A Viking in L A

Part 5

"I still don't see what's wrong with my clothes!"

Spike paced back and forth in the hotel lobby as Xander and Angel shared a look.

"Especially coming from you! At least I don't wear Hawaiian shirts, how you can dress like that and criticize my taste is beyond me."

"I haven't worn a Hawaiian shirt since the night I died. And besides, I picked those clothes for a reason. They were cheap, and the way I was always being tossed around was hard on my clothes."

"Your clothes were hard on my eyes!"

"I dress much better now. Thank you very much. And at least I'm not stuck in the same outfit night after night, year after year, decade after..."

"Alright! You made your bleedin' point. But I refuse to wear anything ugly or poncy."

"Uh uh. You screamed, you lost. I get to pick whatever I want. I can make you wear a leather thong and nothing else if I choose."

The two men looked at each other, lust shining in their eyes.

"Wouldn't mind that luv, just get one fer yerself as well eh?"

Angel groaned and shook his head. It was bad enough trying to get Cordelia to believe him when he said that he didn't hear anything last night when Spike roared and shook the building. He knew that sound. It could only mean one thing. Spike had gotten laid. Very well from the sound of it. He certainly didn't need any visuals to accompany the noises next time.

When he saw the two younger vampires earlier in the evening he had asked them if they would try to be a bit quieter next time. That was when it was explained to him that they were testing Spike's ability to be quiet, and that he lost. Angel thought it was a good bet, if it got Spike to wear anything other than denim and leather he was all for it.

"I'll think about it. But first, clothes for you. I'm thinking tight leather pants and silk shirts. Maybe we'll get your eyebrow pierced. Oooh or your belly button! You know how much I love to play with your navel."

The lust flared in Spikes eyes again. He'd never really considered a piercing before, but the way Xander looked at him when he said it.... He was definitely thinking about it now.

"Right then, lets go shall we. Night's a wasting."

Xander shrugged his shoulders, grinned at Angel and pulled Spike out of the hotel with him.

A few hours later the one happy and one not-so-happy vampires were heading back to the hotel. It was such a nice night they had decided to walk rather than drive to the store, it gave Xander an excuse to show off his sexy mate to the nightlife of LA. Unfortunately, bigots are everywhere, even in big cities like LA. The group of young human men on the sidewalk in front of them didn't take to kindly to the sight of two men holding hands and kissing.

The vampires ignored the insults they hurled at them and continued on their way. The humans didn't leave it at that though, and that was their mistake. When one of them took a swing at Spike Xander reacted.

Spike ducked the first blow and would have avoided the second as well but he didn't need to. Xander caught the mans fist and squeezed it hard enough to break bone. He threw the man back away from Spike just as one of the others came at them with a pipe.

"Spike, stay out of the way okay? I don't want one of these assholes to get in a lucky shot on you."

"Sure pet, don't worry 'bout me. Just give 'em hell."

Xander didn't change to game face, although his eyes did flash yellow a few times out of anger. His mate was defenseless against these humans and it pissed him off. He made quick work of any that came near him, minding his strength so he didn't kill them or damage them too badly. Spike stayed back out of the way, Xander between him and the humans but he did throw out comments and suggestions such as 'Bite that one, luv. He's pissing me off.' and 'He touched you! Tear his soddin' throat out!' and Xander's favorite 'We gonna shag when your done luv? 'Cause watching you fight gets me so bloody hot!' That one was not appreciated by the homophobic group of humans.

When it was over, Xander had an odd feeling of familiarity about one of the men. Like he'd seen him before. It was annoying, but not enough to keep him from getting Spike back to the hotel and into bed. Or on the floor, or against the wall.

Angel sensed the younger vampires presence as they entered the hotel and came out of his office to greet them, he was curious to see what Xander had chosen for Spike to wear. As long as it wasn't the thong, he didn't need to be thinking about that. He stopped and studied the two curiously. Spike was tense, angry even. Xander didn't look much happier, he was rigid, and Angel could feel the tension in the air. Both men looked about ready to burst they were so wound up.

"What happened?"

"Just a small fight, Angel. Nothing to worry about."

"Demons?"

"Humans! We were attacked by bloody self righteous homophobic humans. Just for walking down the street holding hands."

"That's it? They just attacked you? For no reason?"

"Yeah. So much for the enlightened attitudes of a big city."

"What happened Xander? Was anyone hurt?"

"We're fine. I didn't hurt them, well not a lot."

"Okay. I uh, I have some work to catch up on so I'll just leave you guys be and get back to it."

Angel retreated back into his office to think. He knew that Xander was a vampire, that just because he had a soul it didn't always repress the demon but he wasn't used to seeing the new Xander. The Xander who was fiercely possessive of Spike, who fought extremely well, and could kill with deadly force. It unnerved him.

Angel knew that it was his own guilt that kept his demon from resurfacing more often. He had the murder of thousands of innocent people to keep him wallowing in misery for the rest of his unnatural existence. That was a big reason he was the way he is, Liam had been a drunk and a womanizer but he was always a fun-loving guy and enjoyed life to it's fullest. The man he was then and the being he was now were so far apart from one another as to be separate entities. He envied Xander his carefree existence. To have no guilt to hold you down, and all that power and heightened awareness yet still have a soul to keep you true to your own moral code. He hoped Xander could remain in control of his baser instincts without having centuries worth of guilt to keep him in line.

Xander and Spike took their shopping bags up to their room and settled in on the love seat. The post-fight-wanna-shag-you-now desperation had faded and both of them were now thinking about the humans who had attacked them. Xander had barely suppressed his demons insistence that they at least bite those people that had gone after him and his mate. And it had been a while since he'd had any human blood. Not since the night his Sire had died. Spike had still had a few bags left over but Xander refused to take any of it, he knew that Spike needed it far more than he did. Tonight, the temptation was strong, very strong.

Spike was still fuming over having to be protected from beings that were supposed to be his food. He cursed the Initiative for probably the hundred-millionth time since he'd gotten the chip. He was happy with Xander, and that was the only thing the chip had given him, the time to get to know the man who was now his lover and mate. Still, he wanted to be whole. He wanted to be able to defend himself, not have to rely on his mate to always be there. What if Xander wasn't there the next time some human decided to go after him?

Really, it came down to one thing for both of them. The chip. Xander wouldn't need to be so protective of Spike if he could defend himself, and Spike wouldn't feel so helpless if he could. Xander was trying to come to terms with the fact that he wanted to free his lover from his disability. Even if it meant he would kill again and he would possibly lose him. Spike was trying to figure out if Xander would allow him to use the money he'd set aside for him to bribe some surgeon into removing the chip.

"Spike."

"Xander."

They both spoke at once. Looked at each other and smiled.

"You first."

"Nah, you go ahead pet."

"I want to find a way to fix you."

"....."

"I know that I probably shouldn't, that it means you could kill again and that Buffy will probably stake you or at least try to. But I..I love you. And seeing you in pain is just about killing me. So if you have any ideas, I mean...if money was what was holding you back? I'll take care of it."

Spike sat with his mouth hanging open in shock. He hadn't expected Xander to offer him his unlife back like that. He had a soul, he assumed that he would want to keep the human race safe from him. He didn't want to lose his mate in order to get his freedom, it was too high a price.

"Xander...? You...you would do that? For me?"

"I love you. Of course I would."

"I don't know what to say pet. I'm honored. I hate this bloody chip, I hate being weak, I hate the fact that I can't even defend myself against a bunch of bloody stupid pricks who are so uptight about two men kissing that they have to lash out to prove their own masculinity."

"So, that a yes then? We'll find a way to help you?"

"What about the Scoobies, luv? They won't like this."

"They don't have to, just...promise me you won't kill them."

"Never pet. They helped me when I needed it the most, I like them...most of the time. Tell them that and I won't shag you for a week though!"

Xander laughed and pulled Spike into his arms. He kissed his mate passionately, hoping that they could survive this. Eventually he drew back from his lover with a heartfelt sigh.

"So, any ideas on where to start?"

"Not really. Hadn't given it much thought other than find a doctor, pay a doctor, get chip out. Seeing as how I was broke, it didn't go any further than that."

"Hmm, well I guess we can start by asking around the demon bars, see if anyone knows of any doctors who are aware of demons and such."

"It's a start. Can we get back to the more pleasant business of you shagging me now?"

"I think I can manage that love."

And manage he did. The couple spent the rest of the night making love, both privately wondering if they would have many more chances with the other to do this. By the time the sun rose the next morning they were completely spent, curled around each other and drifting into a deep, much needed sleep.

Angel sent everyone home early that night. He didn't want to continue to hear his friends commenting on his Childe and his mates sex lives. They were being quite verbal and loud. It was kinda sweet in a way, Angel clearly heard the words of love and affection they spoke to each other. He was happy that Spike had found someone to share his life with. After a century of existing only to look after someone else, it was good for him to be in a position where he was cared for, for a change. Although Xander being the one was still a shock. He knew that as a vampire gender made no difference as to who you slept with but as a human, Xander had always been very much straight. He just assumed that with his soul still intact, he would continue to be interested in females. It was obvious that he was wrong. As Angelus, he had screwed anything that caught his eye male or female, but since becoming Angel he found that he was much more inclined toward females than males.

Since Gunn and Fred started dating, she spent most nights at his place instead of in her room at the hotel so Angel had the place to himself-with the exception of Xander and Spike-after his staff left. He went to his room and slipped on his headphones and listened to Vivaldi while he read some poetry. It drowned out the noise of his guests. He wondered if they were always this passionate with each other or if something had happened to set it off. Spike had always used sex as a way of reassuring himself in a relationship. The more worried he was, the more he wanted to 'shag'. And seeing as they had been at it all night ... it must have been something pretty big.