Fic: The Boy Next Door: Turnabout is Fair, Spike/Xander, Prompt - Mount Everest

[strickens-girl.livejournal.com]

Written for the tamingthemuse prompt of "Mount Everest".


Title: Turnabout is Fair
Series: The Boy Next Door
Pairing: Spike/Xander, mentions of Ethan/Giles
Rating: Mature/Adults Only
Prompt: Mount Everest
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: 784

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.






The Boy Next Door: Turnabout is Fair


"What?" Xander asked in shock. He was expecting to be accepted into the fold with smiles and hugs, not shut out entirely. "I don't..."

"Xander, please sit down," Ethan whispered, his voice soft but strong, causing the boy to respond immediately. Sliding into the seat next to Spike, the young boy waited for an explanation.

Giles was the first to respond. "Xander, it seems you've been able to do what I have not in too many years. You have given a reason to reconsider their lifestyle."

Confused, hazel eyes turned toward the two men watching him intensely.

Ethan spoke next. "I've been on the run most of my life, Xander," he started, his gaze intense but his voice gentle. "That trip to Australia was not just for fun or a quest for knowledge. I didn't join an aboriginal tribe for the honor of doing so. I was trying to avoid being caught and punished or killed. I waited until the people looking for me had died until I brought us out of hiding. It was fun and exciting and addictive. But it was also dangerous. I've been stabbed and shot more than once. I've hidden in many awful places, done things I've been ashamed of, hurt more people than I've helped. I've run nearly every where. I've never been to Mount Everest, mind you, but I'd have run there as well if I thought it would save my hide."

Xander sat and listened, entranced by the story revealed to him. Some of the tale he had guessed at but he never thought Ethan had ever done anything so bad to have people try to hurt or kill him. His eyes slipped to Spike, wondering about his lover's part to play in all of this.

"Oh, yes," Ethan chuckled lightly as he followed the young boy's line of sight. "William has played his own part in this whole sorted tale. It's all he's known since he's been with me. He's been the source of several of my better plans, actually. He has his own collection of scars from our escapades, as I'm sure you've discovered on your own."

Spike chuckled lightly at that and Ethan answered it as he smacked the back of the platinum blond head. Spike scowled before settling back to listen again.

"When we came to Sunnydale, I told myself it only to hide from the latest mistake I had made," Ethan continued. "We had a great scam going in England and we had made a great deal of money, but we had upset quite a lot of people. We could have gone anywhere, but we came here. I knew Rupert was here and it seemed like a good excuse to see him again. I tried to convince myself that I was doing it all for a bit of fun but I found myself falling in love again."

Xander's head flew to Giles, smiling at the faint blush creeping over the older man's face. He looked back to Ethan, pleased to see the warmth and love shining in the man's deep brown eyes.

"I thought I could leave it all behind when it was time to move on from this place," Ethan said quietly with a sigh. "But now that the time has come to move on, I've discovered that I don't want to leave at all. It wasn't until you spoke your mind tonight that I even realized it, Xander. Those were powerful words, showing wisdom beyond your years. You made me see how much I was losing, what I was really risking, by leaving all this behind. I would hate to think you'd want to take that away from me now."

Shock and shame bled all the color from Xander's face as he thought that his desire for adventure might hurt this man who had cared for him like a father, much more so than his own father. "No," he whispered urgently. "I'd never want to hurt you, any of you, ever."

The smile that spread across Ethan's face was brilliant and warmed the young boy to his core.

"So, you're staying here in Sunnydale?" Xander asked, needing to be sure. "Both of you? You're staying here with us?"

He missed the smile Giles gave him as he stared at Spike and Ethan.

"Yeah, Pet," Spike spoke finally. "We're both staying."

Xander smiled, wider than he ever had before. It had to be wrong to be so happy, Xander knew that happiness like this was fleeting and something would have to go bad soon to bring him back to earth, but for now he let himself enjoy this perfect moment.

Just this once.

Tbc...

Comments

[piksa.livejournal.com]

It's nice that they explained everything to Xander. And they did have a point. They probably have more money than they actually need so there's really no reason to continue their lifestyle and even have a honest way of bringing money in.

Thanks for sharing this!

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

I'm not really expecting "...and they lived happily ever after," but this feels a lot like the beginning of a truly happy ending.