13285/Post Battle Recovery

Post Battle Recovery
Date of Scene:	15 May 2021
Location:	Brendan Cemetery, Sunnydale
Synopsis:	Buffy tends to Spike's wounds, the usual awkwardness ensues.
Cast of Characters:	Buffy Summers, Spike

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Buffy Summers has posed:
Last night's epic battle had been a small victory against the Vampire army lurking under Manhattan. Unfortunately, Spike had been badly injured, protecting Buffy at the last minute. She hadn't even realized until it was too late. Luckily she had got into the habit of carrying a first aid kit with her when she battled, and had hastily patched him up before everyone went home.

She had to go check on Dawn who was in town but was concerned about Spike. Maybe he was undead and could survive grievous wounds far better than, say, Constantine with his stab wound, but she was so worried.

Which is why she finds herself standing at the doorstep to his crypt, again. At least she brought some bags of blood this time.

Spike has posed:
Spike wasn't really taking precautions. He was sitting up when he probably should have been laying down. He was shirtless, with the hoodie he had been wearing in the trash. His prized coat had seen better days. Once he was better, he would try and mend it, or get it to a leather worker. Unless of course Willow, Constantine, or one of the magic users in the gang could help out. Truth be told, he was more worried about the coat than the hole in his chest. He could smell Buffy's approach, even through the still closed doorway. So naturally, he quickly slicked back his hair, just in case it wasn't, and laid back on the couch, trying to look extra vulnerable.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers takes a deep breath and knocks on the door. "Spike? Are you in there?" she..Should really not be here, he's just some creepy vampire with a chip in his head and on his shoulder. She's just tempting him. He's probably fine. Buffy hesitates, turning around to leave..

Except He's probably still hurt, probably lost a lot of blood since the other night. Besides he's a valuable ally. She should check on him..With a sigh, she pushes open the door, peering around, setting the blood bags on the table as she looks around for him. "Oh..Hey.."

Spying him on the cough Buffy frowns softly and steps towards him, giving him the once over. "Hey, how are you doing? You got pretty banged up last night.."

Spike has posed:
He didn't answer when she knocked on the door, a calculated move. But when she pushed through the door, he looked up to see her, standing on at the entrance, looking as wonderful as ever. There wasn't a scratch on her. "You need me," he asked, and began to try and get up, "what's the problem?" He was acting as if he was going to try and go into battle in his current condition, and winced a little as he got up. That was a legitimate wince though, since the hole in his chest, while healing, did hurt like hell. "Don't worry about me, it's just a scratch."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers frowns and shakes her head, quickly stepping in front of him, grabbing him by the shoulders and attempting to gently but firmly ease him back onto the sofa. "Stop. You're hurt. You're no good to anyone if you don't heal up first.." she sighs, looking him over, noticing the bleeding seeping through the bandages from last night.

"That wasnt nothing. That would have killed a human. You..You could have died.." her voice wavers just a bit, but she quickly recovers, voice hardening just a bit. "So don't be an idiot." as she speaks, Buffy is already pulling out her first aid kit, having decided to change his bandages. Probably hard to do it himself in his condition. "You probably lost a lot of blood...Are you hungry?"

Spike has posed:
Spike didn't resist her hands on his bare shoulders, letting her guide him back down. "I didn't know you cared," he said, lying, as they both knew she cared, but it wasn't said in a malicious tone. "Yeah, well, I didn't really have a choice, now did I?" He added cryptically. Why didn't he have a choice? He could have let the vampire attack her from behind. He wouldn't have the hole in his chest otherwise. "I could use a cupa." He answered to her question, "or a beer." Yeah, like a beer would help him recover.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers arches a brow, "Didn't have a choice? What exactly happened back there? You're usually faster than that." She of course, didn't yet know about his covering for her. Not like Buffy came out of it unscathed. She had her share of cuts and scrapes, but nothing really major, not like Spike.

"Sorry but I dont think beer will help, except make you more drunk. You're gonna drink this blood, then I'll get you some beer after." she's already heading for the kitchen, pouring some of the pig's blood into a cup. It's still fairly warm from being in her pocket on her way over here. Sorry Spike, no human blood for you.

Once that's done, she grabs a towel from the bathroom and fills a bowl with warm soapy water. Gotta keep that wound clean. She heads back to the sofa, setting the cup on the coffee table along with the bowl and towel, and carefully starts to pull, back the edges of the bandage over his chest. "Hold still."

Spike has posed:
"No beer, huh, Slayer's orders?" Any blood that came from Buffy, her blood, or something she bought, tasted delicious to Spike, because it had her scent on it. Morbid to be sure, but he was a vampire. He took a sip of the blood, licking his lips afterwards, "thanks." And he let her do her work on the bandages. While she did so, he remained quiet, still not having answered her earlier question.

He was debating how to put this. In the end, he went with the truth. "The way I saw it, I try, I save you, maybe I get out of it, maybe I don't, but you live a few minutes longer at least. I do nothing, and I truly would be dead." There was a moment silence, letting it hang in the air, "you had yer back to him, you were busy with two others, and he had an open shot at yer neck. A split second later, and we get to find out who's the next contestant on the Slayer is Right."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers gets to work, pulling off the bandages as gently as she can, checking the wound underneath which seems to be healing nicely, far faster than any normal human of course, but not completely healed. it was a grievous wound afterall, mortal to anyone else.

She falls silent a few moments as she dips a corner of the hand towel in soapy water, cleaning the wound as best as she can before placing fresh bandages on it. "Should be fine in a day, I'd think. Still, that was pretty nasty. Just glad it didn't hit an inch or two to the left, or.."

When he describes what happened, Buffy frowns a bit. "Really? I was so busy protecting Constantine I hadn't even noticed." she smirks, "Guess I owe you my life, huh."

Spike has posed:
"Yeah, well, it didn't," hit an inch or two to the left, "so don't worry about it." He would move as directed, as the wound went from the front to the back, having gone clean through his chest. "And that's what you need Big Bad for, isn't it? Watching your back when you're watching someone else." He was trying to play it down, not wanting to use it to manipulate her. There were a few choice phrases that came to mind, but he held back. The old Spike wouldn't. This blasted chip seemed to be having more of an influence on him than he thought.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers sighs, reaching around his shoulder to wrap around the back, getting a bit too close for comfort. Heck, a few strands of hair might just fall against his chest, tickling him some as he works. "Guess I'll never understand how your brain works. I thought this whole chip thing just stopped you from hurting people. Now you gotta go out there and play the hero, huh. Maybe I underestimated you.."

She smiles softly, pausing briefly in her work to look him in the eye, reaching up to brush a strand of hair out of his eyes. You know, just to make sure he didn't suffer any other major injuries while she's at it.

"And here I thought you were just a killing machine because you had to vent your frustrations on something."

Spike has posed:
Spike enjoyed the close contact. He could feel her brush against him, her scent, her breath against his skin, and even the few strands of that gorgeous long blonde hair tickling him. He inhaled slowly, but deeply. There was something intimate about her bandaging him up. "Chip nothing, it's you, Buffy, it's all down to you. You bring the best out of people, the way you try, the way you put yourself on the line, out there. You bring the best out of me too." He loved that smile, and returned it, locking eyes with her. She had such beautiful eyes. A man could get lose in them. And the brush of her hair out of him, it dancing against his face and skin. It was intoxicating. "Oh, I am, and there's that too. Don't you dare tell me you don't enjoy the thrill, the way your heart keeps pumping, the danger, there's a reason moths are drawn to the fire."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers blinks slowly, suddenly feeling self conscious as he makes it about her. She actually pulls away a but, frowning. "I..Dunno about that, Spike. I'm just doing my job as a Slayer. So are you. We're just soldiers in a war against the supernatural, no reason to get all sappy."

She's lying of course, she knows it, he knows it. "Dont get the wrong idea, I'm just making sure my allies can live another day..I'll be visiting Constantine next." but he can hear her heart beating faster, her breathing more rapid. She's feeling nervous all of a sudden. This isn't just checking in on her allies.

Spike has posed:
"There is every reason. I know you. I know you Buffy. I can hear your heart beating. It doesn't beat like that..." he didn't finish that sentence, not wanting to embarrass or hurt her; he took her hand in his, the feel of skin on skin contact. He makes strong eye contact with her, curious to see if she will hold it, or look away. "You know how I feel." A moment's pause, "And I know the score. I know in my heart that it's never going to happen. I really do. And I'm okay with that. Sometimes people make decisions that seem right at the time, but take them further away from what's meant to be. I've made my peace. But just like you, I have to try. It doesn't matter how hard it might be, or difficult, but it's just something I gotta do."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers frowns, shaking her head, "You don't know me! You keep acting like..Like we're not just enemies forced to work together. Like we're fated to.." she sighs, not even sure where to start. Things between them have always been complicated. Still, when he reaches for her hands, Buffy doesn't pull away. Nor does she shy away from his gaze. As if she'd let him come out looking stronger. Instead she stares back at him defiantly, daring him to do something about it.

"We've done this dance too many times, and we'll continue to do it, I suppose. I thought you found your happiness, in Gotham. I thought we'd both moved on." she sighs a bit sadly, looking down at his hands, "We got close, pulled apart, then close again countless times..I guess the timing was always wrong. I'm sorry."

Spike has posed:
Her protests that he doesn't know or understand her brings a knowing smile to Spike's lips. It was so cute the way she objected to such things. "We're not enemies. We're not forced to work together. We choose to. And, who can say?" he continues to hold her gaze. "Oh, I think we can try it one more time, as usual. I know what makes me happy. I know who makes me happy." And she broke the gaze first when she looked down at his hands. A pity. He was enjoying the staring contest. In fact, he does something about it. One of his hands comes up to gently touch the underside of her chin, suggesting she looks up again, and then he leaned in, lips at the ready.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers arches a brow, "Choose to, huh. I thought you helped us because that damned chip forced you to behave." she smiles but is caught off guard when he tilts her chin closer to his lips, blinking a few times.

"Spike.." she swallows, "I..Gotta go.." she pulls away suddenly, rising to her feet, frowning a bit. "Your shoulder's been bandaged up, should be good as new soon. I've put extra blood in the fridge. You..You should get some rest." she's totally not looking at him now, busying herself around the place, picking things up, tidying up..

Spike has posed:
Maybe she's learning his tricks, as she pulls away suddenly. He suppressed his own frown as best he could. "Thanks luv," he said, genuinely appreciating her bandages and the blood. Would have been nice if it had been from a blood bank, but the butcher is okay too, so long as it's not all pig's blood. A man can only take so much pig's blood. "It's all right Buffy, you can run from your feelings today. I'll be all right."