Chapter 38

Looking through the bedroom door, Xander could see Spike. The vampire was sitting cross-legged on the couch. He was fully dressed, drinking a mug of blood and staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the twinkling lights of downtown Atlanta. Xander shook his head. If he’d been fucked the way he’d fucked Spike the night before, sitting cross-legged would be off the menu for several days. He figured that without vampire healing he was probably more sore than Spike was. He snorted and turned back to the suitcase that was lying on the bed, almost completely packed. He placed his shaving kit into a pocket of the case, and then let the towel that was loosely wrapped around his hips fall to the floor. He pulled on a pair of black boxer briefs, socks and jeans. He strode back into the bathroom to comb his hair.

Sitting on the sofa, Spike could hardly believe his good fortune. Xander was going home with him. The previous night, Spike had asked him to stay at the Victorian, offering him his choice of bedrooms. Spike smiled as he remembered the love in Xander’s eyes when he’d said that sharing the master bedroom would suit him just fine. Xander had not told Spike that he loved him, but Spike didn’t care. He would, in time. He might already, but he wasn’t ready to say those words to a lover again, not yet.

As dawn was breaking outside the blackout drapes they had lain in each other’s arms and whispered and planned. Xander’s employer was flexible, so he could continue working from Sunnydale for the same firm, though Spike had assured him that he had enough money for both of them if the human chose not to work. Spike had suggested that Xander consider opening a Sunnydale branch of his Master’s dojo, though he’d said “Alan” and not “Master”. Xander’s eyes had lit up, and he’d promised to think about it, so Spike was pretty sure that it was a foregone conclusion. He’d reminded Xander that Jase wanted to be trained, and that the Slayers-in-training could always use more skills. Spike smiled broadly remembering the look of wonder and happiness that had crossed Xander’s face at the thought of having his own school.

Spike heard a small noise behind him and turned, placing his mug on the end table. Xander stood in the doorway to the bedroom, and Spike smiled at him automatically. His smile faltered at the worried look on the human’s face. Spike got to his feet and took a step toward Xander, then stopped in his tracks. Xander was wearing the gray silk t-shirt, and Spike could see him fiddling with his hands. Twisting his rings, Spike thought. He walked to the human’s side and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “You look good, Xan,” he said softly.

Xander looked up and smiled sadly. “Thanks, Will,” he said softly. “We’re going home – I thought it was time.” Spike nodded. “Whatever you want, luv.” They stood quietly for a moment, and Spike looked down when Xander pulled his right hand away from his left. The two platinum bands were gone. The vampire reached down and touched the groove that they had left in the flesh of Xander’s finger. “Oh, Xan, are you sure?” he whispered, looking back up. Xander met his eyes. “It’s time. It just … hurts.” He opened his right hand, and the two rings were lying there in his palm. Spike kissed him softly on the lips, and then carefully took the rings. He turned Xander’s right hand over and slipped them onto his ring finger. He twined their hands together, and then looked up into Xander’s eyes, awash in tears. The human leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on the lips of his lover, his friend. “Thank you, Will,” he said. “Let’s go home.”

The End