I do not own the characters.

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Xander moved up the lunch line mechanically and grabbed whatever looked appealing. He wrinkled his nose at the food choices he had made. After he paid, he looked around to find the Scoobies and did not see them. He was about to go outside on sit alone on a bench when he noticed that Faith was eating at table by herself near a window.

Not that Xander could miss her or anybody else for that matter; you would have to blind and not see her. Faith was wearing that same tight, leopard print pants with an extra, snug black top that showed off her bellybutton; it was same outfit when Faith first arrived in their lives. She did not see him coming as he came up, she looked preoccupied as she looked outside.

"Hi ya Faith," said Xander, as he cleared his throat. He didn't want to startle her; given her temperament coupled with her strength.

She slowly turned her attention to Xander.

"Have a meeting with Giles," said Faith, directly. She was still somewhat groggy from waking up not too long ago. She looked over what Xander had on his lunch tray.

"Slayer duties?" said Xander, standing there idly and not knowing what else to say. "How about that Slayage?"

Faith started to eat.

"Look about what happened the other day," began Xander, tentatively.

"Sit," said Faith, sounding bored. She could tell he wanted to talk their *connection* they had briefly shared.

"Okay, what I mean . . . what we had was mind-blowing and earth shattering."

Faith looked at him skeptically.

"Okay it was incredible and explosive, mind blowing, frolicky good. Oh wait I already said mind-blowing didn't I?"

Unconvinced, Faith resumed eating.

"Fine it was Great," said Xander with resign.

"That's a good word for it," said Faith, as she dropped her tasteless tatertots. She wondered how these kids could tolerate such bland food.

"Is there any chance or even a remote chance that you and I can do each . . ."

Faith looked up and started to poke around in Xander's lunch tray.

"Will you look at that," said Harmony. She was standing in the lunch line next to Cordelia. "Geez . . . Xander sure gets around."

Cordelia thought more along the lines that Faith got around and she ignored them. But she could not help to look back at them. Xander looked so desperate yet Faith looked so wild and she could get away with that. Every so often, she would throw her head about tossing that wild, uncombed hair. Then Faith would wriggle her torso afterwards and occasionally she would burst out laughing.

Faith attracted quite a few stares from the nearby males who sighed silently and enviously wished they could trade places with Xander. They wondered how such an underdog could manage to get two of the most interesting women on campus. Did Xander have some secret mojo or what? He appeared to be on a winning streak. Some of the females were pissed off that their boyfriends or potential beaus were slyly looking at Faith and they couldn't do a damn thing about it.

"Phew, I'm glad we got that outta of the way. Clear the air between us," said Xander feeling quite relieved.

Faith started to munch on Xander's lunch, sampling the various entrees.

"How do you do it? You know when you walk in a room guys stand tall and salute you and some women even admire you," said Xander, innocently. Then his left eye involuntary began to twitch and he had to massage his eyelid.

Faith stopped eating and considered it a compliment, and then reflected on the question.

"You exude the coolness factor. . . I think mine needs tweaking. Okay mine needs a major tune-up," continued Xander.

Faith couldn't help but smile and suppressed a giggle.

"Come here," commanded Faith, suggestively. "Come closer." She grinned mischievously at him.

Xander cautiously started to scoot his chair closer to Faith. He tried to restrain himself from touching her but his knees kept bumping into Faith. His gangly legs started to shake nervously but Faith placed her hands on his legs to stop the shaking. That seem to make matters worse and Xander's voice squeaked as he tried to speak. He couldn't utter a word.

"Look at them now," added Harmony.

Cordelia turned her head just in time to see Faith pull Xander closer to her. She saw Faith holding fast to Xander's shirt and started to sniff him. When she was finished, she released him just as fast as a sports fisherman tosses a fish back in the water.

It took a moment for Xander to regain his composure as he took several quick breaths. Finally, he worked up his nerve to speak.

"Oh No . . . Do I have B.O?" asked Xander regrettably, as he took a whiff of his shirt. "Or do I have on too much Old Spice?"

Every since his foray with Faith, he decided to improve himself. Though that one night stand was a blur it was enough to impress on him for a change. Xander aimed at being a new man; however, he was at loss on how to go about it. Again, he felt like he was an idiot that was fumbling about.

"Desperation," replied Faith.

"Desperation?!"

"Women can pick up on that," sniffed Faith.

Xander sighed with resign, "Really."

"Leave your weapons at home, just be yourself Xand. You don't need a hunting spear to impress. Just be casual."

"But I would be lost without my weapons, I'm man you know," said Xander, with pride. "What's a man without his weapons?"

"Always talking about weapons, always about slayage," stated Cordelia, who stood by the table with her friends. She put her lunch tray down opposite Faith without being asked.

"Xander always trying to fit in."

Xander was about to reply but clammed up. He tensed up feeling impotent around her and merely looked at her quietly, and sank in his chair. However, being with Faith had made him feel somewhat taller. Rather than confront Cordelia directly he focused on what Faith was wearing. He smiled confidently and started to eat what was left of his lunch.

"Gee Xander are you sampling a new flavor. Mmm . . .Let's see last week's flavor was geek now it's harlot."

Faith said nothing as she wiped her lips with a paper napkin.

"I love to stay but I'm not into threesomes," said Faith, as she started to put on her lipstick.

Spank me thought Xander. He went gaga for a moment and his left eye started to twitch again as he watched Faith puckered her lips as she slowly applied her lipstick.

Faith studied Cordelia she always looked good in whatever she wore. Apparently, she won the genetic lottery and was bestowed with a tall stature, and that just made her that much more desirable. Having a nice rack did not hurt either. Damn she was hot in that black leather miniskirt and that red top observed Faith, as she blotted the excess lipstick on a clean napkin. Red was definitely her color and Faith wondered what the fabric felt like. She noticed that Cordelia was getting admiring stares from the other tables and agreed with their judgment.

For once Faith also wondered why in the world Xander strayed and felt no sympathy for him. Xander had given up filet mignon for a greasy hamburger. What did that get him? Heartburn no doubt. And what was he thinking? Obviously not with his brain. Oh well it was his loss as Faith put away her lipstick.

"I'm not running you off," continued Cordelia.

"Never, I have meeting."

"With whom?" asked Cordelia, innocently. "Buffy?"

"G man," said Faith, as she got up and winked slyly at Cordelia. Cordelia raised her eyebrows and smirked.

"I was heading in that general direction too," said Cordelia and she got up as well. Her other friends looked at Cordelia oddly but she ignored them.

"Keep it real Xand," said Faith, giving her signature both thumbs up and index fingers salute. She turned and walked off with Cordelia.

Xander stiffly got up of chair and tipped his head at Faith, and watched her leave. Cordelia's friends looked as well as Faith and Cordelia walked off. They made such an odd couple thought Harmony. But then again she when found that Cordelia was gettin' it on with Xander on the sly that shocked her. The most popular girl was doing the nasty with a loser. Nothing seemed to surprise her anymore. However, she wondered what Cordelia was up to? Harmony also wondered if Cordelia's outfit was DKNY and she loved those red, Jimmy Choo pumps she was wearing; it matched her top.

Xander studied them as well. For a sick moment, Xander wished he was Cordelia but quickly torched that thought and slapped himself.