AN: I would like to take a moment to thank everyone who is so closely
following this story. I promise to get on with the spuffy lovin soon. Maybe
even in this chapter. * wink wink *
On the Giles front in chapter 1 & 2, I found that mistake a bit ago, and thought I had corrected it here, but apparently I didn't yet. * bonk self * Anyway, this chapter is a nice long one, over 2k words, so, enjoy. Oh, and I am pretty sure you will all love the ending. Don't worry, I just mean the end of this chapter, not of the story.
*******
Chapter 7
Buffy ran into the shop, 5 minutes late again, due to a break down in the bus system. Her bus sputtered to a stop outside of the diner, and they had to wait for a new one to be called. At least this time, they were expecting her to be late. "Hi Tara! I'll be out as soon as I change!" She said quickly as she breezed through the small shop, and went into the back room.
Pulling her hair from the ponytail, she grimaced at the site of it hanging limply around her shoulders. Buffy had an appointment the next morning to get it colored and cut, but in the mean time, it was a wreck. She turned her head upside down, and let her hair fall away from her face. As she brushed it vigorously, she could smell the grease stronger, and finally reached into her bag to pull out her vanilla body spray, and sprayed it copiously around her head before she resumed brushing it.
Will was sitting in his uncle's tiny office, looking over the week's figures, and punching out numbers on the calculator. He had heard Buffy brush quickly through the back room, but had forced himself not to look up at her. Rather, he took in more numbers, studiously keeping the numbers from jumbling in his head. His Uncle had begun to count on Will for the accounting of the shop, so he had been stuck in the roll for almost a year now. His own Da had been an accountant, so Will took to it naturally, but he really didn't enjoy it.
He heard the bathroom door open again, and caught a faint drift of vanilla. Will nearly groaned as he felt his body tighten, his over worked senses immediately identifying the scent as hers. "Will?" He looked up to see her standing there, her hair pulled up into a bun on her head. "Yes, Buffy?"
"I was wondering if you had anything specific for me to do today?" She was switching her weight from foot to foot, bouncing back and forth slightly. He looks so cute in blue, she thought. It really brings out his eyes. oh, his eyes. She blinked, and focused back on his entire face, rather than staring dreamily into his eyes.
"Oh, yeah, Uncle Rup left a list for you two to finish up. Mostly just cleaning up the sales racks and other such rot. Tara has it up front." Don't bloody focus on her scent, or her eyes, or her mouth. oh, her mouth. He nodded abruptly, and focused down on the papers in front of him, and felt his jaw clenching. Buffy waited another moment, then turned to walk from the room. He heard her greeting Tara again a moment later.
"Bloody hell," Will said after trying to work for roughly ten minutes after Buffy left the office. He stood up, and tossed the ink pen he was clutching down to the desk. Walking towards the door, he grabbed his long leather duster as he left the room. As he came up front, he saw Buffy standing near the front, her arms stretched up to dust a top shelf full of 'spell' manuscripts. Her shirt had ridden up, and her smooth abdomen was pulled taut. Will found himself groaning again as his eyes devoured the smooth tan skin on her stomach.
"Right, then," he said softly, and then cleared his throat. "I'm heading out to snag some food, anyone fancy?" He turned his gaze to Tara first, smiling at the effervescent young lady.
"Where are you going to be stopping?" Tara asked in her soft voice. In another life, he would have loved her for being so sweet, so caring. But, that was another life, and another time.
"Where ever you birds want. Just make a decision, and I'll go." And please, hurry about it. He turned towards Buffy again, and found her still stretching to dust, but she was looking over her shoulder towards him. Bloody hell, this is getting ridicules! "Buffy?"
"Something cheesy and gooey sounds good to me. Cheese bread, or pizza, or mozz sticks. whatever." She smiled that charming beam, and he found himself staring intently towards her. Will was startled when he felt Tara's hand on his shoulder. She handed him a 5, and grinned. "Cheesy stuff sounds good to me, too. How bout a pizza?" She was looking into his eyes, and he had a feeling that Tara had seen how he was reacting to Buffy, if the slight smirk on her face was any indication.
"Pizza it is then. Meat? Veggies? Fruit?" He asked as he tucked the money into his wallet.
"No veggies. fruit? Ewwww." Buffy said loudly as she focused on the manuscripts. He looks so damn hot! How am I supposed to live with him, when he looks like that! Buffy found her head turning towards him again, but she stopped it, and strained her wayward gaze to the manuscripts once more. She focused on counting the books as she dusted, and when Will came closer, she was startled from her reverie.
"Pizza's ordered, luv. Got $5?" Buffy blinked for a moment as she looked up into his eyes. She slowly brought her arms down, and nodded dim-wittedly. She handed him the duster, and dug into her pocket to pull out a folded up wad of bills. She unwrinkled the bills, and found a 5. Buffy quickly exchanged the bill for the duster, and tried to ignore the shocking thrill she received when her fingers brushed his.
"That should do it, then. I'll be back in about 15." Will disappeared through the door to the shop, and Buffy found herself staring after him. She didn't notice when Tara came up beside her, also staring at the black clad retreating figure. "You like him, don't you?" Buffy looked towards Tara in surprise.
"Don't be silly, I live with him, of course I like him." Buffy tried to brush it off, but she saw the mirth in Tara's eyes, and wound up blushing instead. "Ok, so maybe I do, so what? It's not like anything is gonna happen because of it." Tara's soft musical laugh sounded out in the empty shop. "What's so funny?"
"You have no idea that he likes you, too, do you?" Just as Buffy was going to respond, the door opened again, and a tall dark haired man came in. Tara winked at Buffy, and then went to the man to ask if he needed any help.
"Hello, my name is Tara. Is there anything I could help you locate?" Her soft voice asked him quietly.
"Yeah, I'm looking for Spike." The man's face was set in a grim line of thinly veiled anger as he stared down at the petite blonde in front of him. "Tell him its Angelus."
"Spike?" Tara asked softly, turning to glance at Buffy.
"William, Spike. Peroxide blonde, arrogant, egotistical.?" Angelus spoke slowly, as though speaking to a child. She frowned as she caught his tone, and stepped back slightly.
"Will isn't here right now. You can wait if you want, but we're not sure when he'll be back." She caught Buffy's eye as she lied, and saw Buffy nodding in agreement. Neither wanted him in there any longer then need be. Angelus noticed Tara looking behind him, and turned to see Buffy standing there, a duster in her hands, and some dust covering her nose in one place.
"You the new roomie?" He raised an eye as he appraised her, and waited for her answer. His dark eyes were unforgiving and mocking as they swept down her body. She suddenly felt exposed and violated just being looked at. Unconsciously, Buffy crossed her arms over her chest.
"Yes, I am the new roomie. You one of the old ones?" She really didn't want to be in any sort of conversation with him, but it was apparent he wasn't going to leave yet.
"That'd be me. I suppose you're the piece of fluff this time around? Last time, it was Dru, at least, until I got there. She didn't want a boy when she could have a man." Buffy felt the butterflies that seemed to live in her belly acting up again, and could feel her hands shaking ever so slightly. Adrenalin is a bitch, she thought. She plastered a very fake feeling smile on her face, and looked at a point on his nose, so as not to have to actually look at him.
"I'm not his anything, save for room mate. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." Buffy turned from him, and muttered under her breath, "Work that doesn't include standing around getting insulted by a jack ass."
Will unfortunately was right on time with the Pizza, and Angelus was still there, poking around the books for sale, and just generally annoying the two girls with his mere presence, which he assured them was something they should feel lucky for. Both Tara and Buffy exchanged silent looks of annoyance, and tried to ignore his over powering existence in the room. When Will came in the door, Buffy was quick to grab the box from him, and announce that she and Tara would be in back, and that he had a visitor.
Before Will could respond the girls had disappeared into the back room, leaving him to glance about until his eyes settled on the smirking face of Angelus, his old room mate, and old friend. He hadn't been a friend since Drusilla, and Will was damned if he would be nice to the chap because of the history from before Dru.
"Hello Spike. Dru tells me you two ran into each other yesterday. She said you were very rude and insulting to her. Is that anyway to treat a lady?"
"Nope, it isn't, so it's a good thing I wasn't dealing with a lady. Now, do you have anything important to say, or can I just delete this conversation from my memory now?" Will crossed his arms as he leaned nonchalantly against a shelf near the door.
"Spike, my boy, I would have thought we'd have put all that nasty business behind us by now. Isn't it time to get over petty childish arguments? It's been months. Now tell me about that hot little blond you've shacked up with." Will tensed and pushed himself away from the shelf with the ease of a panther, and moved his body fluidly towards Angelus. "Man, she looks like she could suck the paint off a car. So tell me, she any good? Feel up to sharing again?"
As his tightly wound body got close enough to Angelus, Will's fist shot out quickly, and hit right on Angelus' nose. A loud screech emitted from Angelus' body as he flew back a bit. His hands went up to his nose, and came away with blood. "What the fuck was that for! It wouldn't be the first time we shared a piece of tail!"
"Buffy is not something you'll ever get your hands on, and she isn't just a piece of tail. Get out of here. The site of you makes me sick. Oh, and tell the loony that she's not to come near Buffy again, or Buffy will press charges for yesterday's escapade. Now, get out." Will stepped back, and Angelus moved past him, holding his nose as blood dripped down to fall onto the carpet. Angelus turned to look back once more, leaving more spots of blood on the floor as he did.
"You will live to regret what you just did, boy." With a flounce of floppy hair, Angelus was gone.
Will glanced down at the carpet, then bellowed for one of the girls to bring him a scrub brush and some water. Buffy came out from the back room a moment later, while Tara vowed to stay out of their hair for at least a few minutes. Maybe a small spell to bring them together, she thought. No, they are better off discovering their feelings on their own.
"Will? Here you go." She stood quietly for a moment after he thanked her for the bucket and brush, then she opened her mouth again. "Thank you. for sticking up for me. I appreciate it." Will stopped scrubbing for a moment, and looked up at her from his crouched position. There was a light right behind her head, casting a soft golden glow around her face from her hair. He muttered an oath, and stood quickly. Before she could react, his left hand wound behind her neck, and his right hand touched her cheek. His lips were suddenly on hers, searing hot, piercing through her futile resistance, and plundering her mouth deeply.
Buffy was pretty sure she squeaked at first, but it only took a moment for her own hands to pull him closer. Tara peeked out, and smiled when she saw the two kissing. I knew I was right. I always am when it comes to love. Now, for my own love life, she thought with a bit of a dejected sigh at the end of the unfinished thought.
After several moments of pure bliss, Will finally, and regrettably, pulled away from Buffy and opened his star filled eyes. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that, pet. Feel free to shoot me," he said in a very soft joking voice. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I don't fancy spending the next month getting jackass out of the rug."
On the Giles front in chapter 1 & 2, I found that mistake a bit ago, and thought I had corrected it here, but apparently I didn't yet. * bonk self * Anyway, this chapter is a nice long one, over 2k words, so, enjoy. Oh, and I am pretty sure you will all love the ending. Don't worry, I just mean the end of this chapter, not of the story.
*******
Chapter 7
Buffy ran into the shop, 5 minutes late again, due to a break down in the bus system. Her bus sputtered to a stop outside of the diner, and they had to wait for a new one to be called. At least this time, they were expecting her to be late. "Hi Tara! I'll be out as soon as I change!" She said quickly as she breezed through the small shop, and went into the back room.
Pulling her hair from the ponytail, she grimaced at the site of it hanging limply around her shoulders. Buffy had an appointment the next morning to get it colored and cut, but in the mean time, it was a wreck. She turned her head upside down, and let her hair fall away from her face. As she brushed it vigorously, she could smell the grease stronger, and finally reached into her bag to pull out her vanilla body spray, and sprayed it copiously around her head before she resumed brushing it.
Will was sitting in his uncle's tiny office, looking over the week's figures, and punching out numbers on the calculator. He had heard Buffy brush quickly through the back room, but had forced himself not to look up at her. Rather, he took in more numbers, studiously keeping the numbers from jumbling in his head. His Uncle had begun to count on Will for the accounting of the shop, so he had been stuck in the roll for almost a year now. His own Da had been an accountant, so Will took to it naturally, but he really didn't enjoy it.
He heard the bathroom door open again, and caught a faint drift of vanilla. Will nearly groaned as he felt his body tighten, his over worked senses immediately identifying the scent as hers. "Will?" He looked up to see her standing there, her hair pulled up into a bun on her head. "Yes, Buffy?"
"I was wondering if you had anything specific for me to do today?" She was switching her weight from foot to foot, bouncing back and forth slightly. He looks so cute in blue, she thought. It really brings out his eyes. oh, his eyes. She blinked, and focused back on his entire face, rather than staring dreamily into his eyes.
"Oh, yeah, Uncle Rup left a list for you two to finish up. Mostly just cleaning up the sales racks and other such rot. Tara has it up front." Don't bloody focus on her scent, or her eyes, or her mouth. oh, her mouth. He nodded abruptly, and focused down on the papers in front of him, and felt his jaw clenching. Buffy waited another moment, then turned to walk from the room. He heard her greeting Tara again a moment later.
"Bloody hell," Will said after trying to work for roughly ten minutes after Buffy left the office. He stood up, and tossed the ink pen he was clutching down to the desk. Walking towards the door, he grabbed his long leather duster as he left the room. As he came up front, he saw Buffy standing near the front, her arms stretched up to dust a top shelf full of 'spell' manuscripts. Her shirt had ridden up, and her smooth abdomen was pulled taut. Will found himself groaning again as his eyes devoured the smooth tan skin on her stomach.
"Right, then," he said softly, and then cleared his throat. "I'm heading out to snag some food, anyone fancy?" He turned his gaze to Tara first, smiling at the effervescent young lady.
"Where are you going to be stopping?" Tara asked in her soft voice. In another life, he would have loved her for being so sweet, so caring. But, that was another life, and another time.
"Where ever you birds want. Just make a decision, and I'll go." And please, hurry about it. He turned towards Buffy again, and found her still stretching to dust, but she was looking over her shoulder towards him. Bloody hell, this is getting ridicules! "Buffy?"
"Something cheesy and gooey sounds good to me. Cheese bread, or pizza, or mozz sticks. whatever." She smiled that charming beam, and he found himself staring intently towards her. Will was startled when he felt Tara's hand on his shoulder. She handed him a 5, and grinned. "Cheesy stuff sounds good to me, too. How bout a pizza?" She was looking into his eyes, and he had a feeling that Tara had seen how he was reacting to Buffy, if the slight smirk on her face was any indication.
"Pizza it is then. Meat? Veggies? Fruit?" He asked as he tucked the money into his wallet.
"No veggies. fruit? Ewwww." Buffy said loudly as she focused on the manuscripts. He looks so damn hot! How am I supposed to live with him, when he looks like that! Buffy found her head turning towards him again, but she stopped it, and strained her wayward gaze to the manuscripts once more. She focused on counting the books as she dusted, and when Will came closer, she was startled from her reverie.
"Pizza's ordered, luv. Got $5?" Buffy blinked for a moment as she looked up into his eyes. She slowly brought her arms down, and nodded dim-wittedly. She handed him the duster, and dug into her pocket to pull out a folded up wad of bills. She unwrinkled the bills, and found a 5. Buffy quickly exchanged the bill for the duster, and tried to ignore the shocking thrill she received when her fingers brushed his.
"That should do it, then. I'll be back in about 15." Will disappeared through the door to the shop, and Buffy found herself staring after him. She didn't notice when Tara came up beside her, also staring at the black clad retreating figure. "You like him, don't you?" Buffy looked towards Tara in surprise.
"Don't be silly, I live with him, of course I like him." Buffy tried to brush it off, but she saw the mirth in Tara's eyes, and wound up blushing instead. "Ok, so maybe I do, so what? It's not like anything is gonna happen because of it." Tara's soft musical laugh sounded out in the empty shop. "What's so funny?"
"You have no idea that he likes you, too, do you?" Just as Buffy was going to respond, the door opened again, and a tall dark haired man came in. Tara winked at Buffy, and then went to the man to ask if he needed any help.
"Hello, my name is Tara. Is there anything I could help you locate?" Her soft voice asked him quietly.
"Yeah, I'm looking for Spike." The man's face was set in a grim line of thinly veiled anger as he stared down at the petite blonde in front of him. "Tell him its Angelus."
"Spike?" Tara asked softly, turning to glance at Buffy.
"William, Spike. Peroxide blonde, arrogant, egotistical.?" Angelus spoke slowly, as though speaking to a child. She frowned as she caught his tone, and stepped back slightly.
"Will isn't here right now. You can wait if you want, but we're not sure when he'll be back." She caught Buffy's eye as she lied, and saw Buffy nodding in agreement. Neither wanted him in there any longer then need be. Angelus noticed Tara looking behind him, and turned to see Buffy standing there, a duster in her hands, and some dust covering her nose in one place.
"You the new roomie?" He raised an eye as he appraised her, and waited for her answer. His dark eyes were unforgiving and mocking as they swept down her body. She suddenly felt exposed and violated just being looked at. Unconsciously, Buffy crossed her arms over her chest.
"Yes, I am the new roomie. You one of the old ones?" She really didn't want to be in any sort of conversation with him, but it was apparent he wasn't going to leave yet.
"That'd be me. I suppose you're the piece of fluff this time around? Last time, it was Dru, at least, until I got there. She didn't want a boy when she could have a man." Buffy felt the butterflies that seemed to live in her belly acting up again, and could feel her hands shaking ever so slightly. Adrenalin is a bitch, she thought. She plastered a very fake feeling smile on her face, and looked at a point on his nose, so as not to have to actually look at him.
"I'm not his anything, save for room mate. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." Buffy turned from him, and muttered under her breath, "Work that doesn't include standing around getting insulted by a jack ass."
Will unfortunately was right on time with the Pizza, and Angelus was still there, poking around the books for sale, and just generally annoying the two girls with his mere presence, which he assured them was something they should feel lucky for. Both Tara and Buffy exchanged silent looks of annoyance, and tried to ignore his over powering existence in the room. When Will came in the door, Buffy was quick to grab the box from him, and announce that she and Tara would be in back, and that he had a visitor.
Before Will could respond the girls had disappeared into the back room, leaving him to glance about until his eyes settled on the smirking face of Angelus, his old room mate, and old friend. He hadn't been a friend since Drusilla, and Will was damned if he would be nice to the chap because of the history from before Dru.
"Hello Spike. Dru tells me you two ran into each other yesterday. She said you were very rude and insulting to her. Is that anyway to treat a lady?"
"Nope, it isn't, so it's a good thing I wasn't dealing with a lady. Now, do you have anything important to say, or can I just delete this conversation from my memory now?" Will crossed his arms as he leaned nonchalantly against a shelf near the door.
"Spike, my boy, I would have thought we'd have put all that nasty business behind us by now. Isn't it time to get over petty childish arguments? It's been months. Now tell me about that hot little blond you've shacked up with." Will tensed and pushed himself away from the shelf with the ease of a panther, and moved his body fluidly towards Angelus. "Man, she looks like she could suck the paint off a car. So tell me, she any good? Feel up to sharing again?"
As his tightly wound body got close enough to Angelus, Will's fist shot out quickly, and hit right on Angelus' nose. A loud screech emitted from Angelus' body as he flew back a bit. His hands went up to his nose, and came away with blood. "What the fuck was that for! It wouldn't be the first time we shared a piece of tail!"
"Buffy is not something you'll ever get your hands on, and she isn't just a piece of tail. Get out of here. The site of you makes me sick. Oh, and tell the loony that she's not to come near Buffy again, or Buffy will press charges for yesterday's escapade. Now, get out." Will stepped back, and Angelus moved past him, holding his nose as blood dripped down to fall onto the carpet. Angelus turned to look back once more, leaving more spots of blood on the floor as he did.
"You will live to regret what you just did, boy." With a flounce of floppy hair, Angelus was gone.
Will glanced down at the carpet, then bellowed for one of the girls to bring him a scrub brush and some water. Buffy came out from the back room a moment later, while Tara vowed to stay out of their hair for at least a few minutes. Maybe a small spell to bring them together, she thought. No, they are better off discovering their feelings on their own.
"Will? Here you go." She stood quietly for a moment after he thanked her for the bucket and brush, then she opened her mouth again. "Thank you. for sticking up for me. I appreciate it." Will stopped scrubbing for a moment, and looked up at her from his crouched position. There was a light right behind her head, casting a soft golden glow around her face from her hair. He muttered an oath, and stood quickly. Before she could react, his left hand wound behind her neck, and his right hand touched her cheek. His lips were suddenly on hers, searing hot, piercing through her futile resistance, and plundering her mouth deeply.
Buffy was pretty sure she squeaked at first, but it only took a moment for her own hands to pull him closer. Tara peeked out, and smiled when she saw the two kissing. I knew I was right. I always am when it comes to love. Now, for my own love life, she thought with a bit of a dejected sigh at the end of the unfinished thought.
After several moments of pure bliss, Will finally, and regrettably, pulled away from Buffy and opened his star filled eyes. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that, pet. Feel free to shoot me," he said in a very soft joking voice. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I don't fancy spending the next month getting jackass out of the rug."