Nesting
“What about Calli? It’s short for Callista, which means most beautiful, and Kali, the Hindu Goddess of Death and Destruction. That’s pretty and it’s all…scary-like.”
Xander’s voice floated into the room that would be the nursery and Spike paused in his painting. “No, luv. Too much like collie, and the first bugger that calls my little girl a dog I’ll have to rip their lungs out.”
Xander had wanted to help with fixing up the nursery but Spike had put his foot down. Taking it easy did not mean painting and letting his all too-human lungs fill up with smelly chemicals. As it was, Spike was having a hard time dealing with it and had to take breaks to get the scent of it out of his head.
They had chosen a light green to pain the nursery in, with a border of jungle animals to match all the damned plushies Xander had bought in New York. Still, at least it wasn’t pink. The furniture they’d ordered had arrived and they were keeping it in one of the empty apartments until they had everything ready for them to just move it in.
They had bought a crib that would convert into a toddler’s bed in oak with a changing table, dresser and armoire to match. At first Spike hadn’t understood why they would need so much storage for such a tiny creature but, after reading they would need crib sheets, retaining blankets, bibs, and towels, not to mention a variety of baby clothes, he now worried that they wouldn’t have enough room. There was a cradle that rocked to keep the baby in the living room and kitchen area and something called a co-sleeper to put the child in bed with them on nights she would be fussy that would convert into a playard. Whatever the hell that was.
It was a good thing he was besotted with his little girl already; otherwise he’d be feeling like a right poof, playing with colors and moving furniture around.
“What about Catherine? It means pure. Wasn’t she like a Russian Queen or something?”
Spike snorted. “Or something. Is that with a C or a K?”
“Either way would be good. Why?”
“Katherine was the woman in Taming of the Shrew. Like the idea that my girl is a she-demon.” He grinned at hearing Xander’s chuckle from the other room. Xander did have a bit more energy after two weeks and two transfusions of blood with Spike’s added to it. The fun thing was that it had given the baby inside him a growth spurt. At the beginning of August he was seventeen weeks along and looked it.
“Okay, I’ll put that down on the maybe list. What about Charlotte?”
Spike shook his head and then realized Xander couldn’t see it from the other room. “Too girly. Either that or she’ll end up getting called Charley and I’m not doing that to her.”
“You know, we could just go for the funny and name her Lucy or Mina.”
Spike could tell Xander was baiting him, could hear the laughter in his voice, but he couldn’t stop himself. “You do that, Xander, and I’m divorcing you and claiming full custody. That would be downright cruel to my girl.”
The laughter he was expecting rang through the apartment and Spike put down the roller he’d been using on the wall and went to lean on the door to the living room.
He couldn’t help but smile at the image he was presented with. Xander was lying on the couch, pillow behind his back, wearing a pair of sweat pants that had been cut off at the knees. They had only been awake for an hour or so and Xander had yet to comb his hair, giving him a tangled look that made Spike’s fingers itch to run through it.
Spike could see obvious signs of his mate’s pregnancy. Xander was heavier, only by about ten pounds but his face had rounded some. The skin around his nipples had darkened but they were both glad of the fact that it looked like there would be no milk production. Xander had said that he was stretching his masculinity enough by having a child; he didn’t need to be turned into a buffet for the baby after it was born.
What made Spike so amazed was Xander’s torso. It was obvious that he was pregnant; well, a normal person might think there was something wrong with his liver or something, Xander being male and all, but there was a definite swelling in his stomach that made Spike fascinated. He loved rubbing the bump with lotion, soothing any stretch marks Xander was getting, just wanting to touch. And the fact that Xander didn’t even try to hide it just made him love his mate so much more.
Although it was a good thing that Xander was staying inside. Spike had seen how some humans would just walk up to a pregnant woman and rub her belly, even if they didn’t know her. If that happened with his Xander he’d be forced to rip their arms off. No one was going to touch what was his.
“What about Darcy or Daria?”
Xander’s voice shook him from his musings and Spike walked to the couch, picked up Xander’s feet and sat down. He put his lover’s feet in his lap and started rubbing. “Not naming our baby after a cynical cartoon character.”
Xander snorted and the swung his legs up off Spike’s lap and sat up. “I’m just glad we know it’s a girl, that narrows the name field down a lot.”
He stood up and Spike pouted. “Oi! I just got here, where are you going?”
Xander’s voice called out over his shoulder. “Where I’m always going these days, Spike, to the bathroom. I swear to god I would get a freaking gallon jug and put it by the bed at night if it wasn’t so messy. I see the bathroom more than any other room in this apartment.”
*****
“Hey, look at this!” Xander pointed excitedly at the laptop’s screen. They were in the kitchen, Spike was cooking a steak with baked potato, broccoli and carrots on the side and he was trying to distract himself from the thought of vegetables. He was getting used to it, but he still didn’t like it.
“M’busy pet, what is it?”
“It’s a pram that turns into a stroller when your baby gets old enough to sit up. Best thing is that its all-terrain, will go over rocks or whatever.”
Spike flipped the steaks that were on the grill set into the middle of the stove and looked over and snorted at him. “Yeah? Planning on taking the nipper hiking or something?”
Xander laughed. “Lover, I have never went hiking in my life, and I don’t plan on starting now. But it does have a really neat look, is sturdy and…it comes in red and black. Very manly looking. Think of it as the SUV of strollers.”
“Yeah? That would come in handy like, especially if we take the nipper out for a walk and end up fighting off any nasties. Bet we could get Red and her witch to put some protection charms on it, maybe even find a way to store some weapons on it. What do you think?”
Xander cocked his head to the side and looked at the picture on the screen. “On one hand I’m seeing some definite weapons making capabilities. I bet we could hide some sort of sword or something in the handles. On the other hand it’s a stroller, not a tank. Then there’s the fact that it’s called a Runabout Pram, and that’s making me flash back to a few Deep Space Nine episodes and that’s just my weird brain talking.”
Xander shifted in his chair. It was padded but he was starting to have problems being comfortable. “Plus it’s just odd, I mean, an All Terrain Stroller? Wild. Still, we haven’t gotten anything like that yet and I think it’s just what we would need.”
“Sounds good to me, Xan, whatever you want. Now clear that stuff away and eat.”
All through dinner they talked of normal things, sitting side by side. More names for the baby, what else they needed to buy, their appointment with Joanna the next night. It was nice but weird. And certainly something Xander would never have thought in a million years they’d ever be doing. Traveling the world, eventually being turned and Spike teaching him how to hunt and how to deal with being a vampire he’d been ready for. Discussing what kind of high chair they’d need had never been on the list of things to plan for.
He found himself picking at the bowl of fruit that was his dessert and felt Spike nudge him. He smiled wanly at his mate.
“Xan, luv, what’s wrong?”
“Spike, tell me the truth, are you okay with all this? This domestic stuff?” He chased a slice of strawberry around the bowl, not wanting to look up in case Spike was disappointed somehow.
“’Course I’m okay with it Xan, you’d know if I wasn’t. Why do you ask?” Spike had reached over and stopped his nervous twiddling and held Xander’s hand with his own.
Xander looked up and searched Spike’s face, wanting to know if that was the truth. “It’s just…this isn’t what we had planned. We talked about a lot of things we’d do in the future; you taking me on a tour of Europe and all sorts of things, but buying baby clothes and staying home all the time…that was never what we wanted.” He took a deep breath. “I just…don’t want you feeling trapped, that’s all.”
Spike looked at him and Xander could tell by the way his mate’s head was turned to the side that Spike wasn’t just going to reassure him to make him feel better, that he was actually thinking about his answer.
“Xander, when you live as long as I have you learn to deal with the unexpected. Not well all the time, mind you. When Dru kicked me to the side I was a right mess. But in time I was thankful for that, because her actions made me notice you. I wouldn’t give you up for all the world. But falling arse over teakettle in love with a human was unexpected. Just like this has been. Never wanted a little one, most of them are screaming little balls of shite and snot. Then they learn to talk and get mouthy and things go downhill from there.”
Spike leaned over and put his hand on Xander’s belly, caressing it ever so slightly. “But seeing this, knowing that there’s something that’s been made out of both you and me? I get the feeling that it won’t matter how much she’ll scream and snot, because she’ll be ours. It’s the one and only thing I’m grateful to the bloody Initiative for, and I’ll admit there are days when that sticks in my craw. The fact that the people who caused me the greatest pain have given me my greatest happiness.”
Spike’s eyes were that impossible intense blue of the ocean and Xander knew in his heart his lover was telling the truth. He smiled softly and leaned forward, kissing his mate lightly while covering the hand on his stomach with his own. By the time they pulled apart he felt reassured and contented. “Thank you, Spike, I know it sounds clichéd and sappy but I’m glad you’re glad.”
Spike stood up to clear his dishes, but not before pressing a kiss to the top of Xander’s head. “Git. I’m glad that you’re glad that I’m glad. Now, go sit in the living room and find something violent for us to watch on the telly. Any more sweetness and my fangs will have cavities.”
*****
“What about Stephanie Xan?” They were lying in bed, Xander’s head on Spike’s chest, and Spike found the words he’d told his mate earlier to be doubly true. He might hate the Initiative with a passion but holding Xander in his arms, both hands resting on the curve of his stomach, that was as close to heaven as Spike ever wanted to get. The television was playing some early morning news show and he tuned out the chatter to listen to Xander’s heart.
Xander shifted in his arms and turned the page of the baby name book they’d been looking at. “Are you kidding? There were two Stephanies in the Cordettes. Along with an Aura, a Harmony and a Tiffany. I so don’t need to be reminded of my time of emasculation. What about Sylvia? After that poet, Sylvia Plath?”
Spike shook his head and Xander turned the page and then another. “There aren’t that many great T names are there? I mean Tammy is just so…blah. And I really can’t see a little girl with your curls with the name of Tallulah or Tangia.”
Spike smiled into the back of Xander’s neck and grabbed the book out of his hands. “Right then, let’s see…” He began to flip pages more quickly. “Teresa? No, knew a Teresa once, she was a ball breaker, that one. Tonya? No. Trista? Hell no. I’m not even going to look at the U’s. Valerie? No. Veronica? No, too Archie. Victoria, maybe. She made a right good Queen. Violet, no. Vivian, maybe. Wanda, hell no. Yoko, double hell no, I don’t care if it is a Japanese demon. Zelda no but Zoe maybe. Is that enough of a list to go with the others now? Can we please stop the torture soon?”
Xander was giggling quietly, trying to contain his laughter and Spike fought off the urge to tickle him, even a little. His poor mortal lover couldn’t handle it anymore, or rather his bladder couldn’t and Spike had quietly admitted to himself that, while he could face down many demons with no fear, his mate’s bathroom habits were his own.
He did, however, nudge the man in his arms, just a bit. “And just what are you giggling at?”
Xander took a deep breath and composed himself enough to answer. “The thought of you reading Betty and Veronica!” And then he was off on his giggling spree again.
Spike just shook his head. “Used to sell them at all the newsstands, couldn’t help but see them.”
“Sure, Spike, keep telling yourself that.” Spike just softly squeezed his mate and went back to looking through the book. Xander settled down finally and lay there in his arms.
A little while later Xander had been almost asleep when suddenly he jolted from his place. Spike shook him gently. “Bad dream, luv?” It was getting to be morning, the usual time they slept, but Xander shook his head.
“No, I just felt…weird. Like I was being tickled from the inside.” A quick hiss of indrawn breath and Xander grabbed at his middle. “It did it again! Spike, I think that was the baby!”
Spike placed his hand by Xander’s and they both went still. They waited like that for some minutes before Xander turned disappointed eyes on him. “I guess she finished turning around or whatever she was doing, I’m sorry you didn’t get to feel it, Spike.”
Spike brushed the hair out of Xander’s face and kissed him softly. “Don’t worry, pet, I’m sure I’ll have plenty of chances.”
Xander smiled ruefully. “I’m sure in another couple of months we’ll both be sick of it.” Xander squirmed and made a move to get up. “And I think what I felt was our little girl stepping on my bladder.”
Spike shook his head as he watched Xander make yet another trip to the loo. His poor lover was going to make a track in the rug, and he wasn’t even five months preggers yet. He really hoped Xan’s blood pressure was better when they visited the sister/midwife tomorrow. He didn’t think Xander could handle drinking any more water.
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