A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Of course all belong to Joss and co. Quick
question I was wondering if anyone knew where I could post this story other
than ffnet. I wanted to venture into some heavy R/nc-17 at some point and
of course can't do that here. Enjoy the spuffiness!! Thanks to my new
beta lin-z!!
The smoke from his Marlboro swirled around his freshly bleached head. After Buffy and Dawn had left he had been too wired to sleep or even draw. So he had taken himself off to the bathroom and touched up his roots. The stinging of the peroxide reminding him that the events of the day were not a dream. The hours had passed in a haze of smoke and reflection, and soon it had been time for work. Tara had called; she was off doing girlie things with Anya of all people. There had been something in her voice, but he had not pursued it, he'd find out later.
"Hey, there."
Spike nodded and watched the owner of the deli pull down the gate to his shop and slide in the padlock. Flicking his butt across the street he stepped into the light of the Parlor.
Buffy had spent the rest of the day holed away in her room alternating between staring at the beautiful drawings and staring at her back in the mirror. Even going so far as to strip down to her thong, trying to imagine what the images would look like against her skin. She found herself giggling as she put the paper to her back and strained her neck to get a peek in the mirror. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so happy.
"I am such a dork."
Flopping onto her bed she stared up at the ceiling. Wondering if he would call her tonight, she glanced at the phone. It's not like he would call now, she'd just left. Slowly her eyes drifted shut, the events of the day catching up with her.
Spike worked steadily for the next three hours. Word of his talent had spread quickly through the Sunnyhell night life and work was good. Still, he found himself checking the clock more often. Would it be too soon to call her? Go on patrol with her? Sighing he rose from the chair and stepped out front for a smoke. The uncertainty was eating at him. He desperately wanted to be with her, but he didn't want to fall back into old habits. The whole point of all of this was for her to come to him. Tara had been right; all he had to do was be patient. Sighing, he took another long drag of his cigarette; patience had never been one of his strongest virtues.
"Hey there stranger."
Turning he saw Chloe approaching.
"Evening, ducks."
The brunette strolled up to him and they exchanged a friendly hug. Unbeknownst to them they were being watched.
Buffy had woken refreshed and a smile spread across her lips. An internal clock signaled that night had fallen, time to patrol. Rising, she strolled to her closet and debated carefully on what to wear. Never know who you might run into. She pulled out her red leather pants and a black sleeveless top. Sexy, but not too obvious. Laying her choices on the bed she turned to her vanity and brushed her hair till it was straight and shone like honey. A little gloss and a touch of mascara and she was ready.
Slipping into her clothes she took a quick glance in the mirror, pleased with the result, and headed out.
Dawn had come home sometime when she had been sleeping and true to her word she was set up in the living room with Janice and attempting to work thorough a science project of some sort.
"Hey Dawnie."
Both girls looked up as she came down the stairs. Dawn couldn't help but smile when she saw her sister. She hadn't seen her glow like that in ages. The outfit and make-up did not go unnoticed either, but she would tease her about it later.
"Hey."
"Are you staying over Janice?"
The girl nodded.
"Cool, I'll see you girls later."
As soon as she left both girl broke out into giggles and resumed their debate over the hottest member of n'sync.
Buffy stepped into the night and felt like a new woman, she took a deep breath and headed out for a quick sweep. Her feet carried her through several of the local cemeteries, almost on auto-pilot. She ran into three fresh risers, nothing that even caused her to break a sweat.
Her feet really did seem to have a mind of their own; before she realized it she was standing on the street of the only tattoo parlor in Sunnydale. Her breath caught when she saw him, he had come outside for a smoke and he looked better than she remembered, he seemed to get more beautiful as time progressed. His hair was savagely slicked back and he was wearing a skin tight, blood red shirt.
A swell of desire rose in her as she stared at the smoke dangling from his lips. To be that cigarette, but then her fantasy was interrupted when she saw a girl approach and almost screamed when she saw them hug.
Spike knew that Chloe was interested in him. The way she leaned in close to him smelling like sex and roses. She was beautiful, but she wasn't Buffy. They had had drinks a few times, but it was the wrong face at the wrong time.
"Working tonight?"
"Of, course luv. You?"
She rolled her eyes.
"Yeah Teddy's got me working the nights now."
She was a cashier at the XXX store a block over.
"He says I'm good for business. I get customers in the mood."
He didn't miss the hint, and smiled. She was persistent.
"I'm sure you are."
All this time and he had never made one move towards her, even after she had practically thrown herself at him. Whoever had him so wrapped up was one lucky girl.
"Well I better go. Maybe I'll see you later."
Stepping in she wrapped her arms around him and drank in the smell of him, leather and ash.
He let her hold him; it felt good to feel the soft flesh against him. But he was shocked to find her lips against his cheek; she had never been so forward.
"Bye, Spike."
He didn't answer just smiled as she waved over her shoulder. He almost felt sorry for the bloke that got caught in Chloe's trap. Turning he headed into the parlor, waving his next customer back.
Buffy's mouth hung open as the scene had played out before her. First that skank had hugged him and then flirted with him and then she had the nerve to kiss him. Her fists opened and closed on reflex and ached for a stake, but the girl had not been a demon, but human. The fact that he had not carried the kiss further was not lost on her, but she was still furious. A little voice spoke up in her mind [You're jealous].
"Am not."
Turning, she walked into the first lighted door she came upon. Unbeknownst to her, it was the same diner Spike and Tara had eaten in. Strolling up to the counter, she scanned the contents of the shelves until she found what she was looking for.
"Can I help you, miss?"
The cook had taken one look at the girl as she had walked into the diner and taken an instinctive step back, pressing his massive girth into the counter behind him. He had seen a lot working the nights here, and knew enough to know that this girl was not to be messed with. Power and anger rolled off her in waves.
"Hard pack of Marlboro lights."
Her voice was icy. She pulled out a ten-dollar bill. Picking up the pack she grabbed a slim lighter, one of the skinniest she had ever seen and waited for her change.
"Have a nice night."
She didn't turn or respond just slipped out into the night as quickly as she had come. Taking with her the uneasiness that had filled the room. The cook took a deep breath and pulled out the silver flask from under the register.
"Got to find me a god dammed day job."
The smoke from his Marlboro swirled around his freshly bleached head. After Buffy and Dawn had left he had been too wired to sleep or even draw. So he had taken himself off to the bathroom and touched up his roots. The stinging of the peroxide reminding him that the events of the day were not a dream. The hours had passed in a haze of smoke and reflection, and soon it had been time for work. Tara had called; she was off doing girlie things with Anya of all people. There had been something in her voice, but he had not pursued it, he'd find out later.
"Hey, there."
Spike nodded and watched the owner of the deli pull down the gate to his shop and slide in the padlock. Flicking his butt across the street he stepped into the light of the Parlor.
Buffy had spent the rest of the day holed away in her room alternating between staring at the beautiful drawings and staring at her back in the mirror. Even going so far as to strip down to her thong, trying to imagine what the images would look like against her skin. She found herself giggling as she put the paper to her back and strained her neck to get a peek in the mirror. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so happy.
"I am such a dork."
Flopping onto her bed she stared up at the ceiling. Wondering if he would call her tonight, she glanced at the phone. It's not like he would call now, she'd just left. Slowly her eyes drifted shut, the events of the day catching up with her.
Spike worked steadily for the next three hours. Word of his talent had spread quickly through the Sunnyhell night life and work was good. Still, he found himself checking the clock more often. Would it be too soon to call her? Go on patrol with her? Sighing he rose from the chair and stepped out front for a smoke. The uncertainty was eating at him. He desperately wanted to be with her, but he didn't want to fall back into old habits. The whole point of all of this was for her to come to him. Tara had been right; all he had to do was be patient. Sighing, he took another long drag of his cigarette; patience had never been one of his strongest virtues.
"Hey there stranger."
Turning he saw Chloe approaching.
"Evening, ducks."
The brunette strolled up to him and they exchanged a friendly hug. Unbeknownst to them they were being watched.
Buffy had woken refreshed and a smile spread across her lips. An internal clock signaled that night had fallen, time to patrol. Rising, she strolled to her closet and debated carefully on what to wear. Never know who you might run into. She pulled out her red leather pants and a black sleeveless top. Sexy, but not too obvious. Laying her choices on the bed she turned to her vanity and brushed her hair till it was straight and shone like honey. A little gloss and a touch of mascara and she was ready.
Slipping into her clothes she took a quick glance in the mirror, pleased with the result, and headed out.
Dawn had come home sometime when she had been sleeping and true to her word she was set up in the living room with Janice and attempting to work thorough a science project of some sort.
"Hey Dawnie."
Both girls looked up as she came down the stairs. Dawn couldn't help but smile when she saw her sister. She hadn't seen her glow like that in ages. The outfit and make-up did not go unnoticed either, but she would tease her about it later.
"Hey."
"Are you staying over Janice?"
The girl nodded.
"Cool, I'll see you girls later."
As soon as she left both girl broke out into giggles and resumed their debate over the hottest member of n'sync.
Buffy stepped into the night and felt like a new woman, she took a deep breath and headed out for a quick sweep. Her feet carried her through several of the local cemeteries, almost on auto-pilot. She ran into three fresh risers, nothing that even caused her to break a sweat.
Her feet really did seem to have a mind of their own; before she realized it she was standing on the street of the only tattoo parlor in Sunnydale. Her breath caught when she saw him, he had come outside for a smoke and he looked better than she remembered, he seemed to get more beautiful as time progressed. His hair was savagely slicked back and he was wearing a skin tight, blood red shirt.
A swell of desire rose in her as she stared at the smoke dangling from his lips. To be that cigarette, but then her fantasy was interrupted when she saw a girl approach and almost screamed when she saw them hug.
Spike knew that Chloe was interested in him. The way she leaned in close to him smelling like sex and roses. She was beautiful, but she wasn't Buffy. They had had drinks a few times, but it was the wrong face at the wrong time.
"Working tonight?"
"Of, course luv. You?"
She rolled her eyes.
"Yeah Teddy's got me working the nights now."
She was a cashier at the XXX store a block over.
"He says I'm good for business. I get customers in the mood."
He didn't miss the hint, and smiled. She was persistent.
"I'm sure you are."
All this time and he had never made one move towards her, even after she had practically thrown herself at him. Whoever had him so wrapped up was one lucky girl.
"Well I better go. Maybe I'll see you later."
Stepping in she wrapped her arms around him and drank in the smell of him, leather and ash.
He let her hold him; it felt good to feel the soft flesh against him. But he was shocked to find her lips against his cheek; she had never been so forward.
"Bye, Spike."
He didn't answer just smiled as she waved over her shoulder. He almost felt sorry for the bloke that got caught in Chloe's trap. Turning he headed into the parlor, waving his next customer back.
Buffy's mouth hung open as the scene had played out before her. First that skank had hugged him and then flirted with him and then she had the nerve to kiss him. Her fists opened and closed on reflex and ached for a stake, but the girl had not been a demon, but human. The fact that he had not carried the kiss further was not lost on her, but she was still furious. A little voice spoke up in her mind [You're jealous].
"Am not."
Turning, she walked into the first lighted door she came upon. Unbeknownst to her, it was the same diner Spike and Tara had eaten in. Strolling up to the counter, she scanned the contents of the shelves until she found what she was looking for.
"Can I help you, miss?"
The cook had taken one look at the girl as she had walked into the diner and taken an instinctive step back, pressing his massive girth into the counter behind him. He had seen a lot working the nights here, and knew enough to know that this girl was not to be messed with. Power and anger rolled off her in waves.
"Hard pack of Marlboro lights."
Her voice was icy. She pulled out a ten-dollar bill. Picking up the pack she grabbed a slim lighter, one of the skinniest she had ever seen and waited for her change.
"Have a nice night."
She didn't turn or respond just slipped out into the night as quickly as she had come. Taking with her the uneasiness that had filled the room. The cook took a deep breath and pulled out the silver flask from under the register.
"Got to find me a god dammed day job."
