monthlyvisits

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Title: Montly Visits (Fifth in the 'And Life Goes On' Series)BR
Author: SpikeliciousBR
Disclaimer: Joss is Boss.BR
Feedback: Yes, please.BR
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Author's Note: This involves dealing with Spike and the issue of three women having their periods around him. Nothing graphic here, but if you're uncomfortable with the topic and/or resulting discussions, you might want to skip to the next chapter (you won't miss anything plotwise). :)BR
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The reality of residing with three females didn't hit Spike until three weeks into their new living arrangements, when incredibly, all three got their periods during the same week. The visits from Social Services now seemed tame compared to the torture of living through the visit from the girls' apparently mutual 'friend'. BR
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His vampiric senses being what they were, Spike had often detected Dawn's menstrual blood but had never, ever given it a coherent thought, completely happy to push the idea back into the farthest recesses of his mind. He'd caught Buffy's scent once or twice while she was still alive, but being the Slayer she was nothing if not practical about such matters and usually was completely undetectable, however she managed it.BR
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But the almost spicy potency of the witches' blood combined with the innocent scent of his Nibblet, well, that was simply too much. His craving for blood was heightened and he fought it every minute, draining bag after bag of animal blood. Finally, he retreated into the basement, much to Dawn's concern, only leaving when he had to patrol or continue the as-yet unsuccessful job search.BR
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As he reflected on his predicament, he realized it wasn't that strange that Willow and Tara's cycles had become synchronized; often women who lived together bled at the same time. But Dawn's time falling during the same week, well, that almost felt like a betrayal at the most biological level, no matter how uncontrollable.BR
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After three days of living like a basement-ridden hermit, he'd had enough. Although he had a blood-stocked mini-fridge and a microwave, he didn't much like isolation now that he'd gotten used to the company of his women. They were his women, of course, because he was nothing if not a possessive vampire. But unfortunately, all three of his women were inadvertantly causing his whole body to go haywire with its various responses to the scent of blood--perfectly good blood that was essentially being thrown away. What a waste, he reflected sadly, although he knew there was no way in this dimension or any other he could approach Will or Tara about giving him...donations.BR
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So on the third night, he found himself standing in front of Xander's door, the Playstation 2 that normally lived at the Summers' house clutched in one arm and a twelve-pack of Guinness in the other. He knocked twice firmly and put on his best 'hey there best buddy take me in' expression.BR
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Anya flung open the door, obviously distressed at having been bothered. She was half dressed, and Xander called out from the apartment, Who is it, honey?BR
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Spike groaned. God you two, didn't you both just get home from work? BR
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Anya shrugged, indifferent to her state of dress or Spike's frustration. So? I wanted sex and Xander said okay, she explained unnecessarily.BR
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Xander came up behind Anya, obviously naked and blessedly hidden from view by Anya's body and the door. Hey, Spike. What's wrong? The Playstation's okay, isn't it? He noticed the console in Spike's arm and a worried expression crossed his face.BR
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Yeah, it's fine. I just thought you'd like to excercise your visitation privileges, he replied snarkily. Listen, why don't you two finish up in there and I'll wait in the hall?BR
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To his dismay, Anya brightened and replied, then shut the door firmly in his face.BR
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Slumping back against the wall, he sagged down into a sitting position and cracked open a Guinness. Even waiting for Anya and Xander to finish having sex was better than being at home right now.BR
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Twenty minutes later, Anya poked her head out. Okay, we're done. You can come in.BR
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He picked up the game and the drinks and entered the apartment, shooting Xander a wry grin. Xander just shrugged sheepishly and held his hand up for a beer, which Spike automatically tossed him.BR
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Okay, set up the game, Spike instructed without preamble. He needed a good distraction and he'd been meaning to challenge Xander to a rematch on that last game of Mortal Kombat they'd played. BR
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Anya came over sat on the couch. Xander eyed her warily, and she frowned. What? I'll only watch!BR
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Xander shook his head. Unh uh. Why do you think I brought it to Spike's in the first place? Scoot, off with you. Go do something girly and un-videoplaying-like.BR
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Anya bristled. You of all people should know that a 'girl' can kick a man's ass at a video game, she pointed out.BR
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Spike decided to intervene, mostly because as entertaining as it was to watch Harris and his ex-demon argue, their arguing usually led to makeup sex, and he'd already spent enough time out in the hall.BR
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Uh, listen, pet. I could use your tactful conversational skills about now.BR
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He shared a look with Xander, who immediately knew that the vampire was in fact banking on the opposite; he wanted something said that he couldn't say himself.BR
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Willow, Tara, Dawn are having their monthlies. It's enough to bloody overwhelm a poor vamp, pardoning the pun, and it's driving me nuts. I've gone through a week's worth of blood in three days...but I haven't been able to say anything. D'you think you could be a luv and go keep them company, let them know I'm just having some 'guy time' with Xander so they don't think I've deserted them?BR
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Anya, who often felt left out of the female Scooby loop, smiled at the thought of being able to help Spike with his predicament while spending time with 'the girls'. BR
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Oh, of course. I'll go over there now and maybe we can eat chocolate and watch Mystic Pizza again.BR
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Xander shook his head but Spike smiled in relief; surely, Anya's forthright and bluntly honest nature would take care of this situation. Willow and Tara would simply bundle up more or something and Dawn...well, he wouldn't even go there. In her case, he would just go back to his blissfully simple state of denial.BR
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Turning to Xander, who had already set up the game, he revealed his naturally cocky grin for the first time in days. Ready to get your ass whipped, Liu Kang?BR
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Xander scoffed. Ha! You're going down, Sonya Blade! What kind of guy picks a girl as his character, anyway?BR
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Settling down in front of the couch on the floor, Spike shot him a look that silenced him with its intensity. The kind of man that would fall for a beautiful but deadly blonde, he answered softly.BR
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Xander really had nothing to say to that.BR
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* * * * *BR
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Willow, Tara and Dawn had just realized that Spike had not only left but apparently taken the video game with him when Anya knocked on the door. Dawn bounced over to get it, swinging the door wide to allow Anya entrance.BR
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Hi, Dawn. Spike sent me over here to commiserate with you over chocolate and 'Mystic Pizza'. Well, that part was my idea.BR
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As Dawn shut the door, Willow and Tara exchanged glances laced with confusion.BR
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I think I speak for all of us when I say, hunh? Willow's brow furrowed as she tried to think of anything that they might all currently be commiserating over. Other than the fact that Amy was still a rat after the latest attempts at de-verminizing, nothing came to mind.BR
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Anya shrugged and sat on the couch. Spike is being driven crazy by his bloodlust, because he can smell all of you since you're all having your periods. Where's the chocolate?BR
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As comprehension dawned, Willow and Tara paled and Dawn scrunched up her nose.BR
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Ewwww! He can smell that? I mean, of course he can, but I just never realized...ewwww! Her face became hot as embarrassment flooded through her. The thought that Spike had known every time since they'd been living together simply mortified her.BR
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Willow, however, was a little more sympathetic to Spike's deal in all this. Oh, goddess! It must be so hard for him, all that blood around, and human blood...oh! And witch blood, which is probably more powerful! Poor Spike!BR
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Tara nodded her understanding of the situation. N-no wonder Spike's kept himself cooped up in the basement, she offered in dismay. I hate that we've come into his home and m-made him so uncomfortable!BR
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Anya shrugged from her place on the couch. BR
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Dawn came over and sat on the couch next to Anya. Biting a fingernail, she suddenly got why Spike would be so uncomfortable. Oh, man. That musta been like torture for him. 'Specially since all that blood is just being thrown away. He must think it's such a waste, she added thoughtfully, oblivious to the various looks being directed her way.BR
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Ewww, Dawnie! Of course it's being thrown away...it's, you know... blood. Willow sat next to Dawn and Tara folded herself gracefully into a lotus position on the carpeted floor at Willow's feet.BR
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Dawn shrugged; now that she'd gotten over the embarrassment factor, her heart really did go out to Spike. BR
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Yeah, I get the biology part of it, but...you know, Spike's a vampire. Stating the obvious didn't seem to work.BR
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You know, to a vampire, that blood probably isn't so much discarded as like, life-giving or something, seeing as how it comes from the womb and all. They continued staring at her. What? I took health class! Squirming uncomfortably, she added I'm not saying we should all offer it to him, I'm just saying he probably sees it differently than we do. I mean, the guy drinks blood to stay alive. It's not such a far leap if you keep that in mind.BR
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As usual, Dawn's attitude was only softened by her rather mature grasp on life and the events that tended to unfold around her. Willow considered Dawn's point for a moment. A few naughty images leapt to mind as to how she could 'donate' that blood to Spike, which she quickly although somewhat reluctantly dismissed. If they couldn't donate it, they could at least keep it from effecting Spike so much. Truth was, she really liked living here and being part of this strange nuclear family, and she would hate to give it up because Spike couldn't bear them a quarter of the month.BR
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Tara watched various emotions play over Willow's face and finally cleared her throat and directed her gaze at Dawn.BR
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Um, Dawnie? Buffy must've had a way...I mean, she was out there every night, so she must have had to figure something out for those times, right?BR
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Dawnie shrugged. I never really thought about it, she admitted, although now she wished she'd questioned her sister about such a seemingly small thing. Of course, that was pretty much par for the course; she was always wishing she'd had more time to ask her mom or Buffy stuff before they had died.BR
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Anya sighed. Why don't one of you just figure out a spell that will mask you, like a glamour, but smell instead of sight?BR
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Willow stared at Anya, wondering why she hadn't come up with the idea herself.BR
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Geez, that's a good idea! Tara, you know anything like that?BR
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Tara shook her head but offered, It shouldn't be too hard to find something though.BR
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Anya smiled triumphantly. She quite enjoyed her interaction with the other female Scoobies.BR
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Okay, that problem is solved. So, again I ask, chocolate? BR
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Dawn jumped to her feet and retrieved the double-fudge chocolate chunk ice cream from the freezer, four spoons, and four diet cokes--which as all womankind knows, effectively cancelled any calories from the ice cream. By the time she'd handed spoons and sodas out and settled into the center of the couch, providing better access to the ice cream, Mystic Pizza was playing. They would do the research necessary for the spell in the morning.BR
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* * * * *BR
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Spike woke up the next afternoon feeling rested and ready for battle after his five-hour nap. It wasn't until he was upstairs and in the kitchen that he realized something was wrong.BR
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Dawn was sitting at the table, avoiding his questioning gaze as he tried to place what was off.BR
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Willow and Tara came in, and Spike suddenly realized what was missing. His couldn't smell anything. It was like being deaf, only for the nose.BR
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Oi! What's going on? I can't smell anything! Not even...BR
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He rounded on Willow and Tara, knowing that the absence of one of his heightened five senses and Anya's visit last night had to be related.BR
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Willow shrugged apologetically. We didn't know exactly how the spell would manifest, but it's only tied to our...monthly blood, and only when you're in this house with one of us besides Dawn. That way, you can protect her if we're not here and you need to smell something, like an intruder or whatever, she explained quickly, noting Dawn's rapidly reddening face and averted gaze.BR
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Spike noticed her reaction as well. 'Poor Nibblet must be mortified to know that I can smell that,' he thought sympathetically. A disturbing thought occurred to him and he quickly motioned Willow out into the living room.BR
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Listen, Will...she seems awfully embarrassed. I know Buffy realized that for vampires, blood and sex are often connected. You don't think 'Bit thinks that I...that she... Spike was so horrified by the thought, he couldn't even finish the sentence. Dawn was like his daughter and if she thought that he was aroused by her...ye gods.BR
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Willow rushed to reassure him. No, no, Spike, I really think it's just the ickiness factor of you knowing, period. Oooh, bad unintentional pun! But I don't think she knows about the vampire sex thing... The images that had skittered into her mind last night replayed across her mind again and she coughed. She was dying to know, though, so finally she just blurted out in a hushed tone, Does it, though? Like, with me? Or Tara?BR
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Spike grinned as Willow's curiosity overcame her usual shyness about such matters.BR
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Well, pet, if you really want to know, it does to a point. But, it's kind of tied in with the vampire survival instincts.BR
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At Willow's confused look, he continued. Well, humans technically have sex to prolong their species by procreating, right? So lust leads to that, even if it doesn't actually end up in a new life. Well, with vampires, we don't procreate but we want to stay undead, and for us staying undead means drinking blood, which also has everything to do with making more of our own kind. Get it?BR
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Willow followed his explanation, nodding to herself. It makes complete sense when you look at it like that, she murmured. Brightening, she added with a playful grin, You know, some people refer to having their period as 'seducing the vampires'.BR
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Spike chuckled appreciatively, but was quick to continue his explanation of how this affected him. But Nibblets family...I dont think of her that way, you know?BR
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Willow smiled. Spike, none of us, not one of us, think you would ever do anything inappropriate to Dawn. We did this for your sanity, nothing else. She laid a gentle hand on his arm, and he smiled in relief.BR
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So, we're all good?BR
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She nodded. If you don't mind smelling Dawn's cooking tonight, she added with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Spike shuddered. BR
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Somehow, I don't think I'll mind at all, pet.BR
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