Xander's Workshop, MCA Roof, Early Sunday Evening

[needsaparrot]

It'd been one of those weekends. If by that you mean "those weekends you dream about and then wake up promising yourself never to touch runny cheese at a college mixer ever, ever again."

Still, he had a guest, of sorts, and he might as well show her that he did something besides Apartment Managing, without showing her the other thing he did besides Apartment Managing. Which was why they were currently in the elevator heading for the roof of the building.
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[OOC: for the parental unit! B-word-person also welcome laterwards, if desired.]

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[needsaparrot]

"Don't need reminding, trust me." Of either. Xander sighed and ran a hand through his hair, smoothing it down over the eyepatch strap.

"I don't know about Willow," he said finally. And... there were pictures. He'd even shown them to Bridge's parents, but Bridge's parents got the time-travel thing and were, well. Bridge's parents. There were a million reasons not to mention Bronwyn to his mom, enough so that he didn't have to look too close at which one was steering his answer. "But yeah. We've talked about it."

[takemyfamilyplz.livejournal.com]

"Yeah?" Wiping the last tears from her eyes with her fingers, Jessica gave him a hopeful look. "Really? That's good! Yeah." She sniffed back a few more tears, looking around the workshop. "This is all really good." Except for his eye, no, don't think about that again, not 'til later, right. She bit her lower lip hard to keep herself from crying again, and gave Xander a shaky smile. "You've done real well for yourself. Better than T-- some people."

[needsaparrot]

If he believed more than half of what she was saying wasn't about taking something home to needle his dad over, Xander would... what? Stop acting like he was trying to prove just exactly how different from Tony he wasn't, when it came to being an ass?

"Thanks," he said again, but this time he reached out to hug her. "It means a lot that you think so."

[takemyfamilyplz.livejournal.com]

Surprised, Jessica hugged him back, thrilled but hoping it didn't show. Ages since he'd done that. She hugged as hard as she could, maybe to make up for all the stuff about her kid that she Just Didn't Get. Maybe never would. When it finally broke, she smiled at Xander, and said, her voice only a little shaky, "You're a good kid. You know that?"

[needsaparrot]

He did. Sometimes. Xander couldn't remember the last time he'd heard either of his parents say so, though. "You only say that because I haven't sent you my therapy bill yet," he answered breezily, pretending his throat wasn't unexpectedly tight.

[takemyfamilyplz.livejournal.com]

Jessica laughed and rubbed at her eyes, then patted him on the shoulder again, before saying, "And don't forget the haircut. You'd look so professional. Match your job, and all this stuff." The smile didn't dim, though. Somebody might think she was proud of him, if they were looking for it.