Title: Camping Days
Author: Bonster
Email: angelxanderforever@hotmail.com
Feedback: Yeah, definitely. 
Archive: Let me know, because I like knowing where these boys play.
Pairings: S/X
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine. They belong to Joss "God" Whedon. Oh and ME, Kuzui, Fox, etc.
Spoilers: None
Summary: This is completely and utterly AU. A look at the experiences of several counselors at Camp Somnium Fjord.
Warnings: this is campy *snicker*
Notes: Thanks to John. Oh and I blame this whole fic on Animal Crackers, if I never would have envisioned Wesley Wyndam-Pryce eating them, this whole thing would never have happened. Although Animal Crackers are nowhere in the story lol.


Part 1

Children were swarming out of the buses that had brought them to Camp Somnium Fjord. They would experience in the next two weeks the happy event that occurred every summer of their respective youths. Ageless tradition was brought to mind when two cherished words were spoken: summer camp.

The traditions of learning to swim, enjoying logic problems and fill-in puzzles, working on assorted crafts, making new lifelong friends, the sweet sensation of first love, and above all, camaraderie.

Camp Somnium Fjord was an extraordinary summer camp. A camp that not only catered to vampires and other assorted demons who operated and attended the camp, but humans as well.

It was the summer of 2001, when several counselors, most of whom had lost their youthful exuberance for the camp experience, reclaimed some of that lost joie de vivre.

#####

“Geez, I can’t believe you’re telling me this now. We’re about to be split into our groups,” said Willow Rosenberg, who had been Xander Harris’ best friend since their heights were still below that line that says you could ride the ride.

Xander smiled fondly at Willow. “Wills, I know, but I just had to tell you. Moral obligation to tell you about the staggering crush your best friend has on the oh-so-unobtainable one.”

Willow smiled at him sym
pathy, placing a hand on his shoulder. “A Night Counselor, no less. Ah, Xan. Since last summer?”

Xander chewed his bottom lip. “Uh huh. Last summer. He was teaching swimming, Willow. Sure it was night and I didn’t get that good a look, but -” Xander sighed dreamily.

Willow giggled. “Okay, you doofus. What are you planning on doing about it?”

Xander looked to the ground. “The only thing I know. Pine, pant, and pray. You know how I am around people I have a crush on.”

Willow rolled her eyes, and smacked his arm. “Alexander LaVelle Harris, you will not pine and pant for the next two weeks. Praying you can do because I don’t have to watch the drool dripping out of your mouth. But pining and panting, nuh-uh. No, sir. We’re going to do something about your crush this year.”

Xander’s eyes widened in fear and he gaped. Willow would have sworn her friend looked like he was about to cry.

“Willow, you swear you will not tell a SOUL about this, right? Promise me? Wills, pinky swear me,” Xander said, voice cracking in desperation.

Willow entwined her pinky with Xander’s. “I pinky swear not to tell a soul about your crush.”

Releasing Willow’s pinky, Xander sighed.

They then heard the voice of Richard Wilkins, owner of the camp, boom out from the loudspeakers, telling everyone to get into their groups which were sorted by cabin number.

Xander gave one last pleading look to Willow, whose group was number four, and he went off to his own number eight group.

Since it was daytime, the majority of the campers that had arrived were human. When night arrived, so would the other children, most of whom were demons, a rare few were vampires. The children in each cabin were supervised by either a Day Counselor or a Night Counselor, depending on the children’s needs.

Xander’s group were all Day Attenders. Although Willow’s group, as sometimes happened, had a few Night Attenders in the mix.

Each counselor gathered their groups and took them to settle into their respective cabins. The next time they would all meet would be the Opening Bonfire later that night.

Xander turned on the automatic Counselor pilot as he chatted and laughed with his group when they reached their cabin. His stomach fluttered at the thought that the cabin next to his would be where Spike and his Night Attenders would be. Thinking dreamily of what Spike looked like the previous year, Xander got his belongings situated. After he finished he declared a round of charades would break the ice for the group. And help pass time until the bonfire, he added silently.

#####

The bonfire was roaring prettily when Xander finally managed to arrive at it’s side. A camper named Oscar Hyalton had completely forgotten his asthma inhaler, and had been in hysterics for a good two hours. Until finally his father had arrived with a stern lecture and inhaler in tow. After the father had left, the kid had went into hysterics again because he felt guilty. Oscar had now seated himself by a girl named Lois who had also been throwing fits.

Xander rolled his eyes and headed to the other side of the bonfire where the other counselors were all sitting around listening to the storyteller or standing and conversing very quietly. Noticing several vampires talking while barely moving their lips, he shook his head. Xander thought, Damn vamps. Super hearing and all that. They don’t have to learn the ventriloquism we Day Counselors have to.

He found Willow sitting beside her friend Tara. Plopping down beside his Wills, he flashed her a “I’m already tired of children, let’s drown them all” grin.

“Already have a troublemaker? I’m sorry, Xan. But you know what can make it better?” Willow said, with a mischievous gleam in her eye. She pointed her head to her left and behind her.

Curious at what she was up to, but cautious nonetheless, Xander moved only his eyes in the direction she had indicated. Not four feet over from Willow, Spike was sitting, his legs stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles.

Xander felt his breath catch. Spike’s hair was slightly darker and longer, but everything else appeared unchanged. The orange glow of the bonfire made Spike’s eyes sparkle. Xander was dazzled.

When Spike looked over at him and smiled, Xander almost didn’t register it. Realizing that Spike’s smile was starting to waver, Xander hurriedly grinned and said, “Hey!”

“Hey, Xander wasn’t it?” Spike said, in all his British accented glory.

He remembered my name, Xander thought. He remembered my name! I am so going to find a place to squeal with girlish delight after the bonfire. “Yeah, Spike right?”

Out of the corner of his eye Xander saw Willow grinning and trying to restrain from outright laughing.

Spike nodded, his smile having brightened when Xander said his name. Spike reached to scratch the top of his head, causing a few locks to move forward and dangle just above his eye. Still smiling, Spike glanced at his watch and frowned. He looked at Xander apologetically. “Well, Xander, some of the Night Counselors are meeting now. But I hear you’re group’s in the cabin next to ours. So I’m sure I’ll see you around, mate.” Spike stood and brushed the grass of his pants, turning as he did so.

Xander barely kept his mouth shut. He could feel the drool forming a lake in his mouth as he watched Spike’s hands glide in slow motion down and around his thighs and buttocks.

Suddenly he felt a sharp pinch on his arm. His vision cleared, and Spike was long gone. He glared at Willow. “I happened to be in a moment there, Willow. A very happy moment,” Xander sighed longingly.

Willow and Tara giggled. Glaring at them, Xander turned to the storyteller, who was finishing a story about a demon in years past named oGar the Magnificent.


Part 2

The next morning was the start of the official activities. Xander brought his sleepy, yet chipper group to their first scheduled activity. Wesley Wyndham-Pryce was in charge of Puzzle-thon. Puzzle-thon was an area of the camp set aside with fill-in puzzles, crossword puzzles, logic problems, 500-piece jig saw puzzles, Where’s Waldo books, Gameboys which only contained the game Tetris, etc.

“Hey, Wes!” Xander clapped his hand on Wesley’s back. “How’s it going?”

Wesley scowled. “Someone has already stolen Crosswords for Beginners. Now all I have are intermediate, hard, and very hard. Bloody children.” Wes glared at Oscar who was tearing into a lego set.

“Ah, Wes. It can’t be that bad. I mean, don’t they steal the beginner’s crosswords every year? And don’t they always return it half done?” Xander was smiling.

Wesley narrowed his eyes. “That doesn’t make it less bothersome,” he said as he picked up a puzzle piece from the ground. “Oh well, I just wish they weren’t so predictable. But,” Wesley said, turning to Xander wit a smirk. “This year I planned better. I already filled in half of them myself.”

Xander laughed, and settled down with a Where’s Waldo book.

#####

Lunch came and went, as did the afternoon’s horseback riding lessons.  Rupert Giles had convinced the entire group that if you could only canter you were a wanker. He also stressed if they weren’t galloping by the next lesson, they would forever be at stable cleaner status.

Throughout the lesson, Giles could be heard mumbling, “They should all be ashamed of themselves. If they thought they had accomplished something extraordinary by merely cantering, then they should also think people who sat on the sidelines were responsible for winning of the game.”

Xander and his group were all stiff legged and saddle-sore by the time dinner arrived.

Xander, carrying his plate of chow, looked for and found Willow sitting on the grass with her group. Indicating to his group they were to sit within twenty feet of him at all times, he sat beside Willow. 

“Wills, how’s it goin?” Xander asked, as he gingerly sat on the ground. Grimacing as he realized he had sat too fast and the dull aching went to painful throbbing.

Willow looked at him with sympathy. “Horseback riding today?”

Xander nodded.

Ten minutes later, Willow having filled him in on the troublesome Night Attenders she had, all of which were werewolves who had been sniffing around and had gobbled up everyone’s snack stores, Xander noticed the sun dip below the horizon.

The Night Attenders and their counselors would soon be arriving for their breakfasts. An unpleasant earthy smell arose because of all the blood, but Xander did not mind as much as he had in previous years.

Using just his eyes he scanned the incoming crowds. He felt a sharp pain on his arm.

“Ouch! Willow! You really have to stop pinching me! I was looking…” Xander’s words were cut off when he saw who was standing before him with a perplexed yet amused expression.

“Hey, Spike,” Xander squeaked.

Spike smiled. “Hi, Xander. Hi, Willow,” Spike plopped himself down across from Xander.

Seeing Spike sip his blood with a spoon from a bowl did not bother Xander as much as he thought it would. Maybe it was because of the way he could just barely make out Spike’s pink tongue whenever a sip was taken.

Xander tuned in enough to make light chatter with the other two. They were talking about the absurdity and the overbearingness that was Giles and his horseback lessons, when a lumbering Night Counselor sat next to Spike.

Spike sighed. “Hello, Angel.”

Xander did not like how close Angel was to Spike. It made him nervous and jealous. “Hi there! I’m Xander!” Xander stuck out his hand. Angel nodded and took his hand, but released it quickly to continue his meal.

Willow frowned and said, “H-hi. So you’re a friend of Spike’s?”

Spike scoffed and continued eating his meal, as Angel just nodded.

Spike kept glancing at Xander apologetically though, which filled Xander with pride. He’s making sure that I realize that Angel is not a threat to our future happiness, Xander thought. Okay, maybe not. He’s probably just annoyed that his friend is not exactly being friendly.

The group noticed Angel’s very visible perk-up when Wesley Wyndahm-Pryce sat beside Xander.

Wesley was red faced for most of the conversation. Probably from a hard day at Puzzle-thon, Xander thought.

Willow and Spike, however, were less oblivious. They each noticed the looks and the quiet comments pass between the hulking Angel and the soft spoken Puzzle-thon manager.

The group had broken up when Richard Wilkins voice once again boomed over the loudspeakers, “Okay, Night Attenders. Time for your activities to begin! Have rip roaring hullabaloo of a time!”

#####

The next few days passed quickly. Xander’s group had split into its natural groups of friends, while Oscar would still find things to go into hysterics about. Only his nightly dinner meetings with Willow and Spike were keeping Xander sane.

As Xander was preparing for bed on the sixth night, his stomach rumbled. Dinner had been several hours long over with. Deciding the best option would be a twinkie before bed, Xander got into his private stores. Making sure all the campers were asleep and lights were out, Xander went outside to sit on the stairs leading to the cabin door.

As he sat there with half a twinkie in his mouth, Xander was pondering the day, when he spotted a flurry of movement. He sharply inhaled, causing the partially chewed twinkie to go down the wrong way.

As he was coughing he felt a hand patting his back. “Sorry, mate. Didn’t mean to scare you.”

Xander turned his frown on Spike who was now sitting beside him with a slightly worried expression. Xander cleared his throat again, because it felt extremely grainy and raw now.

“Thanks so much, Spike. I was trying to be a little covert here, and what happens? I am in the current state of dry heavedom. And as ambassador of such, I can diplomatically tell you that you suck…literally.” Xander rolled his eyes and took another bite of his twinkie. In truth, he just wanted Spike’s hand back on his back.

“Sorry, forgot you couldn’t see as well as I can,” Spike muttered quietly. “Didn’t mean to scare ya.”

Xander sighed, and finished off the rest of his twinkie. Around the mushy mass in his mouth he said, “It’s okay, Spike.”

Now that he could call Spike his friend, Xander had begun to feel more at ease with his crush. He didn’t feel the need to constantly drift off into dream realms every time he was around the vampire; only occasional slow motion moments now invaded his reality.

After the initial twinkie coughing, apology and forgiveness, they both sat back and enjoyed the night. They remained sitting in companionable silence for ten minutes or so when a whistling and flustered Angel came tramping by.

“Where are you off to in such a tizzy, ponce?” Spike asked, with a knowing smirk.

Angel glared. “Not that it’s any of your business, but Puzzle-thon. I promised Wes I’d keep him company while he has night duty. I was supposed to be there half an hour ago. We’re about halfway through the castle puzzle. And after we finish the castle puzzle, we’re going to do the fruit puzzle.” Angel was now grinning madly. Catching Xander and Spike’s mirrored amused looks and raised eyebrows, he tilted his head up slightly and said, “Well, some of us enjoy doing puzzles.”

After Angel huffily stomped off, Xander and Spike let loose the giggles that had been building.

“You know,” Spike stated, between giggles. “If they start having us pass notes I swear, I’ll dust Angel myself.”

Xander snorted he was laughing so hard, which caused Spike to laugh harder. Their laugh cycle repeated for a few minutes, until they heard the tell-tale noise that someone was awake inside Xander’s cabin.

Wiping the tears that had started falling, Xander stood and stretched. Turning to Spike he said, “I better get inside. I don’t want a mutiny on my hands on top of being tired tomorrow.”

Spike was smiling softly. “Yeah, all right.”

Xander smiled back. “It’s been fun.”

Spike stood and spoke. “See you tomorrow at breakfast. Well, dinner for you.”

Xander looked away shyly, and then back to the smiling vampire. “Yep. See you then.”

Minutes later Xander was lying on his bunk lazily going over every second of those precious, quiet moments spent with Spike on the stairs.


Part 3

Two days later Angel and Wesley shared their first kiss.

Xander and his group were at Puzzle-thon for the night session. Each cabin group was on a rotation of night and day activities. Most Night Attenders’ events during the day, however, were inside large sun-proof tents.

Xander was keeping an eye on the campers, while he was playing with the Gameboy using his own smuggled game, Super Mario Land.

Angel and Wesley were working on the fruit puzzle, having completed the castle puzzle the night before. Wesley had made it so most of his Puzzle-thon time was spent there at night. He did enjoy the puzzles, but he enjoyed certain company even more.

Oscar went running by and knocked the fruit puzzle to the ground. Angel looked like smoke was about to come out of his ears, and Wesley just grit his teeth and sighed.

As Wesley stooped to the ground to pick up the pieces, he said, “Well, look on the bright side, Angel. We’re already well aquainted with the pieces, and it shouldn’t take near as long to put this back to where we left off.”

Angel began picking up pieces too. “You’re right, Wes. But still, all that hard work - Ouch! Are you okay, Wes?” Angel had turned too fast and his head had collided with Wes’, causing the man topple over from his kneeling position.

“I’m fine, Angel,” Wes said, as he lightly touched the newly formed knot on his noggin.

“Let me see,” Angel gently prodded the injury. 

“Angel really. I’m fine. Just a little -” Wes stopped. Angel’s face was less than two inches from his own. Without considering their audience, Wesley leaned forward and pressed his own lips to the cool ones before him.

Wesley had never been one known for great first kisses, but because he was aware of this, he let Angel take the lead. However, Angel was in such a state, that his gameface appeared and he knicked Wesley’s bottom lip with a fang.

Yelping, Wesley leaned back. Having thought there was a possibility that Angel had rejected him, he looked down nervously.

Angel put his hand underneath Wesley’s chin, lifting the man’s eyes. Angel smiled and leaned forward giving Wesley a proper, yet almost chaste smooch.

“As far as first kisses went,” Xander said, “and on a scale of one to ten, that was a 1 and a half. The second kiss, however, I’m going to give a four.”

Wesley looked around him and saw all the campers gawking and giggling at Angel and him. He stood quickly. “Yes, well.” Wesley then remembered the reason he had been on the ground. He shared an embarrassed look with Angel and stooped back down, picking up the puzzle pieces.

#####

At dinner the next night, Xander sighed. Willow and Tara were being cute together, just like Angel and Wesley were. Spike was nowhere to be seen, and Xander was lonely.

Xander passed the rest of dinner in a somber mood. Willow kept trying to involve him in her and Tara’s conversation, but Tara would get something on her cheek or make a cute sound and Willow would be distracted from her ‘cheer up Xander’ mission.

Xander remained in a melancholy mood until the next day. Dinner came around and Spike was there. Willow’s and Tara’s groups had evening horseback riding and would be in for the late dinner for Day Attenders, early lunch for Night Attenders.

“How’s it goin Spike?” Xander resisted the urge to ask Spike where the hell he’d been the day before.

“It’s goin, Xan. One of my Night Attenders got the wrong package, and ended up eating brownies with ganja in them. Then the idiot ran out into the sun.  As you know, the sun and vampires don’t mix. Someone got a blanket on ‘im before he was dust, but he’s very badly burnt. Had to call parents, and they couldn’t arrive until after sundown. It was a right mess.”

Xander patted Spike’s back, and gave a squeeze to the back of the vampire's neck for good measure. Well, I got to cop a feel out of this, Xander thought.

Spike smiled. “So what’s this I hear about the big poof and puzzle boy?”

Xander and Spike talked and laughed for the next hour about Angel and Wesley and about Willow and Tara. Spike apologized for not being there the dinner before, saving Xander from sap central.

“It’s okay, Spike. Being forced to watch Angel and Wes all over one another was nicely counter balanced by the sweet and pure Willow and Tara.”

Spike laughed.

Just then Oscar came running over with large frog. “Counselor Harris! Hide this please!” Oscar squealed while shoving the frog onto a surprised Xander’s lap.

“Uh, why?” Xander frowned down at the frog. It looked rather travel worn.

“Because! Please, can you just take it back to the cabin? They’ll catch me with him if you don’t!”

Sighing, Xander stood, holding the frog. “Well, Spike. Duty calls. See you tomorrow.” Xander turned, hearing Spike’s, “Yeah, all right.”

What Xander missed, however, was Spike’s disappointed look.

#####

“Hey, Spike!” Willow came bouncing alongside Spike as he was headed toward the evening swimming lessons.

With a raised scarred eyebrow, he responded, “Hello, Willow. Or should I say Tigger?”

Willow giggled a little too loud, as if it was forced.

Sensing he was missing something, Spike slowed, stopped and turned to the fidgety girl. “What are you on?”

Willow smiled wide, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She touched her tongue on her front teeth before talking. “Spike, um, I need to ask you something. And I’m not sure how you’ll react or anything. Even though I do have some sort of an idea, well, Tara has an idea. Not that I’ve talked to Tara about this. She’s the one who’s brought it up…well, mostly. Um,”

Spike sighed. Willow had said nothing and would probably continue to do so. “Willow!” he nearly shouted.

Willow’s eyes widened. “Um, yeah?”

“Point, luv.”

Willow nodded slightly. “Right. The point. The point, how do I say this right? I wonder if there’s a right way. Um, first, do you have a soul?”

Spike rolled his eyes, but was slightly hurt his friend didn‘t know him well enough to know. “Bloody hell, Red! I’m chipped! Have been sinc that soldier group came through two summers ago, and grabbed up some of us from camp. I’ve told you about that! I’m not bleedin souled. And besides, I still have my evil tendencies.”

The red haired witch looked crestfallen. “Oh, Spike, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that you’re not a top notch vamp! Not at all. I just wasn’t sure if you had a soul or not, cause you’re kinda nicer to humans than most vamps. Well, I mean, uh. Vamps around here are semi-nice anyway because they’re volunteers, and all of them are either a bit weird or are masters and have lots of control over their fangs. But, uh -” Willow looked lost. Remembering her purpose for questioning Spike she huffed up. “Dangit, Spike! Just answer the question! I have to get to my other point!”

Taken aback, Spike whispered, “No. I don’t have a soul.” He was feeling strangely ashamed at the confession.

“Good,” Willow sighed, with relief. “Next question. How do you feel about Xander?”

At the mention of the Day Counselor’s name, Spike brightened. “I like him.”

“Like him, like him? Or liiiike him, like him?”

Spike raised his eyebrows. He would have been blushing also, if he could blush. “I -”.

Willow eyes bulged as an ecstatic look crossed her face. “You do! You like him! A-and he likes you! Tara was so right!” Realizing she had just told Spike that Xander liked him, her face fell a little. She recovered, however. “You don’t have a soul, so I didn’t break the pinky swear. And Tara was always the one who talked about it anyway!” She nodded her head happily.

Xander liked him? Xander liked him the Night Counselor? Xander liked him the Night Counselor who was also a vampire? Spike couldn’t control the giggle that escaped from his throat.

“Awww. I’m so glad!” Willow hugged him. She pulled back, still smiling. But then she frowned. “But now, what do we do next?”


Part 4

Angel said with a triumphant smile, “Project Stake the Human”.

Willow, Tara, Wesley, Angel, and Spike were sitting around an empty fire pit. They were trying to come up with a suitable codename for the plan, said plan being Spike and Xander together and smooching.

“We want something not obvious, you stupid git,” Spike said, rolling his eyes. “’Sides, you have to have a firm foundation before you go about ‘staking’ someone. Stupid poof. Just cause you and Puzzle boy are.”

Hearing Angel’s mumbled, “I thought it was a good idea,” Wesley put his arms around his beau.

Turning to Spike, Wesley said, “We are NOT, by the way.” Wesley looked abashed, then a glimmer of something showed in his eyes. “Yet,” he added, a small smile playing on his lips as he looked back at Angel.

Willow and Tara smiled fondly at the two, while Spike sighed and shook his head. He hoped that when he and Xander were together they were not as nauseating as the two in front of him.

Him and Xander. Spike smiled. Here were their closest friends organizing to bring them together. Trying to come up with the most perfect, most romantic plan--even though all Spike wanted to do was just go and ravish the Day Counselor. That, however, was not romantic enough to suit the group. And Spike knew that to please this group was to please Xander; something that Spike very much wanted to do.

Willow was speaking, reiterating that she was not breaking the pinky swear, because she was just talking about Spike liking Xander. The group nodded, knowing she was skirting a very fine line. If Xander knew she had loop holed her way out of a pinky swear, he may not be happy, and no one wanted that.

“W-why don’t we just call it Night and Day?” Tara said. Willow’s girlfriend rarely spoke in group settings, but when she did, it was often insightful.

Spike immediately liked it. Simple and it connected to the Sex Pistols, in a Frank Sinatra way. “Bloody brilliant, Tara,” Spike said, beaming at the girl.

Half an hour later, they were still arguing over the name of the plan. Spike had had enough.

“Can’t I just soddin’ kiss him when we’re alone or something? And if he kisses back and/or shows he is pleased, then yay?” Spike was becoming irritated.

The group had gone from candy and flowers to the idea that Spike should write a poem. Spike was not about to head in that direction.

“Not writin’ any poems for God’s sake! What? Fine. Angel tell them please. You were there when we burnt my writings, and I know you bleedin read some. Tell them how horrible they were!” Spike shuddered. He hated remembering the poetry he had written when he was mortal. Not subjecting Xander to that, Spike thought.

Willow took sympathy. “Okay, no composing poems. Should we set up a romantic dinner? A boat ride? A short play or what?” Willow looked confused.

“I, personally, believe that a romantic dinner would be fine. A boat ride would make it possible an overturned boat and then a whole changing of clothes fiasco. Although, that is not such a bad idea. Right, Angel?” Wesley looked to his love. They shared a smile, before Wesley continued. “However, with Spike and Xander combined, I don’t see how disaster could be avoided, even with the amount of protection we as a group embody. Romantic dinner it is.”

Having finally decided on a course of action, the group worked out the details until the sky started to lighten and the vampires had to reach darkened safety.

#####

Spike was fidgeting with his collar. It had been decided he should wear a light blue turtleneck. Yes, it covered a lot of his skin, but it clung in all the right places.

He had refused to budge on the tight black jeans issue. “I am not soddin wearing khakis. Are you insane? I don’t care if they make me more shapely. ‘Sides, I don’t like the material.”

The group had had some trouble procuring a space for the dinner. Wesley had been their savior. He had offered up a closed off portion of Puzzle-thon. This also allowed him to oversee the setting up and later breaking down of dinner. Not to mention the fact that Angel could make use of his supernatural hearing and see how things were progressing.

Wesley knew that Xander liked Spike, but he also knew that getting him to admit it to Spike would take a bit of doing.

“Hey, love. How goes Night and Day?” Angel reached from behind Wesley and pulled him close.

Night and Day had been said by Willow, Tara, Angel, Wesley and even Spike more than once. They knew Xander would connect it with the dinner, but only in retrospect.

Leaning into the embrace, Wesley replied, “Everything is on schedule. It’s now a matter of getting Xander in place.”

#####

Willow was walking hand in hand with Tara. The redhead covertly looked at her watch, and said, “We’ll see you later, Xan.”

Xander frowned. “Where are you gals going? Dinner’s this way.”

“Oh, we have to meet a group at one of the fire pits. A Wicca get together,” Tara smiled.

“Oh.” Xander nodded, pursing his lips. “Well, I’ll see you around then.”

Xander sighed. He and Spike would be stuck with Angel and Wesley, who were so connected at the hip, well mouth, that they were becoming one person and vampire mesh.

He saw the two sitting in their usual spot on the grass. Xander didn't spot Spike, and he groaned inwardly. Spike always made everything better, and he alone was about to have to go through that period of time known as "God, I wish they'd get a room."

Angel was the first to look up at Xander. His soft, small smile that he had been giving Wesley, turned into a wide grin with lots of teeth.

"Xander! Hello! How's it going today? Good? Well, we have to go. See you later!"

Wesley frowned at his boyfriend. Looking at Xander for the first time, he gathered the boy to be both confused and amused.

"What Angel, I'm sure, meant to say in that explosion, was that we have to be going. There is a new shipment of puzzles for next year, and I want to get them sorted. They're at the main building, not at Puzzle-thon. Since we leave in a few more days, I figured getting a head start would be nice."

Xander nodded. "Cool."

Xander plopped down, as the couple stood.

"See ya!" Xander said, around a bite of burrito.

"Yes! See you, emphasis on the you, later! Have a good night! A very good night, okay?" Angel looked positively gleeful.

Xander smiled and nodded. Then he turned to Wesley and made the “he’s crazy” hand gesture.

Wesley smiled and said, “Yes. But he’s mine. See you later, Xander.”

Xander sat chewing his burrito, not really tasting it. He was already feeling bored. That lonely feeling he got when he was not around Spike was also hitting him. He had not seen the Night Counselor since the dinner before.

“Hey.”

Xander looked up and his breath hitched. Spike was standing above him in a light blue, very clingy turtleneck and tight black jeans. His hair was moving softly in the wind; it was slightly wavy and framed Spike’s face in such a perfect way.

“H-hey!” Xander squeaked. Spike looked beautiful. Spike always looked beautiful to Xander, but as of right then, there was a choir singing in Xander’s mind.

“Where's the rest of the bunch?” Spike sniffed, frowning at Xander's burrito.

“Somewhere. You know I can’t really remember right now. Must be having a brain sneeze.” Xander half-smiled at Spike.

“Right.” Spike cleared his throat. “Well, wanna go to Puzzle-thon? I hear they’re storing actual food,” Spike said, pointedly staring at Xander’s now discarded burrito.

Xander grinned. “Sounds like a plan.”

Spike reached down to help Xander up. The moment their fingers met, a slight charge passed between them. Spike backed away with a yelp, while Xander gave his hand a stunned look.

They turned their eyes on one another. “You shocked me!” they said, in unison.

The absurdity then hit them, and they started laughing.

Xander stood on his own, and they started for Puzzle-thon.

“You know, I blame this shirt for the shock. Putting this thing on? My hair was standing on end! Don’t know why they, er, I-I put this on today.” Spike turned his eyes everywhere but Xander, hoping the Day Counselor had not heard the slip.

“Well, it looks good,” Xander said, with a nonchalance he didn’t know he possessed. “Although why you chose a turtleneck in the middle of the summer is beyond me. You’re lucky you’re not human. God, if I was wearing a turtleneck right now, I’d be so hot.”

Xander’s eyes widened when he realized what he said and how it had sounded. He also noticed Spike’s slight stumble. Glancing warily beside him, Xander noticed Spike was looking straight ahead with his jaw set. Xander was sure that he could see fear and nervousness on Spike's face. What could make the vampire fear where they were going? Xander shivered.

When they arrived at Puzzle-thon, it appeared deserted. Spike led them to the back, where a small tent for those wanting quiet moments had been set up.

“Oo. Having the food in the tent was a good idea. Less bugs, more filling.” Xander was smiling as Spike held up the tent flap for the him to enter.

Xander’s jaw dropped. There were floating candles arranged on what appeared to be shelves, blue and green tapestries, elaborate place settings on a table meant for two, a soft white floor covering, and Xander could just make out the stars shining through the transparent ceiling.

“Spike, what the -” Xander turned his stunned gaze to Spike.

Spike was watching Xander closely, trying to gage the young man’s reaction. He wasn’t able to make it out, so he glanced down shyly. “Well, um, there’s the food. Yeah.”

Spike could not understand where his speech had gone. He was over one hundred and twenty years old, and he was feeling like someone had passed the note and he was waiting for Xander to check yes or no.

Spike remained looking at the floor, as he waited for Xander’s rejection or acceptance.


Part 5

Xander was in shock. The scene before him was more for a special anniversary rather than burrito night at Camp Somnium Fjord.

And was that Spike acting shy and nervous? Could this be something more than just dinner?

Xander’s eyes widened. That’s exactly what this was. More than just dinner. Spike’s dressed to kill, Xander thought. Okay, maybe not kill. But he looks so hot. You can see everything under that turtleneck, not to mention the tight jeans. Wait a minute! Spike likes me! Likes me enough to- to do all of this! I am so doing a mental dance of complete giddiness.

“Spike, I,” Spike looked up to meet Xander’s eyes. Xander saw the hope dancing behind the determinedly stony look. The Day Counselor smiled brightly. “Let’s eat.”

Spike blinked, unsure if he had heard correctly. Was Xander accepting? Looking at the smile that was turning bashful, Spike knew the answer. Standing straighter, he made his way to the table, and pulling out a chair, motioned for Xander to sit.

As Xander was moving to sit down and Spike was moving to the other chair, their hands brushed. This time instead of a physical shock, they both experienced a short burst of pleasurable warmth shoot up their spines.

As Xander watched Spike sit down, he knew he wanted to say something, but had no idea what.

Spike looked across the table at Xander, who appeared to be about to say something, but was stalled. Spike didn’t know what to say either, so he reached for the pitcher that was filled with blood, and poured some into a large, opaque glass.

Taking Spike’s cue, Xander started filling his plate with some of the splendor in front of him.

Ten minutes later, they both had not said a word. Quick awkward looks as they glanced at one another when taking a bite or a sip and that was all.

Having enough of the quiet, Spike expelled a short breath and shifted in his seat. His foot collided with Xander’s own under the table. Seeing this as an opportunity too good to pass up, Spike deliberately nudged Xander’s foot again.

Xander, who was staring at his food, looked up at Spike through his lashes, and with a sideways smile, nudged back.

They continued the meal with occasional presses and chuckles.

#####

“What do you hear? What’s going on? Angel, bloody hell, start talking!” Wesley was sitting beside Angel in Puzzle-thon trying not to squirm.

“I don’t hear anything except jaw movements and slurps. And I don’t think they’re doing that.” Angel waggled his eyebrows.

“Pity,” Wesley distractedly said, as he ran a finger across Angel’s lips.

Besides acting as eavesdropper, Angel was also the look-out, or in this case the hear-out. He was to listen for tell-tale signs that Spike and Xander were going to exit the tent, and then he and Wesley would hide behind a nearby tree.

Angel abruptly turned his head from Wesley’s hand. “I think they’re about to leave the tent! Quick!”

From behind the tree, they watched Spike and Xander exit the tent and head down the path toward their cabins. The couple were sneaking glances at one another with small smiles, once in awhile elbowing into one another.

“Do you think any of that slurping was kissing? They don’t look very rumpled do they?” Wesley was slightly disappointed. All the hard work and only a few flirtatious shoves to show for it.

“No, they don’t. Do you think we should follow them? See if anything happens?”

Wesley turned to gape at Angel. “You’re certainly turning into quite the voyeur. Although, I would love to know what happens also, I think we shall have to be content that things will happen at their own pace. Let’s go get the tent straightened up.”

#####

“Well,” Spike said, smiling at Xander in front of the cabin.

“Well,” Xander nodded.

They had not said anything on the walk back, but it was clear that they both felt the same about one another. Each mock jab and near trip spoke volumes.

“Spike, I had a really great time. Um,”

“So did I, Xander. Wanna do it again? Soon-like?”

Xander grinned as he nodded enthusiastically, leaning forward ever so slightly.

Spike also leaned forward. Deciding to be keep Xander in wanting, but also wanting to have a small taste of the Day Counselor, Spike softly brushed his lips against Xander’s cheek.

“See you tomorrow, Xander.” Spike turned away from Xander’s wide eyed giddy look. Spike headed for his own cabin, struggling against the urge to skip. He was also fighting an even more disturbing urge to hum the theme to Rocky as he mounted the steps to the door.

Xander went into his own cabin, where most of the campers were asleep after their grueling day of horseback riding and the Mystic Marathon, in which they ran or walked seven miles to and back along a wooded trail.

Xander got ready for bed. However, it was several keyed up hours before he could finally drift to sleep, dreaming of soft candle glows and sparkling blue eyes.

#####

The next couple of days passed quickly. Xander and Spike were constantly sharing touches, a hand on the cheek there, holding hands there. They had Willow and Tara in sighs. Angel and Wesley would even pause from their own caresses to watch Spike and Xander.

The end of camp was fast approaching. Willow and Tara made promises to see one another over the year. They would both be attending the same college. Their completely different majors had been the reason they hadn’t run into one another at the school.

Angel and Wesley decided to move in together, as they both already lived in Los Angeles. Since Angel had a rather large place, it would be convenient all around.

Spike and Xander lived quite a distance from one another, but it was drivable. Their relationship was no where near ready for the living together stage, so they would content themselves with weekly visits.

“Well, it’s only an hour drive. I’ll come by whenever I can. And if you, you know, get a car or whatever, you can drive over to see me, and-” Xander was pulled from the babble precipice by Spike’s mouth on his.

Xander closed his eyes and his world narrowed to the soft lips pressed against his. Latching onto Spike’s bottom lip, while Spike gently squeezed his upper lip, Xander let a sigh out of his nose.

Hearing the horn honk on the bus, Xander reluctantly pulled away, leaving his forehead resting against Spike’s.

“Be seeing you soon,” Spike nodded as he made the statement.

Xander whispered a breathless, “Yes.”

The unrelenting horn was calling, so Xander started backing away.

“I’ll miss you. I’ll write and call and visit you this weekend, okay? This weekend!” Xander said hurriedly as he was being ushered onto the bus.

Spike waved while smiling brightly. “This weekend,” he mouthed.

Spike watched as the bus pulled away. His smile became wistful, until he realized that a small Gragsuk demon was looking up at him with an amused look.

“What? Oh bloody hell, get on the bus. Wouldn’t want you to get left here. Cause then I’d come back and eat you! Because I’m a bad, evil vampire! Grrr!”

The Gragsuk snorted and mounted the stairs.

“Yeah, yeah. I know. I got to work on that,” Spike sighed and stepped onto the bus and took a seat.

The last bus pulled away, marking the official end of another summer at Camp Somnium Fjord.


The End.