title: Marriage, Sunnydale-Style
author: Heather (heather@hella-good.org)
rating: R
spoilers: none...completely an au/fantasy fic except for things borrowed from
the Buffyverse (season 1-7) that are twisted to fit in this universe.
disclaimer: If I actually owned anything, I probably wouldn't be doing this :)
summary: After almost 10 years of dating, Buffy and Spike finally find
themselves in the midst of planning a wedding and remembering the long journey
that got them there.
*************************************************
Chapter 8
"Pet, now don't take my head off for saying this 'cause I know you want this Mayberry sort of wedding...but if 'm gonna have to do this than I have to insist that my opinion is taken seriously. Don't do that thing where you pretend to be listening."
"I do a thing?" Buffy asked, feigning ignorance.
"Y'know certainly well what you do. I'm not saying we get black invitations but 'm not far off from begging that we don't get some bloody awful pastel and flower thing that would make me want to heave."
"Butterflies?" Spike shot her a look that showed his distaste for that idea. "Okay...no pastels, no flowers, no butterflies...I'm going to assume no rainbow-y type things, which I wouldn't want anyways. Spike, you do realize that we've pretty much cut out every kind of invitation there is."
"That book is bigger than the bloody bible...there's not one that we can decide on?"
"There was one I could decide on but you're all with the 'no flowers, pastels, butterflies'...it kind of had a combination of the three. And not one of these invitations don't have one of those things," Buffy told him, exasperated.
"Alright...I'll give you flowers but no bleeding butterflies and now 'Im begging, no pink. I won't marry you if you're picking pink."
"But pink is my signature color," Buffy teased in a horrible Southern accent. Spike looked at her like she had seven heads. "Steel Magnolias?" She noticed the blank expression on his face and shook her head. "We've been together for years and I've never made you watch Steel Magnolias? I'm obviously falling down on the job."
"I think I'm forever grateful that you have." Spike looked over at the coffee table and the pictures from the previous night. "Hmm...can't we make our own?"
"What do you mean? Like on the computer? I suppose it would save on money, but I did budget out for-"
"Not what I meant. Instead of some nancy-boy design that we know I won't like and I don't want you to settle...why don't we design our own?"
Buffy contemplated his idea and a huge grin erupted on her face. "That is an incredible idea, Spike! In fact, that totally makes up for all previous non-committal participation for this event. So what were you thinking?"
"I have to actually come up with something? The idea wasn't enough?"
"C'mon, Spike, we're actually onto something here...let's not get lazy now. I'm open to any and all suggestions at this point." Buffy paused for a moment. "Not black, though. No pink and no black."
"Can live with that, pet. Maybe a photo? Or maybe we could get your mum to whip something up? I'm not really one with the creative. I'm more with the chaos, y'know?"
"Oh, I know. I like the photo idea. Like for the front of the invite and then having the info on the inside? You pick the picture. I gotta make a phone call."
"Luv," Spike called after her but she just continued to walk to the bedroom. "Don't wanna pick the bloody picture. Won't pick the right one, y'know. Shouldn't really be leaving this up to me." Buffy continued to ignore him and closed the door to the bedroom. "Well, let's just see what we've got here." He grabbed a handful of pictures and began flipping through them. He smiled upon seeing the ever present prom photo and put that one to the side, along with pictures from Willow and Tara's wedding, a showing at Joyce's gallery and Dawn's high school graduation party.
Satisfied with his choices, he picked them up and walked down to the bedroom. Pausing before he entered, he heard Buffy still talking on the phone. He placed his ear on the door, feeling instantly guilty for eavesdropping but far too intrigued not to do so. He flinched a bit when he heard her say the name Angel and he suddenly felt jealous, although he knew he shouldn't. He didn't understand why she insisted on being friends with the man who broke her heart at one time as he wasn't friends with Drusilla or thank heavens, Harmony. She didn't feel the need to remain in contact with Riley so it always bothered him a bit that she did with Angel. Not that he would ever press the subject or even try to make her not to be because that would only spur her on more. He jumped a bit when he heard Buffy very clearly yell, "That's fantastic!" and couldn't help but wonder what Angel could possibly tell her that would be so fantastic. Deciding that standing at the door, begging to be caught snooping around wasn't the best of plans, he turned on his heel and made his way back to the living room.
************************
