Expression
Being a ghost, people tended to forget you were around even if you were standing in plain view. Most of the time, it irritated the hell out of him. Sometimes, though, it came in handy.
Like now, standing a short ways down the hall from two suits who were talking in hushed tones. The hall was clear except for Spike and he listened carefully to every word. By the end, he would have liked to rip the fuckers heads off himself. As it was, he did the next best thing.
He told on them.
Stepping through the doors of Wesley's office, Spike smirked as the man gave a slight start and proceeded to ignore the glare that was directed at him. The glare continued as Spike sauntered his way across the room and up to Wesley's desk.
An exasperated sigh came from Wesley once he realized that Spike wasn't going to simply leave. "Was there something you wanted?"
"Yeah. Couple blokes down the hall, plotting to kill you." Spike plunked himself down on the edge of the desk, much to the man's continued annoyance. The look was replaced by a frown though as Spike's words registered.
"Oh?" he stated blandly. No doubt Wesley wasn't all that surprised. Having people conspiring against you was getting to be a little run of the mill these days.
Spike nodded. "Something about wanting to be the boss'" and he said the word with an eye roll, "right hand man. Or men, I guess in this case."
"I see." That exasperated tone was back. "Well, thank you, Spike. I suppose I should go and deal with them now." He sounded reluctant though, glancing down at his work.
Spike jumped to his feet and rocked slightly on his heels. "Can I watch?"
The look he got off the man spoke volumes but Spike just gave a grin. Another sigh, complete with a shake of the head and Spike knew the answer.
"Very well. You can taunt them while I shoot them."
And Wes did the unthinkable and grinned back at him.
He probably fell for Wes a little that day. The grin. Spike was sure it had been the grin. Open and telling him that maybe Wes didn't mind his company so much. At least, not in that, not for that moment. There had been a brief moment of friendship in that.
And now Spike knew to listen. To the quiet murmurs and whispers he heard in the halls. When he heard something that was interesting, when he thought it was something worth knowing, he took the information to Wesley.
Wesley would give him that grin and tell Spike he could come along. And for awhile, Spike was a little less bored. A little less alone. A little less lost. He had a sudden purpose - a sudden worth - as a ghost.
Wesley didn't jump or glare at Spike when he came in now. He would look up from whatever work he was doing, grin and ask who it was this time, asked how Spike thought they should deal with the cretin's.
Spike probably fell in love with Wesley the first time Wes invited him for drinks after dealing with another suit from accounting that had gotten tired of Angel's rule. It was offered without thought, a spur of the moment question with Wesley giving him that grin that Spike was fast becoming addicted to. That made his stomach flutter suspiciously. Which couldn't technically happen because he didn't have a stomach but thoughts didn't tend to go too deep when Wes was looking at him like that.
Wesley realized what he'd said almost before the words were out and grimaced. "I'm sorry, Spike. That was insensitive."
Spike shook his head, hurrying to correct him. "Might not be able to drink. Doesn't mean I still wouldn't like to get out and do something, if it means getting away from that damn building awhile longer."
Wesley didn't grin at him that time. He smiled, soft and happy and glad. Because he - Spike - had agreed. He felt his non-existent stomach flutter again, felt his non-existent knees get a little weak.
"Where would you like to go?"
Definitely a little bit of love.
Strangely enough, lust didn't hit until sometime after.
Another whispered conversation but this time he'd heard it too late. They were moving now and Spike had to find Wesley before they did.
Wesley wasn't in his office, or Angel's, or down in the lab. Spike took to running through the walls instead; looking for Wes in each room or hall he went through.
He didn't expect to come barging through a wall and run smack through a very naked and wet Wesley. Who gave a yelp that bordered on a squeak, which in any other situation would have had Spike snorting on his laughter.
"Spike! What are you- Something's wrong?" The verging on wide-eyed horrified look Wesley had been giving Spike vanished as he frowned with concern instead. Whatever initial embarrassment he might have felt faded as well and he took a step towards Spike who had turned to face him.
Despite his previous urgency, Spike couldn't help but let his eyes drop before snapping back to Wesley's face. Wesley's eyebrow rose at him and he shook his mind back to the issue.
"Got another group to take care of. And quickly, didn't quite catch this one in time."
Wesley nodded, he understood as he always seemed to. There was that grin again and then he was turning away from Spike to step out of the shower and grab his clothes. Spike watched him, hanging back and letting the water continue to fall through him. Until Wes threw a look back over his shoulder at Spike.
"Well, we'd better get to work then."
A clear invitation to come and Spike didn't hesitate.
It wasn't until later, until after things had been dealt with once again, and Spike was on his own in Wes' office, Wes having gone home for the night, that Spike really thought about it.
And it wasn't even naked Wes, water dripping and following the lines of muscles. It was that and the trademarked grin that Wes had given him. That Spike had seen flashed at him countless times now but couldn't recall ever haven been given to anyone else.
Now, he realized that grin was bloody sexy as hell and every time he saw it, it sparked through him. Made him feel a bit more solid than he was.
Until suddenly he was solid.
The thrill of it captivated him at first. Had him pouncing on every opportunity to touch or drink or just feel.
He told Wesley with barely concealed excitement what had happened and proceeded to prove it to the man by giving him a rib creaking hug. Feeling that body against him like he'd wanted for so long. And Wes had given him that grin and told him how great it was.
"It calls for celebration. Why don't we go out for drinks?"
Spike nodded eagerly and this time joined Wes properly. He was suddenly able to touch and was damn well going to take every advantage. Letting his arm brush against Wesley's, giving him a casual shove when Wes tried to make some stupid joke that fell flat. Touching Wes whenever he gave Spike even a sliver of a chance.
Wes didn't push him away. Just gave Spike that grin, so inviting, and touched back.
It was perfect. Every moment since then. Every moment he spent getting or being as close to Wesley as he could. And every moment that Wes didn't mind.
Until he realized that he was back to being useless. That he couldn't be Wes' ears anymore because people noticed him, realized he was there and didn't talk. He couldn't protect his Wes anymore. Spike gotten what he wanted. But it wasn't what Wes needed.
When he found out that Wes was down in the med lab after a nearly successful ambush, Spike realized what his being corporeal truly meant. He was useless again.
He was down to Wes' bedside within minutes of finding out. Instead of barging into the room like he wanted though, Spike hung back in the doorway, watching as Wes sat on the edge of the bed and pulled on his shoes. His hands itched to reach out and run over Wes, make sure the man was still whole. When Wes looked over and noticed Spike's skulking, it was Spike that jumped in surprise. Wesley gave him a fond smile.
"Spike. Why are you standing out in the hall? Get in here."
"Was just coming to check on you." Spike stepped somewhat sheepishly over to the bed, eyes still scanning over Wes for any major damage, relieved not to find any.
"It's nothing more than a few scrapes."
"Wouldn't have been that if I'd been able to help."
Silence answered his stubbornly despondent statement as Wes turned a contemplative gaze on him before patting a spot on the bed. "Come sit."
Spike hesitated only a second before moving to do as Wesley said. A warm hand lightly resting against Spike's thigh had him turning a questioning gaze on Wesley but he waited for the other to speak first.
"What could you have done to help?"
"Could have before. Never would have got so far if I could catch them like before."
"You mean eavesdrop?" Wesley asked, amused.
Spike shrugged. "Can't look out for you like before, Watcher. Can't hide in the walls."
Wesley was still smiling and Spike frowned, trying to get whatever joke Wesley was seeing that Spike couldn't.
"So you want to keep an eye on me but the only way you could rationally do that now would be to stay with me twenty-four hours a day?" A sly eyebrow crooked and Spike narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"I guess so, yeah."
That grin was edging in at the corners of Wes' mouth but before it had the chance, Wesley had leaned in and brushed lips over Spike's. So quick and feather light that Spike was sure he had imagined it. It wouldn't have been the first time.
But Wesley was speaking and smiling and that hand was still against his thigh. "Well, I don't see that we really have a problem then."
And Wesley grinned.