Chapter 6
Buffy woke first, never having gotten used to sleeping for very long. Sometime during the night Spike had rolled over and curled into a ball, burying his face against her stomach and holding her in place firmly with both arms. Surprised at the intimacy of their position, she tried to pull away without waking him. He pulled back with surprising strength for a sleeping and now human man. He’d made a small noise of irritation, but he hadn’t woken up.
She smiled as he snuggled against her; remembering how deeply he sometimes slept. She brought her hand up to run through his hair; without the gel he usually used to slick it back it was a riot of soft curls. She dropped her head to press her lips gently on the top of those curls. He hadn’t told her if she’d made the right choice yet, but he hadn’t told her that he wished things to be otherwise yet either. She decided to hold on to that; it was hopeful. It made her feel like maybe there was still a chance.
She was still lost in thought when he began to stir, nuzzling first her stomach and then her breasts in a slow sleepy fashion. Suddenly he froze and she knew he was awake. He pulled back enough to look at her, surprise and fear written on his face.
“Hi,” he said quietly, the unspoken question clear on his face.
“You…you were having a nightmare, I just…I wanted to help.”
Spike nodded. She’d felt sorry for him, he thought, that was all.
She pulled away a little, sitting up but not quite leaving the warm cocoon of his arms. “I didn’t mean to invade …Are you mad?”
He gave a soft laugh. “Course not pet, ‘s not everyday a bloke goes to bed alone and wakes up with a pretty bird.” He winked then, as if to remind them both of their buddy status.
Buffy forced herself to smile as she pulled herself away. He doesn’t want you anymore, the voice pressed, leave before you embarrass yourself. “I should probably call Giles and Willow, they’re in Scotland so it could take a couple of days for them to get here.”
“Who’s here with you?”
“No one, I needed some time after…I’m here alone.”
Of course she did you git, he thought bitterly, she just lost Angel. He was the love of her life, you were just convenient. “Right.”
She got off the bed and stood in the doorway.
Spike watched her for a moment. “Pet?”
“Huh, what?”
“Did you need something?”
“What? No…I…”
“I didn’t sleep in my pants luv, so unless you’re lookin’ for an eyeful.”
Buffy starred at him for a second, eyes wide, before mumbling “sorry” and disappearing down the hall.
Buffy was dressed and finishing up the dishes when he came down. She smiled. “Hey.”
“Hey,” he echoed quietly.
It worried her, the quiet. Spike had never really been this quiet before. “Are you hungry?”
He nodded.
“Well then I guess it’s time to show off my newfound cooking skills.”
“You cook now?” He played along, hamming up his response as though that was even more shocking than his new human status.
“Oh you just wait mister, soon you’ll be eating your words…and also…scrambled eggs.”
“Well this I can’t wait to see.” He pulled himself up on the counter to watch.
Spike had enjoyed watching Buffy cook and even enjoyed eating the slightly burnt results, but he realized now that he should have talked her out of the shopping trip. It had sounded like a great idea to find something to wear that didn’t scream “I’m a nancy boy who went to Oxford and I’ve never slept with a woman,” but now they were in their fourth store and he’d met Shopping Buffy. He’d quickly decided that Shopping Buffy was actually more frightening than “I’m here to stake you” Buffy.
“I think we’ve ‘bout shopped this place out pet.”
Buffy laughed and shook her head. She spotted a black dress across the store and moved in on it like a missile. She grabbed it off the rack. “I’m gonna try it on.” She handed Spike the bag she was holding and verily danced in to the dressing room.
Spike looked at the bags in his hands and sighed, here was something he’d never imagined he’d be doing.
A moment later Buffy popped out of the dressing room. “What do ya think?” She turned.
Spike’s mouth went dry. ‘Think?’ “Bit short innit luv?”
“Too short?’ She pouted. “You don’t think I could pull it off”
“Oh you can pull it off, might need a bloody bodyguard, but you can pull it off.”
Buffy smiled. “Perfect.” She danced back into the dressing room. Well, she thought, at least you know he still finds you attractive. There was no denying the lust on Spike’s face when she’d come out a moment ago.
They visited two more stores before Buffy was satisfied. “I think that’s enough to get you started right?”
He raised his eyebrow in defiance. “Pet I was good a decade ago.”
She smiled. He’d wanted to stop at a pair of jeans and a couple of black t-shirts. She’d had to push for a more well-rounded wardrobe. He’d just looked too cute in the Watcher’s clothes. She’d managed to sneak a few blue shirts into their bags.
“What do you want to do today? Seems like you can be outside in the sun. Did you want…”
Spike shrugged. “Don’t suppose you’ve got an Xbox?”
Buffy grinned mischievously. “Nope, but we can get one.”
Spike shook his head. “They’re not cheap pet.”
Buffy’s smile deepened. “Not a problem. The council was totally holding out on me. I’ve got plenty of cash.”
Spike chuckled. “In that case…”
Forty-five minutes later they walked back in the townhouse and began depositing the bags on floor. They’d picked up an Xbox and several games.
Spike grinned. “Let’s get this set up.” He held up a game. “’Cause I’m gonna kick your cute little ass Slayer.”
“Dream on.”