Three Sheets

Chapter 7-First Light

The first rays of light were just beginning to peak over the horizon. Xander watched through a dining room window, a cup of black coffee warming his hands. He took a sip and returned his hands to their perch on his chest, the coffee pressed against the thin t-shirt he wore. Xander shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. He was exhausted, but completely unable to sleep. Thanks to Willow’s pills, he seemed relatively hangover-free, but he was still jittery and tense. Neither of the symptoms had anything to do with alcohol or coffee, though.

When Xander left the mah’mah’s room, he had found Wes and Gunn immediately. The three of them waited nearly twenty minutes before Andrew wandered out with a weak grin. He’d obviously had more than a good time by the looks of things. He could hardly walk and only nodded vigorously when Wes asked if he’d enjoyed himself. Xander felt a nasty stab of jealousy in the pit of his stomach.

“So, who’d you finally pick?” Xander asked as they waited for the limo.

“What?” Andrew turned a little green when he spoke.

“T’Pol? Lara Croft?”

“Oh,” Andrew said with a relived grin. “Um, Lara Croft. Yeah, it was amazing. You know…”

Xander nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, me too. It was cool. She was…cool.”

They hadn’t spoken another word.

When the driver had finally dropped them off in front of the Hyperion after four a.m., they had each staggered wordlessly to their rooms. Xander had been unable to sleep; his mind had been filled with bitter thoughts of Andrew curled up and dreaming about Tomb Raider.

Xander took another sip and closed his eyes.rew.rew. Andrew in his shower. Andrew in his kitchen. Andrew in his bed. It seemed that his Cabana Boy Fantasy had been replaced by domestic fantasies. Dammit. He had to find a way to leave them behind. It wasn’t fair to keep hurting for something you only recently realized you wanted. To keep hurting for something you knew you couldn’t have. Unfortunately, his twisted heart wouldn’t let it go.

Xander heard heavy footfalls behind him and turned around.

“Xander? I thought you’d be asleep by now,” Giles said, pausing in the doorway.

“Naw, I was too wound up to sleep. How’s Andrew doing?”

“Well, Willow mixed him a Wiccan tonic of some sort, but I dare say it was making him worse. He’s sleeping now. What, exactly, did you let him drink tonight?”

“*Let* him drink? He’s not a kid, Giles. I don’t have a lot of control over what he does and doesn’t do.” Well, until tonight, he mentally added.

“But you *do* have quite a bit of influence over him. I hope you know that,” Giles said slowly. Xander leaned against the window, the cold pane of glass chilling his shoulders.

“Not the right kind of influence, I guess.”

“I guess not…How are * you* feeling?”

“Okay,” Xander shrugged noncommittally.

“You know,” Giles sighed, “somewhere between the third time he vomited and the ninth, Andrew told me what you two did tonight….well, last night.”

Xander swallowed hard and brought the coffee mug to his lip, masking a grimace. “Re-Really? What did he say?”

“He said that Gunn and Wes got you two drunk and took you to a demon sex club where you were serviced by a Rushmah.”

Xander grimaced for real. “He told you all that?”

“Was it true?”

“Yeah, I mean, except for the ‘getting us drunk’ part. We did that all on our own. What the hell were we thinking?”

“Oh, I don’t know. It seems like you were ready for a little teenage rebellion. You had precious little of it in Sunnydale.”

“I’m not in my teens, Giles. And neither is Andrew.”

“True.” Giles smiled. “So…a Rushmah?”

“Yeah.”

“Very ambitious,” Giles said cryptically.

“You know about the Rushmah?”

“Only what I’ve read in books. Shapechangers, mind readers. They are quite adept at the, uh…certain arts. I imagine that they’re truly…fascinating. To meet.”

“Yeah, they’re…interesting all right.”

“Andrew told me that they let you live out a fantasy.”

“So, he told you all about it, huh?”

“Heavens, no! There are certain things I don’t need to know about. Dawn’s boyfriends, Buffy’s menstrual cycle, and Andrew’s sexual fantasies are quite near the bottom of my ‘need to know’ list.” Xander chuckled, warming his hands as best he could around the cooling mug. “All he would was was that it was different than he’d imagined.”

“I’ll give that a big ‘here-here’. Very different.”

“Well, that’s not surprising.”

“It’s not?”

“Of course not. Fantasies rarely live up to reality. If they were as good, then…then the Rushmah would be an enslaved race.” Xander smiled. “Don’t take it too seriously, Xander. Learn what you will from the experience and then leave the rest behind.” While Xander mulled over his words, Giles patted him on the arm and turned to go back to bed. “Try to get some sleep. Everything looks better by first light.”

Xander stood at the window until his coffee was cold and his toes were numb. Could he do as Giles suggested? Could he tahe ghe good parts and leave the rest? As far as he knew, there were no good parts; although, the feel of Andrew’s tongue on his dick, Andrew’s cold lips on his own…but it wasn’t Andrew. That was the stumbling block he continued to run into. It wasn’t him and no matter how many times he replayed it, it would always—

“Are you just getting up or just going to bed?” a sleepy voice asked. Xander turned slowly from the window where the sun was just beginning to rise. Andrew stood in therwayrway where Giles had been earlier. His hair was rumpled and he looked noticeably paler than usual, but otherwise he appeared to be fine.

“Both, I guess. How are you feeling?”

“Better after Mr. Giles made be brush my teeth.”

Xander smiled ruefully. “Yeah, we’re *all* glad for that,” he taunted. God it felt good to get into the old patterns again.

Andrew scratched his head thoughtfully. “Is there any more coffee?”

“There should be. I could go get you some if you want. Or maybe you shouldn’t have any if you’re gonna, you know…”

“Puke? Yeah, I think that part’s over. I guess I should have ‘Just Said No.’”

“I guess so.” Xander stared at the young man openly now, unable to look him in the eye, but unwilling to look away. “So…do you want me to get you coffee?”

“Maybe in a minute. I think I just want to stand here and feel the room *not* spin for a while.”

“Kinda know what you mean. This window’s good for not-spinning. I’ll share if you want.”

Andrew smiled gratefully and joined Xander. It wasn’t much of a view; the window revealed the side of another building and a small sliver of brightening sky, but it was enoughey hey stood shoulder to shoulder and let the comfortable silence lull them into a peaceful state.

“Xander?”

“Yeah.”

“Was it…Did you think it would be—“

“Different?”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah. I thought it would be different. Did you have fun?”

“It was great! Totally hot with the demon sex and…all the demon sex. Yeah.” Andrew took a deep breath. “But it was different.”

“Giles says that the fantasy is never the same as the reality. He says that you have to just take the good parts and leave the rest.”

“That makes sense, I guess. I don’t know which part of tonight I’d keep, though. The bone melting nausea, or the eye popping migraine.”

“Come on…there had to be *some* good things about tonight. Last night. Whatever.”

Andrew thought about it for a moment. “I had fun at Gunn’s party with you…and Wes and Gunn,” he added quickly.

“Me, too. The limo ride was fun. I didn’t think I’d see the inside of one of those again. Not after I ruined myt cht chance for one with the whole ‘leaving Anya at the alter’ extravaganza.”

“The limo ride *was* fun,” Andrew hedged, casting a cautious glance at Xander who was running one finger over the line of his eyepatch—a nervous habit he’d picked up.

The silence drew out al unc uncomfortably as each man tried to think of something positive to say about the evening.

“Did your Rushmah keep trying to change things?” Xander finally asked.

Andrew’s face lit up. “Yes! God, I thought it was just me!”

“No, mine did that too,” Xander laughed.

“Yeah, like first you didn’t have the eyepatch but then you did. And you had this horrible fake tan, but the Rushmah said it could be changed…” Andrew trailed off when he realized that Xander was staring at him peculiarly. Never one to catch on quick, it was a few seconds before the grin dissolved from his face, a flaming red blush struck his cheeks, and he was overcome by nausea again. “I mean…Lara Croft…and she had this eyepatch thing…and a tan…and…”

Xander swallowed hard, trying to comprehend what just happened. He couldn’t have heard right, could he? Because if *he* had been in Andrew’s fantasy…The pieces began to fall into place, his paradigm began to shift, and all of a sudden a strange burst of bravery was urging Xander to speak.

Andrew continued to babble. “…Lara Croft. Because the two sound kind of alike. She. You. Anybody could get them mixed up—”

“Your mouth was too cold.”

“Huh?”

“Your mouth was too cold. But then the Rushmah made it warmer. And you were really quiet, but I kneou* ou* wouldn’t shut up if you were doing something that made you happy. I kind of guessed that about you. That you’d want to talk a lot, you know? Telling me what you like…”

Andrew was staring at him, his mouth finally silent and hanging open just the smallest bit. Xander stepped toward him, breathing hard.

“And you were really tan, too. I guess part of us both wish that we could spend more time in the sun, huh?”

Xander’s face was only inches from Andrew’s. The blond boy was panting softly, too overcome with confusion to do more than stare at Xander as he pressed closer still.

Xander’s chest was on fire. Andrew wasn’t leaving, wasn’t telling him he was doing anything wrong or calling for Giles. He stood a hair’s breadth away and continued to stare at Xander, completely unable to turn away. Their lips drew closer together until Xander could feel the heat from Andrew’s mouth radiating against his own. For precious moments they each breathed each other’s breath, neither wanting to be the one to go first. Xander ran one warm thumb across Andrew’s lips and let it rest on his cheek.

“Yoid yid you wanted me,” Andrew finally ventured with his last ounce of bravery.

“I do,” Xander answered honestly, at last brushing his lips across Andrew’s.

The blond boy shivered against Xander’s mouth and then pressed forward hungrily, claiming another kiss as Xander was preparing to pull away. Andrew’s acquiescence was all Xander needed. He ran his palms over Andrew’s pale cheeks and pulled the boy as close to his body as he could. Xander opened his mouth and let his tongue lick tentatively against Andrew’s lips.

Andrew’s mouth parted with a soft groan and Xander smiled. He knew it! He knew that Andrew would groan just that way when he was being kissed. It wasn’t exactly like his Playstation groan or the moan he let out at the start of each new episode of Enterprise, but it had the same hint of excitement and expectation that the others did.

When the kiss ended, Xander couldn’t bear to step away. Instead, he leaned his forehead forward until it touched Andrew’s. He stared into Andrew’s eyes, trying to catch his breath.

“That was…” He took a deep breath, trying to slow down his racing heart.

“Uh-huh,” Andrew agreed, his lips red and swollen. He ran his tongue over them briefly, and Xander watched its progress.

“Wanted to do that for a long time,” Xander admitted, unwilling to remove his hands from Andrew. He let them run over the young man’s shoulders, across his back, down his chest.

“You did? I mean, you have?” Andrew gave a goofy smile, his eyes crinkling at the sides. “I don’t mean to break the moment or anything, but I didn’t think you were…I didn’t know you like, um…”

“Neither did I, actually. Not until tonight. Last night.” Xander groaned softly. “I mean, I thought about you, about guys, sometimes, but I don’t really know what I am, I mean what I like—damn. I know I like *you*, though. Can I just be kissing you some more?”

Andrew nodded eagerly and Xander replaced his lips. He kissed across the shorter man’s lips, then across his jaw, and down to the hollow of his throat. Andrew leaned his head back and gasped as Xander’s hands found his bottom and pulled him forward.

Xander was in heaven. He tried to take in every sensation happening around him but he was on overload. He smelled the light musky scent of Andrew’s soapy skin, the lingering hint of mint on his breath. His skin was smooth and warm to his touch. Xander ran his tongue over the small patch of skin behind Andrew’s ear and felt his cock pressing insistently against his pajama bottoms when Andrew let out another long, low moan.

This was real. His eye, his nose, his body told him that this person before him wasn’t a demon, wasn’t a fantasy or an illusion. Andrew was in his arms because he wanted to be there and that was enough to elicit a happy groan of his own from Xander

Andrew felt Xander’s body pushing him against the cold window, Xander eagerly lapping at his earlobe and panting softly in his ear, Xander wanting him. Xander needed him; he could feel it in his gentle, eager touches and in the hard length pressing against his thigh, and suddenly the tender touches weren’t enough.

“Xander,” he whispered, aware that others were preparing to wake. The first rays of light had long since passed, and some of the slayers would be getting up soon.

“Andrew?” Xander pulled back, his eye lust-darkened and hair disheveled.

“Can we go to your room? Please?”

Xander whispered back. “Are you sure? If you don’t feel well…”

“Want to feel *you*” Andrew admitted, rocking against Xander’s cock in a brief show of aggression.

Xander nodded and took one of Andrew’s hands in his, unwilling to break contact with him for a moment. They walked slowly down the hall and toward the twisting staircase. The reception area of the Hyperion was beginning to brighten with the first light of the day and it washed each man it its orange glow. They stole nervous, excited glances at each other as they ascended the stairs.

Andrew followed the form of the man he’d been pining after for so long. There were the same broad shoulders, though not so cartoonishly wide; the same beautiful ass; the same wry smile when he turned and said, “Be quiet now. We don’t want to wake anyone up.”

Xander watched Andrew nod, his mouth parted slightly. He couldn’t help it. He had to stop midway up the staircase and steal another sweet kiss. Just one more to make it to the room, he thought. As Xander kissed him, Andrew’s hands wrapped around the one that had been leading him and traced the veins on his wrist until the skin tickled with the teasing sensation. When he finally broke away, Xander sped up his pace, eager to find privacy.

Why did he have to pick the room at the very end of the hall? They tiptoed quietly past Dawn’s room and Willow and Kennedroomroom, finally entering the door at the end. Neither man hesitated. Xander turned the door handle and led Andrew in, closing and locking it firmly behind him.

In this room, there was no music. No palm trees or scripts; there was just Andrew and Xander and they stared awkwardly at each other, happy, but unsure of what to do.

“I want to kiss you some more. Is that okay?” Xander mumbled quietly. Andrew laughed.

“You don’t have to ask, Xander. I *want* you to kiss me. I *really* want you to kiss me.”

With that reassurance, Xander kissed him again. Andrew pulled him toward the center of the room and to the large queen-sized bed that Xander had been assigned. Once there, Andrew broke away.

“Okay, Xander? I have no idea how this…I mean, I’ve done some reading and I’ve seen pictures and stuff but…”

Xander grinned. “And I’m the expert here? *You* know more than *I* do.” He ran one hand over Andrew’s hip and toward the stiff length that was tenting out his sweats. “I think we’ll figure things out just fine.” He let one hand slip inside Andrew’s loose pants easily and grasped the hard member. Andrew rolled his hips toward him, panting hard.

“God, Xander. That feels so good. I didn’t think it would feel this good.” He buried his face in Xander’s shirt and left wet kisses on the fabric in the general area of Xander’s heart. Xander left his own kisses on Andrew’s forehead and then pulled his head back, leaving more kisses on his eyes and cheeks.

“Take off your shirt, Andrew.” The blond boy nodded and pulled the t-shirt over his head, dropping it to the ground. Xander’s hand slipped free from Andrew’s body. “Now take off my shirt,” he requested softly. Andrew looked into his face and smiled. Then he let timid fingers pull the thin shirt from Xander’s body and over his head, being careful not to displace the eyepatch.

Andrew leaned eagerly forward and left bold kisses on Xans nis nipples as he dropped the shirt to the ground. Xander rubbed at the unruly locks of hair below him and sighed contentedly. It was all so real. And because it was real, it was a million times better than being at Splendor.

“I’m going to take of your pants now, Andrew. Okay?” Andrew stopped kissing Xander’s chest and blushed furiously.

“Ye-yeah,” he sputtered.

“Are you sure? We don’t have to if you—,”

“No! I really want to. Really, really want to. I just never…in my fantasies there are some things we don’t do. Because I can’t imagine you…I mean, I want *you* but in my fantasies, it’s hard to imagine *you* wanting—” Andrew’s babble stopped when Xander kissed him again.

When he’d been thoroughly kissed into silence, Xander said, “I want you, Andrew. I want you so much.” He slipped his hands under the waistband of Andrew’s sweats and boxers. “Want your heart and your body.” He ran his hands lightly over Andrew’s hips, pulling the fabric down. “Want your mind and your soul.” He pushed the fabric further still, until it began to drop of it’s own accord to Andrew’s ankles. “I *always* want you,” he whispered into Andrew’s ear. The younger man trembled under the words and it took a minute for Xander to realize that the shine in Andrew’s eyes wasn’t from lust but from tears.

Had he done something wrong? Shit. That would be just like him. He’d let the Cabana Boy At My Beck And Call fantasy lead him into thinking he could just ask for what he wanted and it would be granted without complaint. Stupid, stupid Xander! It was so presumptuous.

“Don’t cry, Andrew,” he whispered softly, aware that the walls were thin. “You don’t have to say anything or do anything…I’m not trying to talk you into something. I mean…” Shit. Why had he been so pushy? Before he could add anything to the strangled apology he was composing in his head, Andrew crawled up onto the bed, drying his eyes.

For the first time, Xander finally registered that Andrew was naked. His erection pointed toward Xander from between long, pale legs. Andrew rolled to his side and stretched one arm up toward the pillows. The other lay on the blanket before him.

“You too,” Andrew whispered nervously. “Your turn.” Xander let out a worried breath that he’d barely noticed he was holding. He scrambled nervously at the drawstring of his pajama pants. He worked at the knot that cinched them and when it finally came unraveled, he let the pants drop with relief. Andrew grinned.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing. You. I mean, in my fantasy, you didn’t wear any underwear either,” Andrew said, then stopped. Was that wrong? Should he not have mentioned the Rushmah? It was all so strange and surreal. But definitely of the good. Still...

“Well what else did I do in this fantasy of yours?” Xander laughed, climbing onto the bed to join Andrew. He laid his head down next to Andrew’s and took the outstretched hand in his, mirroring his pose.

The grin left Andrew’s face and he said seriously, “It doesn’t matter. It wasn’t you. And I don’t want anything that isn’t you.”

“Well I second that motion,” Xander whispered, pulling Andrew into his arms. He kissed a trail across Andrew’s chest and toward a pink nipple. Xander suckled the tiny nub in his mouth and ran his tongue over it while Andrew wove his fingers into Xander’s hair.

Xander rolled over Andrew until he had the younger man pinned under his exploring tongue. Andrew rocked up toward him happily. When Xander had fully satisfied the second nipple, he let his lips trail lower, toward a downy trail of fair hair.

Andrew groaned loudly as Xander approached his erection.

“Sshhh, Andrew. We don’t wanna wake anyone up.”

“I know,” he choked out. “It’s just, in my fantasies, *you* never do this. I’ve never…”

Xander sat up and leaned toward Andrew. “This isn’t your fantasy Andrew. It’s your reality. And I want to taste you,” he murmured quietly. Xander moved until his face was inches from Andrew’s wide, shocked eyes. “Can I taste you?”

Andrew nodded and Xander smiled. As Xander moved down to resume what he’d been doing, Andrew clutched experimentally at the loose blankets. This was *nothing* like he’d imagined. Xander wanted *him.* He felt a timid lick to the tip of his dick. Ohgodohgodohgod. He clutched at the blankets for real now. Xander wanted him. Xander was sucking *him* off! It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. Xander was supposed to be so amazed at his skill that he decided he wanted him. But Xander had already said he wanted him and—he gasped as Xander took him deeper into his mouth. This was definitely better than any of the fantasies he’d had.

Xander paused to take a peek at Andrew. The younger Scooby’s blue eyes were wide open and staring at him; his mouth was parted slightly and he was panting soft cries into the sunlit room. “Is this okay, Andrew?” he whispered. Andrew didn’t answer, just pulled at Xander’s hair until their mouths were joined once again. Andrew kissed him hungrily, grinding as hard as he could into Xander’s beautiful mouth; he was trying to convey in a kiss just how okay it really was, but the kiss wasn’t enough. He needed to do more.

Xander?” he gasped. His body was aching for release, thrusting up toward Xander’s of its own accord.

“Uh-huh,” Xander choked back, barely able to contain himself because of the wriggling beauty beneath him.

“I want you inside of me.”

Xander’s heart stopped. Whether it was from arousal or panic, he wasn’t sure. “I don’t have anything…you know?”

“I do.”

“You do?”

Andrew continued to arch his back toward Xander, bringing their cocks together and rubbing his heart out at each brief contact. “Yeah.” He swallowed hard. “Well, not really. But I know where we can get some.”

“Where?” Xander gasped as the friction brought him closer an closer to release. “You can’t keep doing that, Andrew, or I won’t be able to…”

Andrew stopped. “Willow has oil stuff. She showed me when she was making that barf medicine. And Giles has condoms.”

“*I* have condoms.” At Andrew’s surprised look, he added, “I may not be a Boy Scout, but that doesn’t mean I’m not prepared.”

Xander climbed awkwardly from the bed. The big, yellow sun had officially risen. He looked back at Andrew, spread on the bed with his cock jutting proudly heavenward and his body twitching slightly with excitement and want. Xander wanted to climb back onto the bed, but Andrew’s request had left him harder than he’d ever been. Andrew wanted Xander to fuck him. He wanted Xander to be inside of him. Just the thought brought alternating feelings of excitement and anxiousness.

“I’ll be back in just a second, okay?” Xander whispered. Andrew nodded. “Where was this stuff again?”

“It’s on top of her suitcase. In a little green glass bottle.”

“Okay.” Xander pulled on his pants, not bothering to tie them. They drooped lazily from his hips, exposing his ass just the tiniest bit. Andrew giggled at his Carpenter Crack as Xander crept from the room.

In the hallway, Xander huddled in the cool morning air, hoping that no one was up yet, most of all Willow or Kennedy. He tried the doorknob and was gratified to discover it unlocked. He entered the room and raked his eyes over the piles of clothes and luggage. How did girls manage to pack so much stuff?

“Did you need something?” Willow asked sleepily. Xander’s heart stopped, then started again at a rabbit-fast pace.

“Andrew did. He said,” Xander swallowed, “said that you had something in a green bottle that—“

Willow pointed to a bag by the bathroom. “Just name one of the kids after me,” she grumbled before rolling over and burying her face against Kennedy. Sweating, Xander staggered back to his room and locked himself in with Andrew.

Andrew was sitting up, his body propped against the headboard and his legs splayed wide. His eyes were closed and a small smile was on his lips.

“You’re not having another fantasy, are you?” Xander asked as he dropped his pajama bottoms and started to climb onto the bed.

Andrew opened his eyes. “No. I was just replaying reality.”

Xander chuckled and set the small bottle next to the bed. His grin turned serious as he took Andrew’s face in his hands. “Well, reality is pretty damn good.” Then he kissed him furiously. When he’d stolen most of Andrew’s breath, he slid down his slim body and resumed sucking him to full hardness—a project that had Andrew moaning within seconds.

Xander didn’t bother to shush him—the sound had Xander ready to moan back in sheer happiness. Instead, he took a condom from the drawer next to the bed and reached for the bottle. He poured some of the fluid onto his hands. The coconut smell had Xander remembering the massage he’d given the fake-Andrew hours earlier and he almost stopped, but the honest cries coming from the heated body before him changed his mind.

He slipped his hand down to cup Andrew’s balls and began kneading them slowly. Andrew cried out and lurched forward, his hands clutching at the sheets. “Feels so good, Xander…”

Xander ran his hand down toward the puckered hole that waited for him. His heart was beating wy. Ny. Not in a million years did he think he’d be doing *this* this morning. Puking, maybe. Living through the worst hangover of his life, possibly. But preparing to really make love to Andrew? The *real* Andrew that wanted *him*? Not in his wildest dreams-or his best fantasies-did he dare imagine something so wonderful.

Xander pressed a slick finger into Andrew’s body. The younger man was shaking and Xander used his other hand to hold him still. “Is this okay Andrew? Am I doing it right?" Andrew gasped. "Am I hurting you? God I am, aren’t I!”

Andrew just groaned and rocked onto the finger, spreading his legs wide. “Hurts good. Want you more,” he muttered as his head rolled to the side. Xander quickly added a second finger, stretching him. He watched the feelings playing across Andrew’s face. Some pain, mostly pleasure. Then he hit a spot that had Andrew crying out at the top of his lungs. He wanted to shush him immediately, but the writhing form held him captivated.

“Now, Xander. Please. Want you…” Andrew was pushing toward him on his back, eager to be filled. Xander quickly rolled on the condom and slicked his cock. Then he placed the throbbing length at Andrew’s ready entrance. “Please, Xander…”

As the dark-haired man penetrated Andrew, he cried out himself. So much for not waking the neighbors. Andrew, the real Andrew, was so tight and warm; Xander felt like he was on fire. He remained still, buried inside the beautiful, soft body.

When he once again regained his senses, Xander pulled Andrew’s knees to his sides, allowing him to push deeper. He tried to go fast—his body was urging him to completion—but he found himself unable to stop staring at Andrew’s willing form and he lost his pace.

“Xander,” Andrew sobbed softly. “God, you feel so good. You’re in me, but you’re all around me, too. I really--I always want you to do this, okay? Promise me. Promise that we’ll do this again? I—,” Andrew swallowed and continued, “I love you.”

Xander’s strokes faltered under the heartfelt endearments. Andrew loved him. He took a moment to pinch himself--really pinch himself--before admitting that this was really happening. Andrew loved him. He picked up the pace, thrusting forcefully into the eager body. He wrapped one slick hand around Andrew’s cock and began to stroke him in time to his own thrusts.

“We’ll always do this, Andrew. A hundred more times. A million. Just don’t leave me, okay? Don’t ever leave me.” He gave a final, powerful thrust. “I love you, too.” Then Xander climaxed. When he looked down, Andrew was spasming below him, his seed spilling over Xander’s hand and onto his belly.

Exhausted, Xander let his body drop over Andrew’s, crushing him with a happy moan. He rolled to his side and brought Andrew with him, pressing him to his chest. Their bodies were slick with sweat and fluid, but neither man cared. Andrew squirmed happily against Xander’s body.

“We should get cleaned up. We could get stuck together like this,” Andrew joked.

“Oh, I don’t know. I don’t think that would be so bad.” Xander planted a sloppy kiss on Andrew’s forehead.

“We could take a shower,” Andrew volunteered a few minutes later.

Xander remembered the last shower he’d taken. “Yes we could,” he admitted, but neither man was in a hurry to get up.

Just when Xander thought Andrew was asleep, the younger man spoke. "Would you ever want to go *back* to Splendor?"

"To Splendor or to the Rushmah?" Xander asked quietly.

"Rushmah, I guess."

Xander was silent for a minute, considering. Finally he said, "No. I think I'd rather just spend my time making *reality* better." Andrew smiled. "But," Xander went on, "The next time Gunn and Wes take us to Splendor, you are SO not allowed to drink. In fact, I don't think you should go near alcohol for a long, long time."

Andrew groaned at the thought. "I totally agree with you." He snuggled into Xander's arms and in a moment, he was snoring softly.

Xander left a tender kiss on Andrew's forehead. He could hear doors opening down the hall and below his room. People were getting up, planning for the day, preparing to fight the good fight. Xander watched the sun play across the sleeping form next to him and felt happy for the first time in a long while. Yep, he thought to himself, reality was not so bad.

The End