Waking Will
Disclaimer: I don't own W.i.t.c.h. or any of the characters.
Time Period: Six years after the end of the second season. Four months prior to "Prelude". Set in August.
"Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey!" Matt called out, tugging the blinds open so sunlight could leak into the room he shared with Will.
The girl in question was nestled in a sea of royal blue linens. She hauled the sheets over her head to block the luminous rays before they caused a prickle of pain in her eyes. In her state of semi-slumber she halfway comprehended his words.
"'Kay, Matt. You bake. I go… 'leep," Will said, her voice thick from grogginess.
"Not on my watch, Will. Don't you wanna do something today?"
"Yeahhhh," she drawled, yawning loudly, "sleep. Go 'way."
"Nooo," he said, "not 'til you wake up."
"'m awake, no thanks to you. Saturday. Sleep all day. Ouuuttt!" she groaned, shutting her eyes tightly. Will shifted, firmly clutching the sheets, pulling them towards her head and creating an invader-proof cocoon.
This provoked Matt. He dove onto the bed, making it tremble, and scooted over to the lump that was Will. He smirked, planting himself on top of her, jerking the sheets out of her grasp, and exposing her in one swift motion. Her fiery hair was a chaotic mop on her head, reminding him of his mother's old Raggedy Ann dolls. Underneath her short, disarrayed locks he could make out an acerbic scowl. Her eyebrows were drawn together in aggravation.
"You can kiss my – "
"Ass? Sure! I will!" he retorted with a mischievous grin, maneuvering over her body so he could slip into the linens behind her.
"Don't. You. Dare." she growled, smacking his back as he advanced. She shot up and grabbed him by the middle, tugging him down beside her. He wormed his way out of her hold anyway and slid into his desired spot, embracing her and resting his chin on her shoulder instead of following through with his word. She settled against him and closed her eyes.
"Nuh uh. Get up, sleeping beauty."
"Hate you."
"You're not living up to your nickname, you little devil," Matt whispered into her ear.
"Don't care," Will grumbled.
"C'mon, Will. We should get outta the house and do something. Together."
"We can sleep together."
"Woah! Babe! You're awfully frisky for a tired girl!"
"Not that way, idiot." She roughly kicked his shin.
"And you call me the glutton for punishment. That's just asking for trouble." Matt smiled playfully, rolling Will onto her back, his focus darting to her abdomen.
Her eyes expanded as she calculated his next move. "Don't even think about – " her warning trailed off when he pushed her pajama shirt to the top of her stomach and began sprinkling kisses onto her skin. Will shivered, her breath hitching in her throat. She internally cursed him for exploiting her weakness. He glanced up at her briefly, his sneer showing that he relished the manipulation and then resumed the act. Letting out another groan, she squirmed beneath him. "Maaatt! Knock it off!"
He stopped, gazing at her again. "Are you up? For good?"
"Yeah, yeah. I'm up, I'm up. Happy now?" He smiled smugly, nodding and straightening her shirt. She returned his smile with a small one and sat up, hugging him around the stomach. He held her to him, stroking her hair out of her face. Their lips met in a tender, minute long good morning kiss.
"Morning, beautiful," he murmured once she had broken the kiss and her hand was rubbing his back.
"Morning."
"Sleep well? Or should I ask?"
"Yeah," she laughed. "How long have you been up torturing the world with your presence?"
"Only an hour. So far the world's in good shape."
"That's surprising."
"Life's full of surprises."
"Speaking of shockers, have you made breakfast?"
"No. I was waiting for my Wilma to get up and burden the world with her presence." Will cringed at the use of her full name, ignoring the temptation to grab her pillow and strike Matt. She settled for gently slapping his back instead.
"Don't, Matthew!"
Now it was Matt's turn to cringe. "Yes, ma'am."
"What's the plan for breakfast?"
"Dunno. I was thinking pancakes."
"Sounds good. What'll be in them?"
"Whatever you want. Chocolate chips, bananas, me."
"Ewww! Thanks but no thanks. I'll take the chocolate chips and bananas," she said with a smirk. "I'll have you tonight."
"Awww. Why not now?"
"Because I want my pancakes. A girl needs her food. And I wanna do something today, too."
"Cool. I'll get started on breakfast and check on Dozey. You two could be sisters."
"Shut it. I've got Thor." Will pecked him, freeing herself from his hold so she could get dressed. She strode over to their closet in the front of the room and flicked through her outfits, pausing when Matt came up from behind and laid a hand on her shoulder.
"See you in a bit, Will. Don't take too long picking an outfit," he joked, poking fun at his girlfriend's more feminine side.
"It's only been three years, rocker boy," she rejoined, turning around. She rolled onto her tiptoes and ruffled his hair.
"You don't hear me objecting." He grinned, affectionately squeezing her shoulder and leaving the room.
Will laughed at Matt's comment as she selected a flattering blue and pink striped henley shirt and jeans. The more effeminate part of her personality had finally emerged at age seventeen when she forgave her father and became more in touch with her emotions.
Of course, being Will, she wasn't as emotional as some of the girls her age, but it was no longer unusual to see Will expressing her anxieties. Tears trickled down her cheeks when she felt distressed from time to time. She talked through problems with her friends or Matt with her head on one of their shoulders as opposed to shrugging off her turmoil. However, in spite of her vulnerability, she still maintained her independence.
These changes came along with a slightly more glamorous Will, who wore more figure fitting shirts and sweaters as well as the occasional denim skirt. Make-up wasn't a part of her daily routine and she wasn't up to par with Cornelia when it came to "girliness", but she valued her looks more than she used to, something that Matt all but minded.
Deserting her thoughts, Will pulled the shirt over her head and shimmied into the jeans. She flung her pajamas on the floor, wading through the pile of clothes that littered the gray carpet, kicking aside pairs of Matt's boxers, pants, and various articles of her own clothing until she reached Thor's kennel. Will unlocked the cool, metal door, pulling it open and freeing the unusually petite German shepherd.
Thor, who was eager to be liberated, dashed out of his cage and jumped onto Will, splaying his front legs onto her thighs. She chortled, patting the soft fur on his head and crooning to him. "How are you, boy? Long night? Why didn't your dad let you out? You must've been sleepin', huh?" The dog panted excitedly in way of response and she scratched behind his ears. He shifted back onto all fours, upholding an air of calm for a few moments.
Then, when Will was least expecting it, Thor leaped onto her with all of the hyperactive might he could muster. She stumbled, letting out a strangled, "Agh!" as she toppled backwards into another random heap of Matt's clothes.
A moment before Thor began licking her face Will cheerily realized this was her beau's week to do the laundry. These chipper thoughts vanished as Thor overtook her, his tongue warm and wet against her forehead, cheeks, and chin. "Thorrrr!" she cried in hilarity, her body writhing as she giggled. "Thor! Knock it off, boy!"
Predictably enough, the excitable dog ignored her pleas and continued doling out affection onto Will, licking her neck and then returning to her face, running his tongue along her nose, which she scrunched in reaction. She continued to struggle against Thor, laughing and tolerating his burst of energy until her stomach lurched. She was then reminded of her waiting pancake breakfast, and more importantly, the necessity to free herself from the animal's clutches.
"Thor, stop! Now!" she commanded in a firm tone, hoping he would oblige her, but he didn't obey. Will's earlier giggles had placed her in a less than favorable position. "Stop! Down!" she tried again hopefully. Will gently pushed Thor off of her and started to sit up, only to be shoved back down again. She resumed her scolding in an unwavering voice, but try as she might, the dog would not surrender.
Sighing, and not wanting to endure the rest of Thor's outburst, she used the damsel in distress act as an undesired last resort. "Matt! MATT! Get your butt up here – " her yells were punctuated by laughter. "Thor got me again!"
She heard bounding footsteps, and a few moments later, Will saw her boyfriend out of the corner of her eye. Matt's lips were curved into an impish smile and his eyes were filled with mischief. Clearly his assistance was going to come at a price.
"C'mon, babe! You're the Guardian. You can handle it. Fight that big, scary monster!" he teased, leering and laughing at her. She flipped him off, shot him a glower, and stuck her tongue out. "You can take him, you big, tough girl! Use your quintessence, Wilma Almighty!"
"You better get comfortable on the living room couch, Olsen, 'cause that's where you'll be sleeping tonight if you don't help me!" Will snarled through gritted teeth as Thor gave her cheek another series of licks.
"Okay, okay. Geez! Calm down. I'm on it. Thor, get down! Now!" Matt ordered, his voice authoritative. Thor complied, moving away from Will and letting her up. Will rose, snatching up one of Matt's shirts from the floor and using it to towel off her face and neck. She hastily threw it down once she was done, approached Matt, and roughly punched him in the shoulder.
"Now, now, Angel, that's what we call boyfriend abuse." He shook his pointer finger at her in mock scolding.
"Like I can call you my boyfriend. That's it! No sex for a week!"
"Don't do that. You loooove me!"
"No, I haaaate you!"
"No, you don't!"
"Why shouldn't I hate you?"
"Why? Because of this…" Matt wound his arms around Will's waist and drew her in for a sweet kiss, his mouth tender as it caressed hers. She succumbed to him, her body melding to his as he finger combed her hair with one hand and rubbed her back with the other. She internally damned him for engaging in saccharine gestures she couldn't resist, but clasped her hands at the nape of his neck anyway, returning the kiss.
A pout formed on her lips when he broke away unexpectedly, and her hand instinctively moved to his chin, preparing to pull him back in, just as she always did when she was unsatisfied. She dropped it to his back as soon he rested his forehead against hers. They stood there in the silence and peace until Will's hunger made its presence known. Matt laughed softly and caressed her stomach, causing her to tremble again.
"Breakfast?" he questioned, gesturing to the open bedroom door.
"Yeah. Get your hand away from my stomach or else I'll electrocute it," she admonished. He winced at the thought and removed his other hand as if she had already followed through with her threat.
Will let go of him and departed the room with Matt not far behind. She made a brief detour to the adjacent room, which served the purpose of housing their pet dormice Mr. Huggles and his girlfriend Dozey. She gave the two slumbering rodents a few pats and left, striding through the short hallway that led to their kitchen. Matt was standing at the counter in the front of the room. His eyes were intently focused on the griddle that stood on the counter top.
Will felt gracious as she watched Matt flip one of the pancakes with a spatula. He did so much for her. She knew she did the same, judging from his reaction when she gave him massages after their long shifts at his grandfather's pet store on weekends or days they didn't have college classes. She could also tell her actions were appreciated in other ways. He would always kiss her when she made him hot chocolate after his lengthy study sessions, and would hold her close on the couch as he told her (and showed her) how much she meant to him.
Matt, being the gentle soul that he was, ensured these gestures were returned, but there was a small part of Will that wished she could reciprocate the favor when he cooked for her. It was a simple yet meaningful action, and it spoke volumes of his personality.
Grinning, Will decided to express her gratitude for the gesture. She hooked her arms around Matt's back, hugging him from behind. Easing up onto the balls of her feet, she pressed a kiss to the back of his neck. The smile on her face expanded when he reposed into her.
"Feeling affectionate?"
"Uh huh." Will rested her chin on his shoulder, watching as he rotated another pancake filled with the small drops of chocolate and almost paper thin banana slices. The movement of the spatula was smooth, something she found uncharacteristic and peculiar, since Matt had the tendency to be clumsy, but his awkwardness hadn't carried over to the kitchen.
She continued to watch attentively as he flipped the rest of the pancakes, letting go of him when he needed to plate them. Instead of bringing their breakfast to the table once he was done, he left the plate on the marble counter and turned to her. His hands settled on her shoulders and he beamed at her. "You're acting like my angel again," he said. The compliment was partly joking but mostly true.
"Can't help it. It's because you're such a great boyfriend. I kinda care about you, y'know? Just a little." Will winked, embracing him again and resting her head on his chest. Her body felt light as he clutched her near.
"I kinda care about you, too." Matt smiled. "It's much more than that, but you already know that."
"'Course I do." She nodded, raising her head and giving him a light kiss on the lips.
"On that happy note, we feast... On the best pancakes ever." Matt grinned, releasing her, grabbing the plate, and seating himself at the table. Will gathered utensils and milk, occupying her spot next to him. He laughed softly when she took her first bite of pancake, her eyes widening, creating the start of a lighthearted meal. The two enjoyed their breakfast engaging in discussion about their friends and school.
Once they had finished eating, Will pulled Matt onto her lap, and the two snuggled contentedly in her chair for a few minutes, stealing a little more relaxation before they left their apartment. Matt caused Will to beam when he complimented her outfit choice by calling her gorgeous. He made her smile seductively when he told her he couldn't wait to remove the same clothes that evening. While the two sat there, they enjoyed each other's company, friendship, and love. They reveled in the laughs and smiles that would always bring them a sense of fulfillment, no matter what.
Author's Note: I thought it'd be funny if Matt had to rescue Will because she generally hates relying on him. Will becoming more emotionally vulnerable and letting her girly side show was something Sweetbriar and I have been discussing in messages. She brought up Will embracing the girly side of her personality as a result of her vulnerability and I agreed with her theory. I figured it'd be awesome character development for Will. I love her fierce side, I really, really do, but it wouldn't kill her to rely on people for support. And she can do that while still being self sufficient. It's not hard at all. So, all credit (regarding Will's new girlier side) goes to you, Sweetbriar! Thank you so much for the inspiration! I love our conversations. They're insightful, deep, and fun.
I'd also like to thank heartofblades for pointing out that Mr. Huggles' lifespan would exceed that of an average dormouse because he has magic instilled in him. You saved him from a death at the hands of this fanfiction writer. Not that he won't die eventually... -cries- And yes, you read correctly, folks, Mr. Huggles has a girlfriend. Cheesy idea, but cute.
The line "Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey" also does not belong to me. It is used in both Kill Bill Volume Two and House of 1,000 Corpses. I should've included that in the disclaimer, but I didn't because I didn't want to make it too lengthy. That's what author's notes are for! ;)