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Chapter 3 - Five days until Christmas
Spike examined his list while he waited upstairs for Xander to wash and dress.
Number one: Food Shopping.
Spike growled under his breath. He hated food shopping as much as Xander did, but it had to be done. Xander needed fattening up. Shouldn’t be too difficult a task. But he needed to be careful to fatten him on good stuff and not just chocolate and crisps, err, chips.
Spike had had a sudden thought before he’d drifted off to sleep just as dawn broke. An oven! How was he going to cook Christmas dinner without an oven?! Spike had stayed awake an extra few hours, until the shops opened again. On the stroke of eight he had used Xander’s phone and ordered a shiny new oven. How had he paid for it? Vampire trade secret. Anyway, it was due to arrive later that evening and Spike had left specific instructions for it to be installed in his absence along with some kind of gas cylinder. Spike looked at his list again.
Number Two: Take Xander out for a Pre-Christmas drink.
Easy. After the shopping trip, they would both need to unwind and relax and what better way to achieve that than a nice quite beer? Plus it would give them both a chance to bond….as roommates of course. What else?
Xander bounced up from below.
“Ready!”
Spike jumped slightly and turned a surprised smile on the jiggling boy.
“You seem keen. You know where we’re going, right?”
“Uh-huh. Shopping!”
“So why so cheerful?”
Xander shrugged.
“Just woke up in a good mood, is all.”
Spike nodded happily.
“Good. So you’re ready to face the Kmart hordes?”
“Yep, Ready and armed.”
“Armed?”
“Yeah. With a smile on my face and a song in my heart.”
With that Xander bounced to the door and beckoned Spike to follow.
Spike made a mental note to add something to his list. Buy more chocolate santas. The sugar rush from those things must last a full twenty four hours. How the whelp got any sleep was anyone’s guess. Still, he was happy, that was what counted.
And now for the groceries. ~sigh~
**
“Grrrrrr……..”
“Spike! Shhh!” Xander hissed. “Someone’s gonna hear you.”
“I can’t help it. These people are really getting on my tits. That old bag over there has hit me three times with that bloody trolley. I’ll tell you this, Xan, if she does it again, I’m going to take that trolley and stuff it right up her…”
“Spike, calm down. We’re nearly done…Hey! Watch where you poke that French stick!”
The old bag grumbled and shuffled back to her trolley.
“Told you to watch her, pet.”
Xander rubbed at his abused backside and flipped the old woman the finger as she turned her back on him.
Spike chuckled.
“C’mon, luv. Only one or two things left.”
“What’s that?”
“Order the turkey and get erm….a few...other little bits, nothing really. Why don’t you go order the turkey for us? I’ll get the last few bits.”
Xander agreed and scurried off to find the meat counter. Spike waited until he was out of sight before he took his uncooperative trolley by the horns and raced to the confectionary aisle. He needed to get as much Christmas crap as he could in the trolley before Xander came back. So far he’d been able to pass off everything as something that he would like to eat too. But the chocolate? Xander would know it was all for him and would probably fight him all way. Spike had gotten the same reaction when trying to buy him clothes the night before. It seemed that Xander was a little uncomfortable with people buying him things. Probably not used to it. Well, he would have to get used it…eventually. But for now Spike was going to use the ‘once it’s in the trolley you can’t take it out’ rule. That had seemed to work the night before.
Spike found the correct aisle and quickly and efficiently tossed things in the trolley that he thought Xander would like, maybe things that he may have missed out on as a child.
Xander came around the corner just as the fifth bag of chocolate Santas was tossed into the trolley. He pointed in shock at the goodies that covered all the sensible goods. He opened his mouth to say something, but Spike cut him off.
“It’s already in the trolley. You can’t take it out!”
Xander was tempted to break the rule and put everything back on the shelves. But the worried look on Spike’s face was enough to stop him. Spike really looked like he wanted to do this for him. Okay, so it was making Spike happy. Couldn't be any harm in it, and besides, the treats did look tasty tasty. Mmmm. It felt weird that someone was buying things for him, and not just cheap old things, either. Nice things, things he would like, not just because they were on sale. The night before Spike had really splashed out on him, bought him nice jeans, t-shirts, and shirts. No expense was spared. Spike had bought him clothes that would look good and fit nice and not just clothes that were on sale. Xander argued a lot at first and that was when Spike had come up with the strange trolley rule. All this shopping was obviously important to Spike. Xander wasn’t sure why, but it did make him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. He would go with it.
“Okay.”
“Huh?”
“I said okay.”
“You mean, you’re not going to give me any grief?”
“I didn’t say that. I just said okay. Meaning, buy the stuff and I’ll give you grief while I’m eating it.”
Xander smiled warmly and walked towards Spike, until they were nearly nose to nose.
“Thank you. I really appreciate what you’re doing for me. It’s nice to know someone cares.”
Spike breathed in the scent of Xander and stroked his fingers just once through his dark hair.
“I don’t care about much, luv, but I do care about you.”
Brown eyes stared into piercing blue ones and slowly their mouths moved to join each other…
*BING BONG* “Staff announcement, staff announcement. Vomit in aisle three. Vomit in aisle three.”
Both men jumped and separated, suddenly realising that a supermarket was not the place for a romantic first kiss.
“Um, are we done? With the shopping, that is, not the…the…are we done?”
Spike realised that he was still staring at Xander’s lips.
“Oh, err, yeah. All done. Checkout, home, unload, then, erm, you still wanna go for that drink, pet?
Xander took a deep breath.
“Yeah. Sounds good.”
**
The drive back to the crypt, then back out, had two sets of brains working overtime. The thoughts spinning around both cranial cavities were roughly the same.
Had they just nearly kissed?
If so, why had they just nearly kissed?
Were there stronger feelings going on here? Stronger than just friendship?
Did they want to try and kiss again?
Spike was concerned. Yes, he decided, he was attracted to Xander. But this wasn’t supposed to be about getting him into bed. It was supposed to be about him helping Xander, giving him a great Christmas and helping him to feel confident enough to get his life in order. The last thing that he wanted was for Xander to think that he had a hidden agenda.
Xander was concerned. Yes, he decided, he was attracted to Spike. But was this anyway to repay him for his kindness? To take advantage of him? What would Spike think? Would he think that he was trying it on so that Spike would buy him more stuff? The last thing he wanted was for Spike to think that he had a hidden agenda.
**
The two men walked into a bar…Ouch! (Sorry folks, couldn’t resist that old joke. ~dodges rotten fruit~ Hey! It’s Christmas! Give the Author a break!)
*Ahem*
The two men walked into a bar. It wasn’t a bar that Xander had been in before. It wasn’t even one that he was aware of.
“Why haven’t I seen this place before?” Xander asked.
“It ain’t that well known. It’s a nice quiet place, somewhere for a demon to come and hang his scales after a hard night of scaring kiddies.”
“This is a demon bar? I’m so not gonna fit in.”
“Don’t be daft, pet. You’ll fit in great.”
Xander halted.
“Did you just insult me?”
Spike thought about it and agreed.
“I guess I did. Buy you a beer to make up for it?”
Xander grinned and followed Spike to the bar.
“They don’t card, do they?” he whispered.
“Doubt it, luv. Oi! Bartender!”
“Spike. How are you, old bean?”
Xander was rather taken aback by the posh English accent that came from what could only be described as a lump of hairy caveman.
“Not bad, Gerald, not bad at all.”
“Jolly good. And who is this fine young fellow?”
“Oh, sorry. Gerald this is Xander, he’s a good friend of mine. Xander this is Gerald. Me and Gerald go *way* back.”
Gerald held out a huge, hairy, enthusiastic hand.
“Jolly nice to meet you, young man.”
Xander took the hand and shook it.
“Nice to meet you too.”
The cave man turned back to Spike.
“What will it be, old boy? On me.”
“Cheers, mate. I’ll have a pint of your best and, Xander?”
“Um, a beer will be fine.”
“Right. Two pints of your best please, Gerald.”
“Coming right up! Take a seat, boys, I’ll pop them over to you in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.”
Spike and Xander sat in a corner booth and waited for their drinks. They were both feeling a little uncomfortable from their near kiss in the store earlier and they were both keen to not mention it.
“Tell me, luv. What would be your idea of a perfect Christmas?”
Ah! Change of subject and a fish for information. Clever Spike.
“Hmm. Just to be happy.”
“And what would make you happy?”
“Oh, you know, just stuff.”
“What stuff?”
“Just stuff.”
“Xander! Why don’t you want to tell me?”
The beers arrived and Gerald, being an ever-so polite demon, scuttled away without a word. He was never one to interrupt.
“I don’t want to tell you because you’ll think it’s stupid.”
“I won’t.”
“You will.”
“I won’t, I promise. Christ, my perfect Christmas is probably more bizarre than yours.”
Xander perked up at that.
“Okay. I’ll tell you my perfect Christmas if you tell me yours.”
Spike debated for just a second. It was only fair. If Xander was going to share then so should he.
“Deal. But you go first.”
Xander swigged his beer and nodded.
“Um, well, first I like to watch lots of TV at Christmas; the family channel is my favourite, cartoons and silly Christmas films. I always wished I had someone to watch them with. My dad always said they were stupid and he would change the channel.”
“Not stupid, pet. Some of the best films ever made are Christmas classics.”
Xander lit up.
“Do you really think so?”
“Course. Let’s see now. There is, It’s A Wonderful Life. That has to go down in history as one of the greats. Always makes me bawl, that one does.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“And then there was White Christmas.”
“I love Bing Crosby!” Xander said excitably.
“Me too, pet, me too. Big fan. What else? Oh yeah, Miracle on 34th street. The original, though, not that stupid remake.”
Xander threw his hands into the air.
“Totally!”
“Then there is, Santa Clause: The Movie, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Die Hard and who could forget the classic Muppets Christmas Carol.”
“That’s my favourite! I watch it every year!...by myself. Did I just admit that?”
“Yup, you did. Wanna know something strange?”
“Always.”
“I watch it every year too...by myself.”
“Really? You do? People just don’t appreciate the *real* humor behind the Muppets.”
“Spot on, luv. It’s not all just puppets and silly voices. There’s so much innuendo behind everything they say and do. I mean, come on, Gonzo ‘aving it off with a bunch of chickens. How twisted yet amusing is that?”
Spike didn’t let Xander answer. Instead he pointed a stern finger at him and made a point.
“They shouldn’t let kiddies watch it, yer know. It ain’t suitable!”
Xander collapsed into a fit of hysterical giggles and that was it, the awkwardness had gone. Back to normal. No more thinking about that near kiss, except that neither of them could actually stop thinking about it. Still, at least they weren’t dwelling on it or analysing it.
The rest of the evening was spent exchanging perfect Christmas dreams and wishes.
Spike discovered that Xander wanted to spend Christmas watching TV, baking, decorating, eating chocolate, drinking (not too much) and, now this was the surprise, reading. It seemed that young Xander had a real passion for the classics and he never went to bed without a good book. At Christmas, Xander loved to read Charles Dickens. A Christmas Carol was his favourite, closely followed by Oliver Twist.
Spike had been surprised. He had never taken Xander for a book reader. Just went to prove, you can’t judge a book by its cover. There weren’t many that knew that Spike was also a book lover and had a particular passion for Jane Austen.
Spike made yet another mental note, to dig out some books for Xander to read. He was positive he still had some Dickens somewhere.
Xander had also found out lots about Spike’s past Christmases. Obviously there had been quite a lot of them and they stretched back over a hundred years. Xander had discovered that Spike *adored* baked potatoes at Christmas and he also loved the odd bag of roasted chestnuts and piles of oranges. Nuts in general were Spike’s thing and he craved roasted goose and mincemeat pies. It was a strange assortment, Xander thought, but then again, Spike was British. These people just eat *very* strange things. Spike had even mentioned that in England, people hang chocolates from their trees! Mad! Still, Xander would definitely be willing to give it a shot, if he actually had a tree to give it a shot with.
**
Spike climbed quietly down the ladder. Morning was about to break and it was time for all bad vampires to be in bed. He set something down for Xander on the bedside table and climbed under the covers, snuggling down next to him. Spike closed his eyes and listened to the soft contented snores from his roommate. He smiled to himself. Boy, did he have a treat for Xander tomorrow.
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Suki
Blue Fiction
