~~~~~
Buffy walked down that basement to find Spike killing a punching bag. She thought he had heard her talk with Angel but pushed the thought out of her head. Spike heard her coming down and stopped to look at her.
“So, where’s tall, dark, and forehead?”
“(rolls eyes)Oh my god! Grow up. I don’t need this vamp jealousy right now.”
“Well then I guess you just what, came to say ‘Hello’ before you popped off to snog with your sweetie bear?”
“He’s gone, so no I’m not going to ‘snog’.”
“(sceptical look) Right.” He stepped away from the punching bag and sat down on his cot. Buffy noticed the drawing of Angel taped to it. ‘Is he seriously doing this. Immature lil’-.’
“So you’re here...”
“Well, um... Angel gave with a necklace with a-.”
“I don’t care about the sodding trinkets the poof gives you.”
“Before you interrupted I was going to say a necklace with a powerful amulet. It’s supposed to be worn by someone more than human. A champion.”
“Yay you. You get to wear the shiny necklace. Done yet?”
“(exhales sharply, trying not to get mad)I was thinking that (looks away) you could wear it.” Spike was shocked. After what he saw with Angel he was sure that Buffy would leave, or at least ditch him. He stepped closer to her and lifted her chin up.
“You mean it luv?” She looked him in the eyes and saw surprise at her actions. She nodded her head and placed the necklace in his hand.
“Been called a lot of things in my time. Never been a champion.” He fought the urge to embrace her thinking she would just pull away.
“What does this mean?” Buffy looked away from his piercing gaze. He could read her like a book and she wasn’t ready to admit her feelings. When she looked back at him she noticed his hurt expression.
“I don’t know.” His eyes became sad but soon became indifferent as always.
“Right. We go be heroes first.” He turned away from her. He really thought that she was going to say it. But apparently she couldn’t love him for what he was.
“(whispers) Always beneath.” Buffy heard him whisper but didn’t know what. She decided not to press when Spike didn’t say anything else.
“Um... Faith still has my room.”
“Well I’m sure that you can kick her out.”
“I was wondering if maybe-.”
“You can’t stay down here. I can’t handle that right now. You can’t just buy me off with sweet talk. I’m not your rubber ball to bounce around anymore.” Buffy tried to hide the hurt in her eyes, but she knew he was right. You can’t push someone without giving anything in return.
“(mumbles)I understand.” As Spike watched her walk towards the stairs he kicked himself. ‘Stupid git.’
“Wait Buffy, I-.”
“No, you’re right.”
“No I’m not. Not entirely. Can we just talk?”
“I guess.”
“Look I meant what I said. I may be just a vampire but I can’t be used. But I also meant that I do love you. I just... I just want to know that if at the end of the day you feel something and it’s not completely one-sided. I may be selfish but-.”
“I understand. I can tell that me being in here with you is bad. I’ll just leave.”
“Luv wait. Do you mean that everything is over?
“Whatever.” She tried to hold back her tears as she made her way up the stairs. She knew that she loved him, but she was still scared. ‘Everyone I love always leaves.’ She got to her room and broke down. ‘It’s all my fault. I can’t say it.’ She hugged a pillow to her chest and tried to stop crying.
~ ~
Spike stood at the bottom of the basement stairs.
“It’s really over.” With the upcoming war he knew that she wouldn’t want him getting in her way. ‘Thought she would say it. Guess I’m not her champion, just some lucky winner.’ Even though he knew it wouldn’t help he still had to make things better. It couldn’t end like this, again. He made his way up to her room thinking about what he would say. When he got to her door he knocked but didn’t get a response.
“Luv, you in there.” He could feel her presence in the room so he slowly opened the door.
“Luv?” He saw her sitting on her bed trying to quickly cover up her tears.
“Buffy I’m sorry-.” He didn’t expect to have his arms full of Slayer, but there she was crying on her shoulder.
“I’m so sorry Spike. Please don’t leave.” He toke her in his arms and moved to sit on the bed.
“Shh. I’m not gonna leave unless you want me to.” She looked into her eyes and gave him small smile.
“I meant what I said about the amulet. You’re my champion.”
“And you’re my Slayer.”
“I... I love you.”
“You mean that?” He couldn’t suppress his surprise or doubt. After everything they’d been through...
“Yes I’m sure. (looks into his eyes) I love you Spike.”
“Love you too.” He leaned forward and lightly kissed her. Then there was a knock at the door and it opened.
“Yo B... oh I see I’ll just.”
“Not it’s okay. Your room, well actually it’s mine but-.”
“She means we’re go downstairs.”
“Go B.”
“Faith it’s not-.” Spike quickly pushed her out the door. She cuffed him on the head.
“Excuse you much? I was having a conversation.”
“Well you would have been in there forever. You would have prolly dug yourself a pretty hole. I’m knackered anyways.”
“Jeez, always about you.”
“Ha. Right. That’s laughable.” She smacked his head again.
“Hey! What the hell was that for?”
“You’re mean.”
“That’s right. I’m mean and evil. Big Bad here.”
“Oh yeah. (dramatic tone)Oh I’m so scared. You might drain me.”
“Damn straight.”
“Uh huh.”
“None of that now.”
“(exhales sharply) C’mon you stupid vampire.”
“(mumbles)Smarter than you.” Buffy whipped around to face him. She held her
hand near his head as a warning.
“I’ll do it again.”
“(sarcastic)Oh yeah. Now I’m really scar-.” She smacked him... again.
“Hey! That was-.”
“Needed. Smart ass.”
“Language luv.” He ran his hand over his stomach. Then he started to tickle her.
“(laughs) Stop, Spike please. This is (laughs) not fun.” She tried to escape his grasp but couldn’t escape.
“Need to be punished. My head innit some punching bag. Got one downstairs for that.”
“Ha! A’ course it is. Ouch! That hurt. Ow. Stop.” He pinched her waist again and laughed. Theorizing the Slayer could become his favourite hobby.
“Give up yet?”
“Yet.”
“Well then I- ow. Stop that right-. Ow! That hurt. Ouch! Damn Slayer didn’t pinch you that har-. Ow! Bloody hell woman.”
“Not fun is it?
“No. Ouch! I give. Just stop pinching.”
“You brought it on yourself.” She gave him a cocky smile and made her way down the rest of the stairs. Spike watched her and shook his head. He rubbed his arm and noticed a tiny blue mark.
“(groans)She’ll pay for that.” He thought about what could happen and smiled. ‘This could be an exciting night.’ It never even occurred to him that the war was here and this could be the last night.
Fin.
Author's Chapter Notes:
i dont own anything but the shirt on my bak