Living ArrangementsBy Taltos
Chapter One
I can hear him stomping up the stairs and I can't help but roll my eyes. Must have been a hard night at work. I chuckle a little at the thought of Spike having a job. I mean what can a vampire really do? Well for starters they make great bouncers. Especially someone like Spike. He may look compact, but man you better watch out when he pulls a right hook. Not to mention the whole preternatural strength thing. I think that's probably what got him the job in the first place.
It had been about three months after he came back from Africa all re-souled. At first I still hated him. Gotta give him credit though, he tried the hardest with me and I know I didn't make it fun or easy, at least not until the night his crypt burned down. After that the male bonding just sort of slid into place.
He didn't have anywhere else to go so I let him stay here. Soon after that he asked for a permanent invitation. He said he wanted to contribute and started prowling around for a job. He took a big step and had Willy create an identity for him. Birth certificate, driver's license, green card, whole nine yards. Spike officially exists now, which according to Giles, was a big step for a vampire. Getting the job of a bouncer at the new and improved Bronze was a fluke.
We were all there having a drink, giving Giles a third proper send off when all the sudden these two burly guys decide to have a rousing difference of opinion. A glancing blow bounced off the back of Willow's head, which sent Spike right into orbit.
See, Spike sorta adopted Willow when she and Giles came back from England. Making sure she stays on the straight and narrow, even lets her experiment on him every once in a while when she needs to try out a new facet of her power.
In the blink of an eye both guys were on the ground at Spike's feet. Needless to say the manger was impressed with how quickly and efficiently Spike took care of business and promptly offered him a job. If vampires could blush I swear Spike would have. He accepted the job and now he draws a paycheck like any nice normal respectable vamp. Pays half the rent, half the utilities, half of everything, it's a great set-up really, except for the fact that I'm falling in love with him.
It's not like I woke up one day said 'Gee, think I'll be gay today and fall in love with Spike.' It's just the little things. The way he leaves his hair in loose curls when he's just hanging around the house. The way he buys Epson salt for me every time he goes to Wal-Mart because he knows the muscles in my arms and back ache every once in a while from work. The way that, even after being up all night at work he comes home and cooks me breakfast so I don't 'just eat bloody junk.' It's the way he watches Dawn with this look in his eyes that speaks of total devotion.
It's the way he eats Buffalo wings. The way he pulls his fingers into his mouth to savor the sauce; his eyes closed in pure ecstasy, a soft rumbling purr vibrating out from his chest. The way his tongue curls around his teeth when he gets cocky. The way he walks, the way he talks. I guess it's just pretty much every thing and this is so not the train of thought to have when he's about to come through the door.
I settle myself back on the couch thinking non-Spike thoughts. I hear his keys hit the table with an angry slam before he storms into the kitchen. I hear the refrigerator open, then the microwave door, then the cap of a bottle of beer hits the counter. I pull myself off the couch and head for the kitchen.
"Bad night?"
His back is to me as he faces the microwave waiting for his 'dinner' to warm. When he turns to me I stifle a gasp.
"What the hell happened to you?"
His left eye is turning yellow and trust me when I say this, yellow is a very bad color for a vampire.
"You remember that bloke from last Saturday?" At my nod he continues. "Decided to come back for a little revenge. Bloody pillock sucker punched me."
"You get him?"
"Yeah."
I feel a shiver of desire dance down my spine at the pure delight that shines in his eyes and across his face from that one softly whispered word.
"Good."
I walk to the freezer and take out a bag of frozen peas. Standing in front of him I place it over his eye.
"You know it'll be gone tomorrow even without this?"
"Humor me."
The microwave dings and I move away from him to get his mug for him. For the nine thousandth time I thank God that when he got his soul back the chip was disabled. He works as a bouncer at a human bar and it makes my knees weak to think that his black eye could have been a lot worse.
I worry about the people there finding out he's a vamp. People who live on the Hellmouth would know a much better way to take their revenge than a sucker punch. I have to practically strap myself to the chair every night when he leaves. I want to go with him, watch his back, like he's done with ours so many times. I want to make sure he comes home in one piece.
I notice my hands shaking as I reach for the mug. God, what would I do without him? We've never even gone into the vicinity of the realm of anything other than strictly buddies but I know it would kill me to lose him. I shake myself out of my mood and hand him the mug of blood. It's early Saturday morning and we both need to get to sleep. The girls are coming over tonight for dinner and movies.
"What time you want me to get you up later?"
"What am I cooking again?"
"Lasagna and for the twentieth time, no, you can't put blood in the sauce I don't care how much of an extra kick it gives it?"
I watch his eyes crinkle in a smile over the rim of the mug and my heart does this little flip like I'm on a roller coaster.
"You lot are no bloody fun."
"You get your fun every night at work, bruiser. Now what time, tired boy here."
"Six."
"K. Good night."
At his softly whispered good night my stomach flips over again in desire. I shut my door and lean against it willing my hard on to go away. I've got to stop this. I can't keep it hidden from him forever and I'm terrified of what he'll do if he finds out. I'm not afraid of him physically, I know he'd never hurt me but I don't think I could stand to see the look of pity in his eyes. I know I couldn't handle the 'you're a great guy Xander, but' speech. Pushing those thoughts to the back of my head I crawl into bed and sink into sleep.
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