Pairing: Spike/Xander
Challenge: slashthedrabble #85: David Bowie Song Titles
Rating: G
Word count: 300
Disclaimer: Not mine, just borrowing.
Spoilers: Post series

Everyone Says Hi

Jameschick

The phone rang and he answered with a sigh. “Hello?”

“Hey, Xander.” It was Willow. It was always Willow; no one else ever called.

“Hey, Will. How are you?”

“Good. Good, and you?”

“Doing fine. Job’s great. Apartment’s nice.”

“And… Spike?” The hesitation wasn’t new either. Not surprising since Spike was the reason no one else ever called.

“Spike’s great.” Xander didn’t mention that Spike moped around for days on end sometimes, that he was still hurting over the way the group had turned on them. How even Dawn had turn away from them with disappointment in her eyes.

“Yeah. Okay.”

“Did you want something?” He has to ask, otherwise they’ll be doing the small talk thing for hours before getting to the point.

“It’s just… I miss you.”

“You know why I left - why we left.” Willow sighs and Xander knows what’s coming.

“Yeah, about that…”

“Don’t say you’re sorry. It wasn’t you that made us leave.” That it was everyone else doesn’t need to be said.

“They didn’t mean it. They feel terrible about it.” Xander can hear the lie.

“Yeah.”

“Everyone says hi.”

Really? Everyone?” Xander doubts that’s true.

“Well, almost everyone.”

“We’re not coming back, Will. Not even if Buffy herself calls to apologise. I won’t have him treated like that. Not after everything he did for her.”

“I… I’ll call again next week. Okay?”

“Sure, Will. Take care of yourself.”

“You too Xander. I worry about you.”

“You don’t need to. Spike takes care of me, and I take care of him. We’re fine.” And they were. Really.

“Yeah. I get that. I just wish…”
“Don’t!” The words come out harsher than he meant but she ought to know better.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to.”

“I know. Goodbye.”

“I’ll call again.”

“I know.”

The End