Buffy the Vampire Slayer Preferences + imagines/one shots

Spike - Runaway pt2

2000

William's place is a crypt. She don't know why she was expecting anything more. He tells her to make herself at home, so she kicks off her boots and joins him in the kitchen, the floor freezing through her socks. 

"The assassins didn't cause you too much trouble, did they?" 

He whistles as he pulls two packets of blood from a white fridge. "I mean, I got two black eyes and a broken collarbone but nothin' a bit of time and liquor couldn't fix."

"Yeah. For what it's worth... I'm sorry about that."

He shakes his head, then tells her quietly. "The worst part was startin' over." Spike passes her a mugful of blood, which she takes with both hands. It tastes awful but she keeps a straight face. Or so she thinks. 

Spike looks up and takes the mug from her hands, "It's pigs' blood, probably not what you're used to. I can add some spices to it, if you want." 

It wasn't really a question because he sprinkles a variety of different green and brown herbs into the cup before she can protest, swirling it all up with a spoon. "I should explain why I drink this crap, shouldn't I? Got this chip in my skull which means I can't hurt humans anymore. Some bloody demon-hunters fancied me as their little science experiment. Can't get it out for the life of me." 

Her eyes widen. She can't imagine what it must be like to not kill; never feed again, never feel the rush of faint heartbeats and limp bodies. She sneezes into her elbow when he passes her the mug back and she spies a faint smile on Spike's lips. 

"A lot goes on in this town," he informs her, "Too much to tell you in a day. Are you planning on staying?"

"No," she says quickly, "I should probably go before too long."

"Where to?"

She's silent. She doesn't like the way Spike asks the question, like he knows she doesn't have a place to call home. He licks his lips, catching some blood on his chin.

"Stay here for a while. Got a mighty comfy sofa bed. I want to know how you've spent the last hundred years."

There's a knife out on the counter - the one Spike used to pierce holes in the packets of blood. There is blood on the very tip of it, glistening in the low light. She stares at it as she tries to think of an excuse. Reuniting with Spike was a surprise, but she doesn't know if it was a nice one. 

Spike talks. "I know you weren't the evilest of vampires back in the day, but if you do fancy doing in the slayer, that would be a big help. She's a right pain in my arse - only lives a block or two away. Maddening, it is." 

It's sort of an out-of-body experience as she lunges for the knife. 

But Spike is quicker, somehow, and grabs it a second before she does. She collides with him and he expertly pushes her back into the counter, the knife positioned at her throat. She wonders if it's out of instinct or if he's really going to hurt her. He cages her in, trapping her and he doesn't even blink. 

"Hey, now." his voice is low, concerned, "Is this a defence thing or a revenge thing?"

She struggles against him, getting absolutely nowhere. 

"What is it, Y/N? You want to hurt me?"

She forces herself to relax her body. She opens her mouth a couple of times before words form, "Sorry. I - I wasn't thinking."

She really wasn't thinking. His grip lessens and she makes sure his eyes are latched onto hers so she can slyly reach into her pocket. She really wasn't thinking because she'd forgotten about her pocket knife, nestled in the back pocket of her jeans. She flicks it out with ease and, before she can second guess it, drives it into his stomach. 

He gasps, the blade in his own hand clattering to the floor. 

Her anger that's been simmering all night comes to a boil and it's overflowing. She thought she could contain or dismiss it, but the memories are too powerful, too devastating. The memory of him leaving and what that meant...

"You sent him the demon's head." she growls and Spike looks at her with betrayal in his eyes. "You just had to let him know you'd bested him, didn't you? You cocky bastard." 

He swallows, opens his mouth, but she doesn't let him speak.

"You want to know what he did to me that night? Want to know what you made happen?"

His jaw twitches. 

"And it wasn't just once. All the things he would have punished you with, he did to me."

There's an awful squelch as she drives the blade deeper. 

"You're a -"

Someone grabs her shoulder and pulls her backwards. The person punches her in the face, the force of it brutal. She staggers back, her mouth tasting of copper, as she focuses on her assailant. She's blonde, beautiful and holds a wooden stake.

The woman runs at her, stake poised and she hears Spike bellow, "Buffy, don't!"

The woman isn't fazed, but swiftly drops the stake and tackles Y/N to the ground instead. She pins her to the ground and with one whack to the head, knocks her out cold. She looks up at Spike, who is clutching his stomach.

"Don't, Buffy... Let me deal with this."