Title: Making Ends Not Quite Meet

Author: Forsaken2003

Pairing: S/X

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I own none, all belong to Joss Whedon

Comments: Always welcomed!

Summary: Xander is in hot water when he doesn't have enough money to pay his rent.

Warnings/Spoilers: Season 4ish.

Prompt #369 from Tamingthemuse- Making Ends Not Quite Meet

Note: From now on most of my Tamingthemuse stories will be named as the challenge.

Xander took a deep breath before entering his father's house. His dad wasn't going to be happy when Xander told him he was fired from yet another job and would only be able to pay half of this month's rent. He had been hoping he got to his father before he started drinking but from the beer cans that laid on the floor Xander had been a couple hours to late. This wasn't going to end well.

Tony looked up as soon as he heard the door open. He knew it was his loser son. Jessica was in the kitchen cooking dinner so that only left Xander. "You're home early. You got your pathetic ass fired again, didn't ya?"

"Yes, sir," Xander said ducking his head.

"And let me guess you don't have this month's rent?" Tony asked already knowing the answer.

"I have half of it," Xander said. He took two steps backwards when Tony stood up and came at him. Xander found himself pinned against the wall, Tony's large hand wrapped around his throat.

Tony squeezed hard enough to make Xander struggle to breathe. "I want all of it by tomorrow night or I'm going to whip the skin off your back," Tony threatened.

"I-I will. I'll sell my comic books, I s-swear!" Xander stuttered out as he tried to break from Tony's grip.

Satisfied with Xander's answer Tony tossed Xander towards the basement door. "Get out of my face."

Xander scrambled to his feet and made a hasty retreat. He opened the basement door and started down the stairs. He needed to look over his comics and fast because the comic book store was only open for another couple hours. Xander hit the last stair and his mouth dropped open. He had completely forgotten about Spike who had somehow managed to get untied and was now ripping his comic book collection to shreds. "Spike… what are you doing?" Xander rushed over to Spike and stared at the damage.

"What? Got bored, didn't I?" Spike replied with a smirk and tore the last comic in half. "These weren't worth anything were they?" He asked innocently.

"Oh God. I'm dead. I'm totally dead!" Xander said in a panic. He had no backup plan; nothing else he owed was worth anything. Xander fell to his knees and picked up a handful of tattered paper.

Spike frowned. This wasn't the reaction he was hoping for. He wanted Xander to be pissed off. Xander was gorgeous when he was mad. And Spike did not just have that thought. He knelt down in front of Xander. "Aren't you mad?"

Xander shook his head. He was too afraid to be mad.

Worried because Xander wasn't saying anything Spike placed two fingers on Xander's chin and made him look up at him. That was when he saw the angry red marks on Xander's throat. "What the hell happened?"

"It doesn't matter. Not compared to what he's going to do to me," Xander whispered.

It clicked in Spike's head that whatever happened to Xander wasn't done by a demon but by a human. Something broke up stairs and Spike realized that Xander's father was responsible. "What happened?" Spike asked again.

"I lost my job… again and I don't have enough money for rent which is due tomorrow. I was going to sell my comics to get the rest of the money. Now my dad is going kick my ass," Xander explained with a shudder. He still had scars from the last time was whipped with his dad's belt.

Spike actually felt guilty. He stood up. "Come on then."

"Where?" Xander didn't move.

"Patrolling." Was all Spike said and helped Xander up.

Two hours later Spike and Xander dusted twenty-two vampires and earned themselves a few hundred dollars and some jewelry they could pawn.

"Why did you help me?" Xander finally asked.

"Because…I don't hate you," Spike grumbled. "Happy? Now you can go tell all your little friends that the big bad likes you."

Xander blinked. He didn't know what he was expecting Spike to say but that was definitely the furthest thing he thought he'd ever hear. They were quiet on their way home. When they reached the basement door Xander turned and gave Spike a peck on the lips. "Thanks."

Spike became flustered. "Yeah… I'm going to Willy's." And he all but ran off.

Opening the door Xander smiled to himself and said, "Life just maybe looking up."

The End