Buffy the Vampire Slayer Preferences + imagines/one shots

Spike - Old Friends pt2

June can't stop her mind from wandering while Xander, Willow, Buffy and Dawn chat with her. She tries but she's hungry and tired and so eager to talk to her long lost friend.

Buffy finally offers to walk her to Spike's when her skin turns a shade paler, making her look more sickly than your average vampire. It really has been a while since she fed. 

She's nervous as she hugs Buffy goodbye at the crypt's entrance and knocks on its door. When there's no reply she shoots an anxious glance to the slayer.

"Go in," she encourages, "You know where I am if you need me."

June bites her lip and can't help smiling at the mere prospect of seeing William. 

"Hello?" she calls and Spike appears, with two novelty mugs of blood in his hands. Wordlessly, he passes June a cup which she accepts gratefully, eyes darting greedily around the room to take every detail in. Flickering candles, an old, patterned rug, even a fridge - he's really turned this place into a home. 

"Take a seat," he suggests, gesturing to the lone armchair positioned in front of a dusty television. She sits and watches Spike pull up another chair of the same faded orange colour and they look at each other for a good few seconds, simply searching for any changes.

"You have a scar." June remarks, reaching out slowly to brush Spike's eyebrow. He lets her and he inhales a useless breath at her touch. 

"You have shorter hair." He runs a strand between his fingers, "I like it."

She laughs and smiles bashfully. "It's been such a long time, I don't know where to begin."

Spike swallows. "I think I should start with an apology. I didn't leave because I was getting hitched, I left because I was sired. I am sorry I lied to you."

June nods, "I'd guessed. It really hurt, William. For decades. But I forgive you, of course, I do."

"Glad to hear it." Spike smirks in a way that June is a sucker for - just boyish enough to be charming but not too cocky as if to be arrogant. Ok, maybe it's a bit arrogant. She looks up to the ceiling and blinks rapidly, refusing to let her emotions get the better of her. 

"Ok," she looks back down to Spike, "What do you want to know?"

"First, pet," Spike says gently, "I think you should drink, you look a little faint."

She almost forgot. With the mention of it, her stomach cramps as if on cue, begging to be filled. She takes a long slurp of the scarlet liquid and lets it satisfy the ache. 

"Ok," Spike resumes with an amused smile, "When were you sired? By who? What have you been doing from then to now? Did you miss me?"

"A year after you left. By an ex-boyfriend. I've been feeding solely off horrible men to do the world a favour. Are you joking? I've missed you so much."

Spike lifts his scarred eyebrow and it gives June the sudden urge to touch his face again, "An ex-boyfriend?"

"Not a good one. He -" her voice breaks despite the time that's passed and the healing she's fought so hard to accomplish, "He wasn't a good man."

She doesn't need to elaborate.

"I'm so sorry."

A moment of understanding passes between them.

"My turn. All the same questions, plus an explanation behind your nickname." she leans back in her chair, realising with a smile that the ease she used to feel around him comes back so naturally.

"1880, by a..." he coughs, "ex-lover called Drusilla. I've had a pretty bloody past but now help Buffy's little Scooby Gang battle evil. You see, I've got this chip in my head - put there by an army operation - so I can't harm humans, only demons. I've missed you everyday. And... I was infamous for torturing victims with railroad spikes."

June blinks. Once. Twice. She curses herself for caring more about this woman, Drusilla, than his villainy. She wants to say that the past is in the past, but that wouldn't apply to their reunion, would it? She doesn't want to start again with him, she selfishly wants to pick up where they left off - with the trust, the fun, the love... If she's lucky.

She wonders if he ever felt the same way she did. She hasn't been in love since then but he has, for a very long time, in fact. It would be ludicrous for Spike to have retained anything he may have felt all those years ago but June can't help but cling to the glimmer of hope she gets when she looks in his eyes.

"I was in love with you." Spike blurts out, shocking the both of them. "Sorry. I'm sorry. Being around you, it... it's making me revert back into that prattling poet. I swear I'm cool." he laughs. He shakes his blond hair so that a stray curl falls onto his forehead and he strokes his hand over his leather jacketed arm, as if to reassure himself it's true. "I'm sorry. I was, though. I don't know how I ever left you."

"Do you remember the day you left?" June asks and Spike nods ruefully, "I cried all night." she laughs humourlessly, "I never thought I'd see you again. I still can't believe it. And you're going to kick yourself because I was head over heels in love with you too."

Spike's head snaps up. "No, you weren't. That- that's a cruel joke, June."

"William," her smile is tinged with sadness as she tilts her head to one side, "I've never felt the same way about anyone. Over 100 years and I still dream about you. Literally, I mean. Sometimes." she blushes, "In a non-pathetic way. What I mean is I'm not joking. I swear." 

 Spike's jaw tightens and June takes a sip of her blood to avoid the awkwardness. She finishes, sets it down and racks her brain for something intelligent to say.

Nothing occurs.

She gets up and walks a few paces.

"We've lost 100 years." she tells Spike, their eyes connecting. 

"Yes." He stands.

"But we have forever to make up for it." June steps towards him.

She hugs him, tighter than before, and this time Spike relaxes into it with the absence of an audience. June inhales, the scent of rain and faint tobacco clouding her senses, a reminder that her William is now Spike. It scares her, it excites her. 

However, she questions herself when they part because his eyes look exactly the same. 

They are both consumed by the desire they both felt the last time they were together. June wants to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him like she fantasised about guiltily when they used to meet up - something so sinful and improper for a lady at the time. But now she's a century older - maybe not wiser, but definitely more freer in more ways than one. And by her old community's standard, being a vampire would be the epitome of sin anyway.

They look at each other, still, silent, until they give in at the same time, closing the gap. It's wild and fast, bodies pressing into each other, teeth clashing, tongues dancing, hands roaming. 

June wonders if it's due to destiny that they are together again. She says a silent prayer to whoever may be up there, a whisper of thanks for a second chance. There's so much to do - to talk about, learn - but she knows she won't let him get away this time. And by the way Spike is holding her like he never wants her to leave, she'd wager that his mind is in the same place.