To Make Amends

[madimpossibledreamer]

Main Points:
Buffy/Devil May Cry/Resident Evil/Background NCIS Crossover (Hold My Heart)
Chapter Summary: Ashley wants to apologize for what she's said.
Word Count: 830
Rating: Teen
Pairing: Leon/Xander

         Ashley flinches a little when she hears the voice, because she’d said she’d wanted to wait and they’d said they needed to get some things together and they’d left her alone. But she’d known it was coming, because she’d asked if they could get ahold of somebody, which they did. “So, um. I hear you asked for me.”
         “Yeah.” She takes a deep breath. She’s got this, she knows she does, she shouldn’t even need someone here, but with the incredibly supportive if confused way Xander’s looking at her—
         Maybe she understands Leon’s attraction, just a bit. Eyepatches and white hair don’t do it for her, but it’s that same patient understanding that drew her to Leon in the first place, and the poor guy gives enough. It has to feel nice to be on the receiving end of compassionate gestures once in a while.
         “You could have asked for Leon, you know.” He’s doing everything but interrogating her straight out about why the hell she asked for him, letting her bring it up or not as she wants, and that’s...that’s super sweet too.
         “He doesn’t know, I mean.” Her hands are sweaty. She puts away her phone into her bag. “All this Slayer stuff? You’re kind of the expert. I mean, not really, obviously you’re not actually a Slayer, but I don’t know them. I know you.”
         He nods, all confusion gone, and grants her the gift of an encouraging smile. He’s not even making it out like it’s this grand gesture it feels like.
         “And, um. I still feel bad.” She pauses, then holds out her offering, hand actually shaking, she’s so nervous. “I’m not biphobic, or whatever. Just because I’m crushing on someone doesn’t give me the right to just turn into that kind of monster. I am so sorry and I wanted to apologize, but I didn’t know how, and I hope you like it.”
         Xander laughs at her, actually laughs at her, and for a second her heart falls into her boots, but when she dares to look back up he’s just putting the necklace on with practiced hands.
         “It’s supposed to be good luck,” she adds, because now she’s the confused one and doesn’t know what to say.
         “Five yen lucky coin, right? It’s cool, thanks, but you didn’t need to go to all this trouble. I mean, okay, it’s probably a good idea because your dad’s all involved in politics and stuff and formal is usually the way to go there, but all I wanted was a simple apology, and between you and me you have a long ways to go before you even catch up to the absolute disaster zone that was me and my mouth in high school.” That’s forgiveness in his eye and if she’s not careful she’s going to start crying.
         “I guess I didn’t make this clear, either—you’re not bothering me, and any time you feel like you need backup, any time at all, just call. Which you did, and this is, and sure, in your head, you might be all like ‘I’ve been kidnapped and exploded and had a possibly demonic parasite inside me, this should be no big’, but I’ll let you in on a little secret: the hardest bit of life is living it. Getting the mail, studying for that exam, paying your taxes, that’s a big one, going to the dentist, meeting new people. All so much scarier than any religious lunatic I’ve ever met.” He doesn’t go to touch her before she’s said she’s okay with it, he’s validating her fears without making them worse, he’s just...treating her like she’s a full adult, which would be scarier given that she’s about to graduate college, if not for the ‘you’ve got this’ air he keeps projecting at her.
         ...He and Leon are absolutely coming to her graduation.
         “Woah!” he says, a little jokingly, when she just hugs him out of the blue, but he just sways a little bit, even with her enhanced strength, which is the whole reason she’s even here. He’s definitely stronger than he looks.
         “Thank you!” she squeals a little, and he shrugs, still smiling.
         “It’ll be okay,” he reassures her, sidestepping the compliment with the ease of a master (him and Leon, what’s up with that?), asking if she’s ready to go with an incline of the head—and she is, she’s just a little nervous—falling in step by her side like they’re just strolling somewhere she’s been a thousand times rather than him leading her to something new. “With your great sense of style? You’ll fit right in. Buffy herself will probably be asking you for shopping tips.”
         That...might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it’s sweet he’s trying.
         (She learns later he’s not actually exaggerating, although said tips mostly consist of ‘where do you get your shoes’ and include a slightly bewildering impromptu course of ‘cleaning increasingly improbable and annoying demon stains from clothing’.)