Collectionettes
AN: This is the section where all the little ones I dabbled in are collected. Hence my mangling of the word collection to give the impression of smallness. All of these are less than one page long. And yes, I keep everything I write, no matter how stupid it is. *grin* And remember, if I ever get the urge to continue something in here, I shall, and it'll be posted within it's own story. Yes, some of these end mid-sentence, but that's how I write sometimes.
12/19/04
Cramped
A.N.: This was inspired by the true antics of my really, really adorable rat, Chuckles. Now, Chuckles really is the best rat anyone could have, and while she is the cutest thing on the planet, she's still a rat. And rats do really …odd… things. *evil grin* (Update: My little one passed away about six months after this was written.)
***
"I ate a tampon?" Amy asked incredulously.
Willow nodded. "More than one."
"I ate tampons?" Amy repeated.
Willow looked away. "Err… Used ones."
Amy stared at her. "Oh my God!" she burst out, slapping a hand to her mouth and running into the bathroom to retch.
Dawn, walking by the room and surprised by Amy running violently by her, poked her head through the doorway. "What was that?"
Willow shrugged. "Just something she ate when she was a rat."
"Oh. Do I want to know?"
Willow blushed. "No."
Dawn nodded. "O-kay. I need to do homework now."
"Kay. Have fun!" And Willow waved the teenager off. Staring into space while hearing the muffled sounds of Amy in the bathroom, she mused to herself, "Maybe Tara really did have something when she said I shouldn't take Amy into the bathroom with me when we had our periods."
She turned her gaze onto the vacant cage. "But she looked so cramped in there…"
4/18/05
Away
*
She knew what was going to happen. She wasn't quite sure how she knew, but she did, and it scared her. What could she do now? Would she be able to change it? Could she leave them? What should she do?
Could, should, would. Spring break was starting, and it was now, she knew, she would have the only margin of time she had to change anything. Before the urge became too strong.
It would be hard not to turn back. But she had to do it. All she had left was to convince her it was for the best…
*
Grabbing Tara's arm as she exited her last class, she ignored her startled exclamation and dragged her over to the only secluded corner. Ignoring the heat she felt under her hand as she held the blonde's wrist, she finally turned to face her.
"Not even a hello?" Tara asked, her eyes narrowing a bit, although her mouth showed that she wasn't all that perturbed, quirking at the edges.
"Shh." Willow stopped her, raising one hand to press gently against her lips. She suppressed her shiver at the contact, "Just listen for a second, okay?"
Tara nodded, her eyebrows raising as she searched Willow's face.
"Good." Looking around the hallway of UCSD, almost paranoid that Buffy or Riley was going to pop up, she took away her hand. She knew her expression was fierce. Inside, she was shaking. Where was this strength coming from? She concentrated on the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen.
"Tara, I'm leaving."
"What?" Tara crossed her arms, shifting her books to her side. Her frown deepened. "Willow, what's going on? Why are you acting all…" she moved her hand through the air, encompassing all of Willow as she thought of a word, "All, wonky? What do you mean?"
Closing her eyes for a second, Willow took a deep breath. "I'm leaving. I… There's something I know is going to happen, but I can't be a part of it. I need to change it." She stopped, looking up desperately, "You know what I mean? No, of course you don't." Willow turned away. She raised her arms to hug herself, shaking her head. "You can't get in my head. You didn't see what I saw, know what I know. I can't expect you to understand."
"Hey," Tara said, reaching out to draw Willow back to face her, "Come back to me. I don't - I can't understand if you don't explain."
Willow felt tears prick her eyes. "Do you want to know?" she demanded, quieting her voice as she realized where she was.
Tara stared at her almost incredulously, her eyes flaring. "Of course I do!" Swallowing, she looked away, firming her lips. "Look," she said, her voice deepening, "Frankly, you're frightening me.
Buffy
AN: This was the first Buffy: the Vampire Slayer fanfiction I ever started (!!), and it was before I decided to start putting the dates of when I started fics in the corners, so unfortunately, I don't remember what month or year I started it. :(
*
Surveying the piles of dust that littered the graveyard's grass, the blonde nodded her head in satisfaction and slipped a stake back into her jacket pocket. Turning to the redhead behind her who was filling out a college application, she grinned, tossed her head, and asked, "Up for iced mochas?"
Willow grinned up at her, "Slaying always makes you hungry, doesn't it? I'm for it."
"That obvious? It takes energy, you know." Buffy offered her friend a hand.
Taking it, Willow slipped her arm through Buffy's, swinging her bag as they walked. "Hey, you know how we're trying to get into Human Psychology 101?"
"Mmhm?" Buffy's eyes roved around the road in front of them, but she could hear every word her friend said. "What about it?"
"I hear that it's very hard, especially for freshmen." Willow's voice grew slightly lower.
Buffy stopped, "What? You? The major genius? Are you worried you won't do well?"
Willow looked up at her, a sheepish grin on her face. "I know, but Professor Walsh is supposed to be really strict, and, you know. With our bunch of people, running in and priorities… She might not take our excuses. I mean, before we had Giles to give the occasional explanation, but he doesn't work at the college! And – and I'm trying to get a perfect GPA this year to make up for the fact to my parents that I'm going to Sunnydale U – not that it's a bad school! No! It's a good school! That's one of the reasons that I decided to go there and – "
Buffy held up her hands. "Will! Wills! Hold on! You'll talk your head off!"
Willow blushed. "Willow-babble, huh?"
Buffy nodded, grinning. "Yep."
"I can't help it! It just slips out! I mean, it's like a stigmatism!"
"Part of a plant?" The blonde tilted her head.
"No! That's stomata."
"A religious curse?"
"Buffy! Stop it!"
Buffy grinned. "Alright. But seriously now, Wills," she stopped, turning to gently squeeze the redhead's arm, "You know you have nothing to worry about. You're so smart! I really don't think any mean old teacher can make you flunk. You can show her!"
***
Buffy swallowed. Professor Walsh was such a hardass! She hoped what she had said to Willow would still hold true. Speaking of her best friend, she turned to where she and Oz were cuddling in the seats next to her. Well… Her eyes narrowed. It seemed like Willow was trying to cuddle while the presently human werewolf sat straight in his chair, actively paying attention in class. She tapped the Wiccan on the shoulder. "Hey? You got those last notes?"
"Ahuh!"
Willow slid them over, and Buffy thanked her with a smile. Starting to copy them into her own binder, she looked up as someone tapped her on the shoulder. Riley, the boy who T. the class stood there. "Hey… You dropped this out in the hall. What's it for? Whittling class?" And he dropped right onto her desk.
Willow, Oz and Buffy stared. "Uhm… Passes the time!" she quipped, hurriedly shoving him back into her backpack.
Riley arched an eyebrow, but he seemed to accept the statement. All three of Scooby Club heaved a sigh of relief as they watched his receding back.
"Good one!" Willow hissed, her mouth quirking, getting up from her seat.
"Yeah," Oz said, grabbing his girlfriend's books, accepting the kiss she offered to him on the cheek.
3/22/05
Bulldogs
*
"I love bulldogs."
"What?"
"Bulldogs." Willow rolled over so her neck no longer stretched over the edge of her bed. Almost absently, she reached over and rubbed in between Miss Kitty's ears.
6/17/05
Closet
AN: This is an 'alternate scene' from one of my earlier ficlets before, entitled Cordy, I believe. You know when you really want a story to go off somewhere, but you know it's WAY too early for what you want to happen? Well, this is how I cope. I write the little scenes just to get them out of my head. :3 Willow/Cordelia femslash
*
With astonished eyes, Willow watched as the brunette's striking eyes moved closer.
As one, their eyelashes fluttered and closed. Cordelia's breath washed against Willow's lips, and she was reminded of the time that Xander had almost kissed her before Buffy had returned home. Cordelia's long fingers brushed against her cheeks, moving away long strands of silky burgundy hair.
Willow trembled. Her heart was beating triple in her chest. And then, soft, brief – her stomach clenched and feelings of so much magnitude muted her as Cordelia moved away. The gray-green eyes would not look away.
"See," Cordelia said softly, "I told you."
"What?" Willow stared, shocked, into Cordelia's eyes.
A look of satisfaction settled onto Cordelia's face.
2/15/05
Comp Café
AN: Inspired by my semester abroad in New Zealand. Computer Café's were the only way I could get the internet when we were away from the school. Idea is born.
*
She couldn't believe that she was walking into an internet café. She had never done so before in her life. If someone had walked up to her on the street and asked her if she had, she would have flatly refused even contemplating the idea of entering a café, much less paying to use a computer. Internet cafes had always seemed to be the place where perverts got off masturbating in public, and where middle aged men and preteen boys wiled hours away playing internet gaming. But here she was. A college student without a computer and the campus library closed.
Staring intently at the see-through glass door and the flight of stairs that turned a corner upstairs, she made sure that no one was looking when she slipped inside.
Hmm. Well, the air didn't seem to be any different than the outside, and as she walked up the steps, she was relieved to see that they didn't echo under her feet. Poking her head in through the door,
3/21/05
Faint
*
She crouched low over the edge of the mausoleum's roof, contemplating the meaning of life. Behind her, she could hear the scraping of a vampire on the other side of the tomb, trying to catch up to her through the fog of confusion she had spelled up. Shaking with fear, she pressed closer to the gargoyle she was hiding behind, hoping that its shadow would hide her in the already dark night. Her breath was hot and tight; no matter what she did, it hissed past her teeth. She could barely concentrate for the pounding of her heart.
12/25/04
Ghost
*
When Tara Maclay opened the door to the room she shared with Miss Kitty Fantastico, she found that someone else occupied the space. Other than her furry companion who jumped off of a skirted lap to twine around the college student's legs, a redheaded woman hunched over herself on the bed. In the light twinkling from the white Christmas lights Tara had placed up against the walls and ceiling, the woman's red hair looked deep brown and layered, and her deeply dyed purple sweater blended into the shadows. With her back to her, Tara would not have noticed the woman if Miss Kitty hadn't suddenly appeared from behind her.
Clutching her bookbag to her chest, the blonde took a step back, her shoulders hitting against the door to her dorm room, not realizing that she had automatically closed it behind her. At the sound, the woman whipped her head around, her red hair swinging out with the motion. Large green eyes stared at her, and an utterly terrified expression swallowed up the woman's face. Her lips pursed to make sound.
She vanished.
Tara stared at her empty bed. The sheets hadn't even been moved from that morning when she had made it. Setting down her bag with trembling fingers, the blonde leaned back, gathering Miss Kitty to her chest for comfort.
A lingering sense of cold and fear permeated the Wiccan's room.
After five minutes of whispering quiet incantations and sprinkling incense around the perimeter of the room, the presence faded. Settling down at her desk, Tara scratched under her kitten's chin before picking up her phone. Dialing Mr. Giles' number, she listened to it ring, wondering who the apparition of Stevenson Hall Dorm #214 would be. The Hall Guard hadn't mentioned anything about it when she moved in, and she knew that in a town such as Sunnydale, people would be lax if they did not pass on any superstitions.
6/21/05
Hypothesis
*
She rolled over, trying to put distance between herself and the ringing alarm. Finally, when the annoying sound grew too much, she rolled back and violently smashed her fist down onto the buzzer. Immediately, she regretted her actions.
Moaning, and deciding that yes, pain really does wake one's self up, she cradled her hand to her chest, sitting up. Using her throb-free hand to push messy bangs away from her eyes, she looked around her room. She pouted when it looked the same. As always.
Stretching out her hand to prevent it from cramping, she threw her sheets off, slid her legs over the side of her bed, and began her normal routine. Walking to her bathroom, she brushed her teeth and took a shower, changed into the new clothes she and Buffy had bought the day before, and dried her hair. She peered into the mirror, inspecting her forehead with an air of defeat.
8/15/05
Lower
AN: I had such a thing for Willow/Spike stories at this time. A lot of the fics written around this time had a lot of subtext between the two.
*
When Spike entered the room, he sauntered over and tapped Willow on the shoulder. "It's time," he stated. Willow nodded, the red of her hair whispering past her high collar. She paused to shut down her computer, but was soon up, all the supplies they needed secure in her shoulder bag.
Stopping only to lock the Magic Box behind her, Willow followed the dark shape in front of her. It didn't take long for the two of them to reach their destination. Cupping his hands around the flame of his lighter as he looked at her intently, the cigarette dangling from his lips, Spike spat and took a long drag.
"You ready for this, Luv?" the slim blond asked, his gaze glittering in the moonlight.
Willow nodded, setting her jaw. She knelt down and sprinkled a glowing circle around her sitting body, looking up only when she was done. "You have it?" she asked, and Spike nodded, stubbing out his cigarette under his boot. He dished an amulet out of his pocket and tossed it at her.
"Great. Thanks. You know what to do, right?"
The vampire nodded again, taking his place off to the right, making sure that no demon or slayer could burst into the clearing and interrupt the ritual. He crossed his arms, hearing the leather of his duster creak in the quiet air, set his feet, and waited.
Willow took out a bound book from her bag and set it before her, open. Retrieving an earthenware bowl and herbs from her bag, along with a pestle and small bottle of red liquid, she ground the herbs in the bowl, beginning to mutter under her breath. Pouring the liquid over the concoction, she picked up the amulet and with one hand, scooped up the mixture, spreading it liberally over the surface of the talisman.
She repeated the gesture with her cheeks and forehead, the mixture making a slightly bubbling noise as it encountered her skin. With only a flicker of discomfort over her face, Willow's chanting became louder. She raised the amulet over her head, both of her hands smeared with the red pulp.
Light began to build around her body, pulsing from the middle of the amulet. Spike shifted on his feet, watching her closely. Around the two of them, the forest had quieted even more, the white of the moonlight staining everything with a silvery glow, the Wicca's red hair almost blonde.
Finally, as the light reached a zenith point, no longer aimlessly pulsing around Willow's body but adhering to her skin and clothing, she screamed her final word, bringing down the amulet with both hands to slam into the ground, a loud shattering noise breaking the otherwise silence of the forest and the clearing was suddenly shrouded in black, no matter the moon overhead.
Tensing, Spike ran to where Willow had been, almost stumbling over her panting figure. As her body suddenly started to glow, pushing back the darkness and restoring the moonlight and stars, the light finally leeched off of her, flowing off into the night. Wet, sweat-curled red hair hung over the remains of the amulet, and Willow bowed her head, finally sitting up with the vampire's help.
"It's done?" he asked.
She nodded tiredly, using his shoulder as a crutch. "It's done. Now we just wait."
12/27/04
One
*
The color on her bedroom walls had to go. It was washed out, and too pale for the mood she found herself in as late. Surveying it through tired eyes, she uncurled her legs and leaned back, becoming prone on her bed. Her long hair fanning out around her head and shoulders, she raised a hand to rub her right temple, which had a pounding headache.
Lately, her body had been conspiring against her, nurtured on, she was sure, by her mental state. Hello sophomore year, hello sanity overhaul. Everything that had happened that year so far was just enough to show her how depressed she should be.
And depressed she was. Everyday she had to struggle to rise from her bed and collect her homework, shove it into her backpack, and trudge to school. Everyday she had to paste a fake smile on her face, put a fake note of happiness in her voice, and support everyone else.
Buffy had Angel. Xander had Buffy. Giles had Ms. Calender, obviously. And Willow? She wanted Xander. Well, had. Had wanted him. Willow prided herself in the fact that she had matured enough to realize just how much Xander took her for granted.
Curling into a half ball, she looked at her wall again. Too pale. Why not paint it black? No. Her lips curled into an exasperated smile. Her mother would have a field day with that. Deep purple? Cerulean? She could probably get away with that.
Her phone rang. She debated whether or not she should answer it. It rang again, and she sighed, rolling over to pick it up. Who knows? It could be a life or death situation. Would they need their local hacker?
It was Amy. She needed the notes to that day's science class, seeing as she had been sick that day. Willow agreed to come over as soon as she hung up. Doing so, she rolled off of her bed and grabbed her coat and cross, slipping a vial of holy water into her pocket. She picked up her schoolbag and was ready to go.
Knowing that her parents weren't going to be home until the next night, she didn't bother to leave a note. Sliding the key off of its place on the kitchen wall, she locked the door behind her and started the walk to Amy's father's house.
It was one of those nights when she wished she had a bike or scooter. She wasn't envious in the least that Cordelia was old enough to have a car, or that Xander knew how to skateboard. Buffy had her Slayer strength to carry her far fast, and Giles had his ancient car. Well, Willow had her legs. And even if the night was particularly dark and the sky crowded with heavy clouds that threatened rain, she knew that her legs wouldn't fail her, if only for existential circumstances.
Coming quickly to downtown Sunnydale, where she would have to turn soon to get to Amy's house, she felt slightly safer. People were still out, and the many lights from stores still open or just closing illuminated the streets more than the obligatory lights outside of people's houses. Smiling at a couple of high school girls that she knew, she turned past the Sunnydale movie theater.
Entertaining herself with reciting the periodic table of elements out loud, she glanced up at the sky and wondered if she should have brought an umbrella after all.
9/18/05
Perhaps
*
Grabbing her lover's hand, the redhead led her through the throngs of people, sure in the dark of the club.
9/19/05
Understanding
AN: Willow/Dawn femslash.
*
It was about half a year back from England that Willow realized that Dawn touched her differently than she did anyone else. At first, she figured that the teen was extending her feelings of missing Tara in the only way she knew how: late night hugging and cuddling fests in one of their dark bedrooms, curled up on the bed. But the teenager also reminisced with her sister, who had joined them on more than one occasion.
No. This was different. Dawn's touches were more deliberate, pressing into her shoulder for prolonged periods of time, yet soft and fleeting at other times, as if she wasn't sure of her intent, her fingers skittering over her wrist.
She remembered how it was for her as a teenager, not sure of how she was supposed to relate to everyone, even if they expected the same girl that she had been a month before. It had been a confusing time, to be sure. Perhaps Dawn was just growing more comfortable with her.
But there was a side affect to all of the interest. Willow found herself paying close attention to the younger girl, concentrating on her movements. Whenever she moved close, Willow would shift just enough to afford Dawn the opportunity to touch her. She started finding reasons to be close to her, and began to help her with her homework more often. All of the attention was flattering and good for her bruised soul.
It was with an almost resigned feeling that she stopped pretending that she didn't know what was happening. Slowly but surely, Willow Rosenberg was falling for Buffy Summers' younger sister.
*
"Hey, Dawnie?"
Dawn looked up from her math book, glad for the break. Math always made her head hurt. Smiling at her friend in the doorway, she sat up and patted the space next to her.
"Hey. Having fun with math?" Willow asked, grinning. She accepted the invitation to sit, settling down next to the brunette.
Dawn stuck out her tongue. "Ugh, no. Why do I have to learn this again?"
"Because you don't want to end up like Buffy, working at the Double Meat Palace, do you?"
She shuddered, screwing up her face in distaste. "Darn your sense. So!" she gladly dropped her book, asking perkily, "What did you want?"
Willow smiled at her. "There's this new exhibit coming to the Sunnydale Museum, and since UCSD's helping to fund it, I got two free tickets. I was wondering, if you were free tomorrow night, if you wanna go?"
"What's the exhibit?"
"Umm… Some sort of Early Puritan Days thing, or something. I'm, um, actually supposed to be seen there, so I'd really like it if you could come? Besides, aren't you studying early America? It could be some neat extra credit!"
Dawn frowned, pausing to mutter, "As if extra credit's ever fun."
"Sure it is! You get credit for the extra-ness!" Willow made a cross face when the teenager giggled at her.
8/27/05
Whisper
*
Cordelia Chase was starting to feel paranoid. Brushing long hair from her shoulder, she surreptitiously looked to the side where Xander, Willow, and Buffy were talking with the librarian. The popular girl sighed, looked down at her fingernails, and then blew the air out of her mouth. "This is insane!" she finally shouted, slapping her hands down onto the table, "Why isn't anyone here, talking to me? Making sure that I'm all right? It happened to me, didn't it?"
Buffy turned to her, a barely concealed annoyed look on her face. "Cordelia," she started, breathing deeply, "We are trying to help you out here. Chill." She sighed and crossed her arms, "Giles, why can't we just charge out and kill the thing?"
And Cordelia immediately felt ignored again. What was this? Wasn't she almost an important part of the Scooby gang? Even Xander, her so-called-wannabe-boyfriend wasn't next to her, calming her down. God… Why did she ever let him kiss her?
Deciding that nothing was getting done and that she needed some shopping therapy, the brunette cheerleader stood up. "God, people, whatever. I'm out of here. It's not like you care."
"That's very astute of you," Xander offered, "We're here, helping you out after saving your hide, and oh, of course, we don't care."
"Obviously! You'd research the monster anyway. I was just a plus!" And Cordelia stomped out of the library.
"Cordy! Cordelia, wait!"
10/12/05
Xero
*
Willow died several times on her way out of the grave. With the lack of air and resulting rain of dirt, splinters from her coffin and panic, it was a miracle that she got out at all. Panting, arms aching, she sat with her body up to her chest buried. With eyes clenched tightly shut, she reached up and touched the sides of her neck. No bite mark. She breathed in deeply. Yeah, she was alive. Somehow.
With one last heave, she managed to pull herself out with a minimal of kicking and twisting. Groaning, she rolled off of her plot of dirt, heart beating wildly. The sky was overcast, so she couldn't see the moon. Would it be a wolf moon? Probably not. Wouldn't matter, anyway. Oz was long gone.
After twenty minutes of catching her breath and feeling her heart beat slow, she got onto her hands and knees, grimacing at the rawness of her knuckles, of her cracked and torn bleeding fingertips. As quickly as she could, she crawled far away from the cemetery.
Stopping at a shout and clatter of footsteps, Willow dropped her head, feeling incredibly weak. She couldn't see who was approaching her, her curtain of hair obscuring her view.
"Oh my God. W-Willow?"
She collapsed against Buffy's legs. Reaching up one trembling hand, she almost sighed in relief when the blonde encased it in her own. The Slayer encircled her into a hug, warm tears falling onto Willow's cheek. "No vampire," she murmured. "How?"
Willow waited for her to pull away, Buffy dashing hastily at hazel eyes. "I don't know," she admitted, wanting to shrug, but settling for a half-smile instead. All she knew was that she was tired beyond all belief.
11/21/05
Yule Tide 2
*
She couldn't believe it! She was finally in Sunnydale, CA, situated in the USA, the place where she had been put up for adoption. Willow didn't have a need to find her birth parents, but she figured that going to the place that she was really from would offer her the best idea of what the outside world was like. Kendra would have a different experience, no doubt, she mused, touching down.