Fine Tuned: Here There Be Dragons
Chapter Listing
Here There Be Dragons
Rating for this part: R
Author's Note: This piece written by RSK & Kyrieane.
Xander wondered if he quit moving for just a moment, she would quit growing. It seemed like he’d just stopped carrying that damn diaper bag when the announcement for kindergarten registration came. So now it was a flurry of immunizations and dentists and eye doctors, Quinn had perfect teeth but needed glasses and Xander was worried about the kind of teasing she would get. He could almost wish Spike hadn’t taught her how to double up her fist and swing, almost.
But here it was, first day of school and Quinn was clutching his hand tight enough to make his fingertips tingle and she understood why Baba couldn’t be here in her class but Xander didn’t like it one bit. There was just something not fair about standing in the middle of two dozen chattering women all dressed up in their Sunday best. But Quinn was smiling and making tentative friends with another little girl, Mrs. Hanscomb was just as uncomfortable with him in the midst of all that estrogen and ushering Xander out the door with promises of safety and fun and that his daughter would be in one piece when he came back to get her.
Quinn waved good-bye, vaguely in his direction, chattering and giggling in the middle of a pack of little girls with their hair all done up pigtails and skirts with cartoon characters. Just like Quinn. She wasn’t scared, she fit right in and made friends and she was going to be just fine.
Xander hoped he would be too.
Xander only called Spike ten times during the day; Spike complained about the loss of beauty sleep on the fourth call and decided to give up the thought of sleep by the sixth. He called Tara, chatting for an hour about how she and Willow planned on surviving Ben's first day of school.
The things he did for love.
When Xander and Quinn came through the front door, Spike was ready. Coffee with a shot of Irish whisky for daddy, chocolate chip cookies with a side of milk for Quinnie, and a kiss for them both. Xander looked like he’d run a 10k marathon while their daughter looked bright and shiny if just a touch disheveled.
They’d survived their first day.
“Baba, what’s a queer?” Spike dropped the gallon of milk on the floor, whirling around to face Quinn.
“Where the hell did you hear that?” Quinn wondered if that was one of the words that was going to get her mouth washed out with soap, but Daddy always told her she could ask anything.
“Eric said that you and Daddy were queers when we talked about what our mommy and daddy’s did at work all day and I said that I didn’t have a mommy I had two Daddies well I have a Daddy and a Baba and I call you Baba cuz I have a Daddy and Daddy is a builder and Baba washes my clothes.” Spike blinked a couple of times, wondering if all the Harris’ were born with the ability to never breathe while talking, then sat next to Quinn and took her hand.
“First, calling a person queer like that is not nice. It’s what stupid people say to make themselves sound important. Queer means odd or different, and yes your Daddy and I are different, but we’re not bad.” Spike wasn’t ready for talks like this, nobody had really questioned when he and Xander had gotten together, and they’d just accepted it as a natural progression of events. He wasn’t ready to defend this part of their life to their daughter.
Quinn just blinked back, cocking her head then nodding once. “I told Eric that I had a dragon at home and if he couldn’t be nice that I would make it come over and eat him when he was in bed sleeping.”
“Quinnie! Puck is not a dragon, he’s an Iguana, and I think he has better taste than that.” Spike slumped against the counter, breathing out a sigh of relief when Xander came into the kitchen.
“I’m a housewife Xander.”
Xander felt his heart stop and clutch and break. He’d had this conversation before. He sat on the bed behind Spike, wondering if this was the last time they would be here together as lovers.
“I cook, I clean, I go to the grocery store every Thursday night with a wallet full of coupons. I have pin money, Xan. Pin money for fuck’s sake.”
“I understand.” The words almost strangled him, but he really did. Spike wasn’t cut out for this kind of life, wasn’t meant to do laundry and bake cookies and sort Tupperware. “I love you.” And that was all he had to offer.
Spike turned and glared at him. “I never said you didn’t, Xander!”
Spike climbed out of bed and began to pace. He dove for the closet, grabbing a locked box from underneath a pile of jeans on the top shelf and, prying it open, grabbed a cigarette from inside and lit it with a flourish. “Just because I’m a bloody housewife doesn’t mean I’m not a demon.”
“I know,” Xander intoned, his eyes following Spike as he paced angrily around the room.
“I want to kill, Xander. I want to tear and bite and rend flesh from broken, bloody bones!” Spike’s demon roared to the forefront and Xander flinched back.
“Why?” Xander whispered.
Spike's eyes flared along with the tip of his cigarette and Xander watched, entranced, as the cherry raced down the length of the white sheath. Spike crushed out the butt and tossed it into the box, replacing it back on the shelf. Sighing, he turned to Xander.
“Someone hurt Quinn.”
“What?” Xander roared, leaping to his feet.
“Someone told Quinnie that we were queers, that there’s something wrong with us being…” Spike waved a hand back and forth between them, brushing lightly against Xander’s chest as he did.
Xander glared at Spike before reaching out and crushing him to his chest. “You can kill him, Spike, I’ll understand.”
“No!” Spike shoved Xander back, where he stumbled and fell onto the bed. “I can’t. Because it was a fucking baby who did it. Another five-year-old with big eyes and rosy cheeks and…” Spike sank to the floor. “I’m a demon, I’m a demon!”
Xander crawled off the floor and settled a Spike’s side, pulling off his shirt and offering his neck to his lover. “I know. And I can’t think of anyone else that I would have raise our beautiful girl.”
Spike took the proffered throat in his hands, his head cocked to the side as he examined the smooth flesh. “I have to find something to do, Xan. I have to have something…”
Xander tilted his head a bit more, pressing closer against Spike. “I know. Whatever you want.”
“I love you, Alexander.”
“I know,” Xander said, as Spike’s fangs slid home.
Spike walked into the house, grinning widely. Xander stood up from where he and Quinn were playing house with a Barbie, a Dracula doll and a Ken doll. “Well?” he prompted.
“I got it.” Spike reached down and threw Quinn over his shoulder before grabbing Xander’s hand and dragging them outside. He dropped Quinn into Xander’s arms and dramatically yanked a sheet off a large sign. Here There Be Dragons: Custom Choppers shone in gold, green and red.
“You got it!” Xander wrapped his arms around Spike’s neck and drew him in for a kiss. When he pulled away he grinned. “Now that you’re a respected businessman, don’t you think you have the responsibility of making an honest man out of me?”
Spike laughed as Quinn danced under the stars.
Quinn spun around the living room, making her dress fly out and then stopped suddenly, letting the fine lace twist around her ankles. “Daddy and Baba sitting in a tree…”
The doorbell rang and she ran for it, yelling, “It’s time! Hurry!”
“Coming Quinn! Do not open that door!” Xander yelled down the stairs.
Flinging the door wide, Quinn began shouting instructions. “All the presents go on the table and the food needs to go outside on the table and don’t forget…” She stopped when she saw the unfamiliar woman standing on the porch.
She was thin with red hair cut short and a wide smile that looked too large as she aimed it at Quinn. “Hello! Oh! You look just like Xander!”
Quinn moved to shut the door. “I’m sorry; I’m not allowed to talk to strangers.” The woman looked shocked as the door shut in her face.
Spike thundered down the stairs, heading for the door. “Leah Quinn Harris, what have I told you about opening that door?” He stopped in front of his daughter and dropped down to his knees. “I know that you’re excited, but that doesn’t change the rules. Now off with you, to the corner.”
Quinn’s head dropped. “Yea, Baba. I just…”
Spike gave her a quick hug and swatted her on the butt. “Off you go. Break the rules…”
“…suffer the consequences,” she finished. “Yes, Baba.”
Spike was moving toward the stairs when he heard the doorbell a second time. Ducking his chin to focus on the layered satin wrapped around his waist, he yelled at the door. “Get in here, Glinda! I can’t get this bloody thing to tighten…” he trailed off when he saw the woman standing in the open doorway.
“Anya?”
The End
Something Old
Here There Be Dragons
Rating for this part: R
Author's Note: This piece written by RSK & Kyrieane.
Xander wondered if he quit moving for just a moment, she would quit growing. It seemed like he’d just stopped carrying that damn diaper bag when the announcement for kindergarten registration came. So now it was a flurry of immunizations and dentists and eye doctors, Quinn had perfect teeth but needed glasses and Xander was worried about the kind of teasing she would get. He could almost wish Spike hadn’t taught her how to double up her fist and swing, almost.
But here it was, first day of school and Quinn was clutching his hand tight enough to make his fingertips tingle and she understood why Baba couldn’t be here in her class but Xander didn’t like it one bit. There was just something not fair about standing in the middle of two dozen chattering women all dressed up in their Sunday best. But Quinn was smiling and making tentative friends with another little girl, Mrs. Hanscomb was just as uncomfortable with him in the midst of all that estrogen and ushering Xander out the door with promises of safety and fun and that his daughter would be in one piece when he came back to get her.
Quinn waved good-bye, vaguely in his direction, chattering and giggling in the middle of a pack of little girls with their hair all done up pigtails and skirts with cartoon characters. Just like Quinn. She wasn’t scared, she fit right in and made friends and she was going to be just fine.
Xander hoped he would be too.
Xander only called Spike ten times during the day; Spike complained about the loss of beauty sleep on the fourth call and decided to give up the thought of sleep by the sixth. He called Tara, chatting for an hour about how she and Willow planned on surviving Ben's first day of school.
The things he did for love.
When Xander and Quinn came through the front door, Spike was ready. Coffee with a shot of Irish whisky for daddy, chocolate chip cookies with a side of milk for Quinnie, and a kiss for them both. Xander looked like he’d run a 10k marathon while their daughter looked bright and shiny if just a touch disheveled.
They’d survived their first day.
“Baba, what’s a queer?” Spike dropped the gallon of milk on the floor, whirling around to face Quinn.
“Where the hell did you hear that?” Quinn wondered if that was one of the words that was going to get her mouth washed out with soap, but Daddy always told her she could ask anything.
“Eric said that you and Daddy were queers when we talked about what our mommy and daddy’s did at work all day and I said that I didn’t have a mommy I had two Daddies well I have a Daddy and a Baba and I call you Baba cuz I have a Daddy and Daddy is a builder and Baba washes my clothes.” Spike blinked a couple of times, wondering if all the Harris’ were born with the ability to never breathe while talking, then sat next to Quinn and took her hand.
“First, calling a person queer like that is not nice. It’s what stupid people say to make themselves sound important. Queer means odd or different, and yes your Daddy and I are different, but we’re not bad.” Spike wasn’t ready for talks like this, nobody had really questioned when he and Xander had gotten together, and they’d just accepted it as a natural progression of events. He wasn’t ready to defend this part of their life to their daughter.
Quinn just blinked back, cocking her head then nodding once. “I told Eric that I had a dragon at home and if he couldn’t be nice that I would make it come over and eat him when he was in bed sleeping.”
“Quinnie! Puck is not a dragon, he’s an Iguana, and I think he has better taste than that.” Spike slumped against the counter, breathing out a sigh of relief when Xander came into the kitchen.
“I’m a housewife Xander.”
Xander felt his heart stop and clutch and break. He’d had this conversation before. He sat on the bed behind Spike, wondering if this was the last time they would be here together as lovers.
“I cook, I clean, I go to the grocery store every Thursday night with a wallet full of coupons. I have pin money, Xan. Pin money for fuck’s sake.”
“I understand.” The words almost strangled him, but he really did. Spike wasn’t cut out for this kind of life, wasn’t meant to do laundry and bake cookies and sort Tupperware. “I love you.” And that was all he had to offer.
Spike turned and glared at him. “I never said you didn’t, Xander!”
Spike climbed out of bed and began to pace. He dove for the closet, grabbing a locked box from underneath a pile of jeans on the top shelf and, prying it open, grabbed a cigarette from inside and lit it with a flourish. “Just because I’m a bloody housewife doesn’t mean I’m not a demon.”
“I know,” Xander intoned, his eyes following Spike as he paced angrily around the room.
“I want to kill, Xander. I want to tear and bite and rend flesh from broken, bloody bones!” Spike’s demon roared to the forefront and Xander flinched back.
“Why?” Xander whispered.
Spike's eyes flared along with the tip of his cigarette and Xander watched, entranced, as the cherry raced down the length of the white sheath. Spike crushed out the butt and tossed it into the box, replacing it back on the shelf. Sighing, he turned to Xander.
“Someone hurt Quinn.”
“What?” Xander roared, leaping to his feet.
“Someone told Quinnie that we were queers, that there’s something wrong with us being…” Spike waved a hand back and forth between them, brushing lightly against Xander’s chest as he did.
Xander glared at Spike before reaching out and crushing him to his chest. “You can kill him, Spike, I’ll understand.”
“No!” Spike shoved Xander back, where he stumbled and fell onto the bed. “I can’t. Because it was a fucking baby who did it. Another five-year-old with big eyes and rosy cheeks and…” Spike sank to the floor. “I’m a demon, I’m a demon!”
Xander crawled off the floor and settled a Spike’s side, pulling off his shirt and offering his neck to his lover. “I know. And I can’t think of anyone else that I would have raise our beautiful girl.”
Spike took the proffered throat in his hands, his head cocked to the side as he examined the smooth flesh. “I have to find something to do, Xan. I have to have something…”
Xander tilted his head a bit more, pressing closer against Spike. “I know. Whatever you want.”
“I love you, Alexander.”
“I know,” Xander said, as Spike’s fangs slid home.
Spike walked into the house, grinning widely. Xander stood up from where he and Quinn were playing house with a Barbie, a Dracula doll and a Ken doll. “Well?” he prompted.
“I got it.” Spike reached down and threw Quinn over his shoulder before grabbing Xander’s hand and dragging them outside. He dropped Quinn into Xander’s arms and dramatically yanked a sheet off a large sign. Here There Be Dragons: Custom Choppers shone in gold, green and red.
“You got it!” Xander wrapped his arms around Spike’s neck and drew him in for a kiss. When he pulled away he grinned. “Now that you’re a respected businessman, don’t you think you have the responsibility of making an honest man out of me?”
Spike laughed as Quinn danced under the stars.
Quinn spun around the living room, making her dress fly out and then stopped suddenly, letting the fine lace twist around her ankles. “Daddy and Baba sitting in a tree…”
The doorbell rang and she ran for it, yelling, “It’s time! Hurry!”
“Coming Quinn! Do not open that door!” Xander yelled down the stairs.
Flinging the door wide, Quinn began shouting instructions. “All the presents go on the table and the food needs to go outside on the table and don’t forget…” She stopped when she saw the unfamiliar woman standing on the porch.
She was thin with red hair cut short and a wide smile that looked too large as she aimed it at Quinn. “Hello! Oh! You look just like Xander!”
Quinn moved to shut the door. “I’m sorry; I’m not allowed to talk to strangers.” The woman looked shocked as the door shut in her face.
Spike thundered down the stairs, heading for the door. “Leah Quinn Harris, what have I told you about opening that door?” He stopped in front of his daughter and dropped down to his knees. “I know that you’re excited, but that doesn’t change the rules. Now off with you, to the corner.”
Quinn’s head dropped. “Yea, Baba. I just…”
Spike gave her a quick hug and swatted her on the butt. “Off you go. Break the rules…”
“…suffer the consequences,” she finished. “Yes, Baba.”
Spike was moving toward the stairs when he heard the doorbell a second time. Ducking his chin to focus on the layered satin wrapped around his waist, he yelled at the door. “Get in here, Glinda! I can’t get this bloody thing to tighten…” he trailed off when he saw the woman standing in the open doorway.
“Anya?”
The End
Something Old