Title: Real Friends
Author: Paradox761
Email: Paradox761@mail.com
Website: members.tripod.com/~Paradox761
Disclaimer: Joss and co. own all things Buffy, no copyright infringement is intended so please don’t sue. I don’t have any money anyway.
Summery: Post “Superstar”, Xander confronts Buffy about the way she’s been treating him lately. Buffy denies it of course, but when Willow takes Xander’s side she’s forced to do some series thinking about her friends. Also, things heat up in the romance department for Xander and Anya, as well as for Willow and Tara. Can Xander, Willow and Buffy make it through all this and still come out friends on the other side?
Spoilers and such: General spoilers for season four, specifically for “Superstar”. Also, this is my first attempt at a Xander/Anya, so please be gentle. I’m of the mindset that Anya is different when she and Xander are alone, so you might find her characterization off a little bit. It’s all a matter of perspective. Also, this story was written before “New Moon Rising”, which kind of makes it a moot point as far as W/T, but I don’t think TPTB have been very far with the relationship as far as showing how they fell in love. Consider this an alternative explanation.
Also, acknowledgments and thanks have to go to the denizens of alt.tv.buffy-v-slayer. This story was inspired by the discussion threads that sprung up around “Superstar”. I’d like to thank you all by name, but I don’t have that kind of time here.
(BtVS, Xander/Anya, Willow/Tara, NC-17)

(3/9)

Xander walked in to his basement from the outside door, still fuming from his fight with Buffy. Anya heard him enter and turned, her face lit up in a smile when she saw it was him. But it fell again when she saw the expression on his face. “What happened?” she asked, even though she suspected she already knew. She knew that Willow had invited him to lunch today with her and Buffy.

Xander, whose fists were still clenched, made several attempts to speak, but he just couldn’t find the words. He eventually gave up and took a seat on the couch, letting his head fall into his hands. Anya sat down next to him, putting her arm around him. She just waited for him to find his voice again, which he eventually did. “I told them,” he said simply.

“I take it they didn’t react very well,” Anya said.

“Willow reacted fine,” Xander said. “I mean, she was a little concerned at first, but that’s to be expected, she’s my friend. But I told her that we were sure, and she told me that she was happy for me. Buffy on the other hand…” he trailed off.

“What happened?”

“Well, in a nutshell, she accused me of being led by lust.” Xander let out a long sigh. “She even said that my crush on her was just lust, and the thing with Willow. I mean, how could she think that.” He paused. “Oh, Anya, I’m sorry. The thing with Buffy, I mean, you know that I love you, but…”

“Xander, I understand. I’m not upset. Buffy and Willow are your friends and their very important to you, I know that and I know how you feel about them. But I also know how you feel about me.” She paused as a sly smile crept across her lips. “Especially after last night, you were incredible.”

Xander held her tighter. “It’s just that…incredible, really?” Anya just smiled. Xander allowed himself a small smile too before he continued. “It’s just that I can’t believe she would say those things, after everything we’ve been through. How could she think that of me?”

“What did you do?” Anya asked.

Xander sighed again and leaned into Anya, burying his face in her neck. “I went off,” he said. “I let her have it.”

“Xander, you didn’t attack her, did you?”

“Oh please, An. I’m not that stupid. No, I mean I verbally let her have it. I told her that I didn’t think she was being fair to you, and that I didn’t like the way she was treating me. I even brought up the dreaded ‘A’ word. Finally I said that if she really didn’t want me in her life anymore then that was fine with me, and I stormed off.” He groaned. “God, everyone was staring at me. I made a complete ass of myself.”

“Nonsense,” Anya said, patting Xander’s head as it still lay on her shoulder. “You were standing up for yourself. Besides, no one there knows you anyway.”

Xander chuckled at that. “Thanks Anya, you always know just what to say,” he said only half-serious. “I just hope I haven’t ruined everything. Especially with Willow, I mean, she’s really made an effort to include me lately. My best friend since forever and she probably thinks I’ve lost my mind.”

“She knows you better then that Xander, she understands how you feel.”

“I hope so. Hey, what time is it?”

“A little before two,” Anya answered.

“Crap, I’m going to be late for work,” Xander said as he stood. He leaned down and gave Anya a peck on the lips. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“Bye. Oh, Xander,” she called as he was halfway out the door. He poked his head back in. “I love you.”

He smiled. “I love you too.” And with that, he was gone.

Leaving Anya to think. To think about all her boyfriend had been through, and now he was afraid he was going to lose his two best friends. It wasn’t fair, he didn’t deserve this. She needed to help. She needed to make things better. She needed…she needed to talk to Willow.




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