Roomies
Chapter 31
“You lost or something?” Spike asked cheerily, stepping away from the door only to be crowded into the centre of a circle, blocked in by Finn.
“Somehow, I think you know I’m not.” Riley taunted, his face an impassive block of cold fury.
“So you’re what?” Spike asked nonchalantly, “Out for a walk with your friends?” The ‘friends’ stepped closer and Spike began to circle Riley, keeping his distance from the goons behind him because he trusted them as far as he could throw them at this point.
“Or maybe, I’ve just come to take what’s mine.” Riley told him, his certainty that Buffy would run into his open arms once this jerk was out the way had clouded his every fibre of common sense. Seeing his chance, he tensed his fist, ready to punch the bleached freak right the way back to whatever small country he came from when Spike stepped up to him, his fists flying through the air faster that Riley could notice. Spike’s fist connected with Riley’s chin, sending the bigger man staggering backwards to be caught by his friends.
Being pushed back into the circle by the ever increasing number in the audience around them, Riley took his chance, his body to slow for the smaller man, who neatly dodged out of the way and rammed his fist into Riley’s stomach. Stepping back, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, Spike ducked and dodged every blow Riley tried to land, getting in as many as he could before bouncing away, always just one step ahead of the muscular goon.
Every blow Spike landed was brushed off quickly by Riley, his muscles taking the pain that he easily shook off. The steroids he took to help his weight training were certainly helping him to stay upright.
Landing his first punch on the smaller man, Riley was encouraged by Spike’s quickly disguised stumble and eagerly dove towards him, his fist extended on a collision course with Spike’s nose. Ducking just at the right minute, Riley’s fist continued through the air, realisation slowly dawning on the jock as it was too late to stop his fist colliding with his best buddy’s face. The sickening crunch that echoed around the hall was deafening to Spike. That could have been him. Taking his chance while everyone crowded around the wounded jock, he flipped his leg around Riley’s knocking him to the floor unnoticed by anyone. Crouching by his stunned form, he bent closer,
“You do this again and you’ll wish you’d never been born.” Spike whispered into his ear, flicking his nose before he stood and strode away from the crowd.
Standing in the doorway to their dorm, Buffy was amazed to see Spike leave Riley alone and walk away. Slipping through the crowd she bent at his side, holding him down with a hand on his chest.
“Buffy, Thank god. Did you see what that loser just did?” Riley asked desperately.
Nodding, Buffy helped him to his feet, right into the arms of the waiting campus security guard. “Stay away from me, my family and my friends.” She warned, watching as the security guard cuffed him and began to haul him down the corridor, away from her and hopefully away from her life.
Spike slipped in the double doors to the ice rink, the blast of cool air a welcoming change from the unnatural heat outside. Christmas was supposed to be a cold time, not a heat wave. The heat had been aggravating the bruise on his cheek all day, his longing for bucket of ice was pushed aside by the boring necessity of going to class. Gathering the courage, he paid for a pair of skates and slunk behind a pillar to change his footwear, not wanting Buffy to see him before he had the chance to surprise her.
Stepping out onto the ice, Spike nearly slipped over immediately, the sensation of skating being almost forgotten in the deepest recesses of his mind. Righting himself, he skated toward the distant figure stretching. Even with her back to the entrance, Buffy knew that she wasn’t alone on the ice. It was almost like another sense. She could always tell when she had the ice to herself and today she wasn’t in luck. Continuing her stretches she kept her back to the intruder, hoping they would take the hint and practise away from her on the other side of the giant rink.
Slowing himself down so that he would be able to stop when he reached her, Spike extended his arms, catching Buffy in his embrace and sliding gently into the side of the rink.
“Did’ya miss me?” He whispered, shivers racing up his spine from the mere thought of having her in his arms.
Her heart rate returning to normal, Buffy breathed in deeply, turning in his arms to give him a welcoming kiss. Seeing the damage Riley had done that morning, she reached up on the points of her skates and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
“How did you?” She asked, looking down at his skates.
“Magic.” He whispered, the images in his head of playing ice hockey in his youth were something he wanted to keep well away from Buffy. There was no way he was going to skate with her or help her on the ice every time she fancied it. He would stick to surprising her, especially when he was feeling guilty for not telling her about his fight with Riley sooner.
“There’s something you need to know pet.” He told her seriously, taking her hand and pulling her with him, matching her strides as they wove their way around the ice.
“Is it about that lovely bruise you have?” Buffy giggled. He was sweeter than usual when he was looking ashamed of himself.
“Yeah, I sorta got into a fight.” He paused, spinning her under his arm to skate backwards so that he could see her face, “With Riley.”
“I know Spike.”