An Englishman in New York
folder
BtVS AU/AR › Het - Male/Female › Buffy/Spike(William)
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
34
Views:
6,083
Reviews:
76
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
BtVS AU/AR › Het - Male/Female › Buffy/Spike(William)
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
34
Views:
6,083
Reviews:
76
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Sympathy for the Devil
Author's Notes: Parker is a little bit more evil in my story than he was on the show, but that's because he reminds me of a guy I used to know. >.<
Thanks so much to everyone who's been reviewing. You guys are the best!
Sympathy for the Devil
They made the journey to the cafeteria in silence, and Buffy was beginning to wonder if this was a good idea after all. She could request a roommate transfer in two weeks; getting along with him wasn’t a requirement. Yeah, but it’ll make the time pass faster, she thought.
The silence was deafening to her ears, and she was still testy about his attempt to take her bag from her. It was foolish, she knew, but it brought back memories she didn’t need, memories she was lost in as she mechanically moved through the lunch line.
She loaded her tray down with a salad, slice of pizza, an apple, a bag of chips, and a piece of blueberry cheesecake. As an afterthought, she grabbed a banana for later. Grabbing a Dr. Pepper, she glanced up in surprise when she heard Spike laughing.
“Bloody Hell, woman! How do you stay so skinny if you always eat like this?” he inquired, his own tray equally full of food. He’d always been able to eat anything and everything in sight without gaining weight, and it looked like his roommate was the same way.
Good, can’t stand a bint who won’t eat more than carrots.
“High metabolism,” she answered with a knowing smile. “You should talk. Your tray looks like you’re training for the Iron Man Triathlon.”
“Or to be a sumo wrestler,” he quipped, handing over money to pay for both meals.
Giggling, she tried to picture Spike in one of the strange towel-like loin cloth thingies sumo wrestlers wore. Nope, bad Buffy, you are so not supposed to think about your roommate’s butt.
“Thanks,” she said finally when she noticed that he’d paid for her food as well. Huh, he has manners.
“No problem.” Finding a table toward the back of the room, Spike kicked a chair out for Buffy before sitting down himself.
A golden brow arching, she sat down across from him and began unloading her tray. “So… what’s your major?” she questioned. It was as good a place as any to start. Besides, college, college conversations. Yeah, nothing too personal, Buffy, or he’ll start asking personal questions, too.
“Music,” he answered, attacking his burger as though he hadn’t seen food in days. “You?”
“Wow, music? That’s Oz’s major, too. I’m here for anthropology and sociology.”
“Interesting combination. Why?”
“Why, what? I don’t know, I’m just interested in different cultures, especially mythological ones.” She had been thrilled to discover that they offered courses in urban legends and modern folklore.
“Mythological? You mean, like… faeries and dragons?” he asked.
“Well, sort of. I was thinking more along the lines of the whole vampire sub-culture and –” she let the rest of that sentence fade away when his scarred eyebrow lifted in an expression she had never seen before. It must be amusement. He thought she was insane.
“I never figured you for a vampire girl. What did you think of Underworld?” He was amazed. They actually had something in common.
“I liked it. I don’t care if the critics said it was stupid and contrived. The whole thing with Selene and Michael, how she defied her own culture and beliefs… That was great.”
“Right! I mean, the chit’s been trained to kill lycans, and she goes and falls for one of them. That’s my kind of love story right there, none of this sappy shit…” All right, why were they discussing that aspect of the movie? Damnit! “And the special effects were wicked.” There, better.
“I loved Selene’s clothes, too,” said Buffy. As much as she’d loved the action and violence of the film, as well as the underlying love story, she was still a girl, and she loved clothes.
“Lucian was a decent bloke, though,” he commented.
“He did all that for Sonja. That was really sweet,” she agreed. “He was just in serious need of a bath. Kraven was a complete bastard.”
“Kraven was a disgrace to vampires. All that glittery shit he was wearing, and what was his problem with hitting Selene like that? Way to lose a girl instead of win her, that. The best part, I think, was how the director switched perspectives. Looking at things from Selene’s point of view at first, you hated the lycans…”
“And then when you found out what had happened to Lucian, you disliked the vampires,” Buffy finished. She noticed that, when lost in conversation, Spike’s cockney accent faded somewhat and became more cultured, softer and huskier. She had to admit that it was downright sexy. Bad Buffy!
“Bollocks!” Spike announced suddenly when he caught sight of the clock behind her head. “Class, gotta run. Later.” He hated having to leave, and he would have skipped the class had it been anything but music.
“Okay. Later…” She watched as he dumped his tray off and fairly flew out of the cafeteria. All right, she had to admit that he wasn’t as horrible as she’d first thought, but he was still temperamental, and he’d still watched her change clothes.
“Mind if I sit down?” asked a soft voice. “The other tables are kind of full.”
Buffy glanced up and saw one of the sweetest faces she had ever seen. The man had dark hair, soulful eyes, and an almost childlike innocence about him. Nodding, she pushed the chair Spike had occupied away from the table. “Sure thing.”
“Thanks,” he said, sitting down across from her. His shoulders were stooped, and he pushed his food around his tray for several moments while Buffy watched on curiously.
“I’m Buffy.” She extended her hand.
“Parker.” Taking her hand, he shook it gently before returning to playing with his food. Without warning, tears sprang to his eyes, and he wiped them away frantically. “I’m sorry. I’m not good company right now, I should go.”
“No, no. It’s okay,” said Buffy kindly. He reminded her of Angel in that moment, back when things had been good between them. Like Angel, he seemed to be burdened and wise beyond his years. “I’m a good listener, you know.”
His eyes now vaguely hopeful, Parker began to weave his web of lies, and she listened quietly, reaching across the table to touch his forearm as he recounted his loss.
She never realized that she had fallen for the oldest trick in the book.
Thanks so much to everyone who's been reviewing. You guys are the best!
Sympathy for the Devil
They made the journey to the cafeteria in silence, and Buffy was beginning to wonder if this was a good idea after all. She could request a roommate transfer in two weeks; getting along with him wasn’t a requirement. Yeah, but it’ll make the time pass faster, she thought.
The silence was deafening to her ears, and she was still testy about his attempt to take her bag from her. It was foolish, she knew, but it brought back memories she didn’t need, memories she was lost in as she mechanically moved through the lunch line.
She loaded her tray down with a salad, slice of pizza, an apple, a bag of chips, and a piece of blueberry cheesecake. As an afterthought, she grabbed a banana for later. Grabbing a Dr. Pepper, she glanced up in surprise when she heard Spike laughing.
“Bloody Hell, woman! How do you stay so skinny if you always eat like this?” he inquired, his own tray equally full of food. He’d always been able to eat anything and everything in sight without gaining weight, and it looked like his roommate was the same way.
Good, can’t stand a bint who won’t eat more than carrots.
“High metabolism,” she answered with a knowing smile. “You should talk. Your tray looks like you’re training for the Iron Man Triathlon.”
“Or to be a sumo wrestler,” he quipped, handing over money to pay for both meals.
Giggling, she tried to picture Spike in one of the strange towel-like loin cloth thingies sumo wrestlers wore. Nope, bad Buffy, you are so not supposed to think about your roommate’s butt.
“Thanks,” she said finally when she noticed that he’d paid for her food as well. Huh, he has manners.
“No problem.” Finding a table toward the back of the room, Spike kicked a chair out for Buffy before sitting down himself.
A golden brow arching, she sat down across from him and began unloading her tray. “So… what’s your major?” she questioned. It was as good a place as any to start. Besides, college, college conversations. Yeah, nothing too personal, Buffy, or he’ll start asking personal questions, too.
“Music,” he answered, attacking his burger as though he hadn’t seen food in days. “You?”
“Wow, music? That’s Oz’s major, too. I’m here for anthropology and sociology.”
“Interesting combination. Why?”
“Why, what? I don’t know, I’m just interested in different cultures, especially mythological ones.” She had been thrilled to discover that they offered courses in urban legends and modern folklore.
“Mythological? You mean, like… faeries and dragons?” he asked.
“Well, sort of. I was thinking more along the lines of the whole vampire sub-culture and –” she let the rest of that sentence fade away when his scarred eyebrow lifted in an expression she had never seen before. It must be amusement. He thought she was insane.
“I never figured you for a vampire girl. What did you think of Underworld?” He was amazed. They actually had something in common.
“I liked it. I don’t care if the critics said it was stupid and contrived. The whole thing with Selene and Michael, how she defied her own culture and beliefs… That was great.”
“Right! I mean, the chit’s been trained to kill lycans, and she goes and falls for one of them. That’s my kind of love story right there, none of this sappy shit…” All right, why were they discussing that aspect of the movie? Damnit! “And the special effects were wicked.” There, better.
“I loved Selene’s clothes, too,” said Buffy. As much as she’d loved the action and violence of the film, as well as the underlying love story, she was still a girl, and she loved clothes.
“Lucian was a decent bloke, though,” he commented.
“He did all that for Sonja. That was really sweet,” she agreed. “He was just in serious need of a bath. Kraven was a complete bastard.”
“Kraven was a disgrace to vampires. All that glittery shit he was wearing, and what was his problem with hitting Selene like that? Way to lose a girl instead of win her, that. The best part, I think, was how the director switched perspectives. Looking at things from Selene’s point of view at first, you hated the lycans…”
“And then when you found out what had happened to Lucian, you disliked the vampires,” Buffy finished. She noticed that, when lost in conversation, Spike’s cockney accent faded somewhat and became more cultured, softer and huskier. She had to admit that it was downright sexy. Bad Buffy!
“Bollocks!” Spike announced suddenly when he caught sight of the clock behind her head. “Class, gotta run. Later.” He hated having to leave, and he would have skipped the class had it been anything but music.
“Okay. Later…” She watched as he dumped his tray off and fairly flew out of the cafeteria. All right, she had to admit that he wasn’t as horrible as she’d first thought, but he was still temperamental, and he’d still watched her change clothes.
“Mind if I sit down?” asked a soft voice. “The other tables are kind of full.”
Buffy glanced up and saw one of the sweetest faces she had ever seen. The man had dark hair, soulful eyes, and an almost childlike innocence about him. Nodding, she pushed the chair Spike had occupied away from the table. “Sure thing.”
“Thanks,” he said, sitting down across from her. His shoulders were stooped, and he pushed his food around his tray for several moments while Buffy watched on curiously.
“I’m Buffy.” She extended her hand.
“Parker.” Taking her hand, he shook it gently before returning to playing with his food. Without warning, tears sprang to his eyes, and he wiped them away frantically. “I’m sorry. I’m not good company right now, I should go.”
“No, no. It’s okay,” said Buffy kindly. He reminded her of Angel in that moment, back when things had been good between them. Like Angel, he seemed to be burdened and wise beyond his years. “I’m a good listener, you know.”
His eyes now vaguely hopeful, Parker began to weave his web of lies, and she listened quietly, reaching across the table to touch his forearm as he recounted his loss.
She never realized that she had fallen for the oldest trick in the book.