The girl was a walking contradiction in so many ways, yet Spike knew that he wasn't any different. She was a warrior of light; so bloody strong and courageous, a champion of the whole sodding human race. She had laid down her life again and again to save the world, and The Slayer had lead an army against Evil itself. But she was also a woman. All flesh and blood, and emotions too. The duality of her very nature bordered on paradoxical, but still she managed to walk that tight rope with such poise and grace. Always balancing between normalcy and the supernatural, and doing it far better than anyone likely could. Back in their world he had seen her struggle with it all. Had seen that conflict between being cut off from the world, and longing to be a connected.
Spike knew her. Knew that struggle better then most since he too walked a similar path. A monster and a man. Ensouled but still a demon. He had been a warrior of darkness for so bloody long; all the rush and crunch of killing...still caused that less then shiny soul of his to resonate with guilt. Yet the monster within, his very innate nature as a predator of the night, had him itching to fight but the man was her champion too. Having laid down his own life to save the sodding world. Here in this almost idyllic little town he had seen and felt the opposite end of the struggle they had both faced back home. There in Sunnydale the challenge had always been to find just the tiniest of moments to savor a spot of normality...while having to face a never ending battle against the undead, demons, and whatever Big Bads came their way.
Here though; well here it was the normality of life that seemed far more daunting. Two warriors, locked away with no real foes to face. With no real way to vent that pent up energy that naturally grew within them as their old lives screamed for a fight to face. Oh William loved her. Loved his wife, and this new new lease on a life that he had once thought only possible in his dreams. The bleach blonde vampire savored every single second spent in Buffy's company, and yes...he found real joy in spending his time on something as mundane as a bit of window shopping too. Just seeing that smile of hers light up. Feeling her nudge him teasingly as they chatted. All of it made the tedium far more manageable to bare.
"Course I noticed, pet. Had plenty of time to sit back and take it all in...even with the spot of distraction offered up by having arrows shot into me, and having to smell that bloody stench coming off of the boy as he laid there riddled with the 'funny syphilis'." Oh that had been a really bad day, but still Spike had observed it all keenly. He had seen how stressed she was; how badly Buffy just wanted to have a normal Thanksgiving for her and her friends. One more attempt at a bit of a normal life...even amidst the chaos of spirits, bears, and his bloody grand sire showing up to make a mess of things. Just thinking about it all had a slight frown starting to tug at his lip, but when she spoke up again Spike grinned anew.