A wave of warmth followed the soft laughter as Riley placed another kiss on his cool skin. This one was higher up on the column of Spike's throat, sending delightful tingles through his entire body. The next was just below his ear, lips barely brushing the surface as that rich voice murmured. "Now about the naked thing..."

"Yeah?" Spike shuddered slightly, that single word catching in his throat. The tingles were getting stronger now, bordering on full-on shocks wherever Riley touched him. "What about it...?"

"Why aren't we?" Now a sharp nip on the ear lobe and one broad hand in the center of Spike's chest, pushing him down onto the bed, right on top of the pile of velvet shirts. There was a wicked smile on the boy's lips and an unholy gleam in his eyes as Riley swept some of the clothes off the bed to the floor. He found one of Spike's nipples through his tight shirt and twisted it. That smile got broader and deeper; the gleam grew stronger when a whimper rose from his immortal lover's throat.

Nice to know his touch could affect Spike just as much as Spike's affected him.

Spike hooked his left leg over Riley's hip, pulling his boy even closer. His head rested against the plush velvet garments, platinum curls a stark contrast to the riot of color. For a moment, he closed his eyes and tried to calm himself enough to speak while even more shocks rocketed through his slender frame. "Y'know... I can't think of a single bloody reason," he replied earnestly as he opened his eyes, favoring Riley with a slightly befuddled look.

"Me either. So what shall we do about it?" Another twist, another moan, blunt fingers trailing down the center of Spike's chest, not stopping until they reached the top of his jeans. Riley kept smiling as he firmly cupped the erection that pressed against those tight jeans. His thumb rubbed over the head, again and again and again...

"Ohh, Jesus..." Spike writhed on the bed, hips grinding of their own accord, eyes pinched tightly closed as he bit his lower lip. All coherence and sense and logic had just flown right away from him at that intimate touch. "Uhmm... something...?" He volunteered vaguely, sounding far too like the poncey git he'd been while human.

"Like what?" His sense of humor had returned with a vengeance. Watching Spike fall apart was fun - always had been fun. Part of the reason why Riley enjoyed baiting him before they were lovers was to watch him unravel. The vampire always reacted so well, all full of puff and bravado and *now*...?

Now it was so much more intriguing.

There were unexpected depths in Spike, a softness that Riley Finn would never have suspected. Case in point, when Riley had passed out from a combination of far too much sex and blood loss, Spike made dinner for him. Then bought him clothes just for the sheer pleasure of giving a gift. Spike was so much more than one would expect and Riley was going to enjoy discovering everything he could about him.

Spike opened his eyes and met the boy's steady gaze, noting a peculiar combination of challenge and amusement twinkling in those rich hazel depths. His hands strayed down to the fly on his own jeans to attack the buttons. Each of them made a soft popping sound caused by the haste with which Spike performed the task.

His cock slipped free of the denim and brushed against the heel of Riley's hand, dragging low groans from the both of them. Midnight dark eyes met Riley's own again, bold and unafraid, as his tongue snuck out and wet his lips. "Touch me," Spike murmured.

Instant compliance from the boy. Warm fingers curling around him. Strong, hard strokes. That dimpled smile getting even deeper as a pink tongue peeked out to dampen his bottom lip, a mirror of his lover's earlier movement. Riley's thumb rubbed up and over the head of his lover's cock, spreading cool slickness while Spike moaned deep in his chest. His lad might not be a complete expert at blowjobs yet but he was really, *really* good with his hands.

Too far away, too bleedin' far away for his taste. "C'mere," Spike growled as he grasped fistfuls of the front of Riley's shirt and pulled the boy down. Down onto the bed. Down until they were on the same level. Down where he could reach him.

Riley settled next to Spike, his right hand maintaining a sure rhythm while his head cocked to one side so he could watch. Another moan and Spike looped his arm around Riley's neck, drawing him even closer. Lips and tongues tangled together in slow, thorough kisses as the vampire bucked his hips up into Riley's fist.

Lost again. Nothing had meaning outside of this room, outside of the tight circle within which they were bound by need, by passion and by motion. The assault on Riley's senses had begun again. All of the barriers that arose when Spike confessed about his varied sexual partners were blown away.

*That was the past*.

And this?

This was *now*.

This was mouths seeking one another blindly in ever-deepening kisses. Cool hands finding their way under his clothes. Equally cool fingers releasing his cock from the confines of painfully tight jeans and stroking out the exact same rhythm. With a deft, sure touch, those knowing hands caressed him, teased him, took him places he'd never been.

Riley shuddered in delight.

Surrendered himself to the moment.

Spike flicked his tongue over Riley's lips lightly, nipped at the lower one before his tongue drove into the boy's mouth once more. All the while, his left hand fondled and pumped Riley's cock. His human lover seemed possessed by some strange, insistent hunger. A ravenous one.

One Spike had never witnessed in him before.

It dawned on him then, as Riley bent his head and nibbled at one nipple through his shirt... what was happening. Up until that moment, Spike had always been the one to initiate the more intimate physical contact between them while Riley had been content to follow his lead. For the most part anyway.

But suddenly Riley was aggressive, more sure of himself. Perhaps it came from the boy becoming increasingly familiar with Spike. With *his* wants, *his* reactions, instead of using some past lover as a yardstick on how to behave. Or once the vows and trinkets of affection were exchanged - when he was sure of his place in Spike's heart - then he could be free like this.

Ready to fly...

No matter what the cause, he couldn't help but appreciate this newfound exuberance.

Riley finally found his voice again as he lifted his head a little away from Spike's chest. "Clothes off, Will. Now!" Words spoken with supreme confidence, in a tone that brooked no argument. This Riley Finn was used to giving orders and used to being obeyed.

Without question.

Without hesitation.

Not waiting for Spike to respond, Riley levered himself up, pulling his own shirt over his head with one hand. A wealth of bronzed skin was revealed by that action, smooth muscles rippled and the silver chain caught for a moment on his chin before dropping back onto his chest. Corn silk hair tousled, eyes shifting into darkness and a broad smile on his lips, Riley recaptured Spike's cock in his hand.

And set a pace with that tight grip that would have sent a human over the edge in ten seconds flat. Hard and fast with expert twists that spoke of years of practice.

Throwing his head back, Spike moaned loudly and caught Riley's hand by the wrist. "Jesus Christ almighty... wait!" If there was one thing he never thought he'd say it would have been this. Asking Riley to slow down in order for *him* to catch up. The sense of losing control of this situation was back, full bore.

Since when had he given that up?

Oh, *right*.

When he fell in love.

He was love's bitch, after all... and damned proud of it.

Spike yanked his t-shirt off and tossed it aside. He didn't bother to see where it landed as he raked black-tipped nails down Riley's chest, grazing over hardening nipples and leaving score marks on his lover's honey-gold skin. The boy's only reaction to that hurt was a hiss of in-drawn breath and a flash of something wild in his eyes.

Next went the boots, landing with solid thumps against the far wall as Spike toed them off. Hooking his thumbs into the waistband of his jeans, he arched his hips up to push them down. As soon as they reached the tops of his thighs, Riley swooped down on him again.

The boy scrambled off the bed, his knees hitting the floor so hard Spike winced in sympathy. But Riley didn't even notice, merely curved his fingers around the worn waistband and stared into the vampire's bemused face. Without further preamble, he yanked the denims down with such force that Spike was nearly dragged clear off of the mattress.

Riley threw the offending garment over his shoulder and his smile grew broader. The wild gleam in his eyes drew Spike in like a moth to the flame. This sort of passion he hadn't seen in years. It fascinated him and frightened him at the same time.

Christ, what had gotten *into* this kid?!

A small sound of delight escaped Riley as he admired his lover's lean frame. There was a lot to be said for how damned *good* Spike looked. Perfect in fact. He knew he was acting like a horny teenager but he couldn't seem to get enough. Any virginal shyness was long gone; especially considering the sheer number of times the two of them had done this.

Had it only been two nights since that storm?

Only 48 hours since he'd dropped to his knees in that cold crypt and taken his first plunge into this divine madness? How had he managed to live this long without knowing he could want another man this much? That he would *need* another man, need him more than food or sleep or air...

"Want you, Will. Want you right now." Soft-hard kisses over one knee and up the inside of a pale thigh, leaving a tendril of heat in his wake. Inexorable in his pursuit, Riley moved ever closer to his goal. His mouth watered at the very thought of how Spike would taste. Memory wasn't good enough, not now.

Body riddled with shivers, Spike let out a soft, throaty moan as he felt those warm lips dancing over his skin. "Fuck's sake...What's got into you all of the sudden?" he gasped out. Not that he minded this more assertive side of his lover -- he didn't mind it in the slightest - he was just curious as to what brought it on.

The more he knew about his lad, the better.

Riley didn't have an answer to that question. Not a logical one anyway.

He thought about it for a moment and finally shrugged, "Not sure. You're a fire in my blood, Will. Can't seem to go even five minutes without having to touch you." The hand was back, stroking Spike's cock as Riley tilted his head, staring up at his lover from where he was kneeling on the floor. "Without wanting to taste you."

His mouth descended, enveloping Spike in its all too human, searing heat. There was a pulse surrounding the vampire's entire length, reminding him of the boy's mortality and it finally dawned on Spike. What was really going on here.

Riley Finn knew that, unlike his lover, his days on this earth were numbered and he was obviously determined to make the most of them. Hence, the unrestrained passion. The headlong rush to spend as much time as possible intimately entwined with a creature that had once been his worst enemy.

The aggression was natural and very, very male but it carried such a desperate edge. And there was no need for it.

No need at all.

"Riley..." he moaned weakly and tipped his head forward, watching as his lad worked. Mouth so sinfully soft and open, movements frantic in the head-long rush to take him as deep as possible, silken fine hair falling in across his forehead and brushing against Spike's own skin as Riley bobbed up and down over his cock. Mortality and fear and need all rolled into this single act.

He couldn't take much more of this. Spike wanted to make it last, if for nothing else, then for Riley's sake. To teach him that there was no need to rush, to make him see that he wasn't goin' anywhere, that they had nothing *but* time.

"Riley," he said again, tugging ever so gently at the boy's hair to get his attention.

"Hmmm....yeah? What's wrong?" Riley lifted his head, lips glistening, and his eyes slightly out of focus. Puzzled by the cautionary tone in his companion's voice, he sat back on his heels. Another man might have looked ridiculous with his jeans riding low on his hips and hard cock exposed, but not this one. Ridiculous was not a word Spike would have used to describe his lad.

Not in any position.

Spike looked down at Riley and stifled a groan at the sight of him. Lips slightly swollen, wet with saliva and precome, hair hopelessly tousled. He was a mess... and so fucking beautiful. "Get up here... please?" He could only hope that in his near-frenzy, Riley would hear the request and take it for what it was.

The glazed look cleared away in an instant. Riley obeyed, stopping just long enough to shed the rest of his clothes. He lay down on the bed, shoving a pile of silk and leather to the floor as he stretched out beside Spike. There was concern reflected in the hazel depths of his eyes and not a little bit of worry. "Did... did I do something wrong, Will?"

The hesitancy was back, as well as a few of the earlier shadows of doubt.

How quickly he could change.

An overpowering surge of anger boiled through Spike's silent veins as he witnessed the transformation. **From confident to incompetent in two seconds flat...S'not right, not right at all -- not the way he should behave, not as sharp as he is...and *Christ*, that body. All *her* fault, all her bloody fault. Right fuckin' ball-buster, she is. Five minutes without my chip, just five minutes...** The Slayer had a lot to answer for where Riley was concerned.

Nothing he could do but try to heal the damage she'd left in her wake.

Quick to reassure his young lover, Spike cupped his cheek, savoring its warmth. "No, no, no... no, not at all. You didn't do anything wrong, baby... Matter of fact, you were doin' everything very right..." he offered Riley a small, wry grin. "But don't forget, as much as you wanna touch me... I wanna touch you just as much... but I can't do that if you're down on the floor."

"I can see how that might make things difficult." A slow nod as Riley mulled over what his lover just said and tried to work out how to meet both of their needs. Despite his reading and recent practice, he was too green to come up with a quick solution. "Still new to all this, Will. Show me what to do."

Spike smiled and pressed a kiss to his lover's firm, moist lips, tasting himself there. He delighted in the combination of sweet humanity entwined with his own distinctive flavor. It was better than cigarettes and a thousand times more addictive. "Gladly. Now, for what I've got in mind, you're gonna need to be either flat on your back or on your side. Whichever one is the most comfortable for you."

"What do you have in mind?" Riley stayed on his side, propping his head up with one hand as he gazed curiously at Spike. He was a little confused but willing to go along with whatever the vampire wanted to do. After all, the last thing Spike had suggested ended up being earth shattering for him. A shiver ran through the young man as the memory replayed in his head, coming three times without even a breather.

Had that really happened? Had that really been him, doing those things?

Spike ran the flat of his hand up Riley's thigh, smiling slyly. "Ever heard the term '69' before...?" He arched a dark eyebrow expectantly. Waited for the pieces to click together and he was delighted at how they did.

The first response was a puzzled frown, as Riley blurted out, "Guys can do that...? Okay, *that* sounded really naive, didn't it?" While Spike continued to wait, his human lover played out the parameters and logistics of the suggested position. He almost snickered as he imagined the diagram being laid out in Riley's head.

Slot A into tab B -- reverse and repeat -- result: big O.

After a moment or two, Riley's eyes widened and Spike could hear his heart start to race as the feasibility study was completed. "Sounds good to me."

With a slow, beguiling smile, Spike rolled over onto his left side facing Riley. He propped his head up on his hand, by Riley's feet. The boy's toes curled anxiously as he looked down the length of his own body and met Spike's dark gaze. "Might wanna consider scootin' down a bit, first... unless you get off on havin' your toes sucked. You're too bloody tall..."

His sense of humor resurfaced and Riley chuckled, "Not my fault that you're still experimenting with shortness, Will... but I'll move." He slid down the bed, displacing the last of the empty bags. Once in place, he nuzzled Spike's thigh, rubbing one cheek along pale, cool flesh as he waited for the next step.

Feeling electricity go skittering up and down his spine at the gentle touch, Spike gladly let the crack about his height slide... Well. Almost. He'd make the boy pay for it. Later. With a slow duck of his head, he leaned forward. It was worth stretching out the time when his lover went breathless with anticipation, like prey waiting for the final bite.

Slow, so slow, he opened his mouth and captured the head of Riley's cock. The held breath hissed between them, being lost immediately as Spike sucked hard. His cheekbones became more pronounced, hollowing out as he sucked his lover straight to hell, up to heaven and back again.

"Oh my god...." Riley's whole body went rigid as a wave of unbelievable pleasure washed over him. Cool lips, cool mouth, cool tongue. Enveloping him, dragging him in, and drowning everything but the need to be right where he was.

Why had he ever thought heat was necessary?

That without it sex was not possible?

Wrong again...

Somehow he mirrored his lover's movements, pulled him deep into his own mouth, encased Spike in overwhelming and consummate heat. Bathed him in the fire of mortality. Allowed the unchanging creature who shared his bed to be once again held in the embrace of chaos and creation.

The sensation of moist, tight heat was like a homecoming. No matter how many times he felt it, it would never be enough. Never enough to drive away the chill that settled into his bones over a century ago. Spike moaned around Riley's cock, shivering with the force of his reaction. He nestled himself closer to that living body even as he took Riley down to the root. Ever cool hands smoothed over warm calves and thighs as he did so, soaking up more mortal heat.

Much to Riley's surprise the position actually worked. He'd tried it with Buffy before but she was too short for either of them to be comfortable. That experiment resulted in both of them having sore necks. But with Spike, everything fit together perfectly. And the angle he could reach, Riley could have sworn it was deeper than ever before.

Plus there was the added joy of being able to give and receive pleasure at the same time.

Sex didn't get any better than this.

Spike nibbled up and down the length of Riley's cock, savoring the taste and the weight of it against his lips. He paused to lap at the glistening tip as Riley, in turn, took his deeply into that warm throat and wrenched another long groan from him. Drawing the head into his mouth once more, Spike suckled greedily, the taste of the precome hitting the back of his throat. Rich and strong and salty as he swallowed around its solid width.

Low moans and the shifting of bodies marked the passage of time as each became lost in the other. Hands followed mouths, gentle nips interspersed with long, hard sucks. Riley was perfectly content to spend the rest of the night so pleasantly engaged. His busy life never allowed for such a delightful use or misuse of time. But his relationship with Spike was teaching him time was a relative thing and whatever was worth doing was worth doing well...

No matter how long it took.

The creak of the bed-frame matched the slow, steady rocking of their hips. Two sleek, sculpted bodies thrust into and against each other as each strove to draw another moan or sigh or whimper from their lover. Spike let Riley's cock slip from his mouth, ignoring the muffled sound of deprivation from the boy whose mouth was too full to make any other protest. He ran the flat of his tongue slowly along the slick underside and traced the thick vein that ran the length of it. A secretive smile curved across his face as a shudder raked over Riley's entire body.

Probably the only complaint Riley had about this position was the fact neither of them could talk. But the sounds were enough for him, the sounds and the knowledge of how much pleasure he was giving... and receiving. The horrible emptiness that had been inside his soul for months was easing.

One of his hands found its way down to his throat where he toyed with the chain that hung there. The weight of that little token was nothing but what it signified was immense and very, very welcome in his life. It meant that he, Riley Finn, was loved. That he was wanted. And, yes, that he was needed.

Those three things made his existence worthwhile.

They would make any existence, no matter how pathetic, worthwhile.

*****

Spike had done a great many things in his life -- some of them naughty, some of them verging on the perverse, but rarely had he ever done anything that had even the slightest hint of innocence in it. But this, this was innocence... Simple, pure, uncomplicated and real. Touching the man he loved, pleasuring him, being pleasured by him for no other reason than he, than *they*, wanted to -- and Spike wanted it more than he'd wanted almost anything in his unlife.

He'd done a lot of bad things, plenty of truly wicked things in his time. Spike had been a damned good villain and somehow managed to come out of it undusted, if not unscarred. But Riley was the furthest possible extreme for him to have ever even considered, let alone willingly, purposefully and, by God, knowingly, thrown himself towards.

Riley was a white hat and Spike was a professional bad ass.

The Big Bad and G.I. Joe.

At first glance, they were a most unlikely pair, a match made in hell. But, if one gave it some thought, the realization would come that the two of them had always had more in common than the sharply barbed animosity they felt towards each other.

Spike strayed far from the path of his former human life, had fallen so far from grace that his eternal damnation was assured. Even so, holding Riley in his arms, he was damned glad he had taken that path despite all its twists and bends. And all the terrors along the way; his sire foremost among them.

For, had it not been for Angelus, he wouldn't have lived long enough to even see this precious boy's birth. He wouldn't have ever met him, face-to-face, as he was today. Riley Finn was a fine man, the kind of man that Spike knew he, himself, could never be... and that was all right.

Riley was good enough for the both of them.

*****