Buffy woke gently from her dream sighing. She couldn’t really remember what had happened in it, but she knew it had been nice. She found herself hugging her pillow close with one arm, whilst the other was reaching to the empty space next to her, as if something was meant to be there.
Not giving it a second thought she put her actions down to whatever the dream had been about. She always slept alone, and it hadn’t ever bothered her before, so why should it now?
She glanced over at her clock and saw it was 11am. She didn’t have any classes to go to, but it was almost dinner time and she was still in bed so she decided to get up and get ready. She didn’t have anything to do all day so was very prepared to take advantage of having some free time and just relax. Her plan involved doing absolutely nothing for a change.
She threw the covers off herself and climbed slowly out of bed, stuffing her feet into her slippers, and then reaching out for her dressing gown that was hung on the wardrobe door. Slipping it on she went out into the hallway.
As she got closer to the bathroom she heard the sound of running water. She figured Spike must be having a shower so waited outside for him to finish.
She hadn’t seen Spike at all yesterday, and although she didn’t like to admit it, she missed him. She hated to think what it would be like going back to living on her own once Spike found another place; she’d quickly gotten used to this arrangement. Even though she’d never expected it to happen she actually quite liked having him around. Save for the accidental kissing and touching, or perhaps because of it. No she couldn’t think like that. Not about Spike anyway.
As she was daydreaming the bathroom door swung open. A cloud of steam blew out in front of her, and as it calmed away she could see Spike’s form in the doorway. He had a towel wrapped low around his waist, and he was casually rubbing his hair dry with another smaller towel.
Buffy could swear everything was suddenly happening in slow motion as she watched a bead of water cascade down the smooth skin of Spike’s perfectly defined chest and abs. His hot body was calling out to her, and it was as if he was the clear guiding light in the steam. The steam that seemed to be coming right off of his sizzling skin, flowing towards her and fogging her thoughts.
“Luv?” he asked with an amusement to his voice.
When she came close to leaning forward and licking the water droplet off his stomach she suddenly snapped back to reality as it landed on the floor and Spike’s voice sounded in her ears.
“Huh?” was all she could manage in response, suddenly shaking her head and then finally lifting her eyes away from his body and up to his face. “I, um…huh?”
Spike smiled as she continued to be incoherent and obviously transfixed on him for some reason.
Buffy became embarrassed and a flush of red coloured her cheeks immediately. “I…sorry, I was just…I wanted to use the…I’ll see you later.” With some resemblance to words finally coming out of her mouth she moved past him and into the bathroom. He stepped out of her way and turned round to find her shutting the door on him.
He smiled and walked away shaking his head in confusion. He had no clue why she was acting so oddly, but he knew it amused him. She was so cute when she was acting dazed and confused, he couldn’t help but smile.
Meanwhile Buffy was frozen leant back against the bathroom door angry at herself, and feeling the most ridiculous she had ever felt in her entire life.
What was wrong with her? She’s seen Spike in a towel before. Granted it’d been at least 10years ago and he had nowhere near the muscular physique he had now. But that shouldn’t matter should it? She shouldn’t have any kind of reaction, hot bod or not! She banged her head a few times on the surface behind her in frustration before huffing and walking towards the shower.
She so needed to get out. It wasn’t the steam in here that was making her sweat.
She was going to have a shower and go get some fresh air. Or at least she was going to go somewhere else, somewhere where her perfectly shaped, sexy stepbrother didn’t run around half naked, with water dripping down his body like some sort of a hunky model in a cheesy commercial.
Yes. Fresh air definitely needed. Normal breathing now becoming an issue.
Buffy got in that night and heard the sound of the TV in the living room. She’d spent the day avoiding Spike, and now she was sure she’d got herself under control from earlier.
“Hi.” she called, popping her head round the doorway briefly.
“Hey, pet.” Spike answered back, and then he shut off the TV and got up to follow her into the kitchen.
She had bags and bags of shopping set down on the table and was riffling through them.
“We stocking up for an earthquake or something?” he asked curiously.
“No,” she laughed, “I just looked this morning and realised we had absolutely nothing in. I can’t believe I didn’t realise before.” She turned around to put some things in one of the cupboards and then went back to the bags.
“I wondered where you’d been.” Spike said as he came forward and leant over the back of one of the chairs with his arms crossed.
“I finally have a few days where I don’t have an assignment and there’s the shopping to do, and they’ve asked me to work a double shift tomorrow. Can’t really say no either, ‘cause I need the money.”
“You should have told me, kitten. I would have gone and fetched something in. Rememeber,” he said pointing himself, “bloke here. You have to remind me to do this stuff, I’m not one with the paying attention to domestic things….Dru always said that I…”
“Its okay, it’s not your fault.” She cut in quickly. Then she wished she hadn’t, because she had sounded angry. His face looked wounded, as if he was scared to speak now and didn’t know why. She realised it had probably come out a bit harsh, but she couldn’t help it; every time he mentioned Dru’s name she just couldn’t stand it, and felt the need to make him stop.
Neither said anything for a while. Buffy continued to put the shopping away and then leant back against the kitchen counter and mopped her brow, pushing the hair out of her face and huffing in exhaustion. Then she moved to put the last few things in the fridge.
“You should do something fun, take a break from work, luv.” Spike said, truly worried about her, “You need it, or you’re just going to burn yourself out.”
“I know.” she sighed, closing the fridge, and turning back to him. “I was thinking about asking Faith to go clubbing sometime. That always takes the edge off the dull.”
“I think that’s a good idea, kitten. You haven’t been out since I moved in this place, part from to college and the diner.”
“Yeah, we can just go out dancing or something. I could still make work the next day if I didn’t drink too much or stay out to late, but I could de-stress and have some excitement in the meantime.”
“Sounds fun.”
“You should come too.” What? Did I really just ask that?
“Erm…okay.” Why did I say that? I don’t want to go to a bloody club with her! What the hell would we do there together? Me, a 26 old guy with an obviously sick obsession about my little sister; her, said little sister who isn’t even old enough to drink at any club we’d be going to…This was not good.
“Really?” she asked, almost as surprised by his answer as she was by her asking him in the first place.
“Yeah, why not?” he said gritting his teeth, struggling to think of a way out of it all now.
She paused then suddenly burst out with, “That’s great!” Why did I just ask him that? Am I a complete moron?
“Okay, great!” he said terrified, but trying not to let it show. Instead he began to overcompensate. “It’ll be great!” he repeated again, “Absolutely great.”
He thought it was going to be great? That means I can’t take it back now! She forced a smile and made to leave the kitchen, turning round when she got to the doorway. “I’ll call Faith and ask her about tomorrow night.”
“Good, great.” he said hoping she couldn’t see the ‘deer trapped in headlights’ look in his eyes.
“Okay.” she said finally, then exited to rush off to bed.
When Buffy had left Spike pulled out the chair and sat down at the table. He put his head in his hands. Shit, he thought, Why did I agree to that, why wasn’t I bloody paying attention to what I was saying?...That was definitely not good.