And Lovers...
By JoeyRZ
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Warning: Spoiler for up to and including The Gift, AU after that.
Notes: Remember that fic I wrote eons ago, “Friends”??? This is the sequel. It’s slash. Goodie!
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"So, how does it feel? Going to a Senior Prom after exactly *how* many years?" Xander grinned as he adjusted Spike's tie.
"Sod off, whelp," Spike mock growled. "I'm only doing this for the nibblet. I still wish I could rip the jerk's arms off."
Xander sighed as he remembered how depressed Dawn had been when her date canceled on their prom date just two days before. She had said she wasn't going to the prom as the only girl without a date. Three years ago, they would have all been extremely worried and wildly surprised when Spike offered to escort Dawn to her dance.
But then again, the last three years, since Buffy's death, had changed a great many things.
A powerful earthquake had shaken California, centered on Los Angeles. Sunnydale, being only two hours away, had been hit pretty badly too. The scientists were baffled by the earthquake because there wasn't any noticeable tectonic plate movement. Yet the Scoobies knew why the quake occurred. A hellmouth had opened in Los Angeles, but, thankfully for them, the quake successfully sealed the Sunnydale hellmouth. Ever since, Sunnydale's demonic activity had decreased dramatically. So much, in fact, that the Scooby Gang, minus Slayer, plus de-chipped vampire, were able to maintain order. Faith was released from jail and free to join Angel's crew in order to fight against the hellmouth inspired forces of evil.
When Buffy's father returned, they were all worried that he would take Dawn away. But seeing all of them standing there, ready to protect her, he asked her what *she* wanted to do.
Giles was named Dawn's legal guardian, and they couldn't be happier.
Willow and Tara had made their relationship official in a Wicca ceremony of bonding. They graduated from college this year, and
had created an internet based business. A witchy version Amazon.com: everything one needed to perform spells, research demons, or educate oneself about the demonic underground.
But then there was Anya... his sweet Anya.
"Whelp! Pay attention. You're choking me!"
Xander immediately released the bow tied he'd tightened suddenly. Then he slapped Spike's shoulder.
"You don't need to breathe, DB Jr."
"Oi! But it feels bloody uncomfortable having your windpipe crushed."
Xander grinned evilly as he finished adjusting the vampire's clothing. He picked up the hair gel Willow had bought and fixed Spike's mussed hair. Silently he wondered when they had become so close to each other that the vampire wasn't afraid to let Xander dress him. He took a step back to admire his work.
Spike looked good... really good in his long tailed black tux, white shirt with blood red cumber bund and bow tie. His platinum blond hair was gelled up into pointy little spikes. And his eyes shone bluer than ever. Xander felt himself falling into Spike's deep eyes. Falling fast and hard, but, already knowing the territory, calmly.
He came to, Spike slightly shaking his shoulder. He looked up and blinked.
"Alright, luv? Thinking about the demon gal?"
"Uh, no." And that shocked Xander. For the first time, when he was asked that, the honest answer was negative. "No, I was just wondering how good a dancer you are. Wouldn't want Dawnie to get bored."
"Don't ya worry 'bout that, mate. Wouldn't have asked her if I couldn't show her a good time."
"Just not too much of a good time."
Spike winked and walked out of the room.
~*~*~*~*~
They waited downstairs while the witches finished fussing over Dawn. When the 17 year old walked into the living room of Giles' condo, wearing Anya's modified wedding dress, Xander felt old tears sting his eyes.
Spike got up and took Dawn's arm. Looking slightly stunned, he said, "Oi Red! What did you do to my nibblet? She looks like a full sized happy meal now."
Willow beamed and held onto Tara, while Dawn blushed furiously. Giles cleared his throat and gave Dawn a very fatherly hug.
"You look dashing, Dawn."
"Thanks," she answered, then turned to Xander. She fidgeted under his gaze and smoothed out the long skirt.
"Is it okay? I mean, do you like it... the alterations?" she asked nervously.
Shaking his head as if to get rid of the memories, Xander smiled. "It's perfect. Anya would have loved it. I'm sure she would be pleased that the dress is getting it's money's worth," he said, in remembrance of Anya's love for money. "I love it too. You look as beautiful in it as Anya did."
Tara interrupted the silence that had descended on the room to announce that the limousine had arrived. Spike held his arm out to Dawn and started to lead them to the door until Xander stepped in front of them, and with an 'excuse me' to Dawn, dragged Spike into the kitchen.
"Remember that this is *Dawn's* night. That means no vamping out, no scaring the kids, keep the charm to a minimum, and only direct it to Dawn, no trash talk, and act like the young adult you're supposed to be, and if you lay on finger on Dawn as anything else than a brother and protector I will personally make you think that Angel's hundred years in Hell were a picnic."
Xander hadn't even blinked through all the speech and Spike's heart would have skipped a beat if it could have. Without thinking he leaned forward and up and kissed Xander. It only lasted a second and was the definition of 'chaste kiss', but Xander felt his world tilt on it's axis. Spike was fighting to keep his desire under control, knowing that giving into it now wasn't really an option. But one look at Xander's deep brown eyes and he was already leaning back into him.
"Spike! Come on! Dawn's waiting!" Willow practically flew into the kitchen and oblivious to anything that was going on, she took hold of Spike's arm and tugged him out.
Looking over his shoulder, Spike mouthed "Later, Xan" at the young man, and Xander felt it rush through his body like a promise.
~*~*~*~*~
Dawn sighed and leaned her cheek on her open palm. Spike has spent the last 20 minutes staring the table.
"Either that tablecloth holds the answers to all the mysteries of the world or I'm a really bad date."
"Huh?" Spike looked up as the words finally penetrated his thoughts. "No!" Ignoring the looks his outburst had created, he reached for the young girl's hand.
"No, Nibblet. You're a fine date. It's just..." Spike looked down, and Dawn was sure that if he could, he would be blushing right about now.
"It's nothing," he finished, then decided to wow the rest of the kiddies with William's gentleman's upbringing now that the ballads had started playing. He swept Dawn off to the middle of the dance floor and into an elegant waltz.
After the last of the dips, twirls and turns and a rather large round of applause, which gave Dawn a giggle fit, they settled into a more soft paced 21st century way of dancing to ballads.
"Are you okay Spike? Is it because of the lecture Xander gave you in the kitchen? You know that all that stuff of your health being determined by mine is just macho, big brother B.S. He knows you wouldn't let anything hurt me."
Laughing slightly, Spike said, "No. Not that. I'd have been worried if he hadn't said anything like that. It's more what he... I did than anything else."
"Did? It's not like you finally kissed him or anything?"
Spike, Dawn mused, made a wonderful goldfish impression.
"You did!" she squealed. "Yes! Finally! How was it? Did he kiss you back? What did he say? And don't try to deny it," she added as she saw him start to shake his head. "You went all goldfishy on me just now, and you were all Angel-broody back at the table."
"I was *not* brooding! I don't *brood*!" Spike hissed.
"Yes you were! You were all 'Oh-I-love-Xander-I-wonder-if-he-feels-the-same-way broody."
"I do *not* love the whelp!"
"Yes you do, and yes you were brooding about it too. You're just worried he doesn't love you too."
"Oh for all that's unholy! Okay, yes, I'm in bloody love with Xander. But I *wasn't* brooding 'bout it."
"No? Than what were you doing?"
Spike sighed. "I was contemplating the best way to get him to kiss me again. Red interrupted the instant replay the first time."
Dawn squealed in joy and hugged Spike, then abruptly changed moods.
"Oooohh! I'm going to do something nasty to Willow! I mean, seriously. We've been waiting a year for this to happen and she goes and ruins it."
"What!? A year?"
"Come on, Spike, you and Xander have been more than friends for a long time."
"But... Anya... it's only been-"
"-eleven months," Dawn finished. "We know. Anya knew."
"Anya what?!" Spike felt like he'd fallen into an alternate universe all of the sudden.
"Anya knew that you and Xander more than liked each other. She was the first one who started planning a way to get you together with them. She liked you too. But then there was the accident... Anyway, we knew that Anya wanted Xander to be with someone who loved him always. She knew how much his parents lack of affection affected him and she never wanted that to happen to him again. She wanted you to be with him. She always told us that if Xander outlived her, to make sure you'd be there with him."
"But, but... but"
Dawn laughed at the dumbstruck vamp. "We hadn't tried to rush anything, 'cause of Xander. He really loved Anya and needed time to grieve. And you too. But maybe the time to grieve is over?"
"Anya wanted this?"
"About as much as she wanted to make more money."
"Oh."
Spike didn't say much after that, still lost in his thoughts. The rest of the evening passed uneventfully, something that still surprised them. So many important nights in the past had been ruined by the other-worldly presences that roamed Sunnydale.
Later that night, the party ended and everyone started heading home. The ride to the Summer residence took only ten minutes, and after dropping Dawn and Spike off, the limo left.
Spike walked Dawn up to the door, but after using his keys to open the door, made no move to enter the house.
"In you go, lil' bit. I'm jus' gonna go for a bit of a walk."
"Spike," Dawn said, laying her hand on his arm. "It's gonna be okay, you know. You two are good together."
"Jus' a walk, lil' bit. Nothing more."
Dawn sighed, turned to put her purse on the table beside the door, but when she looked back outside, Spike was already gone. Sighing again, she shut the door and walked into the living room, pulling off her shoes on the way.
"Hey Dawnie," the muffled voice came from the living room's couch.
"Xander! You didn't have to wait up for me. I can take care of myself, and Spike was with me, anyway."
"I wasn't waiting up, I was waiting asleep. And speaking of, where is the Bleached Menace?" Xander tried to sound casual, but Dawn could tell he was nervous.
Flopping next to her 'big brother' in the couch, she kicked her shoes off and tucked her feet beneath her. "He went for a walk. And I think you should go follow him."
"Why?"
"Because, if it's possible, he's more scared about this thing between you two than even you are. You know you're not disrespecting Anya's memory by being together, but he's not that sure! He didn't know that Anya knew and encouraged your attraction to him."
Xander picked up part of the skirt of Dawn's dress and smoothed it between his fingers. A single tear made its way down his cheek as he thought of his wife.
"Did you tell him you loved him?"
Xander kept his eyes downcast as he shook his head slightly.
"Then what are you waiting for?! He needs to hear it from you. Needs to be reassured of your love for him," Dawn admonished him, pushing him off the couch and all the way out the door. "Go! Neither of you are welcomed here until you've shagged each other silly!"
"D-Dawn!" Xander spluttered embarrassed, but didn't have a chance to scold Dawn, before she threw him his jacket and slammed the door in his face. He took just one step before Dawn opened the door and pointed to one side and said "he went that-a-way".
Xander started walking down the street trying to think like Spike and wondering where he'd go at - he checked his watch - 3am on a Saturday night... or is that Sunday night?
Pulling out his mental map of Sunnydale, he figured the old crypt was out, since not only was it ruined in the earthquake, but it was on the other side of town. He figured, that the only two places the vampire was likely to go to were the Bronze and Angel's mansion. And he didn't think Spike was gonna go to the Bronze in a tux.
He made his way quickly over to the old mansion, and didn't have to search long to find the vampire. Spike was scrunched up in Angel's old bed. He looked young and vulnerable lying there, the pillow tight in his grasp.
"Hey, Spike," Xander said as he entered the room and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Xan!" The vampire sat up, cross-legged on the bed, while he nervously plucked at the lint on the pillow.
Xander mirrored Spike's position on the bed, then reached across and plucked the old, moth eaten pillow out of his
roommate's hands. Holding it between his thumb and forefinger, he made a disgusted face at it.
"Spike, eww... this ... thing is older than you, I bet. Touching it is definitely not hygienic." He shuddered in repulsion once more, then threw it behind him, where it hit the wall, threw up a cloud of dust,
then fell apart.
"What are you doing here, Xander?"
"I came to get you. You ran away, didn't see your date into the house. Bad manners. You should have at least come in to greet the not-staying-up-wondering-why-they're-so-late older brother."
"Oi! I got her to the door safe and sound, and I didn't even try to steal a kiss."
"You have better not! Those luscious lips of yours have an owner, you know. He has private and sole privilege to them."
That made the vampire quirk an eyebrow. "I don't remember anyone laying claim on them. I think I'd remember a thing like that."
"I guess the owner must make his ownership more official then," Xander said as he leaned in to taste Spike's lips.
Only Spike leaned back away from him.
"wha..."
"I need to know, for real. No jokes, no puns, no sarcasm. Is this what you want, what Anya wanted? I loved the gal. I won't do anything she wouldn't have approved."
Xander flopped down on the bed. He sighed. "We were married for 2 wonderful years. And for more than half of that time she knew that my feelings for you were more than I could even admit to myself. I couldn't understand how I could love my wife so much, and love another man as much as her. She did. For all her vengeance on unfaithful men, she knew that some of them didn't stop loving their wives, that they just loved someone else too. And the vengeance was brought on because the wife couldn't accept another love in her lover's life."
"She told you all of this?"
"With every gory little detail of each punishment." Xander chuckled in remembrance. "The thing was, she knew I loved her, and she loved me. Wanted me to be happy. On our
second year anniversary she confessed she knew that my feelings for you had changed from simple companions, to friends, to love. And since she only wanted me to be happy, and you were, are such a hottie, and she didn't have normal human hang-ups, she wanted to give you to me as my present. Wanted all three of us together."
"I..."
"Wait. Let me finish." Xander rubbed his hand across his face, then sat back up.
"That month, after our anniversary, she spent trying to make the perfect seduction scenario for you. She researched, and bought, and reassured me, and was the most lively, and happy and exiting as I'd ever seen her. Then she died. When I got to the hospital, she was still alive, slipping in and out. Before she passed away, she came to, looked at me and told me to mourn her, then to be happy. Without her. With you."
Spike reached out to wipe the lone tear away from the young man's cheek.
"I mourned, Spike. Until last week. Our third year anniversary. I mourned. I went to her grave, and I swear I heard her whisper to me. I heard her voice, as sweet as ever, telling me 'enough'. That was it. Enough mourning. Enough waiting. Enough hurt and loneliness. Enough seeing you look at me with fire in your eyes and turning away. Enough of Dawn and Wills and Tara
inquiring when was I gonna make my move. I love her. I'll always love her, and miss her and mourn her. But she wanted me to be with you while she was living, and when she died. And... God, I want you, Spike."
Spike blinked the tears away, then leaned into Xander's frame, seeking his lips and encircling his arms around sturdy shoulders in a tight hug.
Breaking away to let Xander breathe, Spike whispered fiercely into his mouth. "I want you too, Xan. But, not here. This place reeks!"
The young man laughed, and held out a hand to the vampire as he got out of the bed.
"What do you say we go back to the apartment, and we honor Anya by showing you some of the moves she taught me?"
"I'd say, lead the way!"
Laughing again, Xander pulled his vampire in for another kiss, then dragged his very willing lover out of the mansion and into their future.
The End
