Author: Lucinda
rating: pg, pg 13
main characters: Joyce, Buffy Summers, mention of Xander, Logan, and Marie
tenth in the 'Such A Nice Girl' series.
Pairings: mention of budding Joyce/Logan, speculation and debate about Xander/Marie, mention of Xander/Cordelia
disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or X-Men the movie.
distribution: Twisting the Hellmouth, Paula - anyone else please ask first
note: post X-Men movie 1, Movie 2 did not happen. Start of season 3 for BtVS.
"Hey Mom." Buffy was smiling as she entered the kitchen. "Need anything else taken care of?"
"Are you feeling alright, sweetie?" Joyce asked, wondering just what her daughter was up to. Buffy wasn't a bad girl, but she didn't make a habit of helping to put away the supper dishes.
Buffy glanced away, placing a cut and some forks in the sink. "I'm fine. I just... I just wanted to talk a little."
"You know that I'm here any time you want to talk." Joyce smiled, wiping a cloth over a spill on the stove. "Was there something in particular?"
"Mom, do you think... I mean, Marie's kind of pretty, right?" Buffy's efforts at subtle weren't particularly good.
Joyce sighed, deciding to see if she could try to get Buffy to just come out and ask about trying to get Xander and Marie together. Probably not, considering what it had taken for Buffy to admit that she was the Slayer. Hmmm... maybe she could work on that a little bit... "Yes, Marie is pretty. She's also fairly helpful and nice."
"So, if she's pretty, and nice, and helpful, maybe she shouldn't be all.... lonely, right?" Buffy asked, squirting dish soap into the sink.
"I thought Marie was still adjusting to being in Sunydale. Is she already looking for dates?" Joyce manage not to smile, trying to look as if she had no idea what Buffy might be getting at.
"Marie's not quite the same as everybody. So, she needs... deserves someone else who's not quite the same as everybody else. More open minded. Not afraid of the fact that she's a mutant." Buffy was smiling now, even as she wiped the crumbs from the counter tops.
Turning away to hide her smile, Joyce agreed. "It would be best if Marie found people that weren't afraid of her."
"But the perfect person is right under her nose, and she's not doing anything! Someone who thinks that she's pretty, and interesting, and isn't afraid of her." Buffy protested.
Joyce sighed, thinking that Buffy was really not very good at getting directly to the point, or conveying her ideas clearly. She'd probably feel a bit guilty later. Trying her best to get a slightly worried clueless mom look, she asked. "Honey, is there something that you maybe wanted to tell me?"
"Tell you?" Buffy blinked, her hands coming to a halt over the dishwater. "What would I need to tell you?"
"Are you... are you feeling attracted to Marie?" Joyce managed to keep the worried expression. She'd probably feel bad later, but the way Buffy was hedging around... if she hadn't overheard the two girls talking earlier, she'd have no idea where this was supposed to be going.
"What!?!" Buffy yelped, spinning to look at her mom, eyes wide and shocked. "I'm not... it's not like that! I was thinking that she'd be great for Xander! Not for me! Xander!"
"Really, there's no reason to be embarrassed about such things. We live in a progressive society, and that sort of thing does happen." She fought to keep from laughing at the look of panic in Buffy's eyes.
"Mom, I'm not gay!" Buffy was starting to sound very worried now.
Shaking her head, Joyce decided to stop teasing. "Alright. So, you think that Xander would be good for Marie. What did you want to discuss about that?"
Buffy leaned against the counter, her hands absently cleaning the knife that Joyce had used to prepare supper. "I was sort of hoping that you might have some ideas about pushing them together. She just... he's right there, and she's not making any moves!"
"What if there's a good reason why she hasn't been making those moves?" Joyce faced Buffy, giving her a disapproving look. "For example, most girls don't make moves on someone that they know has a girlfriend. Granted, that never seemed to stop you, but Marie doesn't seem quite as aggressive as you are. There's also the fact that she's still adjusting to being in a different town, in a place where she doesn't know many people. And there's her mutation..."
"That's not a reason to not have a life." Buffy shook her head. "Besides, it's not like she doesn't have time."
The way that Buffy had phrased that seemed to shift the focus in Joyce. Was Buffy trying to get Marie involved so that she could enjoy life vicariously? Did she hope that if Marie was happy, it might rub off? Or was she trying to meddle as a way to not think about her own impending destiny and doom? It would definitely be something to consider.
"Honey, I'm not going to try to force them to be together. My advice is to have Marie start helping with your research sessions. I know that you don't want her to get involved in the demonic." Joyce held up a hand to keep Buffy from protesting. "But it will offer the opportunity to spend more time near Xander. That should let them get to know each other better, and then, if they want something to happen, it might."
"But what if nothing happens?" Buffy rinsed the knife, and wiped a towel over it. "What if she stays all alone and sort of shy and I... since Angel, there's... Well, it's no fun to be all alone."
"Not every guy is like Angel." Joyce sighed, wondering why she was encouraging Buffy. Her daughter had never needed any help to flirt or chase guys before. "There are decent guys out there, even if you prefer slightly older and brooding. I just think things would go better without an age gap that's measured in centuries."
Wincing, Buffy looked at her toes, almost seeming to crumple. "Yeah, no more dating the undead for me. It's just... I need to find someone who might be able to understand the mess that is my life."
"Messes can be fixed." Joyce walked over, giving Buffy a hug. "I'm sure that you can find someone."
"Someone that makes me feel as special as he did?" Buffy might not have realized the hint of pleading that had crept into her voice.
"Someone that makes you feel every bit as special as Angel ever did. Hopefully, someone who won't stalk you, terrify your friends, and annoy your mother." She smiled, and kissed Buffy's cheek. "Now, stop worrying so much about Marie and Xander. If you're too caught up in their lives, you might miss the opportunity for someone wonderful."
"Is that what happened with you and Logan? Opportunity knocked?" Buffy had a little smile as she asked.
"Something like." She smiled, thinking about Logan. He had so much intensity about him, and a part of her wondered what it would be like to be the entire focus of that much intensity. How would it feel to take Logan, what sort of lover would he be? "I don't quite know where things with Logan will go, but I want to find out."
"But… is there a chance that he might end up my step father?" Buffy had this odd look in her eyes, like she was turning something over in her mind.
"mmm." Joyce considered how to answer that. She didn't want Buffy to think that it was decided, and maybe try to influence things. "Maybe. It's a bit too early to tell just yet."
"You have no idea how weird the idea of a step father sounds. And that it could be Logan… is freaky. You're my mom, I'm not used to thinking about you dating anyone. Especially since Ted was such a disaster." Buffy sighed, and poked a bit at the dishwater, trying to figure out if there were any more things waiting to be washed.
"Logan is interesting, and he seems to be interested in me. He's not trying to make as much money as possible as fast as possible, he doesn't seem to be afraid of being a parent, and he doesn't seem to be afraid of the dark side of Sunnydale." Joyce began putting the plates back into the cupboard. "There are all sorts of things in his favor. But I don't know how things will unfold just yet."
"I suppose that's good." Buffy paused for a moment before getting a very unhappy expression. "But I'd rather get a vicarious share of Marie's smoochies than yours."
"There haven't been smoochies yet." Joyce laughed, partly at the expression on Buffy's face. Goodness, it wasn't as if she was a withered hag!
"And when there are, I don't want the juicy details." Buffy said firmly.
Chuckling, Joyce left the kitchen. She could understand Buffy's desire not to know, even if it was somewhere between amusing and insulting. But the questions remained – Would she and Logan become a serious couple? Would Xander and Marie be a good couple? Only time would tell.
End NG10: A Sticky Conversation
rating: pg, pg 13
main characters: Joyce, Buffy Summers, mention of Xander, Logan, and Marie
tenth in the 'Such A Nice Girl' series.
Pairings: mention of budding Joyce/Logan, speculation and debate about Xander/Marie, mention of Xander/Cordelia
disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or X-Men the movie.
distribution: Twisting the Hellmouth, Paula - anyone else please ask first
note: post X-Men movie 1, Movie 2 did not happen. Start of season 3 for BtVS.
"Hey Mom." Buffy was smiling as she entered the kitchen. "Need anything else taken care of?"
"Are you feeling alright, sweetie?" Joyce asked, wondering just what her daughter was up to. Buffy wasn't a bad girl, but she didn't make a habit of helping to put away the supper dishes.
Buffy glanced away, placing a cut and some forks in the sink. "I'm fine. I just... I just wanted to talk a little."
"You know that I'm here any time you want to talk." Joyce smiled, wiping a cloth over a spill on the stove. "Was there something in particular?"
"Mom, do you think... I mean, Marie's kind of pretty, right?" Buffy's efforts at subtle weren't particularly good.
Joyce sighed, deciding to see if she could try to get Buffy to just come out and ask about trying to get Xander and Marie together. Probably not, considering what it had taken for Buffy to admit that she was the Slayer. Hmmm... maybe she could work on that a little bit... "Yes, Marie is pretty. She's also fairly helpful and nice."
"So, if she's pretty, and nice, and helpful, maybe she shouldn't be all.... lonely, right?" Buffy asked, squirting dish soap into the sink.
"I thought Marie was still adjusting to being in Sunydale. Is she already looking for dates?" Joyce manage not to smile, trying to look as if she had no idea what Buffy might be getting at.
"Marie's not quite the same as everybody. So, she needs... deserves someone else who's not quite the same as everybody else. More open minded. Not afraid of the fact that she's a mutant." Buffy was smiling now, even as she wiped the crumbs from the counter tops.
Turning away to hide her smile, Joyce agreed. "It would be best if Marie found people that weren't afraid of her."
"But the perfect person is right under her nose, and she's not doing anything! Someone who thinks that she's pretty, and interesting, and isn't afraid of her." Buffy protested.
Joyce sighed, thinking that Buffy was really not very good at getting directly to the point, or conveying her ideas clearly. She'd probably feel a bit guilty later. Trying her best to get a slightly worried clueless mom look, she asked. "Honey, is there something that you maybe wanted to tell me?"
"Tell you?" Buffy blinked, her hands coming to a halt over the dishwater. "What would I need to tell you?"
"Are you... are you feeling attracted to Marie?" Joyce managed to keep the worried expression. She'd probably feel bad later, but the way Buffy was hedging around... if she hadn't overheard the two girls talking earlier, she'd have no idea where this was supposed to be going.
"What!?!" Buffy yelped, spinning to look at her mom, eyes wide and shocked. "I'm not... it's not like that! I was thinking that she'd be great for Xander! Not for me! Xander!"
"Really, there's no reason to be embarrassed about such things. We live in a progressive society, and that sort of thing does happen." She fought to keep from laughing at the look of panic in Buffy's eyes.
"Mom, I'm not gay!" Buffy was starting to sound very worried now.
Shaking her head, Joyce decided to stop teasing. "Alright. So, you think that Xander would be good for Marie. What did you want to discuss about that?"
Buffy leaned against the counter, her hands absently cleaning the knife that Joyce had used to prepare supper. "I was sort of hoping that you might have some ideas about pushing them together. She just... he's right there, and she's not making any moves!"
"What if there's a good reason why she hasn't been making those moves?" Joyce faced Buffy, giving her a disapproving look. "For example, most girls don't make moves on someone that they know has a girlfriend. Granted, that never seemed to stop you, but Marie doesn't seem quite as aggressive as you are. There's also the fact that she's still adjusting to being in a different town, in a place where she doesn't know many people. And there's her mutation..."
"That's not a reason to not have a life." Buffy shook her head. "Besides, it's not like she doesn't have time."
The way that Buffy had phrased that seemed to shift the focus in Joyce. Was Buffy trying to get Marie involved so that she could enjoy life vicariously? Did she hope that if Marie was happy, it might rub off? Or was she trying to meddle as a way to not think about her own impending destiny and doom? It would definitely be something to consider.
"Honey, I'm not going to try to force them to be together. My advice is to have Marie start helping with your research sessions. I know that you don't want her to get involved in the demonic." Joyce held up a hand to keep Buffy from protesting. "But it will offer the opportunity to spend more time near Xander. That should let them get to know each other better, and then, if they want something to happen, it might."
"But what if nothing happens?" Buffy rinsed the knife, and wiped a towel over it. "What if she stays all alone and sort of shy and I... since Angel, there's... Well, it's no fun to be all alone."
"Not every guy is like Angel." Joyce sighed, wondering why she was encouraging Buffy. Her daughter had never needed any help to flirt or chase guys before. "There are decent guys out there, even if you prefer slightly older and brooding. I just think things would go better without an age gap that's measured in centuries."
Wincing, Buffy looked at her toes, almost seeming to crumple. "Yeah, no more dating the undead for me. It's just... I need to find someone who might be able to understand the mess that is my life."
"Messes can be fixed." Joyce walked over, giving Buffy a hug. "I'm sure that you can find someone."
"Someone that makes me feel as special as he did?" Buffy might not have realized the hint of pleading that had crept into her voice.
"Someone that makes you feel every bit as special as Angel ever did. Hopefully, someone who won't stalk you, terrify your friends, and annoy your mother." She smiled, and kissed Buffy's cheek. "Now, stop worrying so much about Marie and Xander. If you're too caught up in their lives, you might miss the opportunity for someone wonderful."
"Is that what happened with you and Logan? Opportunity knocked?" Buffy had a little smile as she asked.
"Something like." She smiled, thinking about Logan. He had so much intensity about him, and a part of her wondered what it would be like to be the entire focus of that much intensity. How would it feel to take Logan, what sort of lover would he be? "I don't quite know where things with Logan will go, but I want to find out."
"But… is there a chance that he might end up my step father?" Buffy had this odd look in her eyes, like she was turning something over in her mind.
"mmm." Joyce considered how to answer that. She didn't want Buffy to think that it was decided, and maybe try to influence things. "Maybe. It's a bit too early to tell just yet."
"You have no idea how weird the idea of a step father sounds. And that it could be Logan… is freaky. You're my mom, I'm not used to thinking about you dating anyone. Especially since Ted was such a disaster." Buffy sighed, and poked a bit at the dishwater, trying to figure out if there were any more things waiting to be washed.
"Logan is interesting, and he seems to be interested in me. He's not trying to make as much money as possible as fast as possible, he doesn't seem to be afraid of being a parent, and he doesn't seem to be afraid of the dark side of Sunnydale." Joyce began putting the plates back into the cupboard. "There are all sorts of things in his favor. But I don't know how things will unfold just yet."
"I suppose that's good." Buffy paused for a moment before getting a very unhappy expression. "But I'd rather get a vicarious share of Marie's smoochies than yours."
"There haven't been smoochies yet." Joyce laughed, partly at the expression on Buffy's face. Goodness, it wasn't as if she was a withered hag!
"And when there are, I don't want the juicy details." Buffy said firmly.
Chuckling, Joyce left the kitchen. She could understand Buffy's desire not to know, even if it was somewhere between amusing and insulting. But the questions remained – Would she and Logan become a serious couple? Would Xander and Marie be a good couple? Only time would tell.
End NG10: A Sticky Conversation