FIC: Deterioration (2/?)

["Shannon" <lusty_wrong_feelings@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Author: Shannon
Rating: G - PG. I'm not going anywhere perverted with little kids!!
Disclaimer: Joss is a lucky, lucky man.
Summary: AU Buffy & Co. They're in 1st grade. I'm gonna make with the
couples, but the couples *I* want. Buffy/Willow, Xander/Anya,
Tara/Spike, Giles/Joyce.

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"Now, can anyone spell the word, 'house'?" Willow's hand shot up, and
Mr. Giles rubbed his temples. She had answered every single one of
his spelling questions, and he was hoping for someone else to answer.
He spotted Buffy with the side of her head on the table, and smiled
to himself. "Buffy." Her head shot up off the table, and she blinked
a few times. "Yes?" Mr. Giles suppressed a grin. "Spell 'house',
please." Buffy gulped. She wasn't very good with all this school
stuff. "Umm... H-O... W..." She looked at Mr. Giles for approval,but
his face was blank. Willow turned around in her seated and decided to
help her out. "U-S-E," she tried to mime to her. Buffy tried
again. "Okay, H-O...U-S..." She scrunched her face up trying to see
what Willow was saying. "...E?" Mr. Giles rolled his eyes. It wasn't
exactly what he had in mind. "Very good, Buffy. Perhaps next time,
Willow will face the front?" Willow realised she was gazing at
Buffy's face, and turned around in her seat, blushing as red as her
hair.

Just then, the final bell rang, and all 6 children squealed. Buffy
dropped her head back down onto the table. She couldn't believe how
much school made her sleepy! She felt a tap on her shoulder, and
turned around, expecting to find William. She was surprised when it
was actually the pretty girl with long red hair! Willow waved to her
awkwardly, and shifted from foot to foot. Buffy stood up
quickly. "Thanks for helping me out there. I'm not too good with
school stuff." She looked at her shoes, embarrassed. "Well, if you
wanna come to my house one day I can... y'know, help you out with
some stuff. My mommy says I'm really smart. Oh! I don't mean it like
that, I just meant that if you wanted I could help you!" Buffy
giggled. She talked lots. Willow looked down sheepishly. "Mommy also
says I babble." Buffy smiled at her. "It's okay... I think it's
cute." Willow blushed and looked at her feet again. When she looked
up, Buffy was still looking at her.

"Buffy!" Buffy shook her head and wondered why she was staring at
Willow when she her her mom call her. "Willow, I gotta go. I'll see
you tomorrow okay? I'd love to come over sometime." Buffy smiled at
her new friend, then remembered her mother. "Dawnie! Did you bring
Dawnie, mom?" Joyce laughed. It was just like Buffy to want to see
her sister more than her mother. Buffy turned around and saw Dawn in
her mothers arms. She ran over to her mom and took Dawn over to
William and Mr. Giles. "Hey William! This is my sister." she said
proudly. William looked over at her and Buffy saw his eyes get
bigger. "Wow," he said, "Can I hold her?" Buffy looked at her mom,
who had followed her over, and she nodded. "Okay, but be very, very
careful." Buffy handed her sister over to the little boy, and Dawn
immediately started trying to grab the drawstring on his jacket.
Buffy giggled. "I think she wants to play." Dawn smiled up at the
person whose arms she was in. Buffy grinned broadly. "She likes you."
Buffy looked up at her mother to see if she was getting ready to go,
but she was talking about boring stuff with her teacher.

She and William started walking away with Dawn to go play with some
toys. They sat down near some blocks, and William passed Dawn back to
Buffy. "Here, Buffy. She's getting a little bit heavy." Buffy smiled,
and took her sister. She tried to cradle her in her arms, but Dawn
was kicking, and obviously didn't want to be held. Buffy decided to
lie her on her back on the ground, like her mom always did. She gave
Dawn a large-sized block and she happily started sucking on it. When
Buffy was content that it wouldn't fit inside her mouth, she turned
to William. "William... can I ask ya something?" William nodded
uncertainly. "Okay, sure..." Buffy eyed him. "Do you promise to tell
the truth? Absoluf- Absolun- Really?" She struggled over the big
words, and settled on a smaller one. William nodded. "Only if I can
ask you one after." Buffy nodded. "Okay. Do you like Tara?" William's
cheeks got red again, but he answered. A promise was a
promise. "Yes." Buffy eyes widened. "Really?" She'd never known a boy
who liked another girl. William grinned. No matter how funny it made
him feel, it was good to tell someone. "Now I get to ask you a
question."

Dawn suddenly became very interesting to her older sister. Dawn had
long since discarded the block, and had become fascinated with her
toes, the nails of which Buffy had painted purple the night before.
Buffy sighed. Her sister wasn't being very helpful. "Okay." William
looked over at their parents to make sure they weren't going to hear
anything. It wasn't likely, they'd both sat down. "Do you like
Willow?" Buffy began to fidget. "Sure. She's super nice. She's going
to help me with my schoolwork." Buffy smiled brightly, and William
shook his head. "I mean, do you like her like I like Tara?" Buffy
shrugged. "I don't know. Did you ever do a play in kindergarten?"
William nodded. "Well, you know how your tummy got all tingly just
before it started? That what my tummy does when I see her." William
was listening intently. "Wow..." he murmured. Buffy was staring off
into space, when she heard her name being called.

"Buffy? Buffy Anne Summers, don't you ignore me!" Buffy snapped her
head back at the sound of her full name, and cringed at her mom's
tone. She put on her best puppy dog face and looked at her
mother. "Sorry, Mommy. I didn't mean to." She looked up at her mom
with wide, innocent eyes, and Joyce's face softened. "Honey, pick
Dawnie up. We're going home now." Buffy looked at William, then
turned back to her mom. "Aw, okay." She picked her sister up, and
walked towards her mother. "Bye, William. See you tomorrow. Bye Mr.
Giles." William stood up and walked over to his father. "Bye, Buff."
Mr. Giles shook Joyce's hand. "It was lovely to meet you, Mrs.
Summers." Joyce returned the handshake warmly. "Please, call me
Joyce." Mr. Giles smiled. "Only if you'll call me Rupert." Buffy and
William exchanged a look. Their parents were begin super-
weird. "Mom?" Buffy had finally gotten Dawn to calm down, and was
waiting expectantly. "Oh, yes. Come on, Buffy. Goodbye Mr-- Rupert."
Rupert smiled. "Have a nice night, Joyce. Goodbye, Buffy. I shall see
you tomorrow." Buffy was already out the door, baby-talking to her
sister.