Title: Baby Doll
Author Restive Nature
Disclaimers: I do not own any of the characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel the Series. They belong to the almighty Joss and I just play with them for my own amusement before putting them away neatly.
Spoilers: Buffy Season Three "Amends"
Chapter Fifteen
Chocolate Lovers Only
"You know," Angel began slowly, looking to divert the tension in the room. It was exceedingly difficult, as they both recalled their first meeting. Well, the first when he was Angelus. And it occurred to him to mention something that had pricked his attention even back then. "I was really surprised by how close you and Spike actually were." And it was true. Spike had always been odd in his own sort of way. Not crazy like Drusilla had been. But there were certain human peculiarities he held on to. Angel had always surmised that it was time and proximity that allowed them to bond.
"I was surprised too," Dylan agreed. "But of course, with Dru not around as much, he needed a sympathetic ear. And it wasn’t really something he wanted to share with the minions. So, I guess I was the guinea pig."
"You mean Spike actually came to you?" Angel was only slightly incredulous.
"Well," that’s not exactly it," Dylan shrugged. "It was kind of a mutual thing."
"How mutual?" Angel was suspicious. He recalled that the dynamic between Spike and Dylan had changed when he and Dru had been absent one night, from sunset to almost sunrise.
"Well," she reminisced, "we were arguing about Spike not being threatening anymore. One thing led to another and we ended up spending the night together."
Angel nearly choked. "R-really?" he managed to stammer out.
"Oh yeah," Dylan laughed. "I was so sore the next day that I could barely walk." His eyes widened even more. "And of course, it didn’t help that Spike fell asleep on me. I couldn’t move for fear of him biting me accidentally." Angel gaped at her, unsure how to respond. He knew that it would be absurd to pass judgement on the teen, since Buffy had had relations with him when she was seventeen. But the major difference was that Angel had had his soul. Spike, most definitely did not. He looked her over, wondering how he and Dru could have missed something of this sort going on between them.
"Spike didn’t hurt you, did he?"
"Nah," Dylan smiled ruefully. "Threatened me a few times. But by the end of the night, he was just a big old cuddle bear." Angel nearly choked again at her description of the bleached blonde menace. "You know, I haven’t been able to eat chocolate since that night." Angel stared at her strangely, wondering what Spike’s perverted mind had come up with.
"Chocolate?" he asked dumbly. "You and Spike and chocolate?" He stopped himself, not really wanting to know what the pair had done. Obviously food was often used in sexual situations and chocolate was certainly at the top of the list. But if Spike had done things that put her off chocolate… Or maybe she couldn’t eat it because of the memories that it brought up. Whether those memories were good or bad, he wasn’t certain he could handle hearing either way. He glanced up at the girl, who had her head cocked to the side, before he eyes widened.
"Oh!" she exclaimed before slapping one hand over her mouth in shock. After a moment, she lowered it shakily. "You thought Spike and I…?" she trailed off and began to laugh. Angel smirked at her mirth and began to laugh himself. He was relieved that now it appeared that Spike hadn’t taken advantage of the girl. And indeed, it was an absurd thought, Spike and Dylan together. Spike would be forever faithful to Drusilla, his dark Princess.
"So what did you two do that night?" Angel queried at last.
*****
Spike watched disconsolately as Dru trailed eagerly after her Sire. The enmity he held against Angelus very evident in his eyes. All the minions, from the mediocrely intelligent to the downright plumb stupid made themselves scarce. They stayed within calling distance, but away from the line of fire, if they could help it. They’d learned quickly that his anger was fierce and immediate. A brief flash of light jarred Spike out of his momentary but hourly fantasy of kicking Angelus’ ass to the curb. He spun around in his wheelchair, only to be confronted by the strange sight of Dylan lying on the floor of the main room. She had her little camera over her face and was underneath some of the candles that Dru had lit for him before leaving. His mood lightened a little. She wasn’t Angelus by any means, but she could always be counted on for some good reaction to his growling menace.
Spike wheeled himself over to the prone girl and when she didn’t immediately focus her attention on him, he leaned over and stabbed her in the stomach with one finger. She reacted immediately, yanking her knees up to protect herself. She angled the camera towards Spike and snapped off another picture, using the flash to blind him momentarily. While he was snarling and rubbing his eyes, she rolled away and came to a standing position.
"What the hell do you think you’re doin’, you stupid bint?" he raged. Dylan just frowned at him.
"I was trying to take a picture," she sighed in an exaggerated manner. "What are you doing?"
"None of your damn business!" he snarled. He whipped his head back around.
"Why are you takin’ pictures of the damned candles any way? I ought to let them melt all over you, leave a few burn marks. Show you why you don’t play around fire"
"You ought to, but you won’t," Dylan mocked, a knowing grin on her face.
"And how do you know that?" he demanded suspiciously.
"Cause Dru loves it and you’d rather rip out your own tongue than upset her," Dylan shrugged. After all this time, it was very evident to everyone that Spike was Dru’s love slave.
"Maybe I’ll rip your tongue out," Spike growled. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t refute her statement. To his annoyance, she just giggled and shook her head.
"Same rule applies to me as it does the rest of Dru’s belongings," she warned. And Spike knew that as well. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t take his frustrations out on her. He was aware of her watching him and studiously ignored her. When she finally spoke, the words were soft and sympathetic. "Dru went out with him again?" Spike realized then that Dylan never spoke Angelus’ name. Expect for that one time when the soulless bastard had threatened her.
"Yep," he agreed loudly, hoping to cover his anger, pain and frustration over the situation. But Dylan was like him in one respect. She could see things through to the heart of the matter. "Took off after the old poof, out to wreak mayhem on little ol’ Sunnyhell."
"You’re her anchor, you know," Dylan spoke quietly, gauging his reaction.
"What the hell does that mean?" he demanded, eyeing her again.
"You know, a boat anchor?" she sighed, then elaborated. "She’s free to float around in circles as long as you’re there to keep her from drifting too far." She grimaced. "No, wait, I have a better metaphor. You’re a hive!" His eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Oh," he snarled softly, rolling his eyes, "this’ll be good."
"No seriously," Dylan grinned. "Dru’s the bee, flitting from flower to flower looking for nectar. You’re the hive that she instinctively returns to when it’s time to make honey." Spike couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter.
"That was bad pet," he chuckled. "Really bad."
"I know," Dylan grinned. "But really, look at it. Dru likes to flit about. She goes from one thing to another. But when she needs safety and security, where does she go?"
"To Angelus," Spike growled once more. "Bastard." Dylan sighed and tilted her head back.
"No silly," she shook her head. "She comes back to her honey. He’s just another pretty flower that she’ll suck dry before discarding." Spike looked a little heartened to hear her assessment. After all, her other predictions had seemed to come true. Maybe this was one as well. "You know what you need?"
"A good shag?"
"No silly," Dylan giggled, then looked contemplative. "Well, maybe. But I doubt I have the stamina for that. No, you need chocolate."
"Why would I want chocolate?" he sighed, struggling to understand this strange teen. He was instantly disgusted that he was even attempting.
"Because chocolate is the next best thing to a good… shag," she chuckled. "Plus, I’m really craving some right now."
"Well, why the hell didn’t you say so," Spike chuckled as well. "Let’s go!"
*****
Two hours later, they were back from their sojourn into town. Dylan opened the door to her room and led Spike through it. She had commented earlier on how strong he seemed to be getting. Spike dismissed her compliment, saying that he really didn’t have much else to do with his time.
"I still say I should have just stolen this lot," Spike grumbled as he began lifting plastic bags from his lap. Dylan just shrugged and began upending the bags onto the bed.
"And I still say that the cops would have been called and there would have been too much trouble," Dylan countered. "Besides, you did steal that money. Isn’t that enough?"
"No," Spike stated emphatically. "I’m evil. I’m a bloody force to be reckoned with."
"Of course you are," Dylan agreed, trying to soothe his ruffled feathers. She turned to face him and her eyes lit up impishly. She leaned over Spike slowly and he drew back slightly, wondering what had suddenly possessed her. "Um Spike?"
"Yeah pet?" he drawled, slightly on the defensive. Her hand reached toward his lap and he suddenly grinned. "Well, fancying that shag after all luv?" She didn’t answer but simply ran her hand along the outside of his right thigh. Spike almost sighed at the contact. He’d had very little of it in recent months. But to his surprise, when Dylan lifted her hand she came away with a pack of gum.
"Um, Spike," she giggled, holding it up for him to see. "You are a bad, bad man. We didn’t pay for this." Spike laughed as well, good humor restored.
"I told you pet, I’m evil."
"All right Mr. Evil," she grinned, dropping the gum on the bed and snatching a chocolate bar. She tossed it onto his lap and chose one for herself. She seated herself on the bed and unwrapped the candy. After the first bite, she moaned ecstatically. "Ah, better than sex." Spike’s eyebrow arched. He unwrapped his own and took an experimental bite. It was good, creamy and sweet. A little like tame sex, and that was not Spike’s forte.
"Luv," he drawled after he swallowed the initial bite, "if you think that’s better than sex, then you really need a good shag." She just grinned at him and took another bite.
"Hello!" she growled, pointing at herself. "I keep reminding you people. One step removed from virgin. Teenager. Boys I am aquatinted with are all about the ‘wham-bam-so quick they don’t even get to the thank you ma’am’." Spike snorted at her description. "So yeah, chocolate is better than that sex." She scrambled over the bed for the last bag that she’d yet to unpack. "Wait here. I have something else." She hurried out of the room. Spike polished off two more bars before she returned, carrying two steaming mugs.
"What the hell is this?" he wondered aloud.
"Hot chocolate!" she exclaimed. She handed him one mug. And while he certainly appreciated the warmth radiating from the mug, he wasn’t certain he wanted to try the liquid form.
"And what do I want with this?" he frowned.
"Not just that," Dylan giggled. She set her mug down and pulled forth a bag of what looked to be cotton puffs. She ripped the bag open and held it out to Spike. He obviously, had no idea what to do with them and looked up at her expectantly. With a sigh, she pulled out one and held it out to his mouth. He refused again.
"Try it."
"No thanks pet," he declined.
"Please?" she asked sweetly. He scowled at her when she tried to pout.
"Why would I want to eat cotton?"
"Not cotton. Marshmallows."
"Same difference."
"Just try it!" But before Spike could refuse again, she jabbed the marshmallow into his mouth, managing to lodge it onto his incisor. Spike pulled his head back, his tongue pushing at the offending article now in his mouth. But then his brain latched onto the sweetness of the confection. He chewed it quickly and swallowed.
"Not bad," he commented. Dylan just grinned. Then she dumped a few in his hot chocolate.
"Now try that," she instructed. He obligingly took a sip, letting one of the chocolate soaked fluffs float into his mouth. He swallowed and sighed appreciatively.
"Better than sex?"
"No," he sighed again. "But it comes in a close second."
*****
They passed the night, talking about the different things that interested them. Dylan continued to prepare mugs of hot chocolate for them. And while Spike hogged the marshmallows, Dylan commandeered all the caramel chocolate bars. Eventually, they began to come down from their sugar induced high, to a fatigue that was overtaking them. They’d shoved the candy wrappers off the bed. During their conversation, Dylan had tried to teach Spike how to blow bubbles with the stolen largesse. But he proved woefully unable, laughing at her every time the gum ended up stuck to her face.
He’d moved, with her help to recline beside her on the bed, tired of sitting up in the chair. And so they continued to talk, telling each other dirty jokes and funny stories. Eventually, they fell to silence, at least until Dylan’s stomach let out a loud protest of the chocolate overload. Spike found that hilarious and moved so that he could rest his head on her stomach. He wanted to listen to the funny noises her body made. Neither one commented on what they both knew. Spike needed a friend. He needed someone to hang onto, until Dru flitted her way back to him. And Dylan, strangely enough, liked Spike. Despite his inherent evilness from his Vampiric nature, he could be a likeable guy when he wanted. And maybe Dylan needed someone to hang onto as well.
That was how Dru found them when she and Angelus finally made their way home. She ignored his demands for a moment to check up on the girl that she had claimed for her own. It didn’t really surprise her to see them as they were. The mounds of chocolate wrappers did puzzle her. But the sight of Dylan, laid out peacefully the length of her bed, with Spike curled up beside her, his head resting on her stomach, spoke to Dru. But it was their hands, gently entwined that touched her undead heart. She stole into the room and found a blanket to cover them up with. "Baby and Daddy," she whispered to herself, "all tuckered out." Her family was complete.
Chapter Sixteen
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