Spike hadn't slept well, not really. He'd been up all night, pacing, fidgeting, smoking, drinking and watching trash TV until half the channels shut down for shopping TV. He ended up watching some Spanish news show in the hopes of not accidentally falling asleep and becoming prey for some kind of monster under the bed.
He didn't speak to his uncle during the drive to school either, he just smoked out the window and regarded every attempt at small talk with a frown. He wasn't mad any more, he was mostly just tired. Really tired.
When he finally managed to track down Nicki, he was still smoking despite all the school rules against it, unsure what Nicki even had for a gift. Seemed weird to him. "All right, Nicki? How's it going?" He didn't want to seem tired or over-eager or anything so he tried his best to keep things as cool and as casual as possible.
Spike looked like hell. Not that Nicolas planned on telling him that, but of course he took note. He could hardly blame him. He'd barely survived the last night, almost been killed by something he didn't even know existed. He had seen Buffy die, had discovered a multitude of dangerous secrets kept from him and Nicolas would have been surprised if he looked like he slept a wink.
He was smoking himself, looking as at ease as he usually did. Last night had been dangerous for him too, but in just a few years, danger had become something common for him.
"I'm great, bloody marvellous. Couldn't be better." Spike moved over to a nearby bench and dropped down, too tired to stand around. He looked up at Nicolas instead with a half arsed smile, which was more effort than he'd put into anything else today. So monsters and vampires were real, his maybe-sister was a slayer and he nearly died, at least Nicolas was finally talking to him. Sure they'd hung around each other before but they'd never had anything close to a proper conversation.
He found all he could talk to Nicolas about was music or to ask for a smoke. And now he was getting gifts? That was pretty good progress.
"Come on, man, you could act more charmed. I never give anyone anything." It was actually true, even if it had just occurred to him this very moment. The last gift he'd given had been for Lestat and, no, better not to go down that path. He put a hand into his pocket and pulled out the silver necklace it held. A glass vial held with delicate silver ornaments, filled with holy water. He dropped it into Spike's palm.
"That with your cross and you're all set."
It wasn't a sure-fire thing, no, but it was a lot better than nothing. He didn't want Spike to get grabbed again. He had looked utterly terrified and rightfully so. Nicolas couldn't hold him, but he could make sure he'd be safe in the future.
"Sorry, I'm tired. I am pretty bloody excited, I could skip for joy," Spike tried for his benefit, smiling in a rather mocking sense but there was at least a degree of humour and a smile there. He held out his hand and caught the gift, looking it over curiously. It was pretty cool actually, he studied it for a few moments before shaking the water with a slightly amused smile. "Emergency supply of holy water? How romantic. I love it."
With a playful raise of his eyebrows, he put it around his neck and leaned back on the bench, trying to look more cocky and amused than sleep deprived and scared. "Fortunately I got no shortage of crosses. I'll have to root through my drawer tonight and find one. I could only find my skull one."
He pulled the upside down cross with a skull free from behind his shirt, not really good for repelling vampires but it was all he could get on short notice. He had been too busy sitting in the corner with his knife last night, no time to hunt for crosses.
"Oh yeah. I know all about romantic gifts." Nicolas rolled his eyes and watched Spike, smiling just a little. Good, he was looking a bit less terrified. Maybe? Hard to tell. Maybe someone could hug him. Giles? Seemed unlikely. Too British. "What, doesn't everyone think holy water is romantic?"
He stepped closer when Spike showed his cross, frowning before reaching up to his own neck. He had to swipe his hair to the side over one shoulder, but then he could pull the cross he wore free. Silver and heavy and still warm from being against his chest. Nicolas didn't hesitate, he just carefully put it over Spike's chest, so he could wear it in his stead.
He was leaning above him now, one hand against the backrest of the bench, eyes on Spike's face. They were close, so he could speak softly. "Be safe, yeah?"
"Usually just very religious people but I don't know, I now see the appeal," Spike admitted with a slight shrug, not really going to protest any attempts to help him. He was scared, he was tired and he needed something to keep him safe. It wasn't like he could ask Giles or Buffy for help, that'd make him look weak and they'd tell everyone else. He didn't want Nicolas thinking he was some kind of wuss who couldn't handle himself.
Spike blinked in confusion as Nicolas took him cross off and gave it to him, too moved to really know what to say without sounding like a right prat. He frowned and reached down to touch the cross. God, the warmth felt good.
How was this amazingly hot moment happening to him when he was too sleep deprived to think of anything clever to say? Christ. He was wasting this moment. "Erm, yeah, sure. I can do that. Easy."
"You better." That probably didn't quite come out right. It hadn't been Spike's fault that yesterday, he hadn't been safe. It also wouldn't be his fault if it happened again. The innocents always suffered and while he was sure Spike didn't see himself as innocent, he hadn't seen himself and the fear in his eyes, everything Nicolas had seen while he fought for his safety. He'd do it again, whenever needed.
"But if you're ever in danger again, I'll be there." He shouldn't make promises, because there were no certainties. Nicolas remembered being saved by Lestat, only to feel his fangs in his throat. "I promise."
"Yeah, well, don't kill yourself for me, okay? No need to play hero, I'll be okay," Spike insisted as he looked up at Nicolas, feeling this overwhelming sensation in his chest. Shit. He was in love, wasn't he? That explained why his heart was pounding in his chest and he was looking at Nicolas like some lovesick puppy. Shit, he had to pull himself together before it became more obvious. Pulling himself upright on the bench, he cleared his throat and put his cigarette back in his mouth.
"Right, good, cheers for that one anyway, mate. I'll be sure to keep them both on me in case the nasty blighters turn up again. Now don't you have elsewhere to be? Big library meeting, right? Rupert mentioned it earlier." Spike felt like Giles was trying to invite him but he was still too shocked to fully jump into the whole 'saving the world' thing. He just wanted to get through class awake today, that was about it.
"Yeah, you're right." Nicolas sighed and straightened up, stretching lazily. "Not looking forward to that one. But at least I know you'll be taken care of, all decked out."
With a wink he only stopped a few moments longer, tying his hair together at the nape, then he headed inside. No time to waste, they needed to discuss just what had happened and what might be to do next. Saving the world never really seemed to stop.
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He didn't speak to his uncle during the drive to school either, he just smoked out the window and regarded every attempt at small talk with a frown. He wasn't mad any more, he was mostly just tired. Really tired.
When he finally managed to track down Nicki, he was still smoking despite all the school rules against it, unsure what Nicki even had for a gift. Seemed weird to him. "All right, Nicki? How's it going?" He didn't want to seem tired or over-eager or anything so he tried his best to keep things as cool and as casual as possible.
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Spike looked like hell. Not that Nicolas planned on telling him that, but of course he took note. He could hardly blame him. He'd barely survived the last night, almost been killed by something he didn't even know existed. He had seen Buffy die, had discovered a multitude of dangerous secrets kept from him and Nicolas would have been surprised if he looked like he slept a wink.
He was smoking himself, looking as at ease as he usually did. Last night had been dangerous for him too, but in just a few years, danger had become something common for him.
"Want your present?"
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He found all he could talk to Nicolas about was music or to ask for a smoke. And now he was getting gifts? That was pretty good progress.
"Go on then, may as well show me what it is."
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"That with your cross and you're all set."
It wasn't a sure-fire thing, no, but it was a lot better than nothing. He didn't want Spike to get grabbed again. He had looked utterly terrified and rightfully so. Nicolas couldn't hold him, but he could make sure he'd be safe in the future.
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With a playful raise of his eyebrows, he put it around his neck and leaned back on the bench, trying to look more cocky and amused than sleep deprived and scared. "Fortunately I got no shortage of crosses. I'll have to root through my drawer tonight and find one. I could only find my skull one."
He pulled the upside down cross with a skull free from behind his shirt, not really good for repelling vampires but it was all he could get on short notice. He had been too busy sitting in the corner with his knife last night, no time to hunt for crosses.
no subject
He stepped closer when Spike showed his cross, frowning before reaching up to his own neck. He had to swipe his hair to the side over one shoulder, but then he could pull the cross he wore free. Silver and heavy and still warm from being against his chest. Nicolas didn't hesitate, he just carefully put it over Spike's chest, so he could wear it in his stead.
He was leaning above him now, one hand against the backrest of the bench, eyes on Spike's face. They were close, so he could speak softly. "Be safe, yeah?"
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Spike blinked in confusion as Nicolas took him cross off and gave it to him, too moved to really know what to say without sounding like a right prat. He frowned and reached down to touch the cross. God, the warmth felt good.
How was this amazingly hot moment happening to him when he was too sleep deprived to think of anything clever to say? Christ. He was wasting this moment. "Erm, yeah, sure. I can do that. Easy."
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"But if you're ever in danger again, I'll be there." He shouldn't make promises, because there were no certainties. Nicolas remembered being saved by Lestat, only to feel his fangs in his throat. "I promise."
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"Right, good, cheers for that one anyway, mate. I'll be sure to keep them both on me in case the nasty blighters turn up again. Now don't you have elsewhere to be? Big library meeting, right? Rupert mentioned it earlier." Spike felt like Giles was trying to invite him but he was still too shocked to fully jump into the whole 'saving the world' thing. He just wanted to get through class awake today, that was about it.
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With a wink he only stopped a few moments longer, tying his hair together at the nape, then he headed inside. No time to waste, they needed to discuss just what had happened and what might be to do next. Saving the world never really seemed to stop.