On the Other Side
folder
BtVS AU/AR › Slash - Male/Male › Angel(us)/Spike(William)
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
30
Views:
9,094
Reviews:
40
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
BtVS AU/AR › Slash - Male/Male › Angel(us)/Spike(William)
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
30
Views:
9,094
Reviews:
40
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter 15
Chapter 15
It was a few weekter,ter, and Spike was amazed at the difference his new persona made around the house. Xander had started following him around, which was nothing new, but he often had the strangest look in his eyes, almost as if…well, it couldn’t be that.
The real change, however, was in his father.
Of course, Rupert still barely looked at him, but he seemed to be much more accommodating, asking his opinions about things and even allowing him to drive on the way to school upon occasion. Of course, the old man was firmly buckled into the passenger seat, but he was the one driving!
But the real shock came one week before his birthday.
“William, I was thinking we could buy your birthday present early this year.”
“Present?” Spike glanced towards the older man, one eyebrow arching in disbelief.
“Well, I had only thought, since you were turning 16, that you might like to have a car. I suppose, if I was mistaken, I could be persuaded to…”
The older man’s voice faded away as Spike’s mind reeled. A car? Was the old man serious? His brow furrowed as revelation dawned upon him. A car. It was nothing more than a pricey bauble to pay the little whore with. Shame began creeping past his shields and he stamped it out, picking at his chipping nail varnish. It was probably just some sort of insurance for the asshole, something to hold over his head if he decided to disobey.
He snorted aloud, not noting the curious looks he was getting from his father.
Who was the old man kidding? He already held the trump card: Xander. There was no way Spike would abandon his little brother to that madman’s abuse, and the wanker knew it.
Smoothing his hair, he contemplated the gift. A car meant…freedom. It meant that for a few rare moments, he could simply drive away from this shit that was his life and ignore all that lay behind him. For just a little while, he could pretend to be normal.
Suddenly, a car sounded like much more than a birthday gift. It was almost … salvation.
Meeting the older man’s gaze, he accepted.
They traveled to six different lots before they found it.
“Despite my insistence that I would not be buying you a new car, I do believe I could afford something considerably better than…that.” The man wiped his glasses and replaced them, grimacing once more at the vehicle. Apparently, cleaning hadn’t helped.
Spike stepped closer, fingers trailing lightly along the fender, mapping out the dents and scrapes with fascination. She was black, with a white stripe spanning the length, and the interior was…avocado green. There were bucket seats in front, anloooloooong bench in back. Spike smirked. That could come in handy; he could probably fit six or seven people in the car. He could actually see that happening sometime. William would have been lucky to find one person to sit in the passenger seat; Spike, however, would have no trouble filling her up to the gills.
It practically screamed badass.
“It’s perfect…”
He followed his father’s car home, gripping the wheel, near-drunk on the power he could feel thrumming under his feet. He rolled the window down, watching the world stand still while he passed by. For the first time since he could remember, he was free.
At least until he pulled into the driveway.
He parked carefully, exiting the vehicle and pocketing the keys. He began to climb the steps to the front porch but stopped as Rupert cleared his throat. The tiny hairs at the nape of his neck stood on end as he slowly turned towards the sound. His father was standing next to his new car, holding the back door open.
“Get in the car.”
He stared at the older man. The older man stared back.
Spike took a step back; surely the old man didn’t mean to… here? In broad daylight? Granted, the trees scattered around the drive would assure that no one would see, but… He’d never… not during the day. He couldn’t move, couldn’t speak as he stared into those cold, glazed eyes.
He should have known better. His father couldn’t possibly do something nice for him, even after… No. He wanted to control this, ruin it, just like he had everything else. The hope expanding in his chest, newly-born not an hour ago, shriveled and sank, and Spike felt something else rise and take its place.
Crossing his arms over his chest, he straightened to his full height. “I don’t think so.”
The older man stared at him. He stared back.
“William. Get in the car.”
Clenching his jaw until he felt the muscles spasm, Spike held his father’s gaze.
He did not move.
Then his father’s eyes shifted to the door momentarily, before returning to his own. The message was clear, and Spike had never felt so torn. He would not…could not allow his father to take away the taste of freedom he’d finally found, but he couldn’t put Xander in harm’s way, either. Xander was his responsibility, and he’d…
“Ok, What’s going…Wow! Those are some pretty spiffy wheels ya got there, Will!”
Spike returned Rupert’s stare as Xander clumped down the stairs and climbed through the conveniently open door into the car. The boy poked about inside, examining the contents of the glove box and digging around under the seats for change, but Spike’s eyes never left his father’s.
Both men’s glares were broken when a brunette head popped out of the driver’s open window. “Hey Dad, can Will take me over to Jesse’s house in his new car?”
“Not yet, Xander. You’ll have to wait until after William’s birthday, I’m afraid.”
The boy pouted, but brightened when he found a quarter stuck between the seat cushions. The older man opened the driver’s door and removed Xander from the car, steering the brunette up the steps and through the front door.
Spike looked at the car for a long moment before sighing and entering the house.
It was a few weekter,ter, and Spike was amazed at the difference his new persona made around the house. Xander had started following him around, which was nothing new, but he often had the strangest look in his eyes, almost as if…well, it couldn’t be that.
The real change, however, was in his father.
Of course, Rupert still barely looked at him, but he seemed to be much more accommodating, asking his opinions about things and even allowing him to drive on the way to school upon occasion. Of course, the old man was firmly buckled into the passenger seat, but he was the one driving!
But the real shock came one week before his birthday.
“William, I was thinking we could buy your birthday present early this year.”
“Present?” Spike glanced towards the older man, one eyebrow arching in disbelief.
“Well, I had only thought, since you were turning 16, that you might like to have a car. I suppose, if I was mistaken, I could be persuaded to…”
The older man’s voice faded away as Spike’s mind reeled. A car? Was the old man serious? His brow furrowed as revelation dawned upon him. A car. It was nothing more than a pricey bauble to pay the little whore with. Shame began creeping past his shields and he stamped it out, picking at his chipping nail varnish. It was probably just some sort of insurance for the asshole, something to hold over his head if he decided to disobey.
He snorted aloud, not noting the curious looks he was getting from his father.
Who was the old man kidding? He already held the trump card: Xander. There was no way Spike would abandon his little brother to that madman’s abuse, and the wanker knew it.
Smoothing his hair, he contemplated the gift. A car meant…freedom. It meant that for a few rare moments, he could simply drive away from this shit that was his life and ignore all that lay behind him. For just a little while, he could pretend to be normal.
Suddenly, a car sounded like much more than a birthday gift. It was almost … salvation.
Meeting the older man’s gaze, he accepted.
They traveled to six different lots before they found it.
“Despite my insistence that I would not be buying you a new car, I do believe I could afford something considerably better than…that.” The man wiped his glasses and replaced them, grimacing once more at the vehicle. Apparently, cleaning hadn’t helped.
Spike stepped closer, fingers trailing lightly along the fender, mapping out the dents and scrapes with fascination. She was black, with a white stripe spanning the length, and the interior was…avocado green. There were bucket seats in front, anloooloooong bench in back. Spike smirked. That could come in handy; he could probably fit six or seven people in the car. He could actually see that happening sometime. William would have been lucky to find one person to sit in the passenger seat; Spike, however, would have no trouble filling her up to the gills.
It practically screamed badass.
“It’s perfect…”
He followed his father’s car home, gripping the wheel, near-drunk on the power he could feel thrumming under his feet. He rolled the window down, watching the world stand still while he passed by. For the first time since he could remember, he was free.
At least until he pulled into the driveway.
He parked carefully, exiting the vehicle and pocketing the keys. He began to climb the steps to the front porch but stopped as Rupert cleared his throat. The tiny hairs at the nape of his neck stood on end as he slowly turned towards the sound. His father was standing next to his new car, holding the back door open.
“Get in the car.”
He stared at the older man. The older man stared back.
Spike took a step back; surely the old man didn’t mean to… here? In broad daylight? Granted, the trees scattered around the drive would assure that no one would see, but… He’d never… not during the day. He couldn’t move, couldn’t speak as he stared into those cold, glazed eyes.
He should have known better. His father couldn’t possibly do something nice for him, even after… No. He wanted to control this, ruin it, just like he had everything else. The hope expanding in his chest, newly-born not an hour ago, shriveled and sank, and Spike felt something else rise and take its place.
Crossing his arms over his chest, he straightened to his full height. “I don’t think so.”
The older man stared at him. He stared back.
“William. Get in the car.”
Clenching his jaw until he felt the muscles spasm, Spike held his father’s gaze.
He did not move.
Then his father’s eyes shifted to the door momentarily, before returning to his own. The message was clear, and Spike had never felt so torn. He would not…could not allow his father to take away the taste of freedom he’d finally found, but he couldn’t put Xander in harm’s way, either. Xander was his responsibility, and he’d…
“Ok, What’s going…Wow! Those are some pretty spiffy wheels ya got there, Will!”
Spike returned Rupert’s stare as Xander clumped down the stairs and climbed through the conveniently open door into the car. The boy poked about inside, examining the contents of the glove box and digging around under the seats for change, but Spike’s eyes never left his father’s.
Both men’s glares were broken when a brunette head popped out of the driver’s open window. “Hey Dad, can Will take me over to Jesse’s house in his new car?”
“Not yet, Xander. You’ll have to wait until after William’s birthday, I’m afraid.”
The boy pouted, but brightened when he found a quarter stuck between the seat cushions. The older man opened the driver’s door and removed Xander from the car, steering the brunette up the steps and through the front door.
Spike looked at the car for a long moment before sighing and entering the house.