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 Post subject: Close Quarters [AU] (Complete)
PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:59 am 
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********

TITLE: Close Quarters

AUTHOR: Laragh

CHAPTER RATING: PG-13

DISCLAIMER: Willow, Tara and any other characters from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise belong to Joss Whedon, FOX, ME and a whole host of other entities, none of which are me.

SUMMARY: What happens when Willow and Tara are thrown together far away from home? Tara has secrets, Willow has a lonely past. They both want to be loved. Can they find it together? (Of course they can, this is me!)

SPOILERS: AU fic, so at most minor references or pieces of dialogue

FEEDBACK: Yes please

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Hey So I’m not normally one for having two fics on the go at the same time, but I’ve been writing this in the background for the past few weeks! I was going to wait and post it when I finished up my other one but my chapter outline on that tells me I’m gonna be posting on in ‘til December and I’m not good with waiting. So here it is. And since this is all finished, I’m gonna update it daily Monday-Friday.

Something I think I should point out, this fic is completely W/T centric. And I mean that to the point that secondary characters pretty much don’t exist, and are barely mentioned in passing. There’s no Scooby friends, which I know some people don’t like. But Willow and Tara are the complete focus with little interaction with others (in the written form, mentions of encounters are there) which I know is pretty heavy, so if anyone chooses not to read I won’t be in the least bit offended! I didn’t go into the story intending for it to come out that way, but it has lol.

Also...the pacing on this is a little weird. Purely because it was intended to be a longer fic that I was going to start when I finished up Hacker Confidential, but I realised I didn’t really have enough ideas to flesh it out enough, so I decided to change it into a shorter story. Which means there’s a couple of time jumps. Nothing too major and I’m hoping it doesn’t detract from the story as a whole.

So, if you decide to read, I appreciate it wholly and let me know what you think! Good or bad, reviews are always welcome.

Thoughts in italics

Chapter 1/20

********


Willow laid all her clothes out on her bed and kicked her now-emptied suitcase under it, blowing the small piece of red hair that was hanging down over her forehead out of her eyes and sighing as she thought of the fact that she would have to stay in the surroundings she was currently in for the next nine months – hell in her opinion. Though being back in her own home over the summer months just gone by hadn’t exactly been heaven on earth either.


She kicked the foot of the bed in frustration over her entire life before the sound of a door banging made her jump back in surprise. She turned and saw a brunette girl, around her height walking into the room, her head down as she wheeled a plain black case behind her.


“I-is t-this r-room 63?” the girl asked, still looking down.


“Uh, yea,” Willow replied, surprised at the girl’s shyness, “Um...are you my roommate? Like, did the orientation people downstairs say this was your room? You look new is all, I don’t recognise you from last year. But, uh, I’m still a relative newbie myself so...”


“I’m n-new.”


“Oh right,” Willow nodded, moving forwards, “Um, well I’m Willow. Rosenberg.”


The girl finally looked up and Willow felt her mouth go dry, the lost moisture going to her palms as she looked into the face of her new roommate.


Holy cheeseballs, she’s gorgeous!


“T-Tara.”


“Hi, Tara,” Willow replied, blushing bright red when her voice came out in a high-pitched squeak. She cleared her throat quickly and wiped her hand against her jeans before extending it, “Nice to meet you.”


Tara seemed hesitant but eventually took the redhead’s hand and shook it firmly. Willow saw her eyes widen before she dropped both her gaze and her hand, walking over to the other bed that was in the room they were in, the only furniture apart from a nightstand beside each bed, a bookcase and a large built-in wardrobe.


“Um, you’re American,” Willow said, wanting to keep conversing with this Tara, feeling an odd pull to her, “Me too. Um, probably obvious. A lot of the girls here are, but not all of them. Where are you from?”


Tara hauled her case onto the bed and unzipped it, her back to Willow. She looked down at her hand, gulping as she remembered the electric shock she had felt go through her when before shaking off that thought.


Wrong, Tara. Wrong.


She heard her new roommate ask her a question and thought it best to answer, not wanting to be rude, especially since this girl seemed to be really nice.


“Alabama.”


“I’m from California,” Willow offered a moment later, “Not really close to you. But, ah, both of them have an ‘al’ sound in them. Right there at the start. And you know... they end with ‘a’.”


Willow groaned internally at her words.


Well done Rosenberg. Quite literally the most stupid thing you could’ve said.


“Well, I’m, um...I’m just over here if you need anything.”


Willow started to retreat back to her bed, thoroughly embarrassed until she noticed Tara turn, looking at her curiously.


“Is, um...is there something on my face or something?” Willow asked, wiping at her face, wondering how else she was going to embarrass herself in front of this gorgeous goddess.


“N-no,” Tara shook her head, blushing, “Y-you’re just n-not w-w-what I was expecting.”


“Oh,” Willow nodded with a smile, instantly understanding what the brunette meant, “You were expecting some stuck-up bitch who thought she was better than everyone?”


Tara shrugged but gave a small nod.


“I won’t lie to you, most of the girls here are like that. I kinda assumed I’d get the same in a roommate. You’re not really what I was expecting, either. I don’t think many of the students of the ‘Maple Leaf Academy – Girl’s Boarding School for the Progression of Excellence,” Willow continued, speaking in a mocking voice as she listed off the tagline of the school they were both in, “Have a stuttering problem. Nope they’re all about the confidence. Stupid overconfidence.”


Willow saw Tara’s head drop again at her words and suddenly realising what she said, started shaking her head frantically.


“Oh Tara, shit, I’m sorry, I didn’t...God, you come to a place like this and you expect to be teased and then I just...I wasn’t teasing you, I promise I wasn’t teasing you and, well, the others are probably gonna tease you, the girls here can be pretty mean, but I wasn’t, I’d never... I actually think the stutter is super cute, and if anyone ever says anything I promise I’ll stick up for you, there’s like a roommate code or something, especially when you’re roommate seems so nice, like you and-”


“W-Willow?”


Willow stopped talked at the sound of her name, thankful she’d been snapped out of babble-mode and gave the brunette an apologetic look.


“I wasn’t teasing.”


“I-it’s okay,” Tara replied with a weak smile, “I-I’m u-used to p-people t-teasing me about it.”


“But, Tara, I wasn’t, I promise.”


“I know.”


“Oh,” Willow smiled, “Good. Great. I, uh, I get teased about speaking stuff, too. You mighta noticed I tend to babble. They call me the ‘Never-Ending Willow’ here.”


“I t-think the babble’s c-cute,” Tara responded, before going pale as she realised what she said and ducking her head again.


Willow frowned at how often the brunette seemed to do that, she clearly had a serious confidence problem, stemming from where the redhead had no idea – how a girl that beautiful could have any issues with her own self-assurance baffled her, but clearly she did. She felt compelled to help her with that, despite only knowing her for less than an hour before a thought crossed her mind.


“Tara? Can I ask you a question? You totally don’t have to answer, just tell me to stop being so nosy if you want, I promise I won’t be offended, but...why’re you here? It’s just you seem so...normal.”


Maple Leaf Academy – Girl’s Boarding School for the Progression of Excellence – as Willow had spouted off before – was an American-based boarding school placed in a small town in Switzerland that was basically a hub where spoilt, rich kids were sent when their parents didn’t want to deal with them. Willow hated the whole cliché of it and hated her fellow students even more – all were money and self-obsessed, two qualities she couldn’t stand and she had yet to meet one other person in the school who didn’t seem to possess them.


“Oh,” Tara replied, looking down, “Um, well, my D-Dad...he kind of c-caught me in a c-c-c-compromising position and h-he t-thought b-boarding school w-would t-teach me discipline. He’s b-b-big into t-the discipline.”


Tara winced slightly as she remembered the many bruises she’d received in the name of her father’s ‘discipline’ but shook it off, not wanting the other girl to notice. She’d had the summer from hell and had been secretly delighted when she’d been told she was being sent to boarding school, away from him and her equally-violent brother. The fact that it was in Europe was even better, as far away from them as possible.


Willow nodded, not wanting to probe any further since her new roommate seemed nervous enough already. She was going to turn back and to her own bed when Tara’s voice piped up again.


“W-what about y-you?”


“Oh...” Willow replied, “Uh...”


“Y-y-you d-d-don’t h-have t-to,” Tara quickly began backtracking, “S-s-sorry.”


Willow shook her head, feeling bad that she’d made the brunette stutter that badly.


“No, it’s fine. Really. There was just an, um, incident at my school back at home at the winter dance last year, when I was a junior. I got expelled and my parents thought the easiest way to deal with me was so send me away, so I’ve only been here since that last part of last year, that’s why I haven’t had a roommate before. They put me in by myself ‘cause I arrived mid-year. But uh, yea, my parents. I think they loved that they finally got an excuse to get rid of me, god only knows why they decided to have a child in the first place, it’s not like they even raised me. The nanny did until I went to junior high and then I just looked after myself the rest of the way. But, uh, you probably didn’t want the Rosenberg family history, sorry.”


Tara was slightly taken aback by this information, for one that her roommate had done something bad enough that she’d been expelled but more so that anyone could not want the beautiful redhead in front of her as a part of their lives, much less actually send them away. She blushed as she realised her line of thinking had once again gone to the instant attraction she felt for her roommate and closed her eyes, hearing her father’s voice ring through her mind.


Wrong. You know it’s wrong.


She opened her eyes again and saw Willow looking at her expectantly, waiting for some kind of response. She gazed into the green depths staring at her for a moment and found herself speaking without evening meaning to.


“W-Willow? C-could you show m-me around w-when we’re f-finished unpacking?”


Her eyes widened as she realised what she’d said; she knew she shouldn’t be asking anyone for anything and definitely should be trying to stay as far away as possible from the girl she was undeniably attracted to. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn’t help herself.


She was drawn to this Willow and her senses seemed to working of their own accord to spend time with her. She was expecting to be scoffed at and told to figure her own way around, to be dismissed like she had been throughout her entire life and so was surprised when she was met by a nod and an easy smile.


“Of course. The school’s not too big, don’t worry.”


“T-thanks,” Tara blushed in response before spinning back around and continuing to unpack.


Willow stared at her roommate’s back for a moment before her smile got a little wider and she turned back to her own case.


Huh. Maybe this year won’t be hell after all.

_________________
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Check out my finished fics

Love, The SeriesTwo For Joy/21+/Joy To The WorldInevitable/Infinitely

Confidential EternalA Twisted DateDachsund Through The Snow


Last edited by Laragh on Mon May 28, 2012 4:57 am, edited 21 times in total.

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 10:09 am 
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DIBBERS!!!



I love it already! When I started college, I ended up getting an overflow room with 2 other girls...and let's just say that they were a little sexually active...like for hours upon hours a day. LOL

And I'm pretty sure I'm going to be saying "Holy Cheeseballs" from now on! :)

Can't wait for more!!

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 10:11 am 
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Aww, they're sweet! This sounds like a school Cordy would be at... I can imagine Tara's compromising situation, but I'm curious what Willow could have gotten busted for...

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 10:19 am 
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yay..new story :pinky and I mean new story..
I like it..and soo waiting for the next..thank God it's daily fic :pinky
Tara in compromising position..so much for imagination at the first chapter :blush
you're going to make my day..well, at least for the next 20 days :kdevil

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 11:55 am 
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Yay for another great beginning... I guess Tara was caught kissing another girl... I'm wondering what Willow did to get herself kicked out of her previous school, burned down the gym perhaps.... I hope Willow at somepoint of the tour star to hold Tara's hand and that Tara doesn't freak...

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 12:57 pm 
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Daily Laragh fic? Best Monday EVER! Man oh man, I don't know what compromising position Tara was caught in that led to an all-girl boarding school, but bring it freakin' on!

And I do believe Holy Cheesballs is about to sweep the globe (at least like wildfire through all the lesbians I know) because I am SO using that. :D

I think if you hit over 100 reads today you should post another tonight...LOL...yes I am a greedy heifer. Love it.

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 1:07 pm 
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Okay, LonelyTara, agreed lol. If I get 100 views by the time I go to bed (it's 9pm here so that'll be in say 3 hours) I will post the next chapter before I nod off :wink

But this is a one time only thing :D I can't be messing with my posting schedule, it's the only constant in my life :p

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Check out my finished fics

Love, The SeriesTwo For Joy/21+/Joy To The WorldInevitable/Infinitely

Confidential EternalA Twisted DateDachsund Through The Snow


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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 2:35 pm 
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angieb86

Quote:
I love it already! When I started college, I ended up getting an overflow room with 2 other girls...and let's just say that they were a little sexually active...like for hours upon hours a day. LOL


Well that could either be really fun or really creepy lol.

Quote:
And I'm pretty sure I'm going to be saying "Holy Cheeseballs" from now on!


Lol really? Awesome! :p

Quote:
Can't wait for more!!


Here’s more! And early!

Thanks for commenting!

leonhart17

Quote:
Aww, they're sweet! This sounds like a school Cordy would be at...


No Cordy at this school. But only ‘cause she’s in there in another way.

Quote:
I can imagine Tara's compromising situation


Hmm, you sure? It might not be what you think...:p

Quote:
but I'm curious what Willow could have gotten busted for...


All will be revealed :) Won’t be too long either, next chapter!

Thanks for commenting!

arsyadriani

Quote:
I like it..and soo waiting for the next..thank God it's daily fic


Glad you like!

Quote:
Tara in compromising position..so much for imagination at the first chapter


Now, now don’t go assuming :wink It might not be what you’re thinking at all!

Quote:
you're going to make my day..well, at least for the next 20 days


19 days now :p Hope you continue to enjoy though!

Thanks for commenting!

Zampsa1975

Quote:
Yay for another great beginning...


Glad you liked!

Quote:
I guess Tara was caught kissing another girl...


That’s your theory, hmm? All will be revealed in due course.

Quote:
I'm wondering what Willow did to get herself kicked out of her previous school, burned down the gym perhaps....


Lol nothing that serious. Let’s just say both girls reasons for being sent away were overreacted to.

Quote:
I hope Willow at somepoint of the tour star to hold Tara's hand and that Tara doesn't freak...


It's like you read the chapter already :p

Thanks for commenting!

LonelyTara

Quote:
Daily Laragh fic? Best Monday EVER! Man oh man, I don't know what compromising position Tara was caught in that led to an all-girl boarding school, but bring it freakin' on!


Lol, you’ll find out (I think it’s chapter 13? A stretch to wait, I know, but I haveta keep you guessing!

Quote:
And I do believe Holy Cheesballs is about to sweep the globe (at least like wildfire through all the lesbians I know) because I am SO using that.


Lol, I’ve started a trend! :p

Quote:
I think if you hit over 100 reads today you should post another tonight...LOL...yes I am a greedy heifer. Love it.


Well now look what happens when you throw a request out there into the world!

As ever, thank you very much for your comment and hope you enjoy the early update!




Update Directly Below

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Check out my finished fics

Love, The SeriesTwo For Joy/21+/Joy To The WorldInevitable/Infinitely

Confidential EternalA Twisted DateDachsund Through The Snow


Last edited by Laragh on Sun Apr 24, 2011 1:51 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 2:35 pm 
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********

TITLE: Close Quarters

AUTHOR: Laragh

CHAPTER RATING: PG-13

DISCLAIMER: Willow, Tara and any other characters from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise belong to Joss Whedon, FOX, ME and a whole host of other entities, none of which are me.

SUMMARY: What happens when Willow and Tara are thrown together far away from home? Tara has secrets, Willow has a lonely past. They both want to be loved. Can they find it together? (Of course they can, this is me!)

SPOILERS: AU fic, so at most minor references or pieces of dialogue

FEEDBACK: Yes please

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Well hot damn I got 100 views lol. As promised, the next chapter. Updates will be on schedule from now on (no more challenging me with playful demands, Lonely Tara ) so check back again at 6pm GMT/1pm EST/10am PST or whatever your corresponding time zone is lol

Chapter 2/20

********


“So this is the languages department,” Willow said, gesturing to the rooms around them, “Do you speak any languages?”


“G-German,” Tara replied, taking in the information her roommate was giving her.


“Lucky,” Willow laughed, as she led down another hallway, “I took Spanish before coming here. Not really much use when you’re in Switzerland. I’m never able to speak to anyone if we ever take trips into the towns or anything. Although I hear Swiss-German is like completely different or something. All these different dialects.”


“I c-can t-teach you some s-stuff if you want. S-so y-you can get by.”


“Yea?” Willow asked, her face lighting up, “I’d really like that. Thanks.”


Tara ducked her head and shrugged.


“N-no problem.”


“Hey, maybe I could teach you something, too. Like a trade. Um, I know science stuff or computers...”


“C-computers?” Tara asked, her eyes widening, “I d-don’t know anything about c-computers. W-we never h-had one at home and my s-school was pretty low-tech.”


“Well there we go,” Willow smiled, “You get a school laptop here to type all your notes and get homework done and stuff. I think it’s just ‘cause the teachers don’t like trying to read some people’s handwriting. But they have all the coursework pre-loaded on them so we don’t have to carry books around.”


“W-we h-have t-to use them?” Tara asked, paling.


“Don’t worry, I’ll give you any help you need,” Willow replied cheerily and put a hand on the brunette’s back, pulling it away when she flinched, “Sorry.”


Tara kept her gaze downwards as they continued to walk, internally kicking herself. She hadn’t meant to offend the redhead, but she had touched against a fresh bruise she’d gotten by her father before they left the house to get her flight and flinching had become an almost natural instinct. Still, she didn’t want her roommate to get the wrong idea so forced herself to raise her head and speak.


“I-I’d really ap-ap-appreciate the computer help.”


Willow seemed to perk up again at that and smiled.


“Great. Hey, it’s almost dinnertime. We have to change into our uniforms. Normally we can wear our regular clothes once classes are over for the day but they make this big deal about the ‘Welcome Back’ meals. I only had the one, when everyone came back from Winter break last year, which was like my first day. But the headmistress makes speeches and all that kinda stuff. Really boring, but the food is pretty good.”


“Well, look who returned to The Land She Doesn’t Belong,” a mocking female voice came from behind them, “Never-Ending Willow. Oh and look, she finally got a friend.”


Willow turned, scowling and faced the tall, brunette girl who was teasing her, a common occurrence from that particular fellow student, who for whatever reason had taken a disliking to Willow from the start and took every opportunity to make fun of her.


“Just leave us alone, Stacy.”


“Ooh, Willow’s grown a backbone over the summer,” Stacy laughed, quite obviously looking down at the redhead, before her gaze shifted to Tara, “I’d pick my friends carefully if I were you. You’re new so you clearly don’t know the status quo around here, but let me break it down for you; Willow=big old gay no-no.”


“I t-think s-she’s nice,” Tara replied, feeling defensive about her roommate.


“Oh really?” Stacy sneered, “Y-y-you d-d-do?”


“Hey!” Willow said angrily, stepping in front of Tara protectively, “Just go away!”


Stacy just shook her head mockingly.


“Hey now, that’s not very nice. What are the magic words?”


“Oo ee oo ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang,” Willow retorted sarcastically, “Why do you hate me so much?”


Stacy sneered again.


“Because you and your little f-f-f-friend here are recluse central. You’re supposed to hide in the shadows for a reason. So nobody has to look at you. Get that through your thick h-h-h-heads.”


Stacy laughed out loud, casting a particularly derisive look at Tara, which Willow noticed and glared at.


“Shut it, Stacy.”


Stacy laughed again and looked at the redhead, amused.


“What, are you gonna make me?”


Willow felt her anger flare and grabbed Stacy’s shirt, which made the brunette get a look of horror on her face.


“Get your dykey hands off me, gingernut!”


“W-Willow, d-don’t.”


Willow’s anger dissipated at the sound of the brunette’s scared voice and she dropped her hands, taking one of Tara’s hands in her own and pulling her towards the staircase up to their room, Stacy yelling after them.


“Yea, walk away and stay away! You’ll never be good enough, poser.”


Tara absently heard the threatening words being called after them, but was much more focused on the feel of Willow’s hand in hers. The redhead was pulling them towards their room and once inside, much to the brunette’s displeasure, dropped her hand and went over to her bed, flopping down on her mattress and screaming into her pillow. Tara wasn’t sure what to do and was inclined to just retreat into the shadows, as was her custom but instead opted to walk over and sit on the edge of Willow’s bed.


“A-are y-you okay?”


Willow raised her head from her pillow and sighed, before offering the brunette a weak smile.


“Yea. Thanks. I just...She’s just one of many, you know and they’re all so...” Willow trailed off and shook her head, “Hey, um, sorry if I like, scared you back there. I just got really angry when she was teasing you.”


“I-it’s okay,” Tara replied, feeling her heart skip a beat that Willow felt protective of her, then dropped her head, “I j-just don’t like v-v-violence.”


“Well, that’s good,” Willow responded, “I mean, an aversion to violence is definitely a good thing. I promise I won’t ever react like that again.”


Tara nodded, her gaze still cast downward.


“Hey, Tara?” Willow spoke up again a moment later, more hesitant than before, “What, uh...what Stacy was saying...you know, about me? Well, they’re true. I just...you should probably know that.”


Tara brow crinkled in confusion as she replayed the things that had been said in her mind until she realised what the redhead was talking about and her head shot up, eyes wide.


“Oh...”


She...she’s...but she’s not dirty or...but she’s...


Willow saw the shock on her roommates face and sighed again, dejected.


“Yea, so...listen, you don’t have to stick hanging around me or whatever. I won’t even speak to you if that’s what you want. But I’m gay, Tara, and I’m not ashamed of that. All the other girls here try to make me ashamed, but I’m not, I won’t be, so...I get if that’s not cool with you.”


Tara just stared wide-eyed at her roommate.


She’s so open...and she’s proud, she’s proud that she’s...she’s so strong.


Willow misunderstood the staring and sighed again, dropping her head into her pillow. She was therefore surprised when a tentative hand came to rest on her shoulder. She lifted her head and saw Tara giving her a small half-smile that made her heart feel like she had just run a marathon.


“I l-liked w-what else she said. About us b-being friends?”


“Really?” Willow asked, her face lighting up, “Tara, you gotta know, that kinda thing is a daily occurrence. It’s not gonna like, help your street cred hanging out with me.”


“I’m u-u-used to being teased, r-remember?” Tara replied with a small joke in her voice, “B-but I’ve never had a f-f-friend to deal with it before.”


Willow’s smile beamed and she scrambled up into a sitting position, pulling Tara into a surprise hug. The brunette stiffened completely at the unexpected contact.


I haven’t been hugged in five years.


Willow felt her roommate become rigid and was about to apologise and pull back when she felt uncertain arms cross around her back, closing the embrace. The arms tightened around her, as if Tara was holding on for dear life and Willow hugged back just as strongly until they naturally pulled apart, just slightly and their gazes locked.


Willow felt her breathing quicken as she looked into Tara’s eyes, their stares long and lingering as they both, unbeknownst to the other, were thinking the same thing.


I really wanna kiss her.


Tara was the first to look away, ashamed at her thought and stood up, walking over to her bed.


Stop it, Tara. I shouldn’t be thinking like that. She may like girls, but she’d never like me. I’m lucky she’s even willing to be my friend. I’ve never had a proper friend before...


Willow stared at Tara’s retreating form for a moment, before clearing her throat to get some moisture back in her mouth.


That was...we just had a moment, right? I mean, I’m no expert in things of the moment-y variety, but that, that...that felt like a moment. That was a moment. But what the hell does that mean? She’s straight, right? Don’t go deluding yourself, Rosenberg, the prettiest girl in the world becomes your roommate, then wants to be your friend, no way is she gonna want more than that. Well, damn it, I’m gonna be the best friend she’s ever had...


Willow was pulled from her thoughts as she heard the brunette ask a question.


“U-uniform, right?”


“Um, yea.”


Willow nodded, exhaling slowly for a moment before walking over to the wardrobe, taking out her school uniform, a white shirt with a dark green sweater over it and a checkered green and black skirt that fell to her knees. Knee-high white socks and plain black shoes completed the ensemble. Willow brought her clothes back to her bed and kicked off the sneakers she was wearing, before her eyes widened in shock as she caught a glimpse of Tara, who was changing and currently just in her jeans and bra, her back to the redhead.


Willow wasn’t shocked by the fact that her roommate was topless, though she would’ve been if she wasn’t focused on the fact that there were two very large, distinctly fist-shaped bruises on the brunette’s upper back and a flurry of smaller ones dotted along her spine, all at various stages of healing.


She flinched earlier...I touched her back and she flinched.


Tara seemed to sense eyes on her and looked over her shoulder, blushing bright red when she saw Willow looking at her and quickly gathered her clothes, rushing off to the bathroom – that was in their room, containing two showers and a toilet - in embarrassment. Willow cursed inwardly that she’d caused her friend any humiliation and stomped her foot for a moment before quickly getting into her own uniform.


Tara appeared back in the room, fully dressed and pulling at the end of her skirt, as if she was trying to make it longer. The redhead couldn’t help but admire her legs, despite being covered by the socks but her mind was more largely focused on what she’d seen before.


“Tara?” she ventured after a moment and waited for the brunette to turn to her, “Tara, your back...”


Tara looked confused for a split second before a wave of terror crossed over her features and she rushed over to her bed, pretending to fix the pillows.


“I f-f-f-fell w-w-when I w-w-went for a h-hike,” she lied easily, though felt awful for doing so, especially to Willow who’d been nothing but kind to her, “On a b-b-b-bunch o-o-of r-r-rocks. W-we s-should b-b-be h-heading downstairs n-n-now, r-right?”


Willow frowned but nodded her head. She hadn't missed the fact that the brunette’s stutter was particularly pronounced just then and didn’t want to make her friend feel even worse, so changed her frown into smile.


Besides, Tara had no reason to lie to her...right?

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Last edited by Laragh on Wed Dec 14, 2011 7:32 am, edited 2 times in total.

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 2:57 pm 
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okay..you are just genius. I have no idea how you write such great stories :)
and two updates the same day...well that just made my good day pretty much excellent :)

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:02 pm 
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Aww, poor Tara - I hope she opens up to Willow soon (not a pun!) Her dad's a shithead! And Stacy is a bitch! They're not missing out not being friends with her...

And Tara's indiscretion isn't something I would expect? Now I'm all curious about both of them!

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:45 pm 
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Laragh, I'll admit, the description of Tara's beaten back literally made me teary. I'll never understand people that hurt children, it's just so horrible and sad. Thanks so much for feeding my addiction to your stories! You're a great sport!! Sleep tight.

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 6:36 pm 
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Dude....you're gonna make us cry with this story, arent you?? *narrow eyes* still, those were AWESOME chapters.... and if you make me cry, I'll kick your butt!! I cant wait to know what happens next.

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 7:01 pm 
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wow those chapters were awesome :shock !!!!
I can't wait for the next update! XD god i hope stacy gets what's coming to her :wtf how can somebody be so bitchy?!


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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 8:57 pm 
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I can't believe I almost missed this great story. I was so busy with updates I forgot to check for new ones.

I love Shy-Tara. She, like me, just needs a Willow to bring her out of her shell. (Although she definitely has a reason to be shy. Poophead father.)

I'm guessing due to the fact that it's an all-girl school and both girls seem to be there as a punishment, neither one was caught with another girl. I'm pretty sure Tara wasn't, Willow's parents probably didn't even care enough to find out details about the school.


BTW, I loved Willow's comebacks to Stacy:


Quote:

"Hey!” Willow said angrily, stepping in front of Tara protectively, “Just go away!” 


Stacy just shook her head mockingly. 


“Hey now, that’s not very nice. What are the magic words?” 


“Oo ee oo ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang,” Willow retorted sarcastically.


Very funny. Is Stacy mean for any particular reason, or is she just mean?

I agree with LonelyTara. Since you already have the story complete (Do you, or did I misread?) you should definitely post more than once a day. I don't like suspense and only tolerate it when necessary. Waiting for an update that hasn't been written yet is acceptable. Waiting for an update for a completed story that's based on a schedule makes me pout.

Keep up the great work.


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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 4:06 am 
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Hey! A new story. I like the getting together ones so much better than the already together ones so I'm very much so looking forward to this. I like the 1x a day posting schedule. Wow, Tara's father sent her to Switzerland. I've never read a story where he was much willing to spend $3 on her. Interesting. Nice that both girls are crushing already.

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 5:39 am 
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Yay for great update-y goodness... I truly hope that Willow very soon is able to break down some of her barriers... I kinda hope that Willow tells Tara that domestic beatings are definately not ok and being gay is definately ok...

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 10:00 am 
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W&T

Quote:
okay..you are just genius. I have no idea how you write such great stories


:blush I’m glad you like them

Quote:
and two updates the same day...well that just made my good day pretty much excellent


Ooh, well I’m glad I could contribute to your good day!

Thanks for commenting!

leonhart17

Quote:
Aww, poor Tara - I hope she opens up to Willow soon (not a pun!)


Aww and here I was gonna make a hilariously witty joke about the pun! :p She will to an extent (open up that is), you’ll just have to read and see

Quote:
Her dad's a shithead!


That he is.

Quote:
And Stacy is a bitch! They're not missing out not being friends with her...


Lol don’t worry, she actually doesn’t make another appearance (like I said, very heavy on the W/T focus), I just really used her to show Willow’s defensive side and to get them talking about some other things :)

Quote:
And Tara's indiscretion isn't something I would expect? Now I'm all curious about both of them!


Not necessarily that you wouldn’t expect it, just that’s it’s not the automatic assumption you might jump to... :wink

Thanks for your comment!

LonelyTara

Quote:
Laragh, I'll admit, the description of Tara's beaten back literally made me teary. I'll never understand people that hurt children, it's just so horrible and sad.


It really is. I’m always hesitant to include Tara’s abuse purely because (thank god) it’s not something I’ve experienced and I don’t want to offend or affront someone by depicting it wrong. But it was important for this story, but she’s away from her father now, so at least it’s not on-going.

Quote:
Thanks so much for feeding my addiction to your stories! You're a great sport!! Sleep tight.


Lol, no worries :p

Thanks for commenting!

Alex_Vixen

Quote:
Dude....you're gonna make us cry with this story, arent you?? *narrow eyes*


I’m gonna try not to!

Quote:
still, those were AWESOME chapters....


Glad you liked!

Quote:
and if you make me cry, I'll kick your butt!!


Well for my butt’s sake, I’ll try not to!

Quote:
I cant wait to know what happens next.


Hope you like :)

Thanks for commenting!

lonelylanding

Quote:
wow those chapters were awesome


Glad you liked!

Quote:
I can't wait for the next update!


Hope you enjoy it!!

Quote:
i hope stacy gets what's coming to her... how can somebody be so bitchy?!


Don’t worry, she’s not a main feature :) And the girls’ll ignore her. Much too caught up with each other!

BuffyFan4ever

Quote:
I can't believe I almost missed this great story. I was so busy with updates I forgot to check for new ones.


Lol, glad you got to it!

Quote:
I love Shy-Tara. She, like me, just needs a Willow to bring her out of her shell. (Although she definitely has a reason to be shy. Poophead father.)


Shy-Tara has a special place in my heart too, although she does come out of her shell pretty quickly (around Willow anyway :p)

Quote:
I'm guessing due to the fact that it's an all-girl school and both girls seem to be there as a punishment, neither one was caught with another girl. I'm pretty sure Tara wasn't, Willow's parents probably didn't even care enough to find out details about the school.


Very astute and very correct. Neither were caught with other girls, though Tara’s is girls-related (and her poophead father isn’t very smart :p!)

Quote:
BTW, I loved Willow's comebacks to Stacy


Lol, glad you liked!

Quote:
Very funny. Is Stacy mean for any particular reason, or is she just mean?


Just mean. But she’s not a heavy feature, don’t worry.

Quote:
I agree with LonelyTara. Since you already have the story complete (Do you, or did I misread?) you should definitely post more than once a day. I don't like suspense and only tolerate it when necessary. Waiting for an update that hasn't been written yet is acceptable. Waiting for an update for a completed story that's based on a schedule makes me pout.


You read right, I do have it complete :) But I have to keep up a little suspense. If it was just a quick 4 or 5 chapter thing I’d post it all together (like I have before) but this is on-going. Hope you still continue to read!

Quote:
Keep up the great work.


Thanks!

Thanks for your feedback!

JustSkipIt

Quote:
I like the getting together ones so much better than the already together ones so I'm very much so looking forward to this.


I like the getting-together ones too :) I should tell you though, they do get together quite quickly. Purely because I don’t have the capability or skill to write a drawn-out get-together. I really admire anyone who can but I really struggle with depicting the ‘liking someone but not knowing if they like you back; longing looks; dealing with new feelings’ thing. I’m not sure why exactly I find it so hard to write that, but I do. I’m better at the actual relationship stuff. And this is still meant to be a fluffy piece lol. Anyway, I hope you enjoy if you continue to read.

Quote:
Wow, Tara's father sent her to Switzerland. I've never read a story where he was much willing to spend $3 on her.


He’s not one for spending much in this one either. The being sent away thing is for reasons that will be revealed but basically he only spent the money as what he thought was a last resort.

Quote:
Nice that both girls are crushing already.


I always figured they liked each other from the moment they laid eyes on each other lol

Thanks for your feedback!

Zampsa1975

Quote:
I truly hope that Willow very soon is able to break down some of her barriers...


Willow’s gonna try really hard!

Quote:
I kinda hope that Willow tells Tara that domestic beatings are definately not ok and being gay is definately ok...


The latter will definitely happen :)






Update Directly Below

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Love, The SeriesTwo For Joy/21+/Joy To The WorldInevitable/Infinitely

Confidential EternalA Twisted DateDachsund Through The Snow


Last edited by Laragh on Sun Apr 24, 2011 1:52 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/16/10)
PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 10:01 am 
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********

TITLE: Close Quarters

AUTHOR: Laragh

CHAPTER RATING: PG-13

DISCLAIMER: Willow, Tara and any other characters from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise belong to Joss Whedon, FOX, ME and a whole host of other entities, none of which are me.

SUMMARY: What happens when Willow and Tara are thrown together far away from home? Tara has secrets, Willow has a lonely past. They both want to be loved. Can they find it together? (Of course they can, this is me!)

SPOILERS: AU fic, so at most minor references or pieces of dialogue

FEEDBACK: Yes please

Chapter 3/20

********


“Well this rocks!”


Tara looked over at her roommate.


“W-what?”


“We have almost all our classes together!” Willow exclaimed happily as she sat on her bed, holding hers and Tara’s class schedules beside each other, “All except our languages, but we already kinda knew that. Yep, English, History, Biology, Math...all together. If that’s not a sign we’re supposed to be friends, I don’t know what is!”


Their welcoming dinner had gone off without any fuss, the general student population too absorbed with seeing their friends again to notice that they had a new girl or to make the time to go out of their way to ridicule the redhead. Willow had been particularly happy that, for the first time since she’d been in that school, hadn’t had to eat alone.


All the senior girls had been brought together in the common room after their meal to hand out their class schedules and school laptops, as well as being read off the typical school rhetoric of how important their final year of school was and how they all had to knuckle down and study.


“R-really?” Tara asked, sitting on her own bed, “T-that’s good.”


“Yea, we have Ms. Bolton for English first thing tomorrow morning,” Willow replied, picking up her pencil case from the nightstand next to her bed, “Here, I’ll colour code all our classes so you can see.”


Tara was going to protest that that was unnecessary but Willow was already happily running her markers along the pages so she let her continue, before casting a wary eye to the end of the bed at the laptop she’d been handed. Willow looked up just in time to see the look and a small giggle left her mouth.


“Want your first computer lesson?” she asked as she set their schedules to the side, “You can totally use my notes until you get the hang of it, don’t worry.”


Tara visibly exhaled and Willow stood up, reaching under her bed and picking up a laptop that was different in styles to the school’s one. The redhead saw Tara look at it in confusion and started to explain.


“Oh, this is my own one. I use the school one for homework and stuff but mine is a way better model, it has my personal stuff on it. I’ll teach you how to access your homework stuff on your one, but mine is better for learning just how to generally use a laptop. That okay?”


Tara nodded and Willow continued walking over to her and sitting beside her on the bed, both of their backs against the wall.


“And is this okay?” she asked quietly, knowing her friend had been hesitant in any type of close contact before.


Tara nodded again and Willow smiled, grabbing the laptop and unzipping it from its case, pulling the machine out and resting it on the brunette’s lap.


“Okay, so you just turn it on by pressing this little circular button here,” she started, pointing to the power button.


Tara put her finger over the button and pressed down lightly, but nothing happened. She frowned but felt Willow put a hand over hers and pressed down more firmly, the laptop suddenly springing to life.


“Like that, see?”


Tara nodded again and watched as the display lit up and flashed through different screens until it settled on her screen saver, a large smiley face.


“Um, ignore the babyness,” Willow said, gesturing at the desktop, “So we’ll start with the basics for now. Hey, do you have facebook?”


Tara looked at the redhead completely bewildered and Willow chuckled.


“Right. Never used a computer before. Sorry. It’s, um, well it’s a social networking site. You have a profile and can add pictures or whatever you want really. And there’s games, lots of stuff really! Oh and you can poke people!”


Tara’s eyes went wide.


“Y-you c-can w-w-what?”


“Oh,” Willow shook her head with a grin, “It’s not anything...it’s like a virtual nudge. It’s fun. We should make you an account!”


“Um...isn’t...” Tara remembered something she’d read in the brochure that had been shoved in her hands when she’d been told she was going to boarding school, “Don’t the school monitor those?”


“Oh yea, but not if you’re sneaky,” Willow replied with a grin, before it faltered slightly, “I had to make a new account last year. My old one was all public and stuff, that’s how everyone found out...you know, about the gay thing. There wasn’t even anything that obvious on it, just the groups I was a part of and stuff. Anyway, I have a new one now and its super private, only people I want to be able to see it, can. We could do the same for you, if you wanted.”


Tara gave the redhead a sympathetic smile before shrugging.


“I w-w-wouldn’t have any f-friends.”


“You’d have me.”


Tara’s face brightened to a degree Willow hadn’t seen before and she blushed slightly, but didn’t avert her gaze.


“Okay. H-how do w-we do it?”


Willow beamed and moved the laptop so she had better access to the keyboard as she started typing and clicking buttons.


“I’m just connecting to the internet, it’ll take a sec,” she explained as she typed.


“I t-thought the o-only i-internet access was in the l-library?” Tara asked, more of the brochure coming back to her.


“Oh, it is, but the teacher’s lounge has Wi-Fi, um sorry, it has internet access for anyone within a certain range, it’s easy to hack in to. Um, to get into. Idiots don’t even password protect it. But, uh, can that be a roommate secret? It wouldn’t be good if the faculty found out.”


Tara took in what the smaller girl was saying and finally nodded.


“S-sure. B-but w-won’t they k-know if a, um...facebook?” her statement came out as a question and Willow nodded that she’d gotten it right, “If a facebook p-page c-comes out i-in my n-name?”


“Ah, see that’s where we get sneaky,” Willow replied, grinning again as she brought the facebook browser up on screen, “We don’t use your full name. Like I’m just Willow R. So you’d be Tara...hey, I don’t know your surname.”


“M-Maclay,” Tara answered, “It’s M-Maclay.”


“Maclay,” Willow repeated, more to herself, “Tara Maclay. That’s really pretty.”


Both girls blushed at the words, Willow not having meant to say them aloud and focused back on the screen.


“I’ll, uh, just set you up with a different email account. Not using the school one is part of the sneakiness,” Willow said, typing away, “So, uh, just Tara M, is that okay?”


“S-sure,” Tara nodded, still blushing.


“Okie dokie,” Willow breathed, typing in all the set up information quickly, “So, ah, we just fill out your basic information. Birthday?”


“October 16th. I-I’m 17.”


“Mine’s the 18th,” Willow smiled, “We’re practically twins.”


Tara smiled too and watched as Willow continued to type things, asking her questions along the way.


“So, you’re female...”


“Yea,” Tara replied with a quiet giggle.


“Okay, and I’m gonna say ‘looking for friendship’ ‘cause you can get some weirdos adding you if you say dating and stuff. But that won’t happen, ‘cause like I said, I’ll make it super private but just to be on the safe side. Uh, political views?”


“Um...Obama?”


Willow giggled and wrote it down, while Tara thought that if she’d said that to either her father or her brother, it would have warranted a beating for sure – they were hardcore Republicans. She felt liberated that she could speak more openly with the redhead.


“Religious views?”


Tara again thought of her ‘family’ and how any answer other than ‘Christian’, devout at that would not have been received well. But again she felt compelled and more importantly, able to answer honestly. She felt more at ease than she had in a long time.


“Just spiritual really.”


Willow wrote down the word ‘spiritual’ in the space provided, before turning to Tara, almost shyly.


“You haven’t stuttered in a couple of minutes.”


Tara couldn’t help a small smile when she realised the redhead was right. She hadn’t not stuttered in years, not even for a single sentence.


“I guess you make me comfortable.”


“Good,” Willow whispered with a smile before focusing back on screen, “Good. So we need to write you a bio. Like a biography. Just to sum you up in a few lines.”


Tara shrugged, not knowing what to say.


“Okay, how about...” Willow replied with a grin, seeing the brunette was struggling, “Hmm... ‘My name is Tara, I’m 17 and I have a really cool friend named Willow’.”


Tara gave a small laugh and nodded.


“Sure. Write that.”


Willow stuck her tongue out between her teeth excitedly as she typed before moving on to the next section.


“So, um, any interests?”


“Um...I used to horse ride?” Tara answered as a question, unsure whether that counted, “I haven’t for a while, but I guess that’s an interest.”


“Horse riding,” Willow wrote with a shudder, “Not big on the horses myself. Bad birthday experience with a pony. He thought my arm was a carrot. I see horses and I think ‘really big pony’.”


“He tried to eat your arm?”


“Well...” Willow replied with a shrug, “He looked like he wanted to! If I gave him half a chance he would’ve been chomping at me like I was his last meal.”


“Willow,” Tara said with a giggle, “I don’t think horses like arm much.”


“They could!” Willow protested with a pout, “They’re not safe.”


“Well you could ride with me sometime. I promise safety and fun.”


Tara couldn’t believe how easy-going she was acting, and...


Did I just flirt?


Willow seemed pleased by the statement though, as illustrated by a blush and a smile and they filled out the rest of the sections quickly until Tara realised the redhead had, purposely she could only assume, neglected to fill in two of the boxes. She looked between the two headings and hesitantly pointed at the first one.


“I’m single,” she said, before taking a deep breath, her voice coming out shaky and in a whisper as she moved her finger down to the ‘interested in’ box, “And women.”


Oh my god. Oh. My. God. Did I just come out? Daddy always said it was wrong, so wrong, but she...she can say it. She likes girls and she can say it. She’s not wrong. I like girls. I really, really like girls. One girl in particular. Whoa, Tara, one thing at a time. You like girls. You know that. You’ve known that forever. And now you’ve said it.


“Uh...” Willow was completely taken aback but moved the curser over the appropriate box and ticked it, “Right. Awesome. All filled in.”


Oh my god. Oh. My. God. Did she just come out to me? She likes girls! I wonder if she could ever like me...? Whoa, one thing at a time, Willow. She likes girls. You know that now. And that’s...that’s something.


“I’m gay,” Tara said in a whisper, to herself, “I’m a lesbian.”


Willow looked at the brunette strangely for a second before realisation crossed her features.


“Is that the first time you’ve ever said it out loud?” she asked softly.


Tara turned her head to meet Willow’s gaze and blushed slightly but nodded.


“I’ve, um...always known, but um...everyone always said it was so wrong. But it’s who I am. So if that’s wrong, then...How did you know I’d never said...?”


Willow grinned and shrugged.


“Dunno. Just one gay girl to another kind of thing I guess. And, Tara, it’s not wrong,” she replied and shook her head emphatically, “It doesn’t matter. Love is love.”


Their gazes locked again and neither said a word until Willow looked away, exhaling slowly.


Another one of those damn confusing ‘moments’. Even more damn confusing now.


“You need a picture!” Willow said, trying to ease the tension, “No profile is complete without one.”


“P-picture?” Tara asked, sighing at the return of her stutter and taking deep breaths to try and lessen it again, “I don’t have any pictures.”


“Well, here,” Willow replied, pointing at the small camera on the laptop, “We’ll take one. Smile!”


“Uh, wait...”


Willow smiled at her friend’s shyness and shuffled her body closer to the brunette’s.


“We can take one together, how about that?”


Tara seemed hesitant but nodded and smiled as Willow brought the webcam up on screen and focused a shot. Both laughed when the snapped picture came up on screen; Tara was smiling warmly and Willow had her tongue stuck out.


“Okay. That can go up.”


Willow giggled as she uploaded the photograph before showing Tara her completed profile.


“There you go. You are now officially a member of the facebook universe. Now I’ll just add me as a friend...” Willow typed in her email address in the ‘add friends’ section and quick as lighting logged out and back in to her own account, accepting the request, “And I’m your first friend!”


Tara looked at the line on Willow’s profile that said ‘Willow R. is now friends with Tara M.’ and smiled.


“Yea, you are,” she replied quietly, before noticing something on Willow’s profile, “You didn’t tell me I could have a picture of a kitten as my picture...”


Willow blushed at her profile picture, a kitten playing with a ball of yarn and shrugged.


“You didn’t ask.”


Tara was about to respond when she noticed something else.


“You like Doogie Howser? I watched that all the time growing up.”


“Really?” Willow asked with a laugh, “Me too. I love Neil Patrick Harris. When I was little I used to imagine that I used to like work on a sitcom with him. Then I just started writing Doogie fanfiction. But, um, you can just disregard that last sentence.”


Tara complied with the redhead’s wish, having no idea what ‘fanfiction’ was anyway.


“So, uh, I should probably teach you something other than how to mess on facebook,” Willow continued, “Unless you just wanna talk for a bit? We’re gonna be living together for nine months, we should know some stuff. You know, other than shared childhood love for teenage doctors.”


Tara gave a small laugh and nodded.


“Okay. Let’s talk.”


Willow shut down the computer and put in on the floor before settling on the bed, her feet beneath her.


“So, um, I can start if you want. Well, I’m 17, you know that, turn 18 two days after you. I’m Jewish, but not really practicing, more just in tradition. And um, only child, which you probably guessed as well, given my parent’s attitude or rather un-attitude towards me. I had one friend when I was little, Xander, but he moved away when we started junior high. I was on my own back in California then. I was – well, am, this huge nerd so I kinda got targeted by the cheerleaders, one cheerleader in particular, Cordelia. She pretty much made my life living hell from grades 7 to half-way through 11 when I had ‘Cordy is a bitch’ projected on the wall during the winter dance – that’s why I got expelled by the way. Like it’s my fault they left the projector room wide open for anyone to use.”


“They expelled you just for that?” Tara asked softly, “I mean, I can see why they wouldn’t just let it go, but being expelled seems kind of...harsh.”


“Cordy’s Dad is on the Board of Directors,” Willow sighed softly, “Had I known that I probably wouldn’t have done it. Irony was, I was actually happy when I found out I wouldn’t be able to go back to that school, ‘cause at least I’d be away from Cordelia Chase, but then I get sent here and what do you know, it’s Cordelia times 100. But you’re here now, so that’s...that’s definitely of the good.”


Tara blushed and ducked her head, her inherent shyness still quite present, even though the redhead was doing an incredible job of putting her completely at ease and making her happy.


Happy...that’s not something I’ve felt in a while...


The brunette snapped to attention when she realised Willow was looking at her expectantly.


“Oh, um...well I grew up in Alabama. Just me my m-m-mother and f-f-father and brother, Donny. My m-mother died 5 years ago.”


Willow frowned, both at the piece of information and at how much Tara stuttered over than sentence. Family was clearly a touchy subject.


“Tara, I’m so sorry. That really sucks.”


Tara shrugged and gave a small sniffle.


“Yea. So it’s j-j-just been me and b-b-brother and f-father since. T-they don’t...w-w-we’re n-not...um...”


“Hey, it’s okay,” Willow said quickly, seeing her friend was struggling, “You don’t have to talk about that. We can talk about something else. Pets! Did you ever have any pets? I had fish once but they died.”


“W-we had a cat when I was little but she ran away,” Tara replied, thankful to be off the subject of her family, “No pets since. And um, before when I said you were my first friend. I didn’t just mean on facebook.”


“Really?” Willow asked, feeling sadness at her friend’s heartache, “Well that’s the people of Alabama’s loss. You’re a wonderful friend. And hey, two loners sent to the same boarding school in some obscure town in Switzerland? We were destined to meet.”


Tara smiled and was about to respond just as an errant yawn left her mouth. Willow glanced at her watch.


“8pm,” she said before realising something, “Which means its 3am in Alabama. I’ve been operating on Swiss time for the past week or so at home so I wouldn’t be jetlagged when I got here. You don’t exactly get time to acclimatise; they just throw you straight into work.”


“That’s...really smart,” Tara replied sleepily, wishing she’d thought to do the same.


“Whoever’s on night duty isn’t gonna come around ‘til like 11 to make sure it’s lights out and stuff, but we could, you know, wind down our room now?” Willow suggested, “If you get a good night’s sleep now the jetlag might not last long. It’s dark out, I dunno whether you need darkness to sleep, I know I do, but anyway, it’s dark if you do and I can like, read under the covers or something ‘til I’m sleepy, I have a flashlight and everything.”


“I might go to bed,” Tara replied, her eyes drooping, “But keeping the lights on is fine.”


Willow smiled and shook her head, waving a hand in front of her.


“It’s fine, really. I like reading under the covers. Makes me feel like I’m little again and I’m having a sleepover. Not that I ever had a sleepover, what with Xander being a boy and all my parents didn’t think it was ‘appropriate’. How little they knew, right?” Willow grinned, before seeing her friend was struggling to keep her eyes open, “Okay, it’s definitely sleepy time for you.”


Tara yawned again and nodded, standing up and grabbing her pyjamas from the wardrobe. She disappeared into the bathroom for a few minutes to get changed and do her nightly routine. When she walked out, the room was in complete darkness except from a circular light coming from Willow’s bed.


“Willow, you can keep the lights on,” she said with a laugh as she slipped beneath the covers of her bed, “It’s okay.”


“Nah, I’m comfy,” Willow replied, knowing the brunette would probably get a better and full night’s sleep in the darkness, “Night, Tara. I’m really glad you’re my roomie.”


Tara smiled as she settled her head on the pillow.


“Goodnight, Willow. I’m glad you’re my roomie too.”


The room lapsed into silence as Willow read beneath her covers and Tara started to drift off to sleep, her thoughts swimming.


Not even a day...not even a day and I’m away from my father, I came out, I made a friend and...


Tara opened her eyes for a moment and looked at the figure of Willow sitting underneath her blanket.


And, yea, I’m pretty sure I’m in love.

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/17/10)
PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 10:11 am 
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Dibs! This was so cute! I love them! They're flirting and it's awesome! I love why Willow got expelled! I could see her doing that! And I love all the NPH and How I Met Your Mother references :) Great chapter!

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/17/10)
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I love what she did to Cordy! Thats was great! I loved the update, its so like willow to change her sleeping schedule to avoid jet lag. I can't wait till the next update tomorrow! :)


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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/17/10)
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Yay for great update-y goodness... Big yay for Tara comming out to Willow and Willow making Tara a facebook profile... I really loved the reason for Willow's expulsion. Cordy really deserved that...

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/17/10)
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Very sweet. What a momentous time for Tara to actually say those words out loud.

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/17/10)
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Hooray for daily updates! Poor Tara and Willow, all my painful geek memories resurface. For me it was chasing a boy through the library threatening to rip his balls off, not playing with a projector, but luckily my parents thought it was hilarious. They still tell the story. Anyway, excellent, excellent. Thank all that is holy that I only have to wait till tomorrow for an update. I can't wait for them to get over their shyness and get on with the kissies!

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/17/10)
PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 5:40 pm 
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WOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! UPDATE!!!!!!!!!

I...: LOVEEEEEEEEEEEED the Chapter!!!!!!!!! It was AWESOME!!! Tell Tara I would be her FB friend as well!! *giggles*

Great job, dude...keep it up...

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/17/10)
PostPosted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 9:59 am 
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Quote:
Dibs! This was so cute! I love them! They're flirting and it's awesome!


Lol glad you liked!

Quote:
I love why Willow got expelled! I could see her doing that!


Lol, I’m glad it worked! I can totally see her doing it too :p

Quote:
And I love all the NPH and How I Met Your Mother references


I love NPH so I had to make a reference to him lol. Side note, how awesome is it that he’s gonna be a Daddy?

Quote:
Great chapter!


Glad you liked it! Hope you enjoy this one too!

Thanks for commenting!

lonelylanding

Quote:
I love what she did to Cordy! Thats was great!


Glad you liked lol, I thought it was something she might do.

Quote:
I loved the update, its so like willow to change her sleeping schedule to avoid jet lag.


Lol, always thinking ahead that girl!

Quote:
I can't wait till the next update tomorrow!


Hope you enjoy it!

Thanks for your comment!

Zampsa1975

Quote:
Yay for great update-y goodness... Big yay for Tara comming out to Willow and Willow making Tara a facebook profile...


Bonding experiences to bring them closer!

Quote:
I really loved the reason for Willow's expulsion. Cordy really deserved that...


She totally did lol. Shame Willow got punished for it though :p

Thanks for commenting!

JustSkipIt

Quote:
Very sweet. What a momentous time for Tara to actually say those words out loud.


It was a big moment for her :) I know for me anyway, even though I’d been thinking the words for years, actually saying ‘I’m gay’ was like a turning point.

Thanks for your feedback.

LonelyTara

Quote:
Hooray for daily updates!


Lol glad you like them!

Quote:
Poor Tara and Willow, all my painful geek memories resurface. For me it was chasing a boy through the library threatening to rip his balls off, not playing with a projector, but luckily my parents thought it was hilarious. They still tell the story.


Ha, I’m not surprised they still tell it, it’s hilarious :p Go you.

Quote:
Anyway, excellent, excellent. Thank all that is holy that I only have to wait till tomorrow for an update.


I love that you’re so eager to read more!

Quote:
I can't wait for them to get over their shyness and get on with the kissies!


You don’t have to wait long!

Thanks for commenting!

Alex_Vixen

Quote:
I...: LOVEEEEEEEEEEEED the Chapter!!!!!!!!! It was AWESOME!!! Tell Tara I would be her FB friend as well!! *giggles*


Lol, I’m sure she’d be very happy to have you as a friend :p

Quote:
Great job, dude...keep it up...


Glad you’re liking it!

Thanks for commenting!






Update Directly Below

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/17/10)
PostPosted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 10:01 am 
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********

TITLE: Close Quarters

AUTHOR: Laragh

CHAPTER RATING: PG-13

DISCLAIMER: Willow, Tara and any other characters from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise belong to Joss Whedon, FOX, ME and a whole host of other entities, none of which are me.

SUMMARY: What happens when Willow and Tara are thrown together far away from home? Tara has secrets, Willow has a lonely past. They both want to be loved. Can they find it together? (Of course they can, this is me!)

SPOILERS: AU fic, so at most minor references or pieces of dialogue

FEEDBACK: Yes please

Chapter 4/20

********


“Good thing about Friday’s,” Willow said as she dropped her laptop on her bed and flopped down beside it, “Classes end early.”


“Why is that?” Tara asked, putting her own laptop down as well.


She only carried it around for appearances sake really since she was still completely bewildered on how to use it. Willow had attempted to teach her a couple of times, but they always ended up taking silly photographs or messing on facebook instead. Tara knew she had to learn to use it soon though, or she’d never get through the academic year.


“Games are on Friday afternoons,” Willow explained, stretching out on her bed, “Hey, I should have asked you if you wanted to try out for anything, I just assumed, I’m sorry. Try-outs start today so if you wanted to, we could go to the coach or whatever. Most of the girls play hockey but there’s basketball and um, I think badminton.”


Tara laughed and shook her head.


“No, I don’t have the coordination for basketball or badminton. And I’m, um, not really one for the stick sports.”


Willow raised her head and looked at her straight-faced roommate, wide-eyed for a moment until they both burst out laughing.


“Where’s that shy stuttering girl I met five days ago?” Willow asked, shaking her head, “I can’t believe it’s only been five days. I feel like we’ve been friends for like, ever.”


Tara smiled, she felt the same way. In truth, she felt like an entirely different person from the girl who had first walked through the doors of their room. She felt liked, as s friend and a person for the first time ever and hadn’t stuttered in front of Willow since that first night. She might not have been able to follow her classes on her laptop – yet – but Willow transferred her notes to her every night and she was following the curriculum quite easily. And except for the occasional passing taunt from Stacy and her gaggle of friends in the hallway, both of them had been left pretty much alone by their fellow students.


Willow had seemed quite pleased at this and wasn’t sure whether it was just because everyone was a little older and realised they were being immature or whether she just seemed like less of a target now that she wasn’t wandering the hallways by herself. Either way, the lack of teasing and the presence of Tara in general were making her quite happy in herself.


“Hey, Willow?” Tara asked when the laughter had subsided, wanting to ask something she'd been wondering, “Do your parents know? You know that you’re-”


“Not into stick sports?” Willow grinned and Tara grinned back, nodding, “Well I never told them. So I dunno, I guess they don’t. They don’t really factor high enough in the people I care about to tell. Do, um...do yours?”


Willow was unsure whether she should’ve asked the question, Tara’s family hadn’t been mentioned since that first night.


“Um...well...” Tara struggled to answer, “My Dad...kind of...well he knew I...my family aren’t the kind of people who would accept it. He caught me...he...there’s not...”


“Hey, it’s okay,” Willow replied quickly, “Complicated, that’s cool. I’m a master of complicated families. You don’t have to explain.”


Tara nodded gratefully and decided to change the subject.


“So what happens here at weekends?”


“Oh well some of the girls pay for Daddy to fly them home on their private jet,” Willow replied with a roll of her eyes, “But the rest of us...ah, nothing exciting really, I usually just hang around campus. But hey, senior now so that means we’re allowed get the bus into the local town. We can go after lunch and have to be back by dinner, but it’s something different I guess. You wanna maybe head out there tomorrow? I dunno what’s there but we could just look around. If you wanted.”


“I’m in,” Tara nodded, “I don’t mind what we do as long as it’s with you.”


Willow smiled and blushed slightly. She wasn’t sure exactly what to make of her friendship with Tara. Her lack of experience with anything other than online friends certainly didn’t help with her confusion, so she didn’t know whether the...well, she figured there was no other word for it, flirty interaction they had was just normal friend stuff or whether there was actually something more to it.


She knew there was definitely something more coming from herself; her non-friendship feelings for the brunette had grown every day since they’d met, especially as they spent most of their time together. She’d been attracted to Tara from the moment she’d set eyes on her, but that wasn’t it. There was something deep happening between them, she knew. Or at least she knew what she was feeling. Tara on the other hand, she had no idea. And she was too scared to broach the subject in case it ruined their friendship.


“Great,” Willow said eventually, looking forward to the following day, “So, we’ve got the afternoon to ourselves. Whaddya say I give you a proper computer lesson. And no distractions this time!”


***


Willow hazily opened her eyes at the sound of something in the room. She remembered spending the afternoon actually teaching Tara the basic workings of her laptop and how to access the coursework already loaded onto it, then they’d just played music and talked for the evening. They’d both gone to bed with happy smiles on their faces but as Willow sat up fully in the bed, she saw that Tara clearly hadn’t stayed that way.


The brunette was thrashing about in her bed and calling out softly.


“No, don’t...please don’t...”


Willow’s initial thought was that someone else was in the room and she grabbed her flashlight, turning it on and shining it over at her friend’s bed, seeing that no one else was there but that Tara was clearly having a bad dream, a very bad dream.


Shit, what do I do? Can you like kill someone by waking them from a nightmare? No that’s sleepwalking and I don’t even think it’s true. Go, help her!


Willow jumped out of bed and knelt beside Tara’s, trying to grab a hold of her flailing hands.


“Tara, shush it’s okay,” she whispered loudly, hoping the taller girl would hear, “Tara, it’s okay, it’s just a dream.”


Tara kept thrashing and started crying out louder.


“No, no, don’t, please, don’t!”


Willow’s bedside reassurances didn’t seem to be working as the brunette got more and more distressed so she did the only thing she could think of and got into the bed beside her friend and wrapped one arm around her waist, the other stroking her hair as she held Tara’s jerking body.


“Tara, it’s okay, it’s okay. Wake up, honey, you’re having a bad dream. It’s okay, Tara, it’s okay...”


Willow kept soothing her as Tara started to calm until she was still and her eyes fluttered opened.


“Willow?” she asked in a scared voice, unsure whether she was still receiving the beating from her father that had been happening in her dreamscape.


“Oh shush, I got you,” Willow replied, tightening her hold and lowering her head to whisper in the brunette’s ear, “I got you, baby, I got you. You’re safe, I promise. It was just a dream.”


Willow pulled back to look in the taller girl’s eyes, wanting to reassure her as much as she could, both able to just see each other in the moonlight shining in from the window. She opened her mouth to speak, but Tara got there first.


“You called me baby.”


Tara’s voice came out in a quiet whisper and Willow was stunned into silence, her mouth opening and closing in shock.


“I, uh...I just...I...”


Tara watched the redhead struggle and with a sudden burst of courage she leant forward and let her lips press against Willow’s. When the smaller girl just stayed rigid and shocked after a couple of seconds, Tara pulled back, convinced she’d clearly gotten the completely wrong end of the stick and looked down.


“S-s-sorry.”


“Hey, don’t stutter,” Willow said suddenly, snapped to attention by Tara’s obvious anguish and cupping the brunette's cheek, “Not with me. And, and...don’t be sorry. Please don’t be sorry ‘cause that means you regret kissing me and I really don’t want that to be true.”


“You don’t?” Tara asked, hopeful, “But you...”


“I was a spaz and didn’t realise you were kissing me until you stopped. But I’d really like to kiss you again. Properly this time.”


Tara’s face lit up and she nodded, not able to form words.


“Yea?” Willow asked, leaning her head forwards slightly, “You’re sure? I don’t want a friendship kiss here, Tara. I like you, like, really like you. If that’s not what you want, it’s fine, I can go back to my own bed and we can pretend this never-”


She was cut off as she felt soft lips touch her own, for the second time that night but not being one to make the same mistake twice, instantly responded, moving her lips gently against the brunette’s, wondering if heaven could be poured into a single kiss, because if it could, it was happening right then.


Tara’s lips were soft and sweet and unlike anything she’d ever felt before, which wasn’t hard considering her withdrawn state of existence up until the past week meant she’d never been kissed before. Xander had tried to kiss her once when they were in the 6th grade but she quickly rebuffed him and hadn’t had any offers since. Still, she was quite happy to have had to wait her almost 18 years if this was the kiss she got as her first, because it was so magnificent.


Tara was having a similar train of thought as Willow sucked lightly on her bottom lip before going back to just the gentle motion of lips on lips. She couldn’t quite believe it; this gorgeous, funny, kind, all-round beautiful inside and out girl was kissing her. Her nightmare was completely forgotten as all she felt was soft lips and the light stroking of Willow’s thumb on her cheek.


They started to pull away to breathe properly for a moment but their lips hadn’t even fully separated before they were attached again, neither willing to break the kiss yet. Tara moved her hand to rest on the back of the smaller girl’s head as their bodies naturally shifted so there wasn’t an inch between them as they kissed for an indeterminate amount of time until they actually did pull back and both started giggling straight away.


“So that means you’re sure, right?” Willow asked through her giggles, smiling down at the brunette.


“I’ve been sure since the moment I saw you,” Tara replied with a blush, though it was hidden in the darkness, “Does, um...does this mean...?”


Willow stroked Tara's cheek again.


“Do you want it to mean...?”


Tara resisted the urge to scream ‘yes!’ at the top of her lungs so Willow would understanding just how much she wanted this, how much she wanted them but instead just gave a small nod.


“I want...if you want...”


Willow let out a small chuckle.


“I think we need to start speaking in full sentences.”


Tara giggled and closed her eyes for a moment, before opening them and deciding to be the brave person she felt like she was around the redhead.


“Can we be girlfriends?”


Willow moved her hand up and stroked it down Tara’s hair.


“I like you being direct. It’s good, especially since I normally go straight into babble mode, so you just getting straight to the point is definitely of the good,” Willow replied cheerily before realising Tara was looking at her, expectant and somewhat scared, “Oh jeez, baby, yes, yes, definitely, I want to be girlfriends. I want to be your girlfriend more than anything. And I want you to be mine.”


“You called me baby again,” Tara replied, biting her lip excitedly.


“Well now I’m not afraid to,” Willow said with a grin, “I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m really glad you had a nightmare. Hey, um, what was it about?”


Tara just shook her head.


“It doesn’t matter. But thank you for being there. And for comforting me. I could feel you, you know. In my dream, it was dark and scary but then I felt like you were there and it wasn’t scary anymore.”


“I’ll always be there,” Willow whispered, leaning forwards to place a gentle kiss on the brunette’s lips, “Always.”


They started kissing softly again until Tara pulled away, giggling.


“What?” Willow asked in fear, “Did I do something wrong? I’ve never, um...this is my first...did I do something wrong?”


“No,” Tara giggled, “It’s just...we’ve only been dating a few minutes and I already have you in my bed.”


Willow gaped at her new girlfriend in shock.


“Tara!”


Tara blushed; she had no idea what prompted her to be so bold with the redhead, both before they’d admitted their feelings and now that they had. It was only with Willow she felt like that, like a transformed person. As soon as a teacher or another student opened their mouths to her, her stutter came out in full force and her gaze found its way to the familiar sight of the floor, but not with Willow. She was about to apologise when the smaller girl started giggling as well.


“Come here you little vixen,” Willow grinned, bringing their lips together again.


Tara smiled into the kiss, happy that the redhead seemed to like her newfound confidence streak. They kissed gently and the brunette was toying with the idea of maybe even trying to deepen it when they both heard a small rustling off to the side. Willow looked over her shoulder in confusion for a second before she realised what was happening and dived out of the bed and onto the floor, just as one of the teachers of the school walked in the room, doing her nightly checks, done on the hour at that particular school. She turned on her flashlight when she saw that there was a body-shaped heap on the floor.


“Willow?” she asked, in an English accent, seeing who it was, “Why are you on the floor?”


“I, um, fell out of the bed,” Willow lied, standing up and wiping her hands against her pyjama bottoms, “I was having a weird dream.”


The teacher frowned and cast the flashlight over at Tara, who gulped.


“And why are you awake?”


“I-I-I woke u-up f-f-from the b-b-bang. W-when W-Willow f-fell.”


“Right,” the teacher sighed, “Well get back to sleep.”


“Will do, Miss,” Willow replied, getting back into her own bed as the teacher turned and left, the door closing behind her, “That was close.”


“Yea,” Tara replied, her heart beating furiously from them nearly getting caught, “Close.”


Willow frowned at the brunette’s tone of voice.


“Tara?” she asked in a quiet voice, “You don’t regret-”


“Not for a second,” Tara cut her off in a whisper, “I’m just sad she cut into our smooching time.”


Willow giggled and quickly jumped out of bed, kneeling beside Tara’s bed.


“Goodnight kiss?”


“You don’t need an occasion to ask for a kiss,” Tara replied softly, leaning forwards so their lips met.


Willow kissed her girlfriend gently for a couple of long minutes before pulling back and placing another quick peck on her lips.


“I’m really happy you’re my girlfriend,” she said, dropping her gaze for a moment, “I promise I’ll try and be the best girlfriend I can.”


“I just want you to be you,” Tara replied, before getting a cheeky smile on her face, “And stop dropping your head. That’s my thing.”


Willow raised her head and gave her girlfriend a winning smile.


“So tomorrow, going into town...our first date, yea?”


“Yea,” Tara nodded with a beaming smile, “Our first date.”


“Great. Well I better get back to bed before we get almost caught again.”


“Good idea,” Tara nodded, and gave the redhead a quick kiss, “Goodnight, sweetie.”


Willow leant forwards for a final kiss, before scurrying back to her bed.


“‘Night baby.”

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Last edited by Laragh on Wed Dec 14, 2011 7:33 am, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/18/10)
PostPosted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 10:09 am 
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7. Teeny Tinkerbell Light
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Joined: Sat May 15, 2010 8:17 pm
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Dibs--back to read. ;D

AH GOD! So CUTE!!! Laragh, you're so good at writing sweet and writing smut and every little nuanced layer in-between. I absolutely love this fic so far. Willow and Tara are just darling and sweet.

And yes Willow, Heaven is in the kisses. Never forget that!

Great, can't wait for tomorrow!

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/18/10)
PostPosted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 10:17 am 
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6. Sassy Eggs
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WOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! THEY'RE GIRLFRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!! *bounces up and down*

That chapter was soo sweet!!! *pouts* I want a Tara, or a Willow.... *giggles* Keep up with the good work, dude...

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 Post subject: Re: New Fic: Close Quarters [AU] (08/18/10)
PostPosted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 12:42 pm 
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7. Teeny Tinkerbell Light
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They're girlfriends! Yay! so cute! I love that yet again they got walked in on ;P so funny! I can't wait till tomorrow!

ETA - and YES it is so awesome that he's going to have twins! They're going to be such cute parents!

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Every Step That I Retrace/Always Leads Me Back to You/But I've Loved You All Along
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Last edited by leonhart17 on Thu Aug 19, 2010 3:59 am, edited 1 time in total.

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