Title: Open Doors – Part 10 – A Date?
Author: Xanfan
Fandom: Buffy/NCIS crossover
Rating: Potentially R/Mature
Pairing: eventually Tony/Xander
Summary: SLASH - When some doors slam shut, others open. Two men with a history of being pushed aside learn that it's the small moments that can change everything.
Spoilers: up to Boxed In, season 3 of NCIS, All of Buffy, post Chosen
Warnings: Slash M/M
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
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Tony suppressed a grin as Xander peeked up at him through his lashes from across the table for what had to be the twentieth time while he toyed with the dessert on his plate. "What?" Tony asked in amusement.
Xander took a deep breath before rushing headlong into his question. "Isthisadate?"
"Could you rewind that and this time pause in between words?" Tony asked teasingly.
"Is…this…a…date?" Xander asked with exaggerated slowness.
The NCIS agent was truly perplexed by the question. "I kind of thought that we established that this was a date when you asked me out and then again at the house and when I picked you up and everyone teased you about going out on a date."
"Are you sure?" Xander asked.
"I'm fairly certain," Tony said in bemusement. "Why do you ask?"
Xander fidgeted nervously for a few moments before he mumbled something.
Tony sighed in amused frustration. "I'm sorry Xander, I'm not quite as fluent in mumble as I should be. Could you repeat that, with volume, and don't forget to enunciate," Tony teased.
"It's just that… we went to a movie that wasn't a chick flick, we're at a restaurant that doesn't cost an arm and a leg with enormous portions of unbelievably good food, and now we are each having our own dessert and neither of us pretending we are only going to have one bite..." Xander started.
"And?" Tony prompted.
"And you haven't tried to kill me, torture me, emasculate me, sacrifice me to your favorite dark force, make me your bitch, make hugely inappropriate and embarrassing comments on my sexual performance, described to me in detail how you have tortured thousands upon thousands of people and enjoyed every minute, and you aren't showing even that slightest hint that you are, or soon will be, evil," Xander stated earnestly.
Tony barked out a laugh. "Well, you can't get blood out of Italian leather, so I probably won't be killing you. Torture is messy, too, and this is my favorite shirt, so that's out. I don't have a favorite dark force, so no sacrifices. I haven't killed thousands upon thousands of people, so I can't really regale you with stories, but I could make some up if you want. I can't yet comment either way on your sexual performance. As I do have plans to eventually find out, emasculation would be counter productive, don't you think? As for making you my bitch, the night isn't over yet."
Xander smiled slightly, then his smile grew and he began to giggle, which turned into uncontrollable gales of laughter. Tony just enjoyed it, not minding the looks they were drawing. He didn't comment on the death glare the waiter gave when he brought back their check with Tony's credit card and receipts to sign.
Eventually, Xander's laughter petered out and something in his eye made Tony ask, "You weren't really joking, were you?"
Xander just looked at him.
"You were speaking from experience?" Tony asked in dawning horror.
The brown haired man just nodded self-consciously, his beautiful brown eye filled with trepidation.
Tony looked at his date with sadness. "You really haven't had much luck with dating and relationships have you?"
"Not so much, no," Xander admitted shyly.
"So that's what the whole meeting your friends first thing was?" Tony asked gently, without anger.
"Yeah."
Tony smiled at his date. "No wonder they wanted to check me out before they let you date me."
Xander brightened. "So, you're not mad?"
"I'm really not."
Xander took an enthusiastic bite out of his chocolate cake. Tony couldn't help but grin and take an equally enthusiastic bite out of his crème brulee.
"So, those things really happened to you?" Tony asked after a few spoonfuls of the delicious dessert.
"Uh-huh," Xander said around a mouthful of gooey goodness.
Tony looked at him thoughtfully while he finished off his last taste. "You're not like other guys, are you Xander?"
"Nope," Xander said with a grin that didn't quite hide the fear of rejection in his eye.
"Sweet," Tony said as he wrote in the tip amount, only 15% since the waiter had glared at his Xander, and signed his name with a flourish.
As they stood up and started making their way to the door, Xander asked, "So, what now?"
Tony put his hand on Xander's lower back and urged him out the door. "We could go park somewhere and make out like teenagers while working towards my ability to make commentary about your sexual prowess and make headway on that ‘bitch' thing," Tony whispered into Xander's ear as they stepped out into the evening.
The brunet froze for a moment before gulping and nodding jerkily. "I could get behind that plan."
Tony smiled wolfishly and opened his mouth to comment when they both heard a scream.
Xander took off running towards the nearby alleyway while Tony stared for a moment, then pulled his gun from its holster at his back and followed.
He made it to the alley in time to see Xander pull a man off a struggling woman. He caught sight of mask-like features before Xander pulled something from his jacket and stabbed the man in the chest. Tony watched in horror, then shock, as the man his date had stabbed disappeared in a shower of dust.
"What the hell?" Tony said.
Open Doors by xanfan