Xander woke to a vibration in the bed. It felt as though someone was holding an electric razor to his chest. As the grogginess drifted out of his head, he remembered what Buffy had told Willow about Angel when they thought he wasn't listening, that he purrs when he's contented. She had only experienced it a couple of times, but she said it with that happy little sigh of hers and it made him wonder if it was just one of Angel's things or if all vampires do that. Apparently, it wasn't just Angel. Spike was laying half on his chest and purring. 'I'm sure he'd be embarrassed if he knew I'd found out,' Xander thought.

Just as he was settling back in for a few more minutes of sleep before the alarm clock went off, his bladder screamed at him to get out of the bed. It seems the vibrations woke up nerve endings that reminded him of his messy mortal details. Thankfully, Spike only had his arm draped over Xander's waist. It was easy to slip out from under a draped arm, unlike the death-grip Anya used to have on him in the mornings. As he slipped out from under the cool, pale arm, the purring came to a stop and Spike moaned in his sleep. Xander quietly slipped to the bathroom, relieved himself and quickly crawled back into the bed. He, once again, had a cool, thin body stretched over and curled around his own warm, bulkier body. But the purring didn't resume. That moment was gone.

After a few minutes, the alarm clock sounded, waking the blonde. He was tempted to throw the clock across the room, but thought better of that idea when Xander reached over and turned it off. Glancing blearily at the time, he asked, "Xan? You don't have to be to work for two hours. Why is that blasted thing goin' off now?"

Xander just smiled a seductive smile and reached down to stroke his lover's belly, just between his navel and patch of dark curls. "Just wanted to start my day off right," he whispered before he lightly brushed his lips against Spike's. The vampire sighed happily and pulled the warm body closer to deepen the kiss. Both men opened their mouths and engaged in a duel of tongues. One of Spike's hands drifted down Xander's side and came to rest on his hip, while the other grasped at the back of his head, fingers twining in the nearly black hair.

As Spike gripped and released his hip repeatedly, Xander's hand slid down the silky skin of his lover until it reached his firm, small ass. With little effort, he rolled onto his back, pulling the vampire on top of him. He thrust up lightly, brushing their hardened cocks together. Spike broke the kiss, only to lick and nibble his way down Xander's muscled body. He gently sucked his nipples into pebbles, licked down his chest, scraping blunt teeth on his ribs, swirled his tongue in his navel and finally sucked the hot cock into his cool mouth. Xander's fingers twined in the blonde hair as he was sucked deep. Spike looked up and saw his eyes were closed, a look of sheer pleasure on his face. Just within his reach under the bed was a container of lube. Without removing his mouth, he got up on his knees enough to reach behind himself to open and slick his hole. Deciding that he was prepared just enough for a pleasurably painful breach, he released the cock from his mouth.

"Want you in me, now," he hissed as he crawled back up Xander's body, straddling his waist. Before his lover could stop him, he thrust himself down on the hard member with a grunt and a moan. He set up a slow rhythm, each thrust down taking the mortal a little deeper inside him. At the look of shock and worry on Xander's face, he panted, "Don't worry, luv. Slicked m'self a little and I like the pain." Xander relaxed and met his next thrust. Spike groaned with a smile on his face. He lifted up and thrust back down hard, effectively hitting his prostate. A shiver ran through his body.

With each thrust, Xander moaned and panted words of adoration and pleasure. "So good… so tight… love you… mmm, like that… God, yes… Spike!!" He wanted to thrust faster, harder, but Spike was setting the pace, taking him to the edge of ecstasy and holding him there. Spike was gently nipping at Xander's neck with blunt teeth, shuddering at each brush against his sweet spot.

Spike uttered his own stream of words and sounds when Xander reached between their bodies and wrapped his hot hand around Spike's cool shaft. "Soddin' hell… yeah, Luv… just like that… fuck… love you, Xan!!" he screamed as he came. As his cool seed shot over Xander's stomach, he tightened around the hot cock inside him and thrust down hard and fast. Xander came with a shout, filling his lover with a steady stream of warm seed. The couple collapsed into each other, kissing languidly.

After a few minutes, Xander had to get up. "Have to shower, Spike. I have to go to work." Spike conceded and rolled onto his back, stretching. 'So cat-like' he thought as he looked at the vampire in his bed and smiled. "I'd ask you to join me, but then I'd never get to work and I *have* to go if we want to keep the apartment."

Spike nodded, "Just toss me a damp wash rag, mate. Clean up a bit 'fore I go back to sleep." Xander retrieved a rag for the blonde and went to take his shower before he changed his mind about work and decided to climb back in bed. After he was showered, shaved and dressed, he went back to the bedroom to kiss his lover goodbye. The image before him left a goofy smile on his face for the rest of the day. Spike was still nude on the bed, lying on his side, curled around Xander's pillow, sleeping with a contented smile on his face.

He covered him up with the blanket, brushed a stray curl from off his forehead and kissed him gently on the cheek. "I'll see you tonight, love," he whispered. "I love you."

Part 2

Spike woke to the sound of Xander slamming the apartment door. He had slept like, well, the dead. He was just stretching out in the bed when Xander stormed into the room. “Alright, evil undead. Get out.” He just gaped at the man in his unlife. “Did you hear me? I said get out! You’re a great lay, but come on… you and me? I don’t think so. Pack up your shit and leave.”

He fought back the tears that were trying to fall, “Xan?”

Then Spike truly woke. Xander was still at work. Tears streamed down his face. He quickly dressed and left the apartment. There was tunnel access in the basement of the building, so he made his way to his crypt in the safety of the sewers of Sunnydale.

When he got to the crypt, he slumped down on one of the coffins. His head was spinning. ‘I love him,’ he thought. ‘He says he loves me, but how can he? He loves good people. Bloody hell, William, you’re not even a person.’ Spike pulled a dagger from his boot and started dragging it across his palm. Lightly, at first, just enough to feel the hard metal on his skin. ‘Xander hates vampires. Soul or no, you’re not good enough for him. You’re not good enough.’

Spike pressed the dagger deeper, breaking the skin, and watched as the blood pooled in his palm.

*****

Xander came home from a hard day of work, anxious to see his lover, only to find an empty apartment. “Spike?” Several horrific thoughts ran quickly through his head. His first thought was that Spike was a pile of dust out on the street. ‘God, no!’ his mind screamed. ‘Does he not love me? Does he hate himself for what we did? Why would he leave?’ He tried to push all those thoughts out of his head to figure out where Spike might have gone. “The crypt!” Xander ran out of the apartment and headed for Spike’s crypt.

“Spike!” he shouted, bursting through the door of the crypt. “Are you in here?” The vampire was cowered in the corner, dagger firmly embedded through his hand. “Oh, my God! What did you do?”

“I… what… Xander?” Spike was shocked to see the man looking so concerned. He hadn’t realized that he pushed the dagger through his palm until the pool of blood was on the floor instead of in his hand. The next hour before Xander arrived was spent staring at his impaled hand and watching the blood slowly drip out, down the blade and onto the floor.

“Spike, what’s going on? Why did you leave?” He pulled the dagger from Spike’s hand as gently as possible. “Why did you stab yourself?” Xander found one of the vampire’s torn shirts and wrapped it around the bloody wound.

“Don’t know. The blade just went through.” Xander kissed Spike gently on the lips. “Wait, Xander. Wait.”

“What?” Xander paused. “What’s wrong?”

Spike stood and started to pace the crypt. So many thoughts racing through his head. “How can someone like you love this *thing* that I am? Is it just because I have a soul now?” Xander stood and started to walk toward him, Spike just gave him a look that said ‘Let me finish this.’ “Mean to say, before I got this blasted soul back, you always seemed to hate me. I was just another demon and the only reason you put up with me was because of the chip.” He was getting more and more tense. Xander could feel the vampire’s tension from across the room. “I’ve been evil for so long. I don’t know if I can be good enough for you, Xan.”

Xander gaped, ‘That’s what this is all about? He thinks he isn’t good enough for me?’ Spike stopped pacing, finally, and stood, looking at the floor. His arms were wrapped tightly around his torso. Xander took a step forward, slowly. “Spike? Are you afraid this is just a fling for me?” Spike glanced up, the hurt evident in his deep blue eyes. Another step forward, “I loved you before you got the soul. I will love you even if you lose it again.” The tension was leaving his body, gradually. “The chip let me get to know you a little, but the soul allowed you to let me get close. It let you let me love you.” He took another step and reached out a hand to caress Spike’s cheek. “Don’t ever worry that you aren’t good enough for me. The past is just that, past. You’ve been evil and you’ve been good. We all have. It has nothing to do with why I love you. You make me feel important, needed, loved. I love you.”

Spike leaned into the warm hand on his face, nuzzling it. “You love me? Truly?” Xander nodded quickly. “Thank you.” He pulled the man into his arms and proceeded to nuzzle Xander’s neck. “I love you,” he whispered. They stood, embracing, for quite some time. When Spike felt the sun set, he asked, “Take me home?”

When they got home, they fell into the bed together, exhausted. Before long, they were both asleep, encased tightly in each other’s arms.

Morning came with a blaring alarm clock, which startled the sleeping blonde, yet again. This day, he decided to get out of bed with his lover. Together, they stumbled to the kitchen. Xander started the coffee brewing, while Spike heated a bag of blood. “Ugh,” Xander mumbled. “I need a shower.” He slowly made his way to the bathroom and started the water in the shower. He stepped in and let the water wash over him, awakening his senses. Grabbing a washcloth, he soaped it up and started to clean himself. Spike had other ideas. He slipped silently into the bathroom, quickly undressed and climbed into the shower behind Xander.

Prepared to catch Xander if he slipped, Spike reached out and tenderly stroked the muscled back. He jumped a little, but leaned back into the caress. “Need help, Luv?” Xander turned and faced Spike. Together they washed his chest and stomach. Spike sunk to his knees in front of him. “I love you, Xander,” he said just before he took the hard length in his mouth.

Xander stared, wide-eyed, at the way Spike took his whole length, over and over as his head bobbed. Blue eyes looked up to meet brown and their gazes stayed locked as Spike’s hands held Xander’s hips. His hands rubbed back and forth, slowly working their way back on his ass. Xander spread his legs as far as the tub would allow, then used one hand to guide Spike to his opening. His other hand rested on the blonde head, subtly urging him faster. “Mmmm, Spike. Just like that,” he panted. Using one finger, still slicked from soap, Spike pushed past Xander’s tight ring of muscle, slowly thrusting in and out as the brunette moaned and bucked.

Tenderly, one finger became two, then three, questing for the mound of flesh that would cause the man to see stars before his eyes. When the fingers brushed that spot, Xander cried out and came hard down Spike’s throat. The vampire quickly stood and turned his lover around, fingers still inside, twisting and turning. He grabbed the man by the waist with his free hand and pulled him close. Smoothly removing his scissoring digits, he placed his own hard cock at the waiting entrance. “I love you,” he moaned and pushed in roughly.

“God, Spike!” Xander screamed. “I love you, I love you, loveyouloveyouloveyou.” He moaned and chanted his devotion to the being behind him as every thrust brought him deeper inside and closer to the blessed prostate. They set a fast pace of thrusting against each other, both moaning. As he got closer to climax, Spike dropped his head to Xander’s shoulder and unconsciously shifted into gameface. The brunette felt the ridges form on his shoulder and tilted his head to bare his neck to the vampire. “Please, Spike,” he pleaded.

Unwilling to fight the urge to mark this man, he carefully slid his fangs into the tanned neck. At the first mouthful of fresh, warm blood, freely given, he growled around the flesh and thrust hard and fast into his lover. “Mine,” he moaned as he came, releasing the flesh.

“Yours,” Xander sighed. Spike licked the wound clean as he let his softening cock slip out of his now mate’s ass. Together they finished washing, got out of the shower and dried off. Occasionally, one would steal a kiss from the other, both grinning happily. Xander dressed for work, while Spike donned a pair of sweatpants. “As much as I love to see you in my clothes, sweats hanging low on your hips, I think we need to get you some of your own clothes. Ones that fit,” he laughed and stole another kiss.

Spike laughed and took the make-shift bandage off his healed hand. “Maybe tonight, Xan. Coffee?” Xander smiled and nodded.

Part 3

“Christ, Xan,” Spike muttered through the wall of the changing room. “Are you INSANE? ‘M not wearing this. I’d rather be dust first.” Xander just snickered. He had handed Spike a pile of clothes to try on and pushed him into the changing room. Halfway through the stack was a bright orange Hawaiian shirt.

“Oh, come on, Spike,” he laughed. “You know it suits your complexion.” The shirt came flying over the door and landed at Xander’s feet.

“You wish, mate.” Spike sorted through the jeans, looking for the size he *knew* he wore. Xander swore that it was impossible that he wore a 28 inch waist and had insisted that he take a couple of larger sizes in with him. He slid on the 28’s and they were a little loose, which was perfect for the amount they would shrink. Then he slipped on a dark green silk shirt and stepped out of the changing room. “What do you think, Luv?”

Xander swallowed and blinked. “Green is definitely your color,” his voice dripping with desire. Clearing his throat and stepping back to avoid pushing the vampire back into the room and fucking him senseless, “Umm… why don’t you try on the other stuff and I’ll go get you some T-shirts.”

He pushed the cart over to the T-shirts and was sorting through the packages, looking for black in Spike’s size, when he heard a familiar voice behind him. “Well, it figures. I would have to run into you here, wouldn’t I?”

Xander stood, his stance that of a child being scolded. “Oh, hi, Dad,” he said softly. “How’s Mom?”

“Like you care, boy,” Mr. Harris balked. “You don’t even call her anymore. She’s still upset that you didn’t marry that little cutie you had.” Xander hung his head, not wanting to look his father in the eyes. “Do you know how much that wedding cost us, for you to just stand her up?”

“Yeah, mate, it cost you a tux rental and a frock for the missus,” Spike appeared from behind the elder Harris. “Xander and Anya paid for everything else themselves.” He walked over to Xander, place the now tried-on clothes in the cart and grabbed a package of shirts.

“Who the hell do you think you are?”

“One of Xander’s good-for-nothing friends. Also his flat-mate.” he replied, matter-of-factly. “Now, if you don’t mind, I need socks.” Spike sauntered off, leaving Xander’s father staring after him.

Xander looked up at his father and shrugged. As he walked off in the same direction as Spike, he called over his shoulder, “Bye Dad. Tell Mom I love her.” When he found Spike in the sock aisle, he was fighting back tears. “Are you ready? Can we get out of here?”

Spike tossed the package of socks in the cart, “Sure thing, Xan.” Xander paid for the clothing in silence. When they finally reached the car, Spike broke the silence. “You know he was just trying to push your buttons, don’t ya, Luv?” He nodded and wiped his eyes. “Want me to go back there and scare the piss out of him? Would be good for a laugh. Watch him soil his trousers,” Spike’s tongue flicked between his teeth as he waggled his eyebrows.

Xander chuckled a little, “Nah, Spike, not this time. I just want to forget about him.” He fumbled with the keys for a minute before handing them to Spike, “You drive. I can’t right now.” He climbed into the passenger seat. Spike let out a low, frustrated growl before he got into the car and drove away.

They had been planning on going out to eat after shopping, but with Xander’s state, Spike decided it would be better to just go home and re-heat leftovers. They moved on automatic, getting into the apartment with their purchases, heating and eating dinner and going to bed. All the while, Xander was lost in thought and hadn’t said more than five words to his Mate. Spike didn’t know what to say. His lover wasn’t broken, per se, just hurting. He had never been good at comforting, except with Dru. With her, all he ever had to do was bring her a new toy, be it a doll, bird or fresh body, or just fuck her into the mattress and everything would be fine. Of course, Dru was utterly insane, Xander was not. He didn’t know how to handle this situation. By the time Spike got to the bedroom, after picking up the dishes, Xander was already asleep. He silently undressed and slipped into the bed. They instinctively curled around each other.

Spike woke to the plaintive moans of his Mate. “Sorry… didn’t mean to… please don’t yell… I’m sorry…” Xander murmured in his sleep and tightened his grip on Spike. The blonde stroked his hair and tried to soothe him with shushing sounds. “Please stop… Daddy… Mommy… I won’t do it again…”

“Xander, love, wake up,” he gently shook the sleeping man. “It’s just a dream. Wake up.” Spike continued to rock and talk to Xander until he finally woke from the dream. “Want to talk about it?”

Xander didn’t say anything, he just buried his face in Spike’s chest. Spike rubbed his hands up and down his arms and back. He turned his head so he could talk after a few minutes. “It was summer, when I was about eight. Dad was at work and I was helping Mom in the kitchen. He hated that. Thought cooking was ‘woman’s work’ and that if I was going to be any sort of a man, I shouldn’t be cooking. But I loved helping Mom cook and I was getting pretty good at it.” Spike stroked his dark hair and allowed him to continue. “We weren’t paying attention to the time and Dad came home and found us laughing as I was setting the table. He started yelling at Mom and it startled me and I dropped a glass on the floor.” He sniffled, “It shattered and I was so scared. He kept yelling and he backhanded me across the face. It was one of the few times he ever hit me.” The vampire growled quietly at the thought of anyone hurting his mate.

Xander cleared his throat, “He wasn’t physically abusive, for the most part, he just yelled a lot. But that smack terrified me. I mean, I was only eight and my father is a big man. He went back to yelling at Mom for letting me do ‘girly’ things and I tried to clean up the broken glass. I cut my hand. When I started crying from the pain and blood, he started yelling at me for being a wimp. All I could do was beg him to stop yelling, promising that I would never do it again. Finally, he grabbed a beer and went to the living room to watch TV. Mom made herself a drink and downed it quickly before she patched up my hand.” He ran his finger over the faded scar on his palm. “I wasn’t allowed to help her in the kitchen anymore and not long after that, she pretty much stopped cooking too. TV dinners and take-out became my core diet.”

Spike kissed the top of his head. Xander looked up at him. “Next time, I will scare the piss out of the blighter,” he chuckled. Xander smiled. “Don’t worry, Luv. You break a glass, we’ll just get a new glass. ‘Sides, everyone knows the best chefs in the world are men,” he winked. Spike tugged lightly until the brunette shifted up far enough for a tender kiss.

The kissed deepened until they were both moaning in pleasure. Spike rolled Xander over onto his back and thrust his hips slightly into his lover. Their cocks rubbed against each other as they ground their bodies together. Spike reached for the bottle of lube on the night-stand as he pushed away from the tanned body beneath him. With one hand, he grasped the man’s hard shaft and slowly stroked. The other hand busily poured the slippery liquid onto his own cock and Xander’s tight opening. He slid one long finger inside and crooked it just so, causing the dark man to shudder and cry out for more. Smoothly, a second finger slid in and caressed the same spot, causing another shudder and more moans.

Fingers scissored and thrust in and out, stretching Xander’s anus, preparing it for Spike’s hard member. Suddenly, the fingers were gone from both his tight channel and his weeping cock. Before he had a chance to complain, Spike was back, pressing the head of his cock against the tight ring, but not yet entering. He leaned down and traced his tongue around the shell of Xander’s ear and whispered, “I’ll never let him hurt you again. I love you.” He thrust inside slowly, locking eyes with his friend, his lover, his mate.

He wrapped his hand around the hot, hard cock between their bodies and stroked it with the same slow, steady pace he set with his thrusts. This slow pace continued for over an hour until both bodies were singing with the shared pleasure. Xander’s body started twitching and lost the rhythm as he neared climax. “Mmm, your arse is so tight,” Spike growled. The sound reverberated through their bodies and Xander tightened, frozen, as his orgasm ripped through him, spilling his hot cum over his stomach and chest. Spike pressed their mouths together, his tongue sweeping inside as his own climax was pulled from his body. He let his softening cock slip from the tight channel as he crawled down the warm body. With soft, short licks, he cleaned that warm, sleepy body.

‘So much like a cat,’ Xander thought as he twined his fingers in Spike’s hair. “Think we should get a pet, Spike?” The vampire laughed at the seemingly random thought process, but considered the question as he fell asleep with his head on Xander’s belly.

Part 4

Unconsciously, Spike batted his almost empty mug from one hand to the other as he watched his lover eat breakfast. He was unusually hyper for so early in the morning. “Were you serious about getting a pet, Xan?” He hoped that Xander was serious. Since they had moved in together, the vampire was no longer keeping ‘vampire hours’ and was awake all day. All day, alone in the apartment while the human was at work.

“Sure, I don’t see why not,” he smiled. “Do you know what kind you want?” Spike shook his head no. “Well, you think about it and we’ll go tonight, or whenever you decide. OK?”

“Right. I’ll think about it,” he smiled back. They sat for a few more minutes, finishing their breakfasts and talking about whatever came to mind. “Luv, you should go. Don’t want to be late for work.” Xander nodded and went to gather his things.

Spike met him at the door on his way out and pulled him close for a searing kiss. A kiss that left Xander panting and Spike licking his lips afterward. A kiss that left them both half hard. “Keep kissing me like that and I’ll have to call in sick, just so I can make love to you,” Xander sighed. Another kiss, a chaste one, and Spike practically pushed him out the door. “OK, OK, I’ll go to work, but you just wait ‘til I get home,” he winked.

“Can’t wait, Luv,” Spike moaned happily. He closed the door and whispered, “I can’t wait.” He relaxed on the couch for about an hour, thinking about Xander and stroking his cock slowly. His mind drifted through images of the construction worker. Xander smiling, laughing, fighting. Xander watching TV, sleeping, cooking. His eyes, his hands, his lips. The way the water washes over him in the shower, his moans when they fuck, the sound of him screaming Spike’s name when he cums. At the thought of his scream, Spike let out a howl and released his own orgasm, shooting stream after stream of cool seed over his bare chest.

After Spike took a shower to clean and warm up, he sat down to take care of some business. Luckily, Xander had a computer with Internet access and had left his checkbook at home. He logged onto the bank’s website and transferred funds from one account to another. ‘Won’t Xander be surprised,’ he thought. Then he researched pets. They were allowed any kind of animal, less than thirty-five pounds (sixteen kilograms), so that meant no Mastiffs. He wasn’t even sure he wanted a dog, so Spike did a search for ‘small pets.’

“Hmmm…” he said to the empty room. “Dogs, cats, fish, birds… naw, ‘M not Dru. Don’t need a bird. Ferrets… uck! Smelly little buggers. Reptiles.” Spike paused, “Reptiles. OK, now for what kind of reptile.” Another search, for reptiles this time. “Ahh, the Red-Tail Boa Constrictor. Perfect.” A smile grew across his face as he printed fact and care sheets for his soon-to-be new pet. They listed everything from size to diet, ‘Mice, I can do mice,’ longevity to housing to warnings about Salmonella and hand washing.

Once his ‘chores’ were finished, Spike sat down on the couch with a satisfied expression on his face and flipped channels on the television until Xander came home from work. He had a plan for the evening. A plan that even he could wait long enough to follow through with. His plan was to make love to the man who held his heart until the sun went down, shower, then go out to eat and get his new pet. A good plan indeed.

Part 5

“Lucy, I’m home,” Xander called out in a horrid Cuban accent.

Following suit, Spike called back, “Ricky, when are you gonna let me be in the show?” They both laughed. “Bloody hell, we’ve been watchin’ too many reruns lately.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Xander said, slumping down in his favorite chair, weary from work. “What did you do today?”

Spike handed Xander a beer and sprawled out on the couch. “Oh, this and that. Decided on a pet. Thought about you naked and hard. Surfed the ‘net. Imagined being inside you, fucking you into next week. Made dinner reservations. Thought about taking that hard cock of yours into my mouth and making you cum ‘til you pass out.”

Xander let out a low moan as his cock grew painfully hard. He shifted in his seat and cleared his throat, “Umm… what time are the reservations for?”

Giving him as innocent a look as possible, “About four hours. Why, Luv? Got something you need to do?” His thumbs were hooked through his belt loops, with his fingers resting on either side of the obvious erection in his impossibly tight jeans. Spike drummed his fingers lightly.

At a speed Spike hadn’t thought possible, Xander was out of the chair and hauling him to his feet. Warm lips pressed against cool in a hungry kiss. He pulled back, lust filling his eyes, “Yeah, there’s something, or more to the point, someone I need to do.” Spike smirked, recaptured his lover’s lips and backed him into the bedroom.

“What a plan, Luv,” he murmured as they stripped each other’s clothes off. “So beautiful, Xan. Want you in me.” Spike pushed Xander back onto the bed and straddled his hips. Placing soft, open-mouthed kisses along the column of his warm neck, Spike reached over and grabbed the bottle of lube. Xander moaned softly at the touch of those cool lips and wet tongue, twining his fingers in the bleached-blonde locks.

Spike pulled away to liberally coat his lover’s cock with the lubrication while the brunette let his fingers play over the tight muscles of his pale chest. He lifted himself up and slowly sank down until Xander was fully inside him. The two men paused, becoming accustomed to the stretch, hardness and tightness of each other’s bodies. “Spike, move. God, please move.” As the vampire slowly lifted, using his strong thighs to control his ascent, they both hissed and moaned in pleasure. Before long, the pace increased. “Yeah, baby,” Xander groaned. “Fuck yourself on me. Stroke yourself. Want to see you cum.”

Eyes glazing over as he wrapped his long digits around his hard cock, Spike shuddered. Knowing Xander was watching his every stroke was too much and he started to lose the rhythm of his thrusting, until hot hands on his hips steadied him. Rhythm reestablished, he pumped his hand furiously on his erection. “Fuck, Xan,” he panted. “Gonna cum!” His body tightened as his orgasm ripped through him. Xander thrust up into the tightly clenched body and roared his climax.

They collapsed into each other, panting and gently kissing. “Love it when you pant,” Xander sighed. He let his softening cock slide out of Spike’s well-fucked ass, both groaning at the loss. After a few minutes of soft touches and whispers of love and devotion, Xander shifted. “Well, blondie, we should probably get cleaned up and you can tell me what kind of pet you decided on.”

“A Snake?!?” Xander nearly cut himself shaving when Spike told him of the Red-Tail Boa he wanted for a pet. “I mean, yeah, sure, whatever you want, Spike, but a snake? Not very cuddly there.”

Spike snickered, “Actually, Ducks, snakes… very cuddly. ‘Specially boas. They love to wrap themselves all around you.” They finished cleaning up in silence as Xander pondered the implications of a snake. Spike smirking the whole time.

“OK, tell me where we’re going, so I know how to dress,” Xander called out from the bedroom. Spike grunted something back about his clothes being on the chair and the restaurant was a surprise. The same outfit from the night Spike had made him dinner a few weeks before was laid out on the chair. A deep burgundy pullover and silk boxers, black pants, socks and loafers, and a white, tank-style undershirt because he knew Xander had a penchant for them. Spike strolled into the bedroom wearing a cream colored sweater that clung to him like a second skin and black trousers and the ever-present Docs. He started sifting through the ashtray on the night stand as Xander dressed. Staring at him in confusion as the blonde started pulling apart the cigarette butts and making a little pile of tobacco next to the ashtray, he finally asked, “What are you doing?”

“Tabbin’.”

‘Tabbin’? What the hell is tabbin’,’ Xander thought. “Huh?” Spike pulled out a cigarette paper and started rolling the tobacco into it.

He placed the straightest filter he could find in the end and finished rolling the cigarette. “Tabbin’,” he sighed as he lit the cigarette. “’M outta smokes and cravin’ one, so ‘m makin’ one out of the ends. They bite, but it’ll get me by ‘til I can get a pack tonight.” Xander nodded. “You ready to go?” He nodded again and grabbed his keys and jacket as they left the apartment.

The two lovers walked the streets of Sunnydale, both with weapons concealed in their jackets. Spike stopped in front of Illusions, the nicest restaurant in town that didn’t require a jacket and tie, announcing, “We’re here, Xan.” Xander just gaped. He had never been here, but knew the place was expensive. They walked inside and Spike smiled softly as he watched his companion gaze around the room, eyes wide as saucers. “Reservation for two under the name Richardson,” Spike told the hostess.

“Of course, right this way, gentleman,” she replied sweetly, leading them to their table. “Your waiter will be right with you.”

“Thanks, pet,” Spike nodded as he sat and opened his menu. “Ducks, stop gaping and decide what you want,” he smirked.

“Everything’s so expensive, Spike.”

“Don’t worry about that, Luv. Just get what you want.”

“OK, but if I end up washing dishes, you aren’t getting sex for a week,” he whispered. Spike bit back a laugh, ‘Wait ‘til he sees his bank balance.’

After much convincing that he wouldn’t be washing dishes, Xander and Spike both ordered the steak, albeit Spike’s much rarer than Xander’s. They ate a wonderful dinner and topped it with cheesecake of the chocolate variety. The bill came and Spike immediately pulled a card from his wallet to pay, not letting Xander see the total. He signed the credit slip and they left, very full and quite happy. “Next stop, Luv… the pet shop.”

Part 6

They were just leaving the pet store, when Xander spied his father walking down the street, heading for the liquor store. Instantly, his grip tightened on the box of supplies for the snake that was wrapped around Spike's chest and arms. The vampire was bonding with his six-foot boa when he felt his lover's mood tense.

Following Xander's gaze, he groaned, "Bloody wonderful!" Disdain evident in his voice. Hopefully, he asked, "Want I should go scare him, Luv? Bet between ma an' Daisy, here, we could get him to wet himself."

"You're not gonna hurt him, are you?" Without waiting for a response, Xander was putting the box down outside the store and opening the door for Spike. "What are you going to do, anyway?" Spike grinned a truly evil grin as he walked inside.

"Hello, cutie," he drawled at the clerk. "Happen to carry any Fuller's here? Bloody well miss any decent English beer." The clerk stared at him wide-eyed, entranced by the accent and the snake. She finally shook herself out of her daze and pointed Spike to the cooler of imported beers. He looked at Xander, "Xan, why don't you go pick something out? You know what I like. 'M just gonna check out the whiskey section." The brunette nodded and smiled, knowing that his father was in that section of the store.

Tony Harris stood in front of the shelves, counting his money, trying to decide if he had the cash for a good bottle or if he would have to settle for his usual rot-gut whiskey. Spike stood next to the elder Harris, extending his arm slightly. The snake, instinctively, started moving toward the warmer body. When Daisy brushed against his arm, Tony jumped and let out a stifled scream. "Bloody hell! I told you humans are too big for you to eat," he chided Daisy. "At least in one piece, they are." He grabbed a bottle of JD from the shelf and sighed, "Alright, baby, I'll chop one up for you, but you'd better eat him this time. The last one just rotted away. Waste of my time, 'e was." He turned to the man next to him and noticed the shaking of his body, "You know where I can get a nice, fresh body? One that hasn't pickled his liver, like you have, mate?" Mr. Harris, body rigid with fear of the creatures near him, shook his head before turning and running out of the store. Spike smiled and returned to Xander.

"Where did Dad go," he asked, laughing.

"Dunno, Pet. Guess he didn't feel like getting pissed tonight." Spike paid for the beer and whiskey and they headed home, laughing at Tony Harris's response to some snake cuddling and idle talk.

Xander was totally relaxed, sitting in front of the television. The evening had been wonderful and Spike had his new daytime companion. He ran through a mental checklist of what had to be done the next day. 'Pick up the glass terrarium for Daisy. Get groceries and blood. Mice for Daisy and a small cage to keep them in. Whoa! Vampire in my lap!' Spike had suddenly pounced into his lap, kissing and touching all over. "Daisy in her box?" The vampire nodded, lust filling is eyes. "Wanna go to the bedroom?"

Spike stood, pulling Xander up with him and hurried them to the bedroom, stripping off clothes as they went. "Want to be in you, Xander. Want to have your heat surrounding me." He moaned as the hard, cool cock pressed into his hip. Spike gently laid him out on the bed, "I want to see your face as I enter you. I want you to see how much I love you." As he spoke, he stretched and prepared his lover with long fingers, scissoring inside. Xander thrust himself onto those fingers, spreading his legs wider as a cool hand also wrapped around his cock and soft lips ghosted along his chest and neck. His moans became louder and he started panting harshly as Spike twisted his fingers and drug a nail across is prostate.

"Please, Spike. Please," he moaned, desperately clutching the vampire closer.

Spike positioned himself and quickly thrust into his lover. "Yes, you're so warm, so tight. Want to make love to you forever. Want to give you everything you ever wanted and more," he panted, needlessly, thrusting slowly in and out. "I love you with all I am, heart, mind, body, demon and soul." He found his previous mark on Xander's neck and grazed it with blunt teeth.

Xander's body nearly vibrated with pleasure when he felt the teeth lightly scraping over the scar. "Yes, please baby. Do it. Drink from me again." The words were soft, but a strong hand held the blonde head at his neck until he felt the face morph and and the painful pleasure of his lover's fangs breaking the skin. "Dear God, Yes," he called out, then sunk his own teeth into Spike's pale throat. Both men groaned around their mouthfuls of flesh as their orgasms ripped through and poured out of their bodies. Spike collapsed down onto Xander, lapping at the fresh bite. "That was so wonderful, Spike. I love you."

"Yeah, it was. Love you too. Sleep now."

"Blondie!! Come take this," Xander called out from the front door of the apartment. Spike came and grabbed the terrarium with the Styrofoam cooler inside and carried it back into the apartment. "I still have a couple of more loads. You'd better get your blood into the fridge." Silently, Spike took the cooler to the kitchen and unloaded it. He seemed distracted. "Spike, what's wrong?"

"S-slayer c-called," he swallowed hard. "She w-wants to come o-over."

"OK, why is this scaring you? It's just Buffy. She isn't going to stake you and even if she tries, the chip doesn't work against her. You'll be OK." Xander shushed and rocked his vampire until he was calm enough to talk again.

"She'll see the m-mark. She'll know I bit you and she w-won't understand."

"Then we'll make her understand. It's not like she's never been bitten. Hell, she FORCED Angel to bite her." Spike nodded warily. "Did she say why she wanted to come over? And when?" He shook his head. "OK, I'll call her and see what's the what. We'll be fine."

Part 7

//Buffy, hey!// Xander said into the phone.

//Xander! Just the man I wanted to talk to.// He could feel her smile through the phone lines.

//Spike said that you called.// Xander paused to stroke his hand down the nervous vampire's arm. //Said you wanted to come over. What's up?//

//We all do, me, Willow and Dawn. Can we come over now?//

Spike tensed and Xander slid his hand up and down his spine in a comforting manner. //Sure, you can help us set up the terrarium. See you in about a half an hour?//

//Yup! See you then.//

"We're going to be just fine, Spike," he said, still caressing the tight muscles of his lover's back. Spike arched into his hand and briefly let out a quiet purr, stopping quickly when he realized what he was doing. Xander smiled. He loved hearing his lover purr and this was the first time he did it while awake in Xander's presence. "Spike, I've heard you purr before," he sighed. "In your sleep, sometimes, you purr."

"S'pose my response should be, 'Oi, mate! I don't purr!'" Spike said wryly. "But, I guess there's no denying it now. Usually, it only happens when 'm happy, but sometimes it happens as a calming mechanism." Xander continued to stroke Spike's back and the purr resumed.

"Well, I like it," Xander whispered as he sat them down on the couch to wait for the girls. He kissed his vampire on his bleached-blonde locks and closed his eyes as the low rumble started to lull him to sleep. All too soon, the couple was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. Spike tensed and started looking for his cigarettes while Xander went to answer the door.

Willow threw her arms around Xander as she walked in the door. "Xander," she exclaimed, happily. He looked at the redhead in his arms, then at Buffy and Dawn. Buffy grinned and was nearly bouncing, as if waiting her turn to hug the construction worker. Dawn just rolled her eyes and smiled.

Buffy bounced up and hugged Xander when Willow let go. "OK, what's going on with you two? Or is it three?" He looked to Dawn, "Are you gonna hug the stuffing out of me too?" Dawn shook her head and gave him a quick, light embrace before moving into the apartment so he could shut the door.

"We're just happy," Buffy and Willow said at the same time. "Anya left town," Willow continued. "And Buffy has decided to stop dating guys for a while."

Xander stared, confused, at the three women in front of him. "What are you talking about? I thought you went out with that guy, Mike, a couple of days ago."

"Guys are such wimps. You throw a guy into one little wall, and suddenly, they think the date is over," Buffy pouted.

"Buffy, you broke his nose," Dawn laughed.

"But I saved his life. Anyway," she continued, "After the disaster date, Will and I went out and got really drunk."

Dawn sighed, "And they kept me up all night with the giggling and then the moaning. On a school night… and I had a test the next day!" She glared pointedly at the two girls who were now holding hands, looking embarrassed. "Which is why we're here. Well, they're here to out Buffy. I'm here because I need some help from Spike."

Spike took a step closer to the group, still a few feet away, "You need my help, Bi… er… Dawn? I thought you were still mad at me."

She walked over to him, "I am, a little. I won't lie. But I know you've changed and I know that it won't happen again, especially since you're with Xander now, and doesn't that mess with my head. I mean, two guys that I used to have crushes on are now screwing each other blind."

"Dawn!" four voices said in unison, although one voice sounded confused.

"Hey, I know what's going on. Vampires are omnisexual… they'll screw just about anything, male, female, demon. Not to say that you aren't special, Xander because you are. I just mean that…"

Xander cut her off, "I know what you mean. Vamps are very sexual beings and don't have the inhibitions us humans have. Of course, once they're mated with someone… or thing… they stay pretty loyal." Glancing at Spike, "Especially when they have a soul to give them guilt if they stray."

Willow attacked Xander with yet another hug, "You're mated?!? That is so wonderful!!!" She released Xander and went over to Spike, "You've heard me give the shovel talk before, right?" He nodded. "Consider it given." Then she smiled and pulled him into a bouncy hug. "That goes for you too, Alexander LaVelle Harris!" Xander nodded and smiled at a confused Spike. It was nice to know that Willow not only accepted his relationship with Spike, but that she also considered Spike enough of a friend to threaten bodily harm to anyone who might break his unbeating heart.

"Wait a minute," Buffy finally broke from her daze. "You and Spike are dating and are mated?" Dawn and Willow rolled their eyes. Buffy could be so oblivious sometimes. Xander nodded and Spike looked everywhere but at the Slayer. This was the moment he was dreading. "Give me a moment here." She paused, then a smile slowly crept across her face. Once it was as wide as humanly possible, she sighed, "Ahh, that was a nice mental image. Both of you get your cute butts over here and give me a hug." When they were in her embrace, "And Willow's shovel talk, goes double for me. Both of you. I love you both, just not in that way, and I don't want to see either of you hurting."

Dawn cleared her throat, "Ahem… I still need Spike's help here." Buffy released the two men and went to stand with her new girlfriend. Spike walked over and sat down next to the teen. "OK, because of my sister and her little witchy woman, I flunked my European History test. As luck would have it, we were studying Queen Victoria and her effect on England. Now, I have to write a paper about it and I figured that since you were actually there, you could give me a little insight. Please?"

Spike laughed, "Sure, Nibblet. She only reigned for about twenty years after I was turned, so I can tell you what it was like during her reign, but not what England was like before she took the throne." He looked at her worriedly, "Will that be enough help?"

"Absolutely!" They continued to talk into the night. Spike relayed stories of his life and the early years of his unlife to the entire group. Dawn took notes for her paper. Everyone asked questions and he tried to answer them as best he could. If he had not been turned, he might have become a professor. Naturally, he did not admit this to anyone in the room. Food was prepared and eaten and finally, the evening drew to a close and the ladies left for their home.

"I told you you didn't have to worry," Xander said quietly as he spooned up behind Spike under the blankets on the bed. Spike purred as warm hands pulled him closer to the warm body. "God, I love that sound. Makes me so hard," he breathed into the cool neck.

"I can tell," Spike whispered. "Make love to me." Xander started to pull away in order to climb above his lover. "No, like this. This position." Xander's cock twitched at the thought of their position. He reached over and grabbed the lube, gently preparing his lover. He slicked up his own cock, kissing the cool neck and shoulders, then positioned Spike's legs for a smooth entry.

He slowly thrust in and they both moaned at the meeting of hot and cold. Xander pulled their bodies flush against each other, desiring the maximum contact this position granted. He reached a hand around to grasp Spike's hardened cock. Every thrust into his lover provided the dual pleasure of being entered and stroked for Spike. Xander shifted slightly so that on every third or fourth thrust, he brushed Spike's prostate with the head of his cock. The sensations proved too much for the vampire as the human sped up his lovemaking. Just as Xander started spilling his hot seed inside his lover, he bit down hard on Spike's neck and sent him over the edge as well. "I love you, Xander," he sighed.

"I love you too, Spike," Xander whispered. They fell asleep just as they were, Xander buried inside Spike with his hand wrapped loosely around his cock. Sated and loved.