Anatomy of a Seductionby Jainie G & Mistress Ace
Chapter 14: A New Uniform for RileySunset had come and gone almost two hours ago and still no sign of his... lover. While he knew the vampire could take care of himself, it didn't keep Riley from worrying about him and worrying about their budding relationship. Had he said 'I love you' too soon? Was this all a game? Had Spike taken off for parts unknown to gloat about having suckered him in with hot sex and sweet lies? It wouldn't be the first time in the history of the world such a thing had happened...
All Riley could do was hope it hadn't happened to him. He'd laid his heart bare again, opened himself up and this time... this time if it turned out to be a lie, he knew he wouldn't survive it.
Riley sat on his bed with his back up against the wall, waiting. When he got home over an hour ago, the apartment was empty, something he hadn't been expecting. Spike promised he'd be there when he got home from class. Granted Riley was a little late, what with apologizing to Professor Adams *and* taking the exam he'd missed that morning, but still... he'd *promised.*
The big man sighed and tilted his head back until it rested on the wall. Staring up at the ceiling, Riley admitted it was probably a good thing Spike had left... Explaining why he had the vampire in his apartment would have been difficult... impossible was the word that actually sprung to mind. Especially since Xander Harris showed up about five minutes after he got home...
The token male member of the Scooby corps stood on his doorstep with hands stuffed in his pockets and an 'I'm still your buddy' look on his face. He'd wanted to talk about Buffy and their break-up.
But mainly Xander wanted to make sure he was okay.
Of all Buffy's crew, the Xand-man was the only one who knew there'd been anything wrong between him and Buffy. The guy caught it right away and was always checking up on him. Plus, Xander really was starved for male companionship. Giles was good, but Giles was the father figure of the group... he wasn't the sort of guy you went to when you wanted to have a beer and commiserate on the vagaries of having an odd girlfriend.
And God knew, they'd had more than one of those little talks lately...
But this afternoon, things were different, strained even. Xander didn't want to say anything that might upset his buddy more and Riley didn't want to appear too anxious to get rid of him. Although he did want to hurry Harris on his way. Not because he didn't like the guy, because he did... he honestly liked Xander but...
But it would be equally hard to explain why Spike might show up at his place... and be able to come inside. Riley really wasn't into committing suicide... If Xander caught on to the vibe between the two of them... Well, the Hellmouth wouldn't have to open up to rain down destruction on his new relationship because Buffy would do it herself.
To her, Spike was a monster... period, end of story. And while she didn't kill that particular monster because he was neutered and basically helpless, that didn't mean she'd take kindly to Spike sleeping with her *very* recent ex-boyfriend.
He and Harris exchanged a few words and surprise of surprises, a manly hug before Xander had to beat feet towards the Magic Box so he could hook up with Anya. Riley shook his head as he watched Buffy's best buddy dash off at a frantic pace. You had to hand it to Anya; she really had Xander wrapped around her little finger.
Not like he had anyone in his life that had him tied in knots... nope, not at all. **And the award for the one most likely to be sailing on the river of denial goes to... you guessed it, Riley Sean Finn. Lately from Iowa, lately a straight-as-an arrow guy who'd fallen hard for a vampire... Fallen hard for another guy... Can I be any more pathetic?**
Spike strode up the walk to Riley's apartment, juggling several large shopping bags in his arms. His vision was partially obscured by the generous pile of paper and plastic but his feet knew the way there. There was a spill of warm light that came through the blinds, which meant his lad was home and most likely waiting for him. Taking the chance the door was unlocked, he fumbled for the knob.
The vampire let out a triumphant "ha! gotcha!" as he located said knob and twisted it. Just as he suspected, unlocked. Stupid of the boy to take such chances in this neighbourhood. Spike made a mental note to chastise him about it later as he toed the door open. He shuffled inside slowly, the bags in his arms blocking his view of the place. Since most of what they'd done the night before was shag, he was still unfamiliar with the layout of the flat... hence the extra caution.
There was a flurry of movement that Spike caught in the corner of his eye and his silent heart soared. The scent was unmistakable, earthy and rich and so wanted. His lover was home, his big body scrambling up off the bed to help with his burdens.
Mortal warmth surrounded him as those broad hands reached out to take a bag that was about to slip out of his arms. And there was the familiar pulse of the boy's heart, strong and inviting. Spike hadn't realized how much he missed Riley until that moment. Until he spoke and that voice rolled over him like a benediction, "Welcome home, Will... I see you went... shopping?"
Riley half expected the vampire to be bringing his worldly goods with him. It was the only logical reason he could come up with for his absence. But what he glimpsed in the top of the bag he held looked new... complete with sales tags. He hoped Spike hadn't stolen what he was carrying, he really did... "Didn't think you had any money for that sort of thing? Color me surprised."
As Riley lifted a few more bags off the pile Spike was lugging, the blond's smiling, satisfied face came into view. Damn, if he didn't look radiantly happy. It was a look that worked well for him, one Riley wanted to see on his lover's face every day. It softened all the hard edges and lightened the shadows behind his eyes. "I'll have you know I've made it a point to have a bit of dosh tucked away for rainy days and such for decades, now. Woke up this evening and had a brilliant idea."
Peering over the bags still in his arms, Spike made his way carefully over to the bed. He juggled them, managing to deposit his burden onto its wide surface with a minimum of fuss. The vampire slipped out of his duster and tossed it on the bed alongside the numerous bags. With his hands stuffed into the back pockets of his denims, he watched Riley expectantly.
"And what might that idea be?" Riley was curious, even though what he really wanted to do was kiss him senseless. Coming home to an empty house had been unnerving and far too damned familiar for his taste. Being with Buffy should have inured him to loneliness but it had the exact opposite effect. He hated being alone... and he *had* been worried.
But Spike was a grown... well, not exactly a man but he was an adult. He could take care of himself for the most part. At least where demons were concerned. Plus with his dark duster and even darker demeanour, most humans gave him a wide berth. The only real danger to him would be running into Buffy while she was on the warpath.
"Open those first," Spike replied, nodding at the heap of shopping bags that lay on the bed, "and then I'll tell you." The former soldier could see the beginnings of a sly grin teasing at the corner of Spike's mouth.
Riley liked that look even though it might not bode well for his sanity. Whenever he saw that look... well... *things* happened. But Spike seemed happy and he'd go along with it. Lord knew, the research he'd done about this vampire indicated he'd had a rather rough time of it... Even before his team dragged him down into the Initiative and inserted his chip.
That was becoming a real source of guilt for Riley Finn. He'd been in charge, hadn't been in on the zap and trap but the guys who were... had been his men. Walsh had him flying a desk that night but he hooked up with his team on their way in down to the containment facility. Lord help him, but he 'd taken the vampire's limp body from Forrest and tossed it into the holding cell. Tossed him in there like a slab of meat and then walked away.
At some point he might confess his part in Spike's crippling. If he got drunk enough...
Riley sat down on the edge of the bed as he opened the first bag and reached inside. Butter-soft leather, sinfully rich to the touch... His eyes lit up as he pulled out a jacket. Black and his size.... It was then it occurred to Riley the things contained in the bags were meant for him. And his throat started to close up. He wasn't used to this kind of generosity from anyone.
Spike watched avidly, but silently as Riley pulled out the jacket. It had just been one of his usual irresistible impulses -- but, then again, there were very few impulses he didn't act on. He'd remembered what Riley had told him about the dreams he'd had, about being dressed up in leather and led around by a chain. Led around by him... And as he'd slept that day, he'd dreamt about it, himself... and in his dream, Riley looked incredible.
Every inch of that tall, hard body sheathed in leather and silk, cut just right to compliment his lad's fine physique. God, how he wanted to see that. As soon as he'd woken up, he'd hurried over to his crypt with just that in mind. Spike collected a spot of dosh from a lockbox which he'd hidden in the catacombs beneath the structure, and headed to the shops.
It was amazing how many stores -- even the ones that sold tailor-made leather goods -- would gladly keep their doors open for a bloke once he'd waved a fan of bills under their noses. Money, it really was what made the world go round. Good thing he had a fair bit of it... Unbeknownst to the Slayer and her crowd. He did fancy making them squirm... and pay.
A low whistle brought Spike out of his reverie and he turned his attention to his boy. Riley was shrugging the jacket on, marvelling at how well it fit and just how soft the leather was to the touch. This was a *very* expensive piece, definitely not a Wilson's off-the-rack special. "Nice... How'd you know my size, Will?"
Scratching at his chin, Spike glanced up at Riley from beneath lowered lashes, his expression almost bashful. "Mighta taken a peek at some of the stuff in your closet." Which he had. Before dashing out he'd pawed through the meagre selection of flannels and too clean jeans, discarding all of them as not fit for *his* lover to wear. Someone as beautiful as this young man should be turned out properly...
Still in awe, Riley ran his fingers down one sleeve. Which was actually long enough, it didn't stop two inches above his wrist like most coats. This thing of beauty was custom made and probably carried a pretty hefty price tag... a tag that was still attached to the same sleeve he was admiring.
The ex-marine took a glance at that tag and blanched. The knot in his throat was getting bigger by the minute. Riley looked up at him, shaking his head in denial as he started to peel it back off. "I can't accept this...It's too much."
Upon hearing Riley's protest, Spike carefully removed the tag from the sleeve of the jacket and tossed it onto the bed. "Bollocks. Open the rest." He grinned down at his boy, pleased that he'd made the effort to put up a fight but the vampire was having none of it.
The next bag contained several shirts, all of them in vibrant colours. Riley looked up at Spike in shock as he fingered the material. If he didn't know any better, the young man would have sworn they were silk. Emerald, blood red, black, sapphire, not a single white or plaid to be found.
"Trying to up-grade my wardrobe, Will? Not that I mind, but I'm an Iowa farm-boy... I'm not used to wearing stuff like this..." His fingers kept rubbing on the collar of the green shirt, unconsciously memorizing the feel of it. There was a smell to it, not an unpleasant one... just different. Buffy had a silk dress that smelled like this and she'd commented that it was one of the ways you could spot silk.
The cheerful sparkle in Spike's eyes dimmed considerably and he looked down at the floor. "Well," he scuffed the heel of his boot against the floor, "I didn't think -- I mean, you don't have to wear them all the time. You can take 'em back, if you don't like them or don't want them. I just thought..." he trailed off with a half-hearted shrug.
This was a side of Spike that he'd not seen before. Riley had no idea that his usually confident lover could be so... tentative. So easily hurt. Maybe the Big Bad routine was the façade and this was the real Spike? The real William Sutherland?
The crest-fallen look on his lover's face tore him apart. Any thought of further protest was gone in the space of a single heartbeat. How could he refuse such a generous gift? If Riley had money of any kind, he probably would have done the same thing. Especially since all he'd ever seen Spike in was the same old pair of black denims and tight black t-shirt.
He was on his feet in an instant, pulling Spike into his arms. His voice and words were full of contrition, "That's not what I'm saying... I'll wear them. I'm just not used to being... pampered, I guess." Their mouths were only inches apart as Riley looked down at him, wanting to see that sparkle again.
There was one way he was pretty sure would work. His head dropped down a little, closing the gap until their lips brushed against one another. "Missed you..." Those words were murmured against the vampire's cool skin, sending a tiny shiver through both of them.
Dark brows furrowing, Spike's eyes lifted and met Riley's. He pulled back a little, surprise and a hint of something bordering on delight reflected in his expression. "Y-you... you did?"
"Every single minute... Couldn't wait to get home so I could do this..." Warm mouth covering cool one, equally warm tongue making its own way in through half-open lips. Putting everything he felt into one, single kiss...
Spike's soft sound of surprised pleasure was muffled against Riley's lips. After a moment the vampire's arms slipped tightly around the boy's waist. He pulled his human lover nearer as they slowly tasted each other. Fingers tight in the waistband, digging in so fiercely there was a danger of him leaving marks. Spike was hanging on for dear unlife...
**Okay... Gotta stop soon or all we'll do is end up in bed together again. Not that that's a bad thing...** With a deep shuddering breath, Riley pulled away. He waited until Spike's eyes opened slowly and nodded in satisfaction. The sparkle had returned to those cerulean depths. "What else is in the bags, Will?"
"That'd spoil the surprise, wouldn't it?" He offered Riley a cheeky grin, his brash attitude restored by the taste and feel of his boy's mouth. And the passion that kiss contained was more than enough to allay any worries he had about Riley's feelings for him. "Open 'em and find out."
He slid out of the vampire's embrace and surveyed the pile of bags on the bed. Riley leaned over in front of Spike, presenting him with that broad expanse of his now leather-clad back and those oh-so-tight jeans as he reached for the next bag. There were a lot of them. His lover had been pretty busy.
"How'd you get all this done so quick? The sun only went down about two hours ago?" It was as if he didn't know the sight he was giving Spike was tempting in the extreme. All it would take would be one solid push and Riley would be sprawled on the bed among the myriad of bags.
"I knew exactly what I was after... just ran in, tossed some money and your sizes at the gits and said 'right, get to it - on the double, like' and they did." Spike kept his hands lodged firmly in his back pockets. He wanted Riley to make it through all his gifts, first, before he got the pounce to end all pounces. Ever since the boy had walked out that morning to go to class, he'd been aching for him. His dreams had been full of him, the scent of his skin, the sound of his voice, the feel of his body... the taste of his blood.
Riley pulled out a pair of what could only be... leather pants? Like the coat, they were butter-soft and very, very expensive. Beneath them was another pair but with a patent shine instead of the lush matte finish. A disturbing thought entered Riley's head as he ran an appreciative hand over them.
His dream, Spike had bought the clothes from his dream. The one with the club and being on his knees and sucking on the vamp while others milled around them... everybody ignoring him like any proper slave would be ignored. His mouth suddenly went dry and he stifled the tiniest of moans. "You planning on me wearing these someplace tonight?"
Both shoulders shrugged up to his earlobes before Spike tilted his head to one side. He was slightly taken aback by the question. Was the boy able to get inside his head? Dru was the only one who'd ever been able to do that in the past and she... well, she did have the sight. "Well... y-yeah... I was..."
Wondering if there was a chain with a leash in one of those bags, Riley took a deep breath and responded in a deceptively calm tone. "Guess I can deal with that... Is it here in Sunnydale?" He knew he wasn't ready to be seen with Spike in public, not locally anyway. The break with Buffy was far too new and he didn't want to run into her or the rest of her crew. That would spell disaster with a capital 'D'.
Spike shook his head in a lazy negative. "Nah... it's a few miles outside of town. I kinda... kinda figured you wouldn't wanna revisit all the Buffy landmarks, after all." The blond shifted from one foot to the other and tucked his hands into his hip pockets, feeling like a complete and utter prat. Maybe going to the club wasn't the best of ideas, Riley might not want to be seen in public with a vampire lover. He was who he was after all... Captain Fucking America...
"I'm good... Just so long as you don't expect me to dance..." Casual, he was keeping it casual, keeping it light. A fantasy was a fantasy after all, something that played out in his had when nothing else was pressing on his time. There was no way that Spike would be willing to play that one out... would he?
Riley laid the two pairs of leather pants out on the bed, next to the small pile of shirts. There were still more bags to go through, some of which had slid to the floor. He leaned over to pick one of them up and the hair on the back of his neck raised. There was a metallic clinking sound coming from within the small sack... **Fuck...**
"Oh, wait, wait," Spike hurried over to Riley's side, plucking the bag from his hand. He tucked it under his arm and rocked back on his heels. When Riley's eyes darted toward the small bag and then his face, the vampire shook his head. "Not this one. This one's for last. Open the rest first, pet."
It took every ounce of willpower to keep from grabbing the bag that was denied him. Riley was now intensely curious about its contents. It might not be a leash; it might be something as innocuous as a belt or key chain or a *fucking collar*...
The young man scrubbed his now sweating palms against the rough material of his jeans. This whole fantasy life thing was getting out of control. If anyone ever took a peep inside of his head, Riley knew he'd be earmarked for a trip to Sex-Aholics Anonymous. And they thought Forrest Gates was bad... his old buddy had nothing on one Riley Finn.
Suddenly very aware of his companion's scrutiny, Riley shook his head to clear it. The ex-commando took a deep steadying breath and locked down his libido as best he could. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and turned his full attention back to the rest of the unopened bounty scattered across its wide surface.
Dumping out the contents of another bag, he found more shirts, some of them cotton, some of them velvet. All of them in what his fashion conscious little sister called jewel tones, colours that she'd been trying to get him to wear for years. She was always on him about the pallid colours he normally chose; telling him they looked washed out against his ruddy complexion. Looked like she was finally going to get her wish... courtesy of his lover.
---
Riley was stunned by how much Spike had bought; it was like the vampire was trying to make up for years of neglect. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate nice clothes. Far from it. They just weren't his style. He'd never fussed with his wardrobe, wearing a uniform to work every day for years had negated the need to dress like a fashion plate... *That* was his ex-girlfriend's prerogative. "How come you got so much stuff, Will? Not sure I'm worth this much fuss..."
At those words, the vampire started, clearly surprised. He looked around the room, not sure how to answer his lover's quiet question. After a moment, he slid the small bag out from underneath his arm and set it down, out of the boy's reach for the moment.
Spike took a seat beside Riley on the end of the bed and concentrated on his own hands. They fidgeted and picked at his nail polish. Blue eyes flicked briefly upward and then back down. There was the hesitancy again, the uncertainty Riley never expected to see. "You are to me," he said softly.
"Why's that?" Riley shrugged off the new jacket, laying it down on top of the pile of shirts. He turned to face his lover; one hand resting lightly on Spike's knee while he waited for an answer. It was really strange to see Spike in this sort of mood. He'd seen so many quicksilver changes in the vampire's emotional palate... anger, frustration, cunning, amusement, lust... need. But never this, never embarrassment, never... shyness?
Clasping one of Riley's hands with his own, Spike's eyes focused on their joined hands fixedly. He didn't look up, just addressed his comments to those hands. "Because... you -- you just... you are." Frowning slightly, he added ruefully, earnestly, "Because I love you... and nothin's too good for the people I love."
A thrill of satisfaction ran through his entire body when he heard those quietly spoken words. He'd longed to hear them from Buffy, waited for them for so long but to no avail. And now they were coming from a man he'd considered his enemy until a few days ago. Funny what fate handed you when you least expected it... Riley closed his eyes and sighed, "You have no idea how good that sounds, Will... To hear that somebody loves me..."
Wide blue eyes now darted upward to meet his own steady gaze and the vampire's mouth opened, then closed, then opened again as he processed what Riley had confessed. "You mean to tell me nobody ever told you that? Ever?" Spike was patently horrified at the thought. How in the name of the Nine Circles of Hell was he the only one who'd ever recognized just how fine, how *good* this man was? Not even the Slayer?
That bint had the boy by the knackers for months, had thoroughly enjoyed his company in her bed - if the noises she made most every night had been any indication - and she never once...? Christ, but she was thick-headed... stubborn ... foolish... infuriating. If she'd only just stopped thinking about herself or her past, for just one bleeding moment... Mooning over his ass of a Sire, when she had this man clasped in her arms and between her legs. Couldn't see he invaluable gifts the lad had to offer...
That was a mistake that he would never make... *never.*
"Not in recent memory... Pretty sad, huh?" He couldn't believe he was bringing this up. Talk of Buffy didn't belong here, didn't belong in his life... not any more. They were done, it was over... water under the bridge. Riley shied away from the subject, rising to his feet and turning his back on Spike. "You want something to drink... Or are you hungry?"
Spike reached out and caught Riley's hand in his again. He gave it a tug as the young man turned, trying to catch his attention. His lad was bound and determined to go hide in the kitchen, hide from what they obviously had to talk about. That would never do. "Oh, no, you don't. I'm fine... so you get back here and sit yourself down... we're not done talkin' about this yet."
"Nothing much to say about it. It's not a big deal." Riley sat down heavily on the bed, running one hand through his short hair. His gaze fixed on a spot across the room. This was personal, far too personal to share with anyone. Even his mom had been left out of the loop on this one. Xander had been the only one who'd even caught a glimpse of it.
"The hell it's not," Spike disagreed, voice even and soft. Time to make up for some of the damage the Slayer had left in her wake. Apparently vamps weren't the only things that she could destroy. She could also break a man's spirit, leave him doubting himself in all the ways that mattered. And she'd done it without a stake, without her fists... had done it merely be being indifferent to Riley's needs... oblivious to his problems. He was to run in at her beck and call, then vanish when she didn't need him around any more.
If it weren't for the chip, Spike would have torn her throat out for it.
The vampire shifted in his seat, facing Riley and placed both hands on his chest. He pressed the big man gently back onto the bed as he reclined alongside him. Shifting onto his left side, Spike's right leg nestled between Riley's knees. His left arm pillowing Riley's head, lips just inches from his ear.
"If you don't wanna talk about it, that's just fine with me... I'll talk and you just listen," he offered, lips brushing lightly against Riley's cheek. His right hand came up and cupped Riley's cheek and the boy was effectively surrounded. There was no way that his sweet lad could miss what he was going to say now.
He leaned in and whispered into Riley's ear as his thumb stroked over the former soldier's cheek. "I love you..." he nuzzled Riley's other cheek as he spoke, "and I desire you... so deeply it makes me wanna scream. Every time you touch me, I feel like I'm dyin' all over again. And I need you... need your hands and your lips and your laugh... and your touch. When I'm not near you, I ache like I haven't fed for months. I need you with me, Riley."
Spike closed his eyes, forehead pressed against Riley's temple. "I need you in me and around me and on top of me and under me and beside me and any other bloody way I can get you." His voice was a rough caress and so full of emotion his lover would have to have been made of stone not to be moved.
And moved he was. Riley blinked away a sudden prickling behind his eyes that normally signalled tears. No one had ever spoken to him this way, no one... ever. His fate was sealed, he was lost... he was Spike's. No question about it.
"Oh God... You got me, Will... Trust me, not running away here. Just put a chain around my neck and call me yours, because that's what I am." Riley shivered, there was more honesty in that soft deep voice than he had ever expected to hear. It didn't matter that Buffy never loved him. Spike did and that was enough.
Pressing a firm kiss to Riley's temple, Spike reached up and back. His hand blindly searched for the small bag Riley had begun to open earlier. This was the absolute perfect time for that little present. "Funny you should mention..." he said wryly as he latched onto the slippery bag.
Shifting up onto one elbow, the vampire opened the sack and peeped over its top at his now very curious lover. He had Riley's full attention which was all well and good as far as he was concerned. With a minimum of flourish, he pulled out a pair of small velvet-covered boxes.
Spike cracked the lid of one open a bit so only he could see what was inside and he peeked in. As his lover looked at the contents, Riley's eyebrows rose higher and higher. The young man followed Spike's example, shifting up onto one elbow as he waited for whatever was going to come next. Closing the lid, the blond handed Riley the second box. "For you," he said simply.
Riley took the box and opened it, feeling his mouth go dry again. Just as he'd suspected there *was* a chain in the box. An elegant chain made of silver links and a small padlock instead of the standard clasp. Peering closely at the design on the lock, he noted it was engraved with a very simple S entwined with a matching R.
He was totally speechless, floored by the possible implications of this gift. It wasn't like the chain in his dream. No, this was actual jewellery, something he could wear without being embarrassed or feeling like a possession.
Spike watched Riley silently, carefully monitoring his facial expressions to see if he could gauge what the boy's reaction to this gesture would be. Placing his right hand flat on Riley's chest, just over his heart, Spike whispered, "D'you like it?"
"Uh... yeah... no... I don't like it... I *love* it." Riley pulled it out of the box, surprised at how much this gift was affecting him. His chest felt tight and his heart was beating at a hundred miles an hour. No one... *no one* had ever given him jewellery before.
He glanced from the chain that hung sparkling from his fingertips to his lover's equally sparkling eyes. There was joy in the vampire's expression, joy and pride and something that bordered on ownership. The doubts came crashing back in on him as he watched Spike reach out to finger the chain, to touch his... brand. "Does this mark me as yours?... The whole 'spoken for' thing that happened in Willy's?"
"Yeah," Spike said, lightly running his fingers over the length of shining chain as Riley held it in his hands. "Sure it's alright?" he murmured in a distracted tone. It really was a beautiful thing... Not too thin, it wouldn't break easily which was good considering his lover's nighttime activities. And not too thick, no need to make the boy look like a pimp. Too busy admiring the fall of silver, he totally missed the change in Riley's demeanour.
Spike's response had been just a little too glib, too smooth. That was all the confirmation he needed. He knew vamps were territorial, Spike had told him that when he'd explained the relationship between a Master and a mark... Love had nothing to do with this, not a damn thing.
There was a bitter taste in his mouth, one that burned and was just too damned familiar. Riley closed his eyes for second. Not going to cry. He was not going to cry... He'd done enough of that in the past few months to last a lifetime. God knows he'd asked for this, he'd forced the vamp to bite him and now he had to pay the piper. "Yeah... It's alright... Guess I can deal with being owned by you..."
The bitterness in his mouth echoed inside his head as he stared at the chain. **Wrong again, Riley Finn. Not jewellery... A brand... like having his name tattooed on my ass. Riley Sean Finn, USDA Prime cut, possession of Master Spike... the Big Bad...** The ex-marine sighed heavily and gave into the inevitable with a soft murmur, "Put it on me..."
Spike glanced up from his contemplation of the chain to Riley's set and sober expression. Oh, yeah, he'd done fucked up again... and, judging by the look on the kid's face, he'd fucked up royally... he was gunning for Sir Fuck Up, at this point. But there might be a way he could salvage it.
"Well, wait a tick," Spike slipped his left arm out from under Riley's head and sat up. He opened the lid of the other box and lifted out an identical chain, right down to the engraving on the lock. The vampire held it out, coiled in the palm of his hand so Riley could see it. "I got one, too, see?"
Riley's eyes lit up when he realized the implications of a matching chain. It made all the difference in the world. This wasn't about being a possession... except perhaps being mutual possessions. Which he could deal with. He smiled at Spike, a broad happy smile that had rarely been seen on him during the last year.
Spike fidgeted quietly with his own chain, staring at it as it lay in his palm, glittering in the sparing light. He shouldn't have gotten them... Stupid bloody idea anyway. But, just as he was reaching for the box to place the chain back inside, he glanced up at Riley - did a double take. "Riley?"
"Will... It's... they're perfect. How does the lock work? Is there a key?" Like a kid on Christmas morning Riley examined the necklace in minute detail. He turned the padlock over and over in his hand. The craftsmanship on it was very good, expensive, like the jacket...
"It should be... under the padding. They told me," Spike lifted the velvet-lined cushion upon which his own chain had rested. "Ah, yeah... here." He held the tiny silver key aloft, still slightly befuddled at Riley's sudden mood shift. His observations of Riley in the past had led him to believe, when not angry, the boy was slow and steady, unflappable... not the mercurial type at all. Guess he'd been wrong on that score too.
Riley lifted the cushion in his own box and pulled out the matching key. His fingers dwarfed it, turned it into a toy. Just another example of how bloody big his lad was. Good thing he had checked his size before heading off to the shops tonight... it wouldn't do to bring back a lot like this and find that none of it would fit his huge frame.
After a moment's study, the young human fit the key into the lock and turned it. There was a delicate little click before the padlock sprung open. Riley smiled again, clearly entranced by his gift. And Spike fell in love all over again... There was none of Dru's whining, nor Angelus' superior attitude to be found in this marvellous man...
It was then that Riley looked up and caught the wistful expression on Spike's face. The boy leaned over, the two parts of the chain held carefully apart. Startled out of his musing, Spike almost pulled back before he realized his lover was looking for a kiss. Which he gave and accepted gratefully, a soft sound of appreciation humming in his throat as he felt those warm lips pressed against his own.
After their mouths parted, the boy looked around at the clothes scattered all over their bed. His smile didn't fade but there was a faint hint of a blush on his cheeks before he said in a quiet, teasing tone, "One more question... why so many clothes? I've never seen you wear more than maybe two different outfits. Trying to turn me into a clothes horse?"
Spike looked down to hide his own smile, modesty was an admirable trait... and a rare one. Not something one ran across that much any more. "Ah, that. The clothes... Well, I didn't know what you'd like color-wise, so I just picked one of everything," he fit the key into the padlock on his own chain and twisted gently. The tiny mechanism in the closure unlocked and one end of the chain slipped free. "Just tried to pick stuff that might look good on ya."
"I'm kinda the same way when I shop... Find something that fits and looks good and then buy it in every colour that works on me... Looks like you pretty much hit them all..." Riley waited until Spike set the chain he held between his fingers back down into its box. It was only fitting that they put each other's chains on.
He held his own chain out, watching as the blond took it between his fingertips. Riley sat up so Spike could fit the silver chain around his neck. In perfect silence, he waited for the vampire to close the padlock, essentially closing his heart to anyone else.
Spike leaned forward to slip the chain around Riley's neck, but hesitated. "You're sure about this?" He had to ask again. Even if the answer was the very same one he'd gotten only a few minutes before or it was completely the opposite... Either way, he had to be completely certain Riley knew what he was signing up for here.
"I'm good... Lock it down, Will. And then I'll do yours...." Riley gave him another one of those blinding smiles, a deep dimple showing up in one cheek.
That smile was enough to lift Spike's spirits straight up to Heaven. A place the vampire knew he'd never get to visit except when he saw it in his lover's eyes. "Will, does this mean something more though? I guess I should know if it's some sort of 'keep off the grass' sign... Like I'm off-limits to the local demon population?"With a tiny shake of his head, Spike wordlessly slipped the chain around Riley's neck, laying it down over the lad's warm skin. Once it was in place, he hooked the end of the padlock into the other end of the chain and closed it. The tiny click was audible and final.
Smoothing his hand over Riley's chest, he said softly, "This is ... more just for... us, y'know? That mark on your neck lets all the baddies know who you belong to ... the chain is more... well, for me, I guess." He shrugged, hoping the boy would understand without any further explanation. While he'd loved Dru with all his heart, she'd always belonged to Angelus...
Riley was the only person who'd ever really belonged to him.
"Guess that explains why most of the local vamps had been avoiding me like the plague since you gave me the first bite... And yeah, the chain works for me too, Will." Riley reached behind Spike and placed one large palm on the back of his neck. The rich voice dropped almost an octave as he smiled again; his eyes alight with mischief. "Only thing that would work better for me is if we were naked...."
"That could be arranged," Spike replied lightly, a wicked twinkle in his own eyes. **I do love the way he thinks... mind almost constantly in the gutter. At least mine will never be short of company...**
Once again, Riley's gaze swept over the clothes strewn about on his bed, *their* bed. Some of the shirts had fallen to the floor while others were threatening to slip off the edge at any minute. "You think so? What about all this stuff?... I should probably put it away first?"
Those words and the thought behind them surprised Riley to no end. Had he just said them? Out loud? Clothes had never mattered to him, he was most comfortable in a pair of battered jeans and a simple shirt. But Spike obviously spent a small fortune and he didn't want to ruin them before they ever got worn...
It didn't occur to the young human he'd forgotten something much more important until he heard his companion shift a little beside him, saw a glint of silver out of the corner of his eye. His focus returned immediately to the blond sitting cross-legged in front of him. Spike rubbed his thumb over the smooth, shiny length of chain in his hands and looked up at Riley. "Wanna help me put this on, first?" He held it up and arched his eyebrow in invitation.
That quiet reminder coaxed a self-conscious laugh from Riley. In his momentary concern about not ruining the new clothes he *had* forgotten about Spike's chain. Luckily his lover seemed more hesitant than upset by it. He really liked this facet of Spike's personality... not that he didn't enjoy the other parts of the vampire's complex psyche that had been revealed to him in the past few days, but this gentle one was... endearing.
"I surely do...." Smiling broadly, Riley took the chain from Spike's hands, sliding it smoothly through his fingers. It flowed over his skin like water. Good quality, just like the rest of the purchases. For a vampire with only two regular changes of clothing, the guy had excellent taste. Kinda surprising... and kinda not.
Riley slipped the chain around that pale, pale throat, fumbling for a moment with the delicate catch. There was the same audible click when the two pieces of the lock fit together to make a unified whole... just like they did.
Sitting back to admire how it looked on his lover, Riley's smile softened, grew almost wistful. The little lock nestled itself in the hollow between Spike's collarbones, gleaming in the diffuse light. It looked good on him, looked solid... A mark of possession which existed solely between the two of them and for the two of them.
Running his fingers lightly over the chain as it rested against his skin, Spike's own smile was distant. As though he was smiling at some thought he had yet to share. It was a thought that, while unspoken, Riley Finn would have understood all too well. For the first time in far too long, Spike was needed and wanted. And that need, that want... was returned ten-fold.
Shaking off the moment of reverie, Spike grabbed one of the remaining shopping bags off of the bed. He didn't look into it, didn't shake the contents out onto the satiny surface... that could come later. "Got m'self some new gear, as well... but I can try it on later," he said with a pointedly wolfish grin as he tossed the bag onto the floor.
"Really... you bought new clothes? For yourself? Okay, first sign of the apocalypse...." The removal of that bag made a clear spot for them to lie down again... which they did, side-by-side. Riley propped his head up in the palm of his right hand, running the index finger of his left down the smooth column of Spike's throat. There was a teasing glint in his eye as he murmured, "You get a chance to look through any of those books today?"
"Read 'em all from back to front in about two hours," Spike purred, eyes dancing with a wicked light. A hard shiver raced down his spine, even the lightest touch from his boy set his blood on fire. And the subject matter made those sensations even more delicious. There were many, many things in those books he wanted to do with Riley... that he *needed* to do with Riley. "Done most of the stuff in there, already, though."
"With who? I mean, I know about Drusilla but who was your other partner... the male in your life, Will?" Riley tried to keep his tone light, this was a hard question to ask but he needed to know. Jealousy had gotten between he and Buffy, he didn't want it to happen here. Had she told him about Angel in the very beginning, maybe he wouldn't have obsessed so much about it. The young man watched and waited, chewing on the inside of his lower lip, wondering if he would get an answer...
"It wasn't all with the same bloke," the blond vampire chuckled as his hand strayed up, toying with the padlock on his chain. A wry smile touched his lips, his eyes gaining that far-away look again as he sifted through his past. "And Dru and me weren't always tied at the hip... we both did our own wandering, every now and again. You gotta remember - a hundred and twenty years, give or take, frees up a lotta time for one-nighters..."
The emotional roller coaster that he'd been on ever since Spike had first bitten him hit one of those incredible lows again. One other guy, maybe two or three, Riley could have dealt with. He would've been able to put it into perspective and moved on. But as Spike pointed out, he'd been around for more than a century... There were probably dozens... hundreds of men who'd shared his immortal lover's bed... And all of them better at it than he was.
"Oh...." There was a wealth of disappointment and sadness in that one word. What had he expected? Vampires were notorious for their infidelity. It was part of their hunting strategy, after all... Find a willing sexual partner, sleep with them, drain them dry... move on to the next, and then the next. It was a survival pattern, understandable... predictable and God... so fucking *cold.*
Riley Finn though was a one woman... scratch that... one person kind of man. He didn't sleep around, it wasn't in his nature. Forrest used to joke that the old Marine motto of Semper Fi was crafted with him in mind. When he was involved, he never even looked at another person... preferring to concentrate his all on the one he was with.
There was a rocky future ahead for this relationship. He just knew it.
But how could he insist on tying Spike down? It wasn't right... probably wasn't fair. Guess he would just take whatever he could get until the vampire got tired of him and moved on. Riley looked down, watching his fingers drop away from Spike's chest to tangle in the bed sheets. **When will everything I do stop hurting?**
There was pain written all over the boy's face, shimmering there like a knife waiting to cut and cut deep. "Don't..." Spike pleaded gently as he reached out his hand to touch Riley. He thought better of it, allowing his hand to land on the satin covers between them. Close enough to Riley's own that the vampire could feel the heat radiating from it. "Don't go gettin' all broody and tortured over this... please?"
Riley sat up, straightening his shoulders with a deep sigh. He couldn't look at his lover, didn't want him to see how much this was bothering him. His knees were drawn up to his chest and his hands rested atop them. The words came out more brittle than he intended when he finally responded. "Don't mind me, Will... I'm good to go..."
Every line of his body belied that simple statement, but Riley gave himself a hard mental shake. The past was the past. Spike had led a full life... unlife... probably had people falling all over their feet to be with him. After all, the guy was gorgeous; who could blame him for taking anything that was freely offered? Not like that sort of thing happened to him very much. If it had, Riley might have been better equipped to deal with all of this.
Spike followed suit, sitting up as well. The blond glanced down at his hands and then back up at Riley. All he could see was the boy's strong profile but maybe it was best not to look him in the eye for this confession. Bad enough that he'd lived it, let alone see someone pity him for it. "My human life wasn't a whole lotta laughs, y'know. Was twenty-five when it happened and was still a soddin' virgin, to boot. So when I got turned, I'm not gonna lie... I went bloody apeshit."
"But after me and Dru got serious, I didn't do it so much, anymore... and after a while, I stopped doin' it altogether. Wasn't nothin' else left that I hadn't tried, hadn't done at least twice... nothin' else left for me to learn." As he continued to speak, Spike watched his lover's expression soften and Riley's head tilted a little in his direction. At least he was getting through.
The vampire shrugged, a pensive and almost dejected expression drifted across his handsome features. "Besides Harm, I haven't shagged anybody else regular-like in ... fuck... two years? And before that... only maybe four or five one-nighters in a half a century. I'm not gonna tell you I'm virtuous and I'm not gonna tell you I didn't fuck around, 'cause I did... but I always went back to the one who held my heart. May sound odd to you, after all that shit I just said... but... I'm a loyal creature."
A big sigh echoed through the room, one that lifted those broad shoulders just before Riley spoke. He chose his words carefully, speaking slowly and clearly, "Thanks... I needed to hear that. Didn't want to lay my heart out there on the line again and get it run over with those Doc Marten's of yours. Got enough holes left in it by Buffy and her Angel obsession to last me a lifetime..." But still he didn't look at his companion, just continued to stare off into space.
**Angelus... It always comes down to you, doesn't it? Bastard. If only I could find some way, make you see, make you take responsibility. First me... and now Riley....** He couldn't undo the damage Angelus had done to him but maybe, just maybe, he could undo what his sire and the daft bint that idolized him had done to Riley.
Spike reached over and grasped one of Riley's hands. There was a moment of resistance as he dragged it over to him and cradled it in both of his in his lap. "I wanna fix that... want to at least give it a try... if you'll let me?" He smoothed his thumbs in tandem over the back of the boy's hand in slow, soothing half-moons.
"Yeah... Guess I can. Not much left for me to lose, is there?" Riley turned toward him and the sight of the blond vampire sitting amid that flurry of new clothes was strangely comforting. Spike had just bared his heart and his past to him, had shown him the ultimate trust with one of his hidden secrets. His words and his voice were so gentle, so *loving*... how could he resist?
The silver chain glinted in the light and the young man was drawn to it and what it symbolized. An outward sign of their inner bond... a bond forged by blood and trust. Giving in to his pull, giving in to the need that he saw in Spike's eyes, Riley leaned over and pressed a warm kiss right on the centre of the lock, his lips brushing cool skin.
For a mere fraction of a second, the vampire stiffened and then melted into that warm touch. Combing his fingers through the locks of fine dark wheat collared hair, Spike tilted his head down a fraction and placed a soft kiss on Riley's forehead. "Don't have to make it sound like you're goin' to the gas chamber, y'know..." he quipped with a dry, hesitant chuckle as he nuzzled Riley's forehead, taking in his scent and trying to keep from bursting into song.
Forgiven, he'd been forgiven... but, even better - even more important than that... Riley understood.
There was an answering chuckle from the boy and that sound warmed Spike's silent heart. His lover seemed to be on the mend from their latest foul-up. "Didn't mean it to sound that way... Xander's right, I'm becoming more like Angel everyday with the whole brooding thing... Gotta stop that."
A wave of warmth followed the soft laughter as Riley placed another kiss on his cool skin. This one was higher up on the column of Spike's throat, sending delightful tingles through his entire body. The next was just below his ear, lips just brushing the surface as that rich voice murmured. "Now about the naked thing..."