title: Could Have Been Worse
author: lisa roquin
rating: adult
fandom: BtVS/MCR/30stm
series/sequel: Hellfire Tales
characters/pairings: Xander Harris/Matt Cortez, (past Matt/Jared Leto) The Dingoes (Oz/Devon, Mitch, Keith) Hellfire's residents, living and not as well as a few guests.
disclaimer: all copyrighted characters and their "universes" belong to their respective authors, writers, creators, production companies, producers and long lists of people that are so very much not me. Quite simply, if you recognize it, it isn't mine. No profit made, no harm intended, just having fun.
summary: Hey, at least the guy he ended up with was human even if the marriage was by way of a demonically cursed ruby. Considering he was the demon magnet, that was actually, really something.
warning: slash. het. language. spell-induced circumstantial dub-con off screen.
author's note: thanks to wolfenverde, gwionfawyr, saddle tramp, killing rose, TW & jiltanith for listening to my headdesking and unravelling tangles on this.
as if the last month hasn't been nuts enough with plumbing nightmares and insomnia streak. Muses decided Down the Rabbit Hole and this had to be written before I could write the SweetCharity fic that spawned this verse.
wordcount: 29, 710
( one )