Buffy the Vampire Slayer Preferences + imagines/one shots

Spike/The Scoobies Imagine - Roadtrip

The smell of chlorine hits me just as summery pop music starts playing from the speakers dotted around the hotel pool. Scorching rays beat down on my bare shoulders, trying its best to pierce through my thick layer of sun cream so I take the dive and earn groans as I create a colossal splash. I swim upwards, pulling my hair away from my face and almost bump right into Dawn.

"Wanna play mermaids?" she asks with a toothy grin, holding up a spare pair of goggles. 

I snatch the goggles from her grasp, splash her and swim away. She squeals, chasing after me.

It's a post-apocalypse road trip. I think we deserve one after saving the world for the umpteenth time. I slept like a baby most of the drive here so haven't tired of my friends yet, luckily for me, and I hope we don't annoy each other too quickly. Tara and Willow are reading on yellow deckchairs by the poolside, while Buffy and Xander toss a football between them in a lazy game of catch. Anya is floating peacefully on her back, sunglasses on, looking like a supermodel, while Dawn and I dash about like children but we love every second of it, unashamed.

Buffy taps me on the shoulder, "What ice creams do you two want?"  

"Snow cone!" Dawn shouts over her shoulder. 

"Mr Whippy?" I request, but Buffy just stares at me blankly. "What? Oh, right, I mean a soft serve." I shake my head at my Britishness - California is cool and all, but what I wouldn't do for a Calippo... I mean, I'd usually crave a cup of tea but it's way too hot for that.

A few minutes later, when Buffy comes back with our already dripping ice-creams, Dawn and I swim to the edge of the pool. We take the treats with grateful smiles and Dawn turns to me. The look on her face makes me stop in my tracks, my mouth hangs open dumbly, about to take a lick but I feel like Dawn is about to drop a bomb on me.

"Dawnie?" 

"I can tell you anything, right?" 

I swallow, half-dreading where this is going. "Of course."

"Ok," she takes a deep breath, "Don't tell anyone, but you're my favourite of Buffy's friends, right? And I feel like I'm living a lie if I don't tell you this." She pauses and I hold my breath. I don't know if the minx is doing it for dramatic effect but she's making me sweat even more. "I killed Miss Kitty Fantastico."

I can't help gasping. I shake my finger at her - "I was wondering what happened to that cat! She just disappeared one day-"

"It wasn't my fault, okay? Willow left some weapons lying around and I picked up a crossbow - just to look! - but it went off and... she didn't make it." Dawn confesses, "I swear I didn't hit her! But she had a heart attack."  

She looks solemn but not teary, the witches must have forgiven her, but I pull her into a side-hug anyway. "It's okay, Niblet. I hope your soul feels lighter now."

She sighs dramatically, "It's a weight off my chest." 

"You're a weirdo." I say as I use her shoulder to help myself up, "Go put on more sun cream! And," I throw her a sunhat, "Put this on!" 

-----------------------

By the time night has fallen, my friends are tired out from a day spent in the sun. As midnight creeps closer, I try to will myself to sleep but my insomnia is being a pain tonight. It always seems to manifest when I feel tired, ironically. I throw off my duvet in a huff and slip out of bed, careful not to make too much noise: Dawn and Buffy share the room opposite while Anya and Xander and Tara and Willow share the rooms either side of me. 

I pull back my navy curtains to peer at the softly-lit pool and there's nobody there - I smile. I quietly put on my swimming costume and tiptoe outside. I love the smell of night-time air and the darkness that envelopes the space like a blanket is quite relaxing.