GOING DUTCH part 1 by perletwo
"Look, Dawn, I don't want you to get yourself all worked up over this," Buffy said over her shoulder, both hands busy putting in an earring while she picked her way gingerly down the staircase.

"Bu-but you're, like, going *out!* With *Spike!* That just, like, y'know, soooo -" Dawn trod heavily at her sister's heels.

"NOT - not *going*out* -going-out, Dawn. Not like a - a *date,* or anything." Buffy made it to the landing safely and turned to monitor Dawn's coltish descent. "See? Normal clothes. Not impress-a-guy clothes."

She spun, showing off the jeans, plain white tee and cropped sweater. "And it's only Spike in self-defense, okay? 'Cause if I don't go with him, Xander and Anya will not only land me in the Double Date Hell Dimension, it'll also be the Blind Date Hell Dimension." She winced. "They set me up with a normal guy, the first thing he asks is 'So, what do you do?' and either way I answer, conversation pretty much stops right there...Sooo, a Scooby it is. Well, a semi-Scooby."

Dawn smirked. "You realize you just reduced your entire dating pool to Spike and Giles, right?" Buffy pulled a face and launched an affectionate pop at her sister, who ducked out of the way easily.

"C'mon. I look okay, right? You gotta tell me these things, y'know. I'd do it for you..."

The teen studied her sister critically. The jeans were as low-slung and tight as the law would allow, the cropped cardigan was new and stylish, and unless she missed her guess the T-shirt was *ironed.* It looked to her like Buffy'd taken special care with her hair, the earrings were her favorite gold hoops and leaning in, Dawn though she detected - yes, that *was* a drop or two of Mom's best perfume. Opium. Perfume, not cologne. Hard for her to detect, but to a vampire it'd seem like she'd bathed in it.

{{Not a date, my ass,}} she thought snidely. "You look nice, Buffy. Casual. Very - big-sisterly."

"I don't still smell like grease, do I?" Buffy asked anxiously. Dawn shook her head just as the doorbell rang, and Buffy jumped.

Dawn stepped around her frozen figure to answer it. "Tara! Hey!"

"Hey Sweetie!" The shy blonde bent down for a hug. "I brought the ice cream and the videos. Are you sure you want to watch the entire Scream series in one sitting?" Dawn nodded happily, taking the ice cream out of her hands, and trotted off to the kitchen with it.

"H-hey, Buffy." Tara set down the bag of videos and gave her friend a hug. "You look nice!"

Buffy startled. "Wh-what?! Nice? What d'you mean by that?! Tara, I don't look - *too* nice, do I? I couldn't get Dawn to be straight with me..."

Tara chuckled at her nerves. "I mean, you look *nice.* Bright and attractive, but with that 'we're just friends' vibe happening."

"Oh." Buffy deflated. "That's - what I was going for. I guess."

"Buffy? A-are you sure you're really up to this?" Her friend stared at her blankly. "Going out socially with Spike. Being around him in public, with other people watching."

"I -" Buffy's hands twisted nervously. "I don't know. I guess." She sat down on the stairs, and Tara settled in beside her, expression open and kind. "I just - I know he's not gonna behave, he never does, he's gonna push me as hard as he can - it's just, I've treated him so horribly, Tara. Used him in a way I'm - ashamed of...And I don't know how else to make it up to him but to try - this."

Her friend nodded. "I'm sorry I can't be there with you guys. You know, to run interference or, um, whatever."

"I noticed you doing that at the party from Hell," Buffy smiled. "Thanks, by the way. But, since it's obvious we need a pair of eyes on Dawn at all times, and you're the one of us she's the least pissed off at, you'll be more of a help to me here tonight. I'll be okay. Really."

The doorbell rang again, and Tara rose gracefully to answer it. "Hello, Spike." They eyed each other warily.

"Tara. You look good." The witch nodded, taking in Spike's attire. The usual black jeans, freshly laundered by the smell of them, and a button-down shirt she'd never seen on him before - black with paisley designs outlined in silver thread. He'd traded his duster for a shorter, mid-length leather jacket, and she thought she detected the glint of a silver chain under the collar of the shirt.

{{He's making an effort,}} Tara thought. {{Is that a good sign or a bad one?}}

Spike pushed the small paper bag he was carrying into her hands. "So, anyways, I brought along some CDs I promised to loan the li'l bit, thought you might find 'em useful when we -" His voice trailed off as Buffy stood and came up behind Tara, and the look in his eyes and the awed silence spoke volumes to the witch.

Buffy returned the appreciative stare for a moment, until she recognized the shirt as the one he'd had on the night of their last beat-down. {{He got the blood out,}} she thought, and broke off eye contact to look down at her outfit critically. She fought back the urge to run upstairs and change every stitch to something - sexier? dowdier? tougher? she didn't know.

"So, ah, we really should get going if we're gonna meet up at 8," Spike said, clearing his throat.

"Uh, yeah, lemme just - DAWN!" Buffy turned away, calling into the living room. When the teen poked her head around the doorway of the kitchen, she added, "You behave yourself for Tara, you hear me?" Dawn pulled a face.

"Yerse, but don' behave yourself *too* much, Niblet," Spike called over her shoulder. "You got yourself a rep now, kid, make the most of it!"

Dawn giggled at Buffy's scowl as they made their way out the door.

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