A Cat's Tale 12: What Does She Want?
Author: Lucinda
rating: pg, pg 13
Main Characters: Sabertooth, Willow, mention of Cordelia
Disclaimer: I do not own Sabertooth or anyone else from X-Men, I do not own Willow.
Distribution: If you have permission for Family Tree or one of the earlier Cat's Tale, yes. Otherwise, please ask.
note: this takes place after FT 12, but before FT 13.
Vic was sitting on the steps, staring at a snag on his pants. Okay, more like his claw had snagged on it and made a ragged tear, but it was about the same thing. He was thinking about Sunnydale. Not just the foolish boy that Willow still wanted to have as her friend, or the vampire that remembered him from the times before, or the little blond fighter. No, he was thinking of the dark haired girl who liked boy-bands. The one that he and Willow had saved. Cordy-la, no, Cordelia. She was pretty, but... He'd seen prettier women, older women, females that weren't under age. But they didn't look at him quite like she did.
She didn't look at him as if he was a scary thing that could go berserk at any moment, or some half tamed missing link. No, she looked at him... she looked at him with this intensity, and a sort of hunger. She looked at him as if she wanted him. As if she wanted... well, all sorts of things with him.
He sort of liked it. And it was a bit confusing. People didn't look at him like that. Especially not humans, although most of them just tended to run away. She had thought he looked big and dangerous, but... she hadn't fled. She'd been watching for him.
But what did she want from him? Did she just want to play, a few passionate tumblings on the grass... no, probably in a bed? Did she want to have a secret passionate affair with a mutant? Would he be some sort of trophy accomplishment for her? Some passionate experimentation? Or was she willing to look past the claws and the differences to see him as a man?
With something that was halfway between a growl and a groan, he dropped his head into his hands. She was baffling, this Cordelia.
"Thinking really deep thoughts, or trying to figure out why I like Xander again?" Willow's voice, awake and almost cheerful.
"Cordelia." He summed up his confusion with her name.
"Oh." Willow frowned, traces of anger, frustration, and a sort of hope entering her scent. "I don't understand her either. But, she's... she's changed in the past year. Since she discovered there were vampires, and demons. It's like... she used to be this shallow, self centered snob, and now, she's discovered that there are more important things out there than football and shopping and concerts. She's... I don't know, but I'd like to think that she could become a pretty decent person. Instead of just pretty."
He chuckled at her string of words. "She keeps watching me. And I don't understand what she wants. Longer term, not short term."
For a moment, Willow just stood there, before her entire body flushed. "Ohhh... you and Cordy... visual... eeep! Trying to move past that now... umm.... long term? I have no clue what she wants. She might not know herself."
"Oddly, that didn't help, Red." He grinned at her, feeling slightly better. For some reason, he didn't want Willow to be upset about this... well, there really wasn't anything with Cordelia, but there could be.
Willow looked at him, as if she could see what was going through his mind, although he didn't feel any of the funny tickling at the edges of himself that indicated a mind-walker. "I'm not going to say who you can or can't be involved with, as long as they're old enough and consenting. And I don't think I want to see it. But... Cordelia. Maybe we can sort through the possibilities so there's a plan for the possible outcomes?"
"Usually, plans were for invasions and assaults." He couldn't help but compare Willow's plans to the various plans of Magneto. Willow was more willing to focus on the emotional, to do things because of how they would make someone feel. And she wanted to help people, all people, not just mutants.
Willow giggled. "Erik needs to learn to get in touch with his feelings a bit more. You know, make plans for movies, for pizza, maybe ice cream occasionally. And we've made a couple attack plans, haven't we? Maybe we could work on a few more actual plans for patrol instead of 'there's one, let's get him!' and just, you know, attacking. Because sometimes plans are good. And have you noticed that the majority of the vampires we see are guys? I mean, why is that? Women can be just as vicious and dangerous as guys! Just because they aren't normally the size of a linebacker..."
"Babbling." He grinned, wondering if any of her friends knew how much emotion was buried under her quiet exterior.
"oops?" Willow didn't sound too apologetic. "Umm... anyhow, shall we start with the possibilities of Cordelia? I mean, what she might want."
They started their morning run, figuring that the twins would be asleep for a while. Willow wanted to say goodbye before they returned to Sunnydale. There was also the appeal of if they came back to say goodbye, her aunt would insist on feeding them both a big breakfast first. Yumm.
He glanced at Willow, certain that she wouldn't enjoy this discussion, and also certain that she'd continue it anyhow. "First possibility, she wants to experiment. Try someone very different."
"Hmm... I don't think so. She's heard enough about the various icky things that she should know that sometimes, different can be very dangerous. That should be enough that she won't be trying not so human looking guys just because, they might leave her impregnated with their flesh eating demon spawn or something." Willow made a face as she spoke, apparently remembering some of the things from those old books.
"Fleeehhhh." He made his own face at that image. "Sounds bad. Next thought, secret affair with the dangerous mutant."
"Ack. I want to say that she probably wouldn't want somebody that she couldn't brag about, but there's always the possibility that I don't know her as well as I think, so... can't eliminate that one so easy. What if that's all she wants? A little while of passion, and then... moving on?" Willow sounded thoughtful.
"She's pretty. I wouldn't mind playing for a while." He smiled, several images of just that sort of playing flickering through his mind.
"Wouldn't it bother you? I mean, that would just be using you." Willow had a small frown, and it occurred to Vic that she was worried for him.
"Not if I know. If all she wants is sex and passion... I can deal. If she claims to care and drops me... I'd get angry." He was pretty sure that he'd been used in far less enjoyable ways before.
Willow was quiet for while. "What if she wants to try for a relationship? The sort that could lead to marriage and kids and a house and all that?"
"Married? Me?" Vic chuckled at the idea, and then realized that Willow was serious. She really didn't see any reason why he shouldn't consider the idea of married and kids. "You can picture me as a parent?"
"If she is actually serious, and wants to try to make something work, why not you, married and a father?" Willow had a small smile. "I mean, you'd care, which would be better than my parents, and I can't see you getting drunk and beating your kids like Jesse's parents used to do... Like I think Xander's dad still does. So, yeah, maybe you." Willow had this odd sound in her voice, as if she was speaking over a tangled knot of feelings and memories.
"I'm glad you have that much confidence in me." He meant it, and was a bit unsettled by it. How could she have so much confidence in him as a parent when all he had were questions? "But I don't think I'm ready to start looking for a house with a garage and three bedrooms just yet."
Willow blushed a bit. "No, I'm not saying right now! I just meant, you know, if in the future... You're allowed to have a life."
"A normal life?" He couldn't quite help but ask the question.
She snorted, making a sort of dismissive gesture with one hand. "You came to the Hellmouth. Nobody there gets a normal life, human or not. Buffy doesn't, I don't, you don't, Amy doesn't, Xander doesn't, Giles doesn't.... nobody does. But that doesn't mean you can't try for some good parts in it."
"Some good parts..." He smiled at her words. "Yeah, I'd like some good parts."
Maybe he could find theses elusive 'good parts', although it was much to soon to know if Cordelia would have anything to do with them. But if she wanted to try... That could be nice.
But he could worry about all of that later. Now, they'd finished their run, and were headed back to the Stenner home, for goodbyes and breakfast. Mainly the breakfast on his part. Then, they would go back to Sunnydale, with it's tangle of emotions and secrets and evil. He almost looked forward to the evil part, demons and vampires that he could kill, no hard thought required. Emotions though, those and secrets made Sunnydale a bit harder.
end What Does She Want?
Author: Lucinda
rating: pg, pg 13
Main Characters: Sabertooth, Willow, mention of Cordelia
Disclaimer: I do not own Sabertooth or anyone else from X-Men, I do not own Willow.
Distribution: If you have permission for Family Tree or one of the earlier Cat's Tale, yes. Otherwise, please ask.
note: this takes place after FT 12, but before FT 13.
Vic was sitting on the steps, staring at a snag on his pants. Okay, more like his claw had snagged on it and made a ragged tear, but it was about the same thing. He was thinking about Sunnydale. Not just the foolish boy that Willow still wanted to have as her friend, or the vampire that remembered him from the times before, or the little blond fighter. No, he was thinking of the dark haired girl who liked boy-bands. The one that he and Willow had saved. Cordy-la, no, Cordelia. She was pretty, but... He'd seen prettier women, older women, females that weren't under age. But they didn't look at him quite like she did.
She didn't look at him as if he was a scary thing that could go berserk at any moment, or some half tamed missing link. No, she looked at him... she looked at him with this intensity, and a sort of hunger. She looked at him as if she wanted him. As if she wanted... well, all sorts of things with him.
He sort of liked it. And it was a bit confusing. People didn't look at him like that. Especially not humans, although most of them just tended to run away. She had thought he looked big and dangerous, but... she hadn't fled. She'd been watching for him.
But what did she want from him? Did she just want to play, a few passionate tumblings on the grass... no, probably in a bed? Did she want to have a secret passionate affair with a mutant? Would he be some sort of trophy accomplishment for her? Some passionate experimentation? Or was she willing to look past the claws and the differences to see him as a man?
With something that was halfway between a growl and a groan, he dropped his head into his hands. She was baffling, this Cordelia.
"Thinking really deep thoughts, or trying to figure out why I like Xander again?" Willow's voice, awake and almost cheerful.
"Cordelia." He summed up his confusion with her name.
"Oh." Willow frowned, traces of anger, frustration, and a sort of hope entering her scent. "I don't understand her either. But, she's... she's changed in the past year. Since she discovered there were vampires, and demons. It's like... she used to be this shallow, self centered snob, and now, she's discovered that there are more important things out there than football and shopping and concerts. She's... I don't know, but I'd like to think that she could become a pretty decent person. Instead of just pretty."
He chuckled at her string of words. "She keeps watching me. And I don't understand what she wants. Longer term, not short term."
For a moment, Willow just stood there, before her entire body flushed. "Ohhh... you and Cordy... visual... eeep! Trying to move past that now... umm.... long term? I have no clue what she wants. She might not know herself."
"Oddly, that didn't help, Red." He grinned at her, feeling slightly better. For some reason, he didn't want Willow to be upset about this... well, there really wasn't anything with Cordelia, but there could be.
Willow looked at him, as if she could see what was going through his mind, although he didn't feel any of the funny tickling at the edges of himself that indicated a mind-walker. "I'm not going to say who you can or can't be involved with, as long as they're old enough and consenting. And I don't think I want to see it. But... Cordelia. Maybe we can sort through the possibilities so there's a plan for the possible outcomes?"
"Usually, plans were for invasions and assaults." He couldn't help but compare Willow's plans to the various plans of Magneto. Willow was more willing to focus on the emotional, to do things because of how they would make someone feel. And she wanted to help people, all people, not just mutants.
Willow giggled. "Erik needs to learn to get in touch with his feelings a bit more. You know, make plans for movies, for pizza, maybe ice cream occasionally. And we've made a couple attack plans, haven't we? Maybe we could work on a few more actual plans for patrol instead of 'there's one, let's get him!' and just, you know, attacking. Because sometimes plans are good. And have you noticed that the majority of the vampires we see are guys? I mean, why is that? Women can be just as vicious and dangerous as guys! Just because they aren't normally the size of a linebacker..."
"Babbling." He grinned, wondering if any of her friends knew how much emotion was buried under her quiet exterior.
"oops?" Willow didn't sound too apologetic. "Umm... anyhow, shall we start with the possibilities of Cordelia? I mean, what she might want."
They started their morning run, figuring that the twins would be asleep for a while. Willow wanted to say goodbye before they returned to Sunnydale. There was also the appeal of if they came back to say goodbye, her aunt would insist on feeding them both a big breakfast first. Yumm.
He glanced at Willow, certain that she wouldn't enjoy this discussion, and also certain that she'd continue it anyhow. "First possibility, she wants to experiment. Try someone very different."
"Hmm... I don't think so. She's heard enough about the various icky things that she should know that sometimes, different can be very dangerous. That should be enough that she won't be trying not so human looking guys just because, they might leave her impregnated with their flesh eating demon spawn or something." Willow made a face as she spoke, apparently remembering some of the things from those old books.
"Fleeehhhh." He made his own face at that image. "Sounds bad. Next thought, secret affair with the dangerous mutant."
"Ack. I want to say that she probably wouldn't want somebody that she couldn't brag about, but there's always the possibility that I don't know her as well as I think, so... can't eliminate that one so easy. What if that's all she wants? A little while of passion, and then... moving on?" Willow sounded thoughtful.
"She's pretty. I wouldn't mind playing for a while." He smiled, several images of just that sort of playing flickering through his mind.
"Wouldn't it bother you? I mean, that would just be using you." Willow had a small frown, and it occurred to Vic that she was worried for him.
"Not if I know. If all she wants is sex and passion... I can deal. If she claims to care and drops me... I'd get angry." He was pretty sure that he'd been used in far less enjoyable ways before.
Willow was quiet for while. "What if she wants to try for a relationship? The sort that could lead to marriage and kids and a house and all that?"
"Married? Me?" Vic chuckled at the idea, and then realized that Willow was serious. She really didn't see any reason why he shouldn't consider the idea of married and kids. "You can picture me as a parent?"
"If she is actually serious, and wants to try to make something work, why not you, married and a father?" Willow had a small smile. "I mean, you'd care, which would be better than my parents, and I can't see you getting drunk and beating your kids like Jesse's parents used to do... Like I think Xander's dad still does. So, yeah, maybe you." Willow had this odd sound in her voice, as if she was speaking over a tangled knot of feelings and memories.
"I'm glad you have that much confidence in me." He meant it, and was a bit unsettled by it. How could she have so much confidence in him as a parent when all he had were questions? "But I don't think I'm ready to start looking for a house with a garage and three bedrooms just yet."
Willow blushed a bit. "No, I'm not saying right now! I just meant, you know, if in the future... You're allowed to have a life."
"A normal life?" He couldn't quite help but ask the question.
She snorted, making a sort of dismissive gesture with one hand. "You came to the Hellmouth. Nobody there gets a normal life, human or not. Buffy doesn't, I don't, you don't, Amy doesn't, Xander doesn't, Giles doesn't.... nobody does. But that doesn't mean you can't try for some good parts in it."
"Some good parts..." He smiled at her words. "Yeah, I'd like some good parts."
Maybe he could find theses elusive 'good parts', although it was much to soon to know if Cordelia would have anything to do with them. But if she wanted to try... That could be nice.
But he could worry about all of that later. Now, they'd finished their run, and were headed back to the Stenner home, for goodbyes and breakfast. Mainly the breakfast on his part. Then, they would go back to Sunnydale, with it's tangle of emotions and secrets and evil. He almost looked forward to the evil part, demons and vampires that he could kill, no hard thought required. Emotions though, those and secrets made Sunnydale a bit harder.
end What Does She Want?
