Spike the. . . Cuddly???

Xander woke up the next morning to a warm weight on his chest and smiled at the little ball of fur resting there. The sun was up and he knew he should be too, but instead the dark eyed boy lay still and watched the little body on his chest raise up and down with each breath. It was nice to wake up warm, even if it was just a tiny warmth.


Finally the call of nature forced him to lift the sleeping kitten carefully and place it on a pillow while he took care of his protesting bladder and got to unpacking. The kitchen was almost finished with when a groggy platinum fluff ball climbed onto the table and stared at his empty bowl.


"You know, that's a good idea. Mind if I join you?" He laughed at the odd look he was given, "Don't worry, I'll fix my own food, you can have yours." The can opener buzzed and he tossed the top the read the label, "Besides, I don't think chicken and gravy counts as people food for breakfast."

He placed the bowl on the table, full now and then got his own food. When he sat down he noticed, Spike had waited for him to come back to the table before he started eating. "You know, you act almost human sometimes." Xander grinned widely, "You know what I'm saying when I talk, but cats are really smart right? So why do I get the feeling you don't just know what I'm saying, but you understand me too."


Spike kept eating.


The young man laughed, "Alright I can take a hint. Oh, if Spike, the other spike I mean, shows of for his blood or something, don't be offended if I don't call you by name, it's just. . . it could be awkward. And he doesn't actually know. . ." Those blue eyes were watching his carefully now, "You're a really creepy cat. Cool," he amended quickly, "But creepy."

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He'd been at the whelps for going on two days when things took another turn. There he was just minding his own, taking a cat nap, when the slayer's pet walks in all gloomy like and sits on the floor in front of the couch. //Ey, what's th' matter?// "Prrrow?"

Xander picked him up and rubbed his fur gently but his mind wasn't on the kitten. Tears slipped down his face and Spike shook his head comically when one splashed him on the nose.

//Oi!// "Rrrow"

"He's gone." The human sniffled and shook his head, "I mean it's not like he had any reason to stay around but . . . I didn't tell him. He didn't say good bye. I don't know if he left town or got dusted or is laying in some alley dying again and I can't find him."

//Oh bloody 'ell.// Spike blinked up at the large human holding him. //'E's talkin' about me. The whelp thinks I made a run fer it. Shit.//

"I know, he's probably fine, off on his way to get Drusilla back or something. It shouldn't bother me, he's evil rightjustjust thought we were friends. Maybe. Kind of. Well we were roomies for a while. That counts as something doesn't it?"

//Yeah it does pet.// "Mrowl."

"It's funny. I told Anya I couldn't marry her because she wasn't the one. Now the one left without even knowing. God I'm getting pathetic huh. Come on, lets get some comfort food. Want some chocolate, I'll give you a nibble."

Spike licked Xander's face, trying to offer what comfort he could. //When this spell wears off yer gonna hate yerself fer talkin' to 'me' about this.// He let the whelp lift him onto the table and watched him wipe off his face and root through the cupboards. //But 'm glad you told me.//

"You know what? I'm lucky to have you around." He sat down and offered a bit of a hershey bar to the kitten. "It's nice to have someone to talk to."

Spike nodded and took the treat carefully.

"You really do remind me of him." Xander smiled, "You have his attitude."

//Damn right I do! Just cause I'm bit sized doesn't mean I'm not still the big bad!//

He choked back another sob. "Yeah, you're big big bad."

A shock of hope went through the little body before he realized Xander was just reacting to his stance. //Damn.//

"You want to come to the scooby meeting with me? It's research but you wouldn't be left alone when I leave right?"

Spike thought a moment then climbed up onto Xander's shoulder and mewed.

"I guess that's a yes." He smiled, the sadness being beaten back for the time being. "We should get going then, think you can hang on while I walk?"

//No sweat luv.// "mrow."

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When Xander walked into the magic shop Willow and Tara giggled and Giles looked up from his books and flinched a bit. "Did you have to bring that beast with you?"

//Ha! Fear me watcher. I am William the. . .// "Rrrrow Mew rrr" //. . .cuddly. Blood 'ell.//

"He's not a beast G-man. He's a kitten." Xander sat down and lifted a book. "So what are we looking for?"

"A demon that can force people in animal shapes."

//Fradglarn! Why're you hunting it down now?//

"What did it do?" Xander asked and Spike purred. He liked the whelp's uncanny ability to read kitty thoughts.

"There's a prophecy. . ."

Xander groaned and opened a book. "So where's her Buffyness?"

"She's gone to look for the thing while we look for any clue as to what it is. If we can find out what it looks like it would help immensely. Did you locate Spike last night, he would be most helpful."

Xander clenched his jaw and buried his head in the book he was reading, "Spike's gone."

"Oh. Well in that case We will have to rely on the books."

Spike jumped onto the book Xander held and looked up at him, //S'ok pet. I'm here.//

"Xander! Please take that creature off of my book. It is very old."

The boy sighed and lifted the kitten placing the ball of fluff onto his lap while he flipped through the book in front of him. "So any ideas what this demon is called? It might make this easier."

"That was reasreason I asked you to bring Spike." Giles' patience was obviously running thin and Xander knew better than to push him into Ripper mode.

Spike was lazily watching the pages in front of him flip by until he caught a very familiar illustration. //There!// He pounced on the page and bent it over and Xander had to think fast to keep Giles from snatching him up and throwing him out.

"Giles!" Willow was on her feet in an instant, "It's just a kitten!"

"It has attacked me, growled at me and defaced my boo. . ."

"Wait! G-man!"

"Xander I have asked you n. . ."

"Look at this!" He pointed to the page the kitten had bent with a triumphant smile.

"A Fradglarn." Willow's eyes widened as she read. "Oh wow! Xander your kitten is a genius!"

Spike purred under the praise and tried his best to grin mockingly at the flustered watcher as he read the information the book gave. "Dear God. This is exactly what we are looking for! Xander how. . ."

He shrugged, "Spike was playing with the pages. He likes pouncing on. . ."

"Spike?!" All of them demanded at once and Xander winced, "Uh. . . did I say Spike? I meant uh. . ."

"Xander." Willow giggled knowingly, "You named you kitten Spike?"

"Just kill me now." He moaned.

"Why?" Buffy walked inside and flopped into a chair.

"He. . ." Willow giggled, "He named his new kitten Spike."


"Um. . . obvious much?"

"What?!\

"Oh come on Xander." Buffy shook her head and looked at him carefully, "Do you reallynk nnk none of us noticed you making goo-goo eyes at our resident Big Sad?"


"Uh. . . yeah?"


//The whelp made eyes at me?! When was this?//


Tara blushed, "Y-you looked so c-c-cute when you d-did it."


Xander's face went beet red, "Spike didn't. . ."


"No." Willow assured him, "Spike didn't notice."


"Why are we talking about Spike in past tense?" Buffy , "He's not. . ."


Giles took off his glasses, "No, he isn't dusted, but he has decided to vanish without a trace." He put the glasses back on and glared at all of them, "And just when was I going to find out about Xander's interests?"


Xander buried his face in his hands, "I had hoped when Hell froze over." He muttered and the kitten licked his chin helpfully. "Thanks."


The girls giggled and Giles lifted the book again. "Right then, Fradglarn. Look up all you can find. Especially how to help their victims and defeat them. I'll go over the prophesy."


//Yeah, you do that watcher, and change me back while you're at it!// "Rrwol, hissss mrrrr mrow."