Title:The Outing
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon.
Part Four:
Willow had walked most of the way to Tara's dorm with her head down, something she didn't usually do. She was so nervous about telling Tara. She wasn't sure how to do it. The thing she was fearing most was rejection. She remembered how rejection felt and it didn't feel good. What if telling Tara ruined their friendship? Maybe today was too soon to tell her. Willow looked up and saw Tara sitting on the steps to her building. She was looking down at the blanket in her hands, her hair partially covering her face, but still Willow thought she looked beautiful. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long," Willow said as she approached Tara.
"No, I j-just came down," Tara said looking up at Willow and smiling. Willow always seemed to bring a smile to her face. She was so easy to love. 'I just thought love. Okay, not something I've done before, but I knew it was coming to this,' Tara thought, 'I love Willow.'
"Great," Willow said taking Tara's hand and helping her up. "Here let me take that." Willow took the blanket from Tara and placed it on top of the picnic basket. "I know a really pretty spot with a great big tree we can sit under. I go there sometimes to study," Willow said moving in the direction of the field. They walked there in silence, mostly because Willow was too afraid to talk. Afraid she would say something stupid and it would ruin the entire day. There was so much in her mind that she wanted to blurt out and get it over with, but she just couldn't. Every now and then she noticed Tara was looking at her. Willow noticed because she was looking at Tara. A couple of times she had opened her mouth to say something, but changed her mind. When they arrived at the field Willow was glad to see it was deserted as usual. "Do you like it?" Willow asked timidly.
"I love it, it's b-beautiful," Tara said taking in the scenery. It was a small field surrounded by a thin layer of trees and brush. The grass was the greenest Tara had ever seen and there were a few small trees scattered around. Tara immediately spotted the large oak tree that Willow had been talking about on the opposite side of the field. The whole thing looked so untouched and serene.
"Over there," Willow said pointing toward the oak. She was pleased that Tara liked the spot she chose. She had spent countless hours here trying to study, but mostly day dreaming about bringing Tara to this spot, to share it's beauty with her.
"I didn't k-know this place existed," Tara said smiling, "It's the p-perfect place for c-celebrations."
"Like parties?" Willow asked taking the blanket off the basket and sitting the basket down.
"No, l-like Wicca c-celebrations," Tara said wishing she had clarified it better when she first said it.
"Oh," Willow said feeling like a complete idiot. She snapped the blanket to unfold it, and as it unfurled she let go abruptly and began to back away.
"Willow, what's wrong?" Tara asked moving toward her. It looked like she saw a ghost, or a demon, and living in Sunnydale Tara knew that it was entirely possible.
"The blanket," Willow said pointing and still backing away. "There's a frog on the blanket."
"I know it's c-childish, but it's t-the only one I have," Tara said feeling the blush creep into her face. She knew it was stupid to bring that dumb frog blanket. She should have just grabbed one off her bed.
"No, it's not that. I can most definitely not have my picnic on a blanket with a giant frog on it," Willow said not taking her eyes off the hideous green monster. "It's not your fault though," she quickly added seeing that Tara was feeling pretty bad right now, "You had no way of knowing I have a tremendous frog fear. Frog phobia," Willow admitted.
"A frog phobia?" Tara asked slightly amused.
"Yes."
"I can f-flip it over. There aren't any f-frogs on the other side," Tara suggested. Willow nodded her agreement and Tara flipped the blanket so it was plain blue. "Better?"
"Thank-you," Willow said making her way back over to the blanket. "I'm sorry if I scared you. I just really don't like frogs." Willow sat down on the blanket and opened the lid to the basket. She looked up and saw Tara trying to stifle a giggle. "Hey, I'll have you know that frogs can be very dangerous. They aren't just these little helpless green things. They plot, they're scary."
"I believe you," Tara said laughing. Sometimes Willow was just so cute.
"Now, I didn't know what you wanted, so I brought an assortment of everything. To drink I have several kinds of juices and sodas and of course water. I brought ham, turkey, salami,tuna, bologna,chicken salad, and veggie sandwiches. I didn't know if you were a vegetarian so I brought the veggie just in case. I also brought chips, cookies, and fruit because I like to eat a lot."
"Willow it's wonderful, everythings w-wonderful," Tara said sitting across from Willow on the blanket.
"I know it seems like a lot of food, and it is, but Xander will eat whatever's left over," Willow said smiling. When she bought it, it really didn't seem like that much, but now sitting with the pile in front of her it looked a bit obsessive. "You can pick first, I'm not that picky about what I eat. Not that you are," she added quickly, "I really don't know, I mean we've never eaten together. I wasn't trying to call you picky. I eat anything really. Once when I was little I ate a mud pie that Xander made, and not just like a bite of it. I ate the whole thing. I felt pretty sick after, but while I was eating it, it didn't bother me."
"I understood what you meant," Tara said smiling and choosing grape juice, a veggie sandwich, and an apple.
"You eat so healthy," Willow said grabbing a turkey sandwich, a 7-up, and a large chocolate chip cookie. "I wish I could eat that healthy, but I always gravitate toward the stuff that isn't good for me. It tastes better to me, I guess."
"My m-mom always used to s-say you are w-what you eat," Tara said between bites of her sandwich.
"My mom didn't say much to me at all," Willow replied dryly. "I'm sorry, I don't need to take it out on you because you had a great mom and I didn't. After all you had nothing to do with it. Unless you're a lot older than I think you are," Willow said. "You're not are you?"
"How old do you t-think I am?"
"19."
"You're right," Tara said. She was really enjoying the picnic, there was something romantic about it. 'Stop that, Tara. Don't get yourself worked up for nothing. This is not romantic, it's friendly.'
"I love being right," Willow said. " I might be completely out of line, but you don't talk about your family much. How come?"
"There isn't much to say," Tara said avoiding eye contact. She didn't want to ruin the day by bringing her family into it. "Plus I don't like to," she tried to keep her voice cheery. "You don't t-talk about your f-family much either."
"I don't like to either. I mean their not bad, but I don't know. I guess I just don't like to," Willow said shrugging her shoulders. "Is that who you need to be rescued from?"
"What?" Tara asked almost choking on her sandwich. Willow had thrown the question out so nonchanlantly it really caught her off guard.
"Last night, the movie," Willow said. Maybe she went too far, but it was too late to turn back now. "It's okay if it is. I need to be rescued from my family sometimes too. That's why I'm glad I have Xander and Buffy," Willow paused before adding, "and you."
"T-that's the n-nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."
"So far," Willow added.
"So far?" Sometimes Tara just couldn't figure out where Willow was going with what she said.
"Yeah, I have lots of nice things to say to you," Willow said. Somewhere along the way she had gained the courage to tell Tara, and it was now or never. Scooting closer to Tara she took her hand in her own and continued. "Like you're very nice, and smart, and talented, and beautiful," Willow paused momentarily and finally looked up into Tara's eyes, "and the best thing in my life right now."
"Wow," Tara said looking back at Willow. She had dreamed Willow would say something like that to her, but she never really thought it would happen.
"I've been holding that in for awhile," Willow said releasing the breath she didn't know she was holding. "I hope I didn't freak you out or anything. I understand if you don't feel the same way. Just try to break it to me gently."
"I'm not freaked," Tara said stroking the back of Willow's hand with her thumb, "I'm the opposite of freaked, or at least I
t-think it's the opposite of f-freaked. I feel the same way. I
j-just didn't know how to tell you."
"I am awake, right? I mean I'm not dreaming. This really is happening," Willow said looking over at Tara. Tara reached over and pinched Willow on the arm. "Ow, what was that for?"
"Y-you wanted to know if you were awake," Tara said, a half smile forming on her lips.
"You are in so much trouble," Willow said glad that Tara had lightened the mood. "You seem to have forgotten about being tortured last night. I think it's time for a reminder." With that Willow lunged at Tara knocking her onto her back. Willow straddled her to pin her to the ground and began tickling her. "I'm not gonna take it easy on you just because I like you," Willow said trying to keep her balance. "Are you sorry you pinched me yet?" Willow asked stopping to catch her breath.
"No," Tara said taking the opportunity to place her hands onto Willow's hips and turning the table so she was on top. She straddled Willow and pinned her hands above her head. "I think it's my turn to torture you. Are you sorry you tickled me?"
"Definitely not," Willow said throughly enjoying the position she was now in.
"Really?" Tara questioned raising her eyebrows.
"I'm actually very happy that I tickled you if this is my punishment," Willow said reveling in the blush that was creeping up Tara's face. It was much more sexual today than it had been last night and Willow couldn't be happier letting Tara see that side of her. "There's only one thing that would make this my most enjoyable punishment ever."
"What's that?" Tara asked.
"Let my hands go and I'll show you," Willow said in her best seductive voice. Tara looked a little skeptical but released Willow's hands. As soon as they were free Willow used them to pull Tara down on top of her. Willow ran her fingers through Tara's hair and looked deeply into her eyes before pulling her face down and kissing her. Before they realized what was happening they were rolling around on the blanket kissing with hands exploring new places. Tara stopped and pulled away.
"I'm s-sorry," Tara said sitting up and looking down at the blanket away from Willow.
"Sorry? For what?" Willow asked. "Are you sorry that this happened?"
"No, it's not that. I've n-never," Tara dropped her head. She didn't know how to say it without sounding like a complete and total idiot, and the stuttering wasn't helping either.
"Whatever it is, you can tell me," Willow said placing her hand on Tara's arm.
"I've never b-been in a r-relationship before. I don't k-know what I'm doing."
"Oh, thank God. I thought it was me. I mean I thought I finally found someone to love and that you didn't lov..., never mind."
"That I didn't love you back," Tara said. Willow shook her head yes. "Willow I do love you. I'm just n-nervous that I'm not any good at any of this."
"If it helps you were doing fine," Willow said smiling and nudging Tara with her knee. "I've never done this before either, well not with another girl. So it's new to me too."
"Thanks, but I'm not ready for w-what we w-were doing," Tara said. "I'm sorry."
"You don't have to be sorry. I understand, I really do. I would never want you to do something you didn't want to do. We can go as slow as you want," Willow said, "but I hope I can still kiss you."
"Of course you can," Tara said looking back up at Willow.
"Good," Willow said leaning in and kissing Tara. Buffy had been right about picnics speeding things along.
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"Bloodsuckers. They kill by sucking blood. Take it easy, Joan." Anya (Tabula Rasa)
by Thanatopsis » Sun May 05, 2002 6:43 pm 
Soon? Please?
*
