Mr. Fix-It!
He knew the instant the magic broke, as it rolled over him like a wave and his previous self flooded back into his mind. The difference was stunning, while he'd been Felix he'd never known how simple he was and now that he was Xander he could see that he'd actually missed quite a bit of what was going on around him... as Xander.
Felix was simple, being an 8-bit video game character, but he'd paid a lot more attention to everything around him. Once you could separate fact from fiction, and knowing the character of the people involved helped loads with that, you'd be able to find the truth in any situation. Whether you liked that truth or not was up to you, but at least you'd know what it was.
He twirled his hammer absently before holstering it and straightening his cap. Navel gazing could wait, there were probably a lot of lost and scared kids out there and by Jimminy, it was his job to make sure they all made it home!
With a determined glint in his eye and a spring in his step, Xander entered the roof access of the fifteen story apartment building he'd created and took the elevator down.
*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*
"Was there any after effects from the spell last night?" Giles asked.
"Solid once more," Willow said happily.
"I have the urge to order the football team to build a moat around my house and attend Sunday mass," Buffy replied.
"Running water is a very effective defense against a great many supernatural predators," Giles explained. "As is having a priest bless your domicile."
"What does bondage have to do with anything?" Buffy asked.
"I'm kinda curious about that myself," Xander agreed.
"Domicile refers to a house," Giles said rubbing his temples. "Not any particular type of house, just one where someone resides."
"OK, got it," Buffy agreed. "So moat good, moat and blessing better?"
"Yes," Giles agreed, "and you Xander?"
"My nose is bigger and I'm an inch shorter," Xander replied not sounding all that concerned. "Not a huge deal, I seem to have come through fine otherwise."
"Are you sure?" Giles asked. "No one else has reported any physical alterations."
"The nose is obvious and I checked my height," Xander assured him.
"Height actually varies depending on the time of day you're measuring yourself," Giles offered. "I myself am half an inch shorter in the evenings than when I get up in the morning. It has to do with the expansion of the disks in your back."
"Probably just my nose then," Xander decided.
"It's a bit rounder," Willow agreed.
"I also remember all of Felix's life and skills," Xander said.
"You can fix stuff?" Buffy asked hopefully.
"You won't find a more talented handyman," Xander agreed.
"Mom has been saying she needs a man around to fix stuff," Buffy told him, "and neither one of us is exactly Mr. Fix-it."
"I accept payment in the form of burnt offerings," Xander said imperiously, posing with his hands on his hips.
Giles eyes narrowed as his hand slid towards a hidden dagger, before he realized Xander was joking.
"How about meatloaf and mashed potatoes?" Buffy asked with a grin.
"I will dig the moat with my own two hands!" Xander swore, making the girls laugh.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"A golden hammer?" Joyce asked as she saw Xander's tool belt.
"I can't fiddle worth a damn, but I am pretty handy with a hammer," Xander replied.
"Built a better birdhouse?" Joyce asked with a grin.
"The devil's was condemned by the housing commission," Xander said.
"What are you two talking about?" Buffy asked.
"Country music," Joyce said, shaking her head as she knew her daughter didn't appreciate the classics like 'The Devil went down to Georgia.'
"Weird," Buffy said rolling her eyes. "Anyway, Xander is here to fix stuff for food."
"He is?" Joyce asked amused.
"I had a 'will work for food' sign, but Buffy threw it away," Xander complained.
"It didn't say food!" Buffy growled.
"I'm a growing boy," Xander teased. "And man does not live by bread alone!"
Joyce burst out laughing.
"I understand you have a list of fix it projects and are making meatloaf?" Xander asked.
"Indeed I do," Joyce agreed. "Let's see what you can handle."
It only took Xander half an hour to complete everything on her list, much to the amazement of both of them.
"This is incredible," Joyce said, as she examined the formerly loose step on the basement stairs.
"A tap of the hammer, a turn of the screw, a drop of sweat," Xander said. "None of these were exactly big jobs."
"What about the broken lock on the bathroom door?" Joyce asked.
"A little wood glue and a tap of the hammer to realign the parts. Let it sit overnight so the glue sets and it'll be fine," Xander promised.
"I'm going to stuff you so full of food Buffy will have to roll you home," Joyce promised.
"Feed me that much and I will hibernate on your couch," Xander warned.
"Also acceptable," Joyce decided.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Xander slammed his hammer into the recalcitrant bolt with a curse, wishing it would shatter into a million flecks of rust, only to stare in shock as it exploded in a shower of sparks that homed in on him like iron filings to a magnet.
Xander winced, but felt no pain, if anything he felt... better, more energetic.
He looked around the wrecking yard to make sure no one was around before raising his golden hammer and slamming it against another bolt while thinking of destroying it. Sure enough it shattered into a cloud of sparks that he absorbed making him feel even better.
Xander smiled broadly as he looked around the wrecking yard with new eyes.
AN: I was thinking of starting a Builder fic and this was what I came up with.
Typing by: Stephenopolos