Disclaimer: Nope don't own them. Doubt I ever will.

AN: So I decided it had been a while since I've written a Vander standalone and got inspired while I was out of town this past weekend. I hope you enjoy what my mind has come up with.

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Her body groaned in protest as she moved to turn away from the man resting comfortably beside her. She honestly didn't want to look at him right now because her emotions were still far too unstable for her to trust. She was currently very agitated at herself for letting their passion get the better of her. For letting her body give into his passionate kisses and his more than enthusiastic touches. She was supposed to be angry with him, not wanting to screw his brains out. This was wrong and she blamed him for doing it to her.

Well that's one more thing to add to the ever-growing list of why I'm mad at him, she thought furiously. She was still mad at him for flirting with that tramp of an ex-girlfriend of his while she'd been standing right there. No, she wasn't just mad at him; she hated him for it. He knew how she felt about it, so he'd agreed to stop flirting with other girls the moment they'd gotten together and so far he'd made good on the promises he had made. Today was the first exception, when his ex-girlfriend had shown up at the shop and had started flirting with him. Now this she was used to, but what she didn't expect was for him to reciprocate.

It had really taken all of her self-control to not kill him for doing it right in the store and she was still in shock that she'd managed to hold off until they were safely back at his place. He'd brought her there after a late lunch, demanding to know why she'd been so quiet and from there she'd just blown up. Her anger just came out full force and Xander hadn't understood why she was blowing up at him, which had caused her to become even more infuriated with him.

Her yelling match had started a fight to be remembered. Both were yelling at the other, getting in each other's face, and then something had changed. The one time Xander had dared to get close enough he'd kissed her. But the kiss hadn't been soft and gentle like they normally were; no, the one he'd managed to steal earlier had been rough, hard, and demanding.

Even now, she felt herself shivering at the mere thought of that kiss, the one that her body, so attuned to respond to his, had willingly given up under. She grumbled inwardly as she thought of how easily she'd caved to his intentions. How in just a matter of minutes they'd ended up on their bed, panting and ripping at each other's clothes as if this would be the last time they'd ever get a chance at each other. Their lust had consumed them, had wiped away all of her anger at that moment and had managed to keep it at bay until they'd collapsed in a sea of tangled sheets, exhausted and shuddering.

He'd fallen asleep shortly after they'd finished and she'd wanted to join him but that's when her anger had started to return to the state it had been in before they'd started screwing each others brains out. She fumed again at the thought of their previous activities, still annoyed with herself for giving in like that, for letting the passion overwhelm her. But that was then and while she hated to admit it, those activities had been a wonderful way to relieve some tension.

But now that he was sleeping and she was awake, the tension was starting to come back with a vengeance. The anger was starting to bubble up again as she thought about what she'd seen in the stupid store between Xander and his ex and she didn't like it. It was why she was turned away from him; she didn't feel like looking at his face, so peaceful and content, while she was fuming inside. In fact, Vida wanted nothing more than to turn over and punch him for flirting with his ex and she was seriously considering going through with that thought right now.

The only thing that stopped her was the feeling of a strong pair of arms wrapping around her from behind and warm lips attaching themselves to her neck.

"Why are you still up? I thought that I would've worn you out already," he murmured softly, the warmth of his breath causing her to shiver. She fought to keep her control; she would not give into her hormones this time, and she refused to let him get away with that move again. No, she could be strong, she could resist his safe embrace, his soft lips, his enticing words, and she just had to keep telling herself that she didn't need it. All she did need was her anger and to yell at him very loudly.

"Stop that. Don't touch me," she muttered, already trying to wriggle away from his embrace. "I'm mad at you."

"Still?" he asked, a hint of exasperation in his tone. "I would think that after what we just did that all was forgiven." She turned on around then to face him and glared as she tried to find the right words to voice her anger.

"Well, you're wrong on that part. It only gave my anger more time to brew and I'm still angry at you. And let me guess: you still don't know why I am, do you?" she asked furiously, already moving to sit up as he sighed and shook his head.

"Honestly, that entire fight confused me, V. I don't know why you started it, I don't know why I was getting yelled at, nor do I know why you are angry with me. You didn't tell me anything. You just yelled and I don't appreciate it because there was nothing there to help me understand what I did to make you so mad."

She looked at him then. He was lying back on the bed, hands behind his head and his eyes on her, full of calm and concern. She hated it. She didn't want him rational, and she didn't want him to understand. She wanted another screaming match. She hated it when he was like this because it made it all the harder to stay mad at him and she wanted to be mad at him. She had every right to be mad but she wanted to stay mad. She wanted to yell.

"I honestly don't understand how you wouldn't be able to tell Xander. How can you not remember what happened earlier today, and how it went back on that promise you made me when we first decided that this relationship was exclusive," she hissed as his brows came together in confusion.

"V, I made you a lot of promises and I've stuck to every single one of them," he replied, his voice rising ever so slightly. "What promise do you think I've broken? I can't defend myself unless I know which one I supposedly broke earlier today."

"Supposedly?" she asked, her voice rising on the last letter. "I would say you definitely broke one. You PROMISED me that you wouldn't flirt with any other girl and what did I see today? You and that trampy ex of yours getting cozy by the cash register. And don't you dare deny it Xander, I SAW it. She was literally throwing herself at you and you were flirting right back." She was hugging her knees to her chest now, trying to hold in the other emotions that wanted to surface. She didn't need those now, not when she wanted to be angry.

She waited for some form of defense to come out of his mouth, but instead, she heard a chuckle and felt Xander pull himself up to sit beside her. She glared at the smile she saw on his face and tried to move away from the hand she felt on her lower back but he wouldn't let her. Instead, Xander tugged her to his side and held her there.

"V, love, I wasn't flirting, just being nice to her. It's what we're supposed to do with customers, you know," he murmured into her hair, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "So this fight was a complete misunderstanding. And if you'd talked to me about it we could have avoided a lot of yelling. But it's a small price to pay for what it got us into, now that I'll take any day." She saw him smirk out of the corner of her eye and immediately slapped his bare chest with the closest free hand she could.

"OW!" he cried out, holding his chest and looking at her to find her smiling and sticking her tongue out at him. "What in god's name was that for? I thought I was forgiven."

"For being a smug idiot and I haven't decided if you are yet," she retorted. Her eyes widened when she saw a rather maniacal gleam enter his eyes. Before she could escape, his hands came to her sides and began to move, mercilessly tickling her as she shrieked and fell backwards, trying to escape.

"Xander…stop…please…"she gasped out as her body was overcome with giggles. He simply shook his head and continued his relentless torture, letting her rest with small seconds before going back to it.

"Can't…take…more…please" she begged through her laughing and attempts to get away.

"I'll stop if you say I'm forgiven," he said calmly, though the amusement in his tone was clear. "All you have to say is 'I forgive you, I love you, I made a mistake' and I'll let you go."

She pressed her lips together then and gave him a look, one that said she would in no uncertain terms give into what he wanted.

"Fine," he sighed. "I guess I'll just have to keep doing this until you realize that I'm right. Say it V, and it ends. Say nothing, and I'll just keep going." His tickle attack began again, and she immediately lapsed into another fit of giggles. Xander kept this attack up for a few more minutes until Vida finally said the words he wanted to her.

"Ok, ok, fine! I forgive you! I love you! I made a stupid mistake," she gasped out and immediately the tickling stopped. Xander grinned and leaned down to brush his lips against hers, lingering there for only a moment before pulling away.

"Knew you'd come to see reason," he said smugly as he settled down beside her and pulled her into his arms.

"I was coerced into it," Vida mumbled as she laid her head against his chest. "But the next time you're talking with a female customer, could you... would you please make it seem like just that. Today, it looked like it was more than that and I didn't like it. At all."

"I couldn't tell from all the yelling earlier," he remarked sarcastically. "But why didn't you talk to me V? You know we can talk about this kind of stuff. We usually do."

"I know," she muttered. "But it was different this time, because she has ties to you. She was your girlfriend and I just-"

"I know," he murmured, his fingers running up and down her bare arm, understanding finally dawning on him. "And I hope you know that your feelings are completely ridiculous. I love you, Vida Rocca. Before you, my life was full of girls who meant nothing, who didn't touch or challenge me like you do. You're the only one that makes me want to be a better man. I love you so much, V. And no one has ever made me feel like this."

All was quiet between them for a few short moments before Vida simply picked her head up, smiled down at him and lowered her lips to his in a soft kiss that spoke of all the ways she felt. When she finally pulled away to breathe, she rested her forehead against Xander's, basking in just being together.

"You sure do know how to melt a girls heart," she whispered quietly, letting her fingers intertwine with his own. "And you know I love you in the exact same way. I just get jealous sometimes."

"I know," he replied, a grin on his face. "And I think it's good that you do. It keeps me on my toes and it's cute. I like it. Don't ever change."

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As always, feedback is mucho appreciated. Thank you in advance and have a lovely rest of the week everyone.