Part XVII - "Waking up in a stranger's arms... isn't all that bad."
Joyce closed the door as quietly as she could, but even the soft click it made when it closed was enough to wake Buffy up from her slumber. Buffy mentally cursed her enhanced Slayer hearing for once again driving her out of the dream world. Lately, it seemed like the moment when she woke up was, both the happiest and most depressing moment of her entire day. In her dreams, she could be with Xander, just like he'd never disappeared. And, ever since that first day of school when he so shyly brushed an errant lock of hair out of her face, she knew that he could make her happy. Happy, as in the 'death do us part' kind of happy. It was for that very reason, when her dreams dissolved into reality, that her heart broke all over again. Because every morning, she faced reality. The reality that Xander was never there, and the chest she lay on, was only a pile of pillows that she had hugged to herself in the middle of the night.
So it was with trepidation that Buffy slowly fluttered open her eyelashes. But once her eyes adjusted, her face lit up with a megawatt smile. At that moment, Buffy's dreams and reality merged into one, and broke the morning cycle of hope followed by heartbreak. Suddenly she knew that she hadn't dreamed the events of the night before. Her lips pressed against the hollow of Xander's neck in a silent 'thank you', for the form that she snuggled up to even tighter now was no pillow, but a flesh-and-blood Xander.
Carefully, pulled her arm out from under Xander, trying her best not to wake him. Once her hand was free, she tried to flex it, wincing at the pins and needle feeling from it being asleep. After a couple of seconds of flexing, Buffy propped her head on her palm so she'd have a good vantage point to watch Xander sleep. Thanks to him being such a heavy sleeper, coupled with the fact that he didn't have enhanced Slayer hearing, Buffy was usually the first one awake in the morning. As their love grew deeper, she also grew to cherish these times as a chance to just watch her lover without him knowing it. Slowly she traced her eyes over his face, his stubble casting his face into shadows. Buffy got a slight twinkling in her eye as she looked at Xander's upper body. I didn't get much of a chance to look him over last night, but wow! I guess there ARE differences between the universes, because this Xander is a lot more muscular than I remember.
Unable to resist the little naughty voice in her head, Buffy began to move the hand that was previously intertwined with Xander's across his chest. Buffy closed her eyes, letting her sense of touch tell her all she needed to know. Slowly she began to lower her hand, letting her fingertips brush across the rippling muscles of his abdomen.
Before she could listen to the voices that were daring her to go lower, chuckling from the object of her affections interrupted her. "You know, Buff, you don't have to wait till I'm asleep to take advantage of me."
Buffy could only duck her head a little, but Xander saw the blush rising up her neck. "In fact, I can guarantee taking advantage of me would be much more fruitful when I'm wide awake and responsive." Noticing how cute she was when she blushed, he decided to go for the masterstroke. He lifted the sheet with his hand and made a show of looking under it. "Of course, I don't have to be awake for THAT to be responsive to your touch."
Buffy blushed an even deeper shade of red, if that were possible, and lightly slapped Xander on the chest. "Xan-DER! I can see that SOME things don't change no matter WHAT universe you are from!" Buffy grinned to herself, knowing that the best way to make Xander blush was to just send some innuendo of her own back his way.
She made it obvious to Xander that she was looking around the room, but for what, he hadn't a clue. Finally, after a few seconds of looking around the room, and then looking at herself, Buffy met Xander's eyes again with a mischievous smirk. "You know, we have a lot more clothes on than we usually do when we share a bed. Usually, we almost have to have a search party to find out where we tossed our things the night before." Unable to resist taking her teasing to the next level, Buffy punctuated her word by running a finger down between Xander's pecs.
Smiling that half-smile that never failed to melt Xander, she leaned in close to his face, her lips only a breath apart. "You know, it's been too long since I've had a good morning kiss from you. I just can't get through the day without one." And before Xander could say anything in response, she had already closed the distance between their lips, and sealed their mouths together.
She only meant for it to be a chaste kiss, but the longer her lips had contact with Xander's, the deeper the kiss became. Forgetting everything but his mouth on hers, Buffy instinctively climbed on top of Xander, her thighs straddling his waist. Slowly she began to grind against him as their tongues danced together.
She was about to reach for the hem of her tank top when she heard the tinkling giggles of her mom in the doorway behind her. "There's no time for THAT kiddos! Breakfast is ready, and you haven't gotten your showers yet. So get up!" Joyce turned around to go back downstairs. Just as she was walking down the stairs, she called back to Buffy and Xander. "And no sharing the shower! You'll have to make up for lost time later!"
Buffy giggled and slowly slid off Xander. "Mmm, too bad. Shower time equals wet naked fun time. And I've never been one to turn down naked time with you." And with a wink, Buffy crawled out of bed and walked to her bathroom, making sure to add a little extra sway to her step. As soon as she got out of sight she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, a smile lighting up her face.
Xander was still sitting upright in bed, a stunned look on his face. "I'm NEVER leaving this place!"
Joyce closed the door as quietly as she could, but even the soft click it made when it closed was enough to wake Buffy up from her slumber. Buffy mentally cursed her enhanced Slayer hearing for once again driving her out of the dream world. Lately, it seemed like the moment when she woke up was, both the happiest and most depressing moment of her entire day. In her dreams, she could be with Xander, just like he'd never disappeared. And, ever since that first day of school when he so shyly brushed an errant lock of hair out of her face, she knew that he could make her happy. Happy, as in the 'death do us part' kind of happy. It was for that very reason, when her dreams dissolved into reality, that her heart broke all over again. Because every morning, she faced reality. The reality that Xander was never there, and the chest she lay on, was only a pile of pillows that she had hugged to herself in the middle of the night.
So it was with trepidation that Buffy slowly fluttered open her eyelashes. But once her eyes adjusted, her face lit up with a megawatt smile. At that moment, Buffy's dreams and reality merged into one, and broke the morning cycle of hope followed by heartbreak. Suddenly she knew that she hadn't dreamed the events of the night before. Her lips pressed against the hollow of Xander's neck in a silent 'thank you', for the form that she snuggled up to even tighter now was no pillow, but a flesh-and-blood Xander.
Carefully, pulled her arm out from under Xander, trying her best not to wake him. Once her hand was free, she tried to flex it, wincing at the pins and needle feeling from it being asleep. After a couple of seconds of flexing, Buffy propped her head on her palm so she'd have a good vantage point to watch Xander sleep. Thanks to him being such a heavy sleeper, coupled with the fact that he didn't have enhanced Slayer hearing, Buffy was usually the first one awake in the morning. As their love grew deeper, she also grew to cherish these times as a chance to just watch her lover without him knowing it. Slowly she traced her eyes over his face, his stubble casting his face into shadows. Buffy got a slight twinkling in her eye as she looked at Xander's upper body. I didn't get much of a chance to look him over last night, but wow! I guess there ARE differences between the universes, because this Xander is a lot more muscular than I remember.
Unable to resist the little naughty voice in her head, Buffy began to move the hand that was previously intertwined with Xander's across his chest. Buffy closed her eyes, letting her sense of touch tell her all she needed to know. Slowly she began to lower her hand, letting her fingertips brush across the rippling muscles of his abdomen.
Before she could listen to the voices that were daring her to go lower, chuckling from the object of her affections interrupted her. "You know, Buff, you don't have to wait till I'm asleep to take advantage of me."
Buffy could only duck her head a little, but Xander saw the blush rising up her neck. "In fact, I can guarantee taking advantage of me would be much more fruitful when I'm wide awake and responsive." Noticing how cute she was when she blushed, he decided to go for the masterstroke. He lifted the sheet with his hand and made a show of looking under it. "Of course, I don't have to be awake for THAT to be responsive to your touch."
Buffy blushed an even deeper shade of red, if that were possible, and lightly slapped Xander on the chest. "Xan-DER! I can see that SOME things don't change no matter WHAT universe you are from!" Buffy grinned to herself, knowing that the best way to make Xander blush was to just send some innuendo of her own back his way.
She made it obvious to Xander that she was looking around the room, but for what, he hadn't a clue. Finally, after a few seconds of looking around the room, and then looking at herself, Buffy met Xander's eyes again with a mischievous smirk. "You know, we have a lot more clothes on than we usually do when we share a bed. Usually, we almost have to have a search party to find out where we tossed our things the night before." Unable to resist taking her teasing to the next level, Buffy punctuated her word by running a finger down between Xander's pecs.
Smiling that half-smile that never failed to melt Xander, she leaned in close to his face, her lips only a breath apart. "You know, it's been too long since I've had a good morning kiss from you. I just can't get through the day without one." And before Xander could say anything in response, she had already closed the distance between their lips, and sealed their mouths together.
She only meant for it to be a chaste kiss, but the longer her lips had contact with Xander's, the deeper the kiss became. Forgetting everything but his mouth on hers, Buffy instinctively climbed on top of Xander, her thighs straddling his waist. Slowly she began to grind against him as their tongues danced together.
She was about to reach for the hem of her tank top when she heard the tinkling giggles of her mom in the doorway behind her. "There's no time for THAT kiddos! Breakfast is ready, and you haven't gotten your showers yet. So get up!" Joyce turned around to go back downstairs. Just as she was walking down the stairs, she called back to Buffy and Xander. "And no sharing the shower! You'll have to make up for lost time later!"
Buffy giggled and slowly slid off Xander. "Mmm, too bad. Shower time equals wet naked fun time. And I've never been one to turn down naked time with you." And with a wink, Buffy crawled out of bed and walked to her bathroom, making sure to add a little extra sway to her step. As soon as she got out of sight she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, a smile lighting up her face.
Xander was still sitting upright in bed, a stunned look on his face. "I'm NEVER leaving this place!"