Buffy watched as her still dazed and amazed mother just sat there at the table in the kitchen. She had taken in her whole story. Willow, Giles, and Xander sitting around, corroborating it. "That is . . . that is . . ." Joyce muttered and then looked up at her daughter. "I'd like a word with my daughter alone?"
Willow, Xander, and Giles nodded and left, leaving a very nervous Buffy. Vampires, demons, and Snyder - she was so dead, her mother would lock her up and throw away the key. "You're angry, aren't you?" Buffy asked nervously, rubbing her hands together.
"No," Joyce answered, making Buffy look surprised. "I'm concerned, terrified, and a lot of other things, but not angry - well, not at you . . . have you tried . . . /not/ being a Slayer?"
"It doesn't work that way, and yes, multiple times," Buffy answered with a trembling lower lip. "It's just what I am, how I work, besides . . . Xander, Willow, Giles, and even that Lotion are fighting the vamps and stuff . . . how could I face them if the one given the super strength and meant to do so, doesn't?"
Joyce sighed again, shaking her head, and said, "This is all . . . this all so much to take in." Buffy pouted sadly. "I guess I'll have to get used to my daughter . . . there's no way in hell I can ever get used to that."
"Mom," Buffy muttered pitifully.
"I'll just have to accept it instead," Joyce continued, looking into Buffy's eyes. "I'll never like it, and I'll be sitting here terrified for you Buffy." Buffy lowered her head; this had been one reason why she hadn't told her mom, showed her proof while doing so - she didn't want to worry her. "I'm glad for one thing though," Joyce went onward, making Buffy look up again. "You kept your head cool in a crisis, came up with solutions, and continued to think about helping your friends and others. When a mother finds out her child can handle herself, that's a huge burden off her shoulders."
Buffy brightened, and then hugged her mother, who hugged her right bag. "Oh, what a moving sight." Joyce looked backward, and Buffy looked up, seeing a smiling Xander standing there in the door opening. Willow and Giles joined her. "Sorry," he added, "I came to check if you were done already."
"You can warm cold pizza in the refrigerator in the microwave, Xander," Buffy told and Xander brightened right away.
"Magic words," he said as he opened the fridge and went to look. Joyce chuckled, Buffy joined in, and soon all but Xander laughed. "What?" he asked, as held up a plate with a quarter pizza left on it.
-----
Buffy avoided the blow narrowly, and threw her own punch, getting tossed over Xander's shoulder for her efforts. She groaned as she landed hard on the mat Xander's very own gym room.
"Get up, I'll show you what you did wrong," Xander said with a grin, and held out his hand. Buffy took it, giving Xander in workout gear a surreptitious and admiring look. She was pulled up and came close to him, breathing in his sent - his sweaty sent, his very fresh, just generated by working out sweaty sent. A bit away from her super sensitive nose picked it up easily, now standing so close it drove her mad. God, he smelled so good. Angel didn't smell so good, she thought guiltily. Angel didn't sweat! She pushed the guilt away, they were broken up after all, and then remembered Willow and a new wave of guilt crashed onto her. She looked into his smiling face and took gingerly step back, swallowing, he smelled so . . . manly, butch, like an incredible, fantastic, very active paragon of male fitness. Xander stepped behind and grabbed her right arm, putting it the position she had it when punching. "You notice the its bent here? That means people can get under it, you need put it more straight, and make less of a swing, you arm should be more in front of you instead of making a wide swing. The wide swing can be successfully used for the extra power, but only if your opponent is in no position to make use of its weaknesses, got that?"
Buffy nodded, she got it, even though she was distracted by the sweaty muscled arm against her sweaty, slender, although still powerful arm, as well as the contact of his chest against her back. This was so not fair, why the hell did her best friend, and best friend's love interest have to get such a major hotness upgrade. Banish it, banish, don't think about it, he's just your Xander-shaped friend - and what a shape - NO!
"Xander," a sweet voice called. Buffy's eyes narrowed; that's right focus on the annoyance, you're annoyed, annoyed, annoyed. There's nothing here but annoyance - who am I kidding? She took in the sweaty and bouncy Lotion - bouncy in more ways then one. "I can't seem to be able to get this, could you help me?" Lotion asked, letting her hands rub suggestively across her upper thighs.
"Sure," Xander said, and Buffy was damned if she couldn't hear the smile in his voice. A few moments later he was showing Lotion - not really showing, more like making her do the move, just touchy as he did with her. Damn it, was Xander trying to make her jealous? Well, it wasn't working, for she was not jealous, she was /not/ jealous . . .
-God, I'm /so/ jealous!- Buffy thought depressed. Of Willow, of Lotion, because that girl had actually managed to go on a date with Xander. -I'm hopeless, and evil - evil, evil, evil!- Perhaps she should have before . . . nah, impossible; the moment Willow had said she was interested in Xander he had been off limits for Buffy's according to her senses of honor . . . which hadn't mattered much back then hadn't it? Because there had come the hot, dream, incredible Angel, Xander hadn't been any more than a friend after that. The pain of the break up with the vampire came back at that moment, but she squashed it away; there was no way she was going to turn into a blubbering mess right here in this training session. Oh, right! Starting again. She started the very educational dance of violence with Xander again. What would have happened if Willow didn't have a crush on . . . -Don't go there! Evil, evil, evil! Just focus on now, there will be other guys!!- Actual guys! There was this nagging idea that Angel - and by proxy Xander - had been right about the whole 240-year-old vampire - 17-year-old Slayer just can't work. She hated that.
Finally the training session was over, and she was pretty certain she had gotten a lot better in the last hour of training. That was a good thing though, she should try out some of this stuff on a vamp tonight, that would help her alleviate some stress.
-----
"Why do we have to go and eat /there/?" Xander asked in annoyance. "Lotion turned out to be somewhat alright, but the devil woman is still evil."
"No reason," Buffy said with a smile. Uh, uh, no reason at all. Willow looked at Buffy with a questioning gaze, and then noticed Xander do the same to her.
"I don't know," Willow said with a shrug. "She suggested it, or rather she and Cordelia."
"Buffy convinced me," Cordelia answered and gestured at the Slayer.
"Buffy?" Xander prompted again, but she didn't answer.
They reached the entrance of Deo and Lotion's restaurant, and stepped inside. Xander's eyes narrowed and then looked from Buffy to the scene. Willow's and Cordelia's eyes opened appreciatively, while Buffy allowed just a tiny almost imperceptible smirk on her face. There was the waiter, one Ryoga Hibiki, topless. -Oh, yeah,- Buffy thought with a smile she quickly hid. -Just as good looking as I thought he'd be. If I can't date Xander, I might as well find some other guy to lust after . . . that's right, lust, he should keep my mind off of Xander long enough I'd say for Willow to capture his heart. Oh, Willow! If you'd know the torture I go through for you!-
"Ooh, I like the way you think, Buffy," Cordelia said with a smile. Of course, Ryoga wasn't Xander, but he'd do in a pinch. Willow had to nod at that, she may have the hots for Xander and Lexa, but that didn't mean she couldn't look around, right?
Xander and Ryoga's gazes crossed, and Ryoga's eyes widened. "You!" he said, and then charged forward with two plates still in his hand.
"-Ryoga!-" Deo's voice rang out, commanding, Ryoga stopped and turned around. The people in the restaurant looked with large eyes at the spectacle. "You go after him, and you're fired. You'll have a tough time earning the money for boat fare back to Japan!" Ryoga had some obvious difficulties controlling himself, then gave Xander a hateful glare and returned to waiting. Xander looked from Ryoga to Buffy, and back again. Oh, that was seriously annoying . . . wait a minute, that's right, he wanted to make up to the guy anyway, and two could play Willow's game. That's right.
The group sat down, and ordered their food. When Ryoga came to put the orders in front of them, the girls were openly ogling him. Xander sat there with annoyance. They ate, the girls chatting happily on occasion trying to draw Xander in, but he stayed mostly quiet, trying to think of a way to get to Ryoga, then he grinned, thinking of a way. "Let me tell you guys a joke," Xander said as Ryoga came toward them to pick up their. "There was this piglet and a farmer . . ."
The plates were shoved roughly under the girls noses, and Ryoga grabbed Xander by the collar and lifted him off his seat. "You /dare/ mock me?" Ryoga hissed, while Xander saw Deo get angry behind the counter.
He gave Ryoga the most brilliant, and innocent smile, and said, "No, I was just trying to tell a joke . . ."
Ryoga growled and threw his hand back, readying a punch. "RYOGA!" Deo's voice yelled once more. "I see you absolutely need this, but take it outside, whatever damage your fight causes in here, you will pay off first!"
The eternal lost boy looked over and then with a growl dragged Xander outside. The three girls looked at each other, and then quickly followed them out. Outside they saw Xander being tossed backward as Deo joined them to watch her future son in law in action.
Xander landed on his feet, looking at the boy. He was strong, he knew, very strong. If the guy could twirl that umbrella around like it was nothing. He had to be very careful. Xander jumped forward, and twisted aside of Ryoga's angry punch. Ryoga twisted along with him, parrying his blow. Xander ducked beneath Ryoga's follow up punch, grabbed his arm and made shoulder toss. To his surprise Ryoga twisted around his axis himself and landed on his feet, immediately kicking out his right leg. Xander gave out an oof as Ryoga's foot crashed into his stomach and launched him back. Xander landed on his feet, but had too much momentum backward so he stumbled back. He was just in time to avoid Ryoga's punch and swipe at his legs, which Ryoga jumped over. Xander immediately went up in an uppercut. Ryoga groaned as the fit hit him underneath his chin just as he landed. He went up in the air, and backward, making sure he landed on his feet. Xander's follow up punch Ryoga pushed aside leaving his chest open. The lost boy then landed a powerful right on his chest, sending Xander flying back. With a painful groan Xander made a backward somersault and landed, looking at Ryoga. Damn, the guy wasn't only strong, but he was also almost as good as Ranma.
Xander attacked again, the two combatants exchanging blows and parries, before Ryoga used a sharp kick to Xander's mid section, and continuing up to his chin. Xander couldn't avoid the kick to his right abdomen, but he did moved his head just aside of the kick. Xander lashed out at the same time hitting Ryoga hard on his outstretched legs. Ryoga groaned and took a few steps back, eyeing Xander, who did the same with him. Ryoga then attack, and Xander started the 'Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire' technique. As fast as the fists were, they were useless if aimed at an empty spot. Ryoga had twisted aside and rammed his left knee into Xander's gut, doubling him over. Then with a punch to the face, and a shove, Xander was lying at the foot of a tree.
With a scream of rage Ryoga came at him. "I'm sorry, okay!?" Xander told him sincerely, interrupting Ryoga's attack. The guy looked down at him strangely. "I mean, if I had remembered it were the cursed springs down there I would have caught you. If it had been a lethal, or even a deep enough to seriously hurt, fall I would have caught you. You have to believe that. I have no interest in any kind of killing guy after me; I've got actual demons already trying to kill me." Ryoga stared down at him, anger in his face. "Will you please except my apologies? You know, forgiving is divine, or were that Twinkies?"
Ryoga's mouth twitched for a moment into a smile at Xander's joke, then growled and lowered his fist, saying, "Fine, it's Ranma that's the real bastard anyway, he didn't even bother to apologize, he just tells me it's /my/ fault."
Xander got up, smiled, and said, "Great, friends then?" Xander offered his hand, hoping the Japanese guy understood it. Apparently he did because he grasped the hand and shook it powerfully. "Awesome," Xander said with a big smile and leant forward, and told him conspiratorially, "What do you think of the blonde?"
"WHAT!?" Ryoga exclaimed.
"Shh, what do you think?" Xander whispered.
Ryoga looked, then shrugged and said, "She's no Akane."
Xander's smile broadened and said, "You know, love your friendship, but go after the blonde, and nicey nice is over."
"Hey! Who do you think I am!? I don't go after other guy's girls - well, except Akane, but she strictly speaking isn't his," Ryoga protested with an insulted tone.
"I didn't think you would, just so we're clear on this subject," Xander told him with the smile walking back over to the girls.
Deo looked at the ending with disappointed, then again, it seemed on top of martial arts skill son in law also had the skills of a diplomat. Things just kept getting better and better. When she left, Cordelia asked the other two girls, "What do you think Xander is whispering about?"
Willow shrugged, saying, "Beats me."
-----
On their way back to school, Willow decided to ask, "Xander, how about training this afternoon, with Buffy along perhaps, and Lotion. I hate to admit it, but the bitch is a good teacher. Of course I'd like some input from the great, trans-sexual master." Everyone looked at her at that last proclamation. "What?" she asked.
Xander shrugged and said, "Don't you have to tutor that guy?"
Willow shook her head, and explained, "He and his father and mother were in the classroom with Deo. I don't know exactly what happened, but after that he switched schools."
"You're joking, right?" Cordelia asked, as she and Buffy stopped with surprise.
Willow stopped a little later and turned around, shaking her head. Xander stopped another moment later, and then a car drove through a puddle of water next to him. "ACK!" Lexa yelled out, and then looked down at her half-wet top clinging to her breasts. "Damn you, you bastard! Now I'm all wet!" she screamed after the car with a raised fist. Her friends giggled at the newly changed girl, followed up by 'naughty' giggling.
"Huh?"
"Yep," Buffy said. "You're so very /wet/."
"Hmm, wet," Willow said taking Lexa in. The girl turned around, hmpfing, and walked on in irritation at the girls' gutter minds. A pretty hot guy walked by, Buffy and Cordelia took him in, while Willow stayed fascinated with Lexa's swaying ass. The guy passed Lexa and she quickly turned around, looking down. Buffy's eyes widened, then shook her head.
"Did you guys see that?" Buffy asked softly in shock.
"See what?" Cordelia asked.
"Nah, it can't be," Buffy said hopefully, softly. She turned to the other girls, and said, "I mean, Xander is straight, Lexa is gay, so it can't be right? It just really can't be. I must have imagined it."
"Imagined what?" Willow asked this time, an irritated Cordelia behind.
"Nah, I just imagined it," Buffy said again, nodded to confirm then started after Lexa. Willow and Cordelia looked at each other, shrugged, and moved after the other two.
The three girls caught up with the former guy, and walked along side him. "Training would be nice," Buffy confirmed, and then added, "but I've got to be on time to pick up the exchange student guy at the bus depot this afternoon. Late afternoon."
"Guy!?" Lexa asked in shock. "You get a /guy/ living with you for two weeks." Buffy nodded, Willow and Cordelia watching the exchange. "No, no, no, I forbid it, guy in your room is a big no, no. I mean, all the things he could get to see, and . . ."
"We /have/ a guest room," Buffy told him amused.
"Ah, but shower . . ."
"I'll lock the door," Buffy answered her again.
Lexa slumped. He had warded off one guy, now he gets another. Perhaps he should play this guy's girlfriend for two weeks?
-----
Later that day Lexa, Buffy and Willow were at the bus stop, all slightly sweaty from the workout and the walk over here. "Impata!? Impata!? Are you here already? We're on time right?" Buffy asked the other two.
"Actually, we're five minutes late," Willow said looking around.
"Impata!" Lexa called, for good measure adding a slightly seductive tone.
"Uh, yeah, I'm here!" a guy's voice called and a guy emerged from behind a parked bus packed with a suitcase and a backpack. Willow's and Buffy's eyes widened in appreciation, he definitely looked cool.
"Hey, I'm Buffy Summers," Buffy greeted with a big grin.
"And /I'm/ Lexa Horne," Lexa said walking over, chest out. Impata's eyes found the bouncing masses of fat and flesh interesting. "Let me help you with that," Lexa said taking a hold of the big scare brown suitcase and lifting the side without wheels easily. Impata looked with wide eyes at the feet, and then back up at Lexa's lovely brown eyes. She brushed some hair back, smiled and said, "You know, your eyes are quite attractive, must be the dark down-south look."
"Uh, thanks, I guess," Impata answered, smiling, while Buffy and Willow scowled at the scene with their arms across their chests.