Pairing: S/X
Rating: NC/17
Warnings: Will appear on chapters if needed – some M/M relations
Summary: Spike survived the Black Thorn but only because one of the Senior Partners had heard Illyria refer to him as suitable for her pet and decided to amuse themselves with devastating results
Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4 , Part 5 , Part 6 , Part 7 , Part 8 , Part 9 , Part 10 , Part 11 , Part 12 , Part 13 , Part 14 , Part 15 , Part 16 , Part 17 , Part 18 , Part 19 , Part 20 , Part 21
Part 22
“Hey… Is Willow there? Sorry yeah… um… Mistress Willow… Oh… um, sorry… Can you just let her know that *Spike* is OK… well sort of… Can you wake her up… Yeah, I’m sure… Thanks.”
Xander was sitting on the floor of the entrance hall by the time a rather sleepy Willow came to the phone.
“Yes, who’s this?”
“Hi it’s me Wils… Didn’t they tell you?”
“Xander? I… Is Spike…?”
“He’s fine Willow, well sort of fine. I mean, he’s alive, and it came pretty close there… but um…”
“What is it Xan? What’s happened!?”
“It’s just that… I want to check if it’s permanent… You know the changeling thing.”
“Meaning?”
“The dog by day, vampire by night thing…”
“What??”
“He was back Wils… last night, in his ‘big bad’ self… well at least not so big and bad but… you know *human* shape…”
“Oh… *oh*!!! But that’s wonderful…”
“Then this morning he’s back to dogboy. He said it’s what was offered… I just need to know what that means.”
“So he’s OK though… I mean he’s, you know, recovering? And you’re OK? You didn’t change I mean?”
“He’s fine… And me the usual Xan-shaped friend yeah. But Willow… Is it permanent? You know does the pattern stay and is he the longest living dog or the shortest living vampire? I… I’m just at a bit of a loss… what does it all mean?”
Willow’s voice dropped as though she were simply addressing herself, “So that’s what the Battle Brand meant by ‘they must become the balance of two, pet and master joined by blood, privy to night and day in consort and concert with each other.’”
“All good Wils but…”
“I’ll have to ask Giles and the Brand again. But it really should mean that you have each other for as long as you are both OK. Are you OK? I mean is he…?”
By the time he answered, Xander was flanked by the two dogs. Spike having ‘felt’ his distress and Poppie simply following her still weak father inside.
“Yeah I’m OK… *hey*! Off there! Spike! Geez… *sit*!” The dog had begun to nuzzle Xander’s boxer covered nether regions and looked unrepentant as he sat almost grinning and staring at Xander. “Sorry about that… Yes he’s fine, I’m fine, we’re all fine… just wanted to know for how long.”
“And you haven’t reversed the pledge or anything?”
“What? No! Nothing like that… I meant what I said… And… Yes alright! You’re beautiful… and so are you…” Xander paused to ruffle first Spike’s fur then Poppie’s as she pushed closer to be included. “They’re both here Wils, sorry… Look just let me know if you find anything yeah? And… thanks…”
The conversation finished quickly with promises to keep in touch and Willow giggling a little as she heard the faked growls of the two dogs all but in Xander’s lap.
The day off provided Xander with the afternoon to take a recovering Spike and enthusiastic Poppie to the park for a good game of chase the stick, Spike letting go his previous night of vampire sojourn in favour of an instinctive game of fetch. He was feeling well and tried to convey his thanks to his human ‘master’, even daring to occasionally lick Xander before racing off for yet another tousle with Poppie in order to jointly carry the stick back to the thrower.
As sundown approached, a tired Poppie and Spike followed Xander back to the house to be fed and relax in front of the television. Dinner had, Poppie snoozed easily, while Xander led Spike into the bedroom just in time to observe the dog arch and whimper slightly before fur disappeared and a very real, pale human body was left curled on the mat beside the bed.
Spike blinked twice slowly, then pushed up to sitting and reached rather shakily for Xander’s hand. “Need a little help, pet.”
Xander dropped to the floor beside him with near vampiric speed, rather than helping him up he ran his hands all over Spike’s body. “Oh Spike, Ghod Spike are you hurting? I mean did you hurt…? Did that…?”
Spike was still seated on the floor rather awkwardly, drew his legs in as though to stand then looked up with appealing blue eyes, “All a bit of a blur luv… but have a heart and give a chap a bit of an on up would ya… Haven’t stood fer so long as I’m pretty sure the ol’ pins ‘ve forgotten.”
Xander stopped his questioning immediately and took the slim form firmly under the arms, lifting him to standing along with him. Spike was already pale but seemed to take on a decidedly grayish hue as he leaned against Xander’s chest and tested out his new found altitude before whispering with not a small measure of wonder, “Never thought I’d feel this again.”
Xander held him even tighter in the hug, the lean body melting into his own for a moment.
“Do you want to sit down?”
Spike lifted his chin and gave Xander a very innocent smile, “Nah mate… like it up here. Means I can do this…” then slid his hands around to squeeze Xander’s buttocks provocatively. “Bin meanin’ to do that for a while.”
“Hmmm… Not really objecting but… don’t you think we’d better get you some clothes and try some upright walking?”
“If you insist pet… although didn’t think you minded me in me birthday suit.”
“There’s no minding here Spike but umm… What if Gracie comes over or something and…” Xander pulled away a little and looked somewhat awkward
“Don’t stress luv… like to stretch the legs a bit ‘n check out the house from this perspective… with your help of course.”
Xander sat Spike on the bed and rummaged through his cupboard for the smallest pair of jeans he could find. “These will still probably be a bit big on you, but hey we should go to the mall, it’s open until ten tonight… and you know… We’ll have to get you something that fits… Willow thinks this might be permanent.”
“Don’t know pet, you could just keep me round the house as your bed buddy slash toyboy (in all senses of the term). Don’t need clothes for that.”
Xander paused for a moment in his search for a T-shirt and looked up at a grinning Spike, “You’re kidding right?”
“’Course I’m kidding, but made you lose your train of thought for a minute didn’t it?”
“You’re a bad influence you know that?”
“Bad as ever luv.”
Xander snorted a little and handed Spike a black t-shirt from his collection. “Shoes will have to be some old gym shoes of mine until we get to the mall.”
Spike struggled into the oversized jeans, almost toppling as he stood to pull them on properly and do up the fly. But Xander was there to catch him, doing so without a word and this time just as a friend, not lover.
Spike raised rather distressed eyes to his as the newly clad vampire sat once more. “Sorry bought that… just need a little more practice I guess…”
“Hey… be a *bit* patient… You’re forgetting you came *so* close to no more Spike, dog or like this, the other night. Let me take care of the rest.” Spike nodded with not a small amount of embarrassment, then raised his arms like a young child, ready for the t-shirt.
As Xander knelt on the floor and made to put on the shoes, however Spike stayed his hand. “Reckon I could just… you know wander barefoot for a while… maybe even take an evenin’ stroll? And I still have to see Poppie… Xan what will *she* make of her dear ol’ dad oscillatin’ between the undead and real?”
“I… I really hadn’t thought of that.”
Xander helped pull the t-shirt down further, “Nor had I ‘til now pet. Few things might have to change to cover our behinds… Then again… Hey let’s not dwell shall we… How do I look?”
Spike stood a little straighter. The jeans hung low and the two sizes too big t-shirt made him look like he was wearing a bigger brother’s outfit. To Xander, it was perfect. Spike would always be… Spike, but for now appeared sweet and vulnerable in the borrowed clothes. He avoided a direct answer. “So practice walking on two all of the good?”
“Taa mate.”
There was no ceremony as Spike silently began to explore the house, at first using Xander and then the wall to balance, but quickly found that his human legs remembered the articulation and balance of a hundred plus years quite well.
Poppie was asleep on the mat in front of the fire (cold now for summer) and barely stirred as she registered the familiar scents of both father and owner. There was no need to get up, master was just restless. She heard the keys absently and concluded that there would be fresh meat in the morning as master usually jingled them just before he went to the market. She was happy to stay – the market was noisy and often she had been tied outside with father – not pleasant. Her father was probably sleeping in the other room. She settled and slept on.
Spike moved to wait by the rear of the car while Xander collected some shoes for him and locked the house. He appeared like a young rather disheveled little boy as he stood worrying the bottom of his t-shirt and toeing the ground distractedly.
Xander smiled at him and opened the driver side door, “Aren’t you going to sit in the front?”
“Wha..? Oh… yeah… ‘course.”
The trip to the mall was a quick one with Xander noting the vampire’s extreme discomfort at going into the well lit, busy environment in his human guise, heightened by a rather over attentive shop assistant in one of the men’s wear outlets. After a baulked attempt to estimate his size, Spike waited rather impatiently in the booth while Xander moved off with the casually dressed twenty something assistant to “Get your cute friend something that’s more his style.”
Xander had to agree with the assistant at the end of the exercise, Spike looked spectacular, a very tight, long sleeved dark blue t-shirt, fashion fade jeans slightly bunched at the bottom and (at Spike’s insistence) a pair of black Doc Marten boots. The black sweater tied around his neck finished the look though Spike grumbled that he really needed his old duster instead of some ‘poncy cashmere number’ but finally agreed that the look was passable after Xander promised to source a ‘duster’ as soon as he could.
“Much as I like your hair like it is Spike, all those long curls…” Spike raised an eyebrow and gave Xander a cheeky grin. “What’s on your mind pet?”
“Do you want a… um… do you want a haircut while we’re here?”
“That bad huh? Well, in for a penny as they say… lead on oh sugar daddy mine. Just none of that rubbish me ol’ Sire used to do.”
Xander’s regular hair dresser was managing ‘Hairline’ that evening and thrilled to see Xander walking in with what was obviously a new ‘friend’. David had dated Xander once or twice pre Spike days and though they remained firm friends, it really hadn’t worked out.
David quickly dealt with the customer he was serving at the counter and asked to be introduced with a broad smile to Xander, “This is s..Will, he’s um… living with me now.”
“Well you go girl! Nice to meet you Will.” He held out a hand and shook Spike’s cool one before leading him over to a chair with trough at the back and proceeded to chat away to Xander while an assistant leaned Spike back, added towel and bib and began to wash and massage his hair. Led to another chair in front of a mirror Spike shot a worried look at Xander.
“Um David… you mind if I sit in the way of the mirror while you cut, I’d like it to be a surprise for him.”
“Sure! Doesn’t matter to me, whatever spins your dial. Now Will do you normally wear it with product or…”
Xander’s act not only masked the fact that Spike was missing a reflection but also made for lively conversation and allowed a certain amount of foot touching (not missed by David) as Spike answered.
“Leave it up to you mate, been a long time since I had a cut. Used to keep it blonded, bloody Billy Idol style, no idea now.”
David combed out the wet hair flat and began to divide off sections as he chatted in typical ‘hairdresser’ style, “So you two known each other for a while then?”
Xander shot a grin to Spike, “We go way back to California actually, S..Will didn’t come to Canada until about two years ago. We just sort of found each other and after that… Well anyway…”
Spike took up the conversation easily as David deftly clipped, “Bloody well saved me from a pretty desperate situation is the truth. Only ended up in Canada ‘cause I’d lost everything. We met a couple of times before Xander even recognized me, but he’s a bloody white hat of the first order. Took me in, an’ well, I owe my still being on this here earth to him.” Spike stared up into Xander’s eye with genuine thanks. Xander’s patch was, as usual, firmly in place for outings – of all genre, bar the bedroom!
David gave a rather over-exaggerated sigh and kept cutting, “Well? Come on as if I would expect anything else of our Xan here! And by the way we *are* going to let me cut your hair tonight too! You simply cannot go out with your boyfriend in such a state!”
Xander sighed but smiled sweetly at first Spike then David, “Yeah sure. Anyway… Spike and I have sort of rediscovered each other I guess you could say…” Xander’s voice dropped to a near whisper as he imparted the last bit of information, “We lived together for a while and recently done a pledge ceremony, so I guess we’re for good.”
“Oh Ghod Xan, you’ve got me all teary! That’s fabulous! See, didn’t I tell you you’d find the one! Oooh and by the way, that hunk of a Chris from your construction team, the one who was having all the hassles? Well, my dear married friend… “ David paused for a moment then whispered conspiratorially in Xander’s direction, “He’s with me! And goodness incarnate through and through. Keep that under your hat though would you?”
“Chris? No… Sure! That’s wonderful… I was worried for him.”
David was using a razor to leave light layers through Spike’s far shorter hair – only every second frond managing to retain the bleach blonde of days well past – pausing to smile a cheeky grin at Xander.
“And he you. Listen Xan, far be it for me to ask the impossible, but… You think Chris will be picked up for your next project? Just that, he said ‘he’d blotted his copy book’ so you’d be unwilling…”
Spike’s neck hairs stood on end as the last of the cut was finished. He was about to growl, knowing full well the history of Chris and the building site, but Xander stepped in quickly.
“Chris has proven himself to all the guys on merit. Anything else is his to worry about, but the management *do* know what he went through. Jerry and I will be hiring accordingly, assuming of course that we get the next tender.”
“I’ll keep that to myself, but good for you… OK… enough shop talk. What do you think?” A flounce of the cover that had caught all Spike’s hair did the reveal and the result was stunning. ‘Product’ pushed Spike’s hair into a fashionable ‘Beckham’ peak complete with residual streaks, and Spike’s begging eyes asked for Xander’s approval.
“It’s…” Xander checked himself, little Xander responding instantly to the sight of fashionable Spike, or more correctly… drop dead gorgeous Spike.
“OK, OK, I’m a genious, now what say we make you a matching pair, ‘cause oh my dear construction worker that ‘rugged look’ has just got to go much as I love the three day growth thing on you! Let me see to that mop of your’s, and no lazing! I promise you’ll look fab!”
A grinning Spike relinquished his chair in favor of Xander, and by the time the human had been clipped and styled the pair were ready for any catwalk.
David caught the aroused interchanged looks between the two, “Lord help me but I need a fan… Now would you two go out and just credit the ‘dresser’?!! Otherwise you’ll make me blush again and that will put off my lady clients… Now Shooo! And see you on All Hallows… my place, big party… “
A newly coiffed Spike stood leaning agaist the wall as Xander took the chair, and in the end they both walked back to the car with fashionable hair.
Spike had said little until they were exiting the carpark, “so… we goin’ fer a beer or what?”
Xander was taken a little aback, the man next to him was super-model gorgeous. “I… um… sure… just…”
“C’mon pet… You ashamed of me?”
“No… No! Spike you are… geez Spike… I’m just getting used to… And now this… And I can *feel* you….”
“You ‘n me both luv… Strange as it may be, you ‘n me both.”
Bags containing two extra outfits were deposited in the rear of the car and an hour later found the two at a gay bar, initial pounding beats giving way to a slow dance song that encouraged couples to dance close. Xander had already downed two beers as they took to the floor and as Spike rubbed himself against his beautiful rescuer Xander found himself helplessly aroused.
He whispered into the man in his arms’ ear, “Ghods Spike if you rub there again I’m gonna come!”
“’S the whole point, pet. ‘N if the gents beside us don’t stop checkin’ out your arse I’m gonna have to do somethin’ violent.”
“What? No! Do you want to go home?”
“That a proposition or a promise luv?” Spike smiled sweetly up to Xander then rubbed his leg over the bulge in Xander’s jeans.
“And again I say Gahhh! Alright finish the song and let’s go. Poppie will be starting to worry anyways.”
Spike pulled away and feigned a look of hurt, “That’s right pet, bring family into it why don’t you.” Then grinned and reached up to kiss Xander firmly (and rather territorially for the onlookers) on the lips.
Xander closed his eyes and gave in to a cool tongue finding his for a delightful moment before Spike nipped at his throat and whispered, “Careful what you wish for eyy pet…”
Xander simply groaned and wished he had worn his old jeans that weren’t quite so tight. He noted the barman grinning over at the two of them, and gave a nod in his direction before dragging Spike out into the night as the music finished.
At home Xander led Spike to the bedroom and deposited their purchases by the wardrobe before wandering into the lounge to give Poppie a loving stroke of reassurance. She roused for her master then settled again, happy that the scents were familiar and master was home.
By the time Xander entered the bedroom, Spike was lying on the bed nude and obviously aroused and grinned at Xander unrepentantly. “So come on luv… have at it then… I want this as much as you… just put your mouth…”
Xander stripped off his clothes with lightening speed, his control gone and the spectacular male in front of him driving his own desire higher. He made to kiss Spike only to be redirected until they were lying face to groin. “Have at it pet… bit tired here and… There! Oh yeah that’s it…”
Xander lay across Spike, taking Spike by mouth and groaned as the act was reciprocated. He tried hard not to push but then Spike’s cool mouth was around his manhood sucking for all it was worth.
“Oh Ghod… Spike… humph- lll-hmmm.” There was no further discussion as the two brought each other to completion quickly, Spike laving and drinking of his partner and being swallowed. Xander collapsed onto his dear friend, his pledged, as the last of the orgasm took him. He barely registered the “Spin around pet… want to wake in your arms yeah?”
The human’s last act before slumber was to turn and hug Spike close, eventually falling asleep with Spike resting his head on Xander’s chest sucking lazily at a small cut made by extended canines, their legs entwined. Tomorrow was another day, he would wake with a dog in his arms he knew that… but for now he had a lover in his arms. He smiled a little and gave in to the tug of sleep.