"Buffy" Spike looked surprised to see her.
"Spike..." She turned her head and stared "Drusilla."
Buffy sat down across from the pair and silently fumed. He'd brought Drusilla. He'd gone out with her on one of the most romantic dates of all time and then decided to burst Buffy's romantic puppy love bubble by bringing Drusilla to dinner as his date. Glaring she snatched up the menu and flicked through the laminated pages.
"So..." Maria looked at Spike for a moment before turning her gaze to Drusilla "How are you Dru?"
"Good, Spike invited me last minute as always" She laughed and Buffy cringed at the sound, imagining leaping across the table and strangling her.
"Hmm yes I see that" Maria smiled sweetly but held her gaze on Spike, her eyes conveying what she couldn't say.
"I think I'm going to have the grilled salmon" Joyce mused as she flicked through the pages "What about you Buffy?"
Buffy stared at Drusilla "Well I thought I knew what I wanted but I just hate it when others order what I want." Drusilla stared back. Spike pulled at his tie, loosening it.
"I think I'm going to have the chicken cacciatore" Maria butted in before Drusilla could respond to the subtle dig.
"Sounds good Maria I'm thinking of having the same thing" Drusilla smiled pleasantly.
"Wow what a surprise, wanting what someone else has" Buffy smiled and played dumb.
"Buffy, what's gotten into you?" Joyce gave her daughter a look of surprise.
"Oh nothing, I think I'm going to have the seafood platter" Buffy dropped the menu in front of her and looked at Spike "So, what is it YOU want?"
Spike cleared his throat "The steak will do me fine."
"Well someone obviously likes their steak undercooked, it's still grey and sickly looking" Buffy glared and Drusilla gasped in offence.
"Waiter!" Maria called anxiously, she could see the tension rising between the trio.
"Bloody hell, I need a smoke, someone order for me" Spike stood and grabbed his Marlboros.
"You know what, I'm just going to go to the ladies room, someone order for me as well." Buffy stood and strode off in the same direction as Spike.
"Hey! Don't walk away from me, you've got some serious explaining to do; why the fuck did you bring another girl to dinner when you just went out on a date with me? Why?" Buffy crossed her arms tightly across her chest, feeling a cold breeze create goose bumps on her skin.
"Look I didn't want to bring her, she just asked me where I was going and I told her, she invited her bleedin self."
Buffy huffed "Excuse me, but if you really didn't want her to come then you would have told her that the reservation was full and no one could be squeezed in, but maybe you're just not that smart? Or maybe you wanted to bring the skanky ho. I'm going to say it's the latter because I know you're not dumb."
"Look I didn't think of that, I'm not bloody perfect am I!" He threw his arms up exasperated.
"You know what really fucks me off about this situation Spike!" Buffy stepped closer towards him "You made me actually think that you wanted to go out with me, you took me out on a great romantic date and then you go and stab me in the back with miss never sees sunlight in there!"
He practically growled and grabbed her, roughly kissing her as she waved her arms around and stomped her heeled foot onto his.
"Spike what the hell? Look I don't want to fight with you about Drusilla, but just know this. Things aren't going to be the same from this point; I'm not going to trip over my heels and run back to you just because you give me a puppy dog pout and a weird English pet name. Especially because you technically have a date right now and you just kissed me." She turned and strode back inside the restaurant leaving Spike to sigh and punch the nearby wall.
~/~/~/~
Buffy woke up the next day and sighed. Her good mood from yesterday had evaporated leaving her feeling crappy and tired. She walked down the stairs, looking forward to a coffee and a bagel when she heard Maria talking on the phone.
"You were a complete jackass last night, look I have no idea how you're going to make it up to her but you have to do it soon, she's out of here in five days." Buffy frowned and decided she'd had enough of the pity party, walking into the kitchen with a grin she picked up a bagel and started to spread it with cream cheese.
"Morning!" Maria turned and hung up the phone.
"Buffy...that wasn't what you-"
"It's ok Maria, I'm done with Spike as it is, it's just not worth the trouble and besides I'm going home in a few days." Maria gave her a small smile and poured her some coffee.
"Well ok, I get it, but can we not make it another ten or so years before you come visit again, because I missed you and your silly Buffy ways" the two hugged.
"Dear penthouse forum" a rough voice from behind them made Buffy sigh and Maria end the embrace.
"Spike stop being a pig" she slapped him and walked out of the room.
Buffy then realised what she was wearing.
"I like your outfit" Spike arched a brow, his eyes looking over her short pink silk night gown that was semi see-through.
"Yeah well a lot of guys do" she bit into her bagel, holding back the blush that was threatening to colour her cheeks.
"Buffy, I'm sorry about last night. I talked with Drusilla afterwards and told her that me and her had no chance of ever happening" Buffy nodded and sipped her coffee, not giving him a crumb.
"What's it gonna take for you to start liking me and being cute Buffy again?" he gave the puppy dog pout. Buffy cursed herself inwardly as she felt her heart melt.
"Let me take you out? Movies tonight, your pick, I'll let you swoon over poncy actors and I'll sit through the stupid love plot" He smiled and she found it infectious.
"Fine, pick me up tonight at seven thirty" He nodded and kissed her before she had time to react and quickly jogged out of the house.
Maria stood at the doorway with a brow arched "Thought you'd given up on him?"
Buffy fidgeted "That was before he was all cute towards me...you've already won the game, you're married give us single girls a chance" Buffy jogged up the stairs and Maria sighed.
"This is going to be worse than Ross and Rachel."
TBC