There's bound to be talk tomorrow (at least there will be plenty implied)

[blytheandbonnie]

WHO Bonnie, Wes, and OPEN. Possible guest appearances by Spike, Cassandra? Snape? Anyone who would have cause to see Bonnie or stop by the shop, really.
WHAT Bonnie and Wes try to have a normal night in. It probably fails.
WHERE Bonnie's place
WHEN Sunday evening
NOTES Multiple threads welcome, and threadjacking is okay.
WARNINGS Goodness, I hope none.

Comments

[idolstolemylook]

Midnight snacks took a different meaning, when you were nocturnal. For Spike, the early morning hours were when he was supposed to be winding down. Not that he ever really did, but he'd come home to the sounds of the couple Spike thought was giving demonic things a bad name. At least they were getting some, and not just making googly eyes at one another.

Hours later, he figured it was safe to venture out and rifle through the fridge for Wesley's beer. Sid followed him, and in the silence of the apartment his purr was loud and, Spike thought, insistent. Setting the beer on the counter, he scooped the cat up, cradling him like a baby in one arm while he rubbed his fuzzy belly.

[demonologist]

It was still fairly early in the morning when Wes felt the need to get up and relieve his bladder and perhaps fetch himself a glass of water. He was still half asleep, but knew the layout of the loft enough to be able to find his way in the semi-dark. The only problem was that he was naked and he was feeling too tired to get fully dressed for the excursion. So he reached/groped for the champagne coloured silk robe that was lying draped over a chair nearby and shrugged it on. Luckily it covered him, even if it was a little tight around the shoulders and shorter than he would have liked.

If he was lucky, no-one else would be up. Stifling a yawn, he shuffled out into the hallway and towards the bathroom. Where was that distant sort of humming noise?

[idolstolemylook]

Spike's eyes were better than Wesley's of course. As were his ears. So over the purring he could hear Wesley stumbling about. And, for good measure, he decided to turn the lights on, on the very good chance it would freak Wesley out.

What he forgot, of course, was that he was still holding Sid.

"Gearin' up for round two?"

lol there was meant to be a 'coming from' on the end of that. oops

[demonologist]

Wes didn't freak out, but he did give a minor start at the sudden illumination. He was bleary-eyed and it took him a moment to adjust to the change in light level. Oh, marvelous, it was Spike. Self-consciously, and before he could stop himself, he checked downwards to make sure Bonnie's robe was covering everything it should. Well, this was embarrassing.

He shook his head, "She's asleep at the moment. I was..."

Then realising he really shouldn't be discussing such things with Spike, he just closed his mouth again and headed to the bathroom. Hopefully by the time he'd finished, Spike would have gone off to his room.

And had that been a kitten he'd spied tucked in the crook of Spike's elbow?

[idolstolemylook]

The look Wesley cast downward was priceless, and Spike grinned. And then remembered too late that he was holding a kitten.

But Wesley had already disappeared. Spike put him down quickly, zipping to the kitchen to retrieve his beer so he could be casually leaning against the wall when Wesley emerged.

[demonologist]

Wes wasn't too happy to see that Spike was still hanging around when he exited the bathroom again. No doubt he wanted to make some off-colour remark about the situation. Deciding to not let it fluster him, he went about getting that glass of water he'd intended to fetch in the first place.

"Where's your cute furry companion?" He asked, going on the offensive a bit.

[idolstolemylook]

As he moved, Wesley's robe slid about his legs, too high, and Spike thought that was funny.

He didn't think the question was, though.

"I ate him," he said. "It. I ate it." Which of course was Sid's cue to trot back in and twine himself around Spike's legs, gazing up at him with obvious familiarity and expectation.

[demonologist]

"And then brought it back to life again, I see." Wes smirked slightly as he reached up to grab a glass from the cupboard, only realising belatedly that it made the robe's hem rise briefly. He moved to the sink, trying not to show any signs of discomfort at being caught wearing something of Bonnie's. "That was monstrous of you. Is it a vampire cat?"

[idolstolemylook]

Well, it had drunk blood that one time.

"It was supposed to impress Buffy, all right?" he said irritably. "An' now it won't leave me the hell alone."

Sid mewed expressively, demanding attention. Spike ignored it.

[demonologist]

"It's probably hungry. When's the last time you fed it?" Wes cast him a look and then turned to open the fridge to see if there's any milk left to give it. Not that he'd ever had pets of his own, but it wasn't difficult to surmise why it might be mewling so insistently at the vampire.

He poured a small amount in a saucer, set it on the counter, then bent down and picked up the tiny thing and deposited it on the counter too. It probably wasn't the most hygienic decision he'd ever made, but it was late and he was only half-awake.

"Was Buffy impressed?"

[idolstolemylook]

Spike fed it. In fact, it was eating real food now, and Spike had read cats really oughtn't have milk, or not much, but he wasn't about to tout this knowledge in front of Wesley. Sid's over-long tail swished as he made conquest.

"No," Spike said, and couldn't keep the bitterness from his voice. He crossed his arms. He wasn't just talking about the cat anymore. "Sodding bitch. Just made her think of me more like... well, like Mittens." He gestured at the cat. "Sid, I mean. Sid. Like some sort of tame bloody rottweiler she could pat on the head and let on its merry way because she knew she'd knocked the fight out of 'im."

He was tired of her condescension. Tired of her superiority. He could kill the bloody animal, he thought. That'd show her. Hadn't she said she preferred him a vampire? Time he started acting like one.

[demonologist]

"Sid Mittens?" Wes arched an eyebrow at him. No doubt it was some reference to Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols. But then his expression grew more pensive and he turned back to the kitten, watching it drink. Without really thinking about how it might look, he reached out to stroke its back while it did so.

"Perhaps it would be better for your sanity if you moved on." It had taken him a while but he'd finally accepted that Claire didn't want him in that way, and he was trying to allow Faith to have the space she needed, because of his continued connection with Bonnie. It was all a tangled mess and every day seemed to add more complications, but...he wasn't sure if he truly wanted it 'easy' the way that Faith had claimed. "Or at least gave up trying so hard to impress her."

[idolstolemylook]

"Believe me, I'm done," Spike said with unexpected honesty. Or at least, honesty at this very moment in his volatile brain. He wouldn't look at Wesley, though. Just stared at the cat. Maybe he was done. It didn't mean he didn't love her anymore. But she'd rammed through her point enough times to get through even his defenses, and he couldn't pretend anymore. He was back to wishing he didn't, instead of wishing it worked.

"First I'm not good enough, an' then she's not. I'm wrong on account I'm a vampire, and then I'm wrong to be human. It's wrong because I can never understand right an' wrong, an' then it's wrong because I'm not trying hard enough to do right for its own sake. Like anyone does that! There's always some bloody reward, even if it's a little spark in your brain tellin' you what a jolly good fellow you are. You know, I'm sick of her telling me what I should do, when it's not going to lead to any-fucking-thing." He looked up finally. "What's the point?"

[demonologist]

Despite himself, Wes could identify with Spike's internal struggle. Perhaps far more than was entirely comfortable.

"I remember you once said that caring was the point. I do agree that very few people, vampire or otherwise practice altruism on a daily basis or genuinely strive for it. Consciously or sub-consciously we have wants and desires which are tied up in our choices and actions. I may regret saying this, considering to whom I am talking, but perhaps it's time to sort out who you want to be on your own terms. You can only look so far for external validation. Having someone else's opinion be the crucial factor in all of your decision-making will only end in disaster in the long run."

[idolstolemylook]

Spike said a lot of things. Didn't Wesley know that? He didn't even know why he was here. He told himself it was to mock Wesley's loud sex and stupid robe.

"The long run?" he repeated. "Run a bit longer than you. And I don't make decisions by her opinions. It's pretty fucking clear she doesn't want any part of me. You saying I don't have any self-esteem or something? Should I get a book? Watch Oprah?" Spike snorted. "I'm bloody full of self-esteem! Always lived on my own terms."

He couldn't understand what Wesley was talking about. Because it was all true, and centered right in the middle of Spike's biggest blind spot.

[demonologist]

"Right, well, forget I said anything, then. What could I, short-lived human that I am, possibly know about your situation or what's troubling you." Wes retorted, only just resisting the urge to roll his eyes at him again in annoyance. He picked up his glass of water and drank a good portion of it down, sending a glare Spike's way for good measure.