Disclaimers, etc. in part 1
Notes: 1) Thanks to John, Kages (Superbeta! *cue bad hero music*), and Sofylicious. They rock the walk.
Angel said with a triumphant smile, "Project Stake the Human".
Willow, Tara, Wesley, Angel, and Spike were sitting around an empty fire pit. They were trying to come up with a suitable codename for the plan, said plan being Spike and Xander together and smooching.
"We want something not obvious, you stupid git," Spike said, rolling his eyes. "'Sides, you have to have a firm foundation before you go about 'staking' someone. Stupid poof. Just cause you and Puzzle boy are."
Hearing Angel's mumbled, "I thought it was a good idea," Wesley put his arms around his beau.
Turning to Spike, Wesley said, "We are NOT, by the way." Wesley looked abashed, then a glimmer of something showed in his eyes. "Yet," he added, a small smile playing on his lips as he looked back at Angel.
Willow and Tara smiled fondly at the two, while Spike sighed and shook his head. He hoped that when he and Xander were together they were not as nauseating as the two in front of him.
Him and Xander. Spike smiled. Here were their closest friends organizing to bring them together. Trying to come up with the most perfect, most romantic plan--even though all Spike wanted to do was just go and ravish the Day Counselor. That, however, was not romantic enough to suit the group. And Spike knew that to please this group was to please Xander; something that Spike very much wanted to do.
Willow was speaking, reiterating that she was not breaking the pinky swear, because she was just talking about Spike liking Xander. The group nodded, knowing she was skirting a very fine line. If Xander knew she had loop holed her way out of a pinky swear, he may not be happy, and no one wanted that.
"W-why don't we just call it Night and Day?" Tara said. Willow's girlfriend rarely spoke in group settings, but when she did, it was often insightful.
Spike immediately liked it. Simple and it connected to the Sex Pistols, in a Frank Sinatra way. "Bloody brilliant, Tara," Spike said, beaming at the girl.
Half an hour later, they were still arguing over the name of the plan. Spike had had enough.
"Can't I just soddin' kiss him when we're alone or something? And if he kisses back and/or shows he is pleased, then yay?" Spike was becoming irritated.
The group had gone from candy and flowers to the idea that Spike should write a poem. Spike was not about to head in that direction.
"Not writin' any poems for God's sake! What? Fine. Angel tell them please. You were there when we burnt my writings, and I know you bleedin read some. Tell them how horrible they were!" Spike shuddered. He hated remembering the poetry he had written when he was mortal. Not subjecting Xander to that, Spike thought.
Willow took sympathy. "Okay, no composing poems. Should we set up a romantic dinner? A boat ride? A short play or what?" Willow looked confused.
"I, personally, believe that a romantic dinner would be fine. A boat ride would make it possible an overturned boat and then a whole changing of clothes fiasco. Although, that is not such a bad idea. Right, Angel?" Wesley looked to his love. They shared a smile, before Wesley continued. "However, with Spike and Xander combined, I don't see how disaster could be avoided, even with the amount of protection we as a group embody. Romantic dinner it is."
Having finally decided on a course of action, the group worked out the details until the sky started to lighten and the vampires had to reach darkened safety.
#####
Spike was fidgeting with his collar. It had been decided he should wear a light blue turtleneck. Yes, it covered a lot of his skin, but it clung in all the right places.
He had refused to budge on the tight black jeans issue. "I am not soddin wearing khakis. Are you insane? I don't care if they make me more shapely. 'Sides, I don't like the material."
The group had had some trouble procuring a space for the dinner. Wesley had been their savior. He had offered up a closed off portion of Puzzle-thon. This also allowed him to oversee the setting up and later breaking down of dinner. Not to mention the fact that Angel could make use of his supernatural hearing and see how things were progressing.
Wesley knew that Xander liked Spike, but he also knew that getting him to admit it to Spike would take a bit of doing.
"Hey, love. How goes Night and Day?" Angel reached from behind Wesley and pulled him close.
Night and Day had been said by Willow, Tara, Angel, Wesley and even Spike more than once. They knew Xander would connect it with the dinner, but only in retrospect.
Leaning into the embrace, Wesley replied, "Everything is on schedule. It's now a matter of getting Xander in place."
#####
Willow was walking hand in hand with Tara. The redhead covertly looked at her watch, and said, "We'll see you later, Xan."
Xander frowned. "Where are you gals going? Dinner's this way."
"Oh, we have to meet a group at one of the fire pits. A Wicca get together," Tara smiled.
"Oh." Xander nodded, pursing his lips. "Well, I'll see you around then."
Xander sighed. He and Spike would be stuck with Angel and Wesley, who were so connected at the hip, well mouth, that they were becoming one person and vampire mesh.
He saw the two sitting in their usual spot on the grass. Xander didn't spot Spike, and he groaned inwardly. Spike always made everything better, and he alone was about to have to go through that period of time known as "God, I wish they'd get a room."
Angel was the first to look up at Xander. His soft, small smile that he had been giving Wesley, turned into a wide grin with lots of teeth.
"Xander! Hello! How's it going today? Good? Well, we have to go. See you later!"
Wesley frowned at his boyfriend. Looking at Xander for the first time, he gathered the boy to be both confused and amused.
"What Angel, I'm sure, meant to say in that explosion, was that we have to be going. There is a new shipment of puzzles for next year, and I want to get them sorted. They're at the main building, not at Puzzle-thon. Since we leave in a few more days, I figured getting a head start would be nice."
Xander nodded. "Cool."
Xander plopped down, as the couple stood.
"See ya!" Xander said, around a bite of burrito.
"Yes! See you, emphasis on the you, later! Have a good night! A very good night, okay?" Angel looked positively gleeful.
Xander smiled and nodded. Then he turned to Wesley and made the "he's crazy" hand gesture.
Wesley smiled and said, "Yes. But he's mine. See you later, Xander."
Xander sat chewing his burrito, not really tasting it. He was already feeling bored. That lonely feeling he got when he was not around Spike was also hitting him. He had not seen the Night Counselor since the dinner before.
"Hey."
Xander looked up and his breath hitched. Spike was standing above him in a light blue, very clingy turtleneck and tight black jeans. His hair was moving softly in the wind; it was slightly wavy and framed Spike's face in such a perfect way.
"H-hey!" Xander squeaked. Spike looked beautiful. Spike always looked beautiful to Xander, but as of right then, there was a choir singing in Xander's mind.
"Where's the rest of the bunch?" Spike sniffed, frowning at Xander's burrito.
"Somewhere. You know I can't really remember right now. Must be having a brain sneeze." Xander half-smiled at Spike.
"Right." Spike cleared his throat. "Well, wanna go to Puzzle-thon? I hear they're storing actual food," Spike said, pointedly staring at Xander's now discarded burrito.
Xander grinned. "Sounds like a plan."
Spike reached down to help Xander up. The moment their fingers met, a slight charge passed between them. Spike backed away with a yelp, while Xander gave his hand a stunned look.
They turned their eyes on one another. "You shocked me!" they said, in unison.
The absurdity then hit them, and they started laughing.
Xander stood on his own, and they started for Puzzle-thon.
"You know, I blame this shirt for the shock. Putting this thing on? My hair was standing on end! Don't know why they, er, I-I put this on today." Spike turned his eyes everywhere but Xander, hoping the Day Counselor had not heard the slip.
"Well, it looks good," Xander said, with a nonchalance he didn't know he possessed. "Although why you chose a turtleneck in the middle of the summer is beyond me. You're lucky you're not human. God, if I was wearing a turtleneck right now, I'd be so hot."
Xander's eyes widened when he realized what he said and how it had sounded. He also noticed Spike's slight stumble. Glancing warily beside him, Xander noticed Spike was looking straight ahead with his jaw set. Xander was sure that he could see fear and nervousness on Spike's face. What could make the vampire fear where they were going? Xander shivered.
When they arrived at Puzzle-thon, it appeared deserted. Spike led them to the back, where a small tent for those wanting quiet moments had been set up.
"Oo. Having the food in the tent was a good idea. Less bugs, more filling." Xander was smiling as Spike held up the tent flap for the him to enter.
Xander's jaw dropped. There were floating candles arranged on what appeared to be shelves, blue and green tapestries, elaborate place settings on a table meant for two, a soft white floor covering, and Xander could just make out the stars shining through the transparent ceiling.
"Spike, what the -" Xander turned his stunned gaze to Spike.
Spike was watching Xander closely, trying to gage the young man's reaction. He wasn't able to make it out, so he glanced down shyly. "Well, um, there's the food. Yeah."
Spike could not understand where his speech had gone. He was over one hundred and twenty years old, and he was feeling like someone had passed the note and he was waiting for Xander to check yes or no.
Spike remained looking at the floor, as he waited for Xander's rejection or acceptance.
TBC...
Notes: 1) Thanks to John, Kages (Superbeta! *cue bad hero music*), and Sofylicious. They rock the walk.
Angel said with a triumphant smile, "Project Stake the Human".
Willow, Tara, Wesley, Angel, and Spike were sitting around an empty fire pit. They were trying to come up with a suitable codename for the plan, said plan being Spike and Xander together and smooching.
"We want something not obvious, you stupid git," Spike said, rolling his eyes. "'Sides, you have to have a firm foundation before you go about 'staking' someone. Stupid poof. Just cause you and Puzzle boy are."
Hearing Angel's mumbled, "I thought it was a good idea," Wesley put his arms around his beau.
Turning to Spike, Wesley said, "We are NOT, by the way." Wesley looked abashed, then a glimmer of something showed in his eyes. "Yet," he added, a small smile playing on his lips as he looked back at Angel.
Willow and Tara smiled fondly at the two, while Spike sighed and shook his head. He hoped that when he and Xander were together they were not as nauseating as the two in front of him.
Him and Xander. Spike smiled. Here were their closest friends organizing to bring them together. Trying to come up with the most perfect, most romantic plan--even though all Spike wanted to do was just go and ravish the Day Counselor. That, however, was not romantic enough to suit the group. And Spike knew that to please this group was to please Xander; something that Spike very much wanted to do.
Willow was speaking, reiterating that she was not breaking the pinky swear, because she was just talking about Spike liking Xander. The group nodded, knowing she was skirting a very fine line. If Xander knew she had loop holed her way out of a pinky swear, he may not be happy, and no one wanted that.
"W-why don't we just call it Night and Day?" Tara said. Willow's girlfriend rarely spoke in group settings, but when she did, it was often insightful.
Spike immediately liked it. Simple and it connected to the Sex Pistols, in a Frank Sinatra way. "Bloody brilliant, Tara," Spike said, beaming at the girl.
Half an hour later, they were still arguing over the name of the plan. Spike had had enough.
"Can't I just soddin' kiss him when we're alone or something? And if he kisses back and/or shows he is pleased, then yay?" Spike was becoming irritated.
The group had gone from candy and flowers to the idea that Spike should write a poem. Spike was not about to head in that direction.
"Not writin' any poems for God's sake! What? Fine. Angel tell them please. You were there when we burnt my writings, and I know you bleedin read some. Tell them how horrible they were!" Spike shuddered. He hated remembering the poetry he had written when he was mortal. Not subjecting Xander to that, Spike thought.
Willow took sympathy. "Okay, no composing poems. Should we set up a romantic dinner? A boat ride? A short play or what?" Willow looked confused.
"I, personally, believe that a romantic dinner would be fine. A boat ride would make it possible an overturned boat and then a whole changing of clothes fiasco. Although, that is not such a bad idea. Right, Angel?" Wesley looked to his love. They shared a smile, before Wesley continued. "However, with Spike and Xander combined, I don't see how disaster could be avoided, even with the amount of protection we as a group embody. Romantic dinner it is."
Having finally decided on a course of action, the group worked out the details until the sky started to lighten and the vampires had to reach darkened safety.
#####
Spike was fidgeting with his collar. It had been decided he should wear a light blue turtleneck. Yes, it covered a lot of his skin, but it clung in all the right places.
He had refused to budge on the tight black jeans issue. "I am not soddin wearing khakis. Are you insane? I don't care if they make me more shapely. 'Sides, I don't like the material."
The group had had some trouble procuring a space for the dinner. Wesley had been their savior. He had offered up a closed off portion of Puzzle-thon. This also allowed him to oversee the setting up and later breaking down of dinner. Not to mention the fact that Angel could make use of his supernatural hearing and see how things were progressing.
Wesley knew that Xander liked Spike, but he also knew that getting him to admit it to Spike would take a bit of doing.
"Hey, love. How goes Night and Day?" Angel reached from behind Wesley and pulled him close.
Night and Day had been said by Willow, Tara, Angel, Wesley and even Spike more than once. They knew Xander would connect it with the dinner, but only in retrospect.
Leaning into the embrace, Wesley replied, "Everything is on schedule. It's now a matter of getting Xander in place."
#####
Willow was walking hand in hand with Tara. The redhead covertly looked at her watch, and said, "We'll see you later, Xan."
Xander frowned. "Where are you gals going? Dinner's this way."
"Oh, we have to meet a group at one of the fire pits. A Wicca get together," Tara smiled.
"Oh." Xander nodded, pursing his lips. "Well, I'll see you around then."
Xander sighed. He and Spike would be stuck with Angel and Wesley, who were so connected at the hip, well mouth, that they were becoming one person and vampire mesh.
He saw the two sitting in their usual spot on the grass. Xander didn't spot Spike, and he groaned inwardly. Spike always made everything better, and he alone was about to have to go through that period of time known as "God, I wish they'd get a room."
Angel was the first to look up at Xander. His soft, small smile that he had been giving Wesley, turned into a wide grin with lots of teeth.
"Xander! Hello! How's it going today? Good? Well, we have to go. See you later!"
Wesley frowned at his boyfriend. Looking at Xander for the first time, he gathered the boy to be both confused and amused.
"What Angel, I'm sure, meant to say in that explosion, was that we have to be going. There is a new shipment of puzzles for next year, and I want to get them sorted. They're at the main building, not at Puzzle-thon. Since we leave in a few more days, I figured getting a head start would be nice."
Xander nodded. "Cool."
Xander plopped down, as the couple stood.
"See ya!" Xander said, around a bite of burrito.
"Yes! See you, emphasis on the you, later! Have a good night! A very good night, okay?" Angel looked positively gleeful.
Xander smiled and nodded. Then he turned to Wesley and made the "he's crazy" hand gesture.
Wesley smiled and said, "Yes. But he's mine. See you later, Xander."
Xander sat chewing his burrito, not really tasting it. He was already feeling bored. That lonely feeling he got when he was not around Spike was also hitting him. He had not seen the Night Counselor since the dinner before.
"Hey."
Xander looked up and his breath hitched. Spike was standing above him in a light blue, very clingy turtleneck and tight black jeans. His hair was moving softly in the wind; it was slightly wavy and framed Spike's face in such a perfect way.
"H-hey!" Xander squeaked. Spike looked beautiful. Spike always looked beautiful to Xander, but as of right then, there was a choir singing in Xander's mind.
"Where's the rest of the bunch?" Spike sniffed, frowning at Xander's burrito.
"Somewhere. You know I can't really remember right now. Must be having a brain sneeze." Xander half-smiled at Spike.
"Right." Spike cleared his throat. "Well, wanna go to Puzzle-thon? I hear they're storing actual food," Spike said, pointedly staring at Xander's now discarded burrito.
Xander grinned. "Sounds like a plan."
Spike reached down to help Xander up. The moment their fingers met, a slight charge passed between them. Spike backed away with a yelp, while Xander gave his hand a stunned look.
They turned their eyes on one another. "You shocked me!" they said, in unison.
The absurdity then hit them, and they started laughing.
Xander stood on his own, and they started for Puzzle-thon.
"You know, I blame this shirt for the shock. Putting this thing on? My hair was standing on end! Don't know why they, er, I-I put this on today." Spike turned his eyes everywhere but Xander, hoping the Day Counselor had not heard the slip.
"Well, it looks good," Xander said, with a nonchalance he didn't know he possessed. "Although why you chose a turtleneck in the middle of the summer is beyond me. You're lucky you're not human. God, if I was wearing a turtleneck right now, I'd be so hot."
Xander's eyes widened when he realized what he said and how it had sounded. He also noticed Spike's slight stumble. Glancing warily beside him, Xander noticed Spike was looking straight ahead with his jaw set. Xander was sure that he could see fear and nervousness on Spike's face. What could make the vampire fear where they were going? Xander shivered.
When they arrived at Puzzle-thon, it appeared deserted. Spike led them to the back, where a small tent for those wanting quiet moments had been set up.
"Oo. Having the food in the tent was a good idea. Less bugs, more filling." Xander was smiling as Spike held up the tent flap for the him to enter.
Xander's jaw dropped. There were floating candles arranged on what appeared to be shelves, blue and green tapestries, elaborate place settings on a table meant for two, a soft white floor covering, and Xander could just make out the stars shining through the transparent ceiling.
"Spike, what the -" Xander turned his stunned gaze to Spike.
Spike was watching Xander closely, trying to gage the young man's reaction. He wasn't able to make it out, so he glanced down shyly. "Well, um, there's the food. Yeah."
Spike could not understand where his speech had gone. He was over one hundred and twenty years old, and he was feeling like someone had passed the note and he was waiting for Xander to check yes or no.
Spike remained looking at the floor, as he waited for Xander's rejection or acceptance.
TBC...