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Coercion 10 How to Be Happy It was still well before dark, but much
later than Spike expected when Xander returned, his arms loaded. “Spike! I got
a job. It’s minimum wage, but it will hold me until I find a real job. Plus,
Alan gave me an advance and I got a suit!” Spike just got out of the way as
Xander came babbling in and dumped his stuff on the couch. “I went and got
copies made, splurged for the good paper, too, and then I went to Goodwill. I
forgot they were closed on Sunday, but there was this man there, and we started
talking. It seems he is the district or regional manager of the Goodwill stores
in this area. Anyway, he was waiting for them to deliver this big truck full of
stuff. Seems one of their near-by stores burned and this stuff had to be off the
truck and put somewhere. I told him I was going
to buy a shirt to go job hunting and he asked to see my resume! He said he was
hiring some guys on to sort the stuff out! Just that minute the truck pulled up.
It was one of the five-room size trucks. Anyway, I helped unload. He was so
impressed, he paid me cash, hired me for the next indefinite period, starting
Tuesday, and let me pick out an interview suit!” Spike felt quite breathless when
Xander paused to pull out the suit. It was a year or two out of style, but a
serviceable dark blue. “Very nice, Pet. You should get it dry cleaned before
you wear it.” Spike didn’t tell the boy about the whiff of formaldehyde he
caught. “Oh, right. Don’t want to go
out smelling like a basement.” Xander put the suit carefully aside and reached
in one of his other bags. “I got a couple of books, too. A Bradbury novel for
me. ‘Dandelion Wine’ and a book of pre-raff… Pre-Raphaelite poetry for
you.” Xander shrugged and held it out. “It looked like something you’d
read, well, long ago. They get all kinds of books donated, cheap! These were a
buck each.” Xander had flipped through the book, and hoped he could get Spike
to read some of it to him. It seemed suited to his proper voice. “Thanks, Pet.” Spike took
the book and ran an eye over the titles. Some of these were familiar. Many were
down right romantic. “Sounds like you’ve had a busy day.” “I have! Alan gave me a ride
home. I talked him to stopping for doughnuts, but I couldn’t think of a sane
way to stop for blood.” “Sounds like this Alan has
taken a liking to you.” “He’s a great guy!” As
Xander talked, he moved around the room, carefully putting his folder full of
resumes on the shelf by the want ads and hanging up the suit. He held out the
doughnuts to Spike, but the vampire shook his head. “He’s got two kids and a
wife and the guy driving the truck told me I couldn’t have a better boss. I
have to go in tomorrow around ten and fill out some paperwork.” “You need to hit those jobs we
circled, too.” “Yeah, I do. It’ll be dark
in a couple of hours. Want to go out for a couple of those big burgers the
Bronze serves? My treat for once!” “As long as you keep enough to
get that suit cleaned, sure.” Spike sat back and watched as
Xander sorted and washed laundry, chatting away as he did so. Spike didn’t
know if happy chatty Xander was in improvement or not. Xander stopped at one
point. “Can I call the gang? Invite them? I mean, if you’d rather it be just
us…” Spike chuckled. “If you do
that, I’ll find my own meal, we don’t want to have to explain why you’re
treating your least favorite vampire to dinner.” “But, you wrote my resume! I
wouldn’t have been hired without it.” Spike glared at him. “If you
tell them that, tell them I did it for money. That way, they won’t ask me to
write one for them.” +++ That night, after much fun for
Xander and glaring for Spike, the two made their way home. Xander watched as
Spike passed from streetlight to streetlight. “Why aren’t you floating,
Spike?” “Huh?” “The other night, last time we
went Bronzing, you seemed to… glide.” Spike thought quick. He’d not
been in seducer Spike mode tonight. He’d been glare at Buffy and her toy mode.
“It’s being around that cardboard boyfriend. He smells like…” “Like the labs. And machine
oil. Yeah. And I
don’t like him much. I mean, he kept throwing jabs at you.” “Like you never do.” Xander held up a finger. “My
jabs are always well timed and to the point. I don’t have to constantly hit
until I connect.” “That’s right,” Spike
drawled with a smile. “Every insult you throw wounds me to the core.” “And always will. Especially
now.” Spike stopped and let Xander
walk a few more steps before following. “And what does that mean? You tell
them what I proposed and I’ll… Xander turned and walked
backwards a couple of steps. “I now know where you’re ticklish.” “I am not!” Xander turned back around and
kept walking. “Um, humm.”
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