Chapter 19.

"Let's play a game!"

"Oh Anya, come one! Seriously?"

"Xander Harris, you are supposed to be supportive remember? You're my boyfriend."

"I.…I am?"

"Well Yeah. Aren't you?"

"Yeah, if you want me to be"

"Well only if you want to be?"

Spike rolled his eyes at the scene that was playing out before him. Sometimes Xander was so dense it was painful and Anya, for all her bossy, impulsive banter was just as insecure as he was. It was sweet in that hugs and puppies kind of way but it was also going to take on a life of it's own if someone didn't stop it.

"Alright, enough, we all get it, Anya likes Xander, Xander like Anya, they are dating, can we please move on it's been a bloody month already, I now declare you officially boyfriend and girlfriend and we don't want to hear about it anymore!"

"Gee Spike, just because your not having any luck with women lately there's no reason to go all evil undead on us man."

"Yes Spike, when's the last time you had some really great sex?"

"So is Xander your boyfriend now Anya luv?"

"Nice try Spike, Seriously, when's the last time you at least got a…"

"If that sentence doesn't finish with the words coffee or hair cut I'm throwing you out, you and your boyfriend!"

Spike was turning six shades of red, a very unusual colour for him but he still managed to sound menacing as he glared at the clearly unashamed blonde woman on Xanders lap.

"You are touchy lately aren't you?"

"When have I ever talked to you about my sex life? Crazy bint"

It sounded harsh but the effect was lost by the half smirk that refused to fade from his lips. They had all been friend too long to ever really mean any of the insults they hurled around. Plus none of them knew what any of his British slang meant anyway.

"Xan-der! Defend me you idiot!"

"Oh, um, Spike. What's with the British trash talk, assimilate already."

"That's the best you could do Xan, really? Well whelp I guess we could call it a draw but next time bring you're A game ok?"

Buffy leaned over to Willow and stage whispered.

"They know their not making sense right?"

"I think they were accidentally dropped on their heads as babies"

"If you ask me I would have dropped Spike on purpose"

The two girls giggled to themselves as Spike glared at them.

"We can hear you you know."

"Let's play a game!"

"Anya, honey, no one want to play teenage party games. Besides, we all get on really well, we don't need icebreakers."

"Well maybe Buffy would like to get to know us a little better"

"I don't like the look in your eyes Anya"

"Oh relax Spike. If you've got nothing to hide you've got nothing to fear"

"The demonic look of anticipation your sporting begs to differ."

"Oh come on, it might be fun!"

"Fine, what do you suggest? Anya, if you say 'truth or dare' I'm going to scream."

"You Spike Winters spoil all of my fun!"

Seeing her opening Willow jumped in.

"We could play 'spin the bottle'"

"Nice try Red but two thirds of us are happily attached couples"

"Oh, silly me" couples! I should have thought of that.

"Oh I know we could play 'anywhere but here'"

"Don't really fancy listening to Anya describe a country where all the men are shirtless and Bunnies are unconditionally banned."

"What's wrong with Bunnies? Their all cute and fluffy and…"

Buffy was cut of by a high pitched scream as Anya turned white and began to hit Xander as if he should have known to stop her himself. Buffy cast a puzzled look at the rest of the group. Willow was clearly suppressing a smile and Xander was looking apologetic as he soothed his clearly agitated girlfriend. Spike just shook his head slightly before answering her unspoken question.

"As you can see Anya's not pro bunny. When she was a kid her cousins rabbit bit her, she had to get stitches, it was not good. Didn't help that her cousin used to chase her around the house with he thing after that."

"Oh Anya that terrible, you cousin sounds really mean."

"Yeah well, Harmony can be a bit that way."

"Harms you cousin? She never said anything?"

Oz, who had made his way over to the group by this point sat down next to Willow and held her close.

"So, what are we doing?"

"Trying to come up with a game to play. Wait I know, we could play 'I've never' Do you know how Buffy?"

"Oh yeah I played at Cordies last party. That's the one where someone says something they've never done before and if you've done it you do a shot right?"

"Half way there goldilocks but here we do it without getting smashed. Everyone gets ten point to start. If you've done the thing someone says then you loose a point, first person to loose all their points ends the game and the person with the most points wins."

"Oh, ok then. But why no drinking? What, won't mummy let you drink in the house? I never picked you for the rule following type Spikey."

"Don't call me Spikey and for your big fat information not everyone needs to be catatonic to have fun."

Xander appeared to shift a little uncomfortably and Buffy notices Willow smile at him and Anya squeeze his hand gently. It was almost as if they all knew the answer to a question Buffy apparently was not supposed to have asked. It looked as though Xander was deciding weather or not to let her in on what ever it was. Thankfully it appeared he decided he trusted her. Although she couldn't blame him if he didn't, she hadn't been the nicest person the last few years. Ok, maybe the last decade but hey, she was trying.

"Listen, it's not like we can't, we just don't, or at least I don't. I don't mind if other people want to, I mean there are beers in the fridge and everything but I just don't do it myself and the others don't want me to feel all left out so we just don't do it all the time. Besides we kind of don't need it because we like hanging out together, we have fun without it."

"Oh, is it a religion thing?"

"No"

"Is it a family thing?"

"Sort of"

"Is it a thing that's none of my business"

"That would be it Summers"

"Shut up Spike"

"Look Buffy it's not a big deal. My old man got drunk on my tenth birthday, decided he liked it and has stayed pretty much that way ever since. With the exception of angry and hung over he basically doesn't know any other way to be and before you ask No, he's not violent, Yes, it does bother me and No I don't want to talk about it thanks all the same. Now, lets get back to making with the merry, that is what we're here for right?"

"Sure thing, so I take it the point is still to make other people loose but picking stuff you know they have to admit to right?"

"That's about the size of it"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Half an hour later Buffy could not believe her eyes or her ears. Here she sat with the geeks and supposed losers of her past and she was the person with the highest score. With six fingers still counting out her points she was tempted to just put one down for whatever the next question was. I mean seriously, even Willow only had four points left. Oh, it was her turn.

"Ok, I've never gone skinny dipping"

No one put any fingers down until Spike coughed loudly and stared at Xander who reluctantly adjusted his score to four. With a look of indignation he took his turn.

"And just for that, I've never stood outside my girlfriend window and sung to her"

Spike and Oz both put down a finger taking their score to three and four respectively, Anya asked Xander why he never did that for her and Willow demanded to know how Spike could have done something so sweet and her not find out about it.

"Enough already it's Anya's turn. Xander, I will deal with you later!"

"Ok, lets see, I've never been a cheer leader"

Buffy lost a point, finally.

"I've never taken my top off in public, childhood doesn't count"

Everyone except Willow of course since it was her question lost a point. Buffy looked around the circle, wait, Spike hadn't put a finger down on the no shirt question. Come to think of it she hadn't seen Spike shirtless since they were kids, not even at swimming carnivals or mowing the lawn or anything. This is getting weird, why do I even care? I don't, Ok, maybe I do, but just a little. Now the scores were tied at three a piece and Buffy was still on four. The rest of the group appeared to be eyeing each other off, each determined not to loose. Right, Spikes turn next and he was looking straight at her.

"I've never been to France"

Well, that could have been so much worse! At least they were three all now. Her turn. You're going down Spike.

"I've never failed an Exam"

That got Xander, Oz and Anya but to Buffys utter disbelief, not Spike. She gave him a quizzical look but he just shrugged. Xander looked directly at Spike with a truly evil gleam in his eye.

"I've never had a crush on.."

Spike cut him off, apparently just in time and gave him his most dangerous glare.

"Xander if you finish that though I swear it will be your bloody last!"

"Fine, but only because you're my best friend and just a little scary. Let's try again kiddies. I've never slow danced with my next door neighbor"

Down went Anya, who countered with

"What? Parker was cute before he became evil scum"

Spike and Buffy just looked a little awkward.

"My turn, I've never broken a bone"

Spike, Xander, Oz and Anya were now all on their last point, Buffy had two and Willow had three point and a cheesy grin on her face because it was her turn next and she knew she was going to win.

"Alright, games over because I've never died my hair blonde"

"Ok what game should we play next?"

"Oh Anya come on!"

"Hey I don't think Buffy has enough dirt on you guys yet"

"Well I think she has plenty!"

Everyone nodded except Xander who shot yet another teasing look at his best friend.

"Yeah but what about Spike? He stopped us asking the really good questions. I wouldn't want you to miss your chance to get closer to your neighbor"

"Thanks mate but I don't mind, really"

"Oh but I insist"

"You would! Sorry blondie but I don't have anything to share. Don't all go looking at me like that, there's nothing worth telling"

Willow couldn't help herself, she knew she shouldn't but Spike was usually so solid, he didn't get embarrassed easily so they had to get their kicks where they could get'em.

"Come on now Spike, just a little tiny bit of info, an interesting fact? I know, what about your favorite movie? You can tell a lot about people by their movie collection you know. Oh look, I see you even took the trouble to remove it from the shelf"

"I don't know what you're talking about Red?"

Spike gave her a look that said he knew exactly what she was talking about and she had better cut it out.

"Come on now Spike, share a little"

"Fine my favorite movie is 'Terminator 2' it's Arnie, but it's good."

"Wait a second, that's not embarrassing, that's not even interesting, why the fuss?"

"That my dear Buffy is because it's a lie."

"Harris. Shut up."

"Spike. Since I won the last game I get to choose what we do next and I want to watch a movie."

"Willow? Come on now Red be serious."

"You know what I want"

"It's not my favorite movie. I'm a movie fanatic, you know that I've go lots of favorites."

"It's definitely in your top ten and I want to see it."

"Willow, stop kidding around now, I mean it Red, cut it out."

"Now what kind of a friend would I be if I let you go around telling big old fibs?"

"A good, sweet, well paid one?"

"What do you think Buffy?"

"I think I want to see this movie!"

"Trator!"

"Spike, be a good boy and go get 'The Lion King', go on."

Buffy tried her very best not to burst into fits of laughter there and then but it was just too funny! Big bad Spike with his bad boy attitude and all black wardrobe loved 'The Lion King'? As if that wasn't enough the look on his face was priceless. She just couldn't help it!

"Are you laughing at me Summers? Just look at what you've done now Red. You're Evil, you know that right?"

"And yet I don't see you going to get it"

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Come on, it'll be fun. Just be grateful I don't want you to do the karaoke version!"

Buffys laughter started anew at the look of terror in Spikes eyes.

"I'm still waiting"

"I'm going, I'm going, evil bint"

"I heard that!"

By the time Spike returned Buffy had sufficiently composed herself and came to sit next to him on the sofa as the opening credits rolled. She leaned in closer so as not to disturb the others.

"So, do you really know all the words?"

"I'm not talking to you, watch the movie."

"Go on, tell me. Do you know all the parts or just the lead lion?"

"His name is Simba and for the love of all things sacred will you stop laughing at me. I'm going to kill Willow for this."

"Heheheheh …..I'm gunna be a mighty king…hehehehehe"

"Grrrrrrr!"