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tamingthemuseTitle: Training Day
Series: The Dark World
Fandom: BtVS
Pairing: Angel/Xander
Prompt: Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Rating: Mature/Adults Only overall
Spoilers: AU after The Becoming, BtVS Season Two
Warnings: Bloodplay, D/s themes, dark!fic overall
Word Count: 1,020
This is part of my series The Dark World which is a sequel to The Dark'Verse. You should really read those before this or it won't make much sense.
Thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
seductivembrace for the lovely banner under the cut! Yay!
Crossposting with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
tamingthemuse and _xangel.
Training Day
Xander sighed, just a soft puff of air through his nose. He hurt everywhere. Even the sun against his eyelids was painful, making the darkness seem blood red. Slowly, he snaked out his tongue to lick his dry lips. Even that simple act caused him agony and he groaned lightly.
"Xander?" he heard to his left, a desperate, concerned whisper that seemed to echo loudly in his dulled brain.
"What?" he croaked barely above a whisper.
"You're alright," the relieved voice whispered.
"I think alright might be a stretch. Alive for the moment would be more accurate."
The words had barely passed his lips before he was gathered up in Angel's arms, held tight against the vampire's strong chest. His entire body protested and Xander shuddered in pain.
"Ow," he muttered, waiting for Angel to release him. "Oh, and ow! Did I happen to mention, OW!"
Angel finally released his hold on the boy in his arms and let Xander lie back so he could examine him. The sable-haired boy allowed it as long as the vampire didn't move him too much. Once Angel was done, Xander asked, "Satisfied?"
Nodding lightly, Angel smiled down at him. "I was worried for a while there. I got a little carried away."
"A little?" Xander scoffed. "And Angelus was a little possessive."
"A little?" Angel threw back, his expression hard.
"He's still there, isn't he?"
Again, Angel nodded. The tension charged the air between as they each stared at the other. Xander opened his mouth to speak just as a knock sounded at the door.
After a moment, Xander called, "Come in."
The Shaman entered with several other demons, all of them bowing low. The smallest demon of the group hurried forward with a bowl in its hands, offering it to Xander. He glanced at the Shaman, who nodded slowly, before taking the gift in his hands. The bowl was warm and smooth and filled with a thin, brown liquid.
"What's this?" he asked.
"For pain," the Shaman replied.
Slowly, Xander brought the bowl to his lips, testing the liquid before swallowing. It was sweet and spicy, thicker than tea but reminded Xander of Giles all the same. The liquid was cool on his tongue but as he swallowed it down, he felt the path of it burning him all the way to his core. It seemed to spark a fire throughout his body, like every atom of his body had gone super nova.
Xander suddenly found himself on the floor, cradled in Angel's lap. The vampire stroked the sweaty locks from his forehead with tender care.
"What in the name of all that is holy was that?" he asked, his voice hoarse and raspy.
"Healing," the Shaman murmured before smiling down at the pair on the floor. "You must be to hurrying. Clean and then food before we go."
"Go where?" Xander asked.
"Seeing you will be."
They took turns in the small stone bathroom before Xander had a small but substantial breakfast. The boy was amazed at how good he felt, especially after how awful he'd felt upon waking. Once he was done eating, they were led through the halls of the Keep to a large circular room, hangings decorating the stone walls.
Directed toward the center of the room, Xander shuddered as he saw the long sword held in the Shaman's hand. The last time the elder had held that sword he had thrust it through Xander's abdomen and the boy didn't feel like repeating the incident. Slowly, the Shaman walked forward, black eyes locked with Xander's hazel. He stopped in front of the nervous boy before offering the sword to their warrior.
Xander paused, unsure if he really should take the weapon, wondering if it were a test of some sort. Angel nudged him lightly from behind and the boy tentatively wrapped his fingers around the leather covered hilt.
When he took possession of the sword, the room erupted in cheers as the demons began to chant his name. It was thrilling and panic inducing at the same time.
"Your sword," the Shaman proclaimed after the noise died down. "Your power. Never lose it for only you die by your sword."
Xander heard a soft gasp behind him as Angel understood the declaration.
"He's immortal?" Angel asked.
The Shaman nodded before adding, "As long as here he is, he will live until his head is lost by this sword."
"Wow," Xander whispered, the tip of the sword dropping with the weight of it all. When all eyes turned toward him, he simply shrugged. "What? It's heavy."
A large demon broke from the formation around the wall, approaching the pair still standing in the middle of the room. Once he stood before Xander, he bowed low and growled, "Alinabil."
Xander frowned. He shrugged and responded, "I'm sorry. I don't understand."
A stone hand reached out to touch Xander's chest and the demon said, "K-sander," before touching his own and saying, "Alinabil."
"Oh, your name!" Xander exclaimed. "Ok, I'll just call you Ali, alright?"
The demon nodded as he stepped back. "Training room," he growled. "You and consort will work until battle ready you are. Study." He began to point around the room at the hangings on the wall. Xander tried to understand them, but none of them were in English and they made no sense to him at all.
Angel walked to one, nodding slowly.
"You can read that?" Xander whispered over his shoulder. "Demon or German?"
Angel chuckled lightly. "German. It's Nietzsche. Thus Spoke Zarathustra. It was very controversial."
"Why?"
"Nietzsche proclaimed that God was dead and that there could be an 'overman' or a 'superman' who could overcome man, among other things."
"Yes," the Shaman interrupted, stepping close to the pair. "God is dead and we are without. You must become overman for peace to be."
"How do I become a superman?" Xander demanded.
The Shaman turned the shocked boy to face the center of the room. Ali and three other demons stood waiting for him, their swords drawn. The elder pushed him forward to meet the challenge.
"Train."
Tbc...
Series: The Dark World
Fandom: BtVS
Pairing: Angel/Xander
Prompt: Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Rating: Mature/Adults Only overall
Spoilers: AU after The Becoming, BtVS Season Two
Warnings: Bloodplay, D/s themes, dark!fic overall
Word Count: 1,020
This is part of my series The Dark World which is a sequel to The Dark'Verse. You should really read those before this or it won't make much sense.
Thanks to
seductivembrace for the lovely banner under the cut! Yay!Crossposting with
tamingthemuse and _xangel.Xander sighed, just a soft puff of air through his nose. He hurt everywhere. Even the sun against his eyelids was painful, making the darkness seem blood red. Slowly, he snaked out his tongue to lick his dry lips. Even that simple act caused him agony and he groaned lightly.
"Xander?" he heard to his left, a desperate, concerned whisper that seemed to echo loudly in his dulled brain.
"What?" he croaked barely above a whisper.
"You're alright," the relieved voice whispered.
"I think alright might be a stretch. Alive for the moment would be more accurate."
The words had barely passed his lips before he was gathered up in Angel's arms, held tight against the vampire's strong chest. His entire body protested and Xander shuddered in pain.
"Ow," he muttered, waiting for Angel to release him. "Oh, and ow! Did I happen to mention, OW!"
Angel finally released his hold on the boy in his arms and let Xander lie back so he could examine him. The sable-haired boy allowed it as long as the vampire didn't move him too much. Once Angel was done, Xander asked, "Satisfied?"
Nodding lightly, Angel smiled down at him. "I was worried for a while there. I got a little carried away."
"A little?" Xander scoffed. "And Angelus was a little possessive."
"A little?" Angel threw back, his expression hard.
"He's still there, isn't he?"
Again, Angel nodded. The tension charged the air between as they each stared at the other. Xander opened his mouth to speak just as a knock sounded at the door.
After a moment, Xander called, "Come in."
The Shaman entered with several other demons, all of them bowing low. The smallest demon of the group hurried forward with a bowl in its hands, offering it to Xander. He glanced at the Shaman, who nodded slowly, before taking the gift in his hands. The bowl was warm and smooth and filled with a thin, brown liquid.
"What's this?" he asked.
"For pain," the Shaman replied.
Slowly, Xander brought the bowl to his lips, testing the liquid before swallowing. It was sweet and spicy, thicker than tea but reminded Xander of Giles all the same. The liquid was cool on his tongue but as he swallowed it down, he felt the path of it burning him all the way to his core. It seemed to spark a fire throughout his body, like every atom of his body had gone super nova.
Xander suddenly found himself on the floor, cradled in Angel's lap. The vampire stroked the sweaty locks from his forehead with tender care.
"What in the name of all that is holy was that?" he asked, his voice hoarse and raspy.
"Healing," the Shaman murmured before smiling down at the pair on the floor. "You must be to hurrying. Clean and then food before we go."
"Go where?" Xander asked.
"Seeing you will be."
They took turns in the small stone bathroom before Xander had a small but substantial breakfast. The boy was amazed at how good he felt, especially after how awful he'd felt upon waking. Once he was done eating, they were led through the halls of the Keep to a large circular room, hangings decorating the stone walls.
Directed toward the center of the room, Xander shuddered as he saw the long sword held in the Shaman's hand. The last time the elder had held that sword he had thrust it through Xander's abdomen and the boy didn't feel like repeating the incident. Slowly, the Shaman walked forward, black eyes locked with Xander's hazel. He stopped in front of the nervous boy before offering the sword to their warrior.
Xander paused, unsure if he really should take the weapon, wondering if it were a test of some sort. Angel nudged him lightly from behind and the boy tentatively wrapped his fingers around the leather covered hilt.
When he took possession of the sword, the room erupted in cheers as the demons began to chant his name. It was thrilling and panic inducing at the same time.
"Your sword," the Shaman proclaimed after the noise died down. "Your power. Never lose it for only you die by your sword."
Xander heard a soft gasp behind him as Angel understood the declaration.
"He's immortal?" Angel asked.
The Shaman nodded before adding, "As long as here he is, he will live until his head is lost by this sword."
"Wow," Xander whispered, the tip of the sword dropping with the weight of it all. When all eyes turned toward him, he simply shrugged. "What? It's heavy."
A large demon broke from the formation around the wall, approaching the pair still standing in the middle of the room. Once he stood before Xander, he bowed low and growled, "Alinabil."
Xander frowned. He shrugged and responded, "I'm sorry. I don't understand."
A stone hand reached out to touch Xander's chest and the demon said, "K-sander," before touching his own and saying, "Alinabil."
"Oh, your name!" Xander exclaimed. "Ok, I'll just call you Ali, alright?"
The demon nodded as he stepped back. "Training room," he growled. "You and consort will work until battle ready you are. Study." He began to point around the room at the hangings on the wall. Xander tried to understand them, but none of them were in English and they made no sense to him at all.
Angel walked to one, nodding slowly.
"You can read that?" Xander whispered over his shoulder. "Demon or German?"
Angel chuckled lightly. "German. It's Nietzsche. Thus Spoke Zarathustra. It was very controversial."
"Why?"
"Nietzsche proclaimed that God was dead and that there could be an 'overman' or a 'superman' who could overcome man, among other things."
"Yes," the Shaman interrupted, stepping close to the pair. "God is dead and we are without. You must become overman for peace to be."
"How do I become a superman?" Xander demanded.
The Shaman turned the shocked boy to face the center of the room. Ali and three other demons stood waiting for him, their swords drawn. The elder pushed him forward to meet the challenge.
"Train."
Tbc...
no subject
Date: 2008-07-06 09:41 am (UTC)And an immortal Xander solves Angel's feeding problem. Very clever.
I'm glad you are continuing this. I am enjoying it.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-08 01:27 am (UTC)