Sweethearts

By Felicity

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. They belong to Joss Whedon, the WB, Fox, Mutant Enemy, etc. I don't own Sweethearts either. Please don't sue!

Author's Note: This take place after "Zeppo" but before "Bad Girls" (okay, I know, Valentine's Day was *after* Bad Girls but I don't care! It didn't happen in my little world). This is an extremely unreallistic story (well, one part)...I don't care! I can dream, can't I? I love comments so email me.

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"Head’s up!" Xander cried, tossing a tiny object at Buffy as he entered the library. Though his aim was horrendous, she caught it easily and eyed it with skepticism.

"Fax me?" she asked.

"It’s candy! Don’t object! Be happy!" Xander exclaimed. Buffy smiled and popped the small colored candy heart into her mouth, then suddenly frowned and sat down heavily on one of the tables.

"Sweethearts means Valentine’s Day. And Valentine’s Day means depression. It’s inevitable," Buffy said, sighing. Xander lost his goofy smile and sat down next to her.

"I’m with ya there Buff," he sighed.

"Valentine’s Day isn’t always bad!" Willow exclaimed. They both gave her a look and she subsided back to Oz. "Bad! Very bad! Masochistic holiday!"

"Last year every woman in Sunnydale was in love with me . . . now those were the good old days," Xander sighed. They all eyed him in amazement.

"Xander, I hate to point this out, but that almost got you killed," Giles pointed out, stepping down from the stacks.

"And I was a rat!" Buffy exclaimed.

"Everything’s always about you!" Xander cried. She slapped his arm as lightly as she could, which still made him whimper and grab his arm. "It was better than being Mr. Pathetic anyway."

"Yeah, well I was dumped this year too, okay? And the man I love—doomed to eternal torment? Let’s not make this a contest Xander," Buffy advised. "I’d win."

"Once more, always about you! Who cares about my misery?" Xander asked jokingly.

"I care Xander," Willow said, then glanced at Oz to make sure he was still smiling. Which he was.

"I hate Valentine’s Day," Xander announced. "And I hate Cordelia. Ah for the good old days . . ."

"You know he’s going to be going on and on forever," Buff pointed out.

"And drive us all a little postal?" Oz suggested. Buffy nodded.

"I will not!" Xander exclaimed. "I have some self control!" Buffy, Giles and Willow exchanged glances, holding back laughter. "What?! I can go a day without complaining! I can go a day without talking at all!"

"You so cannot!" Buffy exclaimed, laughing.

"Oh yeah, well watch me!" Xander cried. Buffy blinked.

"Now? But that’s not a full day!" He scowled.

"Valentine’s Day then. I won’t say a word the entire time!"

"Now this I’d like to see," Oz murmured. Willow smiled mischievously and Buffy grinned outright, the shook her head.

"Valentine’s Day is Sunday. You can’t say anything on tomorrow," Buffy amended.

"But it’s Friday!" Xander exclaimed.

"You didn’t put a condition," she pointed out. He scowled again, then reluctantly agreed. Buffy smiled. "If you talk, you have to tell Cordelia you still love her."

"No way!" Xander exclaimed, mentally wincing at the verbal lashing he’d get after that one. The most humiliating experience of his life, he was sure.

"A deal’s a deal. And if you don’t talk you can do something equally bad to me," Buffy said, her green eyes sparkling. Xander considered it for a second, then nodded.

"Fine . . . but I’m going to win!"

"Dream on!" Buffy cried. "You’re not going a stay in complete silence for a whole day!"

"You didn’t say complete silence! Who mentioned complete silence?" Xander demanded as Buffy picked up her bag, and, laughing, started out of the library.

********************

Xander saw her across the room and suddenly it was like she was the only other person there. Or literally she was the only person there . . . that was kind of strange. He didn’t give it much notice though, too intent on the object of his affections. She looked so beautiful, radiant and chatty in a slinky red dress. It was Valentine’s Day. He started towards her.

At first she regarded him with something akin to disgust, but then he handed her the thing he’d been carrying—a small white heart with the words Miss You on it. She looked at the heart and then into his eyes and smiled.

"Me too," she said softly, and put the heart in her mouth. He watched with his typical teenage male fascination as she slowly sucked on it and bit it between her teeth.

"Want to dance?" she asked. He nodded and then she was in his arms again and they were dancing on the floor of the Bronze in front of everyone and she didn’t care. Or maybe it was only them. Xander wasn’t too clear on the subject. As they danced Xander looked down at her tenderly, happy beyond words (even if he was allowed to talk) just to be holding her again. He bent his head to kiss her and—

Woke up. Xander sat up in bed and hit his head against the backboard, cursing. Why would he dream about Cordelia? She was a bitch and he hated her! Or so he told himself . . .

"This is gonna be the best day ever," he muttered looking at his clock and realizing it was time to get up. And that was before he remembered he wasn’t supposed to talk . . .

********************

"So how’s he doing?" Oz asked. Xander glared and Buffy’s mouth twitched.

"So far, so good," she replied. "Even though he has made sounds, but I guess I’ll give him a few little exclamations." Xander stared at her in horror, gesturing angrily but unable to say anything. Buffy hid a smile.

"It’s okay Xand. I’m sure you had reasons for those exclamations," Willow said, patting his hand quickly. He looked slightly mollified.

"Hey, I got more of those hearts, they’re yummy!" Buffy exclaimed, taking a box from her bag. Xander had rested his head on his elbow and remained there for a moment before sitting bolt upright and grabbing the box. "Just what do you think you’re doing?" He opened his mouth o reply, then closed it abruptly and turned his attention to the candy hearts. Buffy rolled her eyes.

"So, what are we doing this extra-special long weekend?" she asked Willow and Oz. They exchanged glances.

"Well it is Valentine’s Day," Willow said, with a guilty look on her face. Buffy sighed and Xander looked disgusted. He pulled out a heart and handed it to Willow.

"Whatever," she read, then laughed suddenly and did a valley-girl imitation. "What-ever!" Oz smiled and squeezed her hand and Buffy laughed. Xander managed a smile.

"That’s cute Xander . . . and I never said communication was against the rules. As long as none of those hearts are whiny." He handed her a green one that said Yes Dear. Buffy smiled and popped it in her mouth. "Now that’s the spirit!" Xander grinned, beginning to pull out of his pre-Heart Day depression. Which was when Cordelia decided it was time to stop by their bench on the way inside the school.

"If it isn’t the—what did you call yourselves? Scooby Gang? Try Losers. It’s simple, easy, and so descriptive, don’t you think?" she said sweetly. Xander opened his mouth to retort but got a warning look from Buffy and closed it.

"That’s nice Cordy, you can move on to your pathetic friends now and assure them you’ve had a good crack at us," Buffy said. Xander gave her a semi-grateful look, then began looking in his box of sweethearts.

"Oh no, I was just getting started," the school queen assured them. Xander threw something at her and she barely caught it, then eyed the heart with annoyance. "Be true," she read. Xander handed her another one. "Love bug. Yuck! As—" Xander handed her a third before she could finish her sentence. She read it and then threw the whole handful down on the grass and stormed off. Buffy and Willow exchanged glances and Buffy bent to retrieve the third heart. She laughed when she read it and handed it to Willow who handed it to Oz. Xander polished his fingernails on his shirt and tipped his head in acknowledgement of mastery.

"Happy Valentine’s Day world!" Buffy cried and threw the heart to the other side of the courtyard where it landed in the middle of a bench for all to see and read the message . . . As if!

********************

"Would anyone like to tell me why that particular geometric principle is true? Mr. Harris, would you like to enlighten the class?" Xander didn’t look up—he was too busy sorting through the contents of three boxes of Sweethearts. "Mr. Harris?" Buffy poked him and he started and looked up, suprised. Then he shook his head. "You wouldn’t like to enlighten us?" Xander shook his head, smiling dopily. "Well that’s too bad. This is a school, not a playground. Speak Mr. Harris." Xander opened his mouth and closed it again. He held out a heart to the teacher. "You rule," Mr. Sickowsky read. "Thank you Mr. Harris, now could you please answer the question?" Xander shook his head again.

"He’s sick," Buffy said, taking pity on him. Xander nodded emphatically and patted his throat. Mr. Sickowsky eyed them both.

"Is that so?" Buffy and Xander nodded simultaneously.

"He has no voice," Buffy said.

"Well, why don’t you write the answer for me then Mr. Harris?" Mr. Sickowsky suggested. Xander looked to Buffy for help, but she shrugged. He tried to smile at the teacher and before picking up his pen, handed him another heart.

"I’m so glad you have such a high opinion of me Mr. Harris. Now write." Resigned, Xander picked up a pen. Buffy reached over and stole a sweetheart, then handed it back to him.

"Smile!" she said. Xander glared . . . but he ate the candy anyway.

*******************

"Hey Xander," Oz said, approaching the slumped figure of his friend. Xander looked up and half-smiled, handing Oz a sweetheart that said My Man. "How are you doing?" Xander shrugged then gave a thumbs-down sign. He showed Oz a Good heart, then hid it. Oz frowned.

"He means not good," Willow said, approaching. Xander grinned and nodded. Willow sat right next to Oz, nearly on his lap and kissed him quickly. "Why aren’t you good?" she asked Xander. He handed her a heart. "Ask me. Ask you what?" He shrugged and slumped down again, depressed.

"Hey guys. What’s the up? Are we going to the Bronze tonight? There’s a Valentine’s Day dance," Buffy said, walking up to the group. They were seated on the couches in the commons area. Xander gestured in mock-excitement.

"We should go," Willow said, smiling at Oz. He smiled back.

"My band’s playing actually."

"Oh! I knew that!" Willow exclaimed, laughing slightly. "So you guys have to come and keep me company." Xander handed her a heart. Neat!

"Now now, Xander, don’t be bitter," Buffy said, seeing the candy before Willow ate it. He gave her a who’s bitter? look. "I can go patrol after the dance, so I’m in for some major depression."

"Xander?" Oz asked, turning to the one member that hadn’t yet committed to show. He sighed in resignation and tossed Oz his answer—Let it be. Willow smiled happily.

"And we’re all going to have a good time! No depression! It’s going to be fun!"

I’m sure, Xander handed her. Buffy patted his arm. "You have to look on the bright side Xander! At least we’ll be miserable together!"

*******************

"I look so good!" Cordelia exclaimed, eyeing herself in one of her many full-length mirrors. She smiled charmingly at herself, practicing for later. Randomly, she remembered her outfit for the last Valentine’s Dance. And then she remembered the last Valentine’s Day and the good mood was lost.

She’d dreamt about Xander the night before. He’d given her a candy heart. Typical Xander patheticness. And typical sweetness.

"Yech!" she exclaimed, moving away from the mirror and shaking the thought off. "Xander Harris is history. Xander Harris is horrible, horrible history." She walked over to her jewelry bureau (she had a separate one for make-up and another for the few clothes that didn’t hang in her walk-in closet) and stopped when she saw the necklace. The one he’d given her. She grabbed it and threw it into the trash—but somehow it was still clenched in her hand. She opened her fist and stared at the heart necklace for a long moment, then slowly set it down and turned away, telling herself firmly that the tears in her eyes were from perfume.

*******************

"I should go," Oz said, motioning to the stage. Willow smiled and nodded, kissing him slowly.

"I’ll be watching," she said. He smiled and bid the others goodbye before walking towards the stage. The dance was just getting underway. Buffy smiled at Willow who was watching Oz with puppy dog eyes as he walked away.

"You two are so cute!" she exclaimed, then sighed heavily. She looked good enough to eat in a knee length dark rose-pink dress embroidered with roses and her hair swept up, a pink rose tucked into it and a few loose strands artfully framing her face. Willow looked radiant, happy in the obvious adoration of her boyfriend. Buffy knew it was mutual. They heard an exclamation and both turned to see Xander solicit a girl. He still wasn’t allowed to talk, but he was doing bad enough without his voice. The girl gave him a withering look and threw the heart he’d given her away—Buffy bent to see it underneath the table. Ez 2 Love. She giggled and cast Xander a sympathetic look. He wasn’t discouraged. Yet.

"The band’s starting!" Willow exclaimed, slipping off her seat at the table and walking towards the stage. Buffy sighed and motioned for Xander to toss her a piece of candy.

********************

The Bronze was crowded and the music was good; Xander and Buffy sat side by side on one of the couches, watching the happy couples. Willow was up by the stage gazing adoringly at Oz. Cordelia was flirting with every guy there. Scott had a girlfriend. Angel was nowhere to be seen. Xander still wasn’t allowed to talk. Carrying on a one-sided conversation at a Valentine’s Day dance was not a fun experience.

"So. Having fun." He didn’t reply. Of course. "No we’re not. How miserable are you right now?"

It’s true, read the heart he handed her. "Yeah," she said. Silence. "Those people look like they’re having fun dancing." He handed her another heart. "Ask me," she read. "Oh! You want to dance?" Xander nodded and they stood up and walked onto the dance floor awkwardly. Buffy hadn’t danced with Xander since that one time . . . and the consequences of that hadn’t been good. She was still teased about it. But this was just a friendly dance.

"Oh, there’s Faith!" Buffy said, spotting her fellow-Slayer across the room. She waved and Faith waved back, turning to talk to some guy. Buffy looked back to Xander and noticed an odd look on his face. "What?" He didn’t answer. She sighed, and then saw someone else. She stopped dancing.

"I was thinking Xander, maybe we should call off the bet." He stared at her, then shook his head. "Don’t you want to talk?" she asked. He nodded, then shook his head again. He pointed to her. "I," Buffy said. He made some weird gestures she didn’t understand. "I really lost you after the ‘I’ part Xander." He made a face and spotted Willow through the crowd, pulling Buffy over to their friend. He pointed to Buffy and then made the gestures again.

"He says you just don’t want to uphold your part of the bet," Willow translated easily.

"How do you do that?" Buffy asked Willow, then turned to Xander. "Anyway, that’s not true. I mean, not that I’m looking forward to being horribly embarrassed, but mostly I’m not having a lot of fun here keeping up a one sided conversation. Plus I don’t want to watch you all night, there are . . . other things I want to do. And thirdly, you should be able to talk. I mean, I think there’s some things you need to say. Whadaya think?" Xander considered it for a moment, then finally nodded. Buffy grinned. "Good, so you can talk now."

"Finally! Okay, this morning, I actually knew the answer in lit. It was Romeo and Juliet! I saw the movie! And all I have to say to Giles is he’s way too English! And I had the perfect comeback for Cordelia, it just wouldn’t make sense right now so I’m not going to say it, but I had it! And—"

"That’s great Xander," Buffy interrupted. "I’ll see you later, okay?" Xander nodded and went back to telling Willow all the things he’d wanted to say all day. Buffy made her way through the crowd and came face to face with the second person she’d seen come in.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Hi," Angel said. "Happy Valentine’s Day." She smiled.

"You remembered! I mean . . . you too. Happy Valentine’s Day," Buffy said, looking up at him through her lashes.

"I got you something," he said, reaching into his pocket.

"You didn’t have to do that!" Buffy exclaimed. "I did too though." He smiled and she smiled back, and reached into her purse. They exchanged boxes—hers the size of a medium paperweight and his smaller and rectangular. Both hesitated.

"You go first," Buffy said finally. He smiled slightly and opened the package, unwrapping tissue paper before lifting out a small silver heart shaped box with Celtic designs and words in Gaelic on it. "The woman that sold it to me says the words mean ‘Forever.’ I-It’s nothing really, I just thought you might li—"

"I love it," Angel said softly. She looked up and met his eyes and could see the truth of his words in them. "Your turn." She started, then realized she still clutched his present in her hand. She opened it slowly and drew in a breath when she saw the locket—it was silver and engraved with roses. Inside was a pencil sketch of her before she was the Slayer, with the sun lighting her hair. She looked up at Angel, a question in her eyes. "I drew that when I first saw you," he said.

"It’s beautiful. The whole thing’s beautiful. Thank you Angel." She took the locket out of the box and fastened it around her neck, resolving to put a picture of Angel in it as soon as possible.

"Do you want to dance?" Angel asked. Buffy nodded and he led her out onto the dance floor.

*********************

"I’m just gonna go sit down," Xander said, getting absolutely nowhere with Willow. She nodded, not taking her eyes off Oz. "Bye now." Willow didn’t respond. Xander walked away and sat down dejectedly on the couch. He saw Buffy and Angel dancing. Of course. Faith was surrounded by about five guys. As was Cordelia.

Cordelia.

Xander glared at the couples around him and pulled out his box of Sweethearts.

********************

Willow nodded absently to Xander and glanced at him as he left, then looked back to Oz. He’s written this song for her. He’s written it after—

Willow closed her eyes for a minute, thankful beyond words that he had given her a second chance. To think that she’d almost given up Oz for a stupid childhood crush. She loved Xander, but as a friend. The other part . . . it was the result of a crush she’d never gotten over. But the moment when Oz had seen them—that had made her realize how much of a stupid crush it was. What she and Oz had was real. She loved Oz.

Willow smiled happily. She loved Oz. It was Valentine’s Day and she loved Oz. She looked up at him and met his eyes and mouthed the words to him. That sweet, tender look appeared and she knew he knew. She knew he loved her too. Willow closed her eyes and listened to the love he’d written for her.

********************

Xander waved at a casual acquaintance who turned away in disgust. He slumped again, glanced around. Buffy was still dancing with Angel. Willow still hadn’t looked away from Oz. Cordelia had—Cordelia was alone. Momentarily. Not that Xander cared anyway. Cordelia was history. Evil history. He’d been insane for that whole ten months or whatever it had been. She’d bewitched him. Now he saw the light. Or it could just have been his hormones . . . Cordelia was still alone, checking her hair in a compact mirror. Xander glared. She was always checking something.

Xander wrenched his attention away from Cordelia and pulled out a box of Sweethearts. He dumped a bunch into his hand, too annoyed to notice that one fell out of his hand and rolled—and this was not a round object—rolled across the floor and right to the red heels of Cordelia Chase.

********************

"All right, I still look great," Cordelia told herself, closing her compact and putting it in her purse. Her male following had gone for drinks. She glanced at them with a slight smile, then around the rest of the room. Here eyes fell on Xander. Annoying twerp, she thought, trying not to think of how she’d felt the moment he told her the spell had been meant for her. She looked away, but her gaze kept returning to Xander, eating candy hearts on the couch. She looked down and saw something right next to her foot. A little heart, like the ones he was eating. She bent and picked it up. It said Miss You. Cordelia looked at Xander. He was unaware of her. She looked away and moments later the guys were back.

"Do any of you have those little hearts?" Cordelia asked, trying to sound off-hand.

"Here," one of them said—Larry or something. She spilled some into her hands but one fell out and rolled across the floor—right to Xander Harris.

********************

Xander sighed, trying to get into the music and failing miserably. Cordelia’s admirers were back. He glanced down and saw a heart—he must have dropped it. He bent and picked it up. It said Miss You. He thought of the dream he’d had the night before, and looked up and straight into Cordelia’s eyes. He stood up and started walking towards her, possessed with some kind of suicidal impulse. She started walking too, straight towards him, ignoring the guys she was ditching.

They met and stopped, a foot from each other. They both held out the hearts.

"I think this is yours," they began, but both broke off in confusion.

"It’s a nice sentiment," Cordelia began.

"But I’m sorry to say I just don’t share it," Xander finished.

"What are you talking about? It was you that rolled me the heart in the first place!" Cordelia exclaimed.

"I did not! It must have dropped!" Xander cried.

"So you don’t miss me?" Cordelia demanded her eyes flashing.

"No! Well, yes, but that heart isn’t mine!"

"So you do miss me?"

"No more than you miss me!"

"Well good! Because I don’t. Miss you that is," Cordelia said.

"Well good! Because I don’t miss you either." They both stopped and began to turn away, then turned back suddenly and started to kiss.

"I do miss you!" Xander exclaimed when they pulled apart.

"Me too!" Cordelia cried. "But you-you and Willow you-and I almost died!"

"I’m so sorry Cordy. I’m so sorry. And I don’t love Willow. It was some kind of crazy crush thing. It stopped when I saw you. Or you saw us. Gone. Pft."

"You don’t love Willow?" Cordelia asked. Xander shook his head. "Does that mean you love me?" Xander handed her a heart. I do. Cordelia stared at it for a long minute and then looked up at Xander. "If you do anyth—"

"I’ll be good! I’ll be wonderful! I’ll be a perfect angel!" Xander promised.

"Because I’m the wronged here!"

"Definitely. Witness the badness of me. Witness the goodness of you. I’m sorry."

"Well let’s not talk about it, okay? Let’s just . . . let’s just dance. Because I think we’re back together."

"Are we back together?"

"I think so."

"Am I allowed to talk to Willow?"

"Of course! When there’s someone else there," Cordelia replied, but Xander saw the sparkled of humor in her eyes. He smiled and grabbed her around the waist and spun her around. "Put me down Xander!" He did. Eventually. She handed him a heart. Be good. He gave her one back. I will. And then another. Love you. She smiled and kissed him and then they were dancing.

"Just promise me you’re gonna remember this on Tuesday?" Xander whispered in her ear.

"That all depends," she replied.

"On what?"

"On how good of a gift you can come up with in two days. There’s a reason I’m taking you back right before Valentine’s Day you know," Cordelia replied.

"You mean it’s not my charming good lucks? My witty repertoire? My undeniable flare for fashion? My—" Cordelia cut him off, her eyes sparkling.

"No. I’m pretty sure it was the gift potential." As any sane man would, Xander stopped her mouth up with a kiss. They kept dancing. Even after the music stopped.

********************

Outside, a spirit in the form of a young man with wings flew heavenward, smiling in satisfaction at a job well done. Who needed arrows when one had candy hearts?

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