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> Summary: Xander has just revealed that Angel was present during Thanksgiving.
Buffy's mad. Spike is hungry.
> Timeline: Takes place immediately after Season 4's "Pangs", in which Spike arrives, defanged, at Giles' doorstep, Angel lurks in the shadows due to one of Cordelia's visions, and they fight a Native American vengeance ghost while Buffy is just trying to have Thanksgiving. The ep ends with Xander spilling that Angel was there, and Buffy drops her fork in shock.
> Pairing: Spike/Buffy
> Rating: R, for naughty words and implied sex
> Nods: Thanks to Love for her help when I went blank. And for letting me read the whole thing to her aloud with voices and everything. And for not laughing too hard when I did (except at the funny parts). For another fun-in-the-tub story, see Saber's fabulous "Memorable".
> Disclaimer: You know the drill. 20th Century Fox Corp. owns everyone but me.
> Distribution: Ask and ye shall post on your site, as long as ye promise to leave my italics intact. If that's too much trouble, make an outside link to this page.
> Feedback: Love me! (nautibitz@yahoo.com)
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"Angel was here? Angel was here?!"
Giles started, "I told him it was terribly unfair--"
"And you knew?" Her chair flew backwards as she stood up. "You all knew?"
"I didn't," Spike volunteered.
"I can't believe you all knew--"
Willow fretted, "Buffy, I'm sorry, he just didn't want to get you--"
Buffy yelled, "How dare he?!"
"--upset," Willow finished with a frown.
"How dare he come up here and lurk around in the shadows, conspire with my friends and leave? Let me guess." She crossed her arms and continued, "The PTB faxed him a Sunnydale code red."
"Cordelia had a vision," Xander replied.
"Same dif," Buffy said.
Anya said briskly to Xander, "Cordelia, huh?"
"I'm just supplying information, An."
"I don't believe this!" Buffy cried.
"Her vision implied that you were i-in grave danger," Giles said to Buffy.
Spike said, "Well, I'm touched."
"Not you, ya' moron. The Indians!" Off of Willow's sour expression, Xander amended, "The Native Americans!"
"Well, look, I'm fine--killed 'em," Buffy said glibly. "No danger here."
Willow said, "He did help out a little, Buffy."
"That's it." Buffy threw her hands up. "I'm going down there to give him a piece of my mind."
"Ooh!" Spike said, eyes twinkling. "I sense a Crossover Event."
"Spike?" Buffy snapped. "Your mouth is moving. Words are coming out. Not good."
"Listen, you--"
Buffy threw a quick, light punch. "Shut. Up." She began to pace.
"Someone's testy," Spike mumbled, nursing his sore jaw.
"Buffy, Angel only came because he cares about you. And, and--he just didn't want to get in your way."
"I...I know, Willow, it's just," she plunked down and pouted. "He ruined my Thanksgiving!"
"No, a big bear ruined your Thanksgiving," Spike corrected levelly. "When do I get to eat?"
Buffy pointed at Spike. "Can I knock him unconscious now?"
"Please," Giles said.
***
"Before you go running off to L.A., Buffy, we have to decide what to do with Spike," Giles reminded her.
Spike called out, "Yeah, like, when do I get some blood?"
Giles scolded, "No blood until you're securely bound."
"Rupert..." Spike lasciviously replied, "Never pegged you as the whips and chains type."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "We need something stronger than rope for that."
"Guess it takes all kinds," Spike muttered to himself.
"We need shackles or something," Buffy suggested.
"Mm. Stop it, pet! You're turnin' me on."
"And you're making me nauseous." She turned to Giles. "Do you have anything like that?"
"Yes, you'd think I would, what with all the 'whips and chains' 'round here," Giles said, sending Spike a quick glare. "Alas, no."
"Well, all the stores are closed, what are we gonna do?"
Too hungry to wait, Spike reluctantly piped up. "I've got some."
Everyone in the room, even Anya who was deeply engrossed in the CBS showcase of The Wizard of Oz, turned to scrutinize Spike.
"You've got some what?" Buffy asked.
"I've got some shackles. Back at my old lair."
"Remind me never to ask about that," Xander said.
Anya said, "But you like to be tied--"
"An!" Xander yelped. "Remember the 'time and place for everything' rule?"
"And this is not the time?"
"Nor the place."
"Oh," Anya said.
Spike explained to Xander, "The shackles are for stringing idiots like you up for dinner." Then he added under his breath, "Well, most of the time."
Buffy said, "Now that I'm scarred for life from that word montage...Where's your old lair?"
"The north woods," Spike replied. "It's a cave, 'bout forty meters from the overpass construction site."
"Giles? Drive me?"
"Of course."
"What, you're leaving him alone with us?" Xander asked.
Buffy quickly threatened Spike, "Touch them and you're dust."
Spike shrugged.
"Wait, that implies that you'd dust him after he touched us..."
"Xander, even if he could hurt you, he's weak," Buffy offered. "I'm sure you can handle him."
Xander glanced at Anya and puffed up. "Yeah. Of course. I can handle...where are the stakes?"
Buffy casually flung one his way, barely missing Spike's chair.
"Hey!" Spike yelled. "Watch it with that thing!" He looked at Xander. "That goes for you too, blotchy."
"Blotchy? What does that--Okay, I'm just gonna get this over with now." Xander advanced.
Spike hopped backwards in his chair. "Oy! Slayer! Tell him he can't kill me!"
"Bye, kids!" Buffy said cheerily, and left with Giles.
"Thanks, love," Spike groused. "Always knew I could count on you." He peered at Xander who was two inches from his face.
"Are ya hungry?" Xander taunted Spike. "Hungry for some...stake?"
"Oh," Spike said. "Now that is lame. I can see why you're not the Slayer."
"Hey, I don't have to be. I've got the stake, and I know exactly where your heart is." Xander pressed it to his chest.
"Ow! Stop that!" He looked over Xander's shoulder. "Willow!"
"Xander," Willow said calmly, eyes on the TV. "We need his info about the commandos. We can't kill him yet."
"Yet? Not at all, you mean!" Spike shouted.
"Or...not at all. Whatever," she said casually.
"He doesn't know anything," Xander said, dismissing him with a wave of his hand.
"I bloody well do! All I'm asking for is some food!"
"You're pathetic."
"Oh, piss off."
"Buffy can't get you blood tonight anyway," Xander pointed out. "All the stores are closed."
"Yeah, well, Buffy might not come back alive," Spike said, grinning. "And that's just as pleasant."
"What are you talking about?"
"The lair. It's Harmony's," he laughed. "She'll prob'ly kill her."
"You mean Buffy will kill Harmony."
"Or vice versa. See, that's why I love this town so much. So unpredictable."
Xander turned to Willow. "Should we go warn her?"
"I don't know," Willow said. "She can handle Harmony...right?"
"Well there was that other blonde chick she had a problem with..." Xander stood up, on edge.
"Yeah, but this is Harmony," Willow stressed. "And that was when Buffy was feeling kinda insecure."
"Oh, do tell."
"Shut up, Spike," Xander and Willow snapped in unison.
"Why don't you two go? I'll watch Spike," Anya said nonchalantly. "He doesn't scare me."
"Hey! I'm scary! Look!" He morphed.
"Your bumpiness doesn't frighten me. I'm an ex-demon you know."
"Yeah?" he asked with interest. "What kind?"
"Vengeance."
Spike grinned. "Well, well. Xander's in for a treat."
"Not as long as he behaves himself!" Anya giggled conspiratorially with Spike.
After watching the two like a tennis match, Xander sat down. "Okay," he resolved. "I'm not going anywhere."
"What's the matter?" Anya asked.
"You are not to speak to him."
Anya scoffed. "Are you giving me orders?"
"Uh-oh," Spike sang jauntily. "I smell a vengeance comin' on."
"Every time you talk you get that much closer to being dust," Xander menaced.
"Yeah, you're real manly, threatenin' the neutered demon."
"Yeah, don't threaten the neutered demon!"
"Anya!" Xander blurted, frustrated. "Can I...please talk to you alone for a second?"
***
Buffy and Giles walked in to see Willow on the couch and Spike in his chair, Xander and Anya nowhere in sight.
Buffy announced, "Creepy set of medieval shackles, check."
"Buffy!" Willow cried in relief. "Did you run into Harmony? 'Cause Spike told us after you left that Harmony..."
"Yup," Buffy said. "She's the one who gave 'em to me."
"She gave them to you?" Spike asked in surprise. "She really must hate me."
"Oh yeah. You're number one on her hit list."
"You talked about me?"
"Unfortunately. I couldn't get her to shut up."
Spike lifted a brow. "That's my Harm. Finds an ear and just...pummels it til it bleeds."
Buffy blew a strand of hair out of her face and held the chains up to Giles. "So where do you wanna put him?"
"Hmm... It has to be very secure..."
"The staircase?" Buffy asked.
Willow shook it. "No, too wobbly."
"Thank god," Spike said.
"What about this bar?" Buffy suggested, pointing to the brass barre that protruded from the kitchen island.
"Oh, sure," Spike bellowed, "Just string me upside down like a pig on a spittle--"
"Why not? You're already a pig," Buffy replied breezily.
Xander emerged from the hallway, holding Anya's hand. "Giles! Buffy! Hi! Didn't know you'd come back so soon!"
"What's with the yelling!" Buffy yelled.
"Nothing!" Xander said defensively.
Giles pointed at his bathroom. "Were you two just in there together?"
"No...yes. We were just talking, okay?"
"All...right then," Giles said, blinking. He headed for the bathroom. "Perhaps the bathtub has a secure enough faucet. The pipes are quite strong here."
"Oh, yeah," Xander replied without thinking. "They're very--secure and don't ask me why I know."
Anya eagerly supplied, "Because we just had sex in there!"
Xander closed his eyes. "Anya."
Willow and Buffy stared, noses wrinkled.
"Good god man," Giles sputtered. "Couldn't you have waited til you got--Oh, never mind."
"Tell me you'll clean it out first," Spike said. "I don't fancy sleeping on Xander spew."
"Eugh!" Buffy groaned in disgust. "Can we please stop with the graphic descriptions and get to the shackling here?"
"Every time you say that, pet, I get all tingly." Spike's tongue curled under his teeth.
Buffy closed her eyes and exhaled heavily. "Somebody get a gag for him, please."
"Just for the record, it's clean in there," Xander mumbled red-faced, before he went to fetch his and Anya's jackets.
"Yeah, cheers, thanks alot," Spike said. "Prob'ly still reeks."
"Someone! A gag! Please!" Buffy repeated.
"Oh, I thought you were being sarcastic," Willow said, and went to the kitchen to find one.
"Bye guys, Happy Thanksgiving, it's been the best ever," Xander called, and hurried out the door with Anya.
***
"This sucks," Buffy said, as she started to drag Spike, still strapped in his chair, into the bathroom.
"If only," Spike said, gazing at her neck.
Buffy frowned down at him and called out, "Will, did you find anything yet?"
"Giles won't let me put anything of his into Spike's mouth!" she called back.
"Great." She kicked the door closed behind her.
"What? You planning on a Xander/Anya repeat?"
"Please, Spike, I don't have time for your little innuendoes right now."
"Do you ever?"
"No, but especially not tonight." She began to untie him.
"Why, because you're all wonky with images of Angel runnin' through your head?"
"I am not...wonky," she replied. "Whatever that means."
"Of course you are. He threw you for a loop again. It's his bloody specialty."
"Ugh! I know!" she cried, forgetting who she was talking to. "Where does that come from anyway? I didn't ask for it! You don't see me going, 'One order of the Loop Special, extra Angst--hold the Mayo!' God! He drives me crazy!" She set his feet free. "I mean, does he think I'm some little china doll? Like I'd just...break if I saw him?"
Spike shrugged. "He's got a saviour complex. Powers that Be got his head all in the clouds, got him thinkin' he's the next blimey comin' of Christ--"
Buffy yanked the rope from his skin extra hard. "Rhetorical question, Spike. Look it up."
"Oh, like you've ever cracked a dictionary."
She continued to rant, ignoring him. "The thing that's so crazy is that I sensed him but I didn't trust my instincts. What harm would it do to just show his face?"
"I'm beginning to see why he wouldn't," Spike eyed her, finally unbound in his chair. "Have you always been this prattly?"
"I'm just so pissed off," she said. "I mean, who the hell does he think he is getting my friends to lie to me?"
"Bleedin' ponce is what he is," he answered matter-of-factly.
She glared at him. "Who asked you?"
"You--"
"Get in." She pointed at the tub.
Spike grumbled, "This is humiliating."
"Good," Buffy said.
"I hate you, you know that?" he said, stepping over the tub.
"Mutual," she replied with a shrug.
Spike sat down slowly, getting a feel for the tub. He made a face. "As I thought. It does reek."
She sat beside him and grabbed a shackle, already secured to the tub. "I don't smell anything."
"Well, lucky you, you're not a vampire."
"You can smell sex?"
"Oh, yeah. I can smell sex, I can smell arousal...I can smell that blood on your arm," he trailed off, fixated on the blood scent.
Buffy glanced at her bandage. "You can smell arousal?"
"From yards away."
"On...everyone?"
"Girls, mostly. They're the most fun anyway."
"Oh." She closed the first shackle around Spike's ankle.
"Worried, love?"
"Why would I be worried?"
He bent forward to speak in her ear. "About all those times your panties soak through when you fight me."
Buffy's eyes widened, but she continued. "I don't know what fantasyland you're living in, but..."
"S'alright, Slayer. It's perfectly natural. I get hard when I fight you, too."
"Ew!" Buffy made a face. "Excuse me while I use the toilet to throw up into."
He grabbed her hand. "You can't pretend with me, Slayer. I always know."
"Spike, you don't know anything." She took her hand away. "You talk out of your ass and pretend it's wisdom."
"Got a hundred years on you that proves otherwise, Slayer. 'Going to go see Angel.' Hmpf." He reasoned, "You know if you go down there to chew him out, it'll only make you all lovey dovey and horny, and you can't do anything about that."
"You're disgusting." She shackled his hands.
"I'm also right."
Buffy locked the chains together, and slipped the key into her pocket. "Enough small talk. Tell me about the commandos."
"Tell me about some blood."
"I told you, I don't have any blood."
"Sure you do. It's right there," he said, eyes fixed on the crimson circle seeping through her bandage.
"You think I'll feed you my blood? You're out of your gourd."
"I'm hungry!" he whined, shaking his chains.
"Oh, for god's sake." She unwrapped the bandage and stuck it in his mouth. "Suck on that."
Buffy blanched as she watched Spike milk it for all it was worth. "That is the grossest thing I think I've ever seen."
He spit it out. "Yeah, well, what do you expect? I'm a vampire. Angel'd do the same."
"Don't bring Angel into this."
"Don't have to. Angel's already here. He's all you're bloody thinkin' about."
"Look, I gave you blood. Start talking."
"Think that was enough? Not a peep out of me until I have actual, warm liquid blood."
"How do I even know you'll talk?"
"You have my word."
"Oh, and Spike's word is bond."
"It is! It is bond!" He looked at her arm. "Look, it's all ready to spill. All you have to do is de-scab it and pour it into my mouth!"
"That's revolting, Spike! You're not getting my blood!"
He tried a different tack. "I'll tell everyone you get turned on when you fight monsters." He narrowed his eyes. "Or is it just me?"
"Don't flatter yourself, Spike."
"Oh, so it's all of us." He yelled, "Buffy gets--"
Her fist connected with his nose. "Shut up."
He shook off the pain. "I swear I'll tell if you don't gimme."
"Say whatever you want. They won't believe you."
"Oh Buffy," he moaned loudly and kicked the tub. "Ohhh, Buffyyy--"
"Spike!" she whispered as she hit him again. "I swear to god--"
He threw his head back. "Buffy, yeah! Oh yeah, that's so good! Don't stop! Auhhhh--"
Buffy covered his mouth, mortified. "Don't listen to Spike!" she yelled out.
"We're not," Giles called from the living room.
Spike licked her hand, and she recoiled. "C'mon, love. Just a taste. Just one little drip. Then I'll tell you everything."
"Everything?"
"Everything."
Buffy sighed. As she peeled away her scab, she muttered, "Why couldn't I have been chosen to fight robots, or members of Congress or...tartar? Of all things it just had to be vampires..."
Spike's eyes glazed over as she raised her arm above his mouth...and squoze.
He vamped out and opened wide.
A droplet of blood fell onto his tongue. As it hit the back of his throat, he burned for more.
He expected Buffy to stop, but she didn't. She continued to squeeze her wound, and blood continued to drop out.
She watched, fascinated and amused. He looked like a baby bird at feeding time. A really evil baby bird.
Unwittingly, she brought her arm closer and closer to his mouth.
When her skin grazed his lips, Buffy started, but didn't move. Strange, she thought, but strangely not repulsive.
Rattling his chains frustratedly, willing his hands free to grasp, he began to suck her arm in earnest. Loud suckling noises and moans filled the room.
"Shhh," she hissed.
"Mm," he said, quieting down.
Buffy remembered when Angel had sucked her blood. When he'd needed to. It almost killed her but it was the most intimate moment they'd shared since...Since.
Now she was letting Spike go at it. Of course, not in the same way. But...
Why was she letting Spike suck her blood?
She pulled away, horrified at herself.
He looked disoriented and slightly drugged. "What? What is it?"
"Nothing. I..."
"Please," he urged huskily. "I won't hurt you."
If anyone had asked Buffy at that moment why she brought her arm back to his mouth, she wouldn't have been able to answer.
Once again, he sucked hungrily at her flesh. He was drinking blood, heavenly Slayer blood, and he wasn't going to stop until whatever was rigged in his head set off.
It was such an intimate act that Buffy felt she shouldn't even be watching. The expression on his demonic face was one of pure ecstasy. Well, of course it is, she thought. He's sucking the lifeforce out of a Slayer. Her eyes drifted out of focus. Out of...me.
Suddenly, inexplicably, an intense throb pulsed between Buffy's thighs.
Spike stopped sucking.
As he slowly swiveled to face her, Spike's vampiric features melted away.
Buffy tried to mask her arousal, but a tiny whimper betrayed her.
For a second, their eyes met and silently acknowledged the deep, undeniable desire that they felt for one another. ...Had always felt for one another.
"I, um," she said, swiftly taking her arm back. "I have to go."
"Buffy..."
"No," she said shakily, standing. She grabbed some fresh gauze, walked out, and slammed the door behind her.
"Fuck me," Spike groaned to himself as he rocked his head back on the cold porcelain and shut his eyes.
He tasted the last of her blood on his tongue, and savored it with an echoing "Mmm..."
"Well," Spike said, licking his lips. "Fella could get used to this."
~The End~