Title: Sleeping Together (Part two continued from Being Idiots)

Author: Whiskey Meteor

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Having successfully drowned his sorrows with drink, Xander finds that he can no longer walk on his own. Luckily Andrew's there to help him.

Disclaimer: Everything BtVS belongs to Joss Whedon.

Notes: Alternate ending to "Hell's Bells". After Xander walks out on his wedding he does not come back. As far as we know, the old man really was Xander from the future.

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"So y'left the bastard," Xander slurred, several additional rounds of drinks beginning to catch up with him, "Wha' d'you do now?"

Andrew looked across the table thoughtfully. He liked Xander, and not just the tall dark and handsome parts. Andrew liked that Xander would spill his heart to a complete stranger, and care enough to listen while the stranger did the same. He liked that Xander didn't mock him for drinking coke in a bar. And even though Andrew didn't completely agree, he especially liked that Xander had just called Warren a bastard. "I don't know what I'm gonna do now," Andrew admitted, "I need to leave town... but I don't know where to go."

"Wow," Xander said in awe, "I mean, I know y'said he'd be pissed when he foun' out you'd left, but... wow." Xander shook his head, "I guess I should prob'ly get outta town too... At least fer a while," he shrugged. Understandably, Anya wouldn't be happy with him, and even if *she* didn't reap vengeance on him Xander was quite sure that she could find someone who would.

"We... could..." Andrew hesitated, "get out of town together...?"

Xander threw his arms in the air, "We could!" he exclaimed, his eyes wide with excitement, "That's th' best idea *ever*." Xander lowered his arms and swayed slightly in his chair.

Andrew frowned, "Xander, I think you need to go lie down-,"

"Nah..." Xander cut in, waving a hand dismissively, "I'm gonna have a...nother drink..." he looked blearily over to the bar, and then back at Andrew, "You wan' me to getchya somin'?" Andrew shook his head 'no', and Xander shrugged. He rose from his seat, wobbled, swayed precariously, and then dropped back into his chair. "Okay, okay," he admitted grudgingly, "I needa go lie down..." Xander cast another unfocused look towards the door, and then gazed hopefully back at Andrew, "I'm stayin' at the hotel next... door..." he paused mid-sentence and frowned, as if he'd forgot what he was saying.

"Do you want me to help you get to your room?" Andrew prompted.

Xander narrowed an eye, "Wha' room?"

Andrew sighed, got out of his chair, and walked around the table to where Xander was sitting. "Come on," he said, pulling gently on Xander's arm, "I'll help you get to your hotel." Xander rose reluctantly from his seat, and leaned heavily on Andrew for support. "Okay," Andrew said in the most enthusiastic voice he could muster, "Now towards the door..." They shuffled out of the bar together. Xander continued swaying, and Andrew bent forward under his weight, almost dragging him across the floor.

Outside it was cool, having rained earlier, and Xander seemed able to gather himself together a bit. "It's room 26," he mumbled, and with Xander still leaning against Andrew but walking more on his own, the two men managed to find their way to the room.

They stood silently in front of the door for a moment, until Andrew cleared his throat, "Do you have the key?" he prompted.

Xander gazed down at Andrew uncertainly, trying to focus, "Um," he said, "key... key... key..." Andrew raised his eyebrows, waiting. "S'in my pocket," Xander finally offered.

Stepping in front, Andrew put Xander's arms over his shoulders to prop him up. "Which pocket?" he asked uncertainly.

"Uh..." Xander narrowed his eyes, thinking, "The one with the key init?"

Andrew sighed testily, and delved into Xander's jacket pockets. The left was empty, but dipping into the pocket on the right, Andrew found the key nestled next to Xander's wallet, and extracted it. Xander swayed, his knees buckled and he and slumped forward heavily onto Andrew, pushing him back against the door. Andrew made a surprised noise that came out muffled, as Xander's head had lolled forward and covered his mouth. "Xander?" Andrew asked, "...Are you okay?"

"Hmm?" Xander readjusted his footing, and raised his head, resting his forehead against Andrew's so they were eye to eye.

Andrew swallowed hard. From this close, he could see every nuance of colour in Xander's eyes. Black and deepest brown flecked with a burnt gold like leaves in the fall. Andrew let himself glance down at Xander's mouth, lips parted slightly, only inches away from his own. He'd been this close to Warren once, and he'd been afraid. Jonathan was out, and he and Warren were alone. They'd got talking about Katrina's death somehow- that they'd got away with it. Andrew let slip that maybe they shouldn't have got away with it, and Warren had snapped, shouting and pushing him up against the wall. Andrew had looked into Warren's eyes then, and they'd appeared almost devoid of colour- No, Andrew thought, Devoid of love. It was then, staring into Warren's eyes and seeing the truth, that Andrew had decided to leave.

"Do you have a place to stay tonight?" Xander asked. Andrew whipped his eyes away back up to Xander's eyes. "'Cause if you don', you c'n stay here," Xander wobbled slightly, and took one of his arms off Andrew's shoulder. He reached down and took Andrew's hand, fumbled the key out of his grip and into the lock, and then turned the door knob. Behind their combined weight, the door sprang open, and Andrew staggered back into the hotel room, Xander still partially draped over his shoulders. The room was small, and in a few steps they were beside the bed, Andrew's legs almost shaking from the strain of holding the other man upright. Andrew heard a click, and looking back over Xander's shoulder, he saw that the door had sprung closed and locked itself. Andrew glanced at Xander again, and found that his eyes were closed and his head slumped forward again, apparently asleep. Andrew sighed, and attempted to shuffle Xander off his shoulder's and onto the bed. But as Andrew moved, Xander stirred again and opened his eyes, "Thank you," he offered sadly.

Andrew shrugged, "It's okay," he said.

"No," Xander insisted sleepily, "You're a good guy, you shouldn' have to deal with my mistakes..."

Andrew felt sick, "I'm not a good guy," he said softly.

Xander shook his head, "You didn' deserve what... what..." he frowned, "What was'is name, anyway?"

"Warren," Andrew said. That name, that used to taste so sweet on his tongue, now passed over his lips like a poison. He wondered at how quickly and completely things could change.

"Warren," Xander repeated, a look of resentment flickering across his face, "Warren's a bastard."

Andrew looked away from Xander's eyes, staring instead at the door closed behind them. "Maybe," Andrew agreed, "But I deserve a bastard."

Xander studied Andrew, wearing a puzzled expression, "How could *you* deserve a jerk like that?" he asked, "You're good, Andrew, I know it."

Andrew looked back up into Xander's eyes, his heart aching, "You don't know me," he said shakily, "And I don't deserve to be happy."

Xander shook his head dismissively, "Everyone deserves to be happy," he said quietly, and then wrinkled his nose, "He *never* even kissed you?" Andrew looked away again, embarassed. "If I were Warren..." Xander mused.

Tentatively, Andrew met Xander's eyes again, If you were Warren, what? he thought, pouting.

Xander's gaze dropped to Andrew's pout, "If I were Warren... I... would have..."

A noise came from a neighboring room, and Andrew swiveled his head to the distraction. When he turned back, Xander's eyes were closed and his head was slumped to the side again. "You would have what?" Andrew whined quietly. Suddenly, Xander's weight shifted and Andrew lost his balance, toppling back onto the bed, with Xander half on top of him. Turning his head, Andrew found that Xander was undisturbed by the fall- his eyes were still closed. Andrew sighed. He had, once, fantasized about being in bed with Xander Harris. Needless to say, the fantasy had been nothing like this. Of course, this wasn't all that bad. Pleasantly trapped in the other man's arms, Andrew listened to Xander's heart beat. It was an oddly soothing sound, and coupled with Xander's breath, even and warm on the top of his head, Andrew was overcome with a sense of security. He knew that this wouldn't last. That just like Warren, this was a lie. Not a malicious lie, but a lie nonetheless. When Xander woke up, what he remembered, he'd want to forget or deny. Not that anything happened, Andrew thought. Andrew wondered if Xander would remember thinking that the two of them leaving town together was the best idea *ever*. Xander shifted on the bed, pulling the other man closer in his sleep, Andrew's head coming to rest on his chest. The morning would no doubt be uncomfortable, but *this*, right now, was comfortable. Andrew wanted to believe that Xander was right about everyone deserving to be happy. So for now, Andrew let himself steal a moment of comfortable happiness. Turning his head to the side, Andrew smiled and lay his ear flat over Xander's heart, letting the steady even rhythm of its beating lull him to sleep.

The end

To be continued...