*****
Part 5:
Firm lips grazed Xander's face, catching here and there. A moist tongue playfully traced his cheekbones. Xander tried to bring his hands down to that teasing face, but found them bound above his head. It was dark; he could see nothing of his lover. Laughter and soft words floated over his head, and although Xander tried to catch what was said, he could not.
Nimble hands traced his collarbones, curving down to his chest and plucking at his nipples. That mysterious mouth soon followed and Xander was quickly reduced to a writhing puddle of flesh. Too soon those lips left his aching flesh, wandering lower, dipping into his navel, sucking lightly there before heading down lower. Xander moaned, "Please, please, " with a soft chuckle, the mouth relented.
That talented tongue flicked out and ran over the slit at the end of Xander's pulsing rod. It collected the clear fluids dripping from the tip, smoothing them over the straining head of his erection. He thrust his hips up frantically, only to have a pair of slender hands grasp his hips and hold him down. The tongue and lips continued to tease him, closing around the end of his flesh, sucking lightly, rasping the rough surface of the tongue over the sensitive glans of his penis.
Then, without further preamble, that mouth opened and engulfed his erection to the root. Xander screamed at the sudden sensation, the exquisite pressure and suction of that mouth bobbing up and down, the tongue lapping at the vein on the underside of his flesh. One hand left his hips and reached between his thighs to gently fondle his sac, rolling around the ovoid jewels within. The incredible magic of those lips continued on his shaft; Xander could hear meaningless babble flow out of his own mouth, but was unable to cease the stream. How could he, when his brains were being sucked out the end of his dick?
Suddenly, one of those nimble fingers reached behind his testicles to stroke the tender flesh there, while at the same time that mouth went down, sucking hard. Xander arched off the bed, screaming, and came harder than he ever had before, shooting great spurts of come down his lover's throat. A tongue lazily lapped at his softening flesh as Xander opened a tired eye toward his lover.
Brrrrring. Brrrrring. Brrrrring. Xander turned to glare at the alarm clock. < So close! Damn. > Xander slid a hand out from under the warm cocoon of the bedclothes and slapped at the unfriendly alarm clock. After a couple of weeks of self-imposed isolation, he had emerged into the world of the living (well, unliving, in Spike's case).
With that return came the simultaneous reappearance of his dream lover. Xander was both pleased and worried. He could not deny that he enjoyed the dreams, something he chalked up to being a young, healthy male. He was disturbed that he could never identify his lover. The dreams had been getting more explicit and more erotic of late. There was more affection as well. For the first time, Xander could hear his lover's voice, although never clearly enough to figure out who she was. The voice was soft, gentle and loving.
< Well, no time for daydreaming. > Xander threw back the covers, only to find the sticky residue of a wet dream. < Shit. > This was the first time his dream lover had elicited this reaction. There was always pleasure in his dreams, but it had never carried over into reality. Xander reached for the top sheet and wiped himself off. He had taken to sleeping naked after Spike's little renovation project; the feel of silk and satin against his skin was positively decadent. < At least he got more than one set of sheets for the bed. > Grimacing, Xander got out of bed and stripped off the sheets, bundling them into the hamper. He pulled out a spare set from the closet, put them on the bed, then started a shower.
Spike listened to Xander wash his hair. The smell of sex had wafted under the closed door a few minutes ago. The whelp had been asleep then; it was obvious that the boy had come in his dreams. < Bloody good dream, that was. > Unfortunately for the vampire, the mortal's pheromones had gotten him hard as well. The fact that he knew that Xander slept naked, and that that much-desired naked body was just a few feet away, only added to the situation.
The vampire briefly adjusted himself, and then relaxed back into the couch. < At least I sleep better, when I can sleep. > The apartment was infinitely better now; the new couch slept like a dream, in comparison to the old one. Of course, Spike would much rather share the boy's bed, but that was unlikely.
When Xander emerged from the bedroom to grab breakfast and go to work, Spike remained on the couch, under a blanket, with his eyes closed. To the human, he was the picture of innocent slumber. Of course, Xander knew better. < Spike probably dreams of dancing in rivers of blood, > the boy thought idly as he finished his cereal.
Had Xander asked Spike what his dreams were about, he would have been told that they were about him. Specifically, they were about Spike and Xander doing very carnal things in Xander's beautiful black satin bed. The vampire dreamed about the mortal every time he closed his eyes. He pictured himself sinking into that gorgeous, hot body. Claiming those full lips, sinking his fangs into that lovely skin.
Only the last act caused the vampire any discomfort. He did not want to drain the boy, just mark him, right on that spot on the collarbone that Spike could stare at for hours. He wanted to claim the whelp, but he couldn't because of the chip. The rest of it, now, those were dreams well worth having, even if they never came true. Of course, if Spike had any say, they would be. Now that the boy had gotten comfortable with Spike's intrusions into his life, both with his friends and in his home, it was time to enact his plan. The vampire intended to insinuate himself so completely into Xander's life that falling into bed with the blonde was a natural thing for the boy.
Spike loved using force; hell, he'd spend decades leaving lakes of blood and gore across the world. But he'd learned, from both Angelus and the marching of time, that sometimes a lot of cunning and a good plan were equally, if not more, satisfying than brute strength. So, the vampire had developed his plan. Veni, vidi, veci.13 I came, I saw, I conquered.
Once he was sure that Xander had left the building and was not going to return for some last minute item, Spike rose from the couch and went into the bedroom. The human had changed the sheets; they did not smell of the boy at all. The vampire grinned. Well, well. So he had come in his sleep. Turning from the bed, Spike pulled off his t-shirt and black jeans and walked naked into the bathroom. The smell of sex slammed into him, so strong the vampire staggered under its strength. < A morning wank, eh? > Apparently whatever got Xander off in his sleep was potent enough to leave him up for more in the shower. Never one to let a good idea pass him by, Spike turned the water on full hot and stepped under the spray.
The hot water streamed over the vampire's cool body, warming him from the outside in. He picked up the shampoo, lathering it in his gel-stiffened hair. He only needed to bathe occasionally, but he preferred to do so more often. Showers and baths were sensual experiences. The feeling of warm water surrounding him, pounding into his skin, was both soothing and arousing. Given a choice, Spike would spend all his daylight waking hours in the bathroom, soaking in a bubble bath or leaning into the hot spray.
Rinsing out the shampoo, the blonde took up a generous portion of body wash and lathered it over his torso. The slick stuff slid and smeared everywhere, like lube. The comparison made Spike smirk. One soap-covered hand drifted lower, ghosting over his abdomen. It settled on his half-hard cock, squeezing firmly.
The vampire's eyes drifted shut as he gave in to the twin sensations of water pounding on his chest and firm pressure on his cock. Slowly, oh so slowly, he ran his fingers up and down his now straining erection. His hips thrust forward slightly, counterpoint to his languid fisting. The blonde sent his other hand lower to cup and fondle his balls. Spike took a small step back, leaning against the rear wall of the shower, but still within reach of the spray. He continued his leisurely pleasuring, thrusting himself into his hands while squeezing and rolling his testicles.
Behind his eyelids, Spike saw Xander, the young man's dark hair slicked back from the shower, his lips kiss-swollen. The cool hand on his cock became a larger, warmer one. A strong arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him up against the strong wall of Xander's chest. Spike's head fell forward as his hand moved faster. He flicked his thumb across the head of his penis, rubbing the slit there.
Spike's face rippled and his demonic visage appeared as streaks of pleasure raced through his body. The other hand reached behind his sac to the tight opening there and teased it gently with a single finger. He eased his index finger inside himself as he continued to stroke his cock, twisting his hand slightly. The twin sensations were too much for the vampire and he came with a howl, spilling his seed into his hand and baring his fangs. Shuddering, he collapsed against the wall, held up by the friction of his skin on the tiles. He panted needlessly. After a long moment, he gained control of himself and shifted out of gameface. He washed away the last remnants of his passion, then turned off the water and reached for a towel.
Humming, Spike returned to the bedroom and pulled on his clothes. < Whelp never said anything about the shower, now did he? > The vampire left the room to sate another appetite as best as he could. He could not adequately satisfy any of his hungers at the moment; one because of a chip, the other because of human sexual hang-ups. At least one of those would change, and soon.
.......
"I simply wish that you had consulted with me before inviting him, Buffy." Giles said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Could the day get any worse?
"It's me that's the Slayer here, Giles. I should get to bring in whoever I want." Buffy retorted, pacing along the front of the counter. "It won't be a problem-he's very supportive. Besides, he believes me, something you can't say for most people."
"True, but still, Buffy-" Giles was cut off by the arrival of the witches, Spike and Xander.
"Hey, G-man, Buffy." Xander greeted the early arrivals. "Buff, you're here awfully early. Something wrong?" The youth asked curiously.
"What do you mean?" She sniped.
Xander flinched. "I think he means 'is there something wrong,' Slutty." Spike said, leaning against a shelf. "Usually answered by 'yes' or 'no.'"
"Buzz off, fangless." Buffy snarled, fingering a stake. "We don't need you tonight. Austin's coming."
The rest of the group eyed each other nervously. Austin? "Um, why is Austin going to be here?" Willow asked.
"Does Tex know about the Slayer?" Tara whispered to her lover.
"Austin's going to help patrol from now on, so Xander and Spike don't need to come by anymore. Bye bye!" Buffy waved them toward the door.
Giles stopped them all with a shout. "No!" He slammed his hands on the counter, punctuating his exclamation. "Buffy, you may be the Slayer, but that does not give you the right to determine who works with us. We are a group that extends beyond your sacred duty. Both Spike and Xander are invaluable members of that group. I would like to know why you seem so determined to exclude them from it."
Buffy squirmed uncomfortably. Damn, she'd been too obvious. "They don't do any thing but goof off and insult my friends."
Willow inhaled sharply. That wasn't fair! "Buffy, you know that's not true!"
Xander sighed. "Wills, don't worry about it. I have no problem leaving when I'm not needed."
"Fortunately, you are needed here, Xander. Spike's last round of information has proved most useful. There is a new nest of vampires in the warehouse district; they must be removed before they can gain a foothold." Giles said, staring coldly at the Slayer. "There are enough of them that everyone's help is necessary."
Austin chose that moment to arrive. "Buffy!" He said, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. It was obvious to everyone that Austin had become a full-fledged member of the Slayer-worship cult. He tagged along behind her like a puppy. It reminded Giles of Xander, at a younger age.
"We've got work to do, Buffy." Giles reminded the Slayer, before she could get too caught up in her boyfriend.
"So, which warehouse is it?" Xander asked as they collected weaponry.
"Old furniture place." Spike said around a cigarette.
"Ugh. Rats, right?" Willow shuddered at the thought. Other than Amy, she hated rats.
"Let's go!" Buffy led the way to their cars, hoping to end this early enough for some nookie.
.......
"Oh, Austin!" Buffy screamed as her tall boyfriend disappeared in a throng of minions."Where is he?" She cried, dusting vampires right and left. Spikejumped into the group, pulling Austin up by his arms. After the human was outof the way, the blonde vampire finished off the minions that had grabbed him,then returned to the pleasant task of destroying the so-called master vampirethat had tried to settle into his town.
Willow and Tara were making use of their now-perfected fire spells, and flaming demons exploded here and there, keeping the numbers attacking the other fighters to a minimum. Xander and Giles worked together to corner the vampires' Fyarl demon lackeys, not an easy job.
Austin resumed his valiant effort to help the gang, chasing after several minions that tried to escape through a passageway to an adjoining warehouse. Unfortunately, recent rains had flooded the partially collapsed walkway, leaving a deep pool of viscous mud. The minions were slogging their way through the mud when Austin attacked, flailing with his stakes as he lost balance.
Both Giles and Spike saw Austin disappear through the passage. Looking at each other, then at the dying battle in front of them, they ran after the football player, hoping to find him before he got hurt.
The situation they found froze them in their tracks. Austin and four minions were tumbling around in perhaps two feet of oily, black mud. The human still had a grip on one stake and was trying desperately to use it against the vampires. The minions had pretty much given up trying to subdue the weaker human and were attempting to escape the slime, but Austin kept tripping them.
Neither Giles nor Spike knew what to do, so they took a step back and watched the five figures playing in the muck. The blonde vampire tugged Giles out of the way when a large glob of the stuff sailed by, protecting the Watcher from getting slimed.
"Thank you, Spike." Giles said, holding back laughter at the scene in front of them. "What is this shit?" Giles asked the blonde vampire.
"No bleedin' clue. Smoke?" Spike offered the Watcher a cigarette, which he took gratefully. That was where Buffy found them several minutes later, lounging against a wall while Austin floundered in the mud.
"What's going on?" Buffy said, her eyes glued to the odd scene. "Is that Austin?" Spike nodded and Buffy moved to help him, and then stopped. "What is that stuff? Why aren't you two helping?"
"Poof junior's got it well in hand, Slayer. Minions are about worn out, so staking them will be nothing." Spike tossed a stake at the Slayer, who caught it easily. She aimed and pitched the stake at a minion, who exploded. The dust settled on the surface of the mud, coating Austin in a gray shroud. The only thing that identified the human was a pair of chocolate brown eyes that peered owlishly from the muck.
"Spike, help here." Buffy ordered. Snarling, Spike dusted another vampire without moving from his resting spot, while Buffy took out the remaining two. Austin scrambled out of the mud, slipping all over the floor.
A muffled snort behind them caught Spike's attention. He turned, seeing Xander collapsed on the floor. The whelp had seen the whole thing. It was all he could to do rein in his laughter.
"Giles, we need your car to get Austin somewhere to clean up." Buffy said, not touching the hulking form next to her.
"If you think you are getting that in my car, you are sadly mistaken." Giles said. Xander grabbed Spike's arm, dragging the vampire back into the warehouse.
"Come on, Spike, we've got to get out of here." Xander continued to pull the blonde toward the street.
"What's the hurry?" Spike said, following easily.
"There's no soap in the world that will get that stuff out of my upholstery." Xander said. Spike laughed, and then grabbed Xander by the arms, picking him up and running with him. Xander squeaked at finding himself in the air, but couldn't complain. It got them to the car twice as fast.
.......
Xander leaned against Spike as the vampire opened the apartment door. Neither man could stand on their own; they were laughing too hard.
"The look.on his.face!" Xander choked out. Once inside the apartment, he slumped against the wall. Spike closed the door, and then leaned against it. He was as bad off as the mortal.
"'Oh, Austin!'" Spike whined, doing a credible imitation of the Slayer. "Bloody hell, when those minions got at him." The vampire was cut off by his own laughter.
"Then the mud-" The image of Austin sliding and floundering in a large puddle of mud, trying to hold on to a minion, sent the pair back into peals of laughter.
"Like trying to catch a greased pig!" That sent the human to the floor, as the image of Austin, covered in oil, trying to hold on to the Slayer, went though his mind. Spike, recovering somewhat, went to the kitchen for a beer. Handing one to Xander, he took a seat on a barstool, swiveling back and forth.
"Must say, the Slayer's got some taste. Reminds me of the poof." Spike took a sip of beer.
Opening his own bottle, Xander asked, "How so? I mean, at least Angel's got a brain.doesn't he?" Xander continued to chuckle softly.
"Not much of one. Spends it all moping in a corner. Look at them: both have that spiky hair, broody-pouty look going on for them. All that fake depth an' all." Spike muttered.
"And a Slayer in the sack. Maybe if I'd just sulked a little more." Xander's face fell as he began to ponder where he'd gone wrong with Buffy. Spike snarled.
"Wouldn't have worked." Xander's face fell further. Spike said quickly, "Slayer's not looking for what you've got. She needs big and dumb to follow her around and take her too seriously. Look at what she likes: Angel and Austin hang on her every word, hoping to be gifted with the stench of her flatulence. You loved her, you just didn't worship her."
"I used to. I could have again." Xander sat down next to Spike.
"No, y' couldn't have. She's not worth worshipping. Yeah, she's 'the one,' the light of the world. Doesn't mean she's worship material. She's a self-centered, self-important hormonal chit with no fashion sense." Spike spat viciously. Xander straightened, fire in his eyes.
"You have no right-after all we've done for you-to talk about Buffy like that! She's the-"
"She's the Slayer, I know. How could I bleedin' forget? Bint pounds it into me whenever she's not gettin' it regular-like. All I'm saying is that being the Slayer doesn't make her above you, perfect an' all." Seeing that Xander was not prepared to reply, the vampire pushed on. "She treats you like dirt, all the time. 'Xander, get me a jelly doughnut,' 'Xander, go throw yourself in front of that big nasty demon so it doesn't bleed on my new espadrilles,' 'Xander, let me shag you senseless until an Angel-wannabe comes along.' Hell, maybe its part of the job, being so selfish, like an overblown survival instinct or somethin'. But she puts you down, all the time. And you know it." Spike finished, waiting to see what the reaction would be to his attack on the Slayer. It was not what he expected.
"I know." Xander said, then fell silent. After a few minutes, he spoke up. "It's just.I thought that for once, just once, someone would want me for me. Not because they're horny and I'm handy. That's what all of my relationships have been-oversexed women. Gods, I can't believe I just said that. Did I just complain about being jumped by horny women?" Xander pounded his head on the bar. Spike reached over and placed a cool hand on the back of Xander's neck, stilling him. The vampire left his hand there. Xander did not move; Spike's hand was cool and comfortable on his neck.
"That you did, mate. Can't say as I've met a man who's complained about that, recently anyway." Xander sat up, dislodging Spike's hand.
"Hell, I've had a spell cast that made me the most desired man in Sunnydale. It's not all it's cracked up to be." Xander laughed harshly. Finishing his beer, Xander got up and went into his bedroom. From inside, he called to Spike, "I'm turning in. Night."
Spike remained at the bar after Xander had closed the door. He knew what Xander was talking about; in his long life, both as a human and as a vampire, no one had wanted him around for himself. Cecily needed an ego boost, Dru needed a babysitter, Angelus needed a punching bag, and Harmony, well Harmony needed a lobotomy. Yeah, he knew all about it.
.......
"Where did Xander go?" Willow asked. They were just finished washing off Austin with a water hose they'd found in the warehouse.
"He left a few minutes ago." Tara said quietly. "With Spike." She added in a whisper.
"Great. Yeah, they're wonderful help, running off all the time." Buffy muttered.
"There aren't any more vampires, so maybe he had something important to do." Willow said, defending her best friend. "Xander's been sort of quiet lately. Do you think something's wrong with him?"
"Xander? Nah." Buffy said, wringing out Austin's still-nasty shirt. He took it from her gratefully.
"Maybe we should go see him. I haven't really talked with him in forever." Tara squeezed Willow's hand supportively. The redheaded witch sounded very sad. "You should come with, Buffy. He's your friend too."
Buffy rolled her eyes, but caught a warning glance from Giles. "Ok, ok. We'll stop by soon. Happy?" Willow nodded and the Slayer drug off her boyfriend, muttering all the while.
"Do be sure to tell me if there is something amiss with Xander." Giles stated as they loaded into his car. "I worry about him sometimes."
"We will, Mr. Giles." Tara said, curling up with Willow in the back seat.
.......
Xander and Spike were sharing the couch, watching a movie, when the doorbell rang. The two men looked at each other. With a glance they communicated that neither was expecting company. With a shrug, Xander got up to answer the door, prepared to run off some preacher or salesman. He was floored when he found the entire Scooby gang on the other side of the door.
"Wills, Buffy! What are you doing here?" Xander squeaked. He was definitely not expecting the girls. Looking around a little, he saw Tara hiding behind her girlfriend.
"Hey, we're your friends! We wanted to stop by and visit. We can do that, can't we?" Willow admonished Xander. She knew she'd been a little preoccupied lately, what with school, magic and Tara, but Xander actually seemed put out that they had stopped by unannounced.
"Yeah, Xander, we just want to come hang." Buffy said, tapping her foot on the doorway. She had come along because Willow had insisted. She would rather be anywhere. Her brief fling with Xander was not something she needed reminders of, and being here would definitely bring back memories. They'd 'blessed' just about every horizontal surface in the apartment.
Feeling guilty for making his friends feel unwelcome, Xander opened the door the rest of the way and ushered them inside. It wasn't until they stopped in the doorway that he realized that none of them knew about the.renovations Spike had done. Xander braced for the worst. Spike was ignoring the group; he knew who was behind him.
"Xander?" Willow asked. She looked around the room, her eyes wide. Tara was doing the same thing, studying the new furniture and decorations. Buffy was imitating a fish, her mouth opening and closing slowly as if she was having trouble breathing.
"So, do you like the new look?" Xander said casually, knowing that at some point one of the girls was going to explode. He hoped it was Willow.
"Wow. I mean, wow. It's so." Willow said, unable to find adjectives to describe it.
"I-I like it. It's very.you." Tara said, hesitantly at first, then with more confidence.
"Have you been possessed or something?" Buffy had finally found her voice and was using it stridently. She turned to glare at Xander. Buffy obviously did not like the changes. < I guess it was too much to ask for, for Willow to be the one to go off. > Xander backed up a step, and then stopped.
"No, Buff, I'm not possessed, nor was I possessed when I redecorated. I just got tired of living in a dump. My furniture was garbage. The place was.sterile. I like it this way. It has.character." Xander finished.
"Character?" Buffy echoed. She studied the screen in front of the window. "Complete with vampire-safe 'character,' Xander?" She pointed at the screens.
"So? Spike is a guest here. Last time I checked, it was rude to purposefully leave one's home a danger to one's guests." Xander shot back, annoyed that Buffy had the nerve to question anything about his life.
"This is so." Buffy looked around the room again. "Spike did this. He had to. It's too dark. You hate dark. You like bright colors. Loud, ugly, bright colors. This is metal and leather and blood. Spike, you are so dead!" Buffy echoed Xander's first, emphatic statement about the state of his bedroom. "That's enough, Buffy. Spike didn't do anything wrong. You're not going to stake him because you don't like my taste in interior design." Technically, Xander was not lying. He had forgiven Spike his trespasses upon Xander's belongings, and Buffy obviously did not like his apartment.
Buffy's face scrunched in displeasure. It made her look constipated. "Hmm.I could stake him anyway."
"No! You will not stake Spike! You do not stake your allies." Xander said to Buffy, raising his voice a bit. This got a reaction from both the witches and the Slayer. Xander did not typically raise his voice around them except to scream in fright.
"Ally? Spike an ally? Right!" Buffy rolled her eyes.
"Ok, Buffy. Tell me the last time Spike did anything, either directly or indirectly, to harm any of us? The last time he hatched some harebrained scheme?" Xander waited.
"Oi! My schemes are not harebrained!" Spike snarled indignantly.
"Shut up, Spike." Buffy said.
"And how many times in the past two years has Spike helped us with research? How many nights has he patrolled? How often has he saved our lives?" Xander continued.
"He's a vampire!" Buffy cried.
"So is Angel, and if what I've heard from L.A. is correct, Angel has done evil things more recently than Spike has. So lay off blondie here. Also, while you are in my apartment, treat my guests with respect. Joyce raised you better than that." Xander said to the irate Slayer. For a moment, it looked as though Buffy would resist. He knew that if she went after Spike, he could not stop her. Finally, she put away the stake.
"It's just.I don't like you and Spike hanging around so much. He can't be a good influence on you."
"I don't see you volunteering to sit with him, Slayer." Spike said, casually lighting a cigarette now that the immediate threat to his unlife was past.
Buffy blanched. She knew that Spike was unaware of her and Xander's brief involvement, but the idea of spending time with Xander still made her cringe. Instead of responding to the vampire's barb, she turned to Willow. "Well, he's not dead, undead, or possessed. I'm really busy right now, so I'm going." She turned to Xander. "I'll see you at the meeting, right?" Without waiting for a response from anyone, Buffy left, slamming the door behind her.
Willow had remained silent throughout Buffy's little performance. Now that the Slayer had made her exit, she spoke up. "Xan, um, are you really ok?" She looked worried.
"Yeah, Wills, I'm fine. Really, I am."
"You've seemed.a bit down lately." Willow walked over to Xander and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"I have been a little under the weather, but it's passed. You know how it is, life on the Hellmouth makes you think sometimes." Xander said. He really did not want to get into this discussion with Willow, now or ever. If he did, he would not be able to hide that Buffy was the cause of his recent depression.
Willow was not completely satisfied with Xander's answer, but she relented. "Well, ok, if you're sure you're alright now. And I'm always here to talk to, you know that, right?"
"I know. That's why I love ya, witchy-girl." Xander hugged Willow tightly, winking at Tara, who blushed.
Spike had regained his seat on the couch, but had turned to watch the trio of humans. He was glad to see that the witches were at least somewhat comfortable with Xander. The boy valued his friends, particularly Red, and the vampire knew that the human would not survive it if they turned their backs on him now.
Pulling away from Xander, Willow asked, "So, what are your plans this evening?"
"Nothing happening. Just a movie. I'm probably going to call it an early night." Xander said.
"All of the good there. Well, we should probably go-classes tomorrow and all that." The girls gathered at the door.
"I'll see you at the meeting. Thanks for dropping by." Xander opened the door for them.
"We were just worried about you. We'll call next time." Willow apologized on her way out. Shutting the door on the retreating witches, Xander turned to Spike.
"You ok, Spike?" Xander had honestly thought that the time when Buffy would seriously threaten to kill Spike was past.
"Yeah, fine, mate. Get threatened by the Slayer all the friggin' time." Spike stared at the television screen. He wasn't really upset, but he knew that with just the tiniest bit of manipulation, the boy's anger at the Slayer would return.
"I'm sorry, Spike. I don't know what's wrong with her. I mean, she ignores me and acts like she hates me, for weeks now. Then she just waltzes in here and acts like she owns the place. The nerve!"
Xander began pacing the floor. "Who does she think she is? She can go through men like so much tissue, but I change my furniture and I must be possessed? That little." Xander choked off what he was going to say. He was upset, seriously upset, at the Slayer's gall, but he didn't hate her.
Spike did not correct Xander on who had actually done the redecoration. "You were right, you know."
"Damn right I was.right about what?" Xander stopped, confused.
"She thought you were possessed. Didn't think you had the taste." Spike said, smirking.
"Told you so." Xander said smugly. If nothing else, he knew his friends. He wasn't even surprised at the Slayer's reaction to the apartment. Buffy was not about change. "Well, how much of the movie did I miss?"
"Not much, just some useless plot development." Xander joined the vampire on the couch and the two men quickly fell into the gory movie.
The next Scooby meeting was a subdued affair; Buffy was not comfortable around Xander. Xander, after several weeks of avoiding the Slayer, was finally relaxed at the gatherings, and it showed. He was nearly back to full form, cracking silly jokes with Willow and Spike, and generally annoying Giles.
This made Buffy even antsier; she had half-hoped that Xander would start to drift away from her entourage, and for a while it seemed as though he would. Now, however, it looked as though Xander was back, and to stay.
"Xander, Willow has informed me that you have made some changes in the appearance of your flat." Giles stated to Xander, who was trying to juggle three small green spheres. Giles reached out and took the orbs before Xander could drop them and blow up the shop.
"I figured that there was no reason to live like a college student if that's not what I am. So I got rid of the 'Goodwill Chic' furniture and cleaned the place up."
"Well done, then. Dare I say that you are maturing?" The Watcher replied.
"I wouldn't go that far. Spike put a Sex Pistols poster on the bathroom door." Xander said, grinning at the blonde vampire.
Giles was not sure what to make of the boy's letting Spike decorate in his dwelling. However, he did seem to be closer to the vampire these last few weeks. Perhaps the vampire would be a good influence on Xander. Giles shuddered at the thought. It would be better to hope that Xander would be a good influence on Spike.
After a few more minutes of pointless conversation, the Watcher got fed up and sent Buffy, Austin, Spike and Xander out on patrol. He needed time alone with the witches to discuss the directions that their magickal studies were taking.
.......
Spike and Xander headed for the cemeteries, having left the university campus to the student patrollers. The two men walked down the street side by side, relying on Spike's superior senses to detect any threats.
"So, mate, what's going on after patrol?" Spike lit one of his ever-present cigarettes.
"Dunno. Thought I might stop by the Bronze, but Wills and Tara are busy." Xander said. He had really wanted to get out among people after his self-imposed isolation. He supposed he could ask Spike to go. "So, would you.uh..."
"Could stand a spot of music. Care for company?" Spike knew what the boy was trying to ask, and that he didn't know how to do so. The vampire smirked at human insecurities.
Relieved, Xander just nodded and resumed walking quietly beside the vampire. They had a pretty much set routine for patrolling, so it took little conscious effort to complete the rounds.
Circling around the perimeter of the cemetery, Spike cocked his head to one side. Xander looked at him questioningly. Whatever the vampire heard was probably worth checking out. The two men turned toward the sound and began creeping toward it. They were in the section of the cemetery that butted up against the university campus; only a few bushes stood between the two pieces of property.
Spike gestured to Xander to circle around a stone edifice, indicating that he would meet the human on the other side. Xander moved around the low structure, peeking around the corner. What he saw almost made him drop his stake. Buffy had Austin pinned against the wall and appeared to be trying to extract his tonsils. They were what Spike had heard?
Xander turned and ran around the building. He saw Spike leaned against the wall, a hand clamped over what was obviously pinned in laughter. The human grabbed the vampire's sleeve, tugging at him. The blonde relented and followed Xander back into the cemetery.
Once there, Xander whirled on the vampire. Spike cut him off before he could begin. "Honest, luv, I had no idea. I couldn't tell what it was. If I'd known, I'd have-" Spike stopped talking when it became obvious that something was wrong with Xander.
Xander was doubled over, holding his stomach. Spike reached around, grasping his shoulders. The human looked up into the vampire's face. The concerned look caused another round of laughter to wrack his body. Unable to remain standing, Xander slid to the ground.
Spike was worried. The boy looked ready to pass out. He was about to pick him up to carry him off when the mortal began to speak, or tried to.
"Buff." Xander gasped for breath, "B-Buffy must really.like that spot." Xander said, choking.
Spike did not understand what was going on, but he saw that Xander was incapacitated by humor, not illness, so he was not worried. He waited until Xander had recovered. After a few minutes, Xander took a deep breath and tried again.
"That's one of her favorite make-out spots. She slammed me up against that wall a dozen times, at least. I had bruises for days after one session." Xander glanced at his watch. "Give her points for consistency, though. It's even the same time of night. If we go to the health clinic, we can catch them under the portico in about fifteen." Xander finished, picking himself up off the ground. He saw that Spike was still a bit wary of him.
"It's ok, Spike. It doesn't bother me. I mean, if you wander around out here at night, you're going to run into people making out. It's what they do." With a grin, he held his hand out to the vampire, indicating that they should get going.
Spike walked along Xander once again. He was not entirely convinced that the boy was all right. Seeing your former girl sucking face with another man was never easy. Xander did not seem to be showing any outward strain, however. Spike chose not to think about it further.
.......
The rest of patrol was uneventful. After another hour, Xander proclaimed that their shift was over and that he was heading for the Bronze. Spike fell in beside him and the pair made their way towards that part of town.
Inside the club, Xander snagged a table while Spike purchased drinks. There was a band from L.A. playing. They were actually fairly good for what the Bronze usually attracted, if a bit more industrial and metal than the usual fare. It was the sort of music that suited Spike quite well.
The vampire was obviously pleased with the band as he brought back the beverages. "Not bad, whelp. Managed to hit the one night all season with a decent band." Spike was nodding his head to the beat of the music, swaying slightly. Xander started counting. He figured the vampire would last about a minute, maybe two, before hitting the dance floor. He wasn't disappointed; Spike practically chugged his beer, tossing the bottle on the table as he went to dance. Xander hung back, watching the lithe vampire on the dance floor.
The blonde was seductive; youths of both genders moved with him as he worked his way across the dance floor. Xander watched Spike as he flirted and played with first one person, then another. They all seemed drawn to him like moths to a flame; he radiated sexuality. The tight black clothes didn't hurt his image. The pale man glowed under the dim lights of the stage. Xander was transfixed.
The song ended too soon, but another began almost immediately. It was considerably faster than the previous one, more to Xander's liking for dancing. Standing up, he went out to the floor. Xander did not mind dancing alone; being who he was, he had had to learn to like it long ago. The summer spent in Oxnard had taught him how to dance, so now he did not embarrass himself when he chose to do so. Tonight was no exception. He may not have been the predator that Spike was, but he held his own and enjoyed himself.
After a few minutes, Xander felt someone behind him; he'd attracted another partner. Turning, he found himself facing a certain blonde vampire. Spike did not react to the obvious shock on Xander's face. He continued dancing, draping an arm over Xander's shoulder.
Xander was in shock. He was dancing with a guy. With a vampire. With Spike. Spike! Xander blinked. He'd never actually stopped dancing; his body went on autopilot when his mind had ceased functioning. As his brain slowly reengaged, he looked at the vampire. Spike was writhing just a few inches from Xander, his arm thrown over Xander's shoulder. The blonde's head was tilted back, his eyes closed. The vampire looked lost in the hypnotic rhythm of the music pouring from the stage. Xander just stared. < He's beautiful. >
Where the hell had that come from? Xander was, once again, in shock. His brain tried to wrap itself around its own thoughts. Spike, beautiful? Spike was a guy, a vampire guy. Xander likes girls. Human girls. Xander loves girls, drools over girls, chases girls, flirts with girls. Xander's brain was suddenly working overtime. As before, while his mind went away, Xander's body continued to dance.
The vampire looked at the boy. < He's gone. > Spike smirked briefly. Xander was still dancing, but his eyes were completely blank. < Nobody home. > The blonde figured that the whelp was in shock. He'd never seen the mortal with another man; Xander probably figured himself to be as straight as they came. That thought made the vampire laugh. < Not quite, my boy. >
Even if Xander was aware of anything right now, he wouldn't realize the picture the two of them made. Complete opposites, light and dark, twisted together in the shadows of the club, like surreal chess pieces. Spike, unlike the human, was aware of the stares they were drawing. He also knew exactly what they looked like together.
Nothing good ever lasted, and eventually Xander's brain returned to his body. He stiffened slightly, drawing the vampire's glaze. "Glad you could join me, pet." Spike inched closer to Xander's warm body. Xander glared.
< Ok. Think, Xander. What's Spike up to? We're dancing. Why? > Xander thought about it for a minute. Why, indeed? What would Spike get out of this little show? Xander had nothing to lose here, nothing to have taken away from him. Then it hit him. Spike was flirting. < Oh. > What to do? Xander had never flirted with a guy, unless he counted the whole Larry fiasco in high school.
Suddenly, a wide grin baring white teeth flashed across Xander's face and the mortal brought an arm up to grasp Spike's waist. The vampire's eyes widened imperceptibly as he adjusted to this surprise. < Didn't think the whelp had it in him. > the change in position brought the two bodies closer together. They now rubbed together as they moved, twining closer and closer as the music reached a crescendo. Xander caught Spike's eyes in a heated gaze. Deep blue eyes met whiskey brown; the music pounded to the beat of Xander's heart. Spike could smell...arousal? He jerked his head back, eyes flashing yellow.
The music stopped suddenly. The song was over, the spell broken. Xander released Spike's body, stepping back. Shaking his head, the human headed back over to the table. < Ooookay. What the hell was that? > He asked himself. < That was fun! > Another voice in his head replied, < Again! Do it again! > < Wha-who the hell are you? > Xander asked himself. Nothing answered him. He needed a drink. Badly.
Spike remained on the dance floor for the next song. He'd shocked the boy; now it was his turn to be shocked by Xander. He had not expected the human to take him up on his offer, much less up the ante. The vampire was not mistaken; Xander had been aroused during their dance. Spike couldn't believe it. He figured it would be months before the boy realized he'd wanted the blonde vampire. Oh, Spike had known it for some time; after all, it was his idea to get the whelp in the sack, and the best way to do that was to get the mortal to want him.
He'd done a pretty good job; Spike had seen the occasional sidelong glance, the start of jealousy when the vampire paid attention to the Slayer or the Watcher. He'd just not expected things to progress so quickly. Still, he didn't think the boy was ready; if he tried to throw him over his shoulder and cart him off for a good shagging right now he'd get staked for his trouble.
After a couple more songs, Spike wandered off the dance floor and toward Xander. Nodding to the unspoken question, Spike shrugged on his duster, which he'd doffed earlier in the evening, and followed the human out of the club. They walked in silence back to the apartment. Spike could tell that Xander was holding a fairly involved internal conversation. Most of Spike's wishes hinged on the outcome of that discussion.
Xander had not finished thinking about Spike, guys and flirting when they reached the apartment. Waving distractedly at the vampire, Xander closed the door to his bedroom and prepared for sleep. He finally gave up, deciding to pick up the topic again tomorrow. Sleep was of the good.
A few yards away, Spike reclined on the couch, smoking a cigarette. Xander was so close he could almost taste him, both figuratively and literally. So close.now was the critical time. If he made a single misstep, he'd be lost. It was not a casual choice of words. Yes, he wanted to bed the lad, but somewhere along the way, Spike had decided to not harm the mortal. It wouldn't do for Spike to go out of his way to build up Xander just to help him over the cliff.
This view was a complete turnabout for Spike; before the chip and the Scooby gang, he would have done exactly that-carefully nurtured Xander's mind only to send it careening off into madness, just for fun. The vampire shrugged philosophically. Things change, including himself. His resourcefulness and adaptability had kept him both alive and generally happy for 125 years. So those traits now had him caring about a human. Unlife was strange. Despite the time he'd recently spent pondering how to get at the boy, Spike was not one to dwell on things; life (or unlife) was, except when it wasn't.
*****