Title: The Love of the Bullied 11/?
Author: Forsaken2003
Pairing: S/X
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I own none, all belong to Joss Whedon
Comments: Always welcomed!
Summary: Life sucks for Xander but when Spike moves to Sunnydale will things get better or worse?
Warnings/Spoilers: None
Beta'd by: Unbeta'd
Note: I feel like this story is possibly over dramatic. Not what I really write but it just kind of went that direction.
Part Eleven
The tree was decorated and now the Pratt family sat around the fire place having a cup of tea. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve and it was going to be a long day of baking with his mother. They were going to make extra goodies for Spike to bring home to Xander. Next Christmas Xander would be experiencing it first hand if Spike had his way, which for the most part he always did.
Spike had messaged Xander a couple more times still with no response. It was going onto noon in Sunnydale which means Xander will already be at the theater. Was he asking for too much to talk to his boyfriend?
Suddenly as if some power that be heard Spike his phone starting making noise letting him know he was being Facetimed. He saw his mother smile. "Sorry," Spike said before grabbing his phone and leaving the room. When he was in the hallway he pressed accept, a smile beaming on his face. "Xan! I miss you. Shouldn't you be at work?"
"Hey, Spike. I miss you too," Xander replied but he didn't look happy. He looked like he was in pain.
"What's wrong? Why aren't you at work?" Spike asked concerned. He noticed the wall behind Xander. "Are you at the apartment?"
Xander was silent trying to figure out what to say. "I took the day off. I don't want to ruin your holidays, Spike, but I can't really hide this from you." He then brought his right arm up that was now in a cast.
"What happened?!" Spike was in a panic. He closed his bedroom door.
"Please don't freak out. It was my dad."
Spike was sure his face turned red. He knew something was going on with Xander at home. He should have pushed more. "What did he do to you?"
"He and mom came to the theater yesterday. I never told them I was working there. They never go to the movies! It's not like I was working at a bar when my dad goes every week. I could tell his was mad. When I got home after work he was drunk and mad. He accused me of hiding money from him. I told him it was my money and I earned it. That it would help me get out of his house right after graduation. That if he thought about it I was actually helping him." Xander fell quiet.
"He broke your bloody arm for having your own money? He should be proud of you!"
Xander shook his head. "He also thought I was calling him stupid for not seeing my side of it. After he calmed down he told me to keep my job so the day after graduation I can get my ass out of his house. I'm sorry, Spike."
"You have nothing to apologize for," Spike voice softened. "You did nothing wrong." He wished he could pull Xander into his arms. Why couldn't Xander's father see how precious Xander was?
Xander buried his face into his left arm trying to force the tears not to fall causing Spike to see only Xander's right shoulder. He kept silent giving Xander a minute to get himself together. He heard a sniffle before Xander came back into view.
"Sorry," Xander said again.
Spike wanted to tell Xander to stop apologizing but it would only make him apologize even more. "It's okay, luv."
"Can I stay here for the rest of the break?" Xander requested.
"Course you can," Spike said straightaway knowing Xander would be safe there. "The cupboards are stocked so you don't have to worry about food." He didn't like that Xander would be spending Christmas alone. "I wish I was there."
"I don't," Xander said seeing hurt wash over Spike's face. "I mean I do but you haven't seen your parents since August. You should have this time with them. Do whatever happy families do during this time of year." He shook himself. "Enough of my bullshit. How did tree hunting go?"
"It was fun," Spike replied leaving out the part about fretting over Xander almost the entire day. "I can show it too you. You can meet me parents," he said excitedly stood up from his bed.
Xander panicked. "Wait!"
Spike stopped moving. "What's wrong?"
"I want to meet your parents but can we wait? I don't want to meet them like this. I'd love a picture though."
Not needing to ask 'like what?' because Spike could clearly see that Xander was still upset and in pain. "Course, Xan. I got a little too enthusiastic, didn't I?"
"You're cute when you're excited," Xander commented.
Besides for his mother no one had ever called Spike cute until Xander came around. "Want to watch something on Netflix together?"
"Go spend time with your parents," Xander ordered. "We'll watch something in a few hours. I am going to try to figure out how the hell I shower with this cast."
"You can get special covers that can go over casts. The chemist's shop should have," Spike told him. Xander looked confused. "The pharmacy. I broke my arm when I was sixteen while skiing in Whistler."
Xander had no idea where Whistler was. "Thanks. Now go hang out with your parents. Play a board game or sing Christmas carols."
As much as Spike wanted to keep talking to Xander, he was right he should do something with his parents. "I'll text you when I'm ready for a movie."
"Sounds good. I'll see you later." Xander waved awkwardly to Spike before ending the call.
Spike sighed. He couldn't wait to get Xander out of Sunnydale and away from everyone who mistreated him. He was too good for the lot of them.
After getting off the phone with Spike, Xander went to the pharmacy in search for a cover for his cast. He never thought he'd be thankful for Spike getting hurt because he never would have heard of these and he would have spent the rest of the day trying to saran wrap his wrist. It was still inconvenient as hell and Xander was sure he still had some shampoo in his hair from the crunchiness of it.
He climbed off the couch to grabbed an orange soda from the fridge before starting another episode of The Office on the TV. He'd never watched it before Spike. It was pretty good. You could always count on Steven Carell for a good laugh.
When he got comfy again Xander's mind wandered off to Spike. What was he doing right now? Was he having fun? He hoped so, Spike deserved it. No matter how much Spike tried to play it cool and deny missing his parents and friends Xander could see it on his face.
Xander's phone dinged. It was Spike, were his ears burning? He sent Xander a picture of the Christmas tree. It was absolutely amazing, like a smaller version of Rockefeller Center's tree. 'It's beautiful.'
'Next Christmas you'll be here helping decorate it."
Harris's were not known for traveling. Xander had never left Sunnydale in his seventeen years on this planet so the thought of go to England one day was before exciting and terrifying. In the end it would depend on if Xander could afford to go. If he couldn't pay his own way he wouldn't go.
'That would be awesome.'
'My parents are going to bed. You still up for a movie?'
Xander smiled. 'With you? Always.'