Disclaimer: We don't own these characters

Disclaimer: We don't own these characters...

This is dedicated to our best friend Urnie who has been bugging us to write fic for a long time now. We blame you for this!

Hey all, we were on a bus today and thought it would be interesting to write a fic where Willow and Tara aren't constantly screwing like bunnies. Rather, Willow has found herself stuck with the opposite problem. Enjoy!

Finding Libido

"August is so hot," Willow remarked to her girlfriend. She undid a button on her shirt and turned to gauge her reaction. There was no perceivable response so she undid another two buttons. "Aren't you hot, Tara?" Her green eyes filled with concern.

Willow turned to look at her girlfriend, awaiting a response. But Tara was rapt, her lips parted in wonder at the scene before her. She grabbed Willow's hand in excitement. "Thanks, baby. I love this!"

This was not exactly the scene Willow had in mind, following her conversation with her best-friend Buffy the day before.

"All I want is a good screw," Willow had complained. "Is that too much to ask?"

Buffy looked sympathetic. "I'll tell you what you need to do," she suggested. "Anytime that I want to get a guy in bed subtly, I invite him to watch a DVD on the sofa. I guarantee that the movie will be turned off or 'muted' by your sounds, in five minutes flat."

"I don't know how we feel about porn, Buffy," the redhead responded nervously. "Tara and I aren't really into that."

Buffy smirked. "You don't need porn, Will. Any flick will do."

Willow bit her lip. Perhaps, she reflected, Finding Nemo had been a poor choice.

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The smell wafted through the store. Willow and Tara entered, holding hands, and turned to Giles.

"I like your look," Willow exclaimed, taking in Giles' apron which was festively printed with Michelangelo's David.

Giles reddened. "You'll have to thank Xander for his impeccable taste in gifts."

Tara sniffed appreciatively. "Whatcha cookin'?"

"It's a Mediterranean risotto," Giles began, "with a white wine and pumpkin base, and garnished with portabella mushrooms. I do hope you're staying for dinner."

Willow nodded eagerly. "I know I'm hungry."

Xander walked out from behind a bookcase. "Ah, lesbians, with their insatiable hunger." He winked at Tara. "It's been a while since breakfast, hey?"

Tara smiled at Xander's attempt at a joke.

Willow studied her girlfriend, wondering what she was thinking. Truth be told, 'breakfast' had been a long, long time ago. And she was starving.

She just couldn't figure it out. Their relationship was as strong as ever, but sex had fizzled out. Tara was content with a goodnight kiss, while Willow would pray to the Goddess that tonight would be the night.

The Magic Box bell rang as Buffy rushed into the room. "Ohmigod, guys, we need to be in serious demon mode here."

Giles jumped to his feet. Having just tested the risotto, a few rice granules stuck to his upper lip, and he waved the wooden spoon in the air. "Demon?"

Buffy paused, taking in the sight. "Giles," she drawled, "since when have you gone all Queer Eye?"

Xander snickered. "Will and Tara aren't the only ones around here with a healthy appetite. Right, Mr G?"

Giles shook his head in dismay. "I would appreciate it if you refrained from making insinuations about my sexual activities. Now tell us about this demon, Buffy."

"He attacked me on my way over here. He was very suave, with long Jesus-esque hair and a sweet smile. His horn was a little odd, though. It was kinda phallic. I fought him but he had a secret weapon."

Everyone looked questioningly at her.

"Secret weapon," Xander mused. "Like his phallic horn?"

"Secret weapon?" Giles enquired, as though Xander hadn't spoken.

"Well, not so much a weapon. But there was a moment where he touched me and I felt something. It's an indescribable feeling. Not a bad one, but it took away my will to fight." She looked solemn. "And then he was gone. Don't worry, my will to fight came right back."

Giles turned abruptly towards Xander. "I want you and Buffy to return to the scene and look for any clues."

Buffy looked distasteful. "There was one more thing. He said 'I'm going to bring Sunnydale to her knees.'"

Giles shrugged. "That could mean anything. Willow and Tara, you're going to research this demon. I want any information you can find."

They nodded. Buffy peered at Giles. "What will you be doing?"

"Finishing the risotto, of course."

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"I got the best job," Willow murmured as they entered the room. "Alone with my sexy lady." She moved her fingers along Tara's arm, raking her nails sensuously over the soft flesh.

Tara grinned and busied herself with pulling books off the shelf.

Willow sat down in front of her laptop and patted the seat next to her suggestively. "Come over here, baby, I promise I'll bite."

Tara carried the pile of books over to her lover and sat down. She smiled a little uncertainly. "OK, where do we start? This first book has a nice section on 'appealing' demons. Buffy said…"

She looked up, feeling the hand move. "Baby, we're supposed to be working."

Willow exhaled noisily and removed her hand from the blond's thigh with obvious regret. "But," she leaned towards her girlfriend, "you're so tasty. I want another taste."

Tara kissed her cheek. "You're so cute," she said, "but we have work to do."

Willow obediently started a google search. Ten minutes later, she groaned loudly with frustration. "There's nothing here on Buffy's Jesus dude. And no phallic horns, either!"

"Shh." Tara's head was bent over a book. "I think I may have found something." She thumbed through the pages and then read aloud.

"Horns vary with different types of demons. They are as significant as eyes on a person, and can provide great insight into their identity. For example, the Shafted Marinus has a scaled but blunt horn. It can't hurt a fly, much like the demon itself." Tara tapped her girlfriend impatiently. "This is it, listen: 'The Dowel Slickback is one of the 'slickest' demons around. Demon-hunters and Slayers have tried to figure out his puzzling riddles, in the form of letters or even poems he leaves after an attack. He is infamous for a mysterious weapon.'"

Tara waited for a response. "Will, this is our guy!"

Willow winked. "Not a just a pretty face." She licked her lips.

"Honey, this is serious. I have to tell Mr Giles about the note."

As Tara spoke, Buffy knocked on the door and entered the room. "Girls, I found something. But it's like gibberish."

Xander nodded, following her inside. "Our demon shouldn't give up his day job anytime soon."

"A poem?" Tara asked excitedly.

"Well, that's one way of putting it." Buffy brandished a slip of paper and cleared her throat."

Evening evening

Brightest star

Twinkle twinkle

Touching star

Watching watching

Burnt by star

Warning warning

Man does star

Morning morning

Star's gone far!

Tara started to laugh. "I'm surprised he hasn't been published."

She felt Willow slip her hand back into her panties and shot her a quick look, hoping no one had noticed. Willow gave her a look but it was quite a different look. It said 'against a wall. Hard.'

Buffy smiled. "My favorite line is "man does star"."

Giles hurried in with the risotto and they began to eat.

"Giles," Tara exclaimed. "You're quite the chef."

Willow and Buffy nodded their approval.

Xander screwed up his nose. "Personally, I think Giles burnt his star, so to speak."

"I'll burn you, Xandy-boy," Buffy purred.

Everyone stared.

"Oh god. Did I just say that?" Buffy looked horrified.

Willow shook her head. "Don't listen to him, Giles. Your food has great flavor. And trust me, I know flavor." She gave Tara a slow, deliberate wink. Tara blushed and Giles looked away.

When they had ingested all they could stand, Willow and Tara stood up.

"It's getting late," Willow explained. "We're going to hit the sack."

Tara turned to Giles. "Thanks for dinner. It filled me up."

Xander smirked. "Good job, G Man. Although no one can fill her quite the way Willow does."

"Xander," Buffy hushed.

Willow glared at him. "Why do you assume that just because we're lesbians we screw like bunnies?"

He shrugged. "Don't you?"

Giles put out a hand. "As your former librarian, I advise you not to answer that."

Willow shook her head, and the two Wiccans left.

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"It's been such a long day," Tara said wearily, climbing under the covers.

Willow undressed and slid in beside her girlfriend. "You know, baby, I've been thinking…"

Tara yawned. "What is it?"

"You're the most beautiful girl ever and I love you."

Tara smiled in the darkness, then leant over to kiss her. "I love you, too," she whispered.

Willow's pulse raced. Am I finally going to get some, she wondered.

She reached out and caressed Tara's nipple. She laughed huskily. "You have such nice boobs, honey."

"Thanks," Tara replied sleepily, turning over to spoon her girlfriend

Willow's heart plummeted. Not again, she grimaced.

Maybe she's playing hard to get, a little voice inside suggested hopefully.

She decided to give it one more shot. She trailed her hands slowly down Tara's body and stopped decidedly between her legs. "Still tired?" she teased.

When her only reaction was a snore, she was certain that her girlfriend was playing no game.

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"Welcome to Poetry 101", said a chirpy Giles the next morning. "Today we are going to decipher this poem."

"Where are Buffy and Xander?" asked Tara.

"Xander's decided he wants his beauty sleep," Willow said wryly. "He's not going to come in today."

"And Buffy is already out hunting. She thought she'd check out the graveyard, see if she could drag out the morning news."

Giles handed each girl a photocopy of the poem and a red pen.

Tara and Willow looked hesitantly at the paper.

"Go on," he encouraged. "It's a power buzz to correct a piece of work."

He stood up and pushed back his chair. "I'm going to telephone an old friend from the Watchers Council. He has a great deal of knowledge in the area of literate demons."

Tara looked worried. "But Mr Giles, we don't know what to do with this poem."

He opened his mouth to speak but Willow interrupted. "Hey babe, we're both big girls. We can figure it out."

With a grim nod, he left the room.

Willow was getting desperate. "Tare, I have really bad cramps."

Tara, ever-caring girlfriend, forgot what she was doing. "Oh, sweetie, are you alright?"

She brought forward a soothing hand, lifted Willow's shirt and put her hand on her lower stomach. She began to rub softly.

Willow moaned. "A bit lower, baby."

Tara bit her lip, wondering if Willow was putting on an act. She seemed to be enjoying the proffered comfort a little too much. She decided to go along with it, and moved her hand lower.

She continued to rub, and Willow unzipped her jeans. "Lower, honey, you're making it better. You always make it better."

"Baby, if I go any lower I'll be…" Tara trailed off, not needing to say the words.

"Your hands are so good," Willow whimpered. "You know how to touch me."

"Willow, we have a job to do." Tara began to pull her hand away. "I'm sorry if you have cramps, but Mr Giles expects us to crack the code in this poem."

Willow put her head in her hands. "Sorry," she said quietly. "I've just missed you."

Tara looked up curiously. "What do you mean, missed me? I haven't gone anywhere."

"Nothing," Willow muttered. She had tried talking to Tara about this before, and it had gotten nowhere. Tara, clearly feeling guilty, had become defensive and denied that there was a problem. She just didn't feel like it, she had protested.

The only advice anyone ever seemed to give her was 'talk to your partner. Be open and always communicate.' But she had talked to Tara until she was blue in the face and it hadn't worked.

She picked up the red pen and began to read the poem. Tara, with a sigh of relief, returned to the poem, too.

"I've got it!" Giles ran into the room, his face animated. "Let me see that," he grabbed the nearest copy of the poem. His eyes scanned the poem until he found what he had wanted. "Of course, why didn't I see this before?"

He held the paper in front of the two girls. "This line, here. It says 'Brightest star, Touching star, Burnt by star'. My colleague informed me that 'star' is an old demonic synonym for 'human'.

Willow reread the poem quickly. "Huh? So what great realization did you have?"

Giles sighed impatiently. "We destroy this demon by burning him. Tara, I need you to come with me. We need to get a strong source of fire. Then you'll summon our Slickback."

Tara looked at Willow. "What will Will do?"

Willow shrugged. "I'm happy to keep reading, and trying to find more clues. I'll page you if I find anything. Be careful. I love you, Tare."

The pair left the room and Willow halfheartedly studied the poem.

Evening evening

Willow thought of her evenings. Being snuggled with Tara made her so happy. But she missed the physical closeness. She wondered what had made slick use the word, and then drew a small clock as a reminder beside the word. Perhaps this was destined to occur later that day.

Brightest star

Twinkle twinkle

Willow had been the brightest star at school, but since then that light had transferred swiftly onto Buffy.

Touching star

Touching? Willow mused. The only associations she had with touching were of intimacy and affection. Not the typical themes of demonic literature.

Watching watching

Burnt by star

Warning warning

Man does star

Willow's eyes bulged. Does star? Was it her horniness speaking up, or did that sound a tad sexual. She couldn't think of any other meaning for the words than 'man does human'.

Morning morning

Star's gone far!

She read the last line, already starting to stand as it made more and more sense.

She recalled Buffy's words to Xander the previous night.

"I'll burn you, Xandy-boy," she had said. At the time they thought nothing of it, but now Willow began to worry.

This demon had touched Buffy. Made her feel warm.

The sex-craved, phallic-horned demon had touched Buffy, and then she had wanted Xander.

"Oh shit!" Willow said loudly.

She pulled her laptop toward her and typed 'phallic+libido+demon' and for a minute wondered if she had accidentally opened a Christian website. She was astounded to see a horny Jesus before her eyes.

She read the website aloud:

"Often mistaken for, and a very close relation of, the Slickback(see link). Unfortunately there is a big difference. The Slickback, when touching a human (or star) will instantly drain their lifeforce and sexuality, leaving them an empty shell. Their skin becomes ashen and they are not able to use humour or sexuality again, with another star."

Willow thought of how Buffy had looked after her encounter. Certainly not ashen, and she had both flirted and joked with all other stars. "Humans, not stars," she corrected herself.

"The Mooseback, while sharing all other characteristics, has the opposite effect. While this may be an inconvenience, the only danger it imposes is a significantly higher libido. In the past, stars have enlisted the help of such demons in order to attain the affection of another, or remind another of what was once had. It is called to planet Earth when it feels the vibration of deep desire and craving."

The redhead grabbed her bag and ran. She had to get there before they could burn the demon. She was going to get her girlfriend touched, if it was the last thing she did.

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Tara breathed heavily. "Mr Giles, I feel like we did something wrong. The way it looked at me…"

Giles nodded sagely. "Although it was the right thing to do, killing it was very hard. It looked at me so sweetly, and held onto my arm as it died."

Tara fumbled for Kleenex. "I'm glad it didn't touch me," she said at last. "I would have felt even worse." She hugged Giles.

Buffy pretended not to care. "All in a day's work," she said, smudging the tear in her eye before they saw.

They stood quietly, unable to look away from the green pus patches where the demon had died.

"Don't kill Moose!" Willow ran to them as quickly as she could, hoping it wasn't too late. Giles hadn't answered his pager.

They turned to look at her.

"Moose?" They said in unison.

"Where did he go?" Willow looked shattered.

Tara reached it for her. "Don't worry, baby, we killed it. No more demon."

"Did it touch any of you?" Willow whispered to Tara.

"Just Giles," replied Tara. "And Buffy the other night, of course."

Buffy and Giles were looking at each other. Giles cleared his throat. "Erm, I'm going to have a cuppa. Would you like to come over for a coffee?"

Buffy smiled insatiably. "I'd love that, Rupert."

They walked off into the sunset, and Willow and Tara returned home.

When they got into bed that night, Willow looked out of the window and saw the first star of the evening. She sniffled.

"What's wrong?" Tara asked earnestly.

"Everything I tried to do… I failed," Willow wiped her eyes furiously.

"Will?"

Willow swallowed the lump in her throat. She could always rely on Tara to cheer her up.

"Yes?"

Tara's blue eyes sparkled. "We're alone now."

Willow hugged the covers to her chest. "Yeah," she said dully.

Tara, for the first time in months, felt a deep urge to touch her girlfriend's body. Not even touch, she admitted to herself. She wanted to make that girl scream.

She ran her fingers across Willow's thighs and waited for her to oblige.

Willow clenched her legs together tightly. "Sorry, babe," she whispered sadly. "I just don't feel like it."

The End