Author: Dea Brynhild Ensomhet
Pairing: Spander
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for a JM autograph and a cat.
Author's Notes: Inspired by LJ community OpenOnSunday's Challenge #76: Faith. I'm really happy with how this turned out, I'd love to know what you guys think. The inspiration explanations I used are from "The Sabbats of Wicca" at http:
Definition: Ellipse is a regular oval – the shape of the path planets take around the sun. Oval is a rounded symmetrical shape longer than it is broad.
Inspiration: Sahaim happens near Halloween and is when the Wiccan year begins. My alter cloth is black, because we are at the time of the year that it is dark. On my altar is the harvest, our "dead Lord" whose life is in the crops and "sacrificed" when the crops are killed to become our food. This is the time of death, of honoring and communing with spirits that have passed to the other side. Now the veil between the worlds is thin. It is a good time to invite our beloved dead to visit with us. This is not a gruesome exchange, but reverent, earthy, natural, further it is joyous and festive.
One casually dropped invitation to a movie marathon was all the coercing Spike needed to show up on his doorstep the next evening. Getting him to come in from the doorstep took considerably more effort. "You're already invited in, Spike."
The vampire in his doorway, however, was still staring at the new addition to Xander's living room. Namely, the over-stuffed soft leather couch.
"It's black."
"Yeah, I thought we could try it out." It matches my new black satin bed sheets. Nope, not gonna tell him that.
Spike came in and sat down, watching Xander. "When did you get taste?"
"""
Definition: Pyramid is a structure with triangular sloping sides that meet at the top.
Inspiration: Yule or winter solstice happens near December 21, which is the longest night of the year. The dark of Winter is safe like my bedcovers at night. Dark whispers of a Mother's love caress me. In the darkness of the Mother's womb, the void I am safe, sustained, at peace, and can move inward, into my own dark self, looking, learning, purifying.
Xander can't remember the moment everything changed. There was no epiphany, no first time he thought, "Spike's hot." Doesn't recall the first time they shared a smile, the day he stopped looking away when Spike caught him watching, when they started sitting closer to the middle of the couch, their first kiss, or the exact second they went from friends to something more.
He remembers their first time together. Spike's smirk at his sheets, his own blush, fumbling with each other's clothing. Slip slide of skin against satin, tongue against lips. The first time he realized what he'd been missing.
"""
Definition: Crecent is a narrow curved shape tapering to a point at each end.
Inspiration: Candlemas on Febuary 2, is the festival of the Goddess Brigid, patron of poetry, healing, and metal smithing. Brigid's poetry inspires me to shake off winter's sleep now, stretch and start to get ready for Spring. I am still drowsy.
Xander squeezed Spike's hand. "Are you sure? Because we don't have to do this."
"I know." Pause. "You're sure?"
"Yep. The girls never come here, and even if they suddenly got interested, they've got other plans for tonight."
They grabbed one of the few cheap couches scattered amid the chairs, and sat with their shoulders and legs touching, hands entwined.
A moment later, "I need a drink."
Xander pulled Spike down mid-stand and kissed him, slow and deep before pulling away. "Better?"
"Yeah." Much more relaxed.
Another hand squeeze. "Next up at UC Sunnydale Open-Mic; Willam B., with a poem."
"""
Definition: Parallelogram is a four-sided geometric figure with its opposite sides parallel to each other.
Inspiration: Spring Equinox happens about March 21st, and I pass from one time into the other, yet am between one time and another. I completely shed winter's sleep. As a time of passing, transition, it is powerful – a time of balance – equal day and equal night – so a time of magic. I am poised between being bound, and the movement of Spring. Bound like sleeping beauty who is released by love's kiss into the violent passion of Spring. Bound as in the cosmic egg, which exploded when the cosmos was hatched. Explosive moment of creation – moving dynamically chaotically.
Their bickering had grown more friendly, and their fighting more in tune, as they became aware of each other's bodies and movements. But their auras were the give-away, echoing swirls reflecting each other's colors, and Tara's the first one to notice. They balance out, the half-moon and its shadow. Willow catches her smiling in their direction, and figures it out. She wonders why she hadn't seen it earlier. Giles and Buffy find out accidentally – glances lasting a moment too long, kisses walked in on. There are accusations and recriminations, but like any storm, it passes, bridges rebuilt stronger than before.
"""
Definition: Parabola is a curve like the path of an object that is thrown into the air and falls back to earth.
Inspiration: Beltane, or May-day, is a celebration of love. The Ancient people, from the Priests and Priestesses to the farmers understood the power of love: loving company between two people is an echo of the act that created all things. No, let me rephrase that: it IS the act of creation.
"I love you." Soft whisper, as unexpected as a sudden punch to the face, and Xander is reeling. They're spooned against each other, Spike hugging Xander from behind, heavy curtains cloak the room in darkness. But Xander is far from blind.
He knew Spike loved him with the combined strength and gentleness in his embrace, the small things Spike did to show his affection. He's grown used to looking beneath the surface, noticing the little details that he used to gloss over. Though the meaning is already in every touch, the words take his breath away. "I love you too."
"""
Definition: Spiral, forming a continuous curve round a central point or axis.
Inspiration: Summer Solstice happens about June 21. All things move in spirals, and I watch the year move in a spiral, right now spiraling up to the sun's climax. I celebrate summer and the heat of the Gods.
Spike has no idea how he got in this position. One moment he's cavorting with his dark princess, the next he's tit over arse in love with Xander bleedin' Harris. He wonders if Angel's PTB made a mistake; surely a blood-thirsty demon like him shouldn't be able to be this close to heaven. Or maybe he's the one mistaken, because every coy glance and wicked smile on his sweet boy's lips is a temptation worthy of Lilith herself. Spikegalaxy swirling around Xandersun, gravity drawing him in towards the fiery center, and he wonders how long it'll last before he's burned.
"""
Definition: Kink is a short twist in thread or wire, etc.
Inspiration: Lammas is August 1. Now the Corn King dies as his body is harvested from the fields do that I may be fed, so that I may live, so that I may go into the winter months of darkness rich with his blood and love in my veins. The Dark King, Shepherd of souls, becomes stronger now. With Winter I will go inward, to the inner depths of my own soul. And He will embrace me with His love in the coming trials and celebrations of the Wintertime. Some of my crops are harvested and I give thanks. Some of my crops are not yet ready and I must insure their harvest.
No!
Xan-pet, I'm here, I'm never going to let you go. Why the hell didn't you stay behind me, stay safe. Fucking bastard, had to dive into the fight. Had to prove you had the balls to fight at my side. I should've moved faster, should've gotten between you and that claw. Don't you dare leave me, Xan, or I'll make Buffy cremate you and dust me so we can be in the same urn. Don't care if I'm crying. I can't go on without you. I can't.
Drink and be strong, my darling. Sleep, and come back to me.
"""
Definition: Trapezoid is a quadrilateral with no sides parallel.
Inspiration: Fall Equinox happens near or on September 21st. Today, the length of night time is equal to the length of daytime. At the Equinox, I become aware that this time is not the balance, or rather the order, one usually sees in nature. Nature is not really balanced. But ordered. A cyprus by the ocean grows windblown by ocean storm and wind, blowing towards the earth. That cyprus is the usual balance or order of nature – stable, poised, in harmony. All of nature leans like the ocean-blown cyprus toward the dark earth. But Fall Equinox is a balance of light and dark, night and day and therefore is truly an outlandish moment in time: equality, a equal balancing, an actual moment of balance. I draw on my roots in the darkness, yet revel in the kiss of summer breeze and sun. I face the darkness of the fall and winter ahead and so face mysteries.
They shouldn't all still be friends: two humans, two creatures of darkness. They shouldn't fit together like puzzle pieces, but they do. One Slayer, one Witch, one Vampire with a Soul, and one Vampire without. Willow wasted no time finding an Orb of Thessula, and now Xander's fridge is filled with blood bags instead of soda, but the snacks remain. Boxes of Count Chocula and Weetabix in the cupboard, along with Cheerios for the girls when they visit after patrol. Spike teaches him how to control the demon, and together they help avert apocalypses, and snog for hours without breathing.
"""
end