|
With Linkin Park's 'Numb' thumping out of the speakers
the Halloween party was in full swing. The hall of the frat house was full
of ghosts, witches, werewolves, vampires (not the real kind) and more
besides dancing, talking and drinking. Not everyone though was enjoying
themselves. Xander was far from happy.
"So do you think that Buffy will let me learn magic?" Dawn
asked.
Only half listening Xander nodded. "I don't see any reason why
not."
The young girl beamed. "You really think so?" she asked, her
excitement threatening to get the better of her. "I'll ask her
tomorrow."
Xander blinked, focusing his entire attention Dawn for the first time.
"Ask Buffy what?"
"If I can learn magic."
Unable to stop himself he laughed. "You're joking right?" Her
expression said otherwise. "You're not joking."
"No I am not," she told him angrily, "and you said…"
"Forget what I said, I was...er..." he glanced up
"distracted."
Dawn turned and followed his gaze to where Faith, in the skimpiest of
devil costumes, was dancing amongst a group of young men. "It seems
quite a few people have been distracted," she commented somewhat
disapprovingly.
Xander was only half listening again, his gaze once more drawn to the lace
and leather clad Faith. It had been a fortnight since their night out in
LA and they had barely said a dozen words to each other. He did think that
it was more of their paths not crossing rather than her avoiding him
though but he wasn't sure what to do about it. It wasn't as if the dark
haired slayer was anything close to a normal girl.
Also he couldn't help but remember their first encounter. Did Faith
consider their night in LA just another one off? Xander just didn't know.
He did know one thing though, he didn't like how those guys were hanging
about her. Then seeing Faith break from her crowd of admirers and head for
the toilets he decided it was time to find out. "Excuse me," he
said and pushed passed a bemused Dawn. With his heart pounding he moved up
behind Faith and grabbed her by the elbow, something he would never have a
done if he was thinking straight. Luckily he didn't find himself on his
back with a knee in his throat. The young woman glanced back and seeing
Xander gave him a wide smile. "Enjoying yourself?"
"No, not really."
"No?" She was surprised. "This is a great party."
Xander sniffed. "For them maybe," he said nodding towards the
guys who Faith had just been dancing with.
The slayer grinned. "Jealous?"
Damn straight he was jealous. "Can we talk?"
"Now? I've gotta pee."
"Please." He had to know, one way or another. Faith looked
wistfully towards the toilet then at Xander's serious expression and with
a sigh nodded. "Ok but it better be quick."
"Thanks, let's go outside."
"So you haven't told me if you like my costume," Faith said when
they'd stopped some distance from the frat house. She gave him a twirl.
"Well?"
Xander stared, stared at her little red horns, her low cut lacy red
corset, her red leather hot pants, and tried his hardest not to get
distracted. "Yes it's very...um...revealing."
Faith grinned. "Isn't it just." Then moving close she rubbed
herself suggestively up against him. "And if you play your cards
right I might let you reveal a bit more later."
It was one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do but taking her by the
shoulders he pushed her away. "Stop it Faith."
A look of hurt flashed across the slayer's face but it was quickly gone,
hidden beneath a veneer of calm indignation. "Well I'm sure I can
find someone who does," she snarled and began to turn away.
Oh God! This was turning out worse than he'd feared. Quickly he grabbed
her arm. "Faith please, I need to know…"
Angrily she shook him off. "You need to know what?"
Xander took a deep breath. "I need to know..." Bloody hell,
could this be any harder. "I need to know if what happened in LA was
a one off."
Faith opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again and closed it
once more. "How can you ask me that?" she asked finally.
"I'm sorry Faith but how can I not?" He took both her hands in
his own, for the first time noticing just how small they were. "That
night was…amazing" one of the best of his life "but we've
hardly spoken since and I thought...maybe...that to you it was...er...it
was..." he gulped "that it was a convenience thing again,"
he finished in a rush.
Faith was silent for several moments then said quietly, "I'm not that
girl anymore, Xander."
"I know and I'm sorry." Oh God! Were those tears in her eyes?
"It's just that I didn't know and though I hoped that it might be
something more I feared that it wasn't."
Faith looked up and smiled, a shy kind of smile Xander thought. "So,
do you want it to be?" she asked him.
He frowned. "Do I want it to be what?"
"To be something more, you big lug."
"Faith you are the most beautiful girl, damn, I mean woman that I've
ever seen and I really think that we could have something," he told
her earnestly. "I'd be the biggest fool ever to say no and I'm
not."
Faith grinned. "Then consider this our second date, now give me a
hug."
"Yes ma'am," Xander replied, with a grin of his own and took her
in his arms.
Some minutes later they were still locked together in a fierce embrace
when up at the frat house there was a bright flash. "What
was that?" Xander asked.
Faith shrugged. "I don't know."
"Should we check it out?"
"Whatever it was, I'm sure Willow can handle it." She pulled his
head down and pushed her lips on to his in a hungry kiss. "Let's find
somewhere a little quieter," she suggested breathlessly.
|