Buffy the Vampire Slayer Preferences + imagines/one shots

Xander Imagine - Drive In

season 1 - first date vibes

Every tree we drive by is covered in a spectrum of oranges and browns, the colours of autumn. Xander always corrects me, as if the word autumn is wrong and fall is the only applicable way to refer to my favourite season. I'll always prefer the autumns in England - the drizzly rain, the gloomy skies, the thick jumpers but it is pretty here too. It's warmer, and drier, but we still have pumpkins and coffees and leaves and bonfires and sweaters as opposed to jumpers.

I try not to think about home, and focus on our destination instead. I use my sleeve to wipe the car window, making the view of fields and trees a little brighter.

"Are we nearly there?" I ask.

"Yup." Xander replies, putting his foot down a little more. We speed along the road, take a right and slow to a pleasant roll. The drive-in theatre is emptier than I expected.

"Why is it so empty? It's Halloween!"

"People are probably out treatin' and trickin'. Or going to parties," I thought Xander would be disheartened by this fact, that we're out here while others our age are getting wasted at parties we're not cool enough to be invited to. Maybe I should have suggested a party instead of this. But he shoots me a grin, "It's their loss."

"Yeah." 

I reach for the bag of popcorn in the back seat and open it, shovelling a handful into my mouth. I feel a twinge of self-consciousness until I remember he doesn't give a crap about what I eat. In fact, he reaches over and takes a bigger scoop and munches on it gleefully. I'm glad I brought extra large. 

"I love Rocky Horror so much," I tell Xander for what must be the millionth time. I knew we had to see it when I found out they were showing it on the big screen for Halloween - and introduce the cult classic to Xander (although I'm not sure if he'll like it). I know he'll prefer it to a horror move, anyhow. 

"Do you want to gush about that Brad dude again before it starts?" he consults his watch with a smirk, "There's probably enough time."

"Stop it," I roll my eyes, hugging the popcorn closer to my chest so he can't steal any. 

"Hey!" he leans over, his hands wrapping around the packet. As he's about to take it, we lock eyes and we both blush, his face so close to mine. He looks at my lips, quick like he's embarrassed, and jerks backwards, just as the projection springs to life in front of us. As the film begins, I glance over at Xander who is beetroot red. It makes me smile to myself, knowing he's just as awkward as me. This is our first relationship after all, and only our first date. Maybe he'll kiss me by the end of it.

---------

"What did you think?"

Xander looks at me, dark eyes all starey and big, wondering how to respond. "It was crazy."

"Yup. I love it. The first time I saw Sweet Transvestite, I swear it altered my brain chemistry."

"I liked that Brad guy," Xander confesses, which is no surprise to me. Brad is the 'perfect' American man - charming, successful, heroic; with a sprinkle of bi-curiosity. He does kind of remind me of Xander. A little, at least. 

"I do too."

We share our thoughts of the film a little more, and Xander makes me laugh so hard my ribs ache. This whole time, we've been in our seats (I haven't so much as touched his arm) and I wonder if he really will kiss me tonight. I had it all planned out in my head. First date = first kiss, right? Maybe I was getting ahead of myself. Maybe it's bad that this is what I focus on after having a fun night out, but what can I say? I'm 16.