Title: Taking it Slow (part eight of ? continued from Warren who?)

Rating: PG-13 (for some mild adult content)

Summary: Set some time after 'Storyteller', i.e., season seven. Xander/Andrew, and finally some fun stuff! Locked in the bedroom, the boys decide to take it slow... or at least they try to. I'll warn you now: this one gets seriously fluffy.

Author: Whiskey Meteor

Notes: Thanks to my editor Kat, who got tired of me complaining about the lack of X/Andrew fic and told me to shut up already and write my own. Feedback sent to tartapplewedges@hotmail.com <mailto:tartapplewedges@hotmail.com> will be happily received.

Disclaimer: any characters used belong to Joss Whedon and BtVS, I'm just borrowing them for a while.
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Andrew watched as Xander yanked the phone cord out of the wall.

Spike had dragged them kicking and screaming upstairs, and then locked them into Xander's bedroom. They were alone with no possibility of distraction, except for the phone which Xander had just removed. Andrew swallowed and crossed his arms over his chest, "So what does he expect us to do?" he demanded weakly, "Just... *go at it* like a couple of teenagers?"

Xander laughed and sat down beside Andrew on the bed, "Yeah, I think that was his general plan."

Andrew uncrossed his arms, folded his hands neatly in his lap, and looked at Xander, "Is... Is that what you want to do?" he asked hesitantly.

"Andrew," Xander sighed, and placed his hand on Andrew's shoulder, "we don't have to do anything if you don't want to. I think Spike meant more to give us some time alone than to push us into anything... you know," he scratched his head, "unless... I mean, unless you want to do something...?" He looked at Andrew's lips, which were pursed in a delicious pout, <oh, god, please say you want to do *something*> he thought.

"Well..." Andrew looked away, avoiding Xander's eyes, "it's probably a better idea to just take things slowly..."

Xander tried not to frown, <he's right, he's right...> he thought, <just try to think about something other than those sweet pouty lips...> "Oh to hell with it," Xander reached up and took Andrew's face in his hands, and pulled their mouths together into the kiss he'd been aching for. Andrew was startled, but the moment their lips met he melted against the other man, snaking his arms around Xander's waist. <Kissing Spike was wonderful>, Xander thought <but kissing Andrew is like *heaven*>. Andrew's lips were warm and soft against Xander's, and to his delight it was Andrew who sought to deepen the kiss with a delicate tongue tickling his lips apart. They explored each other's mouths with a hungry passion, and Xander let a hand play down Andrew's neck to his- <Oh, right> Xander thought, suddenly startled, <He's a man... No breasts>. He pulled back abruptly leaving them both gasping for breath, their arms still wrapped around each other. "I'm sorry," Xander said. "I shouldn't have... You're right, we shouldn't rush into this." He took a slightly shaky breath, and they let go of one another, suddenly awkward.

Andrew crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Xander, "Yeah..." he said, his eyes wandering over the other man's face. "Yeah, slow is... slow is good," his eyes stopped on Xander's lips, which were parted and glistening... Andrew tore his eyes away, <Xander wants to go slow... I can do slow... Just think like a Jedi; don't give in to your emotions... I can do slow... slow is good... > He took a deep breath. "Oh to hell with it," and then, before he could stop himself, Andrew had pulled their lips together again. The kiss was instantly passionate and filled with need, each man wanting to taste and claim every inch of the dark warmth of the other's mouth.

Andrew's hands lay fixed at the back of Xander's head, his fingers twisting gently through the other man's hair. Xander let his hands wander back down to Andrew's chest and, his initial shock having left him, enjoyed the flatness he found there. They were lost in each other, both unwilling to pull back and let the other go. <This feels so right>, Xander thought, <*He* feels so right>. Xander ran his hands down Andrew's sides, eliciting a fit of giggles. They broke apart, gasping for breath again. Xander chuckled, "Sorry," he said, "I didn't know you were ticklish."

Andrew giggled and shook his head, "Oh, I'm *so* ticklish," he whined, running his hands down over Xander's shoulders and bringing them to rest on his chest, "my belly button's the worst," he conceded, taking his hands from Xander's chest and folding them in his lap.

"Really?" Xander raised an eyebrow, and grinning evilly, he reached out and raised Andrew's shirt slightly to reveal his navel. "This little belly button here?" Xander asked, lightly brushing his fingers around it. Andrew giggled and batted his hands away feebly, but Xander persisted. In no time at all Andrew was flat on his back almost crying with laughter, Xander straddling his hips and tickling him mercilessly.

"Aah! Please, Xander," Andrew begged through fits of laughter, "stop!" Xander complied, laying his hands flat on Andrew's middle, and smiled down triumphantly at the other man. Andrew closed his eyes, catching his breath. He felt Xander run his hands up over his chest to his shoulders. Andrew felt the weight above him shift, and when he opened his eyes again Xander's face was right above his own. They leaned together, closing the distance between them. Their lips met again. It was soft and slow, and spoke of something deeper than plain desire. When they drew apart again, Xander looked down at Andrew confusedly. Andrew furrowed his brow, "Xander?" he asked, "What is it?"

"I..." Xander paused. He closed his eyes and leaned down, resting his forehead on Andrew's lips, "Andrew, I think... I'm falling in love with you." He sighed. Xander held still and silent for a minute, and then raised his head up again to look into the other man's eyes, needing to see his response. To his surprise, Andrew was crying. "Andrew?" Xander asked, "I'm sorry, I... what's wrong?"

Andrew sniffled, but looked right into Xander's eyes. Slowly, a smile spread across his face. "Nothing's wrong," he said softly, "everything's perfect." Xander looked at him questioningly. "I'm *happy*," Andrew explained, "they're happy tears."

"Oh," Xander let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding, "*happy* tears, that's okay, happy tears are good, I thought maybe they were bad tears or-,"

Andrew cut him off, "Xander?" he whined, "Do you think maybe you could stop talking and kiss me again?" Xander complied and pressed a soft kiss onto Andrew's lips, smiling into the other man's mouth. They pulled apart again and Andrew cocked his head to the side, "Xander, are you really falling in love with me?" he asked quietly.

"Well," Xander said, "I think I've finished with the falling part and moved on to just plain *in love*."

Andrew giggled despite himself, and pulled Xander in for another short kiss, "Xander?" he said softly, "I love you too."

Xander pulled back a little so that he could take in all of Andrew's face at once, and sat, watching him for a moment. Xander knew how hard this relationship was going to be. He knew that not everyone would understand, <Hell>, he thought, < I'm not sure that *I* really understand this yet>. But he knew that he loved Andrew, and that Andrew loved him, and as long as they were together Xander felt like he could handle anything. Xander let his fears and doubts slip away, and felt the power and strength of his love flow through him. He felt so right and so full, completely filled with more happiness and hope than he'd felt in a long time. Xander looked down at Andrew, and his eyes filled with tears.

Andrew looked up at him, concerned, "Happy tears?" he asked hopefully.

Xander nodded, "Happy tears." Xander stared into Andrew's eyes, "Andrew?" he whispered, "Have we given up on the taking it slow?" Andrew nodded gravely, holding Xander's gaze. "Good," Xander smiled, and leaned in to kiss Andrew again. <And again>, he thought, <and again, and again, and again...>

* * * * *

As promised, Spike came to unlock the door when the sun went down. He listened at the door for a moment, not wanting to interrupt anything, but hearing nothing, he unlocked and opened the door as quietly as he could. Peering into the room, Spike saw the two men, asleep in the bed. Their arms were wrapped around each other; Andrew was sleeping, his head resting on Xander's chest. Xander was watching Andrew sleep, running a hand slowly through his hair. There was a pile of clothes strewn on the floor beside the bed. Xander looked up to the door, where Spike was standing, "Looks like you tuckered the little bugger out," he said, grinning.

"Shh," Xander whispered insistently, "You'll wake him up."

Spike held his hands up defensively, and lowered his voice, "You blokes get everythin' figured out then?" he asked. Xander blushed and nodded. Spike gave him a knowing smile, "I'll just leave the door unlocked for ya then," he said, and turned back to head out the door.

"Spike?" Xander whispered after him. Spike stopped and looked back, raising his eyebrows, waiting. Xander was quiet for a moment. "Thanks," he said finally, "you're a good friend." Spike frowned intensely. Xander smiled, "Calm down," he said, "I won't tell anyone."

Spike continued to frown at him for a moment, and then his face softened, "Don't worry," he said, and winked, "it won't happen again." He stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him. Xander heard his footsteps retreat back down the stairs.

Xander looked back down at Andrew, who was sleeping soundly, and placed a kiss on the top of his head. Andrew smiled in his sleep, and curled closer to Xander, sighing contentedly. <Only on the hell mouth>, Xander thought to himself, <could I have a vampire for a friend, and an ex-super-villain- wannabe for a boyfriend>. Xander smiled to himself, trying to focus on the happiness, and not on the weirdness, of it all. Andrew sighed in his sleep again and Xander smiled down at him, <I have a vampire friend, and an ex- super-villain-wannabe boyfriend>, he thought, <and I can't even *imagine* wanting it any other way>. Xander lay back and sighed, <Now I just have to figure out a way to tell everyone what I'm feeling without sounding like I've gone *completely* insane>...
The End

To Be Continued...