Title: Christmas Ornament
Author: Forsaken2003
Pairing: S/X
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I own none, all belong to Joss Whedon
Comments: Always welcomed!
Summary: The Scooby gang decorate the Christmas tree at the Magic Box.
Warnings/Spoilers: Takes place in season 5. No Dawn, Anya, Tara or Riley.
Beta'd by: Unbeta'd
The gang was in the Magic Box decorating the Christmas tree they forced Giles to get. They told him Christmas trees brought in costumers which could lead to them buying something.
"I can't believe you didn't get a real tree," Buffy complained as she ate pizza and watched Xander wrap the fake tree in lights.
"I just opened my store I would prefer not wasting money on something that will be thrown out in a week," Giles explained. "I also just fixed the front window from the Vagh'ra demon attack last week."
Xander finished up the lights. "There's nothing wrong with a fake tree. Sure they don't smell as great as the real ones but that's why I brought these." He held up pine scented car fresheners.
Giles took one from Xander and sniffed it. The smell wasn't spot on but it was a nice gesture. "Thank you, Xander," he said as he hung them off the branches.
"Besides, Buffy, the most important thing is we're doing a normal thing together. No apocalypse or demons. Just us," Willow added excitedly. "I know I'm Jewish but this is fun and I even bought my very first ornament! Don't tell my parents." It was Glinda from The Wizard of Oz. It had been her favourite movie as a kid.
Buffy could see all their points. It was just going to be her first Christmas solo. Her mom was going to be out of town for a work thing. Buffy tried to talk her out of it but Joyce told her it wasn't fair to make her employees have to work during Christmas all the time. Her ornament was from her mom. It was a white dove with the year 1997 engraved underneath. Mom wanted her to have special ornament after their big move from L.A. "You guys are right."
Spike strolled in and stopped staring at the tree. "Bloody hell. Not you too."
"I was forced into it," Giles defended himself.
Spike had a look of disdain.
"If you don't like it, leave. No one invited you anyway," Buffy snapped.
"Actually the whelp invited me. Said there was a new demon and you all needed my help." Spike like everyone turned and looked at Xander.
With a sheepish grin Xander said, "whoops?"
"Xander, why did you invite Spike to our family gathering?" Willow asked confused.
Spike placed a hand over his heart. "Ouch, Red. That hurt," he said sarcastically.
"Guys, stop," Xander said stepping away from the tree. "I invited Spike to help decorate the tree."
"Why?" The question came from Spike, Buffy, Willow and Giles.
Xander felt embarrassed. He had hoped that Willow would have been happy to have Spike there. "I thought it would be fun?"
"I'm out of here." Spike turned and headed for the door.
"Wait!" Xander said in a panic. "I made you your own ornament."
Spike frozen and looked over his shoulder at Xander. "You what?"
"I made you your own ornament. I knew you probably didn't have any from your human days and I wanted you to have something to add to our tree." Xander grabbed something from his jacket pocket wrapped in red tissue paper. He held out his hand for Spike to take it.
"You made me an ornament?" Spike asked suspiciously. This had to be some sort of joke. Have Spike feel like part of the group only to make him look stupid. Cautiously he took it from Xander. Everyone was watching him. Waiting to see what Xander really had wrapped up.
"Come on!" Xander said impatiently. "I worked really hard on it. The paint job might not be perfect. I should have done some practice before hand."
Paint? Would Xander go to that much effort for a prank? Deciding to get it over with Spike ripped off the tissue to real an actual ornament. Spike picked it up by the string and held it in front of himself. It was... amazing.
"What is it?" Willow asked.
"It's fangs," Spike answered in awe. Xander had carved fangs out of wood and painted the teeth white. But not only that he also carved and painting a blood drop hanging off one of the fangs. Was it overly detailed? No, but you could see the time and effort Xander put into it. Time and effort he could have put into something else. Instead he used it on Spike, just so he could be part of decorating the tree. He held it up for the others to see.
"That's disgusting! That is not going on the tree. It's not Christmas-y at all!" Buffy said putting her foot down.
"It's not your tree, Buffy. It's all of ours and if Spike wants to put it on the tree then he's going to do it," Xander argued back. He had spent so much time on it and for Buffy to ignore that made him mad.
Giles stepped in to stop a fight. "It's Christmas, Buffy. If Xander invited Spike here and Spike wants to participate than he can stay and be part of this. I'll even order pizza for everyone."
"Fine," Buffy said knowing this was a losing battle. "But why did you make him one and not just buy one?"
"They don't really make Christmas ornaments for things that go bump in the night," Xander explained. "Also it wouldn't have been special."
Willow's eyes widened. Was Xander suggesting he wanted it to be special for Spike?
"Spike is a murderer, he doesn't deserve anything special. Especially from any of us," Buffy ignored the looks she was getting from Willow and Giles.
Deciding he didn't want to be here any longer Spike handed the decoration back to Xander. "Why don't you put it on the tree for me?"
"Don't leave," Xander begged quietly. This wasn't the plan.
Spike had made it to the door. Why did Xander want him to stay so badly? "I won't stay where I'm not wanted."
"You seem a little oblivious to Xander wanting you to stay." Giles pulled off his glassed. Why Xander wanted to Spike to stay left him clueless but whatever the reason it must be important to Xander.
Willow could see that Xander was having an internal battle with himself. While Xander had never come out and said it she knew that he liked guys as well as girls. Was this his way of showing how he felt for Spike? Xander looked like he was about to bolt.
"Why do you want me to stay?" Spike asked.
Xander's mouth opened and closed multiple times.
Getting annoyed Spike said, "if you don't tell me now I'm leaving."
Seeing her friend look in a panic Willow did the only thing a good little witch could do. She cast a spell causing a giant thing of mistletoe to appear above Spike's head.
"What the f..." Buffy was cut off by Xander when he all but shoved her out of his way.
Spike didn't have time to react. Xander was standing in front of him, his right hand in Spike's hair. Without a word Xander pressed his lips against Spike's. Spike's eyes widened. Was this really happening? Besides for Drusilla, Xander was the only person to kiss him. Spike wrapped his arms around Xander and pulled him in even closer.
"What... what is happening right now!" Buffy screeched.
Giles grabbed a bottle of scotch from behind the counter. Another one of his children was interest in the undead. He wasn't going to fight it. Maybe this was a good thing. Maybe Spike would patrol for free and Giles would be able to keep in money.
Xander pulled away. "Will you stay?"
"Since you asked so nicely, pet." Spike took his ornament back and went over to the tree placing it front and centre. "Perfect."
"What's happening?" Buffy asked again trying to remain calm.
Xander looked at Buffy worriedly. "I like Spike... a lot. Please don't fight me on this."
While Buffy hated Spike with every fibre of her being she'd have to be completely blind not to see that, that kiss meant something. "Okay, but consider this your present."
"Thank you." Xander pulled Buffy into a bear hug.
Willow wrapped her arms around both her friends feeling left out. "I'm so proud of you!"
"Thanks for the assist."
"Anything for my Xander shaped friend," Willow replied with a smile. "So Spike?"
Xander couldn't stop the grin that appeared on his face. "Spike," he confirmed.
Willow bumped Xander's shoulder with her own. "Step up from the preying mantis lady and mummy girl. Definitely a step up from Cordelia."
"Willow!"
Willow gave an evil smile. Cordelia wasn't that bad... from another city.
"Stop hogging Xander," Spike ordered. "He's mine."
"He was ours first," Buffy replied with a smirk.
Spike scowled. "Well, he's mine now. Now give him."
Xander blushed. One kiss and now he belonged to Spike? Why did he wait so damn long? Xander struggled out of his friends embrace. "You heard the vamp. I'm his now."
"The guy gets his first boyfriend and he forgets all about his friends," Buffy said dramatically.
Buffy and Spike started bickering, playfully or not Giles had no clue but as he ordered the pizza he was just thankful they weren't trying to kill each other. He had no idea how life would be now but he just hoped Xander didn't end up with his heart broken. Only time would tell.
"Hello, Rupert Giles here. I would like my usual order... minus the garlic ball." If that wasn't an olive branch for Spike Giles didn't know what was.
"Come on, pet. Let's go in the back and snog until the food gets here."
"Making out with my best guy and pizza? I really was good this year!"
Spike didn't understand how Xander getting him proved that he had been good but Spike was also not going to question it in fear of losing Xander because Spike had been anything but good.
Xander entangled his fingers with Spike's and lead him to the back room. 'Merry Christmas to me' Xander thought.
The End
