Nothing But You
by Whedonist
Chapter 8
[reviews]
A/N: I start back to work tomorrow after an emergency trip home. I will be unable to update pretty much anything for at least a week or possibly two. Because of the upcoming insanity, I wanted to post what I had done. I hope you guys enjoy.
Disclaimer: You may not know the man...and love well...maybe stretching it for some, but these wonderful, crazy, characters belong to Joss Whedon. I'm just havin' some of that wacky stuff called fun.
Chapter 8
"Buffy, wake up." Willow whispered gently shaking her friend.
"Uh, Wills? What's wrong?" Buffy asked wiping the sleep form her eyes.
Willow situated herself so that she was on her side with her head propped up on her arm. "We need to talk."
Buffy shrunk back in the pillow. Being woken up by your crush to have a serious talk while hung over was not fun. In fact, Buffy was willing to replace the impending conversation with the headache she had when she first woke up.
"Buffy, please. I'm confused. I need your help."
Stealing herself, Buffy raised herself up and began, "Willow look I'm sorry about running out, but it was a lot to handle. I'm sorry I didn't mean to worry you."
"Do it again and I let Xander make you watch three sci-fi movies of his choosing."
"Oh god, no please anything but that."
Willow smiled and bumped the blonde's shoulder. "Seriously though Buff. What happened?"
"Will...I've kinda kept something from you and this is hard so just give me a moment ok?"
"You got it."
"I've made a huge mistake. See I've kinda fallen head over heels in love with this girl, but she's straight and would never consider dating me. On top of this whole straight thing she's not or she wasn't looking to date anyone right now anyhow. Will..." Buffy swallowed hard, "Will I don't want to ruin our friendship, but you should know that I didn't mean to. It just kinda happened. You're smart and beautiful and funny and as hard as I tried to stop myself from feeling the way I do it just didn't work. I kinda love you Willow. Like in love love with you and I can understand if you don't want to be friends anymore, but I don't want that. I still want to be friends. So please don't hate me."
Willow nodded at the blonde and then smiled. "I see so how long've you been...had these feelings?"
"Since the first day we met. You literally took my breath away when I first saw you. That's why Xander and I came over to talk to you. I needed to meet you."
"Hmm...and were you ever planning on cluing me in?"
"No, not really, but Faith convinced me otherwise. Listen I understand you ah won't have to see me again if you don't want. We don't need to be friends anymore."
Toying with leading the other girl on more, Willow looked into her friend's eyes and decided against it. She wasn't completely sure that this was the right thing to do, but she knew that she was in love with her and that's all that mattered to the red head right now.
"No Buffy I don't want to be friends with you. Not anymore. See, I've kinda kept something from you to. On our way back from L.A last weekend, I kinda was faking being asleep. I heard what you and Faith were talking about. I didn't mean to, but I'm glad I did. It got me thinking about you and how much you've come to mean to me. And when you bolted out of the room, I went after you, but you weren't there so I ended up talking to Xander and I realized something. Buffy," Willow took her friend's hands and held on, "I think I kinda love you to, like in love. I'm not sure how this is going to work 'cuz I've never done this before with a girl, but it can't be that much different, right? I do know that I want to try with you that is. Maybe go on an actual date or two and take it from there."
Buffy registered the words her friend was saying and thought that she was dreaming again. The dull ache behind her eye's reminded her that she wasn't though. Tackling the redhead, Buffy hugged her and let some tears fall.
"Oxygen Buff." Willow gasped out.
"Sorry, but Willow are you sure? I don't want to mess up your life."
"Out of the two of us, who is the boss of me? Me that's right. Now, I'm serious Buff would you like to ah maybe go out on a date with me? Maybe tonight if you feel up for it?"
"I...would a I wouldn't miss it to save the world be inappropriate?"
"No" Willow said and wrapped the girl in a hug.
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"Tara, thank god you're there. I need help."
Tara's initial reaction was worried. The redhead sounded frantic. "Willow calm down what's wrong?"
"I don't have anything to wear."
"What?"
Realizing Tara wasn't abreast of the situation she quickly filled her shocked friend in. "...so you see I need to find something to wear for tonight."
"Ah, wow. Okay. What do you have to work with?"
"Stupid jumpers, some skirts and some pants. Miscellaneous tops and no shoes."
"Willow quit spazzing. We can work with that. Do you know where you're going?"
"No I didn't think to ask. She said that she would take care of everything since I'm the one that asked her out."
"Wait you asked her out?"
"Yeah, she was laying there all sort of shocked and I couldn't help it."
"Fred's never going to believe this."
"Can you stop with the I told you so's. Yes you were right, yes she likes me yes I like her. Yes we are going on a date and I have nothing to wear."
"How much time do you have?"
Willow looked at her clock, "Uhm about 4 hours."
"You and Fred are the same size right?"
"Yeah I'm pretty sure."
"Okay go shower. Then call me back ok."
"Alright."
They disconnected and Willow left to go do what the blonde asked. She spent an insane amount of time in the shower. It was mostly fidgeting over the upcoming night with Buffy. Sure they had spent the night in each other's company before, but this was different. The rules of the relationship had changed and Willow had no idea what to expect. She stepped out of the shower and went back to her dorm room. She looked at her clock and immediately started freaking out. She had 2 and a half hours to get ready. Picking up the phone, she dialed Tara.
"Tare, ok I'm showered. What now?"
"Uhm opening your door might be nice."
Willow looked at the phone confused. She got more confused when the banging started. "Tare hold on." Opening the door she stepped back in shock. There stood Tara and Fred with what looked like twenty different sets of clothes.
"You sounded really freaked. Besides, I couldn't miss this if my life depended on it."
She attacked the blonde and kissed Tara on the cheek. She turned to Fred and hugged her as well.
"How did you guys make it up here so quick?"
"I broke every traffic law in the state." Fred said putting the clothes down on the bed. Turning to Willow she said, "So, you, my beautiful redheaded friend, have some explaining to do? What's going on?"
"Yeah Wills, the last time we talked you gave nothing away about Buffy. What changed?"
"I just...well I overheard Buffy and Faith talking about me and it got me thinking. I decided that it wouldn't be such a bad thing."
"Ah, I see." Tara quirked an eyebrow at her friend.
"Alright you two. Let's get Willow dressed. I brought a few outfits that we can mix and match with what you have here." Fred began sorting through some clothes and began putting some outfits together. "So Wills, are we going for conservative and fun, slutty, but not too easy, or fun and carefree."
"I'm going for normal Fred."
"I told you babe. Just give her something comfortable and sexy."
"No sexy there will be no sex or sexy. Although sex might not be that bad."
The turned their attention to the redhead and gaped.
"Willow,"
"Sexy I meant sexy."
"It's important that you believe that Willow. Now come here. I need to see something." Fred held up a few tops to the redhead and smiled. "Where, this top with these pants and I know you don't really wear a lot of make up, but you should put a little on."
"K, wait Fred, uhm, I said comfortable not slutty. I can't wear those. The only person I know that would wear this is Faith."
"Wills, Faith isn't slutty she's just comfortable with her body. I suggest you feel the same. If I've said it once I'll say it a million times sweetie, you have a gorgeous figure."
Willow blushed at Tara's compliment. "Thanks, but eh, it's just that leather pants?"
"Wills, have I ever led you wrong. Okay so that show in Long Beach was a bust, but I didn't pick the bands."
"No, but..."
"No but's change and let me see what you look like."
Conceding to the resolve of the brunette she changed into the outfit. Fred had picked out a pair of black leather pants, with a red and black tight fitting t-shirt. Usually so not Willow's style. After the ordeal with Ed, she had taken to wearing jeans and blouses and t-shirts. Leather pants had only been worn once by the red head and that was once again at Fred's request.
"Ok, see that's what I was trying to point out. Buff's gonna go completely nonverbal when she see's you." Tara squealed.
"You don't think it's too much?"
Fred and Tara looked at each other and decided on a course of action.
"Wills," Tara started, "this is the first date right? And since this is the first date, why not dress to impress."
"We know," Fred jumped in, "that you guys have already spent a lot of time together, but still this is a big night. Why not surprise her?"
She looked between her two friends and considered their words. Yes, this wasn't the first night she had spent alone in Buffy's company, but it was the first night she had spent alone in the blonde's company after having come to the decision to date her. Besides it couldn't hurt to look a little sexier than she was used to. It was time for Willow to try those new things she had talked to Tara about her first week in Sunnydale.
"Ok, fine. I'll go with the outfit. Jepper's I never thought going on a date could be this nerve wracking."
"You were just as nervous with..."
"It's ok to say his name Fred."
"I know, but it's a good night no need to bring him up."
"Although sweetie I do remember some serious spaziness on your part the night you guys first went out."
"Hey I was 17 what was I supposed to do?"
"Uhm, freak out?" Fred offered.
"That's exactly what I did."
"Alright then Will we've got," Fred glanced at the clock, "an hour to finish your hair and makeup. Plenty of time."
The girls were putting the finishing touches on Willow when there was a knock on the door. All three glanced at the clock and wondered who it could be. They still had 15 minutes before Buffy was supposed to be there. Fred got up and answered the door. She smiled when she saw the blonde.
"Hi Buffy."
"Fred, hey, uhm is Willow here?" Buffy was surprised when the brunette had opened the door. "What I mean it's nice to see you."
Sensing the blonde's confusion she offered, "Will called said you guys were going out and needed some help. So Tare and I drove up."
"Oh."
"Give me a moment and I'll grab Willow." Fred shut the door and walked over to a nearly hyperventilating redhead. "Relax Willow. You're going to have a good time. By the way Buffy looks amazing."
While her girlfriend was giving Willow a pep talk, Tara took the opportunity to go have a quick chat with Buffy. She opened the door and slipped outside.
"Hi Buff."
"Hey Tare, how was the drive up?"
"Fast. Fred is uhm, let's just say when she has a limited amount of time to get somewhere she can be scary behind the wheel. I just wanted to talk to you before Willow came out."
"Are we back to the beating me to death with a shovel?"
Smiling sheepishly the taller girl nodded.
"It's ok I get it, but you won't need to. At least I hope not. She's lucky."
"Uh?"
"Willow. She's lucky to have a friend like you."
"Thank you."
"When did you fall in love with her?"
"Uh?" Tara asked again.
"I know I can play dumb sometimes, but you wouldn't care about her as much as you do if you were not or at some point been in love with her."
"That obvious?"
"Only to me. We've shared the same illness."
"And that would be?"
"A redhead. She's nearly driven me insane."
"I know the feeling Buffy. Just please be careful."
"I will Tara. Thank you."
Fred stepped out into the hallway and drug her girlfriend into the room. "Sorry Buff, Willow will be right out."