Renfield Obeys 4
Dawn was suspicious of Willow and Tara spending so much time with Xander lately. Normally she'd get to see him for an hour or two every weekday after the shop closed, but now that time was cut in half as he helped them close up shop and they 'exercised' together.
Seriously, they were lesbians, they shouldn't be hogging her share of the Xander!
Deciding to make sure exercising was all they were doing, Dawn came up with a plan.
"I'm off to the movies, see you at home," Dawn told Buffy.
"Have fun," Buffy said absently, returning to the watcher's journal she was reading.
"Will do," Dawn promised. "Bathroom," she said vanishing into the back of the store, confident they'd assume they'd either missed her leaving or that she'd exited the back door once she'd used the bathroom.
Looking around the training room Dawn searched for a place to hide. They'd be using the mats so she couldn't hide in there, and she'd stick out if she hid behind the folding chairs. She might be able to hide behind the punching bag, but if someone got near it she'd be easy to spot and it didn't exactly give her a clear view of the room.
Dawn smiled when her eyes came to rest on the puffy suit. It was lying on its side in the corner and she could probably fit two of her in it without a problem. Hearing someone coming she quickly wiggled inside, confident you'd have to use a flashlight to see her eyes peeking out of the head on it.
"So what did you need, Buffy?" Xander asked.
"Renfield Obey," Buffy ordered.
"Yes, Master," Xander said straightening up and showing more vitality in the trance state than the laid back young man usually displayed outside of it.
"Do you mind if I use you as a sounding board?" Buffy asked.
"No, Master, though I do question why the trance is necessary for you to do so," Xander replied.
"Because in the trance you can't lie or sugar coat things to protect my feelings, which you tend to do because you don't want to hurt me and because… I still remember being committed."
"I understand Master," Xander said gently.
"Am I suicidal?" she asked.
"No, Master, I don't believe you are," Xander replied. "At least not on a day to day basis."
"I wasn't expecting that answer," Buffy admitted. "Can I get a little more detail?"
"Yes Master," Xander said elaborating, "occasionally you have done things that are outright suicidal, but on a day to day basis you are generally well adjusted."
"Can you name a few times?" Buffy asked.
"Yes, Master," Xander replied. "Dating Angel, facing the Master, letting Angelus go, slaying while sick, sending me away, letting Angel feed from you—"
"Stop!" Buffy blurted out wide eyed.
"Yes, Master,"Xander said falling silent.
"Sometimes I have to risk my life to save others," Buffy said quietly.
"That is true, Master, but all of the times I've just mentioned were senseless risks of your life that would fall into the suicidal category."
"Dating Angel?" Buffy asked.
"The facts speak for themselves, Master," Xander replied.
"We probably aren't going to agree on that," Buffy admitted. "I don't think sending you away counts as suicidal. We are talking about during high school, that one time right?"
"Yes, Master," Xander agreed.
"How was that suicidal?" she asked after a long pause when it became apparent he wasn't going to say anything more.
"I have saved your life multiple times, sending away someone who is helping keep you alive is suicidal, Master," Xander explained.
"There was too much drama," Buffy said with a sigh, "And yes I am aware of the irony of me saying that, but my choice was you vs Willow, Oz, and Cordelia at the time. It was easier and safer to exclude one person than three, especially since we needed Willow's mojo. Do you still consider that suicidal?"
"No, Master," Xander replied, "with the knowledge you had that was a sound decision."
"Thank you," Buffy said. "I heard rumors you were busy that night, but you never said anything. I know you killed one of the sisters and Faith slayed your virginity."
"Yes, Master," Xander repeated.
"What if I was to be evil and order you to tell me?" Buffy teased.
"I would not object to telling you about how things went with Faith if you were curious, Master," Xander replied easily.
"Not sure I want a blow by blow," Buffy said, making a face. "I still have a hard time seeing you sleeping with her, she's not exactly your type."
"I wasn't given a choice, Master," Xander replied, answering the implied question. "I was yanked into her room, used as a convenient toy, and then pushed out in my underwear by a girl who seemed to believe a hardon equaled consent. It was brief, unimaginative, and one of the worse times I've had. Disappointed doesn't begin to describe it. Willow acting like I'd done something wrong when she was dating someone else and Faith's strange belief that I wanted to sleep with her again were just the cherry on top that convinced me nearly all women are insane."
Dawn stifled a gasp and swore silently at the blunt description of Faith. She knew that no good slut was evil!
Buffy chuckled and shook her head. "I'm sorry you had to go through that and if we could redo everything I'd at least make sure your first time went better."
"Thank you, Master"
"Spike was telling me that all Slayers have a death wish and few have anything to live for, so they just burn out," Buffy said, deciding to jump straight to the heart of the matter.
"That is where you differ from other slayers, Master, you have family, friends, and a life," Xander pointed out.
"And an angry hell goddess looking to destroy it all," Buffy added.
"No one ever said life was perfect, Master."
Buffy laughed, a bright and cheerful sound this time. "Thank you, Xander that's exactly what I needed to hear."
"I live to serve, Master," Xander replied, smiling warmly at her.
"End Trance," Buffy ordered.
"So what'd you need me for?" Xander asked.
"Jump rope practice," Buffy said. "You swing the rope and I have to do it blindfolded to improve my ability to sense things."
Dawn watched a bit amazed at the way Buffy was bluntly flirting with her Xander when she already had a boyfriend. 'Seriously, blindfolded jump-rope?' It was a relief when Buffy finished and Tara and Willow finally arrived.
"Renfield, Obey," Willow ordered.
"Yes, Master," Xander replied.
"I have an outfit for you to wear," Tara said.
Dawn's eyes grew wide as Xander stripped down and changed right in front of them. What followed was half scripted play, half improv, as the two acted out a scene of something from Tara's past and then talked about it. At several points Tara had to coax Xander into saying his lines correctly as the character he was playing was very different from him and it seemed to cause him physical pain to mimic his words or actions at times.
Dawn felt ashamed watching them, knowing she was intruding on scenes that were more intimate than the three of them having sex would be.
And then the tone of things changed as Tara called Xander by the character's name and ordered him to…. Xander didn't have a problem following those directions.
The three left half an hour later and Dawn zipped up her pants, snuck out and stopped by the theater to snag a used ticket from an earlier show to complete her alibi.
Two facts echoed in her mind as she went to sleep that night, one, you didn't need to be the slayer to entrance Xander, and two, Tara was incredibly kinky!
Typing by: Stephenopolos
TN: I felt dirty typing this…
AnFan-n-More your offering of chocolate cookie bytes was appreciated, and for informational purposes, a Gyro is the god's gift to mankind, a greek-american sandwich, made from pita bread, cucumber sauce, and seasoned lamb meat… standard includes onion and tomato so substandard is only the bare minimum of the sauce, meat, and bread, and bought from the freezer section at a grocery store.
