Sunday, Room 406, noon-forty-five-ish

Xander dropped one of the few remaining chocolate-covered locusts into Jeremiah's tank, and winced as he watched the frog enthusiastically gobble it down. "That, by the way," he said aloud, "Is disgusting. I hope you understand how much I like you, that I'm willing to even touch those things."

Jeremiah gave what Xander sadly suspected was the froggy equivalent of a satisfied belch. Then looked at him with big froggy eyes. Well, ok, tiny bulbous froggy eyes.

"No, and you're not gonna be guilting Isabel into stuffing your face with them this week, either." Xander glanced over at her empty bed with a frown.

The croak that followed might have seemed a little mournful, and that might have been about the lack of more locusts, and it might not, but Xander nodded as he went back to checking his e-mail. "Yeah, me too."

Huh, he thought as he opened one from Janet. It seemed like this was the week for impromptu surprise parties, what with Nadia's last night. Somehow Xander doubted that Angel's was likely to have sandy candy or bulldozer cake, but he supposed he ought to show anyway. If nothing else, it'd keep him out of the empty-except-for-the-frog room tonight. Ribbits aside, the place was still too quiet.

Jeremiah was still looking at him hopefully as he packed up the laptop and got ready to leave for play rehearsal, but Xander shook his head. "No, dude. N.O. No more locusts for you."

Eyes. Big sad froggy eyes.

"Okay, maybe half a lo--" Xander covered his mouth with his hand, and possibly turned a little bit the color Jeremiah used to be. "No. The phrase 'half a locust' does not belong in any normal person's vocabulary. No."

He closed the door behind him, to the sound of a guilt-inducing *ribbit*.