North and South...and West
by Rin
Harvest with a Limp
[reviews]
Xander and Willow had slept great that night, not having slept in such comfortable beds since back home. Joyce had given them both adjacent rooms on the second floor. Guest rooms no doubt but still more comfortable than the ground they'd slept on for the past 4 years during the war. They were both up earlier than dawn, having lived a soldier's hours.
While Xander continued his conversation with Dawn, Buffy, and the others in the living room after dinner, Joyce took Willow upstairs to find some better clothes. Her William's pre-teen clothes fit much better than his adult clothes. Since he had gone to England to teach his poetry, he would not miss the clothes so much. Joyce did miss her only son.
The next morning, Willow and Xander were more than ready to get started on the harvesting. They found themselves in the kitchen, where they met up with Mary and Susie again. Willow offered to help cook, while Xander picked at all the food. Mary would slap his hand when she'd catch him but she would have a smile on her face nonetheless. Willow helped make the biscuits, and both Mary and Susie were surprised that a young man would know how to cook. Willow just blushed at the comment, and Xander arched an eyebrow in amusement.
The next person to show was Buffy, wearing her harvesting dress. She was ready for hard work today. She was up early in the mornings, too. The young blonde found she enjoyed a farmer's life...much to the dismay of her mother, who would rather see her married to a young gentleman. One of her many suitors. The most pressing being the neighboring plantation owner's son, Riley Finn. He had just returned from the war himself, and he was over every day after harvesting, attempting to court the uninterested blonde.
"Morning, Mary...Susie..." Buffy looked up, and noticed the two men were already awake...and also in the kitchen, which was odd. Especially since the handsome redhead was helping make the biscuits. "Gentlemen."
"Morning, Miss Summers...you look fetching this morning." Xander bowed his head, and attempted not to stare but...damn, this was one fine woman.
"Where did you learn to lie like that, Mr. Harris?" Buffy could see his obvious adoration but wasn't interested. She was never interested in the boys...but there was something about the young redhead that caught her eye, though she'd never admit it. He was the most beautiful man she'd ever seen...why...he didn't look like a man at all...but a young boy.
"Buffy Anne Summers! Mind your manners." Mary scolded her, and Buffy ducked her head, as she moved to help in the kitchen. Normally, helping with the biscuits was her job...but she'd been beat to the punch this morning. "Susie, go get your brother...tell him breakfast is almost ready. Miss Buffy can help finish up here."
"Yes, Mary...I'd love that." Buffy tried to ignore the stomach rumbles she got as she moved closer to young Will. He smelled a lot better this morning, like Susie's homemade lye soap and shampoo. Strawberries she'd added in this last batch of soaps to give it an extra sweet smell...and the scent seemed to fit Will perfectly. His red locks were falling in his face, as they obviously dried from the early morning bath. His rosy cheeks and perfect pink lips were enticing...and his gorgeous green eyes. They said so much about him. He was lost, uncertain about his future, had seen too much in his young life...but still held such innocence.
"Tell me, fellas...how did you find yourself workin' for my mother, anyways?" Buffy was curious, after all. Something was fishy, she could tell...her mother had been a little hushhush about the guys before they showed at dinner. All she knew was that they were trying to make their way back to California, so that they could get married to their sweethearts. That part deflated Buffy a little, though she didn't know why. The thought of Will with a girl back home waiting for him...it made her...jealous? She wasn't sure the emotion or feeling.
"She was kind enough to take us in, Miss Summers." Will spoke for the first time since Buffy arrived, and the redhead's voice was soothing and comforting to the blonde. 'Like heaven must be...' Buffy thought.
"Yes but there are more than twenty plantations from here to Charleston...why SunnyDale?" Buffy wanted to know everything there was to know about these gentlemen. They were both too polite to be simple farmhand, and their mannerisms weren't Southern origin, and they had too good a posture for just an average bloke.
"We flipped a coin as we'd pass each one, and this is the only one that came up heads." Willow smirked at Buffy, with just a hint of a blush. The blonde smelled and looked amazing, standing next to her, helping Mary finish breakfast.
"Sounds like a gambler's luck. Almost divine intervention. We're in desperate need of help here, and I'm sure my mother is thankful for the help. Maybe now I can convince her to stay inside, instead of tending to the fields." Buffy was worried about her mom. The older woman had been working too hard, and it was starting to show.
"We are more than grateful to your mother." Xander was too busy pining over Buffy to notice the shy glances the blonde and redhead would cast towards one another.
"Oh...sorry..." Will went to grab for more flour, just as Buffy did, and their powdered hands connected, as a shock went through them upon touch.
"Your hands are soft..." Buffy was amazed. She'd never met a young man with soft hands...or hands so small.
"Um...it runs in the family." At least it wasn't an outright lie. Soft, small hands did run in the family...just with the women.
"Morning, Buffy, Mary. Oh, Xander! Will! You're up already. I expected you to be asleep still." Dawn was surprised to find the two handsome gentlemen in the kitchen at all. Her husband was still away from the war.
"Oh, we're used to early hours." Xander greeted Dawn, as he stood from the table, and bowed to her. "Morning, Miss Dawn. You look beautiful this morning."
"You flatter, Mr. Harris." Dawn liked the attention of boys, unlike her sister. Buffy just smirked at the young man's demeanor. He sure did like to compliment other women for a man that was trying to get back to his sweetheart.
"Morning, mama." Forrest entered the kitchen, and kissed his mother's cheek. Susie right behind him. "I suppose I get to show you boys how to harvest this morning."
"Yep." Willow was excited. She liked the idea of getting her hands in the dirt. She loved nature. She loved being outdoors.
"Let's just hope your boy over there doesn't cause much problems." Forrest eyed Xander. It was obvious his limp would be a problem in the field. Possibly slowing them down today, as they showed the two men how to work the fields.
"He'll be no trouble. He's as good as most men." Willow knew that for a fact. Xander was a loyal soldier, even if he hated being a soldier. He took his job seriously, mostly wanting it over with quicker.
"If you say so..." Forrest didn't believe it. Xander walked with a fancy metal stick.
"Hush now, Forrest...Mr. Harris will do his part." Mary scolded her hot-headed son.
"Yes, mama." Forrest sat down at the kitchen stools but didn't have to like it. He still didn't trust the two soldier boys. "How did you get your limp anyways?"
"Oh...um...long story..." Xander wasn't sure what to say. He couldn't tell the truth, or he'd be outed as a soldier. Forrest knew this, too...as his smug grin told.
"Not that long, really. He just had an accident that tore up his knee a couple years back." Willow broke in with her clever, 'lying but not lying' technique.
"Okay, so not that long..." Xander sighed in relief. His story was going to be about wild boars...so he was glad he didn't have to tell some story.
"Morning, everyone." Joyce walked into the kitchen, ready to start breakfast. "Smells wonderful, girls...and Will..."
"Morning, Ms. Summers." Will smiled at the older lady. She was shocked to see him helping in the kitchen, and beside Buffy no doubt...the shy glances and blushes were still in place. Joyce hated it but she'd have to keep a strong eye on that one; she could tell. Possibly even her daughter, too...
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Xander proved to be just as efficient in the field as anybody...perhaps moreso, since he had felt the need to prove himself to be just as good, and overcompensating a little. Forrest was impressed, as he continued to show young Mr. Harris how to properly pull the cotton.
In the next row, Buffy was showing Will what to do. Forrest had taken Xander under his belt...b/c of his limp, stating that he'd need the most work, and Buffy could handle the wimpy boy better. Buffy had started to protest, knowing that spending a day in the fields practically alone with the handsome young man was not going to help matters. She'd developed a strong crush on him; she realized that much, at least.
He was a quick study, too. Buffy didn't have much to explain to him, and they were almost done with the day's work already. Amazing, since it was only noon. She'd talked Joyce into staying inside today, under much protest but the younger blonde finally won when Dawn chipped into help. Both girls were seriously worried about their mother.
"We could tackle another row. It's still early." Willow was hyped. She'd never done anything like this before, and it was amazing. They pushed their large wheelbarrow full of cotton buckets, and finished their row before Xander and Forrest...and those two were booking it big time. The boys were definitely good help.
"No...we should take a break. Have some lunch. I'm sure Mary, Mom, and Dawn have it all ready for us anyways. We can rest for a bit. Wait for the afternoon sun to cool a little first before tackling another row." Buffy was impressed, as they pushed their wheelbarrows towards the cotton barn. "We've never finished a row this quick before...and we have two rows finished already. You guys are gonna fit in just fine. I can already tell."
"Really?" Willow had that 'aww...' face on...even though she tried not to...it was just hard not to when she was around Buffy, and she'd get a comment like that from the blonde. Buffy was stubborn, difficult, and outspoken. They would get along just fine. Maybe a little too fine...