Lilah’s head shot up. Her boss had managed to surprise her-again. “They need more time.”

The older man shook his head. “You don’t have it. Figure something out, and soon. Otherwise…” He walked out, leaving an unsettled Lilah behind to think up a solution.

She flipped through her notes, reviewing everything she’d collected on the three men. After a moment of contemplation, she picked up the phone. “Nancy? Call in the sorcerer. We need a Vraiyl.”

•••

“You’re sure there are none of the demons in Sunnydale?” Giles asked Xander.

The young man bit back a snide comment. “Yes, we’re sure. Look, Giles, we’d be able to feel them, and we can’t. Has Buffy seen one since that first encounter?”

“No,” Giles admitted. “I am not questioning your judgment, Xander. It is simply that after all you and the others have gone though… I would like to think you did so for a good reason.”

“So do we,” Xander replied. “But we’d rather nobody got hurt by these demons. At the moment, there probably aren’t any in this world at all. Makes me wonder about Cordelia’s visions.”

“They have been…suspect in the past,” Wesley added. “Despite her protestations, there is a chance that these visions were not from The Powers.”

“I agree,” Giles murmured. “From what I have read, and your own memories from the Altenalium, the Vraiyl should be overrunning the place.”

Xander nodded. “We’re keeping up the training, and we’re watching for them. Maybe her vision wasn’t a right-away thing, you know?”

“That is a distinct possibility,” Giles said. “One that might be preferable, considering that you need time to learn to use the Altenalium.”

Xander’s response was cut off as Buffy entered the Magic Box. “Xander!” She growled. “What brings you out of hiding?” She looked over at Wesley and Spike, who were lounging against the counter, arguing over some musty old book.

“Giles wanted to talk,” Xander murmured. He felt Spike’s mood plummet when the Slayer walked into the store. Maybe it was time to leave; after all, they’d already told Giles everything they had to tell. Both Wesley and Spike agreed that exiting would be prudent; neither wanted a confrontation with the obviously unhappy Slayer. “We gotta go, G-man. Errands to run.”

“Call if you find anything,” Giles said as the three men exited the shop. “Satisfied?” He shot at Buffy. “They’re gone.”

“Yes,” Buffy replied shortly. “They need to be out finding those demons, not hanging around here.”

Giles sighed.

•••

“Do we actually have any errands to run?” Xander asked as they walked to his car. “Although I’m happy to just get out of there.”

“We need food,” Spike murmured.

::We always need food,:: Wesley replied. ::You’re worse than Xander, Spike. I believe you’d eat anything.:: Spike immediately thought up a few things he really wouldn’t mind putting in his mouth, causing both Wesley and Xander to trip and fall flat on their asses.

::Spike!:: Xander screeched. ::That was way mean!:: The redhead turned around and reached down to hoist the two men up.

::He said it first,:: Spike said, looking at Wesley. ::And don’t tell me you didn’t like the idea, ‘cause I know you did.::

::Perhaps we should go to the store,:: Wesley stated. ::We’re low on quite a few things, if I recall correctly.::

::Absolutely right,:: Spike concurred. ::Boy doesn’t have any lube in the apartment at all.:: This time Wesley had the foresight to reach out and catch Xander before he slipped again.

::Spike, you’re gonna pay for that,:: Xander swore.

::I hope so,:: Spike replied happily.

The Wal Mart was crowded with a rush of after-work shoppers and Wesley had to fight a couple with five children for the last shopping cart. They pushed and jostled their way though the aisles, trying desperately not to get separated. It wasn’t easy; they couldn’t all keep a hand on the cart with all the traffic pressing around them. Xander kept getting separated, pushed down side aisles as they passed them. Once he got far enough away that Wesley and Spike couldn’t see well and they had to lurch into a less-popular aisle until Xander could catch up. It wasn’t easy to regroup with all the people *and* the killer pain of separation double-teaming them.

::Any reason why you guys are hugging the diapers?:: Xander asked as he caught up with his lovers. ::Or is this some kind of kink you managed to hide?::

Spike looked down at the shelf he was huddling against. ::Shut up, or I’ll put you in one,:: He swore. ::Come on, we need milk.::

The milk and juice aisle proved to be a completely different type of adventure. ::There isn’t any milk,:: Wesley commented. ::It is all gone.:: Xander peered into the refrigeration units.

::Wow. You’re right, there isn’t any. Did I miss the weather alert for snow? I mean, since when do we sell out of milk?::

“What about juice?” Spike said, looking at the ninety or so varieties of juice lined up in cartons.

“Fine by me,” Xander replied. “But it won’t go over cereal.”

Spike nodded and reached for a carton. “Do you want guava nectar or mango-peach-banana-passion fruit?”

Wesley peered over the redhead’s shoulder. “Is there something wrong with orange?”

“They’re out,” Spike stated. “They’ve got orange-banana, orange-tangerine-banana, orange-nectarine, orange-peach, orange-peach-strawberry, orange-strawberry-banana, orange-pineapple, orange-pineapple-banana, banana-raspberry, banana-strawberry-blueberry, orange-grapefruit, orange-grapefruit-passion fruit, orange-apple-“

“We get the picture,” Xander interjected. “What about frozen juice?”

“It’s worth a shot,” Wesley muttered. “I hate guava nectar.”

The frozen juice was, fortunately, better stocked, so Xander grabbed a dozen cans of plain, pulpless orange juice concentrate. ::Look! Entennman’s miniature fudgy doughnuts!:: Before either Wesley or Spike could grab him, Xander had foisted three boxes into the car. ::Ok, what else do we need?::

Spike pushed the cart across the store. “More shampoo, toothpaste, and lube.” He resolutely ignored the gasping lady beside him, who grabbed her three small children and glared at him when he said lube. In fact, he kept talking. “Wes, do you have a preference? This place is a bit limited, but I do know they’ve got KY, Astroglide, and maybe Slick.”

Wesley thought for a moment. “I prefer Astroglide. It doesn’t get gummy as quickly.” The lady squeaked and ran away, her children trailing after her.

::You two did that on purpose,:: Xander accused. ::You didn’t have to say that out loud.::

::Of course we didn’t,:: Wesley replied. ::But it was fun, wasn’t it?::

The three men were soon ensconced in Wal Mart’s very small sexual accessory aisle. ::Why do they have pregnancy tests, yeast infection medication, lube, and condoms all in one place? I mean, lube and condoms I get, but the other? Trying to scare us, or is there some really popular antifungal crème fetish I don’t know about?:: Xander asked as they perused the offerings. ::And do we need condoms? Please answer silently!::

::Strictly speaking, we do not need them for protection,:: Wesley replied. ::We were all clean before the Altenalium, which is meaningless since we cannot get sick now. However, they can make cleanup a bit easier, although some people do not like them.::

::Same reasons why guys don’t like them during…the other kind of sex?:: Xander asked. ::Please note how I am not freaking out.::

::Good boy. We’re proud, we are,:: Spike assured him. ::I’d go without, if it’s all the same to you. Showers aren’t that bad for cleanup. Besides, spermicide makes my mouth numb.::

Wesley finally grabbed the lube, a bottle of Astroglide. Spike immediately procured three more. “Don’t want to run out over the weekend, do we?” He asked innocently. The man behind him inhaled sharply. Spike turned around. “Oh, did you want one? I think we took them all, but we can spare one if you need it.” He held out a bottle.

“N-no, sounds like you need it *way* more than me,” The man replied shakily. “But have fun!”

Spike glanced over at Xander, who was trying to find a spontaneous black hole to suck him into oblivion, and Wesley, who was comparing condoms. “Oh, we will, don’t you worry.”

Finally, after another half an hour of Spike prowling through health and beauty aids, looking for unscented mineral oil, they made it to the checkout. ::Why is the cashier staring at us?:: Xander asked the others. ::She looks scared.::

Wesley glanced down at their purchases, scattered on the conveyor belt. ::Xander, we’re buying thirteen cans of frozen orange juice concentrated, three boxes of miniature chocolate doughnuts, four pounds of grapes, ten pounds of sirloin, two dozen eggs, three five-pound packages of flour, two containers of vegetable shortening, a bag of potatoes, three flavors of jelly, some chee-tohs, a peach, seventeen mushrooms, four bottles of personal lubricant, a gallon of unscented food-grade mineral oil, seven packages of disposable razors, five cans of shaving cream, a set of screwdrivers, fifty yards of nylon rope, and a bath towel.::

“We forgot the bloody spatula,” Spike muttered. “Next time, eh?”

Xander just went up to pay for their stuff. “You guys having a party?” The cashier asked. “Like, a sex party? This is some seriously weird shit.”

“No,” Spike replied evenly. “It’s the boy’s first time and we want him to enjoy having his cherry popped.”

To his credit, Xander didn’t fall down. He didn’t stumble, or squawk. He just handed over his credit card, signed the slip when it came up, and started pushing the cart out of the store. “I am never going to show my face in Wal Mart again.”

Spike grinned, as did Wesley. Yes, it had been evil, but it was Wal Mart! That place needed shaking up every now and then.

•••

Xander sat at the bar while Wesley worked out the quantum physics involved in getting all their food into the fridge. Spike was helping, mostly by holding things as Wesley shuffled them about. The lube kept drawing his attention and he finally broke down and opened a bottle, just to see what it was like.

::’Bout time,:: Spike thought. ::You’ve been staring at it for fifteen minutes.::

::Never seen any before,:: Xander admitted. ::Well, I have, but I’ve never used any.::

::That’ll change,:: Spike promised. ::Soon, too.::

Wesley shook his head. ::Not until we get the food put away. Xander, tell me again why we needed all this juice?::

::Just put about four cans in the fridge. We’ll use them today and tomorrow,:: Xander suggested.

::Good thinking,:: Spike remarked. With a few cans out of the way, the freezer door closed. Wesley stepped back and leaned against the counter.

::Now what?:: The ex-Watcher asked. “Do you want to go out on patrol?”

“No,” Xander murmured. “We won’t find anything anyway.”

“Wanna see what you can do with that?” Spike inquired, referring to the lube.

“Dunno,” Xander admitted. “Still sorta freaked out.”

“But not enough to not try,” Wesley stated. “You know you don’t have to.”

“I know,” Xander said, standing up. “But I want to.” And he did. The idea of seeing either man, or preferably both of them, spread out and naked on his bed was very enticing. He wanted that. A lot.

Spike grinned. “Right, then.” He reached out and snagged the bottle from Xander. Wesley collected the younger man, pulling him along by the arm as they headed for the bedroom.

::How are we going to do this?:: Xander asked. He couldn’t help but think of drawing diagrams, which was a killer of a turn-off. He just didn’t understand. Well, he did, but he didn’t. It was complicated.

Wesley smiled softly and reached for the boy. ::Do whatever you want to. That’s all.::

Xander thought for a moment. ::Whatever I want to?:: So if he wanted to suck on that patch of skin right between Wesley’s shoulder blades, he could. The young man turned Wesley in his arms and pulled his shirt up, exposing a strong, smooth back. He dimly heard the older man gasp as he latched on, laving the spot with his tongue. Xander felt warm, slender hands tugging at his clothes and he let his arms be moved around so his shirt could be unbuttoned. Those same hands were warmer and smoother as they brushed over his naked skin, making him shudder against Wesley. They tweaked his nipples, scratched lightly down his abdomen and paused briefly on his hips.

::Xander?:: Spike thought softly. ::Y’ok?::

::Fine,:: He murmured back. Wesley moved away briefly, turning to face Xander. He pressed them tightly together, letting his mouth drag along Xander’s in a series of open-mouthed kisses. Spike reached around Xander to wrap one hand around Wesley’s neck, even as the other dropped between the two men to cup Xander’s erection.

::Spike!:: Xander moaned as he bucked into that hand. Spike pressed harder against Xander, thrusting his erection against the boy’s ass. The friction was delicious, making the redhead groan and shake. Xander took one step to the side, trying to direct them towards the bed. None of them were steady on their feet and he was afraid they’d end up in a pile on the floor.

Wesley made quick work of Xander’s clothes, aided greatly by Spike. Xander in turn helped divest Spike of his clothes, laughing when Wesley couldn’t get the former vampire’s boots untied. Spike finally reached down and did it himself, used to the strings. Xander tried to distract Spike by running his hands through the man’s hair, pulling slightly. Spike kicked his boots off and pounced, rolling Xander higher onto the bed. Wesley helped hold him down while Spike reached unerringly for ticklish spots.

::Not nice, pulling hair,:: Spike warned Xander. He scooted back down the bed, trailing his hands over Xander’s stomach. He grinned and dipped lower, turning the boy over partially. Xander started struggling when he got a mental drift of what Spike was about to do.

::Spike!:: Xander thought frantically. :Noooo…:: Spike pressed his mouth onto the spot just behind Xander’s left knee. Then he began to suck and lick. Xander tried to kick away, but he couldn’t. A warm hand surrounded his cock, starting a lazy rhythm. Xander’s eyes flew open to see Wesley bent over him, poised just above his erection. He watched in aroused shock as the older man lowered his head and swallowed the tip of Xander’s cock, swirling his tongue around it repeatedly. Xander closed his eyes again, trying desperately not to just come then and there. Wesley’s mouth was hot and wet and knew just where to touch him to send him into orbit.

Spike moaned as he felt what Xander did-Wesley’s mouth on him. He released Xander’s leg and sat up, moving around slightly behind Wesley. The ex-Watcher reluctantly released Xander’s flesh, not wanting the boy to come too soon. ::Lean up a bit,:: Spike ordered. Wesley did so, feeling the redhead caress his ass and run a finger down the crease between his buttocks. Xander sat up and moved around to watch, having been made curious by the obvious pleasure Wesley got from the touch. Spike coated two fingers in lube and returned them to Wesley’s ass, tracing around the man’s hole. Wesley leaned against Xander and groaned as the first finger slid in, stretching him a little as it did so.

::That’s…:: Xander murmured. It was odd, even as an echo from Wesley, but not unpleasant. He felt a bit… Xander ceased thinking for a moment when Spike found Wesley’s prostate and began to massage it. Soon Xander was thrusting back just like Wesley was, though no one was touching Xander to make him do so.

::Xander?:: Spike thought, trying to catch the boy’s attention. After a moment Xander looked over at the redhead.

::What?:: Xander asked, distracted. Spike picked up the lube with his free hand and tossed it to the boy. Xander sort of stared at it for a minute, until Spike sent him a rather vivid picture. ::You gotta tell me what to do, ok?:: Spike nodded and resumed his leisurely torture of Wesley.

The ex-Watcher writhed around Spike’s fingers, trying to get them deeper. The redhead was reaching deep, stroking his prostate and generally driving him insane. Xander’s awkward nervousness did nothing to reduce Wesley’s arousal, even when he saw what Spike wanted. Never let it be said that the former vampire lacked ambition; he himself wouldn’t have thought possible what Spike wanted, not when Xander had no experience whatsoever.

Xander coated a finger in the slippery lubricant. He ran his dry hand down Spike’s back, reaching lower to expose the tightly puckered hole hidden there. Spike showed him what to do, making sure that Xander felt everything he did to the redhead and got Spike’s reactions as well. That way Xander didn’t worry he was hurting Spike at all. The redhead was tight and it took a bit of pushing to get the first finger in, but it wasn’t hurting Spike, so Xander continued. If Spike’s reaction was to be believed, it was actually pretty damned good.

Wesley shuddered under the combined onslaught of Spike’s ministrations on him, Spike’s reactions to what Xander was doing, and Xander’s jumbled and aroused thoughts about what all three of them were doing. Spike was in no better shape and his slow thrusting into Wesley’s body faltered. It was difficult to concentrate when everything they felt kept looping through their minds, redoubling and returning.

Xander pushed a second finger inside Spike, scissoring them apart. The former vampire stretched more easily than Xander would’ve thought. ::Practice,:: Spike told Xander. ::Know how to relax m’self.::

::Ah,:: Xander mumbled. He paused briefly, leaning against Spike’s back. Wesley was so close to coming he was shaking from the effort of holding back. They were gonna have to stop for a sec, just to catch their collective breaths and gain back some control.

::Good idea,:: Spike thought. He leaned over to one side, lowering himself onto the bed. He collected Wesley in his arms, curling around the other man. Xander did the same to Spike, leaving them in a surprisingly orderly pile of sweaty flesh.

Xander petted Spike idly, running one hand up and down the pale man’s flank. He’d never thought about a guy’s skin before, but Spike was so smooth and soft, softer than any woman he’d ever touched. The contrast between that silky skin and the taut muscles beneath it was striking and Xander couldn’t seem to stop touching him.

::Don’t have to,:: Spike thought. ::Rather you kept on.::

Xander grinned and continued stroking the redhead. ::Hedonist.::

Wesley choked. ::I believe you have a saying about a pot and a kettle?::

::Didn’t say I wasn’t,:: Xander replied. ::Just stating the facts.::

::I see,:: Wesley murmured. ::For the sake of accuracy then?::

::Something like that,:: Xander agreed. ::Is this gonna work? I mean, I failed physics.:: He remembered what Spike wanted, and he wanted that too-he just wasn’t sure it could be done without serious pain and a lot of awkward maneuvering.

::Easier than you think,:: Spike reassured him. The redhead tugged on Wesley’s shoulder, bringing the man flush against his chest. ::Watch, Xander,:: Spike suggested. ::Might learn something.::

::I’m learning lots of somethings, thank you very much,:: Xander retorted. Still, he sat up and shifted over. Wesley moved his left leg up, placing it on Spike’s hip. The former vampire used his fingers to stretch Wesley briefly, and then took hold of his erection. He silently asked Xander for the lube, which the young man retrieved and applied to his cock with shaking hands.

Xander watched in awe as Spike pushed into Wesley, his flushed cock disappearing slowly into that tight pucker. The young man felt the acute rush of pleasure from Spike as his cock was squeezed impossibly, and the different but still striking sensation of being stretched and warmed that Wesley was feeling as Spike split him open. He wanted that; wanted to feel the slick tight pull of Spike’s body, wanted to feel himself stretched open and skewered, burning and writhing as someone else did the work for a change.

Once he was fully seated inside Wesley, Spike paused. ::Xander?:: He queried. Xander glanced down at the two men. Both were flushed and trembling, straining to keep from moving. Xander realized they were waiting for him. He broke his paralysis and moved around behind Spike again, lying down parallel to the redhead.

::Spike?:: Xander murmured. ::Help here?::

Spike took hold of Wesley’s hip and shifted the man underneath him. Wesley’s right leg moved up, giving Spike more room between his legs. The position left Spike open for Xander, who kneeled up behind him. With Spike and Wesley both giving him lots of mental/visual encouragement, Xander slicked more lube inside Spike’s body and over his erection. He lined up against the redhead’s hole and pushed tentatively, amazed to feel himself slide inside the other man. It was tight and warm and it took more effort than he was used to, but less than he’d feared. Spike shifted back slightly, trying to urge Xander on. ::Xander, please,:: Spike moaned, his voice tortured. The boy was moving so bloody slow; he wanted to move, needed to thrust into Wesley while Xander shoved himself inside him and stretched him and…

::Ok, ok,:: Xander thought as he pushed forward, seating himself fully within Spike. ::Now what, oh director of tonight’s sexual activities?::

Spike growled. If he’d been a vampire still, he’d have been in gameface. Wesley quaked under the mental flood of arousal that poured from Spike as the redhead reared back and lunged. A low scream clawed its way out of Wesley’s throat as Spike hit his prostate dead on again and again. He bucked up as much as he could under both Spike and Xander’s weights. Mostly he lay there and tried to stay conscious as his body and mind were battered by ecstasy.

Xander felt Spike push urges into his head, the redhead no longer capable of thinking in a coherent fashion. The boy let himself go, let those desires take over. They knew better than he did what to do with the knowledge he had in his mind already. Thrusting, withdrawing, timed in counterpoint with Spike’s own movements within Wesley. Although Xander was not actually being penetrated, he felt the sensation of having been-twice, from both Wesley and Spike. He could also feel Wesley clenching around him, could felt he smooth, scarred skin of Wesley’s body pressed against his just as the prominent bones of Spike’s spine were rubbing against his own chest.

Spike rested his forehead against Wesley’s shoulder and ceased thinking. His body moved of its own accord, trying to find a new home as deep inside the ex-Watcher’s body as possible. He was inundated by the unique but unusual feel of his own body as Xander plunged into him again and again. It was odd but very arousing to know exactly what Xander felt and thought about his body, how he was wringing the boy dry, sucking him in and burning him up. If he could’ve thought, he’d have wondered if Wesley was feeling the same thing, feeling what it was like to thrust into his own body. It didn’t matter at the moment because Spike was on the edge, standing on a razor thin slice of control. One more thrust into the body under him, one more scrape of Xander’s cock against his prostate, and he’d be toast.

Wesley felt Spike losing control and screamed, unable to handle the myriad feelings in his body and mind. He arched up, clamping down hard on Spike’s cock as he climaxed without a single pull on his erection. His voice echoed through the room, carrying its powerful nature through the air in ripples. Spike and Xander shuddered as they heard the raw energy in Wesley’s voice, calling to that which resided inside them, resonating in their minds and their cocks. As had happened before, Wesley’s mind broke open and flowed into the others’ minds as they melted together.

Spike felt Wesley let go and gave in, shooting into the man below him. He couldn’t see, couldn’t hear-although somehow he knew that Wesley and Xander were both screaming. He felt Wesley’s mind flood through his, sweeping his own mind along as he lost hold of it. Ecstasy bowled him over; he was powerless to stop it.

Xander frantically thrust into Spike, screaming his completion as he joined the others in their mutual oblivion. He felt them join his mind, become his mind and his pleasure doubled, tripled, doubled again. Their voices became his, before fading out into something that wasn’t sound but wasn’t not-sound. When he would have panicked, not knowing what to do or make of this new situation, of finding pleasure where he hadn’t found it before, turning everything upside down, his lovers pulled him deeper into their single being, showing him how they were one thing, not three, how he was them and loved as they loved themselves and each other, that what they had was more beautiful than anything he’d ever seen or felt or known in his entire life. For the first time Xander could remember, he felt safe.

Spike roused first, slowly climbing back into consciousness. He could still feel the others closely situated in his mind, closer if possible than they had been before. He realized that they were probably suffocating Wesley, so he shifted over a bit, hoping that Xander would get the hint and roll to the side. He did, leaving Spike enough room to lay down. As soon as the redhead got comfortable, holding Wesley who was till passed out, Xander gathered both men in his arms and drew in close. They weren’t going to be moving for a long, long time.

::So that’s what you do with lube, huh?:: Xander thought.

::One thing, yeah,:: Spike replied. ::Lots of others, though.::

Spike could feel Xander grinning in his head. ::Lots. Hmm… sounds like we’ve got our work cut out for us, don’t we?::

::That we do,:: Wesley grumbled. ::But I need to rest first. A man can take only so much.::

Xander nodded against Spike’s shoulders. ::You’re right. Next time, you be on top. Take a little less, give a little more.::

::That’s the spirit,:: Spike murmured.

::I stopped freaking out,:: Xander commented.

::When was that?:: Wesley inquired.

::Oh, just now,:: Xander answered, grinning.

::’Bout damned time,:: Spike muttered. ::Get some sleep, pet. You’re gonna need your strength.::