Quantum Xander II: In Wake of the Curse

Part 19

By mutual agreement, Xander took Spike back to his place for the day. With the new girls and Giles all staying at the Casa de Summers, it made more sense for Spike to not be there. Xander was doing a little happy dance in his head at the thought of having Spike to himself again. Then he mentally slapped that thought right back out again.

As they entered the apartment, Xander pushed Spike toward the shower with a gentle nudge and then headed for the kitchen to warm up some blood for him. He wanted nothing more than to take the blond in his arms and hold him close. He knew that Spike must have been terrified by what he had been through, but he also new that he would never admit it, not even to him.

By the time Spike emerged from the bathroom, clean and looking better than he had when he’d gone in, Xander was waiting for him with a mug of warm blood in his hand.

“Drink up, plenty more where that came from. You probably haven’t eaten in awhile.”

“Thanks, luv. I’m bloody starved, plus I’m hurtin’ something fierce. Don’t know what the hell that thing was but it was stronger than it was ugly - an’ it was plenty ugly.”

Xander snorted.

“Turok Han. The Neanderthal of vampires. Or as we so affectionately named it - Ubervamp.”

“What happened to the bloody thing anyway?”

“Banished it. But as far as the others are concerned, Buffy slayed.”

“Got it. Still not ready to out yourself to the group, then?”

Xander choked and Spike laughed.

“I meant about the magic, pet. Not the sexual issues. Although, I doubt you have anything to worry about there either. The witches are together and Rupert and that wizard of his were more than friends back in the day. Slayer doesn’t seem to have a problem either.”

“I know, but if I bring that up then I have to bring up the spell, and I’m not ready for that yet.”

“Alright, fair enough. But don’t leave it too long; these things have a way of festering if you don’t deal with them.”

“I know.”

They spent several minutes in silence while Spike heated and consumed more blood and Xander watched him. Finally, Spike had drunk enough to feel his body start to heal and he looked over to see Xander watching him with concern.

“What’s up, Xan?”

“Nothing. I was just…”

Xander broke off. The emotions of the past few days were catching up to him. He could feel his eyes well up with tears - tears he hadn’t allowed himself to cry before. He was so scared that he was going to fail this Spike as well. That he would be too late to save him. He felt cool arms wrap around him and he let himself go, leaning into Spike and allowing the smaller man to support him as he wept.

Spike was relieved. This was a long time in coming. Xander had been so strong for so long he was afraid the man would never let himself grieve. He knew that his capture had only brought up painful memories for Xander of his mate’s capture and subsequent death.

“Shh, s’oky, luv. I’m fine. I never doubted that you’d come for me, not for a moment.”

Spike rubbed soothing circles on Xander’s back and then walked him toward his bedroom. He gently undressed the man and tucked him into bed.

“Sleep, luv. You’ll feel better for it.”

Spike turned to leave and Xander grasped his hand.

“Stay? Please, I… I don’t want to be alone.”

Spike studied Xander quizzically. He wasn’t sure what Xander was asking of him, and he wasn’t sure what the answer would be either. After a minute he gave up on trying to figure it out for himself and gingerly sat on the edge of the bed.

“What are you asking, Xander? I mean is this just about not being alone or are you looking for…”

“No, I just want to hold you while I sleep. Nothing else, I promise. I want… comfort, Spike. Don’t you want comfort?”

Spike thought it over for about all of thirty seconds before stripping down to t-shirt and boxers like Xander and climbing into bed beside him. He did want comfort; it was all he had wanted since he’d gotten the damn chip in his head. Now that he was souled, it was even worse.

“Comfort sounds… bloody comforting, mate. Yeah, could use some of that about now.”

Xander smiled softly and pulled Spike into his arms. He breathed in the familiar smell of the man in his arms and smiled. It was a bittersweet feeling - having this familiar and well-loved body in his arms again. He missed his mate, but that wasn’t what this was about. This was about gleaning comfort in the arms of a friend. Maybe more than a friend. He sighed and then leaned up on his elbow and looked at Spike.

“Are you okay? I mean really? I know you don’t believe me, but you don’t have to pretend with me. You can be yourself here, Spike. I promise you, I won’t think any less of you if aren’t the Big Bad all the time.”

Spike studied the serious expression on Xander’s face and then felt his resolve crumble. He knew Xander was serious, that he was offering him a place to just be himself, where he didn’t have to be “Spike” all the time; where he could be William or Spike, or as was most often, a combination of the two. He could relax and let down his guard. It was an attractive idea, but at the same time it scared the hell out of him.

“I don’t know if I can do that, luv. It sounds like an appealing offer, but I don’t know if I can let it go. I feel like I’ve been in a play for the last century or so. I’ve been playing this part so long I don’t remember how to stop. What if I switch it off and I can’t get it to come back? Buffy doesn’t need a sniveling poet right now; she needs a master vampire. She needs Spike’s strength, Spike’s viciousness, Spike’s cunning.”

“Are you sure about that? I mean, you got the soul for her; don’t you think she’d want to see it?”

Spike fell silent for a moment and then sighed.

“I don’t know. I mean, after what I did, it was the only thing I could think of to do that would show her how bloody awful I felt about it. I wanted to give her the man she deserved. William - I - was a pathetic mother’s boy with allusions of grandeur, but I knew how to love; I was a good man. I wanted Buffy to have a good man. She deserves that much, you know?”

Xander nodded and waited for Spike to continue.

“I’d like to be William for her. I can see that Spike still scares her, that she hasn’t forgotten what I did, what I almost did to her. She’s never going to love me, Xander. Not in the way I want her to. You know, I once told her and Angel that I was “love’s bitch”; I really and truly am. All I ever wanted was for someone to hold me in their arms and tell me they me they loved me and mean it.”

Spike closed his eyes before the tears that had welled up had a chance to spill over. He might be a souled poof now, but he was not going to cry like a chit. Xander pulled the cool body closer to him and placed a soft, chaste kiss against his pliant lips.

“I love you, Spike. And I’m not just saying that; I do. Not the same way I love my mate, but I do love you. You’re Spike. How can I not?”

Spike shuddered in Xander’s arms and felt the tears rolling freely down his cheeks. He didn’t even care that Xander could feel him shaking, that his tears were soaking into the man’s shirt. He was loved. Not by Buffy, but by Xander. Not as a lover, but as a friend - as a person. It wasn’t everything he had hoped for, but it was more than he had expected.

“Give Buffy time; she does care about you. Maybe in time she’ll come around. She won’t let herself love Spike because he’s a demon, but now that you’re William, as well… Give her time Spike; don’t give up hope.”

Spike nodded into Xander’s chest and allowed himself to relax into the warm embrace. His demon felt content lying in the arms of its mate - its claimed, and the soul felt at peace for the first time in longer than he could remember. He wasn’t alone in the world; he had a friend who loved him. He felt himself purring and for once didn’t care that it might make him look soft. Xander loved him, accepted him for who and what he was. He could be himself here.

Xander relaxed to the sound of a soft, rumbling purr coming from the man next to him. He had a dopey grin on his face as he drifted off to sleep.