Fic: What You've Got (1/1)

[this_caia]

I wasn't able to get this up on my assigned day yesterday, so I'm taking advantage of the 24-hour grace period to post it. My apologies to useyourlove for horning in on your day.

I hope you enjoy this bit of early S6 silliness. :)


What You've Got

By: caia (thisficklemob on LJ)
Rating: PG
Standard disclaimer: The characters aren't mine, just the story.
Summary: Buffy needs a reason to like the world. Spike shows her one of his.
Feedback: *puppy dog eyes*



"What are we doing here?"

She had let Spike drive them to the racetrack outside Sunnydale. She'd waited while he placed his bets. She'd followed him to what he insisted were prime seats in the front row, although it seemed to her you'd rather sit by the finish line than the start. It had actually been rather soothing to let someone else take the lead without wanting anything from her.

But by now she'd sat through two horse races that even Spike didn't seem to care about, registering mostly speed, smell, and dust. Now nothing at all seemed to be happening. She'd finally had to ask.

"Do you remember I told you I liked this world?"

She said nothing. Lately, she found herself hoping questions were rhetorical.

But unlike the rest of her friends, it seemed that Spike was willing to wait for her answer.

"You said something about... picking deli squares."

"Picadilly. Leicester Square."

She blinked.

"They're places. In England."

"Oh." That made a lot more sense. She'd always thought it rather odd that a vampire's appetite would run to processed luncheon meats. Especially when he was rhapsodizing about human happy meals with his next breath.

"Ninny."

She should get mad. She was pretty sure 'ninny' wasn't a good thing. But like so much else, it seemed to fly by her without making an impact.

Plus, it was hard to work up a proper mad, when he got all crinkly around the eyes like that. As if he'd been waiting all year for her to hand him a Buffified phrase.

Knowing Mr. Obsesso-Vamp, it wasn't out of the question.

"Told you I liked dog racing. Brought you here to see why."

The recollection of a long-forgotten conversation with a long-lost Willow surfaced. Her tenderhearted friend had mournfully described animals caged their entire lives, let out to run the races for which they'd been exquisitely bred, only to be alone again after the race, win or lose.

Buffy felt a quiver run through her; an echo of Slayer righteousness. "I don't want to watch that."

Spike turned to her with furrowed brow. It was the most forceful declaration he'd heard her make for awhile. Probably the most forceful declaration she'd made since her friends brought her back. He studied her face for a moment before his own cleared and he turned back to the empty dirt track. "Don't worry, Slayer. It's not that kind of dog racing. These lot aren't professional. They'll be going home with their doting families at the end of the night."

For a being without a conscience, Spike could be remarkably quick to understand her moral qualms.

Either that, or they shared the same instinctive loathing of a cage.

"Ok, I guess that's good but..."

She'd always thought that the gap in social understanding between her and Spike -- as for example, what constituted a date, or a reasonable conversation -- was because he was a vampire. It occurred to her now that some of it might be because he was a) British, and b) a total boy. A very, very old boy, but still. If this was another 'cheer Buffy up' scheme, she supposed it beat most things her friends had tried, if only because she hadn't been required to eat anything. But...

"I don't really think -- "

"Shh, it's starting."

The unintelligible race announcer had been garbling over the P.A. system while they spoke, and Spike's full attention was on the gates a few feet from them. Reluctantly, Buffy turned to face the track as well.

The nice thing about races, she supposed, was that they were over quickly by definition. She could watch the amateur dogs run, and then insist that they leave. She had patrolling to do; it was what she'd told her friends she was doing when she left the house. A good Slayer didn't play hooky from her duties to go indulge a vampire's whim to gamble. As soon as the race was over and Spike stopped ignoring her, she'd put her foot down.

Bang! went the starting gun. The gates opened, and out they charged.

Buffy blinked, taking a moment to make sense of what she was seeing.

"Weiner dogs?!"

These animals had certainly not been bred for speed. Nor, it seemed, for competition. Despite their colorful numbered vests, they seemed entirely disinterested in progressing towards the finish line. After a momentary cavort on encountering one another, they noticed the crowd.

Then the entire school of hotdogs zoomed towards the stands, rollicking out joyful yips and barks, running up and down to greet the assembled humanity.

Buffy felt a smile begin to form. Instantly it fell as she flicked self-conscious eyes towards Spike. But her suspicion of being surveilled in her amusement was unfounded.

The vampire was leaning over the rail and shouting, as animated now as he had been laconic during the horse races.

"Go, Killer! Run, Killer! Run, you rotter! No, not here!"

A caramel-colored dachshund with an extravagantly flowing coat was achieving remarkable vertical lift as it leapt repeatedly to meet Spike's hand.

"Go on, get! Move your arse!" Spike was hanging most of the way over the railing now, attempting to push the dog bodily in the direction of the finish. Its only response was to happily push its butt back against Spike's hand.

Buffy let the smile blossom. She dangled her fingers towards the merry beast, and was met with cold wet nose and warm wet tongue.

When she looked up, Spike had produced dog treats from his coat's capacious pockets and started flinging them down the track.

"Spike! That's cheating!"

Not that it mattered. One of the other dogs, a dappled short-haired dachshund wearing a green vest and a number 9, had finally noticed its owner calling from the finish line, and taken off down the track for the win. Their dog returned briefly to beg for more treats and was told to "sod off," by Spike, before being collected by a woman in an Adidas track suit and a hat better befitting the Kentucky Derby than a backwater all-night racetrack.

It was all over then but Spike's grumbling about his lost wager. Though Buffy could have sworn she caught him humming something about 'I'm two doggies long and a half doggy high' when she came up behind him on her return from the ladies room.



They were back in Sunnydale when she asked. "Killer? Our dachshund's name was Killer?"

"Seemed appropriate." Spike seemed to visibly reconsider. "I mean, it's what we are, isn't it?"

"You're right. We are."

Spike looked chagrined, but she could feel a bit more purpose in her step than she'd felt since her return.

Maybe Spike could tell, because he said, "Let's go kill things. For puppies and Christmas, right?"

Buffy quirked him the tiniest hint of a smile. "For weiner dogs and cheese slices."

She'd confused him again; he probably thought that was sarcasm. But it was the closest thing she'd found to a reason since she came back.

"Good a reason as any."


[End.]




Note: Weiner dog racing is a real thing. I'm told it occurs between races at some California race tracks.

Comments

[snickfic]

AWWWW. This was darling. I always love seeing Spike try to cheer Buffy up, even/especially when it doesn't quite work the way he means it to. And Dachshunds! And most especially this:

She'd always thought that the gap in social understanding between her and Spike -- as for example, what constituted a date, or a reasonable conversation -- was because he was a vampire. It occurred to her now that some of it might be because he was a) British, and b) a total boy.

SO TRUE. And not acknowledged nearly often enough.

This was lovely. :)

[this_caia]

Thank you!

I think the vampire gap gets more attention for obvious reasons, but sometimes? Spike's just a boy. *g*

[snickfic]

It suddenly occurs to me that the other fic I saw that paid attention to this was also one of yours! It was in Tekubi, wasn't it, where they try conventional dating and at the end of it Buffy realizes, "Wow, you're really not from my generation." This is something I very rarely see recognized with Spuffy, although it came up in canon occasionally for Buffy/Angel.

So: I see a running theme on your part. :)

[this_caia]

That's true! I hadn't made that connection. In that case it was really more about how Spike wasn't having preteen dating experiences circa 1990. But yeah, they're gonna have cultural disconnects.

I wonder why it comes up less with Spike and Buffy? Perhaps because Spike's a sort of perpetual adolescent (pre-soul); perhaps because, pre-soul, they had so many more pressing cultural differences. ;)

[rebcake]

Oh. My. Gawd. That is hilarious — and I'm guessing based on True Life Events more bizarre than anything one could make up! It just makes me love this silly old life more...which is entirely the point. How could anyone remain unamused by a dachshund non-race? Spike is a therapeutic genius, obviously. With dog biscuits.

I ♥ this so much!

[this_caia]

Right you are! I was just about to add an author's note -- the weiner dog races are a real thing. Alas, I have not witnessed this myself, but my account matches how I've heard they usually go. :)

Thank you!

[zanthinegirl]

I just had an absolutely horrible day. This little story made it so much better; who knew Buffy and I just needed weiner dog races and Spike to make it all work out?

She'd always thought that the gap in social understanding between her and Spike -- as for example, what constituted a date, or a reasonable conversation -- was because he was a vampire. It occurred to her now that some of it might be because he was a) British, and b) a total boy

So true! Spike is such a guy. But big points for the Killer the dachshund, and know how to make Buffy smile.

[this_caia]

Aww, I'm sorry your day stank. I'm very glad this could make it a bit better. (If you need more cheer, you can see some weiner dog races for yourself on YouTube.)

SUCH a guy.

Thanks!

[sarian71]

LOL! And awww...

I couldn't not smile when Spike was shouting at the dogs. It was priceless! :D

[this_caia]

Hee! Thank you. :)

[quinara]

Hee! This is so much fun, the sort of which Buffy definitely deserves. :D

[this_caia]

She really does, the poor lamb.

[moscow_watcher]

Heeee! Wonderfully done. I love when Spike tries to make Buffy feel better.

"You said something about... picking deli squares."

"Picadilly Square."

Priceless! Of course, Buffy wouldn't understand half of what he was saying there. :)

[treadingthedark]

This was delightful! Thanks.

[this_caia]

Thank you! :D

[this_caia]

Thank you! I do too.

[gillo]

Lovely. Spike is hilarious when he gets intense about trivia!

One teensy niggle: it's actually Picadilly Circus, not Square. Buffy would still get it wrong, mind you.

The image of the dogs is not going to go away soon!

[this_caia]

Eep! And so would I, obvious. *is also a ninny* Fixed it.

(He does say "Goodbye Picadilly, farewell Leicester bloody Square," so I rationalized Buffy would smoosh them together. I just failed to take them apart properly myself. What I get for Wikipedia-ing late at night.)

Thanks!

[slaymesoftly]

Awww - nicely done. Sweet Spike and a Buffy who understands what he's doing.

[this_caia]

She understands -- and somehow it works anyway. :) Thank you!

[louise39]

I keep seeing those frankfurter dogs tails a-wagging and Spike yelling "Killer" while throwing treats.

And Buffy trying not to smile.

Thanks Spike.


And thank you, Caia.

[this_caia]

:D

Thank YOU.

[bruttimabuoni]

So funny! I really enjoyed this little look at season six camaraderie.

[this_caia]

Thank you! Pre-hookup S6 is one of my favorite time periods for these two.

[bayloriffic]

Oh my goodness, this was ADORABLE! I had a smile on my face pretty much the entire time I was reading. S6 Buffy/Spike being sort-of-BFFs is basically the best thing ever, and once you add dachshunds into the mix...well: SO CUTE <3

[this_caia]

:D Thank you very much!

[seapealsh]

Spike's prodding of Killer to finish the race was priceless. Terribly cute story.

[this_caia]

Thank you! Sometimes you just need to write/read silliness. :)

[readerjane]

I enjoyed this *so much*.

It's like a breath of fresh air in the middle of S6.

Thanks for posting.

[this_caia]

Why thank you! I'm glad you liked it.

[anviloverheaven]

That was just adorable, and reading it has made me incredibly cheerful :)

[this_caia]

Then I have succeeded! Thank you. :)

[kerry_220]

Now that was fun.

and, as an extra treat, I justed giggled my way through 10 or so YouTube videos.

[this_caia]

Thanks! :D

[lirazel]

Cuuuuuuuuuute!

[this_caia]

Merci!

[smells-corrupt.livejournal.com]

aww. Adorable, and very much where they were in early S6.

[this_caia]

Thank you! I know I turned up the silly, but I felt like Buffy could have been taken to the races early on in S6.

[sweet_ali]

That was simply delightful! I loved the perfect imagery of this gaggle of little hotdogs in colorful vests roaming the racetrack, hopping and yipping. I loved Spike leaning forward, the dog leaping for him, and Buffy just smiling. I loved the observation that Spike could simply be too much of a boy sometimes to understand Buffy. In fanfic, he's usually so lavished over as being so observant and so in tune with all females, etc., that it can be forgotten that yes, he is a boy and still thinks like one.

Lately, she found herself hoping questions were rhetorical.

Perfectly summarizes Buffy's state of mind. Understand it too well :)

[this_caia]

Thank you!

In fanfic, he's usually so lavished over as being so observant and so in tune with all females, etc., that it can be forgotten that yes, he is a boy and still thinks like one.

There's sometimes static on Spike's empathy radio, that's for sure. *g*

(The irony to your comment being, the dog racing did end up cheering Buffy, if only temporarily. So maybe he did have a good idea this time. Still, her, and your, observation was valid -- this is the Spike who thinks booze and kitten poker will fix Buffy right up.)

Perfectly summarizes Buffy's state of mind.

Thank you!

Understand it too well

{{{hugs}}}

[ellievanna]

Oh, this is adorable, absolutely adorable! I just feels like something that easily could've happened, and it brought a huge smile to my face. Thanks for sharing!

[this_caia]

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting. :)