Title: Shallow Boy
Pairing: Xander/Spike
Rating: Other than some few cursing, I say it's PG
Setting: Season Seven Pre-Sleeper
Summary: The First controlling Spike had him do more than just killing people.
Notes: Written for the second Xander round at maleslashminis, for bookishwench, who wanted Xander/Spike with Chinese Food, dandelions and something green.

"So, you're just going to your room?"

Feel the warmth. Can you feel it? Can you feel it, it's warm. It's warm and I feel good.

The hand reaching for the doorknob stopped. Spike turned around to find Harris sitting in front of the TV. He could only see the broad back, and the fork working on the fried noodles. The sudden question was unexpected. It wasn't like they had exchanged two words whenever they ran into each other. Spike wasn't sure he had the energy for this. He could predict how that conversation would go, and really he didn't want to waste precious sleep for another Harris rant

The sun shine's just for me and I feel good.

"What's that?" he asked, not a bit interested.

Xander finally turned to face him. There was something off about him, maybe it was his expression. Spike only knew two expressions that Harris saved for him: annoyance and hatred. This one had annoyance and hatred alright, but there was a mix of… hurt? Last time Spike checked, he wasn't near demon girl. Nor was he near Buffy.

"So?" he asked, annoyed, when Harris didn't respond. "I don't have all day."

"You just forgot about yesterday?" Xander accused, sounding more pissed off than he looked.

"What about yesterday?" This sure would take long. He glanced at his room in exasperation.

"No!" Xander yelled, throwing the fork in the air. Spike was actually startled. His eyes not leaving the fork on the floor. "You're not gonna act like nothing happened, asshole!" he heard Xander's shout, that and the whole aggressive act annoyed him more.

"I don't know what you're yappin' 'bout!"

"Last night," Xander started. "Don't you dare tell me you don't remember?"

"Wha…"

"The sex, Spike. The fucking sex!"

Spike's eyes narrowed at the crazy loon in front of him. He didn't expect that. He thought the whole rot would be something to do with Buffy or Anya. Unless the sex he was talking about meant Buffy or Anya. Except… the boy mentioned last night. As far as Spike knew the last time he actually had sex was with the vengeance demon at the Magic Box.

"Sex?"

"Yes, you coming on to me, in my room. Don't tell me you forgot."

Spike stared at him for a mere second before he burst laughing. "Have you gone insane?" That was ridicules. Like Spike would even touch him… unless it involved beating the crap out of him, 'cause hell knew how much the idiot deserved it.

Xander walked closer toward him, and then it hit Spike. The 'off' about Harris was the way he smelled. He actually smelled of Spike. What did that mean? Did… did he really shag the git? He cringed when Xander stood right in front of him, the smell was quite strong. "Didn't you take a bath?" he hissed in disgust.

"I did. Thousands of baths." Xander frowned. "You can smell it, can't it?"

Spike couldn't believe it. He slept with Xander Wanker Harris!

Thank you Uncle David, for listening to my song,

"Why the hell would I want to shag you, anyway?" He walked in circles, trying to make sense out it all. Other than when and how, he was more concerned about the why. "I don't like you. I despise every bit of you." He eyed the idiot one more time. "Not even my type."

"Hey," Xander cried, offended. "You're not my type either, pal. If it was up to me, you won't be living here in the first place. Think it was my idea to shield your pathetic insaneness.!"

"Shield me?!" he exclaimed.

And only taking two calls, and I'll try to be more edgy.

"I gave you a spared room."

"It's a closet."

"It's half the size of my room."

"It has no windows."

"You're welcome!"

But I can't right now, because I'm looking at a, dandalion, dandalion.

Spike winced at the TV. "What the bleedin' hell you're watching?"

"So what? Now you act like it was the biggest mistake of your life."

One raised eyebrow. "I thought I was the one who liked soaps."

Xander sat dramatically on the couch, holding his head with his hands. Spike thought he would go into another laughing burst, but looking at the situation his need to cry his eyes out was stronger.

Finally, Harris' head shot up. He looked at Spike with a great amount of disgust. "It's not like I'm all hot and bothered about you. To hell with you." Before Spike could respond, Xander went on, "But to just act like you don't remember after you came on to me… and did those… things."

He wanted to defend himself, but then he asked, "I did things?"

"Major things."

The question on the tip of his tongue was 'like what?' but he decided he didn't want to hear that bit. "Look, I don't…"

"You were the one who started it!" Xander exploded. He would do well on Bold and the Beautiful, that was for sure. "I didn't even want it."

"Until I did those things…"

"Yeah, well… HEY!"

"Seriously, I remember nothing." He was out all night. He didn't even remember coming across Xander yesterday. He could have never shagged the boy yesterday, because he would have remembered something like that happening. "All I remember was coming out of my room…"

"Coming out of your closet, more accurately," Xander mumbled.

Spike ignored him. "And then I found myself walking in the street." At Xander's disbelieving look, he insisted, "I swear."

I'm glad I know you, and I'm glad you kno-ho-ho-w me, too.

Xander sighed, gazing down at his food. "Right now, I don't know what to think." He looked back at Spike. "I don't think I can stand looking at you… after what you did."

"I told you…"

We'll never get the flu, and go a-choo, choo, choo.

"Get out."

Spike stared at him, trying to comprehend.

"Get out of my apartment, find somewhere else to live."

He pursed his lips. "Fine, but remember, it was your stupid idea to have an eye on me. I bloody didn't ask to live here." He didn't say anything further as he walked out of the stupid apartment. He could hear Harris ranting, but he preferred to focus all hearing sense on something else, even the stupid song on Xander's TV.

I would've given you my heart! I would've given up who I am! But you trampled on my soul! 'Cause you don't understand! You're – SHALLOW! SHALLOW! You're – SHALLOW! Look at that shallow boy!

Willow looked at the mess that was supposed to be famous Buffy pancakes. She had faced more than Shrek could imagine, but this? Would she venture?

She glanced, uncomfortable, at her friend. "Do I have to?"

Buffy pouted, looking down at her homemade disaster. "No. I think I lost my cooking skills with the whole counseling thing."

Willow shook her head, heading for the toaster. "C'mon, Buffy. Helping troubled students adjusting to school is all of the fun." She didn't even know what she was saying. Her stomach demanded for anything a human could eat. Her eyes searched for the bottle of jam as her hands worked on the toaster.

"Yeah, sure."

Willow grinned at the jam-toast goodness, and before she took a bite, she heard Buffy's uncomfortable question, "So, how's Xander doing?"

Willow closed her mouth, staring at the jam for a second. "He's fine." She turned to look at Buffy drinking her coffee. She could sense that there was more to Buffy's sudden question. She had avoided talking about Xander for a week now. So asking how was Xander doing was a good sign. Now Willow knew that it wasn't really Xander that Buffy wanted to ask about.

"Spike's also fine."

"Oh." That was Buffy's only response. Willow could sympathize. Even though Buffy wouldn't admit it, Willow knew her friend had feelings for the now souled vampire. She hoped Buffy would come in terms with how everything went out as soon as possible.

"Buffy…"

"No, no. I don't care." Buffy looked hard at her cup. "It's still hard to believe, though."

"As long as Xander is happy…"

"Of course." Buffy nodded in confirmation. Willow finally took a bite out of her jammed toast, watching Buffy with worry.

"I just…" Buffy started. "Sometimes I wonder… what's it like… with the two of them." Willow considered the sentence but didn't comment on how disturbing it could be taken. Buffy wasn't in the mood for funny remarks.

"It's hard to believe that Xander is Spike's type and, well, the other way around," Buffy went on. "What do they talk about, anyway?"

But you know what I see when I look at you? ...Dandalions.

"Don't tell me it's egg rolls again!"

Pretty dandalions and flowers on a sunny day.

"When you're living under my roof, you eat what I eat."

N-N-No, I-I-I don't wanna look at the d-dandalions. I- I-I-I'll loose my edge.

"Roof shmoof, I'm no Nancy boy, boy."

I know your true self.

"Least let me have a say on what we watch…."

"All yours."

You look like a rat-tailed Saxon to me, or a thieving Celt!

"Cool. It's The Incredible Hulk Returns!"

"Know what, let's get back to bloody dandelions."

The End