Title: What the Hell is a Stipulation?
Author: Anonaficcer/Charisma Brendon
Rating: PG-13, maybe R
Disclaimer: The copyright belongs to Joss Whedon, and some quotes are taken from the show. I don't own Reggie and the Full Effect, either.
Summary: Set during 'Prophecy Girl'.
Dedication: For Authoress Nebula, who was both my santa, and my santee. I hope you don't mind some angst - something I normally don't write - before I go horribly AU.
Word Count: 1327
Pairing: Buffy/Xander
AN:
Bold/Center text is from the Reggie and the Full Effect song of the
same name. Lyrics not in order and only used to focus. Unbeta'd at the
moment, because I was anxious to get this out. Pointing out mistakes
makes me happy.
The Bronze wasn't as crowded as usual. The Spring Fling at Sunnydale High was only a few days away, and most of the people who patroned the club were more than likely at the mall, searching for adequate attire at the last minute. The DJ's music was barely audible from the corner, which suited Xander Harris just fine.
"Would you, um, date me? Oh, that's good! 'Date me?' That's terrible, right?"
Willow Rosenberg stared silently, transfixed, before she snapped out of her trance. "Huh? Oh, no! Well yeah, 'date me' is silly."
He shook his head, oblivious to his friend's rapt attention. "See, what I should do is I should just start with talking about the dance. 'Y'know, Buffy, Spring Fling just isn't any dance. It's a time for students to choose, um... a mate and then we can... observe their... mating rituals and tag them before they migrate.' Just kill me!" he spat out.
She smiled kindly. "You're just nervous. You can practice more on me, if you want. Maybe we can figure something out."
He returned the smile, before looking around. "Where is she, anyway? I don't have much nerve to begin with, it would suck to lose it all before I got to talk to her."
Willow's voice lowered. "I'm sure she ran into something."
"Buffy, I like you. A lot. And I know we're friends, and we've had experiences. We've fought some blood-sucking fiends, and that's all been a good time. But I want more. I wanna dance with you."
There. It was out in the open, his heart was on his sleeve, and nothing perverted had squeaked out like it normally did when he was nervous. What she said next would set the tone for their relationship, no matter which way it went.
But, she was silent with her eyes were so focused on her boots, and his hands were sweating, and his heartbeat was echoing in his ears.
There he was, poised for rejection, but unable to stop the glow from just sitting so close to her from spreading through his consciousness.
Angel wasn't as out of the picture as previously thought. Xander wasn't sure who had worse judgment: Buffy for getting involved with Angel, Angel for ending things, or him for asking her on a date when she wasn't fully over her almost-ex.
I just don't think of you that way.
One sentence was all it took to tear Xander down. The months of not-so-subtle drooling and attempts to actually tell her how he felt about her had led to this. This being practicing the ancient Buddhist art of splayed meditation - arms akimbo, legs stuck in running motion, that's not sobbing, it's a breathing technique - while he listened to Patsy Cline.
Yeah, he was moping.
He had every reason to mope, in his personal opinion. Buffy tore his heart out, then Willow rejected him in the nicest way he'd ever been rejected, and he felt a little guilty. Willow didn't deserve to be considered his backup date, and he knew bringing up Angel was a low blow, but he hadn't exactly been rational. Buffy gave him tunnel vision, ruined his sense of direction, and made him forget his own name just by breathing.
He was so melodramatic.
Maybe he should go by the dance anyway.
Giles could have done more to stop her. Sure, he had a concussion and swollen jaw, and Buffy had superhuman strength, but Xander wasn't thinking rationally at that moment. After all, he was edging a disgusting sewer tunnel with that (bastard blood-sucking fiend) Buffy's ex. If he felt like admitting it, which he didn't, he would concede that Angel hadn't been that bad. Once Xander shoved the cross in his face for a little fucking help, he was much more cooperative. He would be lying if he said the situation was pleasant, but tolerable. A tolerable stroll in a dank sewer with Buffy's vampire ex who happened to be eyeing his neck.
"Stop looking at my neck!"
"I wasn't looking-"
"Yes, you were! I'm not a Happy Meal." A beat passed. "I told you to eat before we left."
Angel billowed off - like it was so impressive - to find the tunnel that would lead to the Master.
Xander figured it was a good idea to stay back, just in case. Just in case he fell into the river of sewage, or found a deep hole to China, or there were a lot more vampires in there. He was a little wimpy and afraid, and he freely admitted it.
All of the things he thought could be around the corner (vampires, clowns, a Xander-eating beast) flew out of his mind when he saw Buffy on the ground, and Angel running to her.
Buffy was dead.
Dead in an underground church, her face surrounded by a puddle of murky water. He could safely say he never wanted to see her like this. In his head, Buffy was invincible. Untouchable.
Something, this Master, had beaten her, and he'd never get the chance to apologize. To say he was sorry for making things awkward, or for acting out.
Water. Drowned. Water-logged lungs, plus forced air, plus pressure to the chest equalled -
"CPR," he said, startling Angel.
His eyes went from Buffy's face to Xander. "You'll have to do it. I have no breath."
Xander resisted the urge to push Angel out of his way as he rushed over and knelt beside Buffy. Of all the excuses to touch Buffy's lips, CPR had really never factored in. He inhaled, leaned over, and hoped for the best.
Buffy's lungs were water-free, and filled with air when the Master tasted death again. His bones were intact on the floor of the destroyed library, and Buffy seemed almost hypnotized by them. How could so much evil degrade down to so little?
When Giles gently snapped her out of her thoughts, he doubted she even realized she was crying. "I'm sorry," she said with her brave face firmly in place. "It's just been a really weird day."
Despite his estimation of it being the worst day ever, Xander piped up, "Yeah, Buffy died and everything."
Inadvertently, the conversation around him was turned into white noise, and he couldn't stop staring at Buffy in awe. She was alive and looked absolutely beautiful in her dirty white dress, with her scratches and messy hair.
"I hear there's a dance party at the Bronze. Could be fun."
The others murmured their agreement before Giles asked the one whose opinion really mattered to Xander. "Why not? I mean, I got all pretty." Buffy smiled sheepishly.
Yes, he considered this a small victory.
The others wandered through the doors, chatting amongst themselves while Xander held back. Buffy's hand slipping around his arm was certainly a surprise. He glanced over.
She shrugged. "I've been thinking, and life's too short. You've been a good friend, but certain events made me realize how here for me you are."
"I thought you didn't want to ruin our friendship." Stupid! Why would you say-? Stupid!
She grimaced, before smiling brightly. "You brought me back to life! If that doesn't change a girl's mind, I don't know what does. Even if things end badly, I just feel like I'll always be able to count on you."
He moved her hand from his arm to hold it in his own. "I can accept that."
She used the new-found grip on his hand to pull him closer to her height. "Good."
When her lips brushed against his, Xander was pretty sure this was shaping up to be the best night ever.
"You're geeky friends want to - oh God, ew - know if you're coming or not."
Xander broke the kiss to glare at Cordelia.
"Fine, whatever. If you want to be all gross and grope around a body, don't let me stop you."
Xander sighed. "To the dance?"
Buffy firmly nodded. "The dance, it is."
Neither of them looked back.