Worth It

"How about dinner?"

Xander perked up, "A date?"

Buffy shook her head, "No. No, just a meal. Not a date. Just me paying for your food. Not even necessarily food we eat together. Just... I pay for your food. It doesnt have to be dinner. It could be lunch. It could be breakfast. It..." Buffy tried to think of something else to say that would discourage Xander from thinking about any romantic overtones.

Xander rolled his eyes. "I get it." He shook his head, "And not cutting it. C'mon, Buffy, really think about it. What would I want? What makes this bet worth taking? Y'know?"

"You want food." Buffy pouted.

"Yeah. But its not anything special. I can get food on my own. If your going to bet, bet something only you can give me. Something that I would want." Xander pointed out.

Strangely after initially dismissing his words, she then took Xander's idea seriously. Buffy found herself actually asking herself what it was Xander would want from her and what only she could give. Hefting Giles higher up in her arms when it felt like her **** Watcher was slipping down Buffy considered what it was she would get out of it if Xander was wrong.

"What's in it for me? What if you are wrong and loose the bet?" Buffy asked.

Without hesitating Xander answered, "Whatever you want. Anything and everything I can do. Nothing is off the table." He grinned at her, "That's how sure I am that I will win this bet."

"Anything?" Buffy asked leadingly.

"And everything." Xander nodded.

"So if I said you had to be nice to Angel? Really nice. Really, really nice." Buffy teased.

"Sure." Xander mused for a second, "For like a week. Limited time offer and all that."

"Booo."

"Hey, hey, just remember you might not win this bet. Would you want a time limit on this? Or would you want this to be open ended and ongoing forever and ever and ever and ever?" Xander gave her a pointed look.

"Good point." Buffy allowed. "A time limit makes sense."

"A week?" Xander asked.

Buffy nodded her head, "I can agree to that. One week." She smirked, "Of you having to be nice to Angel."

"Not if you don't make it worth my while." Xander shook his head. "I wont shake on it if your side of the wager is weak sauce."

Buffy rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I hear you."

"C'mon, Buffy, its not that hard. What do I want? And what can you stand to give? Find the middle ground. And make the bet." Xander chided. And then with a bad Obi Wan impression waved his hand at her, "Use the ****, Buff, look deep inside yourself. "

Buffy sighed as she knew what it was Xander wanted from her. He wanted her. They both knew it. But she didnt feel that way about him. Well, looking deep inside and being honest with herself, Buffy did have feelings for Xander. But not... kinda... sorta... big love feelings. Buffy groaned as being the Slayer made everything hard. She couldnt be with a normal guy who was part of her Slayer life. That relationship would be doomed. She'd die and leave Xander alone. Or she would get him killed when a vicious vamp tried to hurt her by targeting her loved ones.

If she didn't have to worry about Xander's safety then maybe she could. And it would probably be really nice. But she did have to worry. So she couldn't. Even if it might be really nice.

Sensing her frustration Xander held up his hands, "Hey, we dont have to do anything. It was just a joke, right? We dont have to make an actual bet."

Buffy smiled at Xander, relieved he was de-escalating the pressure. Letting her off the hook. Making her life easier. Xander was nice like that, watching out for her, caring for her.

Buffy let her head hang back as her brain brought up a conversation she was supposed to not think about. The 2nd day of the 'love spell' last year, when she tried to give him her naked beneath a raincoat self as a present. When Xander refused to take advantage of her, because of how much she meant to him. And how much that declaration made her feel... special. Wanted. Respected.... Safe.

"Urgh." Buffy shook her head. Curse her memory for torturing her with evidence of Xander deserving a relationship with someone who wasnt going to die violently in a year or two.

Buffy's brain betrayed her again by bringing up the 1st day of the 'love spell' where she'd propositioned Xander with a lap dance. And the monetary look of child on Christmas morning glee on his face before being replaced with the appropriate hellmouth caution.

Biting her lower lip Buffy weighed the idea of betting a lap dance. Could she do it? Could she wear a stupid slutty outfit? Could she shake her ass in Xander's face before sitting in his lap? Could she grind on Xander?