Chapter 13 – Dreaming of You
The cursor
was blinking, waiting for him to enter the information. Spike glanced to his
left at Angel then to his right at Xander. They had docked earlier that morning
and had been given the afternoon off. For the first time he was in the group of
men that were ‘taken’. They hung together on shore leave to help keep each
other out of temptation’s way. The single guys were out carousing while the ‘takens’
were either shopping or at the internet café, like the three of them were now.
Angel and Xander were busy typing messages to their girls while Spike sat
staring at the form to fill out to get an email account.
With a roll
of his head, Spike gave up and typed in the information. A few clicks later and
he was now ‘DeadSexySpike’. A couple of clicks more and he was ready to write
an email to ‘LytleGreenEyes’. His fingers itched and his brain kept up a litany
of ‘another nail, another nail, another nail’, but the thought of Buffy smiling
at his reaching out moved him to start typing.
Hey
Cutie, we’re in
All it took
was one more click and the email was gone.
“Wasn’t so
bad?” Angel asked. “Now was it?”
Spike
looked up to find his two friends smirking at him. It was like he’d just passed
some sort of initiation into a private club or something. He was tempted to
look at the bottom of his feet to see if something was growing out of them. Sighing,
Spike stood, glancing between his mates, “Don’t we have some shopping to do or
something?”
“Yeah,”
Xander said, patting Spike on the back. “Aren’t you supposed to be buying a
present for Buffy?”
“Nah,”
Angel joked. “There’s no way a free wheeling guy like Spike would be sending
emails to a girl back home or buying her presents on his day off. Not when he
could be carousing with all the other single, lonely guys. Getting drunk,
getting into fights and oh, yes, don’t forget about spending his entire
paycheck on himself.”
“Bloody
hell,” Spike retorted. “Can’t you just give it a rest? Buffy and me are just
friends, no commitments.”
And his
words didn’t even convince himself as they headed to buy presents for the women
waiting for them back in Sunnydale.
~~~~~~~~
“Buffy,
pick up the phone,” Rupert said, poking his head in the door of her bedroom.
“It’s Cordelia for you.”
“Thanks,
Dad,” Buffy said, rolling over and grabbing her phone off the nightstand.
“Hello.”
“Girl,
check your email,” Cordelia said, laughing. “I think someone sent you something.”
“What?”
Buffy screamed, running and sliding down the hallway to her father’s small
office “Oh, my God, talk to me. Tell me something as I get signed on. I can’t
stand it.”
“I got an
email from Angel and he said that Spike was hanging out with him and Xander,”
Cordelia said. “And you know what that means.”
It was a
declaration that they were dating. All the girls knew the status of the sailors
and who they hung with. If Spike was with the guys who were in relationships
then he was telling everyone that he considered himself off the market. Buffy
was giddy with excitement at the news because that meant he was hers. She was
bouncing in her seat as she signed on and clicked for her mail.
“Oh, there
it is,” Buffy squealed. “He did send one.” She clicked on it and blinked at the
shortness of it. “Yep, definite email of only six lines.”
“Do not
complain, young lady,” Cordelia said. “It was a big step and you know it.”
“I do, I do
and I am so happy about it but it didn’t leave a lot for me to respond to.”
“And that’s
why you have me to help,” Cordelia answered smoothly. Buffy could almost see
the brunette curling up in her chair with her personal ‘How to Get Men’ guide.
“Read it to me.”
Buffy did
as she was asked. The second time around any and all disappointment had
disappeared. It was pure Spike; direct and to the point. No flowery speeches
that wouldn’t mean a damn thing in the end. She’d listen to Cordelia’s advice
but knew she’d have to follow Spike’s style for awhile.
“Have you
ever called him by any cute nicknames or anything?”
“Nope,
nothing but Spike,” Buffy answered, clicking on the buttons to get a blank
form.
“Don’t do
it now,” Cordelia advised. “It will come off forced or way to cutsie for words.
So, just start it with something like ‘hey, Spike’ or something. My advice is
next time he’s in town wait for one of those moments. You do know what I mean,
right?”
“Yeah,”
Buffy said, typing as she listened to her friend.
“Pick a
name in advance, like baby, or sweetie, and make sure you haven’t called any of
the other guys by this name. And in that moment do something for him to
associate with it and use the name. And any time he hears you call him that,
he’ll remember exactly what you were doing the first time you called him that.”
“Oh,” Buffy
said, leaning back and scrunching her nose. “You mean like when we’re in the
middle of making out and just as my hand grabs him call him Stud or something?”
“Yeah,
sure, if that’s your thing,” Cordelia said. “I’d use something a little more
romantic but hey, to each their own.”
“I was
kidding with you,” Buffy laughed. “What’s your nickname for Angel?”
“Private
matter and will not be answered,” Cordelia answered primly. “And now back to
you, first you want to let him know that you appreciate him sending the email
without sounding like you were waiting for it. And, don’t, whatever you do,
allude to the fact you know what it means.”
“Oh, you
mean, don’t let him know that by sending it he may as well have stamped ‘taken’
on his own forehead?”
“Yes Buffy,
that one.”
The two
women laughed as they tossed a few ideas back and forth before Buffy typed out
a sentence.
“Now let’s
go over the content of the email,” Cordelia instructed. “You want to make sure
that you remind him of something fun that the two of you did together or
something that makes him think of sex and you at the same time.”
“Want to
make sure he’s all hot and bothered when he gets here?”
“And
waiting for you and only you,” Cordelia said.
“Uh, virgin
here, remember? I don’t want to tease him with no way of dealing with it,”
Buffy said. “We’ve agreed to wait a little longer.”
“Oh,
goodness,” Cordelia said, clearly sounding exasperated. “You aren’t getting him
off any other way?”
Buffy
flushed. She could feel it from her toes all the way up to her hairline. She’d
only tried the one time. Since then she’d only been expecting to get rejected
again. It wasn’t like she had a lot of practical knowledge of how to do those
‘other things’ anyway and Spike hadn’t been encouraging it.
“No,” Buffy
confessed. “It just hasn’t worked out yet. Something always happens to stop
us.” She sighed. “We sleep all curled up together. It’s sweet.”
“Are you
sure he’s not gay?”
“Only if
Angel’s seduced him,” Buffy retorted.
“Funny,
very funny,” Cordelia said. “What do you sleep in? Has he said he likes
something about it? You just want something that will make him think of you and
feel good.”
“I sleep in
flannel pajamas,” Buffy said, ignoring the outraged yelp on the other end of
the phone. “Maybe I could ask him how he’s treating my underwear that he
stole.”
“He’s got
your panties?” Cordelia said in an awe filled voice. “Whoa, that is usually
something that is either a one night stand or a long standing relationship
item. I’m proud of you. Yes, mention it. It means he’s already thinking about
you all the time. I wonder if he’s carrying them or has them in his locker.”
There was a pause for a moment. “Oh, please do not tell me that they are plain
cotton briefs or something.”
“White lace
thong,” Buffy said proudly.
“Good, very
good,” Cordelia voiced her approval. “Virginal but brimming with sex and that’s
probably how he sees you. Now, for the ending, you need to let him know that
you are waiting for him but aren’t ready to pounce on his freedom and take it
away.”
“Oh, God,
who would have thought that a simple email would take so much planning,” Buffy
complained, resuming her typing. She threw out several ideas to her friend and
after a retakes the email was ready.
Hello,
Spike. I really appreciated receiving your email. It went a long way to
brighten up an otherwise dreary day but you just seem to have a way of doing
that for me. I hope the market was a lot of fun and can’t wait to see what
you’ve found. I think Angel has mentioned it before and has gotten some
beautiful pieces from there. Are my panties happy in their new home in your
locker? They like to get aired out every once in awhile just so you know. Hope
the rest of your trip is as easy as the first half has been. I want to do more
than think about you and hope that the wind is behind the Darla so that you’re
here sooner than planned. Buffy
The
contents were approved by Cordelia and Buffy after reading it over one last
time sent it on its way. It was amazing to her that the guys were halfway
across the world and yet they could communicate. After a few minutes more of
conversation Buffy hung up the phone. Feeling their homesickness, Buffy dashed
off emails to the other three men. Her afternoon was bittersweet with hearing
from Spike but knowing that he was still weeks from home. And for the first
time she had to admit that maybe her mother was right as she buried herself in choosing
the courses she would take. Maybe this time in her need to keep her mind
occupied she’d make better grades.
~~~~~~~~
Spike to
Buffy:
Hello,
yourself. The ship is leaving in a few hours but we came to check for news from
home. It was really great that you returned my email. I could picture you all
curled up in those silly pajamas writing me back, making me compete with some
kind of food. It was ice cream wasn’t it? I found you several pieces of
jewelry, a locket and some earrings that are long and dangly. I was looking at
them and could picture them all bright against the gold of your skin and hair
and it made me catch my breath. I had to buy them. I can’t wait to see them on
you. By the way your panties are just fine, getting a lot of air. All the guys
know about them and have seen the pictures. They’ve all bugged me because my
ugly mug is in the way. I need pictures of just your sweet face. Tried to steal
Angel’s but they look like they were taken in high school. I want to see you
the way you are now. Well, I need to go. Spike
~~~~~~~
Buffy to
Spike:
They
all know? Did you show them? Oh, my God, how embarrassing especially since I
know them. Too bad you don’t wear any otherwise I’d steal them and take them
down to the ship’s office to show them around. Oh, don’t be grumpy, just
teasing you. It’s kind of naughty to know you have them. I like it. Shhh, don’t
tell anyone. Not that they’d believe it of me anyway. I’m starting college
again. Haven’t picked a major yet again because I have no clue what I want to
be when I grow up. Guess I’ll figure it out along the way. Thank you for the jewelry
and I can’t wait to see it. And you versus ice cream, you’d win every time.
Unless of course the ice cream was on you then it would be a draw. Buffy
~~~~~~~
Spike to
Buffy:
Don’t
do that. I’m going to have to sit at this damn table until I can quit thinking
of you and ice cream. Evil woman luring me into the darkness. Should have known
it the first night, what with the seducing me in an alley bit. Just for that
when I’m back on the ship I’m running that lacy thing up the flag pole and let
everybody see what a wanton woman Buffy Anne Summers really is. Back to
University, huh? That’s good. I’m glad that you’re moving along with your life.
Well, the ship is heading back to Sunnydale in the morning so I’ll see you
soon. Have ice cream ready when I get there. Spike
~~~~~~~~
Buffy
turned her computer off with a smile. It was becoming more comfortable between
her and Spike. The ease of the emails was proof of that but right then she
needed his arms to hold her. She needed more than cold letters on a screen so in
an effort to be closer to him she headed for the roof of her father’s store.
She leaned against the wall, wrapping an afghan tighter around her, as she
stared out to the sea. Like women had for centuries before her, she peered into
the darkness willing the ship that carried her man to appear.
“Hurry home
to me, Spike,” Buffy whispered into the wind hoping somehow it would reach him.
“I need to hold you.”
