Kindness, Love, and Acceptance

Part 15

Connor had been in Sunnydale for two weeks and other than that first night, he had never been happier. Spike had gotten him a proper ID through one of his demon contacts - it had helped that he already had an identity in this world, they just had to switch a few dates around. So now he was Connor Angel - 19-year-old construction worker living with two men and loving every minute of it.

He really enjoyed the work he was doing; building things was a lot of fun and it did keep him in terrific shape. He enjoyed the pay, as well. He'd never had his own money before and had fun spending it on Xander and Spike. They humoured him with some of the outrageous things he had purchased - like the leather motorcycle jacket he just had to have when he saw it.

otheothers - Xander's friends - were okay, but he really didn't like the slayer’s boyfriend. He was always giving him dirty looks and he was even worse when it came to Spike - he didn't even try to hide his revulsion toward their relationship.

It was Saturday morning and he was lying awake in bed between his two lovers looking up at the ceiling. He couldn't remember how he had gotten in the middle of the bed since that was Spike's preferred place to sleep. He didn'tlly lly care though, seeing as Xander was snuggled into one side of him and Spike the other. He felt the vampire stir slightly before he lifted his head from Connor's shoulder and opened sleepy blue eyes.

"You really are Angel's son, aren't you? You're brooding loud enough to wake the dead - literally," Spike softened his words by smiling up at the young man and then pulling himself up far enough to kiss him gently. "Don't fret about those wankers Xander calls friends - they'll frown and complain, but as long as Xan's happy, they'll leave us alone."

"It's that Robin guy. I don't like him - there's something... off about him." Connor searched for the word he was looking for, the one that would describe the feelings of unease he had around the man, but couldn't find it. It was just something he felt, bone deep. The man was going to be trouble.

"His mum was a slayer, back in the day... I killed her. He has a right to hate me, but I don't see why that should bleed over onto you or Xander. He's just ... homophobic, I guess." Spike looked over at the other man who shared the bed and smiled softly; Xander could sleep through anything. "Don't let his closed mind bother you; Xander loves us and we love him, yeah? So everyone else can just sod off."

Connor couldn't help the stupid grin that crept across his face. Spike had just said that Xander loved him; he really wanted to believe that. Then he realised the other thing he had said and frowned. "Homophobic? What does that mean?"

Spike snorted softly. "It means he hates you, me, Xander, all of us, just because we're all men and we shag each other. His type find the whole idea of a couple of es -es - or a few blokes in our case - getting it on disgusting."

"What about Willow and Kennedy? He doesn't seem to mind that they're both women and have a sexual relationship." Connor was puzzled by the way Robin reacted so differently about the women being together when they were the same sex, as well.

"Show me any straight man - or bisexual man for that matter - who says he isn't interested in watching two ladies shag each other and I'll show you a liar. S'just the way it goes, love. Women are more accepted as being gay than men are. At first, I thought it was the penetration issue, but then I realised that couldn't be it. I mean, a man will stick his cock up his lady's arse and everything is hunky-dory. But do the same thing to a man and it's disgusting. Humans have so many hang-ups when it comes to sex."

Connor looked thoughtful and then shrugged. "I guess I still have a lot to learn about being human. I was taught that it was an offence against the Lord to lay with a member of your own sex. My... Holtz raised me to be a God-fearing man - or at least he tried to. I mean, the whole concept of hell was lost on me; I already lived there. Hell would probably seem easy to me after the way I lived. If loving you and Xander is going to send me to hell, then it's worth it. This is the happiest I've ever been."

Connor looked down shyly as he realised he had just admitted to the blonde that he loved him. He hadn't planned on saying that. Not yet, possibly not ever. Whenever he loved someone, he lost them - and he didn't want to lose either of these two men.

Spike lifted Connor's chin with one finger and looked into his eyes. "You mean that? You love me?" Connor nodded and closed his eyes - he waited for the inevitable.

Soft, cool lips pressed into his own and his eyes flew open in shock. He watched as the vampire drew back and smiled at him softly. Spike didn't speak; he gently moved Connor out from beneath Xander's still-sleeping form and rolled on top of him. He kissed the younger man, softly at first, and then with urgency as he began to unte ate against him. Connor opened his legs and allowed the blonde's hips to rest between them, bringing their groins that much closer to each other.

Xander woke as the bed began to move; he opened one eye just enough to see what had disturbed him from his sleep and then grinned. He decided to play possum for awhile and just enjoy the show.

Connor kissed Spike back with everything he had. He was so stunned to still be here, to still be wanted that he couldn't hold back his emotions. When Spike kissed a trail down the side of his neck he turned his head and bared his throat submissively. He wanted to feel Spike's fangs in his skin - to give his blood, his love and acceptance to his lover. To belong to him the way Xander already did. "Spike, please?"

Spike was overcome by the plea. He hadn't expected to fall for the young man beneath him - not this quickly. But here he was, in love with another human with a damaged soul. One more chlostlost in the dark, one more person who was tainted by the world around him. His demon screamed to claim this boy - that he was blood of his blood by his very birth alone. The soul wanted him, as well - he was kindred. Spike licked the spot he would bite and then asked softly, "Are you sure, love? Once it's done it can't ever be undone. You'll be mine forever and I won't let you go."

There were tears in Connor's eyes as he smiled up at his vampire lover. "I don't want you to let me go. I want to be here, to be yours. Please, Spike. Make me belong."

Xander watched with longing as Spike's features melted into those of the demon and he lowered his face to Connor’s neck. He remembered all too well the feeling of those ivory daggers tearing into his flesh, making him whole, making him feel things he had never felt before. He envied Connor this first time. The first time was always the best.

Spike licked a path up the side of Connor's throat and then whispered in his ear, "I do love you, Connor. You and Xan, you're my world. You gave yourself to me freely, and now you're mine." Then he struck, sinking his fangs into the flesh just between neck and shoulder. Connor arched up off the bed and screamed as he climaxed. Spike continued to thrust wildly against him as he tore his fangs free of his skin and howled out his own orgasm.

Afterwards, they lay wrapped together, Spike licking the stray drops of blood from the wound on Connor's neck and purring soothingly. Connor dashed the tears from his eyes and burrowed deeper into the vampire’s embrace. Xander - his own arousal forgotten by the tender scene he'd just witnessed - rolled closer to his lovers and wrapped his arms around the both of them. "I love you. Both of you."

Connor smiled and met Xander's solemn gaze with watery blue eyes. "I love you too, Xander. Thank you - both of you - for letting me into your lives." Spike tightened his hold on the younger man and kissed the top of his head. Xander smiled and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "You are welcome. I couldn't imagine our lives now without you."

The three men snuggled back down in their warm nest of blankets and slipped off to sleep. All of them feeling content to simply remain in bed for as long as they could make this feeling of love and safety last. Hopefully the Hellmouth wouldn't spew forth anything to screw it up for them.

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