Saturday, March 5, 2016

slipping in

Slipping in




Xander did wonder if he'd ever see Joey, in passing. Xander was spending his time lately, trying to balance out his family, work and Ducky.

Of course, seeing Ducky, might be in the wee hours of the morning, due to his schedule at the hospital. Still, it was always good to see him, at four in the morning for breakfast.

Honestly, he wasn't really mad at Ducky, about telling Simon, he was his boyfriend. Even so, he gave him, a bit of a hard time about it. Maybe it was Xander, giving himself a hard time.

Yet, they found time to meet Ducky's friends. It really was a whole new world to him. And he found himself really happy.

March hadn't been sad at all.

Only a little bit of him had felt the loss of Joey. Was he really OK? Did he still have his job?

He didn't want to worry about him. He knew he shouldn't. Of course, Joey's truck was nowhere.

Xander even drove by the ravine, to find it still in the bushes and trees. A shiver went through him.

He'd been there the day, Joey called for a ride.

Of course, he wasn't quite sure what he was looking at, at the time.

"Were you drunk?" He'd asked then.

Joey was so indifferent. Xander wasn't sure he knew that guy, but they'd gone on. Went out for a burger. Even looked in some old record shops on that very frigid day. Suddenly, everything was back to normal.

Had Xander been missing something?

Xander went to Joey's door, now. Of course, Joey didn't exactly come running, but Xander thought he could hear music. Xander banged on the door, as if maybe Joey couldn't hear him.

"What is it?" His dull voice sounded so different than what Xander remembered. Finally the door opened.

Joey was just in his unbuttoned jeans.

"What?"

"Oh, its..its nothing..just wondering..if..if you've been..you know..." Xander shrugged.

Joey looked at him as if he might hate him.

"Nothing much. Just hanging out with Chelsea." His voice rised, as if he wanted her to come, but no one did.

"Chelsea." Xander said her name. He'd never met her. Joey talked about her from time to time. Maybe more than he spoke of his girlfriend. "So, she's here?"

"Somewhere." Joey sounded a little out of it. "Did you need something?"

"No." Xander was closed lip. He took a step back. There was no need to pry.

"Chelsea!" Joey called, but Xander didn't wait, to see if she came to the door. Really, it might hurt, too much.

He gritted, wishing he didn't have these feelings, of sadness. He knew it wasn't worth it.

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