AUTHOR:
bohofemmFANDOM: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
PAIRING: Spike/Xander.
GENRE : Slash
TABLE: B
PROMPT: 079. Surprise
RATING: PG-13.
WORD COUNT: 1708 words.
SUMMARY: Xander rambles and deals with someone he doesn't want to see with Spike.
WARNINGS: None. Slash.
NOTES: X-Posted to
lover100. Set Post Chosen and NFA. -STORY NOTES: This is a new series. Previous stories can be found Here.
DISCLAIMER: You recognize them? I don’t own them.
Xander stared forward in stunned silence. Spike loved him? After only three weeks of dating? His eyes darted around, his face still stony. He bit down on his tongue, frantically searching for words. He had to say something. He couldn't stay quiet.
“Harris?” Spike slowly waved his hand in front of Xander's face, looking puzzled. “Xander?” Finally, do he gripped Xander by the shoulders. “Hate to do this to you, Pet.” Then, he shook him.
Xander glared at him, wanting to hide his annoyance. “Don't do that. Andrew used to do that when I would space out. Turns out I hate it more now than I did then.”
“Shouldn't have said anything.” Spike shook his head and threw his arms in the air. “Now, I've gone and botched it.”
Dawn spun around on her heel, her hand over the phone receiver. “If you two are going to meltdown, could you do it quietly?” She pointed to the phone. “I can't hear Buffy.”
Xander sighed. He knew he had to say something. He couldn't just ignore the fact Spike had said the 'L' word. It just didn't work like that.
Should he just tell Spike the truth and throw caution to the wind?
Spike's not Andrew. I can trust him. he thought. As Spike paced while mumbling to himself, Xander made a split second decision.
“In my job, you have to play it safe. If you don't, you can get killed or worse, get one of your girls killed. Ever since I took this job, I've lost my sense of adventure.” Where were these words coming from? He hadn't planned to say any of this! “I'm sick of playing it safe. Did you know if you play it safe for too long life gets boring and miserable?” He gripped Spike by the arm, forcing him to stop pacing. “No more safety. If it goes all to Hell, we'll have no secrets. If you go crazy and start stalking me, you'll have something to go off other than being obsessed with my new boyfriend.” He knew he was babbling but it felt right. “And-”
Spike cut him off. “Bloody hell, Pet, move on.”
“William the Bloody, I love you.”
Spike said nothing but the happily baffled look on his face was more than enough for Xander.
“Xan, can you see if the hotel has a crib?” Dawn flipped around.
“A crib?” he asked, baffled. He reached out to grip Spike's hand. “What do we need a crib for?”
“Buffy needs Andrew's partner and the baby to stay with us. Dietrich's sick of waiting at home. Plus she figures if he called me about the baby, he might slip up if he finds out Greta's here,” Dawn explained.
Spike scoffed. “Has the supreme slayer gone barmy? Not supposed to mix the ex and the current. Even I know that.”
“Well, he doesn't know anyone else in the city. We can't leave him alone in a strange city with his crazed partner on the loose,” Dawn explained.
Xander rested his head in his hands. Through the years, the Council had concocted some odd plans but this had to be the worst one yet. Did they actually expect him to sleep in the same room with his ex's boyfriend and their baby?
“Dawn, you know I would do anything for my job but she's asking too much this time.” Xander turned to face Spike. “Would you be annoyed if I got a second room?”
“Why would I mind? Don't much care for the idea of being so close to someone related to Wells.” Spike sat on the edge of the bed, still lightly gripping Xander's hand. “Ridiculous, that's what it is.”
“Xander. He's perfectly nice. One night won't hurt you.” She rolled her eyes. “You always make such a big deal over nothing.”
“Leave him alone.” Spike glared at her. “If he ain't comfortable with this bloke, he ain't comfortable. No two ways about it.”
Xander watched as Spike defended him. He smirked, pleased. He had never really had someone defend him like this before.
“Xander, I can't believe you'd be so petty that you can't spend one night in the same room with him.”
“Bit, thought I told you to leave him alone. Not about to have you push him into something he's uncomfortable with.” Spike held up Xander's credit card. “Pet, get a second room while I have a little talk with Bit.”
Xander left the room, hoping he wouldn't go TOO hard on Dawn. She may have taken her job too seriously at times but that didn't mean he wanted her on the receiving end of one of Spike's angry outbursts.
“Do you have a second room available?” Xander asked, setting his credit card on the counter and pushing it forward.
“All I have is a single full. Will that be a problem?” The clerk moved his hand towards the card.
“It'll be fine.” Xander stifled a yawn, just wanting to get back to Spike. As he waited for the room key, he nervously tapped his foot.
“Just need your signature right there, Mr. Raley.” The clerk tapped a spot on the bottom of the receipt with a ballpoint pen.
Xander accepted the pen and scrawled his name across the bottom. Then, he took the room key and his credit card.
Xander supposed a tiny part of him still cared about Andrew. If he hadn't gone insane, who knew where life would have taken them? Seeing his partner would have been a slap in the face. He may have had Spike but you NEVER forgot your first love.
Silently, he found the room. Sticking the key card into the door, he waited for the light to flash green before entering.
Spike joined him close to twenty minutes later. Xander quietly pecked his lips, noting the fact he seemed frustrated and edgy. “Spill.”
“What? The fact the Bit is every bit her sister? The fact she's one of the most aggravating people I've ever known? She acts like work is the only thing to live for.” Spike threw his arms in the air. “Bugger this.” He groaned.
“Relax.” Xander wrapped his arms around Spike's waist. “Dawn's just obsessed with her job. Not really healthy, but what are you going to do?”
Spike glanced into Xander's eyes. “Did you mean what you said earlier?”
“That I love you?” Xander asked, laying his head on Spike's chest. “Of course, I love you. I don't say it to just anyone. I just-”
“Ramble when you're nervous.” Spike smirked. “Kind of noticed.” He sighed.
“You're brooding.” Xander stared up, slyly smirking. “Dea-”
“Remember the fun we had this morning?” Spike scowled with sparkling eyes.
Xander nodded.
“Finish that sentence and it will be a very long time before that happens again.” Spike's eyes widened in horror. “Dear God, I sound like a bird.”
“It's the truth!” Xander exclaimed. “You're broody and reminding me of Deadboy.” He yawned. “Do you mind if I got some sleep?” He blinked, struggling to ignore his blurring vision.
Spike lightly laid Xander on the mattress before laying next to him and wrapping his arms around him before gripping Xander lightly by the hand. "Insist on it, Pet. No one will bother you. Not while I'm here."
Xander yawned, attempting to reply. Nothing came out. He just managed to sleep.
He woke up to his cellphone ringing and Spike cursing.
"Bloody Hell, it's going to wake him," Spike hissed.
Xander yawned, stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out the offending phone. "Looking for this?"
Spike snatched it from his hand. "The only place I didn't look." He flipped it open. "Hello?"
Xander stretched out lazily, watching him. He had never really noticed his partner's inability to stand still until just then.
"Yes, Amara. We'll go. Don't worry. Bear's blood has always tasted off to me." Facing Xander, he smirked. Then, he hung up the phone. "Fancy a trip to Hell House?"
"Why?" Xander sat up, his eye following Spike around the room. "What time is it?"
"About eight. The sun's been down about forty minutes." Spike pulled the blinds open. "Our slayer needs her bear."
"Needs her what?"
"Bear. Mr. Jones. She can't sleep well without him." Spike pulled his boots on. "Don't mind, do you?"
"We need clothes anyway." Xander softly cursed, groping his pocket. "I left the keys in Dawn's room."
"Want me to get them?" Spike asked, leaning in for a kiss. "There was a baby in the background."
Xander nibbled on his lower lip as he considered Spike's offer. Did he want to put off seeing Dietrich? He may not have been comfortable sharing a room with him but his job dictated he would have to see him at some point.
"Meet down in the lobby in about fifteen minutes. I'll go. Don't worry." He lightly squeezed Spike's hand and dashed out of the room.
Xander knocked on the door of the room. He pulled back surprised when the door was opened by a short, muscular brunette man.
"Hi. I just need to get my keys back from Dawn." Xander gently pushed forward.
"Yes, yes, grab them," Dietrich said in lightly accented English. "Dawn and Amara have gone to the lobby to get dinner." He balanced Greta on his hip.
Xander awkwardly grabbed his keys. Until now, he had only met Dietrich once before in the hospital waiting room when Greta was born. It wasn't any less awkward now than it had been then.
"My Andrew-will you find him?" Xander could detect a note of hope in the man's voice. "He would never intentionally hurt a slayer."
"I think Amara just got in the way of him and Spike." His hand hovered inches above the doorknob. Suddenly, he realized he was beginning to sympathise with Dietrich.
He had once been there. In love and wondering if Andrew would give up this crazy quest and just come back to him.
Xander rested his head on the door. He wasn't supposed to sympathise with his ex-boyfriend's current partner.
"I'll be seeing you." He grabbed the knob, turned it and left to meet Spike.