PART 25 - Morning has Broken
"How 'bout some wake-up sex?"
"Huh?" Bleary-eyed Xander raised himself on
his elbow. Next to him Anya was sitting up and rubbing her eyes.
Xander reached to the nightstand and turned the
bleeping alarm clock off.
"I said, 'how about some wake-up sex?'"
The vampire was leaning against the door frame
wrapped in a warm blanket. Somehow the folds of the blankets parted just below
the waist. *Oh no, he is STILL naked!*
"Spike!"
"That's me."
"What are you doing in our bedroom?" Xander
asked in exasperation.
"And why haven't you got any clothes on?"
Anya piped in, studying the body in front of her with interest. Lean and
muscular legs. And his penis was as nice as she remembered it. Even though it
wasn't hard right now - something that could easily be rectified...
"My rags are still in the dryer," the
vampire explained. "And unless you two are suddenly overcome by the raging
desire to jump my bones you might wanna get up an' have breakfast."
Xander stole a glance at Anya and realized she was
giving him a meaningful look. *She's not suggesting...? Is she? This is the
perfect opportunity.* He only had to say yes and they'd be merrily shagging
away like bunnies. His morning hard-on stirred eagerly. But he'd be late to
work, and he'd have to think of another birthday present for Anya, and this was
too sudden, could he please have more time to get acquainted with the idea? *Alexander
Harris, you're such a coward!*
"Breakfast?" he hurried to ask.
"I got bored. So, I made coffee."
As it turned out, Spike was far from housebroken. His
coffee tasted just right, but the vampire had made a terrible mess, spilling
coffee grinds all over the kitchen counter. There were also empty beer bottles
scattered all over the place, and the sight of a saucer overflowing with
cigarette butts was none too homey, either.
Spike had set the table inexpertly with bowls and
spoons, remembering from his stay in Xander's basement that the young man liked
eating cereal.
Anya took the vampire's efforts in. Inwardly she was
pleased, reminded of the two policemen in those movies. Xander and Spike were
obviously getting along like two peas in a pod. As she had known they would.
Some more encouragement was probably in order. Xander had explained to her that
people needed reassurance if they had done something right, and vampires were
probably the same.
"Thank you for making breakfast."
"Well, don't get used to it," he replied
gruffly.
She smiled at him, not offended by his unfriendly
tone. She drained her coffee and disappeared into the bathroom, leaving the two
men to eat their cereal.
Xander watched Spike heat a bowl of blood and
sprinkle fruit loops into it. Not a mean feat, considering that the vampire was
doing everything one-handed because he needed one hand to hold on to his
blanket. He was obviously wearing it for warmth rather than out of modesty.
Well, who was Xander to complain? Half-naked Spike in his kitchen made his
heart race.
Still, he wouldn't have been Xander Harris if he
hadn't commented on Spike's choice of breakfast. "Spike, you fiend, you
just killed my appetite," he said without malice while pouring milk over
his own loops. He started to eat, surprised that Spike's diet didn't really
bother him anymore.
"What can I tell you, killing's my job."
They ate companionably.
Suddenly, Xander frowned and sniffed the air. He
ended up with his nose close to the vampire. "Coconut?" he observed
with a grin.
Spike shrugged. "Goes with my complexion, an' I
wasn't gonna smell like Peaches. And roses? I'd feel as camp as a row of pink
tents. No thanks."
"How much of the stuff did you use?" Xander
asked, shaking his head.
"Lots. Doesn't it make you want to pour
chocolate syrup all over me and lick it off?" the vampire murmured with a
seductive leer.
"Spike!" Xander choked, frantically looking
around. Relieved that Anya was not within earshot he gave his friend a slap
against the back of his head. *Friend? Oh god, I really just thought that,
didn't I?* He grinned and lifted his coffee mug. "Spike, you're a
menace!" he said between sips.
The vampire looked pleased.
Spike lit himself a cigarette. Xander coughed
dramatically and began to wave his arms in the air.
"And who told you that you could smoke in
here?"
"You did. Quote: Make yourself at home. End
quote."
"I did, didn't I," Xander said. "I
guess I'll never learn. Still, I'd appreciate it if you'd take your addiction
elsewhere."
"You mind?"
"Yes, I do, Spike."
"You could open a window."
Xander sighed.
"Xan?"
*He called me Xan!* He felt a strange giddiness.
"Spike?" *Should I call him William? Now, that we seem to be...
more?*
"Do you know a Mrs. Hambley? Cute little lady
with white hair an' a smelly dog?"
"Yes?" Xander replied, full of foreboding.
"Well, she told me to tell you to keep an eye
open for whoever nicks her morning paper all the time. Told her we would."
"She saw you like this?" Xander asked,
horrified. "In my apartment? Oh my god, news of this will travel faster
than light."
Spike shrugged, but Xander thought he detected an
evil glint in the vampire's eye. *Hang on, did he just say 'we'?*
"News of what?" Anya chose this moment to
join them again. Both men thought she looked extra sexy this morning.
"News of a naked man in our apartment!"
"So? Our neighbors will either be happy for us
or jealous that they haven't got one of their own," Anya said, totally
unfazed. "When will your clothes be dry, Spike?"
"Half an hour, maybe."
"Well, Xander and I have to go now, earn money.
When you leave make sure the door is closed properly. We don't want anyone to
steal our things. It would be expensive having to replace them."
She smiled, dragging Xander along. As an afterthought
she added, "If you want to use our bath or shower again, you might
consider cleaning it." She waved him goodbye cheerfully.
Spike watched them leave in a bustle, hunting down
keys, taking another hurried sip of coffee.
Xander grabbing his tools. Anya, her purse.
"Bye Spike."
"See you later, Spike."
The vampire just nodded, sipping blood from the
Spiderman mug and lighting another cigarette.
"Oh, and Spike?" Xander said.
"Hm?"
"The Spiderman mug's mine! You can have
Batman."
And with
that Spike found himself alone in the flat.