RP LOG with gr8muppetyodin, actuallybye & lyricalembrace
Paper cuts. They seemed to simple, yet hurt like a bitch, really. Only, once upon a time, they just simple meant they hurt like a bitch, and you whine about it a bit because they did hurt, if there was anyone around to listen. Only these days, Rory had come to learn that a paper cut could actually mean you were about to be someone's random snack. He was sitting on his front steps, sketch pads and oil pants strewn out all around him as he worked on a painting of Linlithgow Palace with the loch stretching behind it... the amazing view he had from his modest little cottage in the small village. On the step below, he also had a large artists book with his latest drawings in it for the next edition of Lachie the Scottish Leprechaun, a cute little children's book series a good friend of his wrote that was now a number one bestseller in Britain, Ireland, and Europe. Rory had been illustrating the little story books from the first one ever published and now it was basically the biggest source of his income. He kept his job at the hospital as a wardsman two days a week because he just enjoyed it and had a lot of friends there, but truth was, he didn't actually need a day job with how much he earned from his art with these books and sideline commission of painting Scottish features and landscapes for tourists.
He wasn't alone that evening, though, despite being wrapped up in his work. The sun just set, but Rory still remained out there, something feeling that the twilight gave you the best angles and special views of a place. He was reaching to change the colour on his brush, when he had sliced his finger up the side of the thick paper. He cursed, about to reach for a couple of tissues from the box sitting here him that he had no choice back to bring out with him earlier after waking up with the startings of a summer flu. He had been in a bit of a bad mood all day because of it, but Airlie paid no heed when he texted her and told her not to come. In fact, he was just about to wrap the tissues around the cut when his hand was suddenly seized in a loose grip of slender fingers, and before he could protest, soft lips were wrapped around his bleeding finger. "Ach, shit! Dinnae you be biting me, lassie, or I'll boot you up the arse, aye!" She didn't really pay heed, though, and a moment later, Rory felt that small puncture at the base of his finger rapidly followed by the rush that was not disimilar to that one felt right before an explosive orgasm.
It was only a pointed clear of his throat a few moments later that had Rory blink and try to force away the pleasured rush, opening his eyes that had squeezed shut reflexively to find Buffy and Xander standing there, both sporting the same curious, eyebrows raised, questioning look at the odd scene of a redhead sucking on Rory's finger. Bugger it. He hadn't been expecting them. "Oh, aye... erm... papercut," he offered and felt Airlie's tongue lap over the wound to heal it before she let his finger slide not-so-innocently from her full lips, her piercing green eyes locked on the two intruders.
Buffy held her hands up with her palms facing the two Scots - at least she assumed the redhead was a Scot - and just gave a small shake of her head. "Really not my business who sucks your papercuts. It's not like we're exclusive finger suckers or anything. Very much in the realm of just casual finger suckers." Her green eyes landed on the redhead again though, and she quietly analysed her. There was just something that was tugging at her. Like the fact the woman had looked more like she was about to devour Rory's finger rather than just give it a 'friendly' lick.
Xander just turned his head to try and look elsewhere the whole finger sucking sight making him a little uncomfortable now the shock had worn off. He glanced at Buffy and they shared a look. "Can you even have casual finger sucking? I mean, just between you and me, I think there's something very intimate about sucking fingers. Especially when there's paper cuts involved. That usually implies a sucking of blood, and swapping of fluids. Very personal. It's not like many besides vamp--umpires like blood. You know, because umpires of football seem to enjoy watching players get hurt..." He shoved his hands in his pockets to stop himself from reaching up to rub the back of his neck at his poorly worded cover up. Sometimes neither he or Buffy were the smoothest of liars.
If Rory had a free hand, he would have smacked himself in the head in lieu of being able to smack Xander. Seriously, the bloke was as unsmooth as one could get, and Rory really had no clue how one bloke could be so clumsy, and not just physically either. It had to take a lot of energy to be that thick sometimes, and for a moment, Rory just rolled his eyes and tugged his hand away from Airlie's grip that had tightened the minute Buffy and Xander appeared. "It's okay, love. They arenae here to kidnap me or anything. This is Buffy and Xander. I told you aboot them, mind," he added, glancing up at her pointedly. Of course he had fucking told her about them. Buffy was a vampire slayer, and there was no way in fucking hell Rory was going to let her anywhere near his best friend, no matter how awesome and kick-arse the blonde thought she was. "Buffy, Xander, this is Airlie, my best pal. Dinnae mind her. It isnae as kinky as it looks. I was eating a Caramel Log and she's a chocoholic," he explained, even if it was mostly a lie. Yet, he still tilted his head in the direction of the chocolate bar wrapper.
Airlie faintly smirked at the lie. You had one lad... the brunette... who clear failed in it, and you had Rory who could lie his way out of a modern day Battle of Culloden and still walk away without a scratch. It amused her extensively. She ran her tongue along the inside of her cheek, still tasty the coppery tang of Rory's blood there and more than needing more than a slight sip. But she sauntered over to him, still managing to look graceful in her floral summer dress and emerald green Doc Martin boots. She held her hand out right in the middle of both of them to test who would take it first. "Airlie MacKenzie, sweeties. Pleasure, aye," she introduced herself, her Scottish accent just as broad as Rory's, yet softer around the edges.
Buffy looked between Airlie, and Rory with an amused look. "Oh yeah, I bet she just loves sucking on your Caramel Log." She just tried to ignore Xander's less than perfect lie, and took Airlie's hand. She really was beautiful, and she couldn't blame Rory for letting his best friend suck on his finger, or his Caramel Log. It was any wonder he'd wanted a tumble with Buffy when he'd had Airlie apparently at his beck and call. "Buffy Summers, nice to meet you. Or at least pretty memorable." She also would have assumed Rory would have mentioned a best friend, but apparently not.
Xander just clenched his hands into fists in his pocket, not trusting himself to take Airlie's hand without his palms becoming sweaty or his mouth losing ability to speak. She was Rory's best friend, but Xander got the feeling they were a little less than purely platonic. No wonder the Scotsman was so on board with friends with benefits. Xander would be too with a friend like Airlie. Not that Willow, or Buffy weren't amazing. Willow was just gay now, and Buffy was into Frenchmen. "Xander Harris, nice to meet you, too. Just, ah, ignore my stupidity. It's a lifetime problem I've had. Tried everything..."
"Shame," Airlie returned with an amused smile, her green eyes shining as she swallowed down the hunger inside her. Shame he was BBF locked to a Slayer. He could be fun to play with... and taste. She gave Buffy's hand a firm shake and then took her hand back, not really wanting to linger in touch with someone who would want to shove something pointy into her heart and fry her in the sunlight. She was allowed to be a little bitter. 'Bitter' hadn't exactly cut it, though, the day Rory had revealed his new friends to her. In fact, she was furious and for the first time since her Embrace, Rory witnessed the rage she could get into with the right trigger. But she got over it when he resolved to protect her, and she did trust him with her life. He had been who had helped her through her change, even if it went against all his Hunter grain. She was the one exception to his rule. "Cannae say I know any umpires to tempt you with either, like. My loss," she murmured with a shrug, looking the man over with interest. He had a cuteness about him. A lot less rough around the edges than Rory was, but Rory wasn't always like this, either.
Rory blew his nose on some tissues now he had his hand back and shrugged. "Isnae like we have anyone to account for. If someone wants to suck your log, why nay?" he said and shot Xander an extremely pointed look. The dude really needed a good hard and heavy lay to shake some of that stupidity out of him.
Xander just swallowed down as he met Rory's gaze with a shrug. What was he actually supposed to do about it? Slayerettes were out of bounds, Buffy only seemed to want to help him out with a handjob and now there was a sexy redhead right in front of him that was probably out of bounds thanks to the Bro Code. Sometimes he really hated being a guy. "It's the wanting to suck the log that's mostly the hurdle. It's not exactly nice to just go shoving your log in someone's mouth. And it's okay, I'm not really into umpires anyway. It's the knee socks. Total buzz kill, you know?"
Buffy rolled her eyes slightly and moved away from her best friend to take a closer look at what Rory was actually doing besides having his log sucked. "Hey, wow... that's amazing. Like, seriously amazing. You got some kinda talent there, kid." She shot him an amused look before going back to looking at his painting in awe.
Rory snorted and shot her a look. "What, like it's such a dramatic surprise, aye? I dinnae need to look like an arty tosser to actually be one," he returned with a smirk and then pointed his thumb over his shoulder to Airlie. "She has a voice like an angel and used to back rocker, Alistair Lamont. Looks can be deceiving, like. Something's gotta pay my bills." He put the painting aside and rested his weight back onto his hands. He was sore all over, and now had a numb arse to top it off. Airlie had come over after admittedly struggling again with her hunger. Some days, it got too much and she needed the distraction, usually by way of a romp in the sack with Rory or some other random bloke she ended up feeding on anyway. It was safer for her to be with him, only by the way she was looking at Xander, he couldn't help but wonder if he had his work cut out for him. "Like redheads, Xan laddie? I promise, the curtains match the carpets, aye," he added with a devious wink.
Airlie tilted her head, still amused. That wasn't something she could deny. She was all natural, luckily. It meant she got to keep her looks forever now. The only thing was, that didn't always feel like all it cracked up to be. "Dinnae mind him. He never talks himself up. He isnae as second-rate a citizen as he believes. Our Rors here is actually a wee bit of a celeb himself," she said, ruffling his blond hair affectionately.
Xander's one good eye had drifted downwards at the mention of the carpet and he had to blink himself forcibly out of the stare so that he didn't look like a total pervery. He was sorely sex starved. For a while he hadn't felt like he'd been ready to move on from Anya, but more and more Xander was realising he really did want to pursue something new. Or at least get laid. God, how he wanted to get laid. He cleared his throat as he tried not to blush and kicked his toe at the sidewalk. "Sure, who doesn't like a redhead? Just, ah, you know... Not this redhead. No offence! But you're all with Rory and stuff, and I wouldn't want to get in the middle of that. It's different with him getting into the middle of Buffy, you know? She and I aren't exactly--Ow!" He rubbed at his chest in the wake of the whack from the Slayer and clenched his jaw to try and ignore the pain.
Buffy folded her arms under her chest as she shook her head at Xander. "The middle of me? Really? Also, I'm not sure Airlie needs to hear the not-so-intimates of our friendship right now. We've only just met her. Maybe save it until we at least get past a first name basis, huh? Please, Xan?"
Airlie started to laugh. In fact, she was soon laughing so hard, she had to tip her head back and lean against the door so she didn't trip down the stairs. "Ach, I couldnae be with a married man, laddie. I might bollock him, but his heart is elsewhere," she finally replied. "He's my stress relief and my shoulder to cry on, nothing more. Besides the best friend a lassie could ever ask for, but that goes withoot saying. Awesome in the sack, why wouldnae I want a piece of it if it's on offer? Sometimes you just have to go for it. Life's short..."
Rory visibly winced at the M word. It had been a fact he had so far managed to keep to himself with just about everyone he met recently. Only thing was, he didn't make a big deal out of keeping it a secret, either. He just simply didn't talk about it. "At least you arenae oot on the crack or the game for stress relief, lassie. Cannae believe how big a deal people make oot of sex. Sex is sex. You know when it's more than that."
Xander still started to look a little doubtful as he watched Airlie laugh, but it was hard to ignore how beautiful she was, and how melodic her laughter. He was even anywhere near being a poet, he was sure he could have written songs about her. But he was no poet, and instead he just bit on lip to stop his mind from going naughty places. "Well, sure. I think everyone knows life's short but there's still messing with someone else's stress relief, and that's never been me. I did it once when I was younger, not that there was sex, and Will was more kinda dating Oz than just best friends with considerable benefits. I just tend to feel guilty at the idea of anything like that now." He glanced at Rory though, a frown crossing his features. "Married?"
Buffy blinked. "Married? There's... marriage and stuff?" She looked down at Rory, confusion crossing her features. Surely something like being married was supposed to get mentioned before hot hospital sex, or lusty kilt feelings. She studied him for a quiet moment, trying to work out if he was the type of guy who would openly mess around on his wife, or not. "But you're not married anymore?"
"My wife's dead," Rory said blankly and stood up, brushing his well-worned jeans off and starting to collect his art things up into the box he kept them in. He was careful with the painting, placing it on top so his work didn't get messed up, and then went inside his cottage. He put it all on his dining table and then braced his hands on the back of one of the chairs, his head drooping forward a little for a few moments when that pain in his heart flickered a little. He glanced up at the photos on the mantel. He still missed his girls every day, but it had been so long now. So long, in fact, his wee girl would be five now, and he would never hear her talk, see her take her first steps. He couldn't be mad at Airlie. He wasn't ashamed to admit he was married, but it just hurt still. He wasn't naive enough to wait for her anymore, though. He could still grieve but want to move on... find a fresh start. He just hadn't succeeded on that front yet.
Airlie closed her eyes and rested her hand on her hip regretfully. She had made the error of assuming this Buffy and Xander knew. She glanced up at them apologetically. "I'm sorry. I thought you knew. Dinnae be all worried, mind. It's nay a recent thing. Just still hurts deep doon. That's all I meant... his heart is elsewhere. Hasnae ever been anyone enough to have him give it over again, like. Nay me. We're too close friends. My own love was the whole love and lost thing, too. We're just both... well, we understand the broken heart."
Xander scratched the side of his face as he looked past Airlie to where Rory had disappeared to, and after a glance back at Buffy, he went into the cottage as well. She wasn't going to be able to understand, and he really hoped that she got that this is the one time where Xander was definitely a sympathetic party and one better for the job. Buffy had loved and lost, but not like Xander. No matter how much she wanted to argue otherwise. He'd been ready to marry Anya. Again. He came up beside Rory and rest his hand on the other man's shoulder. "My fiancée's dead."
Outside Buffy stood with Airlie and offered the other woman a small smile. "I'd say a broken heart sucks, but it's pretty much an understatement. I'm just sorry he had to experience such a loss. I didn't even realise. Kinda makes me feel even more insensitive now. It's good he has you, though. Everyone needs a close friend that just gets it." She glanced to the door where the two men had gone, and wondered if maybe she and Xander should make themselves scarce. But it seemed weird going in to get her friend.
Airlie shook her head. "Nay, lassie. I dinnae really get it. I only get a wee bit of it. Isnae just a broken heart there... he lost part of him. Someone he created oot of that love. His wee girl is gone too. She was only a few months. So, our Rory in there is a daddy, too. Only nay anymore, and it's a lot of why he's so..." She waved her hand with a fond smirk, searching for the right word, "rough. He wasnae always like this. The sweetheart marshmallow is still there, but he's hardened. You couldnae nay after an ordeal like that."
Rory had no idea as to the conversation going on outside. He felt the hand on his shoulder and glanced at Xander with a small nod. "I'm sorry, laddie," he replied quietly, soberly. "I wouldnae be wishing an experience like that on anyone. Gotta get back into the saddle at some point, though. If you feel ready. If you dinnae, you just arenae ready to say goodbye yet. Takes a really long time that. Sometimes forever for some people."
Xander shrugged lightly and dropped his hand away. "She died saving someone. We were only just getting things worked out. We'd broken up. I'd stupidly left her at the alter when I got cold feet, but I still loved her. I still wanted to marry her. Just Anya was an ex-vengeance demon, so she didn't exactly react well to getting abandoned like that, you know? She specialised in women scorned..." Xander wet his lips as he thought about her, his eye looking over the photos on the mantle. "I'm ready. It's just I've never been good in picking up a saddle. Probably because I wind up using metaphors like that to refer to a woman."
"It's not stupid, dude. It's life. Marriage isnae something to just waltz into. Hell, people get nervous aboot whether to buy the expensive biscuits or stick to the two for one deal to save a wee bit of cash. And dude, seriously, if she was that much with the demon PMS, maybe you just had an inkling deep down that you needed more time to get used to the marriage thing. Dinnae beat yourself up, because how you deal with someone and get closure on it dictates how you view the rest of your life. Sure you arenae just trying to look for someone to fill her gap? Difference, you know. Being ready, or hoping to fill that empty space." Rory glanced at the photos again. "I wasnae ever sure I wanted the space filled, like. Didnae think anyone could ever match her. It wasnae fair to be comparing other lassies to her, but this was when I wasnae ready. I realised that, though."
"Are you so sure you're even ready now?" Xander gave a shake of his head. "No, it's not about replacing her. No one in a million years could replace Anya. I figure it's about living with the hole in your heart, but the hole just gets a little smaller. She's still there, she's still a part of me. She's still a part of my history. I'll always love her. I think I'm just ready for another person to be special to me. For something present... and future."
Rory nodded as he listened and then had to sit down when that heavy weight felt like it was back again. "The thing is... I dinnae know for sure if she has died. I wish I did, I would have the closure. I would know she wasnae coming back. There is always a tiny piece of me wondering if she might just come back through the door again. Only, I'm nay so naive. It's been years now. My head knows she isnae coming back, but my heart is more optimistic. I guess I'm ready, I just nay really going to know one hundred percent until I find someone who matches me. That's the downfall right there. I'm nay an easy person to be with anymore."
Xander sat across from Rory and tilted his head. "You don't want someone that compliments you? They have to be able to match? Isn't that a little... weird. Like dating yourself? I get that there are some things you gotta be on the same level for, but isn't it also about having those bits that click together because they're complimentary. Like two halves?"
Rory shot Xander a look but fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Stop taking things so literal. Nay wonder you cannae get a lay. You're coming across as hard work. You might want someone to compliment you, I want someone to match me. That doesnae mean I want them to be like a fecking fashionable set of pants to my jeans. Bloody hell, laddie. You are romantisicing it all. Life isnae like that, and life certainly isnae like that when you have lost someone you loved with your whole heart and soul. Once you have been through that, you need the next person to be a whole lot more than just complimentary."
Xander fell quiet as he looked down at the table and shrugged a shoulder. "Never realised I was hard work... Hope you find your match, man. You deserve it. Just sorry you had to lose your wife and kid. No one deserves that."
In front of the house Buffy was only just realising she'd gone completely quiet on Airlie. She hadn't been able to help it. There wasn't much she could say to finding out Rory was not only a widow, but a man who'd lost his little girl. It really did explain a lot about why Rory was a hunter. Buffy understood now why he had become a part of her world. Well, the supernatural world. It wasn't just hers anymore. Big picture thinking was something Buffy still needed training on. She blinked as she met Airlie's gaze and shook her head a little. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... Just a lot to take in. He hadn't said anything, but then why should he? Really not like I should have known. It's part of his personal life. Not my business." Buffy pointed her thumb over her shoulder at the door. "Think we should check the guys aren't getting themselves into any trouble?"
Airlie nodded quietly and then cleared her throat. "Dinnae take it personally, like. He doesnae talk about it much anymore. It's been five... six years, give or take. The wee bairn was only nine months when it happened, and... they were young. Rory married his sweetheart when he was only nineteen years old, bairn was born when he was twenty. Less than a year later, they were both gone. Just... vanished, nay trace. He looked for them. He didnae stop, and I dinnae think he ever really will. He just looks for other things now, tries to stop the same thing happening to someone else because he knows how much it hurts. I guess if you had asked him if he was married or had a family, he would have told you. If nothing else, he's painfully honest. But when you have our Rory as a friend... you have a friend for life. Loyal to the absolute core, nay matter what..."
Rory didn't have a chance to actually respond to Xander before Buffy and Airlie appeared. The thing was, despite the whole Slayer shit and the risks involved, he figured Airlie might actually be what could help Xander loosen up a little. If only she didn't want him for breakfast... literally. "Tea. Gonna make tea, who wants some? Dinnae know aboot anyone else, but I dinnae fancy asphyxiating on my own snot," he offered with a shrug.
Xander couldn't stop the way his leg was suddenly bouncing at the appearance of Airlie, and he tried to sit up straight to make himself not seem so much like a slobby American. Scots liked guys that sat straight, right? His eye was trailing over her body and he cleared his throat as he quickly looked elsewhere. "Um, tea would be very... tea like. Thanks."
Buffy ruffled her best friend's hair affectionately. She knew when he liked someone. It was hard not to. Maybe Airlie did like to enjoy Rory's Log from time to time, but that didn't mean Xander shouldn't get some action, too. She came up beside Rory and looked at him knowingly. "Need a hand? All that tea making can be hard work. Especially what with the whole trying not to choke on your snot. Charming image, by the way. Very sexy."
Airlie wasn't exactly shy. It was hard to be shy when you were a performer. As soon as Rory vacated his seat at the table, she dropped down into it, resting an elbow on the surface and flashing Xander a bright smile. She reached out and trailed the tip of her finger up his forearm. "Aye, well I can tell you arenae a local. Nice tan, cupcake," she offered.
Rory glanced back at Airlie and her forwardness with a small snort that just made him sneeze forcefully. He nodded to Buffy. "Aye, aye... snot can be sexy, in a whole comfort lovin' sort of way. It's nice beeing looked after when you feel like a piece of pish," he told her and went into the kitchen. He loved his home, and he loved his kitchen, even if he wasn't much of a cook. Some days he came in here to paint or draw, spreading his equipment all over the place and blasting some good classic rock on the stereo.
Xander almost jumped out of his seat at the touch. He really wasn't used to women just touching him like Airlie was touching him. She really was not of the shy camp. He bit the inside of his cheek to try and remind himself to play it cool. Only it was nice getting some attention. Even if he was still getting a feeling like she sucked more than just fingers. Still, if it was good enough for Buffy... "Really? It's the tan that gave me away? Not the accent?"
Buffy followed Rory into the kitchen and leaned against the side of the counter as she glanced back through the doorway at their two friends. "She seems alright. She'll, um... she'll treat Xander okay, right? There's nothing I need to worry about?"
"Ach, I learned long ago, laddie, to nay purely trust what comes oot of a man's mouth," Airlie told him with a wink. She took a banana from the fruit bowl on Rory's table and starting to turn it over in her hand, though her green eyes were locked on his face. "You're awfully skittish. You think I'm going to bite? You could be right there, sweetheart."
Rory filled the kettle and then switched it on. He took some paper towel from the dispenser to wipe his nose that was dripping like a leaky tap. He felt like shit, and an early bed was sounding like heaven right about now. The only thing was, he needed to be in Edinburgh for some sort of stakeout thing his fellow Hunters wanted him in on. He also was wondering if he should drop by that hotel in the shadows of the Castle, just out of curiosity sake. He quirked an eyebrow at her over the wad of paper. "Want me to tell you how to suck eggs, lassie? Thought you could take care of yourself."
Xander was watching her hands and the banana, his body predictably reacting under the table. It had been a while for him, and he was sadly like a teenage boy all over again. Anything was getting him hard. It didn't help that this woman really was something else. "You bite? I'm not sure I was ever really turned on by that. It's more Buffy's thing."
In the kitchen Buffy was giving Rory a look before she shook her head. "I can look after myself. Xander on the other hand has a habit of literally becoming some demon woman's meal. I'm just checking, that's all." She reached out to feel Rory's forehead with the back of her hand. "How long have you been leaking snot? You should be in bed, Rory. Or at least sitting down. I'll finish the tea."
"Yet, he is apparently a Watcher? Ohhhh-kay then," Rory replied skeptically and didn't actually argue about the sitting down thing. He lifted his butt up onto one of the stools and made himself comfortable. "Just today. I'm fine. Nay anything to worry aboot. Serves me right for gallavanting aroond Scotland after having my blood sucked nearly dry. But a lad's gotta do what a lad's gotta do. And just for the record? A's gonna do whatever the hell she likes anyway. Do you really think she looks like a lassie who likes being told what to do? I seem to be surrounded by those lately. If you dinnae want Xander's delicate constitution tainted, I suggest you step in now."
Airlie started to peel the banana slowly at the table. "Nay to your taste. Shame. Looks like it's my loss then, aye?" she threw back and wrapped her mouth around the tip of the banana watching him over the top of it as she hummed in appreciation. It didn't actually matter whether she liked the fruit or not, or the fact she wouldn't stomach it for very long. It was well worth it to see the look on his face.
Xander spluttered as he just gaped at what the redhead was doing to the banana. Truth was he wanted to yell for help, but all he could do was just stare helplessly and lick at his lips. He thought about reaching under the table to try and stop his pants from castrating him but he figured it would just look far too suspicious. "Um, are you... Would you like to... Sorry I don't like biting. Maybe I just didn't get bitten the right way? Or something... I don't know. Words... um, wow."
Buffy smirked at Rory. "Don't get me wrong, Xander knows what he's doing. Until he starts thinking with his other head. I just think he needs this. He needs a girl he doesn't have history with. And if she's a friend of yours, she's okay by me." Buffy found the mugs, and the teapot to put the leaves into and tried to remember everything Giles had taught her about brewing tea. "Well, you will ignore doctor's orders, won't you? Is there anything I can do to help you out? Assuming you could let a girl like me onto your turf. I'll even let you tell me what to do."
Rory smirked. "Airlie's an expert in the other head, so he should be in good hands." He rested his head down on his hand tiredly and yawned, already starting to talk again before it eased off. "Gotta meet with some colleagues. Your finger isnae enough on the pulse, lassie. There has been five unexplained cases of massive blood loss show up at the hospital in Edinburgh in the last week. Gotta pal who is a nurse there, see. Some piano player in the Gardens, a young redhead university student, a taxi driver, a waitress and a receptionist from a hotel. Nay other symptoms. Wee bit of a pattern, so instead of making love to the inside of my sheets tonight, I'll be at a seedy pub in Edinburgh trying to work oot what the next move should be."
Airlie cocked her head slightly, her eyes shining in amusement. She took the fruit from her mouth. "Darling, are you gay?" she asked. "Do I need to flash you my tits to get you to make a move?"
Xander shook his head emphatically. "No! Not gay. I just can't really move right now. And also, making a move in Rory's home? Are you kidding?" His eye was wide as he looked at her before he reached out across the table to take her hand. "I realise that you're very much not the type to be modest, but maybe you could just join me for a drink somewhere that isn't your best friend's and sometimes stress relief's cottage?" After a beat he smirked, some of his confidence returning. "Although if you do want to flash me, I wouldn't argue."
Buffy laughed softly as she nodded. "So I gather. But hey, she's beautiful and she does seem taken with Xander and I can't fault that." Buffy rest back against the counter again as she just waited for the kettle to boil. "So show me the pulse. Teach me the way of the Scottish shadows. You can't completely blame me for losing the pulse when I have girls to give me headaches. I'm wondering if I should just defect from my own army. Maybe this is just my time to be more of a hunter than a Slayer. Leave it to the next generation." She shrugged as she looked away thoughtfully. "A piano player? Do you know if he was one that played in a bar?"
"Aye, she has interesting tastes. If he wasnae to her liking, she wouldnae have given him a second glance. She can be quite the snobby cow when she wants to be. It's the artist in her, see. Banging rock stars will do that to you. It's, uh, in her blood." Rory cleared his throat and then rubbed it with his fingers to try and stop it hurting. He really hated being sick. "Ach, aye I can blame you. You're supposed to be teaching them and you're losing the pulse? God help us. Pass them all off onto this murder-loving Faith chick and stick to your own path, lassie. Because I'm nay telling you anything if I think you're going to end up using it against me, let alone pass it on to a bunch of lassies more worried aboot their bra sizes than the supernatural life. Isnae like I dinnae keep telling you that if you leave the undead alone, they willnae bother you. You piss them off, that's when they start getting all predatory and fangy. Dinnae you think walking aroond with a dirty great stake might just piss them off a wee bitty, aye? They're watching you, just like you're trying to watch them. I'll give you the demon thing, but I dinnae know... dinnae seem to cross their paths so much these days. They dinnae favour Scotland much. Too many historical beasties here marking their territory already."
Airlie wasn't sure if he was trying to call her bluff or not, but without even a moment of hesitation, she put the banana down and flicked the buttons of her dress undone and pulled it open, flashing her breasts at Xander and really smug that she had gone braless that day. She let him gawp just long enough to give him an eyeful before she cut off the view and blew him a kiss. "I'm holding you to that arguing thing, chickie," she threw in.
Xander struggled to get up to his feet, his eye still on where Airlie's breasts were. He pointed vaguely over his shoulder before he turned to hopefully find the bathroom quickly but instead he went smack into the edge of the doorway and cursed colourfully as he reached up to cover his nose. Thankfully he couldn't feel any blood, but he did feel the colour rise in his cheeks and ears as he nearly died of embarrassment. "Um, I need... toilet."
Buffy hadn't missed the sound of Xander smacking into the wall, and poked her head back into the dining room just before the jug boiled. She saw a retreating Xander, and met gazes with an all too satisfied looking redhead. She arched her eyebrow, but Airlie just smiled back at her. Buffy looked confused for a moment before she came back into the kitchen to finish making the tea. "You know, I think Airlie might be just the right girl for Xan. And also, for the record - I wouldn't use the knowledge you gave me against you. I do actually like and respect you, Elmo. I just need to work a little harder on getting your trust."
Word Count | 6,587
He wasn't alone that evening, though, despite being wrapped up in his work. The sun just set, but Rory still remained out there, something feeling that the twilight gave you the best angles and special views of a place. He was reaching to change the colour on his brush, when he had sliced his finger up the side of the thick paper. He cursed, about to reach for a couple of tissues from the box sitting here him that he had no choice back to bring out with him earlier after waking up with the startings of a summer flu. He had been in a bit of a bad mood all day because of it, but Airlie paid no heed when he texted her and told her not to come. In fact, he was just about to wrap the tissues around the cut when his hand was suddenly seized in a loose grip of slender fingers, and before he could protest, soft lips were wrapped around his bleeding finger. "Ach, shit! Dinnae you be biting me, lassie, or I'll boot you up the arse, aye!" She didn't really pay heed, though, and a moment later, Rory felt that small puncture at the base of his finger rapidly followed by the rush that was not disimilar to that one felt right before an explosive orgasm.
It was only a pointed clear of his throat a few moments later that had Rory blink and try to force away the pleasured rush, opening his eyes that had squeezed shut reflexively to find Buffy and Xander standing there, both sporting the same curious, eyebrows raised, questioning look at the odd scene of a redhead sucking on Rory's finger. Bugger it. He hadn't been expecting them. "Oh, aye... erm... papercut," he offered and felt Airlie's tongue lap over the wound to heal it before she let his finger slide not-so-innocently from her full lips, her piercing green eyes locked on the two intruders.
Buffy held her hands up with her palms facing the two Scots - at least she assumed the redhead was a Scot - and just gave a small shake of her head. "Really not my business who sucks your papercuts. It's not like we're exclusive finger suckers or anything. Very much in the realm of just casual finger suckers." Her green eyes landed on the redhead again though, and she quietly analysed her. There was just something that was tugging at her. Like the fact the woman had looked more like she was about to devour Rory's finger rather than just give it a 'friendly' lick.
Xander just turned his head to try and look elsewhere the whole finger sucking sight making him a little uncomfortable now the shock had worn off. He glanced at Buffy and they shared a look. "Can you even have casual finger sucking? I mean, just between you and me, I think there's something very intimate about sucking fingers. Especially when there's paper cuts involved. That usually implies a sucking of blood, and swapping of fluids. Very personal. It's not like many besides vamp--umpires like blood. You know, because umpires of football seem to enjoy watching players get hurt..." He shoved his hands in his pockets to stop himself from reaching up to rub the back of his neck at his poorly worded cover up. Sometimes neither he or Buffy were the smoothest of liars.
If Rory had a free hand, he would have smacked himself in the head in lieu of being able to smack Xander. Seriously, the bloke was as unsmooth as one could get, and Rory really had no clue how one bloke could be so clumsy, and not just physically either. It had to take a lot of energy to be that thick sometimes, and for a moment, Rory just rolled his eyes and tugged his hand away from Airlie's grip that had tightened the minute Buffy and Xander appeared. "It's okay, love. They arenae here to kidnap me or anything. This is Buffy and Xander. I told you aboot them, mind," he added, glancing up at her pointedly. Of course he had fucking told her about them. Buffy was a vampire slayer, and there was no way in fucking hell Rory was going to let her anywhere near his best friend, no matter how awesome and kick-arse the blonde thought she was. "Buffy, Xander, this is Airlie, my best pal. Dinnae mind her. It isnae as kinky as it looks. I was eating a Caramel Log and she's a chocoholic," he explained, even if it was mostly a lie. Yet, he still tilted his head in the direction of the chocolate bar wrapper.
Airlie faintly smirked at the lie. You had one lad... the brunette... who clear failed in it, and you had Rory who could lie his way out of a modern day Battle of Culloden and still walk away without a scratch. It amused her extensively. She ran her tongue along the inside of her cheek, still tasty the coppery tang of Rory's blood there and more than needing more than a slight sip. But she sauntered over to him, still managing to look graceful in her floral summer dress and emerald green Doc Martin boots. She held her hand out right in the middle of both of them to test who would take it first. "Airlie MacKenzie, sweeties. Pleasure, aye," she introduced herself, her Scottish accent just as broad as Rory's, yet softer around the edges.
Buffy looked between Airlie, and Rory with an amused look. "Oh yeah, I bet she just loves sucking on your Caramel Log." She just tried to ignore Xander's less than perfect lie, and took Airlie's hand. She really was beautiful, and she couldn't blame Rory for letting his best friend suck on his finger, or his Caramel Log. It was any wonder he'd wanted a tumble with Buffy when he'd had Airlie apparently at his beck and call. "Buffy Summers, nice to meet you. Or at least pretty memorable." She also would have assumed Rory would have mentioned a best friend, but apparently not.
Xander just clenched his hands into fists in his pocket, not trusting himself to take Airlie's hand without his palms becoming sweaty or his mouth losing ability to speak. She was Rory's best friend, but Xander got the feeling they were a little less than purely platonic. No wonder the Scotsman was so on board with friends with benefits. Xander would be too with a friend like Airlie. Not that Willow, or Buffy weren't amazing. Willow was just gay now, and Buffy was into Frenchmen. "Xander Harris, nice to meet you, too. Just, ah, ignore my stupidity. It's a lifetime problem I've had. Tried everything..."
"Shame," Airlie returned with an amused smile, her green eyes shining as she swallowed down the hunger inside her. Shame he was BBF locked to a Slayer. He could be fun to play with... and taste. She gave Buffy's hand a firm shake and then took her hand back, not really wanting to linger in touch with someone who would want to shove something pointy into her heart and fry her in the sunlight. She was allowed to be a little bitter. 'Bitter' hadn't exactly cut it, though, the day Rory had revealed his new friends to her. In fact, she was furious and for the first time since her Embrace, Rory witnessed the rage she could get into with the right trigger. But she got over it when he resolved to protect her, and she did trust him with her life. He had been who had helped her through her change, even if it went against all his Hunter grain. She was the one exception to his rule. "Cannae say I know any umpires to tempt you with either, like. My loss," she murmured with a shrug, looking the man over with interest. He had a cuteness about him. A lot less rough around the edges than Rory was, but Rory wasn't always like this, either.
Rory blew his nose on some tissues now he had his hand back and shrugged. "Isnae like we have anyone to account for. If someone wants to suck your log, why nay?" he said and shot Xander an extremely pointed look. The dude really needed a good hard and heavy lay to shake some of that stupidity out of him.
Xander just swallowed down as he met Rory's gaze with a shrug. What was he actually supposed to do about it? Slayerettes were out of bounds, Buffy only seemed to want to help him out with a handjob and now there was a sexy redhead right in front of him that was probably out of bounds thanks to the Bro Code. Sometimes he really hated being a guy. "It's the wanting to suck the log that's mostly the hurdle. It's not exactly nice to just go shoving your log in someone's mouth. And it's okay, I'm not really into umpires anyway. It's the knee socks. Total buzz kill, you know?"
Buffy rolled her eyes slightly and moved away from her best friend to take a closer look at what Rory was actually doing besides having his log sucked. "Hey, wow... that's amazing. Like, seriously amazing. You got some kinda talent there, kid." She shot him an amused look before going back to looking at his painting in awe.
Rory snorted and shot her a look. "What, like it's such a dramatic surprise, aye? I dinnae need to look like an arty tosser to actually be one," he returned with a smirk and then pointed his thumb over his shoulder to Airlie. "She has a voice like an angel and used to back rocker, Alistair Lamont. Looks can be deceiving, like. Something's gotta pay my bills." He put the painting aside and rested his weight back onto his hands. He was sore all over, and now had a numb arse to top it off. Airlie had come over after admittedly struggling again with her hunger. Some days, it got too much and she needed the distraction, usually by way of a romp in the sack with Rory or some other random bloke she ended up feeding on anyway. It was safer for her to be with him, only by the way she was looking at Xander, he couldn't help but wonder if he had his work cut out for him. "Like redheads, Xan laddie? I promise, the curtains match the carpets, aye," he added with a devious wink.
Airlie tilted her head, still amused. That wasn't something she could deny. She was all natural, luckily. It meant she got to keep her looks forever now. The only thing was, that didn't always feel like all it cracked up to be. "Dinnae mind him. He never talks himself up. He isnae as second-rate a citizen as he believes. Our Rors here is actually a wee bit of a celeb himself," she said, ruffling his blond hair affectionately.
Xander's one good eye had drifted downwards at the mention of the carpet and he had to blink himself forcibly out of the stare so that he didn't look like a total pervery. He was sorely sex starved. For a while he hadn't felt like he'd been ready to move on from Anya, but more and more Xander was realising he really did want to pursue something new. Or at least get laid. God, how he wanted to get laid. He cleared his throat as he tried not to blush and kicked his toe at the sidewalk. "Sure, who doesn't like a redhead? Just, ah, you know... Not this redhead. No offence! But you're all with Rory and stuff, and I wouldn't want to get in the middle of that. It's different with him getting into the middle of Buffy, you know? She and I aren't exactly--Ow!" He rubbed at his chest in the wake of the whack from the Slayer and clenched his jaw to try and ignore the pain.
Buffy folded her arms under her chest as she shook her head at Xander. "The middle of me? Really? Also, I'm not sure Airlie needs to hear the not-so-intimates of our friendship right now. We've only just met her. Maybe save it until we at least get past a first name basis, huh? Please, Xan?"
Airlie started to laugh. In fact, she was soon laughing so hard, she had to tip her head back and lean against the door so she didn't trip down the stairs. "Ach, I couldnae be with a married man, laddie. I might bollock him, but his heart is elsewhere," she finally replied. "He's my stress relief and my shoulder to cry on, nothing more. Besides the best friend a lassie could ever ask for, but that goes withoot saying. Awesome in the sack, why wouldnae I want a piece of it if it's on offer? Sometimes you just have to go for it. Life's short..."
Rory visibly winced at the M word. It had been a fact he had so far managed to keep to himself with just about everyone he met recently. Only thing was, he didn't make a big deal out of keeping it a secret, either. He just simply didn't talk about it. "At least you arenae oot on the crack or the game for stress relief, lassie. Cannae believe how big a deal people make oot of sex. Sex is sex. You know when it's more than that."
Xander still started to look a little doubtful as he watched Airlie laugh, but it was hard to ignore how beautiful she was, and how melodic her laughter. He was even anywhere near being a poet, he was sure he could have written songs about her. But he was no poet, and instead he just bit on lip to stop his mind from going naughty places. "Well, sure. I think everyone knows life's short but there's still messing with someone else's stress relief, and that's never been me. I did it once when I was younger, not that there was sex, and Will was more kinda dating Oz than just best friends with considerable benefits. I just tend to feel guilty at the idea of anything like that now." He glanced at Rory though, a frown crossing his features. "Married?"
Buffy blinked. "Married? There's... marriage and stuff?" She looked down at Rory, confusion crossing her features. Surely something like being married was supposed to get mentioned before hot hospital sex, or lusty kilt feelings. She studied him for a quiet moment, trying to work out if he was the type of guy who would openly mess around on his wife, or not. "But you're not married anymore?"
"My wife's dead," Rory said blankly and stood up, brushing his well-worned jeans off and starting to collect his art things up into the box he kept them in. He was careful with the painting, placing it on top so his work didn't get messed up, and then went inside his cottage. He put it all on his dining table and then braced his hands on the back of one of the chairs, his head drooping forward a little for a few moments when that pain in his heart flickered a little. He glanced up at the photos on the mantel. He still missed his girls every day, but it had been so long now. So long, in fact, his wee girl would be five now, and he would never hear her talk, see her take her first steps. He couldn't be mad at Airlie. He wasn't ashamed to admit he was married, but it just hurt still. He wasn't naive enough to wait for her anymore, though. He could still grieve but want to move on... find a fresh start. He just hadn't succeeded on that front yet.
Airlie closed her eyes and rested her hand on her hip regretfully. She had made the error of assuming this Buffy and Xander knew. She glanced up at them apologetically. "I'm sorry. I thought you knew. Dinnae be all worried, mind. It's nay a recent thing. Just still hurts deep doon. That's all I meant... his heart is elsewhere. Hasnae ever been anyone enough to have him give it over again, like. Nay me. We're too close friends. My own love was the whole love and lost thing, too. We're just both... well, we understand the broken heart."
Xander scratched the side of his face as he looked past Airlie to where Rory had disappeared to, and after a glance back at Buffy, he went into the cottage as well. She wasn't going to be able to understand, and he really hoped that she got that this is the one time where Xander was definitely a sympathetic party and one better for the job. Buffy had loved and lost, but not like Xander. No matter how much she wanted to argue otherwise. He'd been ready to marry Anya. Again. He came up beside Rory and rest his hand on the other man's shoulder. "My fiancée's dead."
Outside Buffy stood with Airlie and offered the other woman a small smile. "I'd say a broken heart sucks, but it's pretty much an understatement. I'm just sorry he had to experience such a loss. I didn't even realise. Kinda makes me feel even more insensitive now. It's good he has you, though. Everyone needs a close friend that just gets it." She glanced to the door where the two men had gone, and wondered if maybe she and Xander should make themselves scarce. But it seemed weird going in to get her friend.
Airlie shook her head. "Nay, lassie. I dinnae really get it. I only get a wee bit of it. Isnae just a broken heart there... he lost part of him. Someone he created oot of that love. His wee girl is gone too. She was only a few months. So, our Rory in there is a daddy, too. Only nay anymore, and it's a lot of why he's so..." She waved her hand with a fond smirk, searching for the right word, "rough. He wasnae always like this. The sweetheart marshmallow is still there, but he's hardened. You couldnae nay after an ordeal like that."
Rory had no idea as to the conversation going on outside. He felt the hand on his shoulder and glanced at Xander with a small nod. "I'm sorry, laddie," he replied quietly, soberly. "I wouldnae be wishing an experience like that on anyone. Gotta get back into the saddle at some point, though. If you feel ready. If you dinnae, you just arenae ready to say goodbye yet. Takes a really long time that. Sometimes forever for some people."
Xander shrugged lightly and dropped his hand away. "She died saving someone. We were only just getting things worked out. We'd broken up. I'd stupidly left her at the alter when I got cold feet, but I still loved her. I still wanted to marry her. Just Anya was an ex-vengeance demon, so she didn't exactly react well to getting abandoned like that, you know? She specialised in women scorned..." Xander wet his lips as he thought about her, his eye looking over the photos on the mantle. "I'm ready. It's just I've never been good in picking up a saddle. Probably because I wind up using metaphors like that to refer to a woman."
"It's not stupid, dude. It's life. Marriage isnae something to just waltz into. Hell, people get nervous aboot whether to buy the expensive biscuits or stick to the two for one deal to save a wee bit of cash. And dude, seriously, if she was that much with the demon PMS, maybe you just had an inkling deep down that you needed more time to get used to the marriage thing. Dinnae beat yourself up, because how you deal with someone and get closure on it dictates how you view the rest of your life. Sure you arenae just trying to look for someone to fill her gap? Difference, you know. Being ready, or hoping to fill that empty space." Rory glanced at the photos again. "I wasnae ever sure I wanted the space filled, like. Didnae think anyone could ever match her. It wasnae fair to be comparing other lassies to her, but this was when I wasnae ready. I realised that, though."
"Are you so sure you're even ready now?" Xander gave a shake of his head. "No, it's not about replacing her. No one in a million years could replace Anya. I figure it's about living with the hole in your heart, but the hole just gets a little smaller. She's still there, she's still a part of me. She's still a part of my history. I'll always love her. I think I'm just ready for another person to be special to me. For something present... and future."
Rory nodded as he listened and then had to sit down when that heavy weight felt like it was back again. "The thing is... I dinnae know for sure if she has died. I wish I did, I would have the closure. I would know she wasnae coming back. There is always a tiny piece of me wondering if she might just come back through the door again. Only, I'm nay so naive. It's been years now. My head knows she isnae coming back, but my heart is more optimistic. I guess I'm ready, I just nay really going to know one hundred percent until I find someone who matches me. That's the downfall right there. I'm nay an easy person to be with anymore."
Xander sat across from Rory and tilted his head. "You don't want someone that compliments you? They have to be able to match? Isn't that a little... weird. Like dating yourself? I get that there are some things you gotta be on the same level for, but isn't it also about having those bits that click together because they're complimentary. Like two halves?"
Rory shot Xander a look but fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Stop taking things so literal. Nay wonder you cannae get a lay. You're coming across as hard work. You might want someone to compliment you, I want someone to match me. That doesnae mean I want them to be like a fecking fashionable set of pants to my jeans. Bloody hell, laddie. You are romantisicing it all. Life isnae like that, and life certainly isnae like that when you have lost someone you loved with your whole heart and soul. Once you have been through that, you need the next person to be a whole lot more than just complimentary."
Xander fell quiet as he looked down at the table and shrugged a shoulder. "Never realised I was hard work... Hope you find your match, man. You deserve it. Just sorry you had to lose your wife and kid. No one deserves that."
In front of the house Buffy was only just realising she'd gone completely quiet on Airlie. She hadn't been able to help it. There wasn't much she could say to finding out Rory was not only a widow, but a man who'd lost his little girl. It really did explain a lot about why Rory was a hunter. Buffy understood now why he had become a part of her world. Well, the supernatural world. It wasn't just hers anymore. Big picture thinking was something Buffy still needed training on. She blinked as she met Airlie's gaze and shook her head a little. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... Just a lot to take in. He hadn't said anything, but then why should he? Really not like I should have known. It's part of his personal life. Not my business." Buffy pointed her thumb over her shoulder at the door. "Think we should check the guys aren't getting themselves into any trouble?"
Airlie nodded quietly and then cleared her throat. "Dinnae take it personally, like. He doesnae talk about it much anymore. It's been five... six years, give or take. The wee bairn was only nine months when it happened, and... they were young. Rory married his sweetheart when he was only nineteen years old, bairn was born when he was twenty. Less than a year later, they were both gone. Just... vanished, nay trace. He looked for them. He didnae stop, and I dinnae think he ever really will. He just looks for other things now, tries to stop the same thing happening to someone else because he knows how much it hurts. I guess if you had asked him if he was married or had a family, he would have told you. If nothing else, he's painfully honest. But when you have our Rory as a friend... you have a friend for life. Loyal to the absolute core, nay matter what..."
Rory didn't have a chance to actually respond to Xander before Buffy and Airlie appeared. The thing was, despite the whole Slayer shit and the risks involved, he figured Airlie might actually be what could help Xander loosen up a little. If only she didn't want him for breakfast... literally. "Tea. Gonna make tea, who wants some? Dinnae know aboot anyone else, but I dinnae fancy asphyxiating on my own snot," he offered with a shrug.
Xander couldn't stop the way his leg was suddenly bouncing at the appearance of Airlie, and he tried to sit up straight to make himself not seem so much like a slobby American. Scots liked guys that sat straight, right? His eye was trailing over her body and he cleared his throat as he quickly looked elsewhere. "Um, tea would be very... tea like. Thanks."
Buffy ruffled her best friend's hair affectionately. She knew when he liked someone. It was hard not to. Maybe Airlie did like to enjoy Rory's Log from time to time, but that didn't mean Xander shouldn't get some action, too. She came up beside Rory and looked at him knowingly. "Need a hand? All that tea making can be hard work. Especially what with the whole trying not to choke on your snot. Charming image, by the way. Very sexy."
Airlie wasn't exactly shy. It was hard to be shy when you were a performer. As soon as Rory vacated his seat at the table, she dropped down into it, resting an elbow on the surface and flashing Xander a bright smile. She reached out and trailed the tip of her finger up his forearm. "Aye, well I can tell you arenae a local. Nice tan, cupcake," she offered.
Rory glanced back at Airlie and her forwardness with a small snort that just made him sneeze forcefully. He nodded to Buffy. "Aye, aye... snot can be sexy, in a whole comfort lovin' sort of way. It's nice beeing looked after when you feel like a piece of pish," he told her and went into the kitchen. He loved his home, and he loved his kitchen, even if he wasn't much of a cook. Some days he came in here to paint or draw, spreading his equipment all over the place and blasting some good classic rock on the stereo.
Xander almost jumped out of his seat at the touch. He really wasn't used to women just touching him like Airlie was touching him. She really was not of the shy camp. He bit the inside of his cheek to try and remind himself to play it cool. Only it was nice getting some attention. Even if he was still getting a feeling like she sucked more than just fingers. Still, if it was good enough for Buffy... "Really? It's the tan that gave me away? Not the accent?"
Buffy followed Rory into the kitchen and leaned against the side of the counter as she glanced back through the doorway at their two friends. "She seems alright. She'll, um... she'll treat Xander okay, right? There's nothing I need to worry about?"
"Ach, I learned long ago, laddie, to nay purely trust what comes oot of a man's mouth," Airlie told him with a wink. She took a banana from the fruit bowl on Rory's table and starting to turn it over in her hand, though her green eyes were locked on his face. "You're awfully skittish. You think I'm going to bite? You could be right there, sweetheart."
Rory filled the kettle and then switched it on. He took some paper towel from the dispenser to wipe his nose that was dripping like a leaky tap. He felt like shit, and an early bed was sounding like heaven right about now. The only thing was, he needed to be in Edinburgh for some sort of stakeout thing his fellow Hunters wanted him in on. He also was wondering if he should drop by that hotel in the shadows of the Castle, just out of curiosity sake. He quirked an eyebrow at her over the wad of paper. "Want me to tell you how to suck eggs, lassie? Thought you could take care of yourself."
Xander was watching her hands and the banana, his body predictably reacting under the table. It had been a while for him, and he was sadly like a teenage boy all over again. Anything was getting him hard. It didn't help that this woman really was something else. "You bite? I'm not sure I was ever really turned on by that. It's more Buffy's thing."
In the kitchen Buffy was giving Rory a look before she shook her head. "I can look after myself. Xander on the other hand has a habit of literally becoming some demon woman's meal. I'm just checking, that's all." She reached out to feel Rory's forehead with the back of her hand. "How long have you been leaking snot? You should be in bed, Rory. Or at least sitting down. I'll finish the tea."
"Yet, he is apparently a Watcher? Ohhhh-kay then," Rory replied skeptically and didn't actually argue about the sitting down thing. He lifted his butt up onto one of the stools and made himself comfortable. "Just today. I'm fine. Nay anything to worry aboot. Serves me right for gallavanting aroond Scotland after having my blood sucked nearly dry. But a lad's gotta do what a lad's gotta do. And just for the record? A's gonna do whatever the hell she likes anyway. Do you really think she looks like a lassie who likes being told what to do? I seem to be surrounded by those lately. If you dinnae want Xander's delicate constitution tainted, I suggest you step in now."
Airlie started to peel the banana slowly at the table. "Nay to your taste. Shame. Looks like it's my loss then, aye?" she threw back and wrapped her mouth around the tip of the banana watching him over the top of it as she hummed in appreciation. It didn't actually matter whether she liked the fruit or not, or the fact she wouldn't stomach it for very long. It was well worth it to see the look on his face.
Xander spluttered as he just gaped at what the redhead was doing to the banana. Truth was he wanted to yell for help, but all he could do was just stare helplessly and lick at his lips. He thought about reaching under the table to try and stop his pants from castrating him but he figured it would just look far too suspicious. "Um, are you... Would you like to... Sorry I don't like biting. Maybe I just didn't get bitten the right way? Or something... I don't know. Words... um, wow."
Buffy smirked at Rory. "Don't get me wrong, Xander knows what he's doing. Until he starts thinking with his other head. I just think he needs this. He needs a girl he doesn't have history with. And if she's a friend of yours, she's okay by me." Buffy found the mugs, and the teapot to put the leaves into and tried to remember everything Giles had taught her about brewing tea. "Well, you will ignore doctor's orders, won't you? Is there anything I can do to help you out? Assuming you could let a girl like me onto your turf. I'll even let you tell me what to do."
Rory smirked. "Airlie's an expert in the other head, so he should be in good hands." He rested his head down on his hand tiredly and yawned, already starting to talk again before it eased off. "Gotta meet with some colleagues. Your finger isnae enough on the pulse, lassie. There has been five unexplained cases of massive blood loss show up at the hospital in Edinburgh in the last week. Gotta pal who is a nurse there, see. Some piano player in the Gardens, a young redhead university student, a taxi driver, a waitress and a receptionist from a hotel. Nay other symptoms. Wee bit of a pattern, so instead of making love to the inside of my sheets tonight, I'll be at a seedy pub in Edinburgh trying to work oot what the next move should be."
Airlie cocked her head slightly, her eyes shining in amusement. She took the fruit from her mouth. "Darling, are you gay?" she asked. "Do I need to flash you my tits to get you to make a move?"
Xander shook his head emphatically. "No! Not gay. I just can't really move right now. And also, making a move in Rory's home? Are you kidding?" His eye was wide as he looked at her before he reached out across the table to take her hand. "I realise that you're very much not the type to be modest, but maybe you could just join me for a drink somewhere that isn't your best friend's and sometimes stress relief's cottage?" After a beat he smirked, some of his confidence returning. "Although if you do want to flash me, I wouldn't argue."
Buffy laughed softly as she nodded. "So I gather. But hey, she's beautiful and she does seem taken with Xander and I can't fault that." Buffy rest back against the counter again as she just waited for the kettle to boil. "So show me the pulse. Teach me the way of the Scottish shadows. You can't completely blame me for losing the pulse when I have girls to give me headaches. I'm wondering if I should just defect from my own army. Maybe this is just my time to be more of a hunter than a Slayer. Leave it to the next generation." She shrugged as she looked away thoughtfully. "A piano player? Do you know if he was one that played in a bar?"
"Aye, she has interesting tastes. If he wasnae to her liking, she wouldnae have given him a second glance. She can be quite the snobby cow when she wants to be. It's the artist in her, see. Banging rock stars will do that to you. It's, uh, in her blood." Rory cleared his throat and then rubbed it with his fingers to try and stop it hurting. He really hated being sick. "Ach, aye I can blame you. You're supposed to be teaching them and you're losing the pulse? God help us. Pass them all off onto this murder-loving Faith chick and stick to your own path, lassie. Because I'm nay telling you anything if I think you're going to end up using it against me, let alone pass it on to a bunch of lassies more worried aboot their bra sizes than the supernatural life. Isnae like I dinnae keep telling you that if you leave the undead alone, they willnae bother you. You piss them off, that's when they start getting all predatory and fangy. Dinnae you think walking aroond with a dirty great stake might just piss them off a wee bitty, aye? They're watching you, just like you're trying to watch them. I'll give you the demon thing, but I dinnae know... dinnae seem to cross their paths so much these days. They dinnae favour Scotland much. Too many historical beasties here marking their territory already."
Airlie wasn't sure if he was trying to call her bluff or not, but without even a moment of hesitation, she put the banana down and flicked the buttons of her dress undone and pulled it open, flashing her breasts at Xander and really smug that she had gone braless that day. She let him gawp just long enough to give him an eyeful before she cut off the view and blew him a kiss. "I'm holding you to that arguing thing, chickie," she threw in.
Xander struggled to get up to his feet, his eye still on where Airlie's breasts were. He pointed vaguely over his shoulder before he turned to hopefully find the bathroom quickly but instead he went smack into the edge of the doorway and cursed colourfully as he reached up to cover his nose. Thankfully he couldn't feel any blood, but he did feel the colour rise in his cheeks and ears as he nearly died of embarrassment. "Um, I need... toilet."
Buffy hadn't missed the sound of Xander smacking into the wall, and poked her head back into the dining room just before the jug boiled. She saw a retreating Xander, and met gazes with an all too satisfied looking redhead. She arched her eyebrow, but Airlie just smiled back at her. Buffy looked confused for a moment before she came back into the kitchen to finish making the tea. "You know, I think Airlie might be just the right girl for Xan. And also, for the record - I wouldn't use the knowledge you gave me against you. I do actually like and respect you, Elmo. I just need to work a little harder on getting your trust."
Word Count | 6,587