A seemingly insignificant click of the mouse was all it had taken. Simple really. In the grand scheme of things, it mattered little. The reality of the situation was completely different of course, because in his experience nothing was ever simple or easy. Nope. Complication, confusion, calamity and catastrophe were the norm. His life was a joke of cosmic proportions and he knew, just knew, the Powers were sitting in their fancy Powers place and laughing their collective asses off. The utter bastards.

"Xander," Giles lectured while searching for yet another book, "you need to be more careful instead of simply clicking on things haphazardly and hoping you stumble on the correct item. Mystical sites are notoriously tricky. Perhaps you should have let Willow deal with ordering the eye of newt."

Xander's eyes widened in disbelief. "May I just point out that I did this for the computer challenged shopkeeper, who could be a bit more grateful instead of all I told you so."

"I have been up half the night researching on your behalf," Giles pointed out.

Xander sighed tiredly. "Sorry, just a little worked up. I mean why is it always me? What the hell did I do?"

"You were born," Spike offered from his position on the couch. "Isn't that enough?"

Xander scowled at the vampire. "What? Who asked you and why are you even talking? No," he said, holding up a hand in the air. "You know what? Don't answer that just sit there and be quiet."

"You asked," Spike muttered.

Xander glared at the back of the blonde head before turning back to the watcher who'd retaken his seat at the desk. "Giles why is he even out here and not locked up in the bathroom?"

"He's relatively harmless," Giles responded with a wave of his hand in Spike's general direction, "and it was becoming rather inconvenient having him chained up in my bathtub."

"Great like a need another witness to my total humiliation."

Spike snorted and shot him an amused look over the back of the couch. "Think you'd be used to it by now."

"Did I ask you?" Xander challenged, pointing a finger at the smirking vampire. "No, I think not."

Giles looked up from his book. "Xander?"

"Well," Spike responded, standing up. "I'd think you'd be nicer to the vampire whose help ya need."

"I don't need you," Xander sneered.

"Xander," Giles repeated.

"So you say," Spike retorted, stepping closer with a knowing, satisfied smirk on his face.

Xander, refusing to back down, stepped even closer so they were almost touching. "Yeah I do and -"

"Xander!" Giles yelled in exasperation.

Xander jumped and spun in place. "What?!"

"The kiss of a vampire will break the curse and fortunately we have one right here at our disposal."

Xander could hardly believe Giles could be so matter of fact about it all and pointed out the obvious flaw in the plan. "A male vampire."

"Don't know why you humans have all these hangups," Spike scoffed. "What difference does it make anyway? You're cursed and ya need a vampire."

Xander turned his disbelieving gaze on the vampire. "You knew didn't you? You knew and let us spend all this time researching while you sat there all knowing and stuff. I bet you were getting off on the whole idea." Spike merely smiled and shrugged. "And what? You'll help just like that?"

"Not like it's gonna be a hardship."

Xander stared at Spike. He didn't know if he should be pleased, disgusted or angry.

Giles cleared his throat to get their attention. "Are you sure you'll be able to -ah, that is..."

"Doesn't have to be unpleasant ya know. Thought as a watcher you'd know that."

Giles shifted uncomfortably."Well yes it has been documented that vampires can make it exceptionally pleasurable."

Xander, who'd been watching them banter back and forth like he was watching a tennis match, finally growled in frustration, grabbed the lapels of Spike's duster and dragged the aghast vampire closer. Closing his eyes, he swooped in and took Spike's lips in a bruising kiss of desperation. A moan escaped his throat when Spike moved even closer and their chests brushed. Xander slid a hand up, crushing gel encrusted curls beneath his fingers as Spike let out a moan which had Xander's cock throbbing in response. Xander's toes curled and his body thrummed with tension. Tongues entwined while gasps and moans escaped. The sound of coughing finally intruded on Xander's pleasurable haze and he stepped back with a shocked reluctance.

"Err... Xander," Giles asked, "what exactly did you think I meant by kiss of a vampire?"

Xander blushed and attempted to casually slide a hand down to hide his hard on. "I kissed him, wasn't I supposed to?"

"Not exactly."

"It meant I was supposed to bite you, you berk," Spike sneered, his coat held firmly and suspiciously closed.

Xander blushed even harder. "Oh." His embarrassment turned to horror when Giles' words finally registered. "Oh hey, wait, I don't want him nibbling on my neck."

"And I didn't want your tongue in my mouth," Spike scorned. "Get over it."

Xander tried to ignore the vampire and how good it felt to hold him in his arms. He needed to forget that damn kiss and remember the curse. "How is he supposed to bite me with the chip?"

Giles rolled his eyes. "That is what we were discussing before you took matters into your own hands as it were."

Xander blushed again and wondered why he couldn't have gotten an unable to blush curse or a curse to stop him from doing stupid things like kissing vampires. No, he had to go and get the stupid curse. The one that made him act on impulse and will eventually kill him. "So it doesn't have to hurt?"

"No," Spike responded, amused. Xander couldn't decide if he wanted to smack him or kiss him again.

"But if the chip will let him bite me, won't it let him drain me too?"

Giles answered this time. "No. The bite can be used to enhance pleasure but draining you would hurt you and therefore set off the chip."

Xander wasn't sure he trusted himself anywhere near the vampire or the vampire near him. "I'm still not so sure I want him anywhere near my neck."

Giles sighed. "I suppose we can always call Angel."

"No!" Xander objected, shaking his head. "No way." Great, just great. "Fine. How are we gonna do this?"

Spike sidled closer to Xander again. "I was thinking the watcher could give us a bit of privacy."

"What?" Xander squeaked. "Why can't he watch?"

Spike's eyebrow rose in amusement. "In front of the watcher? Aren't you the kinky one."

Xander turned to Giles for help. "What the hell is he talking about now?"

Xander watched in surprise as the skin of Giles' face turned a rosy hue and he appeared flustered. "Well, you see...uhm, you need to err-"

"Be aroused!" Spike announced loudly. "You need to be aroused. God yer all so fucking repressed."

Xander's heart started pounding in his chest and his traitorous cock twitched in interest."Aroused? As in sex?

"Don't have to go quite that far but it could be arranged if it takes your fancy," Spike leered.

"NO!" Xander denied, taking a large step away from the vampire. "No, it doesn't," he lied. "So you mean we only have to kiss some more?"

Spike gracefully glided back to Xander's side and ran a hand possessively over the muscles of Xander's chest. "Hmm mm and maybe a bit more."

Xander leaned his body closer, his nipples hardening and his breath quickening. "Spike?" Xander asked, deciding caution was highly overrated and pulling the lean body closer. "Do you think we could... I dunno, maybe do a bit more?"

"I'll just...uh.. yes.. be upstairs," Giles stuttered, fleeing the room.

~ Mòran taing ~