Like Han & Leia
"Do you think we should wake them up?" Willow asked.
"I think we should take a picture first," Dawn said, stifling a laugh.
Anya just rolled her eyes. "No one is taking a picture of *that*," she scowled.
Willow grinned, "I don't know," she said, "I think it's kinda cute." Dawn giggled and Anya continued to scowl. The three women were standing in the front room between the couch and the television. On the screen, 'Return of the Jedi' was nearly over. On the couch Xander and Andrew were slumped together, fast asleep. Andrew's head was perched on Xander's shoulder, with Xander's head resting on top. Still sleeping soundly, Xander sighed and shifted on the couch. Unconsciously, he snaked an arm around Andrew's waist and pulled him closer. Andrew smiled in his sleep and nuzzled into Xander's neck. Andrew's hand, which had been resting on Xander's thigh, slid slowly upwards until it came to rest dangerously close to... "Oh," Willow said, covering Dawn's eyes with her hands. "Kay, that's a little... less cute," she admitted.
"Ugh," Anya grimaced. She leaned forward and snapped her fingers in front of Xander's face, "Xander!" she hissed, "Wake up!"
Xander blinked his eyes open reluctantly, "Wha?" he asked groggily. With her hands on her hips, Anya raised her eyebrows and glanced towards Andrew. Xander followed her stare. "Ah!" he screamed, pulling back the arm that had been around Andrew's waist.
Andrew awoke at Xander's scream, and, startled, his head whipped up off of Xander's shoulder. Both men looked slowly down at Xander's lap. Andrew quickly withdrew his hand, blushing furiously and laughing awkwardly. "Sorry," he offered.
Xander climbed away from Andrew, over the arm of the couch. "Just... stay... there," he warned the other man, "And keep your hands where I can see them." Andrew frowned wretchedly, and held his hands up in the air. Xander narrowed his eyes at him for a moment, and then turned back to the three women. "So, how was the show?" he asked, trying to be nonchalant, but sounding embarrassed.
Dawn giggled, "It was great," she said, "I especially liked the part where Andrew grabbed your-,"
"Dawnie!" Willow cut her off.
Dawn frowned, and rolled her eyes, "The movie was fun," she conceded, and then grinned again, adding, "But I'm sure not as much fun as you and-,"
"Dawnie!" Willow cut Dawn off again, her eyes wide.
Dawn sighed, "Fine," she pouted and folded her arms, "I'm going to bed." Sulkily, she turned on her heel and disappeared up the stairs.
"This is *so* not what it looks like," Xander pleaded.
Willow sighed, "Relax, Xander," she said, "No one thinks... whatever it is you think we think." She looked mildly confused.
Anya frowned, "I think Xander thinks that we think that there's something going on between him and mister... grabby-hands," she gestured towards Andrew. He was still sitting with his hands in the air and looking entirely embarrassed.
Willow waved her hands dismissively, "We don't think *that*," she said, "I don't think *that*," she turned to Anya, "Do you think *that*?" Anya shrugged, and pursed her lips. Willow gaped at her, "You think that? How can you think *that*?" she turned back to Xander, cautiously, "Should we be thinking that?" she asked.
"No!" Xander said firmly, "There is *nothing* going on between me and... mister grabby-hands." Xander sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, "We were watching 'Return of the Jedi', and I guess we just fell asleep."
"And I suppose you cuddled up together *after* you fell asleep?" Anya demanded.
Xander threw his arms up, exasperated, "Well, Anya," he said testily, "I don't usually go around cuddling up with my male friends when I'm awake, do I?" He looked at her expectantly.
Anya pouted, "No," she admitted grudgingly, "But you don't really have any male friends, and just because you don't *usually* do something-,"
Xander cut her off, "Anya," he said, rolling his eyes, "Enough." He ran a hand through his hair, and sighed, "I'm going into the kitchen now," he said, "And I don't want to talk about this *anymore*."
Anya rolled her eyes, but was silent as Xander walked away into the kitchen with Willow close behind him. When they were out of the room, Anya sat down on the couch next to Andrew, who lowered his hands and folded them neatly in his lap. Anya looked at him warily, "Keep 'em where I can see 'em, grabby," she warned. Andrew smiled awkwardly and shifted further down the couch, as far away from Anya as possible.
* * * * *
Xander stalked to the refrigerator, and pulled the door open roughly. Behind him, Willow watched warily. "Xander?" she asked, "Are you okay?"
Xander slammed the fridge door, and sighed. "Oh, yeah," he said sourly, "Sunshine and puppies."
"Xander," Willow started.
Xander went on before she could finish, "Wills, I was sleeping all cuddly- like with *Andrew*. Does that sound *okay* to you?" He sighed and leaned back heavily on the fridge door.
"Aw, Xan, you were *sleeping*," Willow said softly, "You can't control what you do when you're asleep."
Xander frowned, <Yeah, *Andrew* was sleeping when he cuddled up to me>, he thought, <But *I* didn't fall asleep until after that...>.
Willow smiled, "Besides, it looked sorta... comfy," she shrugged.
Xander looked at the floor and grinned, "Yeah, it was kinda comfy..." he admitted, "But," he added firmly, his grin vanishing, "That doesn't *mean* anything..." He looked back up at Willow, "Does it?"
* * * * *
Back in the front room, Anya was looking at Andrew curiously. "What?" He pouted.
"Nothing," she looked away briefly, and then sighed heavily and turned back to stare at him again.
Andrew pouted with more feeling and crossed his arms over his chest, "Are you going to keep doing that?" he whined, "Because it's really annoying."
Anya scoffed, "*You're* really annoying," she retorted.
Andrew wrinkled his nose, "You're *way* more annoying than *I* am," he countered. "You're like... *Tribble* annoying."
Anya gasped, and then furrowed her brow, confused, "Is that some kind of Star Wars reference?" she demanded, "Because if it is, I think that just goes to prove my point."
Andrew gaped at her in disbelief, "A *Star Wars* reference?" he asked incredulously, "You were with Xander all that time, and you don't know what a *Tribble* is?" He shook his head, "No wonder you two didn't work out."
Anya scowled at him, "Oh, and I suppose that *you* and Xander are a perfect match?" she demanded dryly.
Andrew's face brightened, <Like Han and Leia>, he thought to himself and sighed.
"Oh my god," Anya said, somewhat amused, "You... you *do* have a thing for Xander."
Andrew frowned, "Do not," he retorted. "Xander and I are friends," Andrew pouted.
"Sure," Anya said, raising her eyebrows, "So that dreamy look in your eyes every time I mention Xander's name is brought on purely by the joy of friendship?" Andrew nodded unconvincingly. Anya continued, "Well, I hate to break this to you, Andrew," she said, "But *friends* don't usually go around touching each other inappropriately." She frowned, "Or do they?" she asked, confused, "Is that something that friends do? Why didn't anyone tell me that?"
Andrew cocked his head to the side, "No, I don't think that's something that *friends* usually do," he admitted, "But I was asleep." He pouted.
Anya narrowed her eyes, and looked at Andrew carefully, "Yes, you were asleep with your head on Xander's shoulder and your hand on Xander's-," Andrew gasped, cutting Anya off. She frowned at him, "Oh don't get all *gaspy*," she said huffily, "Look, *no one's* going to care if you have a... a *thing* for Xander..." Anya trailed off, and then shrugged. "Well, okay," she conceded, "*I'm* not too hot on the idea, and I'm sure Xander might have some objections..." Anya looked away from Andrew to the television. The movie had finished, and the screen was blank. Andrew pouted, and they were both quiet for a moment. "Well," Anya said brightly, breaking the silence and getting up off of the couch. She looked down at Andrew, "This was fun," she said, smiling. Anya nodded to herself and then, looking mildly confused, turned around and walked away up the stairs. When she was gone, Andrew sniffed the sleeve of his shirt and sighed: it smelled like Xander.
* * * * *
In the kitchen, Willow looked at Xander, her eyes narrowed in concentration. "Xander," she said finally, "Does it mean something to you?"
Xander scratched the back of his neck, nervously, <Well, it wouldn't have>, he thought, <If that scene in the bathroom hadn't happened>. He shrugged and opened his mouth to say something, then closed it and shrugged again.
"Did something happen that you're not telling me about?" Willow asked carefully.
Xander sighed, <Oh, nothing>, he thought, <Just earlier this evening I entertained myself by fantasizing about tying Andrew up and whacking off...> "No," Xander said at length, "Nothing."
Willow quirked an eyebrow, "You sure?" she asked slowly, "'Cause you know you can tell me anything, right?" She tapped Xander on the arm, "Best friends, remember?"
Xander sighed, "Okay..." he closed his eyes and lowered his voice, "Something happened." Xander opened an eye to see his friend's response. Willow's eyes were wide and her mouth was open in surprise. "Wills?" Xander asked, "You okay?"
Willow shook herself, and blinked a few times, "Oh, yeah, sure," she said, "Just a little... you know, shocked?" She lowered her voice, "Something happened?" she whispered, "with... with *Andrew*?"
Xander cringed, "Well, not *with* Andrew." Willow looked back at him, confused. Xander sighed, and continued in an embarrassed whisper, "I was upstairs in the bathroom, and-,"
Xander was cut off by Andrew, who had appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, "What are you two whispering about?" he asked suspiciously, his mouth drawn into its usual pout.
"Nothing," Xander said firmly, glancing at Willow.
Willow patted Xander reassuringly on the shoulder, "If you want to keep talking," she glanced at Andrew, who was still regarding them suspiciously, "About *girls*," she added, hoping not to arouse Andrew's suspicions, "I'll be upstairs." Xander nodded his thanks and Willow headed off, up the stairs to her room.
Alone again, the two men looked at each other in an uncomfortable silence. Their eyes met for a moment and then they both looked away, awkwardly. "Um," Andrew started, "It's a great movie, isn't it?"
"Yeah," Xander agreed, kicking at a spot on the floor, "Too bad we slept through most of it."
Andrew shrugged, "I've seen it a million times anyway," he conceded. Xander nodded and cleared his throat nervously. "Xander?" Andrew whined. Xander looked up and their eyes met again. Andrew opened his mouth as if to speak, but then covered it up with an obviously fake yawn, "Um, I'm gonna go to sleep..." He furrowed his brow, and then turned and walked out of the kitchen. Xander waited until Andrew was gone, and then quickly wandered up the stairs to find Willow...