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THAT'S A GROWL

"Why don't you purr, Spike?" Xander asked, his head on his lover's chest, sweat drying on their bodies.

"What am I, a bloody cat?"

"Well, you growl and isn't that like a kind of purr?"

"No. Dogs growl and they don't purr."

"Huh. Didn't think about that." Xander fell silent, tracing spirals on Spike's smooth skin.

"Why do you ask?"

"Cause I wish I could." Spike laughed. "No, really. When you hold a purring cat it's like it's expressing contentment with its whole body."

"You that content, Pet?"

"Oh. Hell. Yeah."

"I've never tried, actually." Spike said after a while.

"I thought you'd tried everything once."

"Most things. But that thing you came up with… With the Jell-O? That's got to be new to this earth." Xander snickered and tucked his arm in around his vamp. "I've never tried to purr. Never heard of such a thing."

"Go ahead," Xander said, comfy and happy.

Spike drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He concentrated on making his vocal cords vibrate, but he only came out with a rumbling moan which made Xander chuckle.

"See. Vampires don't purr." He pulled Xander closer and closed his eyes.

"Hey!" Xander said suddenly, sitting up. "Try it in game face!"

"What? Are you crackers?"

"No, listen. You growl best when you're all gurr, right? So change and try it."

"Your logic's cracked."

"No it's not. When you're gurr your either angry or, well, blissed out."

"Pretty much."

"So you never go gurr when you're content, like now."

Spike scowled at his eccentric lover. "If I try, can I go to sleep?"

"Yes!"

Spike pulled himself up and leaned against the headboard. He shook his head and morphed. Feeling silly, he growled.

"That's a growl, Spike," Xander corrected.

"I bloody well know. I'm trying out the pipes." Spike closed his eyes so he wouldn't be distracted by naked Xander. Again he growled, feeling the resonance in his chest and the vibrations in his throat. Xander offered suggestions which only threw off his concentration. He tried out a couple of more growls  of various pitches before opening his eyes and letting his head thunk back.

"It's not working. Maybe I'm not content enough."

Xander got  a twinkle in his eye. "So what will make a vampire content?"

"Hot mug of blood and a foot rub."

"Spike!" Xander swatted at Spike who grabbed him and pulled him back down. Reaching out a long arm, he found the blankets and covered them both.

Xander snuggled in and the two talked of their days until Xander was close to sleep. He was pressed against Spike's back, strong arms wrapped protectively around Spike's smaller form. His warm breath stirred the hair on the back of the vampire's neck.

"Hey, Xander?" Spike said, gently stroking Xander's arm.

"Yeah?" Came the neck-muffled reply.

"PurRrRrRrRrRrRr…"