"Bloody buggering hell. I’m dreaming. I fell asleep and when I wake up, I’m going to stake myself." Spike muttered, ranting to himself as he paced around his crypt. "I’ve lost it...gone off the soddin’ deep end, I have! Pinch me. Bloody pinch me! OW!" He yelped, rubbing his arm, as Xander happily obliged him. "You have an evil streak in you, Harris. I didn’t literally mean for you to...you really love me?" The vampire looked uncertain. "Nobody’s really ever been in love with me...not Dru or Angelus or Buffy. Look at me, Xander. Are you sure this is what you want? I’m dead, luv. And I’m a vampire. And you have me rambling on like some poufy, repressed...Giles! I bloody well sound like the Watcher!"

"Forget I said anything! We’ll chalk that up to insanity, too. It’s been a long day...night...and I’m really tired all of a sudden. It’s been...interesting. Good night and I’ll see you around." Xander snatched up the rest of his clothes, blinked back stinging tears of humiliation, and moved quickly toward the door. Spike grabbed his arm and spun him around.

"I don’t want to forget it! Don’t you dare take it back! Everyone else in my life has taken it back! Dru left me for a bloody Chaos demon! Angelus got a soul and ran away. Buffy...just used me. You...don’t get to take it back. I won’t be cast off again. We’re the same...don’t you see? I cover my pain with sarcasm and so do you. We’ve both been hurt by love more than once and yet we still manage to keep falling for the people we shouldn’t. We fight like a soddin’ married couple...both Red and the Watcher have said so...hell, pet, even Buffy agrees!"

"Are you in love with me?" Xander asked, his voice shaking.

"You have to bloody ask?" At Xander’s pointed look, he sighed. "Yeah, years of insecurities and people treating you like you’re nothing. I was just like you when I was alive. I told you before and I’ll say it until you hear me. You’re special, Xander. You fail over and over again..."

"Gee, thanks. " Xander interrupted, sarcastically, his defenses up.

"Oi! Let me finish. If you get knocked down, you get right back up. You are one of the bravest people I’ve ever met...impulsive, maybe, but I’ve seen you jump headfirst into a fray to save your mates. You don’t hold back. You have passion, luv. So, in answer to your question, yes. I’ve been in love with you since you tied me to that chair in your parents’ basement. You knew I couldn’t hurt you...I was already chipped. You made me feel like I was still the Big Bad, that you were scared of me enough to tie me up."

"Giles had you chained in his bathtub...that didn’t make you feel Big and Bad?" Xander asked, his voice soft, thready, showing his need for reassurance.

"The Watcher did that because he thinks of me as a neutered dog and anyway, Giles isn’t my type, luv. I like ‘em dark-haired with sad, chocolatey eyes." Spike ran the back of his hand down Xander’s cheek. He saw the boy’s eyes close slowly and felt a rush of pleasure to his groin as Xander rubbed his cheek against Spike’s hand like a cat being petted. "Such a beautiful boy..." Spike caressed Xander’s lower lip with his thumb.

"Spike..." Xander whispered, opening his eyes. Spike found himself getting lost in the dark, smoky orbs...Xander had the most gorgeous eyes. Blinking, Spike mentally shook himself out of a daze. Xander licked his lips and Spike found himself enticed by the boy’s sweet pink tongue. Xander moaned as Spike’s mouth ravished his. He found himself pinned between Spike’s body and the crypt wall, his shoes and socks in a heap by their feet. Spike cupped Xander’s head, deepening the kiss and was pleased to hear Xander moan again. Their tongues danced, teasing and tasting and pleasuring. Xander panted as they broke apart, whimpering as Spike’s cool lips moved down his throat, nibbling the sensitive skin with blunt teeth. He let his head fall back against the wall, giving Spike better access.

"Taste so good...my own little Scooby snack..." Spike teased Xander, soothing a bite with his tongue. Xander shuddered, a hand coming up to stroke the soft hair at the nape of Spike’s neck. The vampire made a purring sound, still nuzzling the surprisingly soft skin on Xander’s throat. Xander gasped as Spike found another erogenous zone. He heard himself moan softly and an appreciative sound from Spike. The vamp licked the area.

"Do it." Xander heard himself say. "Claim me, Spike." He felt Spike freeze and then heard the blond groan.

"You know I can’t, baby. Neutered, remember? Those bloody soldier pricks!" Spike pulled away briefly and raked a hand through his bleached hair.

"Your chip didn’t go off when I sliced my finger...what was it you said, no harmful intent? I want you to bite me, so that’s not harmful right? Bite me, Spike...claim me...make me yours." Xander pleaded, his voice thick with lust.

"You don’t know what you’re asking, luv. Claiming is like mating...can’t undo it if it doesn’t work out...not like getting a divorce when a marriage hits the skids. Claiming is for eternity...means no one else can touch you...means I’d get crazy jealous even if Red gives you a hug. It means you drinking some of my blood." That last part got a reaction.

"No offense, but ewwww. Being human, I won’t get sick, will I? I mean, it’s not like I drink blood every day." Xander amended, desperately trying not to offend Spike. "Wait, you’re not just saying that so I’ll change my mind, are you?"

"Oi, whelp, I happen to be quite moist and delicious myself. And no, it’s all part of the bonding process. You won’t get sick but it has a tangy copper taste to it that you as a human might find slightly unpleasant. You ever get a split lip and touch your tongue to it to stop the bleeding?" At Xander’s nod, he continued, "Then you know that to humans blood is a little bitter, salty even. Think you can handle a teaspoonful of my blood?"

TBC...