Summary: Xander has an interest outside vampires and slacking off.

Crossover: Rurouni Kenshin

Disclaimer: I own nothing! You can prove nothing!

Feedback: Roin of the Cealm.

Pre-fic Comments:

Damn that little fanboy muse! And damn all plot bunnies too! You'll need a working knowledge of general anime to really enjoy this.

* * *

Xander handed a few videos back to a friend in the hallway between classes.

"Thanks for those, I wanted to finish watching Berserk," he said.

His friend handed him a couple more videos. "Here are those Kenshin vids you wanted. Say, we're going to a party on Halloween, you wanna come?"

Xander grinned, then his face fell. "Love to, Mike, but all I've got is military fatigues at home."

Mike, a somewhat gangly youth, grinned evilly. "That's cool. Me and Rob are going as Saitou Hajime and Himura Kenshin. We've got a Sanosuke costume left over -- you're the only person with the body to pull it off."

"I don't know," Xander hmmm'ed. "What about the sword?"

"Well, it's more like a long pole with nails in it covered in calico," Mike admitted.

"Good enough for me!," Xander said. "Is it okay if Willow and Buffy come?"

"Only if they come in Naga costumes!," Mike smirked.

Both boys cracked up laughing.

* * *

Further down the hallway, Buffy and Willow had been snapped by Principal Snyder for kiddy patrol.

"But--," Buffy started to protest.

"Ah!," Snyder cut her off. "Every Halloween, thrown eggs, broken letterboxes, one cry for help after another. Not this year, missy."

Buffy conceded defeat to his 'Admit! Guilt! I am Principal!' attack, and signed the clipboard he held up. In a show of solidarity, Willow signed right after her.

"The program starts at four, the children have to be back at six."

Buffy glared at Snyder's back as he sauntered off.

"Great," Buffy said. "The one night of the year I get off."

"What?," Xander asked, coming up behind her. "I figured Halloween would be a big old vamp scare-a-palooza."

"Nope," Buffy said. "According to Giles, it's the one night of the year the undead are dead."

"Those wacky vampires!," Xander smiled. "That's why I love 'em! They just keep you guessing."

"So, why are you not joining us, mister?," Willow asked her male friend.

"I'm going to a party with Mike and Rob," Xander said, grinning. "I've even got a costume lined up."

"Who?," Buffy asked.

"Sagara Sanosuke," Xander announced. He looked disappointed when neither girl recognised the name. "Rurouni Kenshin? C'mon, Will, you should know this."

The proverbial light went on in Willow's eyes. "Oh! The giant sword guy! He is so you!"

Xander curled his arm, showing off what muscles he had.

"Oh yeah."

* * *

The next night, Xander met Mike and Rob at Mike's house. His costume was easy -- he wrapped the linen strip around his lower abdomen, put on the drawstring pants, wrapped more linen around his ankles and feet with slippers on, tied off his headband, put on the jacket, and then he was done.

Most of Mike's hair was slicked back and tied off, falling to shoulderblade level, but a few thin bangs floated around his head. A paper cigarette sat in his mouth. His clothes was a blue uniform, with a cap and white gloves. To complete the picture, Mike had a fake katana, slim and deadly.

Rob was simply dressed in baggy white pants and a purple shirt with a thin sword. His hair was messy, some of it tied back.

"Ready to go?," Rob asked. "Parties wait for no man."

Xander picked up the ten foot long calico wrapped pole.

* * *

Post-Fic Comments:

I was tempted to do Berserk instead, but didn't want to deal with Gattsu's issues.