White Knight, Black Knight

White Knight, Black Knight Chapter Eleven

daysdays later found Xander Harris walking in down the street with a song in his heart and a bounce in his step. If he was going to embrace the gay side of himself, he could finally admit to enjoying ‘The Sound of Music’. After all, liking musicals was like rule number two in the gay handbook wasn’t it? Right after the one that said always use lots of lube.

That’s not to say he hadn’t been freaked out after Kis Kiss. And that was how he thought of it, The Kiss; capital letters eve everything. After he had finally gathered his brain together he’s panicked, just a bit. Well, a lot. After a really cold shower and much internal babbling he’d cd thd the one person in the world that knew of his romantic history and his crush on the blond vampire.

Needless to say Cordelia was less than happy to be woken up on her night off.

They stayed on the phone for two hours, going over every angle of what courting might possibly mean to a vampire like Spike and what would happen if he decided to go with the flow. Of course it helped that Xander had gotten Cordy to admit her feelings for a certain brooding vampire. Not that shuld uld do anything about it, thanks to those darn gypsies.

Xander figured courting could be anything from chocolates, which were always welcome, to the heart of someone who had pissed Xander off. Which could be fun in a way, but he didn’t really need to get the call that his asshole parents had sucking chest wounds. He figured when Spike finally popped up again he’d go for the truth, he’s all for courting but please don’t make him identify any bodies.

He knew it wouldn’t be like dating a human, or even a demon trying to be human. He wasn’t stupid; vampires were possessive, territorial, and violent. He just hope that since Spike was curbing some of his natural instincts to be around Dawn that he’d do it for Xander too.

Not that he’d stop the vampire from hunting human scum, or fighting. He wanted the real Spike, not some ideal. That never worked; trying to change someone to suit your needs, just look at his relationship with Anya for proof of that.

Yesterday he’s spent in a goofy fog, the smile just wouldn’t leave his face and he’d almost cut off a finger. The guys at the site had teased him and Bobby said he guess he’s have something to tell Kyri and Usagi soon. Xander didn’t deny it; he just shrugged, blushed and grinned.

He’d taken today off, he had things he needed to do, and there just wasn’t enough time with patrols and dividing his time with his friends at work and the Scoobies. He’d spent the morning cleaning the apartment and fixing things; mainly just keeping himself occupied until after lunch and when Tara would be working alone at the Magic Box.

The bouncing stopped as her reached the store. He hated to do this, hated to go behind Willow’s back to her lover, but he didn’t know what else to do. Luckily when he walked in there was no one in the shop, Wednesdays were always slow in the afternoons.

“Hey Tara.”

“Hi Xander. Willow isn’t here right now.”

“I know. I kinda came to talk to you. If that’s okay.”

“S-sure Xander.” She left her position behind regiregister and they both sat down at the table. Xander leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair, feeling frustrated and not knowing where to start.

“Okay, if I ask something that’s like too personal, just say something, okay? It’s just that since the other night, Wills has been acting all weird on me and I was kinda hoping you would know what’s up. It’s like she’s mad at me, but I don’t know what I did. She got mad that I didn’t wanna hang out last night, but it’s not like I can just stand around waiting for her. Help me out will you?”

He looked at Tara and was glad she didn’t seem mad however she did seem worried.

“I-I thinks she’s t tht that you didn’t miss her while we gon gone. I think she’s kind of jealous.”

“Of what, that I had fun without her? That I do have friends other than you guys? I thought she’d be glad I wasn’t moping around.”

“It’s that you had fun, and with who or what you had fun with, I think. You know, that you’re hanging out with d-demons.”

“For god’s sake they aren’t going to hurt me! I’m not stupid; I know when someone is trying to kill me after all this time.”

Tara ed ted to shrink into herself and quietly she said, “To Willow it’s like you are making friends with the enemy. She’s kinda upset about it.”

“What do you think?” He had noticed the slight quiver in the girls voice and he hated putting her thought but but he needed to know where his friends stood. Buffy he knew was on the hate bandwagon, Giles was half and half. The thought that Willow hated him for his friends hurt, but he wasn’t going to change for her. Especially if things went as he hoped and he got to have snuggles with Spike.

Tara hid her head and her hands were almost shaking. “I…remember my first birthday with you guys, and my f-family came to take me home? How they made me think I was this evil horrible thing? I wonder if it had been true, if I was a demon, would Willow still want me? That’s why I didn’t say much, it doesn’t bother me that you have other friends, or that they are demons. It was Willow’s reaction that was b-bothering me.”

He leaned forward and pulled her into a hug. “God Tara, I’m so sorry. At least you know you’re not a demon, you don’t have to worry about it.”

“Yeah, but it’s the thought that if I was...”

“I know, and I don’t know what to tell you, about Wills at least. I think that’s something she’s going to have to deal with. We can’t change who we are to suit our friends or lovers. And Tara, even if you were the slimiest demon with horns, you’d still be my friend.”

“Gee thanks Xander.”

“Really, horns, hooves, it’s all good. Unless you like wanted to eat me, and I mean not in a fun way; I wouldn’t like that. Unless we’d been in a plane crash and I was dying, then you could eat me. What else are friends for but emergency rations in case of blizzards?”

“Xander!” She laughed and he was glad that serious look was off her face. It was true; he didn’t know what to tell her about how Willow would have reacted, not now at least. Once upon a time the Willow he knew would be friends with anyone, it didn’t matter, but it seemed time on the Hellmouth was making her jaded. He hated that for her, but didn’t know what to do.

“Tell you what, when you get off tonight round up the girls and come over to Casa Harris. I’ll fix dinner and you guys can bring the movies and we’ll have a Scooby night, okay?”

“That sounds like fun, I-I’ll call the others and make sure they can make it. Maybe we can do your birthday? Willow felt really awful that she forgot.”

“Sounds like a plan! Now Tara,” he leaned forward “I need some help. I want to buy some bath oils and things, but I don’t want them to have too much perfume or whatever it is that makes them smell nice. I need them to be toned down a bit, do you have something like that or can you make it?”

“Sure Xander, but most of these aren’t too bad unless…” Her eyes got wide. “You’re dating a demon! Someone whose got a good sense of smell? What kind of demon is she? That would help me figure out what she’d like.”

He looked down at the tabletop and blushed. He hated it when he blushed. “It’s not a she it’s a he. Don’t say anything to Wills or Buffy yet, please! We haven’t even gone on a real date or anything like that, I just found out that he liked me too, and I don’t want to mess it up before anything even has a chance to start.”

He can feel Tara looking at him and he’s just too worried to look up. He doesn’t want to lie to Willow, or make Tara keep quiet, but he wanted her advice and to know that at least one of his friends approv


“It’s Spike isn’t it?”

“Umm…would you be mad if I said yes? We’ve gotten to be friends and now it’s like we can be friends and more and I want that.” He laughed. “Spike say’s he’s gonna court me and that’s a hellava step up from Anya throwing down a condom and demanding sex. Are you okay with this?”

“I don’t know Xander, when the chip comes out he’s promised to kill us all.”

“He’s also had plenty of opportunity to kill us all. Hell he could burn down the place with us in it, pay to have minions break into the shop, or you know he could have left Riley to be bloodwhores he was going to and get turned. That would have been a sure way to kill us, but he didn’t, he warned Buffy. Yes he’s a killer, always has been and always will be. But I’ve seen the love he has for Dawn, and how he cared for Drusilla and I know he’d never hurt me. I trust him, crazy as it seems.”

He sits quietly, he doesn’t want to push Tara, but he hopes that coming clean with one of his friends’ works. He can trust Tara, she wasn’t around for his high school years, so she doesn’t remember his failed past with romance. If it were up to Buffy and Willow he’d never live that Preying Mantis thing down.

“I trust you Xander, is that enough?”

“God yes! Thanks Tara, and you won’t say anything just yet?”

“If Willow asks I will, but really Xander I can’t see a reason why she’d ask me if you and Spike are dating, it’s too…weird.”

“Gee thanks!”

A half hour later and the bounce was back in his step, a bag full of bath oils, candles and other goodies all designed to smell good but not give Spike a headache sneezing. He had other errand to run before going home to get ready for the gang, new sheets and pillows and some high neck shirts being on the list.

An if a sway to his hips was added after he caught a glance of a car with blacked out windows, who was going to tell?

****

“Xander I think your cat hates me.”

“Aww Buff he’s just a kitten, he’s playing with you.”

“Then why does he keep trying to draw blood? Is this a demon cat? Can I kill it?”

“He’s learning how to hunt, that’s why he’s chasing your feet. Yes, he might be a demon, but he’s cute so no you can’t kill him.”

“Aww, the Big Bad Slayer is afraid of a kitten!”

“Shut up Dawn!”

Xander was finding it hard not to laugh at the slayer. She’d faced master vampires, hell gods, zomb but but one little kitten had her freaking out. Of course it didn’t help that Max didn’t like her, he’d stretched the truth about that. Still is was funny to watch her jump every time the kitten ran under her legs and ticked her with his tail.

It was nice, being here with his girls. He had to admit his missed times like these. Willow and Tara were curled up together on one end of the couch, hands entwined and talking about the movie softly to each other. Buffy was on the other end of the couch being tormented by Max. Dawnie was on one of the big floor pillows he’d bought, in front of the television that was playing and old favorite of the Scoobies, ‘Night of the Comet.’

Still, he wonders what it would be like if Spike was here, sitting behind him in his overstuffed chair, the one Anya hated but the vampire always seemed to live in when he visited. How Spike would laugh at Buffy for screaming just like the blond chick in the movie. He knew the vampire would root for the good guys to win, if only so that the government scientist could die horribly.

A couple hours later, during a potty break for the girls, he found himself looking out the window. Smiling, he grabbed a pad from by the phone and wrote a short note, folded it into an airplane and sailed it out the window towards the platinum head before closing the window and going back to his friends and Tara’s pick of movie. Oddly enough he found himself loving ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. Who knew he’s actually use Shakespeare in real life?

**
S
Spike looked up at the window and grinned to himself. Xander had spotted him twice now, once during the day even when any sane vampire would be tucked into their crypt asleep. But he’d followed the boy last night and overheard about his extra day off. Curiosity as to what the boy was planning had Spike sitting in a car all day long, watching as the boy went shopping and visiGlenGlenda.

He was watching for any sign of acceptance or nervousness. At least that was the only reason he’d admit to himself. And while it might be nice to go up and sit with Dawn and pick a fight with the Slayer he didn’t want to make Xander uncomfortable. So he settled for watching.

He was glad to see the boy didn’t seem to be frightened, in fact Xander seemed happy. Maybe, just maybe he’d get away from his sucky past and have some luck for once. Of course tmeanmeant he was watching his love’s window at night like a complete and utter git.

Xander came back to the window and a slip of paper flew out. He caught it and read it with a smile. Evidently Xander was willing to be just as big a poof as he was.

Spike-
Ever notice how we’re kinda like Bice ice and Benedick from that movie about the Shakespeare play? All fighting and fussing and bickering to cover the fact we like each other? If you’re willing, I am ready to…how did it go? “I will requite thee.”

God can I be any more of a girl?

Beatrice