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Best Actress -- by Echo
Rating: PG-13 (For a sexy dance)
Description: Buffy and Spike are still trying to 'out' Dru, but things get a little complicated, like they always do, sequel to Love to Hate You.
Disclaimer: Whedon owns all. I'm merely borrowing. Please don't sue.
Tonight Willie had saved them a booth. Spike sat with a beer in his hand. She was late, as usual. The only time he'd seen her be early was the other night when she'd been 'drunk'. They'd been coming to Willie's every night. But nothing had happened since the slayer had put on her little performance. He was thinking maybe their charade should be seen at a new spot, if she ever showed. Spike was beginning to wonder what the hell was keeping her tonight when she stepped in the door. His jaw nearly hit the floor. She was stunning. He'd never seen the slayer all done up before. She was usually halter tops and flare pants with a big jacket covering her with a skirt thrown in here and there for some girlyness. This was a dress. A very short black dress held up by what looked like two black shoestrings. She had on black heeled sandals that gave her some extra height. Her toenails were painted. Her hair was up with tiny wisps falling out. Her makeup done soft. She wore no jewelry. She didn't need it.
Buffy was nervous. For some reason she'd felt the need to dress up tonight. Maybe to show them that she still could. She could be the slayer, be dangerous and deadly and still be feminine. All eyes were on her as she made her way across the room to the booth occupied by Spike. She didn't know if she could do this. Her eyes met Spike's. Her was smiling at her. She smiled back. When she reached the booth, he stood up.
"Bloody hell, pet. Aren't you all little red riding hood begging to be eaten up tonight by the big bad wolf."
"Thank you, I think."
He took her hand and kissed the back of it. "You look smashing, slayer. Too good for here. Let's go to the Bronze where you can dance in that dress."
"Uh, ok." He was being nice. She was confused. Spike was never nice to her.
They were walking hand in hand. Buffy was surprised he hadn't complained about her hand sweating. She was so nervous she couldn't help it. She wished Drusilla would just do whatever it was she was going to do and get it over with. They were almost to the Bronze when Spike stopped and yanked her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her.
"What in the hell are you doing?" She gritted.
"Shh. We're being watched, slayer. Try to look natural."
"Wha-" She was cut off by his mouth. Buffy nearly panicked and shoved him away, but then his words sunk in. They were being watched. She needed to play her part now.
Buffy wrapped her arms around Spike's neck and pulled herself closer. He started remembering when Willow had cast that spell. Buffy had been like this in his arms. Then he suddenly flashed back to the time Faith had been in her body. She almost been this close to him then. He could feel the heat and the sexual energy radiating off her body that night, but it was nothing like this. This was the real Buffy with her arms wrapped around him, right up against him, kissing him. Spike pulled away. He needed to be careful. This was just a game with them. Survival. But he wasn't going to deny he liked it.
"We should be off now, huh, pet?"
"Of course, lover." She was staring at him through her lashes. Too bad he didn't meet her before Angel. He might have ditched Dru. She was vixen and a half tonight. Spike silently vowed no more putting her down to Angel. The poof didn't have such bad taste in women after all. She was being a very good sport, despite everything.
The walked into the Bronze, and Buffy's nervousness officially reached an all-time high. Riley was there with Forrest, Graham, and some other commando guys. She turned to Spike.
"This is a bad idea."
"He knows, right?" Spike had spotted the slayer's boyfriend about the same time she had.
"Yeah, but his friends don't."
Spike saw Willow and Tara sitting at a table talking. "So we get someone to run interference." He nodded at the witches.
"I just think this is bad. I can't."
Spike grabbed her face and looked into her eyes. "You can do this. You don't back away from things. Don't start doing it now. I trust you to play this thing out til the end." Buffy was startled. He was serious. He trusted her. He believed in her. That was all she needed to get her moving again, and she was confused by it. Spike was her enemy, wasn't he? Well, this was not the time to dwell on it.
"Ok." They made their way over to Willow and Tara.
Riley had spotted them as soon as they entered the Bronze. His heart had constricted when he saw Spike's hand on the small of her back guiding her to Willow and some blonde girl whose face he couldn't see. He knew it was an act, but it still bothered him. It didn't look like they were acting. He was staring at them when Graham noticed the direction of his eyes. He looked.
"Who's that guy, Riley? He looks familiar."
"He's just a friend of Buffy's."
"Yeah, they look very friendly."
Forrest leaned in and joined they conversation. "I can't believe her. That's Hostile 17."
Riley made a face he hoped appeared convincing. "No, it's not. That's Buffy's friend Spike."
"Spike?"
"Yeah, he's from England. They have weird nicknames there." He had a hunch he'd sounded very much like an idiot just then. From the way Graham and Forrest were looking at him, his suspicions were confirmed. He was about to say something that he was sure would sound equally idiotic when her felt a hand on his arm. He looked down to see Willow smiling up at him.
"Dance with me, Riley?"
"I don't-" He was stopped by her squeezing his arm. The warning was in her eyes. It would be in his best interest not to refuse. "Ok."
Graham and Forrest watched openmouthed as the little redhead led Riley on to the dance floor. Riley NEVER danced.
Dark eyes watched the scene unfold from backstage. He wouldn't get his way. One little spell would make it more interesting. The seeds had already been planted. The players chosen carefully. Their abandon would bind them. It would be as it should. She would have what she wanted. This plan was shaping up nicely. She would temp fate. Just a little push.
"What are you doing?"
"Saving face for you, Riley."
"I don't dance, Willow. It's like a bad train wreck. Really"
She spun around and put her hands on his chest. She was shaking just a little. Her cheeks were slightly pink. Riley realized she was just as nervous as he was. "Don't worry we'll make you look good." <If I don't pass out first.>
"We?" He felt two hands run along his back. He turned around to see the blonde Forrest had said was cute and Graham had said was weird looking a few days ago when they'd been girl watching in the cafeteria like they usually did. She was smiling at him.
"This is Tara. Tara, Riley."
"Um, h-h-hi." She blushed and looked down. She was adorable. He could see the reason for some interest. What was Graham thinking? Forrest was right. She was cute. She had that thing. It stemmed from personality. A childlike innocence. That's what made her attractive. He looked back at Willow. He could see it in both of them, but Buffy was his world. He saw her on the edge of the dance floor holding hands with Spike. She was watching him. Waiting for him to decide. It was sort of comforting that she didn't want him to be humiliated in front of his friends, that her friends cared so much as to do something he could feel they weren't too sure about to help his pride. So, he did the only thing he could do, he pulled Willow up to him and started dancing.
Graham could feel his blood boil a little, and he didn't understand it. He hadn't even realized who she was until she came up behind Riley. Even then it had taken him a few seconds to place her. The weird looking girl from the other day. He'd said he didn't think she was pretty a few days ago, and now, for some reason seeing her with Riley was bothering him. She had a very doe-eyed innocent look to her. He just wasn't into those girls. She hadn't been attractive to him at all, but now he wasn't so sure. There was something compelling him to watch her. When she ran her hands over Riley's back, Graham had jumped to his feet. Forrest looked at him with questioning eyes. He couldn't explain it. He didn't even know her name. He hadn't even been interested until now. All he knew was her every move was staring to turn him on, and one of his best friends had just turned from the redhead he'd just been all over and was holding the object of his lust in a way too familiar way. Graham almost growled, then he caught himself. What the hell was his problem? He couldn't be jealous. He didn't like her. He'd never even spoken to her.
Buffy had thought she might pass out when Riley dragged Willow up against him like he had. Then he turned to Tara and it got positively naughty. Her jealousy began to exist on many levels.
Spike pulled her onto the dance floor near Riley, Tara, and Willow. The music was slow and hypnotic. Buffy looked at Riley. Spike noticed her jealousy. "Not the time for that, pet. Close your eyes. Pretend I'm him." He was whispering in her ear. He was right. This was not the time. Drusilla probably had people watching the Bronze. She leaned back into his chest and closed her eyes. He wrapped his arms around her, and they began to sway to the beat.
Willow had noticed the seething jealous rage in her friend's eyes. Whatever Spike had whispered to her friend, she was glad for it. She noticed Riley watching Spike and Buffy. He pulled Tara closer, and she began to take on a deer-in-headlights look. Willow noticed three vampires near the stage watching Buffy and Spike. There weren't many people on the dance floor tonight, so everybody was looking in their direction since they seemed to have the most action going on. Especially, with Riley putting Buffy's sexy dance with Xander from a couple of years ago to shame with Tara in the present. It seemed the floor had thinned out just so people could watch to see what would happen next. A lot of them knew Buffy and Riley were together. This could make for some uncomfortable situations later. Then Willow got an idea.
The song changed to something fast. Buffy felt two warm hands on her arms. She opened her eyes to see Willow grinning at her. She pulled her out of Spike's arms into her own. "We're being watched. Let's give them a show. Dance with me." She pulled Buffy to her chest.
Buffy thought she was going to die of shock. She almost pushed Willow off of her when she noticed two groups at opposite ends of the Bronze watching the five of them intently. One group alive, the other one dead. Riley's friends and a group of vampires. She didn't want Riley to look bad in front of his friends, and she was pretty sure the vamps belonged to Drusilla. She also noticed a lot of people from the campus were in tonight. A lot of people who knew her and Riley were a thing. They needed to mix it up. Buffy grinned wickedly. She could pretend a little more.
Spike knew they were being watched as well. He also knew what the redhead was planning as soon as he saw the glimmer in her green eyes. He wanted to shout his approval. This would drive his dark princess crazy. William the Bloody shaking his dead ass with humans, the slayer and her friends - two witches, and cornboy.
Tara jumped when she felt a cold hand on her neck. She turned around to see Spike grinning at her. He pushed her back into Riley's chest and closed in. She was smashed between their bodies. Spike leaned towards Riley. "We're changing the rules." Riley nodded. He got it. He pulled Tara closer and nuzzled her neck before sending her into the arms of Spike. The blonde witch gasped as Spike wrapped his arms around her back. One resting very close to the curve of her rear end. Spike leaned in to her ear. "Relax, pet. You're safe. Willow trusts me. That means you can, too." She believed him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in more.
Willow shoved Buffy into Riley's open arms and began dancing alone. She noticed Riley's friend Graham looked like was about to charge. She followed his gaze, to Tara. The guy had murder in his eyes. Willow was confused. She didn't even know Graham knew Tara. She moved to Buffy.
"We got trouble, I think. " Buffy followed her gaze.
"Oh shit." Graham had started to move towards the dance floor, but Forrest stopped him. It looked like they were arguing. Willow acted fast. She grabbed Tara and put herself in between her friend and Spike. Buffy grinned at her. Her friend was definitely the smart one.
"What the hell are you doing?" Forrest grabbed his friend right as he was about to rush out on the floor. Graham glared at him.
"What the hell is Riley thinking doing that to her."
"Who?"
"The blonde."
"Buffy?"
"No, dumbass, the other blonde." Both guys looked up to see Willow had planted herself between Graham's blonde and Hostile 17. Graham relaxed a little, but not much.
Spike moved the two witches closer to the slayer and her boy. The five became a blur of bodies touching and swaying to the beat. Frenzy. No one even knew who was dancing with who anymore, but Riley did manage to grab Tara somewhere in it all. He dipped her and dragged her up his leg. It was right about the time Spike spun Buffy out and back only to lick her neck when she was wrapped up in his arm. His other arm went behind him and wrapped around Willow, who was pressed in to his back. One of her arms was snaked around his chest. Riley pushed Tara's back against Willow's and grabbed Willow's hips, pressing himself against Tara. The blonde witch wrapped one hand around Riley's neck and reached behind her with the other one. She didn't stop until she had a firm grip on the side of Spike's ass. And that's what Xander and Anya saw as they walked in. The five of them. All pressed together. Like pornographic sardines.
"Oh my God." Anya froze.
"What the... How.... What... Why?" Xander had no words. The joined the other patrons of the Bronze in the mass staring that was going on.
The glass in Graham's hand exploded from the pressure he'd put on it when he saw Riley press up against the girl. Forrest glared at him.
"Calm down, man."
"You fucking calm down."
He stomped out of the building. Forrest watched his retreating form in confusion.
The song slowed and Willow and Tara broke off from the other three. Spike and Riley sandwiched Buffy. All eyes were on them. Even the eyes that no one knew were watching behind the stage.
"Naughty boy. Mummy's going to get you. Isn't she, Miss Edith? But first she's going to play, then she has to get Daddy back. Let's play our game and get Daddy, my sweet."
To be continued…
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