Spike was nervous. It was Saturday morning, the day he was supposed to work with Buffy, and he could not stop the anxiousness plaguing his stomach. He mentally practiced his lines as he crunched on his cereal. He even considered watching the movie of A Midsummer Night’s Dream just so he could be more prepared. Spike could not help himself, despite thinking he was a complete ponce for wanting to be prepared like she told him to. He just did not want to waste her time. He wanted to prove his worth as a member of the play.
And that thought disturbed him most of all.
What if he turned into one of those kids who never left the theater for fear of the actual world? What if starred in musicals, with a ridiculous smile never leaving his face and a skip in his step? Oh, the nightmares he would have. A severe chill pounded up his spine and he shuddered.
Spike thought of not going to Buffy’s. Maybe if he separated himself from the play more, he could regain his old attitude back. But for some strange reason, he didn’t want to let her down. And he was on thin ice with her anyway. Despite her inability to separate authority from her actual position in the theater department, she did hold sway and could easily have him kicked out of the play. And kicked out would mean suspension or even expulsion. His father would not be pleased with that news.
Not one tiny bit.
Spike looked over at the clock: 11:03am. He still had some time to kill before driving off to the evil ice queen’s house. She would be the death of him, he was sure of it.
*************************************
It was 1 and he still hadn’t shown up. Buffy paced her living room in annoyance. How could he do this? Make her believe he really wanted to change and then bail? She felt like such an idiot for waiting around for him to show. Instead of pacing, she decided to practice her lines by herself. Besides, she had cancelled plans with her friends to work with Spike. And there was nothing else to do.
*************************************
Spike knew he was running late and regretted falling asleep on the couch for so long. It wasn’t intentional, but he knew she would yell at him for it. Why he asked her out of everyone, he could not say. He could have asked Lorne who would have said yes in a heartbeat; Spike was beginning to wonder if he had a crush on him. But he had specifically gone to Buffy. Why?
He decided not to ponder his motives any longer, especially since he was in such a rush. He grabbed his car keys and jacket, ran out the door and sped to the location still tattooed on his arm.
Buffy’s house was a pretty, average Sunnydale home. Nevertheless, it felt more like home than his did, with its fresh garden in the front and thick trees branching heavily to shade from the afternoon sun. Spike quickly parked his car and ran to her front door. Just before he rang the bell, he saw Buffy talking to someone behind the curtain indoors. She looked very intent upon saying whatever it was that she wanted to say, and something within Spike urged him to go inside. Luckily, the door was unlocked, so he opened it and crept inside.
“…How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt tears:
If so, my eyes are oftener wash'd than hers.
No, no, I am as ugly as a bear;
For beasts that meet me run away for fear:
Therefore no marvel though Demetrius
Do, as a monster fly my presence thus.
What wicked and dissembling glass of mine
Made me compare with Hermia's sphery eyne?
But who is here? Lysander! on the ground!
Dead? or asleep? I see no blood, no wound.
Lysander if you live, good sir, awake.”
Spike stood silently in the archway to the living room. He didn’t want to speak because he thought he might ruin her practicing, but also because he was entranced by how believable she was as her character. Even after she had finished, she remained in her character. He was surprised by how good she was. Well, he had always known she was good, but he had never guessed she could perform like that. Spike inhaled quickly and startled her out of character.
“Hello, luv,” he said as he smiled at her. Unfortunately, his greeting was met with a sorry frown.
“I thought you weren’t going to show.”
“Yeah… sorry about that. I lost track of time.”
“Doing what? Spray painting your hair white?” While Buffy laughed at her cleverness, Spike insecurely smoothed his heavily gelled hair down with his hand. But before he could think of a comeback, Buffy continued. “Well, let’s get started. You’ve wasted enough time already.” Spike glared at her.
“Maybe I should go. I am just trying to be nice and civil and you are just egging me on.”
“You asked for my help, remember?”
“Yeah! But why do you have to be so aggravating?”
“I am not the aggravating one. You are!”
“Me? What did I ever do to you? Hmm? What horrible crime did I commit to you personally that makes me deserve this crap?”
“You insulted me, that’s how! You were late when I told you not to be, you joined my play when I said you shouldn’t, you make a mockery of the profession I want, you-“
“Your play?! You are off your bird, you know that? It’s not your play, it’s Giles’ play, it’s the schools’ play, least of all yours. And if you could just get off your high horse for one second, you’d see that. Oh, oh and also, I insulted you because you did it first! And I apologized. I’m just trying not to get suspended by joining the play and I asked you for help because I know I need to be better so that the play can be. All right? So stop being a right bitch, will you?”
Buffy said nothing as she pondered his words. She felt guilty for everything he mentioned, but she had never thought of it that way. To her, he was constantly on her case. It never occurred that some of it could be her fault. She nodded her head, but was unable to look him in the eye.
“Right then,” he sighed. “What now?”
“Now, we practice,” she said as she picked up her script and walked into the next room. Spike did not expect her to respond so well to his rant, so he did not move to follow her. Several moments later, Buffy came back out and shifted her head in the direction of the room.
“Are you coming?” she asked playfully. Spike nodded and followed her cautiously. Nothing could have prepared him, however, for the room he entered.
Buffy’s house was not particularly large, but the room nearing the living room was enormous. A wooden platform lined an entire side of the metallic scented area that he only assumed was an informal stage. A few chairs were set up in front of it and a few red sheets divided the house from the stage. The windows were blacked out and a few, cheap floor lights were hooked up to a small dimmer system on the side. She had made a theater out of what may have been a garage or basement at some point.
“Woah,” was all he could say. Buffy smiled and cleaned some props off of the stage.
“Thanks.”
“Did you make all of this?” he wondered aloud.
“Well, sort of,” she replied. “The wooden platform was already here for holding furniture and stuff up, I guess. For when or if it flooded? Or maybe just storage… I’m not sure. But anyway, I did the rest. You know, the curtains and lights and the chairs. It’s a great place to practice. So are you ready now?”
“Yep. Let’s get started.”
“Ok, great. Get up here then.” Spike followed her up, but began to get nervous for no reason. He tried not to let it show, but she noticed anyway.
“Are you ok?” she asked softly.
“Yeah, ‘m fine.” It came out slightly harsher than he wanted it to, but something he could not put his finger on was making him incredibly tense. Before he knew it, Buffy was holding both of his hands in front of him.
“Close your eyes.” Spike wanted to make a rude remark, but suddenly peering into the emerald pools of her eyes calmed him. He did as she asked. “Imagine you are in a forest. All of the trees are thick and green, full of mist, moss is growing and there isn’t another human being in sight. Keep imagining it and don’t open your eyes. Now, you hear some animal sounds, but they aren’t clear enough to pick out individually. The air is sparkling with something, but you can’t capture it. You hear the water in a nearby stream that leads to a waterfall. Suddenly, you see the girl of your dreams standing in the mist. She is calling to you. Keep picturing it.”
Spike was strangely entranced by his imagination. But when he saw Buffy as the girl, it turned into a nightmare. He assumed it was only because she was speaking to him. That had to be the reason. Nonetheless, he felt less nervous. He continued to focus on the picture.
“Now, you walk to her. She looks up at you and smiles. You smile back and kiss her.” Spike opened his eyes a crack and saw Buffy with her eyes shut. She continued to talk, but he stopped listening. Something strange ran through him, up and down his spine. It was freezing and heated all at once as he looked upon her form, small and fairy-like with her arms clasping his, outstretched in front of her. Without thinking, he stepped forward. He was so close he could feel her hot breath on his skin, and could smell her sensual perfume. His blood began to boil for her and he couldn’t stop it. He was only inches away from her soft, supple lips when-
“Now open your eyes,” she interrupted his line of thought. Spike tried to move back without her noticing, but she opened her own too quickly. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth opened slightly in confusion.
“Oh, um, sorry... I, uh, you…” Spike searched his brain for a lie, any lie that would work, until he said the first statement that came to mind. “You have something on your face.”
“Oh…” she said embarrassed as she wiped furiously at her mouth. “Is it gone?”
“Yeah...” Both overwhelmed and bewildered by his behavior, Spike felt the need to leave as soon as possible. “Buffy, look, I have to go. I just... I have to. I’m sorry.” He swiftly ran out of the room, up the stairs, out the door and into his car. He sat there for several minutes in silence before he started it up and drove away.
Buffy stood awkwardly in her theater wondering what she did wrong.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Hi guys! I know I said I might post another soon, but the muse is fickle. But, here is the next segment. I am pretty much done setting the plot up which means basically all plot and action from here on out. Which also means, you guessed it, Spuffy goodness coming up :) Enjoy! Please review and tell me what you think!
Chapter End Notes:
Stay tuned :)