PART 20 - It was the Nightingale
Five hours later.
"Spike! What are you doing here?" *And why am I whispering?
I doubt Anya is still asleep after all this infernal ruckus.*
"Can I use your bathtub?" the vampire asked without preamble.
"It's almost four in the morning! What do you want...?"
That was when the stench hit him. He gagged. "What did you do,
Spike, take a swim in a toilet?"
"Sure, my favorite pastime," the vampire said with a happy
grin. "Couldn't sleep, being nocturnal and all that. So I decided to do a
spot of scavenging at the city dump. Stupid plan that was. The whole place was
bleedin' wet after the storm. Got squashed by a pile of evil smelling rubbish.
Would've suffocated if I weren't dead already. But then I got lucky. Found
myself a nice brawl with a couple of Collector Demons. "
"Collector Demons?"
"Whadda ya think?" Not waiting for an answer he elaborated.
"Skewered one with a barbecue set, took the other one out using a lamp and
an old bicycle. Nice bit of improvisation, too." Spike looked utterly
pleased with himself.
Xander shuddered.
"Now, can I come in?" the vampire asked.
"Magic word?"
"Shag you afterwards?"
"Spike!"
"What? I promised you an encore. Can't remember you saying
no."
"Who is it?" Anya's voice reached them from the bedroom.
"It's Spike. He wants to use our bathtub," Xander called back,
trying to ignore the seductive smirk Spike was putting on for his benefit.
"Tell him there's blood in the fridge, if he wants to eat, and come
back to bed."
"You heard her," Xander said, giving the vampire a once over. "But
take your boots off. Anya will disembowel you if you leave dirt or stains on
the carpet."
Spike bent down and removed his shoes. No socks.
"Why didn't you use the door? And what's that?" Xander asked,
pointing at two bulky plastic sacks that hadn't been on the balcony last time
he looked.
"Dunno. You think Santa forgot them last Christmas?" He gave
Xander a pat on the head. "It's my loot, sleepy face. Say! You look and
smell nice when you're woken up in the middle of the night. Perhaps I
should..."
"No!" Xander interrupted.
"No?" the vampire leered.
"No." Xander said with all the firmness he could muster. But
the only thing that got firm under Spike's interested gaze... *Um, bad Xander. This. Is. Not. A. Good. Time.*
"If you don't want my boot marks on your carpet you probably don't
want all that muck dripping on it either," Spike said, shrugged out of his
duster, hung it over one of the balcony chairs and began to strip, revealing
several minor bruises.
Xander watched with his arms folded over his chest. Bruised or not,
Spike looked drop dead sexy. Why not admit it? Shrugging away the last vestiges
of embarrassment Xander decided he was through with denial. Besides, the tent
in his pyjama trousers was a dead giveaway. This was deliciously naughty. After
all, Anya was only a few yards away. *This is... hmmm, what would Spike call
it? Oh yeah: BAD!*
For a moment he imagined pushing the vampire against the balcony rail
and rubbing himself against that lean body there and then. Perhaps go a bit
further this time? Then he thought of Anya again and he also remembered that
incredible howl Spike had made, when coming in his arms. *Good idea, Xander,
while you're letting Anya know, put on a show for the neighbours, too!*
Blushing wildly, he realized that there was still enough of embarrassment left
in him for both of them.
When Spike was fully naked he looked at Xander. Noticing the human's
obvious arousal, the appreciative smile and the adorable blush he dropped the
pants he was still holding and took a quick step towards him, but Xander's
raised hands stopped him.
"Spike, please," Xander whispered, slightly nervous.
"Could we please postpone this until I talked to Anya? You promised.
Besides, you don't smell so good."
The vampire stopped, momentarily insecure, searching Xander's face for
signs of doubt or rejection. But there was only a nervous determination.
"As you wish, pet. But tell her soon. Patience? Not my strong suit."
Xander nodded. "I will."
Spike picked up his discarded clothes and rolled them into a bundle.
"Perhaps we could stick these into the washing machine?"
"And you wanna go back to your crypt as God made you?"
"This is what Dru made me. And who says I'm going back to the crypt?"
"Spike!"
"Xander!"
"Spike!" Xander raised his voice.
*Rocky! Dr. Scott!* Spike was tempted to say, but he wasn't sure if the
Rocky Horror Picture Show wasn't a bit before Xander's time. So, he just
smiled. Hunting Smile #6, the innocent one that used to make strangers invite
him in for coffee.
Xander groaned. The vampire was behaving like a teenager on a sugar
high. *And I'm far too tired to deal with anything this... demanding.
Especially at this ungodly hour.* He yawned.
"Whatever. I'm sure you're a big boy. You can do your own washing.
As for me, I'm going back to sleep. Try not to make too much of a mess,
otherwise make yourself at home."
Having said that he leaned over to pick a bit of potato peel and
something unrecognisable and icky out of the vampire's platinum hair. On
impulse he gave the vampire a quick kiss, just a brief brushing of lips.
"Hey," Spike exclaimed. "Tempt not a desperate man."
But he looked pleased.
Xander just waved and headed for the bedroom. Trying to push the image of
naked Spike from his brain, he crawled into bed, careful to hide his tell-tale
erection.
"What does Spike want to use our bathtub for?" Anya asked as
she snuggled up to him. "He's not planning on a bloodbath in our home, I
hope?"
"He had a close encounter with several tons of garbage and a
liberal helping of demon goo on top and wants to take a bath." Xander
informed her. "And for the sake of all and everything that has any sense
of smell, we should let him."
"Do you think we should charge him?"
"I think not. He's a friend. Sort of. Plus the crypt doesn't have
running water. Plus he asked nicely."
"Okay," Anya said, as usual prepared to accept his decision in
matters of social conduct.
They were quiet for a while, listening to the sounds of running water,
unaware that their thoughts were centered around the same thing or rather
being. Both were contemplating the sexy vampire, about to sit naked in their
bathtub, just a few yards and two doors away.
Suddenly Xander flinched. He stifled a groan. *Did I tell him to make
himself at home? Stupid stupid Xander!*