Fool of The Devil II-1 (Patreon)

Fool of The Devil II-1


– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

The evening sun cast a warm glow across the facade of Giles' apartment building, the shadows lengthening as day gave way to dusk. Inside unit 4616, Giles carried a full plate laden with a hearty roast and steamed vegetables from the kitchen, a half-filled tumbler of scotch in his other hand. The rich aroma of the meal mingled with the musty scent of old books that permeated his home.

Giles set the plate and glass down on the dining table next to a small stack of mail, easing himself into a chair with a soft grunt. As he tucked into his dinner, savoring the tender meat and perfectly cooked veg, his mind wandered to thoughts of Buffy, his Slayer, who had been absent from Sunnydale for the summer.

Funny, he mused, cutting into a particularly succulent piece of roast. Sunnydale almost feels too quiet without her around, stirring up trouble. A wry smile tugged at his lips at the thought.

Giles' mind drifted to the events that had transpired before the summer began, a furrow forming between his brows. Buffy had faced the Master, one of the last known Nosferatu Masters in existence, believed to be one of only two in North America. It had been an age since a Slayer had taken on such a powerful foe and emerged victorious. 

The Watcher's Council had been stunned speechless when he'd phoned in his report - a Slayer, barely a year into her calling, defeating both a King and a Master vampire? It was the stuff of legend.

They'll be studying her for generations to come, I'd wager, Giles thought, pride swelling in his chest. The Slayer who rewrote all the rules.

"Buffy," he murmured, shaking his head with a small, fond smile. It was a rather silly name, he had to admit, but it suited her. She was unconventional in every sense of the word.

Turning his attention to the mail, Giles sifted through the pile of envelopes, tossing aside adverts and notices with a bored expression. Bills, bills, and more bloody bills, the librarian grumbled internally. You'd think the Council would increase my stipend with how bloody expensive this state is. 

As he neared the bottom of the stack, his fingers brushed against a thicker, high-quality envelope that gave him pause. Giles' eyes widened as he took in the red wax seal emblazoned with the Watcher's Council crest. With trembling hands, he broke the seal and unfolded the heavy parchment within.

His eyes skimmed the missive, his heart rate accelerating with each elegantly penned line. The tumbler of scotch sat forgotten at his elbow as he gripped the letter tighter, the parchment crinkling under his whitening knuckles.

"Good Lord!"

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

August 24, 1997

It had been a snooze-fest of a summer.

Not that Xander was complaining, mind you. Beach days with sand in places he'd rather not mention, pool trips where he totally didn't belly flop (much), skateboarding adventures that only resulted in minor scrapes, and enough time at the arcade to develop a serious case of Pac-Man fever. Oh, and let's not forget the movie nights where he perfected the art of sneaking snacks past eagle-eyed ushers.

It had all been there, served up on a silver platter of teenage freedom.

All very entertaining.

All very exciting.

But something was missing. The spice in Xander's life that made Sunnydale, well, Sunnydale. The creepy crawlies that went bump in the night and made his heart race faster than when he saw Buffy in her cheerleading outfit. Not that I think about that. 

Vampires, monsters, demons - all the baddies who usually made it their night job to prey on humans had seemingly gone on summer vacation. Not a single fang or claw to be seen. It was like they'd all decided to take a collective breather, leaving Xander twiddling his thumbs and wondering if he'd stepped into some weird Twilight Zone episode.

He really didn’t understand why and Sam didn’t bother to explain; the big guy in red simply shrugged it off. "Relax and enjoy your summer," he'd said, like Xander was some kid at summer camp and not a vampire hunting Devil-in-training. Yeah, right. Easy for you to say, big guy. You're not the one going stir-crazy here.

Granted, Xander had tried to keep his skills sharp. He’d spent  — despite still being shit at it — and doing his best to work out and train his fighting as best he could, but it honestly just wasn’t the same without demons to hunt. It was like with Buffy gone, everything evil had… gone to ground. Man, I’m funny.

The warm summer night wrapped around him like a blanket as he strolled past the Old Sunnydale cemetery. A small smile played on his lips, partly from his own joke and partly from the company. By his side walked Willow, his best friend since forever, currently occupied with an ice cream cone that was slowly but surely losing the battle against gravity and the California heat. The moonlight cast a soft glow over the gravestones, the eerie silence only broken by the crunch of their footsteps on the gravel path.

Without really thinking about it, Xander draped an arm around Willow's shoulders, pulling her close. It felt natural, like breathing or cracking jokes at inappropriate times. The redhead startled slightly at the unexpected contact but quickly relaxed as she leaned into his side, her warmth seeping through his thin t-shirt.

They were on their way back from a movie night, the theme song from Will Smith's newest blockbuster still looping in Xander's head like a broken record. "Here come the Men in Black, galaxy defenders..." he hummed under his breath, tapping out the beat on Willow's shoulder.

Willow giggled, shaking her head. "Okay, um..."

"It's still your turn," Xander reminded her, grinning down at her upturned face.

"I, alright, okay, uh..." Willow scrunched up her face in that adorable way she did when she was thinking hard. "'In the few hours that we had together, we loved a lifetime's worth.'"

A laugh bubbled up from Xander's throat as he sped up a little, spinning around to walk backwards and face Willow. He rolled his eyes dramatically. "Come on, Willow. At least try to challenge me. Terminator, obviously. You're making this too easy."

Willow giggled. "Fine, fine. Your turn, movie buff."

Xander grinned, clearing his throat with all the drama of a Shakespearean actor about to deliver a soliloquy. "You can't handle the truth!" he bellowed, making Willow jump a little.

"A Few Good Men!" Willow shot back, her eyes sparkling with triumph.

"Nicely done, Rosenberg," Xander nodded approvingly. "But let's kick it up a notch. How about... 'You talkin' to me?'"

Willow's brow furrowed for a moment before her face lit up. "Ooh! Taxi Driver. Robert De Niro, 1976."

"Look at you, pulling out the year and everything," Xander whistled, impressed. "We're getting too good at this, Will. Soon we'll have to start quoting obscure foreign films just to keep it interesting."

Willow hopped up to sit on a low wall, her legs swinging slightly. Xander leaned against it, standing close enough that their shoulders brushed. "What else is there to do in this town?" she asked, a hint of resignation in her voice.

"You know the answer to that," Xander sighed dramatically. "Absolutely nada. Zilch. Zero. We're in a black hole of excitement, Will."

"Well, at least it's been quiet," Willow offered, always the optimist. "No monsters or anything trying to eat us. That's a plus, right?"

Xander let out another sigh, this one deeper and more genuine. "Yeah, but it's been so boring. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually looking forward to school again. And no, that sentence did not just come out of my mouth. You must be hearing things."

Willow's eyes lit up with a mischievous glint that Xander rarely saw. "Really? That wouldn't have anything to do with a certain Slayer coming back, would it?"

Xander felt his cheeks heat up slightly. Smooth, Harris. Real smooth. "Not really," he said, trying to sound casual. Then a thought struck him. With Buffy back in her stomping grounds, the baddies might decide to crash the party too. "On a totally unrelated topic," he added, "has she, uh, mentioned when she might be getting back?"

"I haven't heard from her since she went to L.A.," Willow shrugged. "Just a couple of postcards. You know, 'Wish you were here' and all that jazz."

"Well, she's probably having a great time with her dad," Xander said, trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice. "It's fine. Totally fine. Couldn't be finer."

Willow raised an eyebrow. "And you're okay with that?"

Xander felt a smirk tugging at his lips. "Well, okay, there might be some interest," he admitted, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. "I'm a man, Will. I have certain desires, certain needs..."

"Uhhh!" Willow's face scrunched up in mock disgust. "I don't wanna know. Keep your manly needs to yourself, mister."

Xander laughed, holding up his hands in surrender. "I joke, I joke," he grinned mischievously. "Besides, I've got you to keep me company. Who needs Buffy when I've got my Willow?"

Before he could think better of it, he reached out and tapped Willow's ice cream cone, pushing his index gently towards her mouth. A drop of vanilla accidentally spilled onto her cheek, leaving a creamy trail.

Willow, caught off guard, instinctively sucked on his finger before blinking and pulling her face away. Even in the dim light of the streetlamps, Xander could see the deep blush spreading across her cheeks.

"Oh my god, Xander!" Willow giggled, a mix of embarrassment and something else in her voice.

"What?" Xander asked innocently. "I just wanted to feed you. Make sure you're getting your daily dose of calcium and... uh, sugar."

St-stop," Willow stammered, her voice cracking. "You got some on my cheek."

But instead of apologizing, he felt a sudden urge to... well, he wasn't quite sure what. "Here, let me get that for you," he heard himself say.

Before he could stop himself, Xander reached out with one hand, cupping the other side of Willow's face. He pulled her in close, dropping a quick peck on her cheek. His tongue flicked out, licking away the drop of vanilla.

Willow's breath caught, and for a moment, they just stared into each other's eyes. Xander felt his heart hammering in his chest, a mix of confusion and excitement swirling in his gut. What the hell am I doing?

The moment was shattered when Xander spotted something over Willow's shoulder. His eyes widened as he saw a figure emerge from the shadows, fangs glinting in the moonlight.

Finally, some action! A grin spread wide over Xander's face. "Will, don't move," he said, his voice low and urgent.

The vampire lunged forward, fangs bared and ready for a midnight snack. Willow screamed, jumping off the wall in a panic. Xander stepped in front of her protectively, adrenaline surging through his veins.

"Willow, I'm gonna need you to move back just a smidge," Xander said, trying to keep his voice steady. But Willow didn't budge, frozen in fear like a deer in headlights.

The vampire took another swing at Xander, who managed to dodge the wild swipe from the fanged leech. Thank you, demonic reflexes, he thought gratefully. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small aerosol can, grinning like a kid with a magnifying glass on the sunniest day of the year.

"Say 'ahh', fang face!" Xander quipped, aiming the can at the vampire's face.

He sprayed the vampire directly in the mouth, feeling a surge of satisfaction as the creature screamed in agony. Green smoke trailed off its head as it flailed around like a headless chicken on a sugar rush.

"What was that?" Willow asked, her voice a mix of horror and awe.

Xander smirked, shaking the can like a bartender with a cocktail shaker. "Holy water spray bottle," he explained, feeling pretty darn clever. "Pretty sure it's like if pepper spray was also acid. And, you know, holy."

"Wow," Willow breathed, her eyes wide.

"Yeah," Xander nodded, trying not to look too pleased with himself. "Hurts vamps bad. Like, really bad."

"That... looks really painful," Willow winced as the vampire continued its agonized dance.

As they watched the vampire stumble around, screaming its undead head off, a familiar figure emerged from the gates of the cemetery. Xander felt his heart skip a beat as he recognized the petite blonde.

"Allow me," Buffy said, her voice as casual as if she was offering to pass the salt at dinner.

With a swift motion that Xander knew a regular person would struggle to even see, she plunged a stake into the vampire's chest. A half-second letter, the creature exploded into a cloud of dust, leaving nothing behind but a faint smell of grave dust and old blood.

Buffy turned to them, a grin spreading across her face. "Hi, guys," she said, twirling her stake like a baton. "Miss me?"

Willow stared at her in shock, mouth hanging open like she'd just seen Elvis rise from the dead (which, given Sunnydale's track record, wasn't entirely impossible). Xander, on the other hand, felt a grin tugging at his lips, a mix of relief and excitement bubbling up inside him.

"Hey there, short, tough, and perky," he quipped, falling back on humor like the reliable safety net it was. "How was your summer?"

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

The Next Morning

Xander and Willow are walking through the second floor hallway of Sunndydale High School, the young Devil in human form still wearing the same grin he had last night. Even with the simple fact that he was back in school, the prison system of the American child, he couldn’t help but be happy for one simple unforgettable reason. Vamps are back, vamps are back, bloodsucking demons are totally back, vamps are back…

The fact that the song he was singing in his head had the tune of the Spider-Man theme song was also purely coincidence, not because he lacked creativity.

Honest.

He was just happy to be once again able to hunt the bane of his existence, the ruiner of one of his childhood friendship, the roaches of the supernatural world… vampires.

Nosferatu, to be exact.

Some, he assumed, were good people.

But the vast majority? Trash that deserved to be freed from a cursed existence.

Willow bounced alongside him, her red hair swishing with each step. She was chattering away excitedly, her words spilling out in a rush.

"I can't believe Buffy's back! It's going to be so great having her around again. And did you see her hair? It's gotten so long over the summer! I wonder if she did anything fun in L.A. Maybe we should have a girls' night and catch up. Or, or, we could all go to the Bronze together, like old times!"

Xander nodded absently, his mind still churning with thoughts of vampire slaying. Kill vampires. Behead vampires. "Uh-huh," he said, not really paying attention.

Willow didn't seem to notice his distraction. She kept talking, her eyes bright with excitement.

"And I was thinking, maybe we could start a study group this year. You know, to help each other out with homework and stuff. I bet Buffy would be up for it. And maybe…"

Roundhouse kick a vampire into the concrete. "Yeah," Xander said, his voice distant.

"I mean, not that I'm thinking about last night. I just think people should be able to kiss friends platonically, and it’s not a problem, or weird. Just normal friendly kissing, on the lips maybe. For practice, even."

Slam dunk a vamp fledgling into the trash. Crucify filthy Death Knights. "Of course," Xander nodded, not really sure what he was agreeing to.

Willow beamed at him with red cheeks, taking his response as encouragement. "Great! Maybe you could teach me. I bet you'd be a really good teacher. You're so patient and kind and funny. And smart! Did I mention smart?"

Shit in a vampire’s sandwich. Launch vampires into the sun. “Definitely.”

Willow nodded frantically. "And we could practice together! It would be so much fun. Just you and me, practicing down in your basement. Or my room. Or the park, wherever. I'm not picky."

Stir fry vampires in a pan. Toss vampires into active volcanoes. Piss in a vampire's gas tank. Judo throw vampires into a wood chipper. Twist vampires heads off. Karate chop vampires in half. "Right."


Willow paused, looking up at him with a hopeful expression. "And maybe we could even ask Buffy if she wants to join. You know, as a friend. Because you're my friend. My best friend, Xander. You know that, right?"

Report vampires to the IRS. "I should definitely do that."

Willow frowned, finally realizing that Xander wasn't really listening to her. She poked him in the side, her bottom lip jutting out in a pout. "You mean, listen to me?"

Xander blinked, glancing down at a pouting Willow. "Uhhh..." His eyes flicked away from her as they walked down the stairs, the teenage boy searching for a distraction. Luckily, he found one, his expression brightening.

"Yo! G-man! What's up?" he called out, waving at Giles and Ms. Calendar as they walked in from the entrance.

Willow perked up too, her annoyance forgotten. "Giles!" she chirped happily.

Giles and Ms. Calendar walked towards them as Willow and Xander rushed down the stairs, the two teens smiling at the adults.

"Nice to see you," Giles said, nodding at Willow. He turned to Xander, his eyes narrowing. "And don't ever call me that."

Ms. Calendar waved at them, a friendly smile on her face. "Hi, kids."

"Hi!" Willow waved back, bouncing on her toes.

Buffy arrived down the stairs, her blonde hair shining in the sunlight streaming through the windows. "Hi, guys," she said, smiling at them.

"Hey, Buff," Xander said, grinning at her. "Lookin' good."

Buffy rolled her eyes but smiled. "Thanks, Xand. You too."

Giles cleared his throat, looking at Buffy with concern. "How are you?" he asked, his voice serious.

Buffy shrugged. "Live and kicking."

"Buffy killed a vampire last night," Willow blurted out, unable to contain her excitement.

They all looked around to see if anyone had overheard. The hallway was empty, but Buffy still frowned at Willow.

"Uh, I think you can get a little more volume if you speak from the diaphragm," she said sarcastically.

Willow blushed, ducking her head. "Sorry."

Ms. Calendar lowered her voice, leaning in closer to the group. "We've got vampires? I thought the Hellmouth was closed."

Giles adjusted his glasses, his brow furrowed. "Well, it's, it's closed, but not gone. The mystical energy that emanates from it is still concentrated in this area."

"Which means the undead are here to stay," Xander chimed in, grinning darkly.

Giles cast an aside glance at Xander, his expression thoughtful. "I wonder if they're here for any purpose, particularly."

Buffy shrugged again. "You're the Watcher. I just work here."

"I-I must consult my books," Giles muttered, already lost in thought.

Xander grinned, holding out his hand to Willow. "Oh, eight minutes and thirty-three seconds, pay up."

Willow rolled her eyes but handed him a dollar. "I called ten minutes before you'd consult your books about something," Xander explained to a confused Giles, pocketing the money. "Thanks," he said to Willow.

Giles narrowed his eyes at Xander. "Very funny."

"I thought so," Xander said, smirking.

The bell rang, startling them all. Students began to fill the hallway in greater amounts, chattering and laughing as they headed to their classes.

"Guess we better get to class," Buffy said, shouldering her bag.

"Yeah, don't want to be late on the first day," Willow agreed, already starting to walk away.

"Hey, wait up!" Xander called after her, jogging to catch up.

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

Giles and Ms. Calendar watched them go, shaking their heads in amusement.

"They're good kids," Ms. Calendar said, smiling fondly.

"Yes, they are," Giles agreed, his expression softening. "But they have a lot to learn."

"Don't we all," Ms. Calendar murmured, her eyes distant.

Giles cleared his throat again, straightening his tie. "Yes, well, I should get to the library. Those books won't consult themselves."

Ms. Calendar laughed, patting him on the arm. "Of course. I'll see you later, Rupert."

Giles blushed slightly at the use of his first name but nodded. "Yes, quite. Good day, Jenny."

They parted ways, each lost in their own thoughts as they walked down the now-empty hallway.


– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

Xander grinned to himself as he slid into his seat in first period, ignoring the glare from the teacher for his almost-tardiness. He couldn't help it. 

He was just in too good of a mood.

Vampires, beware, he thought, his grin turning wicked. Xander Harris is on the case.