Title: Cat Shadows (7/?)
Author: Prospero Hibiki
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN, Fox and WB Network. In no way are these aforementioned characters being used for my own personal profit, and this is not meant as an infringement of the copyright owned by any of the above entitys.
Rating: R (for language and the ever present possibility of violence)
Timeline: Immediately following the Season 2 episode "Halloween"
Spoilers: So far anything through "Halloween" is fair game...maybe more later. Though it's starting to look like I'm going to completely change what happens from then on. If only to keep myself from totally screwing up my mental timeline while writing.
Classification: Alternate Universe, anything else will become obvious as time passes. (Technically in fanfic speak this does qualify as an altiverse and not a divergence simply because of the way some things are managed magically.)
Summary: Xander's possession during his sophomore year of high school did more to screw up his life than even he had thought at the time. Could what he'd considered his greatest failing be turned into an ability he could use, or would it ruin his second chance at happiness?
Author's Comments: After kicking this story around in my head for several months I've decided that I'd like to post the prologue to see if anyone thinks it has promise. That's actually pretty much it. I'll probably continue to write it even if people hate it, but comments from people who don't are always appreciated. Besides I kind of feel like actually posting things for a while instead of purely lurking. Also my infrequency of the postings is more due to having to completely rewrite the story after screwing up some major plot points that affect what occurs in later chapters than in any real laziness on my part. Though laziness certainly does contribute at some point.
xXx
Chapter 06: Iris
Okay, let me see if I've done everything correctly. Single red rose taped to the inside of Buffy's locker? Check. Left note saying it was from me? Check. Returned the locker combination list to Giles' office? Check. Was not caught by psychotic librarian who doesn't think of me as his favorite person at the moment? Thank god, check. Finally remembered to write down Buffy's combination so I don't have to go through this whole process again like I have been for the past three days? Check.
Weary of all the running around that I've been doing the past three days I slowly walk towards the library again. I was there earlier of course, but that was several hours ago. I've spent the time in between then and now working on my homework. It's pretty amazing what I can do when trying to keep my mind off of the complete and utter devastation that is currently my social life. I mean it kind of sucks at the moment. Giles isn't exactly speaking to me at the moment except when he wants me to read through some books that need reading through...which has happened all of once since Monday. Willow, well Willow doesn't seem to know what to think and is thus taking a whole wait and see approach to things which leaves me fairly left out emotionally. And Buffy...what Buffy is doing is driving me nuts! Well, more nuts than usual because she's always driven me a little bit nuts in both good ways and bad ways.
She's acting like everything's almost normal, except that she hasn't even acknowledged that I've given her the other three roses or the multitudes of notes. But each morning when I put the next rose in they're all gone. Patrols are something else too. I mean, she knows, yet nothing is said about it at all. I'm still 'Sphinx' the wonder cat. Though to be honest, that relationship has changed as well. I'm not allowed to lick her anymore, she doesn't scratch my neck, and I'm sure as hell not being let into her room after we're done. It's practically killing me. I've started to crave those touches and caresses, and not getting them is torture. Torture that I probably deserve but torture none the less. Which, might I add, really sucks, but not in that whole vampire blood sucking way, though that sucks too.
Taking a deep breath I push open the door and flinch slightly when everyone's head turns towards me and then away without even an acknowledgement. Oh yeah, I'm still in the dog house. Or cat house, though that sounds a lot more fun than what I'm currently experiencing. As has been normal my usual chair has been moved further away from the main research table than it was only a week ago. Yay me. I'm just glad there hasn't been anything really hellmouthy going on except for the occasional vampire or six. Though I get the feeling that's going to change soon since Buffy and I ran into those four goons that hinted that there was a new baddie in town. Sinking into my chair I grab my history book and open it up to cover the fact that what I'm really paying attention to is Buffy. Giles is currently interrogating her about the vampires we ran into.
"Buffy, you stated that one of the vampires you encountered last night possessed an amulet of some sort."
"Yep."
There's a long pause. "Perhaps you might describe it to me?"
"Oh," Buffy is blushing, "it was, well, amulety, about so big, and kind of squarish but not really. It also had a design on the front which was all squiggles and angles. All in all not my first choice for a fashion accessory. Not my second either."
"I must say Buffy that that was quite possibly the most appalling description of..." Giles throws his hands up in the air. Just barely I can hear him muttering insults towards the American educational system.
"Buffy, why don't you try drawing it?" The sentence is out of my mouth before I can stop it. Everyone's turning and looking at me now. "Or not." I guess I should have just my mouth shut.
"That's actually a good idea Xander."
"Umm no problem." Is it that rare that I have a good idea? Then again I probably shouldn't even ask myself that with all the trouble I've managed to get myself into recently.
It doesn't take long for Buffy to make a rough sketch of the amulet. It's like old times with everyone crowded around the drawing. I don't know why, but I guess that maybe I got a better look at the amulet than Buffy did because the drawing of the symbol is off slightly. Technically I didn't see the amulet since I wasn't there. If this had happened when Buffy and I were alone I would have just pointed out the mistake, but it's harder since we're not.
"Hey, I think I've seen that someplace before!" Wow, was that a lame attempt. Still it seems they're buying it. "But it looks kind of odd. Can I?" When I make a vague writing motion with my hand Willow hands me the pencil. "It's this line, I think it should..." a few quick rubs with the eraser removes the offending line, "...it needs to curve up and around like this."
Giles shakes his head in annoyance. "That is all well and good, Xander, but your alteration drastically changes the possible interpretation of the meaning. If you'd be so good as to change it back to the way it was?"
Briefly I lift my head enough to catch Buffy's eye. I don't understand how or even what happens, but she's instantly supporting me. "Um, I don't think that'd be a good idea. Because I think I was wrong before. That is what I saw."
"Buffy, this is very important. How sure are you that this version is correct where the previous was not?" Giles has slipped into his slightly patronizing Watcher voice, but that's cool because he only uses it when things really important.
For a fleeting instant Buffy looks into my eyes and it seems like dozens of questions flash between us faster and more in-depth than any conversation I've ever had with anyone even Willow. Before I even realize it I'm nodding back to her unsure as to what I mean.
"One hundred percent." She looks back away from Giles and into my eyes again. "I'd bet my life on it." My hands are shaking slightly, and I grab onto a nearby chair back to hide it.
The rest of the meeting goes by in a blur, with the only semi-important thing being Giles trying to get me to remember what book I'd supposedly seen the symbol in. Which is kind of hard since I didn't see it in a book. But, hey when have I let a little thing like lying stop me recently? As we're leaving Buffy grabs my arm when no one is looking. "Usual spot, but no fur." And just like that she's back to the same thing it's been for the past few days.
xXx
Yeah life is wiggy once more. Okay Buffy obviously wants to acknowledge the fact that Sphinx and I are one in the same now. Which might mean that she's come to a decision about whether or not to forgive me. Maybe. Hopefully. I don't even dare to hope that she wants to...no, hope for forgiveness. Even getting that will put me on cloud nine. Still I have no clue as to what to expect. Probably the thorough interrogation she should have given me on Monday. Some yelling isn't out of the question either I suppose. I just wish I knew!
It feels odd to be here sitting on the rock behind Buffy's house. Well the sitting part instead of the normal catlike reclining. Yeah it's real different. Don't know if it's good or not but it is different. I'm hoping for good.
"Hi." The voice comes out of the darkness behind me from so close that I can feel the outwards push of breath on the back of my neck.
Ack! Sweet mother of god. How in the hell did Buffy manage to sneak up that close behind me? It takes a few minutes but eventually my heart resumes beating at a speed that isn't as likely to cause it to explode messily in my chest. Buffy patiently waits during that time, though I think it's more because of the entertainment factor than anything else.
"Better?" Oh yeah, it was for the entertainment because she's got that highly amused grin on her face. The one that drives me insane with lust...then again she doesn't have many looks that don't drive me insane with lust. "Because I can wait longer if you need more time."
I wave her off. "No I'm fine. Just shaved a few decades off my life." Moving over I make room for her on the rock. "Take a load off."
Several minutes pass with the two of us just sitting there next to each other. Finally she breaks the silence. "So when did it happen? I'm assuming you didn't always turn into a cat."
"You're right. Did the ritual the day after Halloween. It fixed a...problem I had."
"What problem?"
I turn away from her and take a deep breath before I tell her everything. From regaining my body after being possessed by the hyena, to finding out about my new vulnerability, to the cure, and Halloween itself; I tell her everything. "So finally I did it. The ritual worked and I can now change into a black leopard whenever I want." I still haven't looked at her during the time I've talked. The silence stretches out and I wonder if she's discovered one of the secrets I'd kept.
She has. "The hyena thing...you remember don't you?"
"Yeah. I remember."
"And you didn't tell me?"
Running my hand through my hair I almost scream in frustration. "What was I supposed to tell you? Oh by the way, Buffy, remember our little get together in the teacher's lounge? You know where I almost raped the one person I..." Finally I manage to cut myself off, but I sort of think it was too late. I just can't keep myself from doing things when I'm around Buffy.
"You what?"
"What the hell do you want me to say, Buffy?" She's driving me nuts again, but I think I've pretty much established that she always does that. "Do you want me to say that you're the reason I get up in the morning and my last thought before I go to sleep? Do you want me to tell you that the sun rises and sets for me in your eyes? Do you want me to rip my heart out and hand it to you to do with it what you wish even if I know that you'll only grind it under your boot? Tell me what you want, and I'll do it. Anything just so that there'll be a chance for you to love me the same way I love you!"
Buffy blinks a couple of times. "That certainly answers the question."
"Hunh?"
"You know," she waves vaguely, "my question. 'You what?' Not that I couldn't guess already what with the notes and the flowers and the notes."
"You said notes twice." Why in the hell am I interrupting her? Think, Xander think!
"It bears repeating because there were a lot of them. They were starting to get all scrunchy like in the locker whenever I got some books. What did you do, stuff one through the vent slots every time you passed by?"
"No, um, sorta, kinda, yeah." I don't think I'll tell her that I actually went out of my way several times to stick a note in. "So what does this mean? I mean for us? Am I forgiven? Do I need to do something else to get to that point? Do you never want to see me again? Because I've got to say Buffy that not knowing where I stand with you has been driving me completely insane."
"Don't know. Could be any number of things really. Option A: I could forgive you and we could go back to being friends. Option B: I could decide that you need to grovel some more before I forgive you. Option C: No forgiveness. But I've kind of been leaning towards Option D."
My throat's pretty dry. She's pretty much indicated that whatever plans she's already stated aren't how she wants to do things and I'm completely clueless as to what that leaves. A minute or two passes without her continuing. "What's Option D?"
"Option D? Oh, I forgive you and we could try that whole date thing. You've pretty much made it clear how you feel about me. The problem is that I don't really know how I feel, but I do know that I'm not completely indifferent to you. That whole time I spent worrying about you when you were missing kind of rammed that home for me; that kiss thing on Monday and how yummy you looked without your shirt helped too, not to mention those glasses of yours. And I just realized you must have been locked up in that cage instead of hitchhiking down the coast from Oregon which means that there was no hot chick in a convertible." Sweet hell, it's the Buffy glare-o-doom.
"Nope no cute chick in a convertible for me. I got to eat rats though. And let me tell you that you haven't truly eaten until you've had rat."
"Ewww. I so didn't want to hear that."
"So are we good?" I detect a hint of pleading creeping into my voice. "Are we going to do this date thing? Because if you're just kidding here I doubt I'd be able to take it."
"Yeah we're going to do the date thing. And the patrol thing. Probably in the opposite order really. What I was actually thinking is that we keep things like they used to be from the outside. We don't tell anyone about the whole cat thing because it could come in really handy if we ever needed to use it."
"Yeah." My mind is elsewhere though, namely the cage I spent almost a full week locked inside. "Yeah, I really like that idea." I tell her about Drusilla's odd remarks about me, and Spike's sudden change of mind regarding my fate. "It really freaked me out Buff. I mean he pulled complete a one eighty on me when I thought for sure I was toast and all because Drusilla told him something that she didn't want me to hear. We've got to stake her, Buffy, she scares me. I mean really scares me. There's no telling how much she might know about us. Things that could hurt us." It's almost a relief to get that off of my chest like I had been holding it all inside.
"Okay, we stake freaky vampire chick pronto and move on. Now do your fur thingy so we can get moving. I want to hit a few cemeteries tonight before the vamps get a real chance to feed."
Nodding I murmur my chant and soon struggle out of my clothes. Buffy surprises me by helping me out before stashing them into a small backpack that I hadn't even noticed that she'd brought out with her.
"Come on Sphinx. Let's get moving." She starts to walk off and I can't help but watch the way her hips sway back and forth. She pauses. "And we are going to have a long talk after this patrol where we're going to talk about your habit of kissing me when I have no clue you were doing so."
I whimper slightly at this, but perk up a little bit when I realize that since we'll be going out soon I'll be able to kiss Buffy as a human. Maybe even some cuddling. Quickly I scamper after her giving her a swat on the rear with a paw before I take off towards the closest graveyard.
"Oooooh! You are so going to pay for that!"
Yeah, life is good.