Series: Interludes
Summary: Even after saving the world, sometimes you still need a hug.
Rating: NC17.
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon, WB & UPN et al own everything Buffy and Angel
Authors Notes: (1) This is the third story in a series of NC17 interludes that take place during my stories 'Breaking the Rules', 'Mirror Mirror', 'Aspects of Love' and 'Forever Rules'. (2) You don't need to have read the previous 'Interludes' to understand this. (3) This interlude takes place just before 'Mirror Mirror' starts. (4) British spelling. *_*'s indicate word emphasis and //_//'s indicate direct character thoughts.

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Buffy stabbed her key at the general direction of the lock on the door to Xander's apartment a couple of times before she finally got the key to go in the slot and turned it successfully. She opened the door as quietly as she could and stepped inside, placing her keys on the small table by the door and then closing the door softly.

Buffy tucked an errant lock of her hair behind her ear and then shrugged her jacket off, letting it fall to the floor. She used her hand to balance herself as she kicked off her boots, then left both jacket and boots by the door as she walked towards Xander's bedroom.

The door to his room was slightly ajar and a soft orange light glowed from the bedside lamp. Buffy stood in the doorway and leant against the frame as she watched Xander sleep. He was only half covered up, his legs tangled in the sheets and one arm was bent upward, his hand resting on the pillow by his head.

Buffy stood for a minute more, content to just watch his chest rise and fall for a while before she stepped back and headed towards the bathroom.

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Xander stirred at the sound of footsteps outside his bedroom door. He turned in his bed and woke up a little more when his legs got even more tangled in the sheets. He opened one eye half way and blinked sleepily at the red LED display on his alarm clock.

//Two thirty three?// Xander rubbed at his open eye with the heel of his palm "S'prob'ly Buff," he mumbled sleepily. //And I fell asleep. Way to be the studly boyfriend//.

He managed to untangle himself from his covers and pushed himself up from the mattress before clambering out of bed. He stretched as he turned to the door, expecting to see Buffy there. He frowned when he saw that she wasn't.

Xander looked down at himself and half-wondered if he should put some clothes on. He scratched at his head and yawned before shuffling sleepily past his pyjamas on the recliner and then out of his bedroom.

"Buff?" Xander noticed that the light was on in the bathroom and the door was slightly ajar and that there was a suspicious lack of sound. "Hey, if you're thinking of showering," he continued, pushing the door open gently, "I'm all for joining-" Xander stopped when he caught sight of Buffy.

Buffy closed her eyes for a second and then opened them again as she turned to face him. Her shirt, that had previously been white, was now mostly covered in dirt and blood. Buffy's blood - if the small patches of skin that showed through the material were anything to go by. There were also visible patches of skin showing through her jeans via the two diagonal slashes on her left thigh. Her lower arms and hands were covered in dirt and scratches. The scratches weren't deep, but enough so that blood was drawn and streaked her skin. Buffy's face and neck also had marks like the ones on her arms and hands but there were also large bruises along her jaw and right cheek and eye, her bottom lip was cut and there was a deep gash across her right temple just by her hairline and it was still bleeding, her hair matting in the wound.

Xander's face fell. "Oh God." He heard his voice cracking. "Oh honey look at you." Xander stepped forward to take her in his arms, but stopped when saw her wince when he touched her.

Buffy looked up into his concerned filled eyes. "You should see the other guys," she said weakly.

"Well I hope they're dead, if not I'm gonna go out there bash their skulls into mush." Xander grabbed a damp wash cloth from the sink and brought it tentatively to the cut on Buffy's temple. "C'mere. Let me see this," he said softly, dabbing the cloth gently against the cut as Buffy stayed still where she stood. "Giles OK?"

"Yeah." Buffy still kept her gaze on his face. "He'd already gone off home before the demons even attacked." Buffy closed her eyes as she let herself feel the soothing coolness of the washcloth. "I called when it was over to see if he'd gotten home OK. I told him about the attack," she continued. "He said he thought I should go to the hospital, but I'm… I'm fine." She opened her eyes and looked back at Xander who met her gaze. He looked dubious and still obviously concerned. Buffy tried to smile, to reassure him. "Really."

"Don't lie to me Buff." Xander's tone wasn't accusatory but there was hurt hidden around the edges of his words.

"OK, OK. I'm not fine," Buffy agreed and gave him an apologetic smile. "But it does look worse than it feels," she added. "I'm just a little ache-y that's all."

"Ache-y and *bleeding*," Xander pointed out. "Come on, let me look at you properly." Xander dropped the cloth into the sink and then stood infront of her. He gave her a fond smile before he began undoing her shirt, one button after the other, slowly, as it seemed to stick to her skin in places. "Just tell me if it hurts, 'kay?" he said, gingerly beginning to peel the shirt from her body.

Buffy lifted her head, studying Xander's face as he concentrated on removing her shirt carefully. She saw him shake his head when he revealed the red-turning-purple marks that decorated her body and ribs as he pulled Buffy's shirt back and over her shoulders, stepping behind her so he could pull it from her completely and then dropped it into the waste basket. He gathered her hair up and draped it over one of her shoulders so he could unclip the clasp of her bra, which then got removed as gingerly as her shirt.

Xander then stepped infront of her again and knelt down. He undid her belt then her button and zipper. Carefully, he pulled her jeans (which he wished, just for once, weren't so tight) over her hips and thighs, leaving her underwear on and her jeans hanging around her knees.

Somewhat thankfully the denim had been ripped clean away from the cuts on her thigh, so there was nothing sticking to the wounds. Xander carefully got Buffy's jeans down to her ankles and then winced himself when he saw the wounds up close.

"How do they look?" she asked.

Xander lifted his head and looked up at her. "I think you'll be OK with some antiseptic and lots of gauze." He stood up and took the washcloth, beginning to clean away some of the dirt from the wounds on her face and neck.

"I think you missed your profession." A smile tugged at the corners of Buffy's mouth as Xander ran the cloth under the water before beginning to dab at her arms.

Xander smiled back. "What? Naked nurse? Well, it'll bring a smile to some patient's faces I guess."

Buffy chuckled and then wished she hadn't, raising one hand to the right side of her chest. "Just a twinge," she told Xander when his look became worried. "Not broken. Just bruised."

Xander moved behind her, cleaning the dirt and grime from her back. "Want them strapping?"

"No." Buffy winced a little when he accidentally caught a bruise.

"Sure?" Xander stood infront of her now and began to gingerly dab at the scratches on her stomach.

"They'll be fine by morning," Buffy assured him, giving him a small smile. "Slayer healing an' all that."

"Yeah, wish I had me some of that," Xander remarked, flashing Buffy a smile back before he turned his attention to cleaning her scratches with antiseptic. "Especially when that B'naskal demon popped my shoulder out last month."

"Well, technically it didn't," Buffy pointed out. "It was you crashing into Willow to get her out of its way and you then smacking shoulder first into a headstone that did it."

"I can't blame the evil demon?"

"My way sounds more heroic." Buffy met Xander's gaze when it flicked back to her and they exchanged tender smiles.

A minute later Xander had finished attending to Buffy's wounds on her upper body, only needing to use butterfly stitches on two of the deeper gashes.

"OK," Xander said, "I think it's time we got you sitting." Xander reached out and flipped down the toilet seat. "Come on, let's get these jeans off."

Buffy sat down gingerly on the toilet seat as Xander crouched infront of her. She took the washcloth and began to dab at the cut on her head as Xander gently tugged her jeans over her ankles and then dropped them into the basket along with her shirt. "Y'know," she said quietly. "This isn't quite what I envisaged coming home to."

"No, not quite." Xander looked up at Buffy as he pulled off her socks and tossed them to one side. "How's your head" he asked, standing up and turning towards the bathroom cabinet that was fixed to the wall.

"I don't think it's bleeding anymore," Buffy replied, a little distracted as she caught the back view of Xander as he reached for the first aid box in top of the cabinet. "So…" she smiled a little, "Did I look good in the black thong?"

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FLASHBACK

A sanguine smile settled on Buffy's face as Xander's hand that had previously rested on her stomach, began to make its way under her shirt and up her body towards her left breast. She closed her eyes when Xander's hand cupped her fully, gently squeezing as one of his digits caressed her slowly hardening nipple through the fabric of her bra.

They were seated together on Xander's sofa; both lying lengthways with Buffy nestled between Xander's legs. They lounged in silence, totally engrossed in watching the television; although now it seemed a little disturbing watching Homer strangle Bart whilst Xander was still fondling her breast.

Buffy snuggled up closer to her boyfriend and tilted her head so her face was pressed into the crook of Xander’s neck. She closed her eyes and let herself breathe in the scents of Xander’s skin which still smelled faintly of her strawberry showergel which was in his bathroom and that he’d obviously used when he’d showered and there was also a trace of the spring fresh fabric softener that lingered on his t-shirt.

Buffy turned her head a little more and placed a soft kiss on the column of Xander’s throat. As Xander’s hand was on her left breast, Buffy raised her right arm so she could bring it up to the side of Xander’s head, gently twisting his hair in her fingers.

"Xan?" Buffy murmured before kissing his neck again.

Xander's eyes were still half on the TV as he gave her breast a firm squeeze. "Hmm?"

"Is this just a casual grope while you’re watching TV, or are you planning something a little more?"

Xander placed a soft kiss on her temple. "Casual grope."

"Really?" Buffy nipped at the skin on Xander’s throat gently before slipping her free hand under her shirt and placing it over his, using her strength advantage to control Xander’s hand over her breast. She squeezed his hand hard, moulding both their palms over her breast before she lifted his hand off and pushed it slowly over her skin, back down her body to her stomach and the waist band of her jeans.

She held his hand there as she took a firmer hold of his head and pulled it down, capturing his mouth with hers in with a kiss, parting her lips when she felt Xander’s tongue seek entrance. Buffy twisted her fingers tighter in his hair as the kiss became more insistent and Xander suddenly remembered he had another hand and copped a feel of one of her breasts again.

Buffy smiled into the kiss and then broke away, looking up into Xander’s eyes. "Any chance huh?"

Xander grinned. "I got the feeling that you seemed to want that ‘little more’." He kissed her on her forehead. "But you have only got half an hour before Giles drops by to go with you on patrol."

Buffy pouted, her brow creasing. "It’s not fair." Buffy began tracing light patterns with her fingers on the back of his hand. "Why can't he do a skills assessment with you there?"

"He said I was too distracting for you," Xander replied. "You almost missed that vampire last night 'cos you were looking at my ass."

"Oh yeah." Buffy caught Xander’s bottom lip between her own lips and suckled on it gently for a moment. "Can I come back here after?"

"Sure." Xander just about managed to murmur against Buffy's mouth before he kissed her again, managing to move both himself and Buffy on the sofa so Buffy was lying almost on her back on the sofa and Xander was more or less on top of her. Xander felt Buffy's lips part, inviting his tongue into her mouth as she wrapped her arms loosely around his neck. Xander placed one of his hands back yet again on Buffy's breast and caressed it gently through the cotton of her shirt.

Buffy moaned into the kiss and arched up a little closer to Xander's body and Xander's hand began a slow path down the side of her body, softly massaging her flesh with his fingers. When Xander's hand reached her rear, Buffy felt a giggle rise in the back of her throat as Xander began squeezing her ass.

Xander felt the little vibrations of Buffy's laugh against his lips and he broke away gently, giving her a patient look. "OK, what?"

"You're not squeezing my ass anymore," Buffy complained, albeit with a grin.

Xander raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were laughing because I *was* squeezing your ass, which, I have to say, surprised me a little seeing as how you make me do it e-v-e-r-y-d-a-y." Xander pronounced the last word slowly and with a smile.

"You just tickled me a little that's all." Buffy smiled back coyly. "Anyway, I like it better when I'm not wearing pants… or panties," she added, raising her eyebrows.

Xander's grin spread a little wider across his face. "Buffy Summers," his tone was slightly admonishing, "Are you suggesting that we engage in what is more commonly known as a quickie?"

Buffy began brushing her fingers through his hair. "Because we haven't already done that today?" Buffy lifted her head towards his a little more. "I seem to recall a certain four minutes earlier this morning at my place before you had to get to work."

"Well if you will surprise me in the shower when I'm running late…" Xander trailed off, kissing her softly on the lips. "And you'll have to make your mind up soon… times a tickin'…."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Make it sound like a chore why don’t you?"

"You're the one who says sex before slaying sometimes makes you fidgety out on patrol," Xander pointed out. "I'm just thinking of you." He kissed her nose. "I don't want my brave little warrior getting all bent out of shape-" Xander's voice got lower and softer, "-just because I screwed her brains out an hour before."

"You're such a sweetie." There was only a hint of sarcasm in Buffy's voice as she smiled back at him. Buffy then traced her finger along his brow and then down the side of his face. "But you know…" she began stroking the nape of his neck, "I won't stop you screwing my brains out after."

"So you want me to wait up?" Xander nibbled on her lower lip.

"Depends. Will you be naked?"

"For you," Xander murmured, "I'll wear nothing but a smile on my face." Xander kissed her again, massaging his lips against hers softly. His hands found her ass again and squeezed gently. This time he heard Buffy moan into his mouth as she arched up towards him, her hips bumping into his.

Buffy quickly moved her hands from Xander's head and used them to grab hold of his ass, squeezing both his butt cheeks hard as she held him close to her, thrusting her hips up against his. As Xander moaned softly into the kiss, Buffy hooked both her legs around the outside of Xander's so her bare feet fell across the backs of his knees.

Pulling back from Buffy, the need for oxygen too great, Xander placed his hands either side of Buffy's head against the arm of the chair and pushed himself up. "Buff, you do remember that Giles will be here in-" Xander glanced at the clock on the VCR, "-twenty-five minutes now, don't you?"

"But I'm horny," Buffy whined playfully and she pouted.

"Y'don't say?" Xander replied as Buffy ground her hips into his groin once more. "Can't you save it all up 'til you get back or something? Because I gotta tell ya," he smiled, " I'm all for that."

Buffy's eyes suddenly gleamed with a predatory look. "But what'll happen to your hard on when I'm gone?" Buffy slowly ground her hips again into the definite bulge she could feel though the denim of his jeans. "Surely you won't sit here all night with it," she purred, "Just waiting for me to get home and take care of it?"

"I was thinking that I could take care of it myself," Xander replied, raising an eyebrow. "Thinking of you of course," he added, then grinned. "Maybe picturing you wearing that tiny little black silk thing of yours."

Buffy chewed seductively on her bottom lip. "You mean the one I'm wearing now?"

"Ooh nice try," Xander remarked. "But I know you're wearing those white cotton panties with the little pink hearts on them."

"Damn your observation skills." Buffy pouted again. "Hmm, but that still doesn't solve your little problem."

"Hey, less of the little thank you very much, and it's not a problem," Xander added with a smile. "I've… got it in hand."

Buffy refrained from rolling her eyes, settling for deigning Xander with an innocent smile instead. "So, you're not interested in me taking care of it right now then?"

"Honey?" Xander raised an eyebrow at his girlfriend. "Do you know me *at* *all*?"

Looping her arms around his neck, Buffy grinned. "Inside out baby. Inside out." Grabbing hold of his shoulders, Buffy inched from underneath Xander so they were facing each other on the sofa before she turned their positions completely around so that she was now lying on top of him. She sat herself up so she was straddling Xander's hips; her legs tucked close to either side of his and she started to tug his t-shirt up over his chest.

"Buffy, you do know that you're *sitting* on the part of my anatomy-" Xander stopped while he lifted his arms to allow Buffy to remove his t-shirt over his head, "-that *actually* requires attention, don't you?"

Buffy threw his t-shirt casually over her shoulder. "I'll get there…" Buffy said slowly, raking a fingernail down the centre of Xander's torso, "… in a minute."

"Prick tease."

Buffy saw the comical glint in his eye. "Don’t you just know it?" Buffy smiled and undid the top button of her shirt.

Xander pouted when Buffy just stopped at one button. "Oh come on, just one breast?"

"Nope." Buffy placed a hand over each breast. "Sorry. They don't come back on shift until later this evening."

"Boob tease," Xander shot back with a completely straight face.

Buffy stifled a smirk. She let her hands slip from her breasts and slowly down her sides, arching herself forward as she did so, until her hands came to rest on her thighs. Buffy flicked her head to one side, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Don't worry," she said, I'm sure they won't mind putting in overtime for you." Buffy placed her hand either side of Xander's stomach and bent forward, placing a kiss just above his belly button.

"That tickled," he said as she lifted her gaze to his. "Do it again."

Buffy grinned impishly at him. "Put your hands behind your head," she told him. "No touching."

Xander did as he was told and grinned with amusement at his girlfriend. Buffy grinned back and then blew him a kiss. She lowered her head and kissed his stomach again, flicking her tongue out, tasting the skin. Slowly Buffy began to trail a path of soft, open-mouthed kisses up the centre of his chest. She moved her hands so they were placed either side of his chest and raised her gaze, her eyes locking on to Xander's. Buffy smiled and then ducked her head, attaching her lips firmly Xander's left nipple and immediately suckled hard, nipping her teeth against the hardening nub of flesh.

Xander groaned and his hands clenched almost into fists underneath his head. He arched upwards when Buffy sucked hard again and then laved her tongue in a couple of rough, flat strokes over the sensitive peak of his nipple. He whimpered for a second when Buffy lifted her head, but moaned loudly again in appreciation when Buffy bit down on his other nipple and started gently teasing the flesh with her teeth.

"You taste nice," Buffy murmured, detaching her lips from his chest for a moment. "I'll have to make sure you use that strawberry showergel all the time."

"I wasn't fruity enough already for you?" he asked as he saw Buffy's head dip again and soon felt her tongue again on his skin. "But, hey you wanna… oh God that feels good," he finished with a groan.

"Yeah?" Buffy ran one hand slowly down his side and began moving her lips up towards his neck, placing a small kiss at the hollow of his throat as she started tracing light patterns with her fingers on a patch of skin on Xander's side, just above the waistband of his jeans.

"Uh huh," Xander mumbled against Buffy's lips as she crushed mouth to his and plunged her tongue past his lips as her hand moved to his crotch.

Xander closed his eyes and bucked his hips up towards Buffy's hand as she cupped the bulge at the front of his jeans and moaned as Buffy continued to devour his mouth. He started to move one hand from behind his head, but Buffy sensed it and held his wrist back down against the arm of the sofa.

"No…" Buffy said, panting for breath as she broke away from him. "Stay…" Buffy smiled back down at him as she began to fumble with the button of his fly. She quirked one eyebrow. "Did you use that showergel… everywhere?"

"Yup."

"Mmm…" Buffy pulled his zipper down slowly, "… yummy." Buffy placed a soft kiss on Xander's mouth, gently taking his lower lip between her teeth and tugged on it gently before letting go. She dipped her head and kissed the base of his throat before starting to trail of path of kisses down the centre of his torso, swirling her tongue around his belly button when she reached it.

Buffy scooted back towards her end of the sofa. She grabbed the waistband of Xander's jeans together with his underwear and began to tug them down. Xander raised his hips and immediately felt a draft of cold air against his buttcheeks as Buffy wasted no time in getting his jeans past his knees and he groaned with relief as his erection was freed.

Buffy shot Xander a predatory look and ran one fingertip lightly up the underside of Xander's penis, gathering up a drop of pre-come at the tip. Smiling at Xander, she put the finger in her mouth and licked it clean.

"Y'know, I bet that's not strawberry," Xander said, grinning.

Buffy grinned back. "You never know…" she shrugged, "There might be a spell-" Buffy swiped her finger over the head of his cock again, "That can change that" she finished, licking her finger again.

"Well I vote for *you* to ask Willow for *that* one."

Buffy chuckled. "Y'know, we might have to change our positions here," Buffy suggested. "C'mon, move your ass."

"And they say romance is dead he-ey!" Xander's hands grabbed hold of the sofa to stop himself falling off as Buffy suddenly jumped up, grabbing his ankles and manoeuvred him round so he ended up sitting forward in the centre of the sofa with his jeans hanging around his knees.

"Oh, I'm romantic." Buffy trailed her fingers lightly along the inside of one of Xander's thighs and smiled when she felt him twitch beneath her touch. Buffy placed a hand on each of Xander's kneecaps and leant forward, gently spreading Xander's legs apart. "Very romantic…" she murmured before running her tongue along the underside of Xander's shaft.

Xander groaned and his hips bucked slightly. He reached for Buffy as she circled her tongue around the tip of his erection, but Buffy gently swatted his hand away.

"Not touching remember?" Her tone was soft as she reminded him. "Hands behind your head." Buffy circled the fingers of one hand around his dick and pumped her fist up and down slowly. She then squeezed Xander's dick, hard, making Xander groan loudly before he obligingly raised his arms and hooked his hands over the back of the sofa near his head.

"See, now that wasn't so hard was it?" Buffy giggled when Xander shot her a look. Buffy then set about the task of removing Xander's jeans and underwear completely from his lower limbs and soon they ended up, quickly followed by his socks, on a pile by the TV, which Buffy then proceeded to turn off. She also noted that the clock on the VCR was telling her that Slay time was fastly approaching.

Buffy then turned back to Xander, the predatory look once again in her eyes. She placed her hands on his thighs, pushing his legs further apart so she could settle herself in-between them. Buffy grinned at Xander before she licked her lips slowly and leant forward, taking the head of Xander's cock in her mouth.

Xander's hands tightened their grip on the back of the sofa and he closed his eyes briefly when Buffy grazed her teeth just ever so gently against the sensitive skin. Xander swallowed hard and whimpered when Buffy did it again.

"Oh God Buffy," he managed to get out between soft moans as Buffy's tongue slowly circled the top of his shaft, torturing him for what seemed like an age before mapping very square millimetre of his cock with her tongue, changing from tiny little flicks across the skin to rough flat sweeps along the entire length.

Finally Buffy pushed Xander's legs just that little further apart and circled one hand gently around the base of Xander's shaft, placing her lips firmly around the head as she sucked hard, slowly taking another inch of him into her mouth as she did so. Buffy closed her eyes and let her tongue slide around the velvet skin that covered the steel-like hardness of Xander's erection and as Xander started to keen softly, Buffy slid her hand downwards his balls and began to fondle them, rolling them in her palm.

Xander looked down at Buffy as her head bobbed up and down gently. Her long hair was beginning to fall from where it was tucked behind her ears and was brushing softly up against his thighs. A soft moan of pleasure escaped his lips when Buffy took another inch of him into her mouth and she began sucking harder. Xander couldn't help but jerk his hips forward, his involuntary movement thrusting his dick just that little bit more into Buffy's mouth.

But Buffy didn't seem to mind, in fact she began to move faster, putting gentle pressure against Xander's erection with her tongue as Buffy finally took as much of Xander's penis into her mouth as she could. Xander's eyes rolled back into his head and he groaned loudly when Buffy began to moan just the tiniest amount as she concentrated on her task.

"Ohhhh God," Xander hissed as his hips jerked upwards once more and this time Buffy stilled him by placing both her hands on his thighs.

Buffy lifted her gaze upward to his and Xander could've sworn she was grinning as she proceeded to try and suck every fibre of his being down her throat. After a moment she turned her gaze back down again, moving the fingers from one hand a little further to the inside of his thigh, stroking and teasing the skin there.

"Buff... I can't..." Xander managed to get out between groans, "...much longer..."

Then there was a knock at the door.

Buffy stopped. Her gaze flickered back up to Xander who had a look of utter disbelief on his face as he met her eyes.

"I don't suppose there's *any* chance-" Xander screwed his eyes shut, "-that we can ignore that?"

Buffy shook her head, still with Xander's dick in her mouth, and then there was another knock at the door with a "Xander?" spoken in a familiar English accent.

Xander groaned, in frustration this time, when Buffy pulled back so his erection slipped from her mouth with a quiet wet 'pop'. "So I guess that's a no?" he muttered.

"I'm sorry sweetie," Buffy tried to placate him, although she was trying not to grin at the situation. "But I really have to go and kill stuff now." Buffy turned to the door and called out, "In a sec Giles!"

Xander too finally managed a laugh mixed with a resigned groan and he opened his eyes again and looked at Buffy who smiled back in sympathy. "Can we try this again later?" Xander said, making hopeful eyes at Buffy who had started to get to her feet.

Buffy grinned back as she did up the top button of her shirt. "And what do I get?"

"… surprise." Xander grinned, raising an eyebrow.

"Mmm, sounds good." Buffy leaned down and brushed her lips softly against his. "See you later baby," she murmured before glancing down at Xander's still prominent erection and then back into Xander's eyes. "Remember the black thong, won’t you?"

"Mmm hmm." Xander reached up and cupped either side of Buffy's face with his hands, pulling her back down for a kiss and their tongues duelled for a moment before there was another knock at the door.

"Anytime now would be good." Giles' voice filtered into the apartment.

Buffy moaned in displeasure as she pulled back from Xander, but then she giggled once she'd turned around and Xander smacked her on the ass sharply. Buffy turned and blew him a kiss before heading to the door, picking up her jacket and weapons bag on the way.

Xander's eyes were pretty much fixed on his girlfriend's ass as she bent down to put on her shoes, until he realised, when her hand reached for the door handle, that he was actually in the direct line of the door when it would be open. Xander got up as quickly as he could from the sofa and then made a dash for the kitchen.

Buffy turned when she heard Xander get up and chuckled when she saw him streaking across the apartment. Opening the door only as far as she needed to, Buffy slipped through, holding her weapons bag out infront of her and jostling Giles back into the hallway.

"And she appears," Giles said dryly, shoving his hands into his jackets pockets. "And I take by his lack of absence, because I did wonder if he would be joining us, that Xander isn't coming?"

Buffy blinked. "Nope," she gave a small shake of her head. "Too easy."

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Xander turned around to see Buffy grinning at him and he grinned back. "Actually you weren't wearing anything." He crouched down infront of her, setting the first aid box on the floor. "And your breasts kinda featured a lot."

"Oh, that's so sweet," Buffy snickered and then winced again. "Ow. Ribs. Ow. Antiseptic."

Xander looked up at Buffy from his task of cleaning the large cuts on her leg. "Do you want these to get all infected?"

Buffy pouted. "Can't you just kiss it better?"

Xander rolled his eyes. "Honey, I don't think even the magic of Xander love is going to make these heal any quicker." Xander then placed a large gauze pad over both the wounds and then taped it.

"But I thought Xander love was all powerful." Buffy looked down at the top of his head as Xander rummaged around in the first aid box again. "Y'know, able to stop apocalypses and stuff?"

"You forgot making the earth move."

Buffy trailed one of her fingers over the top of one of Xander's shoulders. "Silly me."

Xander raised an eyebrow as he knelt upright, starting to clean the cut on her temple as Buffy continued to trace invisible lines over his shoulder and down his arm. "Buffy…"

"What?" she looked at him innocently, still trailing her finger over his skin. "Does it tickle?"

"A bit," Xander admitted, smiling a little. "What's with the touchy feely?"

"I love you, y'know that?"

"I know that." Xander smiled and removed what remained of the blood on Buffy's temple and forehead. "And I love you too."

"And you look after me…"

Xander dropped the cloth into the sink and sat back on his haunches. "What?" he asked patiently, studying Buffy as she continued to run her fingers gently over his forehead and hair. "Honey?" Xander's expression turned from curious to anxious when he saw a tear fall from Buffy's left eye. "Buff?" he asked again, his voice etched with concern as he knelt upright again, taking both Buffy's hands in his and pulled them away from him and down in-between them both.

Buffy blinked as she felt another tear begin to escape and as it began to roll silently down her cheek, Buffy leant forward and sank into Xander's embrace as he closed the distance between them. Buffy shut her eyes as more tears fell. Xander's arms were around her now, holding her gently as she rested against him; her arms close by her side and still half sitting on the edge of the toilet seat as her legs felt weakened beneath her.

Xander placed a soft kiss on one of the unbruised spots on her shoulder and then raised one hand up and began stroking her hair. "Buff… shush…" Xander continued to comfort her as he lifted her gently so she came off the toilet seat and then let her sink against him as he sat back on his heels, her bruised thighs nestling against his.

"M'sorry," Buffy mumbled almost inaudibly against Xander's neck. "I'm so sorry."

Xander was genuinely confused. "For what?"

"I was gonna come here t-tonight and-and-" Buffy stuttered as she tried to control her sobs, "-tell you that I c-couldn't keep letting you d-do this."

"Do what?" Xander asked softly. He tried to search Buffy's face for answers when she finally removed her face from his neck and looked at him. "Buff, what's wrong honey?"

Buffy scrubbed at her eyes, trying to stem the flow of tears, but winced when she caught the swelling on her right one. Xander pulled her hands away from her face and held them gently in his. "Letting me do what?" he asked her again.

"Keep patching me up," Buffy hiccuped out as she kept at trying to stop crying. "To have to see me like this."

"Well that would have been stupid," Xander told her. "Do you really think I would have listened?"

Buffy sniffed quite undelicately. "No." There was another hiccuping sob as Buffy seemed to be winning her battle with her tears. "But I-I got half way here and realised that I couldn't and-and not 'cos I was all bleeding and stuff and *needed* to," she added, complete with another sniffle, "but 'cos, well, I want stuff like this."

Xander's brow furrowed a little as he tried to puzzle that last bit out. He couldn't and settled for a "Huh?" instead.

"Like when I get the crap kicked out of me," Buffy elaborated. "I mean, I can win, but I still feel so… so tired and so horrible sometimes and all I want-" she sniffled again, "-all I want is my boyfriend."

It was times like this that Xander just wished he had a big ball of cotton wool to wrap her up in and hide her away from all the nasty things in the world. "Oh baby…" Xander's words came out as a sigh when Buffy slipped her hands from his and then wrapped her arms around him. "What am I gonna do with you?" He circled his arms around her; careful he didn't catch any bruises.

"I don't know," Buffy sniffled into his neck. "But… but can we get up now?"

"Depends," Xander replied, placing a gentle kiss on her shoulder. "Are you gonna put some effort in here, 'cos I think I'm getting cramp."

"Oh, sorry," Buffy said meekly, pushing herself up a little from Xander.

"S'okay," Xander replied, bracing his hand against the toilet seat as he began to push himself up. Buffy was still, more or less, hanging off him and appeared reluctant to loosen her grip. "You want me to finish patching your head?" Xander asked as he grabbed hold of the sink to pull himself and Buffy up the rest of the way.

Buffy shook her head, tears now apparently gone. "It's fine." Buffy closed her eyes and rested her forehead against Xander's chest. She moved one hand from his back and placed it over his heart. Turning her head slightly, she pressed her ear to his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart. Buffy didn't speak, but instead let herself feel his heartbeat underneath her fingertips as it echoed in her ear.

Xander looked down at Buffy, only seeing the top of her head as it rested against him. Only the right side of her face was visible and he could see that her eye was beginning to swell up and the bruises along her cheek and jaw seemed to stand out even more in the harsh white light of the bathroom.

Xander reached up with his right hand and began to gently stroke her hair away from her face, while his left stayed around her, his hand resting lightly on her waist. Xander dipped his head and placed a kiss on the top of Buffy's head. A smile found it's way to his lips when he saw the faint traces of a smile in Buffy's expression. He kissed her head again and this time her eyelids fluttered open.

Xander saw Buffy smile again and he smiled back. "Bed?"

"In a minute." Buffy turned and pressed her face against the warm skin of Xander's chest. She breathed in a little too deeply, but the flash of pain across her chest due to her damaged ribs seemed to be softened somehow when she caught the strong scent of strawberries that clung to Xander's skin.

Buffy lifted her gaze to his again. "Did you shower again?"

Xander blinked, confused suddenly by Buffy's off-tangent question. "Uh, yeah," he replied, a little bewildered. "You, uh, seemed to like the, uh… the strawberry thing."

"I do." A small sigh escaped Buffy's lips. "Bed now."

"Come on then," he said softly. Xander felt Buffy nod against his chest and then he grabbed a towel off the rail and draped it around Buffy's shoulders. She looked up at him finally and he smiled tenderly back at her. "You shouldn't get cold," Xander told her. "Want me to carry you? I mean, you'll have to tell me if it hurts-"

"I can walk," Buffy replied, reaching up and tugging the towel further around her shoulders, only wincing a little this time. "But thanks."

"S'okay." Xander kept one arm wrapped gently around Buffy as he slowly guided her out of the bathroom, flipping off the bathroom light as he went and leaving behind in the dark the remnants of Buffy's clothing and the cloth, now bloodstained, that he'd used to clean her up.

Once inside the bedroom, Xander moved past Buffy and pushed aside the covers on the bed before she reached it. "Here," he said. "You'll note I changed the sheets," he added lightly.

Buffy sat down gingerly and shrugged the towel from her shoulders, letting it slip from the bed and onto the floor. The mattress was soft and welcoming, but she resisted the urge to sink into it completely just yet. Buffy looked up at Xander as he stood beside her. And then she looked down, her gaze trailing slowly up his naked body. "So," she said, finally looking at his face again, finding him looking back at her with an amused smile. "What was the surprise?"

"Surprise?"

"Earlier, before I left to go with Giles, you said you'd have a surprise waiting when I got back."

Xander's eyes flickered with realisation. "Oh, that." Then he grinned. "That can wait 'til another night."

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "You ate all the chocolate before you could use it, didn't you?"

"Kinda."

Buffy smirked and Xander laughed too. "I'm sorry I couldn't finish what I started earlier," Buffy said, lifting her legs up onto the bed, shaking off an offer of help from Xander. "I think we should have started fooling around sooner."

Xander just grinned as he walked around the end of the bed. "Like I said, you were there in spirit."

Buffy pulled the covers up to her waist and gave Xander a curious look. "So what was I doing?"

"Doing?" Xander's brow furrowed a little as he slipped under the covers, rolling into the middle of the bed so he lay on his side facing Buffy. He propped his head up on his elbow and looked up at her as she was still sitting.

"While I was in spirit," Buffy explained, sounding quite matter-of-fact.

"You wanna…" Xander looked at her oddly. "Um… why?"

Buffy turned to face him. "'Cos…" She began to trace abstract patterns on Xander's chest with her fingers.

"Nicely elaborated," Xander replied dryly. Then he gasped when Buffy twisted one of his nipples. "Hey," he exclaimed. "What was that for?"

"Tell me."

Xander gave a shake of his head in disbelief. "You're nuts and *hey* again with the nipple." He grabbed hold of her hand and Buffy pouted. "Geez," Xander said, sounding a little exasperated. "OK, fine. I thought about you finishing sucking me off. You were naked and on your knees." Then he grinned. "But I wasn't the only one getting a little oral action… we were kinda one number below seventy."

Buffy giggled and lowered herself onto her back. "I thought my breasts 'kinda featured a lot'?"

"All of you featured, honey," Xander replied. "Now, come on. Sleep."

"Don't wanna." She caressed his chest again.

"Hun," Xander caught her hand again and then brought it to his lips and kissed her fingertips, "I don't think either of us really has the energy for this."

"Maybe." Buffy placed a soft kiss against his chest and then ran her fingers over the spot she'd just kissed. "It's just… I'm not so tired anymore."

Xander sighed. "Me either."

"Wanna just lie here?"

"Sure."

"The smell of antiseptic on me not gonna bother you?"

"I think it's sexy."

Buffy giggled. "Liar."

"Better than still being covered in demon goo."

"True."

"I mean," Xander continued, "You would have got it on my nice clean sheets for a start."

"And on you."

"Yeah and on purpose no doubt."

"I wouldn't want you to feel left out."

Xander chuckled and reached up and stroked back some of her hair from her face. "How are your ribs?" he asked, "'cos I really wanna hug you right now."

"I think I can manage a snuggle." Buffy laid her head against his upper chest after Xander shifted up the bed, propping himself up on his pillow. Buffy covered almost one side of him and moved her topmost leg so it fell in-between Xander's, the top of her thigh pressed into his groin. Buffy's ribs felt a little bit uncomfortable as one of her arms was bent close between her and the bed, but she still let out a contended sigh as her other arm settled on Xander's chest.

"OK?" Xander asked as he pulled the covers up further around them both.

"Yeah," Buffy murmured. She pressed her lips again to Xander's chest, almost sucking the flesh she touched as she kissed him. Buffy felt Xander squirm underneath her and she moved her head back, this time placing her lips around one of his nipples before kissing him like before. "You?"

Xander groaned softly as Buffy slipped a hand under the covers and her fingers danced lightly over the skin on his hip. "This really isn't a good idea," he protested even though certain parts of his body were in disagreement.

"Want me?" Buffy moved her hand further down, her fingers closer to his rapidly swelling penis.

Xander hissed when Buffy caught his nipple between her teeth again. "Buff, this really… oh God…" Xander groaned again when Buffy moved her thigh and replaced the pressure with her hand. "Buffy, you really shouldn't be-"

"Want me?" Buffy asked again, turning her gaze to him once more.

Xander could see the spark in her eyes; the one that he'd missed when he'd held her in his arms in the bathroom. It was going to take all his strength to tell her again that this wasn't a good idea.

Xander held her look for a moment more. "Yes." //Dammit!//

"Good." Buffy smiled and kissed his chest again. "I know what my limits are Xan. I'm not gonna do anything that I know I can't…" she trailed off as she circled her fingers around his semi hard cock and pumped her hand once up and down the length.

"I'm so weak," Xander sighed, his eyes falling closed.

"No," Buffy mumbled, her lips dragging across his chest. "Strong man."

"Not, apparently, when it comes to you." Xander's back arched a little when Buffy continued to stroke her hand up and down his cock.

Buffy kissed at the hollow of his throat. "Always when it comes to me," she murmured against his skin. Buffy began kissing along the column of his throat. "Always."

"… 'kay." Xander slipped one of his hands further down Buffy's back and gently edged his fingers under the waistband of her panties. "You know that goes for you too right?"

"Unhuh," Buffy moaned softly against his neck as his fingers brushed against the cleft of her buttocks. She slipped her hand from Xander's cock to his balls, rolling them gently in her palm. "I'm your girl."

"Woman," Xander corrected her as he slipped his fingers even further down between her cheeks. Buffy moaned again against him and continued to plant kisses over his neck and throat. "My beautiful-" he broke off and had to bite down on his lip when Buffy sucked at the pulse point on his neck. "-beautiful," he managed to continue after a moment, "-perfect, amazing woman."

It was Buffy's turn to bite her lip when she felt one of Xander's fingers stroke the slick fold of skin between her legs. Buffy ran a foot down his calf and moved a hand up into his hair.

"You still OK?" Xander asked as he nuzzled into Buffy's neck.

"Yeah…" Buffy was almost on top of Xander now. One of her hands continued to roam through his hair while the other slipped down to his side, sliding along slowly downwards to his hip. "You?"

"I'm good." Xander arched when Buffy attacked his pulse point again. His erection was fully fledged now and it ached for Buffy's touch again, the friction being made between Buffy's body and his own was not enough. Xander slipped his hand down past Buffy's ass again, his fingers finding their way past the cotton of her underwear and into the wet heat between her legs.

Buffy pushed herself up so her breasts were barely against Xander's chest; one arm by one of his shoulders, the other on the other side by his head. The pain was only minimal in her ribs and it was tolerable. She closed her eyes and hung her head as Xander's fingers continued to invade her, one finger already inside her and stroking her g-spot and the others brushing over the sensitive skin by her clitoris.

Buffy moaned and then lifted her head again and looked at Xander. "Can you sit up?" she asked. Xander looked at her, a little confused. "Sit up," she repeated; this time as more of a demand. "By the headboard."

Xander's fingers slipped from inside her and he complied, pushing himself back against the headboard and moving the pillows behind him. Buffy knelt upright between his legs. She hooked her thumbs into the waist of her underwear and pulled them down over her hips and thighs.

Xander bent his legs up towards his body, his erection falling back against his stomach as he watched Buffy strip off her one remaining item of clothing. He studied her body; it still hurt him to think about how she got them and he hated to see her bruised and bloodied like this. Although she didn't seem to be so broken now. The smaller cuts and abrasions were healing quickly and the larger ones didn't seem to be so angry and red as they previously were. The bruises were fading, and Xander knew that half of them wouldn't be there in the morning. He looked up at her face as she leant on hand on one of his knees to steady herself as she pulled her panties over her knees. Her black eye would probably stay until the next night and the cut on her forehead and leg would take more than a day to heal properly as well.

Buffy caught his eye as she tossed her underwear onto the floor. "I know," she said. "I'm kind of a bomb site."

"No." Xander shook his head. "You're amazing."

"Yeah?" Buffy gave him a dubious look and then glanced down at herself. "Who are you really looking at?"

"You, ya big idiot."

Buffy looked back up at him and smiled shyly. "But your idiot?"

Xander grinned. "Mine."

Buffy grinned back and put a hand on each of his knees, gently pushing them a little further apart. She said nothing as she moved towards him, sliding her hands down from his knees and along his thighs. One of her hands went further than the other and took hold of his cock, her fingers curling around him as she pumped slowly, using the pre-come leaking from the tip to ease her route as she continued to stroke him.

Xander relaxed back into the pillows as Buffy ran her other hand up his chest. He caught hold of that hand and brought it to his lips, sucking one finger into his mouth. Buffy whimpered and bit down on her lip. She kept Xander's gaze as she relinquished her grip on his cock and placed her hand back on his right knee, pushing it down so Xander's leg straightened a little.

Xander looked at Buffy, a little puzzled, before she then lifted her left leg over his now lowered leg and then hooked hers underneath it so she was almost kneeling. Xander raised an eyebrow, but Buffy simply took her hand from Xander's mouth and pushed his other knee down, hooking her leg over as she'd done with the other.

Buffy was now sitting astride him; his erection was trapped, almost painfully, between them both. //Oh, she can't seriously have enough energy for this.// "Buff-" Xander began, but Buffy silenced him with a kiss.

Buffy pulled back after a moment and studied Xander. She could see he was apprehensive and she felt warm because he seemed so concerned for her. It was why she wanted to be intimate with him, why she *needed* to be intimate with him. But she knew she could cope if he just wanted hold her. She could give him a choice. "Want to stop?" she murmured against his lips.

Xander reached up with one hand and touched her cheek. "It's just the things I wanna do… I don't wanna break you…"

Buffy just smiled and placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed, sliding herself up Xander's torso. Buffy then kissed the corner of his mouth. He went to say something, but Buffy caught hold of his bottom lip between her own and suckled gently on it, teasing it to fullness. Fuelled by Xander's soft moan when she nipped and teased his lower lip and blocking the pain from her ribs, Buffy pressed herself closer to Xander and one of her hands moved from his arm to his chest, her fingertips pressing gently into the firm flesh of his pectoral muscle. Buffy suckled on Xander's lower lip again before drawing him in more to the kiss, sliding her tongue against his as she refused to part from him just yet.

They were kissing more needfully now, their tongues tangling and tasting each other and all Buffy hadn't really intended the kiss to become this fuelled, but all she could process through her brain at the moment was the way Xander's lips felt against hers, how warm and soft he felt underneath her fingertips, how he smelt, how he tasted. She took the kiss up another notch and it sent a tingle down her spine when Xander responded without question and she felt her nipples tighten as they pressed against his chest.

Buffy took her hand from his chest and moved it behind her, slipping her hand down his thigh and between his legs, her fingertips just ghosting over his balls. Buffy felt Xander gasp into the kiss and she did it again, scratching her nails over the sensitive skin. Xander groaned this time and his hips jerked upwards and he could feel the heat and wetness of Buffy as he moved between her legs.

Buffy could literally feel Xander throbbing against her. She drew back from the kiss and gasped against his lips as they both tried to catch their breath. Buffy slid her hand up from his balls and moved it between them, curling her fingers around the base of his shaft. She raised her hips up and back slightly from Xander, guiding the head of his cock towards in-between her legs.

Xander met her gaze as she just rubbed the sensitive head against her clitoris. "You sure?" he asked as he slid his hands gently down her back to cup her ass.

Buffy answered by positioning Xander's cock at her entrance and then sliding down the entire length of it in one controlled movement.

"OK," she moaned softly, "Now I feel better." Buffy dipped her head forward and rested her forehead against Xander's.

"Not gonna argue," Xander replied, rocking his hips in time with Buffy's. "You feel amazing." He moved his hands further under her and lifted her up, thrusting his hips upwards. "So damn hot." Xander kept Buffy's hips raised as he slid inside her again, revelling in the not often felt heat and wetness against his own skin rather than through a barrier of latex. Even though Buffy was on the pill, they more often than not used condoms as well.

"Mmhmm." Buffy gripped hold of his shoulders and pushed down as Xander thrust up once more and she felt her vaginal muscles contract when Xander's cock hit her g-spot, in turn making Buffy gasp and bite down on her lip.

Xander trailed a path of kisses along Buffy's cheek and across to her earlobe on which he then nibbled. Buffy giggled as his breath tickled her ear and she lifted her hips when Xander lifted his and she sank back down onto him hard, causing Xander to grunt. Buffy rolled her hips forward, grinding down against Xander, gaining needed friction against her clit. Continuing to rock her hips, Buffy let her head fall on to Xander's shoulders and he began to nibble the skin on the side of her neck.

For about the next few minutes their hips rocked gently against each other's with Xander only moving just a fraction inside of her. Buffy was relaxing to the sensation of Xander's touch on her skin. His fingers traced patterns where they rested on her ass and she could feel his warm breath on her neck as he alternated between kissing, sucking, licking, nibbling and anything else that involved tongues, lips and her skin.

"Do you think I was right now," Xander murmured into her ear, finally breaking the silence, "When I said we were probably to tired for this?"

"But it's nice," came the mumbled reply.

"I know." Xander placed a final kiss against Buffy's neck before he drew back gently from her. She looked at him with a light frown and a pout. Xander squeezed her ass cheeks and the frown disappeared. "I didn't mean that I wanted to stop," he explained. "Just…" he trailed off and adjusted his legs to that they were closer together, but still bent up towards him. "Here…"

"But I liked the nuzzling." Buffy was still pouting as Xander pulled her forward slightly so he could move his legs again. She gave him a curious look a few moments later when she found herself leaning back and being supported against his thighs. She as still sitting astride him, but now sat at an angle to him. "OK. So how's this supposed to work?"

"I'm not quite sure…" Xander ran his hands up her thighs, careful to avoid the dressing on one of them, until his fingers reached her hip bone on either side. "Uh, just go with it."

"Huh… ohhhh." Buffy closed her eyes and moaned softly when one set of Xander's fingers made their way from her hip to the soft, wet folds of sensitive flesh between her legs. She whimpered when, after a moment, Xander took his fingers away.

Buffy opened her eyes and looked down to where they joined. The angle at which she sat, meant that Buffy could only just see the base of Xander's cock before it entered her and her legs were spread so that Xander got a good view of what exactly his fingers were doing and to what.

Buffy pouted at him again. "You stopped."

"Sorry, I got distracted by your breasts."

"Why? What were they doing? The Macarena? Fingers again please."

Xander reached out, but with both hands and not for what lay between Buffy's thighs. Instead he traced his fingers over her breasts, gently rubbing his fingertips over her rapidly hardening nipples. "This do?"

Buffy nodded and continued to watch Xander be exquisitely gentle as he fondled her breasts. He began by stroking and teasing the flesh as if he was mapping every inch of skin on them both with his fingertips. Xander then circled the darker skin of her nipples and gently tugged the already erect little nubs of flesh between his forefingers and thumbs.

Buffy closed her eyes as Xander continued to tease her nipples then she bit down on her lip when he then stroked his fingertips slowly over the more sensitive skin on the underside of her breasts. Buffy wondered if he was being extra wary because of her injuries and she thought about telling him to just go ahead and grope her and knead her breasts in the way that they were beginning to ache for.

Just as she was about to give in to her breast's wishes and voice their opinion, Xander removed his hands and proceeded to grip the backs of his thighs as he leant forward. Buffy found herself slightly sandwiched more in-between his legs and torso, but she wasn't complaining because her bruises weren't affected and there was the fact that Xander's movement caused his cock to slide up against her g-spot. She groaned and moved both her hands to his head and entangled her fingers in his hair, alternately massaging his scalp and twisting his hair as he began to suckle at her breast.

Xander moved one hand down his thigh until he felt Buffy's skin beneath his fingers. He stroked his fingertips lightly across the skin on her hip, brushing the fine hairs as he trailed his fingers slowly down to as far as he could get on the inside of her thighs. Xander felt Buffy tremble against him as he ran his fingers slowly down the inside of her thigh towards her knee.

Buffy let her hands slide down from Xander’s hair to his shoulder. Her fingers dug hard into his shoulder blades, enough so that her nails almost broke his skin. "Xander…" she murmured his name as he began sucking at the pulse point in her throat. Her vaginal muscles spasmed again around his cock with the need for more movement from Xander inside her. But there wasn’t; he seemed to keep his movements to a minimum as he lapped at her throat. Buffy spread her legs as far apart as she could, rocking her hips forward. "Xander…" His name came out on her breath as she dug her nails hard enough into his back so that she broke the skin.

Xander didn’t even seem to flinch. Instead he began to feather kisses down from her throat and diagonally across her chest, careful to avoid the scratches, and down to the breast he’d ignored previously. Buffy’s inner muscles contracted around him again when Xander caught the hardened peak of her nipple between his teeth and tugged gently on it.

Xander heard Buffy’s breathing become more laboured as he began to tease the flesh of that nipple as he had done to the other. He knew that she was wanting him to move; her hips were so flush against his that he didn’t even think air was getting in-between them and he could feel her spasming around him and it was sending pleasurable ripples up and down his cock which was already feeling heavy with the sensation of Buffy’s heat tightly encased around him.

He lashed his tongue firmly once more across her nipple before moving down and trailing the tip of his tongue slowly across the underside of her breast. Buffy moaned and rocked against him again and Xander was beginning to think he was going to have to prise her nails from his back. He moved his other hand from behind his thigh and brought it down onto Buffy’s legs then moved both his hands until he was cupping her knees in his palms. He stopped his ministrations with his tongue, feeling a little guilty at the whimper of displeasure from Buffy, before he placed soft kisses up her chest and then up the column of her throat before finally covering her lips with his.

Buffy parted her mouth willingly and thrust her own tongue against Xander’s as it slipped between her lips. They kissed slowly at first, their tongues gliding against each other’s as they just tasted and explored each other’s mouths, and then the kiss became more passionate and lust fuelled until they couldn’t stand the stillness any more.

Xander leant back against the headboard again and Buffy fell forward with him. Buffy’s breasts were crushed up against his chest and her nipples, still tight, rubbed against his skin and she gasped into the kiss at the sweet sensations that caused combined with Xander’s hands finding their way to her ass again. As Xander moved his legs again so they were apart once more, Buffy moved her own hands from Xander’s back so that they gripped the top of his shoulders.

They broke off for air for just a split second before Buffy claimed Xander’s lips again. She lifted her hips without Xander’s help this time and moaned at the long awaited movement of him inside her as she rose off him a couple of inches before thrusting back down hard. Buffy barely had time to enjoy the ripple of pleasure she received as her clitoris got the contact it needed before Xander raised her hips again and rolled his own hips backwards so he withdrew from her almost all the way before pushing back up into her.

Buffy whimpered into the kiss and found herself doing it again a moment later when Xander began to repeat the action. Buffy sank down hard when Xander moved his hips up and they began to set a fast pace, their tongues thrusting against each other’s in time with the movement of their hips. Xander’s hands squeezed Buffy’s cheeks hard as she drove herself down on him and Buffy responded by sucking his tongue hard into his mouth.

Xander groaned loudly and when Buffy released him, he broke away from the kiss and tried to catch his breath. "Have you any idea…" he panted, "… how God damn… amazing you are?" Xander moved his hands to Buffy's waist as she continued to bounce up and down on his dick. "My beautiful… amazing… wonderful…"

Buffy let Xander's word float around her and settle; wearing them on her skin as she began to feel the ache disappear inside her only for it to be replaced by the throb of her impending release. She began to keen as she dropped her head onto his shoulder, her hips moving on autopilot now as Xander penetrated her over and over again.

"… adorable… sexy…" Xander continued, his words punctuated by gasps for breath

"Want you…" she mumbled into his neck.

"… incredible…" Xander knew he'd just reached the point of no return, "… perfect…"

"Love you…"

They both came together; Xander's pulled Buffy's hips down to meet his as he thrust up one final time inside her and Buffy's vaginal muscles clamped around him, drawing his seed from him as she continued to spasm. Buffy groaned loudly as the waves of pleasure spread out in warm waves from between her thighs and to the rest of her. She was pressed so close against Xander she could feel his rapid heart beat against her own chest as he struggled to regain control of his breathing.

Buffy slipped her arms around his neck so they were between him and the headboard. She pulled her head back from his neck and placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth, feeling his breath against her cheek before she kissed him full on the mouth.

Xander hugged his arms around her and kissed her back gently, but he was trying to get air into his lungs as well so after a moment he eased back and gazed into her eyes. "I think we did pretty well… for three thirty in the morning."

Buffy kissed him lightly on the lips then closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his. "I wanted you so much tonight." Buffy felt tears begin to form under her eyelids. "I couldn't be without… I just wanted…"

Xander heard the slight crack in her voice and pulled his head away from hers and looked at her face. "Buff?"

Buffy opened her eyes and fat tears brimmed over and rolled down her cheeks. "It's not you. It's not you," she assured him quickly. "It's me." Buffy sniffled. "I'm just being silly again."

"Hun, you're talking to the king of silly here." Xander reached up with one hand and started to wipe away her tears. "What's wrong?"

"It's like I said before." Buffy sniffed again. "All I kept thinking about tonight when I was getting the crap kicked out of me was you. All I wanted to do was just get home to you."

For the second time that evening Xander wished he had a big bundle of cotton wool to wrap her up in. "I'm home?" There was a little bit of awe in Xander's voice.

Buffy managed a smile. "You're home."

"Really?"

Buffy gazed directly back into his eyes. "You're my Xan," she replied tenderly, dropping her arms from around his neck and wrapping them around his body.

"I'm home?"

Buffy kissed him again then settled her head on his shoulder. He still smelt of strawberries. She smiled again. "Mmhmm."

"Cool." Xander tilted his head to the side and let it rest against Buffy's. Xander sighed heavily and moved so his ass was a little further down the bed and he was lying against the pillows rather than the headboard. Xander wrapped his arms around her as she moved with him and snuggled against him. "Think we should move?" Xander yawned and shifted against the pillows behind him. "Getting sticky here." Xander waited for a moment. "Buff?" He waited again. "Hun?"

There wasn't any response apart from the sound of rhythmic breathing.

Xander chuckled softly and rolled his eyes. "Home and asleep, huh?" He kissed a spot just below her ear and then twisted his head so that he could see her face. Tear stains streaked her face and her eyes were slightly red from crying. But there was a smile on her lips and a peaceful look on her face.

//My little warrior// Xander reached up and stroked her hair away from her face. "My amazing woman." He kissed her again then reached out to the bedside table and flicked off the lamp and then took hold of the covers they'd discarded previously and pulled them up around them both.

Xander settled his head back against the pillows and closed his eyes. He smiled as he felt himself drifting off to sleep. "I'm home."

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END