| Fascination |
| DISCLAIMER: All hail Joss Whedon, UPN, the WB, FOX, Mutant Enemy and 20th Century Fox Film Corporation. GO team! Theirs, not mine. DEDICATION: For Annie, cheerleader extraordinaire. I wound my scarf around my neck as I went down the steps of the church. A cold wind blew down the empty street, making me shiver. The stars shone bright and clear tonight, glimmering in the dark sky. I walked along for a few blocks before I realized someone was following me. Increasing my pace, I listened intently. All I heard was the silence of the night, but the hairs on the back of my neck told me that there was someone there. My hand closed over the stake in my pocket and I whirled around quickly. A flicker of black leather caught my eye as it fluttered around the corner. The tension in my shoulders relaxed. �Come on out, Spike. I know you�re there.� He poked his head around the brick wall, a sheepish expression on his face. �You caught me, Red.� He sauntered over to me, his hands shoved in his pockets. �How�d you know I was there?� �You�re as subtle as an elephant,� I lied. �I�m surprised that you ever managed to eat anyone. Stealthy you�re not.� He looked offended. �I am too. I�ve been following you home every Wednesday night for weeks.� �You�ve been following me?� I asked, perplexed. �Why?� �I didn�t want anything to get you,� he explained. �You�re a succulent little morsel, pet. Might as well hang a fast food sign around your neck.� I laughed. �Don�t worry, Spike. I haven�t had anyone try to eat me lately.� The second it was out of my mouth, I regretted it. I felt the blood rushing to my cheeks as I blushed. �No one�s tried to eat me lately either, either. It�s a damn shame.� His eyes glimmered with humor. �So, back to the why you�re stalking me thing.�. He walked beside me, matching his pace to mine. �I know you go to St. Jude�s on Wednesdays for your Spellcasters Anonymous meeting,� he said. �You walk past three cemeteries to get there. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Without your magick-� He broke off, looking at me sideways. �I can take care of myself,� I retorted. I pulled my stake out of my coat and pointed it at him. �Hey now!� he exclaimed as he jumped back. �None of that. Just trying to be helpful.� �I�m really sick of all of you acting like I�m helpless,� I said angrily. �I�m not Dawn. You don�t need to baby-sit me.� I chucked the stake into my massive tote bag. �I�ve got nothing better to do,� he said. �My nights are free lately.� There was an odd undercurrent in his voice. �Not getting much action with Buffy?� I asked. He looked startled. �Slayage slow this time of year?� �Oh.� He shook his head. �No, Slayer doesn�t want me around anymore.� He kicked a rock, sending it flying swiftly through the air. �She�s been kind of distant,� I commented. �Either that or slightly wiggy. I wouldn�t take it personally. She hasn�t been in share mode very much, not since I brought her back.� We walked quietly together through Sunnydale. �I�m bored, Will,� he sighed. �I like having a goal, something to work toward to. I�m at loose ends.� �You could spend time with Dawn,� I suggested. �Every time I try to get together with her, she�s going to Tara�s or Janice�s,� he complained. �Well, aside from studying and going to meetings, I don�t have much going on,� I said. �If you wanted to, we could do things sometimes. It would be more fun than stalking me down a dark alley.� �Although that is kind of fun. I can pretend that you�re my next meal, and I�m sneaking up on you to bite you.� He said it so wistfully, that I felt sorry for him. �Do you want to make it a game?� I asked. �We could, if you wanted to. I can pretend to be very scared and scream really loud for you.� He looked at me. �Would you really?� he said, hopeful. He shook his head. �But that�s stupid. You�re just humoring me.� �It would be fun,� I replied. �Really. I want to.� He smiled at me. I tried to remember the last time I�d seen him smile, and I couldn�t. �Okay, but not now. You�re expecting it, so that�s no fun.� He looked thoughtful. �You keep walking home like normal.� He disappeared into the night, slipping away in the blink of an eye. |
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