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This is dedicated to Bill. His story about the lifeguard largely inspired it. That and getting to see the pilot for “Man From Atlantis” again after so many years. And the thought of Spike and Xander naked in a pool.

Probably set some time between late season 4, maybe into season 5. Let's just ignore Anya, Okay?

Spike & Xander

Rated PG-13

For some slash, see the NC-17 rated next chapter.

Swimming Fool Part 2

Swimming Fool

Finally, the pool table was level and no longer wobbled. Xander packed away the last of his tools and dusted off his knees. He had been here at the YMCA for 4 hours now. It was a harder job than he expected. Three hours ago, the Y closed. In Sunnydale, it was best to close up before sunset if possible. Two hours ago, the maintenance man had come by and asked him if he minded being locked in. The man had a family to get to and Xander had none.  Xander had done any number of jobs for the Y before, they trusted him, and he knew how to let himself out. The man had left and Xander focused on his task. A couple of times he nearly gave up for the evening, planning to return the next day, but he had his tools out and was almost done.

He hefted his toolbox and looked around. The emptiness of the place may spook many people, but for some reason he found it soothing. As he passed the door to the indoor pool the smell of chlorine hit him. Suddenly, he was back in high school, remembering when he went  undercover to investigate strange happenings with the swim team. His body remembered the reach and pull of muscles drawing him along, and the feel of the water passing his body. Xander suddenly very much wanted a swim.

The Olympic size pool glowed in the dark of the room. Only the underwater lights were on. The surface was rippled only by the circulation pumps, a hum of equipment the only sound. He stood a minute and took in the echoy, clean chlorine, water feel of the place. A slight mist came off the surface of the heated pool. He knew where the clean towels are kept and snagged one from behind the counter. He strips down, leaving his clothes in an untidy heap, composed himself and dove in. His limbs quickly remembered the motions. With long, steady strokes, he is soon propelling himself from one end to the other. He settled into the meditative state swimming always brings him. It’s been too long.

After four laps, he suddenly saw a motion in the water. It was pacing him underwater. Must be his shadow, he thought. But this is Sunnydale. Best not ignore it. Xander reached the edge, hoisted himself out and looked back in the water. What he thought was his shadow was moving away from him. Damn! Something had been in the water with him all along. He grabbed a hammer out of his tool box and watched the shape.

It was long and pale. Humanoid. It moved with precision and grace. It seemed to have no hair. It reached the far end and made the turn without surfacing. Arms, legs. A quick flash of dark pubes. It was man-shaped all right. As it approached, Xander stepped back and checked his grip on the hammer.

The figure reached his end some ten feet away. Hands suddenly gripped the edge of the pool and a lean, well-muscled body was hoisted out of the water. His short, white hair was rendered the same shade as his skin by the bluish pool lights.

“Spike!”

The vampire grinned and stood, dripping. “Fancy a race?”

“What are you doing here?”

“Same thing as you, mate. Late night swim.”

“I didn’t hear you come in.”

“I was already in the pool when you came in. You forget. I don’t have to breathe. I’m not supposed to be in here, so I was hiding on this end. People never look in the shallow end.”

It suddenly struck Xander that he was standing naked in front of Spike, and that Spike has been underwater in the clear pool swimming under him. Probably watching him. Xander dropped the hammer in the toolbox and grabbed for his towel, blushing.

“Come on." Spike crossed his arms and looked amused at the boy. "It’s not like I’ve never seen a penis before. It’s not like I’ve not seen yours.”

Xander wrapped the towel around himself and turned to the vampire, looking alarmed. “When?”

“I was your roomie, remember? No way two men can live in that small a room and not catch glimpses.”

“Well I never saw…” Xander started to say, then realized Spike was standing full monty in front of him with a smirk on his face. Xander spun to face the pool.

Spike chuckled. “Did you change under a towel in the locker room when you were on the swim team, Harris?”

“How did you know... know I was on the swim team?”

“I say again, I was your roomie. You left your year books lying about. There was nothing else to read." 

“Oh.”

“You’ve got a nice form,” Spike quirked an eyebrow at him, enjoying making the boy squirm. “Do you want to race?”

“No.”

Spike shrugged. “I want some more laps. Do as you please.” Spike started to dive in from the side and paused. “On second thought…” He silently padded along the darkened pool side to the far end where the diving boards were. Quickly, he climbed the tallest ladder and stepped out to the end of the board. He paused, composing himself. Seeing Spike pose, Xander remembered reading that early Olympics where held in the nude.

Xander can not help but admire Spike’s body. He was short for a man, shorter than Xander by an inch or so, but his body was cleanly muscled. There was no wasted weight on his frame whatsoever, and Xander knew how strong he was.

Spike bounced, gaining height, before leaping and executing a perfect triple summersault in the air before extending his body and entering the water without a splash. Xander found himself applauding. He waited for the vampire to surface, but he was again swimming laps underwater. Xander watched how he moved. Once in a while, Spike would roll in the water like a sleek seal. The young man found himself envying the vampire the ability to not breathe.

The air conditioner kicked on, making Xander jump and sending a chill along his wet body. Leave or swim? “Oh, what the hell.” He dropped his towel and once again dove in.

Xander fell back into the restful zone. Kick, stroke, stroke, breath. After a little while he stopped in the center of the pool and rolled over on his back. He floated there, his breathing even. He could hear the motion in the water as Spike passed him. He floated quietly until he heard a splash. He righted himself to see Spike sitting on the edge of the pool like he was waiting for him. Should he talk with Spike? Hell, he had already seen him naked and shared a pool with him. The vamp was clearly in a mellow mood for once.  With a mental shrug, Xander swam over to join him.

Xander rested his arms on the tile edge. “Why are you swimming, Spike? You don’t have to work out, do you?”

Spike sat looking out over the water. “It’s warm. I like the way the water feels as it moves past my body.”

“I get that. And it’s relaxing. It’s been so long since I swam, I’d forgotten. I’ll have to make a point of swimming more.”

Spike looked down at Xander. “I can get you in after hours. I know the night maintenance man.”

“Ralph? He’s a nice guy." Xander hoisted himself out and sat some four feet away.

“He’s a nice demon. Can’t tell it by lookin’ at him, but he’s half  boxon demon.

“Yeah? You never know.”

They sit quietly and share a moment. “Thanks,” Spike said, looking off over the water again.

“What for?”

“For not running off. For sharing a swim.”

“Well, I was wet already. There was no reason to quit before I was done. Plus, I figure the chlorine will kill any evil cooties in the water.”

Spike looked sideways at Xander. “You know, for a Wanker, you’re okay.”

Xander couldn’t help but smile. “Coming from an undead creature, that means a lot.”

Spike chuckled, and stood. He reached behind the counter, snagged a couple of towels, and tossed one to Xander. “How about next Wednesday? Just after sundown?”

Xander considered for a minute, then shrugged. “Sure, why not? Swim date with the fiend. Could make a good movie-of-the-week.”

The two dry off, dress, and go their separate ways.

For some slash, see my NC-17 next chapter.

Swimming Fool Part 2

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