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

The next day Graham spends trying to study, hoping the
distraction
will stop his thoughts drifting back to the
dark-haired man, the way
he feels, the way he tastes, the way when they're
kissing he would
moan into his mouth. Knowing it was him making Xander
moan.

And now that's another good 20, 25 minutes wasted.

Riley keeps interrupting him, Graham knows he won't be
able to spend
any time today with his friend. Worried he'll let
something slip and
ask his friend what he thinks of Xander, if he's
noticed the way his
mouth turns up at the edges, especially when he
smiles. How his eyes
light up when he's happy and how he just can't stop
talking when he's
excited. How he is really sensitive on his face just
back towards his
ear, loves the way Graham was moving his fingers there
and when he
kissed him just underneath his ear, just on that spot,
how he moaned
and thrust his entire body against him, hard.

Thinks Riley probably doesn't know all that. Almost
positive he
doesn't want to. So he keeps telling his friend that
no, he really
needs to study and wants privacy.

Closes the book in front of him in disgust as he
realises he's been
pretty much staring at the same page for God knows how
long, and
simply thinking about Xander.

Looks at the clock, hates himself for doing that.
Doesn't want to
keep checking the time. Hoping Xander will call. Moves
away from his
desk and starts pacing up and down the room. Playing
over last night
events. //Don't call it a date, don't call it a date//

At the time it felt like there was no way Graham was
pressuring the
other man into anything, reassures himself that he
gave him the
opportunity to stop and he's pretty damn sure that
Xander enjoyed
himself. Wishes they'd been standing up, pressed
together and then
he'd know for sure if Xander had enjoyed it. Oh great,
now there's no
way he's gonna get any study done.

Moves out of his room and down the hall. Maybe he'll
try and take his
mind off this, talk to Riley and try not to think
about Xander, the
way his hands were ...

Graham wonders when he was last this far gone, so
soon. Thinks to
himself and can't recall. Had assumed he wasn't the
sort of guy to
fall in lo ... Woah. Stops in the hall, just a few
feet from Riley's
door. In Love?
Really only known Xander a short time, but already he
feels more
comfortable with him than almost anyone else he's ever
known. He's
the only person he can think of right now, that he'd
want to have
sweep in the front door and drag him away to make love
to him. Well
maybe him and Brad Pitt, but hasn't really been
keeping in touch with
Brad, so, you know.

Wow, in love. Liking the way that sounds when he plays
that over in
his head. Moves towards Riley's door, knocks, enters
after his friend
responds.

`You seem in a better mood, just the studying getting
you down?'
Riley's lying back on his bed reading a comic, had
told Graham
earlier he was studying but he'd had his doubts.
Attempts to hide it
as his friend comes in. Graham pretends not to notice.

`Yeah, just a load of papers that I need to get in.
Everything seems
to be under control a bit more now.' Grabs the chair
from Riley's
desk, sits in it, his front pressed against the back
of it, head
resting on his elbows, smiles at his friend.

`Wow, you must have really nailed them, you do look
pleased with
yourself.' Takes a moment for Graham to realise his
friend means his
papers, then nods to him.

Spends the next few hours just talking to Riley,
mostly listening.
Remembers to not mention Xander once, almost fails
when Riley asks
him what he's got planned this week, realises he's
getting ahead of
himself and needs to wait till he calls him back.
Hopes his week will
be busy. Occupied by a certain dark-eyed, dark-haired
guy.

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

More time spent with Riley, then they grab something
to eat. Tries
not to worry that Xander hasn't called, runs through a
series of
excuses in his mind. Worries he's going to
hyperventilate when he
thinks there's a chance Xander might be hurt or
kidnapped by any of
the many denizens of Sunnydale. Wants to always be
there to protect
him, realises to himself that he's survived long
enough without him,
knows he can take care of himself. Assumes he's just
caught up
somewhere. Probably with one of the Scooby Gang.

Almost time to turn in for the night, now he's really
worried. Can't
decide if he maybe scared Xander off last night, //he
was enjoying
himself wasn't he?// Decides to try a different
approach.

Checks in with Riley. `So how come you didn't spend
the day with
Buffy then, Ri?' Hopes he sounds innocent.

`She had to spend the day with Giles, some sort of
secret Scooby
thing.'

`Yeah? Just the two of them?' Can hear the desperation
in his voice,
luckily his friend doesn't seem to notice.

`Not sure. I think she said Willow was going to be
going as well, so
probably all of them. You know what that lot are like,
they do
everything together, tell each other everything.
You're lucky you're
not going out with one of them, when I first found out
Buffy told
Willow, Xander and Giles about our first date I almost
freaked. I
just hope she doesn't still tell them everything.'
Riley looked
nervous but was laughing to himself.

Oh great, now Graham was really freaked.

He left his friend alone and decided he'd try and
sleep.

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

Graham spent the next day in classes, hoping his
inattentiveness
wasn't noted. Cuts his last two classes, no reason he
should bother
if his mind isn't really in it.

Back to his room, dumping his bag on the floor,
pulling his shirt
over his head, reaching for his towel, may as well
have a shower,
clear his head.

Just about to leave when he notices the light on his
machine
flashing, message.

Graham, heart racing, moves over to sit on his bed,
breathes in
deeply to himself, presses the message button, listens
to the whirr
of the machine impatiently as it rewinds.

<<You have two new messages>>

Holds his breath when he listens to the first, his
Mother calling
from back home, knows he's in class but can he call
her back? She
says she just wants to chat but ... presses the save
button, still
one to go and he can always call back home later. Next
message.

Silent at first, then it's him. The ex marine feels
relieved, moves
closer listening attentively.

Xander babbling at first. `Sorry I didn't call
yesterday like I said
I would, got caught up with Scooby stuff, forgot all
about it and
Giles wouldn't let Buffy call Riley to chat all day,
so I didn't have
the courage to ask if I could call you. Hope I didn't
freak you out.'
Can hear Xander breathing as he pauses. `I just wanna
say, wow, this
is all so new for me, and I'm, I'm just a little
confused. I'm not
sure what to do.'

Another pause, Graham beginning to worry, not sure if
maybe he has
misread Xander, scared that the man's going to break
it off before
it's even begun, scared he's going to tell him he
doesn't want to see
him again and that it was just `cause Anya left him,
scared ...

`The thing is.' Back to the message, another pause,
`well it's
just ... I don't normally fall for someone this quick,
and ...' //Woah, Xander's falling for me?//

`... I'm pretty much really, really liking it so far.
So I'm going to
give you my number and if you want to you know, uh,
gimme a call...'
Graham searches quickly for a pen and scratches down
the phone number
on the back of one of his books. Face breaking into a
smile as the
message finishes. Graham looks at where he's written
the number down,
next to it "Xander". Reaches over to the message,
starts it up again,
deletes his mother's message, makes a mental note to
call her.
Relistens to what Xander says.

Still smiling as he checks the time and reaches for
the phone. Checks
the number and then dials.

tbc