Title: United, Bound, Pack [Buffy The Vampire Slayer]
Title: United, Bound, Pack
Word Count: 13,086
Challenge: polybigbang
Rating: R
Characters/Pairings: The Pack: Xander/Kyle/Rhonda/Tor/Heidi, Kyle/Rhonda and one sided? Xander/Tor
Summary: They were called the mean kids. And they were, but they were also friends, good friends but just friends, then the field trip to the Zoo happened and now they’re different; linked, closer, maybe more than just friends, a Pack. But then there’s Xander, an outsider who’s as much part of the Pack as any of them. A Pack none of them understand, a Pack he doesn’t know his place in anymore.
Author's Notes: So I love the Episode The Pack and I’ve always wanted to see the effects of it explored more so this was my chance to do so.
I'd also love to thank mary_greenman for her wonderful art work, it's perfect for the story.
Link to fic master post: LJ | AO3
Link to art master post:Pinding
***Alpha***
It was getting dark. He could see the last crescent of the sun just above the ocean and he could see the shadows of the trees on the ridge growing longer and becoming more complete but Xander just didn’t care.
The last three days had been, well not a nightmare but close, very close. First the possession on Wednesday and basically all of Thursday and then all of today trying to clean up the mess he’d made without letting on he knew what mess he’d made. And thank God Giles was going to let that one go.
But the worst, hardest part of it all was the feelings. Feeling cut off and incomplete, like something was missing. A feeling that lessened when he saw the others and just got so damn worst each time he turned the other way.
Walking out of math class and seeing Tor and Heidi, walking with both of them to gym felt so right and it was so hard to see them all at lunch and walk toward Buffy and Willow. Each step was so hard.
What the hell was wrong with him?
He, they, weren’t possessed anymore and they weren’t friends before it happened so why did he miss them so much. Xander let out a growl as he punched the ground with his fist pushing down the desire, the want, for them to show up as he just watched the sun dip out of sight.
That’s when he heard the sound behind him, rustling in the bushes and trees. He clamping down the fear that shot through him as he turned toward the sound and slipped his hand into his jacket feeling the wood inside as he slowly begin slipping it out, “Who’s there, why don’t you join me for the sunset,” he called out as he saw two figures moving close through the woods.
“What are you doing here Harris?”
One of them called as he stepped out from behind a tree and looked right at Xander. Xander felt the fear vanish, replaced by annoyance and aggravation at the challenge from Kyle because of course it was one of the gang. He just glared at the other teen as he sniffed at the air, knowing that the soft scent mixed with Kyle’s was Rhonda crouching behind the tree and bushes next to Kyle her tan jacket just visible in the corner of his eye.
“What, you think this is your place? You’re the one that’s late to the party Kyle. Why are you here?” Xander answered back with a growl low in his throat as he rose never taking his eyes off Kyle as he felt his aggravation grow the longer Kyle returned his stare, “Stop trying to hide Rhonda and get out here!” he ordered as he took a step forward squaring his shoulders as his vision started turning red, Kyle was starting to piss him off.
Xander took two more steps and was within arms reach of Kyle the moment he saw Kyle ball his fist. He didn’t even recognize the snarl that comes from deep in his chest but he knew the feeling that came with it and it was all he could do to keep himself from shoving the stake in his hand through Kyle.
And that was when he saw the change. Kyle’s eyes widen while his skin turning red as him looked down making a low placating sounds and his hands open, shaking a little. And that’s when Xander smelled the fear. At the taste of it Xander let out a puff of air and could feel his body relax, his hands unclenched as he became aware of the woods again. But it was not enough.
Xander can’t stop himself, doesn’t really want to, from grabbing Kyle by the shoulder and pulling the dark haired teen forward, bringing Kyle’s ear to his mouth, “Don’t challenge me again,” he whispered making sure his teeth brush over the skin of Kyle’s neck, not pressing but making the threat known.
Kyle’s quiet response was lost to Xander as he took a half step back and forced Kyle to his knees as Xander locked eyes with Rhonda, still trying to hide. “I told you to get out here! I won’t ask again,” Xander could feel the annoyance and aggravation that had just begin to subside rising up again as he watched her. He could hear the small cry from under him as he tightened his fist at her refusal to come out.
And it was at that sound that she moved, coming out from the bush, head down, kneeling next to Kyle before freezing, one hand on Kyle’s knee as she glanced at her friend. And that’s when Xander let his own eyes travel from her to Kyle. The teen face, what Xander could see of it, was pale, pained and coated with sweat, his left shoulder, the one Xander grabbed and still gripped, had sunk lower. Unconsciously Kyle was trying to pull away from Xander, without pulling away.
The annoyance, the aggravation, was gone in the blink. Xander let go of Kyle and was back at the edge of the ridge in half the steps it had taken going the other way as he watched the two, suppressing the feeling of pride and…rightness, of seeing them down and deferring to him. He watched Kyle rub his shoulder with his hand and felt his whole face heat up at how wrong this was as shame replaced the pride. He’d hurt Kyle, he’d wanted to do more then just hurt his shoulder even, if Kyle hadn’t dropped his head, if he hadn’t given in…
It was just like at The Bronze and then later at school…okay Giles said he wasn’t possessed anymore and he didn’t feel like he did when he was possessed. He just…didn’t like the way Kyle was challenging him…he needed to talk with Giles but first he had to deal with these two. “Why are you here Kyle?”
He watched as Kyle looked up for a moment before shooting his eyes right back down before answering, “I don’t know,” Xander didn’t even try and stop the growl at the answer but held himself back from doing anything more as Kyle continued, the pitch of his voice going higher a notch or two. “I really don’t Xander. I just felt like I needed to and so did Rhonda. It felt right to just go with it. And since nothing has felt right since the zoo…we just went with it. I didn’t know it was you when we saw someone.”
The teen just watched them for a moment before turning and watched the last few rays of the sun fight there away over the horizon. He could feel them watching him now. Looking up at him like he had the answers, he didn’t. He didn’t know what was going on, but it had to do with the possession but Giles had cleared him…had he- what was that smell?
Xander turned to look back at the trees spotting another form coming their way. Only this time Xander knew enough to place the scent so he called out “Over here.” He called out, startling both Kyle and Rhonda who both changed from looking toward him to turning to look in the same direction he was. When he glanced down he saw they were close together, Rhonda even seemed to be rubbing Kyle’s shoulder, had he hurt it that much?
This time when he saw Heidi approaching Xander readied himself, he focused on the feeling that had swelled when Kyle and Rhonda had shown up, this time Xander would be ready for them. He wouldn’t hurt anyone else tonight; he just wouldn’t let it happen. But the feelings never came as Heidi walked right to them and sat down next to the others and said hello, never even trying to meet Xander’s eyes.
He just let out a breath, studying them. They weren’t talking, they weren’t doing anything but just relaxing next to each other…and they were relaxed. Thinking back to earlier that day at school he realized how tense they’d been whenever they weren’t next to one of the others. When he’d seen Rhonda at her locker or Tor waiting to talk with the coach or in the halls when they weren’t together, they all looked the way he’d felt. Alone and cut off without the others.
Something was definitely going on, but Xander’s thoughts were derailed as he saw Kyle wince and pull his shoulder away from Rhonda. He needed to find out how bad he’d hurt Kyle.
“Take off the shirt.”
He didn’t even think about it, he just ordered it as he moved closer to the three and dropped to one knee. And the surprise that ran though him wasn’t because Kyle obeyed him, or at how fast he did, but at how much he wasn’t surprise that Kyle obeyed him. He’d expected it and that shocked him, almost as much as how dark the palm print on Kyle’s shoulder was.
Again without thinking Xander just reached forward and grabbed Kyle and pulled him closer so he could reach his shoulder and started massaging it the way Giles had shown him and Willow after their third run in with a vamp had left them both with bruises. Xander felt Kyle relax into his leg and that’s when it hit him. He hadn’t asked, hadn’t even explained himself, he’s just grabbed one of the school bullies and started manipulating him, and the bully hadn’t resisted and the others were just watching, Rhonda looked a little curious but didn’t do much beyond watch, seeming to be studying his hands.
After a few minutes Xander stopped and looked at the bruise, it was lighter than when he’s started and Kyle was moving it, testing it. “Feel better?” Xander asked as he picked up Kyle’s shirt.
“Yeah, thanks.”
Xander heard Kyle’s answer and smiled at it, and Kyle, as the other teen looked up and matched eyes with him for a moment before looking down, this time Xander didn’t feel any annoyance but pride and satisfaction that Kyle had learned his place and he wasn’t even sure what that feeling meant but he just let it pass as he just flipped himself onto his back and looked up at the sky that that was almost all dark blue as he shoved Kyle’s shirt under his head.
He wasn’t sure why he’d left his arms up at first but then he felt movement next to him and saw Kyle rest his head on Xander’s stomach while Heidi slide over around him and place herself alone Xander’s other side. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Rhonda snuggle up against Kyle as the other man start to wrap his arm around her before he stopped and looked at Xander. Xander didn’t understand now but he knew the question and he nodded then watched as Kyle finished wrapping himself around the dark haired girl.
Xander just lowered his arms, one around Heidi as the other found Rhonda’s hair and started flicking it as he looked up, spotting the first star of the night. “So tell me about your day,” he ordered, realizing that no matter how right it felt, how right it was, to be laying here with them he didn’t really know anything about them beyond their names, and he didn’t even know their last names. What classes they took if it wasn’t the same as his. He just didn’t know them and that needed to change.
And he knew that if it had been other people, any other time, listening to the others go on and on about their classes, parents, lunch would have been annoying and boring but in that moment, with them, it wasn’t. It was just fine and he was content to just listen to them as he held them and watch as the stars came out.
He hadn’t planned on stopping it any time soon but in the middle of Rhonda explaining why she lived with her brother and not parents he felt Kyle tense and heard Rhonda go silent. He half rose looking around as he sniffed the wind as he put a hand to Kyle when the teen tried to rise. Xander knew the scent at once, and that was something he was going to have to think about later, so he let himself drop back down as he waited for Tor to reach the group.
But even after he relaxed himself the others were still tense, Heidi pressed herself even closer to him but she did slid lower freeing the arm she had been resting on. And he felt Kyle, he’s head was back on Xander’s stomach but it wasn’t fully rested on it, he was holding up it and not relaxing onto him, and that’s when it hit him. They’d gotten out of his way. If he needed to get up to deal with Tor he could and that just made Xander smile.
All four of them were quite as they smelled Tor’s scent grow closer but Xander waited until he could hear Tor nearing them before he called out to the other guy, “This way Tor.”
The noise stopped for a beat then started up again, louder and faster as Xander heard Tor heading right for them. Xander just kept himself relaxed as he took a breath and readied himself to deal with the feelings of being challenged again, he didn’t really want to hurt Tor the way he had Kyle, he wouldn’t.
And then Tor walked into view, Xander could see his eyes casting around, looking at the group piled together with a guy they barely knew. But it wasn’t until Tor locked his eyes on Xander that the feelings came back.
The annoyance and aggravation were rising again and even ready for them Xander felt everything drop in importance as he returned Tor’s stare as he took in the other teen, Tor was bigger then Kyle, they were about the same height as Xander but Tor was larger, broader in the shoulders. Xander felt the growl starting in his chest as he pushed himself up on his elbow then he saw Tor’s whole body flinch.
Suddenly Tor wasn’t looking at him but Kyle, who Xander could see was withdrawing his leg from where he’d just kicked Tor’s leg. The two were staring each other down, was that what it looked like when he was doing it? It looked and sounded intense as he heard a deep low rumble from Kyle.
The sound was too much for Tor as he turned his head away looking at the ground a few feet away and Xander had to smile at how right it felt as he saw the smirk on Kyle’s face when the teen settled back down and really relaxed his head on Xander again. Xander went with the urge to use his free hand to rustle Kyle’s hair; he just felt so content right now the only thing missing…
“Tor,” he called as he looked at the other guy. He watched as Tor glanced at him, but kept his eyes low, before Xander patted the ground next to Heidi and pointed his jaw at Tor. Tor seemed to understand him as he walked over and laid down on the other side of Heidi to him and then relax in closer sandwiching her between them. Xander watched him close his eyes and almost make a purr sound when wrapped his arm around them letting his hand rest in Tor’s close cropped hair.
He let himself just relax as he felt the tension in the others slowly lessen. He watched as Rhonda seemed to melt into Kyle while Kyle himself just seems to snuggle into Xander like a pillow, but his snuggling was nothing like Heidi who has all but glued herself to his side. He could feel her warmth all along his left side as she rested into the crook of his arm. He could see how calm she was, he could almost feel her heart slowly beating. The last to relax was Tor but after a few minutes even his large form felt relaxed under Xander’s hand where he’s pulled Tor closer to Heidi and himself.
Xander hadn’t felt this peaceful in too long, not since…not since he’s learned of Buffy’s world and lost-he cut off that thought as he just stared at the sky watching the stars between glances to his right and left to check on the others, not that he needed to he could feel they were as content as he was. But his need to know more about them was stronger then his desire to just relax.
“So why were you so late showing up Tor?” Xander made sure his simple curiousness was plain so Tor would know it was just a simple question and not a reproach, but why would Tor think it was a reproach? Xander just pushed the thought aside as he looked at Tor.
“The feeling to come out here started halfway through wrestling practice so I couldn’t but later, after when I could follow it…,” Xander could feel the shudder of Tor’s body and taste the fear and shame coming from him as his already quite voice broke and trembled, “the last time I followed a feeling like that it…the Principal”
At the word he felt the other three tense up and the taste of shame and humiliation in the air thickened to the point of being overwhelming as he watched Tor bury himself into Heidi’s back as Kyle and Rhonda hugged each other tighter, just as Heidi was doing to him, and all their faces had become sickly pail.
“NO,” he yelled, adding a growl without even thinking as he pushed himself upright as the others jump at his sudden shout, “it wasn’t you, it was the hyena spirits, unless one of you feel like eating Ms. Cramen, any of you want to eat the history teacher?” Xander made sure to look them each in the eye as he panned from one side of the pack to the other, “I didn’t think so. It wasn’t you. It was the hyenas and they aren’t in us anymore.”
Xander forced himself to take a breath and test the air, the fear and shame was still there but it wasn’t over powering anymore and all he wanted to do was pull them closer and tell them it was going to be fine but he knew he couldn’t, he wasn’t there for that part. He didn’t know what it was like for them. All he could do was be there for them now, “It was the hyena spirits not you guys.”
“How do you know what happened to us?”
Xander was just trying to figure out what else he could say or do to help when Rhonda broke the silence that had fallen over them as he saw her look up at him with a face filled with curiosity and more then a little apprehension.
They don’t know. Even his limited understand of what happened was miles more then what they knew. How could he forget that, but how could he share without spilling Buffy’s secret…this was going to be tricky.
“It was Buffy and Willow,” he started taking a deep breath struggling not to show his nervousness, this was G-man’s gig not his, “They realized I wasn’t acting like myself, that none of us were. And what did the five of us have in common before today?” Xander asked taking a moment to run his hands over his pants.
“The hyena house at the Zoo but how did they jump to spirits?” Kyle seemed to be the only one willing to answer but somehow that didn’t seem to surprise Xander, it seemed right in fact.
“Right you are my man, the hyena house where you had to tease and torture little Lance and find out about Karma the hard way and I had to try and help him and learn that no good deed goes unpunished,” Xander had to fight back the feeling’s of anger at that thought, it was their fault but here he was in the middle of it, almost literally.
“Karma’s a bitch,” Xander let himself smirk at Tor’s comment before going on with his story, short was best really.
“A trip to the Zoo later they found out the Zoo keeper wanted to get possessed by hyena spirits but hadn’t been able to do it.”
“Bet he was pissed that we did,” Xander only let himself glare a little at Kyle for the interruption but did let the smile show as the joke helped the others relax as the mood around them started feeling less terrifying. Heidi even nestled her head on his leg as Kyle and Rhonda snuggled closer after moving apart when Xander had sat up.
“Yeah Willow said he wasn’t happy, part of why he tried killing her once the spirits were in him,” Xander didn’t, couldn’t fight back the spike of anger at that as he punched the ground with a fist at the memory of the Zoo keeper trying to bite Willow.
“Well he got what was coming to him. When he went over the cage.”
“Yeah,” Xander had to agree with the pleased tone of Kyle’s voice at the statement. The guy had got what he wanted, survival of the fittest and he just wasn’t very fit. “I’m just glad I can think again, by the end there…” Xander just didn’t know what to say, just thinking about how single minded and mindless he’s been, it still sent a chill down his spine.
“No that wasn’t…I never want to be like that again,” Heidi’s voice was almost to quite for Xander to even hear but the tone was easier to tell since it matched his own, anxiety at the idea of ever being like that again. And by their reactions he could tell the other’s were the same.
“So sprites are real? Like magic and stuff too?”
Xander just felt himself blink at Tor and had to almost literally bit his tongue to keep from sarcastically snapping something along the lines of just how dumb are you. They hadn’t been dealing with stuff for almost two month now, they hadn’t seen their best friend turn to dust right before them…this was new to them, and when did he stop being surprised by it all?
“Yeah, magic, vampires, and witches. All too real honestly, because we’re not talking the hot sexy kind we guys dream about even if she was pretending to be a cheerleader,” Xander just shook his head at all the fantasies that day had cost him. He’ll never be able to watch Elvira, Mistress of the Dark again and that was just wrong.
“Huh, Xander not that I don’t believe you, after the last few days I kind of do, but still, vampires? As in drink blood and turn into bats?”
Xander let his smirk show as he remembered his own reaction to overhearing Buffy and Giles, “No worries Tor. I didn’t really believe it until I saw one vamp out in front of me and then turn to dust when Buffy staked him. That was an eye opener of a night but so far no flying bats just fangs and drinking of the blood.”
“Last year my brother’s senior prom…a gang attacked, some of the deaths, my brother’s…was blood lost. Do you think…?”
Once more Xander wasn’t sure what to say as he looked down at Heidi who was slowly sitting up. Xander could see she was on a verge of crying and Xander had to push away the regret at bringing it up, “I’m sorry,” was all he could think to say as he nudged Tor and looked from him to Heidi until Tor got the hint and pulled the blond into a hug letting her rest her head in his shoulder.
“So all the deaths and disappearances from school…”
“Mouth of Hell not the smartest place to build a town but then we are American. What others call dumb we call a challenge,” Xander joked as he watched the others. They were getting nervous again, but he didn’t pick up any fear, as they looked at each other.
“So you and your friends know about this stuff and do what? You’re a bunch of lowly sophomores.”
And the annoyance and aggravation were back, “It was two of those sophomores that just saved your ass,” Xander said throwing in a growl by choice this time as he stared down Kyle again, “And don’t forget I’m a sophomore too, think I’m lowly?”
“No.”
Kyle’s direct and simple answer as the other teen touched the still visible bruise on his shoulder calmed the aggravation he felt but Xander knew he needed to get a better grip on whatever was going on with him or he was going to get into a fight with someone. “Good to hear. Look I’ll give you the lowdown about the things that go bump in the dark but first one rule, don’t be out alone after dark if you can avoided it.” Xander told them as he stood up grabbing Kyle’s shirt from behind him to throw at Kyle “only go out in a group if you have to.”
“A group, like the five of us?” Xander heard Kyle asked as the dark haired teen shook out his shirt, and then pulled it over his head.
“That’s the idea,” Xander explained while trying to remember all the things he’d learned in the last couple of months and how to pass that on to them without telling about either Buffy being the Slayer or about Giles at all.
“We hang out most of the time anyways, I don’t see that changing, well expect for there being five of us and not four anymore, right?”
Xander could hear the uncertainty in Kyle’s voice and could sense all the others focusing on him as he started leading them away from the ridge back into the town itself.
But what he couldn’t tell was which answer they wanted, that he’d be around or he wouldn’t. And he wasn’t sure which he wanted. On the one hand the last three hours had been the best hours all week, not that it had been a great week so that wasn’t saying too much. On the other hand: Willow and Buffy. And he didn’t think the groups would mix too well and not just because of the sophomores/junior thing either. So he went middle ground.
“I think I’ll be around some, but not all the time, but back to other stuff it’s not just vampires you have to watch out for, no that would be too easy and "Sunnyhell" is never that easy,” Xander said while watched them react to his answer, Kyle, and Rhonda, relaxed a bit, and that tracked, Heidi didn’t seem to do anything but take in the information but Tor…he seemed to deflate a little like he wanted Xander around but he didn’t know why the jock would but then he knew the least about him since he missed the getting to know each other part of the evening. He’d have to fix that later.
“So what else is there?”
“Remember Ms. French a few weeks back,” Xander said turning to Kyle, just stopping the shudder at the thought of her.
“I’ll never forget her. I was looking forward to sex ed with her.”
Xander just had to shudder at that one, remembering when he thought the same thing, “You only think you would, she wasn’t human and really not a looker even by bug standards, which is what she was,” Xander told them smiling at the looks of horror on Kyle’s and Tor’s face and glee on Rhonda’s and Heidi’s.
The next hour or so passed fairly quickly as Xander told them modified stories of his life since finding out about Buffy as the group slowly made their way toward first Heidi’s house, a small two story place by the school, then Rhonda’s apartment, third floor place by the Base, and last to Tor’s, a large place not far from Cordelia’s, and he’s spent way too much time not stalking her with Jesse to even have been able to realized that.
“So you can be quiet.”
Xander looked up at the comment from Kyle and pushed back the regret and loss, “Mock and you’ll find out just how rare that can be,” he didn’t even try to force a grin at that one, he just kept walking toward the address Kyle had rattled off as his home, a place a block from Buffy’s oddly enough.
The next few minutes were quiet as Xander just started making a list of questions he really needed to ask Giles, or look up himself and wasn’t that thought just revolting, voluntarily researching what was the world coming too? But even as he made the list he could see Kyle fidgeting out of the corner of his eye. If he wasn’t shoving his hands into his pockets he was pulling them out and Kyle the constantly glancing over at him before quickly looking away.
“Kyle relax, I know it’s a lot to take in but you get used to it,” Xander said when it just became too much. And really out of the group he thought Kyle would take it the best, if he was taking it this bad the others must be really freaking.
“That’s not it, well not all of it, it’s just.”
The growl of frustration he heard from Kyle almost told him more then his words, Kyle needed to get something out and everything pointed to him needing help. “Okay then tell me what it is. And don’t worry about making sense we’ll do that some other time.”
He watched as Kyle just looked at him a minutes before the teen turned around and kicked at a lamppost as he ran his hands through his hair before spinning about to face toward him again.
“It’s you, and how I feel whenever you’re around. Ever since the zoo. The gang my gang, but now you. And I wanted to fight but then you made that sound and then your hand and I freaked. I should just let it go but I can’t because they’re mine and who the hell are you to challenge that?”
Xander was managing to follow some of Kyle’s tirade, not really will but some. He hadn’t, however, missed the challenge in Kyle’s voice or in his last words. The moment he heard Kyle call them his it was like every sense was on red alert so he saw the punch coming before Kyle knew he’d throw it if the other teen’s eyes were any indication.
His own hand lashed out at Kyle on instinct going for the weak spot of the solar plexus as he shifted out of the way of Kyle’s first punch. But then Kyle’s second punch did land in his side even as the older teen was sucking in air and it changed everything.
Everything became a blur and muddled, he wasn’t thinking just moving. One moment he was slamming Kyle’s face against the lamppost and then his arm felt like it was being ripped from its socket as his face was grinding into the sidewalk, next he was standing in grass and then he was grappling in the dirt.
As quick as it started it was over. Kyle was lying under him, his body limp and his eyes, Xander couldn’t quite place the look in Kyle’s eyes but it worried him. He needed to figure it out he thought as he let out a breath as he rolled off of Kyle. “I told you not to challenge me again Kyle.”
“Yeah….”
Xander frowned at the whispered word as he watched Kyle slowly roll over and push himself up to sit against a tree before the teen brought his hand up to his busted lip.
“Look, I don’t know why I’m acting like this. I’m not normally this…possessive of my friends, protective yes, possessive no but right now I am. And I think you are too,” Xander said as honestly as he could as he stood up and offered a hand to Kyle still not liking the look he had seen in Kyle’s eyes.
“Maybe, I’ve never seen you fight before. I didn’t even know you could.”
“Three mouths ago you would have laid me out no problems,” Xander answered the hidden question as Kyle took his hand and he helped the other teen up. “And by the way fighting by a park, at night, in this town is not the best idea. We need to get indoors.”
***Interlude: Fratertris***
It was Saturday and Kyle didn’t want to get out of bed.
Part of him hoped that if he didn’t get out of bed his mother would start yelling for him to get up and get to school and it could all been a bad dream. It could still be Wednesday and they hadn’t gone to the Zoo. He and his friends hadn’t be possessed by some thing that really shouldn’t exist, they hadn’t eaten…anything they shouldn’t have and Xander was just a kid from school they picked on every so often and not becoming part of his pack.
But it didn’t happen. He felt the room get warmer as the sum climbed higher, filling his room with light despite the best efforts of the curtains. He knew it was well past time for school and that meant it was Saturday and the last few days did happen. Last night happened.
Thinking about last night only confused Kyle even more. The first part was plain scary. He’d wanted to hurt Xander. Wanted to feel his body give out under his fists but when he confronted him he freaked. Xander was just…a lot different, stronger, than he had believed. And at first he’s been fine, something felt right about it and after the last couple of days he wasn’t going to question anything that felt right.
But then they walked everyone home and Kyle realized Xander was going to be last. That he was going to take the risk of being out alone at night in what was, as he had just learned, the vampire capital of America. Xander was taking the role of leader, making sure everyone else was okay and that was his job, his responsibility, not Xander’s.
And then he’s found out he couldn’t take Xander in a fight. And wow was that fight a bad idea, Kyle thought again as he tossed aside the covers and gingerly got out of bed. He could feel everything as if it just happened and that sucked. He slowly stood and then started stretching out his arms and shoulders working through the tightness before he started fishing around for some clean clothe and he really needed to remember to drop his basket downstairs so they’d get washed.
A few minutes later Kyle was stepping out of the shower and looked at himself in the mirror. He had bruise scattered over his body, the one along the side of his face was going to be the most visible and his parents were going to see it before the weekend was out. The ones on his shoulder, side and thigh he could cover for the most part but…his parents were going to know he’d been in a fight and that was going to be fun trying to explain.
Yeah I was pissed at this guy that took over my friends when we were possessed by hyena spirits and the spirits are gone but he’s still around so we went at it. That would go over well. If he made it out today maybe he could say he got it playing ball with Tor that could work, but what to tell Tor?
Kyle counted himself lucky as he was able to get out of the house without his parents seeing him. His father glued to the newspaper and his mother already out in the garden so he didn’t have to do anything other then shout that he was meeting Tor. Now he just had to hope Tor would be at their usual hoop this early.
His luck wasn’t holding when he made it to Triangle Park and Kyle let out a breath as he just made his way over to the cluster of trees that he and the others had staked as their own. Kyle jumped to his own branch, pausing just a beat before he starting climbing around the tree, letting his mind drift to everything he’s learned the night before as he waited.
And really the town made a lot more sense now. All the deaths and other odd stuff…maybe Cindy hadn’t been nuts when she said the snowmen attacked her last winter. Whatever happened to her anyways? Maybe she didn’t just drop out like he thought after all. And Heidi’s brother…he was going to have to find out more, like how to kill them all.
Kyle was pulled from his thoughts later when a ball bounced into the trunk next to him accompanied by his name. Tracking the ball back to its source, Tor, Kyle debated on telling Tor how the bruises happened one last time as he jumped down landing next to the blond teen.
“What the hell happened to your face, you look like you were slammed into the tree instead of just climbing it.”
“What do you think happened?” Take the non-answer for what it is and just let it go, come one.
“Who…?”
Hell, when did Tor start getting this protective? Kyle thought as he saw Tor clench his fist and let out a growl almost as intense as the rage in his eyes, he knew Tor could be aggressive but this was a bit much even for him. “It was my own damn fault; I swung first. Xander’s just a better fighter than I thought.” And didn’t that suck to say.
“Oh.”
Kyle watched as Tor seemed to go from enraged hulk to chill in a blink and that just pissed him off. It was okay if he got beat up if it was Xander, no that’s not why he calmed down I said it was my fault that’s why he calmed down, he wasn’t picking Xander over me, he wasn’t, really.
“Yeah, if anyone asks I got it playing ball, got it?” Say yes, show me you’re still my buddy.
“No sweat Kyle, I’ve got your back.”
The relief that floods through him at Tor’s easy and unhesitating answer only forces him to face just how panicked he’d been. He shouldn’t have worried, what’s gotten into him, he never worried about where he stood with his friends before.
“So come on let’s play some hoops before the girls get here.”
“Well if you insist on being embarrassed I can oblige that,” Kyle said with a grin he really felt as he dashed past Tor grabbing the ball.
It felt great doing something normal after the last week.
Next Part
Word Count: 13,086
Challenge: polybigbang
Rating: R
Characters/Pairings: The Pack: Xander/Kyle/Rhonda/Tor/Heidi, Kyle/Rhonda and one sided? Xander/Tor
Summary: They were called the mean kids. And they were, but they were also friends, good friends but just friends, then the field trip to the Zoo happened and now they’re different; linked, closer, maybe more than just friends, a Pack. But then there’s Xander, an outsider who’s as much part of the Pack as any of them. A Pack none of them understand, a Pack he doesn’t know his place in anymore.
Author's Notes: So I love the Episode The Pack and I’ve always wanted to see the effects of it explored more so this was my chance to do so.
I'd also love to thank mary_greenman for her wonderful art work, it's perfect for the story.
Link to fic master post: LJ | AO3
Link to art master post:Pinding
***Alpha***
It was getting dark. He could see the last crescent of the sun just above the ocean and he could see the shadows of the trees on the ridge growing longer and becoming more complete but Xander just didn’t care.
The last three days had been, well not a nightmare but close, very close. First the possession on Wednesday and basically all of Thursday and then all of today trying to clean up the mess he’d made without letting on he knew what mess he’d made. And thank God Giles was going to let that one go.
But the worst, hardest part of it all was the feelings. Feeling cut off and incomplete, like something was missing. A feeling that lessened when he saw the others and just got so damn worst each time he turned the other way.
Walking out of math class and seeing Tor and Heidi, walking with both of them to gym felt so right and it was so hard to see them all at lunch and walk toward Buffy and Willow. Each step was so hard.
What the hell was wrong with him?
He, they, weren’t possessed anymore and they weren’t friends before it happened so why did he miss them so much. Xander let out a growl as he punched the ground with his fist pushing down the desire, the want, for them to show up as he just watched the sun dip out of sight.
That’s when he heard the sound behind him, rustling in the bushes and trees. He clamping down the fear that shot through him as he turned toward the sound and slipped his hand into his jacket feeling the wood inside as he slowly begin slipping it out, “Who’s there, why don’t you join me for the sunset,” he called out as he saw two figures moving close through the woods.
“What are you doing here Harris?”
One of them called as he stepped out from behind a tree and looked right at Xander. Xander felt the fear vanish, replaced by annoyance and aggravation at the challenge from Kyle because of course it was one of the gang. He just glared at the other teen as he sniffed at the air, knowing that the soft scent mixed with Kyle’s was Rhonda crouching behind the tree and bushes next to Kyle her tan jacket just visible in the corner of his eye.
“What, you think this is your place? You’re the one that’s late to the party Kyle. Why are you here?” Xander answered back with a growl low in his throat as he rose never taking his eyes off Kyle as he felt his aggravation grow the longer Kyle returned his stare, “Stop trying to hide Rhonda and get out here!” he ordered as he took a step forward squaring his shoulders as his vision started turning red, Kyle was starting to piss him off.
Xander took two more steps and was within arms reach of Kyle the moment he saw Kyle ball his fist. He didn’t even recognize the snarl that comes from deep in his chest but he knew the feeling that came with it and it was all he could do to keep himself from shoving the stake in his hand through Kyle.
And that was when he saw the change. Kyle’s eyes widen while his skin turning red as him looked down making a low placating sounds and his hands open, shaking a little. And that’s when Xander smelled the fear. At the taste of it Xander let out a puff of air and could feel his body relax, his hands unclenched as he became aware of the woods again. But it was not enough.
Xander can’t stop himself, doesn’t really want to, from grabbing Kyle by the shoulder and pulling the dark haired teen forward, bringing Kyle’s ear to his mouth, “Don’t challenge me again,” he whispered making sure his teeth brush over the skin of Kyle’s neck, not pressing but making the threat known.
Kyle’s quiet response was lost to Xander as he took a half step back and forced Kyle to his knees as Xander locked eyes with Rhonda, still trying to hide. “I told you to get out here! I won’t ask again,” Xander could feel the annoyance and aggravation that had just begin to subside rising up again as he watched her. He could hear the small cry from under him as he tightened his fist at her refusal to come out.
And it was at that sound that she moved, coming out from the bush, head down, kneeling next to Kyle before freezing, one hand on Kyle’s knee as she glanced at her friend. And that’s when Xander let his own eyes travel from her to Kyle. The teen face, what Xander could see of it, was pale, pained and coated with sweat, his left shoulder, the one Xander grabbed and still gripped, had sunk lower. Unconsciously Kyle was trying to pull away from Xander, without pulling away.
The annoyance, the aggravation, was gone in the blink. Xander let go of Kyle and was back at the edge of the ridge in half the steps it had taken going the other way as he watched the two, suppressing the feeling of pride and…rightness, of seeing them down and deferring to him. He watched Kyle rub his shoulder with his hand and felt his whole face heat up at how wrong this was as shame replaced the pride. He’d hurt Kyle, he’d wanted to do more then just hurt his shoulder even, if Kyle hadn’t dropped his head, if he hadn’t given in…
It was just like at The Bronze and then later at school…okay Giles said he wasn’t possessed anymore and he didn’t feel like he did when he was possessed. He just…didn’t like the way Kyle was challenging him…he needed to talk with Giles but first he had to deal with these two. “Why are you here Kyle?”
He watched as Kyle looked up for a moment before shooting his eyes right back down before answering, “I don’t know,” Xander didn’t even try and stop the growl at the answer but held himself back from doing anything more as Kyle continued, the pitch of his voice going higher a notch or two. “I really don’t Xander. I just felt like I needed to and so did Rhonda. It felt right to just go with it. And since nothing has felt right since the zoo…we just went with it. I didn’t know it was you when we saw someone.”
The teen just watched them for a moment before turning and watched the last few rays of the sun fight there away over the horizon. He could feel them watching him now. Looking up at him like he had the answers, he didn’t. He didn’t know what was going on, but it had to do with the possession but Giles had cleared him…had he- what was that smell?
Xander turned to look back at the trees spotting another form coming their way. Only this time Xander knew enough to place the scent so he called out “Over here.” He called out, startling both Kyle and Rhonda who both changed from looking toward him to turning to look in the same direction he was. When he glanced down he saw they were close together, Rhonda even seemed to be rubbing Kyle’s shoulder, had he hurt it that much?
This time when he saw Heidi approaching Xander readied himself, he focused on the feeling that had swelled when Kyle and Rhonda had shown up, this time Xander would be ready for them. He wouldn’t hurt anyone else tonight; he just wouldn’t let it happen. But the feelings never came as Heidi walked right to them and sat down next to the others and said hello, never even trying to meet Xander’s eyes.
He just let out a breath, studying them. They weren’t talking, they weren’t doing anything but just relaxing next to each other…and they were relaxed. Thinking back to earlier that day at school he realized how tense they’d been whenever they weren’t next to one of the others. When he’d seen Rhonda at her locker or Tor waiting to talk with the coach or in the halls when they weren’t together, they all looked the way he’d felt. Alone and cut off without the others.
Something was definitely going on, but Xander’s thoughts were derailed as he saw Kyle wince and pull his shoulder away from Rhonda. He needed to find out how bad he’d hurt Kyle.
“Take off the shirt.”
He didn’t even think about it, he just ordered it as he moved closer to the three and dropped to one knee. And the surprise that ran though him wasn’t because Kyle obeyed him, or at how fast he did, but at how much he wasn’t surprise that Kyle obeyed him. He’d expected it and that shocked him, almost as much as how dark the palm print on Kyle’s shoulder was.
Again without thinking Xander just reached forward and grabbed Kyle and pulled him closer so he could reach his shoulder and started massaging it the way Giles had shown him and Willow after their third run in with a vamp had left them both with bruises. Xander felt Kyle relax into his leg and that’s when it hit him. He hadn’t asked, hadn’t even explained himself, he’s just grabbed one of the school bullies and started manipulating him, and the bully hadn’t resisted and the others were just watching, Rhonda looked a little curious but didn’t do much beyond watch, seeming to be studying his hands.
After a few minutes Xander stopped and looked at the bruise, it was lighter than when he’s started and Kyle was moving it, testing it. “Feel better?” Xander asked as he picked up Kyle’s shirt.
“Yeah, thanks.”
Xander heard Kyle’s answer and smiled at it, and Kyle, as the other teen looked up and matched eyes with him for a moment before looking down, this time Xander didn’t feel any annoyance but pride and satisfaction that Kyle had learned his place and he wasn’t even sure what that feeling meant but he just let it pass as he just flipped himself onto his back and looked up at the sky that that was almost all dark blue as he shoved Kyle’s shirt under his head.
He wasn’t sure why he’d left his arms up at first but then he felt movement next to him and saw Kyle rest his head on Xander’s stomach while Heidi slide over around him and place herself alone Xander’s other side. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Rhonda snuggle up against Kyle as the other man start to wrap his arm around her before he stopped and looked at Xander. Xander didn’t understand now but he knew the question and he nodded then watched as Kyle finished wrapping himself around the dark haired girl.
Xander just lowered his arms, one around Heidi as the other found Rhonda’s hair and started flicking it as he looked up, spotting the first star of the night. “So tell me about your day,” he ordered, realizing that no matter how right it felt, how right it was, to be laying here with them he didn’t really know anything about them beyond their names, and he didn’t even know their last names. What classes they took if it wasn’t the same as his. He just didn’t know them and that needed to change.
And he knew that if it had been other people, any other time, listening to the others go on and on about their classes, parents, lunch would have been annoying and boring but in that moment, with them, it wasn’t. It was just fine and he was content to just listen to them as he held them and watch as the stars came out.
He hadn’t planned on stopping it any time soon but in the middle of Rhonda explaining why she lived with her brother and not parents he felt Kyle tense and heard Rhonda go silent. He half rose looking around as he sniffed the wind as he put a hand to Kyle when the teen tried to rise. Xander knew the scent at once, and that was something he was going to have to think about later, so he let himself drop back down as he waited for Tor to reach the group.
But even after he relaxed himself the others were still tense, Heidi pressed herself even closer to him but she did slid lower freeing the arm she had been resting on. And he felt Kyle, he’s head was back on Xander’s stomach but it wasn’t fully rested on it, he was holding up it and not relaxing onto him, and that’s when it hit him. They’d gotten out of his way. If he needed to get up to deal with Tor he could and that just made Xander smile.
All four of them were quite as they smelled Tor’s scent grow closer but Xander waited until he could hear Tor nearing them before he called out to the other guy, “This way Tor.”
The noise stopped for a beat then started up again, louder and faster as Xander heard Tor heading right for them. Xander just kept himself relaxed as he took a breath and readied himself to deal with the feelings of being challenged again, he didn’t really want to hurt Tor the way he had Kyle, he wouldn’t.
And then Tor walked into view, Xander could see his eyes casting around, looking at the group piled together with a guy they barely knew. But it wasn’t until Tor locked his eyes on Xander that the feelings came back.
The annoyance and aggravation were rising again and even ready for them Xander felt everything drop in importance as he returned Tor’s stare as he took in the other teen, Tor was bigger then Kyle, they were about the same height as Xander but Tor was larger, broader in the shoulders. Xander felt the growl starting in his chest as he pushed himself up on his elbow then he saw Tor’s whole body flinch.
Suddenly Tor wasn’t looking at him but Kyle, who Xander could see was withdrawing his leg from where he’d just kicked Tor’s leg. The two were staring each other down, was that what it looked like when he was doing it? It looked and sounded intense as he heard a deep low rumble from Kyle.
The sound was too much for Tor as he turned his head away looking at the ground a few feet away and Xander had to smile at how right it felt as he saw the smirk on Kyle’s face when the teen settled back down and really relaxed his head on Xander again. Xander went with the urge to use his free hand to rustle Kyle’s hair; he just felt so content right now the only thing missing…
“Tor,” he called as he looked at the other guy. He watched as Tor glanced at him, but kept his eyes low, before Xander patted the ground next to Heidi and pointed his jaw at Tor. Tor seemed to understand him as he walked over and laid down on the other side of Heidi to him and then relax in closer sandwiching her between them. Xander watched him close his eyes and almost make a purr sound when wrapped his arm around them letting his hand rest in Tor’s close cropped hair.
He let himself just relax as he felt the tension in the others slowly lessen. He watched as Rhonda seemed to melt into Kyle while Kyle himself just seems to snuggle into Xander like a pillow, but his snuggling was nothing like Heidi who has all but glued herself to his side. He could feel her warmth all along his left side as she rested into the crook of his arm. He could see how calm she was, he could almost feel her heart slowly beating. The last to relax was Tor but after a few minutes even his large form felt relaxed under Xander’s hand where he’s pulled Tor closer to Heidi and himself.
Xander hadn’t felt this peaceful in too long, not since…not since he’s learned of Buffy’s world and lost-he cut off that thought as he just stared at the sky watching the stars between glances to his right and left to check on the others, not that he needed to he could feel they were as content as he was. But his need to know more about them was stronger then his desire to just relax.
“So why were you so late showing up Tor?” Xander made sure his simple curiousness was plain so Tor would know it was just a simple question and not a reproach, but why would Tor think it was a reproach? Xander just pushed the thought aside as he looked at Tor.
“The feeling to come out here started halfway through wrestling practice so I couldn’t but later, after when I could follow it…,” Xander could feel the shudder of Tor’s body and taste the fear and shame coming from him as his already quite voice broke and trembled, “the last time I followed a feeling like that it…the Principal”
At the word he felt the other three tense up and the taste of shame and humiliation in the air thickened to the point of being overwhelming as he watched Tor bury himself into Heidi’s back as Kyle and Rhonda hugged each other tighter, just as Heidi was doing to him, and all their faces had become sickly pail.
“NO,” he yelled, adding a growl without even thinking as he pushed himself upright as the others jump at his sudden shout, “it wasn’t you, it was the hyena spirits, unless one of you feel like eating Ms. Cramen, any of you want to eat the history teacher?” Xander made sure to look them each in the eye as he panned from one side of the pack to the other, “I didn’t think so. It wasn’t you. It was the hyenas and they aren’t in us anymore.”
Xander forced himself to take a breath and test the air, the fear and shame was still there but it wasn’t over powering anymore and all he wanted to do was pull them closer and tell them it was going to be fine but he knew he couldn’t, he wasn’t there for that part. He didn’t know what it was like for them. All he could do was be there for them now, “It was the hyena spirits not you guys.”
“How do you know what happened to us?”
Xander was just trying to figure out what else he could say or do to help when Rhonda broke the silence that had fallen over them as he saw her look up at him with a face filled with curiosity and more then a little apprehension.
They don’t know. Even his limited understand of what happened was miles more then what they knew. How could he forget that, but how could he share without spilling Buffy’s secret…this was going to be tricky.
“It was Buffy and Willow,” he started taking a deep breath struggling not to show his nervousness, this was G-man’s gig not his, “They realized I wasn’t acting like myself, that none of us were. And what did the five of us have in common before today?” Xander asked taking a moment to run his hands over his pants.
“The hyena house at the Zoo but how did they jump to spirits?” Kyle seemed to be the only one willing to answer but somehow that didn’t seem to surprise Xander, it seemed right in fact.
“Right you are my man, the hyena house where you had to tease and torture little Lance and find out about Karma the hard way and I had to try and help him and learn that no good deed goes unpunished,” Xander had to fight back the feeling’s of anger at that thought, it was their fault but here he was in the middle of it, almost literally.
“Karma’s a bitch,” Xander let himself smirk at Tor’s comment before going on with his story, short was best really.
“A trip to the Zoo later they found out the Zoo keeper wanted to get possessed by hyena spirits but hadn’t been able to do it.”
“Bet he was pissed that we did,” Xander only let himself glare a little at Kyle for the interruption but did let the smile show as the joke helped the others relax as the mood around them started feeling less terrifying. Heidi even nestled her head on his leg as Kyle and Rhonda snuggled closer after moving apart when Xander had sat up.
“Yeah Willow said he wasn’t happy, part of why he tried killing her once the spirits were in him,” Xander didn’t, couldn’t fight back the spike of anger at that as he punched the ground with a fist at the memory of the Zoo keeper trying to bite Willow.
“Well he got what was coming to him. When he went over the cage.”
“Yeah,” Xander had to agree with the pleased tone of Kyle’s voice at the statement. The guy had got what he wanted, survival of the fittest and he just wasn’t very fit. “I’m just glad I can think again, by the end there…” Xander just didn’t know what to say, just thinking about how single minded and mindless he’s been, it still sent a chill down his spine.
“No that wasn’t…I never want to be like that again,” Heidi’s voice was almost to quite for Xander to even hear but the tone was easier to tell since it matched his own, anxiety at the idea of ever being like that again. And by their reactions he could tell the other’s were the same.
“So sprites are real? Like magic and stuff too?”
Xander just felt himself blink at Tor and had to almost literally bit his tongue to keep from sarcastically snapping something along the lines of just how dumb are you. They hadn’t been dealing with stuff for almost two month now, they hadn’t seen their best friend turn to dust right before them…this was new to them, and when did he stop being surprised by it all?
“Yeah, magic, vampires, and witches. All too real honestly, because we’re not talking the hot sexy kind we guys dream about even if she was pretending to be a cheerleader,” Xander just shook his head at all the fantasies that day had cost him. He’ll never be able to watch Elvira, Mistress of the Dark again and that was just wrong.
“Huh, Xander not that I don’t believe you, after the last few days I kind of do, but still, vampires? As in drink blood and turn into bats?”
Xander let his smirk show as he remembered his own reaction to overhearing Buffy and Giles, “No worries Tor. I didn’t really believe it until I saw one vamp out in front of me and then turn to dust when Buffy staked him. That was an eye opener of a night but so far no flying bats just fangs and drinking of the blood.”
“Last year my brother’s senior prom…a gang attacked, some of the deaths, my brother’s…was blood lost. Do you think…?”
Once more Xander wasn’t sure what to say as he looked down at Heidi who was slowly sitting up. Xander could see she was on a verge of crying and Xander had to push away the regret at bringing it up, “I’m sorry,” was all he could think to say as he nudged Tor and looked from him to Heidi until Tor got the hint and pulled the blond into a hug letting her rest her head in his shoulder.
“So all the deaths and disappearances from school…”
“Mouth of Hell not the smartest place to build a town but then we are American. What others call dumb we call a challenge,” Xander joked as he watched the others. They were getting nervous again, but he didn’t pick up any fear, as they looked at each other.
“So you and your friends know about this stuff and do what? You’re a bunch of lowly sophomores.”
And the annoyance and aggravation were back, “It was two of those sophomores that just saved your ass,” Xander said throwing in a growl by choice this time as he stared down Kyle again, “And don’t forget I’m a sophomore too, think I’m lowly?”
“No.”
Kyle’s direct and simple answer as the other teen touched the still visible bruise on his shoulder calmed the aggravation he felt but Xander knew he needed to get a better grip on whatever was going on with him or he was going to get into a fight with someone. “Good to hear. Look I’ll give you the lowdown about the things that go bump in the dark but first one rule, don’t be out alone after dark if you can avoided it.” Xander told them as he stood up grabbing Kyle’s shirt from behind him to throw at Kyle “only go out in a group if you have to.”
“A group, like the five of us?” Xander heard Kyle asked as the dark haired teen shook out his shirt, and then pulled it over his head.
“That’s the idea,” Xander explained while trying to remember all the things he’d learned in the last couple of months and how to pass that on to them without telling about either Buffy being the Slayer or about Giles at all.
“We hang out most of the time anyways, I don’t see that changing, well expect for there being five of us and not four anymore, right?”
Xander could hear the uncertainty in Kyle’s voice and could sense all the others focusing on him as he started leading them away from the ridge back into the town itself.
But what he couldn’t tell was which answer they wanted, that he’d be around or he wouldn’t. And he wasn’t sure which he wanted. On the one hand the last three hours had been the best hours all week, not that it had been a great week so that wasn’t saying too much. On the other hand: Willow and Buffy. And he didn’t think the groups would mix too well and not just because of the sophomores/junior thing either. So he went middle ground.
“I think I’ll be around some, but not all the time, but back to other stuff it’s not just vampires you have to watch out for, no that would be too easy and "Sunnyhell" is never that easy,” Xander said while watched them react to his answer, Kyle, and Rhonda, relaxed a bit, and that tracked, Heidi didn’t seem to do anything but take in the information but Tor…he seemed to deflate a little like he wanted Xander around but he didn’t know why the jock would but then he knew the least about him since he missed the getting to know each other part of the evening. He’d have to fix that later.
“So what else is there?”
“Remember Ms. French a few weeks back,” Xander said turning to Kyle, just stopping the shudder at the thought of her.
“I’ll never forget her. I was looking forward to sex ed with her.”
Xander just had to shudder at that one, remembering when he thought the same thing, “You only think you would, she wasn’t human and really not a looker even by bug standards, which is what she was,” Xander told them smiling at the looks of horror on Kyle’s and Tor’s face and glee on Rhonda’s and Heidi’s.
The next hour or so passed fairly quickly as Xander told them modified stories of his life since finding out about Buffy as the group slowly made their way toward first Heidi’s house, a small two story place by the school, then Rhonda’s apartment, third floor place by the Base, and last to Tor’s, a large place not far from Cordelia’s, and he’s spent way too much time not stalking her with Jesse to even have been able to realized that.
“So you can be quiet.”
Xander looked up at the comment from Kyle and pushed back the regret and loss, “Mock and you’ll find out just how rare that can be,” he didn’t even try to force a grin at that one, he just kept walking toward the address Kyle had rattled off as his home, a place a block from Buffy’s oddly enough.
The next few minutes were quiet as Xander just started making a list of questions he really needed to ask Giles, or look up himself and wasn’t that thought just revolting, voluntarily researching what was the world coming too? But even as he made the list he could see Kyle fidgeting out of the corner of his eye. If he wasn’t shoving his hands into his pockets he was pulling them out and Kyle the constantly glancing over at him before quickly looking away.
“Kyle relax, I know it’s a lot to take in but you get used to it,” Xander said when it just became too much. And really out of the group he thought Kyle would take it the best, if he was taking it this bad the others must be really freaking.
“That’s not it, well not all of it, it’s just.”
The growl of frustration he heard from Kyle almost told him more then his words, Kyle needed to get something out and everything pointed to him needing help. “Okay then tell me what it is. And don’t worry about making sense we’ll do that some other time.”
He watched as Kyle just looked at him a minutes before the teen turned around and kicked at a lamppost as he ran his hands through his hair before spinning about to face toward him again.
“It’s you, and how I feel whenever you’re around. Ever since the zoo. The gang my gang, but now you. And I wanted to fight but then you made that sound and then your hand and I freaked. I should just let it go but I can’t because they’re mine and who the hell are you to challenge that?”
Xander was managing to follow some of Kyle’s tirade, not really will but some. He hadn’t, however, missed the challenge in Kyle’s voice or in his last words. The moment he heard Kyle call them his it was like every sense was on red alert so he saw the punch coming before Kyle knew he’d throw it if the other teen’s eyes were any indication.
His own hand lashed out at Kyle on instinct going for the weak spot of the solar plexus as he shifted out of the way of Kyle’s first punch. But then Kyle’s second punch did land in his side even as the older teen was sucking in air and it changed everything.
Everything became a blur and muddled, he wasn’t thinking just moving. One moment he was slamming Kyle’s face against the lamppost and then his arm felt like it was being ripped from its socket as his face was grinding into the sidewalk, next he was standing in grass and then he was grappling in the dirt.
As quick as it started it was over. Kyle was lying under him, his body limp and his eyes, Xander couldn’t quite place the look in Kyle’s eyes but it worried him. He needed to figure it out he thought as he let out a breath as he rolled off of Kyle. “I told you not to challenge me again Kyle.”
“Yeah….”
Xander frowned at the whispered word as he watched Kyle slowly roll over and push himself up to sit against a tree before the teen brought his hand up to his busted lip.
“Look, I don’t know why I’m acting like this. I’m not normally this…possessive of my friends, protective yes, possessive no but right now I am. And I think you are too,” Xander said as honestly as he could as he stood up and offered a hand to Kyle still not liking the look he had seen in Kyle’s eyes.
“Maybe, I’ve never seen you fight before. I didn’t even know you could.”
“Three mouths ago you would have laid me out no problems,” Xander answered the hidden question as Kyle took his hand and he helped the other teen up. “And by the way fighting by a park, at night, in this town is not the best idea. We need to get indoors.”
***Interlude: Fratertris***
It was Saturday and Kyle didn’t want to get out of bed.
Part of him hoped that if he didn’t get out of bed his mother would start yelling for him to get up and get to school and it could all been a bad dream. It could still be Wednesday and they hadn’t gone to the Zoo. He and his friends hadn’t be possessed by some thing that really shouldn’t exist, they hadn’t eaten…anything they shouldn’t have and Xander was just a kid from school they picked on every so often and not becoming part of his pack.
But it didn’t happen. He felt the room get warmer as the sum climbed higher, filling his room with light despite the best efforts of the curtains. He knew it was well past time for school and that meant it was Saturday and the last few days did happen. Last night happened.
Thinking about last night only confused Kyle even more. The first part was plain scary. He’d wanted to hurt Xander. Wanted to feel his body give out under his fists but when he confronted him he freaked. Xander was just…a lot different, stronger, than he had believed. And at first he’s been fine, something felt right about it and after the last couple of days he wasn’t going to question anything that felt right.
But then they walked everyone home and Kyle realized Xander was going to be last. That he was going to take the risk of being out alone at night in what was, as he had just learned, the vampire capital of America. Xander was taking the role of leader, making sure everyone else was okay and that was his job, his responsibility, not Xander’s.
And then he’s found out he couldn’t take Xander in a fight. And wow was that fight a bad idea, Kyle thought again as he tossed aside the covers and gingerly got out of bed. He could feel everything as if it just happened and that sucked. He slowly stood and then started stretching out his arms and shoulders working through the tightness before he started fishing around for some clean clothe and he really needed to remember to drop his basket downstairs so they’d get washed.
A few minutes later Kyle was stepping out of the shower and looked at himself in the mirror. He had bruise scattered over his body, the one along the side of his face was going to be the most visible and his parents were going to see it before the weekend was out. The ones on his shoulder, side and thigh he could cover for the most part but…his parents were going to know he’d been in a fight and that was going to be fun trying to explain.
Yeah I was pissed at this guy that took over my friends when we were possessed by hyena spirits and the spirits are gone but he’s still around so we went at it. That would go over well. If he made it out today maybe he could say he got it playing ball with Tor that could work, but what to tell Tor?
Kyle counted himself lucky as he was able to get out of the house without his parents seeing him. His father glued to the newspaper and his mother already out in the garden so he didn’t have to do anything other then shout that he was meeting Tor. Now he just had to hope Tor would be at their usual hoop this early.
His luck wasn’t holding when he made it to Triangle Park and Kyle let out a breath as he just made his way over to the cluster of trees that he and the others had staked as their own. Kyle jumped to his own branch, pausing just a beat before he starting climbing around the tree, letting his mind drift to everything he’s learned the night before as he waited.
And really the town made a lot more sense now. All the deaths and other odd stuff…maybe Cindy hadn’t been nuts when she said the snowmen attacked her last winter. Whatever happened to her anyways? Maybe she didn’t just drop out like he thought after all. And Heidi’s brother…he was going to have to find out more, like how to kill them all.
Kyle was pulled from his thoughts later when a ball bounced into the trunk next to him accompanied by his name. Tracking the ball back to its source, Tor, Kyle debated on telling Tor how the bruises happened one last time as he jumped down landing next to the blond teen.
“What the hell happened to your face, you look like you were slammed into the tree instead of just climbing it.”
“What do you think happened?” Take the non-answer for what it is and just let it go, come one.
“Who…?”
Hell, when did Tor start getting this protective? Kyle thought as he saw Tor clench his fist and let out a growl almost as intense as the rage in his eyes, he knew Tor could be aggressive but this was a bit much even for him. “It was my own damn fault; I swung first. Xander’s just a better fighter than I thought.” And didn’t that suck to say.
“Oh.”
Kyle watched as Tor seemed to go from enraged hulk to chill in a blink and that just pissed him off. It was okay if he got beat up if it was Xander, no that’s not why he calmed down I said it was my fault that’s why he calmed down, he wasn’t picking Xander over me, he wasn’t, really.
“Yeah, if anyone asks I got it playing ball, got it?” Say yes, show me you’re still my buddy.
“No sweat Kyle, I’ve got your back.”
The relief that floods through him at Tor’s easy and unhesitating answer only forces him to face just how panicked he’d been. He shouldn’t have worried, what’s gotten into him, he never worried about where he stood with his friends before.
“So come on let’s play some hoops before the girls get here.”
“Well if you insist on being embarrassed I can oblige that,” Kyle said with a grin he really felt as he dashed past Tor grabbing the ball.
It felt great doing something normal after the last week.
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