a little known fact

Xander winced, thinking they should be talking about them, not him. Were they together, or not?

Nessa handed him a raw carrot to eat while she fixed dinner.

"Don't worry, Simon told me all about Ducky, when I picked him up from school." She smiled. "So it must be serious, if he's already staying over."

Xander's eyes went wide. He thought he might have a heart failure.

"Ducky and I are just.." He didn't like talking about this. "I'm not sure..we're a couple." He hugged himself. Somehow, they hadn't talked about all the important things in life. Not just yet. Even if he had stayed over. "We're just getting to know.."

"OH.." She smiled so as if she knew exactly what was going on.

Xander blew a breath. She was making him nervous.

"Don't...don't think, we just got together..because.." Was she thinking they were having sex? He gritted. "He's a doctor."

"A doctor?" Now she was really listening as she stopped chopping a cucumber for a salad.

"He..he still doesn't know I..I even work at a nail salon." Xander shrugged.

"Why?"

"It just didn't come up." Xander told her.

"Well, I don't know why it would matter." She looked at him.

"He..he's important.." Xander finally admitted. "I'm not."

She gave him a testy look then, but without an answer. She went on to get dinner together. He helped her with all the last minute prep for the steak and potatoes. Fifteen minutes later, they were all at the table, including his Dad.

"Do you know, what Xander just told me?" Nessa said before anyone took their first bite.

His Dad looked at her, as if Xander might have something fatal.

"He doesn't think he's important."

Xander winced hard. Were they going to have another row? He sighed as he forked through the mashed potatoes, losing his appetite.

"Its up to you, you have to change that, Flip." She informed him.

Xander looked to Simon, a little confused. She called him Flip? That wasn't even his real name.  Xander stared at his food.

He did wish he was with Ducky. And as much as he wanted to protest, that he didn't have a boyfriend...maybe he did. And it wasn't something to argue about.