•Title - Merry Christmas!
• Author name – IridescentMads/Maddie
• Email Address -
kimmccallum52@yahoo.co.uk• Rating - NC-17
• Disclaimer - This fic contains Angst, Fluff, and Smut. Takes place directly after that scene in Seeing Red with a pretty big obvious difference.
• Feedback- Yeee!
• Summary- The gang finally get a well deserved break! Willow and Tara spend some quality holiday time together and have a very special Christmas.
• Notes- I recently became obsessed with Willow and Tara again and since then, this fic pretty much wrote itself. I couldn’t stop writing when I started and just had to share it with as many fellow fans as possible lol! I hope you all enjoy!
~~~~
They had all been working, non stop since Warren was finally defeated. For all his constant disruptions and evil deeds, it was a relevantly quick defeat in the end. That morning, when both Tara and Willow hadn’t slept a single second after finally making up had been such a beautiful morning, before.
Willow had known, deep within herself that that noise had been a gunshot and an overwhelming feeling of fear for the girl across her room had forced words out of her before she had even considered it.
“
Tempus Tardus!”She had all but screamed, and as soon as the bullet came into her line of view, slowed by her spell, she tackled Tara to the ground, her whole body trembling with fear that she hadn’t been quick enough.
Her hands travelled over the entirety of Tara’s body as soon as time returned to its natural state. Her fingers mapping and collecting the data of the goddess’ body in her arms.No blood, no wound, she’d made it.
A sob of relief escaped her, as she helped Tara to sit up, unable to let go of her hand.
“Willow- you-“
And Willow could hear the gratitude laced with a saddened disappointment in her voice, but Willow didn’t regret it. Not even a single bit.
She would rather Tara never spoke to her again after using magick than be dead beneath her hands.
Suddenly, Xander’s terrified pleading reached her ears and she dragged herself upwards cutting her hands on the glass of the window as she did.
No.
No.
Buffy was lying on the grass, Xander gripping her tightly, trying to stop the blood. Ambulance sirens in the distance.
Then, him.
Warren, gloating, not even trying to run away or apologise. Then he spoke.
“They won’t get here in time. I win.”
The dark feeling that spread through Willow was like a black fire that ripped through her.
He could have killed Tara. The love of her life. Her soulmate. He had killed Buffy. Also her soulmate in an entirely different way. And he thought he would just what, get away with this?
No.
Endless ebony veins started to consume her body, dark magick devouring her from the inside.
Without even trying, she was outside. Behind Warren, he finally tried to run but with a flick of her wrists both his ankles snapped and he was screaming. Finally, he was in pain.
That genuinely had been her only intention, stop him so the police could deal with him but the magick was too strong. It moved her hands in such a specific, cruel, way that increased Warren’s screaming. A manic, twisted grin spread over her features as she laughed at his pain.
She could barely breathe, as she lifted Warren into the air, his screams somehow fuelling her power. Xander begged her to stop, to help him with Buffy.
Buffy. With strength she didn’t know she possessed, she kept Warren afloat with one hand and the other made small intricate movements. The bullet came out of Buffy as if removed by the most talented of surgeons, she had just started to stitch up her best friend when she fell to her knees.
The darkness that swelled inside her hadn’t liked her momentary use of light magick, how magick was meant to be used, to heal. It tore through her until her own head was flung backwards and she was screaming, her eyes black now too.
Oh, she would kill Warren. He would die today,
but she would die with him. That would be her price to pay for using black magick, for her evil deeds. And as she considered it, that was… that was okay. The knowledge she had betrayed Tara’s trust once again by using magick made it easier. She could not, would not go back to a life filled with magick but no Tara. No, Tara was safe, Tara was good, she would go on and live. This is how it was meant to be. She would not fail her beautiful Tara ever again.
Willow let go then, letting the darkness consume her entirely. She felt ready to go, somehow. Until a gentle, soft hand grabbed her own.
“Willow, no!”Willow sobbed at the sight of Tara behind her, thick black tears staining her face. She hadn’t left her?
“I-I can’t do this Tara.”
“
We can do this. Let go Willow.”
She could feel the strong, dark chains choking around her, but her love for Tara was stronger. Warren fell to the ground and Willow collapsed into Tara’s waiting arms.
-
Not surprisingly, but disappointingly, their work didn’t slow down at all even after Warren’s defeat.
Buffy was still healing, and Willow was terrified to help out, horrified at the notion she’d use magick again and Tara wouldn’t give her a second chance.
Tara hadn’t even been angry she had used magick, had almost killed Warren. She admitted in one of their quiet moments that she would’ve done the same, had he tried to kill Willow.
The entire group was burning out though, the constant working and recent trauma they’d all went through taking its toll on each of them. It wasn’t as if they could just stop fighting demons and everything else hellmouth had to offer, after all.
Eventually though, at a meeting Anya had put her foot down.
“We’re taking a break. I’m not going to lose you all because you’re all too selfless to admit you need it. I’m not arguing with any of you so don’t bother.”
Astonishingly, no one did argue with her. Two days couldn’t be so bad, and really, if anything went wrong they would spend the rest of their lives fixing it anyway.
Trying to decide where to go had almost been worse than fighting evil though, none of them able to settle on anywhere to go. Until Tara’s soft voice spoke up.
“It is almost Christmas, we could get a cabin somewhere snowy? Celebrate Christmas together, like a family?”
The realisation that it was Christmas, really quite soon meant that everyone had agreed. Willow looked at her girlfriend, a twinkling awe in her eyes. The beautiful woman beside her had ended an argument that would’ve lasted weeks with one statement. How had they ever gotten anything done without her?
Soon enough they were in the cabin, fighting playfully over rooms on Christmas Eve. They always do say time flies when you’re having fun, and it did. It was nighttime before anyone knew it, each of them retreating to their rooms.
Willow and Tara were in the shower, Tara just finishing washing her girlfriends hair. Her hands drifted downwards and gently cupped Willow’s breasts from behind.
Both of them breathed out a moan and Willow leaned back into Tara’s touch, the warm water cascading around them.
As Tara’s hands travelled lower, Willow found herself panting. The heat from the shower and the growing heat inside her almost making her stop breathing altogether.
Tara continued to tease her though, smiling softly at how close she knew Willow was when she hadn’t even touched her properly yet.
“Tara- I can’t-“
“Shhh darling, I’ve got you.”
Finally the blonde’s hand drifted between Willow’s legs and suddenly Willow’s palms slapped against the wall, needing some kind of support, her legs failing her.
Tara’s other arm kept her steady though, she did have her. She wouldn’t let her girlfriend fall. Ironically though, she was also making Willow fall over the edge.
It didn’t take long for the redheads insides to be constricting around Tara’s fingers, crying out as quietly as she could manage. They had been together so many times, were so in-sync that both of them knew exactly how to touch each other to make them come undone as quickly or slowly as they wanted.
Although, Tara hadn’t been prepared for the wave of jealousy when she realised the shower would wash away the remnants of Willow’s orgasm. That was her job, she thought with a little frown, she
had to taste her girlfriend, she spoke through a low almost animalistic groan.
“
Bed. Now.”
Willow moaned shakily at the commanding tone in Tara’s voice and bit her lip to try and quieten herself.
“M-Make me.” She managed to say between breathes.
When Tara turned her round, her girlfriend’s blue eyes had darkened in the most erotic way. She pulled Willow up and carried her out of the shower, in the most oddly mixed solely Tara way, she tossed her girlfriend onto the bed with a careful aggressiveness. It wouldn’t have made sense with anyone else, but it did with Tara.
The blonde only kissed Willow once before lowering her mouth between her girlfriend’s legs. She clearly wasn’t able to wait any longer, skipping the teasing and licking a slow, purposeful line up between Willow’s folds.
Willow cried out again, desperately trying to cover her moans with her arm. The back of her mind aware just how close her friends were.
All notion of embarrassment or consideration vanished though when Tara’s mouth latched onto her clit. She couldn’t keep herself quiet, groaning out Tara’s name as she came again.
Tara didn’t stop lapping at her girlfriend until Willow tightened her grip in her blonde hair and pulled her up for a desperate kiss.
Willow could taste herself on Tara’s tongue and she was groaning again, pushing her girlfriend down so she could straddle her.
She grabbed Tara’s hair and made the blonde expose her neck, Willow dragged her tongue up the woman below her’s neck til she reached her pulse point and bit down.
Once Tara groaned in response, she sucked and licked at the mark to soothe any pain she may have caused immediately.
Her lips found Tara’s again and they were kissing desperately again, Willow’s free hand travelled downwards before stopping just before reaching where Tara needed her.
Tara couldn’t wait any longer though, her hips buckled upwards trying to find any kind of friction. Willow nipped at her lip in response before cooing.
“You’ve been so patient, baby.”
The woman beneath her was incapable of replying with any coherent kind of words but did reply with another moan.
“Mmm, now just say it and I’ll give you everything you want.”
As if giving a preview of her promise, she let one finger drift over Tara’s clit, revelling in the way the blonde bucked her hips up against her hand again.
“I-I’m yours.”
“Mine?“
“Oh, yes.”
“Mine.”
With that she finally pushed two fingers inside of Tara, her thumb applying the perfect pressure to the desperate bundle of nerves.
Tara couldn’t hold on, even though she wanted this to last forever, she was desperate. With only a few more thrusts and an expert curl of her fingers, Willow had thrown her over the edge.
She involuntarily screamed out, Willow swallowing the loud noise as she kissed her again. They didn’t stop kissing until they had to, both of them breathless and spent.
Willow locked her eyes onto Tara’s and gently pulled out of her girlfriend, she brought her fingers to her own mouth and licked them clean.
“
Goddess, I love you.”
“I love you too.”
~
When Willow awoke she stretched lazily, careful not to wake Tara up but she was caught off guard by Tara’s sleeping, peaceful face only a few breaths away from her own. It might have been silly, they had been together for years now but the effortless beauty of her girlfriend still took her breath away. The rest of the world melted away as she studied every feature of Tara’s face, she licked her lips and swallowed silently - the urge to touch her starting to become unbearable. She turned to the little bedside table to check the clock and was thrilled to see that it wouldn’t be long at all until Tara woke up.
Although, they didn’t actually fall asleep until well into the early hours of the morning.
Willow blushed then and turned back to face Tara, she slid her arm around the other woman gently before trailing her fingers upwards to caress her face. The tenderness of her touch was light enough that if the brunette wasn’t ready to wake up, Willow’s caresses wouldn’t be what made her awaken.
Wonderfully, no, magically, Tara’s blue eyes fluttered open and she smiled warmly at Willow.
“Hey.”
“Good Morning, Baby.”
Tara made a happy, sleepy little sound, before leaning into Willow’s touch. Willow stroked a few stray hairs from her face before cupping her cheek and kissing her.
Their kiss, like always, started off gentle and slow but they were both deepening it and panting within seconds. When Tara gently bit down on Willow’s lower lip though, smirking darkly when Willow moaned in response all notions of taking things slow flew quickly out the window.
Tara rolled Willow onto her back and and straddled her quickly before leaning in for another kiss. The sheets slid down her body, they were both still naked from the night before but the sudden reminder of that fact made desire pool in Willow’s belly.
Willow scratched her nails down Tara’s back before running her hands around to rest just beneath her breasts. Suddenly though, the woman above her grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head. The redhead opened her mouth to protest but she was always a terrible liar, any words would’ve tried to make up died in her throat. She loved it when Tara took charge, showed her dominance.
Tara had grew so much confidence since her and Willow met two years ago, not a single person could deny her bravery and strength now. But, this side of her was all for Willow and just that thought had her pleading already.
“Tara,
please-“
The woman above her smirked again and kissed her deeply before trailing her tongue over to her ear before whispering.
“Merry Christmas, Darling.”
“Mmm. Merr- Whatmas!?”
So suddenly, the knowledge that they weren’t the only two people to exist and where they were crashed into Willow.
Oh no, breakfast!
Tara laughed, leaned her forehead against her girlfriend’s before rolling off her and laying back on her pillow. As she expected, Willow was jumping up, desperately searching for clothes whilst babbling.
“I’m so sorry baby I can’t- I want to, like I really do but I- oh god what if everyone’s awake already and they’re all just starving because of me- How did I forget it was Christmas!?“
The blonde shook her head fondly and smiled softly as she watched her girlfriend, now finally locating a tshirt - her tshirt she realised happily. It was such a mundane, simple thing and yet seeing Willow walk around their room in nothing but her tshirt made her mouth go dry and other areas- well, wet.
“But, Wil, aren’t you gonna give me my Christmas present first?”
Willow almost fell over trying to pull her panties up when Tara said that. Shit. Shiiiit. She was supposed to sneak down earlier and get her present from under the tree, knowing they’d prefer to open their presents together than in the group.
“Shit. Baby, I’m so sorry they’re still under the tree-“
“
Willow.”
There she was again, that dominant, commanding version of Tara that Willow was completely powerless to so she turned around quickly. Her mouth fell open as her eyes widened in awe before darkening.
The sheets were gone. Tara was laying in the bed, her legs spread ever so slightly, her right hand teasing herself between her thighs. Her blue eyes were burning into Willows green ones, never breaking eye contact.
“You’re right you know. I
should be beneath my Willow Tree.”
Willow’s breathing hitched and her panties were dropped back to the ground, the burden of breakfast completely irrelevant to her now.
And, hey,
she was still going to eat.
She crossed the distance between them as quickly as her legs would carry her, basically pouncing on top of her girlfriend. Their lips collided messily this time, a desperation to just have each other consuming them both.
As much as Willow wanted to kiss Tara forever, her entire being was driving her towards where Tara’s own hand still was. She broke their kiss with a parting bite to the brunettes lip before kissing a wet trail down her body, everywhere but where Tara needed her.
“Wil-
Please.”
Willow grinned against her thigh, biting softly before finally kissing her girlfriend where she wanted it most.
—
When they finally emerged from their bedroom in Christmassy pyjamas, they held hands as they walked downstairs.
Both of them jumped slightly when Dawn squealed and threw her arms around them both.
“Merry Christmas!!”
Relieved to see everyone still in their pyjamas (well, except Spike. Obviously.) and settling in the living room to open presents, the pair hugged Dawn back and joined everyone else sitting on one of the sofas.
Their thighs pressed together when they had to let go of each others hands to open their presents and give them.
As always, Maya’s gifts were most anticipated by everyone. They had a knack for always being solely other amazing or unbelievably terrible.
She had thrown a bag of blood at Spike, and said no more. Giles had gotten glassy eyed at the mug she had given him that read ‘Best, sort of, not really, Dad.’ To Buffy she had given a set of personalised silver stakes. Then she turned to Dawn and thrusted a quite frankly, ridiculous amount of gift cards at her.
“So you’ll never have to be a thief again!”
In any other friend group, or indeed coming from any other person, it would’ve seemed rude. Buffy, Willow, and Tara’s eyes widened and glanced anxiously at Dawn, worried she would still find it rude.
But, all she did was laugh and hug Anya excitedly. When they stopped hugging Anya leaned back slightly into Xander and smiled up to him.
“I am your present so naturally no one’s going to outdo me this year.”
Xander kissed her in response, clearly more than happy with his gift.
“Right, last but not least you two!”
Anya handed Tara and Willow both beautifully, intricately decorated boxes that seemed to glimmer in an unnatural way. Both girls exchanged an almost nervous look, they hadn’t gotten anyone anywhere as nice a present.
They opened thin with great care and it was Willow that spoke first, taking out the gift inside the box with one hand.
“Wow, Anya, this is- well, it’s-“
“…Unique- It’s-“
Tara tried to finish for her girlfriend but had a hard time finding the words for the gift in her hand, coating it in a dark black.
“Coal.”
Anya finished for them both and nodded seriously, looking from one girl to the next.
“Wh-“
“It’s tradition. It’s what you give to people on the naughty list and you two were extremely naughty keeping everyone up all night!”
Tara and Willow’s cheeks were on fire as a blush rendered both of them speechless, an apologetic look covering their faces.
Everyone was trying desperately to hold back their laughter, except Dawn and Spine who were hollering like hyenas, tears starting to fill their eyes.
Buffy harshly elbowed Spike in the ribs which also happened to reach Dawn’s attention as she was sat right next to Spike.
They both coughed in an awkward kind of way to try and mask their laughter, both of them burying their faces in their eggnog -or well, one was bloodnog.-
It didn’t take long for Tara and Willow to burst out laughing too and the group all joined in. Except Anya. She didn’t find it funny.
Eventually, the group settled into a quiet lazing around the living room whilst some made their way back to their rooms to get changed before dinner until Giles proudly picked up his mug again and asked anyone if they wanted tea.
Willow jumped slightly and followed him to the kitchen worried they’d be eating cereal for dinner if she didn’t.
She had just tied her hair up in a messy bun, surprised it was long enough to even do so, when Tara joined her now in the pretty dark blue dress she’d picked out for dinner.
Suddenly, Willow wasn’t sure anyone was gonna get dinner. She forced herself to look back at the food in front of her, nervously she giggled laughed.
“Just couldn’t stay away from me, huh?”
Tara grinned at her, stood stressing over Christmas in dinner, hair hair all messy, and in pyjamas that were way too big for her.
“How could I resist?”
She walked over and kissed her softly on the cheek, Willow momentarily leaned her touch. The most relaxed she’d be for the next couple of hours most likely.
“I actually came to help.”
Willow’s eyes shot open and she looked horrified.
“But your new dress! What if I stain it or something.”
Tara chuckled and squeezed her arm before searching for an apron of some kind. Willow watched her anxiously, she knew for a fact that dress wouldn’t make it to dinner.
She chewed her bottom lip and then looked to her hands, she toyed with the idea for what felt like years before flicking three of her fingers and whispering.
“Mutare haec vestimenta sua”Suddenly, instantly, Tara’s dress had turned into her pyjamas again. She froze, her back turned to Willow.
Willow’s heart stopped, then started beating aggressively. What had she done. What was wrong with her!?
“Tara- Tara I’m so sorry. I didn’t- I shouldn’t-“
She felt like all the air in the room had been sucked out as she looked to the ground trying to steady herself for Tara leaving her right there. Her vision grew cloudy and she was sure she was going to pass out.
Miraculously, someone’s hands grabbed her and held her, stopping her fall.
“Hey! Hey, Wil it’s okay. Look at me.”
Tara!?Unshed tears burned at her eyes as she looked up to see her, it was Tara, she hadn’t left.
“I- I thought-“
“Willow. I
trust you.”
That. That was the biggest Christmas gift anyone had ever given her in her life. She kissed Tara then, trying to somehow show her thanks through it because words failed her. When they stopped, her voice was still small, quiet.
“Then- why’d you freeze?”
“Hm? Oh, I was just thinking how much easier sex could’ve been if I’d known that spell.”
Willow’s breath caught in her throat and a strangled sort of moan escaped her. Tara’s own breathing had gone funny but she gently kissed Willow’s forehead and started to help with dinner.
-
Dinner was a success, the stress had been worth it in the end. Sitting with her family, and the girl she loved at the table made Willow feel like the luckiest person in the world.
Tara had been staring at Willow for the past while now, thinking quietly. Maybe it was the wine, but she was actively trying to stop herself from crying with pure, true love.
The woman at the other side of the table, play fighting with Xander over a toy from the cracker they’d just pulled, had changed her life in so many ways.
She’d been alone… always. Well, not really. Making friends had always been difficult because of her magick abilities. But, she had her Mother and she always helped her through every stage of life as a witch. Thanks to her she was able to make two ‘friends’ but ever since her Mother died, the pain of that turning her into the shy and self conscious person that Willow first met.
The intense pull to the redhead was unlike anything she’d ever felt before. She knew she was gay, ever since she was little, but never felt brave enough to actually speak to another woman. With Willow, she couldn’t not speak to her. The nerves had still been there, her stutter often betraying her when she’d finally get to spend time with the other woman.
Then came meeting her friends, the anxiety that had caused was almost too much for her to bare. She knew how close they all were, they were more like a family than friends, what if they didn’t like her? What if they hated her and made Willow see she should hate her too, then she’d be right back where she started. Alone again.
She had agonised that thought for countless hours, she didn’t think she was strong enough to go back.
However, other than her encounter with Faith whilst using Buffy’s body, she had nothing to worry about. The group had accepted her, so easily that she couldn’t quite believe it.
Her heart had swelled the first time they had all finally sat down together, in the park just outside the UC. She had fully intended to just sit quietly, like she always had done in any kind of group setting. No one ever listened to her if she did anyways.
Much to her own amazement though, she’d raised her hand and quietly said “Um” jokingly in response to Buffy’s joke about Johnathan hurting Xander the most.
No one in the group spoke over her or ignored her, Buffy even replied to her and all she could do was smile at Willow in response. Willow had smiled back and suddenly, finally it really did start to feel like she belonged somewhere.
A foot gliding across her knee brought her back to the present and she found Willow staring back at her a soft smile on her face too.
It didn’t take long before everyone was migrating back to the living room, to lounge after dinner and truly, it was total bliss.
There was countless board games strewn across the floor, Anya had been thrilled to find a closet full of them but got board of each one quicker than the others could even keep up.
The tv was on in the background, some Christmas movie playing. The whole living room was covered in fairy lights that made everyone look happy and softer somehow - even Spike.
Willow had been laying on the sofa, her head in Tara’s lap whilst her girlfriend threaded her fingers through her hair. She had been in the middle of a conversation with Dawn, Buffy and Tara when her eyes had started to involuntarily close. No, not yet she couldn’t sleep yet.
She excused herself quickly but as naturally as she could manage, hoping her acting skills had at least meant Tara wouldn’t follow her.
Tara had been about to follow Willow, confused why she had all but bolted away when Tara had felt her falling asleep just seconds before. Before she could get up though Dawn was touching her dress and smiling.
“You just have to tell me where you got this Tara!”
“Oh, of course! It’s from that place, you know just round the corner from the mall? Bur you know you can always borrow anything of mine Dawn.”
Dawn smiled and looked as if she was going to ask another question but a half gasp half shriek nearly scared the life out of every one of them.
“Look! Precipitation in the form of ice crystals is happening!!”
Anya’s eyes were wide, as if all the magick in the universe had just happened to occur outside. She was standing at the front door, it was wide open and the magick in question turned out to be snow. Lots and lots of snow.
They were all looking out the front door now, most of them had a twinkle in their eye. Living in Sunnydale all or most of their life meant they weren’t used to seeing snow, and especially not this much. It was beautiful.
Tara hated that Willow was missing this, she should be here and-
“Tara?”
“Wil?”
She turned around, but couldn’t see any sign of Willow. At least, not until she glanced downwards.
Willow was on one knee, trying to hide the fact she was shaking, a small red box in her hand. They stared at each other for what had to have been years, when Xander coughed gently and widened his eyes at Willow, urging her to speak.
“Oh. Oh! Hey, Tara it’s me Willow here- I mean of course you knew that but hah-“
The redhead closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath, when she opened her eyes to find Tara’s locked on hers she finally exhaled and tried again.
“Tara. I know we can’t ‘really’ get married but like, honestly nothing that we’ve been through should have really happened either. Anyways, it’s not like we need a piece of paper to make it real because there’s only one thing I’m truly sure of in this crazy world and it’s that the love I have for you, that’s real. So, Tara Maclay, will you marry me?”
Tara fell to her own knees in front of Willow and gently cupped her face in her hands before kissing her. It didn’t seem possible to get any better, but it was the most passionate kiss they’d ever had.
The world fell away from them both again, like only they existed, kissing deeply until both of them physically couldn’t breathe any more. Even then they didn’t part, resting their foreheads together, happy tears trickling down both their faces.
“I-Is that a yes?”
“
Of course it’s a yes, I love you my Willow.”
“I love you too.”
~