The door slammed and Willow looked up, she saw a very heated Summers' women walking towards her and was on her feet immediately.
"Dawnie, honey? What happened?" Willow asked the brunette cautiously. Dawn slumped onto the couch, sighing heavily and shaking her head furiously.
"Again. Dawn run. Dawn do this. Dawn do that. Dawn be careful. No, Dawn, not alone! Pshish. I'm not a baby Willow! You know that right? I mean I fight amazingly, so I'm not a slayer, I'm damn strong and my healing powers are pretty advanced. And magic? I know simple stuff you taught me, all things that'll save me in battle. And I've even saved her ass a few times when you haven't been around with a spell. That's gotta be worth something right? I know I only have normalcy on the powers front but I've pulled my ass around research long enough to have earned a little respect. Even Giles and Xander are allowed to fight; apparently they have something I don't. Balls, perhaps." Willow grinned and interrupted Dawn's train of thought heavily.
"You know what I'm going to say, right sweetie? And apart from everything else, I think you got to admit that Buffy is leading the woman power campaign so accusing her of being sexist isn't going to swing."
"They just care. Yeah, I know the drill…but I'm going to have to have a serious talk with her."
"Dawn you're twenty, why do you still let it bother you? Sure, so she worries about the slayage. No big, you can get over that." Willow raised an eyebrow at the girl, she loved Buffy, really she did, but the girl just needed to let go where her younger sister was concerned. Buffy hated not being able to boss Dawn around anymore, and Dawn loved infuriating her by doing things she knew she'd hate. So the cycle went on, it was all in good spirit, but Buffy used the Slayer 'get out of jail free card' every time, it gave her a little more control. When it came to patrol, she could tell Dawn exactly what to do, and no-one was allowed to argue.
"That's the point, I can't. So talking, definitely with the talking tomorrow." At that point the door shut for the second time that night and the unmistakeable smell of pizza wafted through the house.
"Wills, foods here!" Xander appeared in the doorway, "Dawnie, your home early, you okay? I thought you we were making with the sister slayage tonight?" Dawn turned her nose up and snorted.
"Not a good subject Xan? You have food? Coz food is, you know, good." Xan smiled retrieving the huge box. He plopped himself next to Dawn and snuggled comfortably into the seat. At that moment the phone rang and Willow stepped up, disappearing into the next room to answer it. Dawn stretched out, taking full advantage of Willow's absence, laying her head on Xander's lap and swinging her legs up so her feet could rest on the arm on the opposite end.
"Willow's taking awhile, and doing that girl-giggle thing." Dawn raised an eyebrow.
"Honestly Xander, girl-giggle thing?" Xander leaned further back into the couch and smiled.
"You know, when smiles and then giggles and then tucks her hair behind her ear. Its like a girl thing, they do it when they're being all coy." Xander finished with a triumphant nod. "Besides, ten bucks says it's Kennedy."
"Oh, or you know, Brad rang her up, pronouncing his undying love, convincing her she's not gay and saying he'll drop by in five to whisk her off her feet. Or maybe it could be Heath? Heath's good, got the hair." Xander smiled at the beaming Dawn,
"Or it could be James? She always had a thing for that Marsters' guy!" Xander finished.
"Cheekbone boy. We are talking a whole new level of hot with him; he'd even be flaming in a hell dimension! He's got the hair, the ass, the body *and* the afore mentioned cheekbones!" Dawn suddenly got a far away look in her eye and was only brought back to reality when she saw Xander sucking in his cheeks, somehow managing to say,
"What about my cheekbones? Aren't they good enough? Tell me they're not drool worthy?" Dawn laughed as he suddenly looked like a neglected little boy. She reached up and pinched his cheek, like an old lady would do to a small child, punctuating the action by saying,
"Don't worry Xander, you have very cute cheekbones too, and an adorable little face to match." Dawn burst into laughter and lost her balance as Xander gave her a good hearted shove in protest. She cascaded to the floor, still laughing and managing to bring Xander down with her in her alarm. Not particularly happy at being dragged to the floor a sardonic look passed over his face a second before he started tickling the girl underneath him mercilessly. For several minutes it was a jungle of arms and limbs and two voices that mingled in their laughter, until Xander noticed Dawn had gone quiet and was focused on something over his shoulder.
Xander turned to look over his shoulder. There was a very amused Willow watching the whole proceedings. Except when he finally looked around and a sudden very guilty look washed over her delicate face.
"Your call. Had to be Kennedy, otherwise there wouldn't be guilt ridden angst."
"Of course it was my call. What did you expect?" Dawn swatted him playfully in response to this. "Don't be worrying, Wills. We got the fort here. You go do the canoodles thing and Dawn and I will protect the pizza and the ice cream and popcorn with all of our stomachs. Scooby honour!" Suddenly he brought two of his fingers up to form a cross. Willow raised her eyebrows.
"Scooby honour?" Xander threw his shoulders into a shrug the best he could considering his position.
"Yup. My new thing. I'm throwing it around a little, see if it fits. I personally think it could catch." Dawn started laughing along with Willow and Xander looked like a wounded puppy. Then Willow was all guilt ridden again.
"Are you sure you guys don't mind. I know its ditching but Kennedy's been with all the training lately. Coz you know, I could stay." At this point both bodies on the floor yelled 'go' and threw two rather large cushions in Willow's general direction.
"Okay, okay, I'm gone." And then she really was gone. Xander and Dawn were still in the same positions they had been in when Willow had walked in. With one look at each other they burst into simultaneous hysterics. Finally when they calmed down Xander looked at the woman below him.
"Truce?" He helped her up.
"Sure, truce. Scooby honour." There was something far too strange about the way she said that and Xander stopped and looked at Dawn dubiously. She grinned manically and suddenly launched at him, tickling him none stop.
"Dawnie, honey? What happened?" Willow asked the brunette cautiously. Dawn slumped onto the couch, sighing heavily and shaking her head furiously.
"Again. Dawn run. Dawn do this. Dawn do that. Dawn be careful. No, Dawn, not alone! Pshish. I'm not a baby Willow! You know that right? I mean I fight amazingly, so I'm not a slayer, I'm damn strong and my healing powers are pretty advanced. And magic? I know simple stuff you taught me, all things that'll save me in battle. And I've even saved her ass a few times when you haven't been around with a spell. That's gotta be worth something right? I know I only have normalcy on the powers front but I've pulled my ass around research long enough to have earned a little respect. Even Giles and Xander are allowed to fight; apparently they have something I don't. Balls, perhaps." Willow grinned and interrupted Dawn's train of thought heavily.
"You know what I'm going to say, right sweetie? And apart from everything else, I think you got to admit that Buffy is leading the woman power campaign so accusing her of being sexist isn't going to swing."
"They just care. Yeah, I know the drill…but I'm going to have to have a serious talk with her."
"Dawn you're twenty, why do you still let it bother you? Sure, so she worries about the slayage. No big, you can get over that." Willow raised an eyebrow at the girl, she loved Buffy, really she did, but the girl just needed to let go where her younger sister was concerned. Buffy hated not being able to boss Dawn around anymore, and Dawn loved infuriating her by doing things she knew she'd hate. So the cycle went on, it was all in good spirit, but Buffy used the Slayer 'get out of jail free card' every time, it gave her a little more control. When it came to patrol, she could tell Dawn exactly what to do, and no-one was allowed to argue.
"That's the point, I can't. So talking, definitely with the talking tomorrow." At that point the door shut for the second time that night and the unmistakeable smell of pizza wafted through the house.
"Wills, foods here!" Xander appeared in the doorway, "Dawnie, your home early, you okay? I thought you we were making with the sister slayage tonight?" Dawn turned her nose up and snorted.
"Not a good subject Xan? You have food? Coz food is, you know, good." Xan smiled retrieving the huge box. He plopped himself next to Dawn and snuggled comfortably into the seat. At that moment the phone rang and Willow stepped up, disappearing into the next room to answer it. Dawn stretched out, taking full advantage of Willow's absence, laying her head on Xander's lap and swinging her legs up so her feet could rest on the arm on the opposite end.
"Willow's taking awhile, and doing that girl-giggle thing." Dawn raised an eyebrow.
"Honestly Xander, girl-giggle thing?" Xander leaned further back into the couch and smiled.
"You know, when smiles and then giggles and then tucks her hair behind her ear. Its like a girl thing, they do it when they're being all coy." Xander finished with a triumphant nod. "Besides, ten bucks says it's Kennedy."
"Oh, or you know, Brad rang her up, pronouncing his undying love, convincing her she's not gay and saying he'll drop by in five to whisk her off her feet. Or maybe it could be Heath? Heath's good, got the hair." Xander smiled at the beaming Dawn,
"Or it could be James? She always had a thing for that Marsters' guy!" Xander finished.
"Cheekbone boy. We are talking a whole new level of hot with him; he'd even be flaming in a hell dimension! He's got the hair, the ass, the body *and* the afore mentioned cheekbones!" Dawn suddenly got a far away look in her eye and was only brought back to reality when she saw Xander sucking in his cheeks, somehow managing to say,
"What about my cheekbones? Aren't they good enough? Tell me they're not drool worthy?" Dawn laughed as he suddenly looked like a neglected little boy. She reached up and pinched his cheek, like an old lady would do to a small child, punctuating the action by saying,
"Don't worry Xander, you have very cute cheekbones too, and an adorable little face to match." Dawn burst into laughter and lost her balance as Xander gave her a good hearted shove in protest. She cascaded to the floor, still laughing and managing to bring Xander down with her in her alarm. Not particularly happy at being dragged to the floor a sardonic look passed over his face a second before he started tickling the girl underneath him mercilessly. For several minutes it was a jungle of arms and limbs and two voices that mingled in their laughter, until Xander noticed Dawn had gone quiet and was focused on something over his shoulder.
Xander turned to look over his shoulder. There was a very amused Willow watching the whole proceedings. Except when he finally looked around and a sudden very guilty look washed over her delicate face.
"Your call. Had to be Kennedy, otherwise there wouldn't be guilt ridden angst."
"Of course it was my call. What did you expect?" Dawn swatted him playfully in response to this. "Don't be worrying, Wills. We got the fort here. You go do the canoodles thing and Dawn and I will protect the pizza and the ice cream and popcorn with all of our stomachs. Scooby honour!" Suddenly he brought two of his fingers up to form a cross. Willow raised her eyebrows.
"Scooby honour?" Xander threw his shoulders into a shrug the best he could considering his position.
"Yup. My new thing. I'm throwing it around a little, see if it fits. I personally think it could catch." Dawn started laughing along with Willow and Xander looked like a wounded puppy. Then Willow was all guilt ridden again.
"Are you sure you guys don't mind. I know its ditching but Kennedy's been with all the training lately. Coz you know, I could stay." At this point both bodies on the floor yelled 'go' and threw two rather large cushions in Willow's general direction.
"Okay, okay, I'm gone." And then she really was gone. Xander and Dawn were still in the same positions they had been in when Willow had walked in. With one look at each other they burst into simultaneous hysterics. Finally when they calmed down Xander looked at the woman below him.
"Truce?" He helped her up.
"Sure, truce. Scooby honour." There was something far too strange about the way she said that and Xander stopped and looked at Dawn dubiously. She grinned manically and suddenly launched at him, tickling him none stop.