Thanks for all the reviews guys.
I'm writing this as fast as I can, so it shouldn't be too long before I get back to 'The Slayer, the sleuths and the scoobies.' And yeah, I know I'm naughty for starting a new story but it was practically fully formed in my head and just begging to be written!
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"Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!" bellowed Spike as he bounded into the room and leapt onto her bed bouncing enthusiastically. "Hey Buffy! Aren't you nearly ready yet?"
"Not unless you think I'm going downstairs in my robe and bunny slippers."
"Ahh! Bunnies!" screamed Anya from the doorway.
Buffy hastily kicked them off, grabbed them and hid them behind her back. "No bunnies now." She said smiling widely at Anya, praying she wouldn't get hysterical.
Luckily Xander appeared behind her, arms wide for a big consoling hug. At which Buffy breathed again.
"Is everything okay?" Willow asked as she and Oz poked their heads around the doorframe.
"Everything is fine," Buffy told them firmly but kindly. She now had less than an hour and a half to get ready for the ball and even though she didn't have to do her hair properly thanks to the wig she still wanted to look her best for Angel and that would take time.
"I heard screaming and wondered if everything was okay." Angel murmured from his position just behind Oz.
Buffy moaned, great, now he'd seen her in her ratty old robe clutching bunny slippers behind her back with her hair in a towel as she grinned maniacally at an assorted group of semi-clothed people as Spike the pirate bounced on her bed.
She hadn't pulled the plug on her bath yet; maybe she should just go drown herself.
"Hey, why is nobody else ready!" Spike asked as he bounced even higher sending Buffy's fresh underwear flying from the bed.
Buffy cringed.
Angel winced, he knew Buffy and Spike were probably lovers - he just didn't need the proof literally flung about in front of him!
Buffy gathered her dignity and quickly kicked her underwear under the bed; glad she hadn't laid out her dress too.
Then she grabbed Spike by the ear and pinned him to the bed. "We are not ready because A. The party doesn't begin for at least another hour and B. because there is this crazy pirate on the loose distracting us all!"
Spike grinned up at her mischievously, "Would that be me?"
Buffy let go and grinned, Spike was hard to stay mad at for long. "It would, so why don't you scram and help your mom who has probably panicked herself into a blur of activity by now and try not to show any more people that it's you who is a pirate. It was all supposed to be a surprise hence the last minute getting dressed thing."
Spike shuffled off the bed with a mock downcast look on his face. "Okay, I'll go help mom but if she gets overexcited and puts me in a pumpkin pie I'm blaming you!"
Buffy chuckled as the crowd dispersed and Spike careered out of the room singing again. Only she and Angel were left as everyone else hurried off, realising how the time was ticking away.
Buffy stood nervously wondering whether the peach towelling turban she was currently sporting looked any stupider than the wet rats tails it was undoubtedly covering. It was probably better not to find out she decided flinging the bunnies to one side with a sudden flip of her wrist. Angel's eyes followed the plunge of the bunnies and he grinned.
"Cute slippers."
Buffy flushed, "Anya didn't think so."
"Was that what she was screaming about?" Angel asked interestedly, "I was next door and thought I heard someone screaming about Bunnies."
"Yup, she has some sort of irrational fear of them even when they're stuffed and on my feet apparently." Buffy confirmed.
Angel chuckled, "well, I'd better let you get on or we'll both be going down in towels."
Buffy didn't want him to take those towel wrapped hips and that gorgeous smooth chest out of the room; she took a step nearer forgetting her old towelling robe and untidy peach turban. "We could go as Romans, with towel togas," she offered jokingly, stopping a few feet away from him.
Angel almost forgot to breathe, he only had to take one largish step forward and she'd be pressed against him. He needed to stop, distance himself and keep it light and friendly, "Mmm, but I don't think Romans wore navy blue togas or peachy turbans."
Buffy pouted, "Why not? I know history books show them as white but what do they know? If I was Roman I'd get bored of plain white."
Angel grinned, "Okay, I'll let you have the blue toga but the turban has to go!" He playfully tugged the edge of the towel even though he knew he was in deep trouble and needed to get gone very quickly indeed.
But then Buffy shook her long damp locks free of the towel and smiled up at him and all his good intentions began to dissipate.
"I should let you get ready." He murmured as he backed away a few inches. "We've only got fifty minutes now."
Buffy nodded and closed the gap between them, tilting her head back even further so she could look up at him, "Yeah, I really should get dressed."
Angel lowered his head slightly and tried not to stare at her mouth. He was not going to kiss her he told himself firmly. He would not do that to his own brother no matter what he was feeling for Buffy. He would absolutely not make a move on her. Hastily he took another two steps backwards and bumped against the wall beside the door, Buffy followed.
"I really should-"
"- Let me get ready."
"Yeah."
"Mmm." Buffy responded as she stopped a few inches from where Angel leaned casually against the wall. Oh damn, she was going to kiss him.
He tried to persuade himself that only the worst kind of man would kiss his brother's fiancée but it wasn't like he'd done it deliberately, he hadn't set out to kiss her. Feeling absolved of responsibility he gathered her into his arms and returned the gentle kiss she'd pressed on him.
Gentle as that kiss had been it wasn't just a friendly kiss and the way Buffy responded to his embrace made him certain that she knew what she was doing. But what was he doing? Ignoring the guilt that had begun to creep in Angel kept kissing Buffy, almost unable to take in how perfect it felt. There was no hesitation; they were kissing like lovers of old their mouths clinging together, a perfect fit. When he felt her tongue scrape against his he had to resist the urge to send her crashing down onto the bed a few metres behind her. He couldn't think of a time when he had enjoyed a kiss so much - and with Buffy of all people!
He froze and slowly, reluctantly disengaged himself.
She looked up at him with wide eyes, her cheeks rosily flushed with excitement, "Why'd you stop?" she questioned dizzily.
"We need to get ready." He choked out.
"Oh!" she suddenly looked panicked. "Angel, there's something I need to explain-"
He cut her off quickly; he didn't want to hear any excuses until he'd had a chance to straighten out his own head. "Lets just not okay?" he said gently "I'm sorry Buffy."
Buffy opened her mouth to set him straight, but she was arguing with empty space. Angel was already gone.
"Way to go Summers." She mumbled stomping to slam the door after him. "What a brilliant plan, just jump on him and smooch his lips off BEFORE you tell him your engagement to his brother is all a big fake. What a surprise he ran away, any decent guy who has just been mauled by his future sister-in- law would sprint away at speed!"
In a furious temper she began grovelling under the bed for the underwear she had kicked there earlier. She had her own hair swept back out of the way, the wig safely on and had just wriggled into the strapless corset like bustier and matching panties and suspender belt when there was a loud hammering at the door. Abandoning the stockings and her boots she made a grab for her robe again and was just tying it in place when someone cracked open the door.
"Hey, you decent in there B?"
"I am now."
Faith took that as an invitation to enter and shuffled into the room.
Buffy stared.
Faith wore two large shells over her breasts, a long blonde wig, a sparkly fishtail skirt and a black velvet mask studded with miniature shells and pearls.
"Wow!"
"Yeah, cool huh. Only at the moment it's a little more wow that I'd like it to be if you know what I mean!"
"How can I help?" Buffy asked immediately.
"Just tie my straps up good and tight, I got Spike to tie them up originally but I think he was feeling naughty and wanted me to fall out!"
"Do you want me to kill him for you?" Buffy offered with a chuckle as she tightened the ribbons on Faith's unconventional bikini.
"Nah, I like him too much to have you kung-foo him." Faith raised her mask and looked squarely at Buffy, "Probably more than you do, if you get my drift."
Buffy flushed, "What do you mean?"
"I mean I guessed that you and Spike weren't really involved and asked him about it. He admitted that it was just a scam so-"
"You like Spike?!" Buffy squeaked happily, "That is so great!"
"And you like Spike's brother!" Faith bounced back with a grin.
Buffy grimaced, "Yeah but I blew that just now."
Faith reached for Buffy's make up bag and pointed to the dressing table stool, "Sit." She commanded, Buffy sat. "Now tell me how you think you blew it and I'll see what we can do to fix it."
"Well, I kissed him."
"How is that bad?" Faith demanded as she expertly swept eyeliner along Buffy's lids in one practised motion.
Buffy opened her eyes and stared into the mirror, "Hey, how do you do that?! I always poke myself in the eye."
Faith rolled her eyes and reached for a pot of smoky silver eye shadow, "Why was the kiss bad? Was your breath gross, did you bite him, What?"
"Didn't you hear me? I kissed him."
When Faith still looked blank Buffy took pity on her. "You may know that I'm not engaged to Spike but Angel still doesn't."
Faith grimaced, "Oops."
"Yeah, Oops is about right." Buffy glumly agreed.
Faith carefully applied the rest of her friend's make up in thoughtful silence. Eventually she spoke, "Get dressed up B, I got a plan."
I'm writing this as fast as I can, so it shouldn't be too long before I get back to 'The Slayer, the sleuths and the scoobies.' And yeah, I know I'm naughty for starting a new story but it was practically fully formed in my head and just begging to be written!
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"Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!" bellowed Spike as he bounded into the room and leapt onto her bed bouncing enthusiastically. "Hey Buffy! Aren't you nearly ready yet?"
"Not unless you think I'm going downstairs in my robe and bunny slippers."
"Ahh! Bunnies!" screamed Anya from the doorway.
Buffy hastily kicked them off, grabbed them and hid them behind her back. "No bunnies now." She said smiling widely at Anya, praying she wouldn't get hysterical.
Luckily Xander appeared behind her, arms wide for a big consoling hug. At which Buffy breathed again.
"Is everything okay?" Willow asked as she and Oz poked their heads around the doorframe.
"Everything is fine," Buffy told them firmly but kindly. She now had less than an hour and a half to get ready for the ball and even though she didn't have to do her hair properly thanks to the wig she still wanted to look her best for Angel and that would take time.
"I heard screaming and wondered if everything was okay." Angel murmured from his position just behind Oz.
Buffy moaned, great, now he'd seen her in her ratty old robe clutching bunny slippers behind her back with her hair in a towel as she grinned maniacally at an assorted group of semi-clothed people as Spike the pirate bounced on her bed.
She hadn't pulled the plug on her bath yet; maybe she should just go drown herself.
"Hey, why is nobody else ready!" Spike asked as he bounced even higher sending Buffy's fresh underwear flying from the bed.
Buffy cringed.
Angel winced, he knew Buffy and Spike were probably lovers - he just didn't need the proof literally flung about in front of him!
Buffy gathered her dignity and quickly kicked her underwear under the bed; glad she hadn't laid out her dress too.
Then she grabbed Spike by the ear and pinned him to the bed. "We are not ready because A. The party doesn't begin for at least another hour and B. because there is this crazy pirate on the loose distracting us all!"
Spike grinned up at her mischievously, "Would that be me?"
Buffy let go and grinned, Spike was hard to stay mad at for long. "It would, so why don't you scram and help your mom who has probably panicked herself into a blur of activity by now and try not to show any more people that it's you who is a pirate. It was all supposed to be a surprise hence the last minute getting dressed thing."
Spike shuffled off the bed with a mock downcast look on his face. "Okay, I'll go help mom but if she gets overexcited and puts me in a pumpkin pie I'm blaming you!"
Buffy chuckled as the crowd dispersed and Spike careered out of the room singing again. Only she and Angel were left as everyone else hurried off, realising how the time was ticking away.
Buffy stood nervously wondering whether the peach towelling turban she was currently sporting looked any stupider than the wet rats tails it was undoubtedly covering. It was probably better not to find out she decided flinging the bunnies to one side with a sudden flip of her wrist. Angel's eyes followed the plunge of the bunnies and he grinned.
"Cute slippers."
Buffy flushed, "Anya didn't think so."
"Was that what she was screaming about?" Angel asked interestedly, "I was next door and thought I heard someone screaming about Bunnies."
"Yup, she has some sort of irrational fear of them even when they're stuffed and on my feet apparently." Buffy confirmed.
Angel chuckled, "well, I'd better let you get on or we'll both be going down in towels."
Buffy didn't want him to take those towel wrapped hips and that gorgeous smooth chest out of the room; she took a step nearer forgetting her old towelling robe and untidy peach turban. "We could go as Romans, with towel togas," she offered jokingly, stopping a few feet away from him.
Angel almost forgot to breathe, he only had to take one largish step forward and she'd be pressed against him. He needed to stop, distance himself and keep it light and friendly, "Mmm, but I don't think Romans wore navy blue togas or peachy turbans."
Buffy pouted, "Why not? I know history books show them as white but what do they know? If I was Roman I'd get bored of plain white."
Angel grinned, "Okay, I'll let you have the blue toga but the turban has to go!" He playfully tugged the edge of the towel even though he knew he was in deep trouble and needed to get gone very quickly indeed.
But then Buffy shook her long damp locks free of the towel and smiled up at him and all his good intentions began to dissipate.
"I should let you get ready." He murmured as he backed away a few inches. "We've only got fifty minutes now."
Buffy nodded and closed the gap between them, tilting her head back even further so she could look up at him, "Yeah, I really should get dressed."
Angel lowered his head slightly and tried not to stare at her mouth. He was not going to kiss her he told himself firmly. He would not do that to his own brother no matter what he was feeling for Buffy. He would absolutely not make a move on her. Hastily he took another two steps backwards and bumped against the wall beside the door, Buffy followed.
"I really should-"
"- Let me get ready."
"Yeah."
"Mmm." Buffy responded as she stopped a few inches from where Angel leaned casually against the wall. Oh damn, she was going to kiss him.
He tried to persuade himself that only the worst kind of man would kiss his brother's fiancée but it wasn't like he'd done it deliberately, he hadn't set out to kiss her. Feeling absolved of responsibility he gathered her into his arms and returned the gentle kiss she'd pressed on him.
Gentle as that kiss had been it wasn't just a friendly kiss and the way Buffy responded to his embrace made him certain that she knew what she was doing. But what was he doing? Ignoring the guilt that had begun to creep in Angel kept kissing Buffy, almost unable to take in how perfect it felt. There was no hesitation; they were kissing like lovers of old their mouths clinging together, a perfect fit. When he felt her tongue scrape against his he had to resist the urge to send her crashing down onto the bed a few metres behind her. He couldn't think of a time when he had enjoyed a kiss so much - and with Buffy of all people!
He froze and slowly, reluctantly disengaged himself.
She looked up at him with wide eyes, her cheeks rosily flushed with excitement, "Why'd you stop?" she questioned dizzily.
"We need to get ready." He choked out.
"Oh!" she suddenly looked panicked. "Angel, there's something I need to explain-"
He cut her off quickly; he didn't want to hear any excuses until he'd had a chance to straighten out his own head. "Lets just not okay?" he said gently "I'm sorry Buffy."
Buffy opened her mouth to set him straight, but she was arguing with empty space. Angel was already gone.
"Way to go Summers." She mumbled stomping to slam the door after him. "What a brilliant plan, just jump on him and smooch his lips off BEFORE you tell him your engagement to his brother is all a big fake. What a surprise he ran away, any decent guy who has just been mauled by his future sister-in- law would sprint away at speed!"
In a furious temper she began grovelling under the bed for the underwear she had kicked there earlier. She had her own hair swept back out of the way, the wig safely on and had just wriggled into the strapless corset like bustier and matching panties and suspender belt when there was a loud hammering at the door. Abandoning the stockings and her boots she made a grab for her robe again and was just tying it in place when someone cracked open the door.
"Hey, you decent in there B?"
"I am now."
Faith took that as an invitation to enter and shuffled into the room.
Buffy stared.
Faith wore two large shells over her breasts, a long blonde wig, a sparkly fishtail skirt and a black velvet mask studded with miniature shells and pearls.
"Wow!"
"Yeah, cool huh. Only at the moment it's a little more wow that I'd like it to be if you know what I mean!"
"How can I help?" Buffy asked immediately.
"Just tie my straps up good and tight, I got Spike to tie them up originally but I think he was feeling naughty and wanted me to fall out!"
"Do you want me to kill him for you?" Buffy offered with a chuckle as she tightened the ribbons on Faith's unconventional bikini.
"Nah, I like him too much to have you kung-foo him." Faith raised her mask and looked squarely at Buffy, "Probably more than you do, if you get my drift."
Buffy flushed, "What do you mean?"
"I mean I guessed that you and Spike weren't really involved and asked him about it. He admitted that it was just a scam so-"
"You like Spike?!" Buffy squeaked happily, "That is so great!"
"And you like Spike's brother!" Faith bounced back with a grin.
Buffy grimaced, "Yeah but I blew that just now."
Faith reached for Buffy's make up bag and pointed to the dressing table stool, "Sit." She commanded, Buffy sat. "Now tell me how you think you blew it and I'll see what we can do to fix it."
"Well, I kissed him."
"How is that bad?" Faith demanded as she expertly swept eyeliner along Buffy's lids in one practised motion.
Buffy opened her eyes and stared into the mirror, "Hey, how do you do that?! I always poke myself in the eye."
Faith rolled her eyes and reached for a pot of smoky silver eye shadow, "Why was the kiss bad? Was your breath gross, did you bite him, What?"
"Didn't you hear me? I kissed him."
When Faith still looked blank Buffy took pity on her. "You may know that I'm not engaged to Spike but Angel still doesn't."
Faith grimaced, "Oops."
"Yeah, Oops is about right." Buffy glumly agreed.
Faith carefully applied the rest of her friend's make up in thoughtful silence. Eventually she spoke, "Get dressed up B, I got a plan."
