Xander shifted on his feet and opened the front door again. He'd been placed there by Lavinia to greet the arriving guests and hold the door for them. So far he'd counted more than a hundred people, all dressed to the nines and preening unmercifully. He was sure the diamond merchants in New York couldn't compete with the sheer volume of gemstones in the house right now.

His attention was caught by a classic Aston Martin convertible pulling into the drive. Matthew, the chauffeur turned valet, raced to open the door and get a chance to drive it, even if only to park it safely away from the road. Xander resumed playing footman and reached for the door, only to stop when he saw who got out of the car.

Spike.

Oh shit. Xander stared as the immaculately groomed vampire turned and recognized him. Spike's stony face didn't show any emotion as he swept through the door, disappearing into the growing crowd inside. Well.

Xander switched to automatic, greeting and holding the door for guests until Matthew told him he could go inside and do something else. All the guests had arrived. Xander did so, going into the kitchen to see if Steve needed any help. The chef had everything under control, however, so Xander wandered back outside, into the garden. He was worried that the guests would trample and destroy all his hard work. For the moment, though, nothing seemed to be suffering overly much.

He was attuned to Lavinia's voice, so it wasn't difficult to pick up his name when she said it. "Daisy, if you like what's happened to the garden, you simply have to meet Fleur! Fleur? Where are you? I saw you walk out here."

Xander cringed slightly at the nickname. Lavinia wanted to introduce him to some old lady, who would make great fun of him being Fleur to her Daisy. Ugh. He looked around frantically, but realized he'd never make it to his apartment before she found him. Sighing in resignation, he went in search of his oddball employer.

"Mrs. Astor?" Xander said tiredly.

Lavinia turned around in a swirl of gray chiffon. "Fleur! Come, meet Daisy!"

Xander turned slightly to greet Lavinia's friend.Spike.

Daisy?

Spike?

"Daisy?" Xander said blankly.

"Fleur?" Spike replied flatly.

"Daisy, this is my gardener, Fleur. Doesn't he do just the most exquisite work?" Lavinia said, watching the two men stare at each other.

"Bloody gorgeous, darling," Spike said absently. "So, Fleur, just what did you do with that little cesspool? It's marvelous." Lavinia, thinking that the two would wander off to discuss the landscaping, drifted away to sooth another guest.

"Um.I." Xander stuttered, watching Spike twirl a champagne glass around in his fingers.

Spike smiled softly. The boy was still confused by him. Xander was quite possibly the only person in Charleston who didn't fear him, at least a little. Mostly, the human wanted to stake him for calling the cops-it was obvious by the growing ire Spike could see in the boy's eyes. Of course, nearly running him down that night hadn't helped any.

"How long have you been working with Lavinia?" Spike asked casually, directing them toward a less crowded part of the garden.

"Eight months or so. How do you know her?" Xander asked warily.

Spike grinned. "Master of Charleston, luv. I know everybody."

Oh. He dimly recalled Spike mentioning that a long time ago, but he hadn't thought much of it. After all, Spike had considered himself the Master of Sunnydale, and what had that gotten him? "You drive a Subaru, Spike."

"And Lavinia eats cheese whiz on saltine crackers," Spike replied lightly. "Your point?"

"You live in a middle class neighborhood, Spike," Xander said, trying to quiz out what was going on.

Spike rolled his eyes. "Property over here is a hot commodity. You can't just waltz in and buy something."

"Why are you here, Spike?" Xander asked.

"Lavinia invited me, of course. She's a lovely girl," Spike answered.

"You can't hurt her," Xander said. Spike rolled his eyes.

"I don't intend to hurt her, or anyone, Xander. Lay off the slaying, would you? Besides, it just isn't done for the hired help to threaten the guests," Spike said dryly before wandering off to find something to eat. Xander was left staring into the now-clear pond, wondering what hallucinogenic plant he'd been inadvertently eating for the past year.

The rest of the evening was uneventful by Xander's standards. He spent most of it watching Spike be a debonair gentleman, charming his fellow guests and generally being a nice guy. His behavior only made Xander feel worse about how he'd treated Spike.

It wasn't until Xander was helping Steve collect the various chafing dishes laid out that Lavinia spoke to him again. She pulled him away from cleanup, leading him into her office.

"So, Fleur, you know Daisy?" Xander thought her question sounded like something from a James Bond knockoff movie.

"Um, yeah. Spike and I go back," Xander said evasively.

"I see. He has recently purchased a more.appropriate residence nearby. I recommended he try to hire you away from me, at least temporarily," Lavinia stated. "While normally I disapprove of my help running around like that, Daisy is a special friend."

"Oh," Xander replied. She wanted him to work for Spike?

"You don't have to, of course, but do keep an open mind. He pays very well, I've heard, for services rendered," Lavinia said with a wink. She escorted him out of the office and went to bed, leaving Xander to wonder just what that last comment meant.

.........

Two weeks to the day later, Xander found himself standing at Spike's front door, wondering what the hell he was thinking. In the interim period between Lavinia's party and this morning, his employer had finagled and cajoled until he agreed to work for Spike just to shut her up. She, with his approval, hired someone to manage the upkeep of her own garden so that Xander could focus on Spike's.

Xander had spent a great deal of time trying to determine why Spike would agree to hire him. The only thing he could think of was that Spike was going to kill him in his sleep. Part of the employment agreement was an apartment above the carriage house, much like his agreement with Lavinia. Xander wasn't sure he really wanted to be that near Spike all the time.

When the door opened, Spike was right there-not a butler as Xander had anticipated. "Morning, Fleur," Spike said with a grin.

"Xander," Xander corrected. He hated that nickname. "Unless you want me calling you Daisy all the time."

"Doesn't bother me, Xan, what you call me," Spike said, leading him through the house. It was obviously in a state of refurbishment, but other people were strangely absent. Spike stopped when they reached the door to the garden. "Through there."

Xander opened the door and stepped outside. Spike wouldn't be accompanying him there, since the sun still shone brightly. "What do you want, Spike?"

Spike quirked an eyebrow. "Whatever you've got, Xander," he said, making Xander blush. He'd walked right into that.

Xander ignored the vampire and walked around the garden, making note of where things were. It was in somewhat better shape than Lavinia's, although it was a bit more neglected. A couple of hours later, he returned to the house. Spike was directing a pair of newly arrived painters in the dining room.

"If you paint it that color, I'll kill you," Spike said shortly, pointing to the burnt sienna paint one man had on his brush. "The color I chose was definitely not that." The men shrugged and closed off the paint. They didn't have any more with them, so the painting wouldn't take place until tomorrow at the earliest.

"Well?" Spike said to Xander.

"Ah.You need a lot, not as much as Mrs. Astor, but a lot," Xander replied.

"Fine. I've got accounts all over town. Do whatever you want. If I hate it, well." Spike said jokingly.

"Uh huh. I'll be going then. See you around," Xander said, practically running out of the house.

Xander moved his stuff into the new apartment, noting how his stuff seemed to grow. What had been a few boxes and bags last year was almost more than his car could hold today. At least he hadn't amassed any furniture.

.........

"So, pet, how goes the gardening?"

Xander jumped straight in the air. Spike had snuck right up behind him, whispering in his ear.

"Damn it, Spike! The gardening is fine. It would be finer if you didn't bother me!" Xander said angrily. The vampire had taken to surprising him whenever he could-in the basement, under the enormous live oaks that dominated the garden, or in the kitchen. It was beginning to unnerve him.

Spike grinned. The boy was so predictable. His anger at Xander's unkind words had faded long ago, so now he tormented the boy for fun, mostly sneaking up on him and flirting unmercifully. He may have stopped being supremely evil, but that didn't mean he didn't have fun now and then.

"As you wish, Fleur," Spike said softly, backing away. Xander blushed at the nickname. It didn't matter that Spike didn't care that his own nickname from Lavinia was Daisy, being called 'flower' bothered Xander to no end. "Don't be late for supper."

Xander swore as Spike disappeared back into the house. Just yesterday, Spike had conned him into joining the vampire for dinner. Now it looked like there was no way to back out of it.

Spike had been more than kind to him since hiring him on for the outdoor work. No trace of his former hatred remained, but Xander still couldn't relax. There were times when he was sure Spike was staring at him, or following him around. And, of course, Spike flirted with him. Xander was sure that Spike was doing that to make him uncomfortable. It was working, too.

Xander quickly finished setting the flowers he was working on and went to his apartment to get cleaned up. Maybe he'd trip and break his neck on the stairs.

.........

When Xander arrived for dinner, he found the dining room covered with candles. Flowers spilled over the table, which was set for two. Damn Spike, he was sure the vampire had mentioned having other guests. Xander really didn't want to have to stay with Spike all evening by himself.

"Have a seat," Spike said from the doorway. Xander twitched but did as he was instructed. Spike followed suit and sat across from Xander. He was a study in cultured elegance.

Gone were the ragged jeans and t-shirts. In their place were equally dark but elegant clothes in flowing silks. The change didn't make Xander feel any more comfortable. Spike served him a glass of wine before pouring a glass for himself, smirking when Xander grimaced at the taste. He'd never developed a taste for the stuff, especially since his limited experience with wine was limited to Pete's wine, the Saturday vintage.

"So, how is my garden doing, Xander?" Spike asked slowly, presenting Xander with his meal.

Xander thought for a moment before answering. "It's alright. You've got slugs, though, and I'm having to do a lot of crawling to get them all."

Spike laughed. "I'm sure all fours is a flattering position for you, Xander, so don't fret."

Xander choked on his dinner. He really should have expected that crack. "Um, you know it, Spike."

Spike just quirked an eyebrow appraisingly. "And the flowers?"

"They're fine. Did you look over the list I left for you?" Xander replied, happy they were on a safer topic.

"Indeed I did. You seem to have a particular fondness for orchids," Spike said evenly.

Xander smiled. "They're some of my favorites, and some varieties can actually survive here-if you take really good care of them. Lots of cuddling and nurturing."

"I'm sure you have just the right kind of soft touch to make them come alive, Xander. But do you really want that many different kinds? It seems a bit.inconstant," Spike said thoughtfully.

"I can't really get enough of them, but if you'd prefer a continuous showing of the same variety, it would definitely have a striking effect, particularly as the season progresses," Xander said happily. At least in this conversation he could hold his own. "And they could still be wintered safely in the little greenhouse you've got, so you can enjoy them whenever you like."

"Oh, I do love a captive audience, don't you?" Spike said softly. "I am glad you so love orchids, as they're definitely one of my favorites as well. I could just eat them up, Fleur."

Xander's nose wrinkled at the nickname. He really wished she'd given him something a little less.girly. Fleur?

Dinner was soon finished and Xander made his excuses. Spike just smirked and let him go. The next morning, Xander found a package propped outside his door. The note read, "Xander, since you show such an avid interest in handling orchids, I felt that these texts would prove invaluable."

Xander opened the paper wrapping. The first book was an impressive compendium of orchid information, from history to care. He carried it inside and flopped down on the settee, already addicted. He did spare a moment to glance at the other book, his jaw hitting the floor as he read, "Gay Kama Sutra."

"What the fuck?" Xander shouted, looking at the thing from where he tossed it on the coffee table. Setting the orchid book down, he ran out of his apartment and back to the main house. When he got there, the new butler blocked his path.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Harris, but he is resting at the moment."

"Resting my ass! Let me by!" Xander said, trying to push the butler out of the way.

"Xander, what brings you inside?" Spike called from the stairs. Xander looked up to see an obviously naked vampire lounging against the stair rail.

"You jackass! What's with the book? That's harassment!" Xander screeched.

"Really? I thought both went right along with your interests," Spike returned.

"In orchids? How does that figure, you idiot?" Xander shot back.

Spike tisked. "Read one, figure out the other, Xander. You're a bright boy." Spike turned around and disappeared back into the depths of the house, uncaring of who might see him unclothed.

Xander glared at the butler but left as well.

.........

Xander saw little of Spike for the next three weeks. The vampire wasn't avoiding him; instead, Xander was working from sunup to sundown, and disappearing as soon as it was dark enough for Spike to emerge. It suited Xander just fine. He wasn't comfortable with Spike's incessant flirting. It disturbed him to no end, and made him long for Lavinia's house, where at least no one tried to bother him like that.

Finally, though, he had to go face Spike again. There were purchases large enough the vampire had to sign off on them. He found Spike in his office, pouring over quarterly taxes. It had been a great shock to learn that Spike owned not only the seedy Waffle House, but a weird, off-the-wall bookstore and several other businesses as well. Oh well, Spike had to get the money from somewhere.

"I need help, Spike," Xander said.

Spike's brow rose noticeably. "Took you long enough to admit it, Xander."

Xander snorted. "Whatever. Sign off on this stuff, would you?"

Spike looked over the papers before signing them. "So, how's the reading?"

Xander winced. He'd eventually figured out what Spike was insinuating with the books. How was Xander supposed to know what orchid meant? "Fine, although I'm going to get rid of the other one."

"Oh," Spike said thoughtfully. "The children's book drive starts next week. I'll make sure so send the little one around to the back door so you can give it to him properly."

Xander choked at the innuendo. "You're a sick bastard, Spike."

Spike smiled. "Of course, dear."

"You know, Spike, whatever you're trying to do isn't working. I'm not going to quit, or leave town, or go crying back to Lavinia," Xander said hotly.

Spike got up and walked around the desk. "Who said I wanted to do any of those things, pet?" He remarked softly.

"Then what's the purpose of this shit?" Xander asked.

"Oh, I just want to see you screaming and panting in my bed, begging for it," Spike murmured. "Just you, naked and sweaty; crying because you want it so bad."

"Gah," Xander said, gulping. "That's probably harassment."

"Probably, nothing. It's definitely harassment, and you love it, Xander," Spike said in return.

"Um, nope, and getting out of here now," Xander replied, fairly running out of the office.

"That was far, far too easy," Spike said as he left, a smirk forming on his face.

.........

Xander ducked back under the hood of his rain slicker as he ran back outside to fetch another load of plants. He'd just set out some planters when news of a hurricane had come in, so he was out gathering them into a secure place. Meanwhile, the rain and winds had kicked up almost instantaneously, howling through the trees. It was an impressive sight, one Xander would be much happier to witness were he not out in it.

A shadowy figure caught his attention, and he was shocked to see Spike outside with him, easily carrying in the heaviest items Xander wished to rescue. He didn't question the vampire's activities but was instead grateful for the help.

Once all the plants were inside, Xander slumped against the wall, breathing heavily. "You should stay at the main house tonight, Xander. No telling what's gonna happen out here," Spike said calmly.

Xander considered it for a minute, and then nodded. Now was not the time to be arguing with Spike about where it was most appropriate for him to stay. All the other house staff had gone home, so it was just Xander that Spike had to worry about.

Inside the house, Spike gave Xander towels and directed him toward a bathroom before disappearing to dry off himself. When he emerged, he found the vampire in the kitchen, warming up blood.

"Want something to eat, luv?" Spike said, nodding toward the refrigerator. Xander poked around, finally settling on a sandwich.

"How long will this last?" Xander asked around bites.

Spike shrugged. "Dunno, but the forecast isn't pleasant. It could take another day or more to blow over."

Xander swore. That wasn't good. It meant flooding, lightening, and Spike's company. As though to stress that point, the storm chose that moment to kill the power. "Shit."

Spike raised an eyebrow but said nothing, simply finishing off his dinner. The lack of power meant little to him, after all. "Come on, we'll start a fire somewhere."

Xander followed Spike; taking the hurricane lantern he was handed. Spike led him upstairs, into a sort of lounge area. The vampire lit a fire in the fireplace and pulled a couple of chairs closer to it. Xander sank down gratefully, the fire driving away a chill that had nothing to do with the temperature. "So, what now?" He asked the vampire.

Spike grinned evilly. "We wait out the storm. I'm sure we can think up something to do with our time."

Xander rolled his eyes. "Come off it, Spike. It's not gonna happen."

"I'd rather come on something, but if you insist." Spike murmured, sinking down onto the floor next to Xander.

"You'd think that after all those years you'd come up with better-" Xander's rant was interrupted by Spike running his tongue along the arch of his left foot.

Spike was pleased by Xander's reaction. The boy was easily played, and this night was going to be a masterpiece.

"Um, Spike? Let's not do that, ok?" Xander said, although he made no effort to move. Spike ignored him and nipped his way along one leg, almost up to the knee, pushing Xander's loose trousers up along the way.

Xander began to squirm, partly to get away but mostly because he was turned on. Having Spike touch him was icky, he told himself, so he should get away right now. Before he could, though, he found himself face to face with the vampire.

"So, did you learn anything from the books before you gave them away to the little boy?" Spike asked playfully, gently pressing himself along Xander. The boy tried to get away but only succeeded in arching himself into the vampire, showing both of them that he was, in fact, aroused by the situation.

"Um, not liking this, Spike. Guy here," Xander said pleadingly.

"I noticed, and you do, Xander. Hard.to hide," Spike murmured, rubbing one hand along Xander's erection. This was much more fun than he'd anticipated.

Xander opened his mouth to protest, only to find it captured by Spike. The vampire kissed with frightening intensity, claiming Xander in a nearly brutal fashion. He whined softly, helpless to fight the much stronger and more forceful vampire. He wasn't sure how long the kiss went on, but the next thing he noticed was that he was lying on a bed, minus his shirt. Spike was straddling him, running his hands up and down Xander's arms to wake him.

"Sorry, luv. Forgot all about that needing-to-breathe thing," Spike said apologetically. Xander tried to buck him off, making both of them groan. "Do that again, Xander."

Xander didn't comply right away, but his attempts to get away were effectively identical. Giving up on physical force, he tried words. "I don't want this, Spike. Let me go. This isn't right, not even for you."

Spike stopped and looked down at him. "Hmm.maybe you're right. Ask me again in five minutes."

Before Xander could protest, Spike renewed his assault. Xander found himself licked, bit and sucked all over. Just when he thought he knew what Spike was going to do next, the vampire did something else.

Xander let out a high-pitched squeak when Spike's mouth found his erection. The cool, wet sensation was riveting and Xander nearly came then and there. He couldn't get used to the feeling-it was glorious but very strange, and ultimately exciting. A tickling caress on his balls by one of Spike's free hands set him off and he climaxed harshly into Spike's mouth.

When he came to, he found Spike peering into his face. "Still don't want it?" Xander just stared at the vampire. Huh? Don't want what?

"I'll take that as a yes," Spike said. Xander was confused. Had he spoken aloud? Want what? What had he just agreed to? "Don't go anywhere, Xander. We're just getting started."

.........

Xander watched as a strangely unclothed Spike disappeared into the bathroom. What the hell was going on? Slowly but surely, fragments of the evening's activities trickled into his brain. Xander was taken by a sudden urge to run like hell.

He jumped off the bed, eyes searching wildly for his clothing. Unfortunately, he couldn't find even a pair of socks.other than Spike's robe. Grabbing that, he raced out of the room. Once he had put a doorway and perhaps ten feet between himself and the vampire, Xander pulled on the robe and cinched it tight. The hurricane lamp was still on a side table so Xander grabbed it up and ran down the hall.

"Oh, Xander." Spike began as he sauntered into the bedroom. Glancing around, he saw that Xander had, in fact, run away. He was pretty sure that he'd heard the boy getting up and running off. Instead of the anger that Xander would have suspected, a wide, positively evil grin stretched across that handsome face. "Never a dull moment, eh, whelp?" The vampire picked up a pair of silk pajama bottoms and walked out of the room.

Xander nearly fell running down the stairs. When he reached bottom, he noticed for the first time how the hurricane lamp was guttering and flickering wildly. Maybe running helter-skelter with the second cousin of a Molotov cocktail was a bad idea. Xander took off toward the kitchen at a slightly less breakneck pace, hoping that the weather wasn't so bad he couldn't get to his apartment.

From the second-floor landing Spike listened to Xander rummage around the kitchen. Between his noisiness and the odor of lamp oil, Spike had no trouble determining exactly where the boy was. A spark of happiness started in the back of Spike's mind; a bit of harmless fun was just what he needed and Xander was just the person to give it to him. Delighted with the evening's impromptu entertainment, Spike glided down the stairs and went in search of his prey.

"Damn," Xander whispered, awed at the scene just outside the kitchen door. Rain was falling so hard and dense that he couldn't see the end of the stoop, and vicious winds pushed the drops almost sideways. Every so often, he swore he saw a branch or leaf fly by. There was no way he would be able to get back to his apartment in that stuff.

Closing the door, Xander decided to try his luck on the third floor. Luckily for him, there was a stairwell for servants that went directly up there from the kitchen. Xander snuck into the cupboard that hid the stairs and went up them as quietly as possible.

Spike was nearly to the kitchen via the dining room when he heard a telltale creaking. Xander had taken the back stairs to the third floor. Grinning madly, Spike took off toward the main stairs at a run. He flew up them to the third floor, knowing exactly where the other stairs came out.

Xander leaned back against the door with a sigh. Spike wouldn't look for him up here. After all, hadn't he headed downstairs? The vampire would be looking for him down there, or outside.

"Fancy meeting you here," Spike said amusedly.

Xander shrieked. Spike was lounging against the fireplace, naked as a jaybird. "Aack!" He nearly dropped the hurricane lamp as he turned and fled the room. Taking a detour through the main hallway, Xander lit down the main stairs and into the catacomb-like halls of the second floor. He couldn't hear anything behind him, but that meant little, since Spike could be completely silent if he wanted to.

Spike followed at a more leisurely pace. There wasn't any real reason to rush; after all, the boy was fairly well trapped in the house as long as the storm raged outside. From what he could tell, Xander had holed himself up in one of the back bedrooms on the second floor.

Xander eased the door shut and locked it, pushing a chair underneath the knob for good measure. He repeated the procedure on every other door, until he'd backed himself into the bathroom. Taking a deep breath, he set the lamp down and went over to crack the window. He knew enough about air flow to know the room would quickly become deadly if he didn't get more oxygen in.

Spike decided that he'd like a snack before continuing, so he went down to the kitchen and warmed up a small pot of blood over the gas range. Lighting a few candles, he enjoyed his dinner in the dancing shadows caused by the dim lighting. After a few minutes, he hungered for more.exciting entertainment, so he snuffed the candles and went back upstairs.

It was obvious to Spike that Xander had done all he could think of to keep the vampire out. Spike grinned at the locked and probably barricaded door. Unfortunately for Xander, the room he'd picked had a small flaw. The hinges were facing outward.

Spike reached up and pulled out the top hinge pin, followed by the lower two. Easing gently, Spike pulled the door out of the frame and set it aside. He moved the chair slightly as he walked into the room, noting how the other doors were similarly treated.

Xander twitched at what he thought was the noise of a door opening. Or, was that the storm outside? He huddled deeper into the linen closet he'd hidden in, hoping that maybe Spike would get bored or at least trip over something and stake himself on a floorboard. Stranger things have happened, after all. He really wanted to know why Spike was doing all this. After all, what was Xander to the vampire? Lawn boy, enemy, amusement? Xander didn't understand. He wasn't that much of a catch, and Spike had certainly not shown any interest in him before. He didn't like any of the imagined explanations for what was going on, since most of them ended in his untimely death.

Spike prized open the door to the drawing room, leaving only one door between himself and the bathroom where he knew Xander was hidden. When he began to work on those hinges, he heard the boy shuffling around inside.

The sound of something scraping at the door woke Xander from his daze. He jumped out of the closet, seeing how the door was shaking a little. Damn! Spike was just outside. Cursing vampiric senses and strength, Xander began to look frantically for a way out. He shouldn't have put himself in a room with only one.or two exits.

Xander reached over to test the window. It slid further open with ease, letting gusts of cold wind and rain inside. Lady Luck must have been shining down on Xander, because there was a huge live oak branch just outside the window. He quickly stepped out onto the window ledge, closing the window behind him. Once it was closed, he reached over and tore out the metal tracking on one side, bending it down so that the window wouldn't open. It might buy him a second or two later on.

Spike pulled the door away slowly, not wanting to hurt Xander with it. Much to his surprise, the bathroom was empty. The boy couldn't have tricked him; after all, he heard his heartbeat. After quickly rummaging through the linen closet, where he could still smell Xander, Spike noticed water on the window sill. So that's where he went. Spike cursed the boy's idiocy-trying to climb a tree in this weather! He struggled with the window before realizing that Xander had damaged it so that it wouldn't open. Perhaps another route to the tree would work better anyway.

Xander eased himself onto the tree branch, holding on with both arms and legs. The wind tried to buffet him off, and the rain both blinded him and made everything slippery. Despite the conditions, Xander managed to safely shimmy down to the main trunk. He looked around as best as he could, noting that he'd have to step on at least one, and maybe two, other branches before he could make it to the ground. The first one didn't seem to be a problem, but the second one would be a stretch.

Spike got outside just in time to see Xander hop from one branch to another, barely keeping his footing. Suppressing a shout, he ran to position himself directly under the boy. This was completely uncalled for, and Xander dying wasn't in his plans for the evening.

Xander was doing fine until he tried to steady himself on the second branch. A sharp gust of wind knocked him sideways and he lost his footing, tumbling backward. He braced for the pain of hitting the ground on his back and was caught off-guard by the feeling of landing in someone's arms.

"Cats and dogs I've heard of, but naughty little boys?" Spike said lightly as he held Xander tight.

"Eeek!" Xander squeaked, trying to get away. He twisted out of Spike's hold, helped a great deal by the slick silk he was wearing. Xander ran for the front door, not bothering to wonder why it was standing wide open. Spike stared after him, shaking his head.

"No damned gratitude, that one," He muttered before following Xander inside. The boy had locked the front door, but that wasn't a problem for a vampire that had thought to bring the door key with him. The night was beginning to remind Spike of a Pepe Le Peu cartoon, complete with slapstick antics. Maybe if he painted white stripes down their backs, Xander would hold still for a little while. Spike just wanted to have a little fun.

Xander, meanwhile, was busy trying to find a place to hide. He was cold, wet and without a light source. Finally he made it up the stairs and stumbled around until he found an unlocked door. He ran through it, slamming it shut. In his exhausted, wet and hazy state, he noted only that there was a comfortable looking chair nearby. Pulling an afghan off of a nearby stand, he wrapped himself up and settled into the chair, falling asleep almost immediately.

Spike trudged up the stairs. Xander had left great wet footprints everywhere, so he wasn't hard to track. The vampire decided to dry off and change before picking up the chase, but changed his priorities when he saw that the footprints led not down the hall but right back to his study.

Inside, he found Xander huddled in a chair next to the dying fire he'd lit hours earlier. Smiling softly at the sleeping human, he gathered Xander up and carried him into his bedroom. The vampire quickly stripped the boy and dried him off, then buried him under mountains of comforters and blankets. A few minutes later, Spike joined him, holding Xander tightly as he fell asleep.

.........

Outside the storm raged all night and well into the morning. It was still howling outside when Xander woke up, more than a bit disoriented. He dug himself out of the covers, noting that he was in a strange bed. Long, lean arms tightened around him, and Xander tried to turn over to see who was holding him.

"Stop moving." Spike muttered in his sleep.

Xander blinked. Spike? Why was he in bed with Spike? Once again, the memories of the night before trickled into his brain. "Oh shit," Xander whispered.

"Stop talking. Trying to sleep here," Spike said harshly. Xander tried to get up but only succeeded in making Spike wrap his legs around Xander's and hold him tighter. Every move Xander made resulted in his being more securely bound, so eventually he stopped shifting about. Spike relaxed slightly and went back into a deep sleep.

"Well, this is a fine mess," Xander murmured to himself. What had he done to offend the gods that this was his punishment?

He lay there immobilized for several hours, until Spike woke up again. He knew Spike was awake because something was licking the side of his neck.something with a cool mouth.

"I know you're awake, Xander," Spike said softly.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Xander whined.

Spike chuckled. "What, you're not having fun? It is supposed to be fun, you know," he replied, nipping at Xander's ear.

Xander tried not to be distracted. "Why me?"

Spike rolled on top of Xander. "Because you're fun to play with," he said, lapping at Xander's mouth. "And cute, and you're here."

What Spike said sunk into Xander's brain. "You're molesting me because I'm convenient?"

The vampire couldn't help but laugh at the indignation in Xander's voice. "Well, I wouldn't put it that way, Xan. You've proven yourself to be very inconvenient of late."

"Then let me go." Xander said, his words drifting off into a groan as Spike's mouth and hands drifted lower. In just a minute, he was going to get up and get away.

"Maybe later," Spike murmured. He wasn't going to let Xander go, not for a long time. It would take a lot of training, but eventually the boy would have no thoughts of running. It would just take a bit of time.

"Gah," Xander yelped as Spike pushed his body between Xander's legs. He had little time to react before Spike took firm hold of his erection and began to massage the hard flesh, completely distracting Xander from what his other hand was doing.

Spike focused on working one lubricated finger into Xander's tight anus, using his other hand to keep Xander occupied. The boy didn't even notice what he was doing until that first finger was almost completely inside.

"Spike!" Xander cried, feeling the intrusion for the first time.

"Hmm?" Spike hummed, twisting his finger until he found Xander's prostate. Xander arched back into Spike's hand, howling softly.

Lights flashed behind Xander's eyes as Spike hit a really sensitive spot. This was not good. He needed to get away, right now. Just as soon as Spike stopped doing that. Xander moaned as a second finger joined the first and Spike began to stretch him in earnest.

Spike replaced the hand on Xander's cock with his mouth, using the newly freed hand to squeeze and pull on Xander's balls. Between his mouth and hands, Xander was a writhing mess. The boy wouldn't be thinking of running any time soon.

A third finger joined the other two and Xander hissed at the pleasure/pain of being filled. Spike was sucking relentlessly on his cock, hitting that spot with his fingers, and using one hand to keep him from coming. Xander began to whine, a high, mewling sound that was music to Spike's ears.

When Spike looked up, he saw that Xander was nearly gone. Removing his hand, Spike moved to cover Xander, pressing his own slicked up erection to Xander's stretched and sensitive hole. As he pushed inside, Xander let out a high-pitched cry.

Xander screamed as he felt something much bigger than a finger enter him. He opened his eyes to see Spike on top of him, pushing his cock inside him with relentless force. The pain began to supercede the pleasure he'd felt from Spike's hands. Just when he was about to push the vampire away, Spike reached back down to jerk off his flagging erection.

Once he was fully seated, Spike began to thrust, first gently then with increasing strength. Xander began to rock up to meet him, trying to get more of Spike inside him. The vampire kept scraping over Xander's prostate; eliciting more of the whines and groans he so loved.

The growls, purrs and cries that floated out from the bed echoed the storm still building outside. Xander ceased being able to think at some point, simply reacting to whatever Spike did to him. The vampire kept bringing him right to the edge, then letting him dangle there.

Spike, for his part, watched Xander carefully, always keeping him just short of climax. The effort took its toll on him, and he was very close to coming himself. The hot, tight grasp of Xander's body was intoxicating and he never wanted to leave. It was a shocking contrast, that hot flesh surrounding his far colder form.

All too soon for Spike, Xander's body contracted in orgasm, spilling warm, thick seed all over their bodies and making Xander's hole contract rhythmically around his cock. He thrust twice more before climaxing as well, shoving himself deeper inside as he filled Xander with cold seed.

After Xander had relaxed around him, Spike pulled out carefully so as not to damage the boy. Afterwards, Spike used a soft cloth to wipe up their mess, making sure Xander was ok. The boy was mostly unconscious, a limp puddle of flesh on the bed. That stroked Spike's ego to no end.

Xander didn't rouse until Spike joined him under the covers again. "Still don't like you," Xander muttered, nearly asleep again.

Spike just smiled. "Doesn't matter, pet."

.........

When Xander woke next, it was due to the enticing aroma of coffee. Pulling his head out from under the covers, he spied a steaming mug right next to him on the night stand. One hand snaked out and grabbed the mug. He ignored the burn of hot liquid as he gulped the beverage down.

"Good afternoon."

Xander closed his eyes against the voice he'd just heard. Up until Spike had opened his mouth, Xander was doing a pretty good job of denying the previous evening had ever taken place.

"Is the coffee to your satisfaction?" Spike asked lightly. Xander looked over to see the vampire lounging against the headboard, studying a sheaf of papers by candlelight. A carafe full of coffee rested on Spike's nightstand, next to another mug like Xander's.

"Um, fine," Xander replied. "Spike?"

"Hmm?" Spike hummed, shuffling the papers until he found the page he was looking for. Xander thought he looked kind of cute in wire-rimmed glasses.wait, strike that. Spike was never cute.

"What the hell was that last night?" Best to get straight to the point.

Spike grinned but didn't look over. "You're a bright boy, Xander."

Xander snorted. "Don't give me that shit, Spike. You attacked me, chased me around the house, attacked me again, and now you're serving me coffee?"

"I thought you liked the coffee," Spike said, sounding hurt. "And if you want to call it attacking, fine by me. By the way, I fully intend to engage you in a bit of attacking after I finish with these papers."

"Aargh," Xander muttered under his breath. Spike would have to be difficult. "Did it ever occur to you that I might not want this?"

Spike glanced at Xander for the first time that afternoon. "Briefly, yes."

"So."

"It went away," Spike finished.

"You thought that maybe I wouldn't want to sleep with you, but it went away?" Xander screeched incredulously.

Spike smiled. "Ah, I see you're coming to terms with it. And it wasn't really an attack, now was it, Xander? You could have gotten away at any time. I didn't have you tied down, you know."

"That's not the point, Spike. You didn't ask me if I wanted it. You just took," Xander replied.

Spike sighed. "Ok, Xander. How's about you and me fuck around in a bit, provided I ever get done with this paperwork?"

"Um." Xander said nervously, not expecting to just be confronted with a question like that. He didn't want to sleep with the vampire, did he? Spike was evil, damn it! He.well, he didn't really kill things anymore. The vampire ran businesses and socialized.

Nope, not gonna happen. Xander liked girls.and Spike, apparently. After all, he'd had no trouble responding last night. Of course, that could all be the vampire. Xander mentally shook himself. Nah, nobody's that good, not even Spike. The damned menace wasn't getting that kind of credit. Xander thought of himself as fairly open-minded. Maybe he was just unconsciously expanding his horizons.

"You're thinking awfully hard about a fairly easy question, pet," Spike said a few minutes later.

"What? Oh, that. Ask me again later," Xander said distractedly.

Xander crawled out of bed, searching for clothes. Once again, he found nothing to wear. What did Spike do, burn everything as soon as it came off? Resigning himself to at least temporary nudity, Xander padded to the bathroom. A brief cold shower later, he was feeling much more himself.

"Wanna shag?" Spike asked over his papers.

Well, it was later, technically. "Before five? How uncouth, Spike," Xander said jokingly. Actually, he was a bit nervous. This whole sleeping with the undead thing was more Buffy's thing than his, and he still wasn't sure why Spike was doing it, or him to be more precise. Spike had alluded to his convenience once, which didn't do much for Xander's ego.

Spike watched as a myriad of negative thoughts flew through Xander's head. The whelp was smart, he'd give him that. He knew that Xander wondered why he'd done it. That wasn't something Spike was prepared to talk about, not yet anyway. What he'd said had been partially true; Spike had been bored and Xander had been very convenient. There was a bit more to it than that, however. Oh, he wasn't about to declare his undying love to the brat, but the vampire did care for him. Spike was lonely; being Master of this city didn't bring with it lots of minions and followers like Sunnydale did; he was mostly involved with the occasionally stuffy old guard of Charleston who wanted him to keep the 'bad element' out of the nice neighborhoods. He also wasn't really interested in what the streets had to offer; he'd spent decades fucking and feeding off that kind, and he was tired of it. If he could find a willing, warm body to share his bed, he would be sure to keep it there.

That was where Xander came in. Spike knew that with just a little guidance and training, Xander would be an enthusiastic, loyal companion, perhaps even a childe one day. The boy was more than halfway there, even though he didn't realize it. After all, hadn't Xander mentally talked himself into not running away screaming? The storm outside was petering out; by evening it would be down to a drizzle and Xander would be free to run away. Spike was quite sure, though, that Xander would be staying in the main house for a long time.

"You're complaining about the time, pet?" Spike murmured. "What, have a headache?"

Xander laughed despite himself. It sounded pretty funny, even to him. "No, but I'm hungry." He didn't wait for Spike to reply before heading downstairs to scare up something to eat.

The kitchen was dim, so Xander found a flashlight in one storage closet before hitting the fridge. Most of the contents were still good, so he made himself another sandwich with what little was there. Most of the contents of the refrigerator were meant to feed Spike, not him, so there weren't too many options.

The food settled his stomach and gave him time to think. Well, this wasn't what he'd been expecting.ever, to be honest. Willow had always told him to try new things, but he had a feeling this wasn't what she meant.

Spike certainly seemed to be enjoying himself, though. The vampire hadn't gotten angry with Xander, even when he'd chased him all though the house. That boded well for Xander's survival; if Spike was happy, Xander was alive.

Sighing softly, Xander finished his meal and discarded the leftovers. He didn't see much way out of this situation short of leaving Charleston altogether. Spike could, and probably would, hunt him down if he stayed anywhere in the city, and not even Lavinia would hide him.

But the option to leave was still there, which made Xander feel better. He could feel out the situation, see what was going on, and run if necessary. Spike might not mind traipsing around his house, or even the city, but Xander doubted the vampire would leave the area to get Xander back if he headed for somewhere like, say, Toledo.

When Xander went back upstairs, he found Spike dozing in bed, surrounded by papers. The vampire looked awfully young that way, with his glasses slipping off the end of his nose. Shaking his head at himself, Xander stacked up the scattered papers and went back to bed, curling up as far from Spike as possible.

A few minutes later he felt the bed shift as Spike rolled over and collected Xander into his arms. The vampire's cool skin felt odd to Xander, but he said nothing. Eventually, he drifted off to sleep, still wondering how he'd gotten into this situation.

.........

"Damn," Xander swore. He was standing at the kitchen door, looking out at the garden. Well, what was left of the garden. Spike's property hadn't suffered much damage itself, but it seemed to have become the repository for all of his neighbors' lost stuff-chairs, tables, tree branches, fencing. The place was an absolute wreck. It would take days, if not weeks, to get it back to normal.

"That'll keep you busy," Spike said dryly from deeper inside the kitchen. He was leaning against a counter, safely away from the encroaching sunlight.

"No shit," Xander replied. "I don't suppose I'm going to get any help with this, am I?"

Spike laughed. "Maybe, maybe not. Depends on how mean you are."

"That's extortion," Xander said, hoping he was right.

That earned him a snort. "Right. So, if you're nice to me," Spike said, leering, "maybe I'll find someone to help you clean it up. Maybe."

Xander rolled his eyes. "I'll just do it myself, thank you. I'm not giving up the right to piss you off."

"Oh well. It was worth a shot," Spike said ruefully. Xander had decided to continue his odd sort-of-relationship with Spike, but he made the vampire well aware of the fact that he didn't really like him. Spike, for his part, put up with the boy's antics with a sigh and a grin. Time would tell what Xander really felt. Pushing off the counter, Spike turned to go back to bed. It was still early for him. "Suit yourself. The place has to be perfect in three weeks. Lavinia's making me host a garden party," he shot over his shoulder.

Xander leaned against the door frame. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," he swore. Leave it to that old biddy to torture him to death. Three weeks was how long it would take to get the crap out of the lawn and straighten all those branches. There was no way the place would be in show condition by then.

Xander spent the rest of the day clearing out detritus. Once he got going, the work didn't take as long as he thought it would, although it was still quite strenuous. By the time nightfall came, he was ready to collapse. Eschewing the comforts of the main house, Xander traipsed up to his apartment, glad the electricity had been turned on.

Spike watched Xander from his study. He'd hoped that the boy would return here, to his rooms, but figured that Xander would want to make some token show of independence. Xander wasn't a lapdog, and hated being seen as one. Still, he'd have liked the company.

.........

Xander woke the next morning to the familiar smell of coffee. Disoriented at first, he reached over to the nightstand for the steaming mug he was sure to find there.only to realize that he had no nightstand. No, he wasn't in Spike's bedroom. Where was that divine smell coming from?

He stumbled out into the main room, peering at the kitchen. There, on the counter, was his electric coffee maker, filled with freshly brewed coffee. He hadn't set it the night before, had he? It didn't matter, since the coffee was there, it was hot, and he wanted some.

Three cups later, Xander was feeling more human. His body started to wake up, telling him in great detail what it thought of the work he'd done yesterday. Ignoring the aches and pains, Xander pulled on some work clothes and went downstairs to get back to the job, carrying a couple of bananas for breakfast.

Xander couldn't help but laugh at some of what he found in the yard. In addition to a lot of yard furniture and the like, he gathered up and threw away several articles of clothing, some of it quite intimate, a large number of Dixie cups, at least a dozen small American flags, and a mail box. He piled the garbage up where the service would pick it up, when they began to run again.

He worked like that all day, mucking out the gardens and surveying the damage. If he could get mature plants from one of the local nurseries, the place would be ok for the party. He'd have preferred to grow them himself, but it wasn't going to happen.

Xander was just stepping out of the bathroom after a nice, hot shower, when he saw Spike lounging on his beaten-up couch. "Um, hi."

Spike nodded. "You eaten?"

"Not yet," Xander replied, toweling off his hair. Spike got up and went into the kitchen.

"Didn't think so," He muttered under his breath. Curious, Xander followed him in.

The vampire was heating up something dished out of paper containers. Xander sniffed, identifying the food as Chinese take-out. "Where'd you get that?"

Spike smirked. "Strange place called a restaurant. You give them money, they give you food. Novel concept, that."

"Smart ass," Xander shot back, digging plates out of a cupboard. Soon they were engaged in eating dinner, all conversation ceasing for the more important activity.

"Doing ok?" Spike asked after they were done.

Xander shrugged. "Tired, that's all. It's a lot of work."

"You should sleep, then," Spike said quietly, getting up to leave. Xander was surprised to see the vampire walk out the door, shutting it behind him. He'd expected Spike to stay and try to coerce him into bed. Then again, it wouldn't have been much fun for the vampire; Xander really was exhausted.

.........

Through a lot of hard work, begging and threatening, Xander had Spike's property ready for the upcoming garden party. Until just yesterday, when the last of the replacement orchids had arrived, he wasn't sure he could pull it off. But standing in the middle of the garden, Xander felt a rush of satisfaction wash over him. The place looked perfect.

Now if only he could convince Spike that he didn't need to attend. The vampire had been very considerate of Xander while he'd been working so hard. After only a couple of days, Xander had figured out that it was Spike making him coffee in the mornings and keeping his refrigerator stocked with food. The good deeds contradicted Xander's notions about Spike, but he kept those thoughts to himself.

Spike had, at one point, taken the high road concerning Xander's state of physical exhaustion. It took perhaps three days for him to get impatient and show up just as Xander was getting into bed. The boy thought about complaining, but couldn't think of a very good reason to do so.

Despite the view of vampires as insanely selfish creatures, Spike was a considerate lover. Xander had to give him credit for that, at least. The vampire hadn't once hurt him, although he did love to torture Xander by making him wait. He never would have pegged Spike as the type for delayed-gratification.

"Looks good, pet," Spike said from the shadows.

"Thanks. All ready for your party," Xander replied. "Speaking of which."

Spike smiled. "You have to go."

Xander frowned. "I don't recall that being part of my job description. Gardener, yes. Doorman, no. Astor could get away with that. You can't."

"Who said anything about doorman?" Spike replied.

"Oh? Then what am I supposed to go as?" Xander returned.

Spike grinned. "I'll think of something."

"I should be afraid," Xander muttered.

"Probably," Spike said, reaching out to snag Xander's arm. He pulled the boy back into the house, out of the dying sunlight. "But don't think about that now."

Xander let Spike lead him upstairs, into the vampire's lushly furnished suite. Spike seemed to love seeing Xander sprawled out on his midnight dark sheets; every time they were in the bedroom he stripped the boy naked and threw him on the bed. Then, Spike would just stare for a minute or two. At first, it made Xander uncomfortable. Now, though, he was used to it.

This time, Spike crawled onto the bed, leaning back against the headboard. He pushed a pillow behind his back and got comfortable. After he was settled, he patted one thigh and shot Xander a knowing glance. "Come here, Xander."

Xander considered refusing. After all, he wasn't a slave, or some sort of bed toy, no matter what Spike thought. "Why should I?"

Spike thought for a moment. "Because you'll like it?"

"Maybe not," Xander replied. Spike growled and reached forward, grabbing Xander and pulling him into his lap. "Or maybe yes."

"Much better," Spike growled. He softened his grip, caressing instead of bruising. Xander pulled away slightly to look at the vampire's face.

"What is it you want to do tonight?" He asked, getting straight to the point. If Spike wanted sex, he was going to get it.

Spike grimaced fleetingly, and then resumed his normal, half-bored expression. Reaching over to the night stand, he picked up the lube. "Ride me."

Xander nodded and straddled the vampire's lap. Spike reached for Xander's hand, applying lube to it. "What?"

"Prepare yourself for me," Spike replied, smirking. Xander looked at his hand for a moment, and then complied. Once he had gotten two fingers worked up inside himself, Spike stopped him. He pulled Xander's hand away and levered him into position.

Xander hissed as Spike entered him. He could have used more preparation than that, so it stung a little. Spike settled him all the way down onto his lap, resting his hands gently on Xander's hips. "Move," he hissed.

Starting slowly, Xander lifted himself, and then moved back down. Spike guided his motions by keeping hold of his hips, preventing Xander from moving very quickly. Xander moved his hands to the headboard, using it for leverage.

"Let go, Spike," Xander panted, trying to move a little faster. Spike just held him harder and kept the pace steady. The vampire's face was set in stony, almost grim lines and Xander couldn't tell if this was pleasuring him or not. "Spike?"

Spike didn't respond. He kept Xander moving just as he was. He, too, wanted to move more quickly, to race toward climax in a headlong rush. But that wasn't what he really had in mind for the evening. To that end, he made sure Xander didn't up the pace one notch.

Xander moaned as Spike's cock brushed against his prostate again. He reached down to jerk himself off, only to find Spike holding his hand away from his cock, placing it back on the headboard. He would have protested, but the look on Spike's face shut him up.

Spike watched carefully as Xander's control began to crumble a little. The boy probably didn't even realize he was beginning to shake inside, his muscles quivering around Spike's erection. Once Xander was steadied again, Spike shifted down just a little bit, making Xander lean further over him. At this new angle, Xander couldn't easily get up or move around, other than how Spike wanted him to. Too much of his weight was on the headboard.

Xander heard himself gasping for air. Damn it, he was supposed to keep some semblance of control in bed! After a couple more minutes of Spike brushing that sweet spot deep inside, he felt orgasm begin to stir at the base of his spine.

Spike felt it too, and reached over to clamp his fist around the base of Xander's cock. Xander squealed, both angry and disappointed. "Spike!" He whined plaintively.

Spike leaned over just enough to brush his mouth against Xander's ear. At the same time, he let Xander's hip go, letting the boy set the pace. As he'd expected, Xander began a furious, driving rhythm.

"You'll go to the party, Xander," Spike whispered. Xander jerked his head to the side, not really hearing what Spike said, but orienting on the sound of his voice. Release was so close, but Spike kept him from coming. "You'll mingle, and talk to people like a good boy," he continued in a whisper.

Xander pressed down hard, trying to make himself come despite Spike's hand. In response, the vampire clamped down harder. "Everyone will look at you and want you, want to shag this sweet ass you've got," Spike hissed into Xander's ear. "But they can't, because you're mine."

Xander whined, a high-pitched noise that should have hurt Spike's ears. It didn't, though. Instead, Spike arched off the mattress, meeting Xander's down stroke. He let go of Xander's cock, feeling the ripples begin as Xander climaxed. "Mine, mine," Spike chanted into Xander's ear as he joined the boy in ecstasy.

*****