Fic: Magical Interlude (1/2) (Response to Quin's challenge)

[angelina2006@xxxxxxxxxxx]

TITLE: Magical Interlude (1/2) 
AUTHOR: Angelina
DISCLAIMER: They're not mine they're Joss's. Don't give me any 
credit whatsoever.
FEEDBACK: Gratefully received "Mochas?" "Yes please"  
DISTRIBUTION: As with my other stories  if you want it e-mail me and 
I'll say yes.
SPOILERS: None really, set in Season 4
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is in response to the challenge issued by Quin 
AGES ago. I have only just got round to writing it. Hope you enjoy 
it.


It was a Friday night and the gang was all at Giles' house. A false 
alarm regarding an impending Armageddon situation made then feel a 
little better about having no plans to go out. Xander and Anya were 
seated on the couch flicking through channels looking for something 
remotely interesting to watch. Buffy and Willow were in the kitchen 
indulging in a little smooch-fest to pass the time. Giles had 
disappeared, saying something about the shower.

Remembering why they'd gone into the kitchen in the first place, 
Buffy and Willow quickly rustled up some snacks and headed back into 
the living-room before a ravenous Xander came and interrupted them.  
Xander and Anya took the food offered to them without removing their 
eyes from the TV set. As the couch was taken Buffy and Willow had to 
make do with sharing a single chair. Not that they were complaining 
as Willow wiggled into a comfortable position on Buffy's lap. She 
leaned her head against Buffy's shoulder and reached for the bowl of 
popcorn sitting precariously on the arm of the chair. She misjudged 
the distance and ended up knocking the bowl to the floor and 
scattering the contents everywhere.

"Now, that wouldn't have happened if you could freeze time." Buffy 
said as Willow sighed and got up to clean up the mess. "You could 
have frozen the popcorn in mid-air then moved the bowl to catch it.  
Why don't you learn how to do that?"

Willow had finished clearing up and looked at Buffy with a knowing 
expression. "You've been watching `Charmed' again haven't you?"  
Buffy nodded. "Buffy, I told you, I'm not that kind of witch, I'm not 
even sure that kind of witch exists."

"Sure it does, you can do telekinesis!" Buffy protested.

"Yeah, with pencils and stakes. It's hardly the same as what goes on 
on that show."

"Pity, freezing time would be a really cool power," said Buffy. She 
thought for a moment before continuing. "So, would you say the 
Charmed witches are more realistic than...say&Sabrina?"

"Oh God, not Sabrina too?" Willow was disgusted. "Next you'll be 
telling me that you like Bewitched." Buffy looked sheepish. "Oh 
dear!" said Willow in despair. "Well, out of that lot I'd say that 
Charmed is preferable  at least they seem to know about the basics 
of Wiccan principles." she admitted.

"Oh, wait, wait, I know this&harm no-one and don't do spells for 
personal gain!" Buffy looked pleased with herself.

"Yeah, but they only seem to adhere to that when it suits them. That 
older one, who used to be in 90210, she's always moving stuff to save 
herself getting up. And the middle one freezes time constantly&
didn't she get a job in the first episode by freezing time?"  

"Her name is Piper, and you seem to know an awful lot about the show 
for someone who doesn't watch it."

"I watch it so I can criticise it  just like you do with Xena: `Oh 
yeah, like it's possible to get your body into that position and kick 
3 guys at the same time&this show is sooo unrealistic'" Willow 
mimicked Buffy's voice.

"Anyway, I'd much rather have Sabrina or Samantha's powers. They 
could do anything just by wiggling a finger or a nose."

"I thought Samantha was cute." Xander joined in the 
conversation. "But I don't know why you watch all those fantasy 
shows. You should watch something educational&like game-shows."

"Game-shows?" asked Buffy and Willow together.

"Don't scoff, I've learned some of my best useless trivia from 
Jeopardy and Millionaire." Xander protested. "And the best catch-
phrases come from game-shows  `Is that your final answer?'  
classic!"

"I like those Japanese game-shows where they torture the people until 
they cry or give-up. They put them in tubs of ice and then make them 
drink gallons of beer. It's fun." The others looked at Anya, not 
really surprised that she liked this sort of entertainment. Just 
then, Buffy's sensitive hearing picked up on something and she 
gestured to Xander to mute the TV.

"~ And we sang shangalang 
~ and we ran with the gang
~ singing doowopedoobeedowah"

All TV talk was forgotten as the Scoobies dissolved in laughter at 
Giles' less than impressive singing voice and his dubious taste in 
music.


Later that night Buffy and Willow were walking home together through 
the park. The subject of magic had cropped up again.

"So, can anyone do magic?" asked Buffy.

"Well&I guess so. It's a matter of having the correct ingredients 
and the correct incantations for whatever you want to do."

"Doesn't sound too hard&do you think I could do it?" Buffy asked 
casually.

"Do you want to?" Willow was surprised. Buffy stopped walking.

"I don't know, it's just&you're so interested in magic and I want to 
be able to share that with you." Buffy shuffled her feet, 
embarrassed. 

"That's so sweet," said Willow, slipping her arms around Buffy's 
waist and rubbing noses with her. "Tell you what, we'll try floating 
a pencil when we get in OK?"

"Really? Cool!" exclaimed Buffy, hugging Willow enthusiastically.  
She released her and was about to start walking but paused, 
captivated. Willow turned to see what she was staring at.

"It's so beautiful, lit up by the moon like that," Buffy 
whispered. "What kind is it?"

Willow smiled and took Buffy's hand. She leaned in close to her 
ear. "It's a Willow tree."

Buffy looked at her solemnly. "Well, no wonder it's weeping, it 
doesn't hold a candle to you." She kissed Willow slowly and 
thoroughly. They parted, both still tingling from their encounter 
and continued on their way.


TBC&soon