FIC: Staying Fallen

["skittles_ladyman" <skittles_ladyman@xxxxxxxxx>]

~~~Staying Fallen~~~

Disclaimers: Joss is 'god' and I am not and I just thought I'd let
you know (as not to be sued, of course.) Seriously though, I have
nothing to do with the series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", nor am I in
any way affiliated with Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN, et cetera, et
cetera, et cetera. I'm just a fan with a slightly-above-mediocre
imagination.

Spoilers: Nothing really, the quote and inspiration come from the
episode "Normal Again", Season Six.

Author's Notes: Buffy's thoughts are encased in these nifty things
{ }. I may likely write more Buffy/Willow in the future, but not in
conjunction/continuation with this. The following is simply a
slightly angsty one-time shot.

Special Notes: I've been a member here (and several other Buffy f/f
groups) for quite a while now, mostly reading fics and lurking
quietly. Sometimes I feedback, but I'm mostly too shy to do even
that. Recently, I started writing fic and posting it on
fanfiction.net in my own unique little way. As I checked my account
there tonight, I was kind of...Overjoyed, I guess I could say...To
receive such glowing feedback from the geniuses better known as Dan
and Casandra. Thank you for the support, you guys, it really means a
lot to me. Without further babbling, on to my first list-posted fic
EVER.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Once you fall for Willow, you stay fallen." -- Buffy to Willow
in "Normal Again."

~~~~~~~~~~

It's a tortuous thing to be in unrequited love...For years...With
your very best friend.

Willow smiled shyly at Buffy's compliment, her pale cheeks blushing
hotly as she instinctively tried to hide behind her too-short hair.

"How do you know?" Willow asked the slayer teasingly, a lilt in her
voice.

Panic-stricken, Buffy swallowed hard, missing the readhead's light
tone.

{All these years, suppressing my feelings, hiding my emotions, and
now I throw it all away with one well-intentioned yet completely true
comment...}

"I -- uh -- um," Buffy stuttered.

"Thanks for trying to make me feel better, Buff. But I know you don't
feel that way about me," Willow said, her thoughts never leaving the
soft-spoken sorceress. "Maybe that *was* just a friend Tara was
talking to," the recovering Wicca mused.

"Yeah, I'm sure it was, Will," Buffy replied barely above a whisper.
The blonde swallowed the lump in her throat, blinked to prevent the
tears that threatened to spill from her eyes...And silenced her true
feelings yet another time.

~~END~~