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I Can Feel You Breathe by Seven Sins

Chapter 4 - The Complications of Humans

Posted: 8.3.04

Spike and Buffy were still kissing and giggling as they made their way into the restaurant. Spike leaned in and whispered in her ear, causing Buffy to laugh more as they made their way up to the Hostess booth.

"Buona sera, la tavola per due?" the seating hostess asked.

"Sì," Buffy answer, and Spike leaned in, his face inches from her neck.

"You speak Italian?" he asked, his hand reaching around to brush across her backside.

"Enough to get around," she answered, turning her head and smiling at him.

The hostess smiled polietly and said, "Questa maniera, per favore."

They followed after the hostess, Buffy pulling Spike along behind her.

They reached a booth in a corner with a seat that curved around and wasn't separated. The waitress arranged their menus as they slid in, neither letting go of the other's hands.

"Il suo cameriere avrà ragione con lei," the hostess said.

"Ringraziarlo," Buffy said, smiling at her and reaching for her menu.

"So what do they have good here," Spike said, flipping open the other menu and scanning it, "It's all Italian food!" he said suddenly.

"Yes well, Spike, baby, you're in Italy," Buffy said, rolling her eyes.

Spike slipped an arm around her waist and nipped at her ear, "Yes well, Buffy, love, I'm really in the mood for a burger," he whispered.

Buffy smiled, "They have pasta with meat sauce, that's about as close as you're going to get in this restaurant," she said.

Spike sighed and looked back down at the menu, reaching into his pocket for cigarettes. He stuck one in his mouth and was just about to light it when Buffy smacked the lighter away.

"What are you doing!?" she demanded.

"Having a smoke," Spike answered.

"You can't do that!" Buffy yelled, "You'll die!"

"Not like I haven't been dead before," he muttered, reaching for his lighter and flicking it on.

"No!" Buffy grabbed the cigarette out of his mouth and broke it in half.

Spike looked down at it, "Why'd you do that?" he asked, "Do you have any idea how much cigarettes cost nowadays?" he asked.

"Well then stop smoking!" Buffy said, glaring at him and looking down at her menu.

Spike glared back, and then his expression softened and he sighed, "Listen to us," he said, "I've been back for a little over and hour and we're already arguing," he said, reaching out to turn her face towards him.

Buffy pulled away, "Do you know what smoking does to you?" she asked, s"It turns your lungs black and gives you cancer. Then you die. And I can't lose you again!" she said, looking away from him and scooting a few inches across the booth.

Spike moved close to her again and wrapped and arm around her, turning her face back up towards him, "If it worries you that much," he said, "I'll quit."

Buffy smiled, "Really?" she asked, "You'll quit smoking for me?"

Spike smirked, "I quit killing people for you," he said, "I think I can quit smoking."

Buffy leaned up and kissed him, "I love you," she said against his lips.

"I know, you told me," he said, between kisses, "Three times now."

Buffy couldn't help but laugh, "You're keeping count?" she asked.

"Uh huh," Spike said, pulling her closer and deepening their kiss.

Buffy set the menu down, and reached her hands around his neck, her fingers playing with his hair. They were just really getting into it, when someone loudly cleared their throat, "Spiacente per interrompere, ma..." the voice said

Buffy broke the kiss and they both turned to see the waiter standing there, holding a small pad of paper with a pencil behind his ear.

"Buffy!" the waiter said when he saw her face.

"Carmine!" Buffy said, "Ciao! Come lei sono?"

"Nessuni reclami," he looked at Spike, "Di chi questo?"

Buffy smiled, "Questo è Spike," she said, "È a. l'a. ..amico del mio."

Carmine raised an eyebrow, "Un amico, uhm? Bene amerei per vedere come lei tratta i suoi ragazzi, poi."

Buffy laughed, and Spike glared at the waiter, automatically going into over-protective mode.

"English, please," he said to Buffy.

Buffy rolled her eyes, and looked back at Carmine.

"Ah...British?" he asked, "I see, well we'll speak in English, so he is comfortable," Carmine said, his Italian accent still thick.

"Yeah," Spike said, still glaring at him, "Thanks."

Buffy kicked Spike under the table, and he turned to glare at her, instead.

Carmine looked between them, "If you don't mind me asking," he said to Buffy, "What happened to The Immortal?"

Buffy's eyes widened.

"Ah, I see," Carmine said, "Forgot about him?"

Buffy nodded, eyes still wide. Spike didn't see what the problem was, he found nothing wrong with forgetting about the Immortal.

Carmine and Spike exchanged glances for a moment before Carmine asked, "Is he the one that you used to come in here and get drunk over?"

Buffy looked over at Spike and nodded, "Yeah, this is him."

Carmine smiled, "Ah. Back from the dead?" he asked.

Buffy laced her fingers with Spike's, "Yup," she said.

Spike couldn't help but smile.

Carmine chuckled and shook his head, "What'll it be then," he asked, pulling the pencil out from behind his ear.

Buffy looked down at the menu briefly, "Just regular pasta, and water," she shrugged.

"That's all?" Carmine asked.

Buffy nodded.

"Okay then," he said, writing it down, "No wonder you're so small," he looked up at Spike, "And you?"

"Whatever she's having," he said, handing the menus to Carmine.

"Okay, two pasta plates, coming up," he turned away from them, winking at Buffy and shoving the pencil behind his ear.

Spike waited until he was out of hearing distance and said, "Who?"

Buffy smiled, "That's Carmine. I saved him from getting eaten about three nights after we got here. Then we got drunk and I explained vampires and slayers to him. Then before you know it I poured my heart out about you and we've been friends ever since."

Spike looked over at where Carmine now stood, "I don't like him," he said bluntly.

"You don't like any of the other men I talk to," she said.

"That's not true," Spike protested.

Buffy raised an eyebrow.

"I don't have a problem with you talking to Andrew! I might not like him, but its not because you talk to him!"

Buffy rolled her eyes, "Yeah, but you don't like Xander, or Riley, or Angel, or--"

Spike cut her off, "Didn't," he corrected.

"What?" Buffy asked.

"Didn't like Angel," he said, looking down at the table, then back up at Buffy, "Angel's dead."

"What?" Buffy said again, "How?"

Spike shrugged, "He got dusted during the fight that made me all...alive again."

Buffy stared at him in disbelief, "What fight? Spike...what the hell has been going on since you've been back?"

Spike sighed and shook his head, "In a nut shell? You were all right about Wolfram and Hart. So Angel decided to attempt to take them down, or something. I guess. We killed a bunch of "very important demons" and, naturally, the senior partners were pissed and decided they'd send a big demon army after us. Illyria and I were the only ones left after wards. At least that I know of," he said, playing with his napkin.

Buffy blinked a few times, letting it all sink in. When it did, she reached out and pulled Spike down to her and kissed him.

"What was that for?" Spike asked.

"You looked like you needed it," Buffy shrugged.

Spike smiled and leaned his forehead against hers, "You're going to want more details later, aren't you?" he asked.

"Uh huh," Buffy nodded, "But not right now. Just like we're not going to talk about the Immortal right now."

"Fine with me," Spike said, lacing his fingers in hers.

"Il suo pasto è servito," Carmine said, sliding two huge plates of pasta onto the table, "Piacere."

"Thanks," Buffy said as he nodded and walked away.

Spike looked down at the food, then back at Buffy, "So what are we going to talk about them."

"Absolutely nothing," Buffy said, stabbing her fork into her food, "I figure, if we don't talk, you don't make some smart comment to piss me off. Therefore, we won't fight, and we won't screw up any possibilities for the rest of the night," she said, shoving a forkful of noodles into her mouth.

"And we wouldn't want to do that," Spike said with a sly smile, digging into his own food.

-----

Dawn was sitting and watching television when they came home. The door swung open and they practically fell into the room, still all over each other.

Dawn rolled her eyes and switched the TV off, "And that's my cue to go into my room and turn my stereo up as loud as possible," she said.

Buffy pulled away form Spike and shook her head, "Don't, you'll piss off everyone else in the building."

Dawn shook her head, "The noise from my music will be nothing compared to you two. Trust me, if they don't come knocking at the door to tell you to shut up, they won't complain about the stereo."

Buffy was about to retort when Spike interrupted, "Where's Illyria?"

"In Buffy's room," Dawn answered, "Her and Andrew are playing Xbox. Which I still don't understand, because I've never met a demon god who enjoys video games."

"Its a long story," Spike said, walking down the hall after her.

Buffy followed, their hands still laced. Dawn turned into her room, and seconds later they heard the stereo turn on and the volume being cranked up.

Andrew and Illyria were sitting on the end of Buffy's bed, engrossed in a heated game of Crash Bandicoot. Neither one said anything as Spike walked over to the television, reached down next to the wall, and pulled the plugs.

"Hey!" Andrew whined, "Why'd you do that, you terd?"

Illyria glared at him, "Yes. And what is that horrible noise?" she asked, referring to Dawn's music.

Spike lifted the game system off the television and dropped it into Andrew's arms, "Other room" he pointed out the door, "Now."

Andrew huffed and walked out the door, carrying the Xbox.

Illyria stood, but only to narrow her eyes at Spike, "I refuse to leave until you make that noise stop," she said.

Spike turned and knocked on the wall, "Dawn!" he said.

No answer.

"DAWN!"

The music stopped.

"What?!"

"Headphones," he said simply.

They heard Dawn sigh and start digging through a drawer, "There!" she called back, "Headphones securely in place."

Spike turned back to Illyria, "Happy now?" he asked.

Illyria didn't answer him, just walked out of the room. When she was gone, Spike slammed to door shut, and turned back to Buffy.

"Now," he said, walking over to her, "Where were we?"

Buffy smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him backwards to the bed.

"Right about," she fell down onto it, and Spike fell on top of her, "Here," she said, kissing him.

Spike chuckled and kissed her back, their tongues weaving together. Buffy's hands pushed his duster off his shoulders, and there was a soft 'thud' as it fell down onto the floor. Spike slid his hands up under her shirt and was just about to pull it off when he froze, and stopped kissing her.

"Wait," he muttered.

"What?" Buffy said, "Wait? No. No waiting! Why are we waiting?"

Spike hesitated, "Its just..." he shook his head, "Nothing. Forget it," he leaned in to kiss her again.

"No," Buffy said, "What's wrong?"

Spike shrugged, "Just...promise you won't make fun of me?"

Buffy smiled, "Promise," she said, "Now what's wrong?"

"I just," he paused, "I've never...you know...had sex as all...human," he admitted, "And...I don't know. Its not any...different...is it?" he asked.

Buffy had to bite her tongue not to laugh, "I highly doubt it," she assured.

All of a sudden, she flipped him over and straddled him, "And if you're that concerned," she continued, "I could always be on top," she smiled wickedly and leaned down to kiss him.

"Fine with me, pet."

A/N - Sorry it took so long to update. Nancy, (my muse) decided to go on strike. But she's back now, I think. Anyways, the translation for the Italian isn't perfect because I got it off that free translation site. But I'm hoping it's close. But yeah, thanks for reading, and don't forget to review!

Also: Blaise - Yeah, I know. I've been having trouble writing Illyria lately. If you, or anyone else for that matter, has any helpful tips, e-mail me! I'll give you cookies!

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