Parts 20,21
Part 20: Toaster
There was more silence than talk. Riley tried to meet Graham's eyes a number of times, but he kept looking back down at the floor, instead. "Look, Ok. It's just … a little weird. OK?"
"It's not the way I wanted you to find out, Rye. But I'm not sorry you know."
Riley didn't look up, didn’t respond.
Graham sighed and stood up. He went to the door and opened it. He stopped before he took last steps out the door, and turned to look at Riley sitting on the bed, head in his hands, desperately wishing he could say something to make it all right with Riley. But there was no turning back, not for Riley, not for anyone.
Riley looked up and saw the look on Graham's face. Like maybe Graham had just lost his best friend. He knew he had to say something right now. His voiced almost cracked as he said softly, "Hey, Graham?"
"Yeah?" Graham's response was flat, emotionless, resigned to whatever Riley was gonna throw at him.
Riley took a second to find his best friendly voice. "Buy you a beer?"
A hint of a smile, "Yeah. That'd be good."
Riley nodded slowly. "OK, just let me get dressed."
"Rye?"
"Yeah?"
"You probably wanna finish shaving."
Riley smiled at him.
=========
Xander was alone in his dank basement, fighting off the freaked feelings. Being with Graham felt so right, until he had seen the look of horror and possibly disgust on Riley's face when he'd seen them together. And OK, maybe it was just shock on the guy's face, cause he probably wasn't expecting to find the two of them in the shower, and interrupting anyone like that can sort of set you aback.
Xander realized he was ashamed, as well. He really liked Riley in a lot of ways, figuring he was a serious improvement over Buffy's previous boyfriend, at least as far as Xander was concerned. And, yeah, he wanted Riley's respect, he guessed. And he didn't figure that Riley was gonna have a lot of respect for him after this. Pretty much gonna think of him as one of "those".
But, Riley had never said anything like that. Xander realized that he was allowing his own shame for the whole Jesse thing color his thoughts. He had to admire Graham on that front. No shame in his eyes when Riley stared at him. Graham stared back, while Xander looked at the floor. Graham was embarrassed, sure, but who wouldn't be? But he wasn't ashamed of what he and Xander had been doing.
The phone rang. Xander raced to grab it.
"Yeah? Hey Graham. How'd it go with Rye? … Yeah … yeah. For a beer, huh? … Sure, yeah. I'll meet you two there. When? … OK, OK, yeah, on my way."
He hung up. And heaved a sigh of relief. It obviously hadn't gone too badly with Riley, if the three of them were going for a beer. He knew that it mattered to Graham, quite a lot, in fact. Riley meant a lot to him. The two were the only survivors of their Initiative cohort. Graham needed Riley to understand, or at least to accept it.
He headed out towards The Pub, a little tense, but mainly just pleased that Riley hadn't just blown Graham off, that he wanted to talk about it. He was really happy that Graham wanted him there.
Xander cut across campus. As he passed the student union, a voice rang out,
"Hey, Xander!" Xander looked and grinned as he saw the wiccan duo heading towards him.
"Willow!, Tara!" He trotted over to them and gave them each a hug. "So how go things for my two absolutely favourite witches?"
"Good!" Willow announced, pleased that she could report that. "We've almost gotten this neat transmorphing spell down, it might work on Amy-rat."
Tara nodded eagerly, "But there's this Sumerian part we're having trouble with."
"And you're avoiding our own friendly neighbourhood Sumerian expert because?"
Willow sighed. "Giles isn't too big on us dabbling with the spirits of the past since the whole battle and nightmare thing." Tara nodded in agreement.
"I gotta say that I'm pretty much with the G-man on that one." Xander had to grin at how giggly the two were together.
Tara looked at him and smiled knowingly, "On your way to see someone?"
"Yeah, just heading over to grab a beer with a buddy."
Tara couldn't resist. "A large, reasonably sexy, commando-shaped buddy, by any chance?" She gave Xander a suggestive leer.
Xander blushed completely, and looked down at the ground. Then, head still bowed, he raised his eyes to Tara's. "Were we that obvious?"
"*What?*" Willow looked at Xander in shock.
Tara shook her head, grinning widely, "Well, maybe *he* was. He's got it bad for you, boy."
"*What?*" Willow's head swiveled and she directed her shock at Tara.
Xander grinned back. It was nice to hear that it wasn't just his own hope that made him that made him see that in Graham's eyes. "Ya think? Me too. For him, I mean. I think. "
"*WHAT?*" Willow exclaimed even more loudly to them both.
Tara just hugged Xander. "Welcome to the team! You two are just so *cute* together!" She giggled.
Willow put her foot down. She grabbed Xander's arm and pulled him to face her.
"What is going on here?"
Xander, grinning like a fool, "Nothing much, just kind of seeing Graham."
Willow stared at him, and then broke into a squeal of happiness and threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the neck. He hugged her back, lifting her off her feet. Tara just beamed. Hmm, she wondered, did she get the toaster from the Movement for this? Probably not, but she did already have one for Willow, and there was no point being greedy.
Willow released him and just stood there grinning at him, "You and a commando-guy, huh?
"Yeah, who'd have thought?" Xander shuffled his feet, grinning.
Willow, remembering Xander as soldier-guy, kidded him, "Well, you both have that uniform thing going on."
Xander started to cough uncontrollably. Tara caught on and laughed out loud. Willow looked puzzled as she patted Xander on the back. Xander recovered, but his face was pretty red.
"I'll explain it to you later, love." Tara whispered to Willow, whose eyes went wide. Tara was unwilling to let it go. Xander's embarassment was just just too delish Suppressing a giggle, she stage whispered devilishly, "They do train them to take orders well, don't they?"
Blushing once again, Xander stammered, protesting, "OK, OK, look, I am not gonna …"
Tara hugged him again, "Don't worry. Have fun, Xander, just have fun. Go run along and give him our love."
Xander smiled at the two giggling girls. "And I had always heard that this coming out thing was hard."
Willow just beamed at him and then suddenly a thought hit her, "Ooh! Let's double date!"
When Xander didn’t respond except to blush again, Tara smiled at her, "Give them a bit of time, love."
Then Willow said to Xander, her face a bit more serious. "We're not jumping out of any airplanes without parachutes, are we, Xander?"
Xander shook his head, only slightly embarrassed. "Graham always has some, ya know, in his room."
Willow put on her teacher face, "Every boy should have his own supply, young man. Right there in the union, in front of the student welfare office, there's a big bowl of condoms and really cute little packets of the slippery stuff. I want you to go right now and grab yourself a handful. Understand me, young man?".
"Yes, mom." Xander said in a mock put-upon voice.
Tara grinned, "Don't keep the boy waiting too long, Xander."
Xander nodded and headed into the union, a spring in his step. When a cute guy in Student Welfare Office winked at him as he quickly pocketed a couple extra packets of lube, Xander gave him an only slightly embarrassed smile in return.
*****
Part 21: Who's your Buddy?
Sitting in the pub, Riley was staring at Graham. 'OK,' he thought, your bud, your comrade in arms, turns out to be a ... ok ease up Riley. He's still Graham, the dude who covered your ass... Ok, that came out way wrong, he's the guy who's saved your butt more than once, who's been there for you, no questions asked. He was on your side when Forrest gave ya shit about Buffy: he's your best friend.'
Graham was aware of being stared at, but figured that Riley needed some adjustment time.
"You always been..." Riley stumbled for the right word.
"... that way?" finished Graham with a slight smile. A nod "Yup."
"How 'bout that night in Tijuana?"
"We just talked. She appreciated having the time off."
"Ya coulda told me, ya know. It's not like I'm this big bigot or something."
"Not the point. You were my squad leader. If I told you, regulations required you to report me. Get me kicked out."
"I wouldn't have reported you."
Graham raised an eyebrow questioningly.
Riley looked down. "So if you didn't tell me, I didn't have to decide."
Graham nodded.
Riley nodded back, "Got it."
Riley looked at Graham, and his curiosity got the better of him. He gave Graham a bit of a smile, "You ever been with anybody I know?"
Graham thought back to that night when Buffy had joined the initiative for training, and had pretty thoroughly trounced them all. Graham still remembered how impressed he had been at her skill. She had been awesome. They all headed out for a beer afterwards at this bar Buffy liked. The Bronze had been a little too juvenile for Graham's tastes, but he had scoped out one cute guy there. Unfortunately, Xander had taken off before Graham had had a chance to talk to him. Forrest was pretty pissed off about something, probably Buffy. Forrest had always resented her.
Graham had figured that Forest must have more caveman-like ideas about women than he let on. Forrest never exactly said anything, but Graham thought maybe he resented Buffy, resented her for doing their job fighting the HSTs, showing up Forrest and the rest of the guys.
Anyway, they had all gotten called away to hunt this Polgara demon, but after that was over, Forrest insisted on going for the beer they'd missed earlier. Forrest was grumbling that Riley wasn't with 'em. Graham joked that it looked like Riley had better things to do than have a beer with the guys. Forrest kind of snarled at that, so Graham let it drop. Graham suggested they go back to the Bronze, thinking that maybe that cute guy would be there still. Forrest refused absolutely. "No way. No *slayer* bar."
At the bar where the Initiative types hung out, Graham bought the first pitcher. Forrest got up and came back with eight shots, and they proceeded to shoot the hard stuff and chase it with the beers.
Some of the Latino Initiative guys had taken control of the bar's sound system and were blasting Latin dance music and drinking and talking loudly and having a great time. Graham recognized the song as one he had kept hearing when he was in Panama, recovering from his Andean captivity. Latin hit of the year, he guessed. He kind of half listened to it. When the chorus came on, Graham found himself understanding that, just from his Spanish for Commando-guys lessons:
//umm, chocolate-y, chocolate-y, chocolate-y, choco - Wow!//
//umm, cinnamon-y, cinnamon-y, cinnamon-y, cina - Wow!//
Graham clicked that they were singing about checking out the talent in a bar, looking at the chocolate-y Black ones and cinnamon-coloured Brown ones. American songs never had lyrics like that. Graham grinned and looked at Forrest and thought to himself, 'chocolate-y'.
After a couple of pitchers, plus another round of shots, both guys were pretty tanked. They hadn't gotten to the bar until pretty late, so they weren't there long before they closed the place down. They walked back towards Lowell house. Or rather they pretty much stumbled back. Forrest put his arm over Graham's shoulder in drunk-friendly kind of way. "You're my man, ain't ya, Graham?"
"You bet, Forrest."
"You don't wanna be with some slayer-girl insteada with your friend, do ya?"
Graham answered that one honestly "No, Forrest, rather be with my buddy."
"That's 'cause you all right, Graham."
"Thanks, Forrest. You, too."
"Yeah!" Forrest answered with drunken enthusiasm, and gave him a real bear hug. Graham knew it didn't mean anything, but being held by a guy that close, and getting hugged and all, and being that drunk, well, it was all having an effect.
Graham helped Forrest into his room, and onto his bed. Forrest sat there, pretty out of it. He tried to take off his boots, but kept missing the laces, so Graham chuckled and sat on the floor and helped him off with the boots. leaning on Forest's knee for support. Graham then sort of stared at Forest's crotch as Forrest undid his belt and pants and started to pull them off. He started to fall forward onto Graham. Graham caught him by the waist and helped him to sit back down on the bed, feeling a frisson of sexual tension as he held Forrest's muscular torso.
Forrest was wearing boxers, and his chub was peeking out through the flap. Graham stared at it for a second, and before he even thought about it, he leaned over and licked it.
Forrest moaned, "Oh yeah, feels good ..." He fell back onto the bed. Graham didn't need more of an invitation than that. He positioned himself on his knees between Forest's legs and took his buddy's cock in his mouth. Forrest moaned drunkenly. Graham licked it, feeling it harden, and running his tongue around the cockhead as the foreskin retracted as Forrest got harder.
Graham spent serious time with just the head in his mouth, making Forrest moan and groan. He unzipped his own trousers and pulled out his own cock, jerking off as he sucked Forrest. Forest's cock was beautiful. Dark and thick and very hard. He held it firmly by the base, two fingers resting on Forest's torso. Graham really got into it, trying to take it down his throat, twisting his head so he could taste more of it. Forrest started getting into it, too, putting one hand on Graham's head, not really pushing or anything, but holding it in a firm grip.
The chant at the end that Latin pop song kept going through Graham's head: "No pare!, sigue, sigue!" 'Don't stop! Go on, Go on!' And Graham just let that endlessly repeated chant go through his head as he rhythmically moved his head up and down on Forrest. Forrest started to moan a bit more loudly, and then the slurred words became clearer,
"That's it, man, suck it. Suck my dick. Oh yeah! You been wanting it, I seen you wanting it. Ahh, ahh *fuck* c'mon, baby, yeah, so *good*...Come on, man. Do it! Yeah! Do it, Riley."
Graham stopped short at Riley's name. Not the big ego boost here. Forrest grabbed his head with both hands and pulled his mouth back onto his cock.
"C'mon, Riley, you been wanting it, so *suck* it. Come on, man, do it. Aw, *Fuck* You suckin it so *good*. Yeah! C'mon, Riley-boy."
It didn't take Forrest much longer to come. Graham ended up swallowing, even though it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Playing tough guy with a stranger in some alley was one thing, but having a buddy think he was somebody else ... that just hurt. After he had come, Forrest pretty much lay there, eyes closed, mumbling, "Yeah Riley, yeah. come on, man ... aw, yeah." Graham lifted Forest's legs and put them on the bed. He didn't really want to get in bed with the guy, and get called "Riley" again. So he zipped up his pants, and headed back to his own room.
Lying in bed, Graham stared at the ceiling and realized that Forrest's resentment towards Buffy had nothing to do with male chauvenism, and everyting to do with Riley. He found himself hoping that Forrest wouldn't remember anything. Forrest never seemed to, and Graham certainly never brought it up.
Graham looked across the table at Riley. Nope, that was a story that Riley Finn, Iowa farm boy, was *not* ready to hear. So Graham just shook his head and repeated Riley's question, "Anybody you know? Not really."
"There's a big enough loophole there to drive a tank through."
Graham grinned and nodded.
"Cause if they're still in the service..."
Graham nodded.
Riley nodded back. "Got it."
"Look, before Xander it was just some guy I'd pick up or who'd pick me up. Never twice with the same guy."
"Wham ban, thank you man." Riley grinned, pleased at his own joke.
"Yup."
Graham grinned big time over Riley's shoulder. "Those days are over, though."
Riley looked over his shoulder. Xander walked over, grabbed a clean glass off the bar, and scooted in beside Graham. "Hey, Riley"
Graham had somehow neglected to tell him that Xander would be joining them. At least Xander didn't seem to be holding his outburst against him. "Hey, Xander."
They didn't even touch each other, but Riley saw the looks that passed between them. He wasn't sure he was ready to be sitting in a bar with Graham and his ... boyfriend? And he still had that image of them in the shower ... together.
"Nice. You're gonna push me, aren't ya?"
Graham smiled slightly and nodded at Riley, as he squeezed Xander's knee under the table and poured him a glass of beer.
Riley stood up. Torn between needing a minute to get used to this, and not wanting it to be so obvious that he wasn't completely blasé about the two of them being a couple. "Gotta see a man about a dog."
Graham nodded. Riley headed towards the back of the bar.
"Hey, stud," Graham said, smiling at Xander.
"Hey yourself, soldier-boy. Tara and Willow say 'Hi' by the way." He gave Graham a meaningful grin.
"Told 'em?"
"Tara kinda had it figured out."
"Yeah, I got that impression at the Espresso Pump the other day."
"But, yeah, told 'em. They were extremely, uh, supportive." Xander grinned. "Willow wants us to double date!"
Graham chuckled at that, the silly happiness contagious.
Xand couldn't help himself. He gave Graham's arm a bit of a caress, just in time to see this frat guy staring at them and giving them a bit of sneer. But the fratboy walked by before Xander could think of anything to say. He shrugged it off.
Turning back to Graham, Xander asked more seriously, "So how freaked is Riley?"
"Pretty freaked, but he's the one who invited me for a beer."
"Good sign. He's a good guy. Just takes a little getting used to. And I don't think finding us the shower really gave him the time to, uh, process..."
Graham grinned and nodded. "Especially since when he saw us I was ... on my knees."
"Would it have been easier for him to take if he'd caught us a couple of minutes earlier?
Graham nodded, "Probably. He could understand it if I was just getting off."
"He's clueless, isn't he?"
Graham chuckled and nodded.
"Who's clueless?" Riley asked, sitting back down, wanting to be in on the joke.
Xander flushed, and quickly got up. Great! Insult the boyfriend's best friend. Nice move. Very smooth, Xander, very suave, very... "My turn. Gotta go ... to the bathroom."
He headed across the bar. Graham watched him. Riley watched Graham watching him. Graham took a swig of beer and noticed Riley had been watching him, and blushed.
"You *really* like him, don't you?"
"Yeah." Almost wistful, almost embarrassed, slightly surprised at himself.
Riley shook his head with a confused smile, looking at Graham "Who'd have figured?"
"Bout me, or about me and Xander?"
"You. Both."
Graham nods. "Yeah. You really didn't have a clue 'bout me?"
"No. I mean ... no. All this time? Since we first met?"
Graham grinned and nodded. "Remember that beach party on South Padre Island during Initiative training in Texas?"
"Sure."
"Remember the guy you said looked like that Dallas Cowboy rookie?"
"Yeah."
"It was him."
"Yeah?" A beat as it sinks in. "*Yeah?*"
"Yeah." Graham kinda smirked as he nodded.
"OK, Graham, I'm impressed." Riley lifted his glass for a toast.
All of the sudden Graham was on his feet. Riley whipped his head around. There were these six fratboys are standing in Xander's way.
"Why don't you go to fag bar with your faggot friends? This is a normal place"
"We're just having a beer. We're not bothering you."
Graham went over and stood at Xander's side, and just a little behind him. Graham had on a complete stone face. The fratboys were a little less aggressive but not my much. Xander really liked it that Graham was backing him up. He liked it even more that he was not moving up front to protect him, like he thought Xander was some wuss.
"Why do you guys have to come to this place?"
"Clearly, it's not for the sparkling wit of the clientele."
"So, why doncha just get the fuck outa here?"
Xander clenched his fists, slowly planting his feet.
Graham put a hand on Xander's shoulder to hold him back. He wanted them to start it if it was gonna happen.
"Shit, look at that, can't keep their faggot hands off each other!"
Six against two. The fratboys didn't think the odds were too bad. Neither did Graham.
"What's going on here, Private?" Riley's voice boomed.
"Nothing, sir" Graham answered, his voice perfectly calm, never taking his eyes off of the head fratboy. He saw the fratboys rethinking as Riley made the military thing clear, and as Riley towered over them. Graham looked at the head fratboy, and asked "Right?", letting him know this was his last chance to back down or it was brawl time.
"Right, right," the head fratboy said. "Nothing."
Riley folded his arms in front of his chest, letting them see his tensed biceps clearly. "Good, then why don't you boys go back to your table."
They scowled a bit, but backed down. One of 'em murmured, 'faggots!' as they turned tail.
The three headed back to their booth, and took their seats again.
Graham just looked down, obviously one pissed off ex-commando guy.
Riley looked at Graham, "That happen a lot?" Graham didn't respond. He just continued to stare hard at the table.
Xander realized that years of being roughed up for his lunch money had prepared him for this. This must have been a first for jock-boy Graham.
Xander shook his head. He was sheepish. "No, we're usually pretty careful about the PDA." He turned to Graham, and whispered, "Sorry, Graham. My bad."
Graham couldn't even look Xander in the eye. Then came barely a whisper through clenched teeth. Angry. Slowly. "You. Didn't do. Anything. Wrong." Then Graham banged his fist on the table with real violence. "Shit!" The pitcher and glasses jumped.
Riley was the voice of reason was trying to calm his bud down. "Easy, Graham. They backed down. They're not gonna try anything, now. It's over."
Graham looked up at Riley. Riley was shocked by the pain in his buddy's eyes. "No it isn't. This shit ... it's never fucking over. They just keep coming out the woodwork."
"What, ya wanna go pound 'em? Cause I'm there with you."
"Fuck, yes! I mean, no, what's the point? I don't fucking know." Graham shook his head, then held it between his hands, head bowed, elbows on the table.
Xander said, "Let's just get outa here."
"Then they win." Riley replied. Graham looked up and nodded at Xander, face serious.
Xander got the point. He nodded. The tension was still thick.
Xander looked at Riley and nodded, "Thanks for stepping in..."
Riley was genuinely surprised at Xander's thanks, and a little hurt. "I can't believe that you even *think* I wouldn't step in!"
"It wasn't your fight, Riley. Besides, now they're gonna think, you know..."
"It *was* my fight, how can you say that? and besides ... Huh? What are they gonna think?"
Graham looked up at Riley, "That you're a ... that you're like me."
"... like us," corrected Xander.
Riley took a swig of beer. He put on a mock serious face and scowled..
"Hell, half of campus already thinks I'm a lesbian."
There is a moment's silence as Graham stared at Riley and then just lost it, cracking up.
"*What?*" demanded Xander, and he started to crack up, too.
"I was being tall guy, helping the Lesbian Alliance put up their banner when Buffy walked by. And she looked at the banner and then at me and asked if I had anything I wanted to tell her. So I just came right out and told her, 'Yes I *am* a lesbian.' She took it pretty well."
Graham was doubled over with laughter. The change from pure anger to laughter was almost too much to take. He was convulsing.
Xander still chuckling, grinned at Riley, and raised a glass, "You're one helluva lesbian, Riley Finn."
They clinked glasses, chuckling as Graham slowly recovered, looked up, saw Riley grinning, and cracked up all over again.
The fratboys were glowering at the laughing threesome. They looked pissed off that those faggots were laughing ... at them, maybe. Xander saw them and, with a grin, raised his glass in a mocking toast to them.
Parts 22,23
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