Well, first of all, sorry this isn't a complete chapter. This chapter has been giving me such a pain in the - you know what. But I managed to finish a part I'm relatively happy with. The rest of the chapter should be up very soon - like this weekend soon - unless my nephew throws my laptop to the floor again
And man, I think I just jinxed by computer.
Second of all, thanks to Charlie for beta-ing and for just being an all-around wonderful gal.
And third of all, there's an actual
warning before you read this chapter - huh, figure that.
- There's a major Ick-Factor which gives me the creeps
- a small cliffhanger in the end.
- and a deja-vu moment for those of you who read the vignette I posted before it turned into the mess it is today.
Anyway, on to the chapter...
Chapter 3: Demons 'R' UsA knock on the door woke Willow up from her almost nap. She looked at the poetry book in front of her and huffed.
Eugh! This is more boring than late night talk shows. Remembering the knock she yelled, "Come in!"
Buffy poked her head through the half-open door. "Hey Will!"
"Buffy! Come in." Willow sat up and tossed the book on her nightstand.
"You busy?" the slayer asked as she stepped into the room and closed the door.
"Not at all," Willow yawned. "English lit just put me to sleep again."
"Oh yeah, I slept through the entire class yesterday." Buffy skipped over the room and plunked herself on the bed next to Will.
"So what's up? You're all perky-Buffy!"
"Where's Tara?" Buffy asked, noticing the absence of the newly appointed head witch in the Scooby gang.
"Class...so?"
"Oh right...well, I just got back from Parker."
Willow's eyes widened and she looked at her Hello Kitty watch. "It's 10 in the morning! Oh my god, did it happen?"
Buffy grinned, smug and satisfied. "Oh yeah."
"Go Buffy!" Willow enthused and bounced in her bed. "Wait, this is a Go-Buffy moment right? I don't wanna be all bouncy if this is Support-y-Willow moment."
"Oh yeah, this is definitely a Go-Buffy-slash-Bouncy-Willow moment."
"Yay! So...how was it?"
"Umm..." Buffy smiled dreamily, "it was nice."
"Nice?"
"Yeah, nice." Buffy nodded.
"And that's good right?"
"That's of the good, yeah."
"Yay!" Willow raised her arms in a mock-cheer. "So when are you gonna see him again?"
"He said he was gonna call later today."
"Neat!" Willow grinned, happy for her friend. Buffy grinned back. Willow was just too damn adorable with her bouncy enthusiasm, but she did come in here for a reason, not that talking about her night with Parker wasn't a reason enough — it just wasn't the reason. "Will, can we talk?"
"As opposed to what we've been doing?" Willow giggled.
"Will, I'm being serious." Buffy chastised the redhead.
"Sure Buff, what's up?" Willow grinned.
Buffy looked at the redhead, studying her. "Well, I've kinda been noticing some things about you lately...and-"
"Yeah?" Willow said hesitantly, not sure if she liked how this conversation was starting. Noticing what?
Buffy grabbed a pillow from Willow's bed and placed it in her lap. She fidgeted with the seams for a moment. "Well, okay...I don't really know how to start..."
"I've heard the beginning works." Willow quipped.
"Smartass!" Buffy replied playfully, but then she turned serious again. "Okay, here goes...umm." Buffy was trying to figure out the right words to say this. She'd been thinking about this for some time now, and the more she thought about it, the more it made sense.
"Buff?" Willow interrupted her thoughts.
"I'm trying, geez..." Buffy huffed.
"Sorry." The redhead smiled and made a gesture for Buffy to continue.
"Well, I've noticed that besides Xander, you've never really had a crush on anyone, right?" Buffy started.
Willow shrugged her shoulders. "I guess."
Buffy sighed, "And you don't think that's, um, slightly odd? I mean I drool over every other hottie that comes a long."
"Every other?"
"Yeah, okay...every, that's not the point."
"What is the point?"
"I'm getting to it..." Buffy insisted. "Well this is the time when our hormones are supposed to be all over the place, right? And please stop me when I start making a fool of myself."
Willow laughed. "Tall order!"
"Hey!" Buffy swatted her with the pillow in reply.
"Okay, okay. You may continue."
Buffy glared at the redhead for moment, until she was sure Willow would behave. "Okay, well, I know mine are shooting left and right — are yours?
"Umm-"
"I mean... are you even attracted to other people?"
"Sure I am."
"Really? Who?"
"What, you want like names?" Buffy nodded. "Of people?" Buffy kept nodding. "That I've been attracted too?"
"Yes Will."
"Why?" Willow grimaced. She really didn't want to get into this conversation with Buffy right now.
"Well, I worry about you sometimes." Buffy explained. She gave the redhead a sympathetic look.
"Worry?"
"Yeah, that you might be missing out on something."
"What? Like having a boyfriend?"
"Yeah, that and just going on a date — kissing — making out...you know, fun stuff." Buffy smiled, remembering her night with Parker. It had been very fun.
"Well, maybe I just haven't found someone worth crushing on recently?"
"Okay, valid point — so who have you crushed on?"
"Oh, we're back to those other people...I don't know Buffy-"
"Oh, come on Will, you have to tell me. I tell you everything." Buffy insisted.
"Okay fine — but you have to promise not to freak, okay?"
"Is it really freak-worthy? It can't be worse than me being in love with a vampire right?"
Willow chuckled, "No, I guess not."
"So spill — and don't leave anyone out."
"Fine...apart from Xander, obviously...well, I had a crush on Faith."
"What!" Buffy exclaimed, surprised. She had always thought Willow had hated Faith.
"And Ms. Calendar."
"Really?"
"And Giles."
"Oh my god!"
"And you..."
"Will!"
"But it was only for like three days," Willow hurried to explain, "once I got to know you it passed."
Buffy gave the redhead a sideway glance and pouted, "Gee, thanks." Willow shrugged her shoulders in reply. Buffy looked a little apprehensive and confused. Willow sighed. "Are you freaked?"
Buffy came out of her stupor with a quick shake of her head. "What? God, no. Will, of course not. I'm glad you told me. I guess I was worried for nothing. Seems like you've been crushing on everyone."
"Buffy!"
Buffy giggled and Willow breathed a sigh of relief. I guess I really can tell her everything. "But really, Giles? He's so old." Buffy asked.
Willow had the decency to blush a little in embarrassment as she explained. "But Buffy, he had all those wonderful books and he knew stuff and we could talk about existential things...but it was only for like the first month, after that he became more of a father-figure type. You know, someone you could actually count on."
"I know...well about the counting on thing, not the book thing...Ms. Calendar?"
"Actually, I think that was more of an admiration than a crush though. She was like this really pretty computer scientist."
"Fair enough, Faith?"
"Oh, please...who didn't have a similar reaction to Faith? She was like this cleavage-y slut-bomb..."
Buffy laughed, "Oh my god, Will. You noticed her cleavage?"
Willow glared at Buffy and punched her in the arm. "Owie," Buffy exclaimed but continued laughing.
"Oh, don't pretend that hurt slayer-girl."
"I-aaa, I kinda know what you mean...about Faith."
"Oh, really?"
"Seriously Will...sometimes I didn't know whether to punch her or kiss her."
"Oh gods, are you serious?"
"And I kinda got this vibe that she was thinking the same thing. But then she turned all evil on us...so those, you know, thoughts kinda went away. But I keep thinking; if only the deputy mayor hadn't been skulking in the shadows — I'm pretty sure Faith would still be on our side."
"You think?"
"Yeah...we were getting kinda close...you know, the chosen two. It was working... but anyway... so that's all of 'em?"
"Them? Crushes?" Of Buffy's nod, Willow answered, "Um, yeah."
"So there's no one new? No one you've met since starting college?"
Willow shook her head hesitantly.
Buffy touched Willow's arm and lightly stroked it in a soothing manner. "You know you can tell me everything Will? I mean it, everything. I'm here for you."
"I know." Willow leaned over and hugged Buffy. "Thanks. If and when I figure this out, I'll tell you." They pulled away from the hug.
"So there is something to talk about?"
"Hmm...mmaybe."
"Okay, I can do maybe." Buffy got off the bed, "listen, I'm gonna go and see if Parker's called before we do that costume thing, meet me at my room okay?"
"Sure."
Buffy walked to the door and opened it. At the same moment Tara reached for the door handle from the other side and was pulled in. She stumbled towards Buffy and the slayer caught her. Buffy laughed as Tara pulled away from the accidental embrace, "hey Tara." Tara looked up at the slayer, slightly embarrassed, but she smiled nonetheless. "Oh, hey Buffy. I'm, um, sorry for, um, c-crashing into you."
"Don't worry about it, I'm sorry too. I kinda pulled you in anyway. Well, I'm off, see you guys later."
"Bye Buff!"
"Bye Buffy."
The door closed and Tara walked over to her bed and placed her shoulder bag next to it. She plunked down on the bed, sighing.
"Hey," Willow said from across the room. It was unusual for Tara not to greet her when she came into the room and that usual meant that she was either blind, angry at her, or having a... "rough day?"
Tara lifted her head up and looked over at Willow, "A little yeah, I'm just so tired from last night. After you fell asleep Xander and I watched another movie, well, technically we watched two, since you fell asleep at the beginning of the first one."
"Hey! I watched the first one." Willow argued.
Tara shook her head and laughed, "Really? What was it about?"
Willow frowned as she tried to remember. "Oh, on the first day of his new school, Cameron instantly falls for Bianca, the-"
"Reciting the text on the back cover doesn't count Will."
"Fine..." Willow huffed, "well, I needed my beauty sleep — we're not all naturally gorgeous like some people."
"What people?" Tara questioned. Off the look on Willows face she instantly blushed, "me?"
"Yah!" Willow breathed out quickly and nodded her head.
"Oh," Tara lay back down and looked up at the ceiling with a lazy smile, "oh," she repeated. Willow smiled because she loved making Tara smile — there was a big smile fest that ensued and it made her smile even more.
"So, do you wanna do that thing now?" Willow asked.
"Remind me again," Tara started then yawned, "sorry, what thing?"
"What we talked about last night — we were gonna do it after your class."
"Oh yeah — can we get some mochas afterwards?"
"Well, duh!"
"Duh?"
"Yeah, I used duh, get over it."
***
"How about this one?" Willow asked as she pulled the costume off the rail to show Tara. Buffy stood next to Will and gave the redhead a question look.
"I don't think so," Tara answered and put the costume back.
"Why not?" Willow pouted, "You'd look really good in this." Buffy snickered at Willow's expression.
"The little mermaid, Will?" Tara frowned, as Willow nodded enthusiastically, "Seriously Tara, this costume is so you." Buffy shook her head and walked further down the aisle looking for her own costume.
Tara rolled her eyes, "Reality check Will," she started and dragged Willow away from the revealing costume. Willow glanced back at the skimpy outfit with a sad look. Damn!
"We live on a hell mouth and we're about to go out at night — you want me to wear a skintight costume that gives me the mobility of a snail? That doesn't, um, actually scream staying-alive Tara."
Willow nodded, what Tara said made sense, but damn it all to hell, she wanted to see Tara wearing that bikini. Her eyes suddenly lit up like a light bulb and she bounced on the soles of her shoes. "Oh! I forgot to tell you — the nasties stay away from Halloween, they think it's lame."
"Lame? What do you mean?"
"Vampires, demons, creepy crawly things that come out at night...they don't like Halloween. It's like their one night of the year when they take a break from their evil doing things. It's their Labor Day...or something."
"She's right," Buffy piped up as she rounded the corner. She hadn't found a costume she liked, and was seriously considering her Little Red Riding-hood outfit, again. "Giles said, um, oh! 'Creatures of the night shy away from Halloween, they find it all to much crass.'"
"Really?" Tara wondered, "That's weird. I'd think it would be like the one night of the year when people won't be running away from them — thinking it's just an elaborate costume? The streets would like a f-feeding ground."
"I know, I always did wonder why they take a break, it's not very logical, is it?" Willow wondered and actually scratched her cheek.
"If I don't have to slay, it's all okay." Buffy said, and smiled at her 'clever' rhyme.
"No, but let's just be thankful the dark side of the force isn't into logic, or we'd all be s-screwed."
"The dark side of the force?" Willow smirked. Tara blushed and grinned back at Willow, "I, um, used to watch Star Wars a lot, when I was, um, younger."
"Me too." Willow revealed and giggled. "Xander made me watch it all the time."
"Oh yeah?" Tara smiled. She wasn't surprised at all. Willow and Xander seemed like just the type of people to enjoy theological sci-fi adventures.
"Oh!" Willow shouted and half the store looked her way. She didn't seem to notice, "You should totally be princess Leia." Images of a bronze bikini and chains flittered through Willow's mind and she almost drooled but Tara's voice brought her back to reality. "If you mention a bronze bikini, I'm going to have to slap you."
"What? You don't think that's a good idea?"
"Will!" Tara mock-scolded. "What's with you and me wearing a bikini? Do you know something I don't? You're not trying to set me up or anything are you?"
"Set you up?" Willow frowned. Set you up how? Then, "Oh! No!" Willow shook her head, "No setting you up of any kind."
"No?" Tara looked at Buffy for confirmation who she shook her head.
"Absolutely not," Willow stated.
Tara mock-pouted. "You don't have to be so forceful about it. Am I not setting-up worthy?"
"Of course you are! You're very setting-up worthy. If I didn't want you fo..." Willow squeaked as she caught on what she was saying. "I mean, um...do you want to be set up?" she asked softly.
"Oh...um," Tara didn't really know. Did she want to be set up? She had been looking around lately, noticing other people. But that was it; she was only noticing and not approaching. Maybe getting Willow to set her up with someone would break that proverbial ice.
"I don't know," she admitted, "yes, no...maybe?" She looked up at Willow and caught the redhead looking at her intently before she glanced away. "Oh," Willow breathed, "anyone in particular?"
Tara watched Willow fidgeting with the hem of her shirt, her graceful fingers playing with a loose strand of thread, then the blonde let her eyes travel up Willow's torso settling on her beautiful face. Willow was pouting and Tara smiled sadly. I'm so confused, she thought. She exhaled loudly and shook her head.
Buffy lifted one eyebrow at Tara's reaction. Interesting.
"Not um, really. I haven't really gotten to know many people here because I'm, um, always with you." Tara's half smile made Willow smile back but it disappeared in an instant. "Oh god, Tara I'm so sorry." Willow apologized, "I'm like monopolizing your time, when you could be meeting people...other-"
"No! I want to be with you." Tara quickly assured the redhead.
"Really?"
"Of course, you're my all-time favorite person, how could I not want to be near you?"
"You're right. It's impossible to stay away, I'm irresistible." Willow's toothy grin made Buffy laugh "Pretty much." Tara smiled and nodded her head in agreement.
They walked around the store in a comfortable silence, the two witches content for the same reason, and both oblivious to that fact. Buffy was the only one who knew where Tara and Willow both stood with each other and the thought made her giggle. Willow looked at the slayer, "what are you laughing at?" Buffy just smiled and put her arms around the redhead. "I'll tell ya later."
An outfit caught Buffy's attention and she stopped dead in her tracks, pulling the redhead to a halt in the progress. "Check it out Will!" She pointed at the black and maroon leather/lace assemble that hung on the top rail. "Frilly heck!" Willow exclaimed.
---
Continued below.
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Tinna Karen
-tölvunörd í fyrsta ættlið
God I love this story so much! You have to update soon!! 
when I read the line about willow wanting to wash Tara's undies. 
PLEASE 
I wanna see 
and 
How you doin? Talking about cute... look at this guy: 
- you like this story? You never told me that 