Fic: Deathboy & Co, Part 5
Title: Deathboy & Co
Chapter: 5/??
Authors: Nash (nashmaveric)
Fandom: BtVS and Discworld
Pairing: Spike/Xander at some point in the future
Rating: PG for now
Characters: Sadly, not mine. Two of my most favourite character creators made them up. They all belong to Whedon and Pratchett, may they both keep on writing for years to come.
Concrits: welcome in comments
Author's note: Death’s apprentice and adopted daughter had two children, Jessica and Susan Sto Helit. Jessica didn’t like the idea of being Death’s grandchild so she run away from home to another dimension, married the first man she met and had a kid ::points to Xander:: The plan was, Death’s powers could not be part of someone who had produced life so she’d be off the hook.
Previous parts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
In the last part:
"Hex is asking as if we're sure we want to step out of our own universe into another. Are we sure?" he asked hopefully.
"Of course we're sure. We wouldn't have asked to go if we weren't, now would we?" Ridcully demanded.
Stibbon sighed his disappointment. He reached out to press the button, dawdling as much as he could.
"Get on with it, lad! We want to 'step out'."
-------
The words seemed to be enough confirmation for Hex as suddenly Xander and his new friends were standing in front of Buffy's house just in time to see her land on Spike.
"Are you making out with Spike?" Xander exclaimed.
"What? No! I was just checking to see if he broke anything!"
Buffy immediately jumped up and off of the vampire.
"He's a vampire, he's not that easy to break!" he pointed out, upset on entirely too many levels for this. Spike just shrugged at him and got up.
"Who are they and why are they wearing dresses?" one of the girls demanded.
Kennedy, Xander remembered. The pushy, bratty one who thought she was in charge.
"Yeah, and why are they looking the other way?"
The wizards had indeed huddled together with their collective backs to the girls. They were whispering to each other, random words like "women", "tight" and "shame" audible when they screeched a bit too loudly. Every once in a while one of them would lift his head and stare for a moment before going back to the conversation.
The only one still facing them was Ridcully who was looking at Spike with an odd look on his face. They were whispering amongst themselves and now and then you could hear the Bursar asking if they were really women and the Dean exclaiming how scandalous it all was.
"They're wizards from..." Xander hesitated as he realised there were half a dozen SiTs listening, "Aunt Susan's home town, they came to help," he said.
"Where's your cape then," Ridcully suddenly said, staring at Spike.
The blond was too shocked to respond with anything other than a surprised "Excuse me?"
"Your cape, my good man. No decent vampire walks around without a cape."
Everyone turned to look at Xander as if he had all the lines to this little play.
"Erm, our world has different rules?" he offered hesitantly. "All vampires are evil. Except this one. He, um, has a soul."
He was saved from having to explain anything further by the Librarian who chose that moment to make his presence known.
"Ook!" He stood next to Ridcully and gestured widely. "Ook, ook, eeeeek."
Ridcully humphed but seemed to accept the explanation. Xander made a mental note to ask the orangutan where the hell he knew about vampires in this world and what the fuck was an L-space.
"You're taking directions from a monkey?"
The bewilderment on Kennedy's face soon changed into panic as she was suddenly raised in the air in the hands of a very, very angry orangutan. Chaos ensued as Buffy tried to get him off of her only to be thrown over the Librarian's head and into a bed of chrysanthemums and the rest of the girls panicked and scattered to the edges of the yard.
Spike and Xander leaned against the fence, both wearing identical smug looks. Kennedy had, after all, been asking for this and who were they to refuse a free show! They were soon joined by Ridcully.
"Fag?" Spike offered the packet.
"Don't mind if I do," Ridcully replied. "Cigars are better for your health you know. Though, what with being dead and all I'm sure you don't care much about that."
“Can’t say it’s a concern,” Spike mused, “Though it’s still a bit addictive.”
Stibbons seemed to be the only one willing and able to talk to the Librarian.
"She wasn't to know you were an ape," he was saying, "I'm sure she was raised in the middle of a city. Right?"
Kennedy nodded as much as she could while being held in a chokehold.
"See? She won't make that mistake again."
The Librarian looked no less willing to let go of her.
"I'll give you a banana?" Stibbons said hopefully.
The Librarian thought for a moment then appeared to have reached a decision.
"Ook."
Stibbons looked at Ridcully helplessly.
"Oh, very well," Ridcully grumbled. He raised his voice a bit. "Books, you say? Are they rare, magical tomes or just your run-of-the-mill paper stuff."
Xander looked surprised for a moment. Then he got it.
"Rare magical tomes, of course," he said loudly
"And your little witchy friend needs help with the sorting?"
"Oh yes, none of us are very good with books."
The Librarian inched closer, still holding Kennedy aloft. Buffy, who had managed to get herself up, followed him, standing close enough to interfere should something violent happen.
"Of course," Xander continued, "we would never let anyone touch them if they killed one of the girls."
"Or hurt them I assume," Ridcully added quickly when the Librarian looked like he was about to throw Kennedy on the fence.
A moment of hesitation then the Librarian released Kennedy, dumping her unceremoniously to the ground. She shakily got on her feet and drew breath to yell at him. Before she could speak, Buffy grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"Do you really want to scream at the erm...guy who just had you by the neck?" she hissed. Kennedy subsided with a wary glare towards the Librarian.
"Okay, everybody in," Buffy said loudly, "Girls, go to the basement to finish your practice. Spike, Xander, wizard boys you're with me."
“They’re indecently dressed!” the Dean burst out, pointing accusingly at the girls as they filed in the house. “And so are you!” the pointing moved to Buffy.
“Erm, sir, if I may be allowed to explain,” Stibbons gingerly pushed the Dean’s hand down so it safely pointed at the ground. “Remember the Roundworld, sir? With all the people and the short skirts?”
Some of the wizards sighed sadly as they recalled leaving that place.
“The goose was particularly inspired,” the Dean said with his own little sigh.
“Yes, the goose. Well, this world it’s like that one.”
“You mean we can have that marvelous goose again?”
Ponder looked at Xander.
“Maybe after the apocalypse?”
“He looks familiar,” Spike said, pointing at Stibbons.
* * *
"You can't keep coming back here, you know."
AND YET HERE I AM.
Susan huffed a breath. The picture she was faced with could well have come out of a rural painting. The corn was golden in the sunset and the breeze was sending waves through the field. In the corner of the field, just in front of the barn stood her grandfather, the farmer, in a checked shirt and dungarees, patiently sharpening a scythe.
If only the farmer wasn't a skeleton, Susan thought with a sigh.
"Grandfather, you can't do this."
AND YET I AM.
The words were delivered in the same even tone as before but this time there was a twinkle in the blue orbs.
"Grandfather," Susan said trying on the tone she'd used when dealing with small children who thought it was cute to be cheeky. "You shouldn't expect Xander to do your job for you."
HE SHOULD NOT HAVE UNDONE IT FOR ME.
"It's unbecoming of a man...a human...an anthropomorphic personification your age to sulk," Susan snapped.
I'M NOT SULKING.
Susan crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot.
I AM...PONDERING THE MEANING OF LIFE.
"You are doing no such thing. You're sulking, at least be ma- skeleton enough to admit it. Will you stop sharpening that scythe, it's getting on my nerves!"
Death stopped. He looked at his granddaughter for a moment then turned towards the house.
WOULD YOU LIKE SOME TEA?
"I would like for you to go back to work," Susan said.
Death tilted his head and waited patiently.
"Oh fine. Mint tea with a spoonful of honey, please."
* * *
Xander brought Buffy up-to-date as much as he could, with frequent interruptions from the wizards to correct him on one thing or another and a few distracted ooks from the Librarian who was happily sorting through Willow and Giles's magic books.
By the time he found out what happened while he was gone, Buffy, Giles and Ridcully were in the middle of a power struggle, while Spike was trying to fend off the attention of the rest of the wizards. Willow and the Librarian were still playing in their own little booky world.
Xander stood there, smiling at the scene, then quietly left the room, going in search of Dawn. He hadn't been there when they thought she was a Potential but he did know Dawn and this wouldn't have been the easiest thing for her to deal with. He found her in the study, the only place not overcome with teenagers, quietly doing her research.
"Hey."
"Xander? You're back!" In typical Dawn fashion she squealed her pleasure and launched at him, hugging him tight.
"You know, one of these days you'll grow too much and throw us both down on the floor when you do that," he joked. Her only reply was a laugh as she leaned back out of the hug.
"I heard what happened," Xander said and her smile soon disappeared. "That's a harsh gig, being a Potential. Just being picked out of a crowd, danger and destiny, plus if you act now, death."
Dawn nodded at him and went back to her place in front of the desk.
"They can handle it."
"Yeah, they're special. No doubt." Xander said, perching next to her. "And the amazing thing is, not one of them will ever know. Not even Buffy."
"Know what?"
"How much harder it is for the rest of us."
He knew this; this is what he was, recent freakishness aside. Token human in a world full of super-heroes and witches.
"No way, they've got the..."
"Seven years, Dawn," he interrupted before she could get going, "Working with the Slayer, seeing my friends become more and more powerful… a witch, a demon, hell, I could fit Oz in my shaving kit but come the full moon he had wolfy mojo not to be messed with. Powerful, all of them. And I'm the guy who fixes the windows," Xander shrugged. Yeah, okay, he was used to his role but that didn't mean he always had to like it.
"You had that sexy army training for a little while, and, and the windows really did need fixing...and oh! You're Deathboy now!" she exclaimed as if that was the important thing.
"Buffy told me what happened, you know," Xander said, getting back on track.
"Yeah, I... I guess I sorta lost my head when I thought I was a Slayer."
"You thought you were all special. Miss Sunnydale 2003. And the minute you found out you weren't, you handed the crown over to Amanda without a moment's pause. You gave her your power," Xander noted.
He didn't talk about the proud look Buffy wore when she talked about her little sister; there was time enough for that later.
"The power wasn't mine."
Xander shook his head. Once again Dawn got the wrong message.
"They'll never know how tough it is, Dawnie," he said, putting words to what he'd been thinking for years. He’d watched all of them gain while he’d been the only one to stay still. "To be the one who isn't chosen; to live so near the spotlight and never step in it. But I know. I see more than anybody realizes, because nobody's watching me. Even now, they forget what I can do because that's not who I really am. I'm still the regular guy, just with some extras in the package… and a fancy stick,” he smiled, holding up his scythe. “I know what you are too. You're not special. You're extraordinary."
He could see the moment she finally got it, when her eyes went a little overbright and she smiled at him so he bent over and kissed her forehead just like he did when she was little and complaining about Buffy.
"I should check on the guys. I brought wizards with me," he laughed at her confused look and headed for the door.
"Maybe that's your real power. Deathboy stuff aside."
Xander paused and turned towards her.
"What?"
"Seeing. Knowing," Dawn explained.
Xander grinned.
"Maybe I should get a cape?" he asked, mentally picturing a big black thing with "Knowledge Man" stitched at the back.
"Cape is good," Dawn smiled back at him.
"Yeah, definitely a cape," he said and walked out, closing the door behind him and turning straight into Spike's chest. He couldn't stop the little shriek of surprise that escaped him. Spike smirked at his response and Xander pouted.
"One of these days I'll have a heart attack and then it won't be funny anymore," he muttered.
Spike's smirk widened before fading away. He looked as serious as Xander had ever seen him and nodded towards the study.
"That was good, what you did in there," he said.
Xander automatically glanced at the closed door.
"Yeah," he answered, "yeah, I guess. She's Dawnie," he shrugged, "she has to know she's special."
Spike nodded.
"I was about to try what you did. She's still not completely comfortable with me yet."
He avoided Xander's eyes as he spoke. God save him from souled vampires. Spike glanced at the door and hesitated a moment before he moved away, towards the stairs. Xander glared upwards at the powers that be messing with him. How come he'd never had the urge to hug Angel better?
"She'll come around," Xander said, "She loves you really. Hell, even I think you're part of the team now."
Spike stopped moving and stared at him, blue eyes wide with shock.
"What I can't have layers?" Xander asked, playing the offended knight part. "I have layers. Like an onion. No, too smelly and Shrek already used that. Like a rose?" he said thoughtfully, "Too girly. Oh I know, like that pastry thing, with the ham and the cheese."
He looked at Spike then laughed at the totally bewildered look on the blond's face.
"I'm the one who sees, remember?"
"Xander!"
The sound of a very distraught Willow stopped the witticism that was to follow. Xander contemplated pouting for a moment. He loved his little witty moments and this one was now completely spoiled.
"The Librarian keeps messing with my system! And I don't understand a word he's grunting. Come and translate human to mon-"
"Ape!" Xander interrupted, taking the stairs two at the time in his haste to get to Willow before the Librarian realised what she’d almost said. He may not have spent a lot of time around the wizards but he'd learned not to even say the word 'monkey' near the Librarian. The Kennedy thing before was just a live illustration of what would happen if he ever did.
"Human to ape," he said again as he reached her, flashing a smile at the obviously ruffled Librarian. "Come on, I'll help you talk to the nice ape. I don't even know why I understand him, must be one of those funky Deathy stuff."
He was so involved in helping Willow deal with the Librarian that he didn't see the thoughtful look Spike sent his way before retreating back to the strategy room with Buffy and the rest of the wizards.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Speaking of Deathboy & Co I have a little question here that I would love for you guys to help me with. See, when I started the fic I was thinking in terms of Spander but as I go on it seems that a gen fic might work just as well if not better. The thing is, I'm not sure. So...if my mostly spandery list could take off their slash hats for a moment... ::waits patiently:: ...and put on their BtVS/Discworld fan hats please... ::waits some more:: ...and answer the following question:
Poll Deathboy & Co
Chapter: 5/??
Authors: Nash (nashmaveric)
Fandom: BtVS and Discworld
Pairing: Spike/Xander at some point in the future
Rating: PG for now
Characters: Sadly, not mine. Two of my most favourite character creators made them up. They all belong to Whedon and Pratchett, may they both keep on writing for years to come.
Concrits: welcome in comments
Author's note: Death’s apprentice and adopted daughter had two children, Jessica and Susan Sto Helit. Jessica didn’t like the idea of being Death’s grandchild so she run away from home to another dimension, married the first man she met and had a kid ::points to Xander:: The plan was, Death’s powers could not be part of someone who had produced life so she’d be off the hook.
Previous parts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
In the last part:
"Hex is asking as if we're sure we want to step out of our own universe into another. Are we sure?" he asked hopefully.
"Of course we're sure. We wouldn't have asked to go if we weren't, now would we?" Ridcully demanded.
Stibbon sighed his disappointment. He reached out to press the button, dawdling as much as he could.
"Get on with it, lad! We want to 'step out'."
-------
The words seemed to be enough confirmation for Hex as suddenly Xander and his new friends were standing in front of Buffy's house just in time to see her land on Spike.
"Are you making out with Spike?" Xander exclaimed.
"What? No! I was just checking to see if he broke anything!"
Buffy immediately jumped up and off of the vampire.
"He's a vampire, he's not that easy to break!" he pointed out, upset on entirely too many levels for this. Spike just shrugged at him and got up.
"Who are they and why are they wearing dresses?" one of the girls demanded.
Kennedy, Xander remembered. The pushy, bratty one who thought she was in charge.
"Yeah, and why are they looking the other way?"
The wizards had indeed huddled together with their collective backs to the girls. They were whispering to each other, random words like "women", "tight" and "shame" audible when they screeched a bit too loudly. Every once in a while one of them would lift his head and stare for a moment before going back to the conversation.
The only one still facing them was Ridcully who was looking at Spike with an odd look on his face. They were whispering amongst themselves and now and then you could hear the Bursar asking if they were really women and the Dean exclaiming how scandalous it all was.
"They're wizards from..." Xander hesitated as he realised there were half a dozen SiTs listening, "Aunt Susan's home town, they came to help," he said.
"Where's your cape then," Ridcully suddenly said, staring at Spike.
The blond was too shocked to respond with anything other than a surprised "Excuse me?"
"Your cape, my good man. No decent vampire walks around without a cape."
Everyone turned to look at Xander as if he had all the lines to this little play.
"Erm, our world has different rules?" he offered hesitantly. "All vampires are evil. Except this one. He, um, has a soul."
He was saved from having to explain anything further by the Librarian who chose that moment to make his presence known.
"Ook!" He stood next to Ridcully and gestured widely. "Ook, ook, eeeeek."
Ridcully humphed but seemed to accept the explanation. Xander made a mental note to ask the orangutan where the hell he knew about vampires in this world and what the fuck was an L-space.
"You're taking directions from a monkey?"
The bewilderment on Kennedy's face soon changed into panic as she was suddenly raised in the air in the hands of a very, very angry orangutan. Chaos ensued as Buffy tried to get him off of her only to be thrown over the Librarian's head and into a bed of chrysanthemums and the rest of the girls panicked and scattered to the edges of the yard.
Spike and Xander leaned against the fence, both wearing identical smug looks. Kennedy had, after all, been asking for this and who were they to refuse a free show! They were soon joined by Ridcully.
"Fag?" Spike offered the packet.
"Don't mind if I do," Ridcully replied. "Cigars are better for your health you know. Though, what with being dead and all I'm sure you don't care much about that."
“Can’t say it’s a concern,” Spike mused, “Though it’s still a bit addictive.”
Stibbons seemed to be the only one willing and able to talk to the Librarian.
"She wasn't to know you were an ape," he was saying, "I'm sure she was raised in the middle of a city. Right?"
Kennedy nodded as much as she could while being held in a chokehold.
"See? She won't make that mistake again."
The Librarian looked no less willing to let go of her.
"I'll give you a banana?" Stibbons said hopefully.
The Librarian thought for a moment then appeared to have reached a decision.
"Ook."
Stibbons looked at Ridcully helplessly.
"Oh, very well," Ridcully grumbled. He raised his voice a bit. "Books, you say? Are they rare, magical tomes or just your run-of-the-mill paper stuff."
Xander looked surprised for a moment. Then he got it.
"Rare magical tomes, of course," he said loudly
"And your little witchy friend needs help with the sorting?"
"Oh yes, none of us are very good with books."
The Librarian inched closer, still holding Kennedy aloft. Buffy, who had managed to get herself up, followed him, standing close enough to interfere should something violent happen.
"Of course," Xander continued, "we would never let anyone touch them if they killed one of the girls."
"Or hurt them I assume," Ridcully added quickly when the Librarian looked like he was about to throw Kennedy on the fence.
A moment of hesitation then the Librarian released Kennedy, dumping her unceremoniously to the ground. She shakily got on her feet and drew breath to yell at him. Before she could speak, Buffy grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"Do you really want to scream at the erm...guy who just had you by the neck?" she hissed. Kennedy subsided with a wary glare towards the Librarian.
"Okay, everybody in," Buffy said loudly, "Girls, go to the basement to finish your practice. Spike, Xander, wizard boys you're with me."
“They’re indecently dressed!” the Dean burst out, pointing accusingly at the girls as they filed in the house. “And so are you!” the pointing moved to Buffy.
“Erm, sir, if I may be allowed to explain,” Stibbons gingerly pushed the Dean’s hand down so it safely pointed at the ground. “Remember the Roundworld, sir? With all the people and the short skirts?”
Some of the wizards sighed sadly as they recalled leaving that place.
“The goose was particularly inspired,” the Dean said with his own little sigh.
“Yes, the goose. Well, this world it’s like that one.”
“You mean we can have that marvelous goose again?”
Ponder looked at Xander.
“Maybe after the apocalypse?”
“He looks familiar,” Spike said, pointing at Stibbons.
* * *
"You can't keep coming back here, you know."
AND YET HERE I AM.
Susan huffed a breath. The picture she was faced with could well have come out of a rural painting. The corn was golden in the sunset and the breeze was sending waves through the field. In the corner of the field, just in front of the barn stood her grandfather, the farmer, in a checked shirt and dungarees, patiently sharpening a scythe.
If only the farmer wasn't a skeleton, Susan thought with a sigh.
"Grandfather, you can't do this."
AND YET I AM.
The words were delivered in the same even tone as before but this time there was a twinkle in the blue orbs.
"Grandfather," Susan said trying on the tone she'd used when dealing with small children who thought it was cute to be cheeky. "You shouldn't expect Xander to do your job for you."
HE SHOULD NOT HAVE UNDONE IT FOR ME.
"It's unbecoming of a man...a human...an anthropomorphic personification your age to sulk," Susan snapped.
I'M NOT SULKING.
Susan crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot.
I AM...PONDERING THE MEANING OF LIFE.
"You are doing no such thing. You're sulking, at least be ma- skeleton enough to admit it. Will you stop sharpening that scythe, it's getting on my nerves!"
Death stopped. He looked at his granddaughter for a moment then turned towards the house.
WOULD YOU LIKE SOME TEA?
"I would like for you to go back to work," Susan said.
Death tilted his head and waited patiently.
"Oh fine. Mint tea with a spoonful of honey, please."
* * *
Xander brought Buffy up-to-date as much as he could, with frequent interruptions from the wizards to correct him on one thing or another and a few distracted ooks from the Librarian who was happily sorting through Willow and Giles's magic books.
By the time he found out what happened while he was gone, Buffy, Giles and Ridcully were in the middle of a power struggle, while Spike was trying to fend off the attention of the rest of the wizards. Willow and the Librarian were still playing in their own little booky world.
Xander stood there, smiling at the scene, then quietly left the room, going in search of Dawn. He hadn't been there when they thought she was a Potential but he did know Dawn and this wouldn't have been the easiest thing for her to deal with. He found her in the study, the only place not overcome with teenagers, quietly doing her research.
"Hey."
"Xander? You're back!" In typical Dawn fashion she squealed her pleasure and launched at him, hugging him tight.
"You know, one of these days you'll grow too much and throw us both down on the floor when you do that," he joked. Her only reply was a laugh as she leaned back out of the hug.
"I heard what happened," Xander said and her smile soon disappeared. "That's a harsh gig, being a Potential. Just being picked out of a crowd, danger and destiny, plus if you act now, death."
Dawn nodded at him and went back to her place in front of the desk.
"They can handle it."
"Yeah, they're special. No doubt." Xander said, perching next to her. "And the amazing thing is, not one of them will ever know. Not even Buffy."
"Know what?"
"How much harder it is for the rest of us."
He knew this; this is what he was, recent freakishness aside. Token human in a world full of super-heroes and witches.
"No way, they've got the..."
"Seven years, Dawn," he interrupted before she could get going, "Working with the Slayer, seeing my friends become more and more powerful… a witch, a demon, hell, I could fit Oz in my shaving kit but come the full moon he had wolfy mojo not to be messed with. Powerful, all of them. And I'm the guy who fixes the windows," Xander shrugged. Yeah, okay, he was used to his role but that didn't mean he always had to like it.
"You had that sexy army training for a little while, and, and the windows really did need fixing...and oh! You're Deathboy now!" she exclaimed as if that was the important thing.
"Buffy told me what happened, you know," Xander said, getting back on track.
"Yeah, I... I guess I sorta lost my head when I thought I was a Slayer."
"You thought you were all special. Miss Sunnydale 2003. And the minute you found out you weren't, you handed the crown over to Amanda without a moment's pause. You gave her your power," Xander noted.
He didn't talk about the proud look Buffy wore when she talked about her little sister; there was time enough for that later.
"The power wasn't mine."
Xander shook his head. Once again Dawn got the wrong message.
"They'll never know how tough it is, Dawnie," he said, putting words to what he'd been thinking for years. He’d watched all of them gain while he’d been the only one to stay still. "To be the one who isn't chosen; to live so near the spotlight and never step in it. But I know. I see more than anybody realizes, because nobody's watching me. Even now, they forget what I can do because that's not who I really am. I'm still the regular guy, just with some extras in the package… and a fancy stick,” he smiled, holding up his scythe. “I know what you are too. You're not special. You're extraordinary."
He could see the moment she finally got it, when her eyes went a little overbright and she smiled at him so he bent over and kissed her forehead just like he did when she was little and complaining about Buffy.
"I should check on the guys. I brought wizards with me," he laughed at her confused look and headed for the door.
"Maybe that's your real power. Deathboy stuff aside."
Xander paused and turned towards her.
"What?"
"Seeing. Knowing," Dawn explained.
Xander grinned.
"Maybe I should get a cape?" he asked, mentally picturing a big black thing with "Knowledge Man" stitched at the back.
"Cape is good," Dawn smiled back at him.
"Yeah, definitely a cape," he said and walked out, closing the door behind him and turning straight into Spike's chest. He couldn't stop the little shriek of surprise that escaped him. Spike smirked at his response and Xander pouted.
"One of these days I'll have a heart attack and then it won't be funny anymore," he muttered.
Spike's smirk widened before fading away. He looked as serious as Xander had ever seen him and nodded towards the study.
"That was good, what you did in there," he said.
Xander automatically glanced at the closed door.
"Yeah," he answered, "yeah, I guess. She's Dawnie," he shrugged, "she has to know she's special."
Spike nodded.
"I was about to try what you did. She's still not completely comfortable with me yet."
He avoided Xander's eyes as he spoke. God save him from souled vampires. Spike glanced at the door and hesitated a moment before he moved away, towards the stairs. Xander glared upwards at the powers that be messing with him. How come he'd never had the urge to hug Angel better?
"She'll come around," Xander said, "She loves you really. Hell, even I think you're part of the team now."
Spike stopped moving and stared at him, blue eyes wide with shock.
"What I can't have layers?" Xander asked, playing the offended knight part. "I have layers. Like an onion. No, too smelly and Shrek already used that. Like a rose?" he said thoughtfully, "Too girly. Oh I know, like that pastry thing, with the ham and the cheese."
He looked at Spike then laughed at the totally bewildered look on the blond's face.
"I'm the one who sees, remember?"
"Xander!"
The sound of a very distraught Willow stopped the witticism that was to follow. Xander contemplated pouting for a moment. He loved his little witty moments and this one was now completely spoiled.
"The Librarian keeps messing with my system! And I don't understand a word he's grunting. Come and translate human to mon-"
"Ape!" Xander interrupted, taking the stairs two at the time in his haste to get to Willow before the Librarian realised what she’d almost said. He may not have spent a lot of time around the wizards but he'd learned not to even say the word 'monkey' near the Librarian. The Kennedy thing before was just a live illustration of what would happen if he ever did.
"Human to ape," he said again as he reached her, flashing a smile at the obviously ruffled Librarian. "Come on, I'll help you talk to the nice ape. I don't even know why I understand him, must be one of those funky Deathy stuff."
He was so involved in helping Willow deal with the Librarian that he didn't see the thoughtful look Spike sent his way before retreating back to the strategy room with Buffy and the rest of the wizards.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Speaking of Deathboy & Co I have a little question here that I would love for you guys to help me with. See, when I started the fic I was thinking in terms of Spander but as I go on it seems that a gen fic might work just as well if not better. The thing is, I'm not sure. So...if my mostly spandery list could take off their slash hats for a moment... ::waits patiently:: ...and put on their BtVS/Discworld fan hats please... ::waits some more:: ...and answer the following question:
Poll Deathboy & Co