Next Door

“He’s so amazing. He’s so sweet and cute and did I mention he’s cute?” Cordelia babbled.
“Only like a thousand times.” Buffy laughed not taking her eyes off the football game in front of her. Sunnydale was winning for a change and she couldn’t miss that
“Well he’s supposed to be coming tonight. We’re going to the movies after. You can come if you want?” She offered while she scanned the crowd for her boyfriend.
“nah I aint good at third wheeling.” Buffy answered back cheering and waving her pom poms when Parker Abrahams scored a touchdown.
“Oh my god he’s here.”

Buffy turned instantly and her eyes immediately landed on the hulking brunette as he shimmied his way down a row of seated spectators. It wasn’t Angel who attracted her attention however. Spike was with him and staring right at her with a small smile. She returned in kind giving him a little wave. It had been almost two weeks since her and Cordelia had gate crashed his house and spent the day there and Buffy had already been over his house just for idle chats twice and her mom had asked him over for dinner once as well. Overall she was getting to know Spike better than she thought she would and what worried her was just how much she liked what she was getting to know. His sense of humour was amazing and he always came out with something that would make her laugh. He was sweet and spoke about poetry, books and art like they really meant something to him and Buffy had never met a man with such passion in him and she felt herself swoon each time he discussed these things with her. They got along so well that Buffy looked forward to seeing him everyday even if it was just a glimpse as he took out the trash or went to get his mail.

She saw him raise an eyebrow at her and he ran his eyes from her toes to her eyes with a smirk on his face and Buffy give him a withering stare knowing he was trying to mock her for her cheerleading. He chuckled when he saw her sashay away and shook his head. True she had never told him she was a cheerleader and the stereotype made Spike laugh but truth was seeing her in a cheerleading uniform was possibly the closest to perfect he had ever laid eyes on. He suddenly felt the wave of guilt hit him and he dropped into his seat scowling. He was at a high school football game and was perving on a damn cheerleader! How sick did that sound! Things hadn’t exactly been going well at home lately and he stared at his hands wondering if it was him that was causing the problems. Sure Drusilla was never there anymore and when she was that’s all she did was sleep or boss him around but he couldn’t help feel a bit guilty. Maybe if he spent more time focusing on making his wife happy than on the teenager next door their marriage wouldn’t feel so strained.
Screw it im here for some fun!
Spike pushed away all his guilt and worry and instead clapped mindlessly along with everyone else while keeping his eye on Buffy’s bouncing behind.

“Hey baby.” Angel greeted lifting Cordelia up as she ran towards him and immediately began lip locking.
“Hey pet. You kept this hidden well didn’t you?” Spike smirked nodding at the cheerleading outfit.
“Hey. Im good thank you very much.” Buffy huffed slapping him on the chest.
“Not denying it luv. Put on quite a show.” Spike drawled smiling at her as she broke into a grin at the compliment.
“So are you tagging along to the movies too?” He asked hopefully.
“What? Oh your going to the movies with Cordelia and Angel?” Buffy asked in surprise.
“Yeah I know im sad but it was either sit alone all night or tag along with these love birds. So what do you say pet. Help me through this evening. I’ll even buy you popcorn.” He smiled winningly.
“Why not.” Buffy smiled linking her arm around his and following a still kissing brunette couple in front of them


It was absolute torture sitting through a two hour movie with Angel and Cordelia going at it on one side and Buffy curled into him on the other. That’s all that kept going through his head was how he wished it was him and Buffy who were together instead of Angel and Cordy. He had a permanent hard on right through the entire film and when Buffy buried her face in his neck to hide form a particular gruesome scene his breath caught in his throat and he closed his eyes in absolute bliss. She smelled heavenly.
Thankfully the film soon ended and somehow they ended up in Spike’s car at the beach. Cordelia and Angel where too lost in each other to notice the other two occupants of the car and Spike sighed and rolled his eyes when he glanced into the rear view mirror and saw his brother with his hand up Cordelia’s shirt.

“Okay then. Wanna go for a walk pet? Leave these horny bastards alone?” Spike grumbled opening his door and running to the other side to help Buffy out. She smiled at him happily when he took her hand and helped her out. She had never had a door opened for her in her life and she smirked at the contradiction that was Spike. He was so mature and yet he acted younger than herself and Cordelia sometimes, he looked like a bad ass punk and then he opened doors for women and he loved poetry yet could still find the beauty in The Sex Pistols lyrics.
“What you thinking about pet?”
“You.” Buffy replied honestly.
“Oh yeah and what about me had that amused smirk on your face?” Spike asked with a raised eyebrow as he continued to walk alongside her further up the beach and away from the car.
“Nothing really.” Buffy replied stopping suddenly to watch the waves as they crashed and tumbled their way to the shore.
“Beautiful.”

“Yeah it is.” Buffy answered his softly spoken word thinking he was talking about the inky black sea and horizon that was dotted with twinkling stars and a perfectly curved moon. She didn’t notice that when he spoke the word he was gazing directly at her.
“So…what made you want to become a writer?” Buffy asked as she plopped down on the sand.
“That’s a long story pet.” Spike chuckled taking a seat next to her leaving only a slither of distance between them.
Buffy turned her head and glanced at the black shape of Spike’s car in the distance and looked back at Spike with a grin
“I think we have enough time.”

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“Mom! Im going to school! Cordelia’s driving me.” Buffy shouted as she headed straight for the door.
“Okay! Don’t forget we’re having Spike over for dinner tonight!” Joyce shouted back.
“yeah like I could forget.” Buffy laughed to herself as she bounded out the door.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“That was another lovely dinner Joyce.” Spike smiled gratefully as Joyce took the plate from in fort of him.
“Thank you Spike. Some people don’t appreciate fine food.” Joyce said deliberately giving Buffy an exasperated look.
“Well sorry I just don’t believe all food should be laced with Garlic.” Buffy said teasingly.
“What’s wrong with garlic?” Spike asked amused by the disgusted look on Buffy’s face.
“Everything.”

Joyce heard her only child reply as she left the bickering two at the table and joined Giles in the kitchen to wash serve up the dessert.
“William is such a nice man isn’t he?” Joyce smiled warmly.
“Yes he is. Very charming.” Giles agreed.
“I feel so bad for him all alone in that house all the time. They’ve been living there for three months now and I can count on one hand how many time’s I have seen those two together.” Joyce sighed in pity.
“Well he did say she’s been busy with her job.”
“Yes but is it too much harm to spend some time with her husband.” Joyce tutted.
Giles nodded his head and went to the cabinet to pull out a few bowls. It was then he heard Buffy’s laugh and his eyebrows shot up. Buffy was naturally a very cheery girl but he didn’t think he had ever heard her laugh like that and he sneakily opened the kitchen door and peeked into the dinning room. Spike and Buffy seem immersed in conversation and Giles frowned when he noticed how they had both moved their seats so they were closer together. He saw the look in Spike’s eye when he looked at Buffy and stood back up straight leaving the door and going back to Joyce.
“He and Buffy seem to get on well.” Giles said stiffly.
“Yes they do don’t they? Cordelia is dating Spike’s brother though so they actually spend time together now and then too.” Joyce replied.
“Do you think that’s wise? A 24 year old married man and a 16 year old spending time together?” Giles asked. He had thought of Buffy as the daughter he never had for awhile now and the thought of Spike taking advantage of her made his skin crawl.

“Oh Giles! Really! Its just a friendship! There is no way something like that would be going on! William is a gentleman and he and Buffy get along well there’s no harm in that! Honestly you need to trust people a bit more.” Joyce laughed dismissing thoughts of their neighbour and her daughter in an instance.
“Well okay…if you haven’t any worries then I trust in your judgement.” Giles nodded and followed her back into the kitchen. He noticed that they hadn’t moved their chairs back and he relaxed somewhat. If there was anything to hide they would have looked guilty and moved back to their original places.
“So Spike how’s that new book coming along?” Joyce asked happily getting back into her conversation with Spike.
“Very well actually. I’ve finished thirteen chapters already.” Spike smiled.
“Really? Cool can I read it!?” Buffy asked excitedly.
“Sorry pet this book is in French.” Spike said apologetically. He would love for Buffy to read his work and he cursed himself for deciding to write a book in another language now.
“You know French?” Giles asked impressed.

“Yes Im fluent in French, Spanish and German.” Spike smiled proudly.
“Why that’s wonderful! Perhaps you could help Buffy!” Joyce smiled happily.
“Im sorry what?” Spike asked in confusion.
“Im kinda bad at languages….that’s putting it lightly…I suck and im kinda failing French.” Buffy admitted embarrassedly.
“Well I’d be glad to help.” Spike said honestly giving her a reassuring pat on the back.
“Well that’s great. Buffy can come around after school and you can help her…if you have time of course! I don’t want to intrude on your time…I didn’t mean…”
“Joyce. Honestly its fine. I pretty much only write at night anyway so I got a lot of time to kill in the days…how about you come over after school whenever you can and I’ll teach you.” Spike smiled at Buffy. Any extra time he got to spend with her was a blessing and now he had an excuse to see her.
“Sure that would be good.” She said giving him a small smiled that he returned.

No one noticed Giles sitting there with a deep frown and a worried expression on his face.