Title: Choices
Author: Evil Little Dog
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Rating: K
Summary: Xander's not jealous.
Disclaimer: Joss never writes, never calls; but I'm playing with his toys 'til he tells me not to.
X X X
Buffy's distracted, focused on the upcoming battle.
With Angel - Angelus - whatever he is calling himself this week. Xander shifts his weight from foot to foot, licks his lips. He wants Buffy. No, no, he wants Buffy safe. He wants her to be focused on this fight. He's not jealous, he tells himself, not jealous of Buffy and what she has with a freaking vampire. He wants to encourage Buffy, keep her spirits up even if she was going to be fighting the...man-thing she loves.
"Is there anything else?" Buffy asks him, making Xander jump at the interruption of his thoughts.
"Ah..." Xander shoves his hands in his pockets. Takes them out again. Bumps Buffy's shoulder with his lightly closed fist. "Willow says," he has to take a breath.
"Mm?" Buffy focuses on him then, intent, curious, just for a second, before she needs to leave him and go on to her worst battle ever. And Xander can't be there to protect her, not against Angel.
He grits his teeth and blurts out, "Willow's got the spell. She can re-soul Angel. You just have to keep him off you long enough for it to work."
Her eyes sparkle for a second with a light Xander hasn't seen in far too long. Hope blooms there - and love - and Xander gulps down all the desires he's ever had when she touches his arm. "Thanks, Xan," she whispers, then, "I gotta go."
And Xander watches as so many of his hopes and dreams walks out of his sphere, and Buffy leaves to fight Angel. He shakes his head, lets out a sigh, and heads back to Willow, where maybe, maybe, he won't try to second guess himself on what he's just done.
~End~