Title: Open Doors – Part 2 – Blackmail
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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After a particularly rough day on the job, Tony made his way to the sports bar that had become his regular after work hang out. He smiled when he saw Xander behind the bar; the man was always good for conversation and a couple of laughs, and they had managed to strike up a pretty good friendship. Tony frowned when he saw the bandage on his new friend's arm and the scrapes on his cheek.
"What the hell happened to you?" Tony demanded as he sat down at the bar.
Xander attempted a smirk, hindered slightly by his busted lip. "Hello Tony. Good to see you. How was your day?"
The NCIS agent rolled his eyes, but blushed a little in embarrassment for his abrupt greeting. "Hello Xander. Good to see your battered ass. What the hell happened?"
"Hey, my ass is not battered. It's probably the one spot on me that doesn't ache," Xander protested.
Tony stared at him.
"Too much info? I over-shared again, didn't I? Wills always says I over-share. You weren't specifically asking about my butt, were you? Damn. I really shouldn't take painkillers and operate my mouth at the same time…" Xander's words were cut off by Tony leaning over the bar and placing a hand over his mouth.
"Hey Mark," Tony called over to Xander's supervisor.
Mark placed the order he had just finished on the waitress' tray and wandered over to where Tony and Xander were. "Hey Tony. What's up?"
"You notice Xander here ain't lookin' so hot? He just had a babble-fest about pain meds and his butt. I'm thinking he probably shouldn't be working right now," Tony said with a laugh, but concern skirted the edge of his tone.
"Xander, you said you were fine. If you don't feel well, you can go home, it's not busy tonight," Mark said sternly, but affectionately. Xander was a good kid, and he wasn't the type to slack or call off.
Xander ducked his head in embarrassment. "I need the hours, Mark."
"Tell you what, you have the next few days off anyway, right? If you're feeling better next week, I'll let you pick up an extra shift or somethin'. It's in the same pay period and if you take a later shift for the bigger tips, it should all work out, maybe even get you a little extra," Mark offered. "Now, do you need a ride home? I know you usually get picked up."
"I'll take him. I haven't had a drink yet or anything, so we're good. Just give me an order of wings to go, and I'm all set," Tony offered.
"I can't let you do that," Xander protested.
"Yes you can, and you will," Tony said firmly.
Mark clapped Tony on the back. "Thanks, Tony. Xander really appreciates it, and I know you'll watch out for him, you being some sorta cop and all."
"I do investigate crimes and arrest people, and I was a cop before I joined NCIS, so I guess I am ‘some sorta cop'," Tony said with a smile.
"Thanks Tony, I didn't mean to sound ungrateful, I just didn't want to inconvenience you," Xander admitted as Mark went to get Tony's food.
"I wouldn't have offered if it wasn't okay, Xand."
"Here's your wings; Xander had already put an order in for you when he saw you come in the door, so they just wrapped it up to go."
Tony led Xander out to his car and helped the obviously injured man into the passenger seat, then climbed into the driver's side. He liked Xander. They had become pretty good friends over the last couple of weeks, going a long way to heal the hurt that his co-workers had inflicted. Xander had admitted that something similar had happened to him a time or ten and they had bonded over being pushed away by their so-called friends. He took comfort in the fact that Xander told him that the young man's friends had gone to great effort to repair their friendships and they were now closer than ever, even though they lived far apart. It gave him hope that his relationships with Abby, McGee and Gibbs could be repaired.
"So what happened?" Tony asked again.
"Had a bad dream, rolled out of bed. I should really think about getting rails," Xander said glibly.
"Fine, don't tell me. It's not like I, oh, investigate crimes for a living. I could find out. I have my ways."
Xander turned to look at him seriously. "It would probably be best if you didn't."
Tony stopped in the middle of buckling his seatbelt and looked over his friend again. "Did someone hurt you Xander? Do you need help?"
"It's not a domestic thing. I was sort of mugged. I fought back instead of just giving up the goods, hence the big ouches."
Tony could tell that Xander was leaving out some stuff, but that the gist of it was true. Someone had attacked the younger man and he had fought back.
"You know, if ever there's anything I can do for you, I would, right?" Tony asked.
Xander flushed and ducked his head. "Yeah, I know, Tony."
"You've been a good friend to me when I needed one, I do appreciate that," Tony said.
Again, the younger man flushed. "You know you're skirting the edge of chick-talk, with feelings and stuff, right?"
Tony laughed. Considering he was talking to a man who (from what he'd gleaned from their conversations) had grown up with mostly female friends, Xander would know of which he spoke. "I guess you're familiar with the girly-feeling talks, huh?"
"Hey, I may not have had a lot of guy friends, but I at least know we're not supposed to talk about our feelings," Xander defended.
Tony rolled his eyes and started the car. "Directions?"
Xander rattled off directions to his home and sat back, trying to get comfortable.
"I guess you're right about the feelings crap. And even I admit to not understanding some guy-related stuff, and I was a jock. Like the athletes always slapping each other's asses, what's up with that?" Tony joked.
"I always thought they spanked each other because it felt good," Xander said sleepily.
Tony narrowly avoided hitting a parked car as he gaped at Xander in shock.
Xander replayed his words in his head and groaned when he realized what he had just said and admitted to. "Can we pretend I didn't say that? Chalk it up to the pain meds?"
Tony smirked a truly evil smirk that rivaled all the evil smirks that Xander had ever seen, and boy, had he seen his share. "Oh no way, this is blackmail material. And so early in our friendship, too. I will squeeze hours and hours of teasing out of this."
Xander moaned and resisted the urge to beat his head against the window.
Open Doors by xanfan