Introductions

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Part 23

Another night of trying to write, when all Harris really wanted to be doing was wandering the city with his Claimed. It wasn't as though he hadn't done his time patrolling, after all. Still, if he was ever going to finish his new book he had to work on it and what were his choices, really? Spend the afternoons on it when he could be with Spike instead? Not likely.

So there he was, sitting at the desk in the corner trying to put words down while his mind wandered, imagining what his vampire was up to. Unfortunately for him-- and for his fans-- that wasn't getting it done. His deadline was getting closer and closer and he just couldn't seem to concentrate.

"Fuck!" he sighed, rubbing at the ache of his missing eye. "Okay. Lavelle is in Rome where he, Bunny, Rowan and her girlfriend Carter meet up with the lovely Mary. For whatever reason the beautiful dark-haired girl takes a liking to poor one-eyed Lavelle."
He frowned and read the last few paragraphs he'd written then shook his head before deleting them. "This should NOT be so hard. Hell, it's my LIFE! I lived it! So why can't I put it down on paper... computer. Whatever?"

Spike chuckled from the doorway, smirking when the young man jumped a bit. "Maybe, luv, because you don't want ta finish it... get ta th' end of that one an' th' next one's goin' ta have ta deal with Lavelle an' Mary not workin' out... an' th' YOU bloke starting ta write... might be a bit too close ta home for you, yah?"

Harris grinned. "You're home early, babe... it's barely even three." Then he sighed. "You're probably right, though. I mean, okay... I always admitted that Lavelle was based on me when I was a kid, but... I don't think I really want everyone figuring out that the things in the books really happened, you know?"

"So change it," he said with a shrug as he strolled over to kiss his Claimed. "Give th' Lavelle in your book a different life, yah? Th' one you always wished you'd have."

"Mmmm..." the brunette came as close to purring as he could then laughed softly. "So I should have him end up shacking up with Spark and having incredibly hot man-sex? Because I gotta tell you, babe... that's exactly the life I wished for after Sunnydale imploded, no matter HOW unlikely it seemed, what with you being dead and all."

Spike grinned and pulled his beloved from his chair then dragged him into the living room and collapsed on the couch, the brunette beside him. "Right, then. An' seein' as I did come home early an' you're stalled... how about we just give up on work for tonight, 'ey? We could go out or somethin'. Figure you must be hungry by now, luv. 's almost time for your four AM pizza call," he winked.

Harris laughed and shook his head, looking down at his bare feet and sweat pants. "And the reason I always order IN at night, babe? The complete and utter lack of desire to get dressed enough to go out."

"Think I might have bought us some more of that frosting, pet... could get even less dressed an' have a bit of a snack..." One dark brow waggled playfully under white blond hair, pulling a laugh from the human.

"Actually, I was thinking about ordering something from that all night sushi place, love... unless you'd rather go with the pizza after all?" It was a valid question, simply because Harris had never seen Spike pass on any of the human food in the apartment. No, if HE was eating, his vampire had to join in, even if it was just stealing bites from his plate and eating them VERY suggestively. "But I'll be sure to save some room for dessert," he offered, his own brows bobbing wickedly.

Spike sighed and pouted playfully. "Fine. Make me wait. Get your soddin' raw fish, see if I care."

And Harris had to laugh again, even while he moved closer and caught the soft, cool lips with his own warmer ones. His tongue dipped slowly and demandingly into Spike's mouth and he nearly crawled into his lap as he pressed himself closer still, one hand sliding up a cotton-clad arm and shoulder until his fingers tangled in short blond hair, his other hand finding the outline of one hidden silver ring and twisting lightly.

"I'm gonna make you scream tonight, babe... make you shiver until the only thing that'll help is feeling me cum so deep in you you'll be able to taste me..." he murmured against the cool mouth, his tongue diving deep again.

The vampire groaned, lips and tongue devouring the mouth on his willfully, teeth nipping gently at the twisting, teasing flexible muscle of his beloved, then sighed as the other man pulled away. "Bloody hell, pet..."

"So... tuna roll, right? And a spicy shrimp roll, babe?"

Spike pouted slightly, his eyes promising a reckoning later, but he nodded as he rubbed at the pronounced bulge in his jeans. "Yah... an' some of that seaweed salad, luv... an' don't forget th'..."

"Extra wasabi. I know, Spike!" Harris grinned and stood quickly before sauntering off to save his book and make the call. It was a good thing the place delivered quickly at this time of night. He really wanted his dessert.

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He'd barely hung up the phone when it rang again, the caller ID showing Elliot's cell number.

"Hey," Harris said worriedly, "How's it going, buddy?"

Elliot's voice sounded less tense than it had in days when he replied.

"I think... pretty good, all things considered. He... let us hold him earlier. Without screaming, I mean."

"Okay... and that's good? Or am I missing something?"

"Well, compared to how he was before we got here, yeah, it's good. I... sorry about earlier. He doesn't know you guys know what happened, so..." a sigh.

"Oh... got it. Okay. So as far as Spike and I go, we just think you guys are on a little vacation." His voice sounded skeptical, of course. Robert MUST know Elliot's best friend knew. After all, the blond had been at his place when he'd suddenly run off for Oklahoma.

"Fine," another sigh, "Maybe he does know and he's just... in denial or something. Hell, I'm surprised he's not in denial about the whole thing. He's... stronger than I think even HE knows, Harris."

"But that's a good thing, right? I mean..." Harris nodded as Spike came into the small office. "Hold on, El. Spike's here. I'm putting you on speaker."

"Okay... so like I was saying, that's a good thing, right?" he smiled at his vampire, relaxing into the strong embrace he was offered.

"I hope so," Elliot said after a moment, "I'm just worried that... I don't know."

"What, mate? That he might try ta be too strong an' handle it all himself?" Spike frowned, his chin resting on his Xan's shoulder. "Doubt you an' Trev will let that happen, yah?"

Elliot sighed one more time. "Not planning on it, Will. At least he isn't having the nightmares again... Oh! That reminds me! Something strange happened... well, maybe not strange for you guys, but still..."

Harris felt his eye growing wide as his friend told him about the unusual Native American woman and her bizarrely appropriate gift. "Okay... and you're sure there isn't a Hellmouth there, right? Because that sounds like it has weird written all over it, El."

Spike snorted. "Not bloody likely. 's a Reservation, right? Holy ground an' all. Th' bad native boogedies aren't rightly known for traipsin' about in broad daylight, either." He shrugged, repeating what he‘d read in the book Anya‘d left behind that Thanksgiving with the bear.

. "Not sayin' it isn't odd, mate, but if young Bobby seems ta be even a little better, you might want ta stop questionin' it an' just go with it, yah?"

The blond on the phone was silent for a second or two. "I guess I'm afraid it'll go away. Whatever it is that's making him feel...I don't know. Not GOOD about what happened but... not so completely destroyed, either."

The vampire shrugged again, even though the other man couldn't see him. "An' maybe it WILL go away, bloke. Suggest you treasure it while you can, though. An' didn't you say th' old bird put a blessin' on you? Might be this is part of it."

Elliot's voice was a bit lighter when he replied. "I guess it could be. Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know we're here and... things are looking a little bit better. I... well, thanks for worrying."

"No problem, El... we know he's special to you, and... well, we just want him to be okay, too. You'll keep us in the loop?"

"Yeah... uh, Harris? He... Robert. He's special to both of us. We, uh... hell, we love him, okay? How's that for loopy?"

" 's a bloody good thing, mate," Spike said smugly. "Doubt th' Powers would have sent 'Patia ta Trev an' you if you weren't meant ta luv th' bloke, yah? Just needed someone ta kick your asses a bit 'til you saw reason."

"Okay... and that's an interesting perspective..."

Another snort. " 's what it looks like from out here, mate. Figure you might be seein' it some other way, but that's how it is, right, luv?" He arched a brow at his Claimed, his arms loosening around the dark-haired young man.

"Uh, maybe. But it doesn't matter, El. You guys will help him and things will work out. Just... let us know how it's going every once in a while, okay?"

"Yeah... I will. And thanks, guys. It really means a lot to me that you care."

"Later, mate. Sushi's here."

"I'll call in a couple days. Probably late again. I... wanted to wait until Robert was sleeping." A slightly guilty sound. "Bye, guys... and thanks again."

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(AN: Thanks to TheShadowCat Kat DaniKitten ReityGirl & nulinka for the reviews Always appreciated)