Speed Demon

Chapter Twenty

Spike had been staring pensively down at Xander for over an hour when the older man’s eyelashes fluttered open. The slow, broad smile that crossed his half-asleep face when he saw Spike’s blue eyes watching him made the blonde’s heart skip a beat and fill close to brimming with emotion.

“Mornin’ sweetheart,” Xander rumbled, lazily stretching out, muscles rippling in the early dawn light as his knuckles brushed the wall behind the headboard, toes pointing to the bottom of the bed.

Unable to resist touching him, Spike slid even closer, sliding a thigh up high over the older man’s, nudging the half-hard cock he found gently as he nuzzled his face against Xander’s neck. “Mmn,” he heard him groan out as his arms came down, one hand falling lightly into Spike’s hair to stroke and pet as he mouthed over the brunette’s throat.

Spike didn’t resist as large hands tugged him up and over, sprawling him gently onto Xander’s chest. “Someone’s in a good mood this morning,” his lover drawled out, arching a black eyebrow in question and he simply nodded, not yet trusting his voice.

He ducked his head down to lick and lave Xander’s lips before softly sliding his tongue between them, stroking it slickly against the other man’s as Xander moaned into his mouth. With the older man’s hands stroking and rubbing at his back, he focused his attention to the mouth under his and gave everything he was, everything he had inside, into that kiss, sharing every emotion, every quiver and murmur, every small gasp.

Slowly pulling back from the long, drugging kiss, Spike lifted his head to brush his lips over Xander’s face, adoring him with tiny presses of lips to skin. “I love you too, ya know,” he finally whispered raggedly, heart pounding at letting those three words out into the open, hovering in the air between them to be taken as a gift or a curse, depending on the future. The fact he even admitted them out loud showed clearly that he did, in fact, trust in a future for them now.

Xander’s eyes widened before softening, the adoring, loving smile lighting them up before it even reached his mouth. His hand came up to stroke Spike’s nape tenderly as he murmured softly, “I had hoped, baby. I had hoped.”

What followed was the softest, most intense lovemaking that either had ever experienced, even together. Their hearts vulnerable and aching, yet almost bursting with love, wonderment and a very small shiver of fear, they clung together, lips never parting more than a moment as they shared breath, gasps and cries into the other.

When Spike could hold back no longer, his every cell screaming for relief, every inch of his skin so sensitized that a brush of Xander’s fingers could make him cry out, muscles aching, heart pounding in his ears, he finally raised his lips from Xander’s one last time to roll his hips, throw his head back and sob roughly as he came.

Distantly, he heard and felt Xander buck up into him, shaking and crying out underneath him as he released deep into Spike’s body, but the blonde was still in fragments, shuddering as he tried to breathe, tried to find enough of the pieces of his heart and soul left to put himself back together.

The warm, rough hands tenderly stroking his back as he sank back down on Xander’s chest helped, as did the soft whisper of a kiss to his tumbled mess of sweaty curls, but the aching, sleepy murmurs of ‘love you love you’ gently reformed him. By the time their eyes closed to catch a few more hours of sleep, Spike felt enough like himself again to not even miss the remnants of pain, horror, despair and bitter rage that had been clinging so strongly to him for so many years.

----

Clinging tightly to Willow’s hand as they strode down the halls of the busy airport, Spike wished like hell he could keep her there, always. Even though they were in the same country now, it just wasn’t enough. But he couldn’t keep her from her dreams, her education… he’d never even try.

The look in her eyes as she glanced at him every few seconds, pleading with him to understand that she needed the time on her own, away from everyone, the past, their family, told him she knew what he was feeling, though. And the shimmer of tears showed him she felt the same.

When they stumbled to a stop, both turning towards the other to apologize and beg for understanding, two large warm hands gently urged them on, as Xander said softly, “Only a little further, you two, then you can talk somewhere more private.”

Spike started, glancing around, and realized that he hadn’t even noticed the all of the people discreetly watching them. Far enough away to not be a bother but not enough for them to have a deep conversation in the middle of the walkway.

When they got to Willow’s gate, there were no other passengers there yet and with Xander blocking them, looking menacing with his unshaved face and sleepy eyes, they had a few minutes to talk in relative privacy.

“I don’t want to leave, William, this week has been so great, catching up and everything. If I hadn’t promised her I would be there tonight for this dinner of hers, I would go with you guys wherever you go until I have to get ready for school. But I promise I’ll be around and you can come see me whenever you have a free couple of days! And-” Willow said quickly, staring up into his eyes intently.

“Hey, hey,” Spike whispered, stopping the fast babble of words, “I know. It’s okay, ‘m just going to really miss ya. Bloody college, aren’t you smart enough yet?” he teased, smiling when she laughed.

“I love you, Wills, but you have to follow your dreams. I’ll be seeing ya so often in California that you’ll be sick of me soon enough, yeah?”

“Never happen,” she swore, wrapping her arms around him to hold him tight and his throat closed. He swallowed hard, blinking back tears as he stared down at her bright red hair, wondering again how he was going to let her get on that plane.

A sudden low sound from Xander that sounded suspiciously like a growl made him glance back at his lover, only to go still in shock as he stared at his father. They had known he would be leaving today but not what time and with the crowd at the airport, he really hadn’t expected to see him.

From the way Ian was standing, it was obvious that he had just been walking by but had seen the three of them in the small waiting area. The look of anger and distaste that briefly crossed his face made Spike narrow his eyes, as he watched him try to smooth it away for a more amiable look. He knew his father still wanted those commercials from him but it would be a cold day in hell before that happened.

When Ian started towards them, Willow hissed out into his ear just loud enough for him and Xander to hear, “Kiss Xander! It’ll get rid of him!”

Spike threw her a startled look before his face broke into a grin that she matched and turning back around, he stepped up next to his lover, who was near vibrating with anger. Nudging him around, Spike wrapped an arm around the older man’s back and yanked him close, leaning up to claim a kiss from the startled lips.

Within seconds, Xander was responding, though, over his shock and well on his way through a mind blowing, scorching kiss that rocked Spike back onto his heels when the brunette lifted his head with a knowing smirk. Hands still unconsciously clutching at Xander’s shirt, Spike pulled in a rough breath and breathed out, “Damn.”

“I’ll say,” came Willow’s awed reply and, barely tossing a look over at Ian’s disgusted face, Xander pulled her forward. “You are a devious little thing. I like that.”

With no other warning than that, he pulled her close to him and Spike, ducking his head to gently place a kiss on her lips, only deepening it when she parted them eagerly. With wide eyes, Spike watched his lover kiss his step-sister breathless and wondered briefly if he should be jealous, but the dazed look on Willow’s face just made him grin. She stood on her toes, hands coming up to thread through his hair and as the kiss went on, Spike had the sneaking suspicion that she had forgotten anyone else was there.

Holding back a snicker, he shook his head but made no move to interrupt, knowing that no matter how much she had teased him, she had had a pretty big crush on Xander all those years ago, too. Sneaking a glance at his father’s now shocked face, he rolled his eyes and wondered what it would take to make the man leave. He really didn’t want another confrontation.

He was over it all, though he would never forgive or forget, it wouldn’t haunt him now.

When Xander finally lifted his head, Willow stumbled, muttering, “Wow..” Laughing, Spike pulled her to him, an evil glimmer in his eyes. “Yeah, he’s good at ‘wow’. My turn now.”

Her eyes went huge but she made no protest, face flushing even more as her lips parted for his soft, tender kiss. There was no lust, no desire in the kiss but it was filled with love, tenderness and a soft ‘thank you for always being there, being the one person I could trust, who would love me no matter what.’

There were tears glimmering in her eyes when he raised his head, only distantly hearing his father’s aghast yell as the man turned and finally left. His thumb came up to gently stroke over her bottom lip and it quivered, the tears spilling down her cheeks. Hugging her tightly to his chest, he murmured words of love until she calmed.

He felt Xander’s strong presence at his back and he leaned his head against the older man’s shoulder, placing a soft kiss on his jaw. Spike had everything he needed right there with him, if only for a few more minutes, and he had never felt more blessed.

There were more tears, more hugs and kisses, this time only on cheeks, before Willow finally got onto the plane.

Spike sighed, leaning back against Xander’s chest as they watched the airplane take off. They had to leave soon, to go pack up and drive back to this very airport for their flight later that evening, but neither had any desire to move just yet. When Xander placed a tender kiss full of understanding and love on his forehead, Spike smiled up at him and felt that, even though a huge piece of his life was flying away a mere week after him getting it back, that everything would be okay. He was safe, loved and protected and it felt…right.

So right that, until they turned to leave, he hadn’t even realized that he had been cuddling and kissing Xander right out in public with no care as to who would pass by and see them. When the older man arched a brow and asked what he was grinning over, he shook his head and just continued to walk, hand in hand. He was healing, finally.

Squeezing Xander’s hand, he laughed out loud and leaned up to pull the other man’s head down for an intense, hot, wet and toe curling kiss, before breaking away and gazing up into the black, smoldering eyes that promised much the moment they were alone. They both ignored the claps and whistles, camera flashes and cheers, focusing only on the love shining in each other’s eyes.

Yeah. It felt right.

~End~