Spike didn't expect Andrew to tell Buffy. He had to assume that Andrew *had* told based on what he was presented with in Rome. As for not taking Andrew's word at face value it's not just Spike who did. Angel did too. And frankly so did most of fandom until it got retconned in LWH. When Angel tried to NOT take Andrew's word for things in Damage he got presented with an army of slayers as proof. So I don't think canon supports the idea that Spike *should* have assumed Andrew was lying just because Andrew is Andrew.
I do agree that it's hard to see Spike readily buying the content of what Andrew says without at least being puzzled by it. But I put that down to the broad comedy. They're focusing on the romantic rivalry -- and Spike *would* be quick to believe that Buffy wasn't romantically interested in him. But the writers didn't take the time in a broad comedy to explore the nuance that while Spike expected romantic rejection, he should have been surprised that Andrew is portraying a Buffy who doesn't care that her dear friend is back.
But I'm not going to buy that Spike is in the wrong on any of this. Buffy left him with the one-two punch of their closeness not having to mean anything and a basking radiant smile for Angel that she never got even close to giving Spike. He's got feelings for her and I don't blame him for wanting a life of his own before reopening what could only be a friendship between them. Eowyn makes this point well in her comment. And now as far as he's concerned Buffy has implicitly thanked him for not trying to push her on the I love you that she didn't really mean by not reaching out to contact him either. That's Spike's POV, and I think he's entitled to it.
We'll be finding out soon where Buffy really is on all of this. If she really did love him, it's a tragedy that Andrew put up an information gap between them. I'd love that, cause it's the best we're going to get. But I'm pessimistic.
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I do agree that it's hard to see Spike readily buying the content of what Andrew says without at least being puzzled by it. But I put that down to the broad comedy. They're focusing on the romantic rivalry -- and Spike *would* be quick to believe that Buffy wasn't romantically interested in him. But the writers didn't take the time in a broad comedy to explore the nuance that while Spike expected romantic rejection, he should have been surprised that Andrew is portraying a Buffy who doesn't care that her dear friend is back.
But I'm not going to buy that Spike is in the wrong on any of this. Buffy left him with the one-two punch of their closeness not having to mean anything and a basking radiant smile for Angel that she never got even close to giving Spike. He's got feelings for her and I don't blame him for wanting a life of his own before reopening what could only be a friendship between them. Eowyn makes this point well in her comment. And now as far as he's concerned Buffy has implicitly thanked him for not trying to push her on the I love you that she didn't really mean by not reaching out to contact him either. That's Spike's POV, and I think he's entitled to it.
We'll be finding out soon where Buffy really is on all of this. If she really did love him, it's a tragedy that Andrew put up an information gap between them. I'd love that, cause it's the best we're going to get. But I'm pessimistic.