I loved Spike's reaction to Xander's use of nice. He's gotten too used to superlatives and it's totally swelled his head. Xander's coming off as grounded and sincere, and I love that he's so forthright with Spike. Spike's a self involved player, fun for a one night stand. Xander's right to steer clear. Spike's going to have to make some changes to convince Xander otherwise. I could feel the wheels turning in Spike's head. The dinner among the common folk, a place that genuinely welcomes Spike, was an excellent first step.

Thanks for posting more of this vivid, entertaining story.