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tamingthemuse prompt of "Nowhere".
Title: Behind the Velvet Rope
Series: The Boy Next Door
Pairing: Spike/Xander, mentions of Ethan/Giles
Rating: Mature/Adults Only
Prompt: Nowhere
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: 1,196
And, due to the LJ Boldthrough, I am sporting a new disclaimer for this fic, thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
_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: Where Does That Leave Us?
Xander smiled as he walked up to the familiar clinic doors, reaching out to clasp the hand stretched out to him.
"Dr. Tam," he beamed. "It's really good to see you again."
"You too, Xander," the doctor replied, smiling. "Ethan, if you'd like to step in the other room, we can discuss payment?"
Xander's brow furrowed at the statement, but the older Englishman raised his hand to stop any questions before answering, "No. Xander's a member of the family. He can hear whatever affects the family."
"Fine," Dr. Tam sighed softly, looking at the young men nervously. "Ethan, I wasn't able to secure the full payment at this time, but I'm sure I can get the rest of it by the end of the month and then..."
"Not to worry, Simon," Ethan practically purred as he moved closer to the doctor. "We've always had an amiable relationship and I'm sure that can continue. We appreciated you taking care of Xander when he was hurt. I'm sure if we need your help again, we can count on you."
"Certainly," Simon answered, his voice and face displaying his sincerity. "I'll always be grateful to you for…"
"Simon?" a quiet, broken voice whispered from the doorway. Xander watched as the doctor, normally so serious and stoic, softened as he quickly made his way toward the tiny, trembling girl watching them. "I heard voices."
The doctor slowly led the fragile looking girl into the room before stopping in front of Xander. "River, you remember Ethan and William, right? From their visit with you before? And this is Xander. He's one of my patients. Xander, this is my sister, River."
"Hi," Xander greeted the wary looking girl with a smile and a small wave.
River didn't return the greeting or the smile. She walked forward until she was looking up at the sable-haired boy before reaching up with shaking fingers to trace the contours of his face. "You're the one who sees, aren't you?"
Not knowing how to answer such a question, Xander looked to the other men for an answer. Finding none, he turned back to the girl still stroking his face.
"You can see because they don't see you. They don't watch you, so you can watch them. It is your gift."
Xander was confused about whether the girl knew about the injury of his eye or not, so he simply nodded. The girl turned from him quickly to stare at the father and son watching close at hand.
"He is your heart," she told them forcefully. "Listen to your heart."
With that declaration, she turned and left the room.
"O-kay," Xander drawled after she left.
Simon sighed before explaining, "River's been through some – trauma. A few years ago Ethan and William here helped us out. Found where she was and helped me got her out of a horrible place. Then last week, she went missing again. She got confused or distracted or something. They found her when no one else could. I couldn't have done this without them."
Xander nodded, happy that the men he loved had been able to help these people. He smiled, pleased when the doctor returned the smile before the man turned to follow his sister out of the room. The younger boy turned to Ethan and Spike before asking, "So, that's this secret family business? You rescue people?"
The two Englishmen chuckled lightly before Ethan explained, "Not exactly."
"Although River's case was too intriguing to pass up, it's not our normal gig," Spike said.
"Gig?" Xander asked.
"Yes, well," Ethan continued, "William and I have been pulling gigs for many years. Back in the day, Rupert and I did as well. He was the one who actually brought me into the business, you know. Not exactly pure as the driven snow, our Rupert. Most of our jobs were simple in and out scams, nobody gets hurt kind of things, but occasionally, we got ourselves in a spot and had to make a run for it."
Xander head whipped back and forth as he looked between father and son. "I don't understand. Jobs? Scams? You guys were con-guys?"
"Are," Spike corrected. "Con-artists, grifters, confidence men, whatever you want to call us."
"That's why you went to Australia," Xander whispered in realization. "You were running from something."
"Yeah," Ethan admitted. "A nasty mess that one was. Not that we didn't enjoy being Down Under. Learned a few new tricks."
Xander gaped at the two men. "Is that all this is, this little trip to California? You needed to run away from something again? Have some fun, learn some new tricks and then be on your way?"
When neither man spoke, he knew he was right.
"Perfect!" he shouted, "This is just perfect. So what am I? Some experiment?!"
"No," Spike yelled as he darted forward to take Xander in his arms. "I saw you, Xander. Saw you hiding in that awful house and I knew I had to have you, had to save you. You were never a gig, I promise you that."
Seeing a glimmer of truth in the azure blue eyes, Xander let the issue drop for the moment before plowing ahead. "So what? You want to bring me into the family business so I'll stick around? You want to teach me to be like you, some sort of criminal?"
"You'd be perfect, Pet," Spike whispered as he began to stroke the sable-colored curls. "You're so sweet and innocent. Anyone would believe those dark, sad puppy dog eyes."
"You want me to deceive people? Take their money or whatever it is you do? You'd make me do that?"
Ethan and Spike stood in shock. Obviously this wasn't the reaction they were expecting from him, so he continued.
"You're willing to sacrifice what you have right now for the unknown? Just leave a town that adores you? Ethan, I know the antique shop is doing very well. I've seen your books and you're make money hand over fist without any scams or games. Sure, you flirt with all the old ladies and they come and pay a lot of money for a bunch of old stuff, but it's a real business. And Spike – you're doing well at the university. You're getting a literature degree, for what? So you can speak eloquently at your trial when you finally get caught? Have you even thought about what this might do to me or Giles? Or do you not care?"
Silence reigned in the small room for several long minutes until Xander finally spoke.
"I think it's time we go home."
The three men made their way out to the car, separate and in silence. When Spike tried to hold his hand, Xander gently pulled away. "Maybe crazy girl was right," he offered in the quiet of the car. "I see things and I see you two. I see you as good. Please don't disappoint me."
The trip to Sunnydale was made in silence with only the hum of the engine and the gentle whisper of the radio to distract Xander from the confusion in his mind that felt like a trip to nowhere.
Tbc...
tamingthemuse prompt of "Nowhere".Title: Behind the Velvet Rope
Series: The Boy Next Door
Pairing: Spike/Xander, mentions of Ethan/Giles
Rating: Mature/Adults Only
Prompt: Nowhere
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: 1,196
And, due to the 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.Xander smiled as he walked up to the familiar clinic doors, reaching out to clasp the hand stretched out to him.
"Dr. Tam," he beamed. "It's really good to see you again."
"You too, Xander," the doctor replied, smiling. "Ethan, if you'd like to step in the other room, we can discuss payment?"
Xander's brow furrowed at the statement, but the older Englishman raised his hand to stop any questions before answering, "No. Xander's a member of the family. He can hear whatever affects the family."
"Fine," Dr. Tam sighed softly, looking at the young men nervously. "Ethan, I wasn't able to secure the full payment at this time, but I'm sure I can get the rest of it by the end of the month and then..."
"Not to worry, Simon," Ethan practically purred as he moved closer to the doctor. "We've always had an amiable relationship and I'm sure that can continue. We appreciated you taking care of Xander when he was hurt. I'm sure if we need your help again, we can count on you."
"Certainly," Simon answered, his voice and face displaying his sincerity. "I'll always be grateful to you for…"
"Simon?" a quiet, broken voice whispered from the doorway. Xander watched as the doctor, normally so serious and stoic, softened as he quickly made his way toward the tiny, trembling girl watching them. "I heard voices."
The doctor slowly led the fragile looking girl into the room before stopping in front of Xander. "River, you remember Ethan and William, right? From their visit with you before? And this is Xander. He's one of my patients. Xander, this is my sister, River."
"Hi," Xander greeted the wary looking girl with a smile and a small wave.
River didn't return the greeting or the smile. She walked forward until she was looking up at the sable-haired boy before reaching up with shaking fingers to trace the contours of his face. "You're the one who sees, aren't you?"
Not knowing how to answer such a question, Xander looked to the other men for an answer. Finding none, he turned back to the girl still stroking his face.
"You can see because they don't see you. They don't watch you, so you can watch them. It is your gift."
Xander was confused about whether the girl knew about the injury of his eye or not, so he simply nodded. The girl turned from him quickly to stare at the father and son watching close at hand.
"He is your heart," she told them forcefully. "Listen to your heart."
With that declaration, she turned and left the room.
"O-kay," Xander drawled after she left.
Simon sighed before explaining, "River's been through some – trauma. A few years ago Ethan and William here helped us out. Found where she was and helped me got her out of a horrible place. Then last week, she went missing again. She got confused or distracted or something. They found her when no one else could. I couldn't have done this without them."
Xander nodded, happy that the men he loved had been able to help these people. He smiled, pleased when the doctor returned the smile before the man turned to follow his sister out of the room. The younger boy turned to Ethan and Spike before asking, "So, that's this secret family business? You rescue people?"
The two Englishmen chuckled lightly before Ethan explained, "Not exactly."
"Although River's case was too intriguing to pass up, it's not our normal gig," Spike said.
"Gig?" Xander asked.
"Yes, well," Ethan continued, "William and I have been pulling gigs for many years. Back in the day, Rupert and I did as well. He was the one who actually brought me into the business, you know. Not exactly pure as the driven snow, our Rupert. Most of our jobs were simple in and out scams, nobody gets hurt kind of things, but occasionally, we got ourselves in a spot and had to make a run for it."
Xander head whipped back and forth as he looked between father and son. "I don't understand. Jobs? Scams? You guys were con-guys?"
"Are," Spike corrected. "Con-artists, grifters, confidence men, whatever you want to call us."
"That's why you went to Australia," Xander whispered in realization. "You were running from something."
"Yeah," Ethan admitted. "A nasty mess that one was. Not that we didn't enjoy being Down Under. Learned a few new tricks."
Xander gaped at the two men. "Is that all this is, this little trip to California? You needed to run away from something again? Have some fun, learn some new tricks and then be on your way?"
When neither man spoke, he knew he was right.
"Perfect!" he shouted, "This is just perfect. So what am I? Some experiment?!"
"No," Spike yelled as he darted forward to take Xander in his arms. "I saw you, Xander. Saw you hiding in that awful house and I knew I had to have you, had to save you. You were never a gig, I promise you that."
Seeing a glimmer of truth in the azure blue eyes, Xander let the issue drop for the moment before plowing ahead. "So what? You want to bring me into the family business so I'll stick around? You want to teach me to be like you, some sort of criminal?"
"You'd be perfect, Pet," Spike whispered as he began to stroke the sable-colored curls. "You're so sweet and innocent. Anyone would believe those dark, sad puppy dog eyes."
"You want me to deceive people? Take their money or whatever it is you do? You'd make me do that?"
Ethan and Spike stood in shock. Obviously this wasn't the reaction they were expecting from him, so he continued.
"You're willing to sacrifice what you have right now for the unknown? Just leave a town that adores you? Ethan, I know the antique shop is doing very well. I've seen your books and you're make money hand over fist without any scams or games. Sure, you flirt with all the old ladies and they come and pay a lot of money for a bunch of old stuff, but it's a real business. And Spike – you're doing well at the university. You're getting a literature degree, for what? So you can speak eloquently at your trial when you finally get caught? Have you even thought about what this might do to me or Giles? Or do you not care?"
Silence reigned in the small room for several long minutes until Xander finally spoke.
"I think it's time we go home."
The three men made their way out to the car, separate and in silence. When Spike tried to hold his hand, Xander gently pulled away. "Maybe crazy girl was right," he offered in the quiet of the car. "I see things and I see you two. I see you as good. Please don't disappoint me."
The trip to Sunnydale was made in silence with only the hum of the engine and the gentle whisper of the radio to distract Xander from the confusion in his mind that felt like a trip to nowhere.
Tbc...
no subject
Date: 2007-12-23 07:04 am (UTC)I figured she could see Xander for who he is, so I threw her in there. *g*
I'm glad you're liking. Xander can change anyone's mind.
*hugs*
no subject
Date: 2007-12-23 08:51 pm (UTC)Merry Christmas to you!!
no subject
Date: 2007-12-23 09:38 pm (UTC)Liked River and Simon making an appeareance *g*
no subject
Date: 2007-12-24 12:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-02 04:02 pm (UTC)