Please Explain!
Sequel to 'Where's Nummy?'
The following day, the two men (well – man and man-like demon) are told to explain a few things
The noise of Giles and everyone in the shop caused Xander to wake up – the first of the two of them to wake.
He blinked, wondering where he was for a minute, then a slow, wide smile crept across his face as he remembered how the day before had ended.
He yawned widely and stretched languorously before looking down at the vampire sleeping beside him. His smile widened.
///'Cor, he is gorgeous! And he's mine! He's all mine!!///
He ran his fingers lightly through the wavy platinum blonde tresses, and was surprised by the softness of them.
Suddenly, he heard a purring sound. While unconsciously continuing to run his fingers through Spike's hair, Xander started looking around the room, trying to find the source of the purr. It took him a few minutes to realise that it was coming from Spike!
//Wow! He's purring!///
He moved his hand from Spike's hair to his chest, and rested it there, able to feel the vibrations of the purr that continued to come from Spike.
///Cool! My own little vibrating pillow! Was he doing this last night?///
Xander rested his head on Spike's chest and closed his eyes, trying to remember. He yawned again, still a little tired.
///Yes he was! I remember this!///
He yawned again.
///I'll just rest my eyes, just for a minute....///
His eyes closed, and he fell asleep once more.
About twenty minutes later....
Spike's long dark eyelashes flickered, as he opened his eyes. He blinked a couple of times, more than a little disoriented. (He was used to waking up to a dark, dank, damp room, with a dark, dank, damp ceiling, and the first thing he saw when he woke up was this pristine white ceiling.) When he realised where he was, and whom he was with, he smiled in remembrance of what had happened before he fell asleep the night before.
He looked down, and his smile widened when he saw Xander, dead to the world, (although not in the literal sense) his head resting on Spike's chest, and his arms wrapped around him.
Spike looked at Xander carefully.
His tanned skin, a large and visible contrast to Spike's marbly white skin. His beautiful head of hair, much thicker than Spike's and as dark as Spike's was light – another stark contrast.
Then Spike looked at Xander's face. He saw the relaxed and peaceful look on his face, and his smile widened when he realised that the smile on Xander's face was identical to his. He smiled once more as he noticed the one similarity in their facial features – he noticed the long, dark eyelashes resting on Xander's cheeks, so like Spike's own it was peculiar.
//He's so beautiful, and he's mine, he's all mine!// he thought as he echoed Xander's earlier thoughts, and unknowingly imitating Xander's earlier action of running his fingers through Xander's hair.
However, from the noise coming from the rest of the Slayerettes outside, he thought; //Urgh. I guess we'd better get up before they come and wake us up. I doubt they'll let us sleep the day away in the back room of the shop when they need to open.//
Grudgingly, he woke up Xander.
He ran his fingers up and down one of Xander's arms, and said, "Num-Xander? Xander? Time to wake up."
Xander yawned and blinked as he woke up. As he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, he muttered, "You can call me Nummy if you want to. I don't mind."
"You sure Xanpet?" Spike asked as he appreciated the view of Xander, shirtless, stretching.
Xander looked at him and smiled. " 'Course I am. Or Xanpet. I don't mind. It's kinda sweet."
Spike pretend-growled at his new love-interest as he crawled tiredly out of bed, and stretched, rather cat-like. "Oi! I'm not sweet! I'm the Big Bad! I'm evil!"
Xander just looked at him, and smirked at the image before him. Spike, shirtless and yawning, looked anything *but* evil, but he decided to humour him. "Yes Spike. I'm sorry, you're the Big Bad and I'm just the poor defenceless human."
However, Xander was unable to stop the grin from crossing his face, and Spike pounced on him. As Spike hit him with pillows (which, for some reason, did not set off the chip), he grabbed the nearest pillow in an attempt to retaliate, adding, "And I'm also the poor powerless human who happens to be best friends with the Slay-errrr!!"
As Xander said 'Slayer', their pillows collided with what must have been quite a lot of brute force, because they exploded, sending feathers flying everywhere.
The two of them just looked at each other as the snow white feathers settled around them like snow. They glanced at the mess that they had made, then back at each other, and burst out laughing.
They quietened it down when there was a knock at the door. "Guys? Are you alright in there?" Willow asked.
They swallowed their giggles, and replied simultaneously, "We're (giggle) fine!"
"If you're sure?"
This time Xander answered for the both of them, "We're fine Will. Honestly."
"OK. You better be out soon, we all want to talk to you – and Giles doesn't want you sleeping the day away in there while the shop's open!"
"Alright Will!" Xander replied.
Spike yawned again, wincing and placing a hand over his cracked ribs.
"Y'alright Spike?" Xander asked quietly, helping him back onto the bed.
"M'fine," he muttered. However, he proved himself wrong when he winced once more. "We'd better get in there, before they come in here."
The door opened, and everyone watched as Xander and Spike, arms wrapped around each other, (for support technically, because Spike couldn't really walk properly, due to his injuries, and the fact that the pillow fight had tired him out) slowly made their way to the only sofa in the shop, a tiny, squashy, red two-seater. Once they had sat down, and Spike was comfortable, they turned to the others.
"I guess you want to talk," Xander stated.
Giles turned to face them and just looked at Xander, while wiping his glasses.
"OK, ok, stupid question. No need to do the glasses thing
G-man, it wasn't *that* bad," Xander said, hands up in
mock-surrender.
"For starters, Willow, I know Spike said some hug-worthy things last night, but his ribs are not quite up to scratch, so hugs are for later. Now I know that Spike's probably staring daggers at me right now for that comment – and for speaking for him but it matters at the moment and that's my babbling moment over so any questions?" Xander said, babbling that last sentence off all in one breath.
"Xanpet?" Spike asked quietly (although not so quiet that everyone did not hear him).
Xander whipped his head round to face him, looking at him worriedly, but before he could open his mouth, Spike spoke. "Breathe. Breathe Nummy Treat, or you won't be able to answer any of their questions."
They shared a smile as Xander took a couple of deep breaths.
Then, they turned once more to face everyone else.
"OK. You done?" Buffy asked.
They nodded.
"Good, because I have specific question that has been bugging me since last night – it's weird enough that you two are together – I mean the Xander liking guys part I can cope with, and kinda understand, but you two, together? Wiggins central. Right, back to the point. All that I coped with last night, but you guys got to explain it to me, what's with the nickname? Where the *Hell* did that come from?"
The others nodded at them in agreement.
"Yeah Xan, please explain," Willow added.
Xander and Spike shared another smile, and, with a sigh, Spike nodded at Xander, who grinned at him and pecked him on the cheek before saying, "Do you remember the time when The Gentlemen came?"
When he received nods from everyone he continued.
"Well, if you remember, that was also the first night I had Spike over in The Basement Of Doom..............
"I don't see why you're tying me up."
"It's just while I sleep."
"Oh yeah, like I'd bite you anyway."
"Oh you sooo would."
"Would not."
"I happen to be very biteable man, I'm moist and delicious."
look of resignation crosses Spike's face, and he shrugs before replying sarcastically,
"Ok, Ok, You're a Nummy Treat."
Xander points a finger, gun-like at him
"And don't you forget it pal."
...And so, I'm guessing that it stuck in Spike's subconscious. Certainly stuck in mine."
"Enough for you to memorise the entire conversation?" Buffy said, looking at him in disbelief.
Xander blushed. "Hey! I was with – with-A-A-An-"
One look at Xander stuttering and wearing his trying-to-hide-the-fact-that-I'm-still-hurting-even-though-it's-*really*-obvious face, and Spike had to save him.
"He was still with the demon chit, and he really cared about her – incase you haven't already guessed from his stutter attack – and Nummy, I have to say, you were competing with Ripper and Mouse in the stuttering stakes there, (this part earned him a smile from Xander, and slight smiles of acknowledgement from Tara and Giles) what she did still hurts, so, no more mentioning it for a while OK?" The last part was growled rather menacingly, and, even in his capacitated state, this was enough to make everyone nod their heads vigorously, even Buffy.
Xander blushed, and ducked his head down slightly, a little embarrassed to admit that, even after the way she had treated him, he still cared about Anya, and smiled slightly at the blonde vampire curled up at his side, also surprised that the blonde had been able to read him so easily, and that he had stood up for him and supported him.
Once his blush had subsided, he lifted his head back up to face the group and yawned before saying, "Well, if that's it, I'll take Spike over to the apartment via-"
Spike cut him off. "Apartment? Don't you mean basement?"
Xander frowned down at him for a minute, and then gave him a sad smile, "Oh, right, you don't know do you? The day Anya left was the day I caved and signed the lease on the apartment, after being told that my job with the construction company was more or less permanent. So, I no longer live in The Basement of Doom."
He heard a growling noise from deep within Spike's chest and looked down to find him in full game-face. "That stupid demon chit. If I ever see 'er again I'll rip 'er – Argh!"
Spike was cut off when the chip went off, causing him to grab at his head at the pain.
Xander immediately grabbed Spike and took him back in his arms, gently massaging the part of Spike's head where the chip was, and muttering soothing words in his ear. "Shush Spike, shhh. It's Ok, I'm alright. I've come to terms with it now. Shush now. Shush. And anyway, now I'll have you there with me, so it won't be so bad."
That calmed Spike down pretty damn quickly.
Once the pain had stopped, Spike slowly lifted his head, and, his startling clear blue eyes meeting Xander's chocolate brown ones, he whispered, "You mean, you want me to live there?"
A look of uncertainty crossed Xander's face, before he smothered it with logical explanation. "Well, it'd be easier if you did – until you're better."
Spike saw through that in a second, and repeated his question as quietly as before, "You mean, you want me to live there?"
Xander blushed before muttering so quietly that only Spike heard him, "Yeah, if you want to."
Spike grinned widely, and hit the boy with a nearby cushion (which, yet again, did not set off the chip for some reason) "Of course I bloody want to!"
Xander brought his eyes back up to meet Spike's, and, when he saw the honesty in them, he grinned back and flung his arms around him. After a brief, loving kiss, they slowly came out of their haze to be greeted by the Scooby Gang smiling at them. Xander went scarlet at the looks he was receiving from his friends, but his face just made Willow giggle, and, determined to embarrass him even more, she turned to a smirking Spike and said, "Yeah, he is a good kisser, isn't he?"
This made all the others giggle (bar Giles, who was no longer present, having gone to make himself a pot of tea soon after Xander had explained the nick-name), Spike's smirk to widen, and for Xander to turn even *more* red.
As a still-red Xander started to drag Spike in the direction of the sewer tunnels, Spike could not resist nudging him and saying, "If you don't stop bleedin' blushin' I'm gonna haveta come up with a new nick-name for Red – 'coz you're even redder than 'er hair now!"
And, as they stepped down the tunnel entrance in the back of the shop, that was covered with a rug, Spike's head popped up once more, and he smiled at Willow, making *her* blush by saying, "An' Red, when I come back - you owe me a hug!" before Xander pulled him back down into the tunnels and Buffy put the cover on behind them.
End
Sequel to 'Where's Nummy?'
The following day, the two men (well – man and man-like demon) are told to explain a few things
The noise of Giles and everyone in the shop caused Xander to wake up – the first of the two of them to wake.
He blinked, wondering where he was for a minute, then a slow, wide smile crept across his face as he remembered how the day before had ended.
He yawned widely and stretched languorously before looking down at the vampire sleeping beside him. His smile widened.
///'Cor, he is gorgeous! And he's mine! He's all mine!!///
He ran his fingers lightly through the wavy platinum blonde tresses, and was surprised by the softness of them.
Suddenly, he heard a purring sound. While unconsciously continuing to run his fingers through Spike's hair, Xander started looking around the room, trying to find the source of the purr. It took him a few minutes to realise that it was coming from Spike!
//Wow! He's purring!///
He moved his hand from Spike's hair to his chest, and rested it there, able to feel the vibrations of the purr that continued to come from Spike.
///Cool! My own little vibrating pillow! Was he doing this last night?///
Xander rested his head on Spike's chest and closed his eyes, trying to remember. He yawned again, still a little tired.
///Yes he was! I remember this!///
He yawned again.
///I'll just rest my eyes, just for a minute....///
His eyes closed, and he fell asleep once more.
About twenty minutes later....
Spike's long dark eyelashes flickered, as he opened his eyes. He blinked a couple of times, more than a little disoriented. (He was used to waking up to a dark, dank, damp room, with a dark, dank, damp ceiling, and the first thing he saw when he woke up was this pristine white ceiling.) When he realised where he was, and whom he was with, he smiled in remembrance of what had happened before he fell asleep the night before.
He looked down, and his smile widened when he saw Xander, dead to the world, (although not in the literal sense) his head resting on Spike's chest, and his arms wrapped around him.
Spike looked at Xander carefully.
His tanned skin, a large and visible contrast to Spike's marbly white skin. His beautiful head of hair, much thicker than Spike's and as dark as Spike's was light – another stark contrast.
Then Spike looked at Xander's face. He saw the relaxed and peaceful look on his face, and his smile widened when he realised that the smile on Xander's face was identical to his. He smiled once more as he noticed the one similarity in their facial features – he noticed the long, dark eyelashes resting on Xander's cheeks, so like Spike's own it was peculiar.
//He's so beautiful, and he's mine, he's all mine!// he thought as he echoed Xander's earlier thoughts, and unknowingly imitating Xander's earlier action of running his fingers through Xander's hair.
However, from the noise coming from the rest of the Slayerettes outside, he thought; //Urgh. I guess we'd better get up before they come and wake us up. I doubt they'll let us sleep the day away in the back room of the shop when they need to open.//
Grudgingly, he woke up Xander.
He ran his fingers up and down one of Xander's arms, and said, "Num-Xander? Xander? Time to wake up."
Xander yawned and blinked as he woke up. As he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, he muttered, "You can call me Nummy if you want to. I don't mind."
"You sure Xanpet?" Spike asked as he appreciated the view of Xander, shirtless, stretching.
Xander looked at him and smiled. " 'Course I am. Or Xanpet. I don't mind. It's kinda sweet."
Spike pretend-growled at his new love-interest as he crawled tiredly out of bed, and stretched, rather cat-like. "Oi! I'm not sweet! I'm the Big Bad! I'm evil!"
Xander just looked at him, and smirked at the image before him. Spike, shirtless and yawning, looked anything *but* evil, but he decided to humour him. "Yes Spike. I'm sorry, you're the Big Bad and I'm just the poor defenceless human."
However, Xander was unable to stop the grin from crossing his face, and Spike pounced on him. As Spike hit him with pillows (which, for some reason, did not set off the chip), he grabbed the nearest pillow in an attempt to retaliate, adding, "And I'm also the poor powerless human who happens to be best friends with the Slay-errrr!!"
As Xander said 'Slayer', their pillows collided with what must have been quite a lot of brute force, because they exploded, sending feathers flying everywhere.
The two of them just looked at each other as the snow white feathers settled around them like snow. They glanced at the mess that they had made, then back at each other, and burst out laughing.
They quietened it down when there was a knock at the door. "Guys? Are you alright in there?" Willow asked.
They swallowed their giggles, and replied simultaneously, "We're (giggle) fine!"
"If you're sure?"
This time Xander answered for the both of them, "We're fine Will. Honestly."
"OK. You better be out soon, we all want to talk to you – and Giles doesn't want you sleeping the day away in there while the shop's open!"
"Alright Will!" Xander replied.
Spike yawned again, wincing and placing a hand over his cracked ribs.
"Y'alright Spike?" Xander asked quietly, helping him back onto the bed.
"M'fine," he muttered. However, he proved himself wrong when he winced once more. "We'd better get in there, before they come in here."
The door opened, and everyone watched as Xander and Spike, arms wrapped around each other, (for support technically, because Spike couldn't really walk properly, due to his injuries, and the fact that the pillow fight had tired him out) slowly made their way to the only sofa in the shop, a tiny, squashy, red two-seater. Once they had sat down, and Spike was comfortable, they turned to the others.
"I guess you want to talk," Xander stated.
Giles turned to face them and just looked at Xander, while wiping his glasses.
"OK, ok, stupid question. No need to do the glasses thing
G-man, it wasn't *that* bad," Xander said, hands up in
mock-surrender.
"For starters, Willow, I know Spike said some hug-worthy things last night, but his ribs are not quite up to scratch, so hugs are for later. Now I know that Spike's probably staring daggers at me right now for that comment – and for speaking for him but it matters at the moment and that's my babbling moment over so any questions?" Xander said, babbling that last sentence off all in one breath.
"Xanpet?" Spike asked quietly (although not so quiet that everyone did not hear him).
Xander whipped his head round to face him, looking at him worriedly, but before he could open his mouth, Spike spoke. "Breathe. Breathe Nummy Treat, or you won't be able to answer any of their questions."
They shared a smile as Xander took a couple of deep breaths.
Then, they turned once more to face everyone else.
"OK. You done?" Buffy asked.
They nodded.
"Good, because I have specific question that has been bugging me since last night – it's weird enough that you two are together – I mean the Xander liking guys part I can cope with, and kinda understand, but you two, together? Wiggins central. Right, back to the point. All that I coped with last night, but you guys got to explain it to me, what's with the nickname? Where the *Hell* did that come from?"
The others nodded at them in agreement.
"Yeah Xan, please explain," Willow added.
Xander and Spike shared another smile, and, with a sigh, Spike nodded at Xander, who grinned at him and pecked him on the cheek before saying, "Do you remember the time when The Gentlemen came?"
When he received nods from everyone he continued.
"Well, if you remember, that was also the first night I had Spike over in The Basement Of Doom..............
"I don't see why you're tying me up."
"It's just while I sleep."
"Oh yeah, like I'd bite you anyway."
"Oh you sooo would."
"Would not."
"I happen to be very biteable man, I'm moist and delicious."
look of resignation crosses Spike's face, and he shrugs before replying sarcastically,
"Ok, Ok, You're a Nummy Treat."
Xander points a finger, gun-like at him
"And don't you forget it pal."
...And so, I'm guessing that it stuck in Spike's subconscious. Certainly stuck in mine."
"Enough for you to memorise the entire conversation?" Buffy said, looking at him in disbelief.
Xander blushed. "Hey! I was with – with-A-A-An-"
One look at Xander stuttering and wearing his trying-to-hide-the-fact-that-I'm-still-hurting-even-though-it's-*really*-obvious face, and Spike had to save him.
"He was still with the demon chit, and he really cared about her – incase you haven't already guessed from his stutter attack – and Nummy, I have to say, you were competing with Ripper and Mouse in the stuttering stakes there, (this part earned him a smile from Xander, and slight smiles of acknowledgement from Tara and Giles) what she did still hurts, so, no more mentioning it for a while OK?" The last part was growled rather menacingly, and, even in his capacitated state, this was enough to make everyone nod their heads vigorously, even Buffy.
Xander blushed, and ducked his head down slightly, a little embarrassed to admit that, even after the way she had treated him, he still cared about Anya, and smiled slightly at the blonde vampire curled up at his side, also surprised that the blonde had been able to read him so easily, and that he had stood up for him and supported him.
Once his blush had subsided, he lifted his head back up to face the group and yawned before saying, "Well, if that's it, I'll take Spike over to the apartment via-"
Spike cut him off. "Apartment? Don't you mean basement?"
Xander frowned down at him for a minute, and then gave him a sad smile, "Oh, right, you don't know do you? The day Anya left was the day I caved and signed the lease on the apartment, after being told that my job with the construction company was more or less permanent. So, I no longer live in The Basement of Doom."
He heard a growling noise from deep within Spike's chest and looked down to find him in full game-face. "That stupid demon chit. If I ever see 'er again I'll rip 'er – Argh!"
Spike was cut off when the chip went off, causing him to grab at his head at the pain.
Xander immediately grabbed Spike and took him back in his arms, gently massaging the part of Spike's head where the chip was, and muttering soothing words in his ear. "Shush Spike, shhh. It's Ok, I'm alright. I've come to terms with it now. Shush now. Shush. And anyway, now I'll have you there with me, so it won't be so bad."
That calmed Spike down pretty damn quickly.
Once the pain had stopped, Spike slowly lifted his head, and, his startling clear blue eyes meeting Xander's chocolate brown ones, he whispered, "You mean, you want me to live there?"
A look of uncertainty crossed Xander's face, before he smothered it with logical explanation. "Well, it'd be easier if you did – until you're better."
Spike saw through that in a second, and repeated his question as quietly as before, "You mean, you want me to live there?"
Xander blushed before muttering so quietly that only Spike heard him, "Yeah, if you want to."
Spike grinned widely, and hit the boy with a nearby cushion (which, yet again, did not set off the chip for some reason) "Of course I bloody want to!"
Xander brought his eyes back up to meet Spike's, and, when he saw the honesty in them, he grinned back and flung his arms around him. After a brief, loving kiss, they slowly came out of their haze to be greeted by the Scooby Gang smiling at them. Xander went scarlet at the looks he was receiving from his friends, but his face just made Willow giggle, and, determined to embarrass him even more, she turned to a smirking Spike and said, "Yeah, he is a good kisser, isn't he?"
This made all the others giggle (bar Giles, who was no longer present, having gone to make himself a pot of tea soon after Xander had explained the nick-name), Spike's smirk to widen, and for Xander to turn even *more* red.
As a still-red Xander started to drag Spike in the direction of the sewer tunnels, Spike could not resist nudging him and saying, "If you don't stop bleedin' blushin' I'm gonna haveta come up with a new nick-name for Red – 'coz you're even redder than 'er hair now!"
And, as they stepped down the tunnel entrance in the back of the shop, that was covered with a rug, Spike's head popped up once more, and he smiled at Willow, making *her* blush by saying, "An' Red, when I come back - you owe me a hug!" before Xander pulled him back down into the tunnels and Buffy put the cover on behind them.
End