December in Cleveland, Ohio was cold.  Xander decided this one night as he rolled over and encountered the frigid skin of his lover’s back and yelped himself awake.

“Quiet, luv.  Some of us are trying to sleep.”

“Excuse me?”  Xander took pains to shut his gaping mouth as he stared at the back of Spike’s head.  “That’s what I was trying to do until someone, who shall remain nameless, the temperature of a fudgesicle got into bed with me.”

“Oi!  It’s not my fault I can’t warm myself up.”  Spike pouted as he shifted closer and wrapped Xander’s arms around him.  “That’s what my bloody lover is supposed to be for, isn’t it?”

“Jesus.  Maybe we should’ve stayed in LA.”  Xander said through chattering teeth.  “At least there isn’t any snow there.”

“No snow, but something just as annoying,” Spike frowned.

Xander sighed.  “Guess you’re right.”

Four years after the destruction of Sunnydale and all that had happened was a change in venue.  They’d traded one hellmouth for another.  Giles, Buffy and Dawn had left for England to help start the new Council and train the latest contingent of Slayers.  Willow, Tara, Spike and Xander had all decided to stay on American soil.  And since they were ‘eternal white hats’ as Spike was fond of saying, they’d decided to relocate where they could do some good.  It had surprised them all that Faith had decided to go with them.

“Maybe it would help if we started wearing flannel pajamas,” Xander suggested.

Spike twisted in his arms with an incredulous look on his face.  “Don’t be daft.”  Spike chided, he wasn’t about to give up warming himself with a naked, willing Xander.

“Christ, you’re cold,” Xander complained.

“Not for long, luv.”  Spike tangled their limbs together and pressed his lips against Xander’s.

“Even your lips are cold!” Xander murmured against Spike’s mouth.

“Shut your gob and let me have my wicked way with you already,” Spike smirked as he warmed his hand around Xander’s cock.  It took only a minute for Xander’s complaints to turn into groans, his body arching toward Spike’s.  “See?  What did I tell you, Xan?  Never takes me long to get you hot, yeah?”

“Quit teasing me!”  Xander thrust their bodies together, feeling Spike’s arousal heavy against his own.  “And don’t be such a smug ass.”

Spike chuckled and rolled them so that he was on top.  Then he leaned down and took Xander’s mouth again.  Kissing his lover was one of Spike’s favorite pastimes.  He loved the taste of hot chocolate mixed with the spicy flavor of Xander.  His tongue teased the small recesses of Xander’s mouth, licking along his gums and dueling with Xander’s own until they were both breathless with wanting more.

“Spike, please,” Xander murmured, his thighs falling open to cradle Spike between them.  He cupped Spike’s ass and urged him nearer.  “Want you inside me.”

Spike groaned, never able to resist those words from Xander’s lips.  He reached for the lube and was careful to prepare him.   When Xander was practically incoherent with need Spike finally positioned himself at Xander’s entrance.  Slowly, he pushed his way inside, until Xander thrust back impatiently and he found himself seated fully inside Xander’s tunnel.

“Oh, god.”  Xander threw his head against the pillow and swiveled his hips making them both moan.  “Move, Spike, please.”

Spike grunted his agreement and pulled out and in with a steady rocking motion.  He buried his face against Xander’s throat and breathed in deeply as they fucked.  He pulled at the skin with blunt teeth, making sure not to break the surface, knowing how crazy it made Xander.

“Don’t.  Tease,” Xander said through gritted teeth.

Nodding against his shoulder, Spike increased his rhythm then shifted to game-face.  He sank his fangs shallowly, just enough to draw blood, then licked at the wounds he’d made.  Xander exploded against him, his walls contracting almost painfully around Spike’s cock.  It was enough to push Spike over the edge.

They fell asleep not long after, still tangled together under the sheets.

~~

“Come on, Spike.  Tonight’s the last one.”  Xander pulled at Spike’s hand as they trudged through the snow.  “Willow will never forgive us if we miss this one.”

“Don’t see why I have to be there,” Spike grumbled.  He hated walking through the snow.  He didn’t have any body heat, did he?  What the hell did they expect from him?  He could be home right now in front of their nice cozy fireplace.  He sighed, then tugged his hand from Xander’s in a fit of pique.  “You owe me.”

Xander rolled his eyes.  “Yeah, yeah.”

“Not like you need me to help slay some nasty bugger.  Don’t need vampire strength to sling mashed taters around,” Spike continued to complain as they tramped off the snow from their boots just inside the entrance to the main hall.

Xander turned with a frown.  “Look I don’t think four Sundays a year is too much to ask.  Willow doesn’t need your vampire strength, she needs your support.  That’s what we’re here for.  Support.”  Xander’s hands were on his hips as he looked down at Spike sternly.  “She’s here every other Sunday all year long.  She only asks us to help during December.  I don’t think that’s too much to ask.  If you do, then go home and I’ll see you later.”  Xander turned away, finally angry enough to just let the vampire go.  Before he could take a step, Spike’s hand was on his arm.

“’M sorry, luv.”  Spike’s eyes were downcast and he looked fairly chastised.

Xander huffed out a breath.   “It’s fine.  Go home, Spike.”

“No.”  Spike tightened his grip on Xander’s arm.  “I’ll stay.”  In truth, the real reason he hated coming to these dinners was because of the way it made Xander feel.  Spike could see the guilt and the pity in Xander’s swirling brown eyes whenever they came to help Willow.

Xander nodded and it wasn’t long before they found themselves in the serving line.  The homeless shelter wasn’t much, but it was large enough to hold several hundred people.  Xander looked out at the people, young and old, and felt an ache in his chest.  It always left him feeling powerless, coming here to help feed the homeless.  He hated seeing the children most of all.  He knew it was ridiculous but he wished there was something he could do other than dropping a ladle full of creamed corn onto their plates.

It was freezing outside and he knew that the shelter wouldn’t be able to hold all the people having dinner at the moment.  He comforted himself with the fact that at least they’d have a good meal, and a few presents for the kids before they had to go out into the bitingly cruel cold of winter again.  He watched as one man grabbed a small present from beneath the tree and carried it to his daughter.  Her eyes lit up as she tore at the wrapping.

It was a small thing, really.  A blanket wrapped around a small beat-up toy soldier, but the little girl’s smile made it seem like the most expensive toy from FAO Schwarz ever bought.  Xander’s breath hitched and he blinked away the emotion he knew was gathering in his eyes.  Xander felt Spike’s hand squeeze his and he smiled, trying to shake off his melancholy. 

“I’ll be back in a trice, Xan.”  Spike murmured.  Xander only nodded as Spike made his escape.  He’d seen the way Xander had stared at the little girl and her father, and had decided that at least this year he would do something about it.  He pulled out his cell phone and made a few quick calls while he trailed the pair of them through the snow.

It took longer than he’d liked, but they finally turned into a small alley not quite across town.  He watched until he was sure they were settled, as settled as a pair of humans could be in a cardboard box wet with snow.  Even he felt a stirring in his chest at the sight, and wondered if he were doing this for more than just Xander’s soft heart.  He made one last phone call as he trudged his way back to the shelter.

“Where have you been?”  Xander asked when he returned.  The last of the meal was being distributed, and they were already starting to clean up the kitchens.

“Had a few things to take care of.”  Spike shrugged.  Xander didn’t say much and Spike knew that he was distracted by thoughts of the girl and her father.

“I wish… “ Xander sighed, then shook his head.

“What, luv?  What do you wish?”

“I wish we could do more to help, you know?  I know you think it’s a dumb waste of time to come out here like this, but… “  Xander shrugged.

“I know,” Spike said softly, pulling Xander into his arms.  “And I don’t think it’s a bloody waste of time.”

“But you always complain,” Xander said plaintively.

“Only because I know it hurts you.”

“Oh.”

They stood like that for a few moments until Spike laid a kiss against Xander’s forehead then pulled away.  “Come on.”

“Huh?”  Xander barely had a chance to wave at the girls before Spike was shoving their coats on.  “Where are we going?”

“I saw you looking at them.”

“Who?”  Xander was even more confused when a cab pulled up and two familiar looking demons stepped out.

“The girl and her da.”  Spike cocked an eyebrow and waited for recognition to light Xander’s eyes.  “I followed them home.”  He said the word without hesitation, though he knew the cardboard box they lived in was nothing of the sort.

“You know where they live?”

Spike nodded as they stepped out onto the sidewalk.  He greeted the demons and they spoke together in a language Xander couldn’t identify.  He watched as Spike paid them for two large paper bags before they stepped back into the cab and disappeared.

“What’s that?”  Xander peered into the bags curiously.

“Thought you might want to bring them some things.”  Spike opened the shopping bags for Xander’s perusal.

Something caught in his throat as he saw the heavy coats and blankets.  There was canned food, too, with a can opener of course, and some other things that would help… for a few days at least.

“Come on, Xan.”  Spike nudged him forward.  “They’re down in the alley off Saint Agnes Church.”

“They live in an alley?”  Xander’s voice was hoarse, and Spike hurried to follow in his footsteps as they made their way across town.

“Yeah, in a cardboard box, luv.  Don’t think on it, yeah?  I got them a room at a motel down the way.  At least for the next few days.  Maybe we can get him some work.  He looked like a strong bugger.  Maybe there’s something down at your site?”  Spike didn’t want Xander thinking about that little girl living in a box in an alley.

“Yeah.”  Xander chewed his bottom lip as the snow started to fall, dusting the streets and cars along the way.  “Yeah.  That’s a good idea, Spike.  I’ll call Frank in the morning.  It couldn’t hurt, right?”

“No, luv.  Won’t hurt,” Spike agreed, shivering as the snow landed all around him, cooling his skin even further.

Xander felt Spike shiver and paused.  He waited until the vampire was standing close enough to pull into his arms.  “Thank you.”  He kissed Spike’s cold lips and held him tightly.  “I love you.”

“Love you, too, you soppy git,” Spike said with fond exasperation.  “Come on now, not much further.  You go on ahead and trample a path for me.”  Spike nodded toward the church they could barely make out through the snowfall.

Xander kissed Spike again, a wide grin on his face, before shouldering one of the paper bags and trudging toward Saint Agnes’.

~~

One Year Later

December in Cleveland, Ohio was cold.  Spike decided this as the door blew open to admit his lover, along with a mightily freezing gust of air.  He shuddered and turned back to the fire.

He yelped when Xander came up behind him and dropped cold hands onto his shoulders.  The cold lips pressed to his cheek didn’t help matters either.  “Why don’t you warm yourself up before you do that?” he grumbled, though he didn’t pull away.

“No time,” Xander said happily.  “Gotta finish wrapping the presents, Jenny and Gideon will be here any minute.”

Spike shook his head at Xander’s enthusiasm.  “Dinner’s already done and warming in the oven.  So you don’t need to worry yourself over that, too,” Spike said affectionately.

“Thanks, Spike.”  Xander dropped another cold kiss against Spike’s lips before grabbing the bags he’d brought in with him.

Spike watched as Xander carefully wrapped and ribboned the presents.  Most of them, of course, were for Jenny.  She’d become somewhat of a fixture in their little apartment over the last year, and Xander couldn’t help but spoil her.

Gideon had indeed gotten the job with Xander’s construction company and had been heartily thankful for the chance.  Spike had found himself babysitting little Jenny on more than once occasion.  And more than one present under the tree was expressly from him to her.  Though he would never admit it aloud, there was hardly a thing she could ask for that Spike wouldn’t have moved heaven and earth to get her, especially since she asked for so very little.

When the table was set and the presents all wrapped, Spike found himself once again in front of the fire, this time with a lapful of Xander.  They were both well warmed and Spike found himself happier at that moment in time than other he’d lived or unlived before.

“Red expecting us tomorrow, then?”  Spike asked as they waited on Gideon and Jenny to arrive.

“You know she is.”  Xander said as he snuggled deeper into Spike’s embrace.

“Suppose we can’t miss the last feast of December, then.”

“Nope.”  Xander shook his head.  “And quit pretending to be such a grinch.  You ruined your rep last year.”

Spike decided the only thing for it was to shut Xander up with a kiss.