Title: Walkabout - Voyage of Rediscovery 6/?
Author: Mike McD
Rating: R
Summary: Two bitter and lost souls on rock bottom decide to go Walkabout. Two years after 'Chosen'.
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.
WARNING!!!
If you don't like fics with some Buffy bashing then move along now. Everyone else, enjoy.
-------
"You wanna go out tonight?"
"Huh?"
"I said, do you want to go out tonight?"
"Maybe. What ya got in mind Wills?"
The two of them were indulging in their afternoon ritual of sitting out on their balcony, reading, listening to music, watching the world go by, and enjoying the complete lack of demons, vampires, and other nasties in their lives.
"Let's go night clubbing. Have a few drinks, shake our groove things..."
"Meet some hot Aussie chicks."
Willow gave him a less than enthusiastic look.
"You know, when you say it, it sounds much less wholesome than I'd like. But yeah, basically."
Xander had to chuckle and lent back in his chair.
"Ten years ago, if someone said that you'd be the one suggesting that we try to pick up some chicks AND that you'd be more likely to end up scoring with some girl than I would be, I would have laughed."
"Yeah, it's a riot. So? How about it?"
"There are a couple of problems, Willow. The places you're most likely to pick up at, I have a less than zero chance. Hell, just having me around isn't gonna do your chances any good either."
Willow just shrugged, and then got a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
"I find the right sort of hottie we could always share."
Xander went bug eyed at Willow's suggestion and fell backward off his chair hitting his head on the railing.
Instantly concerned for her best friend, Willow rushed over to the now swearing Xander.
"Are you OK?"
"Willow. Never, EVER, joke with a man about having a threesome. Especially a man who hasn't gotten any action in over two years."
The revelation surprised the hell out of Willow as she helped Xander back up.
"You haven't... you know... with anyone since..."
"Anya. Yeah." He confirmed as he sat back at the table rubbing his head.
"But... why?" Willow couldn't understand it. Xander was a good-looking guy who, if even half of Anya's stories were true, had a very healthy libido.
"I just... you've seen what my romantic life is like. Then... after Anya died I just... gave up. The story of my life will not end with 'and they lived happily ever after'. I had exactly one chance at happily ever after and I blew it. The best I could've hoped for after that was convenient companionship. After Anya died I spent the last two years hiding in Africa trying to drown out the fact that I would spend the rest of my life alone in absolute misery."
It was the way Xander said it. His tone was a matter of fact but Willow could see the deep underlying pain in his eyes. Xander had suffered some terrible wounds in their war, his eye the most prominent, but his worst ones were in a place that nobody could see.
Except Willow.
She went over to Xander, wrapped her arms around him, and rested her chin on his shoulder.
"You'll never be alone. You've got me and I've got you. It's a law of the universe."
"Really?" there was an unmistakable tone of cautious hope in Xander's simple question.
"Really." She reassured. He relaxed, wrapped his arms around Willow, and lent his head against hers. The moment brought a memory of something Willow once read.
"Incipit Vita Nova."
"Incipit Vita Nova?"
"Here begins the new life."
Holding his best friend, a ray of hope appeared on Xander's horizon. Here they would bury the demons of their old life and start their new one.
"Here begins the new life."
------
"Got anymore fried rice?"
The credits were rolling on the TV screen as 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' ended. Rather than going out, Willow decided that they would have a video night. She surveyed the wreckage of the Chinese take away that she'd got to match their first movie and discovered that the two of them had finished the lot.
"Sorry Xander, you're outta luck."
"Story of my life." He sniffed then started gathering up the empty food containers off the coffee table. "I'll clean up this mess, you pick the next movie."
Willow went over to the entertainment unit and flicked through the stack of movies she had picked up at the video store.
"What ya wanna watch?" she yelled out to Xander who was busy in the kitchenette.
"I dunno, you picked the movies, I got the food. Surprise me."
Looking at the collection of DVD's, Willow's eyes fell upon one in particular. With a naughty smile, she loaded the disk into the player and settled back onto the couch as Xander returned. When they were comfortably ensconced, Willow hit play on the remote.
"What did ya pick?" Xander asked as the usual warnings about piracy rolled up the screen.
"It's an 'us' flick."
"An 'us' flick?"
"Yeah, it's a movie that the both of us would like."
With a slight shrug Xander went back to watching the opening of the movie.
About 5 seconds into the opening, Xander cracked a smile and looked over to his best friend.
"Our 'us' movie is 'Wild Things'? I didn't even know that you liked it."
"You'd be surprised at just what you don't know about my tastes in movies, Xander Harris."
"Oooohh... That just screams naughty Willow secrets. Truth or Dare?" he challenged his friend. Willow giggled.
"Truth or Dare? God! Haven't we gotten beyond high school games?"
"No. Besides, it's way more fun as adults with years of untold naughtiness than a couple of high school kids who hadn't even gotten to first base. So pick, Truth or Dare?"
Willow rolled her eyes but decided to play anyway.
"OK, OK! I pick... truth."
Xander thought for a second.
"What's your favourite part of Wild Things?"
"The threesome in the motel room."
"Really? I thought it would have been Neve Campbell and Denise Richards in the pool together. Why the threesome in the motel?"
"Now, now, Xander! It's your turn. Truth or Dare?"
"Truth."
"Why do you like the threesome in the motel?" Willow didn't even need to ask which was Xander's favourite scene.
"Because it sort of reminds me of a threesome between Faith, Cordy, and me. Truth or Dare?"
"Truth." Willow picked.
"Why do you like the threesome in the motel?"
"Because it sort of reminds me of a threesome between Faith, Cordy, and you."
That surprised the hell out of Xander.
"I feature in naughty Willow thoughts?"
"Don't get your hopes all carbonated. Giles makes a guest appearance in a few as well."
"And on that highly disturbing revelation we return to our regularly scheduled movie." Shivered Xander. The sight of a dripping wet Denise helped block out Giles images.
They watched the movie in silence up until they got to the threesome scene.
"Truth or Dare?" Willow asked out of the blue.
"What? Oh, um... truth."
"How far did you and Cordelia go?"
Xander hesitated. His and Cordy's relationship had been a big reason for the near end of their friendship. There had been a lot of water that had passed under that particular bridge over the years; Oz, Faith, Anya, Tara, Kennedy, they both had moved on since then. But Xander still hesitated for a moment.
"Everything but. A couple of times Cordy wanted to... you know... do it, but it never felt like the right time. I didn't wanna live the cliché and loose my virginity in the backseat of my girlfriend's car. That's not to say I didn't have my share of fun in the backseat of said girlfriend's car." He smirked, remembering some of the things he had done and learned.
Like learning that Cordelia could suck start a 747.
"Your turn. Truth or Dare?"
"I don't feel like moving, so I'll have to go with truth."
Xander struggled to maintain a straight face.
"So... uh... does the carpet match the curtains?"
"Does the carpet match the curtains? What the hell are you talking ab..." Willow stopped mid sentence when she realised what Xander was asking. She started spluttering.
"You... I can't believe... there's no... I'm not..."
"Come on Wills, if you don't answer you'll have to do the dare." He taunted. Willow eyed him evilly.
"Fine. I'll answer, but for the record, you're a pervert, Alexander Harris."
"And the answer is..."
"And the answer is yes."
"See? Now that wasn't so hard now was it?"
Willow decided to play with his mind a little as pay back.
"Mind you, I usually do away with the carpet in favour of a polished floor."
The expression on Xander's face was priceless. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, the reason for his discomfort obvious. Willow pressed home her attack, determined to end the game.
"Do you wanna keep playing, or do you wanna go back to the movie?"
Xander decided to call her bluff.
"I pick dare."
Willow had to think for a moment before she came up with a dare for Xander.
"Xander, I dare you to..."
Author: Mike McD
Rating: R
Summary: Two bitter and lost souls on rock bottom decide to go Walkabout. Two years after 'Chosen'.
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.
WARNING!!!
If you don't like fics with some Buffy bashing then move along now. Everyone else, enjoy.
-------
"You wanna go out tonight?"
"Huh?"
"I said, do you want to go out tonight?"
"Maybe. What ya got in mind Wills?"
The two of them were indulging in their afternoon ritual of sitting out on their balcony, reading, listening to music, watching the world go by, and enjoying the complete lack of demons, vampires, and other nasties in their lives.
"Let's go night clubbing. Have a few drinks, shake our groove things..."
"Meet some hot Aussie chicks."
Willow gave him a less than enthusiastic look.
"You know, when you say it, it sounds much less wholesome than I'd like. But yeah, basically."
Xander had to chuckle and lent back in his chair.
"Ten years ago, if someone said that you'd be the one suggesting that we try to pick up some chicks AND that you'd be more likely to end up scoring with some girl than I would be, I would have laughed."
"Yeah, it's a riot. So? How about it?"
"There are a couple of problems, Willow. The places you're most likely to pick up at, I have a less than zero chance. Hell, just having me around isn't gonna do your chances any good either."
Willow just shrugged, and then got a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
"I find the right sort of hottie we could always share."
Xander went bug eyed at Willow's suggestion and fell backward off his chair hitting his head on the railing.
Instantly concerned for her best friend, Willow rushed over to the now swearing Xander.
"Are you OK?"
"Willow. Never, EVER, joke with a man about having a threesome. Especially a man who hasn't gotten any action in over two years."
The revelation surprised the hell out of Willow as she helped Xander back up.
"You haven't... you know... with anyone since..."
"Anya. Yeah." He confirmed as he sat back at the table rubbing his head.
"But... why?" Willow couldn't understand it. Xander was a good-looking guy who, if even half of Anya's stories were true, had a very healthy libido.
"I just... you've seen what my romantic life is like. Then... after Anya died I just... gave up. The story of my life will not end with 'and they lived happily ever after'. I had exactly one chance at happily ever after and I blew it. The best I could've hoped for after that was convenient companionship. After Anya died I spent the last two years hiding in Africa trying to drown out the fact that I would spend the rest of my life alone in absolute misery."
It was the way Xander said it. His tone was a matter of fact but Willow could see the deep underlying pain in his eyes. Xander had suffered some terrible wounds in their war, his eye the most prominent, but his worst ones were in a place that nobody could see.
Except Willow.
She went over to Xander, wrapped her arms around him, and rested her chin on his shoulder.
"You'll never be alone. You've got me and I've got you. It's a law of the universe."
"Really?" there was an unmistakable tone of cautious hope in Xander's simple question.
"Really." She reassured. He relaxed, wrapped his arms around Willow, and lent his head against hers. The moment brought a memory of something Willow once read.
"Incipit Vita Nova."
"Incipit Vita Nova?"
"Here begins the new life."
Holding his best friend, a ray of hope appeared on Xander's horizon. Here they would bury the demons of their old life and start their new one.
"Here begins the new life."
------
"Got anymore fried rice?"
The credits were rolling on the TV screen as 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' ended. Rather than going out, Willow decided that they would have a video night. She surveyed the wreckage of the Chinese take away that she'd got to match their first movie and discovered that the two of them had finished the lot.
"Sorry Xander, you're outta luck."
"Story of my life." He sniffed then started gathering up the empty food containers off the coffee table. "I'll clean up this mess, you pick the next movie."
Willow went over to the entertainment unit and flicked through the stack of movies she had picked up at the video store.
"What ya wanna watch?" she yelled out to Xander who was busy in the kitchenette.
"I dunno, you picked the movies, I got the food. Surprise me."
Looking at the collection of DVD's, Willow's eyes fell upon one in particular. With a naughty smile, she loaded the disk into the player and settled back onto the couch as Xander returned. When they were comfortably ensconced, Willow hit play on the remote.
"What did ya pick?" Xander asked as the usual warnings about piracy rolled up the screen.
"It's an 'us' flick."
"An 'us' flick?"
"Yeah, it's a movie that the both of us would like."
With a slight shrug Xander went back to watching the opening of the movie.
About 5 seconds into the opening, Xander cracked a smile and looked over to his best friend.
"Our 'us' movie is 'Wild Things'? I didn't even know that you liked it."
"You'd be surprised at just what you don't know about my tastes in movies, Xander Harris."
"Oooohh... That just screams naughty Willow secrets. Truth or Dare?" he challenged his friend. Willow giggled.
"Truth or Dare? God! Haven't we gotten beyond high school games?"
"No. Besides, it's way more fun as adults with years of untold naughtiness than a couple of high school kids who hadn't even gotten to first base. So pick, Truth or Dare?"
Willow rolled her eyes but decided to play anyway.
"OK, OK! I pick... truth."
Xander thought for a second.
"What's your favourite part of Wild Things?"
"The threesome in the motel room."
"Really? I thought it would have been Neve Campbell and Denise Richards in the pool together. Why the threesome in the motel?"
"Now, now, Xander! It's your turn. Truth or Dare?"
"Truth."
"Why do you like the threesome in the motel?" Willow didn't even need to ask which was Xander's favourite scene.
"Because it sort of reminds me of a threesome between Faith, Cordy, and me. Truth or Dare?"
"Truth." Willow picked.
"Why do you like the threesome in the motel?"
"Because it sort of reminds me of a threesome between Faith, Cordy, and you."
That surprised the hell out of Xander.
"I feature in naughty Willow thoughts?"
"Don't get your hopes all carbonated. Giles makes a guest appearance in a few as well."
"And on that highly disturbing revelation we return to our regularly scheduled movie." Shivered Xander. The sight of a dripping wet Denise helped block out Giles images.
They watched the movie in silence up until they got to the threesome scene.
"Truth or Dare?" Willow asked out of the blue.
"What? Oh, um... truth."
"How far did you and Cordelia go?"
Xander hesitated. His and Cordy's relationship had been a big reason for the near end of their friendship. There had been a lot of water that had passed under that particular bridge over the years; Oz, Faith, Anya, Tara, Kennedy, they both had moved on since then. But Xander still hesitated for a moment.
"Everything but. A couple of times Cordy wanted to... you know... do it, but it never felt like the right time. I didn't wanna live the cliché and loose my virginity in the backseat of my girlfriend's car. That's not to say I didn't have my share of fun in the backseat of said girlfriend's car." He smirked, remembering some of the things he had done and learned.
Like learning that Cordelia could suck start a 747.
"Your turn. Truth or Dare?"
"I don't feel like moving, so I'll have to go with truth."
Xander struggled to maintain a straight face.
"So... uh... does the carpet match the curtains?"
"Does the carpet match the curtains? What the hell are you talking ab..." Willow stopped mid sentence when she realised what Xander was asking. She started spluttering.
"You... I can't believe... there's no... I'm not..."
"Come on Wills, if you don't answer you'll have to do the dare." He taunted. Willow eyed him evilly.
"Fine. I'll answer, but for the record, you're a pervert, Alexander Harris."
"And the answer is..."
"And the answer is yes."
"See? Now that wasn't so hard now was it?"
Willow decided to play with his mind a little as pay back.
"Mind you, I usually do away with the carpet in favour of a polished floor."
The expression on Xander's face was priceless. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, the reason for his discomfort obvious. Willow pressed home her attack, determined to end the game.
"Do you wanna keep playing, or do you wanna go back to the movie?"
Xander decided to call her bluff.
"I pick dare."
Willow had to think for a moment before she came up with a dare for Xander.
"Xander, I dare you to..."