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Coercion 8 Vases Xander was beyond mad. He walked
around the block, fuming. As he approached his house each time, he decided to go
in and toss Spike out in the sun. Each time he passed on by. The best day he had
in a long time had turned into one of the worst. And that included battling
demons. All he wanted to do was share it with Spike. What the hell was that
vampire playing at anyway? First, he hit on Xander, flirting hard. Then he
flat-out offered his services as a sex toy. While Xander had no illusions that
Spike would be asking for things back, just the fact he offered the way he did
was bizarre. Maybe it was a pod Spike that had hit on him. The same pod Spike
that read poetry to him. Xander stopped and thought about that smile he’d
seen. That was real. Spike had been enjoying that poetry and enjoying sharing it
with him. So, if that was real Spike, maybe real Spike did desire him. Xander
took off toward town. Spike riled and cursed the sun
that kept him from going after the boy. Then he cursed himself. Sure he was
evil, but some part of him had been glad to see the boy happy. I mean,
Xander’s life stank. He couldn’t keep a job, his parents were abusive drunks
who made him pay rent to live in a laundry room, and he had no close friends,
really. His spending time with a father figure twice his age was just creepy.
There was nothing wrong with the boy getting a bit of tongue from some bint
he’d never see again. Hell, it would only serve to make the boy hornier, if
that was possible. Spike paced and fretted. There
was nothing here he could break without making the boy more mad. He picked up
the toaster at one point, then, with a sigh, carefully put it back where it was.
He threw himself on the couch and thought. Xander kicked a flattened can
along in front of him as he wandered the short streets of Sunnydale. He didn’t
have enough money for dinner, let alone to get drunk. He wasn’t in the mood to
mooch off Giles, though it seemed some days the man was as lonely as he was. He
knew from talking to Willow earlier that Buffy and Riley were off on a long
drive. Willow herself was taking her cousin to the airport. Vicky. Xander sighed. If only
she didn’t live four time zones away. If only she didn’t have a guy she was
interested in. If only half their time together hadn’t been spent talking
about him. Still, when they went to the pier Vicky had sworn off talking about
Michael and focused on him. For five hours, Xander had been able to pretend he
had a pretty, normal, smart girlfriend who never once said the word vampire. He
was able to work up the nerve to ask her to ride the Farris wheel, knowing
Willow wouldn’t go, so they could have a few moments alone. And he had asked
for and gotten a single, sweet kiss. Why did Spike act like such a
putz? Oh yeah, he was one. And Xander had actually been considering fooling
around with him. He had to admit the man… vampire was damn sexy. Sex on oiled
springs. Well, damn it, Xander didn’t need pity sex. He could get a normal,
non-demon girl all on his own. He wasn’t going to stop reading or talking with
Spike about the books, but that was as much as he was going to socialize with
him. This determined, Xander set off toward home. The sun would set soon and he
was hungry. He hoped Spike hadn’t eaten the last of the baloney. Spike finally sighed and picked
up the telephone. Several calls and uses of Giles’ memorized credit card
numbers later, Spike sat back and awaited the deliveries. If he wanted to get
into Xander’s boxers, he had to patch things up quick. The third day of his
offered week was passing quickly. Xander paused outside the back
door to his house and took a deep breath to steel himself. This was going to be
fine. He was going to go in there, act like nothing had happened, and make
himself a sandwich. Xander bustled in. “Hey, Spike. You have to go get your
own blood… I’m… broke…” Xander trailed off as he took in the changes
in his basement bedroom. The bed was pulled out and made
up in smooth dark blue sheets. A matching comforter was turned down over them. A
slim book lay on the turned down sheet, a red ribbon draped from it. Above the
head of the bed, a shelf had been
emptied of its junk. A simple vase held a single red rose surrounded with
daisies. Xander’s prizes had been arranged along the shelf. Gaping, Xander looked to where
Spike sat on the foot of the chair. He barely noticed that the horrible orange
of the chair had been covered in a dark red throw. “I went out last night and
got my own. Thanks.” Spike looked down at his hands, awkward for once.
“I’m sorry I killed your mood. You’re good to let me stay here, but
I’ve overstayed my welcome. I… I’m sorry for hitting on you. I’m used to
just taking what I want, and being here, with you, watching you every day… I
came to want you.” Spike looked up. “You’re a pretty man, Xander. Never
doubt that.” He looked away, to the flowers. “You never told me if you were
a daisy or a rose guy, so I got both.” “Spike?” Xander croaked.
“What’s all this? How did you…” “The telephone and someone who
owes you poker winnings can help get a lot done. I hope you don’t mind.
There’s Chinese in the fridge.” “Right…” Xander walked to
the fridge in a daze and pulled out a carton. He opened it and peered inside. It
was his favorite. “Spike, I…” “It will be dark soon and
I’ll go,” Spike pulled out his rucksack and started stacking books in it. Xander watched this quietly.
Good. He wouldn’t have to fight to throw him out. Spike picked up the little
bat, gave it a squeeze, and gently sat it in with the books. Xander sighed.
“Spike. Stay.” Xander dumped the food intro a bowl and put it in the
microwave to warm. He sat on the edge of the bed facing the vampire and looked
hard at him. “Are you a pod?” “What?” Spike laughed. “A
what?” “A pod Spike. I don’t know
how you’re going to act minute by minute. First you’re nice to me, then
you’re calling me names again. One minute you’re reading poetry, the next
you’re snickering over Clive Barker. You crash my good mood, then you buy me
flowers. What the hell is up with you,
Spike? Spike swallowed and looked away.
“I don’t know,” he said so quietly Xander almost couldn’t hear him.
“With this chip in my head, I don’t know who or what I am. Back in the day,
I would have thought you pretty and just taken you. It would have ended with you
dead, of course.” Spike turned his sharp blue eyes on Xander’s shocked ones.
“But that’s changed. I’ve been watching you, living with you. I don’t
want you dead any more. Maybe offering sex was the wrong way to say that,”
Spike shrugged, “but that’s my way. Or was.” “Why would you want me?”
Xander asked, intrigued and flattered at the odd compliments. “Xander, you won’t allow
yourself to see it ‘cause your shit parents have beat you down so much. You
are smart, funny, loyal, and attractive.” If that didn’t make boxers fly,
nothing would. The microwave dinged. “Go eat, Xander. I can hear your belly
growl.” In a daze, Xander fetched his
food and a fork. He sat down, cross legged, near Spike and looked at the new
sheets. “These are nice. I like them.” “I noticed your old one were
getting a bit thin. And the color really looks good with your tan.” Xander nearly choked on a
noodle. “Thanks,” he sputtered. Damn the vampire. He had come home already
to get rid of him and now he was picturing Spike against the dark sheets. “I
think there’s a movie on ABC tonight.” Spike suddenly grinned. “Why
not watch Cinemax?”” “Unless you are suggesting we
go rent a hotel room, which I am not about to do, you know we can’t.” “That’s the thing. I have
connections.” Spike picked up the remote and turned on the television. “Free
cable, anyone?” “Spike! No!” Spike pouted. “No one will
know, love. Freddie patched it in from your parent’s line.” “My parents are too cheap to
have cable.” “In their bedroom they do.”
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