Through the Eyes of an Ex-Boyfriend
Author: Lucinda
rating: pg13
main character: Oz
Pairing: Willow/David (Lost Boys), mention of past tense Willow/Oz
Sixth in the 'Eyes' series
Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Lost Boys.
distribution: WLS, NHA, Twisting the Hellmouth, Quickie Challenge, Bite Me please? anyone else with permission for the earlier 'Eyes' stories. Otherwise, please ask first.
* * *
Something was different about Willow. Oz wasn't quite certain what had changed, or when, but he knew that something was different. And in Sunnydale, 'different' was often the same as 'dangerous'. Not that he intended to do anything rash, because he was after all a werewolf, which qualified as both different and dangerous, but he wanted to figure it out.
Of course, that might be a bit tricky. He'd been avoiding her lately, ever since the factory, and she'd been making that pretty easy. But if she was in danger, then would anyone know? As he made his way towards Devon's place for practice, he considered the past few weeks. He'd been furious, and avoided her and Xander both. Cordelia had never been particularly close to Willow, and had only recently left the hospital. Xander had been groveling at Cordelia's feet, and avoiding Willow except for... wait, had she been patrolling? Neither Buffy nor Xander were really talking to her much, that couldn't be safe.
He had been hurt, but not entirely surprised. He'd known about her crush on Xander, although he'd thought that it had faded. He'd felt hurt, and jealous, and a part of him had wanted to rip into them both - and that had frightened him. That fear had made him avoid them both, and it looked like that had been a mistake. Not so much about Xander, he seemed to be doing just fine, but Willow... While he'd been avoiding her, something had changed. He didn't know what it was, but he had a suspicion that it had taken away his chance to try to rebuild things with her.
Practice was a blur, with several repetitions of their songs, and some practice on a new one. Devon was going on about this blond that he'd picked up after their last gig, and how she'd been insatiable. At least, that was the Devon version. He just let the words flow over and around him, like water over a rock.
Afterwards, he found himself walking, and realized that he was in Willow's neighborhood. Maybe he could check on her. Her house looked quiet, with the lights out, but he had this prickly feeling. A slim, dark motorcycle was parked in the garage, and a strange man's scent everywhere, a man that smelled a lot like the vampires, but not quite the same. Had Willow taken up with some other vampire hunter? Was she safe?
The house didn't smell like fear, or pain. There was a hint of cow's blood, for some unknown reason, but no fear. Oz knew then that Willow would never be his girlfriend again, he'd waited too long and lost his chance. He hadn't been quite certain if he wanted to try again, but it felt a bit frustrating to know that the option was gone.
"Willow?" His voice wasn't very loud, but he wondered if there was anyone inside, anyone to hear him.
There was movement at the door, and he could make out the blurry shape of someone behind the frosted glass, looking at him. For several long minutes, the figure did not move, as if hoping that with no encouragement, he would go away. A salesmen would have, or somebody just looking for a phone. But not Oz.
He walked closer, pressing his hand against the door. Closing his eyes, he could smell Willow and the strange man inside. "I know that you're in there, Willow. I just wanted to talk."
Faintly, he could hear a man's voice. "Do you think he'll go away?"
"This is Oz." Willow's words were soft, heavy with tangled emotions. "He's not leaving until he's satisfied that whatever it is has been said or resolved. We might as well let him in and get this over with."
Part of him wanted to be hurt and insulted by her words, by her apparent dread at seeing him. But then he remembered the last month when he wouldn't even talk to her, would barely even look at her, and he understood. What reason had he given her to think this might go well? There was a slight rattling, and the door opened.
Stepping inside, Oz glanced at the place, noticing that the curtains were closed. There was the man, with bleached blond hair and a gleaming golden earring, in worn jeans and a shirt with a picture of Jim Morrison. Nodding at the picture, Oz spoke. "Good musician."
"So you're Oz." The man was looking at him with cold, measuring eyes. "I've heard a lot about you."
"Haven't heard much about you." Oz shrugged, cautiously sitting on the recliner, trying to figure out why the man smelled like a vampire but not quite. It was important.
"Oz, this is David." Willow was glancing at the two of them, here eyes wary. "David, Oz."
"You and Willow?" Oz wasn't quite certain when it had started, but Willow was obviously involved with this David character. He had so many questions – when, how, where, and most importantly, did he make Willow happy? David didn't look at all like the sort of person that he'd imagined Willow getting involved with, but it was obvious that they were. He looked at the other man's eyes, noting that they were a clear blue color, and met them. His wolf insisted that to do so was a challenge, and that was just the sort of thing he intended. If this David was treating Willow wrong… "Huh."
David nodded, with a small smile, but didn't break eye contact. "Me and Willow. It seems that everyone here abandoned her, and she had nobody to turn to. I suppose that was lucky for me, but still."
One eyebrow raised as Oz considered those words. Obviously, David thought that they'd failed Willow, abandoned her in a time of need. He actually considered that he'd been very reasonable in his emotional pain – he hadn't hit Willow or Xander, hadn't hurled insults and curses at either of them, and had not actively done anything to harm them. "I had a reason to be unhappy."
David frowned a little, but gave a small nod, as if conceding that point. "I was worried for her safety."
"I didn't mean to hurt you, Oz. I'm sorry for that." Willow's voice was soft, easily heard but not loud enough to disrupt the staring contest.
"I think it could have been good with us, Willow." Oz looked at her, knowing that the testing was over. David wouldn't back away from trouble, and he did care about Willow. He also didn't appear to have a heartbeat – there had been no pulse in his neck. But if the strange vampire made Willow happy, good for him. It wasn't as if a werewolf was more normal. "But I guess that's not going to be more than a could-have-been. I hope he makes sure that you're safe, that you have support to be all that you want and dream."
Willow smiled at him, a soft one full of regrets and fondness. "He makes me feel like I can try anything, and he'll be there for me."
"Maybe one day we can be friends again." Oz glanced at the vampire to see how he'd react. "You can never have too many friends in Sunnydale."
"Maybe. I don't know about today, but…" Willow paused, and her eyes drifted to his neck and then dropped firmly to her fingernails. "I think I could use some friends."
David shifted in her seat a little, his hand reaching over to catch Willow's fingers. "It's alright, it will get easier."
In that moment, Oz knew that David had somehow changed Willow. She still had a pulse, so she wasn't quite a vampire, but he knew that nervous look-away. He'd found himself using it on the days closest to the full moon, when his wolf was strongest and something inside whispered about hunting prey, and tearing warm chunks of meat. Willow had changed, but she was still Willow, still cared and had her soul. That probably explained the scent of blood. Maybe the sunglasses from today as well.
Oz stood up, having seen enough to know what he needed to know. Willow was David's now. David was a vampire, but he cared about Willow. Willow was changing - still herself, just more predatory. Willow would be safe and happy with David, or as much as anyone could be in Sunnydale. And things might be awkward, but maybe he and Willow could still be friends.
As long as David didn't hurt her or start trying to cause the usual vampire problems.
End Through the Eyes of an Ex-Boyfriend.
Author: Lucinda
rating: pg13
main character: Oz
Pairing: Willow/David (Lost Boys), mention of past tense Willow/Oz
Sixth in the 'Eyes' series
Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Lost Boys.
distribution: WLS, NHA, Twisting the Hellmouth, Quickie Challenge, Bite Me please? anyone else with permission for the earlier 'Eyes' stories. Otherwise, please ask first.
* * *
Something was different about Willow. Oz wasn't quite certain what had changed, or when, but he knew that something was different. And in Sunnydale, 'different' was often the same as 'dangerous'. Not that he intended to do anything rash, because he was after all a werewolf, which qualified as both different and dangerous, but he wanted to figure it out.
Of course, that might be a bit tricky. He'd been avoiding her lately, ever since the factory, and she'd been making that pretty easy. But if she was in danger, then would anyone know? As he made his way towards Devon's place for practice, he considered the past few weeks. He'd been furious, and avoided her and Xander both. Cordelia had never been particularly close to Willow, and had only recently left the hospital. Xander had been groveling at Cordelia's feet, and avoiding Willow except for... wait, had she been patrolling? Neither Buffy nor Xander were really talking to her much, that couldn't be safe.
He had been hurt, but not entirely surprised. He'd known about her crush on Xander, although he'd thought that it had faded. He'd felt hurt, and jealous, and a part of him had wanted to rip into them both - and that had frightened him. That fear had made him avoid them both, and it looked like that had been a mistake. Not so much about Xander, he seemed to be doing just fine, but Willow... While he'd been avoiding her, something had changed. He didn't know what it was, but he had a suspicion that it had taken away his chance to try to rebuild things with her.
Practice was a blur, with several repetitions of their songs, and some practice on a new one. Devon was going on about this blond that he'd picked up after their last gig, and how she'd been insatiable. At least, that was the Devon version. He just let the words flow over and around him, like water over a rock.
Afterwards, he found himself walking, and realized that he was in Willow's neighborhood. Maybe he could check on her. Her house looked quiet, with the lights out, but he had this prickly feeling. A slim, dark motorcycle was parked in the garage, and a strange man's scent everywhere, a man that smelled a lot like the vampires, but not quite the same. Had Willow taken up with some other vampire hunter? Was she safe?
The house didn't smell like fear, or pain. There was a hint of cow's blood, for some unknown reason, but no fear. Oz knew then that Willow would never be his girlfriend again, he'd waited too long and lost his chance. He hadn't been quite certain if he wanted to try again, but it felt a bit frustrating to know that the option was gone.
"Willow?" His voice wasn't very loud, but he wondered if there was anyone inside, anyone to hear him.
There was movement at the door, and he could make out the blurry shape of someone behind the frosted glass, looking at him. For several long minutes, the figure did not move, as if hoping that with no encouragement, he would go away. A salesmen would have, or somebody just looking for a phone. But not Oz.
He walked closer, pressing his hand against the door. Closing his eyes, he could smell Willow and the strange man inside. "I know that you're in there, Willow. I just wanted to talk."
Faintly, he could hear a man's voice. "Do you think he'll go away?"
"This is Oz." Willow's words were soft, heavy with tangled emotions. "He's not leaving until he's satisfied that whatever it is has been said or resolved. We might as well let him in and get this over with."
Part of him wanted to be hurt and insulted by her words, by her apparent dread at seeing him. But then he remembered the last month when he wouldn't even talk to her, would barely even look at her, and he understood. What reason had he given her to think this might go well? There was a slight rattling, and the door opened.
Stepping inside, Oz glanced at the place, noticing that the curtains were closed. There was the man, with bleached blond hair and a gleaming golden earring, in worn jeans and a shirt with a picture of Jim Morrison. Nodding at the picture, Oz spoke. "Good musician."
"So you're Oz." The man was looking at him with cold, measuring eyes. "I've heard a lot about you."
"Haven't heard much about you." Oz shrugged, cautiously sitting on the recliner, trying to figure out why the man smelled like a vampire but not quite. It was important.
"Oz, this is David." Willow was glancing at the two of them, here eyes wary. "David, Oz."
"You and Willow?" Oz wasn't quite certain when it had started, but Willow was obviously involved with this David character. He had so many questions – when, how, where, and most importantly, did he make Willow happy? David didn't look at all like the sort of person that he'd imagined Willow getting involved with, but it was obvious that they were. He looked at the other man's eyes, noting that they were a clear blue color, and met them. His wolf insisted that to do so was a challenge, and that was just the sort of thing he intended. If this David was treating Willow wrong… "Huh."
David nodded, with a small smile, but didn't break eye contact. "Me and Willow. It seems that everyone here abandoned her, and she had nobody to turn to. I suppose that was lucky for me, but still."
One eyebrow raised as Oz considered those words. Obviously, David thought that they'd failed Willow, abandoned her in a time of need. He actually considered that he'd been very reasonable in his emotional pain – he hadn't hit Willow or Xander, hadn't hurled insults and curses at either of them, and had not actively done anything to harm them. "I had a reason to be unhappy."
David frowned a little, but gave a small nod, as if conceding that point. "I was worried for her safety."
"I didn't mean to hurt you, Oz. I'm sorry for that." Willow's voice was soft, easily heard but not loud enough to disrupt the staring contest.
"I think it could have been good with us, Willow." Oz looked at her, knowing that the testing was over. David wouldn't back away from trouble, and he did care about Willow. He also didn't appear to have a heartbeat – there had been no pulse in his neck. But if the strange vampire made Willow happy, good for him. It wasn't as if a werewolf was more normal. "But I guess that's not going to be more than a could-have-been. I hope he makes sure that you're safe, that you have support to be all that you want and dream."
Willow smiled at him, a soft one full of regrets and fondness. "He makes me feel like I can try anything, and he'll be there for me."
"Maybe one day we can be friends again." Oz glanced at the vampire to see how he'd react. "You can never have too many friends in Sunnydale."
"Maybe. I don't know about today, but…" Willow paused, and her eyes drifted to his neck and then dropped firmly to her fingernails. "I think I could use some friends."
David shifted in her seat a little, his hand reaching over to catch Willow's fingers. "It's alright, it will get easier."
In that moment, Oz knew that David had somehow changed Willow. She still had a pulse, so she wasn't quite a vampire, but he knew that nervous look-away. He'd found himself using it on the days closest to the full moon, when his wolf was strongest and something inside whispered about hunting prey, and tearing warm chunks of meat. Willow had changed, but she was still Willow, still cared and had her soul. That probably explained the scent of blood. Maybe the sunglasses from today as well.
Oz stood up, having seen enough to know what he needed to know. Willow was David's now. David was a vampire, but he cared about Willow. Willow was changing - still herself, just more predatory. Willow would be safe and happy with David, or as much as anyone could be in Sunnydale. And things might be awkward, but maybe he and Willow could still be friends.
As long as David didn't hurt her or start trying to cause the usual vampire problems.
End Through the Eyes of an Ex-Boyfriend.