Title: Iron Fisted 10/13
Author: Mike McD
Rating: R (for some naughty language)
Summary: The follow on from 'Silver Tongued'.
Distribution: Anywhere, just let me know.
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer nor do I own any other characters. This is a work of fiction written for fun and enjoyment.
------
I love myself I want you to love me
When I feel down I want you above me
I search myself I want you to find me
I forget myself I want you to remind me
I don't want anybody else
When I think about you I touch myself
Ooh I don't want anybody else
Oh no, oh no, oh no
You're the one who makes me come running
You're the sun who makes me shine
When you're around I'm always laughing
I want to make you mine
I close my eyes And see you before me
Think I would die If you were to ignore me
A fool could see Just how much I adore you
I get down on my knees I do anything for you
I don't want anybody else
When I think about you I touch myself
Ooh I don't want anybody else
Oh no, oh no, oh no
I want you I don't want anybody else
And when I think about you I touch myself
Ooh, ooh, oo, oo ahh
I don't want anybody else When I think about you
I touch myself Ooh I don't want anybody else
Oh no, oh no, oh no
-----
You'd have to look long and hard for a happier man than Xander Harris was as he walked the halls of Sunnydale High the next day. His clothes, his smile, the spring in his step, the quiet air of self-confidence he radiated didn't go un-noticed by everyone at school. Girls that never even looked at him were now coming back for seconds and thirds. A wink and a greeting of "Ladies" from Xander as he passed a gaggle of freshmen girls elicited blushes and giggles from the group.
Life, Xander decided as he entered the library, was good.
He spotted Buffy coming out of the book cage.
"Buongiorno mia dolce tesoro soldato di amore." Before she could say anything, Xander took hold of her hand, spun her around and dipped her in an elaborate little dance.
"Xander! What are you doing here? I thought you were still in hospital."
"They gave me time off for good behaviour. I gotta take it easy on the old left shoulder and ribs for a while but I'm good to go!"
Buffy looked him up and down noting his clothes actually matched and the massive happiness vibes he was giving off. There also was something else about him that Buffy couldn't put her finger on...
"I'm glad." She told him; happy he was up and about again and in such a good mood. "You seem awfully chirpy this morning. Care to share?"
"I went round to Willow's last night."
"Ah! And I take it there was big smoochies to be had?"
"The biggest."
The library doors swung open and Willow entered the room. The moment Willow and Xander locked eyes it was like there wasn't anybody else in the room.
Buffy watched as they kissed deeply.
"God! Get a room you two!" Cordelia demanded as she came into the library. Willow and Xander broke off their kiss and looked around the library.
"Walls." Willow said.
"Roof." Xander pointed upwards.
"Door." Willow indicated towards the library door.
"I think this meets the definition of a room." Declared Xander. Willow giggled and Cordelia rolled her eyes.
"Great, we're gonna be stuck with watching you two losers making out all day today, aren't we?"
"Yeah, and all day tomorrow." Xander said gazing at Willow. Willow wrapped her arms around Xander's neck.
"And the day after that, and the day after that." The redhead announced.
"Fabulous." Cordelia sarcastically replied.
"Well I for one am happy for you guys." Buffy honestly told them. It was good to see them happy for once and for Willow to finally get her dream guy.
"Thanks Buff. Anyway, enough about us. How was patrol last night?" Xander asked in an effort to include Buffy in the Scooby discussions again.
"Pretty quiet. Dusted two vamps, broke up with Angel. Nothing special." Buffy's casual delivery belied the pain that lurked underneath.
The announcement surprised the hell out of the others. Instinctively Willow slipped into concerned best friend mode.
"Oh god Buffy. Are you OK?" she asked. Seeing the tears roll down Buffy's face Willow went over and hugged the heartbroken Slayer.
Xander was unhappy that Buffy was hurting but he would have been a liar if he said he was unhappy to see Buffy and Angel break up. It also made him happy that Willow was acting like Buffy's friend again. Sensing that the two needed some alone time together, Xander looked over to Cordelia and cocked his head in the direction of the doors.
Once out in the deserted hallway Xander spoke to Cordelia.
"Can I ask you a huge favour? Could you ease up on Buffy a little?"
"Xander, she beat you..."
"Cordy, look. Buffy screwed up, she knows that and she regrets it. But there's really only one person who can forgive her and that's me. And I say we start moving on and give her a chance, OK?"
Reluctantly Cordelia nodded her agreement.
"Just don't expect me to be all buddy-buddy with her."
"That's fine." Checking that they were still alone, Xander lowered his voice.
"Are you OK, you know... with what happened last night?"
Cordelia flushed a little at the question. Last night had been... wild.
"Yeah. I'm still a little sore from..." she trailed off, leaving the rest of the sentence hanging.
"Don't blame me! You were the one who wanted to try it!"
"Shhhhh! Keep your voice down!" hissed Cordelia, making sure they weren't being overheard.
"Look, last night was fun and all, but you and Willow are together now and I don't wanna screw that up for you guys."
Xander raised an eyebrow.
"I think the Queen of Mean is becoming a real person." Xander joked. Off Cordelia's angry look, he became serious again.
"I love Willow. I was an idiot for so long and I hurt Willow a lot and I don't want to hurt her again. And in a reversal of years of saying otherwise, I don't want you hurt either."
"So where do we go from here?" Cordelia asked quietly. Xander was a little shocked at the sense of vulnerability in her voice.
"We're gonna have to talk, the three of us. How about I talk to Willow tonight and the three of us can talk after that sometime? Give us all some time to think."
Cordelia agreed to his suggestion.
"That's a good idea." With a smirk, she started off towards her first class. "Careful Harris, you just might ruin your reputation as an insensitive moron."
Xander just laughed at her parting shot.
Author: Mike McD
Rating: R (for some naughty language)
Summary: The follow on from 'Silver Tongued'.
Distribution: Anywhere, just let me know.
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer nor do I own any other characters. This is a work of fiction written for fun and enjoyment.
------
I love myself I want you to love me
When I feel down I want you above me
I search myself I want you to find me
I forget myself I want you to remind me
I don't want anybody else
When I think about you I touch myself
Ooh I don't want anybody else
Oh no, oh no, oh no
You're the one who makes me come running
You're the sun who makes me shine
When you're around I'm always laughing
I want to make you mine
I close my eyes And see you before me
Think I would die If you were to ignore me
A fool could see Just how much I adore you
I get down on my knees I do anything for you
I don't want anybody else
When I think about you I touch myself
Ooh I don't want anybody else
Oh no, oh no, oh no
I want you I don't want anybody else
And when I think about you I touch myself
Ooh, ooh, oo, oo ahh
I don't want anybody else When I think about you
I touch myself Ooh I don't want anybody else
Oh no, oh no, oh no
-----
You'd have to look long and hard for a happier man than Xander Harris was as he walked the halls of Sunnydale High the next day. His clothes, his smile, the spring in his step, the quiet air of self-confidence he radiated didn't go un-noticed by everyone at school. Girls that never even looked at him were now coming back for seconds and thirds. A wink and a greeting of "Ladies" from Xander as he passed a gaggle of freshmen girls elicited blushes and giggles from the group.
Life, Xander decided as he entered the library, was good.
He spotted Buffy coming out of the book cage.
"Buongiorno mia dolce tesoro soldato di amore." Before she could say anything, Xander took hold of her hand, spun her around and dipped her in an elaborate little dance.
"Xander! What are you doing here? I thought you were still in hospital."
"They gave me time off for good behaviour. I gotta take it easy on the old left shoulder and ribs for a while but I'm good to go!"
Buffy looked him up and down noting his clothes actually matched and the massive happiness vibes he was giving off. There also was something else about him that Buffy couldn't put her finger on...
"I'm glad." She told him; happy he was up and about again and in such a good mood. "You seem awfully chirpy this morning. Care to share?"
"I went round to Willow's last night."
"Ah! And I take it there was big smoochies to be had?"
"The biggest."
The library doors swung open and Willow entered the room. The moment Willow and Xander locked eyes it was like there wasn't anybody else in the room.
Buffy watched as they kissed deeply.
"God! Get a room you two!" Cordelia demanded as she came into the library. Willow and Xander broke off their kiss and looked around the library.
"Walls." Willow said.
"Roof." Xander pointed upwards.
"Door." Willow indicated towards the library door.
"I think this meets the definition of a room." Declared Xander. Willow giggled and Cordelia rolled her eyes.
"Great, we're gonna be stuck with watching you two losers making out all day today, aren't we?"
"Yeah, and all day tomorrow." Xander said gazing at Willow. Willow wrapped her arms around Xander's neck.
"And the day after that, and the day after that." The redhead announced.
"Fabulous." Cordelia sarcastically replied.
"Well I for one am happy for you guys." Buffy honestly told them. It was good to see them happy for once and for Willow to finally get her dream guy.
"Thanks Buff. Anyway, enough about us. How was patrol last night?" Xander asked in an effort to include Buffy in the Scooby discussions again.
"Pretty quiet. Dusted two vamps, broke up with Angel. Nothing special." Buffy's casual delivery belied the pain that lurked underneath.
The announcement surprised the hell out of the others. Instinctively Willow slipped into concerned best friend mode.
"Oh god Buffy. Are you OK?" she asked. Seeing the tears roll down Buffy's face Willow went over and hugged the heartbroken Slayer.
Xander was unhappy that Buffy was hurting but he would have been a liar if he said he was unhappy to see Buffy and Angel break up. It also made him happy that Willow was acting like Buffy's friend again. Sensing that the two needed some alone time together, Xander looked over to Cordelia and cocked his head in the direction of the doors.
Once out in the deserted hallway Xander spoke to Cordelia.
"Can I ask you a huge favour? Could you ease up on Buffy a little?"
"Xander, she beat you..."
"Cordy, look. Buffy screwed up, she knows that and she regrets it. But there's really only one person who can forgive her and that's me. And I say we start moving on and give her a chance, OK?"
Reluctantly Cordelia nodded her agreement.
"Just don't expect me to be all buddy-buddy with her."
"That's fine." Checking that they were still alone, Xander lowered his voice.
"Are you OK, you know... with what happened last night?"
Cordelia flushed a little at the question. Last night had been... wild.
"Yeah. I'm still a little sore from..." she trailed off, leaving the rest of the sentence hanging.
"Don't blame me! You were the one who wanted to try it!"
"Shhhhh! Keep your voice down!" hissed Cordelia, making sure they weren't being overheard.
"Look, last night was fun and all, but you and Willow are together now and I don't wanna screw that up for you guys."
Xander raised an eyebrow.
"I think the Queen of Mean is becoming a real person." Xander joked. Off Cordelia's angry look, he became serious again.
"I love Willow. I was an idiot for so long and I hurt Willow a lot and I don't want to hurt her again. And in a reversal of years of saying otherwise, I don't want you hurt either."
"So where do we go from here?" Cordelia asked quietly. Xander was a little shocked at the sense of vulnerability in her voice.
"We're gonna have to talk, the three of us. How about I talk to Willow tonight and the three of us can talk after that sometime? Give us all some time to think."
Cordelia agreed to his suggestion.
"That's a good idea." With a smirk, she started off towards her first class. "Careful Harris, you just might ruin your reputation as an insensitive moron."
Xander just laughed at her parting shot.