Chapter 4: Awkward
Buffy was having trouble finding her voice.
Seeing Spike was, to put it lightly, unsettling.
She figured at the wedding, she’d be able to avoid him. Easy enough, she’d probably be spending her time keeping Mr. Harris away from the bar. One-on-one time could be avoided. At most they’d only be mingling within a bigger group, where she would be able to get away with a simple ‘Hello, nice to see you.’
Someone up there must really hate her.
Buffy took a deep breath and finally spoke aloud when Giles came out of the back, dragging a wood table with him.
“What’s that for?” Buffy asked, mentally telling herself to just ignore Spike.
“Erm, Spike’s book signing,” Giles explained.
“What book?” Dawn piped up while setting her backpack down. She cast a glance at Spike through her lashes, eyeing him.
His gaze, however, was completely focused on Buffy. Figures, Dawn scoffed silently.
Willow was practically bouncing on her toes, “Spike’s book! Remember Buffy? I showed it to you a few months ago.”
Buffy dimly recalled Willow and Anya making a big deal about a book a while back. The only thing she could remember specifically was the cover, which displayed a picture of a beautiful woman in chains being bitten by a handsome man, shirtless of course.
Leave it to Spike to write kinky porn and pass it off as a novel.
“Interesting cover,” She said, unable to completely hide her disdain.
Dawn, picking up on her sister’s distaste, turned to Spike, “Do you have an extra copy I can read?”
“No!” Buffy responded quickly and pointed a finger at Dawn, “You. Homework. Now.”
Spike tilted his head, a smirk playing on his lips.
“You didn’t like the book?” He questioned Buffy.
“Like I would ever read it!” she scoffed.
Spike shrugged, “Maybe you’d find it…appealing.” He’d intended to sound as innocent as possible, but no luck. Willow not-so-discretely stomped on his foot, causing Spike to let out a cry of pain.
“You bloody woman!” He snarled, shifting his weight to his painless foot.
Willow ignored him, “Giles how many days is the book signing going to be?”
Giles straightened the table into the appropriate spot before answering, “I suppose that’s your decision Spike.”
“And mine!” Anya added as she began dusting the various volumes after she found herself neglecting her store.
Spike was unsure of the answer himself. He’d only done a couple of book signings so far all of which had been prearranged by the bookstores. Most had been for a couple of days at different times. He relayed that information to Giles and Anya who immediately began discussing times.
“Erm, how long are you planning on being here?” Giles asked, realizing he had no idea.
“Hadn’t planned a specific date, but I figured a week or so,” Spike answered, fishing through his duster for his smokes.
Buffy blanched at the announcement. He was going to be here for more than a week? There was no way she could avoid him that long. Knowing her friends there would be many Bronzing nights where they’d be reminiscing about their high school years, including Senior Prom.
Buffy was so lost in her discouraging thoughts she didn’t hear Willow calling her name.
“Buffy!” Willow repeated.
“Huh? Oh, sorry what was that?” Buffy asked with an apologetic look.
Willow studied her friend who deftly avoided her gaze, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Buffy said brightly, trying to cover up her discomfort.
“Did you get my messages? I called last night but you weren’t there.”
Truth was since Faith’s revelation the day before Buffy had purposefully not picked up the phone and ignored Willow’s messages.
“Sorry. Must have missed them,” Buffy lied, finding it hard to meet her friend’s eyes.
“Oh,” Willow frowned at Buffy’s shifty behavior, but didn’t call her on it.
“Anyway, we were planning on Bronzing tonight and now with Spike here it’ll be extra special. You’re coming right?” Willow asked.
Buffy hesitated, “I don’t know. I think Riley and I are going to do that couple-y thing tonight. Maybe later.”
“Oh,” Anya said knowingly from behind the register, “Orgasms.”
Buffy blinked, “You had to say that didn’t you?”
“Who’s Riley?” Spike asked, eyes narrowed. Only Dawn seemed to notice his jealousy and resisted the urge to roll her eyes or laugh.
Buffy tilted her chin defiantly, “He’s my-“
The door opened once again to reveal Riley.
“Good lord, are there going to be any customers?” Anya questioned, clearly annoyed.
Riley walked over to Buffy and gave her a possessive hug and kiss. Normally Buffy would pull away slightly, but she really wanted to show Spike that she had a boyfriend, a nice one too. One that wasn’t a jerk and wanted her, Buffy Anne Summers.
“Hey,” Riley said cautious tone of voice as he eyed the bleached man in front of him in.
“’Lo,” Spike replied with a hint of wariness as well.
Buffy swallowed uneasily at the tension already
forming between her boyfriend and her…whatever.
“Riley, this is Spike, Giles’s nephew. Spike, this is my boyfriend Riley,” Buffy introduced the two, who immediately began to size each other up.
Dawn and Anya were watching the exchange with growing interest while Willow cleared her throat and turned to Tara, “Don’t we have that…”
“Lecture,” Tara interjected loudly then added in a quieter voice, “The Wicca lecture. It starts soon we’d hate to be late.”
The pair quickly exited the Magic Box and Buffy pouted, some friends she had.
“Okay,” Buffy spoke, interrupting the silence that seemed to last forever, “We should probably get going. Dawn, do you want to stay here?”
Dawn nodded, “Xander can give me a ride home when he picks up Anya.”
“Okay,” Buffy replied hastily. She probably shouldn’t have let her sister stay, but she really wanted to get out of there as fast as she could.
“Giles, would you make sure Dawn actually works on her homework?” Buffy asked with a look at Dawn, who rolled her eyes.
“I’m seventeen Buffy, I think I know how to do my own homework,” Dawn said slowly, trying to sound mature around Spike.
“Uh huh,” Buffy said sarcastically as she opened the door, “And I’m sure I’ll see that on your next report card.”
Dawn sighed and began working on her math once again.
“I’ll see you guys later,” Buffy said cheerfully, looping her arm through Riley’s, closing the door behind her firmly.
Once out of the Magic Box, Buffy let out a sigh of relief. Now she was nowhere near Spike or Willow and Tara.
“So,” Riley began hesitantly, “That was Spike.”
“Yup,” Buffy said with an edge to her voice, “That was Spike.”
“He seems like an upstanding citizen,” Riley commented, sarcasm evident.
“He’s not bad,” Buffy defended and then wondered why she bothered to protect Spike. Most likely because it was usually her making those kinds of comments, Buffy thought with a slight twinge of guilt. She brushed the thought aside not wanting to dwell on him anymore.
“He’s just...” Buffy fumbled for the right word, “Spike.”
Riley glanced at her, unsure how to respond, “I guess I just have to get to know him better.”
Buffy nodded, but cringed inwardly. Somehow she doubted they really needed to meet again. Ever.
Spike continued to study the door intently even after Buffy and her white bread boyfriend left.
“Okay, you have to lend me your book.”
Spike turned around to see the youngest Summers smiling at him sweetly, verging on flirty, with a mischievous look in her eyes. As flattering as her crush was, Spike would rather it be the eldest of the two who was infatuated with him.
“Sorry Nibblet, if Buffy says no, gotta listen. Pissing her off doesn’t do much good, believe me I’ve tried,” Spike said with a crooked grin.
Dawn tilted her head slightly, her curtain of dark hair falling over her shoulder.
“Huh,” She said, mostly to herself, but Spike heard her.
“What?” He asked, sitting down across from her.
“Nothing,” Dawn replied too quickly, shaking her head for emphasis.
“Not nothing,” Spike shot back, “What?”
“It’s just…” Dawn paused and lowered her voice so Spike had to lean in to hear her, “I don’t know if you have a chance, that’s all.”
Spike, completely shocked, began to sputter, “We-I-not-“
Dawn lightly touched his arm, “Chill. I’m not going to say anything to her.”
Spike nodded, “Right.” It surprised him how observant little Dawn Summers had grown up to be. She’d always struck him as self-centered, a bit more like teenage Buffy actually.
“I mean,” Dawn said with a small laugh, “It’s not like you’re in love with her.”
Spike froze, his heart hammering as the truth was presented in front of him in black and white.
Oh bloody hell, he thought and grimaced. He knew that since that night he’d been attracted to Buffy more than he should have been… but love? It hadn’t even occurred to him until he heard Dawn say those fateful words.
Dawn watched the myriad of emotions that crossed his face and swallowed, “Oh.”
Spike avoided her gaze knowing they were both thinking the same thing.
He was utterly screwed.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
as usual, reviews are wanted! Spacing may be a little awkward, but I was trying to make it easier to read-hopefully I've succeeded, thanks lauren for betaing!