ONE NORMAL LIFE / TWO EXTRAORDINARY LIVES
folder
BtVS AU/AR › Het - Male/Female › Buffy/Spike(William)
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
210
Views:
11,336
Reviews:
182
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
BtVS AU/AR › Het - Male/Female › Buffy/Spike(William)
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
210
Views:
11,336
Reviews:
182
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.
TRIPPING OVER MY TONGUE
CHAPTER 61 – TRIPPING OVER MY TONGUE
Dawn was in the kitchen when Buffy and Willow returned around 7:00pm.
“Hey guys, how’d it go? How’s Xander?”
“Hi Dawn. Xander’s fine, he sends his love. I think it went alright. He’s going to think about it for a couple of days and let us know.”
Dawn nodded. “What did he say when you told him about Spike?”
“He was shocked, of course. I’m not sure exactly what he thinks,” Buffy shrugged.
“Buffy didn’t tell you the best part!” Willow said.
“What’s that?”
“He took us to lunch in Manhattan! At Tavern on the Green!”
“Wow! You guys are so lucky. I’ve seen that restaurant on TV, on David Letterman’s show a long time ago. Nice, huh?”
“Very,” Willow answered.
“How’s William been?”
“He’s been fine. We had fun. Went to the beach, watched TV, just stuff. He seemed like he was starting to get a little nervous a couple of hours ago. He tried not to show it, but he got sort of fidgety, but then you called to let me know that you’d be here soon, so he’s been alright since then.”
“Where is he?” Buffy asked.
“He’s sitting on the deck.”
Buffy walked over to the sliding door. She saw him sitting on one of their beach chairs, he was writing something in a notebook, his back to her. She opened the door and went out.
Thinking it was Dawn, he asked, “Did you hear from Elizabeth again?”
Leaning over the chair, Buffy put her hands over his eyes, “Guess who?” she whispered.
William turned around, and gave her such a joyous, unabashed smile, that she couldn’t help but smile back at him the same way.
Had anybody in the world ever been so happy to see her that it lit up their whole face the way it was lighting up his? She didn’t think so.
“You’re back!”
“I am. Did you miss me?”
He nodded, enthusiastically, pulling her onto his lap.
“Always miss you,” he said, kissing her, “every minute I don’t see you, it seems like forever.”
She kissed him back tenderly, touching his face, “I missed you, too.”
Buffy was awarded with another joyous smile from William, “You did?”
“Um-hmm,” she said, kissing him again, content and happy, to once again be in his arms.
“How did the visit go with your friend?” he asked her a few minutes later, when they’d come up for air.
The night before they’d gone, she’d explained that Xander was a high school friend of theirs that had been very close to her, Willow, and Dawn the whole time they’d all lived in Sunnydale.
“Good. It was great to see him again.”
“Dawn told me all about him when you were gone.”
“She did? That’s…good.”
“I didn’t get the feeling he liked me very much,” William said.
“Why? What did she say?”
“It wasn’t what she said, as much as what she didn’t say.”
Buffy looked at him; “It was sort of complicated. I wouldn’t say he didn’t like you, as much as that he didn’t…understand some things.”
“What things?”
“You. He just didn’t understand you,” she said, then added, “or us.”
“Was he…did you and he…?”
“Xander and me? Oh, no. No. We’ve always been just friends.”
“I see,” William said, afraid to push Elizabeth away with more questions. She always seemed averse to answering any specific questions. After the other day, the first time they’d made love…well, he was learning to just not push her. He was afraid she’d take off again, leaving him alone. Better not to know, than to be alone.
They sat there, arms around each other, in silence, just enjoying the view of the lake and each other.
“It’s nice to see, isn’t it?” Willow asked, coming up to Dawn.
“Yeah, I’m so happy for them, I really am,” Dawn agreed, looking out at Buffy and William, entwined in each other.
“I hope…” Dawn started, then stopped.
“What, Dawnie?”
“I just hope that it lasts for them, that nothing bad happens. Damn! I don’t even want to think like this!”
“I know. They haven’t exactly been your conventional couple, have they?”
Willow said, then snorted. “Understatement, much?”
Dawn giggled, “I just hope…they deserve it. Buffy deserves it. Spike deserves it. William deserves it.”
“One big deserve-fest.”
“Yeah.”
Later on, after they’d come back from getting ice cream, as was their nightly ritual, and Willow and William were discussing the English countryside, Buffy found Dawn inside.
“Hey, Dawn, I need to ask you something.”
“Sure, what’s up?”
“Dawn, what did you tell William about Xand
“What do you mean?”
“Well, when I came back, he said that you’d told him all about Xander, and that he got the impression that Xander didn’t like him.”
“I never told him that.”
“I know you didn’t. In fact, he said he got it more from what you didn’t say, than what you did say. I want to know what was said, so I know how he got that impression.”
Dawn sighed. “I don’t know Buffy. He started asking me about him. I think he thought that maybe he was an old boyfriend or something. Then I told him how I used to have a crush on Xander. How he was always around. You know, helping out. Being there when we needed him. Once I started, I tried to sort of get out of the conversation. I mean, it’s so hard telling him stuff, yet stepping around so much other stuff. It all comes out cryptic, generic.”
“I know.”
“And he knows that there’s stuff we leave out. He has to.”
Buffy nodded, “I know. I think he’s just resigned to that fact, at least for right now.”
“Anyway, once I started talking, he started asking me lots of questions. Then he asked me if he and Xander were friends.”
“What did you say?”
“I told him they’d been roommates. Twice.”
Buffy groaned.
“He wanted to know if it had been in college. I told him, no, that Xander was just helping him out.”
“And?”
“And he wanted to know helping him out how. I told him that he’d been having a bit of a rough time. Again, he asked how. I just played dumb and told him that I hadn’t been sure exactly, that you knew.”
“Thanks. So, still, Dawn, how did he get the idea that Xander didn’t like him?”
“He asked me, “But Xander helped me, because we were friends, right?”
“And I guess I didn’t answer that exactly the best way.”
“What did you say, Dawn?”
“I think I said, ‘More, like he was doing you a favor.’ I’m sorry, Buffy.”
“So William just thinks he was a pity case for Xandnow?now?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. I really am sorry.”
“It’s okay, It’s not your fault. I’m constantly tripping over my tongue every time something comes up. I just…if Xander decides to help, I just wanted William to be comfortable around him. You know I had my reservations about asking him because of the way Xander felt about him anyway. In fact, I warned Xander that if he didn’t feel that he could put the past behind, if he harbored any ill will toward Spike, then he shouldno ito it, not even for me. I’m just trying to protect William from anymore hurt. That and I guess, well, I was sort of hoping that maybe they could be sort of friends. I don’t think…”
“That he’s ever had a good friend?” Dawn said.
“Well, Spike had Clem. So to speak. But as William? I’m not so sure. Just would be nice, if Xander could sort of bond with him. But now…now if Xander decides to come, I think William will just avoid him.”
“I’m sorry, Buffy.”
Buffy sighed, “I know.”
Later that night, Buffy was in bed waiting for William to come back from the bathroom when she happened to see his notebook on the dresser. Curiosity got the better of her as she started to move towards it. Just then William came into the room, and Buffy, making a save, reached underneath the dresser instead - for the Wal-Mart bag that had been nearly forgotten.
“What’s that?” William asked.
Great. Just great.
“Um…maybe you should read this,” she said handing him the bag, blushing.
END CHAPTER 61
Dawn was in the kitchen when Buffy and Willow returned around 7:00pm.
“Hey guys, how’d it go? How’s Xander?”
“Hi Dawn. Xander’s fine, he sends his love. I think it went alright. He’s going to think about it for a couple of days and let us know.”
Dawn nodded. “What did he say when you told him about Spike?”
“He was shocked, of course. I’m not sure exactly what he thinks,” Buffy shrugged.
“Buffy didn’t tell you the best part!” Willow said.
“What’s that?”
“He took us to lunch in Manhattan! At Tavern on the Green!”
“Wow! You guys are so lucky. I’ve seen that restaurant on TV, on David Letterman’s show a long time ago. Nice, huh?”
“Very,” Willow answered.
“How’s William been?”
“He’s been fine. We had fun. Went to the beach, watched TV, just stuff. He seemed like he was starting to get a little nervous a couple of hours ago. He tried not to show it, but he got sort of fidgety, but then you called to let me know that you’d be here soon, so he’s been alright since then.”
“Where is he?” Buffy asked.
“He’s sitting on the deck.”
Buffy walked over to the sliding door. She saw him sitting on one of their beach chairs, he was writing something in a notebook, his back to her. She opened the door and went out.
Thinking it was Dawn, he asked, “Did you hear from Elizabeth again?”
Leaning over the chair, Buffy put her hands over his eyes, “Guess who?” she whispered.
William turned around, and gave her such a joyous, unabashed smile, that she couldn’t help but smile back at him the same way.
Had anybody in the world ever been so happy to see her that it lit up their whole face the way it was lighting up his? She didn’t think so.
“You’re back!”
“I am. Did you miss me?”
He nodded, enthusiastically, pulling her onto his lap.
“Always miss you,” he said, kissing her, “every minute I don’t see you, it seems like forever.”
She kissed him back tenderly, touching his face, “I missed you, too.”
Buffy was awarded with another joyous smile from William, “You did?”
“Um-hmm,” she said, kissing him again, content and happy, to once again be in his arms.
“How did the visit go with your friend?” he asked her a few minutes later, when they’d come up for air.
The night before they’d gone, she’d explained that Xander was a high school friend of theirs that had been very close to her, Willow, and Dawn the whole time they’d all lived in Sunnydale.
“Good. It was great to see him again.”
“Dawn told me all about him when you were gone.”
“She did? That’s…good.”
“I didn’t get the feeling he liked me very much,” William said.
“Why? What did she say?”
“It wasn’t what she said, as much as what she didn’t say.”
Buffy looked at him; “It was sort of complicated. I wouldn’t say he didn’t like you, as much as that he didn’t…understand some things.”
“What things?”
“You. He just didn’t understand you,” she said, then added, “or us.”
“Was he…did you and he…?”
“Xander and me? Oh, no. No. We’ve always been just friends.”
“I see,” William said, afraid to push Elizabeth away with more questions. She always seemed averse to answering any specific questions. After the other day, the first time they’d made love…well, he was learning to just not push her. He was afraid she’d take off again, leaving him alone. Better not to know, than to be alone.
They sat there, arms around each other, in silence, just enjoying the view of the lake and each other.
“It’s nice to see, isn’t it?” Willow asked, coming up to Dawn.
“Yeah, I’m so happy for them, I really am,” Dawn agreed, looking out at Buffy and William, entwined in each other.
“I hope…” Dawn started, then stopped.
“What, Dawnie?”
“I just hope that it lasts for them, that nothing bad happens. Damn! I don’t even want to think like this!”
“I know. They haven’t exactly been your conventional couple, have they?”
Willow said, then snorted. “Understatement, much?”
Dawn giggled, “I just hope…they deserve it. Buffy deserves it. Spike deserves it. William deserves it.”
“One big deserve-fest.”
“Yeah.”
Later on, after they’d come back from getting ice cream, as was their nightly ritual, and Willow and William were discussing the English countryside, Buffy found Dawn inside.
“Hey, Dawn, I need to ask you something.”
“Sure, what’s up?”
“Dawn, what did you tell William about Xand
“What do you mean?”
“Well, when I came back, he said that you’d told him all about Xander, and that he got the impression that Xander didn’t like him.”
“I never told him that.”
“I know you didn’t. In fact, he said he got it more from what you didn’t say, than what you did say. I want to know what was said, so I know how he got that impression.”
Dawn sighed. “I don’t know Buffy. He started asking me about him. I think he thought that maybe he was an old boyfriend or something. Then I told him how I used to have a crush on Xander. How he was always around. You know, helping out. Being there when we needed him. Once I started, I tried to sort of get out of the conversation. I mean, it’s so hard telling him stuff, yet stepping around so much other stuff. It all comes out cryptic, generic.”
“I know.”
“And he knows that there’s stuff we leave out. He has to.”
Buffy nodded, “I know. I think he’s just resigned to that fact, at least for right now.”
“Anyway, once I started talking, he started asking me lots of questions. Then he asked me if he and Xander were friends.”
“What did you say?”
“I told him they’d been roommates. Twice.”
Buffy groaned.
“He wanted to know if it had been in college. I told him, no, that Xander was just helping him out.”
“And?”
“And he wanted to know helping him out how. I told him that he’d been having a bit of a rough time. Again, he asked how. I just played dumb and told him that I hadn’t been sure exactly, that you knew.”
“Thanks. So, still, Dawn, how did he get the idea that Xander didn’t like him?”
“He asked me, “But Xander helped me, because we were friends, right?”
“And I guess I didn’t answer that exactly the best way.”
“What did you say, Dawn?”
“I think I said, ‘More, like he was doing you a favor.’ I’m sorry, Buffy.”
“So William just thinks he was a pity case for Xandnow?now?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. I really am sorry.”
“It’s okay, It’s not your fault. I’m constantly tripping over my tongue every time something comes up. I just…if Xander decides to help, I just wanted William to be comfortable around him. You know I had my reservations about asking him because of the way Xander felt about him anyway. In fact, I warned Xander that if he didn’t feel that he could put the past behind, if he harbored any ill will toward Spike, then he shouldno ito it, not even for me. I’m just trying to protect William from anymore hurt. That and I guess, well, I was sort of hoping that maybe they could be sort of friends. I don’t think…”
“That he’s ever had a good friend?” Dawn said.
“Well, Spike had Clem. So to speak. But as William? I’m not so sure. Just would be nice, if Xander could sort of bond with him. But now…now if Xander decides to come, I think William will just avoid him.”
“I’m sorry, Buffy.”
Buffy sighed, “I know.”
Later that night, Buffy was in bed waiting for William to come back from the bathroom when she happened to see his notebook on the dresser. Curiosity got the better of her as she started to move towards it. Just then William came into the room, and Buffy, making a save, reached underneath the dresser instead - for the Wal-Mart bag that had been nearly forgotten.
“What’s that?” William asked.
Great. Just great.
“Um…maybe you should read this,” she said handing him the bag, blushing.
END CHAPTER 61