LOG: Jelly?

[ialwayshadasoul]

WHO: Future/Present Connor ialwayshadasoul, Past/Present Xander eyesocketparty, Gwen supertrampgwen, Past/Present River bitsandfluids and a cameo by Future!Lorne happybeinggreen
WHAT: Getting Xander out of hiding, Not going Poof, and Flight.
WHEN: July 24
WHERE: Dienw
WHY: Future!Connor made us do it.
WITH: lots of Awwwww and freaking out of Xander, too. But lots of Aww. And humour. Definitely humour.


Connor leaned his forehead against the door, one hand up against it, refraining from banging his head. Mostly because he didn't want to replace the door. "Xander, you can't stay in there forever."

"Yes, I believe I can", came the muffled reply, "I have food to last several days and can pee out of the window, all is good for me"

"That's disgusting, and what happens if you have to go the other one, hum? C'mon, Fryl's done having her baby, it's a boy and looks relatively normal even!

Want to meet him? She's less likely to be violent now, well, mostly."

"That woman is terrifying, and I live on a Hellmouth, so my levels of understanding terrifying are pretty wide", said Xander, "And I don't know them, why should I want to see their demon spawn?"

"Because one day you'll be one of his godparents." Maybe he'd just break down the door anyway.

"Not me!!!", squeaked Xander, "No, thank you, I'll stay put"

"C'mon, I've already promised I won't bite!"

"HAHAHAHA", Xander's laugh bordered on the insane

Connor's head thunked against the wood. "Why am I being punished, God? Isn't being dead enough?" he whined to himself.

"The human body can be drained of blood in 8.6 seconds given adequate vacuuming systems," a young voice piped up helpfully, and Gwen rolled her eyes.

"I really don't think that's what he needs to hear, sweetheart," she pointed out, but her expression was one of amusement.

"I can hear you all out there!", shouted Xander, paranoid, "Yoy can't force me out, my friend can kick your asses!.....soon as I find her"

"She can't kick mine, and I'm on the Do Not Kill list. Don't make me break the door!" Connor glanced at Gwen, dear sane at least has met him before Gwen, for help.

Gwen smirked, crossing her arms. "Hey, you got yourself into this mess, I'm just enjoying the show," she chuckled,

glancing down as River peeked out from behind her leather-clad legs. "Offer him donuts?" she suggested thoughtfully.

"Did someone say doughnuts?", came Xander's voice, "..No! No I will not be dragged to your trap of gooey sweetness!"

"Not even jelly ones?"

"Jelly?", the door creaked open and Xander peered out.

River darted out for a moment and back in again, before holding one just out of Xander's reach. "Jelly," she chirped, nodding.

"See? Safe and everything," Connor said, backing away and letting little River draw him out.

Xander eyed the suggary treat, eyed the three before him, before carefully stepping out. "Fine, but it better not be poison or anything"

"Would it make you feel better if one of us bit into it?"

"Oh shut up and eat the donut," Gwen replied, rolling her eyes. "If we were going to kill you we could have done it ages ago," she smirked.

"HAH HAH!", laughed Xander, before chewing on his doughnut, "Fine, I'm out what do you want?"

"You out of the room, for one," Connor said, closing the door so Xander couldn't escape back through.

"How 'bout everyone back to sane land?" Gwen grumbled, raising an eyebrow as River started talking to a wall.

"I am sane!!", Xander yelped, frowning at the closed door, "As sane as anyone who's been told they're in the FUTURE!"

"Or the past," Connor grumbled.

He glanced at Gwen, "So this is your time period, then, isn't it lo-" he broke off and coughed.

Gwen blushed, not that she would ever admit it. "Yes, yes it is. And I really hope it stays that way, I don't want to end up like you weirdos."

"I'm not weird, Willow promised me I wasn't!", yelped Xander.

"Nobody's weird - we're just.. displaced." Connor frowned.

"You're in love with me, Xander's a crazy high schooler, and River's talking to walls," Gwen pointed out.

"Of course I'm in love with you, you're my wife!" Connor exhasperated.

Xander chuckled. "My girlfriend is Coredlia Chase, which is unbelieveable, but there you go and she'll be mad when I don't go back", he said, "SO not married"

"Uh, hello, not your wife!" Gwen argued. "You're head-over-heels for her," she pointed at the 8-year-old, who was giggling at her new wall friend. "And him, for some strange reason."

"AND you! Why DOESN'T ANYONE BELIEVE ME!" Connor threw his hands in the air.

"Because I'm seventeen", said Xander, "I don't believe adults in general"

"You don't have any credibility," River replied, taking a break from her conversation about wormholes to glance over at them. "Credibility is as equally as important as logic."

Connor paused and just slumped against the wall. As usual, River had a point, blunt as it was. "And how do you propose credibility? I'm about as adult as anyone in this room, okay maybe Gwen has one up on me right now, but I'm distraught!"

Xander sighed. "Now you're talking like Giles, and that gives me a migraine"

"Too much time in England."

"No tweed, please", said Xander looking at the ceiling.

"Eew."

"Hey, tweed can be hot," Gwen said thoughtfully. "Literally and figuratively."

"Please stop talking", said Xander, paling.

"How about walking?" Connor suggested almost desperately.

"Ambulation is the main form of animal locomotion on land," River replied, tilting her head. "I want to fly."

Xander blinked at River, confused. "People don't fly, neither do vampires", he said, then looked at Connor, "Won't you go POOF!?"

River gave Xander a withering look. "In a ship, bun tyen-shung duh ee-dway-ro."

"Erm," Connor coughed.

"Yes, I would like some candy, little girl", Xander smiled, petting her head, then looking at Connor again, "Ball of fire? I remember Angel having a ball of fire issue"

River promptly stomped on his foot. "Don't call me little, hundan," she growled.

"I bet you want to test it out with me then?" Connor answered, then swung River up onto his shoulder, "And you'll get your flying once he's tested me, how's that?"

"OW!", Xander yelped, hopping on one foot, before eying Connor, "....But you could go poof"

"He's not going to go poof," River replied, rolling her eyes as she played with Connor's hair. "He's not normal."

"Thank you, River," He rolled his eyes. "I just think it'll help you believe me when I tell you I'm not evil," Connor said. "If I poof, I poof, if I don't poof, no more locking yourself in your room. Deal?"

Xander eyed him. "Alright, but if you poof, Angel can't torture and murder me"

"I'll tell him that before we go, shall I?"

"How 'bout you all change back to normal before we go," Gwen sulked, glancing at the three of them.

"NONONONONONONONO", said Xander, "No Angel, kaythanks, I like living". He looked at Gwen. "I am normal!"

"How about I kiss the snark out of you?" Connor shot back. Then he just choked on a laugh at Xander. How had this jumpy boy grown into the man that settled him, he didn't know.

Gwen squeaked at the comment, hiding it with a cough. "How 'bout I see if I can fry that brain of yours into working?" she retorted.

"I'd like to see you try," he smirked.

Xander glanced between the both. "How about you get rid of that sexual tension and I'll go back to my room?"

"You saying I should kiss you too, then?"

"No," River replied, making a face. "Kissing is gross."

"I'M NOT GAY!!", screamed Xander, backing away, "I have a girlfriend! A hot, hot girlfriend"

Gwen stripped off her gloves, flexing her fingers. "You sure about that trying part, vampire boy?" she asked, before raising an eyebrow at Xander. "Methinks he doth protest too much."

"My heart beats only for you," Connor said in his best imitation of chick-flick dialogue, complete with a hand on his chest. "But you ought to wait until I put River down first."

"NO PROTESTING, JUST FACTS YOU CRAZY, CRAZY MONKEY PEOPLE!", Xander flailed.

Gwen rolled her eyes, putting her gloves back on. River giggled at Xander's antics. "You're the crazy one."

"The park," was all Connor said, quite exasperated, and started shooing Xander toward the door to downstairs.

Xander flailed his arms more as he was pushed to the door. "Fine, but I'm not dusting you into a baggie"

"You can let the wind blow me into the street," Connor rolled his eyes.

Gwen chuckled, just shaking her head as she followed them, watching River attempt to braid Connor's hair.

Connor could feel SOMETHING was going on, and shot Gwen a puzzled look as he herded Xander downstairs.

"I WILL!, Xander yelled, "Watch me, except you can't, 'cause you'll be DUST!"

Gwen smirked, pointing at River, who glared at her. "No telling!" she sulked.

"You know what, I'm not even going to ask. It'd be like trying to figure out what Aurora's doing when nobody's looking."

Xander laughed nervously, trying not to listen to them.

"She's braiding your hair," Gwen laughed. "Or trying to, anyway. You're going to end up with dreds, I think."

"Oh that'll be interesting," Connor chuckled, pushing Xander through Caritas. "I'm always up for something new... well, occasionally. If I'm up for it. When I feel like it."

"You know what I'm up for? Sunnydale", grumped Xander

"Hole in the ground," River murmured, glancing at him.

Connor sighed. He called over to the counter, "I'm going outside. Into the sunlight. So that I can be turned into dust that blows into the street.

Lorne, tell Dad not to hunt Xander down, kay?"

The demon blinked up from where he was trying to sleep propped up on the bar. "Wha? someone talking?"

"It is not!", yelped Xander, stepping outside.

Connor chuckled, shaking his head. "Nevermind."

"Okey dokey then", said Lorne, his head hitting the bar with a THUD.

Connor shook his head and pushed Xander out the door into the sunny (for a change) street.

River smiled when Connor didn't go poof at the sun, before blinking. "The thief is gone," she commented, noticing that Gwen had given them the slip.

"Can I be gone?", asked Xander in a not whispering voice, then blinked, "YOU LIVE!!"

"Yes, I Live," Connor said, taking River off his shoulders and sniffing slightly. "Believe I'm not evil yet?"

River pouted at being taken off of Connor's shoulders, before deciding that clinging to him like a limpet was an acceptable substitute.

"Maybe", Xander sulked

"Ever fly?" Connor asked, his eye actually twinkling. Which was weird. He kept a hand on River, keeping her close and safe.

"How do you mean?" River asked curiously, blinking up at him.

Xander eyed them carefully. "Maybe he's crazy"

"Maybe I can fly," Connor said. "And maybe we can surprise Gwen up on the roof."

River looked at him like she agreed with Xander. "Vampires don't fly."

"You're right. They don't, not anymore. Not usually," Connor replied.

Xander laughed. "They definately can't, Giles would have said if they could, I'd like to see Spike fly. Like a brick, it would be, A BRICK!"

"But apparently I had a recessive gene. Of course, we could test it the same way we tested the sun," he lifted River up in his arms again, just content to hold the child. "If you're not chicken."

"I'm not chicken," River replied, rolling her eyes. "That's Simon."

Xander laughed. "We?", he asked, "Well, I know I definately DON'T fly"

Connor smirked.

Then he grabbed Xander around the waist with the arm that wasn't already occupied in holding River, and up they went.

River's eyes widened, though a pleased smile crossed her face as they flew up. "This defies the laws of gravity," she pointed out, though she didnt seem to mind that fact.

Xander gave a very unmnanly scream. "HIGH HIGH!!"

"Not really. According to you, I'm just manipulating the molecules around me into reliable propulsion. Well, reliable after I fell the first hundred or so times anyhow," he chuckled. "I've got you, Xander, you won't fall." He eventually alighted atop the roof.

River paused a moment, contemplating that, before nodding. "It's a viable theory. I don't know enough math to be able to do the calculations correctly yet," she admitted, embarrassed.

"ROOF!", Xander said happily, jumping onto it, "Let me never be parted from something solid under my feet again"

Gwen didn't even notice their landing, her back turned to them and headphones drowning out their noise with music.

Connor set River down gently and let Xander go, spying Gwen. A smirk grew on his lips as he crept over to where she was.

Xander chose to sit on the roof, enjoyin being sat somewhere nice and safe.

River wandered over to Xander, before settling herself in his lap.

The manpire grinned as he closed in, then appeared in front of Gwen, leaned down, put a hand on her cheek, and kissed her.

Xander smiled at River. "Um...hi?"

The kiss startled the hell out of Gwen, who returned it on instinct for a moment before shoving him away. "What the hell?!" she exclaimed, but she was blushing.

"Hi," River chirped at Xander, offering him a charming smile.

"Got your attention," Connor said, smiling slightly.

Xander chuckled, a little nervous. "So, you're a small child"

"Bastard," Gwen sulked, taking out her headphones and slipping them back in her pocket.

"I'm eight," River nodded, holding up the right number of fingers.

"Is that an invitation for another kiss?" Connor asked, cheeky.

"Wow, that many?", Xander let the panic slip to offer her a proper smile, kids were okay.

"No!" Gwen squeaked, shaking her head. "Awkward awkward awkward!" Also very hot, but that she was ignoring that part.

River nodded, smiling back cutely. "You're a hero," she said thoughtfully, tilting her head.

Xander blinked. "What? No, I'm just a wacky sidetick, full of the wacky, me"

River shook her head. "Hero," she replied simply, as if it were a fact not to be questioned.

"OH...ummm", Xander coughed, "That's technically Buffy's...um..okay, hero, I can go with that"

"You don't have to worry about hurting me," Connor told Gwen softly. "And I'd like very much to be allowed to kiss you again, rather than stealing it."

"But you're...not...you're older! And you're going to switch back and it's going to be very very awkward!" she pointed out, filtering that part about not hurting him out. That made it too tempting.

"You should go with that," River replied, nodding. "It's the truth. Nobody tells you enough though, so you don't believe it yet."

"...Prophecy kid", Xander laughed, "...Yippie"

"And the me you know is probably reacting very similarly in my time." Connor sat beside her. "But the thing you don't know - is that he's liked you since you were working together in LA."

"He never said anything," Gwen frowned, thinking back. "And he has them," she pointed out, gesturing to River and Xander. "Why the hell would he want me?"

River snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. Prophets don't exist. Like leprechauns."

"Because you, Love, are intimidating. You're kind, snarky, you talk to each other when you refuse to talk to anyone else. You're trustworthy and brave and sneaky, so many reasons more also."

"I've never seen leprechauns", admitted Xander, "I was a Hyena once"

Gwen flushed, ducking her head. "I...okay, I like him too. Er. You. But...it's still weird, 'cause it's not you you."

"What's a Hyena?" River asked curiously.

"Alright." He put a hand on her bare shoulder. "Do us all a favour, then?"

"A mammal from Africa", offered Xander with a grin, "Laughs a lot?"

"What kind of favor?" Gwen asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow.

"Africa," River repeated, tilting her head. "What does it look like?"

"I've never been", Xander shrugged, "They were at the zoo"

"Kiss him," Connor said.

"Kiss who?" Gwen asked, blinking.

"Me, well... your me."

"But...Xander, and River," Gwen sighed. "I don't want to hurt them."

"You won't," he said softly. "Don't you think that, if in the future we're all together, then it isn't as impossible?"

"I guess," Gwen sighed, nodding. "Alright. But if they kill me it's your fault," she sulked.

He kissed her forehead. "They won't, and I'm too intimidated to make the first move," he replied.

"I meant the Hyena, not Africa," River told Xander, rolling her eyes.

"Kinda like a dog crossed with a mongoose", grinned Xander

"I'm not that intimidating, am I?" Gwen asked curiously.

"You know who you are, what you're about," Connor pointed out. "That's intimidating enough without adding the fact that if he said something, and you weren't as amenable to the idea as you apparently are, he'd lose your friendship. I.. he relies on your friendship, and losing that is terrifying." He shrugged. "So yes, coming clean about that, with you, is intimidating - and because of that, YOU are intimidating."

"Oh," Gwen replied, before hugging him. "I'm sorry."

Connor hugged her back. "No blood no foul," he said. "Just do that for us, okay?" He made himself breathe deep of her scent. Something familiar, unchanged. It was good to hug her.

"What's a mongoose?" River asked, making mental notes in her head.

Gwen nodded, smiling at the hug. It was nice to be able to do that without worrying she would fry him on accident.

"They're like weasels with an attitude problem", said Xander, "They kill snakes"

"It'll turn out alright, Gwen, I promise," Connor said, just holding her.

"I'll believe that when you lot change back to normal," Gwen snorted, snuggling him.

"It won't be long, I'm sure."

"Not long at all," River commented, staring up at the sky. "Almost time to go."

Connor looked at Xander, sitting there with River on his lap. "Everything will turn out alright in the end, Xander. No matter what stuff you go through on that hellmouth."

Xander laughed. "Oh yes, things are a ball right now, with Angelus prancing about killing us all"

"He'll stop. Willow finds a way around it."

"Oh", Xander blinked, "That's good then....with less of the killing"

"Spoilers," River warned, before an eight-year-old girl was replaced by a very disoriented 18-year-old girl.

Xander was part-way through a girlish squeal upon finding an 18 year old girl in his lap, before it faded down to a confused 'meeh?' noise as he suddenly became 27. ".....What just then happened?"

Connor seemed to shrink. Less broad in the shoulders, a little younger, expression a little less open. He blinked. "Ah. Er..." He glanced over to see a younger HIS Xander.

Gwen blinked as well, finding herself hugging a much younger Connor. She blushed a bit, before squeezing him tightly. "I missed you," she murmured.

Connor hugged her tightly in return. "'Least everything's normal again," he replied.

Xander made a funny noise, hugging River. "I'M ALIVE!", he laughed, "Nop freaking evil vampires trying to kill me or Buffy hitting me with her shoe!"

River hugged him back, muttering something about time kittens and meddlers into his shoulder.

"Yes, you all were creeping me out majorly," Gwen sulked. "You know it's bad when I'm the normal one."

"You didn't run off though, apparently - which is better than I did," Connor admitted as he let go, sitting back again with a small shrug.

Gwen laughed, shaking her head. "I tried," she chuckled, before kissing his cheek. "You stopped me."

Xander blinked. "Kittens?", he asked, before sighing, "Nice to be back, believe me"

Connor startled, then smiled. "I did, did I? I must be some future-guy then."

Gwen ducked her head a bit, embarrassed, before returning the smile. "You're a great future-guy, but you're also a great present-guy.

You, on the other hand, were a crazy flaily nut-job, and I'm glad you're back to normal," Gwen told Xander, sulking again.

"And I missed it!" Connor sulked as well.

Xander laughed. "Yeah, I was like that as a teenager, comes from growing up on a hellmouth and being hunted by vampires"

"Hole in the ground," River commented, glancing up but still snuggling Xander. "Two by two."

"You missed eight-year-old River trying to braid your hair and creeping everybody out, too," Gwen chuckled.

"And you didn't get pictures!" Connor protested.

Xander chuckled. "Well, that sounds disturbing, almost as disturbing as the shoe thing"

"I guess I'm not disturbed because my implanted memories have my little sister doing the same sort of thing. Actually, come to think of it," he paused.

"She still tries to get away with it when I visit home."

Gwen smiled, reluctantly withdrawing her arms before playing with a strand of her hair. "Guess I should go now, huh? Give you three some catching up time?"

Connor screwed his courage to the sticking place, swallowed, and rested his hand on her knee. "Stay. Please."

Xander glanced between them. "Did I miss something?"

Gwen blushed again at the gesture, before nodding. "Alright, I'll stay," she replied awkwardly.

"Stay put," asked, getting up and going to give River a hug. Over her head he spoke to Xander. "Go smell her," he whispered.

Xander gave him a look. "Isn't that a social taboo?"

"Just get close enough to be able to. Say Hi. Apologise for being a spaz. Whatever."

River blinked, before hugging him back. "Two by two. Hands of blue," she whispered, snuggling close.

"Okay", Xander eyed him, before standing, walking over to Gwen with all the suave abilities of a dead fish. "So....hi"

"I've got you," Connor promised, holding her close and kissing the top of her head. "None of them can get you, here."

"Hey," Gwen replied, blinking at his awkwardness. "You remember anything yet?"

"I vaugely remember a large amount of panic and screaming", replied Xander, leaning in, trying to sniff her stealthily.

"Yes, you did that a lot, and what the hell are you doing?" Gwen replied, crossing her arms.

"I know," River mumbled. "Simon wanted to experiment on me."

"Remind me to kick your brother's ass when I see him next time," Connor growled, holding her just slightly more tightly.

Xander paused, mid-sniff, looking elsewhere. "......Nothing"

"Don't," River sighed, nuzzling him. "He was younger then. Confused."

"Hmpfh."

Gwen raised an eyebrow. "I don't believe you."

Xander considered, grinned and winked. "Top secret"

"Bastard," Gwen sulked. "Tell me," she demanded, poking him.

Connor smiled, "So, did you catch it?" he asked Xander, instead.

"Yep, she's alright", Xander smiled at Connor, then at Gwen, "If I told you, I'd have to kill you"

"Not if I kill you first," she sulked. "What the hell is going on?"

Courage time again. He really hoped future Xander was right. Connor leaned over and gave her a kiss - not on the cheek.

Xander stepped aside, just in case she decided to take violence out on him.

Gwen's eyes widened at the kiss, but she returned it without hesitation, not wanting to scare him with any indecision.

After a few moments, the sweet kiss ended and Connor pulled away, wondering how much trouble he was in. "Been wanting to do that for a while...."

"I know," Gwen chuckled, blushing again. "Your future self told me."

"Is, um, that okay?" he looked ready to bolt.

"It's more than okay," Gwen replied, before tugging him into another kiss. "At least, if it is with them."

"Not a problem here", Xander gave a small wave, "So long as I don't get shocked? NO shockings, right?"

"No problems," River reassured them, glancing at her. "Makes him happy," she added with a smile.

Connor cautiously smiled.

Xander gave a thumbs up. "See? Happy times"

"No worries, you," Gwen added, ruffling Connor's hair.

Connor smiled and tried to hug them all at once.

Xander squeaked as he was pulled into a hug, before returning it. Well, the Scoobies sure as heck didn't hug him in the past (thinking he was a stalker) and he'd missed it.

Connor kissed Xander, then kissed River, hey, he hadn't gotten to do that when he got back yet, it was perfectly reasonable. He just hugged them all that much more closely.