Mistletoe
Spike and Angelus slipped through the snow-covered streets.
"Come on William!" Angelus called, laughing.
"I told you, it's Spike now, you bloody pillock."
Angelus came to a stop at the end of an alley.
"Now sweet William, what sort of name is Spike?" he murmured as Spike came up beside him. "Not very poetic is it?"
"What like your nancy-arsed pseudo latin attempt?" muttered Spike as he peered around the corner.
"Should have named you myself, but I thought William was fitting enough, seeing as you're such a mother's girl." The two vampires watched a group of carol singers standing outside a house fifty feet away.
"That's rich, that is, coming from a bloke, how old are you again, hundred and something, and you still live with your mother? I'm only a fledgling, course I still live with me Sire."
"Quiet," hissed Angelus, still watching the singers. "I want the pretty one with the copper curls."
"I bags the tidy blonde one, reminds me of your sire, Angelus," grinned Spike.
"Don't let Darla hear you saying such things or you'll end up out in the sunlight," Angelus spared a glance at his grand childe. "And if I hear you saying it again you will end up out in the sunlight."
"Promises Angelus," murmured Spike. "And then what'd you do for a good hard shag."
Angelus frowned, apparently not hearing him. "And another thing. I wish you'd stop hanging out at the taverns so much. You're starting to sound common." The dark vampire slipped out from the alley way.
"Bollocks," said Spike following him.
"I rest my case," said Angelus stopping in the shadows of a wall.
The carol singers started moving on to the next house.
"And you are starting to sound like social climbing middle class gentry," said Spike slipping up beside his grand sire.
"Poor William, your bias is showin'." Angelus pushed him back against the wall with one hand as a carriage rolled past. The hand ran down Spike's chest a ways before Angelus withdrew it and they started into the night again.
"Since when did you know a word like bias?" hissed Spike as they slipped up behind the carol singers as they walked through the street.
He was rewarded with a glare and soft growl. Angelus, the son of poor Irish gentry, educated to rudimentary literacy at the parish school, and never interested in education as a human, was always sensitive about his intelligence. Spike, who had been Oxford educated, had lately taken pains not to appear at all intellectual. It didn't stop him from making good but prudent use of this particular foible of Angelus.
Three seconds later, two straggling carol singers had silently vanished into a side street.
"God rest ye Merry Gentlemen!" sang the carolers enthusiastically at the next house. They didn't seem to notice that the two pretty girls at the back had been replaced by two pretty young men - who were also singing enthusiastically.
And as the two vampires stood in the dark at the back, laughing silently and grinning at each other as they sang along to the carols, Angelus slipped his hand down and ran it appreciatively over Spike's arse.
The singers got their charity money from that house and moved off into the dark, but the vampires did not follow and instead took two more carolers and slipped away into the shadows.
Angelus pressed Spike back against the alley wall, their victims lying crumpled to their side. Their fingers fumbled at clasps and buttons until all necessary parts were freed and-
"Spike?" Spike was jerked out of pleasant reminiscence of Christmases past by the sound of Alexander Lavelle Harris's voice. Xander Harris who was distinctly not touching Spike's arse or unbuttoning any of his clothing while he was pressed against a wall, in an alley or otherwise.
Xander was looking at him expectantly.
"A bit of help here?"
Spike smiled appreciatively to himself as he saw Xander stretching that almost man-shaped body of his up to hold a bit of tinsel in place. Gangly and too big, but muscled and toned now, from a year or so of construction work. Spike picked up the box of tacks and handed one up to Xander. If pressed, Spike couldn't tell you at what point he had stopped pining for the Slayer and started noticing Xander Harris. Some point in between beers and too many pool games where they took each other's company gladly, commiserating with each other over fickle women and screwed up love lives. Somewhere between insults and a grudging admittance of friendship. But at some point Spike became aware that he had been thinking about Xander's lips, Xander's arse, Xander naked, what Xander looked like when he was having sex and what it would be like to shag Xander generally. So here he was, looking at twenty-one and a half year old human arse hidden beneath too baggy, ugly pants. And helping decorate his flat for the sure-to-be-painful Scooby gang Christmas get together.
Spike wouldn't be there. It wasn't because he wasn't invited, because he was. Xander had asked him, but the vampire had refused, muttering something about 'evil, disgustin' things don't do Christmas'.
For something that didn't do Christmas, Spike was certainly getting into the whole decorating, present wrapping and nummy treat making though. Spike had made cookies, Spike had made white Christmas, Spike had made brownies. Xander, who had originally intended to just get a couple of bags of chips and some soft drink, was impressed. They had gone shopping together, Spike bitching the whole way about commercialism and bloody stupid traditions. But somehow they ended up with shopping bags full of tinsel, tree ornaments and cooking ingredients, not to mention presents. Xander had forgotten how fun it was shopping for presents with someone else. With Spike there was quite a lot of 'look at this, Harris' and very inappropriate gift suggestions, but in the end they found some suitable presents for Xander's friends and even family. And Xander knew Spike had bought him a present. The vampire had disappeared during their trip to the mall and had reappeared looking very secretive and pleased with himself. And he wouldn't show Xander what was in the bag he was holding behind his back. Xander had a present for Spike too. He had decided to buy it when he saw it earlier in the month, before he even knew Spike was going to buy him something.
Spike pinned up the other end of the tinsel and surreptitiously watched Xander tack the middle up. Surreptitiously watching Xander was becoming quite a habit. Sexy bloody Xander Harris who seemed to be completely oblivious to the fact that Spike was frequently having very carnal thoughts about him. Xander's face was a picture of concentration as he tacked a loop of tinsel up. His lips pursed just so and those thick eyebrows of his furrowed. Spike shook himself and got back to putting tacks in the wall a little more effectively. He glanced at Xander again. Actually Xander was standing almost underneath the sprig of fake mistletoe he'd pinned up over the window.
Spike looked at the mistletoe.
He looked at Xander.
He looked at Xander's lips.
He looked at the mistletoe.
He could always say it was a joke.
Spike decided what the hell.
He climbed off the chair he'd been standing on and walked over to Xander.
Xander looked up from where he was trying unsuccessfully to force the thumb-tack into the wall as Spike came over to him.
"Hey vampire strength guy, can you push this thing in, I've got to go get my-" Xander trailed off as it registered that Spike was considering him intently. Very intently. "Uh..Spike?"
Spike arched an eyebrow, held Xander's face firmly with both hands and kissed him.
It was a soft, minimal-tongue kiss, mainly because Xander was too much in shock to respond. Spike pulled back, watching Xander carefully for a moment before letting him go and walking off into the kitchen.
Xander swallowed hard. He stood there for a full minute staring after Spike, and then followed him.
"Spike? What the hell was that about?" Xander demanded. Spike was very busy checking the cookies in the oven and did not under any circumstances turn to look at Xander.
"You were under the mistletoe," Spike shrugged, as if to say, duh. Xander blushed. Oh, it was a joke.
"Oh, ha. Really funny Spike." Right. A joke. Those soft lips caressing his were just all part of a weird vampire practical joke at his expense. Xander decided that it was time to get the upper hand. "You know you were really comfortable with the whole kissage thing there. Something you want to tell me, Spike?"
Spike shrugged, very busy cutting out another lot of cookie dough. "What can I say? Vampire, ambiguous sexuality."
"Oh," said Xander. Spike still didn't turn around. Didn't smirk at him or laugh like he normally did when he was making a joke at Xander's expense. It suddenly occurred to Xander that maybe Spike wasn't joking. He really wanted Spike to turn around and smirk at him. Now. Cause, if he wasn't joking, it meant that he meant that kiss. And if he meant that kiss, then Xander might, just might have to think about how he felt about it. Xander gulped, had a sudden panic and left the room. Five seconds later he was back again. "No wait. I've been kissed before. I know what fake kissing is and real kissing is. That felt pretty real to me."
Spike stopped for a moment. He could laugh it off now; pretend it never happened. But Spike had never been one for taking the less risky course. And Xander's question might lead very nicely into something that Spike had been thinking about for quite some time. He decided to go with it. He turned around and, his best cocky expression firmly in place, looked Xander over.
"What if it was real, Harris. Interested?" he purred.
Xander's eyes widened.
"No! I mean, not that you aren't good looking or anything, but not gay, so not gay."
Spike shrugged, his expression impassive. He hadn't expected a different response and hadn't let himself hope either.
"Fair enough," and he turned back to his cookies.
Xander hovered for a moment, oddly disconcerted by Spike's ready acceptance of his refusal. Then he went back out to the tree. Five seconds later he was back.
"Was it real?
Spike took a deep breath and turned around. He looked up at Xander, serious. "Yeah, pet, it was. Sorry."
"Oh. Oh," Xander registered this concept. "So uh...you like me in that way?"
"In the 'want to shag you and do some more of that kissing' way? Yeah, I do."
"Oh," said Xander. He swallowed hard. "Um...I'm just going...out...there...to finish..." Xander fled. Spike turned back to the cookies. So, add another rejection to the list of Spike relationship fuck-ups. Spike sighed, finished with the cookies, wiped his hands and went out to the lounge room to try and salvage some sort of friendship out of the mess he'd made.
Xander was sitting on the couch staring into space. So, Spike wanted him. Wanted him in the squishy, sticky, groiny kind of way. And the thing was, Xander wasn't disgusted, wasn't repulsed and definitely wasn't grossed out. Freaked out, yes. Confused, yes. Curious, definitely. Ok, so there were times when Xander had caught himself looking at Spike's compact, well-muscled body, caught himself wondering what Spike looked like naked. Ok, and once he thought for far too long about Spike and the Buffy Bot. And at one stage it wasn't the Buffy Bot anymore.
"Xander?"
"Huh?" Xander jumped. Spike was standing on the other side of the room examining the tree decorations.
Spike took a deep unnecessary breath. "Xander, about what I said. Look, it was just this thought, don't worry about it. Just this impulse I had and I acted on it. Stupid yeah, but can we forget about it? Don't let's get all awkward and uncomfortable about it, hey?"
Xander felt a vague sense of disappointment.
"Uh, yeah, sure, whatever. I mean, awkward and uncomfortable is bad. And impulses? Bad. Very much of the bad."
"Right, yeah, bad," said Spike. He turned suddenly and left the room.
Xander took a deep breath, and then followed Spike into the kitchen. Spike was pulling trays of cookies out of the oven.
"This lot are all done," he said to Xander as he walked in. "The other stuff's in the fridge." He didn't look at Xander as he emptied the last lot of cookies onto a cooling rack. "Right, I'll be off then. Have a merry Christmas and all that." He started past Xander.
"Spike-"
Spike stopped.
"What?" he said turning piercing blue eyes on Xander.
Xander swallowed.
"Uh, I've just had this impulse, and I think I'm acting on it."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, so shut up and stay put or else I might change my mind." And then Xander hesitantly leant forward and kissed Spike. It was a very hesitant, very cautious kiss, but as Spike's lips responded to his and parted slightly, Xander forgot this was weird and just decided to go with it. In fact he went with it quite a bit. The kiss deepened and Spike fought back a moan as Xander's tongue slid into his mouth. He put a hand on Xander's shoulder to steady himself and Xander's hand found it's way to Spike's side. Xander was making enticing sounds and Xander had an enticing scent. It was Spike who pulled back first.
"What was that about?" he asked, almost panting, still too close to Xander.
Xander tried to focus.
"You were standing under mistletoe," he said.
"No I wasn't," noted Spike vaguely, more interested in Xander's flushed face and very kissable lips.
"It must've moved," replied Xander, also vaguely, more interested in Spike's blue eyes and bottom lip.
"Oh," Spike said as an afterthought. He took a deep breath. "Um...so...?"
"Uh, ok. I'd like to maybe do some more of that?"
Spike licked his lip unconsciously. "Ok."
Xander's breath caught in his throat at the action. Then his brain decided to have a quick panic.
"But, uh, I'm not sure how far I want to go. So can we like, just kiss some more, and see if this was just an impulse or whatever?"
"Ok," said Spike. "We can do that."
Xander bent forward and kissed Spike again. This time, it wasn't hesitant and wasn't cautious. Xander wrapped an arm around Spike's shoulder, drawing him closer as they explored each other's mouths. Spike's hands ran through Xander's short dark hair and trailed over his back. A soft moan came from Xander's lips as Spike pressed into his hard on. He pulled back panting.
"Ok, liking this a lot."
Spike grinned and looked down pointedly.
"I can tell, pet."
Xander blushed but then pulled Spike back firmly against him and claimed his mouth.
Spike pulled back after awhile.
"Don't feel I'm rushing things, love, but you want to take this to the couch or something?"
Xander grunted his affirmative and they maneuvered their way to the couch. Writhing against each other was much easier lying down. Xander pulled back, breathing heavily.
"Um, this isn't just some cunning plan to like, kill me or something is it?"
"No," said Spike and returned his mouth to Xander's neck. After a moment he looked up too.
"While we're at it, you're not going to go all, "you're an evil disgustin' thing and this was just a horrible mistake" when we finish are you? Cause I've bloody had it up to here with that sort of bollocks."
"We're talking Buffy right?" asked Xander.
Spike just glared at him.
Xander looked at Spike seriously, trying not to laugh.
"I can't promise I won't have a hysterical panic about my sexuality but I can promise I will not try to pretend this didn't happen. Ok?"
"Yeah, all right," and Spike returned to his neck and did some stuff with his hands that made Xander very glad he'd said what he had.
Xander pulled back again, very breathless now.
"Beginning to rethink the whole not gay thing..." he muttered before Spike claimed his mouth again. After a moment of toe curling oral exploration he pulled back again.
"You really want a Xander-shaped boyfriend?"
Spike chuckled and sat up a bit. Xander sat up too. It didn't stop Spike exploring Xander's tummy and back with his hands though.
"Boyfriend?" he asked, his tone suddenly hesitant.
"Um, yeah, boyfriend, I guess. That's where this is going right?" said Xander. He blushed as it occurred to him that maybe it wasn't. Just because Spike wanted him, didn't mean he wanted him. "Unless, it's just sex, in which case I've just embarrassed the hell out of myself, and I think I'll leave now."
Spike put a hand on Xander's thigh, stopping him.
"It's not just sex. Well it's not even sex, technically speaking. Not yet anyway. Listen pet, look at me, I'm damn sexy, I'm never going to age and I've got an accent that makes you yanks wet. Do you really think I'd bother mooning about over the friend of the Slayer, no less, if all I was after was a shag? Not that you're not very shaggable," he said with a half-grin. "Just, you're not exactly the easiest and most convenient lay, pet." He raised his eyebrow then and smirked. "Course, if all you want is sex, then I'm fine with that too. "
"Slut," Xander laughed. Then he sat back and ran his hands through his hair. "Let me get this straight. You, William the Bloody, Scourge of Europe, all round bad guy, have a thing for me, Xander Harris, butt monkey and glorified bricklayer? And can I just ask, why?"
Spike looked down and concentrated on the hem of Xander's t-shirt.
"Not sure. Think it's this god awful shirt of yours."
"I see. Gee Spike, anymore sentimental declarations like that just might turn a guy's head."
Spike looked up with his best innocent look.
"Have I mentioned that you look bloody sexy in this god awful shirt?"
"Uh, no, but you can," Xander grinned. "Compliments from William the Bloody? This gets better and better. So...if I say, decided that I wanted to keep trying this thing, that's not sex yet, do you think I'd get a blow job from William the Bloody too?"
"Possibly," said Spike, starting to look dangerous. "And you'll possibly also get William the Bloody's dick up your arse as well."
Xander swallowed hard. "You know, I think the fact that I'm still aroused sort of indicates that I'm willing to give this a try. Not the dick and ass thing, yet, just the whole general, 'you' thing."
Spike shifted so he was straddling Xander's lap. He looked seriously at the boy before kissing him very firmly. This new and interesting position gave them both extra access to important groppage spots, which they both took full advantage of. Spike pulled back.
"Now it's your turn. You're being very responsive love, for someone who only an hour ago told me he wasn't gay, not that I'm complaining mind," Spike grinned at Xander. "You been fancying me for a while then Harris?"
Xander blushed. "Ego much Spike?" Spike raised an eyebrow and tried to look sardonic and amused, but instead just looked like he was trying not to look hurt.
Xander looked down. "Might have, once or twice, thought about you in naked and sweaty way."
"Yeah?"
"Once or twice."
Spike seemed quite pleased with this information. He lifted Xander's chin up and looked at him gently. "Can I kiss you again Harris?" he asked in a husky voice.
Xander gulped. "Yeah, Spike," he said softly. "Guess you can."
So Spike did. A lot. Because even though Spike liked sex, he also quite liked kissing Xander, because Xander was warm and hard in all the right places and held Spike just right. Spike decided he'd kick himself for being a complete and utter poof later and just enjoy this for now.
For Xander's part he quite enjoyed kissing Spike back, because there was something about the intense way Spike kissed him, and looked at him, and generally held him that just felt, wow. And also hot.
Some time later, Xander pulled back again from where he was licking Spike's chest. Shirts were very much a long distant memory. It had grown dark and he only could just make out Spike.
"Stay the night?" he asked. "Not, not for sex," he added quickly. "So I can give you your present in the morning." Spike paused, having an internal battle between the part of him that was very touched by Xander's statement, and the part that wanted to go immediately into the gutter.
"All right," he said softly. Then the dirty part of his mind got the upper hand and he leered at Xander. "But only if I can sleep naked."
"Ooh naked Spike...hmm let me think...free Spike strip show. Ok."
"You're really adjusting well to this whole gay thing aren't you Harris?"
Xander gave him an embarrassed grin. "I think it's more I'm adjusting well to the kissing and feeling up Spike thing."
Spike grinned. "Can't argue with that. So does that mean you don't want to watch Big and Hard Vegas Boys on cable with me?"
Xander's eyes went wide.
"Uh, no. What about run of the mill lesbian porn, just to ease our way into it?"
Spike pressed his tongue against his bottom teeth in his patented suggestive grin. "Only if you promise to wank," he said.
Xander smirked, and deliberately shifted so that his thigh rubbed Spike's obvious hard on. "I will if you will."
"Pervert."
"Oh, so that's why you're attracted to me."
Spike growled and pulled him back for a long very obscene kiss, which also involved Spike finally unzipping Xander's pants. Xander broke the kiss gasping.
"Back in a second," he murmured, trying to disentangle his limbs.
Spike did mentally kick himself this time. Too fast. But then Xander flicked a switch and turned the Christmas Tree lights on. The room was bathed in an odd flashing red, green and orange light.
"Better," said Xander sitting down next to Spike. "Now I can see what you're doing with your hands."
Spike grinned and pulled him to him. "Romantic," he murmured and then he pushed Xander back on the couch and proceeded to show him exactly what William the Bloody could do to a very nice penis if he so desired.
"Oh goddd Spike," groaned Xander as he came in Spike's mouth. "Oh fuck, oh man." He lay very still for a moment, then made a suspiciously giggly sound. "Ok, consider me officially bisexual, debauch at will." He sat up shakily. "Spike, keep doing that and I'll swear off girls forever."
Spike grinned and wiped his mouth. "Yeah, I am bloody good aren't I?"
Xander hit him with a cushion, and then crawled up to give Spike a kiss. "Is it weird to like tasting yourself in someone else's mouth?" he asked, and then blushed. He couldn't believe he'd said that out loud.
"No, not weird," said Spike. He considered Xander for a minute, then decided to tell him what he was thinking. "Like it when you blush. All that blood close to the surface. Makes you smell yummy.'
Xander grinned. "Ok, that was kind of sweet but also very scary. Let me know if you start having cravings, ok?"
Spike smirked. "You were the one who said were a nummy treat. Stop your complaining."
Xander laughed. "Yeah, I did, didn't I? Can't believe you remembered that." He looked at Spike slyly. "So you do want to bite me after all."
"Yes," said Spike piously. "But not in a bad way."
Xander swallowed hard. Then he took a deep breath. "You know, I think you're too horny. I think we need to do something about that."
And then Spike shut up for a bit while Xander tried out a few things he'd never done before, but had wanted to try, on Spike at least.
Later, when they were draped over each other in bed, Spike naked as threatened, Xander modestly wearing boxers, Xander pulled Spike a little closer.
"Sure you don't want to stay tomorrow and share the joy that is a Scooby gang Christmas? I'm sure something will probably try to kill us," he added as an enticement. "Plus, it'd be kinda nice, you know, to have you there."
Spike rubbed his feet against Xander's. "Slayer'll be there won't she," he said.
"Yeah," said Xander. "But so will Anya. What'dya say, I could use the moral support."
"Oh, that's what this is about," smirked Spike, trying to sound wounded. "You just kissed me and sucked my cock and snuggled me so you'll have a sexy new significant other to show off to your ex."
"Uh, no, no showing off," said Xander, and then thought about it. "Actually, it might be worth it, just to see everyone's face when you stick your tongue down my throat. And oh god I'm thinking like you now."
Spike chuckled, and since Xander had mentioned it, did indeed stick his tongue down his throat, just for a bit.
And much later, when Xander was asleep and it was a few hours to dawn, Spike reluctantly dragged himself out of the very comfortable, very warm, very bloody nice bed, dressed and quietly left the apartment.
Xander woke up just as Spike was slipping into bed again.
"Argh! You're freezing!"
"Sorry, it's bloody cold out."
Xander's sleepy brain tried to focus. "Why'd you get out of bed anyway, doofus?"
"Cause," said Spike, deliberately putting his cold feet on Xander's warm ones (he was evil after all). "I left your present back at my place. And I was hungry."
Xander chuckled. "Spike bought me a present. Hey, wait, it's Christmas!" He sat up. "Present time. Now."
"Merry Christmas to you too love," grinned Spike.
Xander looked at him sheepishly, then very pulled him into a warm, just woken up kiss.
"Merry Christmas Spike," he said softly.
Spike smiled at him, actually smiled.
"Thanks love," he said, then reached down beside the bed and handed Xander a gift bag.
"Wait, you have to open yours first," said Xander and he jumped out of bed and grabbed a package from the stash of presents in the wardrobe.
Spike pulled the covers up over them as Xander climbed back into bed next to him. Xander couldn't help it; he kissed Spike again.
"Sod the presents," murmured Spike as Xander pulled back from the kiss. "I've got something else I want to give you for Christmas."
Xander would have laughed at Spike's bad double entendre, but he was too busy being kissed soundly.
"Xan?" Spike panted after a little while.
"Mmmph?"
"Please Xander-"
"Yeah?"
"Oh yeah, like that Xan, just there...yes pet, yes love, please, just, can you-"
"Like this?"
"Oh yeah, like that, oh yeah, love, oh yes....oh god...please..."
"You want me to?"
"Yes, fuck yes."
"You sure?"
"Bloody hell, Xander, just shag me already!"
A little while after that, when they'd both recovered their ability to speak, Xander reached over to the bedside table and retrieved his actual present for Spike. Spike grinned and handed Xander his present. They both unwrapped their gifts. And after some embarrassingly emotional looks, and after a bit of Merry Christmas kissing and fondling, they pulled the covers back up and went to sleep again, curled comfortably around each other.
And if either of them cared to admit it, this Christmas had started out better than any Christmas either of them had had for quite a while.