Title: Blush
Author: Evil_Little_Dog
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: This is a derivative work, and, as such, I make absolutely no money writing this. Darn the luck.
Summary: Four times Willow blushed, one time Oz did.
Notes: Written for the LJ community, Comment_Fic.
I
"You're blushing," Cordelia said, leaning into Willow's personal space.
Willow clapped her hands to her face. "I am not!"
"No, no, Wills, you're all rosy-cheeked." Xander bobbed his head in agreement. "So, what – who brought that on?" He waggled his eyebrows. "Some musician with a tendency to change hair colors like I change underwear?"
"Ew," Cordelia said, wrinkling her nose, "things I didn't need to know." Turning her attention to Willow she said, "So? What happened?"
"I – I – I don't want to talk about it!" Willow said. "Or Xander's underwear habits."
"At least I have them," Xander muttered, not quite under his breath.
II
"So," Oz said, "coffee? It's a pretty stressless date."
"Unless we don't like the same coffee shop," Willow said.
"There're only two in Sunnydale. We'll go to one, and then the other." He paused, squinting at her. "Are you blushing?"
Willow shook her head, her eyes wide. "No! Coffee…it makes me all warm and tingly inside."
"Oh, well. That's a good reason for pink cheeks, then."
III
"This is nice. Isn't this nice?" Willow rolled her head so she could at least get a glimpse of Oz's chin. He'd grown a little bit of scruffy on his chin, and she wasn't sure if she liked it or not. It was soft, at least, and didn't scratch while they were kissing.
"It's very nice," Oz said agreeably, sifting his fingers through her hair. "A beautiful day with a beautiful girl with her beautiful head on my stomach."
"You think I'm beautiful?" Willow felt her cheeks heating up.
"Of course I do." He curled his neck, strain showing on his face. "You, Willow Rosenberg, are beautiful. Especially when you're blushing."
She grinned, rolling onto her side and rubbing her cheek against his stomach. "Not blushing."
"Blushing." He dropped his head back into the green grass. "Cute blushing."
Her cheeks felt even hotter.
IV
Oz touched her cheek lightly with the back of one of his fingers. Even though they weren't together anymore, it seemed like his touch left a faint tingling under her skin. "I'm sorry," Oz told her. "I would've been here, if I could have. If I'd known."
Not trusting her voice, Willow nodded, but she had to say something. "It's good to see you again." She spread her hands. "Not under these, um."
"Circumstances?"
She bobbed her head again, glancing past him to the giant hole where Sunnydale used to be. A sinkhole, it was labeled, and an offbeat tourist attraction. Willow wasn't even sure why she'd come back, but she had, and here she was, and here Oz was, and for a few minutes, it almost seemed like time spun backwards. "Yeah."
Oz took his hand away, looking out over the gaping hole. "I was sorry to hear about Tara."
"Thanks."
"So. It isn't Istanbuhl."
"No," Willow said. "It's better."
+I
"Godmother?" Willow asked, her eyebrows going up.
"Yeah. If you don't want to be, I mean, I can find someone else." Oz handed her a squirming bundle of red and black baby quilt against her protests.
"I don't know anything about being a godmother! Besides, witch?"
Oz shrugged. "There isn't anyone I'd trust more." When she ducked her head, he leaned closer. "I mean that, Willow."
She turned her gaze down to the baby, feeling awkward, and unsure she was holding the baby the right way. Pale eyes peered up at her, almost puzzled, Willow thought, that she was being held by someone other than her daddy. Her eyebrows were the palest shade of reddish-gold, to make the faint wisps of hair vanish in the red and black blanket. "She looks like you, Oz." Raising her eyes, Willow smiled to see a flush crossing his cheeks. "I'd be pleased to be her godmother."
~ end ~