i never explain

This right here is what these two are all about. From enemies, to lovers, to friends: Spike has her back. Period.

And Buffy knows that. Whether she hates him, loves him, or just begrudgingly tolerates him she never doubts that he will be there.

And this dynamic literally is unbeatable. Because it’s so important for both of them!!

Because Buffy has never been able to depend on the men in her life. Dad left, Angel left, Giles left, Xander kicked her out of her own home. But not Spike. Spike had her back when he was evil, when he was chipped, when he was souled. Every version of Spike stands at her side in a fight. Every version of Spike chooses her. Again and again and again.

And for Spike? Buffy counts on him. She doesn’t need him to survive like Drusilla did. She doesn’t need him to validate her like Harmony did. She doesn’t need him at all, but she sees something in him that no one else does and she puts her faith in him and it makes him want to be more. It makes him want to show up. And sure sometimes he gets in his own way and sometimes the bad guys take him out…but he never stops wanting to be more for her.

And the best part?? Eventually he wants to be more for himself. And that’s the most important part.

AND IT ALL STEMS FROM SEASON 2. It all stems from Spike seeing something in Buffy he had never seen before, and not being able to kill her because of it. It all stems from Buffy needing an ally she could count on to face Angel and knowing Spike would do anything for the woman he loved.

A bangelus commission for the wonderful @camellcat !!

i found the strangest thing, where i

totally agree about spike being a sub (for anyone honestly but also for buffy)

can see how faith can be a sub for buffy although not as something constant, like, time to time thing

totally down for faith/buffy/spike

patricia and her pet mayor 🐕‍🦺