Note: The toaster thing is an Ellen joke. The idea is that the Gay/Lesbian
movement gives you a free toaster when you bring in a new member.  Some fans
gave Joss Whedon (owner of all characters here) an engraved toaster for
bringing Willow in (or is it 'out' <g>).
Dolores: It's oblique, but it's there.
 

Maybe He's Canadian, 20  Toaster

There was more silence than talk.  Riley tried to meet Graham's eyes a
number of times, but he kept looking back down at the floor, instead.
"Look, Ok.  It's just . a little weird.  OK?"

"It's not the way I wanted you to find out, Rye. But I'm not sorry you
know."

Riley didn't look up, didn't respond.

Graham sighed and stood up.  He went to the door and opened it. He stopped
before he took last steps out the door, and turned to look at Riley sitting
on the bed, head in his hands, desperately wishing he could say something to
make it all right with Riley.  But there was no turning back, not for Riley,
not for anyone.

Riley looked up and saw the look on Graham's face.  Like maybe Graham had
just lost his best friend.  He knew he had to say something right now.  His
voiced almost cracked as he said softly,  "Hey, Graham?"

"Yeah?"  Graham's response was flat, emotionless, resigned to whatever Riley
was gonna throw at him.

Riley took a second to find his best friendly voice.
"Buy you a beer?"

A hint of a smile, "Yeah.  That'd be good."

Riley nodded slowly.  "OK,  just let me get dressed."

"Rye?"

"Yeah?"

"You probably wanna finish shaving."

Riley smiled at him.

=========

Xander was alone in his dank basement, fighting off the freaked feelings.
Being with Graham felt so right, until he had seen the look of horror and
possibly disgust on Riley's face when he'd seen them together.  And OK,
maybe it was just shock on the guy's face, cause he probably wasn't
expecting to find the two of them in the shower, and interrupting anyone
like that can sort of set you aback.

Xander realized he was ashamed, as well.   He really liked Riley in a lot of
ways, figuring he was a serious improvement over Buffy's previous boyfriend,
at least as far as Xander was concerned.  And, yeah, he wanted Riley's
respect, he guessed.   And he didn't figure that Riley was gonna have a lot
of respect for him after this.   Pretty much gonna think of him as one of
"those".

But, Riley had never said anything like that.  Xander realized that he was
allowing his own shame for the whole Jesse thing color his thoughts.  He had
to admire Graham on that front.  No shame in his eyes when Riley stared at
him.  Graham stared back, while Xander looked at the floor.  Graham was
embarrassed, sure, but who wouldn't be?   But he wasn't ashamed of what he
and Xander had been doing.

The phone rang.  Xander raced to grab it.

"Yeah?  Hey Graham.  How'd it go with Rye? . Yeah . yeah.   For a beer, huh?
.   Sure, yeah.   I'll meet you two there.  When? . OK, OK, yeah, on my
way."

He hung up.  And heaved a sigh of relief. It obviously hadn't gone too badly
with Riley, if the three of them were going for a beer. He knew that it
mattered to Graham, quite a lot, in fact.  Riley meant a lot to him.  The
two were the only survivors of their Initiative cohort.   Graham needed
Riley to understand, or at least to accept it.

He headed out towards The Pub, a little tense, but mainly just pleased that
Riley hadn't just blown Graham off, that he wanted to talk about it. He was
really happy that Graham wanted him there.

Xander cut across campus.  As he passed the student union, a voice rang out,

"Hey, Xander!"  Xander looked and grinned as he saw the wiccan duo heading
towards him.

"Willow!, Tara!"  He trotted over to them and gave them each a hug.  "So how
go things for my two absolutely favourite witches?"

"Good!"  Willow announced, pleased that she could report that.  "We've
almost gotten this neat transmorphing spell down, it might work on Amy-rat."

Tara nodded eagerly, "But there's this Sumerian part we're having trouble
with."

"And you're avoiding our own friendly neighbourhood Sumerian expert
because?"

Willow sighed.
"Giles isn't too big on us dabbling with the spirits of the past since the
whole battle and nightmare thing."   Tara nodded in agreement.

"I gotta say that I'm pretty much with the G-man on that one." Xander had to
grin at how giggly the two were together.

Tara looked at him and smiled knowingly, "On your way to see someone?"

"Yeah, just heading over to grab a beer with a buddy."

Tara couldn't resist.  "A large, reasonably sexy, commando-shaped buddy, by
any chance?"  She gave Xander a suggestive leer.

Xander blushed completely, and looked down at the ground. Then, head still
bowed, he raised his eyes to Tara's.  "Were we that obvious?"

"*What?*" Willow looked at Xander in shock.

Tara shook her head, grinning widely,   "Well, maybe *he* was.  He's got it
bad for you, boy."

"*What?*" Willow's head swiveled and she directed her shock at Tara.

Xander grinned back.  It was nice to hear that it wasn't just his own hope
that made him that made him see that in Graham's eyes.
"Ya think?  Me too.  For him, I mean.  I think. "

"*WHAT?*"  Willow exclaimed even more loudly to them both.

Tara just hugged Xander.   "Welcome to the team!  You two are just so *cute*
together!"  She giggled.

Willow put her foot down.  She grabbed Xander's arm and pulled him to face
her.

"What is going on here?"

Xander, grinning like a fool, "Nothing much, just kind of seeing Graham."

Willow stared at him, and then broke into a squeal of happiness and threw
her arms around his neck and kissed him on the neck.  He hugged her back,
lifting her off her feet.  Tara just beamed.   Hmm, she wondered, did she
get the toaster from the Movement for this?   Probably not, but she did
already have one for Willow, and there was no point being greedy.

Willow released him and just stood there grinning at him, "You and a
commando-guy, huh?

"Yeah, who'd have thought?"   Xander shuffled his feet, grinning.

Willow, remembering Xander as soldier-guy, kidded him, "Well, you both have
that uniform thing going on."

Xander started to cough uncontrollably.  Tara caught on and laughed out
loud.  Willow looked puzzled as she patted Xander on the back.  Xander
recovered, but his face was pretty red.

"I'll explain it to you later, love."  Tara whispered to Willow, whose eyes
went wide. Tara was unwilling to let it go.  Xander's embarassment was just
just too delish Suppressing a giggle, she stage whispered devilishly,
"They do train them to take orders well, don't they?"

Blushing once again,  Xander stammered, protesting, "OK, OK, look, I am not
gonna ."

Tara hugged him again,  "Don't worry.  Have fun, Xander, just have fun.  Go
run along and give him our love."

Xander smiled at the two giggling girls.  "And I had always heard that this
coming out thing was hard."

Willow just beamed at him and then suddenly a thought hit her, "Ooh!  Let's
double date!"

When Xander didn't respond except to blush again,  Tara smiled at her, "Give
them a bit of time, love."

Then Willow said to Xander, her face a bit more serious.  "We're not jumping
out of any airplanes without parachutes, are we, Xander?"

Xander shook his head, only slightly embarrassed.   "Graham always has some,
ya know, in his room."

Willow put on her teacher face, "Every boy should have his own supply, young
man.  Right there in the union, in front of the student welfare office,
there's a big bowl of condoms and really cute little packets of the slippery
stuff.  I want you to go right now and grab yourself a handful.  Understand
me, young man?".

"Yes, mom."  Xander said in a mock put-upon voice.

Tara grinned, "Don't keep the boy waiting too long, Xander."

Xander nodded and headed into the union, a spring in his step.  When a cute
guy in Student Welfare Office winked at him as he quickly pocketed a couple
extra packets of lube, Xander gave him an only slightly embarrassed smile in
return.

<< Stay tuned for part 21, in which Riley and the lads meet for a beer, and
Riley tried to deal; same Graham-Time! Same Graham-Channel!>>

======================================
Fun with Italian!
Useful phrases for your next trip to Rome:

Madonna, Xander e un regazzo accarazzaribile!
                        My lord, Xander is a cuddle-able guy!

Graham e un fusto.             Graham is a hunk.
lo piacciono le devise.        Uniforms turns him on.
 

How to write Spike in Italian:

Non sei il mio tipo           you're not my type.
Vaffanculo!                   Piss off! / fuck off!
Bene.  Va bene                OK.  OK.
Spogliati!                    Strip!
Chinati!                      Bend over!
Eccolo!                       Here ya go!
Ti piace!                     You like it!
Sto venendo!                  I'm coming!
Vorresti pulirti?             Wanna clean yourself up?