No Star Wars, No Fun
Xander glanced away from the road to sneak a look at Andrew, who was sitting in the passenger seat. They'd both been silent since they left Buffy's house, and the quiet was finally getting to Xander. "Hey, Andrew?" he asked.Andrew looked over at Xander and raised his eyebrows, "Yeah?"
"Tell me about yourself," Xander instructed.
Andrew grimaced, "Do I have to?" he whined.
Xander rolled his eyes impatiently, "Yes," he insisted, "how else am I supposed to get to know you?"
Andrew sighed in defeat, and took a deep breath, "My name is Andrew Wells, I'm 21 years old, I have one brother, dark-blonde hair, grey-green eyes-,"
"Andrew," Xander cut in, "Tell me about *you*. You know- hobbies, future plans, heroes, likes and dislikes?"
"Oh," Andrew pouted, "I like Star Wars," he offered. Xander gave Andrew a reproving look, and Andrew rolled his eyes. "Well, what do you want me to say?" he whined, "I'm not usually allowed to leave Buffy's house- I don't like *that*."
Xander nodded, "Well, that's a start," he said. Andrew settled back into his seat, and turned to look out the window. Xander frowned as he began to wonder if Buffy had been right- if maybe he really shouldn't be doing this- when Andrew turned and looked at him again.
Andrew cocked his head to the side, "I like *you*," he said.
Xander glanced at Andrew, and then back to the road, "Why *do* you like me?" he ventured.
"Because," Andrew started, "because you treat me like a normal person." He shrugged, "You probably wouldn't even look at me funny if I started speaking *Klingon*."
"I don't know," Xander teased, "It would depend on *what* you said." Andrew's face brightened and he giggled sweetly. Xander smiled, but kept his eyes on the road looking for his turn-off. <I hope Buffy's wrong about Andrew,> he thought to himself, <my life wouldn't be half as good without *that* giggle in it...>
* * * * *
Andrew waited anxiously as Xander fished his keys out of his pocket. He glanced at his watch and noted that they only had about five minutes before the Star Trek marathon started. Xander unlocked the door, opened it, and ushered Andrew inside. "So this is your apartment," Andrew said, taking a good look around.Xander nodded and smiled proudly, "Yup," he said, "You like it?"
Andrew beamed at him, "I *love* it," he said, and then pouted, "But then again, *I* used to live in a basement."
"Hey, me too," Xander said brightly.
"Jonathan messed up a spell once," Andrew wrinkled his nose, "and it smelled like cat pee for weeks."
Xander shrugged, "Mine smelled like cat pee pretty much full time." Andrew cocked his head to the side curiously. "Not spell related," Xander clarified, "just plain ol' cat pee." Andrew crossed his arms over his chest and smiled awkwardly, unsure of what to say. Xander cleared his throat, "So," he said, "You... want a drink or something?"
"Sure, I'd-," Andrew stamped his foot on the floor, "Darn it!" he hissed.
Xander looked at him for a moment, confused, "What?" he asked finally.
Andrew pouted, "I forgot the popcorn!" he whined.
"Oh," Xander said, relieved, "Don't worry, we can do without it."
Andrew put his hands on his hips and looked at Xander inquisitively, "Are you sure?" he whined, "you're... not mad at me?"
Xander shrugged, "Yeah I'm sure," he said, "Why would I be mad at you?"
Andrew hesitated for a moment, and then crossed his arms over his chest. "I guess," he said, "I'm just not used to people being nice to me." He glanced over Xander's shoulder at a clock that was hanging on the wall, "Ooh!" he gasped, pointing at the clock, "The marathon is starting!" They both made a mad dash to the couch in front of the television. Andrew got there first, hurriedly located the remote, and flipped to the correct channel just as the opening music started. "Ohh..." he whined, "We missed the teaser."
Xander settled in on the couch next to Andrew and patted his knee consolingly. "Don't worry, I'm sure we didn't miss much," Xander said, "We'll catch the next one anyway." On screen the opening credits finished and the first commercial break began. Andrew leaned back into the couch, relaxing, and cast a quick glance at his knee, where Xander's hand was still resting. Xander withdrew his hand self consciously, folded it with the other in his lap and cleared his throat. "Sorry," he offered.
Andrew turned to him uncertainly, "It's-it's okay..." he stammered, "If- if you wanted... you..." He wrinkled his nose and looked away, embarrassed.
Xander sighed, "No, I'm sorry," he said, closing his eyes and shaking his head at himself, "I made you uncomfortable, I shouldn't have-," Xander paused, opened his eyes, and looked down to watch Andrew take his hand, swallow hard, and place it back where it had been on his knee.
Xander opened his mouth to say speak, but then the commercial break ended, and Andrew raised a finger to his lips in warning, "Shhh," he hissed, and pointed at the screen, "Star Trek."
Xander shrugged and settled back into the couch. And when Xander's hand shifted up to rest on Andrew's thigh- his fingers curling around to touch the inseam of Andrew's jeans- they both pretended not to notice.
* * * * *
The first episode in the marathon had passed without incident. During the commercials Xander and Andrew had fallen comfortably into episode related small talk, and when Andrew had returned from a bathroom break Xander had hesitated only briefly before letting his hand resume its occupation of the other man's thigh. Andrew had merely smiled shyly and nudged over on the couch a little closer to Xander.As the credits rolled, Xander rose from the couch and headed to the kitchen, calling Andrew along with him. "We've got five minutes before the next episode starts," Xander said, "let's get something to drink." He opened the refrigerator, reached inside, pulled out two bottles of beer and offered one to Andrew.
Andrew took the beer and eyed it warily. Xander palmed the cap on his bottle with little effort and tossed it into the sink. Andrew shrugged and attempted to do the same, "Ow..." he whined and looked down at the still tightly capped beer reproachfully.
Xander chuckled, "Here," he offered, reaching out and taking the bottle from Andrew, "let me." Andrew watched in awe as Xander uncapped the drink. He passed it back and smiled smugly.
Andrew blushed and raised his bottle, proposing a toast, "To a good start?" he offered.
Xander raised his bottle and nodded, "A very good start," he agreed. They clinked bottles and drank, Xander smiling at the familiar taste, and Andrew trying not to grimace. Xander caught the look of distaste, and raised his eyebrows, "Andrew," he said, "If you don't like it, you don't have to drink it."
Andrew waved a hand dismissively, "No, it's... good," he said, taking another mouthful and swallowing hastily. Xander continued to look at Andrew questioningly. "Okay, fine," Andrew whined, "I don't really like it..." He squirmed and cocked his head to the side, avoiding Xander's stare, "I never drank before," he admitted.
Xander blinked a few times in disbelief, "You're serious?" he asked, "An ex-super-villain and you've never had a beer?"
Andrew wrinkled his nose, "Never drank *anything*," he corrected.
"Oh," Xander said, taken slightly aback, "Well, no biggie." He nodded to Andrew's drink, "I won't be offended if you don't want to drink it."
Andrew looked at Xander, and then at his beer. He shrugged and took another drink, noting that it seemed to taste less foul with each sip. Andrew raised his bottle again, "To trying new things," he proclaimed.
<Amen to that,> Xander thought, and clinked his bottle against Andrew's, "Trying new things," he agreed.
They both took another drink and head back to the couch. Xander sat down with one arm lying along the top of the back of the couch, and Andrew settled in beside him with Xander's arm resting nicely around his shoulders. Moments after the two men were seated, the second episode began. "Ooh," Andrew cooed excitedly, "it's the one with Joan Collins in it!"
Xander furrowed his brow, "You're a Joan Collins fan?" he asked in disbelief.
Andrew blinked back at Xander, equally disbelieving, "*Yes*," he insisted, "Isn't *everyone* a Joan Collins fan?"
"I'm sure there's some one out there who doesn't like Joan Collins," Xander ventured.
Andrew took a drink and shook his head, "No," he said, "Everyone likes Joan Collins... just like everyone likes Star Wars."
Xander considered pointing out that there were people out there that liked neither Star Wars nor Joan Collins, but as he opened his mouth to speak, his apartment was plunged into darkness. "What the...?" he wondered out loud.
Andrew stirred anxiously beside Xander, "Xander?" he whined, "What...?"
Xander shrugged, "I don't know," he admitted, "I guess the power went out." He pulled himself up off the couch and felt his way to the kitchen, "Hang on a minute," he instructed, "I've got a flash light around here somewhere..."
Andrew pouted in the dark, "Will it come back on soon?" he whined, "We're missing a classic and much loved episode of Star Trek."
Xander paused his flashlight search and looked out a window, "From what I can see," he said, "it looks like the power's out over most of Sunnydale." Xander sighed, "I don't think we'll get power back tonight."
"But they go back in time in this episode..." Andrew whined insistently, "And Kirk has to sacrifice the woman that he loves to save the future as he knows it."
Xander found a flash light in one of his cupboards, pulled it out and flicked it on. "Sorry, Andrew," he offered sincerely, "I'm sure there'll be other Star Trek marathons."
Xander turned the flash light's beam towards the couch, illuminating Andrew who had pulled his feet up onto the couch and was hugging his knees to his chest. Andrew squinted through the light at Xander, "Do I have to go back to Buffy's now?" he whined.
Xander sighed, "Actually," he said, "It's probably safer if you just stay here tonight- uh... you know, until it's light out?" Xander was glad that the lights were out, so that Andrew couldn't see him blushing.
Andrew let go of his knees and put his feet back on the floor. "I'm sorry that our first date is going so... crappily," he said sadly.
"Crapilly?" Xander asked, "I think it's going pretty well." Andrew smiled and giggled happily. "You have to remember that we're living on the hell mouth," Xander pointed out, "In Sunnydale I'd describe a *good date* as any one that I actually survive."
"So what are we gonna do?" Andrew asked, nodding toward the television, "You know, now that we have no Star Trek."
"Well first we're going to find some candles," Xander said, waving Andrew to join him in the kitchen, "And then we'll find something to keep us occupied." Xander smiled as Andrew crawled off of the couch, "Believe it or not," he said, "it *is* possible to have fun without Star Trek."
Andrew looked at Xander incredulously, "No it isn't," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Okay, maybe it *is* possible," he continued, "As long as Star Wars is still involved..."
Xander rolled his eyes and sighed, "Just come here and help me find some candles before my flashlight dies," he demanded weakly.
Andrew gave in and joined Xander in the kitchen to search for candles. "Now: no Star Wars..." Andrew said, opening a random drawer and peering inside. He shook his head, "No Star Wars, no fun."
Xander smiled to himself and resumed looking through his drawers. He could think of more than a few non-Star Wars ways to have fun...