Title: Magic Man
Author: Dianthus42
Rating: G
Medium: fic
“Thanks again, Xan. I really can’t tell you how much this means to us. So, I’ll see you and Dawnie next Tuesday? Oh, well, ok. Tell her I said school comes first. Ok. Bye.”
Buffy casually glanced out the window, and stopped short at the sight of a slight, solitary figure standing in her yard. He was wearing a hoodie and dark sunglasses. A duffel bag rested by his booted foot. She went outside to see what he wanted.
“Sorry. You’re too late, if you’re here about an internship. All the positions have been filled for this round.”
”That’s too bad. Like to make myself useful, dontcha know.”
Buffy’s breath caught in her throat. She’d know that voice anywhere. She’d really missed hearing it.
Reaching up, Spike took off his cheaters and pushed back his hood. He had waited to come to her during the day, when the sun shone full and bright. He had to squint a little against the glare.
“Well…we might be able to find something. I seem to remember you can be quite ‘useful’ at times.”
Having said that, Buffy hesitated briefly. Then, dropping all pretense of cool, she rushed down from the porch to where he stood. He threw his arms open wide, and they met in a hug. It wasn’t long, though, before she pulled away from him slightly, looking up at him in amazement.
“Magic?”
“Magic.”
“You were right about the pieces retaining some of the Seed’s power. Enough, as it happened, to give Yours’ Truly a new lease on life.”
“So you’re back to being William, ordinary human?”
“Nah. What you’re lookin’ at is William the new and improved. I’m…well, I’m like you now, only, you know,” he gave her a sly look, “taller.”
“You’re not that much taller, Mister.”
She reached up, and pulled his head down for a heated kiss (98.6o, to be exact). Their lips met. His were warm. It felt good, really good.
Eventually, they both had to come up for air. She brought her hand down to his chest, letting it rest there, feeling his heart beat; feeling it quicken under her touch. It was such a small thing, but huge all the same.
“How’d you find me?”
“Rob said this is where you’d be. He’s a mite concerned ‘bout you bein’ out here, slayer or no. Damned if I’m not a little concerned m’self.”
“You did catch the address, though, right? Where else would I be?”
“Yeah, yeah. Sunnydale Avenue. I got it. So, what’s this about internships?”
“It’s a community project. I bought this house as a fixer, and I’m having some work done on it. So Xander’s putting together a team of retired construction workers, and they’re gonna teach some of the locals how to do basic handyman stuff. It’s totally a win-win. We’re hoping if all goes well, we can do more projects like it in the future.”
“Wow. That…sounds like a plan.”
“Well, I wish I could take credit for it, but not really. Somebody suggested it at this meeting I went to the other night, and it sounded good to me. I tried to find said somebody once the meeting broke, but I guess I wasn’t fast enough.”
“Even so. You say you bought this place? Last I heard you couldn’t even make your student loan payments.”
“Hey! Last I heard you didn’t even have a heartbeat. Come on in, Spike. Obviously, we have a lot of catching up to do.”
“Obviously.”
They started up the short flight of stairs together. They got as far as the door, and were just about to go inside, when she turned to him.
“Do you have a place to stay? I mean, you are staying, right?”
“Yeah. Spent last couple of nights on Rob’s couch. Don’t think I’ve worn out my welcome just yet. He’s offered to let me stay for a while. I told him I’d call and let him know.”
“What if I could make you a better offer?”
“What, don’t tell me Dawn’s come to her senses and given Harris the boot. In need of a roommate, is he?”
Buffy rolled her eyes.
“No, Doofus. I meant you could stay here, with me. The place is kinda small, but I like to think of it as cozy.”
He shouldered his duffel.
“I won’t take up much space. All I got is what’s in the bag.”
“Oh, that’s not all you’ve got. Not by a long shot.”
“Well, we’ve bunked together before. Won’t try nuthin’. Promise.”
“And if I tried something?”
He shrugged, but his eyes sparkled.
“It’s your house, love. Who’m I to say what you can or can’t do?”
“So you’ll stay?”
“If that’s what you want, yeah.”
“Good.”
She smiled at him.
“Fine.”
He smiled back.
Together, they went inside. Her house, now their house, had just become a home.
Originally posted at https://seasonal-spuffy.dreamwidth.org/819121.html
