Xander woke to the aroma of coffee. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, he realized that he was alone in bed. The ambrosial smell of the coffee roused him to action, however, so he struggled out from under the twisted covers and pulled on a pair of sweatpants. Wandering into the kitchen, he was greeted by a steaming cup of coffee and a smirking vampire.
Accepting the coffee gratefully, Xander looked around the apartment. Spike had been up for a while and the place was spotless. It never ceased to amaze him that the vampire would end up being a neat freak. The human caught himself trying to use the windows to check the sun for the time and turned to a clock on the wall.
"Noon or midnight?" It was a standard question around the sun-proofed apartment; since installing the window coverings it was impossible to tell if it was day or night, so the time was always accompanied by that question.
"Noon, pet. Slept right through the parade." Spike continued to smirk. He was a bit surprised that Xander was up this early; the previous evening had been rather.tiring.
"Oh darn." Xander failed to sound upset. "Hungry." The mortal moved to the kitchen, looking for food.
"Covered, pet." Spike handed Xander a plate of pancakes and a bottle of syrup. Xander looked askance at the food.
"What? I felt like cooking. 'Sides, pancakes are good with blood." Spike gestured toward a plate covered with what looked like pancake crumbs, syrup and blood.
Xander grimaced and looked down at his plate. Hunger overcame any objections he might have had towards blood on pancakes and he sat down at the bar, tucking into the surprisingly good food.
The pancakes were inhaled at an unholy speed. Spike never failed to be amazed at Xander's ability to make food disappear like that. "Taste any of it, luv?"
"'S good. Thanks." Xander said around bites of pancake. It was, too. The fact that Spike could cook should have amazed Xander, but he'd lived with the vampire long enough to know better than to underestimate him.
Leaning back on the bar, Spike looked over the bedraggled boy. "Right. So, it's Thanksgiving." He waited expectantly.
The vampire was not disappointed. He was sure Xander would have something he'd want to do. The mortal considered for a moment, then spoke. "I need a shower. A long, hot shower." Xander leered at Spike. "I got dirty last night." They both chuckled at the comment. Xander yawned. "But I'm still tired. Shower, then bed? You should be asleep anyway."
Spike nodded his agreement. He should be in bed, and the pull of sleep was strong on him. "Right. Well, off to shower." Taking the mortal's plate, he went to rinse it as Xander moved to the bathroom to bathe.
Xander stood as warm water cascaded over his body. Some people, he knew, woke up in the shower. The opposite was true for him; if there was any warmth at all in the water, he got sleepy. He was about to lean back on the tiles for a brief nap when he felt cool hands clamp on his arms and drag him back.
"Now pet, you're s'posed to be gettin' clean, not nodding off." Spike chided, running his hands down Xander's hips as he held the boy to his body. Xander just grinned.
"Sorry. Showers put me to sleep." He sounded utterly unapologetic.
"Yeah, well, can't have you sleeping in here, y' might drown." The vampire reached down for the shampoo and began lathering Xander's hair. The mortal took up the activity, turning and soaping up Spike's own blonde locks. As one, they moved back, rinsing off the lather and reaching for a bar of soap. The bathing was rather calm; neither had much strength for groping or teasing. Turning off the water, Spike handed Xander a towel while drying himself off.
Taking Spike's hand, Xander led him back to the bedroom. Looking at the bed, the mortal turned to the vampire with a grimace. "Sheets, Spike. We need clean sheets."
Spike grinned at the memories of just why clean sheets were needed replayed in his mind. "Right." He replied, retrieving a set from the closet. Working together, the two men soon had a fresh set of silk sheets on the bed. Xander tossed the stained sheets into a hamper, and then clambered on the bed, nodding for Spike to join him. "Sleep is of the good." He said, yawning. "Sleep now."
The vampire joined him, snuggling up to that warm body and wrapping his own cooler one around it. Xander didn't seem to mind being held immobile and so close to Spike. The human, in fact, understood the desire to keep one's mate close by. He'd felt the same way in the past. Turning to face the blonde, Xander returned the gesture, wrapping himself around Spike.
"Sleep, pet. Have to patrol tonight." Xander moaned in protest at the statement.
"Don' wanna patrol tonight. Thanksgiving bad." Xander said, already nearly asleep.
"Mmm." Spike hummed, knowing exactly why Xander didn't want to patrol. He remembered all too well the Thanksgiving where angry spirits had given Xander a host of unpleasant diseases.
The pair drifted off to sleep, for once secure in the knowledge that their lover would be there when they woke.
.......
Xander nervously paced at the door. Spike watched him, donning his duster. "Look, luv, we'll just make one quick run through the campus and let it go 'til tomorrow."
The mortal grimaced. He had tried to explain it to Spike. Thanksgiving was for Xander what Halloween was for Spike-a night to just not be outside. He just knew that he'd fall into another weird burial chamber and come down with more sexually transmitted diseases, and this year the gang wasn't around to get him better.
Rolling his eyes, Spike grabbed Xander's arm, dragging him out the door. He lit the boy a cigarette, shoving it between nervous lips. Xander shot him a grateful look, and then took a deep drag. Exhaling, the mortal visibly relaxed.
"I know. Nothing will happen. Not a damned thing. It's just." Xander stopped, shivering. Spike empathized. Spike knew just how Xander felt. The vampire never went out on Halloween night. It was just too spooky for the undead. He felt bad about it and had offered to go on his own, but Xander had refused. "What if you run into nasties of the human sort?" The boy had said. Spike snarled at the memory. The mortal hadn't meant to insult him, but he hated being reminded he couldn't defend himself against his former food source.
Xander looked anxiously at the vampire. "Something?" He said. Realizing that the mortal was reacting to his growling, Spike shook his head.
"Nothing."
Nothing was accurate; they did not encounter a single vampire or demon on their patrol. Spike was antsy; he wanted to fight, needed to burn off some energy from the day spent sleeping. Xander was still jumping at every crackling leaf and twig. Sighing, Spike dragged the mortal over to a bench set back from the walkway, pushing him down.
"Right then." Spike sat down next to Xander, pulling the mortal into his lap and turning him until Xander's legs were wrapped on either side of his hips. He pulled the boy tight against him, wrapping him an a soothing embrace. "S'all right, Xan. No wild natives cursing, no virulent diseases rotting off your willy."
Xander exhaled, sighing. He knew he was overreacting, but the memory of that night really freaked him out. "You sure? I mean, there could have been someone back there." Xander nodded his head toward the campus.
Spike grimaced. Xander was not making this easy on him. "Well, only one way to find out then." The vampire reached between them, sliding his hand inside Xander's jeans to fondle his cock. The mortal grew hard instantly; apparently fear did not interfere with youthful hormones.
"Spike!" Xander squeaked, looking around frantically. He was accustomed to making out in semi-public places thanks to Buffy, but this location was very open. His partner was also a guy-a dead guy, to be exact. Xander grabbed Spike's hand, but the vampire was much stronger, and the human's efforts had no effect.
Spike stroked Xander's erection, ignoring the lad's halfhearted attempts to stop him. He leaned forward just enough to catch Xander's mouth, stroking his tongue against the boy's lips. Xander groaned, forgetting his complaints, and responded to the pressure on his mouth.
The vampire took advantage of Xander's distraction and used his other hand to free his own erection. He wrapped his hand around both cocks, stroking them together. Xander stiffened at the sensation, shrieking into Spike's mouth. The vampire picked up the hand that Xander had tried to use to stop him, folding it around their erections, moving the mortal's warm hand with his cold one over matching hot and cold flesh.
Xander gave up and followed Spike's lead, stroking their erections while sucking on Spike's tongue. He rocked into the blonde's body, moaning. The feel of Spike's cool flesh against his warmer skin was as erotic now as it had been each time before. He knew he would never tire of the contrast.
Spike felt himself getting close; the scent of arousal laced with fear that the human put out was a strong aphrodisiac for the vampire. The vampire broke the kiss, leaning back from Xander briefly before bending sharply forward, sucking in the heads of both their cocks just as he erupted.
Xander protested the loss of Spike's mouth briefly before watching in shock as the vampire somehow managed to reach down and take both of their erections into his mouth. Spike felt Xander stiffen and jerk as he exploded in his mouth. He pumped his fist a few more times, wringing the last come from their bodies before lifting his head. Licking his lips contentedly, he looked at the human, amused by the look of disbelief on Xander's face.
"Still works, pet." Spike said.
"Wha?" Xander murmured. "You don't? Then what the hell are you doing with your cock in my mouth?" Spike said, deliberately misunderstanding.
Standing up, Xander whacked Spike on the head. "You know what I mean, fangless." Spike smirked back at him. The vampire caught Xander in a deep kiss, the mortal relishing the combined taste of their climaxes on the vampire's tongue. Releasing the brunette's mouth, Spike grinned.
"Practice, luv." Nudging Xander slightly, he gestured down the walkway. The two men began towards home, both considerably more relaxed than before.
"Practice, huh? That, I can do." Xander said, earning laughter from the vampire.
.......
Xander groaned as his body pulled him towards consciousness. < Damned bladder. > Extricating himself from the vampire wrapped around him, the brunette stumbled his way into the bathroom to relieve himself. Glancing in the mirror afterwards, Xander smirked at the numerous marks along his body. It was obvious that Spike liked giving him hickeys. Laughing at the bruises, Xander turned on the shower, desperately needing to wash off the remnants of the evenings.entertainment.
Stepping under the spray, Xander replayed the events of the evening. Spike was much more affectionate than Xander would have imagined. The vampire loved to cuddle and snuggle. Ever since the night they got together, Spike had been loathe to be separated from Xander, even for a few minutes. The young man grinned, remembering how the vampire would pull him into his lap when they watched television, or would keep hold of his hand on patrol. Xander didn't mind; actually, he was happy to have a lover who openly displayed affection. Other than Anya, none of his previous lovers had done so. There wasn't really any comparison between Spike and Anya in this area anyway. Anya's affection was empty-purely a prelude to sex. Of course, Spike's touches were usually a forerunner to sex, but they were also about affection and reassurance. Eventually, Spike would learn that Xander wasn't going anywhere, but the boy would enjoy every minute of the attention until then.
Xander's ruminations were interrupted by a pair of cool hands massaging his head. < When did he get in the shower? > The young man hadn't even noticed the vampire step into the tub with him.
"You're up early, pet. Any reason?" Spike asked as he washed Xander's hair. He'd found the boy just standing half-asleep under the warm water. < Whelp should've drowned long before now, the way he drifts off in the shower. >
"Hmm." Xander tried to think, but those slender hands were doing wonderful things to his scalp. Spike grinned. < Nothing like shagging in the water. > Pushing on Xander's chest, he directed the boy under the water, washing off the lather. Xander roused a bit, reaching down for the bottle of shampoo. He squeezed out a generous portion and rubbed it into Spike's hair, trying to scrub out all of the gel that froze the blonde locks into place.
"Jeez, what is that stuff, superglue?" Xander muttered as the gelled hair began to soften under his efforts.
"I dunno. Stole it from the poof. Some of that fancy shit from the salon." Spike murmured, reveling in the feel of the brunette's fingernails scratching his scalp. He loved having someone play in his hair, although he'd never admit it to anyone. Well, anyone but Xander. From the grin on the boy's face, he'd already figured out that little secret.
Eventually Xander was confident he'd gotten to all of the gel and rinsed out Spike's hair. He reached out of the shower with one hand, grabbing a bottle of conditioner from a rack. Anya had left it there for when she slept over and had not retrieved it during the breakup. The stuff was considerably nicer than what Xander used on his own brown hair; it was the kind made for people who regularly fried their scalps-people just like Spike.
Opening the bottle, Xander squirted out some of the contents onto Spike's head, rubbing the thick cr�me into the vampire's wet curls. The softness of the blonde's oft-bleached hair surprised him. < More weird vampire physiology. > Spike just stood there, passively enjoying the treatment.
Xander figured the stuff needed to sit for a while, so he found a wash cloth and began soaping down the vampire's body. The change in activity woke Spike from his daze, and he returned the favor, teasing little moans from the human by licking the skin instead of washing it.
"Soap, fangless." Xander slapped a bar of soap into Spike's hand. "Need to use soap." Spike smirked. < Hmmm.Rather use the liquid stuff. > Trading the bar for a tube of shower gel, Spike squeezed out a measure, smearing the stuff over Xander's belly.
Xander jumped as the cool liquid made contact with his warm skin. He looked over to see Spike standing with a truly evil grin on his face. The brunette grunted softly as Spike knocked him back onto the tiles behind him. Those long, cool hands lathered the gel all around Xander's groin, tickling through the crisp hair there. One hand snaked between his thighs, spreading soap around his testicles and further behind that, to the tight pucker hidden there. He let his head slip back to rest on the wall, moaning his approval.
Spike continued washing the boy, teasing his anus with one hand while taking a firm grip on the mortal's hardening cock with the other. He started fisting the youth slowly, simultaneously working a finger inside him. Rotating his index finger, Spike found the small bump he was looking for, which made Xander thrust into his hand and cry out. He sped up his hand a little, bending forward to capture a pierced nipple between his teeth. He tugged gently, eliciting a soft cry, and then laved it in apology.
"Still tender, pet?" He asked the human, not wanting to hurt the lad.
Xander bit his lip, trying to form words in the face of Spike's ministrations. "Nope. All good here." He thrust his hips a little, trying to get the vampire to move faster, or harder, or something. Spike was moving so gently it was driving him crazy.
Spike smirked. Xander was mewling now, jerking his hips back and forth, working himself between the blonde's hands. The vampire bent his head again, this time to the juncture of the boy's neck, where he laved the skin before suckling it. Xander arched into the caress, thrusting his hips harder into Spike's hands. "More, now. Spike-" Xander rambled incoherently. Spike's smirk widened into a grin. He acceded, picking up the pace and fisting the boy with more force.
Xander shook at the increased sensation. He worked his erection in Spike's hand, thrusting to meet the cool fingers wrapped around him. His anus clenched at the single finger inside it, drawing it in deeper. Spike grunted, releasing his neck to nip at an earlobe. With a startled cry, Xander came, spurting into Spike's hand. He collapsed back onto the wall, held up by the vampire's strong grip. After a few minutes, he opened his eyes, only to see Spike smirking at him once again.
"Right. Soap, you said?" Xander rolled his eyes, then giggled.
"Need to rinse your hair." Spike squinted at the apparent non sequitur. "Conditioner, remember?" Xander ran a hand through the blonde's still-slimy hair. He pushed the vampire's head under the water, scrubbing his fingers around until all the stuff was rinsed out. "Done now."
Spike glared at the boy. < Done? > He was still painfully hard, and had been hoping the boy would take some initiative and do something about it. He watched with growing annoyance as Xander reached out of the shower again, returning with yet another bottle. He looked askance as the boy slapped the bottle into his hand.
Xander grinned. He knew what the vampire was thinking. Hell, it was fairly obvious. The mortal waited for the vampire to figure out what he'd been handed. It didn't take long; Spike looked down at the bottle of baby oil, and then shot a grin at the boy.
"Baby oil?" Spike said, smirking.
"It works. Unless you'd rather not?" Xander said archly. Spike didn't strike him as the type to turn down a fuck because of the type of lubricant available. Sure enough, the vampire just shrugged and snapped the bottle open. He looked at Xander expectantly, waiting.
Xander thought for a moment.what exactly was the oil going to be used for here? Returning the shrug, he turned around, leaning against the wall and spreading his legs. The vampire lost no time in drizzling a generous portion of oil down the boy's buttocks and into the crevice between them. Setting aside the oil, the blonde returned a hand to Xander's ass, working a finger back inside and quickly adding a second.
Xander closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of Spike stretching him. He felt no particular urgency at this point, so he was content to just let Spike do all the work. The vampire made quick work of preparing him, and soon stood poised behind him, his cock brushing the boy's opening.
Spike wrapped an arm around Xander's midriff and placed the other on the wall, steadying himself. He leaned forward, placing his open mouth on the back of the boy's neck, sucking lightly as he pushed himself into the warm body in front of him. Xander pushed back, sliding him deeper inside. Lovely, tight heat enveloped his cool cock as he seated himself fully inside the mortal.
Xander rested his forehead on the tiles, fitting his head under his upstretched and crossed arms. Spike pulled him tight against his cool body, thrusting deeply. Xander met his thrusts with sharp ones of his own, slamming the vampire into his body. The sounds of their bodies colliding echoed off the tiles, filling the bathroom.
Spike gripped Xander harder, thrusting viciously into the boy's body. He could feel blood pounding around his flesh, under his lips. The vampire laid his head on Xander's shoulder, bringing his free hand down to wrap around the boy's renewed erection. He closed his fingers into a fist, letting his thrusts work the mortal's cock in his hand.
Xander whimpered as he felt Spike reach for his cock. The brunette could feel Spike's face against his shoulder, could feel the bones and skin shift as the vampire's gameface emerged. The blonde was nearing orgasm; Xander could feel his thrusts become erratic, sharp snaps of his hips hammering into his body. The vampire began to pant, the soft sounds whispering past Xander's ear. He moaned in response.
With a howl, Spike's body shivered and arched, emptying into Xander. The vampire continued to work the mortal's body until Xander joined him in completion. Pulling out of the brunette, Spike brought them both under the water, washing off semen and baby oil. He reached down to shut off the water, and then straightened, catching Xander's mouth for a long, slow kiss. "Lovely, pet." He said, his lips lingering over Xander's jaw.
"Mmm.yeah." Xander shivered. "Cold, though." It was time to dry off, apparently.
.......
Spike watched Xander run a hand through his hair, settling the dark locks into the easy, mussed style that suited him so well. The vampire picked up the bottle of stiff gel he used in his own unruly curls, preparing to plaster them down once again. Xander grabbed the bottle, tossing it into the tub.
"Oi! Whaddya think you're doing, mate?" Spike said, reaching down for the bottle. Xander took it again, the audacity of the repeated action giving him an advantage over vampiric reflexes.
"This stuff is criminal." He put the bottle down on the counter and pushed Spike to sit down. Growling, Spike did so, if only to see what the boy had planned. "I wonder, what does you hair do if it's not cemented to your scalp?" The vampire cursed in response. Xander just grinned, and then picked up a comb, raking it through the blonde mess.
"Turning into the bloody poof, you are." Spike snarled, trying to hide his reaction to having his scalp touched. Xander kept grinning, playing this way and that with Spike's hair.
"Saying things like that will find you with unpleasant surprises later on, you know." Xander said, unfazed by Spike's fa�ade. He set down the comb, picking up the tube of gel he used in his own hair. Squeezing out a little, he worked it into Spike's hair, pleased at the soft waves that formed around his fingers. He ran his fingers back from the vampire's forehead, creating a softer version of the blonde's usual style. Xander stood back, surveying the damage. "There. By the way, one more crack comparing me to your sire and I'll burn your Sex Pistols poster."
"Right." Spike said, wishing he had a reflection. Apparently, his thoughts were visible.
"You look fine. Better, in fact. Now, come on. We've got a lot to do today." Xander exited the bathroom to find his shoes. Spike followed him, curious to know what the boy had planned for the day. It was early yet.
Xander found and pulled on his boots, watching Spike do the same. "So, mate, what do 'we' have to do today?" Spike asked pointedly.
"It's the day after Thanksgiving, Spike. We have to do what everyone has to do to today." Xander waited a beat. "Shop!"
The look on the vampire's face was priceless. Spike's face slowly turned from utter incomprehension to annoyance to complete horror as he realized that this was not just shopping, which he didn't usually enjoy, but was some sort of ritual torture humans inflicted upon themselves.
"No." Spike responded with a single word, hoping that Xander was just joking.
Xander was not joking, however. "Yes. We are going to the mall. Now, in fact."
Spike looked panicked. "Problem, pet. Daylight, vampire, spontaneous combustion."
"Blanket, underground parking, mall's open until eleven tonight." Xander replied, unswayed.
Spike snarled. The whelp had him on that one; it would be no problem getting the vampire into and out of the mall. "One question, pet. Why?"
Xander hopped up off the bed, bouncing around the room. "Christmas presents!" He fairly shouted.
The vampire rolled his eyes. "You're on your own this time, pet. I don't do Christmas, or presents." Spike regretted his words when he watched Xander's face fall.
"But.I need your help. I've got to find something for Wills, and Tara, and Giles, and Buffy-" Spike cut him off.
"Y'don't need a present for Slutty. Letting her live's gift enough." Spike said caustically. "Besides, didn't you say you hated Christmas?"
Xander looked over at the vampire. "Only because I've never had anybody to celebrate it with. Hey, I just like the whole present thing-finding stuff for other people.getting things from them. You know, the whole ugly-tie competition."
"Still don't see why I need to be there."
"Well, for one, there's lots and lots of people at the mall today-" Xander began.
"All the more reason not to be there." Spike finished for him.
"And I'd be there all by myself, with all those people." Xander finished for himself. He knew the idea of him being around masses of people would get to Spike, who had developed an intense possessiveness. "Besides, we need to pick out what you're giving Angel for the holiday!" Xander added.
Spike stared at Xander in disbelief. He had never gotten Angel a Christmas present. His sire was not someone you gave presents to; at least, Spike never, ever did. "You're off your chum." Spike said dazedly. < Boy's off and lost it on me. >
Xander was prepared for this argument and had garnered much ammunition. "Before you go off on a rant-" He could see that Spike was getting wound up already, "hear me out, ok?" The young man watched Spike struggle for a moment, then relent, sitting back on the bed.
"See, I know how you feel about Angel. I mean, I've heard you go off on him, ok?" Xander waited for Spike to nod. He then continued. "And I've watched you try to torture him, to get his attention." It took a bit longer for Spike to concede this point, but he did eventually. "And nothing you've done has worked."
"Hey! That bit over the ring of Amara got his attention!" Spike shouted.
"Only for a moment and he chalked it up to Spike stupidity." Xander replied in a much more calm voice.
Spike sat back on the bed. "Get on with it." He was obviously not pleased with this conversation.
"I thought about it. Your tactics aren't working. I mean, Angel's having no problem ignoring you, right? So, try it my way, just once." Xander said convincingly.
Spike looked closely at Xander. He was a bit surprised that the boy was offering to help him play taunt-the-sire. He knew the whelp had it in him to be a bit mischievous, but he'd figured that Xander would steer clear of anything that the Slayer had marked as 'hers.' Or maybe not. "Go on." Spike said slowly.
"See, what we do is spread Christmas cheer to Angel and his happy little family in L.A. I'm talking cards-nice ones, presents, the whole nine yards. I mean presents with thought behind them." Xander said.
"Thought behind them?" Spike asked. He had a nasty, evil feeling about where this was going.
"What do you think Angel's reaction would be to getting a 'heartfelt' Christmas card from his favorite childe? Or if the human who hates him the most sends him a present? Or if you give his pets something nice, nicer than anything he'd think of?"
Spike thought about it for a minute. Angel would immediately assume that Spike was up to no good-which he was. But maybe."If you played it right, just right, he'd be jumping through hoops trying to figure out which way was up." He said, getting into the idea. "First off, we gotta keep us under wraps."
"Us? What do you mean?" Xander was pleased that Spike had taken to his idea, but wondered about this part.
"Just that Angel can't know about me shagging you just yet. Oh, he'll figure it out, pet, don't worry about that. Just can't have Slutty or the Watcher calling him to Sunnyhell to straighten me out when they find out." Spike replied, now pacing the room as ideas flowed through his mind.
Xander considered the situation. He'd not really spent any time thinking about how his friends would react to the two of them together. Willow and Tara would be alright with it-at least he thought they would. Giles and Buffy."If we play it right, we won't have to worry too much. Wills won't say anything. Buffy's gonna flip big time, but she won't call Angel-she's not going to admit to him she can't keep her toys in line. I'll work on Giles. If he thinks I'm ok, he'll leave it, especially if he thinks that having Angel here would hurt me."
Spike nodded his agreement. Xander was better at predicting his friends' reactions than the vampire was. "Right. Now.Start off with a card-nice one, like you said. Send one to the humans too. Then presents-from both of us."
Xander startled at the announcement. "Both of us?"
"Yeah, pet. Both of us." Spike echoed, his face splitting into a wide grin. "Can you see the poof's face when he gets a bleedin' Christmas pressie from me AND you?" He began to chuckle. After a moment, Xander joined in.
"You're right. It would get him good. He'd probably get that confused look-just like Austin when you use a big word!" Xander said, falling into fits of laughter at the comparison. The vampire joined him in mocking Buffy's latest conquest.
Xander sobered a little. "You should get something for the gang too." He said, stopping Spike before he could protest. "Willow, Tara, and Giles have been more than nice to you, and Buffy deserves the same thing Angel does."
Spike grumbled a bit on buying honest-to-pete presents, but saw the lad's point. After all, if he was going to keep the boy, he'd have to stay in the good with the whelp's friends. Playing with Slutty would be fun, too.
"Right. Better get going, haven't we?" Spike gathered up his duster, heading for the door.
Xander got his own coat, wondering if the vampire would ever notice that he'd just encouraged the two of them to go out shopping, in the sunlight, on the biggest shopping day of the year. < Probably not. Even if he did, he'd deny it. >
.......
Soon, with the aid of a large blanket, Xander and Spike were ensconced in the mall, needing only half an hour of circling to find a stall in the limited underground parking area. Once inside the mall proper, Xander watched with glee as Spike stared in horror at the sight before him.
The vampire was in hell. He had to be; there was no other explanation for it. Huge candy canes swayed from the ceilings, dangling amidst strands of miniature lights. The walkways were decorated with enormous packages in painfully bright colors and garish prints. In front of him stood a wretched Santa display, complete with elves and fake snow. A long, snaking line of screaming children and irritated parents curved around the area as children waited to tell the fat old man in the fake beard just how much they wanted the hottest new toy.
The people were what got to Spike. He used to love the crowd; he'd spent more than a century in it, hunting and feeding and generally raising hell. Now was different, however. He couldn't feed. Hell, he couldn't defend himself against the little old ladies and their damned strollers, or the ten-year olds kicking his shins, or the women with their big purses, ready to thwack any suspicious character. He'd been to the mall before, but the crowd today was unbelievable. There was no floor, only a constantly moving mass of bodies.
"Right. Changed me mind. I'm off." Spike turned, fully intending on leaving the scene as fast as possible.
Xander grabbed his arm, wrapping himself around the fleeing vampire. "Hey, you promised."
"Did not. Lemme go, I don't like it here." Spike whined.
Xander cajoled. "Come on, it'll be fun!" Spike looked utterly unconvinced. "Look, I'll protect you from the barbaric masses and the little old ladies. We'll plot and scheme and generally rape and pillage the Christmas spirit. Hell, we'll fuck in the dressing rooms if you want to."
The last suggestion perked the vampire up immediately. After all, Spike had always had a bit of an exhibitionist streak in him. Bringing his arms up to pull Xander tightly against him, he slid his tongue down the boy's jaw line before capturing his mouth in a deep kiss. Tilting his head, he ravished the brunette, eliciting soft moans from the boy.
The display was enough to garner attention from passers-by. Several people stopped, staring at the two men. Spike let go of Xander's mouth, retaining his hold on the human's body. He looked around, smirking openly at the somewhat shocked shoppers.
"You did that on purpose, you evil bastard." Xander said, his words lacking bite.
"'Course I did. Rape and pillage, remember?"
"The Christmas spirit, fangless, not me!" Xander shot back.
"You don't like it when I pillage?" Spike flirted at the boy.
Xander blushed. "Never mind. Come on, let's start over there. I need something for Willow and Tara, and so do you. Serious stuff first, then we can have fun."
Spike followed closely behind Xander. True to his word, the lad was protecting Spike from the throngs of people, cutting a path for them as they headed towards a nature store. Once inside the store, the pair headed towards the glass cases enclosing the nicer stone artwork. The pair appreciatively eyed several sculptures before finding a set of small scrying balls made of cat's-eye.
"Think Wills would like those?" Xander asked the vampire.
Spike turned from the granite and marble chess set he'd been admiring. Looking at the softly striped stones, he nodded. "Looks like her." He glanced over a few shelves, spotting a display of primitive stone sculptures. Pointing at them, he said, "Those over there for her girl."
Xander went to look at them while Spike returned to his perusal. Indeed, the softly curving animal statues reminded Xander of Tara. After a few minutes, he decided on one and went to find an employee.
After paying for the spheres and the sculpture, Xander looked around for Spike. The vampire had been adamant that Xander not leave him anywhere. He'd been frustrated at needing protection, but unwilling to go without it. The brunette spotted his lover flicking his fingers over a wind chime display, a large box under one arm.
"Ready to go, pet?" Spike asked, pointing to his packages.
"Yup. Whatcha got there?"
"Something for the witches."
"Chess set?" Xander asked.
"Right in one, pet. Best put these in the car." The pair headed back down to the parking lot, storing the fragile presents safely in the trunk.
The two men wove their way through the people, darting into and out of stores. Before long, Spike was alternating between cheerfully picking through Christmas-special junk and snarling at annoying customers.
"Can you believe that bitch? I had that shirt in me hand!" Spike ranted.
"Spike, it was a pastel pink sweater for a little girl. Tell me, who were you going to get it for?" Xander asked, immensely amused at his lover's behavior.
"Dawn," Spike said. At Xander's stare, he shrugged. "S'not the point, pet. Bloody people." Spike trailed off, frustrated.
Changing topics, Xander tugged Spike toward a display of women's clothing. "Help me find something for Buffy." Spike took one look at where they were heading and stopped cold.
"No way." He said, shaking his head. "No way are you getting me in that store." The vampire stood firm as Xander tried to pull him along.
"Why not? It's for Buffy, not you." Xander pleaded.
"Principle. I'm not going into the Gap, J. Crew, Abercombie & Fitch, or Old Navy, and you can't make me."
"Um, why? How are we supposed to get something for Buffy? I mean, where else doe she shop?"
"Don't care. Those damned hellholes churn out more cookie-cutter, bland khaki Capri-pant and tone-on-tone shirt and tie combinations than hell itself could ever envision. An' hell's where I'm headed, eventually, so I don't plan on going to places like it while I'm still unliving. Even if I am in Sunnyhell as it is." Spike said resolutely.
Xander saw that Spike was not going to budge. Privately, he agreed with the blonde's opinion of those stores. "Well, what am I gonna do about Buffy?"
"Don't worry your pretty little head about her. I've got plans." Spike said nastily. And indeed he did have plans for the Slayer. The vampire pulled Xander in front of him, directing the boy toward another store down the way. When they reached it, it was Xander's turn to hesitate.
"I am not getting Buffy anything from there!" He squeaked.
"Not for Slutty, whelp. 'S for the poof's secretary." Spike said, grinning. Indeed, for the cheerleader.
Xander stood motionless for a moment. Could he do that to Cordelia? < Yes, and enjoy it too! > He heard hyena-voice say. "Ok, fine. From both of us, though." If Spike was surprised by Xander's acquiescence, he didn't show it. They made quick work of that store and Xander found himself herded into a bookstore nearby.
"Here's where we get the Slayer's pressies, pet." Xander looked around the classy establishment. He turned a questioning face to Spike.
"Um, Spike? Buffy's not exactly the literary type, you know." The vampire grinned back, pulling the mortal along shelves of magazines and paperbacks.
"Know that, luv. That's why it's perfect." Spike turned the corner, entering into a section of classic literature. Fingering his way through the volumes, the blonde occasionally extracted a book, handing it to Xander, who simply held them in his hands, watching the vampire.
"You do know what you're getting, right?" Xander asked the preoccupied vampire.
"Yeah, only the best for Slutty. I read, y'know." Spike shot back, annoyed.
"I know. Did you.did you go to college back before?" Xander asked tentatively, accepting yet another book from the blonde.
Spike stopped flipping through the stacks. Leaning against a bookshelf, he said over his shoulder to Xander, "That I did, pet. Oxford, the whole nine yards." He ducked his head at the sound of disbelief that the boy made.
Spike went to Oxford? Xander's first thought was that Spike was lying again. Then he thought about it. The vampire did know a lot, and more than just vampire stuff and street knowledge. Then there was that voice; sometimes when Spike was being serious and not mad he sounded different, more like Giles or Wesley. < Well, well. Who'd have guessed? >
"What'd you study?" Xander asked finally.
Spike didn't answer for a long minute. "Law."
"You were a lawyer?" Xander began to laugh. He couldn't picture Spike as a lawyer.
"What's so funny about that, pet?" Spike asked angrily. "You never met me when I was human. I was a lot different then, y'know."
Xander sobered. Apparently this was a tender subject for the vampire. "You're right." He fell silent for a moment. "So, is this all or are you gonna torture Buff some more?" The brunette asked, brandishing the tall stack of hardbound books.
"That's all for now." Spike said, relieved at the change in topic. The two men paid for the books and struck out again, searching for gifts among the teeming masses.
.......
"I'm thirsty, we gotta stop." Xander whined, tugging Spike toward the food court. They'd been at it for hours, scrounging through store after store. The vampire was impressed with they boy's resolve. He'd given Xander maybe an hour before the call of junk food became too much.
"Right," Spike said, grimacing at Xander's food choice. They sat between a herd of toddlers and a pair of giggling teenage girls, snacking on greasy fries and sipping colas. The vampire was amused by the adolescents, who kept taking darting glances at the two of them. Figuring that he'd been far too good for the last several hours, Spike decided to play a bit.
Reaching over the table, the blond ran a pale hand down Xander's cheek, cupping his chin. The brunette reacted favorably, leaning into the caress and letting his head fall into the waiting hand. He didn't pull away when Spike brought their mouths together over the tiny table, claiming his lips in a long, slow taste.
Spike poured considerable effort into making the kiss as erotic as possible without outright groping the whelp in public. He might get away with the kiss, but copping a feel right then with the children so close by would probably get him in trouble later. Eventually, he released Xander's mouth, appreciating the soft blush that had crept into the mortal's face.
Xander sat back, dazed by the kiss. He didn't see the girls next to him staring in open-mouthed, aroused shock, or the parents of the clueless toddlers shooting daggers at him and Spike. He mutely followed Spike to the garbage bins, carrying their packages. It was then that he saw the evil smirk on the vampire's face. He turned back, seeing for the first time the varied expressions on their fellow shoppers. "You did that on purpose!"
Spike laughed. "Course I did, pet. Don't accidentally kiss like that, do you?"
"You put on a show!" Xander accused.
"That I did, pet. Got a problem with that?" Spike retorted.
An almost malicious look flitted over Xander's face, just before he pushed Spike back a step and pivoted, pushing the blonde back against the side of the garbage bin. Tilting his head down, Xander caught the vampire's mouth in a rough open-mouthed kiss, thrusting his tongue suggestively into that cool mouth. He captured Spike's answering groan deep in his own mouth as he brutally claimed his lover in front of hundreds of shoppers.
After a few minutes, Xander let up and turned, grabbing Spike's arm and tugging him behind as they headed back toward the stores. Once they were clear of the food court, Spike moved up in front of Xander, stopping the boy. "An' I put on a show, pet?" He leered, rubbing up against the mortal's body.
Xander returned the caress, grinding his erection into the vampire. "Nah. You were just teasing the poor people." He reached over, licking the blonde's ear. "Come on, we've got mad shopping to do yet."
It was several more hours before Xander relented and allowed Spike to drag him to the car. The vampire had begun complaining continuously a half-hour before, but the mortal just ignored him. After all, he had let Spike talk him into fucking in the Sears' dressing room, hadn't he?
*****