Blood And Chocolate
(A Christmas Story)
Author: Pattyanne
Feedback: Oh, yeah...
Rating: NC-17
Part 1
~~~~~~~~~~
"I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Beneath the Christmas Tree"
~~~~~~~~~~
"So...what do you think?"
Buffy smiled at her sister, who was perched on the
top of an aluminum ladder she'd dragged out of the
garage earlier that day.
Stepping back a few feet, the slayer cast a critical
eye over the enormous pine tree in her living room. "The
star's too far left. Push it a little to the right...too far...
perfect."
She winced as Dawn jumped down off the ladder,
without bothering to use the rungs. Preparing to scold,
she was thrown off course when the girl suddenly
flung her arms around her and hugged her fiercely.
Buffy returned her sister's affectionate embrace. It was
hard to stay angry at Dawn for very long. She was too
good natured and affectionate to resist. Especially
since....
She pushed the sad thought firmly away. This was their
first Christmas without their mother. It was going to be
difficult enough as it was, and certainly wouldn't be made
better is she started to cry.
"So, come on," Dawn asked again. "What do you think
of the tree?"
"I think," Buffy said sincerely, "that it's the nicest tree we've
ever had. Not to mention the biggest."
The Douglas fir that Xander had wrestled into the house
that morning was almost eight feet tall. It towered over
the Summers girls like a redwood over Lilliputians.
Buffy turned off the lamp, leaving only the sparkle of
colored tree lights to illuminate the room.
Joining her sister on the sofa, she slipped one arm
around Dawn's shoulder and pulled her close. The girls
snuggled together in companionable silence as they
watched the lights twinkle.
Then the peace of the room was abruptly shattered when
the front door suddenly swung open with a bang.
"Where in bloody hell did THAT come from?"
The two on the sofa turned their heads simultaneously
as Spike strolled into the room. With his hands jammed
into the front pockets of his jeans, he stopped in front of
the tree.
"Xander brought it," Dawn answered. "Isn't it beautiful?"
Spike looked the tree up and down, then up again. "I
wouldn't say that." Removing his jacket, he tossed it over
a nearby chair.
Dawn moved over on the sofa, opening a space between
her and Buffy, who gave him a cool look as he sat down.
"Well, what WOULD you say?" she asked tartly.
"I would say...gaudy. Messy. And.." He tilted his head
slightly, "the star is crooked. Should be farther to the left,"
he informed her with a smirk, reaching for her hand. "Shall
I go on, luv?"
Buffy scrambled away, managing to shove her heel into
his abdomen as she did. "No," she replied, balancing on
the arm of the sofa. "And don't touch me," she added,
kicking at the hand he'd extended.
"Hey!" he protested, retrieving his hand. "Is that any way
to treat the man who loves you?"
The slayer turned her back and stuck her nose in the
air. "You don't love me."
Spike slid down to the end of the sofa. "Yes, I do."
"Do NOT!"
"Do SO!"
"Huh!" She folded her arms across her chest. "A likely
story."
When she felt his hand on her hair, she leapt off the
sofa completely and began fiddling with the tree ornaments.
Sighing, Spike caught Dawn's eyes, then glanced at the
stairs, silently requesting cooperation.
After trying to avoid his gaze, she gave him an "Oh, all RIGHT!"
roll of her eyes and complied, taking the stairs two at a
time.
He waited until he heard Dawn's bedroom door close, then
stood up. "Now," he said, following Buffy as she circled the
tree. "Why are you saying that I don't love you. I know you
don't believe it...but why are you saying it?"
"Because, if you loved me, you wouldn't insult my Christ-
mas tree." She turned on him, hands on her hips. "I happen
to like Christmas trees, and...and Christmas cards...and
Rudolph!"
"Rudolph?" Spike frowned. "Who the hell is Rudolph?"
"Rudolph," Buffy explained. "Red, shiny nosed reindeer.
Flies through the air and...so on."
Spike snapped his fingers. "Oh, THAT Rudolph," he
said, grinning. "The one out in front guiding all the other
near sighted reindeer on their yearly breaking and enter-
ing jaunt around the world."
Buffy nodded. "He guides Santa's sleigh on one foggy
Christmas Eve."
He just looked at her, completely charmed. "How old did
you say you are?"
"When it comes to Christmas?" Buffy made a face at
him. "About six and a half."
"Isn't that sweet?" he said, watching her as she puttered
with the tree. "So, um...what do YOU want for Christmas,
little girl?" he asked softly, inching closer.
~~~~~~~~~~
"I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas...is you."
~~~~~~~~~~
She sniffed, sidling away from him. "A boyfriend who loves
me."
"Oh, bad luck, sweetie," he commiserated. "That part's
already been cast. How about a puppy?"
Buffy stopped moving away from him. "What kind of puppy?"
Spike stepped directly behind her and slipped both arms
around her waist. "What kind would you like?" he asked,
kissing the side of her neck.
She felt herself getting very warm all over as he nuzzled
her. "Well, I always wanted a...wait a second, no!" Shaking
her head to clear it, she shoved him away. "Knock it off
and go away!"
"Now, baby," he scolded gently. "You know you don't mean
that."
No, she didn't. But...
"I do SO mean it," she insisted. "I'm...I'm breaking up with
you...and I don't ever want to see you again, so just....get
lost! Shoo!"
He held out his hands plaintively. "But, baby...at least tell me
why."
Buffy turned her back and shrugged. "Because we have no-
thing in common," she grumbled, resuming her exam-
ination of the lights and ornaments.
"Buffy." Spike shook his head slowly. "You know that's not
true. Give me one good reason why you believe it."
A pause. "You're a vampire...and I'm not."
"That's a fact, not a reason," he said, following her on her
travels around the tree.
"Okay. You're a vampire and I'm a slayer."
Spike nodded agreeably. "A technicality," he said, catch-
ing her when she tripped over an extension cord. "What else?"
She tried to think as his arm tightened around her. "I'm
a day person and you're a night person."
He just smiled. "You're a night person, too, you silly
little girl."
"I" she announced with finality, "am Christmas cheer and
YOU are bah-humbug." She threw herself down on the sofa
in mock despair. "It's hopeless."
Spike plopped down beside her. "Oh, I don't know. I can think
of a few things we have in common."
Buffy frowned and pointed a finger at him. "Don't talk dirty
in front of my Christmas tree."
He gazed into her eyes, trying to repress laughter. "You can
be totally infuriating and completely adorable all at the same
time. How do you DO that?"
"It's part of my charm," she replied airily. "There's no
explaining it."
"Hmm." He pulled her onto his lap, a little surprised
that she allowed it so easily in her feisty mood. "I wasn't
talking about anything we do in bed...or out of it, for
that matter."
She looked skeptical. "Oh, no?"
"No," he said firmly. "And, frankly...I'm a bit hurt by your
implication. Bed isn't all we have in common."
Buffy folded her arms across her chest. "Do tell."
He thought for a moment. "We both like chocolate."
She sat up straight in his lap. "You don't like chocolate!"
"Course I do," he insisted. "I've always...."
"Hold it!" She raised one hand, cutting him off. "When I
baked brownies for Dawn's science club bake sale...you told
me that you hate chocolate...that it makes you nauseous."
"Right." Spike had the grace to look slightly ashamed. "I
did, didn't I? Well...actually..."
Buffy gasped, her eyes as round as silver dollars. "Why, you
rat! You big...RAT!"
"Now, baby..."
"Don't you "now, baby" me!" She pointed an accusing
finger, jabbing his chest with her nail. "You don't hate choco-
late! You just didn't want to eat something that I made!"
"I'm sorry," he tried to explain. "I didn't want to hurt your
little feelings, baby." He lifted his hand to touch her.
Buffy slapped it away. "But you wouldn't even try them!"
"Ow!" He snatched his hand back. "Look, I didn't need to try
them," he said in his defense. "Even I know that you don't
bake a pan of brownies for two hours."
"I did NOT bake them for two hours!"
"Buffy...the smoke alarm went off."
"I...but you.." she sputtered. "Oh, shut up!" There was a
long pause as she sulked. "You know," she finally said,
"that just proves you don't love me."
"WHAT?" He stared at her, exasperated. "How the HELL
d'ya figure that?"
She poked him in the chest with her finger again, right around
the area where a stake might go. "Because, IF you loved
me, you would have...you should have...."
"Choked it down?" he offered.
"Yes!" She nodded emphatically. "That's what people in
love do for each other!"
Spike felt her preparing to bolt, and tightened his hold
on her. "So, let me understand. You're telling me that the
next time we dine together and I have...extremely rare
meat...you're just gonna join right in?"
Buffy looked at him, trying not to smile. "As long as
it's not still mooing."
He smiled back at her, delighted with her humor. "See
what I mean? Totally infuriating and completely ador-
able." Sliding one hand behind her neck, he pulled her
towards him. "Now, kiss me and tell me you love me."
She allowed his lips to almost meet hers, then turned
her face away. "I don't think so."
"Hey, that's not nice," he said, wrestling her lower on
the sofa. She freed one hand and punched him in the
stomach. "Not very 'spirit of Christmas' m'love."
"What do YOU care?" she demanded, smacking the hand
that was trying to sneak up under her shirt. "You don't
like Christmas anyway. You," she grunted, trying to
dislodge him, "are a very...bad...man!"
"Yeah," he leered. "And that's just how you like your men,
isn't it, Slayer?"
Calling up all her strength, Buffy shoved him as hard as
she could. Spike held on, and they both rolled off the sofa,
landing on the floor with a loud 'thud'.
A door creaked open upstairs. "What was THAT?" Dawn
yelled.
"Nothing," the pair on the floor answered together.
Dawn wasn't satisfied. "Are you guys fighting?"
"No!" Buffy shouted. "Go to bed!"
There was a long pause. "Ohh," Dawn said, sounding
very "I know what YOU'RE up to" and closed her door.
In the living room, Buffy stared down at the vampire cur-
rently stretched out beneath her. "You give?"
Spike thought it over. "I might."
She pushed down harder. "Don't make me have to hurt you."
He laughed and lunged at her, pretending to bite. "But,
baby, you hurt me so good."
Buffy gave him the most seductive smile she could pro-
duce. Leaning closer, she waited for him to relax his hold,
then jumped to her feet.
Placing one small foot in the middle of his chest, she held
him prone on the floor. "You know what?" she asked with a
smirk. "There's something very appealing about you in this
position. Flat on the floor. Beat down. Under my...HEY!"
Her voice rode up the scale when he wrapped his fingers
around her foot and yanked it out from under her, bringing
her to the floor in a graceless heap. "Nice try, baby."
Keeping a firm grip, he pounced and began tickling her
without mercy.
"No, stop...cut it out..." She was dissolving in helpless
laughter.
Spike knew where every sensitive place on her body was
located, and he laid siege to them all. "To quote a famous
slayer...I don't THINK so."
"But I...I can't breathe...I'm...not kidding.." she panted.
He released her then, watching with a huge smile as she
rolled away and climbed back up on the sofa, holding the
sides of her ribs.
"That was SO not fair," she gasped.
Spike stood up and tucked in his shirt. "Well, you're a
pretty tough little cookie, cookie. I have to take my ad-
vantages where I find 'em." Pushing his hands into the
front pockets of his jeans, he leaned against the wall.
As her body began to settle down, Buffy stared thought-
fully at the Christmas tree, seemingly hypnotized by
the colored glow and sparkle of the lights.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do
Baby, all I want for Christmas..is you."
~~~~~~~~~~
Spike was the first to break the silence. "You're gonna
be sorry that you were so mean to me." He walked around
the back of the sofa and stood directly behind her, taking
a small black velvet bag out of his right front pocket.
Buffy continued silently contemplating the tree, until
a heart shaped pendant dangling at the end of a fine
gold chain appeared in front of her, and she gasped.
"Spike...?"
Leaning over, he whispered, "Happy Christmas, sweet-
heart," and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Do you fancy
it?"
"It's..oh, it's just..." Buffy caught the pendant in her
fingers. There was another short chain hanging at the
bottom of the heart, less than an inch in length, with
a heart shaped ruby on the end of it.
"Turn it over," Spike suggested.
Buffy did, and saw the words engraved on the back of
the pendant, 'Together forever', in delicate script.
He took the necklace and undid the clasp. "Hold up
your hair," he said, placing a light kiss on the nape of
her neck when she obeyed, and raising goose bumps
on her tender skin as he fastened the chain.
Buffy jumped up. "I want to see it!" she squealed,
running to peer into the mirror by the front door.
After a moment, she turned and launched herself into
Spike's waiting arms so hard that she almost sent
them both back down to the floor.
"It's beautiful...thank you," she said, lavishing him with
affectionate kisses. "I love it...and I love you," she
grinned. "Not necessarily in that order."
"Love you, too," he said, tightening his arms around
her. "And you're welcome."
Scooping her up in his arms, he carried her back to
the sofa and sat down with her in his lap. "Comfy?"
"Very," she nodded.
"Then you can go on thanking me."
~~~~~~~~~~
"I just want you for my own
More than you can ever know.."
~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Thank you," she said sweetly, placing a feather light
kiss on his lips and laying her head on his shoulder.
"It's the nicest Christmas gift I've ever had."
The room was quiet for a while, then Buffy suddenly
climbed off Spike's lap. "Be right back."
He reached for her hand. "Where are you going?"
But, she evaded his touch. "I have something for you
in the kitchen," she explained, her eyes alight with mis-
chief.
"The kitchen?" he repeated. "What's in the..." His words
trailed off as a moment of clarity smacked him right
between the eyes. "You didn't...you wouldn't...not again."
"Oh, wouldn't I just?"
Spike glared at her for a moment, then stood up. "I just
remembered something I have to..."
"Tough." Buffy placed one hand on his chest, and pushed
him back down. "You even THINK of leaving that sofa and
I will nail you to it."
He watched her retreat into the kitchen. Mentally evaluating
his chances for a successful get-away, he began to stand up
slowly, hoping she wouldn't hear the creak of the sofa springs.
"SIT DOWN!" came out of the kitchen.
With a long sigh, Spike did as she said, trying not to think
about what kind of horrible concoction she'd be bringing him.
"The things I do for love," he growled.
Buffy emerged from the kitchen with a plate heaped high
with, as he'd feared, brownies.
"For you," she announced, presenting it to him with all
the flourish of a waiter in a five star restaurant.
Spike studied the plate with an utter lack of enthusiasm.
"Do I have to?"
"You love me.." Her eyes narrowed. "DON'T you?"
"Passionately," he assured her. "But I think I'd almost
rather be staked than eat one of those things."
"Keep it up with the wise cracks, and that's exactly what's
gonna happen to you." When he still hesitated, she said, "Oh
come on...it's not like they can kill you."
"So YOU say." He tried to stall. "How come you made
these...things...if you thought I hated chocolate?"
Buffy shrugged. "I changed the recipe. Now, try one."
Seeing that he couldn't distract her long enough for him
to shove it between the sofa cushions, Spike selected the
smallest brownie he could find and brought it slowly to
his mouth.
Buffy sighed impatiently, shifting from one foot to the
other. "You know, if you take this long to eat all of them,
we'll be here until judgement day."
"What do you mean, ALL of them?" He looked hor-
rified. "Why do I have to eat ALL of them?"
She was done arguing. "EAT IT!" she yelled at him.
"I'M EATING IT!" he yelled back. He took a small bite,
then looked at her in honest surprise. "This isn't bad."
Buffy smiled widely. "Ha!" she said, and stuck out her
tongue.
"Put that back in your mouth unless you're planning
on using it," Spike said automatically. He took another
bite of the brownie, his eyes opening wide when a
familiar taste filled his mouth. "You put BLOOD in
these. That's how you changed the recipe."
"Uh-huh," she nodded, pleased with herself. "You like
them?"
"Very much," he said, smiling at her. "My clever little
girl."
Setting the plate down on the coffee table, Buffy resumed
her place on Spike's lap. She picked up another brownie
and fed him bites of it, laughing when he nipped at her
fingers.
"You should probably label those," he said. "Someone else
is liable to eat one by mistake."
"Too late," she sing-songed.
Spike saw her eyes light up with humor. "Tell me."
"Well," Buffy said, pointing at the table. "These are my
second batch. I made the first one this morning and...remem-
ber when Dawn told you who brought the tree?"
He could see it coming. "Yeah."
She nodded. "Put it this way...Xander never met a piece
of chocolate he didn't like, and before I could stop him..."
"He ate one?" Spike asked, trying to hold back explosive
laughter....
Buffy shook her head. "He ate three."
....and failing completely.
When the belly laughs had died down to soft chuckling,
Spike attempted to get himself in some sort of control.
"Did...did you tell him?"
"Well, of course." She made a face. "NOT!"
"Let me do it," he begged, squeezing her affectionately. "Please."
Buffy shook her head. "Absolutely not."
"But why?" he whined.
"Because you'll enjoy it too much," she said.
"I won't," he insisted sincerely. "Cross my non-beating heart
and hope to you-know-what."
"Yeah, right," she scoffed. "Now tell me another one."
Spike kept pressing. "If I promise?"
"You'll never be able to keep that promise in a million
years," she said. "And you know it."
There was a long pause.
"If I promise to TRY?"
Buffy presented him with her chocolate smeared fingers,
grinning as he licked them clean. "Let it go, honey."
Laying her head on his shoulder again, she sighed with com-
plete contentment when she felt him stroking her hair.
They stayed that way, in companionable silence for a
while, and Buffy began to feel drowsy. She closed her eyes
and was nearly asleep, when Spike gave her a gentle shake.
"Hey, it's gone past midnight," he said. "Happy Christmas,
luv."
"MERRY Christmas," she corrected him, sleepily, lifting
her face. "Love you."
"I love you, too." He obliged her with the kiss she was
asking for.
"Mmmm...wonderful," she murmured.
Working his arms beneath her, he stood up. "Even better."
Her head dropped back to it's rightful place on his shoulder,
as though it had suddenly become too heavy for her to hold
up.
"Now," he informed her, "it's time for all good little girls to
go to bed."
"Really?" she asked, without opening her eyes. "And where
do all the bad little girls go?"
"Anywhere they want." He carried her upstairs, and placed
her in the exact center of her bed. Sitting down, he tugged
off his boots and crawled up the bed towards her, stretch-
ing out on top of her, supporting his weight on his forearms.
She gave him several long and intense kisses, then suddenly
placed her hands on his chest and pushed him away. "Get
up."
Spike was confused. "What's wrong? Am I hurting you?"
"No," she said. I just have something to show you and I
want to get it before we...."
He smiled wickedly. "Before we...?"
"Just get up," she said again, with a slightly harder push.
Spike obediently rolled off her, watching as she reached
for something under the bed.
Rummaging around, Buffy pulled out a battered white
sneaker. "THERE you are," she said, tossing it to one
side.
Groping around agan, she brought out a stake. "That's
not it," she mumbled under her breath.
"Christ, I HOPE not!" Seeing her slide further over the
edge of the bed, he grabbed her hips to keep her from
taking a nosedive onto the floor.
"Ah-ha!" She came back up, clutching a plastic bag. "Be
right back." She bounced out of bed and went into the
bathroom with the bag. "Close your eyes."
Spike started to say something, then sighed and leaned
back against the pillows, arms crossed behind his head,
eyes closed.
"You can open your eyes now."
He did, and it felt as though his heart actually skipped
a beat at the sight he was being presented with.
"Do you like it?" Buffy stood framed in the doorway, one
hand on either side of it, posing for him.
Spike was having trouble thinking clearly. "Yeah,"
he finally managed to say. "What's not to like?"
"Black is still your favorite color...isn't it?"
"No," he said, watching her intently. "The color of your
eyes is my favorite, followed closely by the color of
your hair."
She was immensely pleased at the compliment, and
she smiled for him.
"Although," he continued. "You can never go wrong with
black. 'Specially," he added, swallowing hard. "black lace."
"I thought you'd feel that way." She strolled casually around
the bed, keeping herself just out of his reach. "I bought it
with you in mind."
"That so?" he said, a delighted grin on his face. "Well, thank
you."
Buffy took a step closer. She gazed at him flirtatiously
from beneath her lashes.
The bodice of the nightgown she had donned was made of
snug lace, with a neckline cut nearly to her navel. Supports
built into it lifted her breasts, pushing them slightly together
and causing a deep cleavage.
Spike's eyes were riveted on those curves, and he wondered
idly just how the flimsy material was keeping her breasts
inside of it. They seemed so eager to burst out of their
lace prison and be free, and he was very willing to provide
assistance.
The lower part of the gown was a full skirt of black satin
with lace trim. It fell all the way to the floor, and swished
around her legs when she walked.
"So, um...are you my present, then?" Spike asked, watch-
ing every move she made. "You're not gonna make me
wait until tomorrow morning to unwrap you, are you, luv?"
He crawled to the end of the bed on his hands and knees,
and frowned when she stepped back.
The impatience on his face made her smile. "Tell me you
love me," she said.
Spike sighed and shook his head. He was ready...MORE
than ready...to make love, but apparently, baby wanted
to play, and he knew what his role in the game was. "I
love you."
Buffy placed her hands on her hips. "How much?"
"More than ANYONE.." He paused for effect. "ever has or
ever will."
She tilted her head appealingly. "But do you love me more
than you've ever loved anyone else?"
"You know I do."
"ANYONE?"
Spike clenched his jaw. "Yes! Anyone!" he said, holding
out one hand to her.
The answer pleased her. He'd told her many times that
he loved her far more than he'd loved Drusilla, but Buffy
never got tired of hearing it.
She placed her hand lightly in his, and his fingers closed
around it possessively. "Do you think I'm pretty?" she
asked.
"No," he replied, tugging gently on her hand, and smiling
when she pouted. "I think you're the most beautiful girl
I've ever seen."
"Am I sexy?" She slid her free hand down the front of
her thigh, gathered a handful of black satin, and began
slowly pulling it up.
Spike watched as she bared the peaches and cream
skin of her thigh. "Incredibly sexy, luv," he assured
her, looking at her with eyes darkened with desire.
He rose to his knees, still pulling on her hand, moving
her closer.
Buffy licked her lips enticingly. "Am I a good lover?"
Dropping the material of her gown, she placed her
hand on his cheek, her thumb tracing the arch of his
cheek bone.
He automatically turned his head, pressing a
lingering kiss into her palm. "You're a wonderful lover,"
he said, locking her gaze with his.
"Best you've ever had?" She began to unbutton his
shirt.
"Christ...YES." Sexual arousal made his voice drop
into a lower register. He placed his hands on her waist
molding her upper body against his. "No one compares
to you, baby."
Buffy shivered all up and down her spine at his tone,
taking in a sharp breath when she felt him begin to kiss
and nuzzle the side of her neck.
"What are you waiting for?" she whispered. "Unwrap me."
Spike didn't hesitate. Tightening his embrace, he turned
her in his arms and lowered her to the bed. After moving
her a little higher up the mattress, he reached for one
strap of her gown.
Buffy lay beneath him, and his world was rocked at
the look in her expressive green eyes. So much love,
and it was all for him. She had placed her heart in his
hands, and was trusting him to keep it safe.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Make my wish come true
Baby, all I want for Christmas is you.."
~~~~~~~~~~
TBC
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