The sun had apparently set sometime in the last hour, and the lack of light left the living room bathed in the bluish glow of the television with flickering images dancing along the furniture and walls. The cooking show she had watched had been replaced by a new episode of America's Next Top Model without her noticing.
Dawn sighed, pulled back the woolen blanket and proceeded to turn on the table lamp. From the kitchen, she heard the glass bottles rattle when the refrigerator door fell shut, soon followed by the high-pitched beeping of the microwave.
Seconds later, Spike …show more content…
Okay, she did, but she was used to not being included. Spike, on the other hand, was only called when they needed muscles, a demon encyclopedia (now that Giles had moved back to England) or a babysitter. Though Dawn couldn't really complain about the last part, it made her angry to see how the others used Spike but still refused to accept him as a full-fledged member of the gang.
"We will be back soon, Dawnie."
The witches waved goodbye and closed the front door behind them. Spike put the empty cup on the table and clapped his hands.
"A'right, Nibblet," he said overly cheerful. "What do you wanna do? Play cards? Watch a movie? 'Am sure we're gonna find one that's not suited for children somewhere. Or we could rob the convenience store down the street," Spike added with a smug grin.
He fixed his gaze on a point somewhere on her forehead. Dawn had started to notice this when they saw each other for the first time after Buffy's death. For about six months Spike had come over almost every night to keep her company when the Scoobies were doing...whatever they were doing. But he hadn't looked her in the eyes once.
"TV is fine," Dawn finally answered his question.
They sat in semi-comfortable silence after that, with Spike occasionally commenting on the wannabe …show more content…
Your hair's gonna grow back!"
"Too fat? I would've used that one as a toothpick back in the days!"
"You don't wanna be here." Dawn suddenly blurted out.
Spike stared at her for a moment, finally locking eyes with her. He seized the remote and turned the TV off.
"'Am here almost every night, ain't I?" he said after a long pause.
"You're here because you made a promise to Buffy. But when you're in the house, you never look around. You refuse to go anywhere near the first floor." Dawn's fingers fiddled with fiber at the edge of the blanket. "You don't look at me anymore. Not