XXX -- accidental voice;

[breakmychest]

[Spike is sick of being in the infirmary. He's not really feeling healthy by any definition of the word, but he didn't get where he is today by letting things like that get in his way.]

Right. Checking myself out, doc!

[He doesn't wait for an answer before swinging his legs out of the bed. He gets hit by a wave of dizziness, but he puts a hand on the wall until it subsides. Then he grabs his coat and starts making his way slowly out of the infirmary. If any doctor tries to stop him, he will glare. He's not really over his death toll, but he's going to spend the rest of it in his own room with his own Passions DVDs. And he will make it, even if he has to stop a few times and take the elevator.]



[ooc: Open for replies over the journals, for which we can assume some elapsed time because he isn't responding until he reaches his destination, or spam from anyone in the medical room, near his room, or anywhere in between. Also, of course, open to horribly awkward hugs. Or non-awkward hugs, but those seem less likely.]

Comments

[slayage]

[Buffy walks in, gives him a little hesitant smile, and closes the door behind her.] Sooo, you skipped out early, huh? [She raises her eyebrows in a mock-authoritative gesture, then shrugs.]

Nah, I don't blame you. Anything remotely resembling a hospital makes me all ooglie. Plus? Boring. [Yes, Spike, she is talking a lot without being prompted. You know what this normally means. She crosses her arms and walks over.] How's the post-stakeage treating you? [Awkward smile!]

[bigbad]

I've been worse. And I'm sure I'll be fine in a few days.

[He smiles when she comes in. Even when he's sore and exhausted, seeing her cheers him up.]

Boring being the key word. Here I've got telly, at least.

[slayage]

[Buffy is overcome with the strange want, no, need to hug him. Looking a little dazed, she moves all the way over to him and gracefully climbs into his lap. She wraps her arms around him a little too tightly, and lets out a slow breath as if relieved.]

[bigbad]

[Well, that was unexpected. And also not surprising in a weird way. Spike honestly can't tell if it's the same compulsion that made him hug Elphaba and Andrew or just the fact that it's Buffy and he can't resist her that makes him wrap his arms around her just as tightly, completely ignoring the fact that her arms are just tight enough for his already aching body to hurt more. It's Buffy. The pleasure outweighs the pain. He rests his head on her shoulder and sighs, not really ready to let her go.]

[slayage]

[The need moment came and went. Didn't it? It's hard to tell. She lingers. Tighter still, then.. Oh. Ow. She breathes in a little sharply. The slight pain sort of knocked her out of it. Buffy pulls back, looking very confused.] Um.

[bigbad]

[Um is right. Spike reluctantly loosens his arms and glances up at her. Did he hurt her? She is still injured, it looks like, and he wasn't exactly holding back. He clears his throat.]

That's been happening a lot. I think I made Andrew's entire year when I ran into him.

[It's an out, if she wants it. This is different, though, of course. Spike's self-aware enough to realise that much. The flood may have made them hug, but Spike would have done it anyway given the chance.]

[slayage]

[She blinks and stares at him.] Oh. Is this another flood thing? [Pause.] You hugged Andrew? [LOL FACE.]

[bigbad]

It could be. [Or it could just be them. Your call, Buffy. Spike's following your lead here.

Spike looks a bit embarrassed.]

Well, he hugged me, and I wasn't exactly the most steady on my feet. Seemed easier than collapsing.

[And also he couldn't resist thanks to the flood.]

Hugged Elphaba too.

[slayage]

[Have a snort.] He'll probably write about it in his diary. [And still, she isn't moving.] She doesn't seem the hugging type. Did she bite you?

[bigbad]

No, actually, she hugged back. [Spike's noticed the lack of moving, though he's not mentioning it. Just in case it turns out to be a fluke. That being said, his arms do creep around her waist. Not really hugging, only barely holding, just... being there.]

[slayage]

Huh. [Buffy pondered this for a second, then feeling his arms move around her waist, she stopped.] Am I hurting you?

[bigbad]

[Spike shakes his head.] I'm all right. [Not that he'd say otherwise if she were hurting him. He likes having her here too much. But it really doesn't hurt anymore to have her on him like this. He's sore, of course, but he was sore before she hugged him too.]

[slayage]

[Buffy looked at him.] What does it feel like? [Okay that could be interpreted as something else, so she quickly adds.] Death toll stuff.

[bigbad]

It's not too bad. First day or so I felt bloody awful, but I've been beaten worse.

[He moved his hand up to rub at his chest, right over his heart.]

Hurts the worst right here. But I'm used to heartache by now.

[slayage]

Oh. [She stiffens a little, then calmly gets up as casually as possible and goes to sit on the couch.] So it's like.. ghost pains of what killed you?

[bigbad]

[Spike frowns as she gets up, struggling to sit straighter so he can look at her.]

Buffy, I didn't mean it like that. I told you you weren't hurting me, remember?

[slayage]

No, I know. My, uh, back was getting crampy. [Blink.] Can we talk about the death toll please?

[bigbad]

[Spike raises an eyebrow at that. This is why you can never keep a secret ID, Buffy. You are a terrible liar.]

Your back got crampy the moment I mentioned heartache? I'm not stupid, love. And I know you a bit too well for that excuse to work.

[That's a no on the death toll thing. For now, at least.]

[slayage]

[Her eyebrows scrunch together as she sits up straight.] You really want to get into this right now?

[bigbad]

[He leans back down in the chair.]

You're the one who got jumpy at a joke, love. And you know it's got to happen eventually.

[slayage]

[With a look of complete UGH, she crosses her arms over her chest and leans back again too.] Fine. What? [She challenges.] What do you want me to say?

[bigbad]

Why'd you get up when I mentioned heartache?

[slayage]

[She stares for a second. Why you gotta be so perceptive and know her so well, Spike? Buffy debates her answer, looking around the room, and it is obvious she is stalling. But when she does speak, she answers honestly. Her voice is quiet.] It made me uncomfortable. [She looks at him.]

[bigbad]

[He nods, and when he answers her, his voice is quiet as well.] I knew as soon as I said it it was a bad idea. Just sort of slipped out, though. I wasn't condemning you or anything. [Though he doesn't pretend that he wasn't talking about her, at least in part. If he wants her to be honest, he can at least return the favor.]

[slayage]

[She looks down at her hands.] It's been a bad week.