Graq the Wild Child 2 – And Willow and Tara (in my stories) have a habit of getting walked in on too, so it was bound to happen :P I really believe in their love and try to write it as I feel it…good luck with your angst fics, W/T fic is always a good thing, but I stopped reading fanfic at all because I couldn't handle some of the drama :P
Emerald Demona – Yep, the trend had to start somewhere :P
Queenphoenix08 – Hehe, glad you got a giggle. Tara will get over it, don't worry. And yes, there is definitely less worry, though you never know what might happen… :)
CurlyAkemy – Don't worry, I'm sure Willow will find a way to distract Tara ;)
Dirty Tube Socks – Bad speechless? Don't worry, it's fixed quick :P
"You sure you're okay?"
Tara nodded, having recovered from the initial shock and embarrassment of being walked in on. Willow looked relieved and gestured to the luggage, eager to forget and get on with the exciting prospect of moving in.
"We can wheel a piece each and then figure out the heavy stuff, okay?"
Tara nodded again and took a hold of the handle on one the bags. Willow grabbed the other and opened the door for them to leave, but they both stopped short when Becky was leaning against the wall opposite.
There was an awkward lull for a moment before Becky pushed off.
"I, um, got you guys a cake," she said, offering the plastic container she had in her hands, "To say congratulations."
Willow exchanged a glance with Tara, then stepped forward.
"Thank you, Becky. That was really nice of you."
"That's very sweet," Tara agreed, although quietly as she hung back.
Becky shuffled a little on the spot.
"I didn't see anything," she spoke up, just as uncomfortable as them at witnessing such a private moment, "I really don't want things to be weird."
Willow took Tara's hand between them.
"We don't either."
"Forget it happened?" Becky asked, shoving the cake in Willow's face again.
Willow glanced to Tara again, who offered a shy nod.
"Forget it happened," Willow nodded again with a smile, accepting the cake.
"Well, hey, let me help you with the moving stuff," Becky replied, then grinned, "You guys looked like you already got your workout."
Tara flushed and Willow promptly kicked Becky in the shin, who grabbed her ankle and started jumping around.
"Okay, okay, jeez, no jokes. I'll follow with your toaster oven, okay?"
Tara was already marching ahead, cheeks still red. Willow shot Becky a glare, then rushed after her.
"Not funny yet, huh?"
Tara kept her gaze down.
"Be careful on the stairs," Willow said as they neared them, "And I love you."
Tara looked over her shoulder.
"I love you too."
Willow beamed, that was enough for her, and carefully walked alongside Tara down the stairs.
They dropped the bags into their room and Willow held the door open for Becky who was just behind them, then together, all three managed to negotiate most of the electronics down.
"Last thing," Willow said as she picked up her CD player, while Becky grabbed the speakers and remote.
Tara had already left with the electric kettle.
"You're officially moved out," Becky replied, looking in on the half-empty room.
Willow grinned giddily.
"I'm officially living with my girlfriend."
"And I have the room to myself!" Becky replied, just as giddy, "At least until next year…I hope my new roommate doesn't like to get up at the crack of dawn too."
Willow stuck her tongue out.
"I hope she picks her toenails and only showers once a week."
Becky just smiled.
"Love you too, Will," she chuckled, "Oh, my mom called this morning. She was wondering if you were coming home with me again this summer. She said you're always welcome."
Willow was caught a little dumbstruck.
"Oh. Um, I hadn't thought about it," she replied, brow creasing, "I-I don't know what Tara does…I know she doesn't go home."
"Things ugly on the parental front for her too?" Becky asked.
"Um, yeah," Willow replied, not about to get into it, "Tell your mom thanks so much, and I'll miss her crazy misspent youth stories…but I'll ask Tara what she's doing and do my darndest to plan around her."
Becky smiled again.
"Sure thing. Now let's go, this thing is heavy."
Willow smiled back and they did the final trip back downstairs, leaving the CD player down on the bed.
"Do you want some cake?" Willow asked, eyeing the creamy delight still sitting in its container.
Another 'regular workout' joke was on the tip of Becky's tongue, but she wisely kept it to herself.
"No thanks, I have some new jeans I want to squeeze into for going out tonight."
Willow nodded and smiled.
"Well thanks for all the help. And sorry, uh…"
Tara turned away and busied herself with wiping down the dresser to hide her blush. Willow noticed and shot Becky a 'you-seriously-better-not-mention-this-to-her-again' look, then gave her a quick hug.
"I'll still see you around?" Becky asked, heading for the door.
"Uh huh, of course," Willow nodded, "Maybe we could all have a girlie night in some time."
Becky seemed agreeable.
"Sure, that sounds good. And I'm super happy for you two."
"We are too!" Willow replied, bouncing over to put her arm around Tara's waist.
Tara blushed again, but it was for nicer reasons this time, and offered Becky a wave.
"Thanks for helping."
"No problem," Becky replied, waving back, "Bye, lovebirds!"
She shut the door behind her as she left, and Willow turned to Tara, took her hands and jumped up and down.
"I'm moved in!"
Tara smiled, finding Willow's excitement infectious.
"We have to unpack still."
Willow looked around at her things sitting on various places around the floor.
"Right. I've kinda taken over your room."
"Our room," Tara corrected with a soft smile.
"Our room," Willow answered, smiling ear-to-ear, "I don't know where to start."
"Well, we can start with the dresser bag," Tara replied, hoisting it over to them.
Willow nodded and unzipped it, taking everything out and arranging it in piles on the bed. She noticed Tara doing the same from the things in her dresser.
"What are you doing?"
"Taking my things out so we can put everything back together," Tara answered with a smile.
"Oh," Willow replied, grinning eagerly at the thought of their things so enmeshed, "Great."
They both piled their things up until the bag and the dresser were empty.
"We have the same size feet, do you mind sharing socks?" Tara asked, ready to mix the two piles together.
"Nope!" Willow replied giddily, loving the idea of Tara wearing her socks and she wearing Tara's for some reason.
She helped Tara move their new conjoined sock collection into one of the drawers, then regarded the rest of the clothing.
"What next?"
"Well bras and panties are different sizes," Tara mused, "And I don't want to stretch out any of your t-shirts."
Willow started to move some of her sleeping clothes to join with Tara's.
"All my pjs are big on me, we could share those too."
Tara brought them over to the dresser and packed them in.
"So everything else – yours in the front, mine in the back?"
"Works for me!" Willow replied happily.
They transferred their clothing to the dresser until the bed was clear again, then repeated the same procedure for the closet. Most of the electronics sat at the base of the closet so they could take them out as needed.
"Where can I put this?" Willow asked, holding up a circular glass ornament as she sorted out the few knick-knacks left.
"Wherever you want, sweetie, it's your room," Tara replied with an affectionate smile.
Willow bounced on the balls of her feet, hyper, and left the snow globe on top of the dresser. She went back to the bag and picked up the last thing in there, a photo frame with the picture taken at her birthday party, something she'd found wrapped up from Becky on her bed after running away from Tara's the couple of nights before.
"This needs to go right here," she said, leaving in on the nightstand by what had become her side of the bed, angling it so it would face her going asleep, "So is this like… my nightstand now?"
"Uh huh," Tara nodded, "You can have it private, I won't look in."
Willow shook her head.
"Oh, that's okay, I'll probably just have a couple of books in there, and my journal. Oh, and my collection of pens, of course. Have to have those handy."
"Of course," Tara replied, smiling softly, "I didn't know you kept a journal."
Willow shrugged bashfully.
"I started when you showed me your mom's. I wanted to get all my wonderful Tara-moments on paper too."
Tara felt her heart swell with emotion and walked over to kiss Willow softly. Willow wrapped her arms over Tara's neck and kissed her back, then rested her head on her girlfriend's shoulder.
"That's it. All moved in and unpacked," she said, lifting her head again to show off her smile.
Tara nuzzled their noses together.
"It's never felt more like home."
"I've never had a home," Willow replied softly, moving her hand over Tara's heart, "'Til now."
She replaced her hand with her cheek and brushed her lips over Tara's skin. Tara felt something splash against her a moment later and looked down to see Willow teary.
"Sweetie, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, I just realised something silly," Willow replied, quickly wiping at her eyes.
Tara brought them over to the bed to sit down.
"I'm listening."
Willow shrugged, playing with her hands in her lap.
"It's just… I don't ever remember saying 'I love you'. I mean, I'm sure I did, when I was little. All kids do… but I learned before memory formed to stop saying it because I never had it said back. Frivolous emotion I guess when you're only ever treated like an accomplishment. Even my Bubbe… she was kind, warm even, and I know she loved me… but she never said it. She was stoic like that."
She stopped for a moment and closed her eyes before looking back up at Tara.
"Point is, those words never left my mouth until I met you," she continued, her hands twisting around themselves faster, "I don't know if you've picked up on it, but I'm kind of, sort of, really, totally serious about you. You've opened this whole new world for me, and I don't ever want to leave it. So I might get rambley sometimes, or things might slip out… and I'm not trying to scare you off… just think you should know… how much I love you. How much I'll always love you."
She trailed off a little lamely, and kicked herself when nothing but silence came back, but Tara eventually linked their fingers together.
"No nursing homes."
Willow blinked a couple of times, confused.
"Sorry?"
"When we're old and grey," Tara said with a soft, crooked smile, "No nursing homes. I want to spend my golden years at home, with you. You have to promise me."
Willow was completely confused for another moment before she realised what Tara was saying. She clenched her teeth to stop herself from letting out the well of emotion that erupted inside her.
"I promise, Tara," she replied, her voice choked but clear, "No nursing homes."
She embraced Tara again, taking in a long, shaky breath.
"I love you," she said warmly, pressing a kiss into Tara's neck, "Hey, how about some of that celebration cake now I'm all moved in?"
Tara nodded, so Willow went to retrieve the container and brought it back to the bed, sitting down again and folding her legs beneath her.
"It's Boston Cream Pie," she said excitedly, popping the lid off, "I love Boston Cream Pie."
"I think we used the last plastic knife last night," Tara replied, then smiled shyly at the memory.
Willow took one of the slices out and took a huge bite.
"ell I 'on't mind gegging a liggle messy," she said through a mouthful.
Tara smiled again and shook her head.
"You got it all over yourself," reaching out and wiping up the smears with her thumb, then licked it clean.
Willow's chewing slowed down as she watched Tara lick the frosting away, then swallowed and scooted over.
"You got some too," she said, though Tara's face was nothing but clear.
Tara wiped at her mouth, but Willow just shook her head.
"Uh uh, still there. Let me."
She leaned right in and kissed the corner of Tara's mouth, getting the supposed errant smear.
"Got it," she said, then 'accidentally' dabbed the cake in her hand against Tara's neck, "Whoops. Better get that too."
Tara realised what Willow was doing and offered a little more of her neck, then felt a smudge against her throat.
"Darn! I just can't control myself today," Willow said in mock-annoyance of herself, "I mean my hands keep slipping."
Her non-cake-holding hand dropped over Tara's clothed breast as her lips kissed up the frosting she'd left on her girlfriend's throat.
Tara felt her heart start to race and very much wanted to continued what they'd been interrupted from earlier. That thought sent a pang of embarrassment through her, but the feel of Willow's lips caressing was quickly quashing it.
She did have one concern though.
"Is the door locked?"
Willow understood the implication of the question and dropped the cake back in its container, then jumped up.
"I'll check," she said, rushing over to turn the lock in the door, then pulled the curtains across the window and bounced back over as she licked her fingers clean, "All secure, captain. Permission to come aboard?"
Tara giggled and shuffled over to give her more room. Willow jumped up onto the bed and sat near Tara, taking her hand.
"I'm not being pushy, am I?" she asked worriedly, "I mean, as tasty as this cake would taste from your body, it's okay if you want me to eat it off a plate."
Tara's cheeks turned crimson and Willow's matched as she realised what she'd said.
"I just mean, um, you know…I wanna…read with you, and watch TV with you and joke with you and talk with you and–"
"Eat cake off my body?" Tara asked, suppressing a grin.
Willow ducked her head and giggled at herself.
"I mean, it's on the list."
Tara brought a hand up to rub Willow's upper arm.
"Do you think that I think you just want sex from me now?"
"I hope not," Willow answered, looking up into Tara's eyes.
"I don't," Tara replied softly, curling the end of Willow's hair over her finger, "If anything, you might think that of me, the way I've been acting."
Willow turned her head in to kiss the finger playing with her hair.
"I love the way you've been acting."
"And I love you," Tara replied definitively without hesitation, "A-and I love being with you."
Willow smiled and nodded.
"Me too. I mean there's so much…the touching is wonderful, but the closeness, that's even better. And the heartbeat-y stuff. I love that. I'm probably being silly, but sometimes it feels like there's just one between us."
Tara lifted her hand from Willow's hair to her cheek, stroking gently with the back of her fingers.
"That's not silly."
She dropped her hand and let it rest over Willow's, then turned her head in to kiss her softly. They lay down together, Willow on her back with Tara on her side, locked at the mouth.
Tara brushed her hand over Willow's clothed breast, then continued down before slipping her hand under her girlfriend's shirt.
She could feel the taut muscles of Willow's stomach jumping in responce to her touch, which made her own muscles clench, though somewhere a little lower.
"Can I undress you?" she whispered, letting her hand rest on Willow's belt buckle.
"Definitely," Willow nodded quickly, already eagerly wiggling to be free of her jeans, "You're the expert."
She watched as Tara made the simple act of undoing a belt buckle look incredibly sexy and lifted her hips to help them be stripped from her. Her breathing became heavier as Tara ran her palms up her naked thighs to the waistband of her panties and again eagerly wiggled free.
She shivered as the air hit her heated core and was about to close her legs when Tara's hands on her thighs again made her want to very much keep them open.
Her eyes closed as she enjoyed feather-light caresses along her hips and stomach; loving how intimately and thoroughly Tara seemed to know her already. Soft gasps rose from her throat each time Tara popped a button on her shirt open.
She was so lost in sensation, she didn't realise she was completely naked until she felt lips pressing against her nipples.
She moaned and reached out for Tara, but was very displeased when her hands met fabric.
"Hey, you gonna even the score?" she asked, breathlessly and with a glint in her eye.
Tara sidled up so their faces were close.
"Are you?"
Willow could only nod and reach out blindly for Tara again, yanking and pulling at whatever material she felt before suddenly stopping with a frown.
Tara looked down at her panties half-way down her thighs and her shirt tugged out of her skirt, then blushed.
"W-what's wrong?"
Willow seemed to be completely stricken by something.
"You're like this supple, elegant, graceful…lioness. And I'm a bull in a china shop, running around and hoping I don't break you."
Tara's features softened and she moved down face-to-face again.
"You're my feisty tiger. Playful and wild."
Willow cracked a smile.
"Oh, I don't get wild. Wild on me equals spaz."
Tara blushed again and brought her hand to the nape of her neck.
"I feel a little wild when I'm with you. Exhilarated."
Willow felt Tara's breath hit her lips and closed her eyes to savour it.
"You always make me feel better."
Tara smiled softly.
"A lioness takes care of her mate."
Willow smiled too, feeling a thousand times better about herself and her grabby hands. She let their lips meet softly, but it turned heated in seconds. She encouraged Tara over her waist to straddle her and got on with the undressing, idly throwing Tara's clothes to the floor and not worrying if she was doing a 'messy' job of it anymore.
"Mmhh, let me look at you," she said as the final garment dropped, holding Tara by the waist, "I've been trying to figure out my favourite spot, but I can't. There's always a new inch of skin to discover."
Tara felt her shyness decreasing with every adoring look of Willow's eyes.
"I've never felt how you make me feel. Loved. Wanted."
Willow ran her fingers down Tara's arms.
"Well I'm glad I'm the one who got to rectify that," she replied, her gaze slowly making their way up, smiling when they reached the blue ones staring back, "C'mere."
Tara was hesitant to move her body weight down.
"I'm a lot heavier than you."
Willow just shook her head.
"I'll tell you if you are. Please."
Tara leaned down so their bodies were grazing but kept her weight on her hands. Willow decided that was okay for now and took her lips, kissing leisurely but deeply.
After several minutes, their kiss growing fevered, Tara pulled away and curved her palm around Willow's hip.
"Willow?"
"Yeah?" Willow asked, peppering Tara's face with lip caresses.
Tara ducked her head shyly.
"Can I give you a, um… special kiss. Like you gave me?"
Willow's lips stilled on Tara's cheeks, then her eyes went wide with a happy grin.
"Uh huh, yeah, definitely. I-If you want."
Tara looked in equal parts nervous and excited as she sat back between Willow's legs, but didn't make a further move. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.
"I-I don't know what to do."
"I didn't either," Willow reassured, "I just kissed you."
Tara recalled and couldn't help a shudder of delight remembering.
"I remember it getting a little French."
Willow smiled and sat up to put her hands on Tara's shoulders.
"You don't have to do anything you don't want."
Tara let out a shaky breath.
"I-I want to… just… big, bat-shaped butterflies."
Willow put her hand on Tara's stomach and gave it a gentle rub.
"I have a few of those too," she said, wanting to ease Tara's discomfort, "Want to feel good for you, taste good for you."
Tara's eyes went wide, thoughts that hadn't occurred to her before doing so now.
"Did I–?"
"I loved every part of…doing that," Willow interrupted before Tara could ask, smiling softly, "Every part."
Tara lifted her arm, scratching under her own ear.
"A-all these things I never even thought I had to worry about."
"Are you overwhelmed?" Willow asked softly, moving her hands to rub Tara's back, "We can cuddle. Let's cuddle."
She lay back down and brought Tara with her to curl into her side, then encouraged her girlfriend to rest her head under her chin. Tara relaxed as her ear rested over Willow's chest and she listened to her heartbeat.
The steady thumping, along with Willow's hands gently stroking up and down her back, quickly lulled her into slumber.
Tara nuzzled into the softness she felt as she woke up, realising as her eyes fluttered open that it was Willow's thigh. She blushed and lifted her head, smiling when she saw Willow sitting up alongside her, scribbling in her journal with her glasses firmly fixed over her face.
"I keep falling asleep on you," Tara said sleepily, scooting up and rubbing her eyes.
Willow looked over and smiled.
"You keep falling asleep beside me…" she corrected, then winked, "But I'd be very open to you falling asleep on me."
Tara ducked her head and blushed until she felt Willow's thumb stroking her cheek.
"You're very pretty when you sleep. Almost as pretty as when you're awake. That's only 'cause I can see your eyes."
Tara looked up and smiled, then pressed a kiss against Willow's cheek.
"You look really cute in those glasses."
Willow looked pleasantly surprised.
"I do?"
Tara nodded and turned her head in for a kiss, the plastic of Willow's glasses hitting her first. Willow scrunched up her nose, then pouted.
"They get in the way of kissing."
"I guess you'll just have to be my eye candy instead," Tara replied, then glanced down at Willow's journal, "I'm sorry, did I disturb you?"
Willow shook her head and picked up her pen again with a smile.
"I can write and talk."
She began scribbling again and Tara sank down a little in the bed, content to just be near her girlfriend, until she noticed something in front of her.
"Do you want to put your poster up?" asked, gesturing to where it was rolled up and leaning against the desk, "The man with the…ears, and um, hands."
She did her best clueless impression of the Vulcan salute, making Willow laugh.
"Spock?"
Tara shrugged, embarrassed at her lack of knowledge.
"Is he a TV character? Someone you have a crush on?"
"Spock?!" Willow repeating, cackling at the idea, "God no! I mean he's my favourite half-human/half-Vulcan, but that's about it. Not to mention a boy half-human."
Tara's brow creased.
"Half…Vulcan? The god of fire?"
"No, from Star Trek," Willow clarified, only to get another blank look, "You've never seen Star Trek?"
Tara was even more embarrassed not to know. Willow noticed and just smiled reassuringly.
"Well, it's a TV show. About… space. And there's a humanoid alien race called Vulcans, who live though reason and logic. And Spock is half-human/half-Vulcan," Willow explained, then did the Vulcan salute herself, "The hand thingy is a Vulcan salute. Live long and prosper. That's what they say."
Tara tried the hand movement again, and Willow lit up like a Christmas tree when she got it right.
"Hey, you did it!" she exclaimed happily, giving her a proud peck, "You sure I can put it up?"
Tara nodded.
"As long as it's not above the bed. I'm sure Mr. Spock is very nice but I'll have nightmares."
Willow laughed and closed her journal, leaving it back in the drawer of her nightstand. She was about to get out of bed to find a spot for 'Mr. Spock', but felt Tara's legs tangled up with hers and decided she was too comfy to move. She shuffled back down close and took Tara's hand above the sheet.
"Hey…what do you do in the summer?"
Tara linked their fingers securely.
"Summer? I stay here."
"In Boston?" Willow asked hopefully, "That's great… because, well, I don't go home obviously, and Becky's mom let me stay with them last year in Kansas, and she's super nice, unlike her jackass Dad and previous jackass step-dads… But, um, anyway, I sorta can't bear the thought of being away for you for so many months. Do you um, stay in a hostel? I could probably afford a motel if we found a cheap enough one, I mean, it wouldn't be luxury, but it would be private."
Tara smiled softly and shook her head.
"No, I stay on campus."
"On campus?" Willow asked, raising an eyebrow, "Not even Harry Potter could stay at Hogwarts during the summer."
Tara just about understood that reference, and only because she'd schooled up when one too many 'Hermione' references had flown over her head.
"The summer is when I do that admin work I told you about," she explained, "I get some extra cash and they let me stay in the room in exchange for the work. Filing and sorting and doing the campus tours for prospective students."
"Oh," Willow replied, a little thrown by that development, "Well, um, I guess I can find a motel for myself."
Tara's lips turned down and she brushed a piece of hair from Willow's brow.
"You just moved in, you're moving out already?"
Willow perked up at little at that.
"Will they let me stay?"
Tara nodded.
"If you sign up for a class… you don't have to do a full coarse-load, just one… even something fun like photography."
Willow looked around.
"So where do you stay? Do you get to keep your room?"
Tara nodded again.
"It's the building they show off in the tours because it's the newest, so they never close it. The people doing summer classes move into the other rooms."
Willow smiled happily; this sounded like the best possible outcome to her predicament.
"Great. I'm in. In-y in in!"
Tara brightened considerably, thrown off by the idea of Willow leaving in a few short weeks.
"So you're staying?"
Willow threw her arms around Tara and kissed her lovingly.
"A summer with Tara sounds like the best summer ever."