Work had gone late. My fault mostly, between attending meetings
about the budget cuts in the California school systems, and actually
teaching class, I had lost time in grading. I had stayed past normal
hours, reading over the students attempts at understanding psychology.
Some actually had a grasp on the material, and others were just trying to
keep their head out of the water.
It wasn't that I even minded the work, I wouldn't have taken the job if I wasn't partial to this type of labor. I love teaching psychology and next to Buffy it's my favorite thing to be doing. Funny how things change so much, even while I was a TA for Walsh, my lust was to demon hunting, but even that changed once Buffy walked into my life.
I guess what's really getting to me as I scribble comments onto an essay, is that I don't want to leave her alone. Sure, it's not like she's been close, or hell, even nice to me lately, but still, I hate leaving her by herself. Just being there, even if she doesn't need it, makes me feel somewhat needed.
And that's all I ever want from her.
~ ~ ~
Buffy was sprawled on the couch when I came home, holding a magazine in front of her face. She wasn't reading, just gazing off into empty space. Her golden hair was let lose, sprawling over her shoulders and her smooth skin was shadowed by the faint light cast by a table side lamp.
She's so damn beautiful when she's relaxed.
As I stand there and take her in, I guess her Slayer senses picked up on something because she turned around.
"Riley, hi." She offers me a weak smile and struggles to stand up, but I rush over to her side so she doesn't have to bother.
I look into her eyes and I don't see hate, or regret, or anger. . . just Buffy. "How was your day?"
"Good, better then normal actually." She places her small hand on mine and scoots further onto the couch, giving me room to lay next to her. As I place my arm around her shoulders her lithe body curls into me.
She really is a goddess when she's not to busy being a hero. I love her with more then words can I say, and it's the times like these that make me think that maybe she cares for me too.
Of course, these moments are few and far between but god how I lust for them.
"Riley?" The words almost makes me jump and I quickly regain myself and meet her eyes. She shyly smiles, she must of noticed.
"What do you think of Spike?" It come out almost shameful, like a whisper.
I would by lying if the question didn't surprise me, because it did. "He's. . ." I grasp for something. "an interesting guy."
Her eyes fall toward the magazine that is laying on her thighs, it's opened to an add about lip gloss. "I know this is sort of weird, but with Spike. . . do you think of him as an ally, or. . . just a vampire?"
She seems nervous, and I hug her closer to me. "Why do you ask?" The statement is strange, but this is the first time in a long time where she's not acting superior, so I'll take it for what it is.
Buffy shrugs. "I-I. . . I was just wondering."
"Well." I shift my position so that I can see her better. "He's changed a lot since I've met him as Hostile 17." I pause and watch as her eyes switch from apprehensive to interest, she did smile though when I brought him the old Initiative name. "He's not an animalistic vampire anymore, but he's not looking for repent either." I try to hold her gaze steady. "I don't forget what he is, and without the chip, there's no telling what he would do." And it's not just the chip either, it's the passion he has for Buffy that keeps him from still trying to destroy us all. Not that I'm going to mention any of that as she seems to be satisfied with what I've said.
I watch as she sits up and smiles at me. "Ready for bed?"
I nod and help her up and just as I'm about to lean into kiss her, the phone rings.
~ ~ ~
"It's an Iestex demon." Willow announces, and points toward the sketch in the a large book she had been flipping through. "They travel alone and only get together with others to mate-"
"As much as I want to know the sex life of the demon." Buffy said, cutting off her friend. "I really just want to know how kill it."
They shared a smile and the witch scans the page until she came upon the part she was looking for. "Ah, ok, here we are. They're only defenses are claws, and all you have to do to kill it is chop off it's head."
Buffy nodded, and hopped off the table, smoothing out her coat in the process. I watched her quickly run a hand through her hair. Staying glamorous before the fight, yep, that's my Buffy.
Willow and Tara were supposed to be gone by now, but as the witches were leaving class they caught sight of a demon, and so called a spur of the moment scoobie meeting at the Magic Shop.
Anya is sitting in Xander's lap, and I watch as she rubs his back, probably without knowing it. Xander isn't paying attention, to preoccupied with a conversation he's having with Tara that really has nothing to do with the latest demon to pop up.
I'm so envois I'm about to pop. For an ex demon to show more compassion to her significant other then my wife does me. . . it's hard to deal with.
"Buffy, you sure you want to deal with this now?" Willow startles me out of my inward ranting.
We all stare out the window, the suns about to rise, and I doubt the creature will be hunting now. Everyone else seems to share my notice because a plan is made to attack tomorrow. Willow and Tara are the first to excuse themselves, saying that they really need to get a move on to the Wiccan convention.
Anya turns her attention toward Xander once the two lovers leave. "Honey," She says, gathering his attention. "Let's go sex."
Xander groans, but I can tell he's looking forward to it. Biting down the jealousy, me and Buffy leave the shop. There isn't a word exchanged between us as I drive home, whatever had her possessed earlier in the evening to act somewhat loving had disappeared. It's regrettable, but there's nothing I can do about it.
I can only wait.
It wasn't that I even minded the work, I wouldn't have taken the job if I wasn't partial to this type of labor. I love teaching psychology and next to Buffy it's my favorite thing to be doing. Funny how things change so much, even while I was a TA for Walsh, my lust was to demon hunting, but even that changed once Buffy walked into my life.
I guess what's really getting to me as I scribble comments onto an essay, is that I don't want to leave her alone. Sure, it's not like she's been close, or hell, even nice to me lately, but still, I hate leaving her by herself. Just being there, even if she doesn't need it, makes me feel somewhat needed.
And that's all I ever want from her.
~ ~ ~
Buffy was sprawled on the couch when I came home, holding a magazine in front of her face. She wasn't reading, just gazing off into empty space. Her golden hair was let lose, sprawling over her shoulders and her smooth skin was shadowed by the faint light cast by a table side lamp.
She's so damn beautiful when she's relaxed.
As I stand there and take her in, I guess her Slayer senses picked up on something because she turned around.
"Riley, hi." She offers me a weak smile and struggles to stand up, but I rush over to her side so she doesn't have to bother.
I look into her eyes and I don't see hate, or regret, or anger. . . just Buffy. "How was your day?"
"Good, better then normal actually." She places her small hand on mine and scoots further onto the couch, giving me room to lay next to her. As I place my arm around her shoulders her lithe body curls into me.
She really is a goddess when she's not to busy being a hero. I love her with more then words can I say, and it's the times like these that make me think that maybe she cares for me too.
Of course, these moments are few and far between but god how I lust for them.
"Riley?" The words almost makes me jump and I quickly regain myself and meet her eyes. She shyly smiles, she must of noticed.
"What do you think of Spike?" It come out almost shameful, like a whisper.
I would by lying if the question didn't surprise me, because it did. "He's. . ." I grasp for something. "an interesting guy."
Her eyes fall toward the magazine that is laying on her thighs, it's opened to an add about lip gloss. "I know this is sort of weird, but with Spike. . . do you think of him as an ally, or. . . just a vampire?"
She seems nervous, and I hug her closer to me. "Why do you ask?" The statement is strange, but this is the first time in a long time where she's not acting superior, so I'll take it for what it is.
Buffy shrugs. "I-I. . . I was just wondering."
"Well." I shift my position so that I can see her better. "He's changed a lot since I've met him as Hostile 17." I pause and watch as her eyes switch from apprehensive to interest, she did smile though when I brought him the old Initiative name. "He's not an animalistic vampire anymore, but he's not looking for repent either." I try to hold her gaze steady. "I don't forget what he is, and without the chip, there's no telling what he would do." And it's not just the chip either, it's the passion he has for Buffy that keeps him from still trying to destroy us all. Not that I'm going to mention any of that as she seems to be satisfied with what I've said.
I watch as she sits up and smiles at me. "Ready for bed?"
I nod and help her up and just as I'm about to lean into kiss her, the phone rings.
~ ~ ~
"It's an Iestex demon." Willow announces, and points toward the sketch in the a large book she had been flipping through. "They travel alone and only get together with others to mate-"
"As much as I want to know the sex life of the demon." Buffy said, cutting off her friend. "I really just want to know how kill it."
They shared a smile and the witch scans the page until she came upon the part she was looking for. "Ah, ok, here we are. They're only defenses are claws, and all you have to do to kill it is chop off it's head."
Buffy nodded, and hopped off the table, smoothing out her coat in the process. I watched her quickly run a hand through her hair. Staying glamorous before the fight, yep, that's my Buffy.
Willow and Tara were supposed to be gone by now, but as the witches were leaving class they caught sight of a demon, and so called a spur of the moment scoobie meeting at the Magic Shop.
Anya is sitting in Xander's lap, and I watch as she rubs his back, probably without knowing it. Xander isn't paying attention, to preoccupied with a conversation he's having with Tara that really has nothing to do with the latest demon to pop up.
I'm so envois I'm about to pop. For an ex demon to show more compassion to her significant other then my wife does me. . . it's hard to deal with.
"Buffy, you sure you want to deal with this now?" Willow startles me out of my inward ranting.
We all stare out the window, the suns about to rise, and I doubt the creature will be hunting now. Everyone else seems to share my notice because a plan is made to attack tomorrow. Willow and Tara are the first to excuse themselves, saying that they really need to get a move on to the Wiccan convention.
Anya turns her attention toward Xander once the two lovers leave. "Honey," She says, gathering his attention. "Let's go sex."
Xander groans, but I can tell he's looking forward to it. Biting down the jealousy, me and Buffy leave the shop. There isn't a word exchanged between us as I drive home, whatever had her possessed earlier in the evening to act somewhat loving had disappeared. It's regrettable, but there's nothing I can do about it.
I can only wait.