Title:  One of Those Duh Moments
Author: Xanfan
Rating:  PG-13
Pairing: X/A
Summary:  Xander has a ‘duh moment’ when he realizes that the animosity between him and Angel is
really something else.
Spoilers:  Up to Season 3 of BtVS
Warnings: M/M SLASH
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective
owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author.  The author is in no way
associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise.  No copyright infringement is
intended.
________________________________________________________________________

It seemed so obvious now. All that snarking and banter. The unexplained hostility. The uneasy feeling
that always lurked.

It was all UST – Unresolved Sexual Tension.

It had only taken Xander a couple of years to figure it out.

I mean how many straight guys comment on how attractive another guy is? Especially when they
supposedly ‘hate’ said attractive man?

When Angel had stopped Faith from choking Xander to death, it had all crystallized.

Xander liked Angel. When Angel had taken him in his arms to comfort him afterwards, Xander had known
that the jealousy he had always felt when he saw Buffy and Angel together was attributed to the wrong
person. He hadn’t been jealous of Buffy’s feelings for Angel, but of Angel’s feelings for Buffy.

Duh.

The hostility he had always felt wasn’t actually because he really hated Angel.  It was because Angel
made him feel something that he had never felt before, a bone-deep attraction to a member of the same
sex. Xander hadn’t recognized the feeling, so he had instinctually reacted to the unfamiliar feeling with
animosity.

Now, he just wanted to take it all back and apologize.

So, here he stood, wrapped in the comforting arms of his rescuer trying desperately not to react
physically to the hotness that was Angel. He knew from experience that unrequited attraction was just
embarrassing. He knew that Angel couldn’t possible be attracted to him or feel anything...

Or maybe he could.  I guess Angel likes holding me close just as much as I like him holding me.



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