Buffy the Vampire Slayer Preferences + imagines/one shots

Spike - Waiting

I wince as I sit on the edge of Xander's bed and watch him play his video game. He glances over. "How's your side?"

"Not much better. It still hurts. And I'm sure the pounding headache I have has something to do with it."

He makes a non-committal grunt.

"Riley said the stitches should heal fine as long as I take it easy. Also, Spike suggested that maybe I should train with Buffy and Giles for a bit to, you know, improve my very minimal technique."

I sense Xander stiffen. "Oh well, if Spike said."

I ignore him. "I don't want to get overpowered like that again," I confess, picking at the skin on my fingers. "It was a really close call. If... you guys hadn't been there, I don't know what would have happened."

More accurately, if Spike hadn't been there to dust the vampire that was doing a number on me, I'd be very dead. But Xander's tetchy about the S word as it is.

"You don't need lessons from Buffy, babe. I never had and I'm fine."

"Well, maybe we both should. I have a hole in my side because I couldn't throw a decent punch to protect myself."

"Bit dramatic."

I fall silent and Xander gives me a look, "It was just a bit of bad luck."

"I think it'll be good for me."

"I'm sure you do. Will a certain evil vampire be there too, to get all hot and sweaty with?"

"Come on." I say emphatically, suddenly feeling a lot worse. He can get so jealous, so easily, and I don't have the energy to argue. Spike is just... Spike. A friend.

"I saw the way you looked at him when he helped you up yesterday. All gooey eyes... and you held onto him longer than you should have."

"Right! Of course! The fact I was dizzy from bloodloss had nothing to do with it!" I surprise myself with how angry I get. It's just... this always happens. And maybe if Xander acted like a better boyfriend, he wouldn't have to worry about Spike looking out for me. "I don't even think I registered who it was at first, I was so out of it. If it were... Adam I still would've held onto him!"

He scoffs.

An explosion sounds from the TV and he curses. He starts a new game.

I sigh. "I don't wanna fight." I tell him and fall onto my back, sinking into his mattress, the lumpy bits poking into me.

"Neither. Ah man!" He dies again.

I breathe slowly, trying not to focus on the pain. "Maybe you could just lay with me? I feel really bad."

He doesn't reply.

"Xander?"

"Huh?"

A mixture of disappointment and anger washes through me and I know I'm not going to feel any better here. I grit my teeth and pull myself back up, swearing under my breath. I slip my shoes back on and Xander asks, "Where are you going?"

When I hesitate - because I haven't thought that far ahead - he sucks his teeth and nods. "Right."

I roll my eyes. "Maybe I should go to Spike's. At least he'll listen to me!"

"Yeah, what else will he do to you?"

"You're impossible." With a shake of my head, I leave him sulking in his parent's basement.

Although he calls "Hey! I'm sorry, okay? You don't have to go!" I ignore it because it means nothing to me. He's not going to come running after me. He's going to play his game and then bitch about me to Willow later.