7947/Blood Delivery!

Blood Delivery!
Date of Scene:	18 June 2019
Location:	Spike's Crypt
Synopsis:	Buffy feels obligated to drop off some pig's blood at the Crypt to help Spike out. Things get (almost) cozy as they have an awkward discussion about 'things'.
Cast of Characters:	Buffy Summers, Spike

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Buffy Summers has posed:
So yeah, it's like, totally sunset now, and Buffy could have come a bit later when it was safer for vampires but she just wanted to get this unpleasantry over with. All the same, it was better than worrying about him preying on some unconscious person or worse, staking out one of those creepy vamp suck houses where people actually *paid* for vamps to feed on them. Besides, he was just a helpless kitty now (quite PATHETIC really), and it's either make regular deliveries, or let him come to her house and beg. Which is even more annoying.

So yeah, here she is, carrying a big paper bag full of several single servings of..Pig's blood (eww), She bought enough to last him maybe a few days, up to a week if he really rations it. "Eww...How can he eat this stuff?" she wrinkles her nose as she holds the squishy bag away from her face, climbing down the steps to his rather tacky crypt, rapping on the door a few times. "Hello..Delivery for mister..Spike?" she puts on a fake cheerful tone, doing her best impression of a pizza delivery girl. So sad.

Spike has posed:
Spike's sprawled out on the couch watching Passions reruns....again as he mutters, "C'mon, all I did was eat the last Oreo" he says and....actually pouts, then hauls himself up off the couch....wearing nothing but his underwear and a pair of mismatched socks. Slinking to the entrance of his crypt he sets a pizza box outside, then leans on the wall waiting. He's actually....hoping Buffy comes around. He wants to ask her things.....well....that....she knows about. Like....people things. Like relationships, that 'I hate emotions' phase. Or the 'come inside so we can talk and I won't bite you' phase....too. Spike peers out into the sunset and looks hopeful, holding a pizza slice in hand. It's....got garlic and chicken on it.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers rolls her eyes when the door doesn't automatically swing open, and finds it unlocked. "Geez, no security? You're pathetic Spike.." maybe he's just looking for trouble. With a sigh she steps in and peers around at the dreary place before she notices Spike leaning casually next to the door. In his underwear. And Mismatched socks. "Ew..Are you kidding me? If I have to go to the trouble of delivering your dumb blood, you could at least have the decency to WEAR something. Sheesh." she seems to be in a fairly grumpy mood tonight, already exhausted from cramming for an upcoming exam.

Spike has posed:
Spike looks to Buffy and sighs. "Come on in for a moment?" he asks. "I actually needed to talk to you anyhow so please, sit" he says and reaches for the blood. "Thanks" he says and looks thankful to Buffy....then he says those fateful words. "I owe you for this"

Spike pulls on a t-shirt. "Better?" he asks. "Oh sure. I get told to wear clothes. I just got off a couch I've been laying on while trying to figure something important out, Buffy. So I'm sorry for not being dressed, alright?" he sulks and gestures toward the couch and TV, muting it with the remote. "Listen. I need some advice. You know Willow thinks we dated, right?" he asks. "I ran across her in the park the other day and she was sending all these 'I like you' signals. But I'm fairly sure she likes Oz, or Oz thinks she's his" Spike grumbles, sliding down the couch to offer the slayer a spot to sit. "See. That pisses me off, Buffy" Spike says. "Oz comes back into town and he bloody well thinks she's his. I get her a necklace and she's all flustered. I think she likes me but....but...." Spike says. "I'm just screwed. And definitely not in that way. See" Spike says, though before he can say what he's thinking, the TV shuts off. "Oh for crying out loud...." he says adjusting the rabbit ears.

The TV turns back on after Spike hits it, though he's not looking happy.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers arches a brow, "Well, at least you haven't forgotten your manners!" she replies fairly cheerfully. If nothing else, at least Spike is amusing. "I'm actually in a hurry, just finished cramming all night, and now I have to do patrol." she peers outside at the rapidly retreating sunset and sighs, stretching her cramped fingers. Well...She could use a brief break. "Alright, what is it?" once Spike takes a bag of blood, Buffy places the rest in the fridge, grabbing a cold beer there while she's at it. She prefers more tasteful stuff like tequila or vodka, but it'll do for now. She needs to rest her brain cells for a few before patrol.

"Thanks! That's way better. You never know whose gonna show up at your doorstep afterwall." she grins and winks before taking a sip of beer. At least this brand is not one of those awful bitter ones, and it has a bit of taste to it at least - but when he mentions pining over Willow, she nearly spits out her first gulp.

"Waaait a sec. You and Willow once.......? HAH! That is too...I mean, seriously, My BFF Willow? Willow Rosenberg? Has a crush on you>? Are you kidding me? That's hilarious. I mean, you must have been drunk or something, she and Oz have always been pretty tight. And even if he's been gone for a bit, I think it'd take more than a neutered vampire to get between the both of them." She's not trying to be particularly cruel, it's just kinda..Sad and pathetic. And funny, somehow.

Spike has posed:
"Would I forget my manners?" Spike asks opening his own beer with a smile. "Yeah but,...Willow. High school. It was a thing" Spike points out and leans back trying not to laugh. "Yeah I don't know either honestly, but she likes me....I think....I think. But Constantine is always hanging around with her and he's got a crucifix" Spike admits and looks uneasy at that as he gulps his beer, "I mean" he says, pulling a bag of nachos outt of the back of the fridge and opening it, before offering it to Buffy. "I mean. It takes a lot to get me drunk. One time in the Bronze" he says, recounting a tale from their high school days. How he'd sung on stage. Still, Spike sighs. "You're right. I don't have a shot with Willlow....but.....It's just bugging me" he says and stares at his beer. "I mean, I said this to Willow, right? I miss high school. I miss simpler times. I'd show up, you'd punch me. Now we get along. What the hell happened? I miss the simpler days when I was a bloodsucking evil vampire. I got neutered and suddenly I'm this emotional wreck" Spike shrugs, taking another swig from his beer.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers wracks her exhausted brain, trying to figure that one out. After all the walking and studying and late nights, she realizes she is pretty tierd and rather reluctantly settles down on the couch next to Spike, but keeping him a comfortable distance away. "Oh! Do you mean the time you kidnapped her and tried to make her create a love spell so you could win Drusilla back, only it backfired, and you fell head over heels for Willow?" she snorts, trying to stifle another laugh, "Seriously? That hardly counts when you force it on people! I mean I mean..Love, REAL love has to come naturally, you know?" she rolls her eyes, "But I guess you wouldn't know, you're an evil demon without a soul afterall.." she takes another swig of beer, finding it's a lot stronger than what she's used to. In fact, Buffy finishes the first can and reaches for another. "But anyways, I guess life - or unlife - must be hard when you're evil but can't hurt people. But surely you can make more of your life than this!" she spreads her arms out, indicating the beer, the sad little crypt home etc.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers quickly adds, "Oh yeah, and you watch waaay too many Soap Operas too!"

Spike has posed:
Spike tries not to laugh. "You're right. I could make something of this. But you know what? You said it Buffy. I'm evil, and that sucks. This thing" he says and scratches his head, "Means I can't hurt anyone. You know how much that sucks? I'm evil, And I can't be evil. I'm like this kid's version of evil. You could put me on a cereal box and I'd sell breakfast cereal" he grumbles. "Spike's Evil Flakes, yeah....imagine that" he says. "Thousands of me staring out from every store shelf. That's.....actually......scary" he admits to Buffy. He doesn't actually want an army, and he certainly does /not/ want an army of cereal boxes. Spike though addresses the elephant in the room. "You're right" Spike says. "Go on. Say it. Say I never loved Drue, because you're right. You're right" Spike mopes and sighs. "How come you know me so wel, slayer?" he asks. "And, don't rag on the soaps till you tried watching. There's nothing else on at sunset"

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers shrugs, "You're right. Your true nature as a Vampire is evil. Afterall, you have no soul and..." she shudders at the thought of an evil cartoon Spike villain posted on hundreds of kids' cereal boxes. "Eww...Seriously! Spare me the creepy images!" Buffy nods in agreement. "Look. I get it. It's hard. You're helpless as a kitten. It's...Pathetic really, but that just means you cant do *evil* stuff anymore." she leans over a little, peering into his eyes, getting a bit closer. "It doesn't mean you can't be a force for good though, does it?" she smirks, "And as for you and Dru, I dunno, maybe there was something akin to love there. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe you still hold the memories of William the Bloody's soul, and whatever tender feelings he once felt before he died. I mean what you and Dru had, that sure *looked* like love to me. An evil, twisted, sadistic version, but hey, you were willing to sacrifice yourself for her. I guess that's somehow...Admirable. In an evil twisted sort of way." She takes another swig of beer, totally relaxing after a long night of studying.

Spike has posed:
Spike listens. "When did you become a psych major?" he asks rustling the bag of nmachos and taking a few, before turning the bag more toward Buffy. "Though...you're making sense to me. I'm evil. I'm a vampire. I'm evil. yet you're sitting here having a beer and chatting with me. So I'm not that evil. I don't feel a desire to suck your blood, it's....it's weird. It's like...It's like...." he says, knowing what he wants to say. "It's like we actually get along, ya know?" he asks with a gentle look, chewing on nachos. "I think I got something to eat in the fridge if you want something g to take the edge off drinking that" he offers, "I got....let's see" he says digging in the fridge, pulling out things to make sandwiches. "You want a sandwich? I can at least make an evil looking sandwich? But it tastes good" he points out and nods wisely. "I just..." he says and opens mouth, insert foot. "If you want to hang out here whenever, I'm always okay with it, Buffy. You get me. You understand I'm not this monsterous bloodsucking evil creature" he says and has a 'what the hell am I saying@' expression. Spike may just be a little out of it too. It takes a lot to get him drunk, but what Buffy doesn't know is Spike is creeping past the point of drunk. he'd beend rinking earlier to forget about Willow and Oz. Or. Typical mourning pissed off Spike....as Spike sets about digging out things for a sandwich. Even if Buffy doesn't want one....he'll make one.

"Okay okay, I thought I loved Dru but after what Angelus did...." he says and turns to Buffy, looking annoyed. I" regret my stupid life choices, okay. There. I said it. I regret them. You going to tell me there's somebody out there for me next?" he askss, sounding more amued than annoyed. Truth be told, he's...hoping there is. Still he resumes his spot on the couch with the nacho bag settled betweeen he and the slayer. It's just two....sort of friends hanging out. "I was gonna drop in and catch you at your dorm, how's your studies going?" Spike asks, "If you want to stay here and revise, I can take a walk or something around Sunnydale if you ever feel like cramming here. Pros. No roomates. Cons. Me coming back eventually" Spike shrugs, the offer's there.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers hmms, "Well actually I was considering becoming a school counsellor. Given all the crap I've gone through and came out unscatched, I think it'd be a perfect fit, don't you?" she beams, "Actually, I'm taking a bunch of psych courses in school too. Who knows, it's either that or police force. Haven't decided yet so I'm doing some justice studies too. Oh." she laughs, "I guess its' been..Centuries since you thought about school huh." she pauses as he talks about them getting along, rolling her eyes, "Ugh, don't make it sound like we're...Buddies or something. I just came here to deliver your blood, because you're pretty much helpless, and without being evil, you're just another innocent I have to protect." she makes it sound like a *chore* but at least she's not as snippy with him as usual. The beer's really taking the edge off. "Well..I suppose a wicked sandwich couldn't hurt. I've just spent the last five hours cramming for a psych exam in a day or two. My shoulders are all achy from crouching over books.." she stretches her neck back on the sofa, downing the last of her second can and going for a third. "Just don't think this is a typical thing, me hanging out like we're friends or something. you're still a vampire, and I'm still the Slayer." she shrugs and smiles, "Who knows? If there's hope for a slayer, maybe there's hope for a vampire with a chip in his head too!" as for her studies, she just narrows her eyes. "I'm done with studying tonight, and I don't think this place is really condusive to studying, honestly. I mean..It's kinda a dump."

Spike has posed:
Spike shakes his head. "Hush and come here" he says. "You want a sandwich, you make it" he offers and shakes his head. "I'm not helpless. I've been dusting vampires. I can still fight them and demons. If anything I'm helping you" he says as an image of a passed out drunk on his couch slayer has him worried. He's just going to sleep in the crypt if that happens. Still....he's laid out everything for a sandwich on the little kitchen area, and he steps to the side. It'd be too easy to make a move....and Spike's genuinely worried about that slayer. "See. Buffy, you still do your blood thing so why not come in and spend a few minutes when you deliver blood?" he offers, then curls his lip "Psych classes. Do you think after that you'll understand Xander?" he asks and finishes his beer, going for his second and taking a generous swig from it as he looks to Buffy then past her to the crypt wall.

Buffy Summers has posed:
"Heey! I thought YOU were making me a sandwich!" she yawns and stretches, climbing to her feet. But he's probably got a point. She doesn't want to end up passed out on his couch. She should quit drinking anymore tonight, and fill up her stomach with some good food - assuming he has healthy food in his fridge (do vampires actually eat anything besides blood?). Who knows? He might try and suck her blood if she passes out, or gets too drunk and starts lowering her guard. Can he suck blood from unconscious or drunken victims? Well, she's not about to find out! "Right, whatever. You still owe me.." Buffy makes a face as she gets to work making the sandwich and sighs, "Geez, I can't believe I nearly got drunk there, it's been a while since I had a chance to unwind. But, dont take it personally." she shrugs, "Well, I guess if it'll help you be less pathetic and hopeless, it couldn't hurt. But you *really* have to start pulling your weight, and I think I have the perfect idea for you.." she grins, almost wickedly as cogs start turning in her mind.

Spike has posed:
"Pull my weight?" Spike asks. "Listen, Buffy. I go out most nights looking for trouble and dusting vampires. I got a stake under the couch. You're a slayer. You're used to wood in your hand" he says then shuts up instantly....he opened mouth, inserted legs. Spike sighs. Buffy's right...he really is pathetic. "So what do you want me to do to pull my weight around here, stand outside my crypt and punch a vammpire that comes near me?" he asks with a sarcastic tone. "Oh sure, I'll be the slayer's tag along parnter why not..." he says as he's getting a nasty feeling the more he talks....the more he's ending up actually doing that....still, fresh air, a walk with Buffy, and a good fight. It could work.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers arches a brow, "Really? You're dusting vamps now?" she smiles, "Not bad, but...I'm still not sure I trust you completely." she falls silent as she finishes making her sandwich, mouth watering hungrily, "I always wondered, do vampires actually eat normal food? How's that even work if you're like, dead? Aren't all your internal organs like, totally non-functional? For that matter, how do you even smoke?" she laughs, shaking her head. "Sorry, sorry, rough night." Turning back to her tasty ham and cheese sammy with extra dijon mustard and mayonnaise, Buffy takes a couple of hungry bites. Ahh, that really takes the edge off. Now all that beer isn't just swishing around in her empty stomach. "Well..Yeah, why not? If I'm gonna bring you gallons of blood every night, which by the way is not all that cheap when I have to get so much, the least you can do is help me on my patrols. I suppose I'm not the only one out there dusting vamps these days, but every little bit helps. Who knows, you might just learn a thing or two from me." she grins, turning around, offering him her hand. "So how about it, Spike? Ready to become an honorary 'Scooby!?' It sure beats skulking around down here by yourself!"

Spike has posed:
Spike shrugs. "It just...works. I don't know. I didn't take biology classes Buffy" he adds and digs into the nachos again one handed, stacking them on a fang. "See" he says tugging them off. "I'll cover half the costs of blood" he offers and shakes her hand. "And in return, I'll come patrol with you" he adds. He's just hoping people don't leap to conclusions....and all that. "My chip lets me fight vampires, demons and so on....so I'll fit in fine. I'll get my stake and my shoes. I can always watch Passions reruns later, unless you want to keep eating what's in my fridge?" he offers. "Oh and no. You're not taking my fridge back to school, by the way. One. It's mine. Two. There's blood in it. And....did I mention it's my fridge?" h asks, then shakes his head. "Alright, I know how patrols work. I've run into you often enough to know how you do things. You do things very well Slayer" he says, There'e's a healthy dose of respect and....a little admiration in his voice. "You know....you're right. There's probably someone out there for both of us" he nods. "Though.....who knows where they are?" he asks, digging out poetry and hiding it under the couch again.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers laughs a bit, "Alright alright. I guess that one's a bit too complex for your 'romantic mind'. her teases are light, but at least she's not being a big bully like she used to be when she first discovered the chip in his brain. Or maybe she's just tired. And slightly drunk tonight. "Alright then, it's a deal and...Hey!" she frowns, letting go of his hand quickly, "I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be jumping to any..'Conclusions'. I mean, you're pretty much a pariah as a vampire, so it's not like they'd think a vampire and a slayer were in cahoots..I mean, it's not like they'd think I was helping the vampire cause or anything!" she finishes the rest of her sandwich with a slight laugh, putting the rest of the ingredients back and shakes her head. "Believe me, this is not a typical thing. Don't worry, i'm not gonna be raiding your fridge on a regular basis. I'm just tired from all that studying." she smirks at the compliments though, nodding. "Damn straight I am, but sometimes it's tiring, especially when you have exams to think about. That's where you come in. If we're both patrolling at the same time, we can cover twice as much ground, without doubling back or something." as for finding someone out there, her mind still drifts back to Angel, wondering if they'll ever be able to get together again. "Yeah..Who knows?"

Spike has posed:
Spike shakes his head. "Romantic mind? Really?" he asks and laughs, "Says the psych major. You want me to lay down on the couch and try to analyze me?" he teases right back and grins. "Hey, I'm all for you keeping up with food, food is sort of needed, right?" he asks, then mock pouts at her. "Aww, I was going to buy more ham and cheese and mustard just for you. I can have it delivered" he teases again then looks serious. "So we each have our own patrol area. Right. I'll need a way to contact you though" Spike says. "To set up patrols, and things, ya know?" he asks and looks amused. If the vampires think he's in cahoots with the Slayer...it means more fights for him. Which is good. Still though. Spike can so get used to hepling Buffy, and even if this hanging out thing isn't regular....he's not letting on he's enjoying it. "I was going to redecorate here, but the people at the Bronze gave me awful advice" Spike shrugs, shaking his head.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers smirks, "Yeah, really. c'mon, you still do the cheesy poetry thing, still watch these terrible soaps.." she waves a hand towards the tv, "And you're still hung up over Willow, and apparently know all the details of her love life with other people too. I never noticed it before, but now I see it. You're a hapless romantic! who would have thought?" she laughs again, quite enjoying teasing and tormenting him it seems. She's heading for the steps by now, and all the sun's gone from the sky at this point. This is the perfect time to snag some vampires. "A way to contact, huh? Do you have a phone at least? I can give you my number I suppose. Otherwise, I probably have some old walky talkies around somewhere.." as for th is place needing redecorating, she smirks and nods. "Yeah, this place could do with some redecorating. Just don't put anymore of those cheesy unicorn posters up again." she wrinkles her nose, rather unfondly remembering his on again-off again blonde vamp girlfriend. "I wonder how Harmony's doing these days anyways? I thought she was sweet on you."

Spike has posed:
Spike shrugs. "What about Harmony? She's in the past,Buffy" he says and signals for her to wait, grabbing his phone, shoes, Duster and clothes on, as Spike looks ready to go. Phone in one hand, stake in his other. "So" Spike says looking amused. "Let's figure this patrol out" he says. "You got any ideas to redecorate my crypt? I could get some paint, right?" he asks with a nod. Harmony's in the past now. Besides. Buffy's here....Harmony isn't. It's sort of...like that. "I sometimes wonder how Harmony's doing too. She's probably found somebody" he says with a hint of annoyance that Harmony probably did find somebody. Still, Spike looks to Buffy then past her then back to Buffy.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers tries to stifle an amused chuckle. Spike and Harmony were so weird. All those unicorns, and Harm's 'minions' and how she managed to annoy the heck out of Spike was sooo very amusing to watch. "Alright, I'll just send you a text, then you'll have my number. Just..Don't call me ever, unless it's an emergency or something." she types out a silly message which says simply 'Hi, this is Buffy. :E' or something silly like that. And with that done, she climbs the rest of the way up and steps out into the cool night air. "Alright. Fan out, I'll cover the east sector and you cover the west. We'll meet up at the south end in 20 min.." she makes all sorts of wide arm gestures as she speaks.

Spike has posed:
"You sent me that?" Spike asks saving her number. "I'm looking forward to this, actually. I get to talk to a friend and dust vampires. I get to get out of my crypt. What more do I want? Aside from, you know, decorations. And hell no to unicorn posters. No. No way. I'm so over that" Spike says shuddering as he speaks then looks past Buffy. "Alright, west side. Got it. I'm ready when you are, Buffy" he nods.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers bites her lip, wondering if maybe she's getting too friendly with Spike. She still doesn't trust him fully, but he is - at the very least - useful. And kinda not as bad company as she initially believed he might be..She smirks, "Look, this is just business and nothing more. You're useful to me as an extra hand when slaying and school work get to be a bit too much. That's all." she chuckles a bit at the idea of unicorn posters. "Well, I mean, one or two aren't so bad, just don't overdo it. But then I guess it's pretty hard to make a place where you lay dead people become a cozy home. Just because you're a vampire doesn't mean you have to live like Dracula, y'know?" she grins, enjoying the teasing.

Spike has posed:
Spike laughs. "Well I could decorate it, you know...it's got flooring. I just need to redo the interior, and then some. You could help you know. Pick out colors that make it a home" he teases, teasing about Buffy helping make his home a home that's welcoming. "Dracula's a myth, a legend. He sleeps in a castle, Buffy. Are you saying I need a castle? That's just old Dracula compensating for something. I mean, okay he was a Romanian warlord, Vlad Dracul, Dracula, right....but he's dead. Gotta feel good about something, right?" Spike nods

The next night, Spike had settled into his new sub basement home and texted Buffy that he was now in the Hugo Building, and would she like to come over. he's trying. He's really trying. he's even shot her a second text about patrols asking where in Gotham she'd like him to patrol. The smell of paint is coming from the sub basement, and wallpaper paste. Spike's....serious about decorating, now. He's actually taking the Slayer's words to heart and trying. Give him credit. he's got a paste brush in one hand, and a paintbrush sitting on a can of paint. Vibrant, interesting paint.