Chapter 7
"Damn Buffy, you look gorgeous."
"Thanks," Buffy mumbled with a modest grin. "Let me get my purse." With her bag over her shoulder, she slipped out of the screen door without allowing Angel inside her home. "I haven't decided if I want to be a part of your plan yet."
"Oh, no rush. Take your time. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Spike takes one look at you in that dress and dumps Harm on the spot."
"That sounds like some wishful thinking," Buffy laughed as they made their way next-door. "You know, Angel, you clean up pretty well yourself."
"Aw, thank you." He flashed her a smile before ringing the doorbell to Spike's house. "Where are they?" he said, pushing the button four times in a row.
"Hey, stop. Maybe they aren't home?"
"Oh, they're in there. William! Open up!"
Buffy was about to shove him away from the house when the door opened and Spike peeked out.
"I fucking hate you, Peaches," he growled.
Spike’s hair was messy and he had a dress shirt on but it wasn't buttoned. Buffy's mouth went dry after seeing his bare chest and how low the waistband of his jeans hung on his hips.
"That's not a polite way to talk in front of a lady." Smirking, Angel brought Buffy into Spike's view. "Aren't you going to ask me and my date into your cozy abode?"
"Hi, Spike." Buffy squirmed, knocking Angel's hand off her shoulder. "I hope we didn't interrupt anything. I told him to lay off the doorbell but he wouldn’t listen."
"Buffy, I didn't see you hiding out there." In a kinder, gentler voice, Spike smiled at her warmly. "You look beautiful, pet. Come in and let me show you around. Harmony won't be ready to go any time soon. Can I get you a drink or something?"
"I know I'm dying of thirst." Walking past the couple, Angel lounged on the couch and turned on the television. "Get me a beer, man."
"Let's ignore the sod." As Spike buttoned his shirt, he motioned for Buffy to follow him into the kitchen. "You didn't mention this morning that we'd be having dinner together."
"I didn't know. I ran into Angel on my walk home."
"Well it's a pleasant surprise. Take a seat and I'll see if we have anything worth drinking. So, you’re dating Angel?"
Buffy blinked, taken aback, “Uh, no.”
"Looks like we need to go shopping," he muttered, closing the refrigerator door with his hip. He sat next to Buffy and set two Cokes on the table. "I'm sorry. It’s just—Angel? He's so...Angel," he said, making a disgusted face. “Can’t you do better than that big ape?”
"He's not so bad when you're not around," Buffy teased, taking a sip from her can of soda. "But when you are, he's a big brat. And as for me being able to do better, I don’t know how to answer that. Should I be offended?”
“No, no. I don’t want to offend you, pet. I don’t want Angel to mess with you, that’s all. He’s known to love them and leave them in the same breath and if he did that to you,” Spike shook his head and laughed, “it wouldn’t be pretty.”
“It’s sweet for you to be concerned, but...”
“But I should butt out?”
“Yeah that sounds about right.”
“Alright, I’ll try.”
“I’m not really dating him,” Buffy confessed, looking anywhere but at Spike’s face. “I’m not interested in him that way. I wouldn’t mind being his friend though.”
“It’s a relief to hear that, pet.”
“You’d really have a problem if I dated Angel?”
“I...no—yes. It’s silly, isn’t it? Here we barely know each other and I feel so bloody protective of you. Maybe I’m just crazy--.”
“You’re not crazy, Spike. It’s like with me and Dawn, it feels like we’re long lost best friends and we’ve only know each other for a little while. And with you and me, it’s kind of like that too... You seem so...familiar to me, even from the first time we met, you know?”
Spike nodded, not saying anything.
“Okay, did I just make things awkward?”
“No,” he said softly. “Can I ask you a question?” When Buffy nodded, Spike cleared his throat. “Why didn’t you come to me that night? Why’d you stand me up, Buffy?”
“I didn’t do it intentionally, Spike. I was--.”
“Spike! I’m ready! Where are you?”
“In here, Harm! Shit, can we finish this later?”
“Um, sure,” Buffy said with a nod.
***
“Seemed like the talk in the kitchen was intense.”
“Were you eavesdropping?”
“Just a tad,” Angel admitted. “So, why didn’t you meet him? He thinks you were out with your boyfriend. Do you want popcorn?” Angel paid for their Cokes, candy and popcorn, and they made their way to the theater with their hands weighed down. “He was practically thrown out of that coffee place. He would’ve waited all night.”
“Angel, I have a very good excuse why I wasn’t there.”
“Tell me. They can wait to get their food, let’s sit.” They sat next to each other on a little bench in the hallway. “Spike was hurt that you didn’t show--.”
“I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“Hey, I didn’t say you did.”
“Angel, I’m not sure that I can talk about it with you. I barely know you.”
“You can’t keep me in the dark. We’re in this together--.”
“I haven’t agreed to anything yet.”
“What happened and why are you so uptight about it?”
“I met Spike on my anniversary, alright? I’d been with my boyfriend for three years and he forgot our anniversary and that brought everything else up to the surface. We had nothing in common; we never spent much time together—stuff like that. I was planning on breaking up with him the day I ran into Spike. I was going to dump Riley and then see Spike afterwards.”
“And?”
“And Riley took the news bad. He...hit me and I was put in the hospital.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Do I look like I’m kidding?” Buffy said, glaring even though tears were in her eyes. “I wanted to go, but I was too busy getting my head sewn up.”
“Oh, that sucks.” Angel put down the candy and popcorn he was holding to give her a friendly pat on the shoulder. “And Spike has no idea—damn, this sucks.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nobody deserves to be knocked around, Buffy.” He pulled her closer to his chest and Buffy surprised herself by instantly feeling comfort in his arms. “I had no idea. I’m sorry that I pestered you.”
“It’s okay.” Buffy sat up and wiped her eyes. “Is my mascara messed up?”
“You still look gorgeous. Buffy, you’ve got to tell Spike about this. It could change everything.”
“How?”
He cupped her face with one of his hands and grinned. “Just trust me.”
***
Angel made a point to have Buffy and Spike sit together in the movie theater. He also claimed that he forgot that Spike wanted popcorn and suggested that Buffy share hers with Spike.
“Guess we should move this up,” Spike said, pulling up the armrest between them so the popcorn tub rested on his left leg and a part of her right. “Would you mind if I toss some of Harm’s M&Ms in here?” Buffy shook her head and he narrowed his eyes, “You alright?”
“What do you mean?”
“Your eyes look puffy. Have you been crying?”
“Hey! I said you could have some of my M&Ms!” Harmony snatched the bag from Spike and pouted. “There’s like none left, Spikey.”
“Would you like me to buy you another bag?”
“Would you? You’re so good to me!”
Spike sighed and gave Buffy a sympathetic grin before standing on his feet. “I’ll be back and hopefully I won’t miss too much.”
“Oh!” Harmony called out, “Can you get me the peanut kind this time?”
***
“Are you feeling sick to your stomach too? Can’t he beat her away with a stick?”
“Angel…” Buffy closed her eyes, but the sound of Spike and Harmony’s smacking lips still rang in her ears.
“You want to get out of here?”
Buffy peeked open an eye, “Yes, please. I don’t think I can handle this.”
***
“Harmony, stop.”
“No, no,” she whispered before sliding her tongue into Spike’s mouth again.
Spike tried to control his temper as he wondered where Angel took Buffy. “Harmony, get off.”
“Why?” she whined. “This is what we always do at the movies.”
“Not when we’re with another couple.”
“They’re gone now. You wanna,” she brushed against the button of his jeans and smiled.
“No!”
“Why not?”
“Having you been listening to me?”
“But Spike,” she pouted, trying to open his pants.
“Get off of me!” Spike growled, pushing her away. “What is wrong with you?”
Harmony’s eyes filled with tears and her lower lip trembled. “Spikey?”
“Oh, hell.” Instantly feeling guilty, he reached for her and winced as Harmony jumped away from him. “Barbie…”
“No! Just stay away from me!”
“God help me,” Spike grumbled as Harmony stormed out of the movie theater sobbing.
***
Buffy turned on the faucet in the bathroom and was surprised to see Harmony rush past. “Harmony?”
“Don’t talk to me!”
Frowning, Buffy inched closer to stall she was hiding behind. “Did something happen? Do you want to, uh, talk?”
“No! Go away!”
“Okay,” Buffy said quietly, heading to the door.
“He’s so mean to me! He was my sweet boo-boo before, but lately, he’s just been a freak! He won’t let me touch him in public and that’s what our whole relationship was based on in the beginning!” She swung open the door and blew her nose in a wad of toilet paper. “He wants to know what’s wrong with me, but he’s the crazy one! What do you think is going wrong between us?”
“Uh,” Buffy blinked, “to be honest, I’m still trying to get over ‘sweet boo-boo’…”
“Sometimes I don’t think he loves me as much I love him. I mean, we may look like the perfect couple, but we’re not!”
Not sure what to say, Buffy patted her on the shoulder.
“He hates the things that I like—I don’t even know why I put up with him, you know?”
“Harmony…”
“But then I think of how much he’d miss me. He wouldn’t be able to live without me.”
“It sounds like--.”
“And I don’t want him to be suicidal or anything. So, I guess, I’ll have to let him beg for my forgiveness.” She controlled her tears and walked to the mirror. “Can I borrow your purse? I need to touch up my face.”
“Eh, wow. You got over that…quickly.”
“Thanks to you. You’re great, Buffy. Somehow I feel like I could talk to you about just anything.”
“Oh, you’re…welcome, I think.”
***
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