Compatible

Part Two: Willing and able

“Thank the gods there is only one more week of school to go.” Willow smiled as she declared the obvious to her friends.

“Speak for yourself Wills you all get to go off and do interesting stuff, while I’ll be here working at the Dairy Queen, for God’s sakes even Giles is leaving.” Xander said from his slouched position on the couch.

“Angel will be here, he’s keeping an eye on the hellmouth for us and you can do guy type things with him.” Willow really was trying to make it better, but they were all leaving and he would end up alone on the hellmouth alone smelling like candy. Cookies, it was time she made more cookies for Xander.

“Yeah right Angel would just love to go to the Star Trek convention or better yet we could go to the comic book sale.” Even as he said it he wished it was true over the last couple of months things with the vampire hadn’t been so bad. Good if you count the fact that they patrolled together more often than not and Angel always made sure he ate. He called it payment for watching him drink his dinner, which Xander really didn’t mind, he was a vampire after all.

“Star Trek convention? It’s not my thing but if you need a ride. Now as far as the comic book sale isn’t that a daytime event? Even I have my limitations.” Angel has listened to Xander expound on the genesis of Star Trek, on the reasons why he was going to spend a good portion of his grass cutting money on an entrance ticket to ST Con. The rest of the money is going to the comic book sale this summer in search of the elusive Incredible Hulk issues were Wolverine makes his first appearance.

It was strange one day Angel wanted to scream ‘‘Stop for the love of all the Hells, I don’t care’, which would have been a lie and he never wanted to lie to his boy. Then the next day Xander stopped talking about going to either event. Said he didn’t have the money to go anymore. They missed that excited babble.

Angel was walking down from the upper level of the library while he was speaking, with a smirk on his face, of all things to expect from the broody vampire to be smirking was not one of them.

“Ha ha someone call whoever it is you call when the unexpected happens.” Xander was smiling. They had been playing this cat and mouse game ever since that night. They called it becoming friends. They may not have known what was going on but everyone else saw, even Buffy.

“What are you talking about?” Buffy said trying to pull the conversation back to herself and her new tank top.

“Well let’s see, Angel is smiling, one. Two he just offered me a ride to the ST convention whether he knows it or not. Oh yeah and it is day time isn’t he supposed to be hanging from the rafters until the sun goes down.” This was all said with a smile and head tilt which made Xander to long hair hang over his right eye. He’d have to get it cut soon, maybe next week.

Oz wore a crooked little smile. He could smell the attraction between them. Not full blown yet, but on its way. A summer together with no interference, Xander would have a claim marks by the first week of August, Oz would put money on it. Though he and Willow had never talked about the way the two were behaving they were doing everything they could to push Xander and Angel together, going so far as to include Buffy on a few of their dates. Covering for the fact that Xander and Angel where off somewhere together doing whatever it was they do and just forgotten or not bothered to come back.

Giles for his part was not happy with the manifestation of the new friendship but Xander wasn’t his slayer and anything that got Angel further from his slayer was a good thing. He however wasn’t sure if Xander knew what he was courting or even if he knew he was courting anything. A demon view of friendship was different from that of human friendship, this was where he was sure his slayer was going wrong. They would never be the perfect couple with 2.4 kids and a lawn. Xander however, he wasn’t sure about that choice either. It was a well known fact the Angelus cared little about the sex or even the humanity of his partners, but what about the boy? What did he want and in the end would Xander be better off being with Angel if what Oz said was true? He would have a talk with Xander after the girls leave to make sure he understood what he was getting into. He also need to look into ways to lock that vampires soul to his current body, over sexed teenager and undersexed vampire did not a good combination make when sex is most likely the easiest way to break a century old curse that keeps said vampire from killing all of us.

Angel glided over to a chair right in front of Xander and straddled it. With the corner of his lip up-turned Angel said, “You’re the one I call when the unexpected happens.”

Xander was lost, as he watched the show being put on for him. He had let it slip that he was jealous of how easy it was for Angel to dominate a room, to look so at home and animalistic at the same time. Angel had dismissed the compliment by saying after 250 years he was just comfortable in his own skin and that’s what showed when people watched him. He used this comfort with his own body against Xander every chance he got, literally. Leaning in, brushing against him again and again until Xander thought it normal to have the vampire in his personal space.

Angel was always amazed that his boy did not understand how beautiful he was. That hair alone could inspire Angelus or Angel to give the boy anything. He could be imagining it but it seemed the boy stopped cutting his hair a while ago, it just keeps getting longer and longer. He was sure that with the right brush and a little time Xander’s hair would form the most wonderful ringlets though still a little short to be perfect just yet.

Even if unknowing on Angel’s part he was wooing the boy. Xander was for his part playing the innocent waiting to be shown all the pleasures to be found in the dark, almost perfectly.

Buffy watched all of this and did not like what was going on, she was being ignored. “That’s right we are the ones to call when weird stuff happens.” She said walking up to Angel and putting her hands on his shoulders leaning her body into his back. She did not like this at all, time to get his mind back to where it belonged on her.

“Not that I’m not happy to see you, because I always am. Why you are here the sun won’t be down for hours yet.” Buffy asked and if he said anything about wanting to see Xander instead of her there would be trouble.

“I came to pay Xander his 20 dollars,” before Angel could finish the sentence Buffy’s hands tightened on his shoulders and he could smell the anger rolling off her. Angel decided it might be good to add “and anytime I can see you is a good time for me too.” In truth Angel had wondered when was the last time the boy ate they hadn’t been on patrol for two days and since Buffy told him Xander hardly ever ate lunch with them in the cafeteria he wanted to come over and make sure that it wasn’t because of money that the boy was not eating.

Xander thought and he couldn’t come up with a reason that Angel owed him 20 bucks and with Buffy standing right behind him he didn’t think it would be a good time to challenge Angel on it. So when the vampire reached out his hand Xander took the money, he could feel the smoothness of the pale fingers against his skin and it sent a flash, an image through his brain less than a second but it was there all the same. Angel with smooth pale skin laid out under him with his eyes closed as Xander touched.

Coming back from the scene in his head which he chalked up to being a teenaged boy Xander spoke, “Thanks, Deadboy you coming back after schools out? I finished that book you gave me. It took me a while but it was good. You finish that graphic novel I gave you cause the library wants it back and I sure as hell aint payin’ the ten cent late charge.”

Angelus smiled. /This one is the one. Give him to me, to us./

“Books you two are exchanging books now? Isn’t that just peachy?” Buffy was moving away from Angel and towards the weapons cabinet as she spoke. Her first and only thoughts it seemed sometimes were to hurt, kill and then see if someone could identify the bodies after. Willow was starting to see why a slayers life span was so short.

“What books?” Oz cut off the next line from Buffy by asking the question they all wanted to know, well not all of them.

“Hum… Angel gave me The Sparrow this space exploration kind of thing all about the way humans change the view to fit their own needs and I gave him Blankets.” Xander was not happy about sharing with Scooby’s what belonged to only the two of them, but they had other secrets, other…other what?

Angel stood, his boy took the money so he’d done what he came to do. “I’ll be back before patrol like always.” He went to Buffy side swooped down and kissed her kiwi lip-gloss stained lips. “Will there be any more than a quick patrol tonight?”

Buffy was happy to be held by Angel, it seemed so long since she had to tell him no. Taking his question as a sign that Angel wanted some alone time with her she said “No, not too much going on, you and I could do the circuit. There have just been a few nasties lately.” She stepped back and hit him with her best shy smile.

Angel was watching the scene between Oz and Xander over Buffy’s shoulder. Oz had never been friendly with Xander and now they were having a conversation about…Angelus tuned his senses to his boy blocking out all else, Oz and Xander were talking about the graphic novel Oz had read it also.

/Why is the wolf sniffing around my boy? DO SOMETHING! If the wolf wants to fight for him, I will. We will!/ Angel let go of Buffy and moved back toward Xander who was watching the wolf to the exclusion of everything else. Angel felt a stab of jealousy pierce him. “Can I talk to you for a minute before I go?” Angel was trying to remain calm and not pay attention to the demon in his head.

/Hanging all over that bitch slayer. Now my boy thinks I don’t want him. Now he’s talking to the wolf. You will pay for this. You promised not in front of the boy./

//I’ll fix it. What are we doing anyway? We cant have them both and Xander doesn’t want to be with us, he said as much.//

/He feed us. He’s ours to protect, they gave him to us. I want him…he’s mine. The wolf never questioned before, why now?/

Xander got up off the couch and walked over to Angel “What’s up Deadboy?” It wasn’t a slam now when Xander called him that, there was no heat behind it and the smile across that mouth made it clear there were only good intentions.

Angel stepped further away from Buffy and moved toward the exit that would take him to the basement and out the sewer entrance of the school. Angel…no Angelus wanted to reach out and touch the boy, mark him. “Just wanted to say thanks for taking the money I just hadn’t seen you in a couple of days and you know…”

Xander cut him off, “Thanks for, not making me ask. I’ll find a way to pay you back. Promise.”

Xander’s eyes were downcast, Angel could smell the shame coming off him. /Not right. My boy should never have to beg./ As Angel spoke he moved his hand under Xander chin to make sure their eyes meet “You never have to ask, what you did for me that night means your mine to …”

Buffy was at the end of her patience Angel was her boyfriend and now he was all but cuddly with Xander. Oz took a chance and walked up to Xander “Class man.” With those words he put his arm around Xander waist and led him off. The low growl he heard was not imagined. Oz couldn’t help but smile, maybe a little pretend competition would give things between the vampire and the boy a little more momentum.

***
It was a cloudy day so when Angel left his concrete house well before the sunset he was in no fear of the sun. The trip to Sunnydale High started early because he wanted to get away from the mass of people in his house. Angel wondered what Xander will think of his new house maybe they could go shopping together once the others where absent.

Walking through the underground tunnels avoiding patches of light even with the clouds it was in his nature to stick to the shadows. As Angel moved forward to his destination he thought back on a conversation he had with Xander:

“Hey Deadboy looks like and early night. You wanna get some food maybe rent a movie? The girls are doing girly stuff and I was told especially no boys allowed and with Oz gone. Band stuff I think. So it’s just me and you. The girls will probably have some girl slumber party thingy. Why does that sound really, really good like maybe we should crash it? I mean with Willow and Buffy they wouldn’t notice us right. There could be girls in really small jammies.” Xander had to stop to inhale and get the answer to the movie question.

Inside his head the demon was purring since when was Xander babble calming? Angel processed all the information, then he asked a question “Where would we watch it?”

Xander stopped in his tracks turning towards Angel and giving him his full attention while he spoke, “You’ve got a DVD player right?” Angel shook his head, no. Xander tried again, “VCR?” Angel shook his head, no again. This time Xander had a smile on his face because he knew the answers and it was time to give the vampire some trouble, “TV, you’ve got a TV right?” Angel repeated the same head shake. Then Xander started to list items and each one got the same response: computer, radio, board games, comic books, a puzzle. By the time Xander was done he was all but feeling pity for his vampire. Wait no, not his vampire Buffy’s vampire.

Xander tilted his head to the left and asked one last question, “Do you have anything in that concrete box that could pass for entertainment? Kinda don’ wanna go home.”

Angel wanted to put his hands on him, anywhere on him. Angelus laughed won’t take as much time as he thought his boy was too good to resist for long. “Hum I have books and well I have books.” Then it hit him Xander doesn’t like his house. Buffy likes it, said it was Zen or something like that. Angel had to know, “You don’t like my house do you? I can get a TV.”

“Its not that I don’t like it’s just that it’s really not a home, is all. It’s like your trying to make it unappealing. I bet every room only has one chair.” Xander rocked back and forth as he spoke, he really didn’t want to piss off his only male friend.

“Oh, okay.” Angel said as he thought about it. He couldn’t deny that the house was set up for one person. One vampire he should say. It was cold in the winter and hot in the summer, because it didn’t matter to him. He read, he slept, he feed, and those were his days before the Scooby’s. Those were still mostly his days. “Why don’t you want to go home?” he added a moment later as this conversation like so many of the others took time to catch up with him.

“It’s still early.” In his head Xander knew if he could time it right his parents would be drunk enough not to notice him even before his weekend curfew cut off. He just had to stay out till then.

Angel could smell the lie but let it go.

A week later Angel started looking for a new house. At first he just looked at photographs in the newspaper, and then when he was out at night he couldn’t help but notice houses with for sale signs in the yard. He just told himself he was looking no harm in looking. He liked his house, he had even looked into getting cable, but it seemed that the house was old and famous, so no one wanted to work on it. And it was not really wired for ‘New Gadgets’ at least that’s what the electrician said.

That night after the cable problem Angel walked into the realtor’s office, he was just looking that’s all. That’s when he saw it the house. He asked to be taken to see it. The realtor thinking he was just a strange man was going to ask him to come back in the morning until she really looked at him. They didn’t make cloths like that at the mall. Angel was dressed all in black. A leather three quarter length coat, v-neck cashmere sweater and slacks with heavy boots none of which came off a regular store shelf. The coat alone may have been wroth more than her last commission.

When they got to the house she stood in her coco channel knock off suit looking though her handbag for the keys as a master vampire tried to decide if the house was inviting or not. The wrap around porch and lawn said to him yes it was. He started to ask questions as they walked up to the front porch Xander would have been proud: How is the wiring? Can you get cable here? How is the basement? Does the kitchen have a microwave? Is there a bathtub? That was the last question because Angelus took that moment to supply a picture of Xander sprawled out in a large old fashioned bathtub with his head thrown back wet curls hanging loose over the edge one hand griping the side of the tub and another under the surface and all the good parts coved up by bubbles.

Before the door opened. /We could bring him here to stay with us. You can not deny those parents of his are not going to complain the loss of him./ This made Angel frown, but not because the demon was again trying to convince him to take the boy but because this time he Angel wanted to take retribution against the Harris clan for leaving the boy alone on the hellmouth night after night. Did they even want him to come home, ever?

They walked the house together. The realtor thankful she had never had the power disconnected. The first floor was one great space with columns here and there the kitchen was state of the art from what the Jackie O wanna be was saying, it looked shinny and new with stainless steal appliances and light colored Italian tile. “The house belonged to a woman who hit it big with the dot.com boom and had to move to Silicon Valley for work reasons, so the house had all the latest wiring and tech gadgets. There are three and half bathrooms two with bathtubs and one with a walk in shower. Let me show you the basement it’s almost finished and has great possibilities,” the realtor all but cooed at him.

The basement like the first floor was one great room the walls and floor were finished the only area that was an actual room was housing the furnace water heater and electric box. The bathroom with the walk-in shower was on this level that suited Angel just fine. “What about the upstairs?” Angel asked though he was pretty much sold on the house already, he had learned that it was better that he do good job of looking at major purchases otherwise humans got a little anxious.

Angel noticed that the trip up the stairs was a little slower than it should have been. The realtor started talking, Angel couldn’t help but think maybe she was some kin of Willow’s because she did not smell like the boy. “The woman who owned the house didn’t take the up stairs furniture with her the first room was small, but not too small, it was lined with shelves and had a large built in table that had shelves and racks as well. “She used this as a craft room, it could be changed into a great office there’s a built in desk on the other side and this room like all the others is wired for cable and high speed internet as well.” The realtors led him around the room and then out again the next rooms were mostly empty except for a beds and small dressers.

They gilded over the bathroom it was plain but a good size. When they reached the master bedroom she was blushing as she spoke “Now this room is very changeable just keep in mind that it’s just furniture and can be replaced.” With that she opened the door. The room at the end of the hall however was the picture of what girly should be, the room had hard wood flooring with a light wood stain the walls were white with the trim exposed the bedroom set was something out of a storybook there was a large rot iron bed with white chipped paint, the two dressers and a desk were a combination of white and yellow with little blue flowers. The rug in the center of the room was woven reeds of some kind, they would be soft under bare feet, he just knew it. The bathroom was enormous, Angel eyes immediately rested on the large claw footed tub with silver fixtures on its side toward the wall and a little metal rack across the middle, two people could fit easy.

“I’ll take it. When can I have people come to finish the lower level?” Angel spoke and moved around the bathroom at the same time touching this and that. It didn’t even register with him that it was Xander he saw in his minds eye here and there, standing in the glass shower, leaning into the mirror looking at his refection, laid out in that tub wet and covered in bubbles.

The realtor wasted no time in saying “I can have the papers drawn up by tomorrow morning to make the offer. You can come into the office and we can go over the asking price and you can sign them if they meet your approval.”

“Can you have them sent to my house? I work at night and will be unable to see you before at least six tomorrow night. As for the asking price I’ll pay it.” Angel was making plans for the basement he’d redo that first and then worry about the rest of the house maybe Xander could even help. Angel thoughts supplied him with //Why not Buffy? Why not ask her to help?//

The answer from the demon was simple /She would not help us. She’d have to get her designer shoes dirty./

Angel was snapped out of his revelry by the realtor again, “What is your address? I can bring the papers over myself.” She was all smiles and blinking eyelashes. When Angel gave his address, her mouth dropped open when she recovered all she could say was “Will you be…are you going to sale your current house?”

As Angel looked at her he couldn’t help but see the naked hope in her eyes and it reminded him of the look Xander had when he demanded he get steak for dinner that first night not so long ago. That was why Angel is heading back to the Sunnydale High library early, because he wanted to escape the open house and because to be honest he couldn’t resist eyes that reminded him of Xander’s.

Angel walked into the library unexpected but not unwanted. He surveyed the room receiving a smile from little Willow a nod from the wolf and Giles. Buffy was not there and neither was Xander. Before he could ask tough Willow piped up, “Angel we didn’t know you’d be this early. Xander said he had to talk to his English teacher. Buffy decided that if she went slaying early she’d have more time tonight for other stuff.” The last of that sentence was said with a blush.

Xander chose that instant to come into the room a smile lit his face as he spoke “What’s up?” it was directed at the entire room but to some surprise it was Oz who answered. He relayed all the information that Willow had as he spoke he kicked out a chair right next to him and motioned for Xander to take a seat.

Angel wanted to…he wanted to what? //I have no claim over Xander he can do what he wants.//

In the back of his brain Angelus raged, snarling and pounded against the bars of his cage as Oz reached out a hand to squeeze Xander’s shoulder. But when Oz leaned over on the pretence of whispering some joke not meant for girlie ears it was all Angel could do not to pull Xander up and away from Oz. That’s when he heard it, Xander’s stomach growling. /Why did he not eat? We should make him eat. He needs to eat./ It had never been that easy to calm the beast before. Just like that the rage was over. Angel had been gripping the book in his hand all along so he said “Xander why don’t we return the book and you can get me some dinner on the way back.”

Still giggling Xander looked up with those brown eyes, head tilted to the side in complete non-understanding when he started to speak “How we gonna do that supervamp, it’s still day light?”

Angel who was aware of Angelus’ jealousy simply said, “Don’t you trust me?” Angel knew the boy did, all he wanted now was to calm the demon. That and keep himself from ripping the wolf apart and doing God only knew what to the boy.

Xander didn’t even answer that question he just looked like someone had thrown out his favorite pair of jeans and moved away from Oz. His head didn’t come up when spoke already walking toward the vampire. “Just don’t want my vamp dusty, is all.” Xander didn’t catch that slip, everyone else did. Xander was standing by Angel’s side head still down.

Angel did something that he had never done for Buffy, she would never stand for it. He leaned in and offered comfort, placing his hand on the small of the boys back. “You ever wonder how I get in and out of the school all the time. Let me show you how and by the time we get to the restaurant it’ll be dark. So what do you say, you want to come with me?” Angel was rubbing little circles on the small of Xander’s back as he spoke.

“Yeah” was all Xander said as he waited for Angel to lead him away.

As they moved past the exit Willow said “What are we going to tell Buffy? I’d bet my favorite spell book they don’t come back tonight.”

Oz only shrugged his shoulders. Giles voiced what everyone wanted to hear “I for one am leaving a note and going home for a well deserved rest. See you tomorrow.” He got up took his briefcase and did just that.

“Okay so…wanna come over and watch movies at my house Oz?” Willow asked getting her bag and other books together.

Oz just took her hand and said “Give you a ride. You don’t mind by the way, do you?”

The giggle Willow let slide out was infectious, “You mean how you’ve been flirting with Xander the last couple of days. I think it’s cute. Angel goes all ‘grr’ and did you hear Xander today. I thought he was going to cry over what Angel said to him. Then Angel goes all seductive purr, it was defiantly cute. Good Oz.” She pet him on the head with her free hand still giggling as she talked “oh let me leave Buffy a note, saying we went home to.” She ended.

One hour and four minutes later a slayer found a note and wondered if they all really went home. Xander’s parents said he wasn’t there. Giles told her very nicely that if the hellmouth wasn’t opening then he would see her Saturday. When she called Willows house she was invited to watch some old, how did Willow put it an old black and white mystery movie, she turned them down grabbed her favorite stake and went out hunting. She would get to the bottom of this and if it was what she thought it was she just might be cleaning Angel dust out of her new suede boots.

***
Xander was amazed, well not amazed but not as grossed out as he thought he would be, the sewer tunnel wasn’t that dirty, not that clean either. When they emerged next to the library entrance it was simple for Xander to slip the barrowed book back into the collection bin while Angel stood in the shadows.

Next stop was Willie’s. It was easy the demon bar had an underground entrance. They made their way to the bar, but it wasn’t the same as last time Xander could have sworn that if anything the other demons were going out of their way not to touch or make eye contact with him. Angel ordered a glass of fresh human blood and then turned to Xander and asked “Want anything to drink while we wait for the sun to go down?”

“Um… how about a cherry coke, can I get that here?” Xander said looking at Angel, somehow he knew Angel was the one he should ask questions of, the one who should give him the answers.

As soon as the request had been made Angel’s left eyebrow raised as did that corner of his mouth, Angel was sporting one wicked grin. Xander didn’t get it, what was so funny. Tilting his head like a confused kitten, it hit him. The blush stared at the bottom of his jaw and it creped up and down at the same time. He heard Willie’s voice in the background “Nice, I see way you like him. He’s not bad on the nose either.”

After a growl from Angel and a shaky Willie handing over the drinks they were walking to a table that had no chance of meeting any of the evenings last rays of sunlight, even though there were none on this cloudy day. Xander was hoping for something anything to take the focus from him. Looking down at his glass he noticed that Willie had actually added like four cherries to his drink, the blush got deeper. Oh great he thought never living this one down.

/Look at our boy. So pretty, he is. How can you not want him? You only ever wanted your redemption, maybe this boy, our Xander, maybe he could be it. Who or what says you have to save the world, it could be enough to just save this boy. Our boy./

Angel had no words for his demon all he ever wanted was redemption for the things he did when the demon was in full control. Xander could not be enough to make up for all the wrongs he‘d done, this world was not that kind to him. At this moment watching the boy try to calm that delicious rush of blood to the surface of his skin to cool the blush that covered his face and most likely extend halfway down his chest he found it hard to remember why he should be so concerned with righting all the wrongs that his demon committed.

He never asked for this soul, he never asked to love the slayer, he never asked at all he just got. He got a sire by the way of Darla, and then he got a demon of his very own. He got a gypsy bitch to snack on and then he got a shiny soul. He got a cryptic invite to Sunnyhell to help the new slayer now he has a sixteen year old girlfriend who won’t let him past second base. How lucky he was with all the things he got.

/That’s it Angel think about it, no matter how hard we try, we are what we are there can be no going back. We can never be human. Even if we could be human do you really want to? You really want to grow old and die? You want to watch our boy die? What about Drusilla and her William, they still live. You think they would ever let us live a human life, let us grow old in peace, and let us die? How long do you think it would take for one or both to find us? You want things that can never be ours. Give us the boy, let us make peace./

The silence between them was not unpleasant just, there. Xander broke it though “What did he mean ‘I see why you like him’?”

Angel was still steeped in his own thoughts so when the question came he just answered “It can’t go unnoticed that I’ve been protecting you. The only thing I could do to announce it more so that this human belongs to Angelus is feed you some of my blood or claim you.”

Xander eyes were wide and he couldn’t help but want it…but what was it? Cared for, taken care of, and loved. Xander’s internal babble kicked in what did he know? A little vampire blood would not kill him, make him stronger in fact. Claiming well that was different…that was…is a forever kind of thing can’t be taken back once done the human was bound to the demon for all eternity. Mostly claiming always lead to turning.

What else did he remember the oldest claimant was like three hundred and twenty-seven years old when his vampire turned him on its death bed according to the watcher journals? He remembered reading about it with Buffy and Willow. Both the girls had thought it romantic, if he had been alone he might have admitted that he thought so to. Sometimes all he wanted was to climb into someone’s lap and be held, petted and reassured that all the things he father said weren’t true just like he used to do with Jess.

Jess was so long ago what he would do for Jess to still be with him, how different would his life be. They had plans till sixteen, and then they were out of Sunnydale. Travel somewhere nice somewhere quiet. Like Iowa, somewhere your friends didn’t disappear in the night so easy.

Now he sat across from Angel and tried to understand if that was an offer or a statement.

Angel was distressed by the fact that he had in effect just offered to claim Xander and the boy was just looking off into space. //I told you he would not want us.//

/Wait it takes him a little time. You should know this by now./ It felt strange to be chided by his demon. It was usually Angel who was telling the demon to calm itself. “Want to…We should get moving.” Angel said already on his feet.

The boy however never answered, he don’t even hear Angel he got up and started to follow Angel because that was a constant for him now. He never wondered about it, never thought to question it, just followed. “You never said if you liked the book Angel.”

Angel had a lot of questions about the book that had been shoved into his hand after a particularly boring night when Angel put a book into Xander hands telling him he would like it. Though the book was good, the main charter was mistreated and abused by his family and friends. Xander was trying to tell him something. Exactly what Angel did not know.

“I really liked it, the story was…it was disturbing and compelling at the same time it also reminded me a little of you.” Angel did not want to go too far have the boy shut down, that had happened before, but he had to say it.

“Like how he tries even when he fails he still tries. He looks for all these things to save him…

Angel pulled him to his side hiding them in the shadows, between two buildings. Xander’s only response was to pull a stake out of his back pocket and ready himself to attack whatever was to pass them. What happened next was a little strange, it was Buffy that passed the opening.

Xander leaned back into the bigger frame. Angel meet him solid and unmoving just holding him by his upper arms. Xander felt chosen. For once picked first, no one had done that since Jess even Willow had wanted to play with the others, he had come up to her after she had been rejected by the cool kids and offered her his yellow crayon to replace the one they had broken. Now Angel had picked him over Buffy, even if was just this once. He just leaned further back into the vampire and though he knew it couldn’t be true he felt warmed by the closeness of Angel’s body to his.

Minutes passed before Angel spoke, “Where do you want to eat? Then tell me why you didn’t use that money to eat today.”

The blush stated again and the sent of shame was immediate. “I um…the steak house would be great if that’s okay.” They started to walk and he continued, “I um, owed twenty bucks to Mrs. Larson she lent me the money a while ago and I know it’s just her and her two kids so I paid it back instead of eating lunch. She said I didn’t have to, but I overheard her telling one of her kids they couldn’t do or get something cause she wouldn’t have the money till the Friday after this one, so I gave it to her. Don’t be mad, I just …”

Xander didn’t know why but the idea of disappointing Angel was a very unnerving one, worse than making him angry even. Pain Xander could deal with. Angel withdrawing from him or leaving was not.

“I’m not mad at you, I’m just…I should have known what you needed. I should be taking better care of you than this.”

Xander looked god-smacked as Angel talked about not taking care of him and how he should be doing a better job. It had been so long since any cared for him. Jess had let him curl up and cry in his lap, always made sure he had extra lunch money everyday and there was always a sleep over or two planed each week. God he missed Jess. Willow had tried a little helping him with school work, but she was not a teacher and just didn’t acknowledge things she didn’t understand or couldn’t change. So many just ignored any pleas Xander made for help or assistance, he hardly ever made them anymore. If his own mother didn’t listen then why should anyone else.

Angel and Xander did not see Harris Sr. across the street exiting the liquor store with tonight’s hall. It was Friday after all and it was time to spend his paycheck. He caught the sight of his son and a man walking into ‘Longhorn Steak House’ the man held the door open for Xander as they entered he was sure of it. The boy had always been weak, now he was apparently… his son Xander Harris was a bottom boy as well.

Harris Sr. walked across the street just being missed by a geo metro driven by a college student who was now hyperventilating over the idea of almost hitting a pedestrian.

He watched from the window as the man and his son sat in a booth across from each other. He watched the man order and his son sit there with a pure look of adoration plastered across his face. He watched Xander inhale everything on his plate. He watched the man pay, leave a tip and Xander follow him out of the restaurant. Harris Sr. moved into the shadow mimicking the actions Angel and Xander had taken just an hour before.

Harris Sr. watched them walk down the strip of shops and restaurants and stop at of all places a bookstore. A fucking bookstore, what the hell? He watched the man and Xander walk up to the café counter and each get some type of drink and the man pay. For the next 45 minutes he watched them split apart and then come back together showing each other book after book. Each time that Xander would show the man a book he would look at it then more likely than not place it in the growing pill to the left of the chair his son was ensconced in.

Harris Sr. was distracted from his watching by an ache in lower back how long had he been standing here holding this dammed bag? He was thinking about going to take back his son back when Xander extracted himself from the chair and ran off only to come back shoving a book into the mans face. His son then refolded himself into the chair, the man pointed to something on the floor beside the chair and Xander bent over the chair arm, the next movement was smooth and, unnoticed by his son the man slipped what looked like money into the boys back pocket. When his son sat up the man said something leaning deep into Xander’s personal space, not that his son seemed to have any personal space when it came to this man. Xander did something he hadn’t seen him do in so long, he laughed not a little half smile of supplication, but laughed a giggled even.

At that Xander’s father turned and walked back to his car, making up his mind to drink light tonight he wanted to be awake when his son got home from his date.

Inside the only independent bookstore on the downtown strip Xander laughed. Who would have known that Angel read Douglas Adams, enjoyed Douglas Adams, and could quote Douglas Adams?

Xander stood next to Angel as he put a very large stack of books on the counter, the sales clerk smiled at them, they were making her night. Angel pushed two bills at the cashier which seemed to the universal sign for the clerk not to say the total price out loud. Xander would have protested a little if Angel hadn’t told him to go wait outside when the clerk started bagging the books up. After walking away from the counter Angel was loaded down with two bags of books Angel still had the time and forethought to push a candy bar into one of Xander’s hand. Xander never noticing after that Angel took his other hand to lead him away from the lingerie store window next to the bookstore. He didn’t even notice that Angel never let it go and that they at this moment were holding hands on Sunnydale’s one and only Main Street on a Friday night.

They walked in silence and since this is the hellmouth, three blocks from Xander’s house the heel on the slayers new suede boots broke causing her to curse and to get on all fours to find the missing piece of her boot. This is how Angel and Xander passed her without seeing her. Once found Buffy stood and watched the objects of her search going in the direction she just came from. Moving along the hedge line she couldn’t see, but she thought they might be holding hands or just standing really close together a little voice in her brain supplied ‘and that’s better how?’ Buffy did the only thing she could she followed and watched, Xander was human after all and her friend. Slaying could wait this once.

Unknowing that they were an must see event on this night Angel felt the a familiar feeling creep up his spin that signaled the slayer appearance but ignored it, no way she was this close without throwing a fit so it had to be something else and they wouldn’t dare. Besides if anything else was to attack them, he just might just let Angelus out to handle it, for ruining his perfect walk with his boy.

Less than a block away from the house Xander pulled Angel into a grouping of trees in a neighbor’s yard and with his eyes studying the grass below his feet he asked, “Did you mean it? Do you really want to mark me like that? Do you…I don’t know, want me cause no one has before not since…well not since a long time ago.”

/Yes. Please he’s asking. He should never have to ask./

Angel did not ignore the demon in his head he just let him play in the backdrop of his mind pleas, promises and threats all weaving into one prayer of PLEASE. When had his demon ever asked ever said please? //I have to know first.//

“Do you know what it means to let me take blood from you to give you mine?” Angel had to know. He wouldn’t let the boy walk into this blind. He put his hand under Xander’s chin to bring their eyes in line.

There was a small nod from Xander before he answered. “It would mean I belong to you and that I would um…I don’t know, I would do what you say, like I do now. You could uh…do stuff to me, but I know you love Buffy and I won’t question that, and hay not huh too sure about the entire gay or bi thing right now. Not to sure if I’m, you know…or just a horny teenage boy. I really don’t expect that from you, but I do know that there is a difference between a blood tie and a claiming. If you want to drink from me if you get hurt or just so your stronger you wouldn’t kill me and it would put a sort of off limits sign on me that other demons can smell if they get close up. I also know that vampires that keep humans to drink from usually tie them by blood to make them stronger, more resistant to disease and blood drainage cause vampire don’t usually drain somebody they have blood ties to and…um I think that’s all I know. Did I miss anything?

/Of course my boy would know. Blood tie you could do that. It is not a claim. He understands and wont interfere with you precious slayer. Please I…I need him, without him, without my hope of having him, making him mine the only other dreams I have are of the sun./

Angel had never felt this before. The need for blood, the loneliness, that want of another to care for he always felt that, knew those needs were there. The want of dawn he had never…no that was a lie he had felt it he just never acknowledged it. Always thought it was fleeting that it would go away. Now Angel was not so sure. What would he do, what would happen to him if his demon just stopped, quit. Angel may not want to admit it but he knows that one can not be without the other now. Although they are two they need each other Angel knows the soul isn’t strong enough on it own and the demon by now is slightly insane without the soul Angelus could suck the world into hell and not even notice.

The silence was making Xander a little nervous but he had to say this now before, “There is one promise I need from you though. Before if that’s okay?”

Xander did not notice the horror in the vampire’s eye as Angelus stared to go wild inside his head. /What if he wants us not to…You can not promise him…/ It was Angel who calmed the demon in his head this time //Wait lets see what he wants.// Angel took in an unneeded breath and said, “What is it that you want, Xander?”

Looking up into Angel’s eyes so there could no mistake “I don’t want to be a vampire, no turning, no matter what. I want to leave this life behind one day I want peace, I’ve earned it, I think.” Xander’s eyes went down again after he finished speaking. This could be a deal breaker and he knew it.

/Yes we can live with that. If we claim him proper he will be warm, stronger than the slayer eventually and immortal as long as we exist. We can promise this./

//Not that I want to turn him but think, this is the hellmouth, so many things can happen here, if we promise if something happens he will be lost to us ...to you.//

/Promise him…please./

“Okay.” Angel had to tell him the rest. “You do know that the more blood we share the stronger you will be and the deeper the connection will be.” Xander nodded ready to agree since his one condition was met, but Angel continued. “I have to tell you that I have no, we have feelings for you and I am not quite sure what they are and how they will manifest themselves toward you. I can tell you that it is my demon that …loves you, wants you. You must understand demons don’t love the way humans do and he no I, that’s not fair either. I should say we are not always genital with things we care for. I can not promise you flowers and candied harts even on Valentines Day. “

They watched the boy think it over. Whimpering in the background /Why did you say that? Why make him doubt us. We could be good./

//If he agrees it will be because he wants all of us not just the outside display. He has to understand what she does not. That we could hurt him…kill him even through design or accident, and design or accident would make him no less hurt or dead. I wont be able to protect him from us for all time.//

Xander watched the vampire as he thought, at first he was taken back by the admission but it made since he attracted demons like no other. This demon though seems to be attached to him and willing to stand between him and anything on this plane and all the others combined.

Xander has noticed how Angel always walks a pace in front of him, opens doors for him, makes sure he never sees the tally of how much things cost when they are out together. Angel even orders his food when they go to restaurants together. He had asked him to order once since Angel was paying he could decide how much Xander’s dinner would cost him, from that day on at the few restaurants they were regulars at the servers asked Angel what the order would be for that night, and then they brought the food to Xander and check to Angel. For the servers who got it right with no fuss the tip was always worth it. Once during dinner Xander had to go to the restroom Angel actual stood when he got to leave and when he returned. To be truthful Angel treated like a girl or a…what?

What Angel had said was true. Angel had never lied to him before. The demon would hurt him eventual for something he does or doesn’t do. The accounts were not all sunshine and light for humans with blood ties to a vampire or a vampire clan. It seemed it was his destiny that any affection given him, would be given to him by those who also took delight in hurting him.

Xander placed his hands in his pockets and came in contact with the candy bar Angel had pushed at him earlier. A smile crept up one side of his face making his eyes shine when he looked at Angel. No candy harts, that’s okay he gives me chocolate, feeds me and makes sure no nasties make a snack of me, even taught me some fighting moves. To be honest pain really held no fear for Xander, losing his protector and his friend did. Being blood tied to Angel meant that Angel could have fresh human blood, so the vampire would be stronger. The blood tie would keep the vampire from draining him unless he really did want to kill him. Xander was looking for a down side and saw none.

Being loved by a demon meant he would belong to it, had to accept it, submit to it, and he was already doing all of those things. In truth he enjoyed doing them. He liked the way Angel treated him when they were alone, and tonight he had chosen him over Buffy even. Yeah, he could do this demon love thing.

“Okay, but um…no sex stuff cause you are still Buffy’s boyfriend and I don’t…uh two time my friends.” Xander tried to make his face look unyielding as he spoke, but he knew he didn’t pull it off.

Angelus knew the answer would be yes he could smell the confusion then the acceptance then elation. /Yes. Say yes. Whatever God you pray to will not be able to save you, if my boy walks away from here unclaimed by us./

//It is a blood tie not a claim. I can not have you yelling at me to take the boy if ties himself to us. Are you listening to what he just said?//

/I agree, but if he comes to us. Asks us then he will be claimed by us, agreed?/

//Yes.// Xander may be a little curious and giving off a slight smell of arousal but like he said he was a teenaged boy. To be claimed by them would be…an outright submission and the boy was to strong for that not nearly that broken to give up a piece of his soul to Angelus.

Angel put the bags down stepped forward in game face and bit into his wrist, and offered it to Xander. Xander took Angel’s gift with both hands and put his lips to the openwound the blood sizzled through Xander’s brain and down his spine. His eyes locked with the vampire’s gold ones, he was looking at Angelus and he knew it. When the words started he was already willing to give his master whatever thing he asked for.

“I Angelus of Aurelius take Alexander Harris to be mine, tied to me by blood. I give to him freely and take from him as it is now my right.” Angel pulled his wrist slightly away from Xander who let go but whimpered at its loss. Xander wanted so badly to push himself against Angel and what… he didn’t know what, but he wanted something. Pulling away a little he did the only thing could, gave the only thing he had, that he thought a 250 year old master vampire could want from him he bared his neck.

“Aye thank you boy, I won’t betray the trust you put in us.” Angelus was in the forefront for the first time in over a century. He stepped forward and Xander just closed his eyes tilted his head further back and waited.

He did not wait long. How could Angelus resist? He licked first tasting the skin from collarbone to jaw line he found that spot on Xander’s neck the one where pulse raises the skin with its movement. Angelus bit in slow unconsciously making it harder on his boy. Oh god the blood from the first instant, there were no words for it. It was so much better than the few drops he had before. He could taste it all the shame, acceptance, weakened pride, the submission, the gratitude and the love. Yes, his boy loved him not just the soul but the demon as well. The demon and the soul were high on the taste, the feel and the sound of Xander. Angel could feel the magic slinking into place, like silk over undressed skin it felt good, so good. He would take just a little more.

It was Xander’s turn to hold onto his dark knight, how long had it been since he drank, what did Angel had called it, freely given blood. Xander was a little ashamed when they bit into him he was so hard and he only got harder, but then he felt it a corresponding hardness pushed at him. He could hear the sound of his blood being taken. He tried to hold on, he pushed he hands inside Angels coat and held on the best he could. He did not want to pull away until he had been given permission.

Xander’s head started to swim. Angel would drain him or stop drinking from him soon either way he would better off than he had been before. Then he felt it, he had never felt anything close to this before it was bliss. Yes, he Xander Harris was so happy that he was blissed out, high on…high on Angel, high on Angelus. He stopped all pretense of holding up his own weight, pushed his hips against his Angel and came.

Angel pulled his fangs from Xander licking the wound that was already closing. After drinking Angel’s blood his boy would heal faster, be stronger and belong to the vampire. There was no pretending now Xander did not belong to them. The vampire stood in the darkness and waited. It happened slowly Xander blinked once and then again, and then looked up at him, Xander tried to right himself but couldn’t seem to untangle from Angel.

“That was, oh God I can’t even define that.” Xander was righting himself now as he spoke. Then he blushed red, bright red “Um sorry about that…I didn’t mean to…”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m stronger than I look, holding you up was not a hardship. That will happen sometimes especially until you get used to it.” Angel was licking his lip making sure he got every fragment of Xander’s freely given blood inside himself, just incase he never had another chance.

Xander was watching that tongue and was quickly wishing for the privacy of his own basement room. “I better be getting in before I miss curfew.” Xander said as he was already moving toward his house.

They both missed the slayer watching them open mouthed and pissed. She had listened to every word spoken. Her view had not been the best Angel was bigger than Xander and blocking most of what was going on. She was also afraid to move for fear of vampire hearing. Angel was hers and the only reason there wasn’t dust now on the side walk human or not, was because there had been no kissage and Xander had acknowledged that Angel was her boyfriend, and there would be no sex stuff just blood. The demon loved Xander or whatever, there was also no dust because she had a plan.

She followed the tied pair to Xander’s porch and watched to make sure that her friend kept his word.

On the porch Xander turned and gave Angel a hug. “Thanks for tonight it was fun just hanging out doing guy stuff.” Before Xander pulled back to put his key in the door Angel placed one of the bags into his hand and moved into the darkness. Angel missed seeing the tears, but he could smell them.

Xander entered his house saw both his parents passed out. His father in the chair his mom on the couch, as his passed this nightly scene he turned off the television and made his way to the basement. After closing the door like always he placed three wooden wedges under the door. His father hadn’t come down into the basement when he was there since he had been told to pack up and move down here. The wedges just made him feel safer, let him sleep.

Xander stripped out of his shirt and jeans, the jeans could be worn again the boxers however were shot. Xander walked into the shower and turned it on. In the shower he tried for a few minutes to calm himself by thinking of math class, when that didn’t work he thought of the fact that he had to find a way to get all the stuff out of his locker and divided among the girls who seemed to think his locker was a community space in the last three days of the school year. All his thoughts lead back to Angel. He reached out and turned off the hot water. That didn’t work either he tried again, all of his friends are leaving and by this time next week he would be all alone, no Buffy, Willow, Giles or even Oz, just he and Angel.

That realization did it, Xander moved his right hand down brushing it against his belly on its way to its goal, and he put his left hand on the wall and thought of Angel this time on purpose.

The imagery flooded his brain: Angel opening doors for him, Angel standing for him, Angel listening to him, Angel offering his protection, Angel giving him his blood, Angle sinking teeth into him, Angle letting him push against him. Xander began to pant but it was the image of Angel’s tongue licking the last of his own blood off the vampires lips, that did it for him.

Xander should have been ashamed, but he wasn’t, Xander had learned to accept happiness anywhere he could get it. Silly, funny these came so easy to him, happy did not. He dried off looked in the mirror and reminded himself that he need to get a hair cut soon. He walked out of the bathroom got a pair boxers from his dresser put them on then walked toward the bed when he changed direction picked up his discarded jacket and pulled out the candy bar he unwrapped the label part leaving the foil in tact, climbed into bed breaking off two pieces and rewrapping the rest and placing it under his pillow. The smile on his face might as well have been hooked to a blinking sign that blatantly said kid with a secret, kid that’s happy, and last but not least kid with candy sleeping right here.

For the first time since he staked Jess by mistake Xander fell asleep with a smile on his face.

Across town a master vampire settled into his bed still in his cloths, surrounded in the smell of his boy. Angel could still taste him. That’s when he noticed it, in the rear of his mind Angelus purring and something else had happened that nagging little whine was gone. That whine was almost continuous to him now, not that he missed it. A begging to be let lose, to run, to fight, to fuck, to be free had stopped. In its wake was the purr. It felt so good, he felt...no they felt so good. All the other things he had tried had failed and now he knew the demon was right.

Xander could be his redemption he could to bind his soul and demon not only to this body but together to each other.

***
Xander was sleeping soundly so he missed the rattle of the basement door, when Harris Sr. tried to open it. He did not hear his son come in but he missed the white noise of the television and with the sound of the water heater groaning in its use, he had woken up.

He had gotten up to have a talk with his son. He truly hated going into the basement, that’s why he moved his child down here. He tried to open the door, it didn’t budge. He could kick it open, but that would wake his wife he didn’t want that he wanted to have this talk in private.