Breaking My Heart

Part twenty-four of the Foolish Games series.

"Oh! Buffy! I broke mine," Willow cried to her friend.

Buffy looked up from her half-painted ceramic ornament. "What'd you do Wills? It's all very . . .shattered."

"I can see that! What'm I supposed to do now?"

"You could ask for another one," Dawn offered, butting into their conversation.

Buffy glared at her sister. "Was anyone talking to you? And besides, the Evil Ceramics Lady already said we only got one--

"Just one," Willow and Dawn chorused, "and no more."

Dawn's lips narrowed into a tight frown. "Yup. You're screwed. What were you making anyway?"

"A Wise Man," Willow answered.

"Willow," Buffy said with an air of surprise, "how very not-Jewish of you."

"Okay, so I've always had a thing for the wise men. I mean they have their own song and everything."

Xander wandered over. "What's this I hear about Wise Men? I'm a man. I'm wise." A distant female snort followed his boasting. "I heard that!" he said, heading back to his table and to Anya.

With a sigh Buffy said, "Oh yeah, I can see how this relationship is all good for Xander's self-esteem."

Willow frowned. "I thought you liked Anya?"

"I do!" Buffy said brightly. "Now Xander doesn't just take our slights and insults, he stands up to us like a man." She pulled her face down into her impersonation of, what looked like to Dawn and Willow, Giles' serious face and made heavy grunting noises.

Dawn shook her head. "Not like that I hope," she said turning away.

"C'mon, Buffy, this is serious," Willow said, once again feeling sorry for herself. "I was gonna give my Wise Man to Oz. See, that's his orange hair. And…and that speck over there? I painted the nails black."

Buffy squinted hard at the floor. "Oh, yeah. I can see'em. Sorta."

"Well they were nails. A whole hand even."

"So what's that brown thing?"

Willow beamed. "I was painting a guitar on his back. I figure if Oz is one of the Wise Men he'd probably be the one to make up their theme song."

"Hmm. Not a bad idea."

Willow clicked her tongue. "Now it's a broken one. Sigh. I guess I'll just watch you guys finish yours and--"

"Hey Wills."

She turned. "Oz! We were just talking about you," she said as she wrapped her arms around her boyfriend.

"Cool. Hey, I heard from a pretty good source that you broke your ornament."

Willow sighed heavily. "Yeah. Who told you?"

"Anya. She heard it fall. Apparently she was gonna come take a look but Xander beat her to it. Then there was this whole thing about the unlikelihood of there being actual Wise Men. That it was probably Wise Women and Xander could in no way relate." At the blank stares he was getting he said, "Yeah, that was pretty much my feeling."

Buffy scratched the back of her neck. "I said I liked her. Never said anything about understanding her." Shaking her head she went back to their table.

"Anyway," Oz fished around in his pocket, "I got you this," and pulled out a ceramic heart.

"Oz, for me?"

He smiled.

"Thank you!" She threw her arms around his neck. "But what about you? I can't take your ornament away?"

"No worries. Xander's keeping an eye on mine. I picked this up on my way here."

"The Evil Ceramics Lady let you have two?!"

"Mmm, 'let' is a very strong word."

Willow clapped a hand over her mouth. "You stole for me?"

"I think 'stole' is kinda strong too. I mean, I left money and everything."

Willow rushed Oz, squeezing with all her might. "I can't believe you've begun a life of crime. For me! Thank you, Oz!" she said, dropping a kiss on his ear -- the only part of his anatomy she could actually get to.

"Willow. Breathe."

"I'm fine."

"Me, Willow. Me breathe."

She let him go suddenly. "Oh, right. Sorry."

"S'okay." He rubbed his neck wondering if Devon had enough makeup to cover the bruises he'd have by that night's gig. "Just don't go breaking my heart, huh?"

"No way. Not ever."

[In]Fin[ite]

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