Fic: The Boy Next Door: And Let Slip the Dogs of War, Xander/Spike, BtVS, Prompt 54 - Cry Havok

[strickens-girl.livejournal.com]

Written for tamingthemuse prompt of "Cry Havok".

Title: Traveling Blind
Series: The Boy Next Door
Pairing: Spike/Xander, mentions of Ethan/Giles
Rating: Mature/Adults Only
Prompt: #54 - Cry Havok
Spoilers: None, all human AU
Warnings: Underage, manipulation, dark!fic, daddy!kink, child abuse, overall dirty!bad!wrongness.
Summary: Xander needs some help but Spike decides to help himself to Xander.
Word Count: 2,185 - a long one. *g*
Author's Note: Stanzie went crazy with this chapter and is already raring to go with the next one. Medical notes are from an article by Antonio Pascotto, MD and the title and quotes from Ethan and Giles are from Julius Ceaser by William Shakespeare.

And, due to the new LJ Boldthrough, I am sporting a new disclaimer for this fic, thanks to _sharvie_:

Disclaimer: No childrenz were hurt in teh making of this fanfic! *g*

Previous Parts.

Thanks to _sharvie_ for the lovely banner beneath the cut.







The Boy Next Door: Let Slip the Dogs of War


Spike sat in the library, impatiently drumming his fingers on the heavy, wooden surface of the large table in the center of the room. Xander was late. It wasn't like that was completely uncommon, Xander had a habit of staying a little late to help Buffy and Willow carry their insane amount of books to Buffy's mom's car or talk to Jesse about his latest crush. Spike truly didn't mind that his boy liked to stay in touch with his friends. He thought it was cute, really.

But this was ridiculous.

Xander had never been more than fifteen minutes before, but now he was pushing thirty.

Spike decided he didn’t like it.

He was going to have to punish the boy. Spike sat back in the hard chair, his fingers still drumming relentlessly on the table as he contemplated what he would do to the younger boy when they returned to his home after the study session. A spanking was most likely in order. For this type of infraction, spanking would be just the beginning. Twenty swats should be sufficient. Xander would probably enjoy the punishment, rubbing his inevitable hardness against Spike's lap.

After the spanking, Xander would practically be begging for more, Spike was sure of that. But he wouldn't comply. No, Spike would tease him mercilessly, holding him on the edge of release for hours, until the boy wept with need.

Spike smiled at the thought of it, aching to hear the pleas and whimpers that would escape from his boy's lips. His hand slipped from the table to trace the outline of his erection when he was startled from thoughts as Giles stepped out of his office.

"Oh, William," the librarian exclaimed, sounding rather startled. "I didn't realize that you were here. What are you doing here?"

Spike looked at the older man in shock. Finally, he countered, "I'm waiting for Xander, just like always."

"You must not have heard," Giles said, stepping closer to the blond boy. "Xander's mother called in for him. It seems he's very ill and he'll be out of school at least until Monday."

Spike stared up at the older man, not truly believing what he was hearing. "What do you mean his mother called him in?" When Giles didn't answer, Spike pressed further. "Isn't that what happened before? His mother calls in, he misses days on end and no one cares?"

Giles held his hands in from of him as Spike advanced. The blond boy stalked forward, as if his body were moving of its own volition. His hands clenched in fists at his sides as he worked hard to force the words out.

"You don't think it's odd that he didn't call me to tell me he wouldn't be here, after everything we've been through? That he didn't think of me?!"

Spike wasn't sure why he was yelling, but he couldn't seem to calm himself down.

"Are you really that big of an idiot, Ripper? They're doing it again."

Spike froze, realizing he spoke the truth.

He whispered to himself, "They're doing it again."

Giles began throwing questions at him but he didn't hear them. He had to get to Xander. He had to get there now.

The way to Xander's house was just a blur and Spike suddenly found himself pounding on the front door so hard his knuckles ached. Finally, the door swung open, revealing Xander's mother looking scraggly and worn.

"What do you want?" the woman whispered harshly.

"Xander," Spike practically growled.

"What about him?"

Spike took a deep breath to keep from screaming. Opening his clenched eyes, he tried again. "I want to see Xander."

Red-rimming eyes flew wide as Mrs. Harris stuttered lightly. "You can't," she snapped. "He's sick. I called the school and told them. He'll be out for several days. He's very contagious."

"Is that so?" Spike asked, a sneer crossing his face. "I still want to talk to him."

"You can't," the frustrated woman sighed as she inched the door closed. "Why do you even care?"

Spike struck his hand out, preventing the door from closing all the way. "He would have called me and told me he wouldn't be at school. He didn't, so that concerns me."

The bleary eyes narrowed at him and Spike bristled.

"You're that tutor he's been working with, right?" When Spike nodded, she continued. "He talks about you a lot."

"Too right he does. Now let me in."

"What the fuck's going on out there?" a harsh male voice shouted loudly. Spike watched as Mrs. Harris spun around, obviously frightened by the yelling.

"Someone's here asking about Xander."

"Did you tell them he was sick?"

"Yeah."

"Then close the fucking door, bitch!"

"I have to go," the shaky woman whispered as she pushed the door harshly. "Xander'll be at school on Monday. You can see him then."

Spike was determined to see him soon rather than later.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It was nearly 2am when the lights finally went out at the Harris home. Spike was practically vibrating with anger and nervous energy. He had to get to Xander, just to make sure the boy was okay. Xander wasn't sick, Spike was sure of that. He needed to see him, to touch him, to reassure himself his boy was still in one piece.

Spike waited a full twenty minutes before sneaking up to the front porch and pulling out his bump key. Slipping it into the lock, he found just the right spot and hit the key hard, smiling as he heard the tumblers fall into place. He turned the key and slipped into the quiet house.

It wasn't hard to find Xander's room. He found it up the stairs and first door to the right, just like at his house. The knob turned easily and door swung open as silent as the night. Spike stepped into the room, his heavy boots making barely a sound in the small space.

The figure in the bed made a tiny noise and Spike whispered, "Xander?" hoping the boy was waking. When he did not respond, Spike stepped closer to the bed. After repeating the boy's name quietly a few more times, he reached out his hand, intending to shake the boy lightly. Before he even touched him, Xander's hand shot out from under the covers, his strong fingers gripping Spike's wrist so harshly it hurt.

"No," Xander pleaded, soft and desperate. "No more."

"Xander," Spike said, still quiet but commanding. "It's alright, pet. It's me. Spike."

"Spike?" Xander asked, his words soft and slurred. "Not Spike," he complained, suddenly limp in the bed, his fingers lax around Spike's wrist. "Never Spike. I'm dreaming again. Go 'way."

Spike snorted as he sat on the edge of the mattress. "Not a dream, ducks. Your mum said you were sick. Thought I'd best come and check on you. Make sure you weren't contagious and get me sick too. I'd hate to honk up my Da's best curry."

Xander chuckled harshly, moaning lightly directly after. "Not contagious, trust me."

Spike didn't like the sounds the boy was making. Xander sounded off, almost drunk, so Spike tried to turn the boy over, but Xander resisted.

"What's the matter with you, pet?"

"Vicodin," Xander slurred happily. "Mom gave them to me 'cause I was cryin' 'bout the pain."

Alarm bells immediately went off in Spike's head. "How many?" he asked.

"Oh, three or four," Xander drawled, giggling at his own joke.

Spike was seriously worried now. He had no idea how many pills the boy had taken or why they were needed to dull his pain. Steeling himself, he demanded, "Roll over, pet. Now! I wanna take a look at you."

Slowly, Xander complied. Even in the low light, Spike could see the massive swelling on the left side of the boy's face. Xander could barely open his eye as it was nearly swollen shut and he was in obvious pain, despite all the painkillers. Spike gasped at the horrendous sight.

Softly, pale finger caressed the mottled, swollen flesh, wondering how in the hell something like this could happen. Xander answered with him having to ask.

"Last night," Xander whispered, quiet and fearful, "My dad saw us kissing on your front porch. When I got home, he was – well, he wasn't very happy. Told me he wasn't going to have a faggot for a son. He hit me in the face. That's all I remember until Mom laid me in bed."

Spike suddenly shot up, quickly flipping on the bedside light. He pulled the covers of the bed harshly off the prone body before pulling Xander's t-shirt up to his neck, exposed the boy's stomach and chest. Methodically, Spike checked for any other marks, any sign that Xander had been hurt any further. Finding none, Spike asked, "Do you hurt anywhere else?"

"Nope," Xander slurred. "But my head is really killing me and I can't see out of my left eye. It really hurts," he whimpered, tears distorting his voice.

It seemed that Xander's dad had cold cocked him and possibly become frightened when the boy didn't wake. It may have been the only thing that saved Xander from a more savage beating.

"Why didn't they take you to the doctor?" Spike asked.

"Too many questions," the boy sighed as he sank back into his bed. "Last time I went they made me talk to a Social Worker. Can't go back to the hospital."

Spike was becoming increasingly more worried. Something was seriously wrong with Xander. This wasn't a normal black eye or a normal reaction to pain medication. He made a decision, quickly rising to his feet.

"Come on and get up," he demanded.

"Why?" Xander asked, his head cocking to the side to see Spike better out of his uninjured eye.

"We're going to my house. Da will know what to do."

Xander protested the entire way, leaning all his body weight on Spike as if he had no strength left in his body at all. They struggled to make it the short distance to Spike's house and the trip felt like an eternity to the older boy. Laying Xander delicately down on the couch in the living room, Spike sprinted upstairs before bursting into his father's room, startling both him and his bedmate awake.

Several minutes later, Spike, Giles and Ethan all stared down at the sleeping boy. Xander had apparently passed out as soon as Spike had left his side.

"What do you think it is, Ripper?" Ethan asked as he gently probed the pulsing wound.

"I don't know?" Giles answered, watching intently over his lovers shoulder. "Perhaps an optical orbit or mid-facial fracture that's caused some hemorrhaging, but the swelling should have stopped by now if this happened last night."

Spike sighed heavily. "Again, and in Queen's English this time, Giles."

The library removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Either his cheekbone or the bones directly forming his eye socket have been broken, making him bleed beneath the surface of the skin."

"He needs a doctor," Ethan stated.

"He won't go," Spike explained. "He's been too many times and the docs are getting suspicious."

"Too many times?" Giles asked. "You mean this has happened before?"

"Of course this has happened before!" Spike exploded in the shocked librarian's face. "Haven't you seen the signs or were you just too blind to notice or even fucking care. He missed days of school on end and came back with bruises all over his body. I saw fucking footprints on him. Footprints! And what?! You thought he was home slacking off, maybe watching cartoons and SciFi programs. That's rich."

Spike slowly simmered down, stalking across the lush carpet. The two older men simply watched him in silence until the blond boy had calmed down and seemed willing to speak again.

"Who did this?" Ethan asked, even though Spike was sure he already knew the answer.

"His father, who do think did this?" Spike snapped quietly, not wanting to wake Xander despite the fact that the boy refused to wake during his last tirade.

Ethan and Giles stared down at the battered boy. Spike stopped his pacing to watch them, knowing they were doing the odd silent communication thing the old friends indulged in frequently.

"Call Willie," Giles finally whispered. "He'll know where to take Xander so there won't be too many questions. He needs attention and he needs it now."

"Then what?" Spike asked.

"Cry havoc," Ethan growled.

"And let slip the dogs of war," Giles continued, his voice matching his lover's intensity. "That this foul deed shall smell above the earth with carrion men, groaning for burial."

Spike smirked. He knew that his father and Ripper would see that justice would be done for his broken boy.

Tbc...

Cues more dramatic music...dun, dun, dun!!!