To Be Claimed

Review Responses:

Dassani—Yes, you are one of the best reviewers around. Thank you. And *bounce bounce bounce* Angel reaction! Whee!!

anubiset—Well, I’ve only had it up for … four months? And only on this site, so probably not too surprising that you hadn’t seen it if you’re new.

Christine—Oh, there’ll be more quality bedtime and such. Are they cute? I don’t exactly know what I was going for, but cute works.

E—Yep, the great poof himself. Yes, there are great big hints at a past master. *coughs* There was even a semi-contest. I know, I know, no one but people who’ve already reviewed read these things, but go back and check again. *winks* Thank you for reassuring me I’ve got a decent grasp on Xan’s personality.

Litgal—Just found? Jeez, I’m suddenly drawing you all in, aren’t I? And yes, there will be Angel reaction … soon.

*sweatdrops* I know the LA drop-in is what everyone’s currently hyped about, but as always, the boys like to take their sweet time about getting anything done. After all, it took five chapters for sex and five more to get them headed in Angel’s direction. You don’t expect them to get there without a few head-trips in between … right?

***

There were moments he wanted to carve his heart out of his chest. Damn him and his need for companionship. First a prima donna who never deigned to notice him promptly followed not only by a crazy vampiress by her sadistic maker. He would be better off just giving up on talking to another being with the bizarre choices he’d made. And now that he’s mostly free what does he do but snatch up an almost mythical creature with hero tendencies and an increasingly murky history. Oh, he wanted to ask his Pet about the vague references to some dead female he and his mum had put out in their oh-so-brief family moment. But the stink of pain was still pouring off of his boy in waves that drowned out the familiarly nauseating smell of smoke.

Dru’d never liked that he’d taken up the rather dangerous habit. Complained that the bright burning tree couldn’t be seen for the fallen forest. Spike had made himself get used to the atavistic fear sensation deep in his gut every time he confronted the fire of his lighter and the invadingly sick scent of smoke. Always tried to remind himself of the pain he’d felt when his heart beat and that same smoke would’ve squeezed his lungs tight. Not breathing had never seemed to affect his rather asthmatic reactions to certain things. He’d taught himself to endure the pain. He always smoked more when he was nervous. Bit of a masochistic distraction, he was sure.

“Why don’t ya take a nap, Pet? Be there soon ‘nough.” The boy looked at him from his nervously rigid seat with huge, lost eyes, and Spike sucked in a deep drag of his cig. Damn wounded puppy-eyes’ld be the dust of him for sure. Ask him to walk through fire at noon, they would. And he’d probably do it. He angrily stabbed the ashen butt against the Desoto’s dash and dropped it. First smoke he’d had since claiming his boy. He’d been a chain-smoker with Dru since his first taste of the poisonous things. Telling that. Of something; he was sure he didn’t care. He reached over and let his fingers tangle in the boy’s hair. He tugged, gentle yet firmly enough to make his pet drop stiff shoulders and slowly topple sideways to rest head against his thigh. Whelp curled his long form into the tiny space and seemed perfectly content.

“Sleep, Pet. We’ll figure something.” Spike looked away from his supposed attempt at driving—had to cause mayhem somehow, right? —and watched dark hair curl around his fingers. He idly wondered what they’d become now. They’d been stained with ink while he was human. All for Cecily. They’d dripped red blood for Angelus and faded to yellow with the cigarettes he’d fallen to with Drusilla. What would this one do to him? How would he change him?

***
So, Spike being odd. Next will likely be Xander being odd. They really aren’t looking forward to the LA scene (it’s all because of Cordy, we can hear her yelling from here).

REVIEW!Please?