"Hey, guys? I'm gonna make some popcorn. I'll be right back." Buffy jumped off the couch and headed towards the kitchen. She glanced at the stairs, hoping Spike might come down them. She hadn't seen him all day (which…ok, wasn't all that unusual). It was past one in the morning and she was getting worried. He's a grown man/vampire! He can stay out all he wants. She thought to herself. Still, maybe something had happened. Just as she turned the microwave on and was watching as the first kernel popped the back door swung open.
"Hey, uh, Spike."
"Hi." He said, his eyes a bit glazed. She guessed he'd been drinking.
"Where have you been?"
"Why d'you want to know?" He said cautiously.
"Oh, curiosity."
"I was…around. Me and my ol' flask here. Why? Were you…worried?"
"A little."
"So…um…are you busy? Can we talk?" There's a guy who can handle his liquor… She thought. He can still carry on a conversation.
"I was making popcorn." She turned around to look at the microwave. Still a little time left. "We're watching a movie. 'Top Secret'." She added.
"The one with Val Kilmer?" She nodded. "Classic." Some awkward silence followed. "Uh…luv? Think the snack's done." He said, waggling his finger in the popcorn's general direction.
"Oh. Thanks." She went around in the cabinets, got a bowl out and proceeded to make her food look nice.
"I'm not sure how to ask this, really…"
"What? Do you need money to buy blood or something?" She said, taking a handful of popcorn and casually popping some in equal intervals into her mouth.
"Not exactly…"
"Dru's back and you want to move in with her."
"No…"
"Oh no! Your Smurf pajamas are missing again! I know it was Dawn. I saw her-,"
"No! Will you let me get a word in now?"
"Oh…sorry."
"Can I…stay with…you tonight?" He tried to avoid eye contact.
"Well, you already live in my house."
"I mean…in your room with you. I don't want to be by my lonesome tonight."
"Alright, I guess. Why-,"
"And don't leave my side tomorrow, either. Ok?"
"What's tomorrow?"
"It's nothing…" he said, rubbing his neck and focusing on an interesting piece of tile on the floor.
"You're hiding something." She took his hand. "Whatever it is, you can tell me."
"You're going to make a big deal out of it."
"I won't." She lifted her free hand. "Boy Scout's honor. Er…Girl Scout's."
"It's my birthday." He rushed.
"What?"
He lifted his head and leaned into her face a bit. "My birthday. And that will make it…213 years." He got a faraway look in his eyes, and began pacing slowly and shaking his head. "Something," He said seriously, "Is going to happen."
"You bet it is! I know exactly what I can put on the cake: a smiley face with fangs! And we could put red dye in it to make it look like blood. Wouldn't that be fun?"
"No, you don't understand." He said, stopping his pacing. "Two-hundred and thirteen. The unlucky number."
"So?"
"So there's a curse that goes along with it."
A/N: Sorry if I screwed up the age and all…what do you think so far?
