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TITLE: Special Delivery
AUTHOR: Helena K.
RATING: FRT
PAIRING: Giles/Xander
DEDICATION: To ASH, for making us all want to give him a prezzie
WARNING: Back story leading to M/M slash (romance)
SUMMARY: Written for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
phendog and the Happy Birthday ASH Fication. My word was PIZZA.
TIMELINE: Post Chosen, any time, any place – as long as it has pizza delivery
NOTE: "Speech"
**Emphasis** in thought or speech
//Thought//
DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Joss and a whole bunch of alphabetical entities. I know the Polish alphabet. Not the same thing. Not for profit, just fun.
FEEDBACK: Can never get enough feedback! Give me a slice of the pie.
DISTRIBUTION: Posted to my LJ and (possibly) GRB; anybody else, please ask.
Xander stared at the delivery box as if it held the key to his future, spelled out in entrails rather than the motley toppings strewn about over cheesy doughy goodness.
Pizza was good, had always been good to him, even if not always good **for** him. And, as far as Xander was concerned, it was food fit for God. Not that Xander had much experience or the concept of God. Certainly not from growing up in a household of sullen drunks who, if they ever uttered the word, always followed it up with “Damn”. So he really didn't know if Mr. God (or Ms. God or even Gods'R'Us) would find pizza to be suitably divine food.
Still, in the end, he didn't care what the gods ate or didn't. Pizza was very important to him, although it had never been as important as this one.
In fact, it was the most important pizza of his life.
Xander quickly shook his doubts off. The pizza was getting cold and he had to deliver it to its intended recipient, one Rupert Giles, whose birthday it was today.
It wasn't as if Xander were cheap or broke. But he didn't see the point of buying a present for a man who had lost so much in the Hellmouth, but still had lots more stuff in England. So it was going to be pizza with good intentions and the best of wishes.
Xander called for a cab. If it had been walking distance, he would have walked over; otherwise he'd had to get used to calling for a cab if someone didn't give him a lift. It wasn't the loss of the eye that bothered him as much as the loss of independence and the stubborness to do things for himself. On the ride over, he clutched the pizza on his lap and kept muttering something over and over to himself, apparently rehearsing a speech.
When the cab stopped at its intended destination, Xander tried to be confident as he carried the pizza to the door. Even though he had a key, he knocked. He heard a voice call out, "Who is it?" He replied, just as the door swung open, "Pizza delivery."
A confused look passed over Giles's face, but it was soon replaced by a boyish grin. "Xander! I'm glad you're here." Old habits died hard and, therefore, Giles merely stepped away from the door and allowed Xander to walk over the threshhold.
As they headed to the couch and Xander deposited the pizza carton on the table, Giles looked at him, puzzled once again. "You know, Xander, we could have ordered in. That's what we always do."
"Yeah, yeah and no. Couldn't order in this pizza, 'cuz it's special, considering it's your birthday. So I had it delivered to my place first. Besides, if you don't want to eat it now, we can always have it cold for breakfast tomorrow."
Consternation mottled Giles's flushed cheeks. Xander had just changed the rules of the game.
The game they'd played for months, each barely admitting he liked the other; and the only physical contact was casual, a hug, an arm swung over the back of a couch. Perfectly manly. No misunderstanding there.
Giles gulped. Xander had just mentioned cold pizza for breakfast. Grasping at the only lifeline available to him, he repeated, "That still doesn't explain why you found it necessary to bring the pizza yourself."
"Yeah, give the man a present," Xander replied with a wide grin on his face. It was too priceless. "It wasn't just the pizza, it was the **special** delivery. Go on, open it."
He waited until Giles had lifted the lid. Giles looked stunned.
Xander didn't know if he was going to be ill (and he thought he himself would get sick if Giles didn't like his gift).
His only response from Giles was sputtering. "You ... it ... but how ... I can't ... believe ... trouble ... special ...."
Xander put both hands firmly on Giles's shoulders, took a deep breath and kissed him hard on the mouth. "Happy Birthday, Giles. I just wanted to make this birthday special, and the only way I knew how was to have this pizza done just right for you. So it's got all your fave toppings: anchovies, goat cheese, roasted red pepper strips – but I drew the line at marmite. 'Cuz I'll still need to eat something in the morning. And they didn't even charge extra for writing Happy Birthday."
Giles had sat on the couch, had tried to process the unexpected kiss (which he had rather enjoyed), but was still worried that Xander was rushing into something he had no experience with. "Xander, as much as I found the kiss very pleasant, are you quite sure you want this to happen?"
"Um, I don't think I signed up for anything yet, but I'm tired, tired of going between my place and yours, tired of people not knowing there's something sorta going on between us, tired of being tired and, um, tired of sleeping in a big bed by myself. So, if it's okay, I just want to stay the night and get comfy and snuggle."
Even with only one eye, Xander still had the most expressive and persuasive look.
Giles was smiling inwardly, relieved that Xander had come to his own conclusion. His own experience had been so much greater, he hadn't wanted to pressure the **boy** expecting something too soon. Still, he had to put on a stern face. "So, snuggles only. Is there anything else you'll need to be comfortable?"
"Nah." Xander pulled out his toothbrush from his jacket pocket and waved it triumphantly. "Got everything I need right here."
Stepping closer to Giles, he touched the older man's chest. "And I've got everything I want right here. Besides, you can tell me how you're going to make my birthday special."
As Xander pulled Giles up the stairs, all that could be heard was an amplified groan followed by "Dear Lord!"
End
AUTHOR: Helena K.
RATING: FRT
PAIRING: Giles/Xander
DEDICATION: To ASH, for making us all want to give him a prezzie
WARNING: Back story leading to M/M slash (romance)
SUMMARY: Written for
phendog and the Happy Birthday ASH Fication. My word was PIZZA.TIMELINE: Post Chosen, any time, any place – as long as it has pizza delivery
NOTE: "Speech"
**Emphasis** in thought or speech
//Thought//
DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Joss and a whole bunch of alphabetical entities. I know the Polish alphabet. Not the same thing. Not for profit, just fun.
FEEDBACK: Can never get enough feedback! Give me a slice of the pie.
DISTRIBUTION: Posted to my LJ and (possibly) GRB; anybody else, please ask.
Xander stared at the delivery box as if it held the key to his future, spelled out in entrails rather than the motley toppings strewn about over cheesy doughy goodness.
Pizza was good, had always been good to him, even if not always good **for** him. And, as far as Xander was concerned, it was food fit for God. Not that Xander had much experience or the concept of God. Certainly not from growing up in a household of sullen drunks who, if they ever uttered the word, always followed it up with “Damn”. So he really didn't know if Mr. God (or Ms. God or even Gods'R'Us) would find pizza to be suitably divine food.
Still, in the end, he didn't care what the gods ate or didn't. Pizza was very important to him, although it had never been as important as this one.
In fact, it was the most important pizza of his life.
Xander quickly shook his doubts off. The pizza was getting cold and he had to deliver it to its intended recipient, one Rupert Giles, whose birthday it was today.
It wasn't as if Xander were cheap or broke. But he didn't see the point of buying a present for a man who had lost so much in the Hellmouth, but still had lots more stuff in England. So it was going to be pizza with good intentions and the best of wishes.
Xander called for a cab. If it had been walking distance, he would have walked over; otherwise he'd had to get used to calling for a cab if someone didn't give him a lift. It wasn't the loss of the eye that bothered him as much as the loss of independence and the stubborness to do things for himself. On the ride over, he clutched the pizza on his lap and kept muttering something over and over to himself, apparently rehearsing a speech.
When the cab stopped at its intended destination, Xander tried to be confident as he carried the pizza to the door. Even though he had a key, he knocked. He heard a voice call out, "Who is it?" He replied, just as the door swung open, "Pizza delivery."
A confused look passed over Giles's face, but it was soon replaced by a boyish grin. "Xander! I'm glad you're here." Old habits died hard and, therefore, Giles merely stepped away from the door and allowed Xander to walk over the threshhold.
As they headed to the couch and Xander deposited the pizza carton on the table, Giles looked at him, puzzled once again. "You know, Xander, we could have ordered in. That's what we always do."
"Yeah, yeah and no. Couldn't order in this pizza, 'cuz it's special, considering it's your birthday. So I had it delivered to my place first. Besides, if you don't want to eat it now, we can always have it cold for breakfast tomorrow."
Consternation mottled Giles's flushed cheeks. Xander had just changed the rules of the game.
The game they'd played for months, each barely admitting he liked the other; and the only physical contact was casual, a hug, an arm swung over the back of a couch. Perfectly manly. No misunderstanding there.
Giles gulped. Xander had just mentioned cold pizza for breakfast. Grasping at the only lifeline available to him, he repeated, "That still doesn't explain why you found it necessary to bring the pizza yourself."
"Yeah, give the man a present," Xander replied with a wide grin on his face. It was too priceless. "It wasn't just the pizza, it was the **special** delivery. Go on, open it."
He waited until Giles had lifted the lid. Giles looked stunned.
Xander didn't know if he was going to be ill (and he thought he himself would get sick if Giles didn't like his gift).
His only response from Giles was sputtering. "You ... it ... but how ... I can't ... believe ... trouble ... special ...."
Xander put both hands firmly on Giles's shoulders, took a deep breath and kissed him hard on the mouth. "Happy Birthday, Giles. I just wanted to make this birthday special, and the only way I knew how was to have this pizza done just right for you. So it's got all your fave toppings: anchovies, goat cheese, roasted red pepper strips – but I drew the line at marmite. 'Cuz I'll still need to eat something in the morning. And they didn't even charge extra for writing Happy Birthday."
Giles had sat on the couch, had tried to process the unexpected kiss (which he had rather enjoyed), but was still worried that Xander was rushing into something he had no experience with. "Xander, as much as I found the kiss very pleasant, are you quite sure you want this to happen?"
"Um, I don't think I signed up for anything yet, but I'm tired, tired of going between my place and yours, tired of people not knowing there's something sorta going on between us, tired of being tired and, um, tired of sleeping in a big bed by myself. So, if it's okay, I just want to stay the night and get comfy and snuggle."
Even with only one eye, Xander still had the most expressive and persuasive look.
Giles was smiling inwardly, relieved that Xander had come to his own conclusion. His own experience had been so much greater, he hadn't wanted to pressure the **boy** expecting something too soon. Still, he had to put on a stern face. "So, snuggles only. Is there anything else you'll need to be comfortable?"
"Nah." Xander pulled out his toothbrush from his jacket pocket and waved it triumphantly. "Got everything I need right here."
Stepping closer to Giles, he touched the older man's chest. "And I've got everything I want right here. Besides, you can tell me how you're going to make my birthday special."
As Xander pulled Giles up the stairs, all that could be heard was an amplified groan followed by "Dear Lord!"
End
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