"Woohoo!" The yelp of delight came from the excited teen, half watching the shoe being moved around the board in front her, while counting out her money from her last transaction. "That 'eight' takes you to North Carolina Avenue... which means, you owe me..." she paused in her couting, as she checked the rent rate, "Three hundred bucks." With a giggle, she laid down her money and stuck her hand out, letting it hover over the board. "Come on, Xand. Pay up."
With a groan of defeat, he removed his fingertip from the metal playing piece and rifled through the messy pile of 'pretend' cash sitting on the table before him. "You know, you are entirely too good at this. How did you get so good?"
Dawn grinned, not even attempting to be modest about the winning streak she had every time they played. "Not telling." She stuck her tongue out at him impishly, safe in the knowledge that with him opposite her, he couldn't reach over and tickle her. "Actually, even if I wanted to tell you, I wouldn't. See, there wouldn't be any point, 'cause you wouldn't understand."
"Huh? Why not?" Xander's eyes narrowed suspiciously at the teen, before his gaze slid over to the redhead sandwiched between them, who was presently covering her mouth in an attempt to hide her smile.
"Oh, it's just that it'd be a foreign concept to you... what with being called 'studying', and all - ow! You kicked me!"
It was Xander's turn to smirk as he dropped the money into Dawn's waiting palm. "Just because I can't tickle you, doesn't mean I can't get you back in other ways."
"Meanie. Just for that, I'm gonna upgrade all those pretty little houses to hotels next turn. See how you like that."
Willow chuckled at the sibling-like banter between the two, and shared a smile with the slim blonde opposite her. Not for the first time, she wondered if she would fall into the bright blue eyes staring back at her. "You wanna take your turn, Sum'? Otherwise, these two will never stop."
The young woman laughed brightly, her whole face alighting as she flicked her long, wavy hair over her shoulder. "I don't mind - it's actually pretty fascinating; watching you three wind each other up to the point of almost-murder." The sparkle in her piercing eyes danced. "I just can't believe no-one's got hurt, yet."
"Trust me, Summer," Xander interjected, momentarily taking his eyes off Dawn, who was sliding downward in her seat as she tried to reach him with her legs under the table. "If Anya were still here, those two would probably have gotten to that point and passed it already - and we're only halfway through the game."
"Yeah," Willow agreed, "They're both pretty um... competitive. Add in their investing abilities and this wouldn't just be a nice, friendly game of Monopoly anymore... it would be all-out war."
"Isn't it already?" Summer looked at the teen beside her, trying to contain a giggle as Dawn lowered herself to the point of almost-horizontal in her efforts to kick Xander back. Wisely, Xander backed his chair away from the circular dining table, avoiding the socked feet now flailing wildly as Dawn tried not to fall off her chair.
"Um, no." Willow glanced sideways as a soft thump indicated that the teen had failed, and shared another grin with her not-quite-girlfriend. "This is actually pretty tame."
"Oh." The blonde paused thoughtfully and gathered up the dice. "In that case, maybe I should have my go, before things get out of hand."
Willow nodded as she watched Summer roll the dice. "Good idea." As each die tumbled to a halt, the red-head's face dropped. "Or not."
Realising that play had resumed, Dawn scrambled back up to the table top and squealed excitedly again as she realised the 'one' and 'three' brought Summer's hat to rest upon Kentucky Avenue. "Hand it over... um, please." Grinning like the cat that ate the cream, Dawn held out her hand demandingly once more. "Those pretty plastic green things mean you owe me seven hundred big ones."
Willow murmured a soft, "Ouch," of sympathy as Summer counted out her money. "You know, you should join us when Giles plays... he's even managed to beat her a couple of times. It's always a much more sensible game."
Summer looked up with another radiant smile. "Uh, no offence, Will, but as much as I like Giles, nothing on earth will get me to play this with you guys ever again."
Smiling affectionately, the redhead shrugged. "No offence taken. Hey, talking of Giles," she added, this time to Xander, "I wonder how he and Buffy are getting on? I mean, I thought they'd have called by now."
"You know," he paused in his reply and waggled his eyebrows for effect, "Maybe they worked everything out and they're locked in their room." The sudden intense stare from three pairs of eyes bore into him and he shifted uncomfortably on his seat. "I-I mean... you know... talking... of course."
"Yeah, right." Dawn replied with a grimace. "You're gross, you know that? As if my sister and Giles would... would... you know... eurgh." Her grimace tightened, the notion enough to distract her from straightening her money piles. "I still don't get why you think they would... you know... even think about it."
"It's obvious," Willow stated simply. "I'm surprised you can't see it, Dawnie. I mean, think about it; it all adds up: the way Buffy's attitude did a one-eighty when Giles told her he was taking her away for the weekend and the way she's been so jealous of you being with Giles. Plus, you said you caught Giles trying to convince himself he wasn't in love with someone he saw as a friend - and then there's been all sorts of hints that Buffy's got someone she likes, but she won't admit it. Then, there's the way they behave around each other when they're in the same room... you can't say you haven't noticed, it's been going on for a long time: it started out with Buffy-babble - always a clear indicator of a crush or a secret, even if we didn't pick up on it - and her running off all the time, then it turned into a sort of tension which was probably part sexual."
"Eww, gross. Can you not say my sister's name and that word in the same sentence, please?"
Ignoring Dawn's comment, Xander jumped in. "And have you noticed the looks they started to give each other lately when they think no-one's looking? Like the other day, for example, when we went out for Chinese together. Was I the only one who noticed that Buffy kept sneaking peeks at Giles when he was turned away, and that when she stopped, he started doing the same to her?"
Willow shook her head in agreement. "You weren't the only one. I think... maybe the clues were there all along and we're only just seeing them. But.. it's kinda sweet and it just seems... right, you know?" She looked to both Xander and Summer for confirmation, pleased that they were nodding.
"When I first met you guys, I thought they were already together." Summer admitted with a smile. "I thought they made such an adorable couple... I was really surprised when I found out they weren't even a couple."
"Yeah, I'm not sure about adorable, but you're right, Will... it does seem right. Kinda like they were always meant to be together. If you'd told me three or four years ago that they were in love, I probably would have freaked out big time... but after everything with Anya, I've discovered that love can be found in unlikely places and it can be with the people that you least expect, yet it just makes sense and you fit together just right. What?" He looked at the three women staring at him in surprise. "I can't have a little insight every now and then?"
"No," sniffled Dawn, "It's just... that's probably the most romantic thing I've ever heard you say... and maybe... you're starting to convince me. I mean, I saw the looks you talked about - and others since then - and the way Giles looks at Buffy? God, I wish someone looked at me that way. I think I get why you think they should be together... not that it's not icky, but yeah, I get it. Anyway..." She shook off her sentimentality and refocused her attentions on the game, realising that it was her turn and that her favourite street was within her reach. "Back to the game, " she stated firmly, then grinned confidently. "Boardwalk, here I come." She gathered up the dice and rattled them noisily. "Gimme a 'three', gimme a 'three', gimme a 'three'," She chanted, kissing her knuckles for luck. With a deep breath, she flung her hand open, scattering the dice across the board to reveal a 'two' and a 'five'.
Silently dropping her head in defeat to bang it on the table, she only lifted it again when she realised everyone was laughing at her. "Stop it. It's not funny. Stupid tax. Why should I pay taxes? I've got all these lovely little houses, and now I can't afford to buy the hotels I wanted..."