Title: Okay, So Maybe I'm a Little Gay
Author: Whiskey Meteor
Email address: tartapplewedges@hotmail.om
Fandom: Buffy/Angel
Pairing(s): Xander/Andrew
Category: Romance
Challenge: Blind date - Your character, whether eagerly or reluctantly, agrees to go on a blind date arranged by a friend. Who is it? What happens? Using the first line "Are you gay?"
Warnings: None
Rating: G
Summary: Willow sets Xander up on a blind date. It doesn't go quite as expected.
Author's Notes: About a year after 'Chosen'. Some of the Scoobies have taken up residence in LA. And a big thanks to Karen for the beta:)
_________________________________________________________________
"Are you gay?" Willow asked dryly.
"What? No," Xander said quickly. "It's just, Friday night is X-Men night and I'd hate to-,"
"Xander," Willow admonished, "I'm sure Andrew can survive *one* Friday night without you." She smiled. "It's just one night. And it'll be fun. You spend practically every other night with Andrew anyway."
"I do not," Xander said dismissively. "And so what if I do? He's my friend, Will. I like spending time with him."
"Xander," Willow asked, rubbing her friend's shoulder gently, "you said you wanted to get back into the dating game."
Xander sighed in defeat. "I do. But a blind date?"
"Yes, a blind date," Willow confirmed. "Tomorrow night."
"Okay, fine," Xander said with a shrug.
Willow clapped happily. "Yay!" she exclaimed. "You won't regret this."
Xander shook his head. "Just... Find someone that I'll like."
"I will," Willow said, nodding assuredly. And as Xander left the room, she smiled to herself smugly. "I already have."
* * * * *
"But Friday night is X-men night," Andrew whined softly.
"I know. I'm sorry," Xander offered. Andrew and he had become friends just over a year ago, somewhere on the bus ride from the ruins of Sunnydale to L.A.
The very first Friday night in the new city, staying in a hotel, Xander hadn't been able to sleep. He'd crossed the hall to Andrew's room in search of company and, happily, found him wide awake. They'd watched X-Men reruns and talked until they fell asleep-- that night, and every Friday night since. As Willow had suggested, the two men did spend most of their free time together; but X-Men Fridays were a long-standing tradition, and Xander felt acutely guilty for breaking it. Especially over the phone.
"It's okay. I guess," Andrew said at length. "You're still on for the mall tomorrow, though, right?"
"Of course," Xander said enthusiastically. "Roy at the comic book store said he'd bring his vintage Wonder Woman collection. There's no way we're missing *that*." On the other end of the phone, Andrew was silent. Xander frowned. "Andrew?" he asked. "I really am sorry."
Andrew sighed. "No, it's okay," he said. "I mean, Friday nights? You should be out dating anyway, not watching old cartoons with me."
Xander wanted to assure Andrew that he'd much rather stay in and watch cartoons; but instead, he said, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry," Andrew said. "Just have a good time."
"Thanks." There was a silent pause. "So I'll see you tomorrow morning?" Xander asked.
"Absolutely," Andrew replied. "And Xander? Good luck."
* * * * *
Xander glanced down at his watch. It was almost time. "I can't believe I let her set me up," he said to himself.
Xander had thought that he was ready to move on and finally start dating again. But now that he was about to walk into the restaurant Willow had sent him to, Xander was certain that he would have much rather been at home watching cartoons with Andrew.
But he couldn't bail now. Xander had promised Willow that he'd do this. And he'd already canceled on Andrew. He'd probably made other plans by now anyway.
His conscience momentarily placated, Xander took a deep breath and walked into the restaurant. He looked around, trying to find his date. When he'd asked Willow how he'd know who it was, she'd smiled and said, cryptically, "You'll know."
"I'll know?" Xander muttered as he scanned the restaurant. "What on earth did she mean by-," Xander stopped, mid-thought, as his gaze fell on a familiar young man seated by himself in a booth in the corner. It was Andrew.
Xander's jaw dropped. "What's Andrew doing here?" he asked himself, shaking his head in amazement. Xander was quite sure that he hadn't told Andrew where his date would be taking place. "This has to be the biggest coincidence of..." Xander's thought trailed off as realization began to fall into place. Andrew turned his head towards the door, and Xander ducked out of sight behind a large plant. "She set me up with *Andrew*?" Xander asked himself incredulously. "But I'm not gay. Andrew's my friend. I like him. But I don't *like* him. Why would Willow..."
Xander peered out briefly from behind his cover-plant. "She knows me better than anyone else does," he thought. "Is it possible that she knows something about me that I don't?" Xander frowned. He and Andrew had been spending a lot of time together. Most of their free time, actually. And in all honesty, Xander couldn't think of anyone else he'd want to spend more time with. "But I'm not gay," he repeated silently to himself. Of course, he reasoned, he had dated a demon. Andrew might not be the traditionally appropriate gender, but at least he was the same species.
Risking another peek out from behind his plant, Xander looked over at Andrew, who was sitting at his table and sipping his drink quietly. Light from the street filtered through the window and lit Andrew's pale skin with an almost ethereal glow.
Xander smiled. All this sun, and somehow Andrew had managed to keep his skin milky white. "Like a smooth vanilla shake," Xander thought, and he let his mind wander where he usually reigned it in, betting that skin was twice as smooth as any shake and infinitely sweeter. He counted back all the times he'd reprimanded himself for harboring such 'inappropriate' thoughts about his friend; for wanting to touch and taste what he shouldn't want. He quickly lost count as his gaze drifted back to Andrew.
"Okay, so maybe I am a little gay..." Xander said to himself. He smiled broadly and stepped out from behind the plant. "Better get going or I'll be late for my date."
* * * * *
"Mind if I join you?"
Andrew looked up from his drink to Xander, and his eyes went wide. "I, yeah, but, date, and..." He cringed, cleared his throat, and motioned for Xander to sit.
Xander obliged, and sat down across from Andrew. "You seem surprised," he observed. "Didn't think I'd come, did you?"
"No," Andrew shook his head in disbelief. "I didn't expect to see you here tonight."
"I have to admit I don't feel as bad about canceling on you," Xander said with a smile. "Seeing as *you're* my date."
Andrew's brow furrowed. "I'm your date?" he asked quietly. "I'm your date..." He smiled. "I'm you're date."
"Yeah, I know," Xander said. "I was a little confused at first too. I mean, I didn't think that I was... you know." He shrugged. "But the more I think about it," he reached across the table and shyly took one of Andrew's hands in his, "the more it makes sense."
Andrew beamed. "I'm glad you came," he said.
Xander squeezed his hand lightly. "Me too." They smiled across the table at each other contentedly until their waiter, who they hadn't noticed standing beside them, cleared his throat. Xander dropped Andrew's hand guiltily and turned to the waiter.
"Can I interest you in a drink, sir?" he asked, while placing two menus down on the table.
"Um..." Xander said distractedly, and inched his hand away from Andrew's.
The waiter looked from Xander, to Andrew, and then back to Xander again. He smiled. "You go ahead and hold your boyfriend's hand, honey," he said. "This is LA; no one's gonna notice. And if any one does, they're not gonna care." Xander grinned, reached out, and took Andrew's hand again. The waiter gave a self-satisfied nod. "I'll give you a minute and come back for your orders, okay?"
Xander watched him go, and when he turned back, Andrew was looking at their clasped hands thoughtfully. "Andrew?" he asked. "Whatchya thinkin'?"
"Hm?" Andrew asked, looking up at Xander. "Oh. I was... I mean... Am I?" He raised his eyebrows inquisitively.
Xander blinked, confused. "Are you what?" he asked.
Andrew fidgeted. "Your boyfriend," he said quietly. "Am I your boyfriend?"
"Well," Xander said, "I'd sort of like you to be. That is, if that's what *you* want."
Andrew nodded hesitantly. "It is," he said slowly.
"But?" Xander asked.
Xander released Andrew's hand, and Andrew folded it with the other in his lap. "But I don't want to rush you into anything," he said and sighed. "I'm not saying that I don't want this... because I do." He looked up at Xander and smiled reassuringly. "More than anything."
Xander frowned. "I'm not sure I understand," he said.
"Xander..." Andrew looked down at the table. "I've wanted you, and thought I'd never have you, for so long that I'd sort of accepted that it would never happen. I don't think I could stand it if I actually got you, and then you changed your mind." He looked back up and met Xander's gaze. "Are you absolutely sure that this is what you want?"
"I am," Xander said, without hesitation.
Andrew watched Xander thoughtfully for a moment, before a broad smile spread across his face. They each picked up a menu and started browsing through, periodically glancing up at the other with satisfied smiles.
* * * * *
"I can't believe you finished all that," Xander said.
Andrew sighed and patted his stomach lightly. After they'd finished dinner and desert, Xander had offered to walk Andrew home. It wasn't that far, and they walked with their hands clasped and swinging lightheartedly between them. "It *was* a lot," he agreed. "But did you see that lady? The one like three tables away?"
Xander nodded emphatically and chuckled. "I know," he said. "She must have had four sundaes."
"Yeah," Andrew agreed. "She looked pretty pissed off. I bet she got stood up."
They reached the door of Andrew's apartment building and stopped, standing a little awkwardly together, both unsure of how to say goodnight. "That would suck," Xander offered. "Being stood up, I mean."
Andrew nodded. "Like being lead on," he said, carefully avoiding Xander's gaze. "It's just... cruel."
"Andrew," Xander said, "you know I'm not leading you on, right?"
"Yeah, I guess." Andrew looked up. "It's just a little bit of a shock. I mean," he lifted his free hand and straightened Xander's collar, "all of a sudden you *like* me?"
Xander smiled, and pulled Andrew a little closer. "It's not really all of a sudden," he said. "I've liked you for a long time... It just took a bit of a push for me to realise that I've *liked* you for a long time."
"A bit of a push?" Andrew asked.
"Mm-hm," Xander said, and then leaned down and placed a sweet, lingering kiss on the other man's lips. Andrew smiled against Xander's mouth and they slowly pulled apart. "A push," Xander went on. "You know, Willow setting us up on the date?" He leaned in for another kiss, but stopped when Andrew frowned thoughtfully.
"Willow setting us up?" Andrew asked, confused.
"Yeah," Xander went on. "Willow told you to meet me at the restaurant... didn't she?" Andrew furrowed his brow and shook his head slowly no. Xander frowned. "So you weren't waiting for me?" Andrew shook his head again. "You just happened to be-," Xander's jaw dropped in mortification. "Oh god, that poor woman ate all those sundaes because *I* stood her up." Andrew giggled, and Xander worked hard not to join him "It's not funny," he insisted. "Think of that poor woman!"
Andrew dissolved into a fit of laughter, burying his face on Xander's chest. Xander looked down at Andrew's head, which had come to rest somewhere just over his heart. He smiled, caught Andrew's chin with his hand, and brought their lips together in another long, sweet kiss.
At length, they pulled apart. "Andrew?" Xander asked. "Can you remind me to phone and apologize for standing that woman up?"
"Sure," Andrew offered. "When would you like me to remind you?"
Xander ran his thumb over Andrew's mouth and smiled coyly. "How about tomorrow morning?"
The End.
The sequel to this story is rated NC-17, and can be found at the AAA Fuh-Q fest archive: http://swriters.slashcity.net/library/viewstory.php?sid=71
Author: Whiskey Meteor
Email address: tartapplewedges@hotmail.om
Fandom: Buffy/Angel
Pairing(s): Xander/Andrew
Category: Romance
Challenge: Blind date - Your character, whether eagerly or reluctantly, agrees to go on a blind date arranged by a friend. Who is it? What happens? Using the first line "Are you gay?"
Warnings: None
Rating: G
Summary: Willow sets Xander up on a blind date. It doesn't go quite as expected.
Author's Notes: About a year after 'Chosen'. Some of the Scoobies have taken up residence in LA. And a big thanks to Karen for the beta:)
_________________________________________________________________
"Are you gay?" Willow asked dryly.
"What? No," Xander said quickly. "It's just, Friday night is X-Men night and I'd hate to-,"
"Xander," Willow admonished, "I'm sure Andrew can survive *one* Friday night without you." She smiled. "It's just one night. And it'll be fun. You spend practically every other night with Andrew anyway."
"I do not," Xander said dismissively. "And so what if I do? He's my friend, Will. I like spending time with him."
"Xander," Willow asked, rubbing her friend's shoulder gently, "you said you wanted to get back into the dating game."
Xander sighed in defeat. "I do. But a blind date?"
"Yes, a blind date," Willow confirmed. "Tomorrow night."
"Okay, fine," Xander said with a shrug.
Willow clapped happily. "Yay!" she exclaimed. "You won't regret this."
Xander shook his head. "Just... Find someone that I'll like."
"I will," Willow said, nodding assuredly. And as Xander left the room, she smiled to herself smugly. "I already have."
* * * * *
"But Friday night is X-men night," Andrew whined softly.
"I know. I'm sorry," Xander offered. Andrew and he had become friends just over a year ago, somewhere on the bus ride from the ruins of Sunnydale to L.A.
The very first Friday night in the new city, staying in a hotel, Xander hadn't been able to sleep. He'd crossed the hall to Andrew's room in search of company and, happily, found him wide awake. They'd watched X-Men reruns and talked until they fell asleep-- that night, and every Friday night since. As Willow had suggested, the two men did spend most of their free time together; but X-Men Fridays were a long-standing tradition, and Xander felt acutely guilty for breaking it. Especially over the phone.
"It's okay. I guess," Andrew said at length. "You're still on for the mall tomorrow, though, right?"
"Of course," Xander said enthusiastically. "Roy at the comic book store said he'd bring his vintage Wonder Woman collection. There's no way we're missing *that*." On the other end of the phone, Andrew was silent. Xander frowned. "Andrew?" he asked. "I really am sorry."
Andrew sighed. "No, it's okay," he said. "I mean, Friday nights? You should be out dating anyway, not watching old cartoons with me."
Xander wanted to assure Andrew that he'd much rather stay in and watch cartoons; but instead, he said, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry," Andrew said. "Just have a good time."
"Thanks." There was a silent pause. "So I'll see you tomorrow morning?" Xander asked.
"Absolutely," Andrew replied. "And Xander? Good luck."
* * * * *
Xander glanced down at his watch. It was almost time. "I can't believe I let her set me up," he said to himself.
Xander had thought that he was ready to move on and finally start dating again. But now that he was about to walk into the restaurant Willow had sent him to, Xander was certain that he would have much rather been at home watching cartoons with Andrew.
But he couldn't bail now. Xander had promised Willow that he'd do this. And he'd already canceled on Andrew. He'd probably made other plans by now anyway.
His conscience momentarily placated, Xander took a deep breath and walked into the restaurant. He looked around, trying to find his date. When he'd asked Willow how he'd know who it was, she'd smiled and said, cryptically, "You'll know."
"I'll know?" Xander muttered as he scanned the restaurant. "What on earth did she mean by-," Xander stopped, mid-thought, as his gaze fell on a familiar young man seated by himself in a booth in the corner. It was Andrew.
Xander's jaw dropped. "What's Andrew doing here?" he asked himself, shaking his head in amazement. Xander was quite sure that he hadn't told Andrew where his date would be taking place. "This has to be the biggest coincidence of..." Xander's thought trailed off as realization began to fall into place. Andrew turned his head towards the door, and Xander ducked out of sight behind a large plant. "She set me up with *Andrew*?" Xander asked himself incredulously. "But I'm not gay. Andrew's my friend. I like him. But I don't *like* him. Why would Willow..."
Xander peered out briefly from behind his cover-plant. "She knows me better than anyone else does," he thought. "Is it possible that she knows something about me that I don't?" Xander frowned. He and Andrew had been spending a lot of time together. Most of their free time, actually. And in all honesty, Xander couldn't think of anyone else he'd want to spend more time with. "But I'm not gay," he repeated silently to himself. Of course, he reasoned, he had dated a demon. Andrew might not be the traditionally appropriate gender, but at least he was the same species.
Risking another peek out from behind his plant, Xander looked over at Andrew, who was sitting at his table and sipping his drink quietly. Light from the street filtered through the window and lit Andrew's pale skin with an almost ethereal glow.
Xander smiled. All this sun, and somehow Andrew had managed to keep his skin milky white. "Like a smooth vanilla shake," Xander thought, and he let his mind wander where he usually reigned it in, betting that skin was twice as smooth as any shake and infinitely sweeter. He counted back all the times he'd reprimanded himself for harboring such 'inappropriate' thoughts about his friend; for wanting to touch and taste what he shouldn't want. He quickly lost count as his gaze drifted back to Andrew.
"Okay, so maybe I am a little gay..." Xander said to himself. He smiled broadly and stepped out from behind the plant. "Better get going or I'll be late for my date."
* * * * *
"Mind if I join you?"
Andrew looked up from his drink to Xander, and his eyes went wide. "I, yeah, but, date, and..." He cringed, cleared his throat, and motioned for Xander to sit.
Xander obliged, and sat down across from Andrew. "You seem surprised," he observed. "Didn't think I'd come, did you?"
"No," Andrew shook his head in disbelief. "I didn't expect to see you here tonight."
"I have to admit I don't feel as bad about canceling on you," Xander said with a smile. "Seeing as *you're* my date."
Andrew's brow furrowed. "I'm your date?" he asked quietly. "I'm your date..." He smiled. "I'm you're date."
"Yeah, I know," Xander said. "I was a little confused at first too. I mean, I didn't think that I was... you know." He shrugged. "But the more I think about it," he reached across the table and shyly took one of Andrew's hands in his, "the more it makes sense."
Andrew beamed. "I'm glad you came," he said.
Xander squeezed his hand lightly. "Me too." They smiled across the table at each other contentedly until their waiter, who they hadn't noticed standing beside them, cleared his throat. Xander dropped Andrew's hand guiltily and turned to the waiter.
"Can I interest you in a drink, sir?" he asked, while placing two menus down on the table.
"Um..." Xander said distractedly, and inched his hand away from Andrew's.
The waiter looked from Xander, to Andrew, and then back to Xander again. He smiled. "You go ahead and hold your boyfriend's hand, honey," he said. "This is LA; no one's gonna notice. And if any one does, they're not gonna care." Xander grinned, reached out, and took Andrew's hand again. The waiter gave a self-satisfied nod. "I'll give you a minute and come back for your orders, okay?"
Xander watched him go, and when he turned back, Andrew was looking at their clasped hands thoughtfully. "Andrew?" he asked. "Whatchya thinkin'?"
"Hm?" Andrew asked, looking up at Xander. "Oh. I was... I mean... Am I?" He raised his eyebrows inquisitively.
Xander blinked, confused. "Are you what?" he asked.
Andrew fidgeted. "Your boyfriend," he said quietly. "Am I your boyfriend?"
"Well," Xander said, "I'd sort of like you to be. That is, if that's what *you* want."
Andrew nodded hesitantly. "It is," he said slowly.
"But?" Xander asked.
Xander released Andrew's hand, and Andrew folded it with the other in his lap. "But I don't want to rush you into anything," he said and sighed. "I'm not saying that I don't want this... because I do." He looked up at Xander and smiled reassuringly. "More than anything."
Xander frowned. "I'm not sure I understand," he said.
"Xander..." Andrew looked down at the table. "I've wanted you, and thought I'd never have you, for so long that I'd sort of accepted that it would never happen. I don't think I could stand it if I actually got you, and then you changed your mind." He looked back up and met Xander's gaze. "Are you absolutely sure that this is what you want?"
"I am," Xander said, without hesitation.
Andrew watched Xander thoughtfully for a moment, before a broad smile spread across his face. They each picked up a menu and started browsing through, periodically glancing up at the other with satisfied smiles.
* * * * *
"I can't believe you finished all that," Xander said.
Andrew sighed and patted his stomach lightly. After they'd finished dinner and desert, Xander had offered to walk Andrew home. It wasn't that far, and they walked with their hands clasped and swinging lightheartedly between them. "It *was* a lot," he agreed. "But did you see that lady? The one like three tables away?"
Xander nodded emphatically and chuckled. "I know," he said. "She must have had four sundaes."
"Yeah," Andrew agreed. "She looked pretty pissed off. I bet she got stood up."
They reached the door of Andrew's apartment building and stopped, standing a little awkwardly together, both unsure of how to say goodnight. "That would suck," Xander offered. "Being stood up, I mean."
Andrew nodded. "Like being lead on," he said, carefully avoiding Xander's gaze. "It's just... cruel."
"Andrew," Xander said, "you know I'm not leading you on, right?"
"Yeah, I guess." Andrew looked up. "It's just a little bit of a shock. I mean," he lifted his free hand and straightened Xander's collar, "all of a sudden you *like* me?"
Xander smiled, and pulled Andrew a little closer. "It's not really all of a sudden," he said. "I've liked you for a long time... It just took a bit of a push for me to realise that I've *liked* you for a long time."
"A bit of a push?" Andrew asked.
"Mm-hm," Xander said, and then leaned down and placed a sweet, lingering kiss on the other man's lips. Andrew smiled against Xander's mouth and they slowly pulled apart. "A push," Xander went on. "You know, Willow setting us up on the date?" He leaned in for another kiss, but stopped when Andrew frowned thoughtfully.
"Willow setting us up?" Andrew asked, confused.
"Yeah," Xander went on. "Willow told you to meet me at the restaurant... didn't she?" Andrew furrowed his brow and shook his head slowly no. Xander frowned. "So you weren't waiting for me?" Andrew shook his head again. "You just happened to be-," Xander's jaw dropped in mortification. "Oh god, that poor woman ate all those sundaes because *I* stood her up." Andrew giggled, and Xander worked hard not to join him "It's not funny," he insisted. "Think of that poor woman!"
Andrew dissolved into a fit of laughter, burying his face on Xander's chest. Xander looked down at Andrew's head, which had come to rest somewhere just over his heart. He smiled, caught Andrew's chin with his hand, and brought their lips together in another long, sweet kiss.
At length, they pulled apart. "Andrew?" Xander asked. "Can you remind me to phone and apologize for standing that woman up?"
"Sure," Andrew offered. "When would you like me to remind you?"
Xander ran his thumb over Andrew's mouth and smiled coyly. "How about tomorrow morning?"
The End.
The sequel to this story is rated NC-17, and can be found at the AAA Fuh-Q fest archive: http://swriters.slashcity.net/library/viewstory.php?sid=71