********************************

Xander began flipping through the stack of CD's on top of his stereo.
He could hear Spike talking to Graham from behind him. Was a little
pissed off to hear that Spike seemed to be unaffected by the Alcohol
they'd been drinking. Xander didn't want to admit to himself that the
pretty much empty bottle of Whiskey which the three of them had
started drinking was causing him to have problems finding the CD he
was looking for.

//Maybe I just need something to eat to sober me up.//

Xander stared at the CD in his hand, couldn't tell if it was Deep
Purple or Deep Dish, assumed it wasn't Deep Purple because hey this
was his house after all and there was no way he'd ever own a CD by
them.

Xander still looking at the CD was pleased to hear the
doorbell. //Thank God... food.// He quickly hoped for the best and
inserted the CD, hit the play button and went to check on the door. A
little wobbly on his feet he was pleased to see Graham was already
there. Three pizza boxes stacked in his hand, delivery guy in the
doorway.

Graham paid the delivery boy and closed the door, handing the
steaming pizza boxes to the other man.

Spike had also stood and moved into the kitchen.

Xander dumped the boxes on the table in the living room and sat back
down, feeling a little more secure now he was sitting. He smiled up
at his lover standing before him, pleased to see his face was also
flushed from the effects of their drinking. Xander held up his hand
to Graham and pulled him close. Rested his head flat against his
stomach. Xander could feel Graham run his fingers through his hair.

Xander began to rub his face against Graham's stomach, arms wrapped
around the other man. He could feel the heat from his lover's body
through the thin fabric of the shirt he was wearing. Xander closed
his eyes, breathing in the scent of the other man.

Xander let out a sigh when he felt the other man move away. He
reluctantly removed his arms from around Graham's body unsure at
first why he couldn't continue to hold him.

Xander opened his eyes, he could see Spike standing in the doorway to
the kitchen, he hadn't heard Spike speak but the Vampire had
apparently needed his lover's help. Xander could see the Vampire
smiling at him, he simply smiled back, leaning back on the couch,
arms thrown above his head. Xander knew he was feeling a little
drunk. He just sat there while the Vampire watched him.

After a few seconds Graham came back into the room, three plates in
his hand. He smiled at Xander as he put the plates down on the table.
Xander watched his lover standing before him, still smiling.

Spike followed a few moments later, a steaming mug in one hand,
another bottle in the other. He put the bottle of Whiskey down next
to the almost empty one on the table as the others helped themselves
to the Pizza.

**********************************

'That is so not true.' Xander was pleased that after four //or was it
five?// pieces of pizza he was feeling a little more able to rejoin
the conversation, a little less drunk.

'Oh yes it is whelp. You were cowering in the corner and I had to
save your arse.' Xander waited till the blonde had resumed eating
before he spoke again. He focused his attention back on his lover who
was sitting close to him.

'Who do you believe, Gray? Me or the evil soulless Vamp we invited
into our home, hmmm?' Xander looked confused. 'Why did we invite him
in?'

'Cause I saved your arse ? again.' Spike looked pleased with himself,
drained his glass and moved to refill all three.

'Oh, maybe you're right. Anyway I still think the you trying to kill
me thing kinda counteracts all of that anyway.' Xander now felt
pleased with himself. Moved to reach for his glass and almost spilt a
little.

'Woah there tiger.' Laughter clearly evident in Spike's eyes.

'I'm fine Spike, co-ordination's just not my thing. Anyway the plan
is to get you drunk.' Xander took a drink from his glass, hands now
more steady.

'Oh, so that's the plan is it?' Spike leaned forward in his seat,
putting the plate he'd been holding down. Eyes now locked with the
man before him.

'Yeah, we're gonna get you drunk and make you dance for us, Deadboy.'
Xander couldn't control the laughter now, was pleased to hear Graham
had joined in beside him.

Spike just shook his head, 'Ah but you see Pet, I'm not Deadboy.
Deadboy's in LA. You're gonna have to come up with another insulting
name for me.' Spike looked pleased with himself.

'Shouldn't be too hard.' Graham quickly bit into the piece of pizza
he'd been holding. The scowl thrown his way from the blonde almost
too much.

'Oh is that right, Soldier Boy? Think you can come up with something
huh?' Xander was trying hard to control himself now, Spike sitting
opposite feigning injured pride, his lover next to him almost choking
whilst he laughed.

'How bout Bleachboy?' Graham said around a mouthful of Pizza. He
looked thoughtfully between Spike and Xander.

Xander trying not to laugh, 'How 'bout Shithead?' Unable to stop
laughing now, Xander threw his head back. Could feel Graham laughing
next to him, the two almost doubling over. Xander could even see
Spike laughing, the Vampire shaking his head from side to side.

The two finally seemed to regain control, Xander could feel Spike's
eyes boring into him. 'That's a real nice attitude, I'm not drunk
enough for this.'

Xander had to try and restrain the laughter again, not believing for
a second that Spike was being serious.

'It's only fair Spike, you never call me by my name. Like they say if
you're gonna give it you gotta expect to take it as well ? or
something like that.' Xander blushed slightly as he realised what
he'd said. The Vampire before him raising his eyebrow questioningly
began to smirk in response.

'Fair enough.'

'He called you by your name that night he helped save you.' Xander
turned to see his lover smirking at the blonde, he gave his hand a
squeeze in response.

Spike looked almost flustered. 'Yeah well, you know what it's like,
the whelp helped me out when I needed it, blood and fags 'n all.'

'Who?' Graham leaned forward, still holding his lover's hand in his.
Spike rolled his eyes in response.

'Xander.' Graham nodded in response, pretending to finally understand
him.

Xander stood up, still a little unsteady on his feet. He began to
collect up the half empty pizza boxes and the used plates from the
table. 'Not too hard, eh Bleachboy?'

Spike just grunted in response.

Xander started to move towards the kitchen. Quickly, before he could
even notice, Spike was on his feet before him surprising the other
man.

Graceful fluidity changing the human lines of his face. Hard ridges
appearing, fangs extending, demon now standing before him. Growl
coming from deep inside his chest. Graham quickly jumped to his feet.

It took all of Xander's control to not drop the plates he was
holding. He could tell Spike didn't mean it, he just smiled at the
Vampire in front of him, knew his heart was racing but was glad to
see Spike look a little bashful.

He started to move past Spike, hoping that he wasn't trembling too
much. He let his voice carry back over his shoulder as he started to
move out of the room. "Oh I do love a manly man.'

He could hear Graham start to laugh behind him, could see him sit
back down. Turning to face Spike he was pleased to see the ridges
disappearing from his face.

Xander stood in the doorway, eyes matched to the Vampire's. After a
few moments the blonde sat back down. 'Have another drink Spike, stop
being so pointy. We're supposed to be saying thank you, remember?'

The Vampire just nodded, began to smile and reached for his glass.

tbc