Breathing in deep, Xander rubbed his ear against the cozy sheets, waking up more now, he looked down at his, yep! Still paws. Sighing a tiny bit that he didn't miraculously wake up as a human, he was kinda happy to still be a dog.
For one, waking up in Spike's bed as a human would be pretty embarrassing, especially since Spike was most certainly naked under these sheets. But also, being a dog has its perks. He was seeing another side of the chipped wonder here and dang everything felt and tasted so much better.
He rolled over and saw Spike in the dim light from the crypt above, cuddling up with a pillow between his arms. Xander blinked, remembering vamps don't have to breathe, but Spike seemed to, even in his sleep, somehow knowing he wasn't just laying next to a corpse.
Xander had never seen Spike so at ease, not a crease in his forehead, not a line or blemish. He had to admit, the vampire definitely had good looks going for him, and seeing him all snuggly with a pillow, he looked so much younger than he was and didn't seem like any sort of threat.
Xander felt a pang and knew he should get up and let himself out, he snickered. A dog letting himself out to use the bathroom, he was such a good boy. He plodded up to the dresser wardrobe makeshift steps Spike created for him and scaled them with ease.
Now on the upper level, Xander was amazed that it felt like late afternoon, pulling open the loose door with his nose. Yeah the sun was high west in the sky, dog senses were trumping his human ones all the time, even sleeping felt better!
Xander explored some gravestones and decided it was kind of rude to pee on what used to be a person, so he wandered over by a nearby tree instead, finding a good spot. He giggled and marked his territory, such a funny dog thought, this tree was now his property!
The Magic Box would certainly be open at this time, he sniffed the air, occasionally smelling a few humans, probably visiting their loved ones here at the cemetery. Oh and what was that? A squirrel?! He bounded towards it scampering up his tree.
He laughed and played with the unassuming squirrel, until he found himself rolled around in a pile of loose leaves. What's another day in a dog's life huh? It was so relaxing, no work, just comfort and play. Finding his friends could wait till tomorrow definitely.
Xander wondered if Spike was awake yet, noting with his dog senses it would probably be dusk in an hour if that. He walked himself back to the crypt and pushed his way in. Spike was on the top level already dressed and sipping blood out of the pint he bought last night.
He looked towards the dog surprised, "You came back?"
Xander woofed an, "Of course, dude." at him and Spike smirked.
"Well, you look a mess," Spike closed the lid on his blood and dropped down to sit on the green armchair, "What'd you get up to today?"
Xander walked towards the lounging vampire and he reached out, plucking loose leaves off the pup, "Found yourself some fun, yeah?" he smiled at the dog, petting his fur clean and patting his side.
"When it's dark enough, I'll go out get you some real food." Xander pepped up at that, and yipped in excitement, earning him another relaxing pat on the head and grin from the vampire.
Xander waited patiently outside as Spike went into the small convenience store, luckily the one stop shop for all your household needs that stayed open all night. In a hellmouth town like Sunnydale, he was sure this place got a lot of business at all hours!
Spike exited with a handheld plastic bag and dug in his duster pocket for his cigs, lighting it and beginning to walk back to his crypt, Xander followed along happily. Such a good dog he was, man's, no haha, vampire's best friend here.
Spike was easy to get along with... when, he supposed, he wasn't being a dumb grumpy, Buffy obsessed jerk? And Xander couldn't really see him that way anymore, Spike was lonely, complex... loving, kind, sorta sad in a way.
He wondered if Spike had been like that in his human days as the vampire prepared two dishes for his new dog friend. Xander tittered along excited, thoughtful, and hungry. Spike mixed dry food into wet and then disappeared to the lower level and got him fresh water.
Xander wanted to remember to ask the vampire about that too, when he was human again, how'd he get running water to this crypt at all? It was a really great place, he supposed, for a vampire, but also honestly even a better place than his parent's basement!
The dog dug into his food and Spike smoked, watching his new companion, thinking about how it felt pretty good to have something to take care of. After being with Dru so long, then having silly Harmony chittering his ear off. He hadn't really been so alone in such a long time.
Feeling kinda lucky that this dog kept following him around, even though he hadn't wanted him at first, definitely felt like something he needed to keep his sanity. Plus the dog seemed pretty well trained already, not a puppy who needed constant attention, this dog was happy with the small affections.
The crumbs, he smiled at the thought, how he'd like just a crumb from Buffy, a small inclination that she had a soft spot for him too. Xander was delighted as he licked his chops, finishing his food, to find Spike looking wistfully out the high window in the crypt.
The two just sat there in silence for a few moments, till Xander bent down and lapped up a bit of the cool water. Refreshing but very loud, broke Spike out of whatever thoughts he was having, a grin to his face now assessing the dog.
"Alright you, proper fed. Time for patrol." Spike stood up and Xander's eyes widened. Spike patrols? Like of his own free will? And without getting brownie points from Buffy? Okay, yet another layer of the soulless vampire he wouldn't ever have been convinced of otherwise.
Xander was amazed, he watched as Spike staked a few fledges, completely without remorse. He always wondered why there were so many each night, and now he wondered if Spike minded about killing his own kind, just another two questions to add to his list, to bring up when he was human.
Some kind of blue tinted demon with horns, he'd never seen before, came up and growled at Spike but instead of fighting, like he thought they'd be bound to engage in any minute.
Instead, Spike leaned in and basically hugged the humanoid, patting him on the back. The vampire growled back in a way Xander had never heard Spike make before.
And they shared a mutual growl as Xander's eyes widened. A second later the blue demon was looking towards him and he tucked his tail in between his legs in a fear. Was Spike in league with this monster?!
Xander closed his eyes, panicking, what was he gonna do? Did this demon think he was dinner? Was Spike trading him for something?!
All of a sudden, he felt a gentle pet on his head, similar but definitely not Spike's hand. He opened his eyes to the blue demon… was that a smile? Urg not cute. But Spike was smirking behind the crouching demon petting his new dog friend.
Xander looked shocked. It was apparent, the blue demon looked up at Spike and let out a soft growl of language before patting the side of his neck like a good boy.
The blue demon got up, nodded and shared another touch with Spike before he made his way off somewhere, thankfully away from them. Spike huffed a look towards Xander before he started away, lighting another cig.
Xander followed, albeit a few seconds after noting he was glad the blue demon left, but that he hadn't been all that evil as he assumed he would have been. Catching up, beside Spike and seeing him smirk down, puffing out smoke.
"That was Farro, he just had a kid. Proud dah'" Spike smiled, opening Xander's eyes to what he just witnessed, "He also said, there's more to you than meets the eye." Spike stopped and blinked at Xander a moment, then chuckled out a laugh, flicking his cigarette butt away.
Xander smiled back, tongue out, trying to play it off like a joke, as well. Apparently Xander's secret was still safe but perhaps Spike now suspected something was definitely wrong with this dog who followed and obeyed him so easily.
Spike sped forward and then took a look back at Xander who was still padding along by him, he furrowed his brow, maybe trying to bring out the extra something about the dog.
But dog Xander just looked back, not helping himself as his mouth opened in happiness at being the center of attention. Damn dog emotions, Xander thought, but couldn't fault himself, it still felt great.
The vampire's mouth slid into a smirk and then he started running. Xander's eyes opened wide, was Spike running away from him?! Did he know?! Gotta catch up, gotta find him!
Xander chased after the very fast vampire, and found himself enjoying the run, forgetting the possible altercation they may have just had. This was faster than he'd played with the squirrel and the breeze through his fur, the pure elation of his heart beating so rapidly.
This. This was definitely the stuff he was missing in his human life.
Spike was slowing down, he saw, or rather sensed. Xander's nose was full of different smells, flowers and different grass, Spike's scent was one of thousands as they must have run into an entirely different cemetery by now.
He was ready to catch his prey, that bleached blonde vampire was done for, he thought. Still speeding towards Spike, not sensing the other two people as he bounded up and pounced on his vampire friend.
Spike laughed and let the dog knock him to the grass. Xander laughed wickedly in the success of pinning him. Spike's hands scrubbing his furry cheeks and down his neck conceding his victory. Xander couldn't help himself, he licked the side of Spike's face from his jaw up to his scarred eyebrow in happiness.
"Spike?!"
Both Xander and Spike looked towards the woman's voice in surprise. Xander jumped off, out of his hands abruptly as if they'd been caught kissing and sheesh, if he really thought about it, maybe they had!
Spike wiped the dog slobber off his face absently with his hand and stood up. There they were. Dog Xander and Spike standing in front of Riley and Buffy.
If blinks were clock chimes, it'd be loud in the cemetery tonight. Riley looked absolutely disgusted, Buffy looked amused, Spike seemed a bit embarrassed and Xander well, he was a dog, full of emotions but who ever looked at a dogs face to determine their emotions that way?!
Xander realized this much sooner than the humans/vampire in his midst and huffed out a cute bark for the medium sized dog he was and approached his friend Buffy. She couldn't deny herself, taking a knee and petting him, her small hands rubbing behind his ears.
Whoa, if Anya wasn't his lady, this feeling woulda been worth it for the cheating, he thought, "I didn't know you had a dog, Spike." her voice broke him out of his forbidden thoughts about Buffy rubbing other places and he looked back to the vamp.
Spike reached up and scratched the back of his head, opening his mouth about to say something but Riley cut him off, "Vampire's don't have pets."
Xander looked to the ex-commando, he'd never heard that awful tone of voice coming from him before. Buffy almost flinched at hearing it too, he could feel it in her hands against his neck, before she resumed her soft pets, as Spike finally piped up.
"I'll have you know we do. Occasionally... at least." He tilted his head, losing his courage near the end. Xander and Riley watched Spike watch Buffy bring her face in close and give good boy dog Xander a kiss on the head.
Xander nuzzled against her, with the mantra, not cheating, not cheating in his head, he'd chalk it up to how he missed his friend and wished her well. Tomorrow, he'd go and see if Willow could make a human out of him again, and he'd explain to them, he was sure of it.
Buffy stood up, knowing Riley was super uncomfortable being around Spike these days, but she didn't understand why. Spike was totally more relatable now than ever, especially with the chip.
"He seems like a really good boy." Buffy said, as if to warm Riley to the dog, to no avail, she turned back to Spike, "Does he have a name?"
She smiled and Spike smiled back for a second, not enough to get him into any more trouble with Riley and looked down at Xander, "You know, I've just been calling him dog, for the most part."
Xander's mouth opened, oh gosh, what was this? Spike certainly had feelings for Buffy, that was a give in, he eagerly admitted to even, but Buffy!
Ooooo look at how she was looking at him! How had he never noticed before? Was he so blind as a human to not see this soft spot she had for Captain Peroxide?! Maybe as a dog he could feel the vibes a lot easier, yah totally!
"Do you wana name him?"
Xander blinked, oh nope, no, nooo, Spike, you've gone too far buddy, the rage that was steaming off Riley right now was palpable. Buffy smirked and kneeled before Xander again, tilting his head this way and that, she giggled, "Does he look like a Gus to you?"
Spike chuckled, knowing Riley had a cross bow pointed at his heart right about now, "Yah, Gus it is."
Buffy was beaming and gave the newly appointed Gus/Xander another kiss on the head, which he greatly appreciated but was ready to get going. Riley was just full of bad vibes right now. Was this dude jealous of a dog getting kisses?!
"Well, we best be on our way, isn't that right, Gus?" Spike intoned and for the first time ever tapped his thigh as a light command to Xander to follow.
Gus ha, Xander definitely didn't need the new name or the command, the faster they got away from Riley's menacing attitude the better dog Xander would feel, for sure.
"See ya soon, Gus!" Buffy called out as the vampire and dog duo walked away, Riley still glaring, crossbow at the ready, way until they were out of the line of sight or smell.
Urg, Xander shivered, he was so grossed out by the way Riley had acted. Is this the way he acted towards Spike all the time?
Did Xander ever make Spike feel this grossed out with all his deadboy jr., bleached, chipped wonder comments?! He certainly hoped not. It was all in good fun, but to be honest he never considered Spike's feelings any time before.
Spike's mood seemed especially dimmed after that encounter with Buffy and Riley. Xander just padded along behind him all the way back to the crypt.
Where he followed Spike to the lower level, watched him discard his jacket and shirt and drink. Every so often Spike rubbed his face and part of Xander wanted to cry for the guy.
It was a lot to take in. A lot to feel. Some kind of unrequited love thing going on between Buffy and Spike, he felt it between them in the cemetery. To see this badass Billy Idol looking vampire, of a hundred something years old, upset at an interaction with a Slayer and her white bread boyfriend… Xander shook his dog's head.
Spike had moved towards the vanity, sans reflection. He began to draw, a little charcoal and pencil, Xander was curious. Guessing the vamp did this often, often enough to have a wall montage of drawings at least. He figured it was another one of Buffy, but when Spike stumbled up and kicked off his boots, Xander saw what he drew.
Bringing a whimper to his dog lips, Spike had just drawn a perfect replica of dog Xander. He looked up to the vanity mirror to make sure, yep. Every whisker, every marking. A complete match. Damn stupid, soulless, kinda evil Spike. Why'd he have to go and break down every last wall against me, he thought.
The empty Jack Daniels bottle clanged against the floor, the light blinked off, and a now naked Spike wandered drunkenly towards the bed. Hitting the pillows with his face, Xander sighed. Poor guy.
He waited a moment to make sure Spike was weirdly, vamp shallow breathing in sleep before he used his teeth to pull the sheets over the vampire's bare ass.
Xander wondered if it was just the fun and emotion filled day he'd just had with Spike that lead him to being this tired all of a sudden or if it was the bed beneath his paws, but Xander found himself just like last night fading fast and curling up beside Spike's prone body.
TBC! Please let me know if you're enjoying this story so far :)