aimeelicious (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
aimeelicious) wrote2004-03-11 10:39 pm
aimeelicious) wrote2004-03-11 10:39 pm
Xandoz part 3
Boy, this is my third post today. You people must be sick of me. But I have you now, my pretties! Bwahahahahaha!
Ok, it's late and I'm tired. I'll shut up and just proceed with things.
It had been a relaxing night. Not that he had expected anything else hanging out with Oz, who was pretty much as laid-back as Xander remembered. Except for the few times he had to rein Paddy in a bit, which wasn't too difficult anyway, as the kid had clearly inherited the easy-going gene that ran in his family. The highlight of the evening came after they all watched Paddy's favourite program. Apparently, the battle once 'CSI' ended was a weekly ritual - Paddy always wanted to stay up and watch 'Without a Trace', and Oz always said no. Since he was ostensibly the adult, Oz always won this argument, and Xander noticed that while Paddy pushed, it was done more out of amusement than any real effort to get his way. Watching the affection between Oz and his nephew made Xander's chest tighten in a way he hadn't felt in a long time.
Finally the television was off, the house was nearly dark and Xander was tired. Definitely time for bed, the drive was catching up with him. He yawned, and then looked apologetically at Oz.
"Sorry man, it's been a long couple of days on the road. Guess I should hit the sack. Thanks for dinner, and..." he wasn't quite sure how to say this without getting into it all again, and it was way too late for that. "Well, for letting me stay." Xander finished, not certain he really wanted to express gratitude for such a strange situation, but wanting Oz to know his hospitality was appreciated anyway.
"Glad to have you." was Oz's reply, and Xander immediately stopped his brain from following the potential innuendo in that remark. He really needed some sleep.
"Night then." Oz wandered off towards his room, and Xander blinked a few times at the speedy end to their conversation before heading into the guest room to retrieve his toothbrush.
------------------
Xander woke with a start, tangled in the sheets and breathing heavily. His hand went immediately to his left eye, pressing on the scarred flesh in an effort to alleviate the sharp pain. It wasn't real, he knew it wasn't, but the dreams always brought it back in vivid detail, that grisly feeling of Caleb's finger digging into the socket, and then his head ached for hours, as if it had all just happened yesterday. Xander sighed and looked at the clock, to find it was only three o'clock in the morning. Well, going back to sleep right now sure wasn't an option.
He got out of bed and quietly opened the door, heading towards the bathroom. Although he wouldn't have his own while he stayed with Oz, one kid was a vast improvement over a gaggle of adolescent girls who didn't all speak the same language and struggled with the concept of sharing. After taking care of business and carefully avoiding the mirror, Xander paused in the hallway, wondering what to do next. He didn't want to wake anyone up, but the bedroom was just too confining at that moment. His indecision was interrupted by Oz's door opening.
"Hey."
"Um, hi. Sorry, it's the middle of the night and all but I was awake and I can't go back to sleep yet so I was trying to figure out..." Xander was whispering so as not to wake Paddy up but he couldn't seem to stop the words until Oz interrupted.
"Shhhh, no problem." Oz whispered back as he moved closer, and Xander blushed, keeping his head turned slightly. He wasn't sure where that had come from, it had been a while since he'd started babbling. Should have put the patch on before leaving his room. More clothes too.
"Are you ok?" Oz continued, as he looked at Xander with deceptively sleepy eyes. For once, Xander actually thought about the question, and in the face of Oz's intense gaze found himself answering with the truth.
"Not really. Had a pretty bad nightmare, but that's no reason for you to be up. I'll just go watch tv with the volume off or something, 'k?"
He went to move into the living room, but a hand on his arm stopped him.
"If you want to be alone, that's cool, but I'm here if you need anything." Oz said, holding on to Xander, his warm grip firm but not demanding. Xander felt a rush of panic, for no apparent reason and pulled sharply away. He tried to soften the action with words.
"Thanks, but I'm all good. Nothing a few infomercials can't fix." He used his patented Xan-man grin, but to little effect. Oz stood for a moment as if assessing the wisdom of trying again, then nodded in his usual way.
"See you in the morning then," and he was gone, silently returning to his room and closing the door behind him.
Xander was amazed. Girls never gave up that easily. It was always 'Are you sure?', and 'Come on, you can talk about it with me'. Willow was like a dog with a bone if she thought Xander had something on his mind. He chuckled to himself. If she were here she wouldn't have gone back to bed until a full container of chocolate ice cream had been consumed and Xander had spilled his guts. At least that's the way it had been once. Now, not so much. That easy connection they shared had been tested in too many trials to be simple anymore.
Shaking his head, he flopped down on the couch and turned on the television, careful to keep it muted. He spent many a sleepless night in just this way, trying not to think about how things used to be, how they ought to be. He wasn't sure what had precipitated his little attack of nerves when Oz touched him, so that got filed under 'things not to think about' as well.
His head throbbing, Xander watched the screen with his good eye and let the flicker lull him into a trance.
Ok, it's late and I'm tired. I'll shut up and just proceed with things.
It had been a relaxing night. Not that he had expected anything else hanging out with Oz, who was pretty much as laid-back as Xander remembered. Except for the few times he had to rein Paddy in a bit, which wasn't too difficult anyway, as the kid had clearly inherited the easy-going gene that ran in his family. The highlight of the evening came after they all watched Paddy's favourite program. Apparently, the battle once 'CSI' ended was a weekly ritual - Paddy always wanted to stay up and watch 'Without a Trace', and Oz always said no. Since he was ostensibly the adult, Oz always won this argument, and Xander noticed that while Paddy pushed, it was done more out of amusement than any real effort to get his way. Watching the affection between Oz and his nephew made Xander's chest tighten in a way he hadn't felt in a long time.
Finally the television was off, the house was nearly dark and Xander was tired. Definitely time for bed, the drive was catching up with him. He yawned, and then looked apologetically at Oz.
"Sorry man, it's been a long couple of days on the road. Guess I should hit the sack. Thanks for dinner, and..." he wasn't quite sure how to say this without getting into it all again, and it was way too late for that. "Well, for letting me stay." Xander finished, not certain he really wanted to express gratitude for such a strange situation, but wanting Oz to know his hospitality was appreciated anyway.
"Glad to have you." was Oz's reply, and Xander immediately stopped his brain from following the potential innuendo in that remark. He really needed some sleep.
"Night then." Oz wandered off towards his room, and Xander blinked a few times at the speedy end to their conversation before heading into the guest room to retrieve his toothbrush.
------------------
Xander woke with a start, tangled in the sheets and breathing heavily. His hand went immediately to his left eye, pressing on the scarred flesh in an effort to alleviate the sharp pain. It wasn't real, he knew it wasn't, but the dreams always brought it back in vivid detail, that grisly feeling of Caleb's finger digging into the socket, and then his head ached for hours, as if it had all just happened yesterday. Xander sighed and looked at the clock, to find it was only three o'clock in the morning. Well, going back to sleep right now sure wasn't an option.
He got out of bed and quietly opened the door, heading towards the bathroom. Although he wouldn't have his own while he stayed with Oz, one kid was a vast improvement over a gaggle of adolescent girls who didn't all speak the same language and struggled with the concept of sharing. After taking care of business and carefully avoiding the mirror, Xander paused in the hallway, wondering what to do next. He didn't want to wake anyone up, but the bedroom was just too confining at that moment. His indecision was interrupted by Oz's door opening.
"Hey."
"Um, hi. Sorry, it's the middle of the night and all but I was awake and I can't go back to sleep yet so I was trying to figure out..." Xander was whispering so as not to wake Paddy up but he couldn't seem to stop the words until Oz interrupted.
"Shhhh, no problem." Oz whispered back as he moved closer, and Xander blushed, keeping his head turned slightly. He wasn't sure where that had come from, it had been a while since he'd started babbling. Should have put the patch on before leaving his room. More clothes too.
"Are you ok?" Oz continued, as he looked at Xander with deceptively sleepy eyes. For once, Xander actually thought about the question, and in the face of Oz's intense gaze found himself answering with the truth.
"Not really. Had a pretty bad nightmare, but that's no reason for you to be up. I'll just go watch tv with the volume off or something, 'k?"
He went to move into the living room, but a hand on his arm stopped him.
"If you want to be alone, that's cool, but I'm here if you need anything." Oz said, holding on to Xander, his warm grip firm but not demanding. Xander felt a rush of panic, for no apparent reason and pulled sharply away. He tried to soften the action with words.
"Thanks, but I'm all good. Nothing a few infomercials can't fix." He used his patented Xan-man grin, but to little effect. Oz stood for a moment as if assessing the wisdom of trying again, then nodded in his usual way.
"See you in the morning then," and he was gone, silently returning to his room and closing the door behind him.
Xander was amazed. Girls never gave up that easily. It was always 'Are you sure?', and 'Come on, you can talk about it with me'. Willow was like a dog with a bone if she thought Xander had something on his mind. He chuckled to himself. If she were here she wouldn't have gone back to bed until a full container of chocolate ice cream had been consumed and Xander had spilled his guts. At least that's the way it had been once. Now, not so much. That easy connection they shared had been tested in too many trials to be simple anymore.
Shaking his head, he flopped down on the couch and turned on the television, careful to keep it muted. He spent many a sleepless night in just this way, trying not to think about how things used to be, how they ought to be. He wasn't sure what had precipitated his little attack of nerves when Oz touched him, so that got filed under 'things not to think about' as well.
His head throbbing, Xander watched the screen with his good eye and let the flicker lull him into a trance.
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Liked the in-the-hall moment very much as well. It's all about the unspoken with Oz, and you've captured that. Really good.
Okay if I pimp this in my LJ?
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um, like you even have to ask! I would be honored. =)
And I really appreciate your thoughtful feedback--it's very helpful to know what you're picking up from the story.
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I lurve your writing so much, this compliment means the world. Thanks for reading!
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Muses are supposed to be more ephemeral I think, but mine is definitely a "he" and looks a lot like Spike. Naked. Imagine that! Of course, while he's eating he's not of much use to me, but since I got part 4 out today I suppose he deserves a break. =)
In all seriousness, really glad you read, liked & sent feedback/chocolate. Thanks!
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Loved part 4, and am awaiting more!
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-Echo
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Poor Xander. He sounds really tired. I imagine he would be, after all he's been through.
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Thanks so much for reading and posting feedback! I hoped to have part 5 up tonight, but it might not happen.
::gently nudges muse who seems to be taking a nap::
Definitely tomorrow.