Innocence.
The first time she sees him, he's quietly colouring next to her.
"The grass isn't purple, it's green," she had whispered, wisdom in her voice. She had even taken the green crayon and offered it to him.
He had merely looked her up and down and then calmly pointed out that if she could have red hair when his was black, then he could have his purple grass.
Willow had thought it over and realised he was right.
Which meant she was wrong.
Which meant something new and different and scary.
Which meant she had to know more about it.
Betrayal.
The first time she kisses him it's like falling headlong into cold water.
The fall is amazing for the first seconds. Sleeping Beauty just woke up and is ready to begin living as she never did before.
It feels like it can never end.
But it ends and all left is cold betrayal.
She cannot breathe for several seconds. The princess just realised that the world has changed and Prince Charming isn't who he claims to be.
It was only the clothes, he says, a fluke!
Again, like she'd always done, she lets him sweep his mistake under the carpet.
Some Sort of Understanding.
The first time they make love the world has almost ended.
There are parts in herself she needs to reconnect with and he is one of them.
He's the one who was always at her side; always supporting and accepting her even if he never really understood. Today he has almost sacrificed himself for her and she knows that nobody would do it as selflessly as he did.
That's why when the grieving hug turns into an awkward kiss, she doesn't stop it. Finally, for the very first time, he understands her, because he doesn't even try to pull apart.