The Story

Disclaimer: Not mine and never will be.
Title: Friends
Author: Kate R.
Rating: Teen
Pairing: N/A
Summary: Xander makes a friend while on a six month mission from Giles (Set while the girls are in college, Giles gives Xander an adventure all his own and he makes a very strong ally.
Notes: For Peja's Improv Challenge.
Note 2: Ardeth changed his mind within three days about Xander not being mentally old enough. Read it all the way through, please.

write a story using these words

tag-along
one act of random kindness
self-destruct
dance
meadow
giggle

Trailing along after Ardeth, Xander felt like nothing more than a little tag-along. Almost like the annoying little brother chasing after big brother and wanting to play with him. Sheesh, he'd only known the guy for three days but he'd gotten a serious case of being impressed by the man.

He giggled as he thought about what Ardeth had called his one act of random kindness for the decade: he hadn't killed someone for insulting Xander's honor. Apparently that he got to hang out with the Medjai gave him status. That he hung out with the King of the Medjai made that status even higher. When the man had opened his mouth, before he saw who Xander's friend was, he'd apparently in the mood to hit his personal Self-Destruct Button because the look on Ardeth's face had not been a happy one. As the ass soon discovered when Ardeth turned to face him and lowered the face covering over his mouth.

Xander chuckled again as he thought about the way Ardeth could dance around an issue he did not wish to discuss. Mostly it had to do with Xander asking him what he guarded and what he did to people who crossed him. Ardeth refused to tell him so whenever he phrased it a new way Ardeth danced around it. He said Xander wasn't old enough mentally to understand what he did. He was still too set to the hellmouth's way where demons were to be killed and humans saved at all times. Xander wasn't sure he liked the implication there, either one of them, but he liked Ardeth so he determined to find a way to deal with what he did, if, indeed, it was killing humans who crossed him or tried to mess with what he protected.

He giggled a little as he looked down on the wide expanse of the desert. If it was green, he's say it was a meadow. But it wasn't, it was sandy and brown. Hmm, Maybe it was a dessert meadow?

"Xander," Ardeth called, "Come, my friend. You wished to see what I do when I am not with you and I now think you are ready to know."

"Cool," Xander exclaimed.

"Actually, it is usually kind of warm," Ardeth told him, grinning.

"No, no Cool means . . ." he stopped, seeing the grin, "Jackass."

"No, that's what you thought was a pony your first week here."

"Funny guy," Xander groused, getting up on the camel that Ardeth directed him to. Ardeth normally rode a horse but Xander wasn't good enough at that yet.

"By your wish," Ardeth told him, smirking, "Ready?"

"Yeah," Xander told him, feeling some excitement. Ardeth trusted him. Better, Ardeth thought he could handle what he did. Best, Ardeth thought he was worthy to know what he did.

"Imshi!" Ardeth called, smacking Xander's camel's rump.

"You asshole!" Xander yelled as the camel took off. Ardeth's laughter followed him and he sorely regretted teaching the man the idea of a prank. Worse, he regretted playing one on him because he knew this was in retaliation for that.

"Now," Ardeth told him after he'd caught his camel and slowed it down, "We are even."

"Okay," Xander breathed, "Okay, we're even. I concede, pranking you with the food wasn't funny since I didn't know what you did or didn't eat or if you had allergies. I get it. We're even, I won't prank you again."

"Good," Ardeth told him, "Now, on to Hamunaptra."

"On to Hamun-what-tra?"

"The place I guard," Ardeth told him, "I think you'll be impressed by what I guard as well as where it is."

"Well, what is it?"

"A three thousand year old 'dead guy'." Ardeth told him, casually.

"WHAT?!"