Pairing : Spike/Xander
Rating : NC17
Summary: The words of a prophecy force Spike and Xander closer than they ever thought they would ever become but will it be close enough?
Part: 12/18
A/N : Inspired by plot bunny/challenge posted here: http://spanderfiles.com/grp/challenges.html
Lady Q: Write a story based on the meaning of Xander's name. Alexander means: Defender of Men and Warrior. So I would like to see a story based on the meaning of his name and Xander coming to understand it
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Xander didn't stir when Spike carried him from the room. In fact, Xander didn't wake up when he was placed gently in the back seat of Giles' cramped little car, or when he was cradled carefully against his Mate's side on the drive to his apartment. He didn't register being carried into his apartment, the invitation that Spike issued to Angel (that worked because Xander was part of Spike now), allowing Angel to close all the curtains, deposit blood in the fridge, and do everything to make it safe for a nice long rest for both of them. He merely sighed heavily when the sheet that was wrapped around him was tugged off and he was placed between his own cotton sheets. The closest he came to waking up was when a lean, cool body climbed into bed next to him and a strong arm wrapped around his shoulders. But he didn't wake – instead, he nuzzled his face into the curve of neck and shoulder, inhaled deeply of the scent that said 'pack – home – family' and drifted back to sleep. After all, he was safe now – why would he need to wake up?
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Giles and Wesley sat in companionable silence, reading and re-reading the details of the prophecy. Wesley had been as excited as Giles at his description of the fight, cursing the fact that he hadn't seen it himself although he wryly admitted that he was glad not to be a witness to the 'wedding'. A glass of fine whiskey, researching that had already paid dividends, and a fellow Englishman for company – who could ask for more than that?
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“Do you want to talk about it?” She looked up at Angel, trying to read his expression.
“I don't know. Do you?”
“I think we need to. I can't pretend that I'm not envious – Spike and Xander have done something that I've been wanting us to do for months, and in a matter of days. Regardless of the reason behind it, they're linked forever now. And I want that with you Buffy. I – I never thought I would have this chance to be with you, and now I am I want everything”.
“And you think I don't? Angel, it's not that simple and you know it. You live in LA, I live in Sunnydale and I can't just walk away from the Hellmouth – I mean, d'uh! And based on what you've said, if we did it – if I let you claim me – we'd have to be together, right? I mean, it would hurt us being apart?”
Angel nodded. She wasn't saying anything they hadn't discussed before, but he had been honest with her – he truly envied Spike. Not who the link was with – Harris had been a thorn in his side for too many years, and however much he admired the man's balls, he was almost as aggravating as Spike. But the closeness – the knowing how the other person felt, the absolute knowledge that he belonged to her, and she belonged to him – yes, he envied Spike having that.
“Giles would have a complete wiggins – a slayer claimed by a vampire is not exactly textbook, and the Council would flip!”
Back to silence, most of the conversation going on in their heads as a replay of the previous times they had tried to resolve things. Entering the mansion, they headed up to the bedroom. Angel made sure the curtains were securely closed, then turned back. Buffy was standing by the bed, her boots kicked off, slowly unbuttoning her blouse.
He stepped towards her, reaching out to take over the task, slipping the small buttons through the button holes, revealing the creamy soft skin to his avid gaze.
“Mo chuisle” he murmured, stroking the soft skin of her neck as he stared down at her.
“Táim i ngrá leat” she whispered back, reaching up to pull his head down towards her, taking his lips in a soft kiss. They could talk about this later – much much later.
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Xander's entrance to the shop was as different from Saturday as night from day. Confident and assured, he prowled into the store, shadowed by Spike. If asked, Buffy would lie till the day she died, but watching them walk in together she momentarily wished she had stayed at the factory after they had dealt with all the demons, etc. Because they looked good together, complementary, light and dark, tall broad and muscular alongside long, lean and menacing. She personally felt she should be let off for the slight fangirl 'sigh' that escaped her, before she shook herself back to normal.
“Hey guys!! I guess congratulations are in order!” Jumping off the table, and shoving the axe behind her she walked over to Xander to give him a hug. And realised that he registered on her slayer as 'other' – no way to describe it but that. Xander wasn't just human anymore.
“Hey Buff!” Squeezing her close, Xander inhaled the scent that always said Buffy to him – slayer/pack/friend – not even realising he was cataloguing it all as he did so. “Hey G-man! I wanted to say thanks for the saveage the other night, I really appreciate you guys coming for me”.
Stepping back, Buffy walked over to Spike.
“Slayer” he nodded, slightly wary of her reaction to everything.
“Spike. So, does this mean we're related – like, semi son-in-law or brother-in-law or something?? Angel got all broody when I asked him about it, so I figured you'd tell it to me straight”. He smirked, he could just imagine the look on his Sire's face trying to explain the tangled family ties.
“Think you might be a bit young to be me Mum-in-Law – how about we just label me the evil brother in law that everyone avoids and leave it at that?” He raised his eyebrow at her, surprised when she reached forward and pulled him into a hug. “What's that for?”
“For saving Xander. And to welcome you to the family. There goes any reputation you had left – you married into the Slayer's family”. Laughing, she released him and went back to the table.
“Oi!!!” Shrugging, relieved at her reaction, he strode purposefully over to his regular seat on the stairs, watching his Boy talking to the Watcher. Waking up in Xander's arms had been as close to heavenly as he could imagine, although there had been a moment or two when he was concerned about how the Whelp would react. He had been worried that Xander might not remember everything that had happened, or why it happened, and he didn't want to get staked.
Instead, Xander had stretched languorously, smiled in his face, and said “Evening Bleachy” before laying a major kiss on Spike's mouth! While he was still recovering from that, Xander had rolled out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom, mumbling about being late for the Scooby meeting as he went.
Spike wasn't sure he trusted this calm reaction to everything, but there wasn't anything he could do about it until they got to spend some time alone, and he knew that the Scoobies needed to see Xander safe and sound before the two of them would get the opportunity to talk uninterrupted.
“Good evening Spike”.
“Watcher”. He nodded at Giles, sure he would get a reaction from the man. After all, he'd been right outside the door and knew exactly what had transpired.
“I was wondering if you would be prepared to discuss certain aspects of the claiming ceremony with me – I was most interested in the wording, but haven't been able to find details in the Watcher's Chronicles available to me”. Cleaning his glasses, Giles looked at Spike curiously.
“Errr, yeah sure, we could have a bit of a chat. Might be better off asking Angel as Head of the Line....”
“Quite, yes, but I actually wanted your perspective specifically. This is a wonderful opportunity, and now you're practically family - “
“'Right, this is all getting a too strange!! You're all acting like – like - “
“Like what?” Xander asked him quietly, head tilted to the side.
“Like all this is normal!! Like it was some normal wedding ceremony or summat – it's doing my head in!” Shaking his head, Spike reached for his fags, scowling as he remembered that he wasn't allowed to smoke in the shop. The three of them looked at him, quite obviously surprised by his reaction. They had never seen Spike react quite this way before, and Giles was itching to reach for his pen and paper.
“Spike, it's happened, we deal. That's what we do – you know that!! Would it make you feel any better if I threatened you with Mr Pointy?!” Buffy smiled at him evilly, reaching into her pocket for her favourite stake.
“No, no!!! Fine – if you'all wanna act like this is all normal, s'fine with me. Think you're all missing a few cogs, but alright. I'm off out for a fag, Pet, back soon yeah?” He strode off out the back, shaking his head and muttering about the weirdness of Scoobies.
As soon as the back door slammed shut, Giles, Buffy and Xander looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“That was truly evil” Xander spluttered around his laughter.
“Yeah, but the look on his face!!” Holding her stomach where it hurt from laughing so hard, Buffy looked up at her dear friend. “Seriously, Xander, how are you – are you doing ok??”
“Yes, well, it was most satisfying perplexing Spike for a change, although I really would like to talk to him about the lore behind the Claim..”
“As long as I'm not in the room, Giles, that's all to the good. I'm not really up to talking to my father-figure about my first sexual experience with my, er, well I guess husband without some serious liquid encouragement, and probably not even then!! And yes, Buffy, I'm actually good – really good. I wanted to speak to you and Giles about everything – there's stuff happening with the hyena, etc. But Spike and me? Yeah – we're good”.
Xander smiled as he spoke – there weren't really any words to express how he felt about Spike. In the space of a weekend, he had gone from being alone and lonely, to claimed and well, loved by a creature renowned for his obsessive love tendencies!! Talk about a match made in heaven – he needed to be needed and have somebody to love, and he had more than met his counterpart in Spike.
Buffy looked at him closely, then nodded her head in satisfaction. Yeah, Xander looked happier than he had in a long time. Regardless of how this came about, she was satisfied that things were going well for him.
“Should I even ask about Willow?”
“Oh Xan.....”
“I'm not quite sure what's going on with Willow. I can't help but think there's something underlying her recent behaviour - “
CRASH!!!!!
“What the -” Xander's jaw practically dropped in shock as he watched his childhood friend coming towards him, levitating several inches off the ground, arms spread wide, lightning crackling from her fingertips. Willow's eyes were onyx, no whites showing at all – jet black streaks appearing in her hair as he watched; veins making dark striations across her face which came and went in rhythm with the lightning.
“Willow?!”
Buffy & Angel were speaking Gaelic
Mo chuisle = My love
Táim i ngrá leat = I love you
Chapter 13