Title: Open Doors – Part 9 – Are we there yet?
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.
_____________________________________
Tony wasn't surprised Rona opened the door to the building Xander lived in. He was getting used to all the assorted people in Xander's life and he had a suspicion that he hadn't even met the really, really scary ones. Not that Rona, Angel and Spike - oh hell, pretty much everyone Xander knew - weren't scary.
"So, here for THE DATE, huh? Xander will be down in a minute, they're putting the finishing touches on him right now," the young woman said casually. "Nice gear, you clean up pretty good."
Tony smiled his most charming smile. "Why thank you."
"You're welcome, and if you ever hurt Xander, I'll rip your intestines out, shove one end down your throat, the other end up the back door and tie ‘em in a pretty bow in the middle," Rona said with a smile before she left him in the front hall cringing at the visual her words inspired.
"Don't mind the bird, her college rhetoric class is working on descriptive imagery, I've been tutoring her m'self," Spike said as he came in from the dining room.
"Good job with that," Tony said as he tried to shake the picture Rona had painted from his head.
Spike grinned proudly.
Tony looked up as Xander and his entourage descended the stairs. Rona's gift with words was quickly forgotten. The charcoal gray slacks Xander was wearing hung just right and accentuated his muscled thighs and his deep burgundy button down shirt ever so slightly clung to his pecs and arms. Tony could only come up with one word for the view, "Wow."
Xander blushed at the NCIS agent's breathless comment. "Thanks. You're pretty wow yourself."
Tony smiled at the compliment.
Angel beamed proudly and ushered the little girls accompanying them down the stairs past where Xander and Tony stood staring at each other.
"Xan's goin' on a daaaay-aaaate," one of the little girls sing-songed, causing the other tiny girls to burst into giggles. More giggles were heard from the doorway to the living room where a crowd of pre-teen and teenage girls had appeared.
Xander rolled his eyes at the gaggle of older girls and crouched down to his princesses' eye-level. "Yes, I am going on a date. This is Tony."
Tony squatted down beside Xander and smiled winningly at the little ones. He stuck out his hand and after a moment of hesitation and a few looks at Xander, each little darling took a turn shaking his hand.
"Tony, I'd like you to meet Mischa, Sunny, Manny, Bella and Rissa. Or should I say Mischa, Soon-Li; Emmanuella, Isabella and Marissa," Xander introduced the girls as they once again broke into giggles at his semi-formal introduction.
"I'm very pleased to meet such lovely ladies as yourselves," Tony said, inclining his head in a mock bow from his crouched position.
The giggles continued from not just the little girls, but the older ones too.
Bella gave Tony a searching and skeptical look, one he found disquieting on such a small face. She leaned towards Xander and said in an audible whisper, "He nice. Not mean. He not get mad?"
Xander reached and pulled Bella into the circle of his arms, kissing her forehead as he whispered, "Oh my Isabella, he is very nice. And he only gets mad at the bad guys. And since I'm not a bad guy and, last I checked, neither were you, I don't think we have to worry, do you?"
Bella gave Tony that very appraising look again. "We not bad guys. Xan the best good guy in ‘d whole world. You not mean to him?"
"Never," Tony said solemnly.
She nodded and rested her head against Xander for a moment before pulling away with a sweet smile.
Xander stood and pulled Tony up with him. He smiled shyly at Tony, then turned to look down at his girls. "Now, you guys are going to be good for Angel and Gunn, right? You'll let Selene and Michelle give you your baths and put you to bed without a fuss?"
"Yes Xan," the five little girls intoned.
"Right. So, if you behave, Spike will read you your bed time stories. With voices and everything," Xander said with a grin to the girls and a smirk at the bleached blond, who pretended to look put upon. Tony had a sneaking suspicion that the punk-rocker-wanna-be enjoyed story time almost as much as the girls.
"So, are we ready to go?" Xander asked.
"Absolutely," Tony said. He put a hand on Xander's back and guided him towards the front door. He pretended not to feel the other man shiver slightly at his touch. He didn't dare show a reaction with that many eyes watching them. Especially when many of those eyes held dire threats to his personal safety and well being if he did anything to hurt their Xander.
Tony smiled softly; it was nice to know Xander had so many people in his corner.
Open Doors by xanfan