That evening
Buffy contemplated her closet, after emptying half of it of clothes
that just weren't right for the evening. "It's just Xander," she told
herself. She sighed and shook her head, "Sorry, Buffy that excuse
doesn't work anymore. No more 'just Xander'. This is 'Xander the guy
you're dating', and this is really your first date. Last night was
nice...well, this morning, really but whatever. You smelled like dead
vampires and gasoline, looked like hell, and that's generally the way
things go. Tonight, though, is going to be different. You're going to
look incredible for once in your life.
She finally decided. She usually didn't wear white, due to her Slayer
training. "Wear dark colors so as not to draw attention to yourself,"
she repeated to herself now. She snorted with laughter. "Well, I want
to draw attention to myself tonight. Besides it sets off my tan."
Xander walked up to the front door, and ran his hand through his hair
nervously. "Nervous? Me? Never," he chuckled nervously, before
knocking. Joyce answered and smiled warmly at him. "Hello, Xander,"
she stepped back to let him enter. "I think Buffy's almost ready. I
know she's up there, anyway," she shrugged glancing up toward Buffy's
door. "I've heard banging of doors and muttered curses...I think
she's having wardrobe issues," Joyce smiled, and led the way into the
den.
"She shouldn't," Xander replied. "She always looks amazing."
Joyce looked at him, and smiled again, repressing a laugh when he
blushed. "I am very glad you think so. Just keep telling her that.
She has a very bad self-image, probably not helped by the fact her
father lives only two hours away but never has time to see her."
"Show me someone who claims not to have issues with at least one
parent, and I'll show you a liar," Xander replied.
Joyce looked at the boy searchingly, but his face was closed off. She
had asked Buffy some questions about Xander's family, but Buffy
hadn't had much information to tell. Just that Xander's mom
was 'nice' and Xander's father traveled, so Buffy hadn't met him yet.
But Joyce had noticed he was much more sensitive to people's feelings
than most young men his age. Maybe that was partly because he wished
others were that way at home...
Joyce shook herself of the thoughts, as she saw Buffy descending the
stairs behind him. She smiled. *For once, she looks like a girl, and
not a ...well.*
Xander caught her look past him, and turned to look as well. His
mouth dropped open, and he remembered to shut it again. He was glad
his mother's ingrained upbringing had prodded him to stand when he
saw her, because he wouldn't have had the brain power to think to do
so otherwise. Buffy was wearing a white blouse and skirt. The blouse
was simple enough, button-down, short-sleeved with embroidered
patterns. He then let his gaze fall lower. Bad idea. The white skirt
was ankle length, but there was a long slit on the right side that
went up the right leg to mid-thigh. *Damn.*
He looked up into her face quickly, as he heard her giggle. "Oh, man.
Did I say that out loud?" he wondered.
Buffy nodded, still grinning at him, and he grinned back sheepishly.
"Don't worry about it," she said. "That was one of the best
compliments I've ever gotten." She had been amused at his reaction,
but was glad it gave her the time to admire his choice of clothing.
Xander liked to pretend otherwise, but he did have good fashion
sense, as Buffy had learned. He went for comfort at school and in
slaying, but even then, he had a style which matched his carefree
mood.
Tonight he'd gone for impressive, Buffy had to admit. He was wearing
black pants, but the shirt was what she liked. It was a long-sleeved
button down shirt, and the chocolate color pretty much exactly
matched that of his eyes.
She walked up to him, and threaded her fingers through his as they
sat on the couch together. Joyce exchanged a look with her daughter,
and then said, "Oh, I need to check on the dinner."
"Finally," Buffy smiled at him. She turned and grabbed the lapels of
his shirt, pulling him to her in a kiss. Xander wrapped his arms
around her waist, and she sighed against his mouth.
He was the one to break the kiss and he grinned at her. "Messed up
your lipstick," he chuckled.
"Oh," Buffy giggled back, and grabbed a tissue, wiping it off her
face. She handed him another so he could do the same. "Good timing,
here she comes again," she added as she heard her mom's footsteps.
"Dinner's ready," Joyce peeked in to say. They followed her into the
dining room, to the aroma of baked chicken, potatoes, and many other
wonderful smells.
"Joyce, that smells so good," Xander commented. "Looks good too," he
added as they sat at the fully-loaded table.
"Thanks, Xander," Joyce replied. "I'm always happy to cook for
someone who appreciates it. Or notices." This accompanied by a
pointed look at Buffy. Her eyes were teasing though, so Buffy didn't
take it as an accusation.
"Hey, complain to Giles," Buffy protested, playing along. "He's the
one that's always insisting I have to slay demons. How dare he," she
giggled.
Joyce looked at her for a moment, and then at Xander, with a 'See
what I have to put up with?' look. "Well, I just wish you could spend
more time being a seventeen year old girl, and less with the weight
of the world on your shoulders."
"And this, Xan, is the way ninety percent of our conversations go,"
Buffy said, rolling her eyes.
"I've accepted your role in life, Buffy," Joyce said. "I just don't
like it, and nobody said I had to."
"I don't _like_ it mom," Buffy said. "You think I like to be faced
the deaths of me and all the people I love everytime I go out there?
I don't. I _do_ know that if I can save anyone along the way, though,
it's worth it."
"It is," Joyce said. "I just...am not going to continue ruining this
evening. I'm going to go get the iced tea and bring it out here."
Xander looked at the still-full glasses, and gave Buffy a confused
look.
"Mom and denial are really close friends," Buffy sighed. "Giles told
me she asked him if there was another Slayer. One to replace Kendra."
"What did Giles say?" Xander asked.
"He said there isn't. She was disappointed. Guess she wants me to
retire, and not the typical Slayer way.
"Don't say that," Xander gave her a sharp look. "You're going to live
a very long life, and that's all there is to it."
Buffy smiled, and squeezed his hand. "I know I will."
"You do?" Xander asked.
"Yeah. Because I've been thinking about it, and I don't think any of
the other Slayers had three of the most amazing people in the world
as friends." Buffy looked up at the kitchen entrance as her mom
emerged with the iced tea pitcher. "Although I'm pretty sure they all
had hyperactive mothers," she muttered under her breath. Xander
laughed in reply, but shut up when Joyce narrowed her eyes at
him. "Um, good food," he offered to placate her, and she smiled.
One hour later, they'd finished their dinner and wandered back into
the den. Joyce made a disappearance, stating she had some work to do.
Buffy was grateful for the privacy. "So what d'you wanna do now?" she
asked, settling next to Xander on the couch, and curling up next to
him.
He put his arm around her shoulders, and said, "I don't know. We
could just...hang out. Talk."
"Okay," Buffy nodded. "Talk."
Xander chuckled, "No pressure there. Okay...what do you want to
know?"
"Well...tell me something interesting about you that I don't know,"
she said with a smile.
"Something interesting about me?" Xander thought for a second, and
shrugged. "I'm not interesting."
Buffy smacked him in the arm, and looked up at him, saying, "I'm not
letting you get out of it. I want to know everything about you, a
little bit at a time."
"Well....I took piano lessons for ten years," Xander offered.
"Really," Buffy looked at him in surprise. "Do you still play?"
"No, I stopped."
"Why?" Buffy asked.
*'No boy of mine is going to play a sissy instrument!!!'*
"Xan?" Buffy waved her hand in front of Xander's face. "Come back to
earth."
Xander looked up at her, "Oh. Sorry. I was just thinking about
something. What did you say?"
"I was asking why you stopped," Buffy said.
"I just... I lost interest," Xander shrugged. "So how about you?" he
asked, hoping to change the subject. "Tell me about life before
Sunnydale."
"Hmmm..." Buffy thought for a minute, and said, "I don't think you
would've been too impressed with me if you met me back then."
"I seriously doubt that," Xander replied.
"No, really," Buffy said. "Picture a blonde Cordelia."
"Oh my god, stop. I like my vision of you as perfect better." Xander
replied.
"Perfect?" Buffy eyed him skeptically.
"Perfect," Xander repeated, kissing her lightly. "What made you change
your attitude?"
"Killing demons, being charged with protecting your town... it kind
of puts the serious in a girl," Buffy said. "Being with you though,"
she looked up at him then. "I'm starting to remember that life
doesn't always have to be serious."
"Good," Xander said with a smile. "You can save the world, and still
have fun occasionally."
"I can do both, when we're slaying together," Buffy said. "But I
think I'm beginning to prefer other means of having fun," she
smiled. She framed his face in her hands, and then pulled his head
down for a kiss.
***********
Buffy contemplated her closet, after emptying half of it of clothes
that just weren't right for the evening. "It's just Xander," she told
herself. She sighed and shook her head, "Sorry, Buffy that excuse
doesn't work anymore. No more 'just Xander'. This is 'Xander the guy
you're dating', and this is really your first date. Last night was
nice...well, this morning, really but whatever. You smelled like dead
vampires and gasoline, looked like hell, and that's generally the way
things go. Tonight, though, is going to be different. You're going to
look incredible for once in your life.
She finally decided. She usually didn't wear white, due to her Slayer
training. "Wear dark colors so as not to draw attention to yourself,"
she repeated to herself now. She snorted with laughter. "Well, I want
to draw attention to myself tonight. Besides it sets off my tan."
Xander walked up to the front door, and ran his hand through his hair
nervously. "Nervous? Me? Never," he chuckled nervously, before
knocking. Joyce answered and smiled warmly at him. "Hello, Xander,"
she stepped back to let him enter. "I think Buffy's almost ready. I
know she's up there, anyway," she shrugged glancing up toward Buffy's
door. "I've heard banging of doors and muttered curses...I think
she's having wardrobe issues," Joyce smiled, and led the way into the
den.
"She shouldn't," Xander replied. "She always looks amazing."
Joyce looked at him, and smiled again, repressing a laugh when he
blushed. "I am very glad you think so. Just keep telling her that.
She has a very bad self-image, probably not helped by the fact her
father lives only two hours away but never has time to see her."
"Show me someone who claims not to have issues with at least one
parent, and I'll show you a liar," Xander replied.
Joyce looked at the boy searchingly, but his face was closed off. She
had asked Buffy some questions about Xander's family, but Buffy
hadn't had much information to tell. Just that Xander's mom
was 'nice' and Xander's father traveled, so Buffy hadn't met him yet.
But Joyce had noticed he was much more sensitive to people's feelings
than most young men his age. Maybe that was partly because he wished
others were that way at home...
Joyce shook herself of the thoughts, as she saw Buffy descending the
stairs behind him. She smiled. *For once, she looks like a girl, and
not a ...well.*
Xander caught her look past him, and turned to look as well. His
mouth dropped open, and he remembered to shut it again. He was glad
his mother's ingrained upbringing had prodded him to stand when he
saw her, because he wouldn't have had the brain power to think to do
so otherwise. Buffy was wearing a white blouse and skirt. The blouse
was simple enough, button-down, short-sleeved with embroidered
patterns. He then let his gaze fall lower. Bad idea. The white skirt
was ankle length, but there was a long slit on the right side that
went up the right leg to mid-thigh. *Damn.*
He looked up into her face quickly, as he heard her giggle. "Oh, man.
Did I say that out loud?" he wondered.
Buffy nodded, still grinning at him, and he grinned back sheepishly.
"Don't worry about it," she said. "That was one of the best
compliments I've ever gotten." She had been amused at his reaction,
but was glad it gave her the time to admire his choice of clothing.
Xander liked to pretend otherwise, but he did have good fashion
sense, as Buffy had learned. He went for comfort at school and in
slaying, but even then, he had a style which matched his carefree
mood.
Tonight he'd gone for impressive, Buffy had to admit. He was wearing
black pants, but the shirt was what she liked. It was a long-sleeved
button down shirt, and the chocolate color pretty much exactly
matched that of his eyes.
She walked up to him, and threaded her fingers through his as they
sat on the couch together. Joyce exchanged a look with her daughter,
and then said, "Oh, I need to check on the dinner."
"Finally," Buffy smiled at him. She turned and grabbed the lapels of
his shirt, pulling him to her in a kiss. Xander wrapped his arms
around her waist, and she sighed against his mouth.
He was the one to break the kiss and he grinned at her. "Messed up
your lipstick," he chuckled.
"Oh," Buffy giggled back, and grabbed a tissue, wiping it off her
face. She handed him another so he could do the same. "Good timing,
here she comes again," she added as she heard her mom's footsteps.
"Dinner's ready," Joyce peeked in to say. They followed her into the
dining room, to the aroma of baked chicken, potatoes, and many other
wonderful smells.
"Joyce, that smells so good," Xander commented. "Looks good too," he
added as they sat at the fully-loaded table.
"Thanks, Xander," Joyce replied. "I'm always happy to cook for
someone who appreciates it. Or notices." This accompanied by a
pointed look at Buffy. Her eyes were teasing though, so Buffy didn't
take it as an accusation.
"Hey, complain to Giles," Buffy protested, playing along. "He's the
one that's always insisting I have to slay demons. How dare he," she
giggled.
Joyce looked at her for a moment, and then at Xander, with a 'See
what I have to put up with?' look. "Well, I just wish you could spend
more time being a seventeen year old girl, and less with the weight
of the world on your shoulders."
"And this, Xan, is the way ninety percent of our conversations go,"
Buffy said, rolling her eyes.
"I've accepted your role in life, Buffy," Joyce said. "I just don't
like it, and nobody said I had to."
"I don't _like_ it mom," Buffy said. "You think I like to be faced
the deaths of me and all the people I love everytime I go out there?
I don't. I _do_ know that if I can save anyone along the way, though,
it's worth it."
"It is," Joyce said. "I just...am not going to continue ruining this
evening. I'm going to go get the iced tea and bring it out here."
Xander looked at the still-full glasses, and gave Buffy a confused
look.
"Mom and denial are really close friends," Buffy sighed. "Giles told
me she asked him if there was another Slayer. One to replace Kendra."
"What did Giles say?" Xander asked.
"He said there isn't. She was disappointed. Guess she wants me to
retire, and not the typical Slayer way.
"Don't say that," Xander gave her a sharp look. "You're going to live
a very long life, and that's all there is to it."
Buffy smiled, and squeezed his hand. "I know I will."
"You do?" Xander asked.
"Yeah. Because I've been thinking about it, and I don't think any of
the other Slayers had three of the most amazing people in the world
as friends." Buffy looked up at the kitchen entrance as her mom
emerged with the iced tea pitcher. "Although I'm pretty sure they all
had hyperactive mothers," she muttered under her breath. Xander
laughed in reply, but shut up when Joyce narrowed her eyes at
him. "Um, good food," he offered to placate her, and she smiled.
One hour later, they'd finished their dinner and wandered back into
the den. Joyce made a disappearance, stating she had some work to do.
Buffy was grateful for the privacy. "So what d'you wanna do now?" she
asked, settling next to Xander on the couch, and curling up next to
him.
He put his arm around her shoulders, and said, "I don't know. We
could just...hang out. Talk."
"Okay," Buffy nodded. "Talk."
Xander chuckled, "No pressure there. Okay...what do you want to
know?"
"Well...tell me something interesting about you that I don't know,"
she said with a smile.
"Something interesting about me?" Xander thought for a second, and
shrugged. "I'm not interesting."
Buffy smacked him in the arm, and looked up at him, saying, "I'm not
letting you get out of it. I want to know everything about you, a
little bit at a time."
"Well....I took piano lessons for ten years," Xander offered.
"Really," Buffy looked at him in surprise. "Do you still play?"
"No, I stopped."
"Why?" Buffy asked.
*'No boy of mine is going to play a sissy instrument!!!'*
"Xan?" Buffy waved her hand in front of Xander's face. "Come back to
earth."
Xander looked up at her, "Oh. Sorry. I was just thinking about
something. What did you say?"
"I was asking why you stopped," Buffy said.
"I just... I lost interest," Xander shrugged. "So how about you?" he
asked, hoping to change the subject. "Tell me about life before
Sunnydale."
"Hmmm..." Buffy thought for a minute, and said, "I don't think you
would've been too impressed with me if you met me back then."
"I seriously doubt that," Xander replied.
"No, really," Buffy said. "Picture a blonde Cordelia."
"Oh my god, stop. I like my vision of you as perfect better." Xander
replied.
"Perfect?" Buffy eyed him skeptically.
"Perfect," Xander repeated, kissing her lightly. "What made you change
your attitude?"
"Killing demons, being charged with protecting your town... it kind
of puts the serious in a girl," Buffy said. "Being with you though,"
she looked up at him then. "I'm starting to remember that life
doesn't always have to be serious."
"Good," Xander said with a smile. "You can save the world, and still
have fun occasionally."
"I can do both, when we're slaying together," Buffy said. "But I
think I'm beginning to prefer other means of having fun," she
smiled. She framed his face in her hands, and then pulled his head
down for a kiss.
***********