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

["Pat Kelly"]

Excellent story. I have to wait till my co-webperson gets back from wherever
she's vacationing to archive though. I collect 'em, she HTMls em.

Later

Pat

"When I held that gun, I felt an incredible surge of power. Like God must
feel when he's holding a gun.." (Homer J. Simpson)

"You've been fighting evil here for three years, and I've helped some, and
now we're supposed to decide what we want to do with our lives. And I just
realized that that's what I want to do. Fight evil, help people. I mean, I
think it's worth doing. And I don't think you do it because you have to.
It's a good fight, Buffy, and I want in."

"I kind of love you."
(Willow Rosenberg, Buffy Summers, BTVS)

"Don't.."
"What? Don't love you? I didn't know I got a choice in that."
(Angel, Buffy Summers, BTVS)
----- Original Message -----
From: M.P. Thompson <empty@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: BuffylovesWillow List <buffyloveswillow@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 1999 8:11 PM
Subject: [buffyloveswillow] Rumour Theme. [BTVS, 12, B/W]


> From: "M.P. Thompson" <empty@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> 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.
> ---
>
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