He hated when the Old Guy made jokes about head-severing. He was almost certain it had been only a joke, but he still didn't feel much comfortable speaking of potential decapitation. On the other hand, he had to admit he had been pushing the guy's buttons when he called him a boring old immortal, and he almost deserved the threat.
His first thought after learning Adam was actually Methos, the oldest living man, had been '5,000 years of wisdom? Him?', and he still had to remind himself who the guy actually was from time to time. In truth, Methos had always seemed to him way younger than MacLeod, and even though he had never really built a friendship with him, he still felt more inclined to joke around with the Old Guy than he would with his teacher.
"You know old timer, you really don't have to baby-sit me" he tried to break the ice as a very annoyed Methos drove them to the Bronze "It's not like I'm that new to The Game, I was even headhunting for a while, and I really can watch after myself... it's not like Mac had the right to have me taken care of like a baby"
"Keep going kid" the oldest immortal replied ironically "I'm getting to enjoy your company even more by the minute... now you only have to tell me you want my head, and that would really consolidate our friendship"
Smart move, he told himself. Just tell the most paranoid immortal in the world about your headhunting past. He hadn't even thought about what he was saying, and now he had gotten the Old Guy even more annoyed. Of course, he couldn't really tell whether Methos had a particular problem with that statement of his, or he was just generally ill-humored at the time.
"Yeah right, take your head so every living immortal in the world comes after me for your quickening!" he shot back
"You're really charming kid" the immortal turned watcher grinned "Tell me again about how wonderfully you handled Kirsten Gilles..."
"At least I get laid..." he replied, not appreciating the comment all that much. However, the older man only responded by pulling off the car. For a split second he thought maybe he had really unnerved the ancient, but then he noticed the sign reading The Bronze and realized they had arrived to their destination.
"Well then, go right in and try your luck..." Methos finally said, getting out of the car and heading towards the club himself, not without turning back towards him for a second "Hope you brought some ID, 'cause it's really ugly to get carded on your first date"
He hated him for that. Actually, he didn't know why he hated him the most; because he was a cynical son of a bitch, or because he was so damn hot and so completely out of his league. He had even thought about subtly insinuating himself to Adam, but he had chickened out at the time, first because he couldn't figure the guy out enough to know if he was going to go with it, and second, because he was Mac's friend, and Mac was like his dad, and you don't hit on your dad's friends if you don't want to talk about your bisexuality with him.
And now, after the tip on the fact that Adam was actually Methos, oldest man alive and all, it was kind of intimidating. He would better rule off the possibility and concentrate on Buffy, who was pretty hot and obviously interested.
With that in mind, he got out of the car and entered the Bronze.
--o--
Well, seeing Mr. Pierson walking into The Bronze had surely been a shocker. She knew the guy was not that old, it showed, but it was still kind of hard to picture your European History teacher walking into a place like that. Still, she didn't have much time to dwell on it, because Mr. Pierson soon merged in with the crowd as he headed away from where she sat, towards the bar. Hardly a few minutes later, the person she had been waiting for arrived.
He was dressed the same he had been that morning in class, looking amazingly hot, and he headed towards her as soon as he spotted her in the growing nighttime crowd. In case he didn't show, she had dragged Willow and Tara with her, and now she deeply regretted to have them both sitting next to her as Richie approached.
"Hey Snoozer, Willow..." he greeted them, leaving a blank to be filled with the other girl's name
"This is Tara" she introduced them "Tara, this is Richie"
"Hey Tara" he acknowledged, the girl responding with a shy nod of her head "Been here long?" he asked casually
"No, we just got here" she lied, knowing it would sound too desperate if she confessed they had been there for almost an hour "We just bought some Coke..." she invited, holding up the paper-cup that contained the already warm drink
"Thanks, but I think I'll go get myself a beer..." he declined, and she sighed in relief that he would not drink the confession of her long presence in the place.
--o--
His main porpoise for the night was to get drunk enough not to think about how bad an idea this whole Richie issue was. Despite the Kirsten Gilles incident, he really thought the kid was able to hold his own, and been in the proximity of a former headhunter, no matter how brief his time in it, was not precisely amongst his rules of survival. Headhunters always got hunted themselves, usually by revenge-thirsty friends and lovers. Which brought something entirely different to mind...
However, the sight of a very distraught -and obviously very drunk- Spike sitting at the bar erased those thoughts from his mind. He had really come to like the vampire, even more because he somewhat related to him. But apart from all similarities between them, the bleached blonde had been one of the few people he had found worth-while in this town, and he was really curious about the reasons for him to be looking so down.
"Not a good day for you, I take it" he said as a greeting, taking the stool next to the undead townie, and grateful that it was conveniently off-sight from the slayer
"You don't look that good yourself..." Spike replied, one eyebrow raised, as he offered him a beer, which of course he accepted, starting to drink from it at once
"Tell me yours, I'll tell you mine" he offered, although he was pretty sure to know what the other's problem was
"Matters of the heart... what a travesty" the vampire hissed "Stole a kiss, got my heart stolen... if you tell anyone I told you that, I'll rip your heart off" he threatened, half jokingly, half seriously
"I'm not sure I can live without a heart..." he pondered for an instant "Though maybe I can. Pretty sure I haven't used it in what seems like millennia anyway..." he replied, completely honest about it but aware that it would be taken metaphorically "So who's mystery person? Xander?" he asked, knowing the answer but wanting to hear the confirmation
"Yeah..." the dead guy sighed "Not that I'm a poof, you know" he hurried to clarify, which seemed quite hilarious to him although he wouldn't tell.
He knew a gay guy when he saw one, and this was certainly not one of them. Just a person who had lived long enough to realize that love –both spiritual and physical - can be found in anyone regardless of sex and age. He warned himself not to go there, because if he started thinking about ages he would end up concluding the only person somewhat old enough for him was Cassandra, and that was one thought he did not wish to entertain.
"Oh, c'mon, how old are you Spike?" he asked directly, tired of playing the unknowing mortal "Hundred? Hundred and fifty? You're not gonna tell me you've been straight all that time!"
The vampire looked at him with an expression of clear shock, and then chuckled "Hundred and twenty" he conceded "Didn't know you had such a good eye for age... what are you?" he asked curious
"I told you, just a guy" he grinned, not at all intending to tell his secret "Not the kind of guy who doesn't recognize a vampire when he sees one, though..."
"So aren't you afraid?" the undead asked sarcastically
"Should I be?"
--o--
That was not his lucky day. After a whole morning talking with Tara he had not been able to avoid Buffy and Willow and make a clean exit from the school building, so he had had to pretend he was there visiting them, and what should have been a few hours stay had ended up been a whole-day social visit. By the time he got home, Spike was nowhere around. Which of course, was not a shocker.
What he had done to Spike was pretty much the equivalent of leaving the morning after sex. Even though they had gotten nowhere that far, he knew that what they had done was very important. Hell, for him it was more important than just sex, because Spike was his friend, and you don't make out with your friends, and cuddle with them until you fall asleep, only to walk out on them and be gone for the whole day.
To make his day even more complicate, as he walked into The Bronze –where he knew Spike would be, he saw Buffy. She was talking with a blond guy he had never seen before, obviously flirting with him –and not very subtly, but all the same he did not need Buffy to see him getting on his knees to beg Spike for forgiveness. Which was pretty much what he intended to do.
He was thinking on how to get pass Buffy without been noticed, when suddenly he spotted Willow and Tara a little farther, and a great idea formed in his mind. He hurried towards them, pretending not to have seen Buffy, and faking alarm.
"Willow, where is Buffy?" he asked in a nervous tone that was hardly fake, but rather just projected into something else
"She's right there. Why? What's the matter Xander?" the redhead asked worried, trying to calm him down
"There's this huge muddy demon back where the old high school was, scaring people away!" he improvised, relieved to see that his friend went at once to call Buffy, and shortly after the three women left towards the old high school.
--o--
"Xander's here..." Adam interrupted him, just when he was finishing telling him how the boy had left that morning and not returned. The guy had proved very accepting of the fact that he was a bloodsucking demon with homosexual tendencies, and had even offered to lend him some money for a room if he did not wish to go back to Xander's.
"What, you have a bloody radar?" he asked, unable to spot the boy in the crowded place. Right then, he did see the slayer and the two little witches hurrying out of The Bronze, and sighed "He's not here for me... probably just came to warn them about something really dangerous... nobody cares about old Spike nowadays..."
He had felt so unexplainably comfortable with Adam he had even dared to tell him the whole story about the chip, and some parts of how he had betrayed his so-called friends to side with the good guys. When he had mentioned the slayer, Adam had not known what he was talking about, so he had told him who she was. They didn't give a damn about him, so why would he give a damn about keeping her secret?
Adam only grinned in a dismissive fashion and ordered another beer, and it shouldn't have surprised him at all when shortly a few minutes later Xander appeared next to them. But it did.
"Hi Xander" the older human said emphatically
"Hey Adam" the boy replied nervously "Spike... I really need to talk to you..." he all but begged, and he couldn't help to look up at him. How beautiful this human was! And the way he looked at him, with uncertainty and desire, could have made a warmer heart to melt. But not his. He couldn't let the confusing emotions he felt rule his mind.
"Nothing to talk here, Harris..." he replied in his best practiced bad-ass tone, taking his eyes strategically away from the boy's "We made out, you freaked out... now let the vampire be"
"C'mon, Spike, can't we go somewhere more private?" Xander insisted. However, it was not the words the convinced him, but rather the hand that rested itself on his shoulder and pressed just a bit, urging him to listen.
When he looked up once more he realized they were not only in the middle of a crowded and noisy place, but also sitting next to Adam and a young blond man who had just arrived and was sharing a beer with the other human as they listened intently to their every word. Hell, it even made him pretty uncomfortable to talk to Xander in there, and he really wanted to talk.
"Bloody hell, alright Harris!" he exclaimed, defeated "Do I still have my couch?"
"Yeah, let's go home Spike..." the boy smiled, and that was it. He couldn't detach himself from that smile in that youthful and innocent face.
--o--
"Was that what I thought it was?" he asked as he lit a cigarette and ordered a beer for himself
"I do not read minds! I don't know why people keep implying I do! How can I know what you thought it was..." Methos answered ironically "Why are you here, anyway? Shouldn't you be getting laid? I thought you said you did that..." the old man grinned
"Yeah, this town's a jinx" he sighed, well aware of how mocking the comment was and how much he had it coming.
Truth was, he had never considered Adam as much of a chaste scholar, even before knowing he was actually the oldest living immortal, and bragging with him had been one stupid move. After all, if Adam, with his looks, didn't get laid, what chances did he have?
"Sorry to hear that kid... I'd give you a consolation blow-job, but I don't think you'd appreciate it..." Methos grinned, as he finished the last of his beer and stood up to leave
"Thanks, old timer, you really are a friend" he replied with a touch of sarcasm, as he watched the other immortal put on his coat, careful not to drop any concealed weapons. If that would be consolation prize, what the hell is first prize?, he thought, taking a good look at the man's buttocks before the long coat blocked his sight.
"Well, it's up to you Rich..." the old guy whispered, winking at him as he finished his sentence. Then he walked away.
It took a while before it hit him. Adam was kidding, right? Because, on second thought, it sounded pretty much like the guy was actually hitting on him. But it couldn't be... it had to be his imagination. But what if it wasn't? What if he actually had a chance with him, and he blew it because he didn't get it that he meant it for real? Before he could even think of what he was going to do when he found Methos, he stood up and, hastily grabbing his coat, reached for the door.
Surpassing his wildest expectations, the oldest immortal was still there. He could sense his strong presence even before he exited the club, and as soon as he was outside he recognized his unmistakable slender frame leaning against the side of his car. Controlling his steps in an attempt not to look too desperate, he walked towards the expecting man. Once he got close enough, he didn't know what to do.
He stood there, in front of Methos, for an instant, and it sent the chills to his spine when the old immortal abandoned his relaxed position against the car and advanced a few steps towards him. They were so close they were almost kissing, yet the old tease stood his ground casually, apparently oblivious to the nerve-breaking proximity.
"You want a ride?" the old timer asked, his voice suggestive although not entirely out of the ordinary.
He caught at once the second meaning of the proposal, and he could feel his cock hardening against his will at the very thought of the possibility. His heart was beating so fast he could hear it in his ears, and he knew Methos could notice how labored his breathing had become. To be this close to him, after so long. The cards were dealt; the old guy knew he wanted him, and it was suddenly obvious he wanted him as well.
--o--
"So, here we are..." was all he could come up with to break the embarrassing silence between him and the blond vampire. They hadn't said a word since they had left the Bronze, and now that they were standing together in the bedroom, without exchanging a word, he just had to say something. Could have been something smarter, though.
"Yeah, looks pretty much like it did this morning, when you left" the bleached blonde replied sarcastically, walking towards the couch and letting himself fall on it
"I was confused!" he snapped, looking probably very stupid and very nervous. He was very nervous.
"Are you any less confused now?" the vampire raised an eyebrow
"I don't know..." he confessed, feeling more awkward than a whole life of been the clown had ever made him feel
"So how long before you run away?" the undead hissed
"I'm not gonna run away, Spike!" he exclaimed, spontaneously sitting in the couch and immediately regretting it "Just because I feel weird about what happened, doesn't mean that I will avoid the subject forever..."
"So, wanna shag all night until it feels right?" the blonde offered with a grin, either ironic or suggestive he couldn't tell
"Can't you ever be serious?" he complained, but at the same time could feel the heat rising to his face as the memories of the night before flooded his mind, altogether with many thoughts regarding the vampire that he would never confess to anyone
"Oh, Harris!" the vampire said in a seductive voice, leaning towards him in a suggestive manner "Is that a stake in your pocket, or you're just happy to see me?"
He was going to say something to make Spike listen to him, but when a teasing hand made its way slowly up his inner tight, all conscious thought was instantly replaced by a lustful urge.
"Fuck! Talk later!" he gave up, all but leaping over the blonde, taking the vampire's face in his hands and pulling him close, claiming those luscious lips for a passionate kiss.
It didn't feel awkward as it had felt the night before, but it was probably just because he was so horny he could hardly think of anything else other than the hot man who was there with him, and his adolescent libido made up for any kind of uncertainty at the time. He wanted Spike, he would have Spike. Fuck the rest.
It came as a relief how uninhibited the vampire was that night, exploring his mouth with no reserves as he pushed him back against the couch, ridding himself of his trench-coat without breaking the kiss, and then falling over him in a desperate embrace. It sent the shivers through him as a dead-cold hand slipped under his T-shirt and started moving up and down his torso, tentatively at first and then growing bolder.
By now his pants had become positively imprisoning, and they were so close to one another he could feel against his leg Spike's own growing bulge. It shocked him how good it felt to have the other man like this, to feel his erection building against his body as their tongues battled for supremacy in an overpowering contest. He thought he was going to come when the vampire's hand brushed one nipple briefly and then, noticing the positive reaction, started rubbing it slightly at first, and then increasing the pressure slowly. Painfully slowly.
He wasn't even aware that he had slid an arm around Spike's waist and had pulled him on top of him until he felt the vampire's swollen cock rubbing against his own. It seemed his hips had a will of their own as they thrust up of their own accord to amplify the contact with the other man's crotch; instinctively he lowered his hand to the vampire's ass and pulled him even closer, relishing in the feeling of the hard organ against his own as he rubbed himself against it furiously.
Spike was far from shocked; actually, he increased the friction on his painful erection with each stroke, growing more and more aggressive as he drove him perilously close to orgasm. Eventually it became too much to bear, and his whole body began to shiver as the sensations in his groin overpowered him, sending small flashes of electricity all over his body until he finally came, too breathless to make much noise above soft groans.
His own release was enough to trigger the vampire's own, leaving him out of breath as well, and lying on top of him, wet and sticky pants against the like. After a few seconds, before he could master his labored breathing, the vampire looked at him straight in the eyes, and sighed.
"This is pretty much pass all backing off, Xander..." he whispered
"I know..." was all he replied, before he captured the blonde's lips in a tender kiss
--o--
"...and then he told me 'aquila non capit muscas', and I told him that just because I was the oldest living immortal didn't mean that I wasn't just a fly for an eagle like him, the bloody egomaniac... but oh no, he had to fight me! Didn't matter how much I praised him and tried to talk him out of it... he just had to..."
"So what happened?" he asked intrigued, almost forgetting why he was in Methos' car in the first place
"To make a long story short, I took his bloody head... but it was a shame, I liked the guy. I even regret that I told him 'vini, vidi, vinci' right before I took his head... it was definitely tasteless, I wish I would have told him something else..." he sighed
"C'mon!" he exclaimed stunned "You're telling me Julius Caesar was an immortal, and you killed him?"
"Yeah, his immortality triggered when they stabbed him at the senate... it's a shame he thought so highly of himself" he explained as he parked the car "One would think he would know better after his own son –adopted, anyway- conspired to kill him. But he just had it in him, and what was I to do? Let him kill me so I didn't hurt him? I'm Methos. I didn't get to be the oldest living immortal by been compassionate..." he said matter-of-factly, dropping the subject as he descended from the car. They were at the hotel's door.
He swallowed hard before following him out of the car and into the hotel lobby, which was fortunately free of prying eyes. They got into the elevator and Adam pushed the button to the floor he was staying in, which was luckily not the same as he and Joe shared. The drive to the hotel had been made comfortable by Adam's casual stories about famous immortals, but now that silence settled between them he was suddenly very anxious.
"I'm sure you're dying for a beer... I know I am" the old man said as he opened the door to his room and let him in, probably noticing how uneasy he was now
"Yeah, thanks old timer" he replied, dropping himself in a couch near the door, and following Adam's graceful body with his eyes as he approached the small refrigerator to return immediately with two bottles of beer. Throwing one at him, Methos sprawled in the opposite side of the couch, making a statement with his relaxed and inviting position.
"So, how do you want it?" he finally asked, quite naturally as he swallowed a mouthful of beer
"What?" he asked, understanding exactly what he meant but unable to believe the old man could be so bold about it
"The blow-job" he said matter-of-factly "I offered, you're here... how do you want it?" he grinned, for the first time showing he was actually having a great time teasing him
"Um... I don't know about this, Adam..." he stammered, avoiding the other man's eyes and drinking almost half of his beer in a long nervous gulp
"You mean you don't want a blow-job?" he asked incredulous, a grin evident in the sound of his voice "I've had 5000 years of experience, I must say I am quite good"
Now he was lost. Just the hearing of that was enough to make his lower body respond, and he flushed when he realized there was no way he could hide it from the other immortal.
"Okay, you do want a blow-job..." Adam acknowledged, sounding quite amused by his physical response "What's the problem, then?" he asked compliantly "You can tell me..." he insisted, his voice nothing like mocking now
"Well... it's too rash" he managed to form the words "Feels like you're offering me sympathy sex..." he said awkwardly, not quite sure how to explain the concept, and even more embarrassed as he heard the older man chuckle
"I'm not the sympathetic kind, Rich" Adam assured him, not moving an inch from where he was reclined "If I'm doing anyone a favor here, it's only me... I want to do it, I want to have you inside my mouth, to taste you, I want to make you come for me..."
That did it. If the oldest immortal kept on talking like that, his already tight jeans would become positively painful. And it was not just the words. It was the way Methos said 'want', like he really wanted him. And he wanted the old bastard.
"If it makes you any less uncomfortable" the man formerly known as Death continued, taking him away from his thoughts "We can do it your way... what do you have in mind?"
"I don't know" he said even once again, now conscious of his absurd embarrassment and embarrassed even more because of it, unable to take his eyes off the floor "We could just kiss... for a start"
It was supposed to be a suggestion, but he knew he had made it sound like a question. However, he couldn't dwell on it for much longer, because he heard the distinct sound of Adam's beer been placed on top of the table, and right afterwards long white fingers took the other bottle from his own hands, disentangling his nervous fingers with extreme care, the feeling of those warm attentive hands making it impossible for him to avoid looking up any longer.
When he looked up, he thought he was going to faint. Deep hazel eyes, staring deeply into his own from mere inches of distance. He could feel Methos' warm breathing against his own face, and the sight of him was so overwhelming he had to close his eyes. The man was beautiful. He had to force himself to breathe when those same fingers that had just brushed his hand while retrieving the bottle started caressing his face, starting on the side of his forehead and slowly tracing their way down his cheek and over his lower lip.
"Like this...?" Adam asked softly, replacing his fingers with a slight brush of his lips
The older man proved patient, giving him time to respond shyly to the initial contact before tentatively opening his mouth, letting his expert tongue trace the parting of his lips teasingly. He instinctively opened his own mouth, welcoming the intruder, and in no time he was actively responding to the kiss, reveling in every sensation, each contact, each long-dreamed touch.
--o--
"That was nice, wasn't it?" he whispered softly as he pulled away for a moment, wanting to see the youthful face that for some reason made him want to throw overboard a dozen lifetimes of staying uninvolved with others of his kind
"Uh uh" the young one replied, opening his eyes and looking at him as intently as he was. With something close to fear he realized he could love this one, he could let himself drown in those deep blue eyes suddenly lit with passion. He had no time to panic, as it was Richie who kissed him this time, placing both hands on the sides of his face and pulling him eagerly towards him.
There was no shyness this time, no reluctance, just long unsatisfied desire. He wanted to be gentle, but the deepness of the kiss was taking all restrictions away from him, and when two strong arms pulled him closer he just knew he was lost. He would not fight a battle that there was no use fighting. Suddenly Richie had become the aggressor, and it surprised him pleasantly to see that he had misjudged the kid from the very beginning.
"Forget the blow-job" the blonde broke the kiss for an instant and pulled his sweater over his head "I have other plans..." he explained, contemplating his now naked torso with a luscious grin "You're full of surprises, old man"
"You have no idea..." was all he said, pulling the kid back to him for more.
--o--
As he wondered about the deserted nighttime streets, all he could think of was her. He hadn't even stopped to question why was it that he was thinking of her all the time, all day and all night. And it wasn't just her... she was the one that came stronger to him, she the one that called his name in his mind's ears and invited him to be with them again; the way it should always have been. But the others were with her, pale reflections of a distant past that still tormented him.
In his reason, he knew it was not right, it was not what was expected of him, and not even what he wanted when he consciously thought about things. But deep inside, in a place within himself that he had long tried to suppress, her summons found an answer. Things stirred inside of him that he had long fought to keep at bay, and the thoughts and desires those hidden demons brought to him had separated him utterly from everything that he had thought he wanted.
He couldn't be with them anymore. He couldn't face them. Every time he stood in a room with them, ideas that he couldn't repress arose in his mind; cruel, unspeakable things. He tried to avoid contact with them, to keep them away where they would be safe from him and from the maddening urges he felt arising within himself. But it wasn't enough.
He knew they cared about him, and their concern made them constantly search his company as they tried to figure what was wrong with him. But deep inside, in a place he dared not reveal to them but which was as much as part of him as anything else, he felt their concern as intrusion, their worry as suspicion, and their love as mindless possessiveness.
She was doing that to him. Wherever she was, she was strong now, and she was calling out for him. She was tempting him. She was showing him what it had been, and how it could still be. She was showing him peace, the fulfillment of deep hidden desires without the need to make up for them, the freedom of doing whatever came to mind without caring anymore. After months, seeing her, listening to her even in his dreams, he was starting to doubt if he cared enough to keep going anymore.
--o--
"Found anything?" she asked, knowing full well that she hadn't, and wouldn't, but wanting to give Xander enough time
"Couple vampires, but no muddy demon" Buffy sighed "You two?"
"Nothing slimy" Willow replied concerned "Where could the demon have gone? Maybe we should go to find Xander and ask him exactly what it looked like, so we can research..."
"We can do that in the morning" she suggested, afraid that the timing would not be the best, and sure that Xander's had been only but an excuse to get them away from Spike "I'm tired, and it's almost morning anyway... we can rest a while, and look some more during the sunlight hours"
"Yes, that's a good idea" Buffy at once agreed "You two have risked yourselves enough already, and it would be best to continue when the sun comes up..." she concluded "I can't believe I ruined my date for nothing..." she complained
"It wasn't a date, Buffy..." Willow opined, to what Buffy replied instantly with a sigh, and then;
"It's the closest to a date I've been in a long time... I just hope he didn't have such a bad time"