(I love this thing) I do however, have an update for all you guys. Yes, you heard me right...an actual honest to goodness update. I wish it could be longer but it's kinda short...sleepyness and all.
Chapter 8: Finding Xander
Buffy, Willow, Tara, Dawn, and Anya had been sitting in front of the guys bathroom for at least 5 minutes, and they were all getting mildly restless.
“Where is he?” Anya wined, “It can’t take him that long!”
No one had an answer so they all just shrugged.
“Well, I’m not waiting around any longer.” Anya said, standing up and began walking away.
“Anya, where are you –” Anya strutted right up to the boy’s bathroom door and went into it, banging the door open as she went.
“- going?” Buffy finished lamely.
The four remaining ladies could hear some muffled yells behind the still-open door, and then a loud “Xander?” could be heard from the inside. Doors opening and shutting loudly could be heard, which was undoubtedly Anya searching for her missing fiancé.
About a minute later, an angry looking Anya stormed out of the bathroom, huffing. “He’s not in there!” she glared at the door, “I opened every single stall door and he wasn’t in any one of them!”
Buffy, Dawn, and Willow chortled at Anya’s display.
She turned to them, “What’s so funny?”
Dawn looked up at her from where she sat and choked out a “nothing” before raising her hand to her mouth, trying to muffle her very loud and obvious giggles. This however, did nothing but make Buffy and Willow laugh even harder.
Tara sat with a small smile on her face. She, for one, wasn’t going to engage in the wrath of Anya. “Anya, I’m sure we’ll find him. Why don’t you and I just go into the bathroom…uh, the-the other bathroom, and just splash some water on our faces, okay?”
“Okay,” Anya sighed dejectedly.
“We’ll be right back,” Tara told the others, who were still in fits of giggles.
Tara led Anya around the shop separating the boys and girls bathrooms, and she opened the door for Anya. They were no other people in the vicinity, which Tara thought, was a little odd. Anya wrinkled her nose at the smell of the bathroom and went over to the sink to splash some water over her face. She repeated the process a few times while Tara walked to where the mirrors were.
She frowned at her reflection. Some of her hair had come undone from the ponytail she had hastily put up after going on the log flume. Tara blushed a little when she remembered the ride as she undid her ponytail and put it into a new one, which was much less messy. All of a sudden she heard a toilet flush, and whipped around to scan the area. She had though the only occupants of the bathroom were she and Anya. Apparently she had been wrong. She shrugged it off and turned back to look in the mirror, examining herself and trying as best she could to fix her hair, which, at the moment, seemed nearly impossible to do.
Anya had finished washing her face and called to Tara. “You coming?”
“In a sec. Let me just freshen up a bit.” Tara answered.
“Whatever,” Anya called, before Tara heard the door close, signaling that Anya had left. She turned away from the full-body mirror and went to the sink where Anya had been moments ago and washed her hands. She looked up to see her reflection once more.
The end stall opened suddenly, as Tara saw in the mirror, and a large shape backed out of it. Tara studied the figure in the mirror. Hey, that looks a lot like –
“Xander!” she said, rushing to him. He looked rather winded as he leaned against the stall door, breathing heavily.
“Remind me never ever to get ribs again…or at least…” his cheeks puffed out a little, “not so many of ‘em,” he finished. Tara nodded.
“Are you okay?” she asked him.
“Yeah, I’m better.” He shook his head before moving his jaw up and down and making a face of disgust, “my taste buds are telling another story though.” He looked at her for a moment before asking.
“Hey, what are you doing in here anyway?” he asked her. Tara bit her lip to try and keep herself from laughing.
Xander looked around, his eyes widening in horror. There are no urinals on the walls! “Oh, God!” he moaned, banging his head against the stall door lightly before stopping because well…it hurt. “This day just can’t get any worse.” He moaned, putting his hands on Tara’s shoulder to steady himself as they began walking towards the door.
The door to the bathroom opened.
“Tar, honey?” Willow called, “You okay?” she walked into the main part of the roomy bathroom and stopped dead when she saw Tara and Xander, Xander’s hands on Tara’s shoulder.
Her eyes widened before she decided to mess with her best friend a little, “Xander Harris! Are you trying to steal some time alone with my girlfriend?” she scowled playfully at him, “Is that why you went into the girls bathroom? Cause lemme tell ya mister, this one here,” she pointed at Tara, “she’s mine.” She walked over to where they were and playfully yanked her girlfriend out of Xander’s grip, slinging an arm around Tara’s waist. She sighed dramatically, “Xander, Xander, Xander…what would Anya say?” she shook her head, lightheartedly.
Xander rolled his eyes at her. “You’re never gonna let me live this down are ya Will?”
Willow grinned. “Nope.” Xander turned around and threw his hands up. When he turned back around a bright flash filled his vision. He blinked and glared at Willow through the stars. He patted his pocket where his camera should have been. Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t there.
“Willow! What was that for?” he asked, slightly peeved.
Willow just grinned at him innocently, waving the camera she had taken from Dawn in front of him. “Two words, Xand.” She held up two of her fingers, “Log. Flume.”
Xander huffed, “Fine, whatever, let’s just go.” He opened the door to let Willow and Tara out. They stepped out, giggling at him as three girls appeared and went into the bathroom, looking at him strangely.
He followed the two Wiccans. “Oh, and by the way I’m fine Will, thanks for asking,” he called to her sarcastically. Without turning, she lifted the arm that wasn’t around Tara and gave him a thumbs up sign behind her back, before putting it down again, and snuggling farther into Tara, as they both walked back to the group.
Xander shrugged, helplessly, and trotted after them.
TBC…
Also...my beta reader gave me a great idea. Since most of you seem to like Xander's camera...she suggested a contest of who could make the coolest photo of them (Willow and Tara or of the whole gang) that would be like a developed photo of them straight from Xander's camera. In fact, it doesn't even have to be a contest...it could...but what do you guys think?
It's better to be pissed off than to be pissed on. - My mantra on a bad day.
And never let it be said that I left a Tara craving unsatisfied. - Willow in Wilderness
can't imagine how embarrassing that would be....at least it was only Tara in there with him.
over it. But, thank you.