CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: not time yet
Tara stared a Buffy for a moment a little taken back by the blonde's words. She watched as the Slayer continued to smile at her and couldn't help the blush that began to creep its way across her cheeks. "S-so what did those thoughts entail?" Buffy just grinned.
"Well…" she looked at Tara seriously then reached over touching the taller blonde's hand. "Mostly they were on how lucky I am to have you as a part of my life and how much I've come to realize..." Tara held her breath waiting for Buffy to say it. Needing to hear what Buffy was about to confess
"W-What have you come to realize?" Tara asked. . Buffy smiled softly at the nervous woman in front of her, realizing that they had been skirting around this for the past couple of days and it was beginning to come to a head. Tara watched Buffy intently as the Slayer seemed to come to a decision with herself.
"I've realized…" she looked at their hands and how Tara wasn't pulling away but seemed to relax into the touch. "That I am…" she looked up into the blue soulful eyes that seemed to penetrate her soul. "Without a doubt falling for yo-" She groaned as Travis's shadow fell upon them ruining the moment once again.
"Well I'm impressed." Travis said panting slightly as he approached the two. Tara glared at him icily as she was pulled from her reverie. He ignored the angered expression being shot his way and grinned sheepishly at Buffy. "Um I don't suppose you'd be up for best two out of three?" Buffy frowned at him then stood releasing Tara's hand. She really hated him.
"Sorry but no." he frowned slightly then glanced at Tara suspiciously trying to figure out how she had beaten him as well. Then something occurred to him.
"How am I supposed to know that you two didn't cheat?" He smirked at his own cleverness. "For all I know Tara could have used magic to help you levitate here." He crossed his arms over his sweaty chest making the two girls groan. "I think I deserve a rematch." Tara stood too now, her aggression for the boy increasing.
"She didn't cheat Travis. You lost." Tara growled. He scoffed not willing to give up that easily.
"Says you." He sneered at Tara then turned to Buffy. "I think I deserve a rematch." Buffy glanced at him then at Tara who seemed to be fuming.
"And how do you figure that?" she said trying to hold her anger at bay. The last thing she wanted to do was cripple Lucinda's nephew…no that was a lie the last thing she wanted was Lucinda angry with her. She wanted the woman to like her, as far as Buffy could tell she seemed the closest to a surrogate mother to Tara as she was going to get. So far she liked to think she had the older woman's blessing and didn't want to go wasting it all away on this loser.
"Well it's obvious Tara did something to get here as fast as she did." He winked at Tara in a mocking way. "No offense of course." Tara frowned very much aware that she didn't have the slim muscular build of the Slayer but to have it thrown in her face put things all too much into perspective. Who was she kidding, she would never have a chance with someone like Buffy. Buffy clenched her fist as Tara looked down at the ground self consciously letting her hair cover her face. "How am I to know she didn't help you?" Buffy glanced at Tara and her heart bled for the woman who seemed to crumble in on herself. Did she not know how beautiful she was?
"You know what Travis?" she said moving past him. "She did help me." Buffy said easily stepping closer to Tara and ignoring Travis's widening grin. Buffy sighed pushing the blonde's hair back behind her ears silently asking the woman to look at her. She didn't care what Travis thought about the innocent sign of affection as far as she was concerned he could drop dead. Tara looked at Buffy hesitantly inhaling at the depth of emotion shining back at her then back at the ground. "Don't hide." She whispered. "You have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of."
"Sorry…it's just he's right you know." She said looking at the ground.
"Then I win by default." He ventured trying to get the focus back on himself, oblivious to the interaction between the two.
"No." Buffy said adamantly ignoring the boy behind her. "He isn't."
"Now I think it's time to pay up." The slayer shook her head no realizing she wouldn't be able to tell Tara how she really felt until they were alone. She gently ran her palm across the woman's face relishing the warmth there for a second then grudgingly turned on him.
"I said she helped me, I didn't say she helped me to win." Buffy clarified making Travis look at her confused. She looked at Tara pointedly and softened her tone. "She simply pointed me in the right direction that's all." Tara caught the double meaning and smiled to herself her insecurity slowly fading away at the Slayer's words.
"I want a rematch." He said defiantly. Buffy glared at him for a second then rolled her eyes defeated. She was tired of arguing with him.
"Fine! If that's what it's gonna take to show you I won fair and square, fine." He stared at her a little in shock, than realized the very real possibility that she might have beaten him on her own without Tara's help. The thought makes him pause for a moment but he quickly recovers.
"On second thought," He said running his hand through his damned hair. "I'm a bit run out, how would you feel about a change of pace." She clenched her teeth not liking the sound of this but willing to play along if it meant he'd leave them alone.
"What exactly are you suggesting?" He rolled his shoulders then eyed the Slayer up and down grinning at his own genius. This was something that no matter how much she trained she couldn't possibly out match him in.
"Sparing…full body contact." He added then shrugged nonchalantly. "Assuming of course you're up to it." Buffy glanced to Tara a gleam beginning to light in her eyes at the possibilities. Tara caught the look and couldn't suppress the grin planting itself across her face. Travis had no idea what he was in for. When Buffy hadn't answered his request he thought maybe she was chickening out. "Of course you're welcomed to forfeit." He smiled touching Buffy's cheek. "I wouldn't hold it against you." Buffy sidestepped his advances and looked at Tara. She wouldn't kill him no matter how much she thought he may deserve it…but if he wanted to spar and get crushed (literally) who was she to deny him a little humility?
"Tara what do you think?" She smirked at the smiling Wiccan. "Do you think I could take him?" Tara rolled her eyes Buffy already knowing her answer.
"I don't know Buffy…he is bigger then you." Tara warned half heartedly causing Buffy to laugh.
"Alright I'm in." Travis shook his head a little surprised at the shorter girl's determination then sighed.
"Women." He mumbled wrapping his arm confidently around Buffy's shoulder. "Always wanting to do it the hard way." He grinned to himself imaging Buffy pinned beneath him on the floor. "Not that I'm complaining." Buffy sighed lifting his arm off her shoulder trying to stay civil, despite the instinctive urge to drop him right then and there.
"Alright but before we begin I'm gonna get a change of cloths." She motioned towards her day old jeans and tank top. "We'll just meet you in there in ten." Travis just nodded not discouraged in the least by Buffy's obvious shrug off and grinned as he watched the Slayer enter into the house.
"I can't believe the nerve he has." Buffy grumbled as they climbed the staircase. Tara couldn't help but smile at the frustrated Slayer. "I mean he lost why can't he just leave it be?"
"Oh don't act like your not looking forward to knocking him around a bit." Tara giggled at the mock anger crossing the Slayer's face.
"You think you know me so well don't you?" Tara shrugged trying to look indifferent. "You probably think that's the only reason I agreed to it don't you?"
"It's not?" Tara asked causing Buffy to turn.
"Well your right it does plays a big part in why I agreed. He definitely has it coming to him. But you're also forgetting a very important detail."
"I am?"
"Yes you are." Buffy said slyly. "You're forgetting that I still have my end of the bet to win…anything I want if I remember the terms correctly." She added leaving the statement open ended.
"Oh really?" Tara said as they turned off the ramp and onto the last floor. "And what was is that if you don't mind me asking." Buffy slowed watching Tara intently.
"Hmmm wouldn't you like to know?" Tara paused looking at the Slayer confused for a moment then shook her head at the teasing looks being passed her way.
"Is that you're way of hinting that you're not going to tell me?" Buffy shot her a flirtatious smile and leaned over whispering in her ear.
"No, I'd rather just show you…" she stepped back as Tara's breath caught in her throat. "After I wipe the floor with him of course."
"Um a...so you are not going to tell me?" Tara asked as her breathing became even.
"Nope." Buffy said pulling one of the giant doors open. She was being mean and she knew it but she couldn't help herself.
As they entered the room they were both momentarily hindered by the essence as it struck them full force. Buffy smiled as Tara looked around in aw as she quickly headed over to her unpacked suit case.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to it in here." Tara said aloud the short conversation in the hall forgotten in the room's brilliance.
"Yeah I know what you mean." Buffy agreed as she pulled out a pair of shorts and a blue tank top. "It's pretty intense…" she eyed Tara over her suitcase. "But in a good way." Tara looked over at the Slayer and realized she wasn't talking about the room anymore.
"B-Buffy?" Tara started looking at the girl questioningly. Buffy sighed knowing that they should probably get a move on before Travis came looking for them.
"I should probably get changed." Tara blinked a couple times caught off guard by Buffy's quick change of pace. Perhaps I read her wrong? Tara thought as she watched Buffy motion for her to turn around. Tara without comment turned to give the Slayer some privacy.
Tara's heart rate began to pick up as she realized that Buffy was changing less then a few feet away from her. 'Goddess get your mind out of the gutter Maclay' she whispered to herself. Buffy smirked as she heard the Wicca's heart speed up and the little whisper of self degrading. Well at least she knew now that Tara was definitely attracted to her in more than just a friend type of way, though she thought that had already been established at breakfast. She pulled her shorts and shirt on and looked at the blonde fondly, thanking whatever god or goddess had sent the Wiccan to her.
"Ready?" Buffy asked touching her shoulder lightly. Tara trembled at the gentle touch then nodded praying Buffy didn't notice the heat rising to her face.
"Y-Yes." She whispered following Buffy out of the room. As they reached the bottom of the staircase Tara took the lead and began leading Buffy through the hall and down another flight of stairs into the basement where Lucinda had created a training facility.
Lucinda paused as she spotted the two heading downstairs. Something was different, she thought looking at Buffy closely. She couldn't place what it was but something had definitely changed about the Slayer that had just passed her. She waited until the two were out of view before returning to the Study where Giles was sitting chatting with Joyce. She couldn't place what, but it was almost as if the slayer had a glow about her.
"So on a scale from one to ten, how badly do you think I'm gonna wipe the floor with him?" Buffy asked as they begin to descend the flight of stairs leading them to the training area. Tara turned giving her, her trademark a half smile glad that Buffy had been the one to break the silence.
"And here I thought you were just trying to be sportsman like and give him another chance?" Buffy laughed at that.
"Oh yes because he oh such a noble opponent...not." Tara smiled admittedly wanting to rip the boy a new one as well.
"Do you think it's fair that he doesn't know you're a slayer?" Tara asks wondering if Travis has any indication what he's getting into. "He is at a rather disadvantage." Buffy shrugged.
"That's his problem not mine, I just want this to be over so he'll leave it alone." She paused. "Besides I've been yearning for an excuse to kick him around a bit since this morning."
"So I've heard, and you're not the only one." Tara adds softly as they enter into the training area. Buffy quirks her eyebrow noticing that Travis wasn't in there yet then focused on what the woman had just said.
"And why is that?" Buffy questions teasingly. "I always took you for the pacifist type." Tara just laughs. "What's so funny?"
"Usually yes, but…let's just say Travis is a special case." Buffy grins beginning to circle the Wiccan predatorily.
"So how come Travis is such a special case all of a sudden huh?" Buffy asks grinning as the blonde followed her with her eyes and began turning as well to keep her in sight. "He hasn't really done anything to you to make you upset." She says reaching out and poking the woman's side playfully. Tara whips around catching the hand then laughs as Buffy frowns.
"Trying to ruin all my fun?" Buffy grumbles attempting to tickle Tara's other side.
"I hope this isn't how you plan on beating Travis." She said giggled then shrieked as Buffy tackled her onto the mats and began tickling her sides mercilessly.
"Nah…I kinda wanna smack him around a bit." Tara laughed and tried to squirm away from the slayer. Buffy grinned dropped her weight down and effectively pinning her in place.
"So what…do you call this then?" she asked unable to contain her laughter as she continued swatting at Buffy's hands.
"Interrogation." Buffy said as Tara finally caught the Slayer's hands in hers.
"Really?" she said still smiling. "And what for?"
"Why you're so eager to see Travis get smacked around if he hasn't done anything to upset you?" she whispers watching as Tara blushes deeply and tries to look away from the Slayer's piercing gaze.
"M-Maybe he h-has and you just haven't noticed." She whispered back swallowing hard. Buffy smiles knowingly and releases the Wicca's hands.
"And what should I have noticed him doing?" the slayer practically purrs out. Tara groans rubbing her face realizing what the slayer is doing purposely as her heart begins to pound in her chest again as a feeling of electricity passes through her body. 'And she's doing a fine job of it' Tara thinks to herself, locking eyes with Buffy.
"W-what do you really want to k-know Buffy?" Tara breaths out finally, a boldness she didn't realize she had surfacing as she touches the Slayer's face.
"What do you mean?" Buffy asks innocently leaning in to the almost feather like touch. "I was just asking a simple question." Tara smiles running her thumb across the Slayer's lips thoughtfully, whispering the same spell she had used at the Magic Box and flipped them over.
"Yes but simple questions more often then not lead to not so simple answers." Tara said softly watching as Buffy's eyes seemed to dilate and her breathing became more labored.
"Not necessarily…" Buffy mumbled closing her eyes trying to keep her emotions in check. "I think we just tend to make things harder then we have to." Tara nods letting her fingers trace Buffy's lips then stops as she hears the door above them open. Sighing to herself she lets her hand fall to the mat lifting herself off the Slayer.
"Common Slayer," Tara whispers offering her hand to the dazed woman lying breathlessly on the floor. Buffy groans as she hears footsteps on the stairs and realized just how close they or she had gotten to admitting her feelings for the older girl but nodded her head in understanding. This wasn't the time. Shaking her head to clear out the fuzziness she accepts Tara's hand allowing the Wiccan to help her up just as Travis entered the room.
(I know I know I am sooo evil. covers ears yeah yeah) Hopefully you've enjoyed the story so far and for those reading chapter 18 will be up in a couple days. Summers here and that means more updates YAY!!!! Tell me what you think...just a hint...lol. And as always thanks to all who have reviewed.