LBSBSS 08
Title: Little Bit Strange, But Still Special
Author: Feygan
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Anita Blake
Pairing: Xander/Spike
"Well all right then," Spike said. "If we feel like we can't keep it civilized any longer, then Xander and I will be free to leave. Agreed?"
Xander held his breath, his hand tightening on the strap of his bag. Spike would hold them off long enough for him to pull a weapon, though he wasn't sure anything they had could do any real damage to a rampaging were. Silver had been outside of their price range when they were putting together their weapons collection.
Jean-Claude looked at Spike a moment longer. "Agreed," he finally said. And Xander didn't sag in relief the way he wanted to. "We will talk like civilized beings."
"Yeah, civilized," Spike said.
Asher had pulled out his cellphone and was speaking quietly. He ended the call, tucking his phone into the inner pocket of his jacket. "The cars are pulling up out front," he said to Jean-Claude. "We should go. The clean up will be handled without us."
Xander assumed Asher wanted his boss off the scene in case the cops showed. There was a whole club full of people that were going to have some questions when they woke up. If any of them were smart, they would learn their lesson and stay away from vampires in the future, but he figured most of them wouldn't.
Humans could be almost suicidally stupid. And in this world, they'd decided to be best friends with the monsters. Like putting a nice face on something that saw people as food made it all right.
At least Spike's always been honest about what he is, Xander thought. Even when it would have been comforting if he'd lied.
Xander met Spike's eye and gave him a nod. They'd go with Jean-Claude and his minions, but at the first sign of trouble they'd make a break for it. Peacefully if possible, or violently if they had to. And they'd take the girl--Penelope--with them when they went.
*
Riding in a car with a couple of local vamps and a pissed off Anita Blake should probably have come with a warning label and a bag full of cash. At the very least, Xander felt like he could do without the uncomfortable silence and the speculative/intrigued/accusing stares. Pressing close to Spike only did so much as he could feel the bowstring tightness of Spike's body against his.
Spike was about an inch away from ripping faces off. Which meant, joy, Xander was supposed to be diplomacy guy. It made him miss the days when "diplomacy" mainly consisted of whether he just showed the ax or if he stuck it in something.
Finally they reached the Circus. Xander practically threw himself out of the car to get away from all the tension. He took deep breaths and made sure to keep Penelope in his line of sight--he'd feel terrible if the girl disappeared somewhere and ended up being made into vampire chow again. Or--he eyed the shifters hanging around--got turned into something furry and full of teeth.
He'd make sure Penelope got home to her family. The girl had been traumatized more than enough. And he wasn't projecting any Buffy "White Knight" feelings on her either. He wasn't.
TBC...
Author: Feygan
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Anita Blake
Pairing: Xander/Spike
"Well all right then," Spike said. "If we feel like we can't keep it civilized any longer, then Xander and I will be free to leave. Agreed?"
Xander held his breath, his hand tightening on the strap of his bag. Spike would hold them off long enough for him to pull a weapon, though he wasn't sure anything they had could do any real damage to a rampaging were. Silver had been outside of their price range when they were putting together their weapons collection.
Jean-Claude looked at Spike a moment longer. "Agreed," he finally said. And Xander didn't sag in relief the way he wanted to. "We will talk like civilized beings."
"Yeah, civilized," Spike said.
Asher had pulled out his cellphone and was speaking quietly. He ended the call, tucking his phone into the inner pocket of his jacket. "The cars are pulling up out front," he said to Jean-Claude. "We should go. The clean up will be handled without us."
Xander assumed Asher wanted his boss off the scene in case the cops showed. There was a whole club full of people that were going to have some questions when they woke up. If any of them were smart, they would learn their lesson and stay away from vampires in the future, but he figured most of them wouldn't.
Humans could be almost suicidally stupid. And in this world, they'd decided to be best friends with the monsters. Like putting a nice face on something that saw people as food made it all right.
At least Spike's always been honest about what he is, Xander thought. Even when it would have been comforting if he'd lied.
Xander met Spike's eye and gave him a nod. They'd go with Jean-Claude and his minions, but at the first sign of trouble they'd make a break for it. Peacefully if possible, or violently if they had to. And they'd take the girl--Penelope--with them when they went.
*
Riding in a car with a couple of local vamps and a pissed off Anita Blake should probably have come with a warning label and a bag full of cash. At the very least, Xander felt like he could do without the uncomfortable silence and the speculative/intrigued/accusing stares. Pressing close to Spike only did so much as he could feel the bowstring tightness of Spike's body against his.
Spike was about an inch away from ripping faces off. Which meant, joy, Xander was supposed to be diplomacy guy. It made him miss the days when "diplomacy" mainly consisted of whether he just showed the ax or if he stuck it in something.
Finally they reached the Circus. Xander practically threw himself out of the car to get away from all the tension. He took deep breaths and made sure to keep Penelope in his line of sight--he'd feel terrible if the girl disappeared somewhere and ended up being made into vampire chow again. Or--he eyed the shifters hanging around--got turned into something furry and full of teeth.
He'd make sure Penelope got home to her family. The girl had been traumatized more than enough. And he wasn't projecting any Buffy "White Knight" feelings on her either. He wasn't.
TBC...