Central Perk

“Okay, I’m thinking we’ve got a book case here.” Xander stood in front of the monstrosity that he and William had been piecing together for the past hour.

William nodded his head in agreement. “It’s a beautiful thing mate. Wait a minute,” A piece of metal lying on the floor at Xander’s feel caught his attention. He bent to pick it up, “What’s this?”

“I would say that is a bracket of some sort,” Xander said still eyeing their work.

“Right,” William shook his head, “but where does it go?”

“I have NO idea.”

They stood there staring at the bracket for a while, trying to figure out its place on the bookshelf. Buffy noticed them standing there and quickly got up to assess the situation. “Looks good guys,” she smirked as she took bra bracket from Xander and placed it under the center shelf for support. “There.” She turned to face the boys and smiled shyly as they gawked at her in awe. “So is that everything?” Buffy asked eyeing the two nightstands that she had put together while the guys were using their combined efforts to work on the book case.

“Everything that we have here.” Xander replied. “We still need to go shopping for a bed.”

“I thought I remembered shopping being mentioned,” Buffy beamed. “I’ll just run across the hall and get my purse.” She turned toward the door and had it opened before she paused and turned back to the boys, “Wait a minute. I can’t go shopping.” Buffy frowned. “I don’t have a key to lock Willow’s apartment. I can’t just leave it open.”

“Oh no,” Xander said as he shook his finger. “I have a key to Will’s place. You know for emergencies and stuff. We can lock it up before we leave.”

Buffy smiled in reply before she exited the apartment to go collect her things. Xander turned towards William who was still studying the bookcase.

“You ready to go Will?” Xander asked. When William didn’t answer Xander walked over to him and stuck a waving hand in his face. “Hello, earth to William?”

William shook his head as Xander ripped him from his thoughts, “huh, what?”

“Are you ready to go shopping for a bed?” Xander asked grinning.

“Huh…Oh shopping, right. Let’s go.” William turned andan tan to gather his coat and his keys.

“What’s with you man?” Xander asked slipping on his own jacket.

“Nothing, just ready to get this over with.” William was now standing at the door rolling an unlit cigarette between his thumb and forefinger.

“You like her don’t you?” Xander asked grinning as he put an old baseball cap on his head.

“What,” William asked, “Who?”

Xander shook his head in frustration. “You know who.” William’s brow furrowed as he tried to discern Xander’s meaning. Xander pointed toward the closed door in frustration, “Buffy moron. You’ve done nothing but drool at her since you saw her in the Perk.”

William shrugged indifferently, “She’s nice.”

“Uh-huh” Xander replied with a smirk.

“What?”

“Oh nothing.” Xander held his hands up in defeat. “Come on man, let’s not leave the lady waiting.”

***

“What do you mean I have to wait two bloody weeks for delivery?” William exclaimed growing exceedingly impatient.

“I’m sorry sir, but that is our policy.” The girl rolled her eyes in annoyance. “We have to order the bed that you are wanting to purchase. It will take at least a week to come in, and then we will need to schedule a delivery, hence, the two week waiting period.”

“You’ve got one at the front of the sodding store.” He retorted, his volume slowly escalating with exasperation.

“Again sir,” the rep replied in a condescending tone. “We have to order the bed that you are wanting to purchase. That is a display model and unfortunately it is not available for purchase. Now would you like to place the order?”

William shook his head and looked back towards the bed that he was considering. Xander and Buffy were standing in front of it watching the scene from a far. Xander caught William’s eye and raised his arms and shoulders in a dramatized shrug. William shrugged in reply and Xander immediately pointed towards the cherry wood four-poster bed raising his eyebrows in a mischievous smirk. He then raised both of his hands to his chest giving William a double thumbs-up, while flashing him his silliest, goofiest grin. “What other choice do I have?”

“Sir?”

“Yes. I’ll. Order. The. Bed.” William replied slowly annunciating each word.

The sales girl filled out the necessary forms and stapled the check that William gave her to the paperwork assuring him that the check would not be deposited until the furniture was delivered. “Have a nice day Mr. Giles,” she told him as she handed him his receipt, smiling brightly.

“Right,” William replied as he turned to walk away. As he approached Xander and Buffy they grinned at him expectantly.

“So,” Buffy asked pulling on her small leather jacket. “What’s the what?”

“Two weeks.” He replied as he walked briskly the them.

“Huh?”
“Two weeks?” Xander and Buffy replied simultaneously as they quickly followed behind William.

William continued walking towards the door as he answered them. “That’s right, two bloody weeks before they can deliver the sodding bed.”