Spike was not adverse to the theatre. On the contrary, before coming to America for school he’d quite enjoyed all different facets of the Arts. But the American standard of theatre left something to be desired in his English trained soul. And the thought of some of these witless, poncey, mumbling no-goods shredding up the bard’s words was a discouraging prospect.
At least the professor was English. Maybe that’d save some integrity.
He scanned the room, watching the other students file into the studio. Spike had arrived with Angel, explaining to Professor Giles he was thinking of picking up the class and had come to observe if allowed. Giles was thrilled at the young man’s seeming interest and so allowed him to stay for the period. The blonde man had been introduced to Willow, a slight girl with shocking red hair; evidently placed into Angel’s hair-brained scheme as some sort of patsy. He wasn’t all together bothered, really. But the bird seemed nice enough, a bit too nice to be getting herself involved with the likes of Angel and him.
And then of course he met Cordelia, whom Angel showed off like a prize-winning true bred. The chit was quite fetching, but lacked substance as far as Spike was concerned. She was perfect for Angel. He hoped they lived happily forever vapid.
No sign of Buffy yet, according to those in the know. Spike didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed. He didn’t quite know what to expect, after everything Angel had told him, and then to hear Willow and Cordelia’s take on it as well…
He did enjoy the bit about Cordelia taking a fist to the socket, however. That sounded promising.
Giles checked his watch and sighed, having gone over the roster and discovered a few students had dropped the class and Buffy Summers was once again absent but evidently still enrolled.
“Alright class, let’s begin,” he announced, “Please circle up.”
The students did as instructed, scripts and notebooks in hand as they scooted together to form a ring. Giles approached Spike as people were setting up.
“You may join us if you wish,” the older Brit offered, “If not however, I’d ask that you hang back by the wall and just watch quietly.”
Spike nodded respectively, “I’ll just watch for now,” Spike told him.
“Very well,” Giles returned with a nod and a smile before returning to the students and joining the circle.
“Let’s resume Taming of the Shrew,” the older man began again, “and go to Act one, scene one.”
The students flipped through their scripts as Giles assigned temporary readers, “Cordelia, would you please read for Lucentio…Willow read Biondello…Jonathan read Grumio…Andrew read Hortensio…Warren, Gremio; and Angel, read Petruchio.”
Andrew, a simpering young man in the class raised his hand, “Umm, Mr. Giles? What about Tranio?”
Giles removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. Having students either absent or withdrawing from the class was disrupting his organization of class time. Across the room Spike shifted in his chair, reminding Giles of his presence. The older man waved his hand and addressed the visitor.
“Umm, dear boy, would you perhaps join us after all? I’m afraid we’re short on readers today.”
Spike grimaced at the term ‘dear boy’ but acquiesced to the professor nonetheless. It did his façade no good he supposed to seem disinterested in the class, after all. Spike planted himself between the poncey Andrew boy and a little twerp of a kid….Jonathan, he guessed. Giles handed him an extra script and then they began.
They didn’t get very far into the actual dialogue, stopping every few moments to dissect the meaning and all that rot. Spike actually understood this stuff more than his persona would let on. He was an English major after all, though nobody seemed to care enough to know that about him. From what they had read so far, some of these students showed promise. Jonathan, as mealy as he was, was actually quite good. Cordelia was atrocious, but with her good looks at least she could become a model maybe…Willow lacked confidence but had a nice handling on the language. Hell, even Peaches had impressed him! Though Spike was relieved when Giles had them start reading different roles mid-scene. He dutifully returned to his seat in the corner and resumed his silent observation.
At the end of the hour, Giles dismissed the class but not before he’d assigned each of them scene partners next session.
Willow was paired with Warren, Angel with Andrew, and Jonathan with Cordelia.
“Well that was a bust,” Angel muttered, annoyed for once by Buffy’s absence. It did him no good if Spike couldn’t get to her. The bleached menace was his insurance policy after all. He and Cordelia walked hand in hand toward the door, Willow close behind and Spike even further back.
“Well, should we set up a ‘study date’ anyway?” Cordelia cooed, leaning into Angel’s side.
Willow pulled a face. It would do her no good if Angel was present every time she coordinated these fake study sessions. It was too much trouble to have to backpedal after the fact and give Angel a phony “change of plans”…she let this one go for now. It was probably too early to mess with the plan anyway.
“Wanna say seven at ‘the library’?” Angel turned and winked to Cordelia.
“I love the library,” Cordelia furthered their little joke.
“Hey Willz, you think you could come to my house at 6:45 and we can leave together? Just in case Buffy’s there? She’ll see us leave together.”
Willow sighed inaudibly but nodded, “Sure thing.”
The redhead politely waved good-bye to the couple and headed off to her next class. Already dreading having agreed to any part of this mess. Spike still lagged a few steps behind Cordy and Angel, all prepared to finally exit before Giles stopped them.
“Umm, Mr. Pratt, may I have a word?”
Spike looked to his companions who just shrugged and told him they’d wait for him in the courtyard before Spike nodded in compliance and approached the older gentleman.
Outside, Cordelia and Angel mused on the events of the day, locked in a loose embrace before they both recognized the figure a few yards away.
‘Oh shit,” Angel muttered as Cordelia groaned upon the approaching shape of Buffy.
They immediately released their hold on one another and tried their best to remain as casual and unfamiliar with each other as possible.
Buffy eyed them cautiously as she got closer, snorting in delight at the look of panic on Angel’s face.
“Where have you been?” Cordelia chanced scolding her stepsister. “Class is already over and you’ve missed the last like, four sessions!”
Buffy raised one eyebrow in amused curiosity, “I’m going to talk to Giles right now.”
“Good,” Cordelia huffed.
“Like you give a shit if I’m absent!” Buffy mocked.
“You’re screwing things up for the rest of us by missing class, that’s why I give a shit!” Cordelia barked.
Buffy smirked, “ How’s your eye?” she taunted, not even waiting for a response before slipping past them toward the theatre studio.
Cordelia instinctively raised a hand to cover her former bruise in paranoia as Angel stood by helplessly until Buffy was out of sight. Realization struck Cordy in an instant, “Oh God! Spike’s still in there talking to Giles!”
Angel’s face fell for a moment, “Well then I hope he’s a quick draw.”
Giles stood over a chair, busily collecting his paperwork as he explained the situation to Spike.
“I was wondering if you’d seriously consider enrolling in the class,” Giles informed him. “I’ve had several students drop already and another few who’ve missed a number of classes…it would really boost the morale to have someone of your obvious caliber join us.”
Spike was a bit uneasy by the man’s request. A hesitance that apparently showed on his face because Giles once more piped up, “I can speak to the Registrar and put a hold on this session if you’d like to come back on Friday and give it a trial run. Tackle this text on your feet?”
Spike sighed but nodded, “Alright Rupes, I can do that.”
Giles ignored the young man’s informality for the time being and merely smiled, “Wonderful!”
“But just a trial basis, yeah?” Spike clarified.
“Of course,” Giles agreed, “I’ll just assign you to a monologue until you know for certain you’d like to stay.”
“Fine by me I s’pose,” Spike nodded before the two men reached to shake on it.
The studio door opened then, Buffy emerging through it. The two men raised their heads to see the small girl headed determinedly for them.
“Ah, Buffy!” Giles greeted her as Spike’s face suddenly fell into a smirk.
She stole a quick glance his way before rolling her eyes dismissively and focusing back on Giles, “I’m here to talk to you about my absences.”
Giles nodded, removing his glasses to give them a clean before repositioning them back on his face and pulling out the paperwork he’d just put away. “Yes, you’re bit behind now, I’m afraid.”
“I know…”
“I’ve gone and assigned scene partners without you,” Giles rambled on.
“That’s fine, I just wanted to explain—“
“You’re not thinking of dropping the class?”
Buffy exhaled loudly and rubbed her temples. Spike remained off to the side watching her intently. He was onto her already. She was definitely a spitfire, but it was more calculated than people assumed. The way she stormed through the door, her obvious look of disapproval and eye rolling when she noticed him…even now, as polite and respectful as she was trying to be to her professor, Spike could see her frustration. Though whether it was because she was so used to being a bitch and she couldn’t keep up the niceties or whether she wasn’t used to having someone witness her NOT being a bitch, Spike couldn’t say. He’d probably guess the latter.
Buffy calmed herself before finally answering, “No, I’m not dropping the class. I’ve just had some things—“
“Wonderful,” Giles said blithely, giving her a condescending pat on the shoulder before scribbling something in his notebook.
Spike suddenly had a brilliant inspiration. “Professor Giles,” he spoke up, coming to stand more intimately near Buffy than before.
She noticed his sudden proximity and took a step away. She’d nearly forgotten someone else was still in the room with her and the teacher. Now was she grateful Giles hadn’t let her get a word in edgewise. The last thing she needed was this freak job, whoever he was, knowing her personal business.
Giles looked at the young man expectantly as Spike said, “I think I’m gonna stick with the class.”
Buffy gave the guy a suspicious look as Giles beamed with joy, “Oh this is marvelous. Thank you for reconsidering, Spike.”
Giles furiously flipped through his paperwork to give to the young man, practically giggling the entire time. As he did so, Spike watched with feigned pride at making the older man so happy, his lips curling into a ridiculously saccharine smile.
Buffy looked between the two men before settling on the blonde one and narrowing her eyes in suspicion once more. Spike caught her look and graced her with the same absurd grin. She scoffed audibly and turned back to address her teacher.
“So, is there anything I need to prepare for next class?” She asked, her former patience gone.
Giles looked at her blankly for a moment as he handed some materials to Spike before her question was fully realized. “Oh yes! Scenes! Yes, yes, yes…” he muttered to himself before once more scrawling down a note in his book.
“You two, Kate and Petruchio. Have at it! See you on Friday!” Giles said merrily, clapping the two kids on their arms and gathered up his things, leaving an amused Spike and a totally confounded Buffy in his wake.
After a moment, Buffy released a choked scream and started for the door. Spike was quicker and grabbed her by the wrist.
“Whoa!” Buffy snapped, wrenching her hand away from him. “Don’t even know you, buster.”
“Spike,” he corrected sweetly.
Buffy snickered, “What is that, the British version of ‘touche’ or something?”
“It’s my name,” he clarified.
Buffy blinked before she started laughing, loudly. “Of course it is,” she cackled, shoving the door open before exiting the studio.
Spike was right behind her, quickly landing in step with her as she cut a furious pace through the hall.
“So, looks like we’re gonna be doing a scene together,” he began.
Buffy stopped abruptly and turned to face him, “No,” she said.
Spike chuckled but looked at her in confusion, “No, what? No were NOT doing a scene together? Cause it sounded like Ol’ Rupes back there just assigned us—“
“No, not, ‘No were not doing a scene together’, No as in, whatever flirty tactic thing you’re trying to pull on me right now, I’m not interested. No. As in, never.”
Spike raised his eyebrows in surprise as Buffy spun on her heel and resumed walking toward the door. He caught up to her again, shoving his hands in his pockets as he fell in step with once more. “I wasn’t flirting with you,” he lied.
Buffy snorted, “Yeah right.”
Spike snorted back, “Don’t flatter yourself, sweetheart.”
Buffy bristled at his comment, “I’m serious, bleach-boy. I’m not interested. And your reverse psychology doesn’t work on me either, okay? Stop wasting your time.”
“Who’s reverse psychologizing who here, kitten? Maybe you’re into me and you’re just telling me you’re not interested so that makes me more interested.”
She stopped right in front of the door, and chuckled dryly, “A; don’t call me kitten, B; you’re theory’s idiotic, and C; the fact that you’d only be interested in a girl who DOESN’T want you just proves my point.”
Spike too came to a halt before the door, “And what point is that?”
“That all men are idiots.”
“Oh, clever girl,” Spike teased, “Like you’re the first bint to ever come up with that priceless gem.”
Buffy just rolled her eyes, “You’re only giving my theory more credibility here, ya know.”
“So what was it?”
“What was what?” Buffy asked.
“Bad break-up once upon a time?” Spike guessed as Buffy’s eyes narrowed.
“Shut up,” Buffy said tiredly, pushing the door open and continuing on her way.
Spike noticed as he kept following Buffy that Cordelia and Angel were no longer in the courtyard waiting. It was probably for the best. And besides, he was kind of having fun.
“Let some poor sod take a poke and then he left you?” Spike attempted again.
Buffy just kept walking, unable to believe the nerve of this guy, and his tenacity.
“Wow, you just can’t take a hint, can you?” Buffy mused.
Spike stopped suddenly along the path, letting her get a few feet ahead of him before she caught on that he’d stop following her. Good riddance, she thought and kept on walking when she heard him yell,
“Or maybe you have daddy issues, eh pet?” His voice echoing as it bounced off the brick buildings surround them.
Buffy was taken aback suddenly at his latest comment hit the mark.
“Daddy left your mum for another bird?” He yelled his guess again, letting the comment linger in the air.
Buffy had stopped moving and was furiously deciding if it was worth it to march back over there and hit him.
But she didn’t. She took a deep breath and resumed her march to her next class, never looking back.
Spike watched her visibly halt at his last barb. He was half expecting her to haul off and hit him, but she didn’t. It was admittedly a bit disappointing. Oh well, he thought with a shrug. He’d get to do it all over again on Friday. And this time, sparks would fly.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Well folks, Here's your first taste of Spuffy action. Thank you to all who've reviewed. Sorry if I didn't respond to some of you, but I promise I will! Thank you again and Enjoy!
Chapter End Notes:
What'd you think? I just wanted to tease you all a bit with the Buffy/Spike meeting. But don't worry, they've met now...and it only gets better. Please review!