Title: Knights Consort (3/?)

Author: Cyclone

Feedback: Please be gentle.

Distribution: Gimme credit and a link.

Rating: Just a little bad language.

Spoilers: Anything and everything.

Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein belong to other people. I'm just borrowing them for a while.

Summary: There's more to love than sexual attraction. In fact, sometimes, it just gets in the way.

Author's Note: Nothing much to say here.

I am an idiot.

I am a complete and utter idiot.

So we get a ping on the global Slaydar in our area; that means we've got another meet-and-greet to do. No one needs to say anything; we all know the routine. Xander goes, of course. As I've said before, he always does.

And me? I go with him. It's as natural as breathing these days.

I'm already packed, out the back door, and circling around to the front where the car is before it hits me. And it's not so much that it hits me as that I'm now looking at Willow standing by the car with Xander. All packed up and ready to go.

Shit.

I bite my lip and take a half-step back, but it's too late. They've already seen me. I can't meet Willow's gaze - it's too soon - but Xander gives me a look. A flash of... something crosses his face, then he finishes putting his pack in the trunk and gently takes Willow aside, leading her back into the building through the front door.

I'm left staring after them dumbly for what feels like half an hour but can't be more than a few minutes before Xander emerges again. Alone.

"You gonna put that in the car or what, Kenn Doll?"

I blink.

"Uh, sure," I mumble, hefting my duffel bag and placing it in the trunk.

We take a few minutes to double check and make sure we didn't forget anything, then head out with him driving. We're on the highway before he breaks the silence.

"You know," he says, "just because you and Willow went down in flames doesn't mean that's it for us too."

I scowl.

"Two things," I point out. "One, we didn't 'go down in flames,' Xander. I let her go. Two, since when was there an 'us'?"

He shrugs. "Depending on who you ask, days or months."

"I don't see anyone else around, so I must be asking you."

"The minute you started dating Willow." Wow. Not a bit of hesitation there.

I shake my head, amused. "You know, you saying things like that is why those rumors started to begin with."

The rumors being that the three of us - me, Willow, and Xander - are in some sort of polyamorous relationship. Well, were.

"Actually I think your comment of 'you're both mine' is what started it, Kenn Doll," he retaliates. "Remember that first Christmas party?"

I flush. Truth is, I don't, but there's video evidence. "I was drunk, so that can't be held against me," I answer defiantly.

He laughs, and after a moment, I join him.

This is nice.

And I can't get over the fact that he chose me over Willow.