MCA0, Monday Night

[needsaparrot]

Xander is doing something that... well, some people might call it cooking. Probably not people who actually know how to operate a stove, though. There's chicken, or something that started out as chicken, but then he got distracted by the pasta boiling over, and now it's the artist formerly known as chicken. And the superglue formerly known as pasta.

So... pretty much Xander's doing something that's more properly described as 'staring at his kitchen and wondering if it'd be cheating to dump the whole thing and start pressing random buttons on the food replicator.'

It's been... a day.
_____
[OOC: For the boyfriend.]

Comments

[needsaparrot]

"Uh." Xander blinks. "Water's fine, thanks."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"I can do water," Bridge says, setting two glasses down on the table with a flourish. "And I didn't mean drink-drink like... I just meant, with dinner, sometimes, something to drink is good because with food and... I'm going to stop talking now."

[needsaparrot]

Xander laughs a tired, scattered laugh. "Are you okay?"

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"I- mostly, I think, yeah?" Bridge says.

[needsaparrot]

"It's just...weird," Xander says, staring a little dumbly at his spaghetti. "I mean, it's not the same person, you know."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Bridge says, idly prodding at his plate with a fork. "Did, um. Do you know- did you and she, in her timeline, were you, uh? Well, not you-you, the Xander from her reality, were they-"

[needsaparrot]

Xander shakes his head. "Don't think so. Not from what Dawn said."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Huh," Bridge says. "Well, that's. She missed out on something great, then," he says awkwardly. "...This whole alternate reality stuff is weird and I'm not even directly involved, here."

[needsaparrot]

"You're pretty directly involved with me," Xander points out.

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Bridge looks over at Xander and grins. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

[needsaparrot]

"Me neither." Xander looks down and twirls spaghetti around his fork. "I, uh, didn't say anything to her about us. I mean, the other her and me us. Not the you and me us either but that was just because it didn't come up. The other thing... that's a lot to dump on somebody, y'know?"

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Totally understandable," Bridge says with a nod. "But the you and me us, that part- it is going to come up eventually, right?"

[needsaparrot]

Xander looks up. "Sure. Can't see why it wouldn't."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Good, then," and the grin is back. "That's good." He opens his mouth, as if to say something else... and then doesn't actually say anything, instead poking at his spaghetti again.

[needsaparrot]

Xander, attempting to swallow a meatball whole because he is a boy and they do things like that and it's not remotely dirty shut up, pauses, settles for half, chews, swallows, and says, "What?"

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Your birthday's in a month," Bridge points out. "Which, uh, you probably already knew and I know this is sort of a long time in advance but I like to plan things, not that I don't think spontaneity is good but really, there's a time and a place for that, but anyway, since if I remember right surprise parties aren't too popular with ex-Sunnydale people I was wondering do you want *a* party that wouldn't be a surprise or... something else or what?" Somehow, he manages to get all of that out in a single breath.

[needsaparrot]

"...Uh," is Xander's considered, thoughtful response to that.

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Uh?"

[needsaparrot]

"I hadn't thought about it uh, not I have a meatball stuck in my throat uh," Xander clarifies.

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Well, it is sort of early," Bridge admits with a sheepish grin. "It's just... the first time we'd actually be together to actually *do* any sort of birthday-celebrating so I- I want it to be something special, you know?"

[needsaparrot]

Xander smiles. "Well, I wouldn't say no to a party, minus surprise body parts or crazy vampire attacks. I wouldn't say no a little celebrating later by special inviation only, either."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"So noted," Bridge nods. "So who am I giving 'special' invitations to?" he asks, in what he hopes is a totally serious voice.

[needsaparrot]

"I guess that'd be up to you," Xander says with equal seriousness.

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Well it's *your* birthday," Bridge says with a shrug.

[needsaparrot]

"True. But I was thinking it might be a costume party, with some kind of No Pants theme?"