Reveal
by DawnBTVS
Chapter 4
[reviews]
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Mutant Enemy, Fox, Joss, etc.
Rating: PG or PG-13
Time Frame: Early Season 2 around Some Assembly Required
A/N: Will likely turn more angsty and I'll try and stay somewhat in-canon but don't hold me to that, please.
Willow shut the door to her locker and turned, slightly surprised to see Xander there, regarding her silently. She stared at him for a couple moments then turned, starting to walk away. Xander pushed himself off the accompanying locker door and soon fell in step. "I've been doing some thinking, Will."
"If it is anything negative, go away. I'm not in a good mood, Xander."
Xander turned, staring at her, tilting his head to try and get eye contact but Willow just stared straight ahead, jaw clenched. Xander's eyes traveled to the redhead's hands and he noticed they were balled up too. "On the contrary, I've come to a realization. A hallmark moment in the life of one, Xander Harris, I might point out," Xander said, smiling. Failing to register even a hint of anything joyous, Xander continued. "We've been best friends since kindergarten. Yes, I still crush on Buffy but," Xander said, lifting a hand to stop Willow's outburst, "I had my chance and was soundly rejected on the basis of not being a souled demon."
Willow glanced at Xander and gently nudged him with her shoulder. "Point?"
"I respect you, no matter how you live your life or who you choose to strive for."
Willow sighed. "Striving for nothing, now," she grumbled, suddenly stopping, and turning towards Xander. "She called me last night and just as I was about to... she hung up!" Willow huffed, flailed her arms, and turned, continuing to make her way down with the hallway with Xander power walking to catch up.
"You told her?"
"She hung up," Willow grounded out through clenched teeth, purposely squeezing the straps of her backpack with both hands to show her anger.
"So, she doesn't know? She's still with Angel, right?" Xander asked. Willow glared at him, causing him to cringe. "Sorry."
"No. I'm sorry because now I know how you felt... erm, feel."
Xander shrugged. "Still one with the ego boost there, Will." They paused outside the library, Xander pushing the door open. Buffy quickly turned her attention from Giles and stared at Xander and Willow standing by the doorway. Xander glanced at Willow, who was tensing even more. "Uh, you guys aren't gonna create another apocalypse are you?" Willow stared at him and walked past, mumbling darkly under her breath. Buffy began to get up out of her chair as Xander came in but he motioned her back down before taking a seat opposite her.
"What's up with Will?"
Giles sighed, setting the marker down on the table and shaking his head in defeat. He spun the board around, presenting a map towards the doorway, and swiftly moved past Xander as he made his way towards his office. Xander stared at Buffy as if she had grown two heads and Buffy flinched at the look. "You hung up on her, Buff."
"I did not! I yanked the cord out... 'cause you know, Slayer powers and it is not all fun and games trying to go Clark Kent with my super strength," Buffy retorted defensively to Xander's amused grin. Her glare softened after a couple moments. "On a scale of one to ten... how much groveling?"
"Since she didn't tell you... twenty, maybe twenty one."
Buffy groaned. "Do you know who she likes?"
Xander nodded his head. "Yeah and that person could make her very happy. Has made her very happy... in comparison to pre-that person times." Buffy lifted her eyes to his, wearing a pained expression. "You should let her tell you though."
"Even if I have an idea who it is?"
"You saw her," Xander pointed out. Buffy nodded and sighed, running a finger over the tabletop.
"I-I've maybe held her hands a couple times but I've never given her looks," Buffy protested, staring as her hand continued moving over in circles. Xander gave her a skeptical look in turn.
"Speaking as a guy... I noticed some of the looks. Come on, Buffy. Since day one, you've been drawn to Will. She told me how you basically shoved Cordelia away and befriended her. Sunnydale High's a class system and nobody gets access to Cordelia's circle." Buffy remained quiet although Xander could tell through the scrunched eyebrows that she was thinking his words over in her head... or he was hoping she was thinking because otherwise Xander's impromptu reconciliation plan was gonna fail. He decided to go for the big guns. "Who was the first person you saved from a vampire attack in Sunnydale?"
Buffy looked up at him. "A homeless guy with one of those shopping carts. He had a blanket or something-"
Xander gave her a startled look, clearly not expecting that answer. "Heh, okay. I was thinking more like the first day of school for you," Xander remarked, gesturing with his head at who the answer was.
"Jessie," Buffy stated, rolling her eyes at Xander's pointed look. "Okay, Willow... and Jessie," she added.
"Technically-" Xander started but got cut off with a sharp look from the blonde.
Buffy rose from her seat and began pacing in a need to move. The restlessness was starting to bottle up and she was starting to get angry at what was going on... and how it was going on, like she had no control over the situation. Like she wasn't informed or even allowed any options. "I'm with Angel," Buffy commented icily, glaring at Xander like he had been the one to ignore that aspect of her life.
Xander raised his hands in self-defense. "Officially acknowledging that you are currently in deep puppy love, uh, smitten," Xander quickly amended at Buffy's spark of anger, "with Angel. Look, Buff. I've known Willow for a long time and we're the bestest of besty best friends. I also know what it's like to be in her shoes in this scenario."
"Xander. Come out with whatever you're trying to say."
"Will isn't the type of girl who is a go-getter, especially with something like what she's dealing with now. When she tells you... be gentle or I'm gonna have to live up to the western world's thinking of harming those who hurt the ones I care about."
Buffy saw the seriousness in Xander's eyes and sighed, running a hand through her hair. Buffy grabbed her backpack from the table leg and hoisted it onto her back. "I'll see you later, maybe." Xander gave a nod as Buffy turned, marching outside of the library.
~~~BTVS~~~
Willow set her bag down on the cement bench outside the school in the quad. It was a somewhat isolated place that Willow sought for sanctuary whenever things were troubling her and this situation was the height of troubling. It was beyond the stratosphere of troubling... although finding those dead guys in the audio room was wig worthy but this was like the uber wig worthy event of the century.
Plucking out a sandwich, she scowled at it in distaste, and threw it back into her brown paper bag. Buffy's attitude and hanging up was ruining any appetite she had for lunch. The redhead was avoiding Buffy as much as possible and had even moved to a different seat in science class to avoid being close to the blonde. The satisfaction at Buffy's hurt look had died quickly but Willow didn't let Buffy see the guilt.
"Peace offering?" asked a voice. Willow pursed her lips and just stared at the mocha being offered to her and made no acknowledgement otherwise of the intrusion. Buffy sighed, pulling the drink back, and wrapping both hands around the hard Styrofoam container. "I'd never hang up on you, Will."
Willow looked away, biting her lip. "Buffy," Willow started but the blonde cut her off.
"I tore the phone out of the wall! The noise woke Mom and she grounded me for a week but I couldn't get out to see you after."
"Really?" Willow asked, quickly flashing skeptical eyes at Buffy before looking away again. Buffy stared at the drink in her hands and sat down on the edge of the bench, not missing the fact that Willow scooted away.
"We talk almost every night. When have I ever hung up on you?"
"Yesterday," replied Willow, coldly. Buffy sighed, clearly becoming aware that this wasn't going to be fixed in a quick heart to heart. Willow suddenly turned to Buffy. "I know you're with Angel and I'd never try to break you two up but you make me feel happy and when I'm with you the world stops and I can't stop thinking about you and I think I love you," Willow babbled, quickly turning away, and blushing furiously as Buffy's jaw dropped. She wasn't expecting Willow to do that and now found herself speechless, unsure of what to say.
"Uh..." Buffy stammered, trying to come up with something to say back but seeing the redhead slouched over and ready to flee at any moment stopped her first train of thought. "Did you always feel this way?"
Willow sniffled and nodded her head. "I'm... that first night you stopped by the Bronze you willingly sat with me. I wasn't sure if you were just being nice after what Cordelia did but... you told me, life is short. Y-your philosophy." Buffy nodded, remembering that moment. She had told Willow to seize the moment so she seized a vampire and nearly got herself drained. "Life is short... Remember how much I liked Xander? How I had memorized his blood pressure? With you it's like I'm in your body when we're together. Your heart beat is speeding up now and I can see your pulse is increasing," Willow said, bringing her eyes from the coffee cup to Buffy's neck, where the blonde had pressed a finger, her eyes widening.
"You're not a vampire?"
"No," Willow said, shaking her head with a small smile. "I-I don't think this is hero worship, Buffy. Yes, you make me feel important and help confidence but my feelings... I thought I loved Xander. If what I'm feeling now is anything to go by though, Xander was merely a friend because I feel breathless with you although that might be weird because I'm now rambling and far from breathless," Willow babbled, quickly stopping herself to catch her breath.
"Breathe."
"Breathe," Willow echoed, taking in several deep breathes of air.
"I'm with Angel," Buffy said, lowering her eyes from the redhead's. Willow nodded her head.
"I know. He makes you happy and I'm in support of your happiness. I just... needed to tell you this, Buffy. Seize the moment, 'cause tomorrow you might be dead, right?"
"Not you. Not ever."
The bell rang, cutting Willow's reply off. Willow got up, clutching her backpack. "So..."
"We're gonna..." Buffy trailed, fingers fumbling over the lid of the now cold Mocha. "Giles wants us together later, um, not us us but group us."
"R-right. Hellmouth news and all," answered Willow, taking off as she slid the backpack onto her shoulders. Buffy stared after the redhead then glared at the cup.
"Thanks, Fate," Buffy growled, throwing the cup in trash bin beside her before grabbing her backpack and walking off in the opposite direction to her next class.
TBC