Anonymous requested Xander/Cordelia + "Take off your clothes"

"Take your clothes off." Xander said, dropping the duffel bag on the ground as he pulled the door to the utility closet closed behind him. Unlike the Janitor's closets they'd used to make out in back in High School

"Xander!" Cordelia started indigantly, going into full 'Queen C' mode: I don't know how in the loop you've been, but I'm an actress, not a fucking stripper! Just because you're helping me escape from a bunch of demons does not mean that I'm going to just-"

"I just got the info on these demons from Giles while we were running here. You know, my little talk on the phone? Their blood is acidic. Slow acid, but it's gonna burn through your shirt and skirt soon and then start on your skin. So undress, and grab the clothes in the bag. They're in your size."

"Really? I need to undress because of demon blood and you just happen to have a change of clothes in my size? You just want to see me naked!" Cordelia waved dismissively.

"Cordelia, you're the most beautiful woman I know." Xander pressed his ear against the door. The demons shouldn't even have been able follow them to this building, but they also tracked by scent, so maybe they had. "Of course I want to see you naked. But I was planning on staying turned around while you changed. As for why I have clothes in your size for you -" Xander took a breath and turned to her, "As I was trying to explain to you before those demons ambushed us, I came down to L.A. to visit you. Catch up, say hi," Maybe ask you out to dinner. Platonically of course.

It wasn't as if she'd say yes any other way. Cordelia was still the woman he loved, but she wasn't likely to want to start things up again. "I still know your sizes from all the times I was your carrying bags guy at the Sunnyale Mall. The clothes were a gift, belated pair of birthday gifts, since I missed the last two."

"Oh." Cordelia said softly. "Well, that's- turn back around." Xander complied, resisting the impulse to watch her. They weren't dating. Or even close. After a few minutes, she told him he could turn back around.

"They're - they're actually really nice. Thank you."

Xander looked down, "I got a bit of advice from Buffy on what to buy," he admitted. "Glad you like them though." Of course, he had demon blood on his own shirt, so… careful to avoid brushing his hand, he started unbuttoning his shirt. He didn't even realize Cordelia was staring at his torso.

"You've gotten more uhm… muscular." She said after a moment, her voice a bit lower than just before. "I mean, I heard through the grapevine that you were working construction, but…" she trailed off, and Xander almost expected her to lick her lips. At least she wasn't staring at him like a piece of meat - not completely, anyway. Anya had done that a few times. It had felt… bad. Which had been a bit of an eye-opener for him, when he really thought about how women felt in the same situation. In my defense, I don't stare as much as a lot of guys!

"Hand me my spare shirt," Xander said, gesturing to the bag. Cordelia nodded, complied and Xander pulled it on. "We should probably get moving, now that we've changed and caught our breath." Xander handed her his phone, "Call Angel or Wesley, please?"

"I can call Wesley, yeah. After we get away from these guys, we can do that catching up. Maybe over coffee or something?" There was no segue, but how kind of segue could go there?

"Sounds good." Xander replied, keeping his voice level. Down boy! he added to himself, feeling a slight uptick in happiness at Cordelia asking him out for coffee. It wasn't like that. He'd cheated on her. Even if they'd kind of buried the hatchett after he got her that prom dress, she was never going to be interested in him again. Not in any serious way.

It's your own damn fault, Xander.

He was so caught up in his mental self-recriminations that he missed the faint, hopeful smile on Cordelia's face at his acceptance of her offer.