Title:  Uncommon Distractions
Author:  Kay
Email:  kaygrr@hotmail.com
Feedback:  Please?  Because watching a grown girl cry is just pathetic.
Website:  ssfdu.tripod.com/kay/journal.htm (love for Sandy) Archive:  Just
let me know, eh? Fandom:  Buffy Pairing:  (Xander/Graham) + (Xander/Spike)
= Xander/Graham/Spike Rating:  PG-13 Disclaimer:  Mine?  What? *These*? 
No, they're Mutant Enemy's.  They just followed me home and wouldn't leave
until I played with them. Spoilers:  The last season of Buffy.  The
incident with Glory, and the ep "The Body".  (Look at me, trying to be
vague).  And that ugly rumor about Spike and a certain blond slayer? 
Never happened. Summery:  Graham and Riley are called back to Sunnydale
when the area destabilizes.  When they return, they discover there are new
factors in lives of the Scooby Gang, especially in Xander and Spike's.

Part 10/?

"Shit!"  Xander juggled the boards in his hands in a frantic effort to
avoid dropping them.  He managed to get them back under control, but by
the time he did his heart was racing from reaction.  He carried them over
to where they were supposed to be and carefully laid them down.  Arms
empty, he sank down into a crouch, head in his hands.  Dropping the boards
wouldn't have been a big deal, but what if he'd been carrying tools?

What if he'd been operating a saw when he'd lost focus like that?

He had to focus, had to keep his mind on his work.  He couldn't think
about the information rattling around inside his head, telling him about
the horrors hidden in Sunnydale's corners.  He couldn't think about how
long it had been since he'd had more than an hour to sit down and relax. 
He couldn't think about how much he missed Willow, or how worried he was
about Dawn.

He couldn't think about the fact that last night, Graham and Spike had
both kissed him.

With a groan, he shoved himself back to his feet.  He could think about
all of this later.  He could turn into Angel and have himself a full-on
brood-fest, but for right now he had to focus on his job.  He couldn't
afford to lose it, and he didn't want to lose a finger or become a danger
to the guys he worked with.  At least his head didn't hurt anymore so he
didn't have to work through the headache.

That thought brought him back to the events of last night.  He'd actually
drunk Spike's blood...and liked it!  He'd expected to have to force
himself to swallow, but it hadn't been anything like he'd expected.  He
didn't know how to describe the taste:  dark and rich and powerful. 
Seductive, even.  And then after he'd finished, Spike had stared at him
with blue eyes that had become darker and darker until the blond man had
leaned forward and kissed him.

"And we're back...in the car...again," Xander muttered.  No matter how
hard he tried, he wasn't able to get away from the memories of last night
and they were going to make him crazy.

Taking a deep breath, Xander picked up one of the boards and moved it to
the saw horse.  He was going to do his job and worry about this later.  He
focused intently on the process of sawing, not allowing his attention to
wander for a second.  Sure, it was avoidance and he'd just end up having
to deal with everything later, but at least he'd cut down on his chances
of giving himself an accidental amputation.

He was so intent on the task he'd set for himself that the hand that
landed on his shoulder came as a complete surprise.  He managed to both
retain his grip on the saw and not scream like a girl.  He turned off the
tool and turned to face the person who'd scared him.  "Hey, boss," he
greeted Josh, the foreman.  "What's up?"

"Harris, go on ahead and take the rest of the day off."  The 
broad-shouldered man gestured toward where Xander's car was.

Stomach twisting in a cold knot, Xander took off his safety goggles.  "Did
I do something wrong?" he asked.  He didn't want to lose this job - he
loved learning to shape the wood and create buildings and furniture with
his own hands.

"No."  The foreman laughed.  "I didn't mean to scare you.  You're not in
trouble.  You've been doing outstanding work on this job.  You're turning
into a damn fine craftsman, Harris."

"Then why do you want me to go?  I'd rather stay."  He needed the money. 
Making the rent wasn't hard, but missing a few days' pay would make
everything a little tight and he didn't need to add that to his plate.

Josh's face turned serious.  "Listen, I know what you've been doing. 
You're friends told me."

Who told him what?  That he was out most nights killing demons?  That he
still kept a stuffed Snoopy toy in his bedroom?  That he'd kissed two guys
last night and liked it?

"I know you've been working your friend's night job while she takes care
of her sick sister.  You've been working two jobs and still do a great job
at this one.  Take the rest of the week off and rest up.  Come back Monday
when we start the half-days during inspection."  He didn't give Xander a
chance to object.  "You'll still get paid.  Remember when you noticed that
flawed load of rebar?  If we'd used it we'd be having to replace it right
now and the repairs would set us back months.  I was going to surprise you
at the end of the job, but I'll tell you now:  you've got a bonus coming
to you.  Look at the days off as just a part of it, ok?"

Xander stared at him, then nodded.  "If you're sure."

"Get out of here."  Josh clapped him on the shoulder.  "I'll see you
Monday."

A little dazed, Xander finished up the board he was working on and packed
up his tools.  He could go home and sleep.  Most likely, he'd go home and
do his best Angel impersonation.  As he headed for the parking lot, he
stopped dead as a thought occurred to him.  What friends had gone and
talked to Josh?

He exhaled hard in irritation.  He wasn't thinking straight at all.  He
was tired, confused, and he was still feeling the strain of the Cynon's
influence.  His headache was gone, but he could still feel the lingering
traces of the crushing loneliness that the demon had drawn out of him. 
Each emotion that the Cynon fed off of was staying with him longer and
longer, and it was more difficult to shake them off.  When the demon had
demanded humiliation from him, he'd blushed miserably for days after every
time he'd passed a place where he'd been embarrassed.  That had faded
fairly quickly compared to how long the loneliness was lingering, and how
strongly.  He still felt the edges of it, cut-off and alone even when he
was talking and laughing with other people.

He headed for his car at a slower place, trying to figure out who would've
talked to his boss.  Would Spike have  made a call?  He got his answer
when he saw who was standing next to his car.  "Graham!  Hey, Riley.  What
are you doing here?"

"Breaking you out," Graham answered with a grin.

"I really appreciate it, but why?"  Xander opened up his trunk and put his
tools away.

"You look tired," Graham said.  "I thought you could use some time off."

"Is that what your commanding officer told you to do?  Make sure that
Harris kid got some time off?"  He grinned at Graham, loving the way the
other man grinned right back in the face of his teasing.

"Yep.  We're under orders."

Riley laughed.  "He's almost telling the truth.  We told our CO that
you're the one responsible for the stability here in Sunnydale.  We're
under orders to support you and make sure the stability continues.  If
that means making sure you get enough sleep, then hey."

Xander froze.  "Have you mentioned Spike to your CO?  Did the surveillance
teams?"  What would the military do to an escapee from the Initiative?

Graham frowned but it was gone so quickly Xander barely had time to see
it.  "He knows Spike is around, but he believes that chipped, Spike isn't
a threat."

Xander nodded, relieved.  He didn't want Spike to be in danger because
he'd been helping him.  He didn't want Spike to be in danger period, which
was a can of worms he was going to ignore for as long as he could.

"What's on the agenda for tonight?" Riley asked.

Grateful for the distraction, Xander said, "There's a nest of young
vampires who are getting big for their britches since they haven't had
their asses kicked by the Slayer.  I think it's about time that they learn
their place."

"How do you know?" Graham asked.

Xander shrugged.  "The information is just there, in my head.  If I think
about it, then I know where some of Sunnydale's nasties are and what
they're up to.  Eventually there's no more information, and I have to go
get some more."

Graham started to say something, but Riley interrupted him.  "Why don't we
go take care of the vampires now?  Hit'em while they're sleeping."

"Not without Spike," Xander said.  He'd promised that to the vampire once
he'd started dealing with the Cynon.  He'd continue to meet the Cynon, but
he wouldn't act on the information he received without Spike at his side. 
"I'm not going to do anything until after sundown."

He could tell that Graham and Riley didn't like his answer, but he wasn't
going to change it.  He'd given his word and he couldn't break it. 
Especially not to Spike, no matter how he felt about Graham.  Xander dug
his nails into his palm in a gesture of frustration.  He'd accepted the
fact that he was bi, worked himself around to acknowledging the fact that
he was into guys too and was ok with it.  He could've dealt with being
attracted to both of them at the same time; he wasn't that far away from
being a teenager, when thinking about *linoleum* was enough to get him
hot.  But the crush he'd been hiding from Spike had grown beyond being a
crush weeks ago, and the kiss last night hadn't done anything to stop it. 
At the same time, getting know Graham had had the same effect on Xander's
feelings for them.  How could he be falling in love with two different
people at the same time?  What was wrong with him?

"We'll wait for Spike," Graham agreed.  "In the mean time, you should let
us get you some dinner or something."

"I could eat," Xander agreed.  "Um, do either of you have a cell phone I
can use?"  He accepted Graham's phone and dialed his apartment number. 
When Spike picked up he said, "Listen, I got off work early.  Graham and
Riley are here and they're offering me free food.  I'm going to get dinner
with them while we wait for the sun to set."

//Is everything all right?// Spike asked.  His voice sounded a little
strange.

"Everything's good.  I actually got some good news at work - I'll tell you
about it when I see you."

//Where should I meet you?//

"You remember the crypt that looks like it's covered in Oompa Loompas?" 
He grinned when he heard Spike laugh a little.

//I'll be there.  Xander...//

"Yeah?"  His heart beating faster for no apparent reason, Xander waited.

//I...never mind.  Do you want me to bring you your favorite toys?//

"Thank you, that'd be great.  I've got the stakes covered, but I need the
other stuff."

//I'll bring them.  Watch yourself.  I'll see you as soon as the sun
sets.//

"I will.  See you soon."  Xander handed the phone back to Graham,
wondering just what Spike had been about to say.  "Where for dinner?"

"Is there anywhere near here?" Graham asked.

"Um, Delarico's has decent Mexican food, and it's completely non-demonic."

"Sounds good."  Graham nodded his head toward the SUV parked beside
Xander's car.  "You want a lift?"

Xander held out his hand, palm up.  "I'm the one who knows where
Delarico's is.  I should drive."

"This is a military-owned vehicle," Riley said, keys held protectively in
his hand.

"If it's not yours, why are you worried?"  Xander smiled winningly and
kept his hand out.

"Fine," Riley said, handing over the keys.

"Don't worry, Riley," Xander said, opening up the driver's door and 
unlocking the vehicle.  "If I run over a line of parking meters or 
something, I'll tell everyone you were driving."  He ignored Riley's glare
and started the SUV.  Delarico's was close by so he wasn't driving long at
all.  That meant less time for Riley to spend fidgeting nervously in the
back seat, which was good.  It also meant less time for him to sit with
Graham next to him in the passenger seat, so close and talking to him. 
Which was also a good thing, since he really didn't want to damage the
vehicle by being distracted and running into a parked car.

At the restaurant, they got their food quickly and headed for a booth. 
Xander watched as Graham and Riley slid in on opposite sides of the table.
 That meant he had to sit by one or the other.  It was no contest.  He
slid in beside Graham and was immediately rewarded by Graham's pleased
smile.

By the time the food was gone, so was all the space between Xander and
Graham.  Sitting close together, Xander laughed as Graham told stories
about himself and Riley on the various missions they'd performed.  The
stories were fun, but the best part was hearing Graham's voice, seeing his
eyes crinkle up as he smiled, and feeling the warmth of him pressed so
close.

Xander responded by telling them stories about growing up on the
Hellmouth.  He tried to focus on the ones that effected him, rather than
the ones about Buffy.  He didn't want to upset Riley by mentioning her too
much.  He was finishing up one of the most embarrassing, explaining why
every woman in Sunnydale fell in love with him for a short time and Graham
and Riley were laughing so hard he was worried they all might get asked to
leave.

"So they were all after you?" Riley asked, calming down a little.

"It was a nightmare.  That's why I don't go anywhere near magic or wishes
if I can help it."  Xander took a long drink of his soda.  Mmm, caffeine. 
He glanced out the window and the sight of the reddening sky sent him
scrambling to find his watch.  "Damn, we were here longer than I thought. 
The sun's going down."

Riley sighed.  "Time for more fun and excitement?"

"Hey, the fun never stops in dear old Sunnyhell."  Xander moved
regretfully away from Graham, stretching as he stood up.

"Why more people don't move here, I'll never know."  Graham followed him
out of the restaurant.

Xander tossed the keys back to Riley.  "I think you can handle it back to
the parking lot.  The cars will be safe there until we're done foiling the
plans of evil doers."  He looked over at Graham and grinned.  "Shot gun!" 
He bolted for the passenger side door.

Graham stared at him.  "Shot gun?  Aren't you required by law not to do
that after you graduate high school?"

Xander stuck his tongue out at him.  "You're just jealous because I
thought of it first."

"Maybe.  Next time the front seat is mine!"

"Take it this time," Riley said, tossing the keys to Graham.  "Not that I
like the idea of either of you driving."

Graham climbed in the SUV.  "This from the man who managed to crash a-"

"That story can wait!" Riley interrupted.

Xander reminded himself to ask Graham about it later.  He directed Graham
back to the parking lot.  Once there, he opened his trunk and pulled out
his stash of spare stakes.  "You guys need anything?"  He looked over at
and watched as the two soldiers took their own weapons out of the back of
the SUV.

"Got it covered," Graham said.  "But thanks."

Once they were all packed up, Xander led the way to the Quiet Slumbers
cemetery.  The cemetery itself wasn't far away, but the Oompa Loompa crypt
was on the far side of it, so it was a bit of a walk.  Xander fell into
step with Graham while Riley ranged ahead of them.

"You know, I can't believe that last story you told us.  The one about the
love spell."  Graham grinned at him as he walked even closer to him.

"It's all true!  You've lived here; you know that kind of thing happens
all the time."

"No, I mean I can't believe that it took a spell to send everyone in this
town running after you."

Xander slowed down to a stop.  He stared at Graham, who had stopped to
face him.  That was one of the nicest things that had ever been said to
him.  He could read the honesty in Graham's eyes, the sincerity and want
and affection.  He took a step forward, and then another, until he was
standing in Graham's space.  He reached up and slid his hand around to
cradle the back of Graham's neck and urge his head down for a kiss.

Graham's lips met his hesitantly at first, then with growing urgency. 
Xander cooperated with the gentle pressure and parted his lips, sighing
and shifting closer as Graham's tongue lapped at his own.  Strong arms
close around his waist and pulled him even nearer.  He could feel all of
Graham against him, feel his heartbeat and his heat and his desire.  He
moaned and shifted, wanting more as his hands roamed over Graham's back.

Survival instinct made him pull away with a disappointed groan that
matched Graham's.  A cemetery was no place for this.  Not only was it
vaguely icky, but it was dangerous as well.  He stepped away from Graham
and blinked a few times, waiting for his head to clear.  He clear his
throat.  "We've got work to do," he said, reminding himself, too.

Graham nodded.  "Not that I can make myself care about that any more," he
said ruefully.

Xander nodded his agreement.  He looked over at Riley, who was studiously
ignoring both of them.  "Let's go."  Graham fell in step beside him once
more.

As they walked toward the crypt, Xander fought to hide his confusion. 
Guilt and happiness warred inside him.  He feeling closer to Graham than
ever, sure that the other man's feelings went way beyond casual lust.  It
was one of his most cherished fantasies come true and he wanted to give in
to the exhilaration that thought brought.  Guilt wouldn't let him, though.
 What was he doing?  He was on his way to meet Spike, who had become one
of his closest friends.  Who had kissed him the night before and held him
and tried to make everything all right.  He still felt the same about
Spike, still felt the same desire and near-love that had filled him last
night.

Walking beside Graham, walking toward Spike, Xander had no idea what to
do.  He had well and truly screwed up and he saw no way out of the
situation.  He was caught up in what might have once been a favorite dream
- except now it was feeling an awful lot like a nightmare.

*****