To Die For, series of 10 for [profile] open_on_sunday challenge 85, Sickness/Illness

Nov. 8th, 2004 08:48 pm
darkhavens: (sx a love eternal [literati])
[personal profile] darkhavens
Author: darkhavens
Title: To Die For
Pairing: Spike/Xander
Rating: R, for sex and undeath
Email: darkhavens@slashverse.com
Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be. No harm, no foul, no money made.

~~~~~


Nausea

"Oh, ew! I'm gonna be sick!"

Reflex. Action/reaction. Move/countermove.

Spike desecrates food and is immediately reassured when Xander feeds back the expected (almost requested) response.

A double act. A comfortable relationship. A bond. Though either and both would deny its existence and any enjoyment of the same, it is there, hiding beneath the surface of every interaction. And they like it.

Spike believes he thinks in terms of Pavlov's dogs when considering Xander's typical reactions. He'd deny with every breath he doesn't have that he is equally conditioned to respond to bodily functions and dysfunctions with a scarily similar 'ew'.





Fever

"Xander, are you okay? You look hot. Do you have a fever?"

Maybe that would explain why his skin is suddenly two sizes too small, and why his manly bits have filled with blood and are thinking happy thoughts about a certain undead roommate.

It's not that he's attracted, because he isn't, not really. It's a fever, a spell, or maybe a demonic ray that somehow turned him gay? He's just been watching Spike take out some fledges. Watching those agile moves and limber leaps and kicks, and suddenly he's seeing Spike naked, moving over him, in him, in bed.





Sickening For Something

Droopy-boy's been acting weird now for a week. Moping around the place, looking like his kitten just died. He's not eating properly either, well, not for him. And he keeps giving me looks, all full of guilt and hurt confusion, and damn me but I'd swear I get a whiff of bloody pheromones every morning before he scuttles off to work.

But when Xander surprises Spike, just out of the shower and barely covered by a towel, the vampire finally figures out the truth. The boy is horny, for him, and he's drowning himself in guilt because of it.

Sweet.





Contagious

Maybe there's a spell gone wrong or something in the air, 'cause every time I look at him now I wonder...

He's so damn eager to please, just like a puppy doing tricks to earn affection. He throws himself at everything, no holds barred, no thought to consequence, just wants to be a part of it, to help.

I wonder if he'd bring all that enthusiasm and loyalty to bed. He's so damn young, and hot... and innocent, I'd bet, at least in that regard. He'd probably taste sweet with all the sugar he gets through.

Maybe just a taste...





Heart Failure

"Gah! Spike, what are you...?"

"..."

"Spike? What the...?"

"..."

"Oh. Ohhh!"

"Surprised, Harris? You shouldn't be. You've been thinking about this for weeks now, haven't you? And you got me thinking too. What if I suddenly did this..."

A squawk, a flail, and a human heart almost stops dead from shock. Not pleasure, you understand, just shock. Yeah. Shock.

"That's what I thought."

A hard, cold kiss moves the event from some demonic gameplay into the realms of... something else entirely, though neither would admit that they were lost, adrift and floundering.

The planned surprise for one has caught them both.





Allergic Reaction

"Stop it! Gods, just the thought of you together makes my skin all itchy."

Scratching motions are applied to make the point, as Buffy still cannot accept the idea of 'overkill'.

It's been a month and she still reacts like this whenever they touch, or hold a look for just that moment too long. Spike thinks it's fun to wind the Slayer up and watch her go, while Xander wants acceptance, like the Willow/Tara organism received.

But Buffy scratches on and makes a fuss, and Xander knows that if she really had a problem he'd be going home with dust.




Familiar Symptoms

He'd seen it coming; recognised the tension in the air. Hidden glances, longing looks and wistful what-if stares, had told a tale of lust he recognised from long ago.

There's nothing like a bad boy on the prowl to get those juices flowing. At least he'd been the badder boy back then, maybe not black of heart, but badly stained.

So Giles watches, worrying, while Ripper views with glee, the union of innocence with evil. And both say prayers to keep the ending calm, not filled with malice and betrayal and revenge. But wonder if an end will truly come...





Obsession

"You're sure it's not a spell, or a thrall, or maybe a wish gone bad?"

"Willow, it wasn't that sudden. I've been... w-watching them now for weeks. And they were w-watching each other too. The only m-magic involved is w-what they've m-made themselves."

"But..."

"They're in love, Willow. If you'd looked you w-would have seen by now."

"Xander's my best friend, of course I've looked! I've..." A frown and a bitten lip are joined by a shame-filled expression. "I've just been busy."

"Too b-busy with your m-magic to notice your c-closest friend's in love. This obs-session is unhealthy, sweetie. See?"





Terminally Ill

"No."

"Spike. The doc said I was lucky Pat dropped that rebar on my head. Without that we wouldn't have known until much too late. Now, with proper treatment to keep the tumour from growing so fast, I've got maybe a year left instead of weeks. He's really sorry there's nothing they can do to get it out, but surgery's not an option with where it is. At the very least I'd be blinded, but the odds of that are small. More likely I'd be paralysed or... gone. So it's drugs and radiation and a steady fade to black, unless..."





The Cure-All

Giles and Wes spent many hours communing on the phone, discussing gypsy curses and the like. Willow played happy families with Xander, while Buffy tried to slay away the pain. Tara watched.

The soul curse was successfully restructured. Xander spent his last day in the sun. The others were sent home to wait; this final act was personal, too intimate to share.

So tears and sweat and seed and blood were spilled. A banquet for the starving, each drop as harsh as lye. Death seemed a little extreme as a cure for cancer, but it worked.

"Thank you, Spike. Sire."

on 2004-11-08 09:58 pm (UTC)
ext_11979: (SX)
Posted by [identity profile] suki-blue.livejournal.com
~sniff sob sniff~ Boy, you know how to make a girl well up. But they are together forever, isn't that we we all ultimately want for them? Or am I a sick puppy to be craving that?

Suki
xxx

on 2004-11-08 11:04 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
Oh, you're definitely not a sick puppy for wanting them to be happy and... undead together. *g*

::passes you a tissue::

Glad you enjoyed it. Hee!

on 2004-11-08 10:10 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] jstabe.livejournal.com
*sob*

That was wonderful.

on 2004-11-08 11:04 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
Thank you. :o)

on 2004-11-08 10:27 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] literati.livejournal.com
awwwww lovely! Now they have eternity to explore just what makes Spike howl ;)

on 2004-11-08 11:05 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
Yeah! Rowr. *g* Fankoo. :o)

on 2004-11-08 10:31 pm (UTC)
spikedluv: (spike&xander_goodboy_secondverse)
Posted by [personal profile] spikedluv
You are so freaking amazing. The way you come up with all these ideas! So clever. And, of course, Spander! Whee! Loved 'Fever' and 'Allergic Reaction', lol!!

on 2004-11-08 11:07 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
Thank you. :o)

Watching Spike and imagining him naked would make anyone overheated. *g* And Allergic Reaction just struck me as a raction Buffy would have. Hee!

on 2004-11-08 10:51 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] ficbitca-bear.livejournal.com
Just wonderful - I really loved the way that you involved everyone. I've got a lump in my throat.

on 2004-11-08 11:09 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
It just seemed a perfect challenge for an ensemble piece. Everyone got their say. Thanks!

on 2004-11-08 11:01 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] authoressnebula.livejournal.com
You owe me a Kleenex. *sniffles* It was beautiful. I loved seeing how you constructed things all together, brought about that happy ending. It was just...effulgent. Thank you.

~Nebula

on 2004-11-08 11:11 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
::passes you a kleenex:: *g*

Effulgent? Woo! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :o)

on 2004-11-08 11:19 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] txrabbit.livejournal.com
So sweet.

These were lovely.

on 2004-11-08 11:47 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
Thanks, darlin'. :o)

on 2004-11-08 11:45 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] amejisuto.livejournal.com
Gads, this is so very good. You write such lovely drabbles.

on 2004-11-08 11:49 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
Thankee, sweets. I woke up with these bussing in my head. joy!

on 2004-11-09 12:02 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
buzzing, even! LOL!

on 2004-11-09 12:06 am (UTC)
ext_74119: (Spander (saifai))
Posted by [identity profile] saifai.livejournal.com
*slowly puts down the pillow she was gonna throw* Phew. Scared me for a minute there. Was gonna have to beat you with a fluffly pillow. So sweet, and sad, and happy, and fluffy, and schmoopy, and angsty! *sobs*

on 2004-11-09 12:11 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
O.O

Near-death by pillow! Close call there. *g*

I'm so glad you thought better of it once you saw I'd vamped Xander. Hee! And all that in one go? Woo! Thank you!

on 2004-11-09 12:19 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] piratepurple.livejournal.com
*sniffle* That was close. But doesn't the gypsy curse mean they can't be together?

on 2004-11-09 12:26 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
aaaaah, but the key phrase there is "The soul curse was successfully restructured". I figured Giles and Wes found a way to take the happy clause out. Or, alternatively, there's always the idea that just knowing that a moment of complete happiness would make you lose your soul would be enough to prevent you having such a moment.

And yes, very close. but I saveded him! Kinda...*g*

on 2004-11-09 01:24 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] gwyddfid.livejournal.com
Freakin hell, that was brilliant! I loved it.

Fantastic job!!

on 2004-11-09 01:34 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
Thank you! :o)

on 2004-11-09 01:57 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] strchsr.livejournal.com
*whimpers*

on 2004-11-09 02:07 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
^^^pets^^^ *g*

*blink blink*

on 2004-11-09 02:08 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] lokimorningstar.livejournal.com
Wow...*is stunned*

Sweetie, that was awesome. *viciously steals your tissues*

I feel like such a hack all of a sudden. :-D

Loki M.

Re: *blink blink*

on 2004-11-09 02:14 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
Hee! Thank you. :o)

And I always provide extra tissues when I do something like that. *g*

And hey, no self-putting-down allowed! Now get writing. :P

on 2004-11-09 02:29 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] kat8cha.livejournal.com
~weeps~ Yeah! ~wipes tears~ This was just soooo nice! And yet sad because Dead Xanny, but still cute!

on 2004-11-09 02:38 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
Thank you! ::hands you a tissue::

Dunno why people keep crying. It's a happy ending, innit? *g*

on 2004-11-09 02:47 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] kat8cha.livejournal.com
It is a happy ending! They're happy tears!! ~takes tissue, wipes face~ Happy!

on 2004-11-09 02:50 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
Ah, that's okay then. I thought it might have been that wee little bit of angst I slipped in there... ;o)

on 2004-11-09 03:43 am (UTC)
yourlibrarian: Angel and Lindsey (Default)
Posted by [personal profile] yourlibrarian
Some great lines in here!

and he's drowning himself in guilt because of it.
Sweet.


So Spike!

The planned surprise for one has caught them both.

on 2004-11-09 04:18 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
So Spike!

Thank you! I always play my words through in his voice to see if they work. Sometimes I think he changes words while I'm not looking but, feh, I'm not arguing. It usually works. *g*

on 2004-11-09 04:38 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] kaydee23.livejournal.com
I think they did the right thing for them. Weird about the tumor. I had a friend in high school who got really really really really drunk on a camping trip with the guys, and he acted all nutty. Nearly killed himself. His mother was so pissed at him, she made him go to the hospital for a cat scan to make sure he hadn't permanently damaged his brain from the alcohol poisoning. They discovered that he had a tumor the size of a grapefruit in his head. The doctors were even sure that's why he did something so crazy as to drink himself into a scary seizing episode. Oh. His tumor actually responded to chemo and radiation, and he's still alive with no ill-effects 27 years later.

on 2004-11-09 05:05 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
Oh wow! Grapefruit-sized tumour? Sheesh. Good for his mom, making him get the scan. Scary stuff.

I think they did the right thing for them

Yay! I think so too. I have a huge vamp!Xander kink the size of Staten Island. *g*

on 2004-11-09 04:49 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] savoytruffle.livejournal.com
very nice how you covered it from all the angles while sticking with the sickness/illness theme.

once again, i bow down to the drabble master...

on 2004-11-09 05:08 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
Aw, thanks sweetie. Sometimes I get the urge to do an ensemble piece like this so they all get to have their say about my boys. *g*

on 2004-11-09 11:02 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_beetle_/
So tears and sweat and seed and blood were spilled. A banquet for the starving, each drop as harsh as lye. Death seemed a little extreme as a cure for cancer, but it worked.

That may be the most perfect paragraph in creation.

OMG, this is awesome! Beautiful, funny, sad, wonderful - the different POVs, the - everything - you have such an awesome way with prose and characterization. I mean, I tend to think of characterization in terms of monologue/dialogue, but you do it not only that way, but in prose, as well. I feel the voice of the person whose POV each drabble's in even without dialogue, which is amazing, to me.

More, more - please -

on 2004-11-09 08:59 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
That may be the most perfect paragraph in creation.

Aw, sweetie. I wish! ;o)

I feel the voice of the person whose POV each drabble's in even without dialogue

That makes me happy. It's what I try for, and I succeeeded! Thank you.

on 2004-11-09 02:09 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] cloudiecat.livejournal.com
Lovely pieces showing the relationship through time and everyone's eyes - and now the boys are forever *happy sigh*

cloudie

on 2004-11-09 09:01 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
Thanks! :o)

*happy sigh*

That's what I do too when I give in and vamp Xander. Forever. ::sigh:: *g*

on 2004-11-14 12:53 am (UTC)
tabaqui: (Default)
Posted by [personal profile] tabaqui
Hey, babes.
I know i already commented on this but i had a question...
You made me some icons...which ones?
I've been doing 'stuff' and my old LJ posts aren't showing the icon anymore, it's been replaced by the default and...
ACK!!
I'm so annoyed.
Help!!

on 2004-11-14 01:20 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
Um, the only one I made especially for you, IIRC, is for Changes, with the Derio I found. Putting hair beads on that wolf was fun. *g*

As for the 'stuff' you've been doing...

If you change the keywords on your userpic page, LJ can't keep track of which icon was used where, so any posts made with those altered-keyword icons revert to your default icon. There's no way around it I'm afraid. And no way to undo what's been done. LJ can be a snotty bitch sometimes. ;o)

on 2004-11-14 01:41 am (UTC)
tabaqui: (Default)
Posted by [personal profile] tabaqui
Yes!
Okay.
and...grrrrrrr.
Ah well, can't go back and fix it now.
:)
Thanks, bay-bee!

on 2004-11-14 01:46 am (UTC)
tabaqui: (Default)
Posted by [personal profile] tabaqui
And it's gone!!!
I can't find it!!!
Please please re-send!!
*sobs*

on 2004-11-14 02:28 am (UTC)
tabaqui: (Default)
Posted by [personal profile] tabaqui
*bounce*
thank you!!

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darkhavens: text icon: 15 m/m pairings in dk purple, with paler txt darkhavens and even paler txt multifandom ho. (Default)
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