Spike pulled the DeSoto to a stop outside the Hyperion. “I am not happy about this.”

“I know, Spike, but I do need to pick up a book, and your car would be safer here in underground parking than it would at the airport. I’ll be right back.” Giles slipped out of the car, careful not to disturb Tara who was napping against the box of books that he had placed on the seat in between them.

Spike snarled and jumped when a warm hand touched him. Xander opened his sleep heavy eyes and smiled at the blond. “Don’t worry, Fangless, I’ll protect you from the big, bad, vamp.” Spike curled his lip and growled, but soon smiled as Xander tugged his hand into an embrace, twining their fingers together as he dozed back off.

Spike leaned over and pressed his face into Xander’s sable locks, drinking in the boy’s scent. He glanced up when he saw movement outside Xander’s window. Peering through the paint cracks Spike saw the door to the hotel open. He sat up, pulling his hand out of Xander’s grasp.

Xander mumbled something in his sleep and reached out again for Spike. Spike purred for a moment, hoping the sound would settle the younger man. Xander sighed and seemed to fall deeper into sleep. Spike smiled. He stopped purring the moment that the back door opened and his sire appeared.

“Peaches,” he snarled and turned to look out the windshield. The car settled as Giles and Angel climbed into the backseat. Giles slid in first and lifted the box, gently shifting Tara so that the young woman lay against his shoulder.

Angel sat and stared at the back of Xander’s head, trying not to look at his wayward childe.

“Thank you for the text, Angel. I will be sure to return it as quickly as I can.” Giles’ fingers itched to flip through the ancient scroll that Angel had found. However, with the box in his lap and Tara on his shoulder, he had little room to maneuver.

*****

Spike pulled up at the airport door, wordlessly climbing out and unloading the trunk. He piled it all on the luggage cart provided for that purpose, then slammed the trunk shut. Lighting a cigarette, he walked around the passenger’s side of the car and yanked open the door, dragging a still sleeping Xander from the car.

“C’mon, Whelp! Wake up.” He held his cigarette in his teeth as he spoke to the boy. Xander, unsteady from being pulled from the car in his sleep, leaned against the smaller figure, smiling dreamily.

“Don’t wanna, Spike. Wanna snog.” Angel’s head twisted around to stare at the two men at Xander’s whispered words. He must have misunderstood the boy.

“C’mon, Whelp! Up!” Spike shoved the other man upright, a hand held out to steady him if he needed it.

“Shit, Spike! Why didn’t you let me sleep?” Xander walked over to a bench, scowling at Spike all the while. Angel shook his head. He had misunderstood the boy. He unloaded the box of books and Tara’s carry-on from the backseat of the car as Giles woke Tara.

Spike pushed the cart into the airport, looking around for their gate. Tara and Xander supported each other as they stumbled along tiredly behind him with Giles and Angel bringing up the rear.

Angel looked over at Giles, concerned. “Is something going on with Xander and Spike?” Giles looked surprised at the question.

“Nothing beyond than their usual arguments, no. Why do you ask?” Giles lied smoothly to the brooding vampire.

“No reason.”

*****

After turning his keys over to Angel with a growled threat that his DeSoto best be in better condition when he returned than when he left it, Spike stalked down the airway towards the plane.

Xander cheerfully waved at Angel before trailing behind him. “Bye, Deadboy!”

Tara smiled and followed Xander, with Giles close on her heels. “We’ll call when we know what flight we will return on.” He turned and headed towards the plane with the rest of his group.

When Giles arrived at his seat, he found Xander sitting in front of him with his mouth open. “Wow! First class. Thanks, G-man!” He started pushing buttons and sticking his fingers into every crease and crevice he could find. Spike had already coerced a flight attendant into giving him a drink and sat next to Xander nursing his whiskey.

As more people entered the plane, it became obvious that they were the only ones with first class tickets. Tara snuggled down into the plush leather seat, drawing a blanket around herself and reading a historical fiction based on the Bermuda Triangle.

The flight attendant came through, showing them the emergency devices and procedures to follow, then asked them to put up their seats and prepare for takeoff. She took Spike’s empty glass and the family of four sat up and prepared to leave.

Once the flight was off the ground, the attendant reappeared with another glass for Spike. He winked at her, earning a glare from Xander, before polishing it off and handing the glass back.

Xander watched as a screen dropped from the ceiling and a movie began playing. Spike pushed up the armrest separating Xander and himself and tugged the boy towards him. Xander dragged the blanket that the attendant had brought him up over their bodies as they both moved until he was settled in comfortably under the vampire’s arm.

As the opening credits for The Scorpion King crossed the screen, Xander dozed off, feeling safe and secure.

*****

Xander woke up as Spike shook him gently. “Wake up, pet. We’re there.” Xander sat up and struggled to fasten his seatbelt. The attendant came by, taking another empty glass from Spike and Xander’s blanket.

Xander yawned. “What time is it?” He yawned again and leaned over Spike to look out the window.

Giles glanced down at his watch. “Almost nine.” He frowned and looked back down, fiddling with his watch. “No, nearly eleven. Time change.”

The plane landed and everyone piled off. Spike headed off to search for their connecting flight. He bumped into Giles when he returned. “Layover’s longer than you thought, Watcher.”  He pointed up at the sign that was flashing above their gate.

“Lovely.” Their connecting flight to Atlanta had been cancelled and rescheduled for seven fifteen the next night.

Giles walked to the desk and began speaking with the representative behind the counter. Xander walked off to find a bathroom with Tara while Spike looked around for an area that he could smoke in. Not finding one, he stomped over to a chair and collapsed into it, pouting.

Xander and Tara returned, laughing together. Xander saw Spike’s pout and felt his pants tighten. He hurried over and sat a few seats down from Spike, feigning disinterest. Spike scented the air and smiled evilly, turning to leer at the younger man.

Tara settled in between the two, a smirk, frighteningly similar to the one used by the vampire that she was torturing, danced across her face as she blocked Spike’s view of Xander. Just as Spike decided to say something nasty to the girl, Giles returned.

“They are putting us up in the hotel for the night. Our luggage will be sent over when it’s unloaded. Shall we?” Giles began walking towards a moving sidewalk on the other side of the cavernous room.

They walked through the airport, finally arriving at the underground entrance to the Airport Hyatt Regency Hotel. As Giles approached the desk, a young woman walked out to greet him. “Mr. Giles. We are so sorry about your flight. We have set you and your group up in one of our suites. If you need anything: food, drink, transportation, please let us know.”

Spike looked up from where he stood, staring at an intricately carved tile that covered every surface. “Transportation? Yeah, we need a car. Ta very much, pet.” Spike smiled disarmingly at the girl.

“Of course sir, if you would give me a moment?” At Spike’s nod, she walked back behind the counter, directing a bellboy to show them to their suite. Tara wandered behind the men, looking around the opulent lobby, smiling at the antics between Spike and Xander as they argued the merits of the in-flight entertainment.

“Quit, Whelp! You do not know that that would have happened. You slept through the entire bleeding movie.”

“I did too know. Anyone with half a brain could have figured it out. A guy that pretty would have to get the girl.” Xander retorted as he pushed the up button immediately after the bellboy did.

“You think The Rock is pretty?” Tara giggled out the question. The bellboy looked nervously at the jealously snarling blond as the elevator doors closed behind them.

Arriving on the top floor of the hotel, the bellboy took them down to the end of the hall, opening both doors before ushering the others in. He walked through the suite, opening the doors and windows, showing them around the rooms.

There were three bedrooms, each with a separate bath, a large living area with a small kitchen attached, and a balcony. Spike wandered into the last bedroom and hopped on the bed, bouncing slightly.

Someone knocked at the door and the woman who had met them at the front desk walked in, followed by another bell boy. The bellboy pulled a luggage cart behind him.

“Which bags in which rooms, sir?” The question was directed at Giles.

“Um, that one goes in the first room with the young woman, those two and the box in the second bedroom and the trunk, that case and that, yes, that one in the last bedroom.” Xander looked questioningly at Giles when he directed Spike and Xander’s luggage into the same bedroom, but said nothing.

Tara happily followed her luggage into the first bedroom, waving over her shoulder. “’Night!”

“Goodnight.”

“’Night, Tara!”

“G’night, luv.” Spike wandered back out into the living area and the young woman approached him.

“Here are your keys, sir. It is a blue Taurus and you can find it in lot C1. Here is the license number. This is, of course, complimentary as the airline made a mistake in scheduling your flight.” She handed Spike a set of keys and a small folder.

Thanks, pe… Thank you.” Spike had held back when he saw Xander’s frown at the familiar endearment.

Giles attempted to tip the bellboys, but they refused, insisting that the airline had made a mistake and that no money would be accepted from Giles or his companions. 

As the door shut behind them, Giles spun and glared at Spike. “And just where are you planning on going?”

“To a club.” Spike went into his bedroom. Xander and Giles could hear him unlocking his trunk.  Xander walked to the door to watch the blond. Feeling his gaze, Spike glanced up and smiled.

“C’mon, pet. Get dressed.” Spike began digging through his trunk, producing a pair of black jeans and a pale gray t-shirt. Xander walked into the room and opened his own suitcase.

“Spike!” Spike turned and saw Xander staring dazedly at the interior of his suitcase.

“Yeah, Anya made some changes.” Spike smirked at the shocked man. “Shut the door, pet.” Xander turned away from the case of unfamiliar clothes and shut the bedroom door.

Spike looked through Xander’s new wardrobe and pulled out a pair of worn looking blue jeans and a white button down shirt. “Here, put these on.” He tossed them to Xander before turning and peeling off his blue jeans.

Xander stared at the flesh before him. Curved pale buttocks, soft skin begging to be touched. Xander’s view was soon blocked by tight black denim. Spike pulled off the blue shirt and pulled on the gray. The shirt had a strange design embroidered into it. Xander couldn’t discern what it was.

Spike walked into the bathroom with his toiletries case. “Hurry up, Xan. Wanna go soon.”

Xander pulled off his loose blue jeans and shirt, blushing when he remembered that the underwear that he was wearing had more holes than material. He looked into the suitcase, hopeful. He nearly squealed with glee when he discovered that the scraps of silk he had noticed earlier were actually boxers. He found some white ones that matched his shirt and pulled them on before struggling into the worn jeans.

The cotton was soft and well worn. He wondered where Anya and Spike had found them. They jeans fit snug, not as tight as Spike’s but they did hug his body. He gingerly squatted, testing the fabric. It moved with him. He grinned and pulled on the white silk shirt, the material skimming over his body, rubbing against his sensitive nipples.

Spike walked out of the bathroom and stopped in his tracks. “Ah, pet!” Spike padded barefoot over to Xander and pulled him down into a sensual kiss.

“Get your shoes on,” Spike whispered against Xander’s mouth before walking over to his trunk and pulling out socks and his new gray Docs. He slid them on and frowned at the stiff leather. “Bloody new shoes…”

Xander quickly pulled on the Docs he found in his suitcase and stood. He grabbed his own toiletries case and walked to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and placed his toothbrush down next to Spike’s. He smiled. He still couldn’t get over the thought of the Big Bad brushing his fangs. He laughed. Pulling out his cologne, he thought about applying some and decided that with Spike’s nose, it might be better if he went without. He did reapply his deodorant and then wetted and brushed his hair before rejoining Spike.

Spike had pulled on his duster while he was waiting for Xander and was pacing the room.

He drew in a breath when he looked at his boy, his Nummy. Where the hell did that come from? He frowned at himself. He looked back up at Xander and decided that Nummy was a perfect description for the boy.

Xander stood before him in a flowing white silk shirt and soft jeans that accentuated and outlined the muscles in his legs and ass. His hair was slightly wet and longer than usual since Xander had been unable to get in with his barber before they left Sunnydale. A single sable lock dropped onto his forehead, framing one chocolate brown orb. Xander looked nervous, completely unaware of how attractive he truly was.

Spike pulled out a black three-quarter length leather jacket from his trunk and offered it to Xander. “I picked this one out myself. No help from the bossy bint.” Xander slid into the buttery leather, amazed at the feeling.

Spike looked him over once more. “Remind me to tell you something about the chit later.” He grabbed Xander and pulled him close, kissing him thoroughly. “Let’s go.”

They walked out of their room hand in hand. Giles looked up from the scroll that he had finally gotten time to read and almost choked on the breath that he was taking. The two men standing in front of him were absolutely breathtaking. One dark and one light. Each complimenting each other’s coloring and mood. Spike’s exuded sexuality and confidence. The desire for the man beside him sparkled in his eyes.

Xander looked slightly less confident, but no less attractive than the slighter man. Giles tried to stop himself from ogling his uncle and his student. “You off?”

“Yeah.” Spike had not missed Giles’ appraising look. “We’ll be back. Club I’m thinkin’ of used to stay open until two or so. No idea if it’s even still there”

He kept hold of Xander’s hand as the younger man said goodbye. “See you soon, G-Man!”

THE TRIANGLE 12