22/26
Author: BmblBee
Paring: S/X, AU
Rating: Adult NC17 for language and M/M sexual content.
Disclaimer: The Bee owns nothing including the characters and
products named in this story.
Warnings: Sex, violence and character death. Yes, the mouse
dies.
Summary: This story is a followup to Mouse but it is not necessary
to have read it. Xander brings Spike home to kill a mouse.
The mouse escaped and Spike stayed for the fun, games
and conflicts that S/X always get up to. One night Spike
gets more than a little drunk and does something stupid.
Comments: The last few stories have been drama and trauma. I felt
we needed some lighthearted fluff, comedy and stupidity.
Thanks to: Petxnd for her preread and suggestions and to Silk Labyrinth
for her betaing of boo boos. It should be noted that if any
irregularities remain it is due to the Bee's bullheadedness.
Spike scooted back as far as he could on his side of the bed. He closed
his eyes and slumped as the waves of tingly aftershocks faded and left
him rubbery and sluggish. When his brain again resumed limited function,
he found contemplation difficult as his mind and body continued swimming
in a whirlpool of thoughts and conflicting sensations.
Xander had just said something important but Spike couldn't quite grasp it.
There was a low-grade humming in his ears as if he were standing in the
shadow of a thousand high-voltage power lines and his brain found
concentration difficult. His entire being was overwhelmed, sated and warmed
by the unexpected infusion of Xander's blood.
Although it had only been a few small swallows, his stomach felt surprisingly
full and his heart was strangely sated. His flesh was warmed. Warmed from
the inside out, and the tongue in his mouth was encased in the flavor of plasma,
life and Xander. It was the most wonderful flavor in the world.
Due to the restrictive constraints of the chip, he hadn't had hot, fresh blood
from the source for over two years and he had, till then, taken so much for
granted.
He had forgotten how the human's emotions could alter and spice the taste. How
fear and anger gave it a sharp tang almost like the spice of Mexican food in Nogales.
Innocence was sweet like chocolate and blood from a dead or unconscious victim
stripped it, leaving it nutritious yet bland.
But Xander's blood. This was sprinkled with something different. Something
unfamiliar yet all-consuming and wonderful. It was an emotion foreign and
alien to Spike and he wondered what it could be and if Xander would allow
further experimentation to define its source. Spike sighed as a goofy grin swept
from his lips to the crinkle at the corners of his closed eyes.
Xander watched in amusement as all these wild emotions played out over his
vampire's usually stoic face. Fear, confusion, contemplation and finally contentment.
Apparently his comment about secrets and the slayer had not yet seeped in. He
knew it would. Soon.
Xander lay on his side, his head propped up on his hand and he waited.
'Five. Four. Three. Two....'
Spike sat bolt upright in a cartoony-like 'BOING.' His eyes bugged open and
his jaw dropped. His face snapped around as just a foot of space separated them
and he examined the smirk of superiority on his human's mug.
"What did you say?"
Xander slumped back down with his hands tucked under his head. He too was
buzzing from the amazing ache in his ass and the prickly, passionate punctures in
his person. Far from angry or fearful, Xander was flush with glee and gratification.
"I said, my fangy and bitey friend, that it would appear that I am not the only one of us
who is keeping a secret from the slayer."
"See here now! That smells of extortion! Besides, I don't know of what you speak.
I'm innocent. Innocent, I say! It was a fluke. That's it! My fangs just dropped in
a moment of passion and they accidentally fell on your neck. OH! OH! MY HEAD!"
Spike dropped back and clutched his head as he thrashed around, regularly stealing
glimpses at his bedmate to gauge his reaction. So far, Xander was not impressed
and after giving the weak performance a minute or so, he had to speak up.
"Well, I must say. That is just pitiful. Apparently you have never eaten an actor."
"Hey! I'll have you know...."
"Drop it, Spike. I'm laying here with vamp spunk running out my sore ass, and a
couple of holes in my neck that are screaming 'CHIPLESS.' That and the fact
that you left bruises on my wrists earlier, combined with a small sharp piece of
plastic that I stepped on in the shower tonight, all left me fairly certain. The
Initiative's implant has been deplanted. My only question is what you will
do about it."
Spike was no longer able to keep his excitement down. The truth, as the X-Files
often said, is out there and Spike couldn't wait to talk about it. It bubbled up to the
surface, lighting his eyes and pouring out of his mouth in a stream of thrilled, high-
pitched babble that would have made Willow seem mute.
"Honest to god, Xan, I never expected it. I got in a fight and the fucking demon
split my head open. It must have dislodged it and the water flushed it from my
open skull. Just like that. Just that simple. A total fucking happenstance! All my
months and years of suffering, starved and weakened, are over. I'm back. Holy
fucking Moses on a muffin! I'm fucking back!!!"
Xander chuckled at his friend's enthusiasm as he carded his fingers through the
blond's hair. His heart ached at the description of the life Spike had led under
the invisible shackle of the chip that prevented him from doing what came naturally.
His fingertips ghosted lightly over the spot behind Spike's ear where he had seen
the greatest damage, and Xander was reasonably certain that was the point of
altering impact.
"Gee, Spike, I'm sorry. I guess I never really considered how horrible this has
been for you and, to be honest, I guess I was kinda glad. From a selfish point of
view. As long as you had the chip and needed me for blood handouts, I hoped
you would stay."
Spike reached up and gently took hold of the hand that had been petting him.
He kissed the fingertips, then leaned forward to do the same with his boy's lips.
He felt Xander melt and scoot fractionally closer. Spike's eyes were drawn
to the red, puffy bite marks in his boy's neck and the urge to fuck and bite rushed
through him.
'Calm,' he told himself. 'Calm down.' When he could, he spoke, low and soft
in Xander's ear.
"Xander, I haven't stayed because I needed free blood. I can steal it from the
Red Cross. I could drink from animals as long as I didn't kill them, and there
are some demons with blood very much like humans. It just wasn't the same.
It wasn't enough but it was there. I stayed because...."
"Because?"
Spike leaned back. He shrugged and tried to look noncommittal. He failed badly.
"I guess I like you. Of course, now things have changed so you probably want
me to go."
Spike batted his eyes and waited for the response he was fairly certain would be
forthcoming. Xander did not disappoint in his eagerness to disagree.
"No. No, Spike, please, don't go. I mean, unless you want to. I don't know
how we will deal with this new situation, but we will. Actually, if tonight is any
indication, I think we will deal very well."
Spike hated to wipe the huge grin off Xander's face but he had to. He needed to
say the one word that would stick an icicle up the arse of happiness.
"And what about Buffy? I'm not hiding anymore, Xander. If you are ashamed
of us, of me, then tell me now because I want all the cards on the table."
Xander gave serious contemplation to the question of total disclosure and a new
thought came to mind. If Buffy knew about the chip, she may be less inclined to
dust Spike if Xander's affections stood in the way. Xander's honesty may actually
give the slayer pause.
"I will! There is no shame in my game, Spike. I'll tell her about us. Tomorrow."
Spike was surprised, to say the least. He was also delighted, proud and more
hopeful for the future than he had been in ages.
"You will? Really? OK then. We will stand up to her together and we can
live happily ever after. Just you and me and Luffton. It will be wonderful!
Damn, Xan. You are the greatest!"
Spike scooped the human up in his arms and began nuzzling and snuffling the
fresh bite marks on his neck. It was the best angle. It insured that Spike couldn't
see the flash of resentment in Xander's face as his brain was seared with the stamp
of one vile word.
"LUFFTON!"