Healing

Part 12

It didn't take long to retrieve Spikes' things. He didn't have much, and Xander stopped to wonder why he had never thought about that before. After being around for over a century he'd have thought Spike would have more. Then again, he probably used to just kill for whatever he needed, and now that he couldn't, he had no way to get things. Giles and Buffy paid him occasionally for information but most of the time the slayer just beat it out of him. Any cash he did have went on cigarettes and blood. It was no wonder that it took so little time to move him out of the crypt.

Spike looked around at the small pile of things that were his only belongings. It wasn't much, but everything he had held some importance to him. The small wood carved box held the only things from his human life he treasured. A photo of himself with his mother and younger sister, a pair of wire rimmed glasses and a faded poem. In a metal tin he kept his mementos of his years of the 'Scourge of Europe', there was a lock of Dru's hair, a piece of lace from one of Angelus's shirts and a pearl button from one of Darla's dresses.

His clothes consisted of three pairs of black jeans, four t-shirts, three pairs of socks and two red button downs. Again it wasn't much but without money to buy stuff or being able to kill, it was all he had. He shoved these things and some candles into a duffle bag and followed Xander out of the crypt. It was nice to have a real home for a change, and having his stuff there would make it real. He could almost feel at peace with himself, almost.

They dropped Spike's things and the car back at the apartment before heading for the shop. There was no meeting scheduled for tonight but they wanted to find out if the others had gotten the demon or not. If they hadn't then Spike and Xander would have to be on the look out for it while patrolling that night.

"Hey G-man! Ladies."

"Do stop calling me that."

"Hey Xan."

Giles rolled his eyes and went back to counting the days receipts.

"So... You ladies have any luck with big grey and ugly?"

"Yep. I slayed his ass and good!"

"Good, good. So what's on for tonight? And new nasties?"

"Nope. Just your regular Hell mouthy things."

Xander looked over at Spike who was lounging on the stairs, affecting a look of complete boredom. Xander couldn't help but smile, his heart skipped a beat when those piercing blue eyes locked on his. He swallowed hard and forced himself to break away.

"Okay, so we going out in teams again?"

"Yeah, you and Spike seem to work well together, so you take him. Willow and Tara are with me."

Giles cleared his throat and everyone looked over at him.

"Uh, Xander. Did you and er, Spike, slay anything last night on patrol?"

"Yep. Got us a pack of fledges in the Whitmore Cemetery."

"Oh, very good then. Uh, how many?"

"Five."

"Right then, carry on."

Xander nodded to Spike who stood and followed him to the door.

"We'll check back in tomorrow, let you know how things went tonight. Buffy, I've got my cell phone if you run into anything you need help with. Okay?"

"Sure Xan, I've got mine too, so if you and the big not-so bad need help give me a call."

Spike growled at her and Xander pulled him out the door.

"Soddin' slayer. Big not-so bad, my arse. One good day, that's all I need. I'll show her who's not-so bad."

"Relax Spike. You know that's just the way she is. She sees people the way she wants too, not how they really are. To her I'll always be a Zeppo, her do-nut boy. Just as Willow will always be a shy sweet computer nerd. G-man will always be a father figure, no matter that he's in love with her, and deadboy will always be her soul-mate, even though he's moved on. And from what Cordy tells me, he's moved on to a certain ex-watcher who now works for him. Wonder how Buffy would take the news that Angel's soul is permanent and he'd rather shag Wesley than her?"

"Can we tell her luv? Please? I want to see her fly into a rage and go after peaches."

"No, Spike. We can't. I promised Cordy I wouldn't tell. You remember her don't you? I really don't want to end up on her shit list."

"Yer no fun."

"I'm not?"

"Er... Well..."

"Relax Spike. I'm messing with you."

"Right. Lets go kill something eh?"

As spike and Xander made the rounds of their end of town both were thinking lusty thoughts of the other. Spike had been half hard all night because of Xander tossing off in the shower. Xander was a healthy young man with an active sex drive and a gorgeous vampire room-mate, what other reason did he need?

The pair of mucus demons that were slinking through the elementary school playgrounds didn't know what hit them when Spike spotted them. One minute all was quiet, and the next a black and white blur was all over the place hitting, kicking and snarling at them.

Xander opened the weapons bag and drew out a short sword and a small battle axe.

"Sword or axe?"

"Axe."

"Catch."

Xander lobbed the weapon toward Spike who caught it and in one fluid motion brought it down on the head of one of the demons. It cracked it's skull wide open. The second demon went into a rage at the sight of it's mate's opened skull. It attacked spike with an abandon known only to those who no longer fear death, for they have nothing to live for.

The first shot of mucus flew directly over Spike's head as he anticipated the attack and ducked in time. The second however, caught him off guard. It sprayed across his torso, covering him in a sticky green slime.

"Eeewww! Snot monster! Gross!"

Xander watched in horror as his love was coated in the disgusting substance. All the lusty thoughts that had been running rampant in his head immediately ceased. No one was sexy when they were covered in snot!

"Damn it, Xander! A little help here?"

"Uh, Spike. You're covered in snot."

"That's the point luv, I need some help here before this crap hardens and I can't move."

"Oh."

Xander, still holding the short sword leapt into the battle. Between the two of them they brought down the second demon in a matter of minutes. Spike stripped off his snot covered shirt and used it to wipe down the weapons before putting them back in the bag.

"We need to go home pet. I need ta shower and get the rest of this crap off of me."

Xander giggled.

"Yeah, cause snot is soo not a look for you!"

Spike scowled at him.

"Shut it ,Harris! S'not funny!"

This sent Xander into hysterical laughter. Spike continued to scowl at him until finally he hollered.

"What's so bloody funny now!"

"You... You said (he he) its (he he) snot funny! (hee heee heeee) You said snot!"

Spike couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. Sometimes Xander was such a big kid it was infectious.

"Get a move on before I hug ya. Then we'll see how funny you think this is."

Under different circumstances, Spike cuddles would be a welcome addition to his night. But not snot covered Spike cuddles.

"Aack! I going, I'm going! No need to be a meany about it."

"You get covered in goo and see how nice you are."

"Snot Spike, not goo, snot! Get it right."

"Shut. Up."

If Xander snickered the occasional time on the way home Spike ignored it. And if Spike growled a few times Xander ignored it. As soon as they got home Spike headed for the shower.

"Leave your clothes on the floor and I'll come in and get them in a minute, the stuff from last night still needs to be washed as well."

"Thanks luv, you'll want to use extra detergent, that mucus is a bugger to get out."

"Snot a problem."

"Shut up!"

"Sorry Spike. I'll stop now."

"Thanks pet. Now scoot unless you want to get the full Monty. I'm in desperate need of a shower."

Xander wanted the full Monty. Gods did he want it, but now was not the time, so he willed his sudden erection away and turned from the doorway and went into his room.

Spike stripped off and stepped into the shower, he was surrounded by pheromones; his own fault really. He should learn to think before he spoke. Asking Xander if he wanted the 'full Monty' was a stupid thing to say. But bugger, he just wanted to be clean!