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Unbreakable Chapter 40
Over the next six months, Xander started to spend more time
with the rest of the family. Most nights, however, were spent alone with Spike.
They didn’t always talk, but both found the company welcome. True, there were
nights Xander wanted to be alone and enjoy some… private time. Those
occasions, Spike would vanish from the house and no one knew where he went. He
would most often silently show up the next evening as if he had never left. Any
questioning was met with a snarky or cryptic remark, so they learned to put it
down to Spike’s wild nature. Xander threw himself into restoring the gazebo, working
long days on turning new railings and scraping paint. On rainy days, he would
help Spike restore his motorcycle. Twice Spike went on short errands for the council. Each
time, he checked in with Xander by phone, assuring him that he would return. While they each felt the attraction to one another, it was
kept quiet; only expressed in the way they slept close at night, and spent much
of their free time together. Xander wasn’t ready; he still feared the possible
loss of Spike if he gave in to his desires. Spike tried to be patient, and yet
show Xander he would be there when and if he was ever ready. Between Giles and Willow, they came up with a battery of
tests to determine what, if any magical abilities Xander had. They determined
that he was magic sensitive, and had the odd ability to not only pick enchanted
items from mundane, but when they tested the worry stone he bought from Jen,
they learned he could generate small amounts of energy in an object. It was
deemed an interesting, but most likely useless ability. One day, Xander came to the house for lunch to find Spike
in his long coat and tailored clothes. “What’s up, Spike? you look good.” “I always look good. I thought you realized that.” “Yeah, but you look like you did… Fuck. There’s a
ship, isn’t there?” “Ralph von Hoffman at your service,” Spike said in his
German accent. Xander swallowed and looked away. “I know you have to go,
there’s no one else, but… be careful, Spike. Please be careful.” “I should be able to gather better information, now that
we’ve learned so much from you.” “That’s what worries me. What if you give something
away?” Spike stepped to Xander and put a hand to his cheek,
bringing his eye up to face him. “I know what I’m doing, Xander, and I
promise I’ll be back.” “I know. I just wish there was something I could do to
help.” Xander put his hand over Spike’s and pressed it to his face. “Be a translator if we need, okay? That’s important.” “Okay. See you in a couple of days?” “Sure will.” Spike smiled and reclaimed his hand. “I
must now to be away,” he said in his German accent. “Time is important, and
my boss must have what he demands.” With a curt nod, and a snapping turn, Spike vanished
through the door to the tunnels. Xander
went up to his room and stared out the window until Willow coaxed him down for
dinner. Oz and Gunn were leaving for the rendezvous point, and she wanted Xander
there to see them off. “Come down, Xander, please,” Willow coaxed. “I’m not hungry,” he mumbled and continued to stare
out the window, turning his worry stone over and over. Willow sat on the edge of the chair next to him and laid a
hand on his knee. “Xander, he’ll be fine. He’s done this lots of times
before.” “I know but… what if he gives away how much he knows?
What if he goes digging for more information and gets caught? I told him a lot
about what went on in that ship. What if he gets mad and… I don’t know,
wants to play hero? They’ll dust him without a moment’s hesitation!” “Oh, Xander!” Willow gently wiped a tear from his eye.
“He’s smart, we know that. He’s kept himself alive for over a hundred
years, I think he can manage this two day trip.” “You’re probably right. But… some of the stories
he’s told me…” “Are probably half bravado. I’ve heard his stories,
too. Maybe not the same ones as you, but our Spike loves to brag and tell
stories. Come down for a minute and see the guys off. Your support means a lot
to them. Heck, you being here has fired them up.” “That’s what I mean, Willow. I’m afraid of
overconfidence.” “Look, Our men are risking their lives, too.” “He’s not my…” “Shush. If you must mope, you have to mope in company.
It’s a house rule.” “What do you do, sit around and knit?” “It’s more productive than a worry stone, mister.
I’ll teach you how.” “I don’t…” Willow stood and put her hands on her hips. “I have no
other choice. Resolve face. Come down, see them off, and eat some dinner. You
missed lunch and I will never believe you’re not hungry.” Xander smiled at his frowning friend and stood up with a
sigh. “Very well.” Two nights later, Spike returned with two slaves he’d
rescued. After warning the women of the van’s arrival, he went to find Xander
sitting in the almost-finished Gazebo. Piles
of gardening materials and cans of paint sat neatly stacked on the floor. A
single hanging work lamp lit the scene. Spike crossed the floor and leaned on
the rail next to where his friend sat. He heard Xander let out a breath as if
he’d been holding it the whole time he’d been gone. They watched the
fireflies in silence. Finally, Xander turned to look at Spike who was still
dressed in his fancy leather coat, polished boots, and tailored slacks, and
looked him over. “You’re not from around here, are you?” Spike suppressed a grin and slipped into his German
mannerisms. “No. I hope you do not mind, but I saw this lovely… what do you
call it?” “Ga-ze-bo,” Xander said clearly, playing along. “Gazebo, yes, and I just had to see it. I’ve never seen
a structure more beautiful.” Xander looked around at the high ceiling and the railings
he’d turned by hand. “Thank you.” “You did this? Oh! It is magnificent!” Spike went to
the center of the floor. He craned his head back and turned slowly to look at
the softly lit rafters with their carved details. Xander suddenly recalled a conversation he’d had with
Spike about romance novel covers a year before. Spike had said he was the
typical model, and Xander admitted to liking leaner men. Spike would be every
bit at home on a novel cover right now. “I had some help,” he said absently. “But I can see the master eye was yours.” Spike stopped
turning and struck a pose. Xander suddenly felt himself caught up in the role playing.
Here was the handsome foreign stranger who charms a local boy. Giving in to
impulse, Xander slipped off the railing and took off his shirt. “It’s a hot
night, isn’t it?” Spike blinked, and the fantasy he’d played in his head
moved toward him. “Um… ya. Very hot here…” He stood still as he watched
the muscles play in Xander’s arms as he reached up, pulled the tie from his
hair and let it tumble about his shoulders. He wished he could put the world in
slow motion. “It is hot… you’re hot…” Xander said
softly, his deep voice carrying on the still night air. “I… I think perhaps you could distract me from this
heat?” His accent had slipped, but neither one remarked on it. Xander stepped close and brought a big, work roughened hand
up to cup Spike’s pale face. He ran a thumb over the edge of his sharp
cheekbone. “It’s funny, but I feel I’ve known you in another life.” “You mean like I was meant to come here, on this night,
to this place?” “Yeah, and I was meant to do this…” Xander leaned
down and gently pressed his lips to Spike’s. Had they been able to think, they would have said the world
tilted and nothing existed but the other man’s touch. Spike started to reach up and touch Xander in turn when a
small, dark figure suddenly appeared at the head of the path. It was one of the
girls Spike had just brought back. The slim girl froze for a half a minute, her
eyes wide, and she darted away from the light. “Damn,” Spike said vehemently, hating her for
interrupting, hating that Xander dropped his hand and looked after her like the
bloody white hat he was. Xander took a steadying breath, dizzy from the emotions
swirling inside him. “Slayer?” “Slayer and slave.” “Let me help her,” Xander said and was off. Seconds later, Oz and Willow appeared. Spike pointed off
the direction she’d gone. “Xander’s on her path.” They took off and Spike bent to pick up Xander’s
discarded shirt. What had that been? Playing? Acting? Had it been real? He
shamelessly breathed in the musky scent of Xander. Oh God, let it have been
real.
On to Chapter 41 |
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