You Kissed Me 

by Kylia

Xander sat calmly in the passenger seat of Cordelia's car while she went in to crab some coffee at the local coffee shop. Well, to all outward appearances he was sitting calmly. Truth was he was nervous. And about three seconds from bolting. He wanted to jump out of the car and run all the way back to Sunnydale. Actually, that wasn't completely accurate either. He wanted to jump out of the car and run, but not back to Sunnydale. He had no desire to return there at this point.

He wanted to go anywhere to get away from where he was headed right then. Back to Cordelia's office, and the vampire that would be waiting for him there. Xander had been unable to sleep the night before.

All he could think about was that kiss they had shared. It had seemed so... unlike any kiss he had ever shared with anyone before. It was like for that once instant, time had stopped. There was nothing but the two of them. Almost as if they had no ending, and no beginning, they just... were. But then it was over, and the reality of the situation presented itself, and he had had no other choice but to leave. A decision, he was even now questioning.

Why had Spike kissed him? Was he just too drunk to know what he was doing, or was there more to it? What if there was? What would have happened if he had stayed? What did he want to happen?
Xander groaned to himself at the path his thoughts were taking. 
Cordelia laughed softly as she came back to the car. She handed Xander a cup of coffee and a donut. "Here, eat this. You'll need the caffeine." She smiled at the odd expression on Xander's face. As she pulled the car out of the parking space, the seer placed a hand on her ex-boyfriend's knee.
"Don't worry, he won't bite." She grinned mischievously, "Unless you want him to."
**** 

"So, Red..." Faith trailed off as she watched Willow yawn. She hadn't realized how late it had gotten. 

They had left the Angel Investigations office the previous night with every intention to walking to Cordelia and Angel's apartment but they had decided to stop at an all night café to talk a little more first. They ended up spending the entire time in deep conversation. They talked about everything, from childhood's to Hellmouths. Willow had told Faith about the disaster that had been her break ups with Oz and Tara. Faith had told her about the dark place she had lived in for so long and how lost, and most probably dead she would be if Angel hadn't pulled her out. They talked about her time in jail, and everything she was doing to make up for her actions.

Willow told her about her life In Sunnydale, her botched spells, and the run of demons and other hellbeasts they'd dealt with since the Mayor. For the first time since they met, Willow could honestly say she knew Faith, and that she was sorry she hadn't gotten a chance to know her sooner.

But, she supposed then wasn't the right time. Willow also felt slightly disturbed because throughout the night, as Faith spoke, Willow found herself drawn to her lips, and the way the quirked slightly when she spoke about different things. The way her tongue peeked out of her mouth when she was nervous, or speaking about something she was ashamed of.

Several times, the witch found herself having to concentrate on something, anything other than the Slayers lips. There was a moment, several hours into their conversation, when Willow became lost in the soft brown of the Slayer's eyes. The emotion she could see there was unlike anything she had ever seen in anther person's eyes before. And that disturbed her. Not because, she was another girl, or because she was Faith, but because here she was, becoming friends with the girl, for the first time, they were really speaking to one another, and her thoughts were less than platonic. Faith was basically pouring out her soul to the redhead, and Willow couldn't take her eyes of the curve of her lips as she smiled a rare smile. A smile, Willow would have sworn was reserved for her.

Willow didn't want to analyze where these new feelings were coming from, if in fact they were new. Willow had to admit part of her animosity towards the girl was do to an attraction she hadn't understood at the time. Something she had come to accept about herself in the time since then. 
She also realized these feelings weren't as a result of her break-up with Tara. She had liked Tara, a lot. But she had never felt a connection with her. They had shared their interest in magic, but not much else.

Willow was forced to admit that she had always felt this connection to the brunette Slayer. Maybe it was something in her she recognized, or maybe she sensed her need to belong. Or, perhaps, it was just a physical attraction. Whatever it was, it had always been there, and Willow was wondering if she was the only one who felt it.

"We should probably be getting back. Angel's probably worried." Willow spoke quietly, making no move to stand. 
Faith nodded. "Yeah, Fang is wound a little tight." 
Willow grinned and Faith's heart skipped a beat. The Slayer stood up. "Come on, it's not far." She held out a hand to the hacker, not sure if she would take it, but utterly pleased when she did.
******* 

Xander was not oblivious to the fact that Cordelia suddenly had errands to run once they had arrived at the office. Leaving Xander standing in the middle of the lobby, the former cheerleader disappeared out the door.
It took Xander nearly fifteen minutes before he had drummed up enough courage to go down to the studio apartment. When he entered the room, he noticed it was dark, not surprising since it was day, and the vampire was most likely sleeping.
Xander hesitated briefly before turning around, planning to go back up to the lobby and wait for Cordelia to return.
"You're not leaving yet, are you, luv?" Spike's quiet voice startled him. He was so close.
Xander turned around slowly, knowing that he would find Spike standing in front of him. He gulped at the site. Spike was standing a mere inch away, shirtless, wearing a pair of boxers that clearly belonged to his sire. Xander guessed that the vampire slept in the nude and had only put them on for his benefit.
"Hey." Xander's voice caught in his throat as his eyes trailed from Spikes face to his pale chest. He could feel his pants tighten, and had the sudden urge to run. If he didn't he would embarrass them both. "I,uh, I should..." He trailed off, forgetting what he was saying as Spike stepped closer to him, effectively pinning him to the wall.
"Should what, pet? Go?" Spike asked with a slight smirk. His face looked amused, but Xander could see a slight hint of hesitation in his eyes.
Xander nodded. "Yeah... I should... go." 
Spike shook his head. "I don't think so." 
"You need to sleep." Xander tried to find an excuse. 
"Don't fancy sleeping alone." Spikes voice had gotten huskier. 
Xander gulped again and tried to step back before he remembered his back was up against the wall. He made the mistake of stepping forward, and literally walked into Spike's cool, naked chest.

Xander's eyes found themselves riveted to the vampire's lips and was powerless to resist when those same lips plundered his mouth ruthlessly, his tongue demanding entrance. This was nothing like the previous kiss, and yet it was. The emotion driving it was not driven by an alcohol-induced haze, which Xander tried to convince himself before, but by real want, real need. And he gave as good as he got.

When he finally pulled his lips away, Xander took in great gulps of breath and stared into Spike's blue eyes. "You kissed me." He managed to get out.
"That I did, pet." Spike smirked. "Want me to do it again?" 
*****