Crushes and Such
"Buffy!" Joyce looked really concerned. For the fourth time in her twenty year relationship with Buffy she felt guilty. Why did every time have to be related to men? As if her relationships were something to be ashamed of? To be honest some of them were… Hank and Ted stood our in an obvious relief. Her time spent with Rupert didn't really classify under shame. Those moments could honestly be put under the heading 'Mutual Adults Enjoying… something'. Or maybe that moment needed the heading 'Mutual Pseudo-Young Adults Enjoying… something". Firmly refusing to stay on her mental meandering walk Joyce addressed her attention to her daughter by smiling.
Buffy looked a little concerned. She opened her next conversation with, "Hey mom, I saw your car outside. I thought I'd say hello." There was a slight hesitation in her glance.
"Honey, I dropped in to introduce myself to Mr. Macleod". Joyce raised her eyebrows pointedly to her daughter.
Duncan felt a small chuckle threatening to escape out of his chest. Joyce's daughter, 'Buffy', gave her mother a supposedly blank stare. Years of reading people had given him the ability to see behind the guise. Buffy was intelligent. Her guise was simple calculation. He decided to make an opening. He put his right hand forward and watched Buffy's supposedly blank eyes lower to his fingers and then glance upwards with a smirk and a challenge.
First Duncan wondered what kind of town was Sunnydale that a daughter felt they needed to check in if their mother was inside a new store. Secondly Duncan wondered exactly what Buffy thought she could accomplish with the challenge in her eyes? And just how exactly would she protect her mom?
Interesting.
What challenge could she offer me? This was the last thought that
went through his head before he felt Buffy's hand grasp his in a
...
firm grip…
no—in a bone crushing hand shake…
no—in
a liquefying hand squeeze.
"I am Duncan MacLeod", he managed to pronounce from his lips. Thank god he didn't have to figure out how to add, 'of the clan MacLeod'. There was only a minimal number of sweat beads breaking out on his forehead but that was because of his ages ago warrior training.
He felt his forearm next began to lose strength.
"I am Buffy".
Joyce's eyes narrowed. There was something going on here that she didn't exactly like.
"So anyway mom, I saw your car outside. Are we still on for rearranging the gallery? Remember I said… uh…"
"Buffy?"
"Yeah, mom".
"Let go of Mr. MacLeod's hand". Joyce saw Buffy smirk. Uh oh. Joyce really hoped this wouldn't turn into a repeat of the Ted situation. Uh oh. Joyce really hoped MacLeod wasn't some demon… or some robot… or. Uh oh.
"Sure thing mom. Yeah so I said I would drop by the gallery if I had the time… and here I am… I got the time…"
Joyce's face clouded with confusion for a second as she remembered. "Honey, we set that up for tomorrow."
Buffy had a slight pleading look in her eyes… "But mom. You aren't doing anything right now… and I cleared my schedule! No studying with Willow… nothing. I am all yours! You aren't busy, we might as well start right now". Buffy had reached around and grabbed her mom by the shoulders and she was walking, intent on making an exit.
Joyce started walking. She turned a sheepish smile to Duncan. His face seemed a little pained. "I guess I'll take a raincheck on that coffee. Maybe we can drop by my gallery tomorrow..." Joyce wanted to dig her heels into the ground, Buffy was almost dragging her away, but the truth was she needed to keep up the appearance that she wasn't trying to hook up with the man—she knew she was interested in the man, Buffy really didn't need to know just yet that she didn't mind if things were not 100 professional between them.
Duncan flexed his fingers and looked towards the exiting mother and daughter pair. Luckily he had already made up his mind before Buffy had walked in and CRUSHED HIS HAND, he said loudly, "Sure, I will drop by in the morning. Leave some pieces for me to move. I gladly offer myself to your service."
Joyce turned her head one final time and shared a smile with Duncan. He really was a lovely man, maybe secretly a prince.
Buffy thought to herself, 'offer myself to your service', eh? That really sounded – poetic… Maybe he was a reincarnated murder?
Joyce turned to Buffy. They were now outside the shop. The first words out of Buffy's mouth were typical.
"Mom, there is definitely something a little wiggy about that man! Weird vibes, mom."
'Oh, I didn't notice'.
Buffy gave her mom a wry smile. "Really?
What did you notice…
-dark shiny hair
-a chisled body
-a
quiet and obvious strength of both mind and body
-drool worthy
lips…"
"Stop it. I am not listening. You are an adult! Stop torturing me!" Joyce exclaimed.
"I can't! Willow would call him mm mmm good! What do you call him?"
"Duncan!" Joyce said with finality.
"Mom you are blushing."
"Stop it"
"Mom! Ew! You like him! You can't like him… he might be a demon or something! I almost forgot… just a second… Giles asked me to drop this card by to Mr. MacLeod. Giles's father used to know Mr. MacLeod's grandfather. I think Giles may have met some of the family before."
"Really? That is interesting. I wonder if Duncan has an interest in the occult or if it is just old books and antiquities…"
"Mom did you say 'Duncan'? The grandfather was named Duncan also." Buffy turned to look at the door of the shop. The name clearly read D. MacLeod Antiques… nothing about D. MacLeod, II or D. MacLeod, III or MacLeod Family Antiques.
Buffy shrugged it off. "I guess in family the Scottish peeps aren't too creative. Naming folks the same name. They probably aren't too bright either… not bothering to add the second, or the third after the name!"
"Hey mom that is something to think about you are interested in a man who might be a demon and might be an a tad inbred!" With that parting shot she flounced back towards the door to leave the card.
Joyce sighed and leaned against her car. Immediately she heard the tell tale sounds of the car alarm beeping and bellowing as it went off and Buffy turned to laugh.
Listening to the not so ladylike guffaws Joyce wondered if she could petition the PTB's for a more respectful daughter.
Duncan was still inside flexing his fingers and rubbing his somewhat numb forearm. He heard the car alarm go off and opened the door to inspect. As he looked outside he saw Joyce standing away from her offending vehicle. It was a respectable looking black Jeep Cherokee. Nice. He noticed Buffy walking towards him… not so nice. Buffy handed him a card in a cream colored envelope.
She wondered idly how long would MacLoed's awareness for his surroundings truly last. She knew in Sunnydale folks had to stop paying attention in order to stay sane with the rash numbers of supposed suicides and death by pitch forks… and large animals escaping and terrorizing the town… the last being the giant hydra that had plowed through the streets knocking over fire hydrants.
"This is from Mr. Rupert Giles, he asked me to drop this by." Duncan looked very cautious. Buffy wondered what that was all about…. Wondered if there was yet another Ripper story to be told… giving him a final scrutinizing look with her silted eyes, she turned and left.
