Rumour Theme. [BTVS, 12, B/W]

["M.P. Thompson"]

Hi all,

This is my story for the rumour theme, hope it's OK. Comments welcome.

I haven't had a chance to read any of the other stories so I hope it doesn't tread on any toes.
RL will start to get in the way next week so I don't know if I'll be able to post a theme response. Happy Xmas (or non-denominational holidays) to you all!

Regards,

empty



DISCLAIMERS : Story mine, characters not mine. All credit to Mutant Enemy, et al. Story (C)1999.

Please don't archive this without discussing it with me first. (Except for Pat, if you want to add this to the Slayer/Hacker site feel free.)

SPOILAGE/TIMEFRAME : No spoilers really, I've only just seen "Ted" so peg it somewhere around there. This story includes Amy, I have no idea if she actually turns up in the series again.

RATINGS : No naughtiness but a B/W relationship is discussed. UK rating of 12.


Rumours [BTVS, 12, B/W]


Buffy Summers, Vampire Slayer, cursed all of the Hellmouth for the thousandth time. Not because she was fending off an army of the undead but because she was having a slow night.

No vampires. Zip, zilch, nada. Not a one.

Just when she needed to stay occupied, to keep her mind from wondering, the hordes of freaks that she usually encountered on her evening's patrols had gone on strike. _Maybe it's a work-to-rule?_, she mused as she started another lap of Sunnydale's vampire haunts.

As hard as she tried to stop it, her thoughts returned to the conversation she had overheard that lunch time...

*

"No way!"

"Just look at them!"

"No way is Willow Rosenberg queer!"

Buffy stopped just short of the corner, the mention of her friend's name halting her progress.

"Look will you", there was a pause before the male voice continued, "Willow and Amy, definitely."

Buffy gulped back a response, finding herself staying back and listening to the rest of the conversation. She knew she should interject, put the record straight - so to speak - before the rumours started flying but her curiosity kept her in place.

"I thought Willow and that weird band guy were...", the weaker male voice trailed off.

"Please! You are so slow."

The rumour-mongering seemed at an end, the subject matter changing to the poor performance of the school football team and the voices growing distant as they walked away.

Buffy rounded the corner slowly, looking up to see Willow and Amy talking attentively on the couch. Willow laughed at the young witch's comments, reaching out to touch Amy's arm, and Buffy noticed real delight in her friend's eyes.

Of course Willow and Amy were friends, Buffy knew that, but there was something...

_Stop that!_, she chastised herself, _this is just stupid gossip_. But as she watched the two of them leave the couch and head away from her, staying close as they continued to talk together, Buffy's mind began to race.

*

There was still no action as Buffy returned to the Cemetery for the third time. She sat heavily on a bench, drumming her fingers on her leg as she thought more about Willow and Amy.

It wasn't the gay thing, which was cool, she was a nineties' kind of a girl after all. It was more the idea that Willow hadn't told her. _Not that there's anything to tell_, she reminded herself. _Not that it would be a problem if there was...._

"Arh!", she surprised herself by screaming out loud, there was something else, something nagging at the edge of her thoughts, something that just wouldn't come out and play.

A lot like the vampires.

***

Xander slapped Buffy on the shoulders by way of his own personal greeting and was shocked to find himself lying on the library floor with the Slayer's boot at his throat.

"Ugh", he knew it wasn't a great opening gambit but it seemed to fit the moment.

"Xander!", Buffy loosened her stance and offered the terrified form a hand up, "How many times do I have to tell you not to surprise me?"

Xander adjusted his shirt collar, checking for serious damage as he did so, before looking Buffy in the eyes, "I had said 'Hello' twice."

"Oh", Buffy could see a concerned Willow over his shoulder, nodding her head, "Sorry."

"Well at least we know your reflexes are good."

He sat at the large desk, still shaking slightly but visibly calming.

"You OK?", concern filled Willow's voice and Buffy felt even more guilty, she had been distracted by thoughts of yesterday's rumours and had no idea how to explain that to her friend.

"Yeah, fine", she waved her hand vaguely, "just thinking."

"'Bout what?"

Of course Willow would ask that, she was always going to ask that, Buffy mentally kicked herself, "About...stuff."

She was saved from further dissembling by Giles, arms laden with books, as he stumbled through the library doors.

"Help me with these, would you?"

Buffy took the books from him and deposited them unceremoniously on the desk.

"Yes, well", Giles watched in horror, "perhaps with a little more care next time."

He looked to Buffy for her customary sarcastic riposte but the Slayer silently joined the others.

"How was patrol?"

"Quiet", there was a touch of anger in her voice that raised Willow's eyes to her again, "Which is cool", she added quickly.

"Hey, even vampires are allowed the night off", Xander seemed to have shaken off the effects of his introduction to the floor.

"Yeah", Willow added, "Maybe a few quiet nights is a good thing...you look sort of beat."

Giles nodded his agreement, Buffy looked exhausted.

"I just didn't sleep well last night", Buffy's relief as the morning bell sounded was a rare sight, "I'm fine."

***

Willow looked up from her conversation with Amy to see Buffy watching them intently.

"Hey Buffy!", she indicated to her friend, "come and join us."

Amy moved further away, allowing Buffy to sit between them on the stone bench in the school's quadrangle. Buffy hesitated as she sat, wondering if she shouldn't insist on not parting them.

It had been a few days since the overheard gossip and Buffy's head was still full of the idea that Willow might be involved with the school's resident witch. The more she thought about it, the more true it seemed to ring.

After a day of vague hurt that the redhead would keep it from her, Buffy had tried to accept that Willow might be waiting for the right time.

"You OK?", Willow had been asking that a lot over the past few days, her concerns rising as Buffy's moods shifted.

She was certain it was something to do with her, she knew Buffy well enough to see the bluster for what it really was...hurt.

"Amy, would you excuse us?", Willow raised herself from the bench without waiting for a reply, grabbing Buffy's arm and almost dragging her from the seat, "Let's walk."

"OK", not that Buffy had much choice.

They walked around the school, settling themselves on a wall by the back of the gym.

"So?", Willow wasn't sure what to say but she knew Buffy needed to talk.

There was a pause, Buffy looking at her hands closely and Willow watching.

"It's just", another pause before it came tumbling out, "Why didn't you tell me? I mean, it's OK, you don't have to tell me everything but, well I mean, you're my best friend and I thought I was your best friend and you know you can tell me anything and I thought you'd have told me..."

She trailed off, aware that she had sounded much like Willow often did, finally raising her head to see the confusion and concern in her friend's eyes.

"Tell you what?"

"About being gay."

There was shock, then fear, then a sad resignation, all of the emotions plain on Willow's open face.

"Oh."

It wasn't what Buffy had expected, "'Oh' yes I am gay or 'Oh' what are you talking about Buffy?"

"Just oh."

Willow got up, walking away quickly. Buffy remained seated for a moment, unsure what to do or say.

"Hey, wait up!", she ran after Willow, turning her friend around to find tears streaming from her reddened eyes, "Will, it's OK, really, it's fine."

"Yeah right", Willow swiped at the tears impatiently, "it's fine and nothing's changed!"

"Of course nothing's changed", Buffy held her arm to stop Willow from walking away again, "I like Amy."

"Amy?", Willow raised her eyes from the ground, confused.

"I think you two are great together."

"Amy."

"Really, I like her a lot", Buffy smiled warmly, hoping to convince Willow of her genuine acceptance.

"Amy."

"Yes, Amy", _how many times do I have to say this?_, "Your girlfriend Amy, I like her."

"Oh...good", and with that Willow shrugged off Buffy's grip and walked away.

***

"So, I know I didn't handle it great but I really am cool with it", Buffy paused, saddened, "I think I've ruined our friendship."

Her Mother held her, she was the last person Buffy had intended to discuss Willow's sexuality with but Mrs Summers had arrived home early to find her daughter close to tears and the whole thing had been explained in one long sentence.

To Buffy's surprise her Mother had been completely relaxed about it, _perhaps she's a nineties' kind of girl too?_

They stayed close for a while before the doorbell forced Mrs Summers away. She returned with Willow in tow, smiling knowingly at the newcomer and excusing herself.

Willow sat at the far end of the couch, not looking at Buffy and saying nothing until her friend offered to make her a drink.

"No, thanks", her voice was small.

Her Mother's advice was to give Willow time so Buffy waited silently, sitting stiffly to stop herself from fidgeting.

"You're right...about me", Willow began slowly, "but it's not Amy."

Buffy considered that, a brief moment of panic subsiding as she convinced herself that it couldn't be Cordelia. _That would be just too weird._

She went through a mental list of the other possibilities, wondering who else could have gained Willow's affections. Whoever it was, they wouldn't deserve Willow. Willow was good and kind and optimistic, if this mystery person ever hurt her Buffy would snap them in half.

The strength of her feelings surprised her and finally her thoughts coalesced, the something that had nagged at the back of her mind coming in to sharp focus as she realised what the emotion was.

Jealousy.

She looked deep in to Willow's eyes, saw the love that was always present but there was more; affection; fear; and...desire? And suddenly it all made sense.

"Me?"

A faint nod was the only response, Willow refusing to look at her friend. Buffy balled up what little courage she felt and moved along the couch to sit close to her. She felt lightheaded, her equilibrium skewed by the emotions skittering through her.

"Why didn't you just tell me?"

"I thought you'd hate me", the admission was made in a tiny voice but Willow finally met Buffy's stare.

"That will never happen", she answered with absolute conviction.

Willow's relief escaped in a nervous giggle and Buffy couldn't deny her need to hold her friend, wrapping her arms around Willow. They hugged awkwardly at first but eventually Willow relaxed in to Buffy's embrace, the young women holding each other tightly.

"Does this mean...?", Willow began but didn't finish.

"It means we can take our time and explore this", Buffy smiled in to the red hair.

_And rumours aren't always wrong_, she added silently.



AUTHOR'S NOTE : Ever get to the end of a one-off story only to find part two waiting to ambush you? I'll try to fit it in with a future week's theme.




---

http://members.dencity.com/empty/index.html




__________________________________________________________________
Get your own free England E-mail address at http://www.england.com