Xander was bored. He was young, healthy, and bored. The room in which he was imprisoned didn't even have a radio let alone a television, and the books were all in foreign languages or were even more boring than he'd thought possible. Now that he no longer spent every waking moment in fear and/or pain, the boredom had crept in.
Plus it was Christmas, and while Christmas with his family was a nightmare in its own right, at least he'd always had friends to hang around with and watch Charlie Brown Christmas with.
No Snoopie dance this year, though. He'd been a prisoner since Thanksgiving and had missed all the Christmas specials.
His captor was obviously the Grinch.
Snorting slightly at his ability to joke even now, Xander wandered over to the barred window and glared out into the night. Several of the houses down the street were garishly decorated with lights and one even had a blow-up Santa listing drunkenly to one side on top of the roof.
There were no signs of the Season around this place. He didn't even have a stocking!
Though, really, that shouldn't be a surprise. Why would an evil, soulless--again--vampire celebrate Christmas?
As his thoughts drifted to the vampire who'd captured him a month before, raped, tortured, beaten and nearly killed him, Xander frowned and sank down on the end of the bed. The first three weeks had been hell. Xander shuddered just remembering the pain and abuse. But the last week had been...weird.
No more beatings, gentle touches, still sex but it really hadn't hurt much, and plenty of food and sugary drinks.
He couldn't figure it out, but having lived with abusive parents, he'd learned how to go with the flow and accept the good and the bad.
If Angelus wanted to drop to his knees and give him a blowjob rather than rip off his head, Xander really wasn't going to protest. And he was no longer chained up, left dirty and bleeding. It was weird letting a guy, especially an undead one he really hated, touch him and hold him, but, again, better than death.
Not that he liked the monster or anything. No, it was just easier this way.
As he mulled, the door opened and Angelus entered the room carrying a large plastic bag. Xander looked up, eying him warily--he might revert back to earlier form at any time, lesson number twenty-six of the abused child's handbook--and wondered for the millionth time why he'd had to come back from hell without his soul. What good was that doing anyone?
"I brought you a present, Xander," Angelus crooned, setting the bag on a table and removing a gaily wrapped box from it. "A Christmas present."
Xander slipped from the bed and joined the vampire at the table. He forced himself not to flinch as Angelus went from stroking the ribbon of the package to stroking the back of his hand.
"Open it."
Glancing up, Xander was surprised to see both eagerness and hesitation on the vampire's face, but he obeyed and tore open the wrapping paper. Inside was the newest version of Playstation and several games.
"I know it's boring in here for you. I'm having a television delivered tomorrow so you can play when I'm not here to entertain you. Do you like it?" There was a weird tone to Angelus' voice that made Xander want to squirm but instead he replied with as authentic a 'thank you' as he could muster.
Angelus made a pleased noise. "Good. Now show me how grateful you are." Catching one of Xander's hands he drew it between his legs.
Xander dropped to his knees in resignation, his mind wandering to the new Final Fantasy game even as he worked his captor's zipper. At least he wouldn't be bored any more.
End