Prompt 68 - Heading for exotic locations - BtVS

[thismaz]

Title: Heading for exotic locations
Fandom: BtVS
Prompt: 68 - Nurture
At: tamingthemuse
Rating: Pg
Summary: Part 7 of my pre-season one story which includes Xander, Willow, Jesse, Angel and Spike. Where it's going, I haven't a clue.
Word Count: 1,090
Previous parts, in reverse order, are here or in my memories. Disclaimer: here.
Now beta'd by the wonderful laazikaat




7. Heading for exotic locations

Thursday

For some reason, he wasn't sure why, because he wasn't still angry, Xander didn't tell Jesse and Willow about his new friend. Part of it, he thought, was just wanting to have a secret. But the biggest part was probably because they didn't ask. He asked Jesse about the beach and he asked Willow more about her new computer, but they didn't ask him what he'd done with his evening. 'No,' he thought, he wasn't angry, although it was possible he was a bit hurt. So, when Jesse suggested they go and see the new Star Trek movie, Xander just said that he'd already seen it and didn't mention Spike, or his plans for that afternoon with Spike. And when Jesse went off, stalking Cordelia again, he told Willow that he had to do some chores for his Mom. She looked surprised, but it didn't take her long to get enthusiastic about the idea of Xander spending a summer's afternoon sorting out the junk in the Harris' basement and she went off quite happily to play with her computer, leaving Xander unsure whether he was relieved by her gullibility, or offended by it. He was certainly slightly offended to realise that she could rush off so readily to spend time with people she'd never even met, face-to-face, rather than be with him, but he did his best to shrug that off, reminding himself forcefully that he wanted her to not be hanging around him. The fact that it was only two o'clock and he still had three hours to kill before he could reasonably go to Spike's motel, just meant he could go and buy some snacks to take with him, so he'd be bringing something to the party.

He took a quick detour home, where he found his mom in the kitchen washing last night's dishes and his dad in the living room, supposedly reading the help wanted ads in the Sunnydale Echo, but obviously already eyeing the bottle of whisky on the shelf. It was no sort of challenge to his secret ops skills, to slip a hand into the pocket of his dad's coat and extract $10. His dad wouldn't remember it had even been there in the first place. Telling his mom he was going to Jesse's house, he made his escape and headed to the supermarket, spending a contented hour choosing chips and chocolate and candy. Then he went to ground in the Park and waited for the afternoon to pass.

By the time he set off for Spike's place, walking as slowly as he could since he was still early, the supplies he'd bought were somewhat diminished, but there was enough left for him to feel he would be making a contribution. He approached the motel with caution, terrified that he'd knock on the wrong door, or that it was the wrong motel, even though he'd written the address down. Pausing on the sidewalk, he studied the low, sprawling building. It was just like the motels he'd seen on TV shows. He pulled the carefully guarded and much handled scrap of paper out of his pocket and studied it, looking up at the sign above the entrance, just to be sure. Yep, The Downtowner Motel. That's what it said. Taking a deep breath and hoping that he wasn't about to make a fool of himself, he walked through the entrance and along the rows of parked cars, searching for room 15. It might be a plain and boring motel to most people, but it was still exotic to his eyes.

*****

Spike waited impatiently for the boy to arrive, but he counted to five before climbing off the bed and going to answer the knock on the door. Didn't want to appear too eager, that was the kid's role. And he didn't disappoint - the tentative smile he was sporting as the door opened, transformed into a huge grin of relief at Spike's warm welcome.

"Xander! Glad you could make it. Come in, mate. What you got there?" he asked, standing back from the reflected light of the summer's afternoon and pulling the door wide for his visitor to enter.

Xander held out the bag he carried. "Just some snacks. I figured if we're going to watch a movie, we have to have snacks, so... well..." He looked a little shamefaced. "I got more, but I ate some of them," he added as he walked over to the foot of the bed and put the bag down. "But there's still enough for both of us." Pausing, he looked around, taking in the room, the bed, the chest of drawers with the TV on top and the door into the bathroom. There was very little space for anything else. He turned to face Spike and glanced down, and Spike saw him notice his bare feet.

"That's great!" Spike said. "Thanks mate. I should've thought of that." He gestured at the bed. "Grab a seat. Sorry about the accommodation. It's a bit cramped, but I've got a lead on a flat, so it's only temporary."

Xander shook his head. "No, it's fine. It's great, even. You still want to watch a movie?"

"Sure. Got it right here," Spike said, picking up the video cassette and brandishing it. "Trainspotting." Turning to the video player, he laughed. "Let's see how good you are at foreign languages. I bet you a dollar, you need a translator."

Xander toed off his sneakers and sat down on the bed, leaning against the headboard, while Spike pushed the cassette into the VCR, before walking back to the other side of the bed and settling next to Xander. Leaning forwards, he grabbed the bag and dragged it over. "What you brought, eh?"

As the tape started and the inevitable ads for future releases began to play, Xander proudly emptied the bag onto the bedspread, between them. 'Yeah,' thought Spike. 'You're as ripe for the plucking as the child you resemble. Just a little more encouragement, a bit of a sympathetic ear and you'll sit there nice and quiet, while I work out what to do with you.' He smiled at Xander and grabbed a bag of hot and spicy corn chips, watching Xander's face light up again at his apparent success in choosing the right snacks. 'Oh yeah,' he thought. 'You're desperate for something and I'm the man to nurture that need and fulfil it. You're mine, boy, and with you, somehow, I'll get Angelus. The only question is, do I need you alive to do it?'

Continued here.

Comments

[sparrow2000.livejournal.com]

Poor Xander, deliberately asking Jesse and Willow what they've been up to in the hope that they'll do the same in return. Haven't we all been there (or maybe I'm just sad and needy *g*)

I love that Xander can spend an entire hour in the supermarket choosing snacks and of course he's going to nibble on them while he kills time. I suppose if there aren't enough by the end of the movie, Spike will find something else to nibble on...

Great machievellian Spike, laying his lures so carefully and reeling in his prey. Now he just needs to work out what happens next. Sits and looks expectant.
Oh and the idea of Spike interpreting Trainspotting for Xander just has me giggling like mad

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think we've probably all been there. *looks around* Unless... You don't think it was just you and me, do you? *g*
I have a feeling that with ten whole dollars to spend, Xander would want to impress, he'd pick things up, then put them back when he saw something else. And he'd really enjoy it.
I can't help feeling Spike has jumped the gun a little. He is drawing Xander in, but he doesn't yet know how he's going to use him. *shakes head* Such an impetuous vampire.
Answering your comment has actually made something a little clearer for me. Thank you so much.
Catch you later.

[texanfan.livejournal.com]

Why no, I never spend time with people I've never met face to face, why do you ask? :)

Such a typical high school moment with Xander feeling alienated from his friends. I remember feeling this way through most of high school.

Sounds like Spike's plan is only kind of half formed at this point. I suspect he'll have figured out what he wants to do with Xander by the end of the movie. i further suspect Xander may end up enjoying it. :)

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

*grins at you* No, I'm sure you would never do that.
Yes, 'typical' is a good word. But at the time, everybody thinks they're the only ones it happens to, don't they?
And yes, Spike has jumped into his lure-Xander plan, before he actually knows what he's going to do with him. But I think it might take longer than the one movie for him to decide for certain. This is too important for him to risk messing up.
Thank you so much for your comment. There were thoughts forming in my head as I read.

[lilithbint.livejournal.com]

leave it to Spike to make up the plan on the fly and poor Xander is the fly in this one.
I'm looking forward to Angel's reaction to all this.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Which makes Spike the spider? Yeah, I like that.
I think I need a bit more build up, before Angel comes back into the picture. He 'walked Xander home' (ie followed him in a lurking sort of way) from the cafe the night before this, so there is no reason for him to know that Spike is involved with Xander yet. But I'm looking forward to that realisation on Angel's part too.
Thank you for reading and commenting.

[blue-icy-rose.livejournal.com]

He asked Jesse about the beach and he asked Willow more about her new computer, but they didn't ask him what he'd done with his evening. 'No,' he thought, he wasn't angry, although it was possible he was a bit hurt.

This part really got me because, man, been there and done that. I really felt for Xander in this part.

I love that he had ten bucks and still managed to take an hour and end up with enough snacks to last even through his munchies. He's a power shopper when it comes to snacks, hee.

As for Spike...well, he seems to know that Xander's going to be a part of his plan but I get the feeling the fact that he doesn't even know what the plan is is going to come back and bite him in the ass later. After all, if he doesn't figure it out, he's going to find himself spending time with Xander and insisting to himself that Xander's just something to use while he tries to figure out how he's going to do that.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

man, been there and done that.
I seem to have hit a very common cause with that line. I guess everybody experiences that feeling as a teenager, even if not at other times. *g*

I love that he had ten bucks and still managed to take an hour and end up with enough snacks to last
I did a rough calculation in my head of $1=60p and tried to think back to 1996 and imagine how many snacks and sweets I could have bought for £6. I figured it would be quite a lot, if I stuck to the cheap ones. You know, the ones with more sugar, or salt and flavouring, than other ingredients? *g* Do you think it wouldn't be enough? Advice would be welcome.

As for Spike... You might be right. I'm not totally sure yet. The muse is indicating a direction, but I still need to be convinced. I think you're right about the last bit. I'm just not sure how he'll react.

[smwright.livejournal.com]

(Finally doing a bit of catching up of my own.)

The opening here, with Xander's self-awareness of the dichotomy between what he wants - Willow and Jesse off doing their own things - and what he needs - them to reciprocate with questions about his night, his plans, is really touching. He was always so achingly vulnerable, but then we've discussed this before. You do a fantastic job of illustrating that here.

His slow approach to the motel... that, too, is brilliant. Just like it would be, hesitant and a little awkward, but eager at the same time. Well done.

So, Spike's plan continues to work. For now. "Confrontational" looks like a good prompt for you at this point, no? *g*

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Hey there, how you doing?
Yeah, vulnerable, joking to cover it, but with insight (referencing 'the one who sees' judgement of him). Thank you, I'm so glad it works.
And his hesitancy in approaching the motel... *g* I thought back to the times I knocked on a friend's door for the first time, at that age, and the total fear I felt that I'd somehow got it wrong. Who me, a nervous, self-conscious, self-absorbed teen? Nah, not even a little bit. *g*
We have a prompt? *rushes off to look* *comes back* Oh, yeah, right, damn, could have done with that in another week's time. Still, *thinks* hmmm, I guess it might work.
Thank you, as always for you lovely comments.

[smwright.livejournal.com]

the total fear I felt that I'd somehow got it wrong Yes, I remember that. *g*

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

*grins back at you* Paralysing, wasn't it.

[smwright.livejournal.com]

Absolutely!

[lyddieonwed.livejournal.com]

From reading the previous comments, I see that I'm not the only one that felt a certain connection with Xander in this part. I can remember standing in the market trying to budget for an evening with only a couple bucks in my pocket (yes- ten dollars is a perfectly acceptable amount) and also acting normal around my friends when I was upset and then hopelessly wondering why they didn't notice I wasn't normal.

When we are teenagers we are forming our own identities and one of our greatest needs is to be seen- for our friends to understand us. It is tragic that Xander thinks that the person who accomplishes this best is Spike- but in a way it is. He sees the vulnerability and need for acceptance that perhaps Willow and Jessi miss only because they are the same way. They don't have the years of experience to enlighten them to Xander's actions. I am really looking forward to the next parts of this. I wonder how far Xander will allow Spike to get before his need to feel accepted and more mature is overcome by his common sense?

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the reassurance on the money issue. Exchange rates are one thing, but actual purchasing power is totally different.

then hopelessly wondering why they didn't notice I wasn't normal.
Oh Goodness, yes, that contradictory need, you sum it up perfectly.

I wonder how far Xander will allow Spike to get before his need to feel accepted and more mature is overcome by his common sense?
Unfortunately, he doesn't know he needs his common sense to warn him of anything. Spike is just an exotic guy from another country who he met and became friends with, just like it's supposed to work. *g*
But I thank you for framing the question. It reminds me that I need to take care with that balance. I hope I manage to walk the tightrope to the other side.

And thank you for stopping by and commenting. I'm glad you are enjoying it enough to look forward to more.