The girls returned earlier than expected from L.A. Tara, Giles and Xander were sitting at the research table discussing the upcoming trip to Bermuda. Giles had realized that this was the perfect opportunity for Tara to do on-site research in her project. He was in the process of trying to talk her into going with them.

“I..I’m not s..sure, Giles. I’ve never traveled any further than from h..home to here.” Tara looked distraught.

“Tara, you would be able to find an immense amount of information on mythological happenings if you were actually visiting the places where they were based. You must stop for a moment and think!” Giles was leaning forward in his chair, intent on persuading the young woman to accompany them.

Xander glanced up from the book he was absently staring at. “Tara, I’m sure that Giles could use your help. Spike and I aren’t spell-casters. If anything happens, it would be better to have two magically inclined people around, instead of just one.” He winked at the blonde woman and returned to staring at his book.

Giles watched, as Xander seemed to immerse himself in his reading. He had counted the number of times that Xander had turned a page in his book. Zero. He had also noticed that the boy just hadn’t been the same since the girls had left to go to L.A. “Xander, is something wrong?”

Xander assured Giles the best he could. “Nah, G-man, I’m fine.” He smiled at the other man and rose from his chair. “I’m gonna go check on Spike.” He walked through to the training room where the vampire was currently taking advantage of the Slayer’s absence by abusing her training equipment.

Xander stopped in the doorway and simply watched the graceful creature in the room before him. Spike was clad only in his well-fitting black jeans, completing forms in the middle of the floor, sword in hand.

Spike spun elegantly, swinging the blade in an arc towards the training dummy. The blade stopped mere millimeters before striking the rubber form. He pulled back, maintaining his defensive stance. Spike backed towards Xander, the muscles in his back rippling as he guided the sword through various positions.

Xander felt drawn towards the vampire. He gave into his impulses and walked towards Spike as silently as possible. Spike dropped the sword to his side and turned, watching Xander as the other man approached him.

Spike smiled a genuine smile as Xander encroached his personal space; almost, but not quite pressing his body against the smaller man. Xander smiled back and reached out a hand to again touch those cheekbones.

Spike leaned into the Xander’s touch. He could feel a rumbling in his chest and struggled not to purr aloud. Xander drew his hand down Spike’s face, tracing a single finger over pale, full lips.

Xander’s breath hitched, he desperately wanted to kiss this man. He leaned towards Spike and licked his lips in preparation. A hair’s breadth away, now, warmth dusting over Spike’s mouth. The energy between them was palpable and Xander suddenly felt that there was not enough oxygen available in the room. He leaned a fraction closer, his lips brushing against that oh so soft and cool mouth….

The store bell yanked the men out of their daze. They both stepped back. Xander looked at the ground, while Spike examined the sword in his hand. A squeal was heard and Xander looked towards the door. Anya’s voice set off a shock of guilt that filtered through his chest. He took a shaky breath, turned and trained his eyes on Spike’s back as the vampire replaced the blade in its scabbard on the wall.

Spike looked over his shoulder, his eyes a shock of blue against pale skin and Xander gasped once again. He turned and walked towards the door, towards his girlfriend, frantically trying to get control of his emotions before he got out of the room.

He took a deep breath and heard Spike’s quiet curses behind him as he struggled with the clasps on his boots. Xander opened the door, plastering a smile on his face. “Anya!”

*****

Spike stood in the training room, listening to the group talking excitedly to one another. More specifically, he was listening to Xander talk to Anya. He pouted his best ‘no one’s around to see me’ pout and draped himself across the couch, lighting a cigarette.

*****

Xander was sitting uncomfortably with Anya beside him. Their greeting kiss was light and closed-mouthed. He found that alternately comforting and disconcerting. Anya liked to kiss and had been away for over four days. He wondered at the change.

“Xander, I want to go home. Can we go now?” Anya whispered in Xander’s ear, looking around to insure that no one else heard.

“But I wanted to hear about the show!” Xander’s objection drew the attention of everyone else in the room, including Riley who had arrived minutes after the girls.

Anya shot him a dirty look, but stayed where she was, reliving the fashion show with her fellow models and chipping in her two cents whenever Buffy or Willow took a breath.

Buffy started. “Well, we got there and the first thing that happened was that Cordelia had fallen and sprained her ankle the night before. She was furious!”

Willow picked up the dialogue. “She loved our new wardrobes, though, and had us do a private fashion show for her.”

“Her favorite outfit was my red dress and patent leather heels,” Anya’s voice joined in the fray.

Buffy interrupted when Anya took a breath to further describe her beaded gown. “But she really liked my green pant suit. She said it made me look elegant!”

Anya frowned at Buffy and took over once again. “We did several practice runs since a lot of the models had problems walking down the catwalk.” She pointedly looked at Buffy.

“What? It was really high off the floor and narrow!” The Slayer’s voice shrilled. Riley wrapped his arms tightly around his girlfriend and glared at the room at large.

“But, Buff, you fell off of it!” Willow giggled at her friend. At Buffy’s scowl, she reddened. “Sorry.” Willow turned her face into Tara’s shoulder; her girlfriend began to stroke her head soothingly and made shushing noises.

Giles allowed the interaction to continue for about a quarter of an hour. Spike wandered into the shop halfway through the reminiscing and jumped onto the counter, lighting a cigarette and kicking his feet. When it became obvious that the girls were never going to get around to the point of the story, namely the demons, Giles intervened.

“What about the demon?” He enunciated as clearly as he could through his clenched teeth.

“Demon?” Buffy looked genuinely confused.

“Yes, Buffy. The demon that Cordelia asked you to come and lure out with your show.” Spike smirked at the look on the watcher’s face as Giles restated his question.

“Oh, that. Angel killed him.” Buffy turned and began to seek out her boyfriend’s tonsils with her tongue.

Spike and Giles groaned in unison at the over familiar sight and Giles once again spoke up. “Everyone go home. We will talk again tomorrow. Out. Now.”

Everyone stood and began gathering various items to take home. Giles furtively pulled Tara to the side. “You will consider it, won’t you?”

The blonde Wiccan smiled. “Of course. I’ll talk to Willow about it tonight.” She beamed at Giles and ran to catch up with Willow, who was struggling to the door with her two suitcases. “Here, sweetie, let me help.” The two young witches walked out into the night, back to their cozy room to become reacquainted.

Spike was pulled aside by Anya at the same time. “I need to talk to Xander alone. Can you wait until closer to dawn to come home?” Spike snarled for effect, glancing at the brunette man across the room, then nodded. He went back into the training room, pulling off his duster as he strode through the room. Time to work off some tension.

Giles locked the door behind Anya and Xander and then went back to the training room to talk with Spike.

*****

Xander opened the apartment door for Anya. The ride home from the Magic Box had been quiet, but strained. Anya had responded yes or no to any question he posed but appeared tense. He ushered her into the apartment and took her bags back to their bedroom before returning to the living room.

He returned to find her sitting on the edge of the couch, hands clenched, her face a montage of emotions. When she noticed him in the doorway, she quickly adjusted her expression to a rather serious look.

“Xander, we need to talk.” Xander nodded and stayed standing in the doorway.

“Come over here and sit down,” Anya finally requested after a long moment.

“Please.”

Xander walked across the room and sat beside his girlfriend. Guilt was eating him up. Could she know what had happened between him and Spike? He felt guiltier about not feeling guilty about the kisses than he did about the kisses themselves. He reran that thought through his head and nodded. Yeah, that’s what he meant.

Anya looked at Xander, drinking in the sight of the slightly confused man before starting to speak.

“I have a lot to say, and I would really like it if you would let me talk without interrupting, ok?” Anya waited for Xander’s nod before continuing.

“Something happened this weekend. Something that I didn’t expect.” Xander’s eyes opened in panic. She knew. Anya looked down at her hands that were laced over her knees.

“Someone asked me out on a date. People have asked me out before, but I always just brushed them off, but this time… I felt an attraction.” She glanced into Xander’s face, not ever looking high enough to see his eyes.

“Since I’ve moved in with you, I’ve felt more like a mother or a babysitter for you and Spike. I don’t feel like a lover, and it is not your fault.” She stopped Xander’s objection before he started.

“I brought it on myself. I jumped into a relationship with you almost as soon as I became human again. Well, after I ran away from the mayor and drove around the country for a little while. But the point is, I felt comfortable with you because you knew about demons and you were large and had nice shoulders. I wanted to interlock parts with you. It was always good.” Anya spared a glance into Xander’s eyes, quickly pulling her gaze from his confused face back down to her fingers.

“I have enjoyed being with you and I still find you very attractive. Sex with you is incredible. You are giving and adventuresome in bed, something I haven’t seen in a man in probably over a hundred years. I’ve really enjoyed that. I’ve not met anyone else since we got together, except for maybe Spike, that I would even consider sleeping with.” Her admission dragged a gasp from Xander. He swallowed hard, banishing thoughts of the bleached vampire from his mind.

“So, this weekend, I met this guy, a demon, and he was funny and attractive and was interested in me. In me! He didn’t know that I was an ex-demon and when he found out, he didn’t care. He acted like I had said, ‘The sky is blue.’ It didn’t faze him.” Anya paused, turning on her perch, lifting a hand to Xander’s brow, and stroking him gently.

Seeing the question in his eyes, she answered, “No. You can’t talk yet. Let me finish. I love you, Xander. I love you. I just want to… I want to…” She broke off, unable to finish. She dropped her hand back into her lap, trying to force back her tears by sheer will.

“You want to break up with me. You want to see what it would be like to see other people.” Xander reached over and rubbed her hands gently.

Through her tears, Anya laughed. “I told you not to talk until I was done!” She wiped her eyes and allowed her emotions to escape through laughter. Xander pulled her closer and held her until she finished.

“You’re right. I want to break up, but that is not the only reason. I know you love me, but I think that you are falling in love with someone else. No talking!” She caught his quick intake of breath. “No talking,” she reiterated.

Anya smiled at her lover. “Didn’t you think it was strange that I took all of the soap and shampoo in the entire house with me on a four day trip?” Xander nodded vigorously, careful not to open his mouth.

“You and Spike are not the only two that Mrs. Sanderson talks to. She told me months ago that something was developing between you and Spike. I laughed it off but started watching. You care about him Xander. You do! Don’t shake your head at me!” She lightly slapped Xander on his thigh.

“What happened when you used the rose soap, Xander? Did you all of the sudden realize that I wasn’t the blonde featured in your fantasies? I’ve known that for a while, I can see it in your eyes.” Xander blushed and looked away, ashamed that he had been so easy to read.

“How did you…” He quit talking as he saw the threat in Anya’s eyes.

“You talk in your sleep.” Anya smiled.

“I do not!” Xander argued.

“Yes, you do, and unless ‘Spike’ is a new nickname for me, you’ve been dreaming about him for the last two months.”

Xander sat, stunned at the revelation. He didn’t remember dreaming about the evil undead, but he wouldn’t doubt it, considering how quickly his waking fantasies had turned to the blond man.

“You didn’t know, did you?”

Xander shook his head.

“Did he kiss you?”

Xander nodded, then jumped up from the couch. “Hey! You weren’t supposed to know that!” He pointed a finger accusingly at Anya.

“I guessed.” Anya stood and walked over to Xander, wrapping her arms around his waist.

“Are we ok?” she murmured into his chest.

“Yeah, Ahn. We’re ok. Wanna stay here until you find another place? I’ll sleep on the couch.” Xander pulled back and looked at the tiny girl in his arms.

“If I can trust you to keep your hands to yourself, we can both sleep in the bed.” Anya winked cheekily at him.

“I don’t think so, Ahn. Not my style, ya know?” Xander stepped away from his ex-girlfriend and walked towards their… no, his bedroom. “I’ll just grab some clothes and a blanket, then you can have the room, ok?”

Anya stared after him, knowing he didn’t really want an answer. Tears filled her eyes. She knew she had made the right choice, but it hurt nonetheless. She wiped at the moisture trickling down her face and walked to the phone, dialing a number from memory.

“Hello, Lorne? Wow, it’s loud tonight. How are things going?” Anya settled down on a barstool as Xander went into the bathroom to bathe.

*****

Xander contemplated his shower as he stood under the spray. He seemed to be spending a lot of time in it lately, thinking about relationship stuff.

Anya had broken up with him. Anya had broken up with him because she wanted to date other people, other demons. Anya had broken up with him because he wanted Spike. Anya had broken up with him and he wasn’t upset.

He carefully evaluated his feelings. Nope, wasn’t upset or hurt. Kinda… relieved. Huh. He checked again. Yep. Relieved and maybe a little excited. The guilt he felt over kissing Spike was gone and in its place was anticipation.

He could kiss Spike now. Well, he could try to kiss Spike now. He had Anya’s permission. And Mrs. Sanderson’s, it seemed. Where on earth had that woman come from? He decided not to think too much about the elderly witch. His thoughts returned to Spike.

How do you go about asking another guy out on a date? Xander panicked. Do guys go out on dates with each other? What would he do if he asked Spike out on a date and Spike said no? Anxiety shook through his body. Nope, not gonna think about that.

Back to Spike. Blond hair, bleached; blue eyes. No… startling blue eyes that turned to midnight blue when he was aroused. Midnight blue eyes that sparkled when he laughed and clouded over when he kissed Xander…

Xander closed his own eyes and remembered the almost-kiss in the training room. He remembered the smile that Spike had given him. It was a real smile, not a smirk, not a sneer, not a lecherous grin. A real smile. Xander felt his own lips lift at the memory.

He finished showering and went into the living room, noticing that Anya was gone. He walked towards the bedroom and heard her moving around behind the closed door, so he went back to the living room to set up a spot to sleep on the couch.

As he snuggled up under his favorite, tattered thermal blanket, he wondered where Spike was now.

THE TRIANGLE 9