Part Fourteen

"I do hope you learned your lesson, Xander. Spike and I do not want to have to punish you again," Giles says mock solemnly.

"Watcher’s right, luv," Spike smirks in mid-purr.

"I won’t do it again, G-Man, scout’s honor," Xander promises. Too bad he was never a scout.

"Now that that rather distasteful punishment is over you need to eat dinner, take a bath, and prepare for bed. It is quite late and your first appointment is tomorrow morning. I have a few more things to do so I am trusting Spike to take care of you. Do not cause me to regret this decision William," Giles looks sternly at Spike.

"Oi, Rupes, said you could trust me. Don’t need to throw my name about," Spike says sullenly.

"And I am not a kid, G-Man. I have been taking care of myself since I was eight," Xander says sulkily.

"Quite right, Xander, you are most certainly not a child. Would it be so terribly distasteful to be coddled?" Giles asks calmly.

"Oh. Just I haven’t been taken care of for a long time... It would be nice though. Guess I never thought of it that way," Xander says quietly, refusing to look at either of them.

"Luv, let Spike take care of you. Won’t touch you more’n I need to to get you clean. Trust me, Pet?" Spike adds in a pout for good measure.

"Okay, but I am still not a child and I’m only doing this to make you guys happy. It’s not that I need any extra attention," Xander sighs. Its been so long he can’t even admit it feels good to be a child again and have someone take care of you.

"Right, whelp, Watcher an’ I get it. Yer doin’ this for us. Better get, Rupes, vamps to stake, demons to research, papers to write and all that rot," Spike grins.

Giles looks suspiciously at the vampire but can see no guile despite a long hard stare.

"Behave William. Xander, do let him take care of you. I shall check on you periodically," Giles says the last in Spike’s direction but Spike continues to look like there’s an invisible halo over his demon horns. A tarnished halo to be sure but he looks innocent enough - for Spike. Giles tosses one last wary look in the vampire’s direction then leaves.

"Right then, Pet, you stay here while I get the bath ready. Back in a mo," Spike tosses over a shoulder just before Xander hears the water running.

The sound brings Xander out of the daze he’s been in since Giles and Spike told him he deserved to be cared for. With that the fear returns.

He panics.

Spike hears the increased heartbeat.

"All right, luv? Bath’s almost full," Spike is cut off by the sound of Xander pounding down the stairs. The vampire curses as he hears the front door open and slam shut.

Giles is rather startled to see a barefoot Xander streak by him and out the front door clothed only in Spiderman print boxers. Just as he shakes that image out of his head a shirtless, jeans clad equally barefoot vampire races by throwing out a, "No worries, Watcher, can handle this!" as he too slams the front door.

Giles sits there shaking his head for a full three minutes before his mind clicks on what he just saw. Four minutes after he saw Xander run out the door with Spike hot on his heels, Giles heads after them, grabbing up some weapons just in case.

Xander finally stops running to catch his breath. He collapses inelegantly on the ground. Just as he gets his breath back the automatic sprinkler comes on and he is drenched with cold water.

"Gah!" Xander wonders if this can get any worse.

Sarah and Sofy are walking home after their night classes. They are gossiping about all those things college girls gossip about when they catch sight of Xander.

Xander thought he was as embarrassed as he could possibly get. He was wrong.

"Nice boxers," giggles Sofy.

"Nice night for an outdoor shower," adds Sarah.

The two girls walk away, still laughing.

"Ya know, whelp, there was a nice hot bath waiting for you. Didn’t have to go out for a cold shower," Spike says casually.

Xander is too embarrassed to look up.

Giles arrives just in time to see that Spike is handling this just fine.

"Its time to come home and dry off, Xander. The night is rather chilly."

Giles and Spike help Xander get back. As soon as they enter the house he hisses with pain. Spike smells blood and curses. The bottom of Xander’s feet are covered with cuts. Spike thinks for a moment then picks Xander up and carries him up the stairs. Giles gives a silent plea for Spike not to mess this up and then reluctantly goes back to his papers.

Spike carries Xander into the bathroom and sits him down on the toilet seat.

"Might want to put shoes on before you run off again, luv," Spike says calmly.

"S-s-sorry, Spike," Xander gets out through chattering teeth.

Spike tuts and puts him in the still full bathtub, boxers and all. Xander hisses again when the herbs in the water sting his abused feet. Spike figures this is going to be a totally silent bath when Xander starts muttering so soft its barely audible to Spike.

"You were naked and I was naked and you were going to touch me. I got scared. I want you to take care of me but I also don’t want to give up control. I am so tired, Spike."

"Hush, luv, you aren’t naked, ‘m not naked. Won’t touch you unless you want me too. Would like to clean up your feet and apply the cream to your bum. Can I do that, Pet?" Spike wills Xander to trust him. He just wants his mate to let him take care of him.

Xander sighs," Yeah, you can do that. Water feels so good. Can I have my bath first?" Xander pleads.

"Got it, bath first. Lie back and let Spike take care of you. Here, got somethin’ for ya. A pressie," Spike gives Xander a small yellow rubber duck. He’s astonished by the childlike wonder in his mate’s eyes.

"Wow, Spike, I never had one of these when I was little. Um, thanks. I’m gonna name him CJ," Xander grins.

"Welcome, Pet," he snorts, "Whot’s with the name?"

"Well, there was this guy in high school that was nice to me. I was part of the loser’s group and he was popular but he never held it against me," Xander says shyly. "Besides, I never heard of a rubber ducky named, Spike," Xander smirked.

"Oi, nothing wrong with my name, whelp!" Spike pretends to sulk when Xander just laughs.

Giles comes in for a check when he hears Xander laughing. He goes back downstairs without looking in on them.

"Right then, luv, time to wash. Don’t need you sick," Spike picks up the sponge and applies some shower gel to it.

Xander is a content puddle in the bottom of the tub and doesn’t even flinch when Spike carefully removes the soaked boxers. He picks up each limp arm and soaps them thoroughly in succession. Xander jumps a bit when he soaps his chest and it tickles. Spike soothes him with a touch then lifts each leg out to soap them. He doesn’t even try to wash the feet but lets the medicine in the water cleanse them. Xander shakes a bit when his butt and genitals are cleaned but Spike is quick about it.

"Okay, Pet, close your eyes. Need to wash your hair."

Xander closes his eyes as water is poured over his head. He groans with pleasure as Spike massages his scalp with the shampoo. He moans in protest when the vampire stops to rinse his hair. Spike chuckles, then lifts him out and bundles him in a bathrobe before he can get chilled. He carries his precious bundle into the bedroom and lays him on the bed. He rolls him on his side, lifts the bottom of the robe, and applies the cream to his anus before he has a chance to tense. Spike pats him on the leg then rearranges the robe again. He gets the medical kit out and gives Xander’s feet a cursory glance.

"Gotta get the Watcher, don’t think the chip will let me take care of embedded dirt, luv," Spike says apologetically.

Xander gulps, "We can’t just put cream on them too and go on?" he asks a bit fearful.

"Nah, luv, don’t need ‘em infected. Stay put," and Spike leaves to go get Giles.

Xander pulls his feet up to look at them and gives a grimace. Next time he puts shoes on before wigging out.

"Rupes, need you to clean his feet. Got stuff embedded in the cuts. Might need to stitch one or two. ‘Fraid the chip won’t like any of that," He smirks. Normally he’s all for some pain and suffering but this is Xander! Let the Watcher hurt him. He growls at that thought. But not too much.

"Very well, Spike," Giles sighs and follows the vampire up the stairs.

"Hi, G-Man," Xander says weakly.

Giles looks at him a bit worriedly as he rummages through the Scooby medical kit for what he needs. Spike sits down on the other side.

"Yes, right, well hold still," Giles winces as he pulls glass, small rocks, and other unidentifiable debris out of numerous small cuts. Detritus gone, he gives all of them a short break. Tear tracks of pain are drying on Xander’s face and Spike is holding him close and petting him.

"Need to leave a pair of loafers by the front door for quick escapes, Pet," Spike breaks the tension and Xander laughs. Giles just shakes his head and gives his glasses a quick cleaning.

"Let’s finish this, please. It is as distasteful to me as it is to Xander. Spike, warm up his dinner and bring it up here. He isn’t going to want to walk on these feet tonight," Giles dismisses the vampire and checks the cuts for any that might need stitches. He is relieved that none are very deep, applies some Neosporin, and tapes gauze over the gashes. By now Xander is having trouble keeping his eyes open. Spike comes in with some soup and is thrilled Xander is so sleepy he lets Spike feed him. Spike gently wipes his mouth with a napkin and maneuvers the exhausted Xander into a clean pair of pajamas. He shakes his head at the fluorescent green frogs and salamanders cavorting on a bright orange background. He wonders how his mate sleeps when his clothes light up the room. Xander is asleep by the time Spike has him settled to his satisfaction. The two men settle down on either side of the sleeping youth.

"Spike, if Xander gets up and you curl around me, again," he leaves the threat unsaid.

"Right, Watcher, same to ya."

Mutually understood, they go to sleep.

Giles hears an annoying buzz in his ear and wonders how bees got in the house. He blindly swats in the direction of the noise and finally manages to knock the alarm clock off the night table. The loud crash wakes Spike and Xander. Spike springs out of bed full game-face and Xander dives under the covers. Giles knocks his glasses off in his attempt to get the clock and shut it off. He blearily pats Spike on the head, thinking its Xander. Spike still has a game face so the incredulous look he gives Giles appears a bit odd. It’s hard to look puzzled with fangs in your mouth. Giles finally finds his glasses, puts them on, then turns the alarm off. The blanketed lump between them is shaking. Spike snaps out of it and pulls Xander to him, blankets and all.

"S’alright, luv, Watcher knocked the clock off," he soothes. Slowly he peels the blankets away from Xander’s face. As soon as he sees the vampire he calms down and lays his head on his chest. Spike glares at Giles like this whole thing was his fault.

"Yes, well, no more morning appointments we must set an alarm for," Giles says in consternation.

"Nothing was attacking us, G-Man?" Xander asks.

"Was just Rupes slaying the Big Bad alarm clock, whelp," Spike smirks.

Giles ignores the snarky blonde and shuffles sleepily into the bathroom to get ready. Spike snorts.

"Right then, luv, time to get dressed while Spike fixes some brekkie. Don’t want to be late."

Spike starts down the stairs and Xander is left alone, still blinking. What just happened!?