Title: Moon
Fandom: Buffyverse

Pairing: Spike/Xander
Rating: PG

Summary: Xander’s up on the top of the castle, looking at the moon. Spike’s sniffly.

Notes: Written for day 12 of my 23 Ficlets project to celebrate my 23^rd anniversary in the community

Moon

Xander found getting away and staring up at the moon the most sobering and calming activity since moving to Scotland. He’d never asked for this life; it had been thrust upon him when he had been a kid in high school. He couldn’t have imagined back then how long and difficult a road it would be. So much had changed, but the moon… the moon was the same. It was the same moon he’d looked up at in Sunnydale when he’d gone patrolling with Buffy through the cemeteries. It was the same moon he’d seen the night before the Battle at the Hellmouth when he had lost Anya and, technically, Spike.

“Hey love.”

Xander smiled, both at his partner’s appearance and at the reassurance that Spike hadn’t been lost for good. “You found me.”

“Not so hard to do,” Spike said, climbing the last stair and walking over to sit beside Xander on the castle battlement. “You always come up here to think.” He rubbed his hand up and down Xander’s back. “Are you worried about what the witches saw?”

Xander didn’t answer apart from shrugging. It was as good as a yes, though.

“You worry too much.”

“Considering what’s at stake, I don’t think I worry nearly enough.” After all, it was only the fate of the entire world in their hands.

“Hhn.”

Xander’s head snapped to the side. He knew that sound all too well. “Are you getting sick...?” The word ‘again’ died on his lips, but they both knew it was there anyway.

And Spike didn’t say a thing, because he couldn’t lie and deny it but neither could he bring himself to confirm it. It was like all those decades of being a vampire and immune to diseases and viruses were catching up with him now that he was human. Hopefully this was just another cold and nothing worse.

Placing the back of his hand against Spike’s forehead to feel for fever was a gesture his younger self would never have believed him capable of. “Not hot,” he declared.

Spike frowned. “I’m plenty hot,” he objected, his hand to his now beating heart as if the declaration had wounded him.

Xander smirked, taking his meaning. “Maybe for the 1970s.” He tugged on the sleeve of Spike’s black leather jacket. Then his hand slid up and his fingertips stroked Spike’s short, platinum blonde hair.

“For the ‘70s and for you, luv.”

He wasn’t wrong there.

“Hhhhh!” Spike pressed his fist against his nose, which was twitching with an approaching sneeze. Sometimes, with some pressure or rubbing at his nose, he managed to get them to go away. Most times, however, he couldn’t stop them. Like this time, for example. “HihhShoo!”

“Bless you,” Xander said reflexively. “Let’s go inside before you get chilled.”

“Too late.” He scooted over toward Xander who immediately wrapped an arm around him, pulling him close. The leather jacket was more of a fashion statement than anything else, but he was still glad that Spike had the extra layer.

Of course, now that he had Spike snuggled against his side, he didn’t want to move. He had his man and had the moon and, for a few minutes of his life, everything was just that simple.

“h’Shuhh!” Spike sneezed, his hand cupped over the lower half of his face as he snapped forward.

Not that simple after all. “Inside. Into something warmer. Into bed.”

“Mmm. Bed sounds wonderful.” Xander stood and pulled Spike up with him as well. As they moved toward the stairs, Spike looked over his shoulder and up at the moon. “Don’t like the moon anyway.”

Xander froze. “What? Who doesn’t like the moon?”

“Someone who spent a century staring at it and wishing to see the sun.”

That made sense. Xander pecked his cheek. “Well then, let’s come up here during the day sometime. Coffee and scones and a flannel blanket and a beautiful sunrise.”

“Sounds good to… hnn! Hhh…  h’urchoo! Hihchoo!”

Xander patted Spike’s chest then guided him to head down the stairs first. “But let’s wait until you’re feeling better.”

Sniffling, Spike nodded and headed toward their room.