Talented Boy     by EntreNous

There’s a power outage. Xander can’t sleep. Spike helps.

“Oh, that’ll speed up the electrical repairs, whelp.”

“Leamme ‘lone.”

“With pleasure.”

“If you’re so happy to leave me alone, how come you’re lying over here?”

“Well, can’t very well leave you to grouse and fret in the dark, can I?”

“Can’t you?”

“No. ‘Sides, think of it this way. I’m on the other side of the bed, so you don’t have to wonder whether I’m creeping around your basement looking for sharp objects—”

“urk.”

“Skulking about…strategizing…setting up for attack…”

“Okay, I get it. Just stay on your side, buster.”

“Can do.”

*Sigh.*

“Look, what’s going to help you go to sleep and wake up only when the sun comes out like a good nummy? You’ll have light enough in a few hours.”

*Sounds of frustrated humming.*

“Pet?”

“Whenever there’s a power outage, songs start running through my head.”

“What sort of songs?”

“Songs about the dark. About lights going out. S’the only way I can stop from freaking out. And it helps if I can sing them out loud.”

“Like?”

“Oh, you know...like the They Might Be Giants song Whistling In The Dark.”

“Can’t say I’m familiar with that.”

“Or that J. Giles song.”

“J. who?”

*Singing*
“Dancing in the dark! To the radio of love (light’s out, uh huh)”

“Stop it! Stop right there.”

“Maybe it’s a Peter Wolf solo song, though”

“Does it matter? It’s rot!”

“I can’t help it. The songs just start rattling around in my head. And then I have to sing them out loud to get them out of my head.”

“Please tell me you’re not going to belt out rubbish all night in that tuneless croak of yours?”

“Did I mention that this is my basement? My bed? My pillow that you’ve currently stolen and are probably preparing to drool on?”

“Oh, for the love of—carry on, then.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t have to be so huffy.”

*Silence*
*Singing*
“Turn around, bright eyes!”

“Wha—”
*Singing*
“Every now and then I fall apart!
And I need you more tonight. And I need you more than ever.
And if you’ll only hold me tight, We’ll be holding on, forever.”

“Cor, this one’s much worse.”
*Singing*
“And we’ll only be making it right
‘Cause we’ll never be wrong—”

“Christ, Pet, have some mercy.”
*Singing*
“Together we can make it through the end of the night!
Your love is like a shadow on me all the time.
I don’t know what to do, I’m always in the dark—”

“What in the bleedin’ hell song is that?”

“Total Eclipse of the Heart. Where were you in the 80s?”

“It’s complete and utter trash.”

“Spike do I have to go through my list of what’s mine in this room again?”

“No, no—just pick better songs!”

“Why don’t you pick something?”

“ ‘Cause I’m not the one with the odd penchant for caterwauling during power outages, you great gallumping ninny!”

“Look, if you come up with a good song, I’ll go to sleep like a good boy, and no more American-Idol audition horror-show crooning.”

“Well, when you put it like that…”

“Thought you’d see it my way. So…”

“Ahem”

“Go ahead.”
*Singing*
“I wake up in the mornin’,
and I ain’t got nothin’ to say,
I come home in the evening,
wanna change my clothes my hair my face
And I ain’t nothin’ but tired
I’m just so tired and bored with myself.
Come on baby…
I could use just a little help”

“Cool, the Boss!”
*Singing*
Can’t start a fire
Can’t start a fire without a spark
This gun’s for hire
Even if we’re just dancin’ in the dark.”

*Silence*

“Spike?”

“Yeah, pet.”

“What’s dancing in the dark mean?”

“Oh, come on.”

“No, seriously—I never—”

“Fucking.”

“Oh.”

“Doing the nasty.”

“Okay, I—”

“Shagging someone right into the mattress till they scream for—”

“Sheesh, I’m on board now, quit it!”

“Poor nummy.”

“What?”

“You’re blushing.”

“Am not—you can see that?”

“Sure I can. Can see quite well in the dark, actually.”

*Silence*

“Um. What else can you see?”

“Oh, I can see that dawn is still about four hours away. I can see you flopped over there with your hair standing on end and your eyes all big like saucers.”

“Really?”

“Oh, yeah. And I can see your arm right here, and your shoulder, right there…and your collarbone…and your neck, and…”

“Spike?”

“Yes, love?”

“You’re touching my lips. Those are my lips you’re stroking. As in belong to me. As in—mmmmmmmm.”

“Uh.”

“Uh---mmmmm.”

“Nice.”

“Oh!”

*Silence*

“Those are my lips!”

“So you keep telling me.”

“What the—oh. Oh.”

“Just—a little—”

“Mmmmm. Oh, god. Don’t—mmmmmmm.”

*Silence*

“Nummy? You okay over there? ‘Cause we can—Mmmmmmm.”

“Oh, man. Uh. Mmmm.”

“Where’d you learn to kiss like that, whelp?”

“Dunno. Can I…”

“Oh, yeah.”

*Kissing Continues*

“Okay, so I still can’t see a damn thing. So how come everything feels all blurry? And is it me, or is it really really hot in here?”

“If you’re hot—why don’t you—Here, let me.”

“Oof. Lemme just raise my arms and—Oh!”

“Been working out?”

*Slightly Hysterical Giggling*

“Oh pet, that’s nice.”

“Maybe if you take off yours?”

“Hang on a mo'.”

“Okay, weird, ‘cause guy-chest, but—wow—you feel incredi—”

“Mmmmmmm”

“Mmmmm. *whimper* Oh yeah, right…up there.”

“Tasty neck you’ve got.”

“Uh, thanks. I think.”

“Not going to hurt you, love.”

“Okay, I…what’re you…oh….*gasp*…oh.”

“Like that?”

“Ooooh. Guh. Ow!”

“Sorry.”

“S’okay. Just don’t pinch and twist there too hard.”

“How’s this?”

“Uhhh.”

“Better, yeah? Oh, keep doing that, pet.”

“Nice…shoulders. And…oh…arms. Uhhh. Eep! That tickles! Oh, you want to…um.”

“Can you just lift your—then I can slide these down…oh, pet.”

“I’m not sure if we should do—Oh, fuck. Oh.”

“Mmmm.”

“Good god.”

“Mmmmmmm.”

“Oh. Yeah. Just—Damn, they’re not kidding about vamps and oral fix…fixay…fixation—oh, geez. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Please—more—wow…uhhhhh…don’t stop. Just—yeah…yeah…oh…god. Spike…Spike. Spike! Uhhhhhhh.”

“Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.”

“Wow—the swallowing was gr—that was—are you licking your fingers?”

“That a problem?”

“No, I—am I insane that I think that’s really hot?”

“C’mere, pet.”

“ ‘Kay. What do you want me to—”

“Gimme your hand.”

“Oh!”

“ ‘S’okay. You’re okay. Go ahead. Oh yeah, just like that.”

“Feels…oh, god…you feel really…nice…uh.”

“That’s right, keep on…oh, well done…just, lower…uh! Yeah! Faster!”

“Can’t believe I’m doing—”

“Shhh. Just—don’t talk for a—right—oh, nummy.”

“This okay?”

“Slide that finger down more—now just—yeah! Ohhhhhhh! Christ! Fuck! Xan!”

“Mmmmmmm.”

“Mmmmmmmm.”

“So I guess that was okay?”

“Smashing.”

“Okay!”

“Bloody brilliant.”

“Go, me!”

*Silence*

“Spike, guess what song I’ve got in my head now?”

*Spike singing*:   “Strangers in the night, Exchanging glances
Wondering in the night, What were the chances
We’d be sharing love…Before the night was through—”

“No, actually, but—that’s pretty appropriate.”

“Spot on, I’d say.”

“I like to listen to you sing.”

“Like to hear you, pet.”

“Really?”

“Well, not so much the singing as the other—ow!”

“Big Bad Blue Meanie.”

“Oh, come on love…”

“Mmmmmm.”

“Mmmmmmmmm. Oh. Mmmmmmm.”

“Spike? Don’t you want to hear what song I did have in my head?”

“Oh, why not.”

“Well you know that Prince song…Get Off…just that line…*singing*:     ”Lemme show you baby, I’m a talented boy.”

“That you are.”

“Well? Let me show you?”

“Oh, yeah.”

------The End--------

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