Chapter Five: Platonic or Potential?
(see chapter one for more detail)
After their dance, Buffy and Spike became more comfortable with each other. The air was clear and they were friends, and now they could just have fun. They bickered and teased each other all night, but Spike was astonished when Buffy took his hand during their walk back to her house. As they walked up the front steps Buffy turned to look at Spike.
"I'm assuming you'll want your coat back."
Spike was shocked again. "You still have it? Really?" She nodded, smiling. "I thought you'd burn it. Or Harris would burn it. I can't believe you kept it all this time."
With a grin on her face she entered the house and walked straight to the closet in the hallway. She opened it and dug around for a few seconds before she triumphantly pulled out a black leather duster.
She handed it to him and as he slid it on, she couldn't help but stare. Spike was attractive, obviously, but with the leather duster… he was freakin' hot.
'Whoa, Buffy. Bad thoughts. You're his friend. Calm down. No hot Spike thoughts…'
Snapping herself out of it, she dragged her gaze from the duster and back up to his face. If he noticed her checking him out, he didn't show it.
"I'd better be going, luv. The sun'll be up in a few hours."
Before Buffy could stop herself she placed a kiss on his cheek. 'Dammit, Buffy! You're not supposed to be kissing him!' she thought.
"Goodnight Spike."
He nodded his goodnight and she watched as he walked out the door, down the steps, to the sidewalk, and down the block. He never turned around to look at her, though, because if he did she would have seen him grinning like an idiot.
Later at Spike's crypt…"I couldn't believe it! She said she loved me! Maybe I'm dreaming." Spike paced back and forth across the upper part of his crypt while Clem sat in front of the television. "Clem, do you think I'm dreaming? Oh! Pinch me, so I'll know if I'm awake or not."
Clem reached out and pinched Spike's arm.
"Blood hell! Not so hard… hey! I'm not dreaming!"
Clem sighed and looked back to the television.
"She loves me! The bloody slayer loves me!" Spike shouted.
"Yea, I heard you the first nineteen times…"
Back at the Summer's residence…
"So you told him you love him? Oh my God, that's so romantic. With the music and the dancing and the love… aaww!" Dawn squealed.
Buffy was lying on her bed staring at the ceiling. A huge dreamy smile was plastered on her face.
"I told him I loved him as a friend, Dawnie."
"Wimp."
"Freak."
"Chicken."
"Dawn!"
"Okay, okay. I'm shutting up." Dawn made a zipper motion across her lips. She stayed silent for a few seconds and then, "So when are you gonna tell him you love him in the romantic way?"
TBC
Author's Note: Sorry for the short-ness of this chapter. The next will be chock full of stuff. There will be a social worker, a visit from Xander and much Spuffiness!