XXIX -- voice -- Spike joins Team Nanomite;

[breakmychest]

God, the incessant nattering from all of you, especially lately. All these stupid complaints and general whinging. Makes a bloke want to rip out all your throats.

Comments

[bigbad]

Nothing, love. Just thinking about the bad old days and how differently I'd handle this sorry boat.

[He says bad old days, but his tone suggests he thinks it would have been an improvement.]

[slayage]

[Okay, she notices that] And what brought on this sudden nostalgia for the "bad old days", Spike?

[bigbad]

Nostalgia? No, course not. Why would I miss being able to do whatever I want whenever I want?

[...yeah, he's failing in the sounding sincere area.]

Plus, you weren't around, then. Whatever would I do without you bossing me around constantly?

[slayage]

[She's a little shocked and caught off guard by this. All she can say..]

You're serious. You're being serious right now. [She's hoping that he says he isn't.]

What's wrong with you?

[bigbad]

[Somewhere underneath all the nanomites, Spike feels really bad about this.]

You being around, mostly. I was much, much happier with you on the other side of the planet, or wherever you were. That's why I never called to tell you I was alive. Didn't want to talk to you, did I?

[slayage]

[There's a little bit of shock and hurt in her eyes. Buffy blinks, and then her face turns into the emotional equivalent of a stone wall. He had just said one of the things she had thought herself. Her abandonment issues getting the better of her. But... No. This wasn't right.

This is Spike. It is. But it isn't her Spike. She knows it now. Is his soul gone? It's time to play along. And it's so, so hard.. Because part of her still believes he's telling the truth.]

Fine. Why didn't you say so in the first place? Could've saved me a load of trouble. [Glare.]

[bigbad]

[Spike knows he's playing into her issues right now, and when he's back in his right mind, he'll feel hella bad about it. But right now, he's hoping it'll do what he's trying to do. Break her.]

Well, you know how it is. You'd get all weepy and annoying and I didn't want to have to deal with that. But it's better than pretending I care about you anymore.

[slayage]

[Ouch-face. Super ouch-face. She continues to glare. Fine, evil!Spike. Be that way!]

Good to know. And the next time you feel like whining? Don't come to me.

[bigbad]

No problems there. Last thing I need is some nosy bint getting in my way and doing everything for me.

[slayage]

Fine. Good! My life will be a lot less complicated, and far more enjoyable.

[bigbad]

That makes two of us. Guess this means I won't have to pretend to like your sister either.

[slayage]

[Oooooh, that earns a death glare. No one attacks her Dawnie. Not no one, no how.]

You know what, William? Unless you want to lose your tongue, shut up. We're done here.

[bigbad]

[Something that might be a glimmer of pain flashes through his eyes. Beneath the nanomites, he does love Buffy and Dawn. But whatever it is, it's gone pretty quickly.]

Good. Wasted enough time on you anyway.