Chapter Seven

"All I have is a pair of pants for you to borrow." Spike walked out of the bathroom with his shirt off, revealing his chiseled chest. "Thankfully Xander leaves a pair here for overnighting it- and you're shirtless," Buffy stated as she turned her head.

"That's right, shield your blushing eyes." He grabbed the pants from her hand and returned to the bathroom.

"It's not like you have anything good to look at anyway." Except you're extremely toned arms and body. She walked into her bedroom and slowly paced. Her right hand was against her mouth and she occasionally bit her pointer finger; nervous habit. The door opened, making Buffy pause and look at his, now, gray sweatpants covered lower half. "Better?"

"Less wet," he replied.

"That would be good?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Well as far as shirts go I really don't have anything you'd fit in. Maybe my mom's bathrobe? It's blue."

"I'll pass." He turned down the hall and headed to the stairs.

"It's not like anyone'll see you."

"You're here aren't ya?" He started making his way down the stairs, paying close attention to not miss a step.

"Besides me."

"Although you're not the highest on the social scale, you aren't exactly the lowest Summers." He reached the living room and plopped down on the couch. "People talk."

Buffy rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "Make yourself at home."

"Thought that was the point."

"I'm surprised you restrained yourself from putting your feet on the table. Which, by the way, not even I can do."

"I'll write that down." Spike crossed his arms in an attempt to preserve some body heat.

Buffy tried thinking of what else she had for him. Maybe a sweatshirt? That he won't fit in… She walked over to the lone chair that divided two rooms and grabbed a baby blue blanket from the chest behind it. "Here. It's a plush blanket so it's really soft." She held it out for him, opting against the motherly idea of putting it over him.

Spike thankfully took it and wrapped it around his upper body. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," she said, just before the phone rang. Buffy non-hesitantly left the room and answered the one in the kitchen. "Hello?… Hi mom… I know it's totally-" In a flash, the lights went out and the phone was silent. "Oh crap. Hello?" she said, checking to make sure it was actually dead. The lack of answer made her opt for 'yes.' She hung it up and started blindly pulling open drawers. She heard footsteps get closer and could barely see the outline of the blanket she gave Spike.

"The powers out."

"Thank you Captain Oblivious."

"Oblivious?"

"As in unable to realize I'm trying to find our lighter stick thing so I can change the fact that we can't see."

Spike walked over and started opening drawers too. They were both feeling around to find something resembling a lighter and reached for a drawer handle at the same time. They reacted as if they were shocked and withdrew their hands quickly. There was uneasy throat clearing before Buffy reached for the drawer and thankfully pulled out a lighter. "Got it." She walked back into the living room, Spike trailing behind, and started lighting the five candles that were on the mantle. "That's better." The candles' soft glow helped Buffy and Spike turn their sarcasm retorts down a couple notches and sit in silence.

After a couple minutes of wandering eyes and fiddling fingers Spike said, "Ya got any games?"

Buffy's f ace contorted at the sudden noise and the question that was asked. "Games?"

"Like a board game or cards or somethin'?"

"You want to play a board game?"

"Apparently I do, in awkward and uncomfortable situations."

"I don't have Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders if that's what you're looking for."

"S'all right. I'm not five."

"Surprisingly, with your IQ." Spike refrained from responding and Buffy disappeared up the stairs for about five minutes, taking a candle with her. She opened her closet and looked in the top right corner. There was one lowly board game whose colors jumped out in the light. She put the candle on the floor and crawled inside to retrieve it.

Spike was looking at the picture of Buffy and Joyce resting on the side table. They were sitting outside on their porch seat and Buffy had her head leaning on her mother's shoulder while Joyce's head rested on Buffy's. They were both wearing the smiles of a happy child. He placed it back on the wooden surface when he heard her descending the stairs.

"I only have this." She placed the box on the coffee table and rested the candle a foot away from it. "But we have a problem. It's for more than two people."

"That's a big problem. We lack more than two people. Unless you got a couple imaginary friends hangin' around."

"Some of us grew out of that when we reached elementary school."

"I never heard of Loaded Questions. What do you do?"

"You ask questions, people write down their answers and you have to guess who said what."

Let's just ask the questions then," he proposed as he lifted the lid.

"Seriously?"

"What else are we gonna do? Talk?"

"I'll read first," she offered, agreeing that conversation was definitely off the 'possibilities' list. She grabbed the first card and read, "If you were invisible, where would you go."

"Kate Beckinsale's flat," Spike answered right away.

"Kate Beckinsale's flat?"

"Yeah. I'd love a touch from her."

"Okay, no more talking," Buffy interjected as her body cringed.

"What about you?" Buffy's head rose. "Where would you go?"

"I don't know… I'll say Italy."

"What? You get to be invisible and you waste it by going to Italy? You can go to Italy now," Spike explained.

"I'll get to go for free."

"You'd rather go to Italy for free than to some celebrity's house?"

"So I can just see them up close? Pass."

"You can do more than see them."

"Hey, look at this question," Buffy said, moving away from more of Spike's R-rated "rationalizing." She had grabbed a new card and read, "What have you tried in life, and simply were not good at?"

"Easy. Chess. Stupidest game ever created." Spike grabbed the box of cards and started pulling them out to find a good question.

"I hate chess too," Buffy said. "So many people like it and I just don't get it."

"And all those dumb rules. Horse piece can only move in a 'z' or whatever it is. Ah, here we go. 'What luxury would you like to enjoy just once?'"

Buffy adjusted herself on the floor and said, "I'd like to win an Oscar and get all those awesome gifts for winning. They give you like phones and diamond necklaces. I also want to hold one of those."

"You want to act?"

"No, I just want the spoils of winning an Oscar."

"Right. Well, I wanna live in one of those pricey condos celebrities always have. Even for just a day."

They continued this game for the next half hour. They also started a fire in the fireplace and made some fresh popcorn. They both sat on a cushion from the couch and sat close to the fire and pan of popcorn. Melanie was resting in her seat between them. She had only cried twice and that was easily remedied with her plastic bottle. "'What latest trend simply baffles you?'"

"Mmm," Spike said, trying to chew up the mouthful of popcorn he just inserted in his mouth. "Those shirt things that don't even cover your whole body." Buffy looked at him with confusion. "Ya know, those jackets and shirts that are cut to here," he gestured to halfway down his ribs.

"Oh, okay."

"What are those bloody things for? They don't cover ya and keep ya warm."

"It's just a fashion thing. You wear impractical things. What I don't get are those pointy shoes. No one's foot is shaped like a piece of pizza."

"Those are hideous," Spike confirmed. They both laughed. Buffy took a sip of her water while Spike grabbed another handful of popcorn. "Okay, 'knowing what you know now, what one thing would you change about," Spike's happy voice faded into one that lacked emotion, "your high school career?'" He snuck a glance at Buffy, knowing fully what he would've changed. Would've not been such a wanker and talked to the girl.

Suddenly Buffy's door front door flung open, making them both jump. It was her mom, hair and coat soaked. "Buffy?" she called, neglecting to look in the living room.

Buffy stood up and answered, "Mom?"

Joyce's head quickly faced her and noticed the interesting arrangement. "Ah, Buffy. Oh, hello Spike."

"Mrs. Summers," he said, raising one of his hands.

"The rain lightened up a little bit but it's still coming down hard." Joyce hung her coat up on the coat rack and headed into the living room. "I had to get out of there though. You can only stand tribal masks and paintings staring at you for so long. I thought they were following me."

"We were just playing a game to kill time 'til it was safe for Spike to drive home."

"Good idea. What game? We have games?"

"Apparently we have one."

"Oh." The front door burst open again, making everyone jump in surprise. It was someone in a coat resembling Joyce's; a familiar man in glasses and a tweed suit.

"So sorry to intrude. I think I was actually pushed in here," Giles apologized.

"Dad?" Spike said, standing up from his warm cushion.

"Oh thank heavens." Giles walked over to Spike and embraced him tightly. "I was so worried. I tried calling but the phones were dead. I finally left the house and came over. It took me half an hour but I made it." He let him go and gave him a good look over.

"Yea, still in one piece," Spike confirmed. Giles pulled him in again for a hug. Joyce walked over to Buffy and put her arm around her as they watched the touching reunion taking place in their living room. "Can let go now dad."

"Right." Giles dropped his arms and kept his eyes on Spike, so glad he was still alive.

Melanie started crying which made Joyce and Giles flinch but Spike and Buffy were already accustomed to the sporadic noise. Buffy walked over and picked her up, putting the bottle to her mouth. She didn't stop crying so Buffy dropped the bottle and just held her in her arms. She hummed the same tune Spike heard earlier, which again worked its magic and silence the doll. She gently placed her back in her seat and looked at everyone in the house. "Well this isn't awkward," she stated.

"I think for safety reasons we'll be here for quite some time," Giles informed. "If that's all right."

"Of course. No one should have to drive in this. I'm just going to go upstairs and change into something warmer. Mr. Giles, would you like something dry to change into."

"That would be lovely."

"All right." Joyce went to her purse, pulled out a flashlight and illuminated a small path.

"You have a flashlight in your purse?" Buffy said. "Why don't you have one in the house?"

"We do. It's upstairs though."

"Helpful."

"Not now Buffy." Buffy held her hands in the air and turned away. Joyce led the way up the stairs and Giles followed closely behind.

Buffy and Spike stood in the living room, feeling the same awkwardness they felt forty minutes ago. "And again with the silence."

"Right." They remained in their spots not sure how to proceed. "Now what?"

"I don't know." Buffy tightened her lips and kept her eyes on the floor. This is so uncomfortable. Is he uncomfortable too or is it just me? Am I freaking him out by being so quiet? Is he wishing he could run out of here? Drop your hands Buffy. She uncrossed her arms and let them hang at her sides. Now you look like you an idiot. Fold your arms again, what the hell are you thinking? She quickly crossed them again.

Why does she keep crossing her arms? Am I making her uncomfortable? Bugger, was I lookin' at her chest? I don't think I was but she dropped her arms and quickly wrapped them over her chest. Oh great now she thinks you're some kind of pervert. And I'm holding onto this blanket like a child. I should drop the blanket. He began to loosen his grip but swiftly clenched his fingers and caught it. No! I'm, shirtless under here. That'll be even more awkward.

Why did he just almost drop the blanket? Maybe he's getting too hot but he won't drop it because I'm drooling over him like a dog with a bone. Oh man am I drooling! Buffy ran her hand against each corner of her mouth.

Oh God, is she trying to tell me I got something on my mouth? Am I drooling? He held the blanket tightly with his right hand and used his left hand to wipe his mouth.

He just wiped his mouth! Does that mean I am drooling? Oh no! Buffy ran her right hand over her mouth again.

She did it again. What is on my mouth?

They stopped and looked at the ceiling when they heard a loud thud upstairs. "Mom?"

"Dad?"

"He's fine. He just tripped," Joyce said.

They both laughed, picturing the librarian fall flat on his face. They ended up looking at each other, making their laughter slowly fade. Buffy inhaled, ready to say something but she then decided not to. She took this opportunity to sit back down on her cushion. Spike welcomed the reprieve from standing and returned to his cushion. "Wanna ask more questions?" Spike asked.

"Sure," Buffy said lightly. They both reached for the popcorn and their hands touched but this time they didn't retract their arms. They just stared at the other, trying to find some sort of tell what was gonna happen next. Spike wrapped his fingers around Buffy's hand and pulled her in closer to him for their third kiss. This time Buffy placed her right hand on his cheek and kissed him back.

Author's Note: Yey! Mutual kissage! I know everyone was just tapping their pencils til that happened.