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tamingthemuseThis one involves another lesson, so if you've had a problem with statistics, you might learn something in this one too. *g* A French lesson is coming soon.
Title: Eye of the Beholden
Series: The Boy Next Door
Pairing: Spike/Xander, mentions of Ethan/Giles
Rating: Mature/Adults Only
Prompt: 40 - Revenge is Bliss
Spoilers: None, all human AU
Warnings: Underage, manipulation, dark!fic, overall dirty!bad!wrongness.
Summary: Xander needs some help but Spike decides to help himself to Xander.
Word Count: 1,228
Previous Parts.
Thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
_sharvie_ for the lovely banner beneath the cut.
Eye of the Beholden
Ethan smiled as he handed the change over to the pleased customer.
"Not to worry, Mrs. Rosenberg," the Englishman whispered loudly, his fingers brushing the woman's pale palm lightly as the money was exchanged. "We'll have the table delivered tomorrow afternoon between two and three in the afternoon, if that is convenient for you."
The middle-aged woman laughed a little too loudly before reaching over to smack the Englishman's shoulder lightly. "I already told you to come by whenever, silly. I'll be home all day tomorrow."
After closing the register drawer, Ethan came around, steering the still smiling customer toward the door with an insistent hand on her back. "Well, tomorrow afternoon it is, then. We'll be looking forward to seeing you again soon."
Walking back to the counter, Ethan laughed at the look on his companion's face. "What's the matter, Ripper? Did you doubt my powers of influence and charm?"
"Never," Giles laughed, standing as the other man approached. Ethan leaned in close for a kiss but the librarian swiftly moved away. Giles removed his glasses, cleaning them efficiently before leaning around the corner to check on the two boys in the back. Obviously trying to change the subject, Rupert asked, "So why antiques, Ethan? It's not really your forte."
A chuckle bled from Ethan's lips as he looked around the quaint shop. "Well, let's see. I sit around all day, surrounded by beautiful things and lonely women with disposable income come to flirt with me and give me money. I feel like a high paid whore without the shame."
Giles laughed heartily at his friend.
"You are certainly living the dream, Ethan."
It was less of an insult and more like the truth for the two men whose highest aspirations had been, once upon a time, to be kept men.
"You know what they say, Ripper," Ethan teased. "Revenge is bliss."
"I think you mean ignorance."
"No. Ignorance is overrated."
The two men stared for several minutes, the tension between building slowly.
"I'm glad that you are happy, Ethan," Giles whispered as his eyes broke their strained connection to stare at the floor.
"Could be happier," the other man whispered as he stepped closer. Giles looked up quickly, gasping lightly at the look in Ethan's burning brown eyes. Just before their lips met, a loud laugh was heard from the shop's back room, shattering the spell they were under. They split apart as if they had been burned.
They slipped back to their places behind the counter and settled in to watch the two boys in the back room. Ethan smiled at his son's laughter. The two boys had been sorting and categorizing costumes all day for the upcoming Halloween season. They'd laughed and teased and touched the entire time.
"They certainly are enjoying themselves," Ethan remarked off-handedly.
"Yes," Giles agreed. He sighed as he continued. "I'm not sure this was the best idea, Ethan. William is a little – overbearing. I'm beginning to worry about Xander."
"What are you saying, Ripper? My boy not good enough for your little Alexander?"
"No!" Giles denied adamantly. "He's just so – physical with the boy."
A wicked smile parted Ethan's face. "Nothing wrong with being physical. Sometimes that's just what the situation warrants. Besides, have you not noticed that Spike's been teaching him things all day?"
Giles frowned, the furrow in his brow so tempting to the other man, as he listened intently to the conversation flowing from the back room.
"Ok, so wait," Xander said. "So we have 9 Spiderman costumes. Five of them are size four, two are size five, a seven and a nine. So the median of the sizes is four because that’s the middle number if you write them all out like 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 7, 9."
"Correct," Spike prompted.
"So it doesn't matter what the numbers are for the median, it's just which ever one is in the middle."
"Right."
"But the mean is like the average."
"Correct."
"So the mean of the sizes is..." There was a pause as the younger boy mentally completed the equation. "Five?"
"Very good," Spike praised as he reached over and ruffled the boy's shaggy hair. "See not so hard a concept, is it, pet?"
"No," Xander agreed. "I guess not."
Ethan smiled at the shocked look on his lover's face.
"Statistics," Giles whispered with awe tainting his voice. "Impressive."
"Spike has a talent for knowing people's motivators," Ethan said proudly. He leaned in close to his lover's ear before whispering, "I think I may have an idea about yours." He licked lightly on the tempting curve of the man's ear, pressing in closer as the librarian sighed and relaxed against him – at least until another burst of laughter brought them back to reality.
"I think it's time for me to leave," Giles said quickly as he stood and readjusted himself in his trousers. "I'll come by tonight?"
"Yes," Ethan replied, either a request or a demand or both. He smiled and waved as the other man slipped out quietly. Heading toward the front door, he flipped the sign to Closed before turning the deadbolt. He slowly began turning off lights before opening the register and counting the take for the day. It was quite sizeable, thanks to the easily manipulated female population of Sunnydale and the easily charmed touristas.
As he walked back to treat the boys to dinner, he stopped in the doorway to watch. Spike leaned back in one of the novelty beanbag chairs with the younger boy firmly in his lap. Pale fingers threaded through sable locks as the boys kissed languidly. They were beautiful together, the older man thought, probably much like himself and Ripper at that age.
Azure eyes peeked over a quivering shoulder and Ethan smiled, motioning with his hands that he was waiting to take them to eat. Spike winked and Ethan slipped away.
Several minutes later, the two boys immerged from the back room, the blond looking quite smug and the brunet looking thoroughly mussed.
"All done, boys," Ethan asked silkily.
"Yeah, Da," Spike replied as the younger boy blushed prettily.
"How about we go get some dinner?" the older man prompted.
"Sounds great," Xander said enthusiastically before his face fell. "Oh, but I don't have any money."
The two Englishmen laughed.
"Not to worry, my boy," Ethan nearly purred. "I think I can spare you a meal for all your hard work today. Besides, you're a friend of Spike and that practically makes you family."
Xander flushed even brighter at that and Ethan immediately understood his son's attraction to the sweet boy. He'd be beautiful broken.
"So the real question is..." Ethan started.
"You got any decent curry in this town?" Spike finished.
Xander's face brightened and he virtually bounced in place. "Oh yeah! There's this great Indian restaurant just a few blocks from here called A Taste of India. I've been a couple of times with Willow and Jesse. They have a great curry chicken and the samosas are to die for."
"Well, then boy, lead the way."
Ethan walked behind the boys, taking in every laugh, every stolen look, every surreptitious touch. He smiled and thought that they certainly were right when they said that living well was the best revenge.
And this revenge was most certainly sweet.
Tbc...
Title: Eye of the Beholden
Series: The Boy Next Door
Pairing: Spike/Xander, mentions of Ethan/Giles
Rating: Mature/Adults Only
Prompt: 40 - Revenge is Bliss
Spoilers: None, all human AU
Warnings: Underage, manipulation, dark!fic, overall dirty!bad!wrongness.
Summary: Xander needs some help but Spike decides to help himself to Xander.
Word Count: 1,228
Previous Parts.
Thanks to
_sharvie_ for the lovely banner beneath the cut.Ethan smiled as he handed the change over to the pleased customer.
"Not to worry, Mrs. Rosenberg," the Englishman whispered loudly, his fingers brushing the woman's pale palm lightly as the money was exchanged. "We'll have the table delivered tomorrow afternoon between two and three in the afternoon, if that is convenient for you."
The middle-aged woman laughed a little too loudly before reaching over to smack the Englishman's shoulder lightly. "I already told you to come by whenever, silly. I'll be home all day tomorrow."
After closing the register drawer, Ethan came around, steering the still smiling customer toward the door with an insistent hand on her back. "Well, tomorrow afternoon it is, then. We'll be looking forward to seeing you again soon."
Walking back to the counter, Ethan laughed at the look on his companion's face. "What's the matter, Ripper? Did you doubt my powers of influence and charm?"
"Never," Giles laughed, standing as the other man approached. Ethan leaned in close for a kiss but the librarian swiftly moved away. Giles removed his glasses, cleaning them efficiently before leaning around the corner to check on the two boys in the back. Obviously trying to change the subject, Rupert asked, "So why antiques, Ethan? It's not really your forte."
A chuckle bled from Ethan's lips as he looked around the quaint shop. "Well, let's see. I sit around all day, surrounded by beautiful things and lonely women with disposable income come to flirt with me and give me money. I feel like a high paid whore without the shame."
Giles laughed heartily at his friend.
"You are certainly living the dream, Ethan."
It was less of an insult and more like the truth for the two men whose highest aspirations had been, once upon a time, to be kept men.
"You know what they say, Ripper," Ethan teased. "Revenge is bliss."
"I think you mean ignorance."
"No. Ignorance is overrated."
The two men stared for several minutes, the tension between building slowly.
"I'm glad that you are happy, Ethan," Giles whispered as his eyes broke their strained connection to stare at the floor.
"Could be happier," the other man whispered as he stepped closer. Giles looked up quickly, gasping lightly at the look in Ethan's burning brown eyes. Just before their lips met, a loud laugh was heard from the shop's back room, shattering the spell they were under. They split apart as if they had been burned.
They slipped back to their places behind the counter and settled in to watch the two boys in the back room. Ethan smiled at his son's laughter. The two boys had been sorting and categorizing costumes all day for the upcoming Halloween season. They'd laughed and teased and touched the entire time.
"They certainly are enjoying themselves," Ethan remarked off-handedly.
"Yes," Giles agreed. He sighed as he continued. "I'm not sure this was the best idea, Ethan. William is a little – overbearing. I'm beginning to worry about Xander."
"What are you saying, Ripper? My boy not good enough for your little Alexander?"
"No!" Giles denied adamantly. "He's just so – physical with the boy."
A wicked smile parted Ethan's face. "Nothing wrong with being physical. Sometimes that's just what the situation warrants. Besides, have you not noticed that Spike's been teaching him things all day?"
Giles frowned, the furrow in his brow so tempting to the other man, as he listened intently to the conversation flowing from the back room.
"Ok, so wait," Xander said. "So we have 9 Spiderman costumes. Five of them are size four, two are size five, a seven and a nine. So the median of the sizes is four because that’s the middle number if you write them all out like 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 7, 9."
"Correct," Spike prompted.
"So it doesn't matter what the numbers are for the median, it's just which ever one is in the middle."
"Right."
"But the mean is like the average."
"Correct."
"So the mean of the sizes is..." There was a pause as the younger boy mentally completed the equation. "Five?"
"Very good," Spike praised as he reached over and ruffled the boy's shaggy hair. "See not so hard a concept, is it, pet?"
"No," Xander agreed. "I guess not."
Ethan smiled at the shocked look on his lover's face.
"Statistics," Giles whispered with awe tainting his voice. "Impressive."
"Spike has a talent for knowing people's motivators," Ethan said proudly. He leaned in close to his lover's ear before whispering, "I think I may have an idea about yours." He licked lightly on the tempting curve of the man's ear, pressing in closer as the librarian sighed and relaxed against him – at least until another burst of laughter brought them back to reality.
"I think it's time for me to leave," Giles said quickly as he stood and readjusted himself in his trousers. "I'll come by tonight?"
"Yes," Ethan replied, either a request or a demand or both. He smiled and waved as the other man slipped out quietly. Heading toward the front door, he flipped the sign to Closed before turning the deadbolt. He slowly began turning off lights before opening the register and counting the take for the day. It was quite sizeable, thanks to the easily manipulated female population of Sunnydale and the easily charmed touristas.
As he walked back to treat the boys to dinner, he stopped in the doorway to watch. Spike leaned back in one of the novelty beanbag chairs with the younger boy firmly in his lap. Pale fingers threaded through sable locks as the boys kissed languidly. They were beautiful together, the older man thought, probably much like himself and Ripper at that age.
Azure eyes peeked over a quivering shoulder and Ethan smiled, motioning with his hands that he was waiting to take them to eat. Spike winked and Ethan slipped away.
Several minutes later, the two boys immerged from the back room, the blond looking quite smug and the brunet looking thoroughly mussed.
"All done, boys," Ethan asked silkily.
"Yeah, Da," Spike replied as the younger boy blushed prettily.
"How about we go get some dinner?" the older man prompted.
"Sounds great," Xander said enthusiastically before his face fell. "Oh, but I don't have any money."
The two Englishmen laughed.
"Not to worry, my boy," Ethan nearly purred. "I think I can spare you a meal for all your hard work today. Besides, you're a friend of Spike and that practically makes you family."
Xander flushed even brighter at that and Ethan immediately understood his son's attraction to the sweet boy. He'd be beautiful broken.
"So the real question is..." Ethan started.
"You got any decent curry in this town?" Spike finished.
Xander's face brightened and he virtually bounced in place. "Oh yeah! There's this great Indian restaurant just a few blocks from here called A Taste of India. I've been a couple of times with Willow and Jesse. They have a great curry chicken and the samosas are to die for."
"Well, then boy, lead the way."
Ethan walked behind the boys, taking in every laugh, every stolen look, every surreptitious touch. He smiled and thought that they certainly were right when they said that living well was the best revenge.
And this revenge was most certainly sweet.
Tbc...
no subject
Date: 2007-04-29 05:30 am (UTC)Gabrielle
no subject
Date: 2007-04-29 06:57 am (UTC)*snuggles you*
no subject
Date: 2007-04-29 05:46 am (UTC)French lessons hmmm....
looking forward to that.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-29 07:02 am (UTC)I'm so glad you are still liking. *hugs*
no subject
Date: 2007-04-29 08:57 am (UTC)Goes off thinking very, very happy thoughts.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-29 07:48 pm (UTC)So glad you are still liking. *hugs*
no subject
Date: 2007-04-29 01:59 pm (UTC)I want it to hurry, but the waiting is fun, so I'm torn.
My guilty pleasure, this story. So nice to get to read 2 chapters at once.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-29 07:50 pm (UTC)So glad you are liking. *hugs*
no subject
Date: 2007-05-01 07:49 pm (UTC)maybe i should just track it ;)
hee loved it so far.
Boy Next Door
Date: 2007-05-03 01:42 am (UTC)Damn that was hot. I've been reading a lot of fics where the kiss is just as hot as the sex.
More Soon
Shay