Author: Inca
Want me to keep writing? Oh that�s right, I�m blackmailing you all. Feed me at [email protected].
Rating R � just is, bad language other stuff
Liam/Spike
Disclaimer: Whedon, mutant enemy and all that jazz
Spoilers: None. AU.
Summary: Liam's a P.I. who gets a walk in client.
Authors notes: For more stories by me, come to
http://www.geocities.com/slasherphiles/, always open...
Inspired by many:
Firstly Ghostforge! FGF challenge #24: When a lonely and depressed,
alcoholic Private Detective takes a Case from a handsome Peroxide
Blond Englishman, he can't deny his attraction to his new Client...
Fox � `In the midnight of my rose garden'. Read that for a much
better spin on a pro Spike. :)
Dante Gabriel Rosetti �this Spike is my male, 21st century version
of "Jenny�.
***
�Poor flower left torn since yesterday
Until to-morrow leave you bare;�
� "Jenny" Dante Gabriel Rosetti
***
Liam leant against the hot bricks of the apartment building and mentally slashed Rick Novin of his list of suspects.
He let a long sigh creep out his nose. Rick Novin had been the last of the three matches he�d received from Kate.
And nothing.
The hot late-afternoon sun beat down onto every reflective surface in the street, baking the buildings and making Liam�s eye flare in pain. He put his dark sunglasses on and slipped into the oven of his Plymouth, wiping some sweat from his forehead, smoothing his salted wet hair back. He took off the blue uniform shirt he was wearing, preferring to sit in his wifebeater.
Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel as he let air breeze through the open windows, he thought over his puzzle. Two weeks and five days. Almost three weeks he had been working on this case now. He had been so sure it was a criminal who�d done this before. The way he did it, perfected from the start, from the first boy and unchanged since, reeked of a prior.
Maybe he hadn�t been caught though, Liam reasoned. But why suddenly start, he argued viciously back. And the more he looked at it, the more it started to match up to Novin. Novin had been arrested because the screams for help of the hooker he was banging had fallen on the kind ears of the birdwatcher in the room rented beside them. The M.O was different. Novin had tied and blindfolded his victims lovingly with silk scarves and hadn�t gagged them, content to listen to �their howls of pleasure� as he put it. But, Liam thought it made sense to change that M.O. He fucked them roughly now, with harsh tape over their mouths and eyes because he was angry at being caught. Wanted to teach them a lesson. He�d bounced this theory off Kate, and she had seemed impressed with this logic. But when he�d been to see Novin, under the guise of a wayward electrician, he�d looked for the tattoo and found nothing but a very strange man.
Another boy, though not a friend of Spike�s, had been assaulted last week. Ix, Spike�s roomy had rung to inform him. And Liam had nothing.
Nothing!
He slammed his hands down on the dash and then angrily pulled out a flask of whiskey he kept in his glove box.
Of Spike himself � he�d heard not a word.
He gulped back some of the burning liquid and tossed the flask back into the mess of papers in the glove box. He started the engine, pulling away from Novin�s building.
Spike.
Spike, Spike, Spike.
His mind circled the man like a vulture. He�d taken to driving through West Hollywood at night. On his way to other places, he told himself. Even if West was a twenty minute detour from his destination.
He�d seen him. Once.
Silver haired and dressed magnificently in a long leather coat, pale face a moon against the darkness of the street and his clothes. Leather pants and mesh see-through top on his body even in the uncharacteristically cold night air.
Liam had almost caused an accident when he�d spotted him.
He was slipping into a dark car with a smirk on his face and a panther like elegance in his leather covered body that made him seem like he was weightless.
He�d looked worn out and tired but still very, very beautiful.
Liam snorted sardonically at his thoughts as he drove from Nevin�s. It was strange to think of a man as, that word, beautiful � But it just � fit. For Spike, it fit.
As the sun yellow streets flashed by his mind made its way inflexibly back to his now favourite thought.
Spike.
Spike�s long fingers warming his thighs, stroking, running his black nails along the muscled flesh as his soft lips wrapped around the hard cock begging before him.
His mouth hot and soaking.
His eyes bright in the dark, closing occasionally as he bobbed, to concentrate completely on his craft, dark straight brushes of eyelash swooping down over the blue.
A whine bubbled up from the back of Liam�s throat, startling him out of the memory. He stopped at a red light and rolled the back of his head harshly against the headrest, futilely trying to rid his head of the images.
He closed his eyes and saw Spike�s nose against his stomach, eyelids fluttering as he swallowed around Liam�s cock.
Liam snapped.
�Fuck off! Get the FUCK OUT OF MY HEAD!� he screamed, rocking savagely back and forth in his seat and pounding his fists against the dash.
After a moment he caught himself, breathing slowly to loosen his rage, relaxing his hands. He looked up and saw people standing on the sidewalk staring into the car with startled looks on their faces. They averted their eyes.
Liam drove to his apartment to have a shower, and then made his way to a strip joint he sometimes frequented.
**
After entering the dark smoky and shinily beaded interior of Aces he went straight for a private room paying Taffeta, a small redheaded girl of about thirty dressed in a blue thong and corset, to join him.
Her eyes were large and willing, excited as she writhed and grinded into his lap. Liam was strangely relieved to find his cock hardening beneath her slim tanned body. Relieved to find himself reaching forward without hesitation when she removed her teddy, to massage and cup her heavy breasts as she leant back, arching her body prettily for him.
Liam�s body was willing.
It fell to pieces when he began to imagine someone else on his lap.
Someone else�s body, pale body, stretching back, arching prettily. Someone else, hard where she was soft, naked and writhing and wet, wanton with ice fire eyes. With high cheekbones in a porcelain white face. With short black nails that teased his body.
He groaned at his stubborn mind and his own hardness but mostly he groaned at the image of Spike bending and pliant in his lap. Of Spike, squirming in lust over his cock to please him.
He shot his release into Taffeta�s too small hands.
Liam left, his body obliviously glowing as his mind stormed and clouded, angry and unsatisfied, went home and showered again, head falling against the wall.
He had to see him.
***
8:46pm.
As he drove he reasoned with his reflection in the rearview mirror.
�I have to speak to Ix. About the case, on which I�m stymied. I have not questioned him yet. Ix happens to live with Spike � so I�m going to see Spike. But I�m not going to JUST see Spike. This is a business thing. So that�s alright.� He exhaled. �Business.�
His reflection looked back patronizingly. He checked his hair, which he had tamed for once, and smoothed his eyebrows down. He drove up to the patch and looked around, seeing the same type of brightly clothed men as before. But no Spike.
Demien was there, his lanky body covered in tight jeans and a yellow muscle shirt over another longer yellow shirt. He spotted Liam and waved happily. Liam got out of the car walking over to the boys.
�Hey.� He said uncertainly, a little self-conscious as they all watched him.
�Hey yourself, gorgeous.� Said one he hadn�t seen before.
Demien rolled his eyes and pushed past the sniggering group running up to Liam. A few catcalls echoed from the leering group as Demien took his hand and pulled him away, dragging him just inside a quiet alley.
�You look great,� Demien purred. �Date?�
Liam looked down at the clothes he had changed into. Dark slacks and a buttoned blue silk shirt under a leather jacket, which he understood, may be a little inappropriately dressy for just questioning someone for a case.
He tugged on the un-tucked shirt a little in embarrassment, knowing why he dressed so nicely, feeling foolish. He lied. �Yep. Date.�
Demien pouted. He tapped his long thin fingers up the buttons. �With me?� he asked softly, breathing out faintly beer-smelling breath.
Liam smiled and gently pushed the hands away. Demien looked truly disappointed, but made an exaggerated moue of sadness to cover it up.
�I need to see Ix to ask him some quick questions, I never got his address from you. He rang me when that boy got assaulted last week, but I forgot to ask him then.�
Demien nodded slowly, clearly confused. �You�re going to Arkansas to ask questions? I�m sure Spike has a phone number � or is this some kind of P.I. thing where you need to see his face?�
Liam shook his head, not understanding. �Arkansas?�
Demien nodded an affirmative, lighting a cigarette he pulled from his back pocket. �Gone home.�
�He did? When?�
Demien looked surprised he didn�t know. �Couple of days ago. Mother came to get him from the hospital.�
�What hospital?� Liam said, baffled.
�St Judes.� Demien answered, taking a drag on his cigarette.
�No, I mean, why was he in hospital?�
�OD.� Demien said incredulous, pretty green eyes wide. �His Mom was down as next as kin. Drove all the way from Independence County to pick him up when she heard.� He shook his head in a sad knowing way that belied his young age. �She didn�t even know he was using.�
�Did she know � what he did for a uh, living?� Liam stuttered.
�Nup. Ix never let on to his �rents. When he talked about them � he really loved them.�
Car lights flashed over them rhythmically.
�Why did he do this then?� Liam asked trying to understand.
�He�s a country boy, who came to the big city. Going back would admit defeat, something not in Ix�s vocabulary.�
�So� why did he leave?�
�Ix came to Holly the reason most people do. To become a big movie star.� Demien laughed sadly, poignantly, �And he became one, but not the way he was hoping, I think.�
Liam took this in.
�Poor Spike though.�
�Why? They were good friends?�
�Yeah, kinda � street next-of-kin. And Ix left him with quite a bit of red to clear up.�
Liam searched Demien�s face. �What does that mean?�
�Well when someone dies, family has to pay off debts, right?�
�Yeah � what, you mean Spike has to pay of Ix�s debt?�
�He will. Rather than have them go after Ix.� Demien looked wistful. �Spike�s like that. Tends to take care of people.�
�He�s going to pay for something he doesn�t owe?� Liam asked, unbelieving.
�Has to really. If Spike runs, they�ll go search for Ix cause they know where he is. And for making them expend money finding him, they�ll �� he shrugged, uncomfortable.
Liam understood. �How much are we talking?�
�Dunno, but Ix was into some hard drugs. And he had no money to buy them � he worked some of his debts off in trade. I mean, at the end, he was only paying off debts, so, making no money, but he was still using. Borrowing money.� He shook his head. �He was just in over his head. People were blackmailing him too, Spike was using most of money to help Ix out.�
Liam nodded. �And let me guess, the more things he had to do to pay off��
�� The more he wanted to use. You�re right. A lot of us seem to go that way. Hate the job, buy drugs so you can continue doing the job to pay for drugs.�
Liam watched the man, his leaf green eyes flicking over the cars driving past in the street. He was really attractive. He wondered why he was doing it.
Without a word he stuck his cigarette between his lips and pulled up a long yellow shirtsleeve to show Liam the dark splatter of trackmarks on his inner arm. �You were wondering why I do it?�
Liam scratched his neck in embarrassment. He nodded, not looking at him. Demien pulled the shirt back down. His sloe eyed face filled with a sardonic smile. �I�m trying to stay clean.�
�Is that why you started?�
�Yeah, fell into it after high school.� He shrugged, his face trying to stay happy. �But had to pay for it somehow. It�s an expensive habit.�
Liam smiled and coughed out a small laugh. �What did you want to be, if you don�t mind me asking?�
A huge grin filled his face. �Travel agent.�
Liam couldn�t help but laugh.
�I�ve almost finished my course.�
�I�m glad.� Liam said sincerely. Demien smiled and looked at his watch.
�Oh, um what�s Spike�s address.� Liam asked, remembering.
�Apartment 7C, 56 Burnstein Way. Off Cyrillo.�
Liam committed this to memory, noting it was not a particularly good part of town before reaching into his pocket and pulling out some money. Demien shook his head.
�Freebie.� He whispered, his low smoky voice and the look in his eyes causing a tremor of electricity to tickle down Liam�s spine.
�No really, I pay for info.�
Demien raised an eyebrow and took the money. �Sweet.� He kissed Liam on his cheek, making sure at least some of his lips touched Liam�s own before wandering out of the alley.
�Demien?�
He turned.
�What was Ix�s real name?�
Demien smiled, eyes filled with algae melancholy. �Jordan.�
�Jordan.�
He looked at him, expression unreadable. �It�s a good thing � that you asked.� He smiled once more, showing his teeth before disappearing out of the alley.
***
He got out of his car and walked up the bumpy unkempt sidewalk to 56 Burstein Way. A rough unloved looking block of units sat sluggish and grey before him.
�7C.�
He grasped the doorhandle to the hallway and it opened, though squeaking uncertainly, surprising Liam. He thought he was going to have to pick it, as there seemed to be no intercom. The door opened into a dingy, lino-floored hallway with a set of stairs at the end. Yellow lighting made the floor and grimy walls appear strangely sick. Doors lined the walls, so the apartments couldn�t have been too large. He looked at the first number, which was 5A. He frowned, looked to other side of the hall, to read the number there.
Apartment 28.
Liam sighed. Someone had gotten creative with the apartment labeling. He walked along, reading each number. And about halfway along on the left side�
7C.
His heart stuttered, making him feel woozy. He felt like a lovesick schoolboy and mentally scolded himself.
�God, Liam, shut up with this shit!� He muttered, slapping his face for good measure.
He brushed his hair back again, feeling a few strands falling down over his forehead, and knocked. Something crashed in the apartment. Liam tensed until he heard a familiar low cockney voice yell out.
�Okay!�
Liam breathed out. The voice sounded exactly the same as it had in his head for the last two weeks. His heart felt warm as it tried to jump out his chest to get closer to the voice.
The door flung open and � Spike.
He was leaning on the doorframe, looking very drunk, his eyes almost closed as he weaved erratically. Tight shiny leather pants slung low on his thin hips under an almost shirt that seemed to be made of wide spaced black straps over opaque web, letting white flesh peek through. A new silver nipple ring caught Liam�s attention immediately, as it flashed between two panels of black fabric.
�Hello.� Liam tried.
Spike looked at him. �You�re not s�them, you�re � you.�
Liam wasn�t sure what to do with that comment.
His pupils were dilated, his skin paler than usual and waxy looking. There was no booze on Spike�s breath, only a minty toothpaste smell. Spike turned and went back into the apartment, leaving the door open. Liam took it as an invitation and followed him in closing the door behind him.
The apartment was dark and quite small. Liam was in a small room with a television and couch, and to his left was a small kitchenette. He felt too big in the � cosyness of the room. Spike stumbled through a doorway and disappeared into what looked like a bedroom. Clothes lay around in disarray and drug paraphernalia was on the kitchen counter. Fits and candles and burnt spoons lay amongst small empty plastic packages. Bottles of alcohol lay around discarded and lonely.
�Spike?� Liam called. His eyes fell on a frameless picture of Spike hugging a young man in his early twenties at some sort of party with glowsticks. He looked happy and carefree, no emotions that Liam had ever seen on Spike. Spike looked younger. Years younger. The blue eyes Liam had seen held an age far beyond the physical years.
Spike came out of the bedroom and immediately tangling his feet up in a carton in the doorway, falling to the floor.
�Oh!� Liam said, going over to him to help him up. �Are you alright?�
He wrapped his large hand around Spike�s elbow and lifted him up. Spike looked at him, surprised.
�Hi � Liam. What�re you � doing � here?� He asked like he hadn�t seen him before.
�I came to see you.� Liam said, not even realizing he had told the truth.
�Ta-Da!� Spike slurred, posing with his hands up behind his neck. �Am I good for your viewing pleassure?�
Liam decided not to answer. He held onto Spike�s elbow again and led him to the couch, trying to make him sit. Liam sat down with him, trying to catch his wandering gaze. He was on something. Something strong.
Spike started singing. �These words are my own, threw some cords together�the combination D,E,F.� he belted out, none too badly for someone who couldn�t stand properly.
Spike looked at him, surprised. �Liam. Hi.�
Liam took a deep breath. Now that he was sitting still in the light of the lamp next to him, Liam could see he had a dark bruise around his neck, and his wrists were painted with dark spots too. He had some small scabs on his inner arm. He was getting very worried.
�Spike? Think very hard. Where did these come from?� He asked pointing to the bruises.
Spike looked at his wrist confused for a moment. His lean body swayed even seated on the couch. Recognition filled his face then an almost animalistic fear. He shook his head.
�I have to go back� He murmured. �No, Yes.�
Liam was frantically wondering if the rapist had found Spike. His heart was pounding. �Where do you have to go.�
Spikes hand reached up and rubbed his bruised neck. He stood up and started walking to the front door, spotting his key on the way. �I have to go now. Good boy. Please stop them.� He rambled.
Liam's eyes widened and he jumped of the couch, trying not to put his feet on anything on the way out. Spike fought with the mechanics of the door handle for a few seconds before figuring it out and opening the door.
�Spike.� He closed the door behind him, also closing Liam in the apartment, apparently forgetting he was there. Liam rolled his eyes in frustration and opened the door accidentally hitting Spike with it and knocking him to the ground. He just lay there, thin body dead-looking on the floor, his ribs expanding with breath. Liam felt like he was in some morbid comedy routine from hell. He bent down and picked the man up. Spike didn�t seem to be registering any pain, probably because of what he was on, as he let Liam prop him up in his arms. His eyes swam, the normally clear blue clouded over and pathetic. His head constantly wobbled and his expression of guileless happiness made him look about fifteen years old.
�Liam.� He gurgled. Spike wrapped his arms around Liam�s waist underneath the jacket and lent on him in that heavy offensive way people do when their minds are fogged from drug or drink.
�Whoa.� He pushed the hand away at the same time cursing his body for buzzing at the contact, at the soft scent of the gel Spike used in his hair. He busied himself by taking the key from Spikes dope-clumsy fingers and locking up Spike�s apartment. Spike leant his head on Liam�s shoulder, a gesture Liam tried to ignore.
�Where are you going, Spike?� He asked again.
Spike leant against Liam�s chest and pulled an exaggerated �thinking� face tapping his finger heavily against his dry lips. �Club. Room. Bruckers.�
�Bruckers.� Liam recognized the name, and wondered if the shark in L.A. known as Dig Brucker was what had happened to Spike.
�Bruckers. Why?�
Spike started humming softly into Liam�s chest, wrapping his arms around his waist again. His hands felt cold.
�Spike.� He said sharply, drawing his attention. �Why are you going to Bruckers?�
�Ix� needs me to.� Spike started trying to push off Liam�s body. Liam let him even though his mind screamed at the loss of the welcome weight.
Liam didn�t like this. His heart had changed from being overjoyed at Spike�s presence, to turning to ice in worry about him. Spike turned and slowly started making his way towards the front door, steadying himself on the wall.
Liam caught up to him and grabbed his elbow, harder than he meant to, spinning him around. Spike lost the little footing he had and fell back against the wall. He stayed leaning back, giggling, his eyelids falling shut.
�Spike? Are you hooking at the club?�
�Dig said �� He looked happily up at the track lighting on the ceiling. �I could work off the debt.�
The dreamy look slipped steadily of his face until all that was left was a sad husk. �I didn�t like it. I pretended. Prete��
The dreamy look returned. He reached out and ran his black nails along Liam�s belt, playing with the buckle. Liam tried to focus.
�Spike? The debt, that Ix owes. How much is it?� Liam asked slowly, hoping Spike would understand. He desperately wanted to help him.
�You�re Liam.� Spike said with wonder. �I remember.�
Liam nodded sadly. �Yeah I am.�
�Detective?�
�Yes.�
�I like you.� He pushed himself off the wall and into his arms pushing his cold face into the skin under Liam�s collarbone. Liam instinctively reached up and started to soothingly stroke his back, rubbing the web covered skin with his fingertips. Spike leant up and whispered throatily into Liam�s ear. �I dream about you.�
Liam stayed deathly quiet, his body sparking as Spike�s hands slipped underneath his shirt, cold fingers against his warm skin.
�I dream about you doing � Nice things. To me. With these.� He slipped his hands down to wrap around Liam�s hands. He felt his fingers quaver. �And this.� He hissed, cupping Liam�s hardening cock in one hand.
�Spike.� He delicately pushed the hanging body from him. He didn�t want him like this. Well he did � but � he knew it was wrong, somehow. He leant forward and kissed him though, that seemed all right to do, and his body was aching for contact. Spike started humming into his mouth, reaching up with one hand to wrap through Liam�s hair.
Liam pulled away quickly, still holding Spike�s arms, watching him lick his lips.
�I don�t want to go back. Do I have to? Do I have to be a good boy?� Spike asked, sounding like a five year old. �Will you ask �hem?�
�Spike?� Liam whispered into his ear, his quiet words loud in the echoing hallway, �What happened?�
�Told me to work it off.� He slurred, dropping his face heavily against Liam�s chest, his voice muffled by the cloth. �Tied me in a sling. On my back like I�m supposed to be always and nothing else, slut. All night. Pain.� Liam saw him reach up and feel the ring through his nipple. Liam bristled, his stomach clenching at the thought of them tying Spike�s flawless pale body down and shoving a needle through it.
�Blindfold, and it was dark. Train. Men. All night. I wanted to go. I cried for�� He trailed off.
�Is this where � this?� He ran his fingers lightly over the bruise around Spike�s neck.
Spike�s head moved against Liam�s chest so that he was resting on his cheek. �I�m � a bitch, you need to look like one slut.� He said monotonously, reciting the memory.
Liam felt a wet patch blossom on his shirt. �They wouldn�t let you go.� Liam said. He shook his head in sad frustration; Spike was in deep. He obviously didn�t know how to handle this. Liam�s heart was burning, he wanted to help, wanted to shake the drug haze off him and show Spike he didn�t have to be used by everyone. Wanted to yell at him, tell him how perfect he was, and that he could get out of this. He wanted to hurt the people who did this.
He stayed quiet, rubbing his hands slowly up his back.
Spike started to fidget away. �Late.�
�You�re going back?�
Spike sighed and pushed off trying to walk down the hallway again. He stumbled. �Have to.�
�No.� He grabbed him again, feeling the weight of his body pulling away, leaving a void between them. �Stay with me, I�ll give you the money.�
Spike face slowly formed a frown. �I need � money.� He said disjointedly.
�Money. I�ll help you.� Liam said slowly, as if to a child.
�Come with you?�
Liam nodded cautiously, his body begging for Spike not to leave.
Spike stood, weaving on the spot. His pupils were huge, he squinted his eyes against the dim light of the hall. Whatever he was on� He didn�t want Spike going out, not like this. He didn�t know what would happen to him.
�What have you taken, Spike?�
He giggled. �I don�t remember.� He said coyly, his face suddenly covered with arousal, backing slowly away.
�Are you feeling faint?� Liam asked, standing still, not wanting to scare him.
�No��
�I need to stop to get the money for you. Come with me.�
He stepped forward and Spike swayed out of reach again, grin painted on his face. He giggled and ran back a few shaky steps. �Come and get me.� He purred.
�Spike. You�re coming home with me.� Liam tried in an authoritative tone. He didn�t want to move forward, in case he scared Spike out the front door.
The blonde pouted, licking his lips, making them puff up with wet. �No fun.�
He ran out the door, slamming it stuck into the frame behind him.
�Shit!� Liam ran out after him, struggling to pull the door free of the jam. �Spike!� He ran outside.
He saw the thin body duck down an alley, roughing past some angry looking black teenagers in dorags.
�He�s sorry.� Liam muttered as he too ran past the youths as they wandered away.
He turned into the alley, and saw Spike looking through a chain link fence, weaving on his feet and humming. His fingers were hooked through the diamond spaces in the fence. His pale cheek had a large dirt filled scratch on it from � something. He must�ve fallen over, Liam thought.
Spike turned around, hands up in the air, smile-pout in place, eyes set to smirk. He walked forward, stumbling over clutter on the wet ground, falling into Liam, his cold white hands on his shoulders.
�You�re freezing.� Liam said quietly. He had a sudden overwhelming urge to protect him. To protect this taintless creature that everyone saw fit to trample into the dirt.
�You caught me.� He said, drugged out blue eyes looking up at him. �You have me. Take me.� He said with a flourish, letting his head fall back showing the dark ring around his neck, his body moving with it so Liam was forced to catch him.
�Can we go now?� Liam asked, not angry, more concerned. Spike met his gaze and leant up to brush a slight kiss against Liam�s mouth. Liam melted into the tenderness, kissing him back.
�Liam�� Spike murmured, boneless in Liam�s arms. �Do nice��
�We�re going.� Another man said from behind him.
Liam spun around, bringing Spike�s limp body with him. Two men stood at the entrance to the alley. They were wearing long coats, and their bodies looked huge and honed under their tight black muscle shirts, their pectorals standing out like a rock face. They wore their sunglasses at night, and the only difference between the two meaty men was that one had long black hair and one was bald.
�Who are you?� Liam asked, angry at being interrupted.
�Sorry dude, he�s already booked tonight. Here,� The raven haired one tossed a hundred dollar bill into the slimy puddle near Liam�s feet, �for the trouble.�
Liam rolled his eyes and scuffed the bill out of the water with his boot. �No, for yours. We were just leaving.�
Liam tried to walk him and Spike out of the alley, but the men crossed their arms, purposefully forming a barrier between them and the way out. Spike was looking very scared, Liam could feel his body trying to back away from them. Liam held him tighter and felt his face push into his arm.
�What?� Liam huffed.
Spike mumbled something incoherent into Liam�s shirt.
The bald one pushed Liam�s shoulder back slightly. �Listen up. The slut belongs to someone else. Fuck off.�
�He belongs to himself.�
They laughed. �He has a debt. He has to pay it off. In service. You look like an honorable guy, you understand.�
Liam set Spike down on a pile of boxes, leaning his lolling head back softly against the bricks.
�What I hear, not even his debt.� Liam said, turning back to the men.
The bald one gave him a tight smile. �Is now. We�ve come to pick up the whore for Mr Brucker.� He said, putting emphasis on the name, obviously hoping it would scare Liam. He knew about Brucker, what he tended to do to someone he was upset with.
He wasn�t scared.
�You tell Brucker to leave him the fuck alone.�
The man laughed and nudged his friend. They started advancing on him, grinning at his protectiveness. Liam didn�t flinch. �What is he, your boyfriend?�
The bald man continued, �Well I�m sorry, but Brucker has taken a liking to him. He said he�s pretty when he cries. You should�ve heard him. We started a train up on his pretty arse. All the guys in the club. He loved it at first, should�ve seen the stupid fag, moaning like the fucking slut he is. Fucking back, all happy at getting some real cock. Then he started asking to go, saying he�s had enough and whining like a bitch that it hurts, so�s Mr Brucker got more guys in him.�
They giggled. Liam stared back, still as stone. �And when we stuck a hole in his tit? Fuck you should�ve heard him. Then Brucker says �well you act like a bitch, you need to look like one� so�s he tied this rope around his neck and dragged him through the fucking halls!� The man demonstrated as his friend laughed. �Anyone who can suck cock while they�re being strangled is one hell of a fucking slut.�
They were standing right in front of him now. Liam glared at the bald one as he stood motionless, his mind covering with red at the story. The men became demons in his eyes. �You should�ve seen the bitch. He was on fire. He must�ve taken sixty guys up his fag boy cunt that night. He was crying by the end. Pleading with us to let him go. We slapped him around. We�re gonna break that record tonight, Slut!� He yelled at Spike who was shivering little moans and sobs out against the wall. �Gotta pay your debt cunt, and being fucked is all you�re good for.�
Liam�s body had been used as a weapon that could be nothing but precise. He fell easily back into his fighting recollection and was pleased that not even a second passed from the end of the bald man�s sentence to Liam�s curled fist smashing across his face, aiming for the sunglasses and shattering them into his eyes. He screamed, bloodcurdling and loud as a fighter jet through the silent night. Liam didn�t flinch at the pitiful sound, just punched his eye area again, causing more of the shards to embed.
The dark haired man stood, mouth agape at the sudden action. Liam let loose with an elbow to his jaw and a roundhouse kick focused on the man�s temple. He fell down, holding his head. Liam walked up and slammed his foot down onto the man�s knee, smashing it, hearing it crackle beneath his strength, emitting another scream into the alley, ricocheting between the close wet walls. The man rolled back holding his knee and Liam saw a shine of silver flash in his belt. The man passed out. He reached forward, flung the idiotic sunglasses of the man�s face and into the alley, and grabbed the knife. He flicked it in his hand and stabbed it down into the other mans calf, and sawed a quick large gash through the tendons.
He didn�t want them to follow.
The man was still panting quiet screams into the alley, his eyes bleeding. Liam jerked him up from the ground and pulled his wallet from his pocket.
�Now, Mister�� He flicked the leather open, �Skinner. I�m going to take your wallet, and your friends too. I don�t want to kill you, but I will. If I see you again? I will take you, and your family, nice family, down. Do you understand?�
The man nodded frantically, his nose running.
�Good. Tell your friend when he wakes up.� He kicked him and then turned to the other man, stealing his wallet.
Spike was still sitting heavily on the boxes, his eyes wide as he looked down at the two men. Liam strode up to him, still pumping adrenaline from the fight, but stopped when Spike looked at him wide eyed and terrified.
He realized he was still holding the blood-covered knife in his fist and had glass sticking out of the other. He shoved it in his pocket and held his hands up in a defensive gesture, trying to show Spike he didn�t mean any harm. Spike still stayed pushing back against the wall, Liam thought, probably because his hands were clotted with blood.
�Spike it�s alright. I won�t hurt you.�
�I don�t want to go with them.� He said quickly, eyes huge in his face.
Liam looked at the prone men. �You don�t have to. I will straighten things out for you.� He walked over and pulled Spike up. He was shivering and his skin was goosepimpled. �Come with me.�
�You cant. I didn�t want to do it! I pretended I wanted it. Pretend.� He looked back at the men. His eyes started blurring with water. �I said no. No one listens! I�m screaming in the dark!�
�I�m listening.�
Liam shook his jacket off and wrapped it around Spike�s shoulders. He swam in it.
He led them over to his car and opened the door, pushing Spike gently down into it, holding the back of his head so he didn�t bump it on the roof. He ran round the side and jumped in. Spike was slumped in his seat as Liam drove, singing quietly and playing with his hair. He was completely oblivious to the torrent of thoughts flashing through Liam�s head. His lithe body swayed in its seat like he was standing on a rope bridge miles above the ground, buffeted by wind. He still wore Liam�s jacket, shrugging into the warmth of it occasionally, unaware of the huge splatters of blood on it.
Liam couldn�t believe what the thugs had told him. He burned with anger at the thought of them tying Spike down and using him like a fuck toy. What gave them the right to do that? How could they possibly think it was all right to do that to another human? No wonder Spike had fucked himself up with drugs before his �appointment� tonight. Liam shook his head angrily and glanced over at Spike, surprised to see him sitting up rigid in his seat, staring anxiously out the windshield.
�No, no, no, no, NO!�
Liam looked out the windshield and saw nothing alarming, just traffic and people on the streets lined with shops.
�What is it?� he asked.
�I don�t want to! You can�t make me, I changed my mind!� Spike started yelling. He grabbed Liam�s shoulder and started rambling desperately, his eyes skittering about like a scared animal. �I�ll get the money, I don�t want to do it that way. I never wanted!�
Liam started looking for somewhere to stop, so he could calm down the hysterical man before he had an accident.
�I can�t do it again, please!� Spike was openly sobbing now, taking huge sick swallows of air as he started rocking back and forth, bending down over his knees. Liam had no idea so he pulled into the first available spot, driving the car half up onto the sidewalk. Spike screeched like a bird in pain and tried to figure out how to unlock the door, pulling the handle.
�Spike calm down, what is it?�
�You said I didn�t have to! Lie! Why does everyone! I have to leave.� He pulled futilely on the door handle for a few moments, before scratching his hands crazily along the frame. Liam just watched wide-eyed.
�I locked the doors.�
�I have to go home. I feel sick please let me...� His cheeks were wet and they shined in the streetlights. His swimming eyes were filled with a sick apprehension fighting for clarity through the drugged out ether his mind was travelling through. His hands were clutching wildly at his neck, smoothing down over the bruise erratically, almost looking like he was going to choke himself.
Liam looked around. Nothing. He reached out for Spike but the man backed away, watching him warily from the corner of his eye. �You said I didn�t have to go.� He whispered, his body twisting down into a tight ball on the seat.
�What did you take?!� Liam asked incredulous. He�d never seen anyone flip like this. He didn�t want to let Spike out. Because he could get hurt, but mainly � because he thought the drugs would wear off eventually and Spike would run.
And then he�d never see him again.
He looked over at the white faced shivering boy beside him and ran his gaze out through the windshield trying to see what Spike saw. His eyes flicked over the buildings, and came to rest on a neon sign.
Bruckers.
Liam sighed in frustration at his incompetence. He�d driven almost right up beside the building Spike had been �reserved� for and the blonde was freaking out because he thought Liam was handing him over.
He backed the car out of the space insanely fast, pushing both of them forward in their seats. He pushed the car out of reverse and into first, squealing out, changing into second and gunning the motor.
Spike knelt up on his seat watching the retreating building with relief. �Thankyou. I felt sick. Not now...�
�I was never going to take you there.� He looked over at him at he sped along the street. �Believe me, please.�
�I couldn�t go back, and you promised I wouldn�t.� he crawled over the seat and Liam felt thin hands on his hips. He pushed his salty tear damp lips against Liam�s bristled jaw, before settling his stomach over Liam�s hand on the gear stick, blocking his sight as he licked his tongue along dry lips. He drew back enough for Liam to see the car in front of them stopped at lights, just in time for the brunette to throw his foot down on the brake. Spike slammed into the dash with the impact as the car behind them beeped in indignation.
�Ow.� Came Spike�s quiet voice. His head was in Liam�s lap, and Liam�s body stubbornly heated at the sight, expanding under Spike�s hard cheekbone. Spike looked up at him sleepily, grinned his usual sex-dripping smirk and stuck his tongue out to flick at the fabric-covered flesh.
The car behind them beeped again.
Liam slammed his own horn in response, before pushing Spike back into his own seat and buckling him in. He had a large red mark that was bruising near his mouth now to add to the gash over his cheek from the alley.
�Sit back before you hurt yourself more.�
He squealed away from the lights and turned a few more streets to his home. Spike wouldn�t know where he was anyway, and he didn�t want to leave him in an accessible place after what he�d done to Brucker�s help. Spike went back to singing quietly to himself.
When they arrived, Liam half carried Spike up the three flights to his door, propping the man up against the wall as he unlocked the front door, and then pulling him inside.
Spike giggled through the door and then stopped. �Wow.�
His jaw hung open. Liam looked in and tried to see his apartment from a new perspective. The lounge was the first thing you saw, a huge television on the wall of the door. Spotted around the apartment was weaponry Liam collected, old 18th century swords and guns, and also some of his favourite weapons from the USFR. Behind the lounge was the dining and kitchen off to one side, only partly seen through a shuttered servery with large stools in front of it, was L.A.
Liam loved the apartment so much because the windows in it were basically floor to ceiling on one side. His apartment was the highest in a complex that was built on the hills. His view did not include the �Hollywood� sign, as most apartments did, mainly because he found it an eyesore.
His view � was magnificent.
�I can ju�� Spike trailed off.
Los Angeles rolling out before them. Sometimes he stood on his hardwood floors with all the lights off at night, and watched the beauty that could be found in L.A at night. At night, it shined. There was no pollution or baking buildings. Just Christmas lights on black.
His bedroom had a smaller view, only half glassed, which was parallel to the head of Liam�s bed. He really did love his apartment. He also loved watching Spike in awe at the view.
�Nice, huh?�
�You must �� Spike seemed to be having trouble staying focused long enough to finish a sentence.
Liam hadn�t turned on the lights and Spike�s face was glowing almost blue in the moonlight, his eyes shined, colourless and dazzling.
Liam locked the door behind them. �Would you like a drink?�
�I have to be somewh � I �� He looked confused for a second. �I didn�t like ��
�I know. You don�t have to go anymore, remember?� He felt like he was in a dream.
The thinking seemed to be too much for Spike so he went and sat gracelessly down at the large windows. �Pretty.�
Liam thought he looked good there, perfect, sitting in his apartment, filling it with � him filling it with Spike. He had a sudden soundless fantasy of walking out of his bedroom and seeing Spike at his dining table, seated and eating eggs with L.A. filling the windows behind him. He threw his keys onto the bench, keeping the room dark to keep this strange Alice in Wonderland mood, to keep tumbling down. He didn�t want to move, he just stood in the living room, watching Spike look calmly out his windows. Spike started humming, low in his chest, almost tuneless, every now and then a hitch in the monotone.
�Liam?�
�Yes?�
�I forget.� He faced the window and his platinum hair gleamed like a halo. His hand came up to twirl the strands at the nape of his neck.
�Alright. Do you feel alright? Would you like a drink?� Liam asked, kicking himself for not knowing enough about drug taking to be calmed by Spike�s calmness, or to be ringing the hospital.
�A drink?�
�Yes.�
�You paid ��
�I will.� Liam said, gaining the confidence to walk up behind the sainted sprite in front of him. He wanted him to believe him. �I promise.�
Spike turned to look at him, beautiful face expressionless as marble. �Promise what?�
�To pay. So you don�t have to go back.� Liam was caught in the blue gaze like a deer in headlights.
�You paid for me?�
Liam frowned. Spike never took the gaze from him as he got up to walk up in front of him.
�Liam?� he whispered.
Liam shakily raised his eyebrows in acquiescence to the question.
�Do you want me?� His eyes were large and innocent. �Am I worth �?�
�Yes.� Liam breathed out before he could stop, before he could think, drawing out the syllable in a hiss of desperation.
Spike wrapped his arms around Liam�s waist squeezing the muscles of his ribs and pressing his thumbs into the sharp bones of his hips. He raised his face and Liam instinctively lent down and pressed his lips against Spike�s, feeling them part and allow Liam to penetrate him. Liam swept his tongue inside, feeling at home, feeling possessive and commanding, feeling beautiful and warm as Spike�s tongue passively soothed his own. Liam held onto Spike�s hips through his jeans, holding him in place as he catalogued his mouth. Spike relaxed, hissing occasionally as Liam�s nose or lips brushed past the scratch on his cheek or the bump on his chin.
Liam heard his exhale, long and hot and accompanied by a whine through his nose as he pressed his lips to Liam�s.
Spike lifted his hand and weakly rested against Liam�s chest, weakly participating in the kisses, moaning into Liam�s mouth and panting through his nose. Liam pulled back to look at him and watched with a small smile as his head fell forward, exhausted and heavy, before he jerked it back up.
His breathing was labored, deep as if he were already sleeping. �Will you be nice?� he mumbled.
Liam pulled him forward slowly, resting his cheek against Spike�s own. �Come here.�
Spike nodded.
Liam pulled him towards his bedroom, making sure his charge didn�t trip up in the dark, as he wasn�t focusing at all, his body fatigued from the stress and drugs and � other things.
�Come here.� Liam repeated softly as they entered the room. Spike nodded wearily and went to the bed, falling down on it and staying motionless for a second, his body refusing to move from the comfort of the mattress. He snapped out of it and undressed, stripping for Liam, uncovering his divine flesh piece by piece, trained and practiced to tantalize his audience.
Liam knew all that.
He saw beneath the show.
It wasn�t a body. It was Spike, a man like him.
Spike closed his eyes, stilled after he did, and the flicked them open with great effort, as he removed his jeans, the last vestige of protection, and dropped them on the floor. He lay on the bed, open like a flower, his skin the finest poem Liam had ever read, and he waited, his blue eyes blinking with languor, almost uncertain. The silver through his hard nipple flashed in the dimness.
Bruises spotted his flesh, and the darkness on his neck was stunningly visible against his pale body.
He was still perfect.
Liam crept up onto the bed on his knees, next to Spike�s body. He knew what would happen. And that�s how it was.
�You�re beautiful.� He whispered, running his hand up Spike�s thigh and over his stomach, sweeping his fingers around Spike�s nipple. His fear of his own sexuality gone in the light of the creature in front of him. Not man or woman. But Spike. Someone he wanted, more than he�d ever wanted anyone. Wanted to be inside and to feel the connection and heat, to share. To protect and make better. He flicked the nipple ring causing a wince and a groan from the man. Liam smoothed the skin around his nipple to calm him.
Spike stared back at him, expressionless save his eyes, which were pleading.
�Don�t hurt me.� He mumbled, too tired to work his mouth properly. �I couldn�t � plea��
He blinked and seemed to have trouble opening his eyes again. He didn�t move. He didn�t have the strength. Liam leant down and kissed his collarbone.
�You�ll do what I want?�
Spike closed his eyes and nodded his head, so faintly Liam wouldn�t have seen it if his attention hadn�t been glued to the bewitchingly diaphanous body beneath him. His eyes were slits of shine.
He ran his finger lightly up Spike�s neck and over his chin, rubbing gently across his lips. �Close your eyes.� Liam breathed.
Spike did, without hesitation. Liam watched. �Keep them closed. Relax. Feel the bed underneath you� breathe slower.� Liam made his voice deep and calm.
He waited.
Spike dutifully kept his eyes closed for Liam, who watched him until he saw the slight body slacken and the blonde head roll to the side in sleep. He kept watching. A soft snore started.
�Good.� He said, his voice so light it hardly made an impact in the room. Watching him sleep made Liam�s breath hitch and his heartbeat quicken. He pulled the sheet up over the boneless body and left the room, leaving it full of breath and body and heat, and fell asleep on his couch, his body in pain from longing as he heard the man shift and groan through the wall, only a few feet away.
To Liam it felt like many more.