Band Aids & Kisses
"Xander!"
"Wha…?" Xander awoke with a start and took a moment to try and place himself. Why was he sleeping at Buffy's kitchen table with an open book as his pillow? I must have fallen asleep researching again. Xander shrugged, in his opinion, researching right now was pointless anyway. No one knew what The First would throw at them next, and how you were supposed to research something that hadn't even arrived yet was beyond him. He'd obviously needed the rest any way, Xander thought to himself, he'd been sleeping like a baby until… Xander vaguely remembered someone shouting his name, although everything seemed quiet now. He shrugged, maybe I dreamed it, he thought to himself, he had been dreaming about his and Anya's 'one last time' again…
"Xander…"
"Damn." Xander rose from the table, it was Andrew's voice, drifting in from the living room. Xander had volunteered to stay and look after Andrew while Buffy and Spike took the potentials out for another weekend training getaway. Willow, Dawn, and Anya had decided to tag along, and Xander had thought he might be able to catch up on some sleep in an (almost) empty house. "Xan-man to the rescue," he sighed, and headed into the living room. "This had better be important," he muttered, "I was sleep- I mean… researching…"
Andrew was curled up on the sofa. Xander went to his side and leaned over him, "Andrew?" he asked, "…you okay?"Andrew's eyes fluttered open and he smiled sleepily, "Hmm… Xander…" He muttered. And then he focused, "AHH!" he screamed and sat up quickly, his forehead colliding with Xander's mouth on the way.
"Ouch," they said in unison. Andrew rubbed his forehead and Xander poked gingerly at his lip.
"Thanks," Xander said sarcastically, sitting himself down on the coffee table in front of Andrew, "that really hurt."
"Sorry," Andrew offered, "but you can't just go around… hovering over people while they sleep!" He crossed his arms across his chest defensively and frowned.
"You kept calling my name," Xander said, "I didn't know you were sleeping, I thought you needed help," he stopped prodding his lip, "and I wasn't hovering."
"Well, thank you, Xander," Andrew said, smiling genuinely, "that was very thoughtful..." There was a moment of silence, and then Andrew added, "but you were hovering."
Xander ignored him, and cocking his head to one side asked, "Why were you calling my name?" he raised his eyebrows, "what were you dreaming about?"
Andrew met Xander's gaze for a moment, his face went incredibly red and he looked away quickly. "I… I can't remember," he finally blurted out.
Xander's face flooded with amusement, "Were you having a… sex dream about me?" he asked.
Andrew's eyes went wide and he stuttered, "I- I was not!"
Xander chuckled, "You were!" He laughed again, "You were having a naughty dream about me!" And then his smile vanished and was replaced by a look of shock and disgust. Xander leapt to his feet, "You were having a sex dream about me!!" He pointed accusingly at Andrew, who continued to blush and cower wretchedly. "I can't believe you!" Xander continued, "you- you are evil!"
Andrew jumped to his feet, hands on his hips, "I am not evil," he said, and then quickly added, "anymore." He let his hands fall from his hips, and pointed a finger at Xander, "And anyway, having a… a… an intimate dream about someone doesn't make me evil," he crossed his arms over his chest again, "Does it?" he added, looking mildly confused.
Xander sighed, "No," he conceded, "but it makes me uncomfortable, so please don't do it again."
Andrew fidgeted, "I'll try my best," he said.
Xander looked at him, unsure for a moment, and then nodded. Andrew took a step towards him, and Xander shrieked, "AHH! What are you doing?!"
"I need to use the little boys room…" Andrew whined, glancing past Xander.
Xander suddenly realized that he was in the way. "Oh." There was some awkward maneuvering and Xander tried to get out of the way as quickly as possible. As Andrew disappeared up the stairs on his way to the bathroom, Xander called after him, "Have fun!" Then he cringed, "Ah, I mean, have fun relieving yourself-," he cringed again, "I mean relieving yourself as in expelling bodily fluids-," he made a strangled noise and rolled his eyes at himself. "Kill me now," he muttered, throwing his arms in the air.
A moment later, Andrew reappeared at the top of the stairs, "Did you say something?" he asked.
Xander sighed, relieved, "No," he said firmly.
Andrew came down the stairs, regarding Xander suspiciously, "Are you sure? I'm positive I heard talking."
"Nope," Xander repeated, "definitely no talking." He turned and went to the front door, where he proceeded to pull on his shoes and coat.
"Ooh!" Andrew said excitedly, "Are we going out? Where are we going? Are we driving? Let me get my mix tapes-,"
Xander zipped up his coat, "We're not going anywhere," he said, "I'm going to the store to pick up some milk."
Andrew pouted and crossed his arms across his chest again, "I never get to do anything fun," he whined.
Xander rolled his eyes, "Well, you got to stab your best friend to death," he said with mock enthusiasm, "I'll bet that was loads o' fun." Xander regretted saying it as soon as the words had left his mouth.
Andrew's arms dropped to his sides, "How can you say that?" His eyes brimmed with tears, "how can you-," Andrew's voice broke and he turned and ran up the stairs. A door slammed, and Xander assumed he'd shut himself in the bathroom.
"Good one, Xan," he muttered to himself, pulling off his shoes and trudging up he stairs. "Andrew?" he called, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" Xander stopped outside of the bathroom, the door was closed- he tried the handle- and locked.
"You don't need to remind me," Andrew's muffled voice came from behind the door, "I know what I did is unforgivable," he paused and blew his nose, "if I could just go back…"
Xander sighed, he knew how heavily Jonathan's murder weighed on Andrew, "I know," he said, "I know you'll never forgive yourself- and I'm not saying that you should…" Xander paused, unsure of where he was going with this. "Andrew, you know that nothing you do will ever redeem you, but you haven't given up. You're still doing good and trying to help, but you're not doing it for redemption, you're just doing it because it's right." Xander sighed, "you're a good man now Andrew, and I respect that."
There was a click as the bathroom door unlocked, and it opened to reveal a red-eyed Andrew, arms crossed over his chest. He sniffled, "Xander," he said, "I don't deserve your respect."
"Well, you have it," Xander said, "whether you deserve it or not." Andrew's eyes welled up with tears and he threw himself into Xander's arms. Stunned, Xander held the other man as he sobbed, Andrew turning his head to lay his cheek on Xander's chest. Xander placed his hand on Andrew's head, running his hand slowly over Andrew's hair to comfort him. When Andrew's sobs had stopped completely and Xander felt his breathing return to a normal, even, rhythm. Finally, he pulled back. "You okay?" he asked. Andrew nodded, embarrassed. "Ouch!" Xander said, suddenly, and pointed to the bump forming on Andrew's forehead, "looks like it hurts."
"Nah," Andrew said, waving a hand dismissively.
"Come on, that's a good bump," Xander said, "I bet it hurts." He lifted his hand and ran his thumb lightly over the bump, examining it. Andrew winced. "There," Xander said, "I knew it had to hurt."
"Okay, fine," Andrew whined, "It stings a little." He put his hands on his hips again.
"Well, sorry," Xander said genuinely, "there's not much we can do with it…" Then Xander's face brightened as though inspiration had struck. He said, "When Willow and I were really little, and one of us got hurt, her mom gave us two things that made everything better…" He ducked behind Andrew into the bathroom and rooted around in a cupboard for a moment, then dashed back out holding a Band-Aid. "A band-aid," he said, ripping off the package and gently applying it on Andrew's injured forehead. "and a kiss." Hesitating only briefly, Xander leaned in and placed a kiss over the Band-Aid so softly is was barely there at all. When Xander pulled back, Andrew had closed his eyes. Xander looked at him for a moment, After all he's been through and done, Xander thought, he still looks so innocent. Andrew opened his eyes and met the other man's gaze for a moment, before Xander ducked away to toss the Band-Aid wrapper into the trash can. "Feel any better?" he called.
"Not really." Andrew said softly, "It still stings a little." He fingered the bandage absently.
"Ah," Xander said, "It always worked when Willow's mom did it." He headed back down the stairs, Andrew following him, "mind you, she was working with a much younger audience." Xander smiled to himself and pulled his shoes back on.
Andrew sat down on the lowest step. "Am I still not allowed to come?" he whined.
Xander sighed, "Someone should stay in case Buffy calls, besides, I'm going to be gone for like five minutes, and I'm just getting milk. I don't think you'll be missing out on any fun."
Andrew stood up to make his final plea, "But what if something comes to try and kill me?" he asked anxiously, "you know how I keep getting attacked here." He put his hands on his hips again.
"Andrew," Xander said, reaching for the door, "I'll be gone for five minutes, if something tries to kill you, I'm sure you could hold it off for five minutes…" Andrew laughed nervously, and Xander reconsidered. Finally he sighed loudly and gave in, "Fine, you can come," he said, "but only because my first aid expertise is limited to band-aids and kisses. If you really got hurt we'd be in trouble."
Andrew clapped excitedly, "Yay!" He jumped up, "just let me get my new-,"
"No mix tapes." Xander said firmly.
Andrew pouted, "Well it won't be any fun without my mix tapes." He pulled on his shoes and coat and sulked out the door after Xander.
Xander sighed and shook his head, This man murdered his best friend, and I just kissed a boo-boo better for him and invited him to come shopping with me, he thought to himself, I've officially lost my mind.