Fic: The Gift Of Christmas 6/8
Dec. 23rd, 2004 06:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
suki_blueAnother part for your festive pleasure. :o)
Thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kitty_poker1 for the beta and thanks to amejisuto for the title.
Summary: Spike tries to give Xander the best Christmas ever.
Warnings: Obsessive amounts of Christmas fluff.
Rating: PG
Feedback: Hit me.
Chapter 6 - Two days until Christmas
Xander woke and fought the increasingly desperate urge to pee. He was too comfortable, curled and wrapped up on top of his vampire. His vampire? Bet your ass! Spike was his now, Xander was staking a claim. Oooh, no, better not say ‘staking’ around a vampire. But staking aside, Spike was his. The vampire went out of his way to care for him and make him happy. No-one had ever done anything like that for him before. Obviously no-one had thought he was worth it. But Spike did.
Xander had fancied the knackers off Spike for many, many months, but never in a million years could Xander have guessed that Spike would return those feelings. But he did. Xander felt it when Spike stared into his eyes, when he held his hand and when he held him. Although Spike was fast asleep, Xander could feel affection radiating from his strong arms and tight embrace.
Time was short; it was only two days until Christmas and Xander felt like it was time to do something for Spike. But what? What could he do? How about a present? With what? Xander sighed. The only small amount of money he had was at his parent’s house. That’s if they hadn’t pilfered it in his absence. Had they even noticed he had gone? Had his friends noticed that he had not been around for a few days? If the silence of his cell phone was anything to go by, then no, he had not been missed. Sadness passed through him for a moment, until he felt Spike’s arms tighten around him.
“Alright there, pet?”
“Yeah, just considering peeing. Don’t want to leave you, though. Cosy.”
“Mmmm, cosy, too, pet. Go on, go get it over with. I’ll still be here when you get back.”
“Will you still be here, with coffee?”
“Get out, brat.”
Spike watched Xander leave the crypt before he got up to make the drinks.
Another few days and he’d be completely under the thumb.
While Spike waited for the kettle to boil he checked his re-vamped list. There wasn’t much left to do. First up was to get some gifts for Xander. Christmas day was not Christmas day unless there were presents to rip open. It had been too many years to remember the last time he had felt the joy of tearing open a present.
But what to buy? What would Xander really like? Spike had one idea, but he needed more. He’d have to have a think. Then there was the thing. Spike didn’t know whether it was going to be possible, but he was damn well going to give it a try.
**
Xander shivered and finished his mission. Walking back around the crypt, he stopped to flick the switch for the Christmas lights and then the dancing snowman. Stepping back to admire the brightly lit building, he couldn’t help the surge of Christmas cheer that pulsed through him.
“Xander?”
Xander yelped and spun around.
“Buffy?! Is that you?”
“The one and only.”
Xander clutched at his heart and sagged with relief.
“You scared me.”
“That’s my job. Say, where have you been the last few days?”
“I...”
“Oh, have you spoken to Giles? He wants us all to meet up after the holiday.”
“Yeah?”
“Research workshop. Apparently our skills need fine tuning. So what are you doing for the holidays?”
“Well, actually, me and...”
“Oh! And did you hear? Willow got hair extensions! Xander, why is Spike’s crypt lit up like Santa’s grotto?”
“Well, he…”
“And why are you in your pyjamas, outside of Spike’s grotto?”
“Are you planning on firing stupid questions at him all night or have you considered actually letting him speak?”
“Look, bleached…”
“Who you calling bleached, Miss I’m up my own…”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence! I’m very tempted to kick your ass right now. And, I’m sorry, you have to tell be why your crypt has been infected by the festive virus.”
“Thought you asked Xander that question.”
“Geez! What’s with you two? Okay, Xander. Grotto and pyjamas. Go.”
Spike tensed, wondering what Xander was going to say. He wouldn’t blame him if he lied. Xander had more than enough problems to deal with, without adding having to explain new un-dead boyfriend to the list.
“Um, well, I’m in my pyjamas, outside Spike’s grott…erm I mean crypt, because I’m staying here. My parents kicked me out, and I had nowhere to go. But Spike let me stay here. And the crypt is all lit up because Spike is trying to give me a great Christmas.”
“You're staying *here*?”
“Yes.”
“With Spike?”
“Yes.”
“Here?”
“*Yes*”
“And you are spending Christmas with Spike?”
“Yes.”
“Here?”
“YES, YES, YES. Did you go deaf or am I speaking another language?”
“Okay, okay, don’t get all tetchy!”
“I’m not tetchy.”
“Then why are you being tetchy?”
“I’M NOT TETCHY!”
“Calm down Xander, there’s no need to shout.”
“I’M NOT SHOUTING!”
“Err, pet, you are shouting,” Spike added helpfully.
Xander put his face in his hands and growled.
“Pet, why don’t you get inside? You’re going to catch a chill.”
Xander nodded, glared at Buffy and stomped inside.
“Right, Slayer. You and me need to talk.”
**
Xander grabbed the coffee that Spike had prepared for him and sat woodenly on the couch. He really did try not to listen to the argument that was going on outside, but it was quite difficult considering the shouting.
“…stupid…bitch”
“…dare…I…never”
“Suck…plastic…ass”
“You…on…my…horse”
“Yeah!...bloody…bollocks…suck…dick”
“I…believe…said that. What…about…time…you”
“Bollocks…Never…up…own…arse”
The fragments of heated conversation that travelled through the crypt walls were enough for Xander to realise that someone outside was going to end up pasted to the ground.
Xander suddenly felt so mad. Who was Buffy to think that she could just drop by and cause trouble? He had been feeling so cheerful and all full of the Christmas spirit and a little bit loved up, then Buffy comes along and spoils it all.
No, he thought determinedly, she was not going to spoil things, not Christmas and not things between him and Spike. It was time that he stood up for himself.
Xander got to his feet and set his coffee mug down with a stern clunk. If Buffy came for a fight then that was exactly what she was going to get.
**
“You can’t see what’s right under your bloody nose. That’s your problem, Slayer. Blind.”
“I am not blind. I don’t understand what you’re going on about.”
“No, course you don’t. That’s the point, innit?”
“Just shut up and tell me what’s going on with Xander.”
“Well, if you don’t know…”
“THAT’S ENOUGH!!”
Buffy and Spike were stunned into silence at the sound of Xander’s furious voice.
“That’s better. Spike, thank you for sticking up for me, it really means so much. I love everything that you’ve done for me. If it wasn’t for you then I would probably be sleeping rough or, even more probable, I’d be dead. Thank you. Buffy, you have been my friend for a few years now and I know that you have a lot on, what with you being the chosen one and everything. And I know that I have kept things from you, from all of you, and perhaps that’s my problem, perhaps that is my fault. But at the end of the day, you still treat me really badly. You have no respect for me. You never listen to me and sometimes you just make me feel like I’m in the way. That is your problem. I want you to go away and think about me, think about how you feel about me and then decide whether you think you even deserve my friendship.”
Xander pulled Spike towards him and grabbed his hand.
“And before you ask, yes, there is something between me and Spike and no, you can’t have any details. You can’t stop me from seeing him, you can’t dust him or beat up on him or insult him and you can’t change my mind. Now, me and Spike are going back inside. I’m hungry and Spike is a great cook. You will go away now.”
And with his speech over, Xander pulled his vampire boyfriend back into the crypt and slammed the door behind them.
Buffy didn’t quite know what to do with herself.
**
While Spike was frying up a delight and watching suspiciously over his shoulder, Xander paced up and down.
“That’s it; I’ve had it with that lot. Sick to the back teeth. Had it up to here. That’s it. I’m not going to put up with it any more. Sick of it.”
Spike served up the eggs and waited while Xander got things out of his system.
“Why do they do it to me? Why do they ignore me one minute and then stick their noses in my business the next? It’s not fair, you know?”
Spike nodded and added bacon to the plates.
“Sometimes, I really hate them…I didn’t mean that.”
Spike shook his head, knowing already that Xander could never really hate anyone.
“I just wish…wish…”
Xander sighed and flopped down on the couch.
“I just wish that they could treat me like an equal. And sometimes I just wish that maybe I could communicate with them better. Sometimes it seems like I’m on a different frequency.”
Spike jumped in, unable to resist the chance at an easy joke.
“Maybe if you just twiddled your knob a little bit, things could be different. You could come a long way.”
Spike grinned and Xander narrowed his eyes.
“Was that rude?”
“Might ‘ave been,” Spike said, still grinning like the Cheshire cat.
“Stoopid British vamp,” Xander replied, a small smile forming despite himself.
Spike approached with two plates. He shoved one onto Xander’s lap and sat down with the other.
“What do you wanna do about it?”
“What do you mean? What can I do about it?”
“Well, seems like you have two options. One, carry on as normal and try not to let it get to you. And two, and this is my personal favourite, call ‘em on it, give ‘em a good telling off and see what happens.”
“No! I can’t do that.”
“Why?”
“I don’t like confrontation,” Xander lied.
“Bollocks! You’ve confronted me hundreds of times. You’ve got a mouth like the Lincoln Tunnel, you'll call people out for the smallest things. So tell me why you won’t do this. You’ve already kicked Buffy’s backside.”
“Buffy is different, you can bitch at her, say whatever you want, then she’ll get distracted by nail polish, or clothes, or strappy slingbacks, and she’ll forget that it ever happened.”
“That didn’t exactly answer my question, luv. Why won’t you tell them how you feel?”
Xander shrugged.
“Because I will have to explain myself, tell them why I think that they ignore me. I’ll have to tell them that I get abused by my father and that I’m upset that they never noticed. Then…Spike, what if they don’t care?”
Spike snatched Xander’s plate away from him and placed both plates on the floor. He pulled Xander into his arms and held him.
“Luv, they will care. They do care. They’re just a bunch of selfish pricks that can’t see what’s going on right under their noses. It isn’t that they don’t care, they’re just blind.”
Xander looked up at Spike, his face as hopeful as a child on Christmas Eve.
“Do you really think so?”
“’Course. You know I’m always right.”
“Hardly.”
“Fine. Prove me wrong, then.”
“I will.”
Spike smirked.
Xander hit him and picked his plate up from the floor.
“Annoying vamp,” Xander grumbled happily as he stuffed three whole rashers of bacon in his mouth at the same time.
**
“You sure you don’t mind, luv?” Spike asked.
“No, you go ahead, Spike. I’ll be fine. Um, I might see if the guys are around. I should really show my face.”
Spike looked a little worried; he wasn’t keen on Xander facing his friends alone. What if he’d been wrong about their reaction? What if they really didn’t care about Xander? Spike pushed the thought from his mind. Of course they cared. He was never wrong, apart from when he wasn’t right. Perhaps he should ask to go along with Xander ... okay, so that would completely bugger up his plans, or would it?
“Err, pet? Where will you be going and at what time?”
“Um, now and I thought that I would go to Buffy’s. I think I remember her saying that Joyce was doing some buffet thing tonight.”
“How ‘bout I meet you there later.”
Xander bounced slightly at that.
“That would be great! Are you sure that you don’t mind? The atmosphere might not be very good by the time you get there. I’m gonna guess that Buffy will have told everyone about us and once I start having a go too, I reckon it could get ugly.”
Spike put on his duster and folded his arms around his new lover.
“All the more reason for me to be there, then, pet.”
He kissed Xander tenderly and slowly before drawing back and stroking his hand through his hair.
“Meet you there in a couple of hours?”
Xander nodded, still rather dazed by the slow but intense kiss.
Spike smiled and backed out of the crypt. He had a plan to carry out.
Xander smiled back at his lover. He had a plan to carry out, a stupid one maybe, but it was still a plan.
**
Spike glanced at his watch and started to worry. He had said that he would meet Xander in a couple of hours. Well, a couple of hours had come and gone and Spike still had one more important thing to sort out for Christmas. The last thing he wanted was for Xander to think that he had deserted him.
His last piece of Christmas business had led him to a strange demon bar on the outskirts of town. He hadn’t ever bothered with this particular bar before and now he remembered why. It was poncy. All done out in pastel colours, the bar only served spritzers and cocktails and instead of a pool table, there was a bloody great dance-floor right in the middle of the room. What a load of bollocks.
Spike went to the bar and ordered a drink.
“Sex on the beach, please.”
“Coming right up, tiger.”
The barmaid winked and slung a tentacle seductively over her shoulder. “First time, babycakes? I don’t think I’ve seen you here before.”
Spike looked curiously at the bright pink barmaid. He realised that other parts of her were winking as well and he quickly averted his eyes.
“Yeah, not normally my sort of place.”
“What is you normal sort of place?” the barmaid asked as she placed a brightly coloured drink in front of her new patron.
Spike adjusted the umbrella, moved the plastic monkey and sucked down half the drink through a stripy straw before he answered.
“Someplace a little more…kicking.”
The barmaid smiled and leant on the bar, exposing three nicely rounded breasts.
“So what brought you here tonight, sweet thing?”
“Actually, that might be something you can help me with.”
“I’m intrigued. Do tell.”
“Right then. I’m looking for an old friend of mine. A woman.”
**
Xander glanced at his watch and started to worry. Spike had told him that he would meet him at Buffy’s in a couple of hours. Well, a couple of hours had already come and gone and Xander still hadn't begun to do what he wanted to do.
He had spent the last two hours perched on a wall, just a few yards away from his parent’s house. He was waiting for them to go to bed. But it was late and the upstairs light was still on. Maybe they were…euww, no, don’t even go there.
Xander sighed and hopped off the wall. It was no good, he couldn’t wait any longer. For all he knew, both his parents had passed out halfway up the stairs. He was going to have to take a chance.
Entering the house, Xander realised that all was silent. He had probably been right about his parents passing out. Carefully he crept down into the basement; he had to do this fast. Just being back here was turning his guts to jelly. He had definitely passed the point of no return. He just couldn’t cope with living his life in fear any longer. He hoped to god that he wasn’t a novelty to Spike, that the vampire wasn’t trying on his do-gooder hat on, only to find that it didn’t fit. Xander had real feelings for Spike and if the blond wonder rejected them, then it would be the last straw.
Xander lifted his mattress and ran his arm beneath it. He was sure he’d left some money under here, it was the only place that he could stash it without his dad pilfering it. Pulling his arm back out, he came up victorious. He whispered a quick cheer and counted his find. Fifteen whole dollars.
Great. Just great. How an earth was he going to get Spike a nice present for fifteen dollars? Then, an idea hit him. It wasn’t much, but it wasn’t like he had much of a choice. He could make him a chocolate Yule Log! Spike had mentioned how much he loved them.
Xander crept back upstairs and raided the kitchen. Well, why not? It wasn’t like anyone would notice if he took a couple of things, unless he took the beer of course. He opened a cupboard door and scanned the contents. Now what was in a Yule Log? Logs? He wasn’t sure. Maybe Willow and Tara would know. Yule Log sounded like something they would know all about. He grabbed the flour anyway. Yule Log was a type of cake wasn’t it? Yeah. It had to have flour in it.
Xander turned around to leave and was surprised to find that a large bulky body blocked his path.
“Dad.”
**
Spike strolled in the kitchen using the back door.
“Hello, Mrs Summers.”
“Spike, how lovely to see you.”
“Yeah, you an’ all. How’s things?”
“Things are just fine, thank you so much for asking. I’ve not seen you around much recently.”
Spike cleared his throat .
“Err, yeah, been sort of busy.”
Joyce smiled knowingly and held up a plate of star shaped cookies.
“With Xander, I hear.”
Spike accepted one of the treats before he spoke.
“Buffy told everyone, then.”
“Yes, she did. She was, let's say, taken aback.”
“Understatement,” Buffy stated firmly.
The slayer stood at the door with her hands on her hips and a look of pure venom on her face.
“Oh whatever, Buffy. I really don’t want to hear whatever it is that you are thinking of saying.”
“You will hear me.”
“What, like Xander’s just had to? No, thanks very much. Why can’t you just listen to him, rather than dictating to him?”
“I have no idea what you are talking about, blondie.”
“So he hasn’t said anything to you?” Spike asked, quite confused. He was so sure that Xander was going to tell them exactly how he was feeling.
“Uh, no. But it would be a little difficult seeing as he’s not here.”
“Eh? But he said he was going to be here.”
“Yeah, he phoned a few hours ago. Said he was coming over.”
Spike stalked quickly to stand in Buffy’s face.
“When? When did he say he would be here?”
“He didn’t,” Buffy said, indignant at Spike’s proximity.
“Well, did he say where he was? What did he say?”
“He just said that he had to get something from his parents' place and that he would be over after.”
Spike’s blood ran cold.
**
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Dad…I…”
“I don’t want to hear it, boy. You crash around at all hours of the night, who do you think you are?”
“But dad, it’s only half past nine.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Xander knew he had made a mistake. The hand struck quickly and Xander had no time to get out of the way. His head snapped back and he stumbled against the kitchen counter, knocking the bag of flour to the floor where it exploded over his feet.
“Don’t be smart, Alexander. It doesn’t suit you.”
Xander clutched at his stinging face and fought back tears.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything.”
“No. You never *mean* anything, do you? You just swan in and out of here, expecting us to provide for you when you give nothing back to us.”
Xander continued to fight his emotions. There was so much that he wanted to say. So much that needed to be said. But where would that get him? Nowhere. His father had never been one to listen and take note.
“I’m sorry.”’
“You fucking will be if you don’t get this mess cleared up, pronto.”
Xander’s father grabbed his hair and pushed him down onto the floury floor.
“You’ve got five minutes, boy.”
Xander glanced up fearfully from under his long wet lashes and watched his father pull a beer from the fridge before walking away. He looked down at the flour pooled around him and let his tears fall freely to the floor. He stayed that way for what seemed like hours, mesmerised by his tears dropping into the flour. When the tears subsided he counted the small damp patches around him -- there were twenty of them, one for every year of his life. Each one represented a single year of misery, degradation and humiliation. This was it. This was where it stopped. He stood and glanced sadly at the mess on the floor. He would never find happiness in this house. There was no point in even trying. And besides, he had someone to care about him now, someone that treated him like he deserved. Xander headed for the door. He had a fresh bag of flour to buy.
**
Spike raced the DeSoto around the corner. He gripped the steering wheel and muttered curses and threats of death. If those bastard parents had done *anything* to hurt his boy, then he was going to rip out their intestines and make pretty Christmas ribbons out of them. He was just imagining how to make a Christmas star out of a lung when he passed the familiar figure of Xander almost merrily skipping down the sidewalk. Spike slammed on the brakes, skidded the car around and parked it right next to where Xander was now standing.
“I’m impressed. That’s almost perfect parking.” Xander said as he eyed up the DeSoto's position.
Spike ran around the car and took Xander in his arms.
“Luv? You alright? What’s this?” Spike asked as he lifted Xander’s face.
“It’s nothing.”
“Bloody ain’t nothing!”
“But it is nothing. I’ve had worse, *believe* me.”
“I’m bloody sure. Your fuck face, prick of a father do this?” Spike growled.
Xander nodded and smiled.
Spike was confused.
“So what ‘appened? What’s going on?”
“I went back home to get something and my father caught me.”
“Yeah? What happened? Did you argue? Is that why he clocked you? Want me to kill ‘im?”
“Nothing really happened. He just had a go and then he hit me. And no, I don’t want you to kill him.”
“So why are you looking so happy? What are you hiding? You *can* tell me. You can trust me with anything, you do know that?”
“Yeah, I know that and I’m really not hiding anything. I just realised something.”
“What’s that, luv? Tell me?”
“I realised that was it. That was the last time that he would ever hurt me. Before I always thought that somehow I would end up back there, taking his abuse and never being able to escape. Even when I said that I would never go back, there was something at the back of my mind telling me that I would go back, that I would have to. But tonight, when he hit me and walked away, I knew that was it, that I was stronger, that I didn’t have to put up with it anymore. I don’t ever have to go back. Spike, I don’t expect to stay with you forever, you might not want me to. I know we’ve got something here, but I don’t expect you to pledge your undying love, not yet anyway. But I was thinking, once I’m on my feet again, you know, with a job and some money, I could get a little apartment and maybe you could come with me, if you wanted to, which you don’t have to. You could always move in later, if you wanted to, which you don’t have to. Although, for the record, I do want you to. No pressure though. What do you think?”
“I think that was one impressive babble, that’s what I think. I also think that I feel something real strong for you. I’ve never felt this way before. I want to be with you. I can’t stand the thought of being apart from you. I would love to live with you.”
Xander beamed and kissed Spike firmly and deeply.
“Can we go home now?” he asked when he was done.
“Don’t you want to go talk to your friends?”
Xander shook his head no.
“Had enough tension for one night. Want to go home and cuddle up. You don’t mind, do you?”
“Course not, pet. Wanna watch another Christmas film?”
“Yeah! How about National Lampoons Christmas Vacation?”
“Sounds good. Pet? What’s in the bag?”
“It’s a surprise…Hey! No peeking!”
TBC...
Previous Parts Here
Thanks to
kitty_poker1 for the beta and thanks to amejisuto for the title.Summary: Spike tries to give Xander the best Christmas ever.
Warnings: Obsessive amounts of Christmas fluff.
Rating: PG
Feedback: Hit me.
Chapter 6 - Two days until Christmas
Xander woke and fought the increasingly desperate urge to pee. He was too comfortable, curled and wrapped up on top of his vampire. His vampire? Bet your ass! Spike was his now, Xander was staking a claim. Oooh, no, better not say ‘staking’ around a vampire. But staking aside, Spike was his. The vampire went out of his way to care for him and make him happy. No-one had ever done anything like that for him before. Obviously no-one had thought he was worth it. But Spike did.
Xander had fancied the knackers off Spike for many, many months, but never in a million years could Xander have guessed that Spike would return those feelings. But he did. Xander felt it when Spike stared into his eyes, when he held his hand and when he held him. Although Spike was fast asleep, Xander could feel affection radiating from his strong arms and tight embrace.
Time was short; it was only two days until Christmas and Xander felt like it was time to do something for Spike. But what? What could he do? How about a present? With what? Xander sighed. The only small amount of money he had was at his parent’s house. That’s if they hadn’t pilfered it in his absence. Had they even noticed he had gone? Had his friends noticed that he had not been around for a few days? If the silence of his cell phone was anything to go by, then no, he had not been missed. Sadness passed through him for a moment, until he felt Spike’s arms tighten around him.
“Alright there, pet?”
“Yeah, just considering peeing. Don’t want to leave you, though. Cosy.”
“Mmmm, cosy, too, pet. Go on, go get it over with. I’ll still be here when you get back.”
“Will you still be here, with coffee?”
“Get out, brat.”
Spike watched Xander leave the crypt before he got up to make the drinks.
Another few days and he’d be completely under the thumb.
While Spike waited for the kettle to boil he checked his re-vamped list. There wasn’t much left to do. First up was to get some gifts for Xander. Christmas day was not Christmas day unless there were presents to rip open. It had been too many years to remember the last time he had felt the joy of tearing open a present.
But what to buy? What would Xander really like? Spike had one idea, but he needed more. He’d have to have a think. Then there was the thing. Spike didn’t know whether it was going to be possible, but he was damn well going to give it a try.
**
Xander shivered and finished his mission. Walking back around the crypt, he stopped to flick the switch for the Christmas lights and then the dancing snowman. Stepping back to admire the brightly lit building, he couldn’t help the surge of Christmas cheer that pulsed through him.
“Xander?”
Xander yelped and spun around.
“Buffy?! Is that you?”
“The one and only.”
Xander clutched at his heart and sagged with relief.
“You scared me.”
“That’s my job. Say, where have you been the last few days?”
“I...”
“Oh, have you spoken to Giles? He wants us all to meet up after the holiday.”
“Yeah?”
“Research workshop. Apparently our skills need fine tuning. So what are you doing for the holidays?”
“Well, actually, me and...”
“Oh! And did you hear? Willow got hair extensions! Xander, why is Spike’s crypt lit up like Santa’s grotto?”
“Well, he…”
“And why are you in your pyjamas, outside of Spike’s grotto?”
“Are you planning on firing stupid questions at him all night or have you considered actually letting him speak?”
“Look, bleached…”
“Who you calling bleached, Miss I’m up my own…”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence! I’m very tempted to kick your ass right now. And, I’m sorry, you have to tell be why your crypt has been infected by the festive virus.”
“Thought you asked Xander that question.”
“Geez! What’s with you two? Okay, Xander. Grotto and pyjamas. Go.”
Spike tensed, wondering what Xander was going to say. He wouldn’t blame him if he lied. Xander had more than enough problems to deal with, without adding having to explain new un-dead boyfriend to the list.
“Um, well, I’m in my pyjamas, outside Spike’s grott…erm I mean crypt, because I’m staying here. My parents kicked me out, and I had nowhere to go. But Spike let me stay here. And the crypt is all lit up because Spike is trying to give me a great Christmas.”
“You're staying *here*?”
“Yes.”
“With Spike?”
“Yes.”
“Here?”
“*Yes*”
“And you are spending Christmas with Spike?”
“Yes.”
“Here?”
“YES, YES, YES. Did you go deaf or am I speaking another language?”
“Okay, okay, don’t get all tetchy!”
“I’m not tetchy.”
“Then why are you being tetchy?”
“I’M NOT TETCHY!”
“Calm down Xander, there’s no need to shout.”
“I’M NOT SHOUTING!”
“Err, pet, you are shouting,” Spike added helpfully.
Xander put his face in his hands and growled.
“Pet, why don’t you get inside? You’re going to catch a chill.”
Xander nodded, glared at Buffy and stomped inside.
“Right, Slayer. You and me need to talk.”
**
Xander grabbed the coffee that Spike had prepared for him and sat woodenly on the couch. He really did try not to listen to the argument that was going on outside, but it was quite difficult considering the shouting.
“…stupid…bitch”
“…dare…I…never”
“Suck…plastic…ass”
“You…on…my…horse”
“Yeah!...bloody…bollocks…suck…dick”
“I…believe…said that. What…about…time…you”
“Bollocks…Never…up…own…arse”
The fragments of heated conversation that travelled through the crypt walls were enough for Xander to realise that someone outside was going to end up pasted to the ground.
Xander suddenly felt so mad. Who was Buffy to think that she could just drop by and cause trouble? He had been feeling so cheerful and all full of the Christmas spirit and a little bit loved up, then Buffy comes along and spoils it all.
No, he thought determinedly, she was not going to spoil things, not Christmas and not things between him and Spike. It was time that he stood up for himself.
Xander got to his feet and set his coffee mug down with a stern clunk. If Buffy came for a fight then that was exactly what she was going to get.
**
“You can’t see what’s right under your bloody nose. That’s your problem, Slayer. Blind.”
“I am not blind. I don’t understand what you’re going on about.”
“No, course you don’t. That’s the point, innit?”
“Just shut up and tell me what’s going on with Xander.”
“Well, if you don’t know…”
“THAT’S ENOUGH!!”
Buffy and Spike were stunned into silence at the sound of Xander’s furious voice.
“That’s better. Spike, thank you for sticking up for me, it really means so much. I love everything that you’ve done for me. If it wasn’t for you then I would probably be sleeping rough or, even more probable, I’d be dead. Thank you. Buffy, you have been my friend for a few years now and I know that you have a lot on, what with you being the chosen one and everything. And I know that I have kept things from you, from all of you, and perhaps that’s my problem, perhaps that is my fault. But at the end of the day, you still treat me really badly. You have no respect for me. You never listen to me and sometimes you just make me feel like I’m in the way. That is your problem. I want you to go away and think about me, think about how you feel about me and then decide whether you think you even deserve my friendship.”
Xander pulled Spike towards him and grabbed his hand.
“And before you ask, yes, there is something between me and Spike and no, you can’t have any details. You can’t stop me from seeing him, you can’t dust him or beat up on him or insult him and you can’t change my mind. Now, me and Spike are going back inside. I’m hungry and Spike is a great cook. You will go away now.”
And with his speech over, Xander pulled his vampire boyfriend back into the crypt and slammed the door behind them.
Buffy didn’t quite know what to do with herself.
**
While Spike was frying up a delight and watching suspiciously over his shoulder, Xander paced up and down.
“That’s it; I’ve had it with that lot. Sick to the back teeth. Had it up to here. That’s it. I’m not going to put up with it any more. Sick of it.”
Spike served up the eggs and waited while Xander got things out of his system.
“Why do they do it to me? Why do they ignore me one minute and then stick their noses in my business the next? It’s not fair, you know?”
Spike nodded and added bacon to the plates.
“Sometimes, I really hate them…I didn’t mean that.”
Spike shook his head, knowing already that Xander could never really hate anyone.
“I just wish…wish…”
Xander sighed and flopped down on the couch.
“I just wish that they could treat me like an equal. And sometimes I just wish that maybe I could communicate with them better. Sometimes it seems like I’m on a different frequency.”
Spike jumped in, unable to resist the chance at an easy joke.
“Maybe if you just twiddled your knob a little bit, things could be different. You could come a long way.”
Spike grinned and Xander narrowed his eyes.
“Was that rude?”
“Might ‘ave been,” Spike said, still grinning like the Cheshire cat.
“Stoopid British vamp,” Xander replied, a small smile forming despite himself.
Spike approached with two plates. He shoved one onto Xander’s lap and sat down with the other.
“What do you wanna do about it?”
“What do you mean? What can I do about it?”
“Well, seems like you have two options. One, carry on as normal and try not to let it get to you. And two, and this is my personal favourite, call ‘em on it, give ‘em a good telling off and see what happens.”
“No! I can’t do that.”
“Why?”
“I don’t like confrontation,” Xander lied.
“Bollocks! You’ve confronted me hundreds of times. You’ve got a mouth like the Lincoln Tunnel, you'll call people out for the smallest things. So tell me why you won’t do this. You’ve already kicked Buffy’s backside.”
“Buffy is different, you can bitch at her, say whatever you want, then she’ll get distracted by nail polish, or clothes, or strappy slingbacks, and she’ll forget that it ever happened.”
“That didn’t exactly answer my question, luv. Why won’t you tell them how you feel?”
Xander shrugged.
“Because I will have to explain myself, tell them why I think that they ignore me. I’ll have to tell them that I get abused by my father and that I’m upset that they never noticed. Then…Spike, what if they don’t care?”
Spike snatched Xander’s plate away from him and placed both plates on the floor. He pulled Xander into his arms and held him.
“Luv, they will care. They do care. They’re just a bunch of selfish pricks that can’t see what’s going on right under their noses. It isn’t that they don’t care, they’re just blind.”
Xander looked up at Spike, his face as hopeful as a child on Christmas Eve.
“Do you really think so?”
“’Course. You know I’m always right.”
“Hardly.”
“Fine. Prove me wrong, then.”
“I will.”
Spike smirked.
Xander hit him and picked his plate up from the floor.
“Annoying vamp,” Xander grumbled happily as he stuffed three whole rashers of bacon in his mouth at the same time.
**
“You sure you don’t mind, luv?” Spike asked.
“No, you go ahead, Spike. I’ll be fine. Um, I might see if the guys are around. I should really show my face.”
Spike looked a little worried; he wasn’t keen on Xander facing his friends alone. What if he’d been wrong about their reaction? What if they really didn’t care about Xander? Spike pushed the thought from his mind. Of course they cared. He was never wrong, apart from when he wasn’t right. Perhaps he should ask to go along with Xander ... okay, so that would completely bugger up his plans, or would it?
“Err, pet? Where will you be going and at what time?”
“Um, now and I thought that I would go to Buffy’s. I think I remember her saying that Joyce was doing some buffet thing tonight.”
“How ‘bout I meet you there later.”
Xander bounced slightly at that.
“That would be great! Are you sure that you don’t mind? The atmosphere might not be very good by the time you get there. I’m gonna guess that Buffy will have told everyone about us and once I start having a go too, I reckon it could get ugly.”
Spike put on his duster and folded his arms around his new lover.
“All the more reason for me to be there, then, pet.”
He kissed Xander tenderly and slowly before drawing back and stroking his hand through his hair.
“Meet you there in a couple of hours?”
Xander nodded, still rather dazed by the slow but intense kiss.
Spike smiled and backed out of the crypt. He had a plan to carry out.
Xander smiled back at his lover. He had a plan to carry out, a stupid one maybe, but it was still a plan.
**
Spike glanced at his watch and started to worry. He had said that he would meet Xander in a couple of hours. Well, a couple of hours had come and gone and Spike still had one more important thing to sort out for Christmas. The last thing he wanted was for Xander to think that he had deserted him.
His last piece of Christmas business had led him to a strange demon bar on the outskirts of town. He hadn’t ever bothered with this particular bar before and now he remembered why. It was poncy. All done out in pastel colours, the bar only served spritzers and cocktails and instead of a pool table, there was a bloody great dance-floor right in the middle of the room. What a load of bollocks.
Spike went to the bar and ordered a drink.
“Sex on the beach, please.”
“Coming right up, tiger.”
The barmaid winked and slung a tentacle seductively over her shoulder. “First time, babycakes? I don’t think I’ve seen you here before.”
Spike looked curiously at the bright pink barmaid. He realised that other parts of her were winking as well and he quickly averted his eyes.
“Yeah, not normally my sort of place.”
“What is you normal sort of place?” the barmaid asked as she placed a brightly coloured drink in front of her new patron.
Spike adjusted the umbrella, moved the plastic monkey and sucked down half the drink through a stripy straw before he answered.
“Someplace a little more…kicking.”
The barmaid smiled and leant on the bar, exposing three nicely rounded breasts.
“So what brought you here tonight, sweet thing?”
“Actually, that might be something you can help me with.”
“I’m intrigued. Do tell.”
“Right then. I’m looking for an old friend of mine. A woman.”
**
Xander glanced at his watch and started to worry. Spike had told him that he would meet him at Buffy’s in a couple of hours. Well, a couple of hours had already come and gone and Xander still hadn't begun to do what he wanted to do.
He had spent the last two hours perched on a wall, just a few yards away from his parent’s house. He was waiting for them to go to bed. But it was late and the upstairs light was still on. Maybe they were…euww, no, don’t even go there.
Xander sighed and hopped off the wall. It was no good, he couldn’t wait any longer. For all he knew, both his parents had passed out halfway up the stairs. He was going to have to take a chance.
Entering the house, Xander realised that all was silent. He had probably been right about his parents passing out. Carefully he crept down into the basement; he had to do this fast. Just being back here was turning his guts to jelly. He had definitely passed the point of no return. He just couldn’t cope with living his life in fear any longer. He hoped to god that he wasn’t a novelty to Spike, that the vampire wasn’t trying on his do-gooder hat on, only to find that it didn’t fit. Xander had real feelings for Spike and if the blond wonder rejected them, then it would be the last straw.
Xander lifted his mattress and ran his arm beneath it. He was sure he’d left some money under here, it was the only place that he could stash it without his dad pilfering it. Pulling his arm back out, he came up victorious. He whispered a quick cheer and counted his find. Fifteen whole dollars.
Great. Just great. How an earth was he going to get Spike a nice present for fifteen dollars? Then, an idea hit him. It wasn’t much, but it wasn’t like he had much of a choice. He could make him a chocolate Yule Log! Spike had mentioned how much he loved them.
Xander crept back upstairs and raided the kitchen. Well, why not? It wasn’t like anyone would notice if he took a couple of things, unless he took the beer of course. He opened a cupboard door and scanned the contents. Now what was in a Yule Log? Logs? He wasn’t sure. Maybe Willow and Tara would know. Yule Log sounded like something they would know all about. He grabbed the flour anyway. Yule Log was a type of cake wasn’t it? Yeah. It had to have flour in it.
Xander turned around to leave and was surprised to find that a large bulky body blocked his path.
“Dad.”
**
Spike strolled in the kitchen using the back door.
“Hello, Mrs Summers.”
“Spike, how lovely to see you.”
“Yeah, you an’ all. How’s things?”
“Things are just fine, thank you so much for asking. I’ve not seen you around much recently.”
Spike cleared his throat .
“Err, yeah, been sort of busy.”
Joyce smiled knowingly and held up a plate of star shaped cookies.
“With Xander, I hear.”
Spike accepted one of the treats before he spoke.
“Buffy told everyone, then.”
“Yes, she did. She was, let's say, taken aback.”
“Understatement,” Buffy stated firmly.
The slayer stood at the door with her hands on her hips and a look of pure venom on her face.
“Oh whatever, Buffy. I really don’t want to hear whatever it is that you are thinking of saying.”
“You will hear me.”
“What, like Xander’s just had to? No, thanks very much. Why can’t you just listen to him, rather than dictating to him?”
“I have no idea what you are talking about, blondie.”
“So he hasn’t said anything to you?” Spike asked, quite confused. He was so sure that Xander was going to tell them exactly how he was feeling.
“Uh, no. But it would be a little difficult seeing as he’s not here.”
“Eh? But he said he was going to be here.”
“Yeah, he phoned a few hours ago. Said he was coming over.”
Spike stalked quickly to stand in Buffy’s face.
“When? When did he say he would be here?”
“He didn’t,” Buffy said, indignant at Spike’s proximity.
“Well, did he say where he was? What did he say?”
“He just said that he had to get something from his parents' place and that he would be over after.”
Spike’s blood ran cold.
**
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Dad…I…”
“I don’t want to hear it, boy. You crash around at all hours of the night, who do you think you are?”
“But dad, it’s only half past nine.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Xander knew he had made a mistake. The hand struck quickly and Xander had no time to get out of the way. His head snapped back and he stumbled against the kitchen counter, knocking the bag of flour to the floor where it exploded over his feet.
“Don’t be smart, Alexander. It doesn’t suit you.”
Xander clutched at his stinging face and fought back tears.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything.”
“No. You never *mean* anything, do you? You just swan in and out of here, expecting us to provide for you when you give nothing back to us.”
Xander continued to fight his emotions. There was so much that he wanted to say. So much that needed to be said. But where would that get him? Nowhere. His father had never been one to listen and take note.
“I’m sorry.”’
“You fucking will be if you don’t get this mess cleared up, pronto.”
Xander’s father grabbed his hair and pushed him down onto the floury floor.
“You’ve got five minutes, boy.”
Xander glanced up fearfully from under his long wet lashes and watched his father pull a beer from the fridge before walking away. He looked down at the flour pooled around him and let his tears fall freely to the floor. He stayed that way for what seemed like hours, mesmerised by his tears dropping into the flour. When the tears subsided he counted the small damp patches around him -- there were twenty of them, one for every year of his life. Each one represented a single year of misery, degradation and humiliation. This was it. This was where it stopped. He stood and glanced sadly at the mess on the floor. He would never find happiness in this house. There was no point in even trying. And besides, he had someone to care about him now, someone that treated him like he deserved. Xander headed for the door. He had a fresh bag of flour to buy.
**
Spike raced the DeSoto around the corner. He gripped the steering wheel and muttered curses and threats of death. If those bastard parents had done *anything* to hurt his boy, then he was going to rip out their intestines and make pretty Christmas ribbons out of them. He was just imagining how to make a Christmas star out of a lung when he passed the familiar figure of Xander almost merrily skipping down the sidewalk. Spike slammed on the brakes, skidded the car around and parked it right next to where Xander was now standing.
“I’m impressed. That’s almost perfect parking.” Xander said as he eyed up the DeSoto's position.
Spike ran around the car and took Xander in his arms.
“Luv? You alright? What’s this?” Spike asked as he lifted Xander’s face.
“It’s nothing.”
“Bloody ain’t nothing!”
“But it is nothing. I’ve had worse, *believe* me.”
“I’m bloody sure. Your fuck face, prick of a father do this?” Spike growled.
Xander nodded and smiled.
Spike was confused.
“So what ‘appened? What’s going on?”
“I went back home to get something and my father caught me.”
“Yeah? What happened? Did you argue? Is that why he clocked you? Want me to kill ‘im?”
“Nothing really happened. He just had a go and then he hit me. And no, I don’t want you to kill him.”
“So why are you looking so happy? What are you hiding? You *can* tell me. You can trust me with anything, you do know that?”
“Yeah, I know that and I’m really not hiding anything. I just realised something.”
“What’s that, luv? Tell me?”
“I realised that was it. That was the last time that he would ever hurt me. Before I always thought that somehow I would end up back there, taking his abuse and never being able to escape. Even when I said that I would never go back, there was something at the back of my mind telling me that I would go back, that I would have to. But tonight, when he hit me and walked away, I knew that was it, that I was stronger, that I didn’t have to put up with it anymore. I don’t ever have to go back. Spike, I don’t expect to stay with you forever, you might not want me to. I know we’ve got something here, but I don’t expect you to pledge your undying love, not yet anyway. But I was thinking, once I’m on my feet again, you know, with a job and some money, I could get a little apartment and maybe you could come with me, if you wanted to, which you don’t have to. You could always move in later, if you wanted to, which you don’t have to. Although, for the record, I do want you to. No pressure though. What do you think?”
“I think that was one impressive babble, that’s what I think. I also think that I feel something real strong for you. I’ve never felt this way before. I want to be with you. I can’t stand the thought of being apart from you. I would love to live with you.”
Xander beamed and kissed Spike firmly and deeply.
“Can we go home now?” he asked when he was done.
“Don’t you want to go talk to your friends?”
Xander shook his head no.
“Had enough tension for one night. Want to go home and cuddle up. You don’t mind, do you?”
“Course not, pet. Wanna watch another Christmas film?”
“Yeah! How about National Lampoons Christmas Vacation?”
“Sounds good. Pet? What’s in the bag?”
“It’s a surprise…Hey! No peeking!”
TBC...
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