly dissatisfied noise. Tapped his nose. "Questions."
Sniff. "Sorry..." SNEEZE!!!
She ran her fingers lightly over the spot she had bitten. "Bad."
"Sorry again. I'm not tryin' to be bad, luv. Actually, this has been pretty fun so far."
She ran a hand down his chest, stopping at the elastic waist of the boxers, up to wrap lazily around his neck, her fingers stroking her half- moon claim mark on it. "I wanted... emotions, and nerves... and..." She scraped a nail lazily over it. "Everything."
He moaned, and his closed eyes crossed. "Emotions? Love, fear, a little anger, playfulness, excitement, you get the idea. Nerves? Well, my skin jumping should answer that."
She nipped across his collarbone, licked lightly at it. Gently bit his chin. "Why angry?"
"Being tied up, and not asked first. But that's going quickly."
She let a hand swipe softly at his wrists. "Yeah?"
Grin. "Oh yeah. I'm not minding this at all now."
She was feeling properly bad. She moved to kneel, one leg on either side of his waist. Ran her fingers over him.
He twitched, wanting desparatly to open his eyes. "S-stop that."
She leaned over him, very very close. "Why?"
"Cause it tickled."
"Mmm..." Feeling devious, indeed, she let her breath out to feather across his lips. "What are we gonna do about that?"
Now he wanted to kiss her. "Stop it. That's what I- I'd do."
She walked two fingers up each arm, leaning over him.
He twitched and shivered at the ticklish sensation. "Quit it..."
Throaty, "Mmmm..." Thoughtful, "No."
Quiet moan. Whether it was anticipation, or worry was not clear.
She leaned, her mouth centimeters from his. "Are you worried?"
"A little."
She knew he could feel the warmth of her mouth almost touching his. "Why?"
He swallowed, licked his lips. God, he wanted to kiss her. "I know what happens when you tickle me. And I don't know if I like it. I turn into a giggling mess, and I'm not supposed to giggle."
A slow smile she knew he could feel too. "Who's tickling?"
"Well... no one, but I used up my strikes, and that's what happens when you use up your strikes. But I actually think I'm just going to relax, and try to enjoy whatever happens. Won't be as much torture that way. I think."
Exhaled gently. "You think."
He felt her breath on his lips, debated leaning forward and trying to kiss her, but with his eyes closed, if she pulled away, he'd miss. And that would be embarrassing. "I think. I've never tried it before. I usually squirm like a maniac."
"Yes you do..."
He nodded, wondering if SHE would kiss HIM, since she could aim. "Yeah. And I thought, maybe it'd be fun to hold still. Or not. That might make it worse. Are you just going to talk all day?"
She turned her head, sucked on his earlobe, then drew back and blew cold air on it. "Maybe." Flicked his nose. "Questions."
He sneezed again. "Don't do that. The nose thing, I mean. Didn't really mind the other thing..."
She did it again. "That thing?"
Moan. "Oh, yeeeaaahh."
She was waiting. For one. Just one arch, gasp, croon, to let her know. To let HIM know. His body was hers, as much as he knew hers was his. She drew her fingers down his arms again, harder than a tickle, lighter than a scratch.
He moaned again, and pushed against her, his restraints pulling on the bed frame. "...Buffy..."
She let her fingers play at the hollow between his collarbones. "Yes?"
He let out a series of rumbling chirps, speaking vampiric too fast for her to follow, but she got the gist. He knew. Her's. All her's.
She leaned down again, her lips against his. Spike pushed into the kiss, straining his ropes. He nipped her lower lip playfully. Her body shuddered, and she smiled gently, pulled away and slid off the bed.
He moved around a bit. "Wha... Where you goin'?"
She set a piece of material across his eyes, not tying it, just lay it there. She placed three objects on his chest, untied him quickly, and slipped from the room.
He lay there, unsure if he was supposed to move, wondering about the things on his chest. On his chest were two feathers and piece of paper, written on it, "Just letting you know. Free torture, unlimited time, and here's the feathers." The door clicked quietly behind her. His eyes widened when he saw the objects, and got even biger when he read the note. He hopped up, slipping his jeans on, and followed her scent out the door and down the stairs. "Oh, Buffy! When are Dawn and Red getting home?" No answer. He trots downstairs, sniffing around, then heard the shower running. He tucked the feathers in his pocket, and the note. Then grabbed a post it, scribbled on it, "8:00. Don't forget. I'll pick you up. Spike" Then he darted out the door, making a mad dash for the nearest sewer entrance.
-=======================================================
"DAWN!" Buffy screamed. "If you don't get my camel pants in here in TWO SECONDS, I'll KILL YOU!!!!"
Dawn grumbled, and leaned in Buffy's doorway, tossing her the pants. "You're postal, you know that right??"
Buffy glared at her sister. "You could be helping me, you know?? I mean... it's already 7:30."
Dawn rolled her eyes. "Yeah... you've only changed clothes seventeen times!! You still need to get in about six more changes before he gets here!" Dawn pushed Buffy to the bed. Looked at her pitiful sister wearing make-up, hairspray, and underwear. "You're wearing the desert- rose shirt that laces up at the top, and the camel pants. And the turquoise jewelry."
Buffy looked at her sister hopefully. "I am?"
Dawn nodded. "Yes, Buffy. You look great in it. Now. You're gonna smudge dark mauve at the corners of your eyes, put a few braids in your hair here and there, and put on your camel boots, and walk to the door and breathe."
Buffy took a deep breath. "Right."
Dawn nodded. "Right. Now lets get to work."
========================================================================== =======
Spike had been busy all day. He had the DeSoto washed, repainted (which was only finished quickly because he had snarled at the guy in the paint and body shop, also got it for half price) and washed again. He had gone shopping, for the first time in.... He couldn't even remember. He had bought another blue collared shirt, a different shade, a new pair of black slacks, and a vest/jacket that went with it. He was nervous as he pulled up outside the Summers home. He parked, got out, walked to the door, took a deep breath, and knocked. Unlike the last time, this WAS a date. Gulp.
Buffy straightened her shirt one last time in the mirror, lamenting her choice to wear a different flavor lipgloss. Dawn said it went with the outfit more. Cherry blossom. Buffy went down the stairs, and took a deep breath again. Looked at Dawn sitting on the stairs.
Quiet knock. Second time.
And swung open the door. She had that awful huge-eyed stare, she knew it. "Hi." God, was that her voice?? Since when was that her voice??
Dawn smirked at the cuteness of it, holding her silence.
Spike cleared his throat to avoid a similar squeak. Unfortunately, it didn't entirely work. "Hey, luv." Swallowed nervously. Motioned to the car. "Our chairot awaits."
Buffy's hand clutched the olive green purse she had draped over her arm. Gave a shaky smile.
Trying not to snicker, Dawn said pointedly, "Twelve-thirty, Buffy."
Spike looked over Buffy's shoulder at the Key on the stairs. "And what if she's late?"
Her eyes glinted with the power she knew she held. "She's grounded."
Spike chuckled. "Don't worry, Bit. I'll have her back. Time to spare." He gently put a hand on Buffy's shoulder. "Ready?" His hand was shaking, he tried to make it stop. Since when did Big Bads act like love struck teenagers?
Buffy gave her sister a smile. The 'do I look ok,' grin.
Dawn nodded in the affirmative, and watched as they walked out the door.
Spike trotted ahead, and opened the passenger side door of the gleaming DeSoto. "After you, luv."
She slid in, noting the pristine... blackness of the old car. When he got in, she said brightly, "The car... looks... really, really nice."
Gave her a shaky grin, but there was pride in it. "Thanks. Anywhere you wanted to go?" He started the car. The engine purred like new. Reminded himself to mail the half of the payment to the body shop anonymously.
She shrugged. "I dunno. You said eight. It's eight."
He looked panicked. Hadn't thought of a place to take her! 'Damn it, knew I'd forget something. Now she's gonna guess that I've never been on a real.....' Stop the embarrassing thought. But too much had been "said".
Her eyes widened. Never been on a real date. Well, then. How freaky. "Um.... how about the park, or.. a restaurant?"
Swallowed. "You, uh, hungry?"
Her stomach was certainly SOMETHING. And food would halt uneasy silences. "Starving."
Grinned, gunned the engine. "Food it is. Any thing in particular?" 'And this was supposed to be hard? That's the last time I get information from sitcoms.'
"Um... I.. dunno. What're you in the mood for?"
Blank look. "I have no clue." By then they were driving around the neihborhood, and quickly found the highway. "If you see something you want, tell me and we'll stop."
She nodded. The silence was killing her. She switched on the radio. Groaned at the old music, and turned it to a pop station.
Oops. 'Idiot. Don't be quiet. SAY SOMETHING!!!!' "Uh, so. How was your day?" 'Bloody wanker.'
Blush, blush, blush. 'Well, I tied a guy to a- stop!' "Fine. Yours?"
Spike chuckled, and tried to bite it back. "Great."
"Yeah."
'I'm an idiot.' "Uh-huh." He paused, then turned to her. "Why do we have so much to say all the rest of the time, and now I can't even think clearly?"
She sighed. "I have no idea. I mean... I've already had sex with you. The hard part should be over now!"
He laughed, hard. 'God I needed that.' "You're right," he said, still chuckling. "Totally right. But I think that that's the easy part. Actually being in a relationship's the hard part." He chuckled again. "But then again, look at me. Not much experience either way. I kind of envy you, Slayer."
She rolled her eyes. "Yes. Envy me. Boink first boyfirend, almost cause apocolypse. Kill boyfriend one, send to hell dimension, deal with fallout. Then! Ooooh... nice boy with pulse. Turns out to be jerk-who-I- hate with a pulse. Then! Secret-army-guy- with pulse! Whooo! I'm too tough! Gotta get sucked off by vampy hoes! Run him off... and then... You. Oh yes... Envy me. Envy the nice bouquet of roses life has tossed me."
Spike tried to curb the chuckling, rather than the car. "But I do, and you don't get why! Peaches, Captain Cardboard, they loved you, no matter how it turned out. Dru, Harmony? They didn't love me. Never did. I didn't want them to, most of the time. Every time I fall in love, it winds up hurting. I didn't want that again. Then I fell for you. Just woke up one day, 'Damn, I'm in love with the Slayer.' Try that one on for size. And you started out proving my theory. But now.... I don't know."
She snorted. "What about me? One day, you're toting a SHOTGUN to my house, and the next day you're all, 'I love you...' Um... schitzo, much?"
"I loved you then! That's why I DIDN'T shoot you. And why I tried to help. And why I went home and cried in my blood. Thankfully, Harm went out before I got back. I'd have hated to explain that."
She laughed. "Oh... the horror. Harmony."
He chuckled. "It wouldn't be her knowing that would bother me. It's that she's a bleedin' blabbermouth, and would spread around the word to the rest of the demon community that I cry. Often. Even then. Although I used to be better at hiding it than I am now."
Buffy laughed. "If you'd have told me that.... four years ago, I wouldn't have believed you, and STILL told Xander."
He gave a playful growl. "But you won't now, right? There are certain... things.... that stay just between us, right?" He poked the new spot, the top rib, very gently.
Shiver and half-laugh. "Gotcha."
"Oh?"
"Right. I meant right." She pointed to her right. "Oooh! There! Stop!"
He pulled off the road and into the parking lot she'd pointed out. "Here? And what did you mean, 'gotcha'? You didn't tell everyone else, right? Rupert's bad enough!"
"No I didn't tell anyone else." She smiled at the old Chinese restaurant they'd pulled into.
He sighed. "Whew. Good." She started to open the door, but he stopped her. Got out, walked around the car, and opened it for her, then extended a hand to help her out.
She was puzzled. This sort of thing did not happen to her. She put a hand on his, like he was helping her stand after a fight.
He gently pulled her up, grinning, and closed and locked the door behind her. Offered her his hand again. "Shall we?"
She took his hand hesitantly. "Yeah."
He smiled. "Don't worry, luv. I won't bite. Unless you ask nicely first." That last part was accompanied by a chuckle.
She blushed lightly.
========================================================================== =========
After dinner......
Buffy grinned and reached for her fortune cookie. "Come on! Read it! Wait!"
Spike shook his head, but picked up his cookie. "What?"
"Do you play between the sheets?"
Spike snorted a barely supressed laugh. "Luv, you should already know this," he said playfully, knowing she didn't mean what it had sounded like.
She rolled her eyes. "No... You read your fortune, then at the end, say, 'between the sheets'. Whose ever's sounds best wins."
He chuckled. "Ok. Who's first?"
"You."
He cracked the cookie open, extracted the paper. Groaned. "This sucks. 'Consider gain and loss, but never be greedy, and everything will be all right.' Between the sheets." He shook his head. "That was bad."
She gave a small laugh. "Ok..." She laughed, hard. "Oh, man... I think I win. 'You will soon be involved in many gatherings, parties, and communications.' Between the sheets."
He laughed. "Oh God! You win." Snorted. "That was too good. Lemme see that!"
She passed him the paper. "See?"
Chuckled again. "Want to keep this? See if it comes true?" He handed it back. "And, are you ready to go? We've still got a couple of hours before curfew."
She grinned. "Sure." She tucked the tiny slip in her purse, stood. "Ready?"
He grinned back. "After you." They headed out to the car, got in, and drove around for a moment. Then Spike pulled into a small parking lot in Oak Ridge Park. "Wanna get out for awhile? Walk around?"
She grinned, moved to open her door. "Yeah. Sounds fun."
He 'tsk'ed. "Have you learned nothing?" He got out, rounded the car, and opened her door again. "I like doing it for you." He helped her out.
She was flustered. "I can open a door."
"I know that," he said with a grin. "Let's just say that chivalry really is dead." He trotted a couple of feet ahead of her. A fit of childlike playfulness was floating up inside him, and he wanted to share it. "Race you to the slide!", he shouted, taking off at full vamp speed.
She was puzzled, but hating losing. "Hey!" she called as she started running. "No fair!"
He laughed, turned around, running backwards. "Too slow, Slayer!"
She passed him. "Oh, really?"
Tripped over a bench in his haste to turn around, falling into the sand under the slide. He spit sand. "Not fair!!" Scrambled to his feet and chased her around the slide.
She ran, then tagged the steps. "Hahahaha! I beat you!"
He grinned, gave a play growl. "New game." He gave a half pounce toward her. "I'm gonna catch you!"
She bounced backwards. "No way!" She took off for the jungle gym.
Spike chased her, knowing he had no hope of catching her unless she wanted him too. So he had an idea. He ducked under one part of the jungle gym, then pounced when she came around again. He grabbed her, tickling her ribs quickly, then released, running off toward the swings. Playing tickle tag. Spike. Was. Playing.
Picking herself up off the sand, she took off after him. Tickle tag, huh? She had never been in a... playful relationship. She flying tackled his legs.
Spike crashed to the ground, but tried to kick her off, to scramble up, laughing all the while.
She climbled up his legs, one hand reaching up to grab at his ribs.
Spike laughed harder when she got his side, trying to grab her hands.
She was laughing, almost as hard as he was.
"S- stop i-it, S-s-slayer!!!", he choked out between laughing fits. They were rolling on the ground now.
"You- started...*snicker* it!"
He reached up, hands and fingers quickly finding ribs, he proceeded to defend himself.
She squealed, curling into the fetal position.
Spike grinned, still laughing, and released her, leaning back against a tree, panting and laughing hard. "Give up?"
She nodded quickly. She sat up, propping herself up on her hands. Blew her hair out of her face. "Well."
He chuckled again. "I'm too tough for you, eh? Good thing *I* didn't figure this out six years ago."
She rolled her eyes, smiled.
He pushed himself up, stretching and brushing the sand off his jacket. He helped her up and began brushing it off her as well.
She thanked God it was dark.
Spike got all the sand he could off of them, and walked over to sit on a swing, slowly rocking back and forth.
Her back still to him she smudged on a tiny amount of the cherry blossom lip gloss, stuffed it in a pocket, then moved to join him on the next swing over.
Without a word, he got up, walked over, got behind her, and lifted the swing off the ground, sending her zooming up when he released.
She gave a small shout, holding on with both hands tightly.
When the swing returned, he pushed it, gently, so as not to overload it's momentum. "Having fun, Slayer?"
She closed her eyes, leaned back and pumped her legs lazily, relishing the breeze on her face. "I forgot how much fun swings are."
He grinned, and returned to his own swing. With a couple of hard pumps of his legs, he was even with her. "Hey, you're right! This is fun!"
She laughed, looked sideways at him.
He twisted sideways, and made the swing spin around in addition to going back and forth. "WWWHhhhooooaaa!"
She snorted, then twisted her own swing, letting it fly back and forth, front and back.
Spike let out something that sounded suspiciously like a squeal. "Hoooww ddooo yyooouuu stttoopp!!??"
"Draaaaaaaaaaaggggg yooooo-oourrrr feeeeeeeeeet...." She demonstrated, sending sand and small rocks flying.
He tried it, and slowed, stopped the spinning, but didn't stop. Then, the next time the swing was as high as it would go forward, he let it catapult him into the nearest tree. He dropped, hanging from the lowest branch by his arms, about three feet off the ground. He hung there, laughing and watching Buffy.
She stood, wobbily, spun around to look for him. She focused on him, but... not really. He was still moving unnaturally. "Hey."
He grinned at her shakyness. "Help. I've fallen up and I can't get down."
She laughed. "Get down."
He chuckled and let go of the branch, dropping to the ground. "That was a good place for a MC Hammer joke, but I couldn't think of it right then." He grinned and walked over to her. "How ya feel, luv?" He hadn't entirely gotten his bout of playfulness out, but he also couldn't think of anything else to do, so he waited for her cue as to what to do next.
She smiled. "Good." She leaned against him, her head by the front of his chest. "This was fun."
He chuckled and purred, his chest rumbling under her head. "Yeah. It was, wasn't it?" He shook his head. "I wonder what got into me just then."
Her smile widened. "Dunno. But it was fun." She turned, her nose at his collarbone. She flicked one button open. "You look nice."
He grinned, ran a hand down her back. "You always look nice. And thanks."
She hid a very pleased grin. Caught a whiff of something, stood on her toes, snuffled at his neck. "Mmm... Is that you?"
"The scent, or the purr, because both are me."
"Scent." She snuffed a couple more times at his neck.
He grinned, kissed the top of her head. "Want to sit on a bench for awhile? We still have time to kill. Not literally, though. Night off."
She nodded.
He lead her over to a bench and sat down with her winding up half on his lap. Kissed her forehead. "So, I gather you've had a good time? And this was a good date?"
She nodded. "Way with the good time and good date. You?"
He nodded, nuzzling her gently. "Yes and yes. And fun, too, once we relaxed."
She nuzzled the side of his neck, almost into his hairline. Sniffed at his hair. "You smell like flowers."
"I do not."
She sniffed again, her nose in his hair. "Yes you do." Then she sniffed at his neck. "But not here."
He sighed. "It's the bloody shampoo. They were out of my normal kind, so I wound up with this. It's embarrassing. I smell like Dawn." He yawned for a moment, then fell silent.
She smiled. "Why with the quiet?"
He chuckled. "Just thinkin'."
"Bout what?"
"You. Me. This relationship. When the hell I got so bleedin' playful. Just stuff."
She nuzzled his neck. "Oh."
He sighed, and returned the carress. "What about you? Got any theories about my sudden attack of the playfulness?"
She shook her head. "No. Not thinking."
He chuckled. "Oh. What're ya doin' then?", he said, playfully shorting every word as far as he could. Had he just woken up like that, or did she do it to him? Whatever the cause, he decided that he liked it.
She nudged him, gave a soft smile. "Feeling happy. It's keeping me busy."
Quiet chuckle. "Me too. I don't think I've ever felt like this before. Relaxed, happy," -chuckle- "itchy. But mostly happy."
"Yeah.. it's... wierd. I feel like I should bottle it to pull out someday, when I forget what it feels like again."
He kissed her forehead. "Hopefully, that day will never come for either of us. I'll be around to help make a new bunch of feelings everyday."
An odd feeling rolled through her, and if she had ever felt it before, she would have been able to identify it as contentment. "Ok."
He purred, nuzzled up against her, holding her close. "*I love you.*"
Her eyes drifted shut and a smile curved her lips. It made her warm to hear him say that. "I love you, too." It always sounded better when he said it... more smoothly. More grace, more intensity evident in his voice.
As always happened when she said that, he sighed, and every muscle not required to hold them up relaxed. Nuzzled her hair, snuffling his nose around in it semiplayfully.
She gave a sighing laugh, shook her hair in his face.
A playful "grrrr", and returned to his snuffling, enjoying her scent. Smell was very important to vampires, and he was making sure that he had every scent, no matter how slight, committed to memory. He continued to purr, muttering endearments and little bits of poetry in vampiric.
A small shiver ran through her, the translations coming in pieces, some missing, some there. She moved back closer against his chest.
He slowed his purring, sensing that she wasn't getting all of it, repeated the last poem...
You are...
My life, My love, My passion,
My pain, My sadness, My joy,
My past, My future, My soul,
My enemy, My friend, My heart,
My only, My Slayer, My Buffy,
Always, Forever, Of love
She turned in his lap, her arms around him. She whispered softly in his ear, "You're beautiful." She pulled back a bit, let him see her weakness, the wetness in her eyes. "Your heart, your mind, your soul, your poems..." One hand fell to where his heart should have beat. "They're so beautfiul." She feathered a kiss across his cheek. "Thank you."
Spike's own tears filled his eyes to overflowing. "God... Luv... Buffy.. that's- that's the nicest thing... anyone... has ever said to me..", he choked out around happy sobs.
She nuzzled his cheek, kissing the salt from them.
He wiped at his eyes. "So bleedin' embarrassing..." 'Just take a compliment once, just once! Without turnin' into a crybaby!', he thought, slightly annoyed at himself.
"Don't worry," she said as she kissed the tears from one cheek, turning his face to start on the next. "We'll just have to keep giving them till you get used to them."
He grinned sheepishly, feeling alternately happy, bouncy, playful, all variations on a theme. He chuckled softly, hugging the Slayer tightly. "God, I love you, Buffy Anne Summers."
She smiled, the knowledge really, for the first time, filling her. "I know," she said in soft wonder.
He looked at her. "What is it?"
She shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I love you, too."
He grinned, a pleasureable shiver running through him at her words. He nuzzled her again, then glanced at his watch. 12:02. "Uh-oh. If we don't want Nibblet to ground you, we'd better get you home."
She laughed and stood. "Yeah... I guess so."
He stood up, and scooped her right off her feet. "Who said you had to walk to the car?", he laughed, carrying her to the car, playfully poking at her ribs the whole way.
She squirmed, kicking her legs the whole time. "Spike!"
He laughed, and plopped her in the passenger seat after opening the door one handed. "There you go, luv. You're free." He chuckled and got in the driver's seat, starting the car. "There's no one around, if you want to get me back while I drive. I'll go slow."
She smiled. "I think I've gotten you back quite enough for one day."
He chuckled. "With almost no tickling. The rule was: Use up three strikes, unmerciful tickle torture. No time limit, and feathers are allowed. It didn't say just mess with me for an hour."
She smiled that slow, woman-only smile. "There was an unmerciful tickle, and torture.. you never said they had to be one and the same."
Another chuckle. "Now it get's specific. Ok? No cheating."
She gave a pious smile. "That was not cheating."
"Was to."
She shrugged. "There was a point."
"Oh?"
She gave a defiant smack of her newly glossed lips. "Yup. And you got it."
He grinned at her. "No one told me the point. So if I got it, it was accidental. What was it?"
She turned to him, serious now. "You used to remind me, all the time, in little ways, big ways, in any way... My body was yours." She gave him a level stare. "I was just letting you know that's a two-way street. Your body is mine, Spike. As much as mine is yours."
He nodded. "*Me in you. You in me.*"
"Always. Forever."
"*Of love.*" That was said in unison. It was a good thing that they happened to be stopped at the moment, because Buffy speaking vampiric was still a little suprising. Spike grinned at her. "Guess I'm rubbing off on you, eh, Slayer?"
Half smile. "When it's important. So. Did you get the point, or do I need handcuffs?"
He chuckled. "Handcuffs and feathers. But I do get it. I was just talking about when I cash in the coupon you gave me."
She arched her brow. "Coupon?"
He pulled the note that he had found on his chest that morning out of a pocket, and waved it at her. "Coupon."
She tried to snatch at it. "That's not a COUPON. It's a... note. Just making sure we were clear."
He pulled it away and stuffed it back in a pocket. "No. It's a coupon. And I'm cashing it in, soon."
She sighed, knowing payback was a bitch.
He grinned. "Don't be suprised if YOU wake up tied to a bed sometime soon, luv." A playful chuckle. "And we're here. I'll walk you to the door." He got out, and once again opened the door and helped her out.
She was getting... slightly used to that. Stepping up to the front door, holding his hand, she said, "Why don't you park in the garage? I'll let you come cuddle tonight?"
Oh God he wanted to say yes, but.... "Actually, luv, I'd love to, but I got to get home. Feed Harm. He thinks I've been ignoring him lately." He kissed her gently. "I love you. I'll see you tomorrow?"
She knew she had been jipped on the kiss. "Love you, too. Yeah. Tomorrow."
He started to turn, then glanced at his watch. "Two minutes..." He pulled her into a passionate kiss.
She restrained her smile and kissed him back, her hands in his hair. He nibbled her lip for a moment, resisting the urge to continue down her neck, but he knew, cat or no cat, he wouldn't make it home AGAIN if he didn't pull back right then. He rested his forehead against hers. "Tomorrow?"
She took in a deep breath, moved her head to sniff at his neck one last time. "Oh yeah."
He nuzzled her one last time, then turned and headed for the car, calling back over his shoulder, "Tell Bit night for me, luv!"
"Kay!" She walked in the door, closed and locked it behind her, then rolled, her back against it. She closed her eyes and gave a huge, laughing sigh.
Dawn, from the exact spot she had been when they left, said, "Good date, huh?"
Buffy laughed and looked at her sister. Ignoring her question she made her way up the stairs past Dawn, and said, "Spike says night."
Dawn trailed her sister. "But a good kiss, yeah?"
Buffy closed the door on her sister's face. "Go to bed. And yes."