Monday, November 8, 2010
Despite what he’d told Fred, Spike was beginning to worry. The rational voice in his head was telling him clearly that he should stay away from the cute girl with the ever-absent boyfriend. But that was just the thing; the boyfriend never seemed to be around. He couldn’t see how she could have a good relationship with the boyfriend if she was always free to hang with him. Maybe they weren’t serious.
Still, he had honor. Spike wasn’t going to try to seduce her while she was still with another man. He wouldn’t do anything to taint her. She was like sunshine, bright and pure and hot enough to burn him alive. He couldn’t make her a cheater…even if she sometimes looked like she might let him. Spike had realized right away that Buffy had no idea how desirable she was and that she didn’t have a clue about the effect of her pretty green eyes on his self control. So he was going to do the right thing, even if it drove him insane. He would wait it out. Eventually she would break up with the boyfriend and he would have his chance. He just needed to be patient.
He was working his frustrations out by attacking the mass of weeds and brush that currently made up his back yard. It was hard, physical, labor, but it was mindless and he was beginning to realize that was a problem. Spike couldn’t stop thinking about her. He’d fully developed several fantasies in which she showed up on his doorstep and told him that her boyfriend was mean and hurtful and she just needed him to make her feel safe. Spike imagined himself sweeping her into his arms and carrying her off to bed where she would assure him that he was a far more talented lover than anyone she had ever been with. In one of the fantasies, she told him that she was still a virgin and she’d been saving herself just for him. Spike figured that was the most ridiculous of his imagination’s workings, but couldn’t help smiling at the thought.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Buffy met Willow and her friend, Tara, at Willow’s apartment and the three drove to the Bronze together. She spotted Spike talking with Fred and an attractive man with brown hair and glasses right away and led her group in their direction.
“Hi! When do you go on?”
Spike smiled broadly and Buffy wondered if he was actually surprised that she had come. She thought that he looked genuinely startled. “Buffy! You came.”
“Of course, I couldn’t miss a chance to see you perform grown-up songs.” She grinned. “This is my friend, Willow and her friend Tara.”
He gave the other woman a friendly nod. “Thanks for coming out.”
Willow smiled. “We’re excited to see you play.”
He laughed. “Maybe let’s keep the expectations low.”
Fred elbowed him. “He’s being modest.” She frowned. “Which is not normal for him.” She looked up at him. “Are you feeling all right?”
“Ha. Ha.” He shook his head. “Ladies, this is my cousin, Wesley, and his beautiful, but not particularly funny, wife: Fred.”
The group exchanged quick smiles and handshakes before scouting out an extra chair for their table.
“This is basically a mix of local musicians tonight, so there should be something for everyone,” Spike explained once everyone was seated.
“But when do you go on?”
“Not for another hour or so.”
“Cool. So you get to hang with us.”
He nodded. “That I do. Can I get anyone a drink? There is a waitress circulating, but going up to the bar is faster.”
Willow jumped up. “We can get them. Right?” She nodded at Tara, who blushed and stood up.
“Yes. Yes, we’ll get the drinks.”
Spike arched a brow as everyone watched them walk away. He turned back to Buffy and leaned close. “What’s the story there?”
Buffy’s brow wrinkled. “I guess they just really wanted to get the drinks.”
He laughed. “No, I meant your pretty friend has a very pretty friend.”
She stared at him in shock for a moment before whispering conspiratorially. “You’re getting it too. The vibe that maybe they are…” She trailed off, unsure of how to phrase her suspicion.
“Oh yeah. New thing?”
She nodded. “Last I knew, which was not that long ago, Willow liked boys. But she blushes every time she mentions Tara and I started having distinct third wheel feelings in the car on the way over, so…” She shrugged. “Oh!” She grasped his arm. “I’ve got it. You should ask Tara out.”
“What? No. Why would I do that?”
“So that we’ll know if she’s into girls or boys.”
He laughed. “A couple of problems with your plan, pet. First off, her turning me down wouldn’t automatically make her a lesbian. I might not be her type.”
Buffy couldn’t think of any responses to that argument that didn’t center on his being incredibly hot, so she didn’t respond.
“Second off, she might just say yes. Then what?”
Buffy rolled her eyes. “Then you have a date with a very pretty girl. She seems sweet too.”
He shook his head and laughed. “Look at you—all ready to pimp me out just to answer your curiosity. I have a feeling that you and Fred are going to get on greatly.”
“You’re trying to tell me that going out with Tara would be a hardship?”
“Not at all. I’m just sayin’ that maybe you don’t know my type.”
“I see. Foolish of me to think you’d like spending time with a girl you said was very pretty.”
Spike wondered if there was any chance that Buffy was jealous. She’d repeated his observation about Tara twice now. Normally, he’d think that might mean something, but her insistence that he should go out with the other girl should she prove straight was definitely a signal in the other direction. Women were a mystery. It was one of the things he liked best about them. “Have I mentioned that you’re looking quite pretty tonight? I was hoping you’d come but I wouldn’t have dared dream I’d inspire dress wearing as well.”
Buffy giggled. “Thanks.” She ran her hands down her thighs, smoothing the skirt of her simple black dress. “I spend an awful lot of time wearing sensible shoes and dirty finger prints; I like to dress up a bit when the opportunity presents itself.” She’d been thrilled to have a reason to slip on the sexy silver heeled sandals and dangly earrings.
Willow and Tara returned a few moments later and the conversation became a group one with Wesley complaining about his father’s continued relationship with a Ms. Anya Jenkins.
“Even looking aside from the age difference, which is frankly near impossible to do, she is utterly inappropriate. The things that come out of that woman’s mouth.” He shook his head.
Fred reached up to rub his shoulder comfortingly. “She’s not that bad. She’s just…unique.”
“Unique? When you announced that we were expecting out first child she immediately stated the average cost of raising a child in the United States…to the penny.”
Everyone giggled.
Willow was wide-eyed. “Wow. How much does it cost?”
“About two hundred twenty thousand dollars.” The table absorbed the enormous number quietly for a moment before Spike continued. “I liked her. She’s spunky.”
Wesley rolled his eyes in disgust. “You only like her because she said that she could tell you were good in bed by how well handled a knife.”
Buffy frowned. “Is that a thing?”
Spike restrained himself from asking her if she’d like to find out. He smirked at her instead and was pleased when she blushed in response.
Forty-five minutes later, Spike took to the small stage, sat on a tall stool and adjusted the microphone. “Hello, everyone. My name’s Spike and I’m going to play you a few songs tonight.” He smiled at the enthusiastic applause and shouting from the table he’d just left. “Thanks.” He adjusted his guitar, took a quick calming breathe and leaned towards the microphone again. “This first one’s Tom Petty, but I’ll try to do right by him.”
He strummed a few chords for the opening and began singing in a deep, full voice.
You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
Sail away, kill off the hours
You belong somewhere you feel free
Run away, find you a lover
Go away somewhere all bright and new
I have seen no other
Who compares with you
You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
You belong with your love on your arm
You belong somewhere you feel free
Run away, go find a lover
Run away, let your heart be your guide
You deserve the deepest of cover
You belong in that home by and by
You belong among the wildflowers
You belong somewhere close to me
Far away from your trouble and worry
You belong somewhere you feel free
You belong somewhere you feel free
Buffy realized half way through the song that she’d been holding her breath. She’d gasped at the start and then froze. He was so much better then she’d realized after seeing him play for her class. He invoked so much emotion into the song that she felt a little bit like crying. She couldn’t pull her eyes away from him. He received warm applause when he finished the song, which Buffy thought he accepted with a surprising degree of humility. Something about him always screamed rock star to her, but it wasn’t his actions. He smiled and thanked everyone and then signaled to someone standing near the door. Buffy turned to see who it was but was blocked by the increasing crowd.
“Thanks. I’m going to bring up a friend to join me for the next one. Come on up, Cassie.”
Buffy watched in surprise as the girl she’d seen at his shop carried her guitar up and a man quickly brought up a stool for her to sit on.
Spike leaned towards the microphone again. “She’s brilliant, but I’ve gotta warn the bartenders that she’s underage no matter what the shiny bit of plastic in her pocket might tell you.”
Cassie turned to glare at him wide-mouthed as the audience tittered.
“Sorry, pet. I told you that I’m not cool. Still gonna sing with me.”
She laughed, nodded and they both started playing with no further introduction.
Spike started singing first.
I am thinking it's a sign that the freckles
in our eyes are mirror images and when
we kiss they're perfectly aligned
Cassie started the next section just before he finished the first so that their voices overlapped for an instant. The effect was lovely.
And I have to speculate that God himself
did make us into corresponding shapes like
puzzle pieces from the clay
The next section was Spike’s again and he started it while she was still holding the note from the word clay.
True, it may seem like a stretch, but
its thoughts like this that catch my troubled
head when you're away when I am missing you to death
Cassie sang the next section.
When, you are out there on the road for
several weeks of shows and when you scan
the radio, I hope this song will guide you home
They joined together to sing the chorus in harmony and a few members of the audience gave a few claps in appreciation.
they will see us waving from such great heights
"come down now," they'll say
but everything looks perfect from far away,
"come down now," but we'll stay...
They finished the song in the same way, taking turns with the lines and singing the chorus together. After sharing the applause, Spike thanked Cassie and she left the stage to rejoin her friends by the pool tables.
Buffy felt increasingly bad for the girl. She couldn’t imagine any girl not having a crush on Spike after he did that for her.
“The next couple of songs are my own, so…yeah, I’m sorry.” He grinned winningly.
He quickly began playing an upbeat rock melody.
I'm through with pastry,
No more sticky bun or cherry tarts
I want a good girl,
One who rocks but has a decent heart
Well I've been waiting
Now I'm sick of that
I think I saw you...
Katie, come out and play
I've got a present for you today
It's got your name on it
I hope I spelled it right
Oh-oh yeah
Oh-oh yeah- yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
She's got tattoos,
Runnin’ down underneath her shirt
She wears long sleeves
So you can't guess what's on her
But the coolest one
She can't hide
Yeah the coolest one, says Dad
Katie, come out and play
I've got a secret for you today
I think you're pretty
I wanted you to know
Oh-oh yeah
Oh-oh yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
This is pointless
Cause she's already got a guy
And I would never
Hit on her and make her life a lie
But I don't care
I'll find another one
No I don't care
Katie, come out and play
I've got a secret for you today
I think I love you
Though I don’t know you well
Oh-oh yeah
Oh-oh yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
oh-oh-oh oh-oh yeah- yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Fred leaned towards Buffy after he finished. “That was a new one. I haven’t heard it yet.”
Buffy smiled. “It’s fun. I didn’t know he wrote songs too.”
“He doesn’t always like to share them, but he’s got a few that are just perfect.”
Spike launched almost instantly into the next song.
I don't think you know my name,
And I think you'd leave me standing in the rain
You're a pretty little girl, got a thing for me
But you'd cut me open and let me bleed
But I've been lookin' at you
With your long brown hair
Pretty little feet
Sparklin' everywhere
You look so good
When you come my way
But I have to look down
When you talk to me
'Cause you're dangerous
Dangerous
You're dangerous
And you don't even know it
One baby, two, maybe three more years
Be a full grown baby, have all your curves
Here's my little taste of irony:
You'll be a ten hot lady, too good for me
But I'm lookin' at you
With your long brown hair
Pretty little feet
Sparklin' everywhere
You look so good
When you come my way
But I have to look down
When you talk to me
'Cause you're dangerous
You're dangerous
You're dangerous
And you don't even know it
So little baby, you better stay set
You play with fire when you get too wet
So set me down and leave me be
You find the devil when you unchain me
But I'll be looking at you
With your long brown hair
Pretty little feet
Sparkling everywhere
You look so good
When you come my way
But I have to look down
When you talk to me
'Cause you're dangerous
You're dangerous
You're dangerous
And you don't even know it
He lifted his hand to squeeze the back of his neck as he waited for the applause to die down. “Thanks, yeah. I’ve just one more for you. It’s…well, it’s come to my attention that I don’t know enough children’s songs. So, I learned one last night. I think you’ll recognize it. Thanks, again.”
Baby mine, don't you cry
Baby mine, dry your eyes
Rest your head close to my heart
Never to part, baby of mine
Little one, when you play
Don't you mind what they say
Let those eyes sparkle and shine
Never a tear, baby of mine
If they knew sweet little you
They'd end up loving you too
All those same people who scold you
What they'd give just for the
right to hold you
From your head down to your toes
You're not much, goodness knows
But you're so precious to me
Sweet as can be, baby of mine
All of those people who scold you
What they'd give just for the
right to hold you
From your head down to your toes
You're not much, goodness knows
But you're so precious to me
Sweet as can be, baby of mine
Baby of mine
Buffy recognized the song instantly and tried to remember if she’d ever mentioned that it was one of her favorites. In fact, it was the exact song she always imagined singing to her own baby. Her eyes were tearing up before he finished the first verse. Fred was already crying daintily into a bar napkin. When he did finish, Buffy stood up and nearly walked on to the stage before realizing that would be an odd thing to do. She waited for him to return to their table and gave him a big hug. “That was amazing.”
Spike decided he’d learn the entire Disney songbook if she would keep throwing her arms around his neck and letting him pull her close. He barely resisted the temptation to close his eyes and bask in the feel of her. She smelled like the Jasmine massage oil a woman at the mall had once tried to sell him. He wondered if someone had rubbed it on her or if she’d simply sprayed herself with a perfume. He was already feeling far too territorial about the girl who was not his. The thought of another man running his hands over Buffy’s skin made him squeeze her even tighter. “Thanks, kitten. I’m glad you came.”
All too soon for Spike, Buffy stepped back to let the others congratulate him.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
I am so sorry about the long delay. I've started teaching science camps-which I'll be doing all summer and I'm still adjusting to the schedule. I'm going to continue writing and posting as often as I can, but the updates won't come as often as either of us will like. :(
I do a couple of things in this chapter that I don't normally do. First off, I include the lyrics for a few songs. I worry that this can seem like filler, but the songs in this fic have all been selected carefully and are usually meaningful to the plot. Song credits for this chapter include: Tom Petty, The Postal Service, Frank Churchill and Oliver Wallace, and James Marsters. Any song that Spike claims as his own are songs written and sung by Marsters either solo or with his band, Ghost of the Robot. This will continue throughout the fic.
I'm compiling the songs in this fic here if anyone wants to give them a listen. :) http://dorians-kitten.livejournal.com/63752.html#cutid1
I do a couple of things in this chapter that I don't normally do. First off, I include the lyrics for a few songs. I worry that this can seem like filler, but the songs in this fic have all been selected carefully and are usually meaningful to the plot. Song credits for this chapter include: Tom Petty, The Postal Service, Frank Churchill and Oliver Wallace, and James Marsters. Any song that Spike claims as his own are songs written and sung by Marsters either solo or with his band, Ghost of the Robot. This will continue throughout the fic.
I'm compiling the songs in this fic here if anyone wants to give them a listen. :) http://dorians-kitten.livejournal.com/63752.html#cutid1
Chapter End Notes:
Thanks for reading!