--- ACT TWO ---
Xander was taken by surprise. He had barely time to breathe when Buffy
thrust her lips against his. No doubt it was a pleasant surprise. It was a
dream come true.
Willow dropped her book in shock. She was coming into the cafeteria when
she noticed Buffy and Xander seated at their usual table. She was about to
walk over to them, when they began their public display of affection. Willow
was so stunned she didn't know what to think. She bent down to pick up her
book and fumbled, letting the book slip out of her hands for the second
time. She tried again and succeeded.
If anything, Willow felt betrayed. She wasn't hurt that Buffy was frenching
(well she couldn't tell for sure, but it certainly looked like it) the guy
she once had the hots for, but rather the fact that they were doing it
without giving her prior warning. If they were going out, they could have at
least told her. She was glad she didn't have any more 'sexual' feelings
about Xander, or she would have run out screaming ten seconds ago.
She sauntered over to their table and cleared her throat. Buffy and Xander
withdrew sheepishly.
"Hi, guys," Willow said, with edge in her voice. "Anything you'd like to
share?"
"Oh! How rude of me!" exclaimed Buffy. She pushed her plate towards Willow.
"Scone?"
"No," Willow tried to keep her voice even. She sat down next to Buffy. "I
would not like a scone, but thank you for offering me one. Please tell me
Xander passed out and you were giving him mouth-to-mouth."
"Oh, I think it was more along the lines of tongue-to-tongue," Buffy
replied mischeviously as she winked at Xander. "Don't you think, Xandy-pie?"
Xander blushed. He felt odd pretending. He remembered that he was supposed
to play along in this charade, so he responded, ignoring the weirdness of it
all. "Yeah … my … uh… Buffy muffin."
Buffy tried not to roll her eyes. Willow, however, didn't bother. "As
interesting as this is, I was actually hoping for a little explanation about
why both your lips were fused together."
"Well, I was thinking that Xandy-pie here was looking extremely sexy in
his… uh … orange-shirt ensemble and …" Buffy began but Willow waved her into
silence.
"I was hoping for something more along the lines of 'since when has this
been happening and why haven't you people told me about it?'" Willow tried
to keep her cool. All this was just too strange to swallow, and the fact
that Buffy and Xander were being saccharine sweet to each other didn't help
matters.
Xander didn't know how to answer, because he wasn't really filled in on the
details before Willow came walking into the cafeteria. He looked at Buffy,
motioning for her to answer the question.
"You see … we've been … doing this for … over a month now. And we … decided
that we could not keep our passion a secret, for we are very much in love."
Willow did not seem very inclined to believe what Buffy said. She turned to
Xander. "When did you two first … you know… discover your, quote, passion
for each other."
Buffy interjected. "We were…"
"I was asking Xandy-pie." Willow told her, hoping she didn't come out too
rude. She noticed so far that Buffy was doing most of the talking and she
wanted to hear what Xander had to say.
"Well … uh … it's actually a very , funny story…" Xander began, looking at
Buffy for help. Buffy couldn't do anything and just stared at him, her eyes
warning him not to screw it up. "You see … it all began … when Buffy was …
uh … eh… sharpening her stakes."
"Oh, do go on." Willow persisted, genuinely interested in how this weird
pairing actually happened.
"So … uh … I was helping her … and we were whistling a jaunty tune … and …
we kissed . Bam , bam, sparks flew, and we're all in happy land now." Xander
rushed through his story and hoped Willow believed him.
"That's all?" Willow asked, a little bit disappointed. She was hoping for a
more detailed description. "What did you two say to each other?"
"He told me that he loved me for so long, and could no longer keep his
feelings bottled up," Buffy said before Xander could answer. "That was so
sweet."
"And … uh… she told me she secretly desired and lusted after me for years,
too, and was… err … glad I felt the same way about her," Xander continued
for her. Buffy gave him a look which Willow did not manage to catch. "And
here we are. Xandy-pie and Buffy Muffin. Pastries in love."
"Well, I'm really happy for you both. Despite the fact that you guys didn't
tell me outright. Best of luck to both of you, I hope you have a happy life
together." Willow got up and left. There was something eerily wrong about
that relationship that bothered her. She told herself that she probably
needed some time to adjust. That was probably the truth, anyhow.
Giles pretty much had the same reaction when Willow told him the news.
Unfortunately for him, he was on a stepladder arranging some books at the
time, and what resulted was a small tumble and a painful thud.
"Who would have guessed?" Giles said, once the pain in his body had
diminished a little. "That would explain Buffy's change in character around
you. She was afraid of your reaction towards her new relationship with
Xander, and thus avoided you. Perhaps psychologically, she had the idea that
you would feel betrayed if you found out, and subsequently believed that you
couldn't find out if she didn't see you so often. Hence, the avoidance."
"It frightens me that you can still think all that even after a fall."
Willow replied. "God, this will take some getting used too. I never knew she
felt that way about him. I, for one, am thankful I don't anymore. Imagine
the predicament that would cause."
"If it makes Buffy happy, I would suggest we all accept it."
# # #
"Did you hear?" Harmony rushed to meet Cordelia half-way. "I just the most
scandalous news ever! You will not believe what Xander …"
Cordelia motioned Harmony to stop. "If it's about that freak, I don't want
to hear it. We broke up, remember. He cheated with that whiny little
tree-named girl, who I thought was actually a nice person, and now I really
don't care what he does with his life."
"Yeah, but he and Buffy were…" Harmony tried to tell her news, but failed.
"Buffy. Another name I do not want to hear. Ever again. That troublemaker."
Cordelia gave a disgusted look at the mention of the slayer's name. She
can't believe that she was actually friends with those bunch of
backstabbers.
"Well, apparently, Buffy and Xander were in the cafeteria, and right in
front of ev…"
"Am I not getting my message through? Do you not understand what I was
trying to say?" Cordelia was getting frustrated.
"I know, but you see, Xander and Buffy were playing tongue twisters of the
physical type in the cafeteria. In full view of everybody." Harmony sped
through her words so that Cordelia couldn't interrupt her.
"They did what?" Cordelia's voice was loud. "God, does that boy's lips ever
stop moving? First Willow, now Buffy? What else did they do … not that I
care of course."
"Of course." Harmony smiled. "Anyway, I heard from Jane , whose Lisa's
biology partner, whose boyfriend is a friend of Michael Smith, the school
basketball player, and he, Michael, sits behind this girl Emily, whose
friend was sitting at the cafeteria this morning, when she saw Buffy and
Xander in the lip-lock. And she overheard the conversation, and apparently,
those two did it in a pastry shop."
"Excuse me?"
"That's what Lisa's biology partner's boyfriend's friend's classmate's
friend heard. Isn't this like, the most scandalous news you've ever heard?
Oh, there's Bethany. I so have got to spread it now. See ya." Harmony darted
off to spread her own version of the Buffy-Xander love story.
"What is wrong with these people?" Cordelia mumbled to herself as she
walked to class.
--end act 2--
Xander was taken by surprise. He had barely time to breathe when Buffy
thrust her lips against his. No doubt it was a pleasant surprise. It was a
dream come true.
Willow dropped her book in shock. She was coming into the cafeteria when
she noticed Buffy and Xander seated at their usual table. She was about to
walk over to them, when they began their public display of affection. Willow
was so stunned she didn't know what to think. She bent down to pick up her
book and fumbled, letting the book slip out of her hands for the second
time. She tried again and succeeded.
If anything, Willow felt betrayed. She wasn't hurt that Buffy was frenching
(well she couldn't tell for sure, but it certainly looked like it) the guy
she once had the hots for, but rather the fact that they were doing it
without giving her prior warning. If they were going out, they could have at
least told her. She was glad she didn't have any more 'sexual' feelings
about Xander, or she would have run out screaming ten seconds ago.
She sauntered over to their table and cleared her throat. Buffy and Xander
withdrew sheepishly.
"Hi, guys," Willow said, with edge in her voice. "Anything you'd like to
share?"
"Oh! How rude of me!" exclaimed Buffy. She pushed her plate towards Willow.
"Scone?"
"No," Willow tried to keep her voice even. She sat down next to Buffy. "I
would not like a scone, but thank you for offering me one. Please tell me
Xander passed out and you were giving him mouth-to-mouth."
"Oh, I think it was more along the lines of tongue-to-tongue," Buffy
replied mischeviously as she winked at Xander. "Don't you think, Xandy-pie?"
Xander blushed. He felt odd pretending. He remembered that he was supposed
to play along in this charade, so he responded, ignoring the weirdness of it
all. "Yeah … my … uh… Buffy muffin."
Buffy tried not to roll her eyes. Willow, however, didn't bother. "As
interesting as this is, I was actually hoping for a little explanation about
why both your lips were fused together."
"Well, I was thinking that Xandy-pie here was looking extremely sexy in
his… uh … orange-shirt ensemble and …" Buffy began but Willow waved her into
silence.
"I was hoping for something more along the lines of 'since when has this
been happening and why haven't you people told me about it?'" Willow tried
to keep her cool. All this was just too strange to swallow, and the fact
that Buffy and Xander were being saccharine sweet to each other didn't help
matters.
Xander didn't know how to answer, because he wasn't really filled in on the
details before Willow came walking into the cafeteria. He looked at Buffy,
motioning for her to answer the question.
"You see … we've been … doing this for … over a month now. And we … decided
that we could not keep our passion a secret, for we are very much in love."
Willow did not seem very inclined to believe what Buffy said. She turned to
Xander. "When did you two first … you know… discover your, quote, passion
for each other."
Buffy interjected. "We were…"
"I was asking Xandy-pie." Willow told her, hoping she didn't come out too
rude. She noticed so far that Buffy was doing most of the talking and she
wanted to hear what Xander had to say.
"Well … uh … it's actually a very , funny story…" Xander began, looking at
Buffy for help. Buffy couldn't do anything and just stared at him, her eyes
warning him not to screw it up. "You see … it all began … when Buffy was …
uh … eh… sharpening her stakes."
"Oh, do go on." Willow persisted, genuinely interested in how this weird
pairing actually happened.
"So … uh … I was helping her … and we were whistling a jaunty tune … and …
we kissed . Bam , bam, sparks flew, and we're all in happy land now." Xander
rushed through his story and hoped Willow believed him.
"That's all?" Willow asked, a little bit disappointed. She was hoping for a
more detailed description. "What did you two say to each other?"
"He told me that he loved me for so long, and could no longer keep his
feelings bottled up," Buffy said before Xander could answer. "That was so
sweet."
"And … uh… she told me she secretly desired and lusted after me for years,
too, and was… err … glad I felt the same way about her," Xander continued
for her. Buffy gave him a look which Willow did not manage to catch. "And
here we are. Xandy-pie and Buffy Muffin. Pastries in love."
"Well, I'm really happy for you both. Despite the fact that you guys didn't
tell me outright. Best of luck to both of you, I hope you have a happy life
together." Willow got up and left. There was something eerily wrong about
that relationship that bothered her. She told herself that she probably
needed some time to adjust. That was probably the truth, anyhow.
Giles pretty much had the same reaction when Willow told him the news.
Unfortunately for him, he was on a stepladder arranging some books at the
time, and what resulted was a small tumble and a painful thud.
"Who would have guessed?" Giles said, once the pain in his body had
diminished a little. "That would explain Buffy's change in character around
you. She was afraid of your reaction towards her new relationship with
Xander, and thus avoided you. Perhaps psychologically, she had the idea that
you would feel betrayed if you found out, and subsequently believed that you
couldn't find out if she didn't see you so often. Hence, the avoidance."
"It frightens me that you can still think all that even after a fall."
Willow replied. "God, this will take some getting used too. I never knew she
felt that way about him. I, for one, am thankful I don't anymore. Imagine
the predicament that would cause."
"If it makes Buffy happy, I would suggest we all accept it."
# # #
"Did you hear?" Harmony rushed to meet Cordelia half-way. "I just the most
scandalous news ever! You will not believe what Xander …"
Cordelia motioned Harmony to stop. "If it's about that freak, I don't want
to hear it. We broke up, remember. He cheated with that whiny little
tree-named girl, who I thought was actually a nice person, and now I really
don't care what he does with his life."
"Yeah, but he and Buffy were…" Harmony tried to tell her news, but failed.
"Buffy. Another name I do not want to hear. Ever again. That troublemaker."
Cordelia gave a disgusted look at the mention of the slayer's name. She
can't believe that she was actually friends with those bunch of
backstabbers.
"Well, apparently, Buffy and Xander were in the cafeteria, and right in
front of ev…"
"Am I not getting my message through? Do you not understand what I was
trying to say?" Cordelia was getting frustrated.
"I know, but you see, Xander and Buffy were playing tongue twisters of the
physical type in the cafeteria. In full view of everybody." Harmony sped
through her words so that Cordelia couldn't interrupt her.
"They did what?" Cordelia's voice was loud. "God, does that boy's lips ever
stop moving? First Willow, now Buffy? What else did they do … not that I
care of course."
"Of course." Harmony smiled. "Anyway, I heard from Jane , whose Lisa's
biology partner, whose boyfriend is a friend of Michael Smith, the school
basketball player, and he, Michael, sits behind this girl Emily, whose
friend was sitting at the cafeteria this morning, when she saw Buffy and
Xander in the lip-lock. And she overheard the conversation, and apparently,
those two did it in a pastry shop."
"Excuse me?"
"That's what Lisa's biology partner's boyfriend's friend's classmate's
friend heard. Isn't this like, the most scandalous news you've ever heard?
Oh, there's Bethany. I so have got to spread it now. See ya." Harmony darted
off to spread her own version of the Buffy-Xander love story.
"What is wrong with these people?" Cordelia mumbled to herself as she
walked to class.
--end act 2--