Title: Ansatsuken

Author: Shin Willow.

Spoilers: Halloween

Category: Drama/Challange

Rating: PG

Summery: Halloween. Costume changes. And Xander and Willow go with a theme.

Ansatsuken

Xander Harris walked down the sidewalk on Buffy's street carrying a big green box. He almost wanted to run to Buffy's house just so he could see Willow's face once he showed her the costumes he got for them that much sooner. They were cheap too, the costumes. All right, actually they wiped out his meager savings of fifty bucks, fifty bucks he planned to use towards a nice clunker of a used car. But when the shop owner suggested the second costume, Xander couldn't resist purchasing it for Willow. He wasn't sure she remembered her suggestion to wear matching outfits one Halloween three Halloweens ago, but Xander planned to remind her with green box number one.

The only problem was Willow and Buffy picked the outfits they'd wear tonight the day before. Xander guessed Willow must really be into the costume she picked out because she and Buffy acted all secretive about it. Buffy wasn't interested in being secretive, though. She was giddy and telling anyone who'd listen she was going as a noble woman. Of course, she was doing it to impress that freak, Angel, which really cheesed Xander off. What kind of dork wanted a hot chick like Buffy to dress like that anyway?

When there are so many low-cut blouses and mini skirts out there? And Spandex? Xander shook his head—he just didn't understand it.

As Xander continued to walk, he noticed people emerging from homes. Mostly kids already in costume followed by chasing parents. It was three p.m. and the sun was still high in the sky. Xander remembered what it was like to feel the need to get a head start on the candy hoarding.

Which reminds me, I better hurry if I wanna get back to the school on time and pick up the kids Snyder saddled me with. Not that Xander hated the idea of taking the kids trick or treating. It gave him a legitimate excuse to play dress-up and weasel free candy at his advanced age, after all. Xander picked up the pace.

Xander jogged up the steps of The Summers landing and up to the front door and knocked. A minute passed before the door opened. Xander stepped inside without being invited.

"Wow, Xander! Great costume!" Buffy exclaimed. "But I thought you were going as soldier guy?"

"Forget about me! Lady Buffy… Duchess of Buffonia! You look beautiful! I think I've been officially converted from a Spandex man," Xander declared. The dark pink dress looked very Cinderella-esque. Even the obvious looking brunette wig Buffy wore flattered her. Really brought out the green in her eyes.

Buffy bowed graciously. "Thank you kind sir," she said and Xander bowed in return. "Wait 'til you see Willow's outfit, she's…" they heard foot falls coming from the top of the stairs, they turned and saw Willow come down covered by a white sheet with two big eye-holes in it, a string sewn around where her neck was.

"Casper," Buffy finished softly.

Xander just nodded. Looks like I got here just in time, he thought. He met Willow at the base of the stairs and said, "Great costume… now strip."

"Xander!" Willow and Buffy exclaimed. Willow's voice was absolutely squeaky.

Xander held up the box and presented it to Willow. "Be-cause I have something better for you to wear. Here, go try it on."

The green eyes behind the holes in the sheet flicked down to the box. "You bought me a costume?"

"Yeppers! Go on, open it and see what it is."

Willow looked at Xander and he smiled encouragingly, but his grin dissolved when he saw her staring at him like he gave her flowers or puppies… or something. He ducked his head and shuffled his feet. Thank god for Buffy because she spoke up. "Buying two costumes must've wiped you out, huh?" she asked.

"Yesiree!" Xander announced robustly, snapping his head up to look at Buffy. He could've kissed her feet at that moment for giving him a way out of that awkward moment. "But when inspiration and opportunity come a-knockin' you gotta grab that bull by the horns and take a leap of faith."

"Wow, can you cram that sentence with one more platitude?" Buffy asked dryly.

"If it cost too much maybe you should take it back," Willow said.

Xander waved away the suggestion. "Nah. If you'd finally look inside the box you'll figure out why I can't. We made a pact, remember?"

Willow's eyes went from being dewy and morose to curious, and then Xander knew he'd firmly distracted her from getting emotional. "A pact? When?"

Xander sighed dramatically. He said, "We agreed to wear something matching one of these Halloweens, if not in truth then in theme."

Willow lit up. It was clearly visible in her eyes when she pulled up the memory, even with shroud over her face. She looked down at the box again then exclaimed, "Oh, right! You, me, and--" Willow looked at Xander ready to finish her thought when Xander quickly cut her off.

"I know you suggested the Musketeers, but this was the closest I could manage. So go on and open it already!"

Willow took a breath as if to say something more, but she paused and sighed instead. Shifting the sheet so her arms were uncovered, Willow opened the box. Buffy up until that moment watched the two friends talk in that you had to be there manner they had, but she strode over to Willow once the box was opened, her own curiosity piqued to find out what it contained.

"God!" Buffy cried and faced Xander with an expression of amazement. "Xander, that's real silk!" She turned back to the box then to Xander again. "And those boots… that's real suede!"

Confused by Buffy's shocked outburst, Xander looked at Willow to explain what was up with that. She sometimes translated Buffy-speak in these instances. And right now Buffy sounded like she did when she laid her hands on what was supposed to be special shoes she found on sale. Special shoes that looked like any other pair in the store as far as Xander could tell, but she swore up and down were perfect and one of a kind and totally in style. And she thought Xander was an idiot for not knowing the difference.

But Willow was staring at the costume with nearly as much wide-eyed delight as Buffy.

"Okay, once again Xander's in the dark. What's the big deal about the outfit being silk and the boots leather?"

Buffy rolled her eyes and cocked her head disapprovingly. "First of all, not leather, suede. Secondly, do you have any idea how much a silk outfit costs?"

"Thirty bucks?" Xander offered.

"Nuh-uh. We're talkin' a couple of hundred dollars. At least!" Buffy asserted.

Xander shrugged and said, "The guy gave me a good deal."

Buffy reached into the box and stroked the costume with her fingers. "He gave me one on my dress, too. I guess he wasn't too interested in making profits."

"So, you gonna wear it, Will?" Xander asked.

"Yes. I mean if you want me to."

"I want."

"You're really going to walk around Sunnydale barefoot?" Buffy asked Xander, who sat on the bottom step of the stairs. She watched him unlace his shoes with a couple of quick tugs.

"This guy don't walk the globe in hi-tops, Buffy," Xander said shucking his sneaks. He set both at the foot of the stairs. Hoping Buffy was right about her mom not minding his storing them there.

"Do the words broken glass and tetanus hold any meaning to you?"

Xander gave a careless shrug then peeled off his white gym socks, depositing one in each shoe. "Yeah… but I figure as long as I stick to sidewalks and suburbia, I should be fine."

"If you… say… so…"

Xander looked at Buffy when her words trailed off. He saw her gaze was pulled up to a point behind him, so he stood and turned to see what snatched her attention. Willow stood at the top of the stairs wearing the costume Xander got for her to wonderful effect.

The blue, gold-trimmed garment fit better than he thought it would. The top part fit a little loosely, especially around the bosom area, but the waist area conformed perfectly. The skirt, split in three places, showed off her long, lithe legs, and the white, lace-up boots on her feet accentuated the healthy shape of her calves. Willow also wore orange-ish stockings. Xander hadn't noticed them when that Ethan guy showed him the costume. He hadn't noticed the spiked wrist bands either.

"Whoa, Willow!" Xander exclaimed appreciatively.

"I gotta say it… it's perfect. Willow, you look gorgeous! Only thing missing are the bun ties," Buffy said.

Blushing furiously, Willow clasped her hands in front of her. "There are some, but I couldn't get my hair up to fit them," she said softly.

"Yeah, well you look better with your hair down anyway," Xander said, studying her closely.

"Are you saying she looks pretty, Xan?" Buffy asked smiling broadly. Her question made Willow's blush deepen.

"Huh? Yeah, I guess so. But more importantly she's the perfect Chun-Li to my Ryu. But she looks way more impressive in her get up than I do in mine," Xander said. "I think it's the spikes…"