Smells Like Teen Spirit
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Summary: One thing changes on the path back home for Xander. Begins at the Zeppo episode.
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"I want you to teach me to play an instrument," Xander said, sitting down on the couch in the commons the next morning.
"Really," Oz asked, an eyebrow raised as he contemplated why he was asking this of him, "Why?"
"I dunno, I just really want to try and learn something this year," Xander said, "It's not like I ever learn anything from this school."
"Point," Oz noted, but he realized that wasn't the real reason, "What do you wanna learn?"
"I'm thinking either the electric guitar, bass, or drums," Xander said, "Anything, really."
"You look like a drummer to me," Oz said, placing his hand on his chin to examine his male friend, "But, I don't have a drum set to use. I could loan you one of my bass guitars."
"That'd be good," Xander said, "Do you want money or anything?"
"No," Oz said, "Start tomorrow night?"
"Why not tonight," Xander asked.
"Moon," Xander nodded, understanding the meaning.
"Alright," Xander said, patting him on the shoulder, "Later, man."
"Later," Oz said, standing up to head to the cafeteria to get some food.
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Xander sat in his car during his lunch period. He usually had his lunch in the cafeteria or the library with his friends, but…he was beginning to wonder just how good of friends they really were. They had clammed up earlier when he had came to them, stopping themselves from speaking about last night. It was something he'd seen them do a lot, had done himself…whenever someone they didn't know came up to them.
"Hey," he looked up as Faith walked over to him, looking very odd as she sauntered over to him. Her stance screamed something that he didn't think he'd ever see from her: nervousness.
"Hi," Xander replied, looking at her, "What's up?"
"Nothing much," Faith said, "Mind if I sit?"
"Knock yourself out," Xander said, picking up his crappy burger and taking a bite out of it.
Faith quickly sat down in the passenger seat, taking a few fries from his styrofoam plate as she did so, earning a glare from him.
"What, I can't have a fry," she asked sweetly.
"…Sure," Xander said, shrugging, and she took almost half the fries from him, "Hey! I agreed to 'a fry,' not 'all the fries!'"
"I'm a Slayer, I got a big metabolism," Faith said, happily munching on his fries.
"I'm a growin' boy, I need food," Xander replied, snatching a few fries out of her hand and quickly eating them.
"Whatever," Faith said, "You gonna eat that?"
Xander grumbled, but broke the burger in half, handing the other half to her.
"Score," Faith said, happily munching on her ill-gotten food.
"So, Faith," Xander said conversationally, "What are you doing here?"
"Can't a girl just come and visit her bud," Faith said.
"We're not buds," Xander replied, being completely serious, "We're not even friends. We're, like, pseudo-acquaintances."
"What," Faith asked, genuinely perturbed, "I thought we were buds."
"You've proven very well that we aren't," Xander replied, tensing as he did so.
"Oh, Jesus Christ, are you still on about last night," Faith was bewildered, "Dude, it was a good time, nothing more! Don't act like it was some big romantic thing, ok!?"
"It's not that," Xander said, "Well, not just that. It's the fact that it meant almost nothing to you. I mean, ok, so it was a fling. I can live with that. But, the fact that you don't seem to care…it kinda makes me wonder whether or not you even give a shit about me."
"Oh, c'mon," Faith said, exasperated, "So, what, just cause we screwed, you think we're supposed to be all buddy-buddy now!"
"Faith," Xander sighed, "It was my first time. That's supposed to mean something."
"Yeah, well, screw you," Faith replied, leaning back in her seat as she finished her food, "My first time sucked, so, you can take that crap and shove it up your ass!"
Xander thought for a moment. To him, what happened last night was something special, something to be remembered. To her, it was a simple fuck with a guy that she barely even knew, let alone cared for. His thoughts led him back to the time when he and Faith had teamed up to take out Angel. She had thrown him into a brick wall rather than listen to him…
He sighed, deciding that she was right. She didn't have any reason to really give a crap about him…after all, he'd never really given a crap about her.
Besides, he had his own reasoning to question behind their little romp last night.
"You know what," Xander said, "You're right. It was just sex. And, you're right, I shouldn't be acting this way. It was a good time, nothing more. Friends?"
He extended his hand to her. Faith stared at him, not sure what to make of this, before deciding to just shake his hand and say, "Sure."
"Great," Xander said, "So, why'd you come to see me?"
"I told you last night, I wanna hear why you were out last night," Faith explained.
"…You feel up to a drive," Xander asked, looking into his pants for his keys.
"Where're we going," Faith asked, not really caring, just curious.
"We," Xander said, starting up the car, "Are going drive around Sunnydale till I feel like stopping for gas. And, while we're at it, I'll tell you my story. Deal?"
Faith shrugged and said, "Deal. Just drop me off at my place whenever you're finished."
"Deal," Xander replied, pulling out of his space and heading off on the road as the radio started blaring out The Offspring's Come Out And Play.
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On the other side of the lot, Jack O'Toole stared after Xander's car, his eyes alight with rage. He shrugged his arm, ignoring the pain that came with it. He'd barely gotten away from the werewolf with his life, but had gotten most of his left arm ripped up by the beast. Fortunately, it hadn't bit him, merely mauled him. Still, it wouldn't heal, on account of his being dead.
"I'll get you, Harris," Jack muttered to himself, "I want my knife back."