He's Not Me 
by Mihreia

Xander really didn't like the grin on the older vampire's face. It 
had been clear from the little he'd overheard when he was 
eavesdropping, that Spike liked his mortal counterpart. Liked him 
enough to be able to live with him in the same room and not kill him 
outright. And that was saying something, because Xander knew 
perfectly well how annoying he'd been as a mortal. 

Before he had been turned he had been a goofing sixteen year old, who 
always hung around with his two 'bestest of friends' Willow and 
Jesse. That in itself would have been cool, if he hadn't tried to 
keep in their good graces all the time by entertaining them with lame 
jokes. He'd been so damn insecure about them leaving that he had 
always put up a performance, never letting them see the real Xander. 
And that was just pathetic. 

{Nope. I like being a vampire. Wouldn't go back to save my unlife.}

However, the older vampire clearly didn't agree with Xander's opinion 
of himself as a mortal, judging by the happy bantering he'd been 
engaged in just a few minutes ago. So Xander had played on that a 
bit, pretending to make a move on the mortal boy. There was nothing a 
master vampire hated more than having another vampire trying to claim 
what was his.

At first Spike had reacted exactly as Xander hoped, growling and 
working himself up to a murderous rage. Which would have fitted the 
younger vampire just fine. It meant the other vampire wouldn't be 
thinking to clearly, and Xander would have a weakness to exploit. 

But then the strangest thing happened. The blonde blinked suddenly, 
and looked from one Xander to another, before the most satisfied grin 
Xander had yet seen on a vampire appeared on his face. Now that gave 
the younger vampire a clear case of the wiggins.

{Uh oh. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.} 

Spike leaned back in his chair with deliberate flair. 

"So, you want a go at narcissism, Alex? Don't mind me. Have at it." 
He waved towards the bed with a sweep of his arm. 

Xander gaped, looking from the infuriating vampire towards the bed, 
where the other version of him didn't seem to understand the latest 
course of action any better than he did. But while Xander was still 
debating how he should react to this, the mortal Xander suddenly 
exploded in anger.

"What do you think you're doing?! I'm not having sex with... with 
myself! Are you nuts? I see a close encounter with the inside of a 
vacuum cleaner in your future, if you keep this up, Junior! And 
another thing. I'm so not gay!" He glared at Spike, the emotion 
practically floated off him in waves. What wasn't there though, was 
the smell of fear. 

Xander curiously gazed at his counterpart, this time interested in 
him as more than a quick meal. He hadn't considered the weird living 
arrangements from the mortal's side. It took guts to threaten a 
vampire without any fear, especially if he wasn't even a lover as 
Xander had suspected before the other's outburst. And it was 
definitely not something he would have done as a mortal.

Besides, living with a guy, in his own parent's basement? Now that 
was an invitation for several beatings all on its own. Which had 
always fallen in the avoid-at-all-costs category his whole life. 
Until he killed them, of course.

{He's not me.} Xander finally realised. He should have known as soon 
as he saw how different the young man looked from himself. He again 
glanced over the bared upper body, taking in the rosy blush spreading 
over his chest, that had appeared there in his anger.

{With that broader frame he looks pretty yummy actually. And he's got 
fire, which is always of the good.} 

Xander smiled evilly. {And I do have an invitation.}