Fic: Subterfuge (11-13/?)

[inell@xxxxxxx]

Title: Subterfuge
Author: Inell
Email: Inell@xxxxxxx
Disclaimer: Joss owns them all
Distribution: My site, Kiss or Kill, 
http://members.fortunecity.com/kissorkill Anyone that has permission, take. 
Otherwise, just ask.
Rating: R
Pairing: Willow/Buffy


SUBTERFUGE (11-13/?)


Buffy studied Willow from beneath lowered lashes as the she moved her straw 
in her drink. They had met Anya and Xander at the Bronze for a before patrol 
drink and some relaxing time. Only, she wasn't relaxing. Something was on 
Willow's mind. She knew the redhead well enough to see it. She just had no 
idea what it could be. And, it seemed that Willow wasn't ready to talk about 
it. She sighed before leaning down and taking a drink. Unrequited love was a 
bitch, she decided. She was Willow's best friend, which gave her some rights 
and privileges. Unfortunately, it didn't give her permission to pry or insist 
that Willow talk to her. True, she could try, but she knew that Willow would 
just smile and tell her that everything was perfect. It was damn annoying.

"Buffy, they're dead," Xander said stoically.

"Huh?" Buffy looked up, blinking as she was dragged from her thoughts.

"Your ice," he pointed, a smile crossing his face, "you've managed to slay 
them."

With a glance down she saw that the cubes had melted quickly due to her 
energetic stirring, a sheepish smile crossing her face as she said, "Would 
you believe that they were evil and had plans to take over the town?"

Willow laughed softly as she shook her head, "Sorry, slayer. That theory 
doesn't wash."

"Honey, I want to dance," Anya said, seeing from Buffy's obvious discomfort 
that she didn't want to talk about whatever was bothering her. Willow had 
been quiet all night too, making for a rather boring evening out. She saw 
Buffy shoot her a grateful smile and felt a small smile cross her face in 
response. It was rather strange, sharing secret smiles with someone she 
called friend.

"Sure," Xander said, taking a quick gulp from his soda before following his 
lover onto the small dance floor.

"Anya must be real bored if she actually wants Xander to dance," Willow said 
with an amused smile as she watched her friends begin to dance.

"Yeah," Buffy said, deciding that if Willow could give her one word responses 
all day then she could do the same. Let her worry for a change. She had woken 
up by five, going for an early morning run before heading home to shower and 
get dressed. By seven, she had cereal and orange waiting for Dawn and Willow. 
Her sister had eaten then run to catch her bus. Willow had smiled but hardly 
spoken the remainder of the day. They'd met for lunch, a new routine over the 
past few weeks. Again, she'd carried most of the conversation while Willow 
had spoken up every little bit when she wasn't staring into space with a 
thoughtful statement on her pretty face. When Xander had called to ask them 
to the Bronze, she'd honestly expected Willow to refuse.

Willow looked at Buffy, waiting for more. When Buffy just leaned back and 
watched the dancers, she frowned. It wasn't like Buffy to not elaborate. She 
pushed her problems with Glory to the side for the moment as she asked 
softly, "Is everything OK, Buff?"

"Perfect," Buffy said with a fake smile as she kept her hazel eyes on Anya 
and Xander. She rolled her eyes as Xander gave them a big wave before Anya 
pushed his arm back down.

Willow felt her lips twitch as she sighed dramatically, "I don't think I've 
been that bad today. You have to be exaggerating."

Buffy glanced at her, raising her eyebrow as she said, "Nope."

"Buffy, quit that," Willow said, trying to conceal a giggle without success, 
"I'm sorry I've been distracted today, but I know I've said more than one 
word. Your point has been made."

"What point?" Buffy blinked innocently though a smile crossed her face, "I 
never said a word."

"I know you," Willow reminded with a smile.

"Yeah, you do," Buffy's smile softened as she looked at Willow with love 
before looking away. "Anything I can help you with?"

"No," Willow shook her head, "just some things I need to work out for myself. 
I'm sorry if I worried you."

"It's OK. I worry pretty easily lately," Buffy admitted, poking her drink 
with her straw as the band began a new set.

"Come on," Willow took her friend's hand as she stood, a smile on her face as 
Buffy looked at her with a questioning look. "I want to dance."

"With me?" Buffy tried to hide her surprise and happiness though a large 
smile covered her face.

"Why not?" Willow asked with a shrug.

"Yeah," Buffy stood, her fingers curling around Willow's hand as she led the 
redhead to the dance floor beside Anya and Xander, "Why not?"

********************

Willow looked at Buffy and smiled shyly, wondering what had possessed her to 
ask the slayer to dance. At the time, it had seemed absolutely normal. Now, 
though, standing on the dance floor, there could definitely be a moment of 
awkwardness. The music was fast with a good beat, some band that she couldn't 
identify. She watched Buffy begin to move, acting as if their dancing 
together was something that happened all the time. With a smile, Willow 
followed her best friend's example, deciding she was thinking too much. She 
had been a lot of that lately. She began to move, laughing as Xander and Anya 
moved to their side, the four of them dancing in a bit of a square. Then, the 
music changed.

A sultry voice began to sing about love and want, the music changing to a 
haunting tune. She looked at Buffy from under her lashes, expecting the 
slayer to move to sit. Instead, Buffy was looking at her, watching. She 
glanced over and saw Anya and Xander dancing closely, Anya's head on Xander's 
shoulder, her eyes closed. They looked happy, caught up in their own world. 
She felt a hand on hers, knowing that it was Buffy. She looked at her friend, 
giving her a smile as she allowed herself to be pulled closer towards the 
blonde. Their bodies fit perfectly, Willow being just slightly taller than 
her friend. She felt Buffy's hand move behind her back, resting above her 
butt. Just a little lower and Buffy would be touching...stop it, Willow, she 
scolded herself. Now was not the time or the place to begin getting squidgy 
feelings for her best friend. She counted to ten, calming her nerves as she 
tried to figure out where to put her hands.

"Willow, just dance," Buffy said softly, feeling the tension in her friend.

Willow sighed as she let her hand rest on Buffy's hip, the other laying 
across the slayer's shoulder. She moved closer, not thinking about the soft 
fullness of Buffy's breasts brushing against hers, about the smell of peaches 
and vanilla that surrounded Buffy, about anything except the music. They 
began to move slowly, Buffy's warm breath against her neck, the blonde's hand 
on her hip, fingers holding her through the thin material of her shirt. 
Willow let her head fall, her cheek on Buffy's shoulder as they moved closer, 
the music making them move. Willow's eyes closed as they danced, not noticing 
when Buffy's hand drifted down her back, resting on the soft swell of her 
ass. Nor did she noticed Buffy laying her head against her shoulder, a small 
smile on the blonde's face as they moved.

Someone else did notice though. Across the room, a glass broke. Glory stood 
up, moving towards the dance floor. She ignored the cuts on her hand made 
from the breaking glass, her eyes focused on the two girls swaying to the 
erotic music. She'd warned Willow to stay away from Buffy. Threatened her. 
Yet, here they were, dancing together in front of the entire world. Did 
Willow doubt the sincerity of her threats? Was she not aware of who she was 
playing with? Well, Glory decided, if she didn't know before, she certainly 
would now. The gloves were coming off. It was time to win this silly game, 
slayer be damned.

Glory smiled as she turned, her eyes flashing gold as she moved towards the 
entrance. She'd spent enough time waiting, seducing. She'd never been one for 
games. It was time to find that damn key and get out of this world. She was 
tired of it all. The smell, the people, the air. It all bothered her. Soon, 
she would be home. Away from the stench of humans. She glanced back at the 
dance floor, easily finding Willow. With a soft laugh, she whispered, "Enjoy 
the dance now, Willow. Soon, we'll be going home," before turning and 
leaving, the door shutting silently behind her.

********************

"I don't know. I think things have been too quiet lately," Buffy was saying, 
shaking her head as the four walked through the park.

"Is there such a thing as too quiet?" Xander asked, shaking his head. "No, 
there isn't."

"No Glory news is good news, isn't it?" Anya asked, watching as Buffy 
shrugged.

"I don't know. I tend to think that the quieter they are, the more you have 
to fear," Buffy made a face. "She could be working on some huge plan and we 
wouldn't even know it."

"Way to think positive happy thoughts there, Buff," Xander scolded. "Bad 
slayer."

"I won't be happy or positive until the bitch is gone," Buffy said, sighing. 
"This not knowing what to expect is getting to me."

"She won't get the key," Willow said softly, not using Dawn's name for fear 
of being overheard. "We'll keep it safe."

"I know," Buffy smiled at her friend, wondering if Willow had felt anything 
like she had during their dance. If so, the redhead was good at hiding it. "I 
just don't like having someone around that is a threat to my friends and 
family. Makes me feel, I don't know, helpless."

"You're not even close to helpless, Buffy," Willow assured her as they 
reached the end of their block. "Night Xander, Anya."

Xander hugged her and Buffy before he and Anya continued down the street to 
their apartment. Buffy and Willow continued to walk silently.

"So," Buffy started just as Willow said, "well," Both girls laughed as they 
reached their house.

"You go," Willow said, smiling at Buffy.

"I was just going to see if you wanted to watch a movie, make some popcorn," 
Buffy smiled hopefully. "It's kind of early."

"That might be fun," Willow said, wondering why there were both acting so 
strange. "If Dawn is up, she can join us."

"Her room's dark, but I doubt she's sleeping," Buffy said, moving to open her 
front door. She looked down and frowned, "What's this?"

"What's what?" Willow asked, looking at the box the slayer held. Buffy opened 
it, showing a dozen blood red roses. "Wow."

"I'll second that," Buffy said, reaching into the box. "Ow," she cried out as 
her finger brushed against a thorn. She lifted her hand, seeing the blood. 
"They have thorns."

A feeling of apprehension spread over Willow as she carefully pulled out the 
card, closing her eyes briefly as she saw the blank envelope. She opened them 
as she tore open the envelope. Reading, she shook her head slowly. It simply 
said, Red~It's almost time. Are you ready for me?

"What is it?" Buffy asked, seeing the color fade from Willow's face. "Willow, 
honey, what does it say?"

"Nothing," she said, hastily wadding the card up and putting in her pocket. 
She gave Buffy a pained smile, "It was the wrong house," she lied, "meant for 
some other girl."

Buffy watched as Willow took the box, entering the house and going straight 
to the kitchen. She followed behind, confusion on her face as she watched 
Willow push the box into the trash. "Why are you throwing them out?"

"They're bad," Willow said, looking at Buffy, wishing she could explain. 
Instead, she just shook her head, "Just trust me, Buffy. We don't want them."

"OK," Buffy said hesitantly, knowing that Willow was lying to her. Someone 
had sent Willow flowers that she now wanted destroyed. What had that card 
said? Why was Willow lying? Who had sent the redhead flowers? She sighed, 
knowing she would not get any answers from the stubborn look of resolve in 
Willow's eyes.

"You're still bleeding," Willow said, moving to take Buffy's hand. "We should 
put something on that."

"It's just a scratch. A small one at that," Buffy said, rolling her eyes. She 
moved to the sink, "I'll run some cold water on it to clean it out."

As she lifted her hand, she stumbled, her vision blurring as the world began 
to tilt. She saw Willow, heard her voice, then the world went black. "Buffy!" 
Willow yelled, moving to where the slayer lay. She put her head down, hearing 
a heartbeat. She looked around, not sure who to call. Had she just fainted? 
Was there something else wrong? Before she could move, the phone was ringing. 
She stumbled to her feet, picking it up, "Hello?"

"Miss me?"

She closed her eyes as she heard the voice, knowing instantly, "What did you 
do to her?"

"Aw, little slayer had a fall," Glory said, laughing softly.

"What did you do?" Willow demanded, tears on her face as she looked at the 
unconscious blonde.

"I warned you, Willow. What's mine stays mine," Glory said, her tone sharp. 
"Did you not understand?"

"Please, what did you do?"

"Did you like the flowers? I knew that bitch would reach without looking 
first," Glory said, a note of triumph in her voice. "Should know she might 
not like what she finds."

"The thorns...you put something on them...was it poison?" Willow asked.

"You're not listening to me, too busy thinking of *her*," Glory said. "Who do 
you belong to, Willow?"

Willow remained silent, watching as Buffy breathed slowly, not sure if her 
best friend was now going to die because of her.

"Willow....answer me," Glory taunted in a sing song voice.

"You. I belong to you," Willow said in defeat, knowing that she couldn't 
resist if it meant that Buffy might die.

"If there is a next time, she won't be waking up. Consider this your free 
pass, Willow," Glory warned before hanging up.

Willow slid down the cabinet, letting the receiver fall as she pulled her 
knees to her chest and began to sob as Buffy moaned softly.