Xander and Dawn: Egg
"How was your date?" Xander can't hide the smirk, so he lifts another forkful of eggs to his mouth.
Dawn looks like she wants to peg him in the head with her muffin, but settles for a vicious scowl. "It was nice," she sneers, and in her mouth the word sounds like something you wouldn't want to have, like a tumor or an indictment.
"No tongue, huh?" Xander smiles along with the jab - he knows firsthand what Spike's possessiveness is like.
Dawn simply makes and eloquent grumping noise that manages to convey love and laughter and frustration and annoyance all at once and spears Xander's last sausage with her fork.
Spike and Isha: Watercolor
"How was your date?" Spike can't hide the menace in his voice, just like he can't help smacking Isha around a little, under the guise of sparring. Isha's lip is swollen, and a bit of spit-diluted blood stains his face in a line like a watercolor wash from the corner of his mouth to his chin.
"It was nice," Isha says, tracing the split in his lip with his tongue, keeping his hands up, having learned that lesson the first time.
Spike ceases his rapid dancing from the ball of one foot to the other and steps closer. Isha nearly manages to suppress his flinch.
"You really like her, don't you?" he says, unlacing his glove. Isha smiles, and the smear of blood doesn't touch the quiet happiness on his face.
Spike looks at him - looks at him hard, and wonders if that's what he looks like when he thinks about Xander. If it is, then they're in for it. He busies himself with his gloves, then meets Isha's eyes.
"She hurts; you hurt," he says.
"That's already the case," Isha replies.
Spike and Xander: Stratosphere
They meet on the sweeping staircase in the hotel lobby. It's early, and quiet, so they sit down halfway up the stairs, Xander one step higher than Spike, creating a sheltered cove with his body, hands light on shoulders and knees.
"She really likes him," Xander says, tipping his head toward the couple speaking quietly near the door.
"He really likes her," Spike replies, leaning back to rub his head naughtily against Xander.
"Shovel talk?" Xander asks.
"Not necessary." Spike rubs his face against the hand on his shoulder like a cat, asking for strokes. The hand moves to his hair, lips come down warmly to his ear.
"They're good together," Xander whispers.
"Not as good as us," Spike growls.
Xander, his heart somewhere up in the stratosphere, pulls him close. "This is nice."
Dawn and Isha: Novel
"They're at it again; that's novel." Dawn keeps her voice light, meeting Isha near the door.
"Hey," he says. "How are you?"
"Good." Dawn pauses, remembering that she isn't a gawky teenager anymore, telling herself she's a strong woman now. "I had a really nice time on our date."
Isha's smile is worth the bravery - he looks...enchanted, but not in the scary, magically-influenced kind of way. "Me, too." He says.
They smile at one another for a moment, and it's not awkward, it's...good.
Dawn glances over at Spike and Xander. The kissing on the stairs is getting intense. She feels Isha take her hand and squeeze it.
"Shall we go save them from a public indecency charge?" he asks.
Spike and Dawn and Xander and Isha: Interior
They break apart as Dawn and Isha approach. Spike stares at their clasped hands, but neither lets go. With a nod and a small smile, he looks away.
"Sun's up," Isha says, carefully watching as the line of light encroaches on the interior of the lobby.
"Got a few safe minutes yet," Spike says.
Isha sits next to Xander and Dawn sits next to Spike, but they manage to keep on holding hands.
The line of deadly sunlight inches closer, and Spike's amused to see that the other three all start fidgeting at the same time. Their protectiveness makes him first frown and then smile, and then frown again. He lets himself be led up the stairs, after seeing Dawn off with a hug. Upstairs, Isha turns toward his door with a wave.
Xander opens the door to their suite and gestures Spike inside. "Ready for bed?" he asks.
"Ready for you," Spike purrs, pulling him in by the hand.