Disclaimer: Willow & Co. don't belong to me, and unfortunately never will. They belong to Joss and his cronies.
Willow closed the blinds with a quick motion of her hands, the man still on her balcony now out of sight. The smile dropped from her face, as she stowed her slaying supplies back into her closet. She didn't know why she bothered to hide them, her parents were never home. Nonetheless, she felt the need to hide them. Her mind returned to the man who was now climbing down her trellis. She could hear it creek in warning. She needed a new trellis. Again. They just didn't make them like they used to.
Willow sighed as she flopped back down onto her bed. Graham. She noticed him watching her several weeks ago, and watched him carefully from beneath eyes that had appeared to be reading. She didn't know what had possessed her to call out to him tonight. She'd never planned on letting him know that she knew he watched her. But she'd been in a very good mood tonight, something rather rare. And she'd wanted to meet him. And so, she'd called out to him, which started the whole series of events.
Lack of words guy. She smiled as she remembered the moniker she'd given him. It seemed to fit. She doubted he'd said more than ten words to her. She had dominated the conversation, which was very unlike her. But Graham brought out feelings in her that she'd never thought she'd feel again. Since Spike. Graham fascinated her. She hoped he took her up on her offer to return. For the first time in almost a year, she'd been able to smile without any forcing whatsoever. Only Angel had ever been able to make her smile after Spike left, but they were never the smiles she had graced upon Graham. Those were always tinged with sadness. These had been filled with knowledge, as if she truly was an all-knowing priestess.
She let her eyes drift close as sleep beckoned. She didn't know what had possessed her to use her magick before him. Somewhere deep inside herself, she'd felt that she could trust him. So, she had bared one of her secrets, the one about her being a mage. Not just a witch, but a mage, who didn't require candles or potions or herbs to do magick, although those things never hurt. No, Willow could do magick just by using her mind. Angel was the only one who had known this prior to tonight. But she trusted Graham, for some strange reason. She didn't know why, but she trusted him.
Willow's mind started to drift, various pictures of Graham flashed through her mind, as she slowly moved into sleep and the peace that came with it.
*****
Graham stared at the rendering that lay on the table before him. Willow's startling green eyes stared back up at him, full of feminine-mystique, just like they had last night when he'd truly met her on her balcony. Her hair swirled about her shoulders like a cape. She was beautiful. And it was finally complete. He didn't know how long he'd spent on it. Hours, for certain. Throwing away countless tries until he'd finally been able to capture Willow on paper. He took a picture of Willow's likeness, as was his want, before carefully pinning the paper to his wall. He'd captured her perfectly. His fire-haired witch. Graham blinked at the thought. His?, he wondered. When had he started to think of her as his? He was brought out of his thoughts as a knock sounded on the door. The knocker didn't bother to wait for a reply, he just opened the door, revealing Forrest, with Riley standing behind him. The look on Riley face clearly said 'Not my fault'. Graham sighed.
"Graham, my man, I was wondering where you'd gotten to. Haven't seen you around lately." He looked at him disapprovingly, which Graham just ignored.
"Was there something you wanted?" he asked.
"Just wondered what was turning you into a recluse… And could this be the reason why?" Forrest's voice had become somewhat gleeful on the second sentence, as his eyes saw the portrait of Willow on Graham's wall. "Who is this beauty?"
"You draw that, Graham?" Riley's voice was full of wonder. Graham nodded. "It's beautiful. She's beautiful."
"You've been holding out on us. Give. Who is she?" Graham looked at Forrest, and cocked his head slightly, debating on what to say. Finally, he decided that less was definitely better than more.
"Willow," he said succinctly.
"Huh?" asked Forrest.
"That's Willow," Graham repeated, while Riley suppressed a snicker. Forrest glared at Graham.
"Very funny. When do we get to meet this woman who's attracted so much of your attention?"
"You don't." Forrest blinked.
"What do you mean I don't?"
"I mean, you don't. I'd never subject Willow to someone as crude as you." Graham's face remained completely impassive, as Forrest just stared at him in shock. He finally just shook his head, and left Graham's room.
"So, do I get to meet her?" Riley asked, a smile on his face. Graham turned to examine his friend.
"One day," he finally said, as he turned back to contemplate Willow's likeness. Realizing he'd lost Graham, Riley patted him on the shoulder before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.
"Will you be out tonight, Willow?" he asked the painting. "I hope so. I want to see you again." His eyes de-focused as he thought back to last night when she'd spoken to him on her balcony. When he'd awoken this morning, with him actually having a day completely to himself, with no Initiative business and with it being summer, no classes, he'd spend hours on her portrait. He wondered if he'd ever get a chance to show it to her. He hoped so. He didn't know how long he spent staring at the portrait, but when he looked at the clock, he realized that it was now past dark. He grabbed a backpack with his gear, and headed towards Safe Street and Willow's house. He hoped she would be outside tonight. He needed to see her again.
*****
Willow grabbed her slaying supplies as she headed out onto her balcony for a night of reading. The glasses of Kool-Aid were already out, as she settled into her chair. Her eyes automatically scanned the darkness around her house, especially near the tree that Graham liked to lurk beside, and to her surprise she saw him. He'd waited for her. The smile that Graham brought out in her once again graced her lips as she beckoned him to join her. Without any hesitation, he climbed up the trellis, which creaked and groaned somewhat, and landed on her balcony before her.
"Graham," she said softly.
"Willow," he returned in the same tone. They both smiled widely, as they settled into the chairs. Words were spoken in the hours that passed, but not a whole lot. They spent a lot of time in comfortable silence, simply looking into each other's eyes. It was sometime past midnight when Graham took his leave, and Willow returned inside. And neither of them noticed the pair hiding in the bushes across the street, watching the pair with confusion for the entire evening.