FIC: Feather Roads-Subterfuge

[Mad-Hamlet@xxxxxxx]

Disclaimer: All this belongs to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Inc.
(Grrr..rarrr)



Drain Brameged Inc. Proudly Presents
A Mad-Hamlet Production

We walk the roads that fate lays before us. More often than we'd like
that path is strewn with blades and teeth. Shadows with claws that try
to gut us from within, most of us struggle foward, over, under,
through all these obsticles hoping, even in the face of all evidence,
that we'll be stronger for it.

On occasion, through mercy, or mayhaps the whim of Gods
needing entertainment, allow Fate's way to be softened. Cool breezes
flow over our skin, all the living things around seem to speak to us
and our existance is not only possible but worthwhile. The road is
soft and comfortable and we can rest as we journy onward, wounds heal,
blood stops and strength returns..just so we can face the next shadowy
terror with a far too wide, sharp, grin just around the corner.

On occasion we're gifted with Feather Roads. This is theirs.


Feather Roads
Subterfuge

Note: Subterfuge takes place during the 4th Season, several months
after 'Forge-Blade but before the Spring Semester is over and the big
beat down with Adam. Lets say..three months. Three months sound good
to you? Cool. Rock on!


"...too repeat, even though a conversation may appear simple
to the casual observer it remains, in fact, a highly complex activity.
Not only are there the roles of 'Speaker' and 'Listener' but there are
also responsibilities that each role imparts on those involved in the
coversation. It is the Speaker's responsibility to insure that the
Listener, his or her counterpart in the Conversational Process is able
to understand clearly and easily everything that is being said..."

Inhale..inhale..you have to inhale sooner or later you stupid
proffessor of..of..what is this course again? But does he breathe?
Noo..just talk, talk, talk, blather tweet whoodle, never stopping,
never ending..what is he..some sort of hellish new amalgamation
between Human Administration and Hellmout energies? The Eternal
Teacher?

Doesn't he breathe? Well?

Inhale damn you!! Stop! Pause! Desist is the gum flapping!
Just for a second..please..just one, sweet, sweet second without your
damn droning filling the room. Oh Please..Oh Please..Oh please..

"So students, to sum up..."

YES!!!

"You must be aware of the actual complexities of a basic
conversation, which go beyond simple speech. If you'll just cast your
eyes to the front of the room I have a series of slides which should
illustrate my point nicely."

NO!!!

OhGodnopleasenotthisanythingbutSLIDES!!!

I look about the lecture hall despretely. Someone here must be
able to help me, aid me in conquering this
threat..this..evil..this...monstrosity(Oo big
word!)..this..this....LECTURE!!

Most of the seats empty, maybe the students sitting there were
smarter than I was and ran from the room at top speed. Maybe I
could...no. I need the credit hours.

Wah!

Oh..wait! There she is, my hope, my saviour! She's sitting
right next to me, how could I be so blind as to forget her, she'll
make everything all better, she'll protect me from the threat
of..Education. She'll...she'll...she's taking notes?

Damn these dark forces for corupting her so! I will free you
my Willow!

I open my notebook and select a cool, clean, piece of paper.
This I slowly, and quietly tear out, blah..I hate those little pieces
of paper that get stuck in the metal loops. Grrr... Ahh..there we go.

What to do ..what to do... I casually peek out of the corner
of my eyes at Willow. She's still bent over her notebook, carefully
and laboriously taking very, precise notes. Aha! Got it.

I write my thoughts quickly and slide the paper over so it
bumps into her elbow. It takes a few seconds for her to notice it. She
glances up, see's the paper and reads the note.

'Nice Sweater.'

And indeed it is a very nice sweater. I've been working very
hard to get my Willow to wear clothing that is a just a tad more
risque. The aformentioned sweater is an excellent example of
compromise. Warm, fuzzy and just the nicest shade of light blue, with
a line of slightly darker blue buttons running up the front. It's also
very, very tight. When I first got it for her and she tried it on she
swore it was trying to strangle her, but these days it's her favorite.

Willow writes down her response and slides the paper back to
me.

'Thanks.'


I feel a tingle of mischivious energies ripple along my spine.
This'll beat those classroom doledrums for sure!

I scribble out another message on the same piece of paper and
I slide it back to Willow.

Willow casually glances at the new words on the paper.. and
her face goes bright red! She shoots me a look of exasperation and
then quickly hugs the paper to her chest while making sure no one
around us happened to read it over her shoulder, eyes darting around
the room. After a few minutes, interupted by repeated furitive glances
around, she puts the paper back on the desk, carefully smooths out the
wrinkles as best she can and picks up her pen.


The paper slowly slides across the desk back to me and I think
I Willow's hand is trembling just an eensy, teensy bit.

I glance at the words she wrote.

'With your teeth?? Can you do that?'

I look up from the paper and see Willow staring at me wil a
small smile creeping about her lips. I answer her question by clicking
my teeth together a few times in her direction. She covers her mouth
with both hands to muffle the giggle. Her cheeks are burning bright
red again too. She's such a cutie.

Willow reaches out, grabs the piece of paper and writes out
another note before sliding it back.

'Where do you want to have lunch?'

Ah, a serious question. Trying to change the subject are we?
Naughty, naughty! Can't have you spoiling my fun now Wiccan-mine. Need
to think..what would ..ah. Got it.

I quickly write, 'It's not a question of where, but a question
of what.' and I slide the paper back to her.

This time she has to stifle the surprised yelp that almost
bursts from her throat and she does sit bolt upright in her seat. Eyes
spinning wildly she looks around afraid that anyone will have noticed
her outburst. But no, the spell of the Evil Proffessor of Doom is a
powerful one and everyone else seems to have lapsed into some sort of
vegetative state. Thank God for innduendo! It probably saved my soul.

Willow's staring at me again with a fake 'I'm cranky' look on
her face. Lower lip sticking out just a little bit, a little crease
which is scrunching her eyebrows together but I can tell she's just
playing from the tiny crinkles around her eyes. She lets out a barely
audible 'hmph' and crosses her arms in a deliberate gesture. She does
it again a few more times to make sure I get the point. 'Hmph!'

I smile, time to throw some fuel on the fire!!

I poke her gently on the shoulder.

"Hmph!" She hmphs again.

I poke.

A more forceful Hmph is my reward.

Poke.

"Hmph Hmph!!" Crosses the arms.

Poke, poke.

She gives a resigned sigh and faces me.

Smiliing wickedly, I point at her then back at me while
slowwwllly licking my lips. Then, with exaggerated movements I rub my
tummy.

Willow's jaw is just hanging open. Her eyes are very, very big
as well...every few seconds a tiny squeak manages to escape her
throat. I hold up a finger over my lips and pantomine going 'ssshhhh'.

"eek." She says.

More fuel.

Glance around quick, good, no one's paying attention.

I slowly, slowly...bring my fingers up and kiss the tips
one..by..one then reach out and touch her cheek quickly but softly.

"eek!" She says again.

Now she's really red.

I smile and wink at her.

Her hand dives for the pen, there's a moment of furious
scribbling and the paper, now fairly drowning in notes has new words
for me to read.

'You're a meanie!!' With the word meanie underlined three
times.

I nonchalantly pick up my own pen and write back:

'Where do you want to have lunch?'

I smile sweetly, takes a few seconds but I resist the urge to
bat my eyelashes. I settle for trying to look all sweet and innocent.

"Eek!"

Now I have to try not to laugh out loud. This is fun.

She scribbles another note.

'You are such a meanie!' This time both 'such' and 'meanie'
have been underlined more than once.

I write back. 'Sorry. How can I make it up to you.' She's
putty in my hands.

Aww..I don't get an eek this time.

Uh...oh...uh oh..I know that look.. Willow cannot look sultry
on purpose if she tries but when she doesn't want too she does,
really, really well. And right now that accidental 'Sultry' look is
burning across the space between us to nail me right between the eyes.

The paper slides across the desk toward me and now the sound
of paper grinding across plastic coated wood is very, very loud. I'm
sure someone had to have heard that but a quick glance around the room
confirms that no one is paying attention to anything, including the
proffessor.

"...must reiterate that body language is another primary
factor in communication that is woefully underappreciated and that it,
not verbal communication, can be used to convey meanings and messages
that would be impossible with just the limitations of the spoken
word..."

I tune the proffessor out and look at Willow. Flushed cheeks,
eyes very, very bright, small smile dancing on her lips. Yay body
language!

I look at the newest words on the paper.

'I'm sure I can think of something.'

I raise an eyebrow. This is rather daring of her...let's see
how far she wants to play.

I write back, 'Like?'

I slide the paper over to her. She reads. She looks at me. She
smiles. I'm in trouble.

She pretends to think about it for a minute. Tapping the tip
of her pen against her lower lip eyes looking everywhere but at me.
She hmmm's quietly a few times, every once in a while shaking her head
as if dismissing a thought. Finally pen dips to paper and her hand
moves the latest note across the desk to me.

'Buy me a mocha!'

What? What?? Ooooh.. is she ever going to get it!!

'Now you're being the meanie!' I write back.

She reads it and almost giggles aloud again.

The paper slides over to me again and I read...

'Well, you could do more than just buy me a mocha.'

I smile, this is more like it, I write again. 'Like?' and
slide the paper back.

Her pen moves across the paper and she slides it back to me.
Slide, write, slide, write..this _is_ fun. Reminds me of high school.
Course if the proffesor catches us and I have to read it I'll eat the
paper first! I read her words.

'You could buy me two mochas!'

I shoot a glare at Willow but she's not paying attention to
me. Indeed she's again looking like the perfect student. Eyes fixed on
the teacher, pen dancing across her notebook as she takes notes. It's
only the doodles she's actaully drawing and the green eyes peeking at
me from underneath red hair, and the small smile still being worn,
that tell me otherwise.

Then the bell rings.

"...chapters two and three to prepare for the next lesson.
I'll see you all Thursday." The teacher concludes.

"Willow!" I say loudly lurching to my feet. "You are such the
Ex-Wiccan!!"

Lauging Willow grabs her books and stuffs them in her bag.
"You'll have to catch me first Slayer!" Then she sticks her tounge out
at me, and runs for the exit. I'm still standing behind my desk in a
mild state of shock. She reaches the door, turns, winks and, making
sure again no one is too nearby, and pats her ass in my direction
then she bolts out the door.

I love body language.

I take off after her.