Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a product of Mutant Enemy. I am in no way affiliated with it, the show, or any of the characters.
"Are you joking?" she asked, almost in her normal voice. No more whisper. He shook his head. "No way! I'm not doing anything if you're ordering me to do it."
"Because you're a stubborn bitch."
By now it was blatantly obvious that they were fighting in the kitchen. The two girls in the living room could hear each word just fine. They peered into the kitchen.
"I asked you to give me time!" Buffy yelled.
"I'm giving you all the time you need, Buffy, but you're kidding yourself if you think your friends won't figure it all out sooner or later. You asked me to move in with you! You asked me. Unless, of course, you just asked me because you felt obligated to." He looked at her accusingly, but still curiously.
"You know why I asked you, Spike," she responded quietly.
"Tell me," he said in a tone that matched hers.
"I..." she started. Then she saw Willow and Dawn looking into the kitchen. Fear filled her and she froze. Spike followed the direction she was staring into and knew.
"As I thought," he mumbled. On his way upstairs, she called to him. She was running after him, much to his surprise.
"I asked you to move in with me because..." she sighed and looked over at Willow, then back at him. "I asked you because I'm in love with you. I don't care who knows because I'm not keeping us a secret anymore. I love you, Spike." She turned to Willow and smiled. "I love Spike." Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him right there in front of her sister and her best friend. Inside, Spike felt like his heart was melting with joy and adoration for the woman kissing him.
~*~*~
By the time dusk arrived, Buffy told Willow everything. She was relieved when she finished, to finally get everything off her chest. No more secrets, except for the still having to tell Xander and Anya and Giles, which was no biggie. Okay, maybe a minor biggie, but it'll be easier now that more than one person know. Now Tara, Riley, Dawn, and Willow know so much less big than it would've been.
No more secrets. It wasn't completely true, but getting there. Sort of. She left out some of the more violent and... graphic details in their relationship, one including that Spike could hurt her, seeing as how that might raise all sorts of questions and speculations. And also that she was working for the Initiative, which she still couldn't tell. Spike knew she was with Riley but he didn't know the whole thing, and she wasn't really looking forward to telling him that she took a job working for Riley because money was appealing. He'd start thinking of other reasons, especially since she hadn't told him immediately.
Now she was sitting around in her room, waiting for a few more hours to pass so she could go to work. Of course now that her boyfriend-yes, that was the term she used in her mind-had followed her in just now looking decidedly yummy, all that work stuff was really zipping down the scale of interest in her mind. Work - 3, Spike - 10. No contest.
He smiled coyly at her. "Don't stare at me."
She returned the smile. "Why? You shy now?"
"Maybe."
She laughed softly. "I don't like boys who are shy."
He lied next to her on the bed. "Yeah? What kind of boys do you like?"
"Bad boys. You know, the Billy Idol type."
"Billy Idol? I've been told I look like Billy Idol." She looked at him contemplatively.
"Nah. I just don't see it." Buffy reached for his hand. "What kind of girls do you like?"
"I like girls who are strong and brave and not to be shallow, pretty. I like girls who hold my hand." He brought their joined hands up to his lips and kissed each of her warm fingertips, then her palm. "And I like girls who are caring, and open about their feelings. A girl who will tell me what she's thinking." He squeezed her hand lightly.
"I could tell you what I'm thinking."
"Oh, but I don't like you," he said teasingly. Spike lifted her on top of him. He brushed her blonde hair out of her face and gazed into her eyes, then sighed melodramatically. "You see, my heart belongs to another. She'd kill me if I started fancying some other girl. She's the jealous type. But that's okay by me. Lets me know she cares and all that crazy mushy stuff."
"I hate that crazy mushy stuff."
"I think you lie. I bet you've got a beau that's crazy for you, hmm? All about mushiness and romance." He stroked her face lightly.
"Yes, yes I do. But he's not romantic. He just likes the sex."
"I bet he's handsome. And smart, and interesting, good to the people you care about, loving. Doesn't have to be alive or anything like that. Probably the best shag you've ever had. Am I close?"
She smiled. "Maybe. I guess."
"You should tell him you love him. Directly. Saying his name. With the mushy and crazy. I bet he'd like that a lot."
"Nah. It'd probably inflate his already over inflated ego."
"Yes, well, in any event, I do love you. And I know you love me. You wear my ring around your neck." He rubbed the ring. "I'm lucky. I have you, I have nice living conditions. No funds as of yet, but I'm workin' on that."
"Don't worry about that."
"Buffy, your job at DoubleMeat can't support you and Dawn forever."
"I know. But it's temporary. Just until I get back on my feet and start school again." His hand moved from the ring to...other places. Very nice, but also must stop. "Hey, don't do that. I have to go to work in two hours."
"I'll stop in two hours." She pushed his hand away. "What?"
"I thought we were going to wait until Dawn and Willow weren't here."
"Well I'm a bad, evil man. I go back on my word," he said with a growl as he started kissing her neck. Buffy shoved him off. "Hey. Okay. You shoved me. It was okay this morning when you wanted to. You don't want to anymore?"
"I didn't say that. I've just thought about it and it doesn't seem very wise. Someone could walk in..."
"Lock the door."
"...Or hear..."
"We'll be quiet."
"Spike."
"Slayer." He pouted. "Please? Come on. Let's do as the bunnies do. It'll be fun."
"It'll be funner if we wait."
"Will not. How about we just go outside...a quick sweep of the cemetery, find a nice patch of grass, come back, you'll clean up, and go to work. Nice neat little plan, yeah?" He grinned hopefully.
She sighed and rolled her eyes. "You are such a loser."
"That a yes?"
"We better be quick. I mean it. I have to be back here by 8:30 so I can take a shower. That's two hours. We go, we sweep, we be bunnies, we leave. You got it? Quick. Get your shoes."
~*~*~
She pulls her shirt back on and starts to leave when she notices something.
"Hey, aren't you coming?" she asks me. I lay here on the ground, not moving.
"No, not just yet. Feelin' kinda jumpy. I'm gonna take a walk."
"Okay. Well, I'll see you at home when I get back."
"Which will be when?"
"I'm thinking about 4, okay?" Jesus Christ. Who knew habitants of Sunnyhell ate meat patties at four in the morning? I smile, trying not to let on I think her work hours are completely irrational and frankly stupid. If it weren't for the chip I'd eat her boss.
Oh hey, chip. With the maybe not working. With the definitely not working. I've killed someone. All too recently. Haven't forgotten that, no matter what way I act around Buffy. I still know what I did. Even if I feel bad, doesn't mean I'll ruin what I have with Buffy. I've worked too hard and I love her too much. I'm not going to blow her trust just when I get it.
I watch her leave me. I want to call out to her, ask her to stay with me but I'm not that whipped. I'm still my own bloke, I'll step off when I want to. No, I suppose that's a lie. I am her bitch. But at this point, it's better than nothing. At least she loves me.
I light a cigarette - sweet nicotine bliss. Nowhere near as comforting as Buffy's legs wrapped tightly around my waist crying out to God or whoever will have her. See, I still got the poetry. It's still bloody awful. The name goes, but the meaning sticks, you know? The meaning sticks. Sometimes you just don't outgrow nicknames. Even if you changed it when you became a badass bloodsucker with a fondness for driving railroad spikes into people's heads. The meaning sticks.
I say I killed someone and pull the tortured vamp act, but my inner demon's rejoicing. I'm rejoicing. Maybe I do feel bad, honestly and truly. I still have part of me that says 'sod it, she's just another girl.' Yeah, mate. She's just another girl.
My feet bring me to my crypt. Must be homesick or something. Click. Click? What the bloody hell was that? Click click. I follow the sound and that's when I see it. A camera about as long as my thumb. It's facing me, but is on a pole that I suspect turns it to face the hole that is drilled through my wall. A spy hole. A spy. Spying on me. Someone was taking pictures of me in my very own crypt and I didn't even know.
I grab the camera from its stand and throw it to the ground. I stomp on it, making a satisfying crunch. Looks like I've got something to keep me busy now.
~*~*~
Spike was hanging out in demon bars, observing the patrons. A whole bunch hated him for working with the Slayer, but no one seemed to care enough to spy on him. Unless it was an elaborate plan to take out Buffy, though honestly this lot didn't have the brains for it. None of them looked like they wanted to take on a Slayer. They wouldn't do it. Wouldn't have the sophistication for complex spyware, for any in depth plans.
Tomorrow night he'd scope out more bars and cemeteries. Those nerds. Maybe they knew something. They were smart and they did make Buffy invisible. He made a note in his mind to find them first thing tomorrow night. But now he had to go home. Buffy would be home soon, he was hungry and tired, and it had been a long night.
When he got home, Buffy was watching TV. He stood in front of her and she stared up at him. "Where'd you go?"
Spike put his duster on the coat rack. "Out and about. Had some stuff to look into." He looked at the TV. "What are you watching?"
"Infomercials. I'm telling you, that TurboCooker thing is amazing. I want one." She pouted then grinned when he sat down next to her. "No need to thaw."
"Well, hell. That's luxury for you. Cook cupcakes with diet soda, where do I sign up?" Buffy elbowed him in the ribs. "Fine, fine. I'll get you one for your birthday."
"My birthday was almost two weeks ago."
"Then I guess my little Goldilocks will just have to wait till next year then, eh?" He draped an arm around her shoulders. It was cold around her but comforting nonetheless. "Next year. That seems like such a long time. I hope it snows next year."
"Spike. Reality check. It doesn't snow in southern California. Okay, sometimes it does, but on weird freak occasions."
"I guess we'll just have to go somewhere where it does. You, me, ride off on my motorcycle built for two to a winter wonderland where mean ugly beasties can't find us. We'll drink hot cocoa and build snowmen and whatever the bloody hell else you want to do."
She started to nuzzle his neck. He tilted his head a little to give her easier access. "I wanna snuggle by the nice warm fire."
"Will a nice warm television do?" Spike lifted her onto his lap.
She gave him a coy smile. "I guess it'll have to." She kissed him once, then pulled away. "And I want hot baths. With bubbles. And cookies."
"You want cookies in the bath?"
"I'm considering it." She had a small feminine smile on her face. "Are you going to bake them for me? I promise I'll share if you do."
He mimicked her earlier actions of nuzzling. She smelled nice, like something sweet but not overpowering. "You smell good."
She slapped his arm lightly. "Are you going to answer me? Or are you afraid I'll leave you for someone who'll give me cookies." The smile on her face turned playful.
"I can think of tastier things than cookies, love," he said sinisterly.
"What? Pie?"
"I'll give you a hint: it's not a pastry."
"Ice cream?" He shook his head. "If you say it's blood, I'm not sharing any of mine."
"Not blood. Better than blood." He pulled down her pajama bottoms a little bit and pressed his hand against her. "It's here."
"Maybe I will share after all." Spike kissed above her navel, then started on a path lower. And lower. She gasped as he touched her intimately. Lower. Oh, God.
~*~*~
Buffy sighed contently. Spike was lying on the floor staring at the ceiling. To him, she was amazing. Playful and sexy and serious and so many other things all in one package. And now she let him go down on her in her own house with her sister and best friend sleeping upstairs. He wasn't too sure she was aware of it, but it happened.
"Hey. What happened to your scruples?" he asked her after a while.
"Eh. They were sleeping. I'm over my scruples. I think. For now." She sat up. "The sun's about to rise. Let's sneak upstairs before they catch us."
They tried to be stealthy on their way up the stairs but Buffy lost her footing and fell on the vampire and they both stumbled to floor.
"Ouch," he said.
"What?"
"I've got Buffy's bony elbow digging into my gut. Not to mention that I just fell down six bloody steps with you on top of me. Ouch."
"You think I'm not ouch? I fell too!"
"Yeah, on me!" They continued on until they got to her room. "Oo. Dark. Scary. Romantic," he whispered into her ear. "I'm evil. Come on now, attack me."
Buffy shoved him onto the bed forcefully and started to nibble along his jugular. Her hands ran down his chest slowly until they found the waistband of his jeans. She was pressed against him in a most satisfying position, and then she began working her way down. He felt her warm hands against his cold skin for an all too brief second before she pulled up his tee shirt. Kissing, teasing, licking, feeling. She was too good at this. Spike was sure she was trying to slowly drive him insane.
Then, as he had done to her, she kissed above his navel, going lower with each hot kiss. He held back his groan--he bit his cheeks, clenched his fists, had to do something. Powerless, that's what he was. Then she stopped. Next thing he knew, she was back at his neck, starting her maddening tease all over again. Time to get even.
He pushed her back slightly and barely brushed his lips against her neck. It kinda tickled. She laughed a little and turned her head, exposing her neck. Her vein protruded and the sound of blood coursing through it became the only noise he could hear. The steady fast pulse was worse than the agonizingly slow tease, because she'd eventually finish. But he'd never get to bite her, never get to taste the warm blood. Unknowingly, he morphed into his game face with a small growl. She faced him curiously.
"I'm sorry," he said simply, then turned back into his human face.
"It was okay. It's okay." She stroked his face softly. "Bring it back." He was once again in his vampire guise. She stroked his face again. This time her fingers went over all his bumps, exploring the other side of her lover. "I like it."
"Demon lover."
"So be it... " she whispered before she kissed him. He was careful not to cut her with his fangs. They pulled apart, and she gazed into his golden eyes. Buffy took a deep breath and turned her head slowly. "It's okay," she repeated.
He kissed softly along the vein. She gasped when he bit into her. He clenched his eyes shut tightly. Her blood was outstanding, sweet and salty and everything he imagined it to be. No, it was more. It was better. This was better. He stopped, and licked her bite marks tenderly. Didn't want to take too much. Didn't want to hurt her.
"Buffy, are you okay?"
She sighed. "Yuh-huh. Yeah." It took her awhile to calm down after that. "I love you. Very much."
"Even after that?"
"Especially after that. You don't know what you mean to me, Spike."
"You shared your blood with me. I think I do." She wrapped her arms around him tightly and snuggled against his chest. "I love you, too. That's why I'd never hurt you. That's why I gave you the ring."
Her breathing evened out, and he realized she fell asleep. No, Buffy, he thought, you don't know what you mean to me.