Real

I saw this excellent movie on the Sundance channel recently. It was a British film from the late nineties, which centered around the secret, homosexual relationship of two teenaged boys. One shy and sweet, the other popular and athletic. I wondered how that might translate in Buffyverse. So her it is. A William/Xander story.

REAL

Chapter One


It was a warm Spring afternoon in Sunnydale, California. The weather was neither too warm, nor too cool. The park was rather vacant consider that the day was so pleasant. There were a few mothers pushing strollers along the walkways, and from time to time a jogger would run past the bench where a young man sat immersed in one of William Shakespeare’s more popular works.
The boy was almost feminine in appearance. He was of a smaller build, pale, with honey blonde hair that seemed to have a life of its own. It fell in loose curls across his forehead, falling into his eyes. And what eyes they were. It was his eyes, which were a beautiful cornflower blue, that first attracted a person to him. His eyes and his rather sharp cheek bones.
Yes, William was a very striking male. He could have just as easily been a beautiful female, if one bothered to look past the obstacles. For William was painfully shy. He had very few friends with whom he felt comfortable. So William was often by himself. His eyes, when not covered by his hair, were hidden behind a pair of wire rimmed spectacles. And poor William was far from a fashion plate. Not that his school uniform offered much of an opportunity for self expression, but William tended to keep a rather disheveled appearance. His jacket was always left unbuttoned. He tended not to tuck in his shirt, and his shoulder length curls were always pulled back in a half hazard ponytail. But his lack of care for his personal appearance was not what caused William to be the subject of ridicule. William was a bit of a dreamer.
He always seemed to have his head in the clouds. And wherever you found William, you would find his journal. It was no secret what that journal contained. For years ago in middle school, Angel O’Connor, the bane of his existence, had snatched it from William’s grasp and read aloud one of his poems. It was a very painful experience which he had never been able to live down. He could still remember the looks on everyone of his classmates’ faces as they had laughed at him. Some had hidden their laughter behind their hands , others had the decency to look away. But the majority of his so called friends had snickered and pointed at the small, red faced boy with tears streaming down his face. It was perhaps Williams most vivid memory.
But today was a good day. For William was far away from the Cretans with whom he attended Sunnydale Prep. He sat alone in the park, with the sun on his face. The book that he seemed to be engaged in , was in fact held upside down in his slender hands. Every now and then, William would peek up from the pages of his book to scan the scene before him. It was during one of these moments that he sat beside him.
“ Hello,” said the handsome stranger.
William instantly lowered his eyes back to his book and mumbled a timid, “How d-do y-you do?” The stranger chuckled. “You’re a shy one. Do you have a name?”
William looked up, but did makemake eye contact with his bench mate. “ My n-name is W-W-William.”
The man smiled. “Well William, what may I ask are you reading?”
William grinned at the man who seemed genuinely interested in talking to him and replied, “ Romeo and et.”et.”
“Ah! The classics!” the man exclaimed. “How do you find it?”
William blushed. “It’s a bit boring really. I can’t understand a bleeding word of it, and I’m English!”
The stranger laughed, then reached over to take the book from his grasp. “I don’t know about you William, but I tend to understand Shakespeare better when it’s read right side up.” He turned the book over and handed it back to William, who blushed deeply.
Damned this complexion, thought William. He must think I’m a complete ponce. William smiled weakly and ducked his chin into his chest. He looked away embarrassed to be caught in a sort of lie. He was shocked when the man took his hand in his own and tipped his chin up with his other. He then tilted Williams face towards his own, forcing their eyes to meet.
“So William,” the stranger drawled. “Would you care to join me in a little afternoon adventure.” He turned to look towards the men’s public restrooms, which stood about ten feet behind the very bench which they sat on. He grinned, gave William’s hand a squeeze, and stared into his eyes awaiting an answer.
William gulped down a nervous giggle. His heart was pounding in his throat, and he thought that this handsome stranger must surely have heard it. He swallowed again and because he could not have at that moment spoken if his very life depended on it, simply nodded.
The stranger released, his hold on William, stood, and walked self assuredly toward the green building which housed the stalls of the public restroom.
Alright Will. This is what you came here for. Right mate? In for a penny, in for a pound so they say. And with that, William stood on weak legs and nervously followed the twenty something man, into the public urinal.


(So what do you think so far? Should I keep going or what?)