Xander's Green-Eyed Obsession
Cottage Pie
/I had a Eureka moment./ Harry found the statement oddly compelling.
"Oh?"
/Let's do it./ All thought froze. Did Xander just say what I think he said? Halfway between choking and gasping, Harry struggled to find the words to reply. /Harry? . . . Say something./ A hint of panic tinged the statement.
Swallowing almost convulsively, Harry gathered an answer. "Uh, Xander, perhaps this .. conversation would be best continued in person? One hour, my hotel room? I'll cook." Mentally crossing his fingers, Harry ventured to the nearly full-size kitchenette, glad that this town's idea of a mini-suite included such amenities. Brilliant Harry, leave yourself with only an hour to prepare.
/I guess so./ Uncertainty filled the line.
Harry winced. "Xander! I'm not saying no." Harry used that sharp tone that meant business in any language. He only hoped that would calm nervous minds.
Xander heaved a relieved sigh. /Ok. One hour. I'll be there./ A soft click indicated that the receiver had been set down at Xander's end.
Releasing his mobile, Harry stared at the current contents of his fridge. Well, I hadn't planned on dining in tonight. Better pop out for some quick essentials. A mild crack filled the air.
A knock sounded at the door before Xander pushed it open, the gaudy key faub with attached key in his hand. "Lucy, I'm home!"
"You need to find another hobby, Xander Harris." Harry looked out from the kitchenette, an eyebrow arched in amusement.
"I did!" Xander protested. "This really great guy bought me a couple of really sharp, wicked nice swords. He promised to teach me how to fight with them. But he hasn't been around, and I've been a bit busy with random jobs around town. So fail-safe it was."
"Hmm." Harry hummed. "Perhaps I should talk to this guy, he seems a bit unavailable to you. Do you have his contact information?"
"I do and no. I want time with you. Phone not 'llowed." Xander glared. A chuckle resonated from the small kitchen area. Xander relaxed at the pleasant sound and inhaled something decidedly heavenly. "Whatever you're making, it smells good." Xander breathed.
"Cottage Pie." Harry knocked his head in direction of the seating area. "Go, sit. Just need to bring it over."
Xander spying two glasses and a bottle of sparkling cider sat on the counter grabbed them as he passed through to the table Harry had set with other wares. "I've heard of Shepherd's Pie, but not Cottage." Xander commented as Harry trailed behind with the steaming glass cake pan.
"Not surprising." Harry set down the pan on the plain pot holder the hotel furnished. "But they are the same thing. Only difference is that Shepherd's has lamb whereas Cottage uses beef for its meat content. There wasn't any lamb available that I could trust." Harry immediately began serving the recently furnished dish, revealing a mix of beef, onions, carrots, and parsley topped by mashed potatoes and a cheddar cheese cover.
Xander groaned as the smell strengthened on release from its potato covering. Attempting to avoid an embarrassing pounce on the home-cooked goodness, he immediately sprung to action, opening and pouring the cider into the glasses he had brought over. Glasses filled, Xander looked over to his current host? is that the right term for this? locking his dark eyes on Harry's own luminous green ones. Coughing nervously, Xander sat down, afraid of what he might do if he continued to remain standing.
Plates sufficiently laden with food, Harry joined Xander. Looking toward the American, Harry noticed a subtle twitch had developed in his hands. Recalling the same twitch from many a formal dinner at the Dursleys when Dudley was restraining himself as was required by Petunia to remain "normal" by all, Harry laughed. Once more, the two locked eyes. "Go on. Tuck in. Its best served hot."
Green lighted, Xander wasted no time grabbing the first bite from his plate. He went boneless, practically fusing with the seat, groaning in delight. "Oh god!"
"Harry."
"Huh?"
Eyes laughing, Harry looked at Xander. "My name's Harry. I have no desire to be a god."
Sticking out his tongue, Xander continued to clear his plate. Harry followed at a decidedly more sedate pace.
Halfway through the plate, Xander slowed. "When are you headed out again?" No that was not resignation mixed with hope.
"Tomorrow morning, around ten. I'm headed to Paris before returning to London."
Crushed at Harry's answer, Xander sighed. "So soon? I was hoping we could spend some more time together this visit. Think you might be back by next weekend? There's a bit of tradition for me to watch scary movies and gorge on popcorn for Halloween."
Smiling sadly, Harry hmm-ed. "Sounds wonderful. Unfortunately some of my affiliations are exceedingly into the Halloween spirit. I am required to attend a fancy dress party for the occasion."
Xander blanched. "Fancy dress? Talk about sucking the fun out it. Ball gowns and black ties? Ick."
Harry laughed. "No, sorry. I forgot. Fancy dress is the English term for it. American society would call it a masquerade."
"What are you going as?" Xander asked, curiosity piqued.
The conversation continued on as the two continued to dine.
"Ok. I know that asking this may be prodding a bull, but I need to know. What brought the sudden desire to have sex?" Harry hoped that a frank conversation would help to lighten the tension surrounding the tail end of the meal.
Sighing guiltily, Xander replied, "I, well, there's this girl. We went out on one date and she somehow thought that made us a couple." Shifting uncomfortably, he continued. "She showed up at my hole in the ground earlier today. She presented a really long speech about getting me out of her head. It sounded like a Sex Ed teacher quoting a study.
"It freaked me." Xander admitted. "Not helped by the fact that she dropped her dress to the floor before starting." Harry choking brought Xander to look directly into his eyes.
"To think I held the cornerstone for psychotic admirers." Harry laughed. A confused look covered Xander's face. "When I was twelve, my best friend's little sister sent me a singing valentine. Apparently my eyes are 'as green as a fresh pickled toad' and my hair 'as dark as a blackboard.' I think it terrified her as much as me." They both laughed at the irony of their misfortune with romance.
A comfortable silence settled on the two males, stomachs full, spirits elated.
Closing his eyes momentarily, Harry coughed before presenting the crux of the situation. "Xander, we both know that you aren't quite ready to 'do it,' at least not with a male." A token protest tried to escape, but Harry stalled him. "Don't try to deny it. Truth be told: I'm not quite ready to either. We can still have fun though." With that, Harry kissed the tip of Xander's nose.
Xander remained still, staring cross-eyed at the place Harry had kissed him. "Wha-? Harry." He turned to see his teasing companion had relocated to the foot of the bed, twenty feet away. Nimble fingers worked the top few buttons of the soft emerald dress shirt that had enhanced the feelings conveyed by Harry's eyes. Those same eyes locked onto Xander, smoldering with wanton desire.
"I still haven't said no." Harry nearly whispered to the Californian.
Xander barely suppressed the hyena mating howl that threatened to burble through his vocal cords. The leap across the room, however, did make it past Xander's control. Xander's back impacting the bed a second later was a double shock.
Harry loomed over Xander, his shirt fully unbuttoned. Harry's nimble fingers made swift work of Xander's own buttoned top. A feathered kiss pressed to Xander's collarbone as Harry slid back the shirt shoulder. Xander gasped as electricity rippled through his shoulder.
Mirroring Harry's movements, Xander happily worked his way down Harry's sternum as Harry continued to strip him of his top. Flipping Harry to the bed, Xander felt slender digits stroke down his back before sliding under the waist of his jeans. Xander arched back as Harry planted kisses down his left side, striking each rib with eerie accuracy.
The two continued to trade kisses and tender touches as the night matured. They lapsed into a sated, sleepy cuddle as the clock clicked over to two.
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