The Author Speaks: I'm taking a break from my other story while my Beta-reader has exams, but I can't stop writing and since I was in the Christmas spirit I wrote this little one-shot. Enjoy and Merry Christmas. It's Buffy and Willow of course what else would I write
Christmas Shopping
Cilia
Buffy Summers carefully worked her way through the mob of people crowding the mall in the rush before the Holidays. In her hand she clutched a Christmas Gift List with almost all the names but one crossed out. Giles check, Faith check, Xander check and Dawn check.
One very important name was left and that name written in blue ink with a red heart dotting the 'I'. That name was Willow. She'd borrowed Willow's cool multicolored pen to write her list on the pain of death if it was not returned.
Still no matter how much she thought about it she was at a total loss for what to get her girlfriend of the past six months. Warm fuzzy toe-socks would look so cute on her but they didn't quite scream I love you with all my heart and I'm so sorry it took me ages to figure it out.
Then without knowing why she found herself standing outside a jeweler-shop window in a quiet corner of the mall. Her eyes drawn down to a simple golden ring with a single green stone set in it and her mouth went dry.
'Oh boy stop thinking like this Summers,' she thought to herself checking her list hoping she'd find anybody else needing a gift. Finding only the even harder people to shop for were left she sighed and looked back at the ring on display in the window.
'I mean it don't look that engagement-like does it?' she tried to argue with herself. 'Hold on, hold on engagement? What am I thinking?' she stopped herself again, but she was leaning so close to the glass that her nose was pressing on it and it was fogging up.
She jumped when there was a tap on the glass from the inside and woman with grey hair and wire rimmed glasses perched on her nose smile at her. She pushed her blonde hair behind her ears and sheepishly waved back. Then with the jeweler mouthing; "Come inside." Buffy steeled herself and entered the shop.
The woman was already pulling the ring out of the window when Buffy stepped inside and the entire store felt a little out of place in the modern and busy mall. Almost like a heaven of peacefulness with a sort of old-timey feel to it.
"I was sure you were trying to push your head through the glass dear," the woman said smiling at her in a way that reminded Buffy of her mother.
"Sorry, it was just so pretty and well… there is this... person…" Buffy stammered a bit. Even though she was dating her long time best friend and emotional rock she was still not out enough like Willow to just say it to just anybody. Which made her think she was crazy for looking at that ring when she couldn't even 'Bitch up' like Faith would say and admit that she had a girlfriend.
"Oh stop that. Is it a boy or a girl I don't care dear," the jeweler huffed at her. Sounding almost offended that the young woman would think that she'd take any kind of offense at who she was buying the ring for.
"A girl ma'am," Buffy said almost snapping to attention like a solider under inspection.
"That's nice, been together long?" the jeweler asked handing Buffy the ring so she could look at it up close without head-butting the storefront.
"Six months, two weeks and four days," Buffy blurted out without even realizing that she'd been keeping that much track of her time with Willow, but when death is part of the job description you learn to relish in every moment you are given.
"Well I've got a lovely box for it if you're interested," the woman said with a sly grin on her face as she moved behind the counter.
"Thanks… I… I mean it's not been that long that it's time for…" Buffy stammered before trailing off and just looking at the ring in the palm of her hand. It felt like it weighted a ton. Still she knew why it felt so heavy she knew all too well. If she did this she'd have to live not just for her sister Dawn she would have to live for Willow. If she did this she would have to be even more careful when on the job. Because dying on your girlfriend is one thing, dying on your wife was a whole different matter.
The jeweler watched the blonde young woman staring at the ring, thinking that the poor thing looked about ready to panic and run for the hills.
"You in the military?" she asked having seen her fair share of young men staring at rings like that to know the look. "You worried that you'll make her a widow?" she probed further.
"Sort of… yeah I sort of am in it… well I do the type of stuff I'm not allowed to talk about," Buffy lied as smoothly as she could while nervously smiling at the woman. It wasn't a big lie since the difference wasn't that great, she fought to protect those she loved and there was always the risk that her next outing being her last.
"I see, then ask yourself this: Wouldn't you rather she knows just how much you love her?" the kindly jeweler asked and pulled out the simple black velvet box that went with the ring.
Buffy looked up at the woman with a look of dawning comprehension on her pretty face. Either this lady was a life-coach or radio psychologist in her off-hours or she just knew how to make a sale. Nodding her head firmly she strode up to the counter and put the ring down with a bit more force then was needed.
"I'll take it," she said her voice shaking a little, but her mind was firmly set now. It was time to make an honest woman out of Willow.
"Good choice, I'm sure your Willow will love it," the woman smiled at her and Buffy couldn't help but to smile back because she always liked the sound of that: Her Willow. She paid for the ring in a daze with a goofy grin on her face and said thank you to the jeweler and the woman just nodded at her telling her not to put it in anything edible, as it never ended well.
Buffy stepped out of the store with the ring secure in the inside pocket of her jacket .She checked the list again because you always check it twice. Even though her list did have some naughty names on it she was a firm believer of goodwill to all.
'Oh poppy-pants what do you get a vampire for Christmas?' she thought to herself seeing the next name on the list.
With a cheerful smile on her face she got swallowed up by the mass of humanity in the mall. The endlessly looping Christmas music drifted into her ears and she felt the ring box poking at her a bit, but that didn't bother her one bit. Christmas this year would be the best and she was going to make sure of it. 'Willow Rosenberg-Summers,' she thought with a goofy grin as she turned into Pottery Barn hoping to find a nice jug that could stand up to some microwaving.