Fic: Vignette Series

[The Rose24]

Hi Sass.

This is a very sweet story.

Good to see you back. I've been around, but my computer has been giving me trouble. I should invest in a new one

[Boschi]

Sassette,

I'm so damn glad I checked pens. I love your vignettes, especially... damn, don't know the number... the "is it a date, or not a date" one. Just sweet.

Thanks!

[EasierSaid]

I know this feedback is like many, many months late, and for that I apologize, but I just had to comment after going back and reading the last two updates. The "is this a date" vignette was so cute and so spot on. It totally could have happened that way. I could see Willow deciding that it was a date and then forgetting to clue Tara in, and of course, could definitely see Tara trying to play it cool while her heart got it's funky groove on. Brilliant writing; this vignette made my heart smile. You do such a great job with the early part of their relationship; I honestly wish I had 50 vignettes just on their time together up till NMR.

And as for the rosebushes. Loved it. Just loved it from start to finish. It's so funny, because I'm so into these that when Willow worried about aphids the first thing that came to mind was, "ladybugs." Like, I actually wanted to tell Willow that she could buy ladybugs to take care of the problem. How's that for roping your readers in? I loved how exact she was, approaching gardening from a scientific point of view. Measured plantings - that's going to be some curb appeal! Only thing that got me though was the Miracle Whip. Dealbreaker. Seriously, Willow and Tara were meant to be, great love story, but if I were Willow, that would have been a dealbreaker. (Or, at least I would have strenuously insisted on hers-and-hers sandwich spread, because Miracle Whip isn't mayo, it's the work of the devil and I don't know if I could be with someone who wanted my mouth to taste like that; there's not enough Crest in the world.)

Great job, as always, Sass. Your Willow and Tara in these vignettes are pretty much my favorite versions of the girls. I get warm and fuzzies every time I visit them. I hope they're still entertaining you, even if you're not writing those entertaining interludes down and posting them here. Hope you're doing well and thanks again for writing these lovely, vastly enjoyable stories.

[nanotech]

What a wonderful series of vignettes! Thank you for sharing. I just stumbled across your work this morning and finished reading in one sitting ... I wish I didn't because now I crave for more but I just couldn't help myself. Thank you, thank you. The "Boobies Vignette" is probably the most hilarious writing about Tara/Willow that I have ever read. I still chuckle every time I think about it and will do so for a long time. I hope that you will continue writing and share with us glimpses of Willow and Tara.

nt

[willowtarabuffyfaith]

i love this series!! hopes there could be more

[wayland]

Hi Sassette,

Since I saw you back on the board I thought I'd take the opportunity to say how much I love these stories. 'Not a Date' is probably my favourite: great characterization, angst, humour and a brilliant resolution, all in 1300 words. I wish I could write like that.

If you're considering adding to the series I would love to read more.

Clare

[LonelyTara]

Ah goodness, these are so, so marvelous! It's sad that I haven't always been around on the Kitten Board, I wish I'd been here from the start, but then I get great surprises like this. There is so much awesome, awesome writing hidden on this board, and these vignettes are definitely right up there with some of the best!

My favorite moment (so far):

Xander carried a sign that simply read 'I love my Gay Willow', and Buffy held one that similarly expressed 'My Best Friend is Gay'.

I laughed, and then I teared up a bit, and then I laughed some more. Wonderful, wonderful. I hope you'll write a new one soon!

Edit....okay I'm back, cause I had to cause, well, you see...STRIP CHESS!!!

By the time Willow was sitting in just her panties and a sock, she was pretty sure she had been had, especially considering Tara had managed to keep her pants and her bra and a shoe.

“Checkmate,” Tara said lightly, her eyes gleaming as her eyes roved over Willow’s naked torso.

“You’re played this before, haven’t you?” Willow accused, though there was no anger in her tone.

“MmmHmmm,” Tara confirmed, nodding slowly, a look of smug satisfaction and longing in her eyes. “Now gimme’ those panties,” she ordered, a full-blown grin taking over her features.

So...sometimes you make me really sad when you cut your vignette too short. Still awesome, though!


Edit, Edit--Ah god, the Valentine's Day one where Willow tells everyone in Sunnydale how much she loves Tara while Tara walks around dressed as a knight?! I could see it so clearly in my head. And...when Buffy said her "miraculous love" line all I could think was it's about damned time! W/T always had a more miraculous love than X/A (not that I don't love X/A).


Edit, Edit, Edit--Thank god for the Kitten Board (the happily unchanged board) for giving us better worlds, where Willow and Tara are always together and happy. Those are the real ones for me. And another perfect moment:

“Hey,” she said, sitting down and mentally kicking herself. She just realized that she was ragingly homosexual and very attracted to Tara and ‘hey’ was the best she could come up with? Maybe she should have rehearsed something to say instead of giving herself the little pep talk.

LOL! Great stuff, makes my acid-y tummy a bit better.


Edit, Edit, Edit, Edit--I love disco-Willow!

“Tara,” Buffy said with a small sigh. “The way you’ve been stared at and hit on tonight, if Willow wants to disco dance for your honor – just let her, okay? And if anyone had said that sentence to me earlier and asked me what the chances were that I’d say it tonight, I’d’ve laughed at them.”

Edit, Edit, Edit, Edit, Edit--My last one, for tonight at least. I didn't think anything could make me love the character of Tara more than I already did, but you proved me wrong:

"Maybe," Tara said, pausing for a moment and taking a deep breath, before looking over at Jason and meeting his eyes steadily with her own. "Maybe we can just skip ahead to the part where we tell you that if anything bad happens to Dawn tonight, the unholy shitstorm that will subsequently rain down upon your head cannot be described adequately using the english language. Do you understand?"

Brilliant.

[LonelyTara]

Back again for round two!

They looked up at the same time, Willow looking at Tara with twinkling eyes, and Tara looking back with a soft, lazy smile.

That was the fiftieth time I fell in love with this thread. So fantastic!

[Sassette]

Yes, there's a new vignette - which will be posted minutes after this. For those of you wondering why it took me a year and a half to write another one - I can only say, I have no idea where the time goes. But, I have yet again gotten a laptop upgrade, and that always means transferring my files from my old laptop and going .... huh ... haven't written anything for Pens in awhile. I should do that.

And now for the long overdue replies which are, once again, long overdue because I always feel like I'm taunting people when I reply a substantive amount of time after the last vignette but don't have a new vignette to post.

**NewRuthRising: You're getting old!? If you starting reading my fic at the age of fourteen, I'm going to take a guess that I have, bare minimum, a decade on you. And gray hair. Do you have gray hair yet? Didn't think so. But thank you - I'm glad you think these are just getting better (and am trying not to think about underage people reading NC-17 fic, though god knows I would have if we'd had the internet when I was fourteen).

**-Always-: Thank you Buffy's "where's the demon" sweep was ... well, what else would she do there? I have to admit that, while Willow and Tara are (obviously) my favorite, I love the Scooby Gang as a whole.

#50 was something that I approached in a very "writing exercise" kind of way ... due to both rustiness and interest in exploring exactly how they see each other. And, on the subject of how much I love the Scooby Gang as a whole, the Buffy/Faith dynamic has always interested me, and while the Scooby Gang has several observant people, I think it takes someone like Tara who wasn't around in Season 3 to see it clearly - the rest of them are too close to it.

I do think that, yes, Willow and Tara have many similarities, but as you noted, their differences make them a very strong couple. They slip up sometimes, but I like to think that their relationship, at it's core, underneath the big giant layer of love and schmoopiness, is respect for each other. And that includes an appreciation and respect for their differences. Oh, and yeah, #51 was definitely a metaphor.

**The_Rose24: Thank you - and I hope that, over the more-than-a-year since you wrote that reply that you did, in fact, get a new computer. New computers are pretty much the only fun thing I buy myself. Wow - I should really get a hobby that involves going outside occasionally.

**Boschi: Thanks! I was rather fond of how "not a date" turned out ... I think that was #53? And I'm glad you checked Pens, too - good to see you Sorry replies were so late :(

**EasierSaid: Well, yes, the feedback is many months late, but replies and new vignette are many months later, so, y'know - I don't really have a leg to stand on to judge.

I admit a terrible, guilty enjoyment of writing S4 W/T. Not that there's anything wrong with that, just ... I like them always, but S4 holds a special place in my heart. I try to jump around with the vignette series, but S4 is just so open and undefined that there's just tons of room to write any little thing that jumps into my head and it doesn't conflict with canon. So, yeah - 50 vignettes just for the time prior to NMR? Totally workable ... if I had the time and mental energy to write as often as I used to.

And ... you wanted to tell Willow about the ladybugs. Y'know, that one comment was totally worth all the time I spent researching roses (because I know both diddly and squat about plants). While I wouldn't say Miracle Whip would be a deal-breaker for me (that's Pepsi ... I loathe Pepsi so much I don't allow it in my house), I do like your hers-and-hers compromise.

And thank you. They don't pop in to entertain me as often as they used to, but when they do, I try to write it down.

**nanotech: Thank you - I'm really glad you liked these. The "boobies" vignette was, as I remember it, a dare. Or a challenge. I seem to recall several Kittens talking about Tara and wet t-shirt contests, and I said to myself, "self - how would that happen? In character?" And, well, thus was the most infamous vignette born. I really enjoy "can I make W or T do this outlandishly ridiculous thing - but in character?" challenges.

**willowtarabuffyfaith: More, you say? Coming right up. Sorry it took me so long ... and thank you.

**wayland: Less than 1300 words? Hmm ... y'know, I don't word-count these, but now I'm interested. I wonder what the average length is ... anyway, I'm really glad you like this series, and thanks.

**LonelyTara: Thank you ... I'm really glad you enjoyed the series. And thanks for the quotes from specific vignettes (that's really, really above-and-beyond the call of duty) ... I got a kick out of that, because I've been writing these things for so long, sometimes I forget some of them.

re: "I love my Gay Willow" etc ... though the initial coming-out reaction was filled with awkwardness, I interpreted that as being due to surprise rather than disapproval. I figure once the Scoobies got over the initial "umm ... really!?" they were very supportive. Because, seriously, they love their Gay Willow.

re: Strip Chess ... heh. Sorry - vignettes are always a "fade to black". If I had to Go There to the NC-17 level every time (and, well, once you Go There, you kind of have to Stay There in a series like this, I think) I'd probably never finish another vignette. Sex scenes are just really agonizing for me to write.

re: Valentine's Day ... I want to say that's the silliest vignette ever, because it's so damn silly ... but really? That probably goes to Disco Willow, followed by Boobies Tara. The Vignette Series is frequently a silly place.

re: Ragingly Homosexual ... I honestly don't know where I come up with phrases like that. There I am, thinking something perfectly normal, and then ... boom - something like that is in my head.

re: Disco Willow ... see? Disco Dance for Tara's Honor? Silly. Totally silly. Though, that pretty much gives me leeway to get as silly as I want, doesn't it? That feels kind of freeing, really.

re: unholy shitstorm ... thank you. I just ... don't think Tara lets anyone mess with her family - and the Scoobies are her family.

re: twinkling eyes, lazy smile ... ahhh ... see. I knew there had to be something schmoopy rather than silly in there And thank you.

-Sass

[Sassette]

Series: Vignettes
Number: 55
Title: Elemental
Author: Sassette
Feedback: Can be sent to pink_overalls@yahoo.com , or posted here.
Spoiler Warning:. None, unless you didn't know Willow and Tara are gay for each other.
Summary: It's raining
Disclaimer: I didn't create these characters. I’m just borrowing them, because it’s lots and lots of fun. I will not, however, put them back where I found them. They were tucked up in a box somewhere, and I will leave them out so other people can play with them, too.
Rating: PG-13, unless you found the disclaimer pervy, in which case we'll go with PG-13+

Elemental
Part 55 of the Vignettes Series
By Sassette

Tara stood at the window, the rain pattering against the panes and gathering into blobs and streaks, some sticking and some running down the glass. She reached up and touched it, feeling the cold night air seeping through the glass and into her fingertips as she looked into the night, everything gray and blue and black except for the yellow streetlight she could see past their back-yard neighbor glinting in the distance.

Willow shifted in the bed behind her, but only let out a contented murmur before settling back down. Tara had left her pillow in Willow's reach when she'd slipped out of bed to watch the rain, the redhead immediately latching onto it.

The rain intensified for a moment, sharp staccato hits that vibrated the glass and through Tara's fingertips as if to greet her before settling back into soft intermittent pit-pats.

She found the rain suited her mood - not melancholy, exactly, but ... pensive. Or maybe rain always put her in that kind of mood.

There was just something about it that made her aware on some level that she didn't really understand that, as the rain fell from the sky and soaked into the earth, that she was on a planet. A great, vast planet, full of people with lives and loves and hopes and dreams and that she, herself, was so very, very small.

It wasn't a depressing thought to her, but something that she felt gave her a sense of perspective that she found oddly comforting. She, herself, might be very, very small, but she was a part of something so much greater than herself, like a rock in the mountain or a raindrop in a storm.

That feeling of something small in something very vast didn't make her feel insignificant, but gave her this deep feeling of belonging and contentment, like she was exactly where she was supposed to be and living the life she was supposed to live.

With a soft smile, she looked over her shoulder, the shadowy gray lump of Willow asleep only broken by the red streak of her hair.

Loving the person she was meant to love.

Her mother had always told her that earth and water were her elements. She was a lake, or maybe a river, water cradled in the earth, mostly static and unchanging, or changing very slowly. Steady and calm and accepting.

Her childhood hadn't been easy, no. It had, in many respects, been terrifying and horrifying and awful, but she'd accepted it. Accepted what she'd been told, and that her life would always be the same, running its course down a pre-determined path until she reached the inevitable.

But she'd always been drawn to the rain - yearned for it. It traveled on the wind and brought life and renewal, soaking into the earth where it would please, traveling along a path that wasn't bound to the earth but free in the sky. Rain had possibilities that lakes and rivers didn't, and she'd dreamed of having possibilities instead of a terrible destiny, but water needed air to become rain.

Tara heard Willow shift again, an by the irritated 'hmph' Tara guessed that Willow had woken up enough to realize she was cuddling a pillow instead of Tara. She didn't have to look to imagine that tousled head popping up and looking around dazedly, but she looked anyway because it was adorable.

And just like she imagined. A blast of wind and rain shook the glass, and Tara wrapped her robe around herself tighter in the chill.

But it wasn't the cold that made her shiver when Willow's searching gaze found her by the window, immediately sharpening and focusing on her. Willow had such intense focus, and Tara found in moments like this one, when all of that focus was on her and her alone, she didn't feel like she was something very, very small in a great vast world, but like she was a part of 'them'. That they were an 'us'. And that the 'us' that was 'them' had so much love in it, it could fill the empty spaces of a great big world.

She felt that now, filling her heart and spilling over and spreading out to touch everything around them. It was poignant and perfect, and she was just so damn happy in that moment, tears sprung up in her eyes.

Tara smiled when Willow got out of bed, unselfconscious in her nakedness as she walked over and slid her arms around Tara's waist, placing a kiss on her ear and then resting her chin on Tara's shoulder, rocking gently as they gazed out at the rain together.

Even through her robe, Tara felt the heat of Willow. Her Willow, who was all fire and air, moving, shifting and burning bright. Willow - her Willow - was like lightning, with nothing to ground it, all that energy and power and passion churning and bubbling and moving with nowhere to rest and nothing to keep it steadily flowing instead of bursting and striking.

Tara hmm'd appreciatively when Willow's arms tightened around her in a gentle squeeze and she rubbed Willow's forearms gently in response.

But fire needed earth to burn safely, and water to find its limits. Without that balance, it raged, destructive and terrible in a wild burn that would consume everything until there was nothing left to fuel it.

Willow would have burned herself out long ago without Tara's steadying influence, just as Tara would have remained bound to a life she hated without Willow's volatility. She was Willow's grounding wire and Willow was her catalyst.

Tara sighed when Willow kissed her again, just a gentle press of lips to her neck, before letting go and stepping back. She turned, to see Willow shrugging on her own robe and holding out her hand with a sleepy smile.

They didn't say anything - they didn't have to - as they walked down the stairs and out the back door, into the yard, standing beneath the open sky and feeling the rain.

The mud was cold and their robes were soaked almost instantly, but they were warm as they stepped into each others arms and danced.

It was a great, vast world, and as she laid her head down on Willow's shoulder, Tara knew she was right where she was supposed to be.

[Laragh]

Dibs. Can I call dibs on something in a series? I don't care, 'cause I am.

Wow. Just wow. I don't think I've ever enjoyed a non-dialoged (is that a word?) story of any description so much. Normally I need the dialogue to make it have feeling or really tell me how the character's feeling...

But not here. Nope, you got it all in the description. Nothing if not a wonderful feat I do proclaim!

I especially loved this:

She was Willow's grounding wire and Willow was her catalyst.

So aptly perfect.

I don't care if it took a year and a half to wait for this 'cause it was worth every second...

But that doesn't mean we'll have to wait another year and a half again, right?

The world should never be without Sassette fic!

[LonelyTara]

My goddess, what a spectacularly beautiful, powerful moment. The balance, the call, between these two is just breathtaking. The descriptions were an absolute sensuous delight, and the insight into Tara, into how she views her life and relationships, perfect. Favorite moments:

She, herself, might be very, very small, but she was a part of something so much greater than herself, like a rock in the mountain or a raindrop in a storm.

Thank you for reminding me of what it means to live in this universe. Holy wow.

And that the 'us' that was 'them' had so much love in it, it could fill the empty spaces of a great big world.

The essence of the magic that is love.

They didn't say anything - they didn't have to - as they walked down the stairs and out the back door, into the yard, standing beneath the open sky and feeling the rain. The mud was cold and their robes were soaked almost instantly, but they were warm as they stepped into each others arms and danced.

I want to live this moment. I call it into my life with prayers and dreams, no opposite day, no take back.

I bow in humble appreciation. Really, this was absolutely gorgeous.

[EasierSaid]

Damn you're good. By sheer coincidence (or perhaps divine intervention?) it was raining and thundering when I read this. And if you knew where I lived and what the last week has been like, you would understand just how insanely rare and spectacular a coincidence this was.

The vignette was just lovely. You set the scene so beautifully with so few words. It was sparse and grand at the same time. Infinitely cozy, I felt like I could see their room so well and you didn't even describe it. I loved your description of the rain and Tara's interaction with it. The act of watching rain run down a window—you nailed it. Of course that's how it feels, how it looks. And the analogy of the elements was just enchanting and romantic. Loved it. It was them, exactly. You know, I think the reason why I love the Vignettes so much, and your work in general, is because you own Willow and Tara. (And I know I've probably said all of this before but it bears repeating, like, a lot.) Not only do you write them masterfully with spot on characterizations, but you take responsibility for them as well. It's so obvious how much you love them. I just know every time I read one of your stories that the girls are in the best of hands. It's kind of relaxing, knowing that they're not going to morph halfway through the story into something very not them. You treat them well, and I appreciate that.

I wanted to let you know that I really liked the detail of Willow standing naked from the bed. And not just because it was naked Willow; it added a nice layer to the story, a timeline beyond the moment you were describing. That's another thing I like about your vignettes that I'm sure I've told you before. It's a moment in time, but you just know that time evolved out of something before, and that it keeps going after you wrap up your story. These two are out there, somewhere, living life, doing silly, loving, wonderful things and your vignettes are brief glimpses of that. It's heartwarming.

So, to sum up, I want to be able to write like you when I grow up. (And I mean that in all honesty—you really do inspire me to try and be a better writer.) Thanks again Sass, it's great to see you back, even if just for this.

p.s. I'm glad you think you could do 50 before NMR, even if you never will. Something about that makes me very happy.

[Sassette]

**Laragh: Yes, dibs are acceptable after any and all updates. And congratulations on your successful dibs-ing.

Non-dialogued might not technically be a word, but, really ... it looks like a word, and it's right there being used in a sentence like a word, and I understood what it meant like it was a real word ... so doesn't that make it a word? Even if you just made it up? But, to the actual content of your comment - I'm really glad you mentioned the total lack of dialogue. I was about halfway through writing it when I realized they weren't going to say anything - and usually I really like writing dialogue, but I didn't feel this needed it - it was already very Tara-POV, and, in a way, the fact that she's thinking so much but doesn't necessarily feel the need to verbalize it is part of her character. I think she just got used to keeping things to herself during her stuttering years.

I'm also really glad you liked that specific line, about the grounding wire and the catalyst - it sums up the whole piece, I think.

I will definitely be attempting to write something sooner than a year-and-a-half from now ... though, I will point out that the world is never without Sassette Fic. It's right here on Pens. Anyone with an internet connection can get to it (I know, I know - you meant new stuff ... I enjoy being deliberately obtuse. Runs in the family). Thanks for reading and commenting.

**LonelyTara: Well, thank you. I tend to be more comfortable writing from Willow's POV. I think I have more in common with Willow than I do with Tara, so ... I like pushing myself to write from Tara's POV. It's harder to get into Tara's head for me, so, in a way, it's more fun.

They do balance each other. I just think these two (fictional) people really fit in a lot of different ways, and I try to focus on how their differences complement each other rather than getting into their similarities. Really, I think their similarities boil down to a certain social awkwardness that they both eventually outgrow and magic. And, umm ... I've never written them doing a spell in the Vignettes. I just realized that. I didn't avoid that on purpose, but I'm going to from now on.

The bit about the rock in the mountain and the raindrop in the storm - that's something we all know in a far-off sense, but it's good to think about it occasionally. Helps keep things in perspective.

I do wish you that moment, with the dancing and the rain - when you get the chance (and I think you will), go grab it

**EasierSaid: Well, sheer coincidence, divine intervention, or we're in the same general geographic area: it was over 110 degrees at my workplace during this week, and it rarely rains here - so when it started raining this morning, it was kind of jarring and I wrote this, and then we had full on thunder and lightning by afternoon.

Sparse and grand and cozy? That's how rain feels, I think. I'm glad that came through, and that I was able to capture/convey the whole rain-watching experience. I think it helps that it's a universal pastime - everyone's done it

I'm glad you brought up the elements analogy. I've had that one in my back pocket waiting to be explored in more detail since Answering Darkness. Willow and Tara's respective journeys through hell have them struggling through opposing elements, with Willow making her way through the river of drowned things and the corpse-infested earth and Tara going through the burning souls and the sanity-stealing wind (as I remember it - I'm fuzzy on the exact details of what each element-obstacle was). And I think Tara's the one who'd think about it in those terms - so ... there it is.

Awww, shucks. Thank you. I think you have said it before, but I love hearing my characterization is on ... especially when I haven't given it a try in a year-and-a-half Characterization is the number one thing a fic-writer has to get right ... fans of the show and the characters have a pretty good idea of what they're going to do in different situations, and big breaks from that are a great way to break a fic. And, well, yeah - I do love them. They're not only my favorite TV characters ever, but at this point, they're like really good longtime friends that I know well enough that, even if I haven't seen them in years, we'll still find things to talk about. That, btw, is what makes an AU fic like Neverland so very impressive ... taking the girls out of the Hellmouth and the Hellmouth out of our girls and still leaving them as themselves? Really, really hard. You do a damn fine job.

Oh, man ... I'm going to have to "aww, shucks" again. Write like me? Awww, shucks. But, one of the things I love about Pens is the writer-to-writer talks. So I'll tell you my big secret on how I make a short vignette feel like it's a glimpse of something that started earlier and continued on: I know what happens right before and after the vignette. In fact, I frequently take the point at which I want to start a vignette, and fast-forward in my head about two minutes and start it there.

For this one, before Tara was at the window, she woke up to the sound of the rain, disentangled herself from a sleepy naked Willow (being equally naked herself for obvious reasons) and, at Willow's protesting murmurs, tucked her pillow into her place, slipped into her robe, and went to the window. The Tara in my head does that every time it rains loud enough to wake her at night. So - I skipped all of that, but put in everything that would be the logical consequence of all of that (Willow has Tara's pillow, Willow is naked, Willow doesn't ask Tara what she's doing out of bed). That lets the reader infer what happened earlier, even if only in a vague sense. Same general thing with the non-description of the room. The vignette establishes that there is a window and a bed, and Tara is at the window and Willow is on the bed, and it's nighttime and raining and everything is blue, grey and black except for the yellow streetlight in the distance. That bare bones is enough for anyone to make their own picture. The one in your head might not match up with the one in my head, but that doesn't matter unless, as a writer, I have a logistical issue coming up - like I'm going to have Tara fall back onto the bed from where she's standing at the window, so which way the bed is facing and how far away it is from the window suddenly becomes important.

Well, the "after" is simply and always - they live happily ever after. But, more specifically for this one, they dance until dawn, drag themselves into work, and eventually Willow's boss calls Tara and asks her to call Willow to read her the riot act and make her go home because Willow has the sniffles but won't leave voluntarily. Wackiness ensues.

I think this replies-to-the-replies is now longer than the vignette, so I'll stop now.

-Sass

[vampyregurl73]

Lovely vignette.

If you could hear another's thoughts sometimes they would be loud and brash and sometimes just a whisper. I think this would have been barely above a whisper; like Tara comparing herself to a stream. It moves slowly with barely a sound.

There's something, well many somethings to be said for the rain. It's smell, it's power and intent. I can lull you to sleep or wake you with a scream. I currently live in an area that sees very little rain and I miss it. I miss puddle jumping, and dancing in a cold rain, and the way everything smells new afterward. I feel similarly about the ocean, it's power and depth, the sea air and the tide. Nothing like it, and it's no big surprise that Tara would be drawn to it and the fire of Willow.

I know its already been quoted but

She was Willow's grounding wire and Willow was her catalyst.

fits them both. Tara is reflection and Willow is action, it's why they work. They compliment one another, and this draws our attention to it. I think it's why most of the stories put Tara into some sort of artistic profession or one where she helps others while Willow is one more detached and cerebral. It's just their nature.

I apologize for waxing melancholy here myself. I just left the beach for home and already miss it. Once again, lovely vignette.

[Matrim]

Coming out of long period of lurking to give some praise to this masterpiece. Yes, I said masterpiece and I mean it. I came across it about a year ago (I am late comer to the Buffy bandwagon) and ever since that it has been my favourite fanfic story as far as re-reading goes and it shares the top spot for my favourite fanfic ever with Jetwolf’s Chosen. I am prone to reading parts of it almost at random in order to improve my mood or simply get my dose of W/T. Okay, this sounded a bit wrong, didn’t it?

The point is The Vignettes Series rocks. It’s fun, it’s full of “Aw!” romantic moments and the characterization is…I want to say perfect but let’s just say so good it actually made angry at the show’s writers for not exploring some of those avenues. Like the “nerdy” talk in Gratuitous Truant Us – I can totally picture Willow comparing her love to the water molecule and Tara being all happy to receive such a form of praise. Everything just feels right and I want to thank you for giving so much high quality Willow/Tara goodness.

I also very much appreciate the fact that the rest of the main characters are sometimes given important roles in these vignettes, they stay in character and they can add a lot to the story too. Like Xander…I mean, “Alex” making a anonymous phone call and threatening to beat up everyone who thinks of giving trouble to Willow and Tara. Small moment but for me it made an already awesome vignette, all the more brilliant, you know. Buffy and Dawn being supportive is nice to see too, especially in Buffy’s case because in the show itself sadly the appearance of Tara tends to coincide with the neglect of the Willow/Buffy friendship. We are still supposed to view them as friends, but they don’t really act that way often, as they did earlier. So I really appreciate fics in which they do.

I will quote some of the bits and pieces I enjoy the most:

Usually, getting a book away from Willow required threats, bribes, or some kind of tussle. These techniques were only sometimes successful.

Really concise and beautiful way of expressing Willow’s endless curiosity and thirst for knowledge.

"I know," Tara said, nodding, her head falling forward. "I just … sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve that, and it all seems so unreal, y'know?"

"It's real," Dawn said quietly, a small smile on her face. "It's the realest thing I know."

Good to see Dawn is still W/T shipper number one.

… I don't think you can upgrade the sun."

"Sure we can," Willow said, waggling her eyebrows. "We'll call it 'WillowSun 2.0'."

Sounds like a plan to me…

"A-and, umm… I-I'm not, uhh… w-worried about you, umm… trying something? I, uhh… didn't w-want? Because, umm… I, uhh, don't think you, um, could."

Aw!

"Anyway, my point is - you were scared, and you hid something, and you were probably scared about this, too, but you're not hiding, and I'm proud of you," Xander said, nodding emphatically. "You've come a long way … and I just want you to know that I loved crayon-breaking Willow, and I love Big Gay Willow."

"'Big Gay Willow'?" Tara asked, looking over at Xander. "She's, umm … she's not really, y'know, big?"

Exactly how did one fake malaria, anyway?

Germs didn't stand a chance against Willow Rosenberg.

Okay, I can list more and more but for now these should suffice. Back to lurking.

[Sassette]

Dear Kittens-Reading-This-Thread, Including-You-Lurker-Types: Thank you all for reading the weird things that pop into my head. I hope you all enjoy the latest. Sorry it took awhile. But it was much sooner than a year, so that's better, right?

Oh, and I added an index to the first page of this thread with links to individual vignettes. Enough people have said these are on their re-read list that I thought it might be handy and helpful.

**vampyregurl73: Thank you - I'm really glad you liked it. It was, in fact, a rainy day when I wrote this and I was, in fact, feeling rather pensive. I think of Tara as being a "Still Waters Run Deep" type of person, and that's what I was trying to convey with this. That ... ineffable feeling ... that rain brings, when you take the time to appreciate it, is actually the same feeling I think Willow gets when she takes the time to stop and pause and appreciate Tara.

And no worries about re-quoting that particular line. It really is the one-sentence summation of the theme of that particular vignette, so it bears repeating. Of all the vignettes I've ever written, this is the one that can be described as: Sassette Explains Why Willow and Tara >Just Work<.

Because they really do. Fabulous couple.

**Matrim: Aww, shucks. Not only the warm fuzzy feeling of causing a de-lurking, but you're tossing around the word 'masterpiece'? Double-shucks. And some shy foot-scuffing.

But thank you - I'm really glad you've gotten so much enjoyment out of the Vignette Series. I've certainly enjoyed writing them, but I know I wouldn't have if I didn't have Pens to post them on and Kittens to share them with, so ... that works out. And, no - getting your dose of W/T does not sound wrong here. That's what Pens is >for<. You have seriously come to the right place.

Y'know, the joy of writing fanfic is getting to ignore canon. Not that I generally ignore canon - most of my stuff fits, even if its silly - but I get the emphasize the pieces of characterization that speak to me, and downplay the others. Scoobies ultimately love each other and are totally loyal and supportive? Yes, yes, and yes some more. Going through rough patches with each other? Eh - these things happen in friendships, but I exercise my right to ... not go there. I like writing about characters that I like, and I don't like them much when they're neglecting each other or getting all selfishly caught up in their own drama to the detriment of their seriously-important world-saving group. So ... plotless ficlets ... no need for interpersonal drama when the purpose is silliness, cuteness, and general happy-tinglies.

Heh - I'm glad you mentioned 'Gratuitous Truant Us' ... partly because I totally and shamelessly dig that title. I'm going to go re-read it after I post this.

As for all of those quotes - thank you. It's seriously flattering when someone takes the time to pull quotes out of individual vignettes - especially so far back. Thank you for de-lurking, and again, I'm really glad you've enjoyed this series.

Series: Vignettes - #56
Title: Panic
Author: Sassette
Feedback: Can be sent to pink_overalls@yahoo.com , or posted here.
Spoiler Warning: No specific spoilers for Buffy, unless you didn’t know W/T are an item. This does, however, spoil the ending for 'Old Yeller' and 'Where the Red Fern Grows'. S4 Pre-NMR.
Summary: There are some situations that Willow, for all her preparedness, just doesn't know how to handle.
Disclaimer: I didn't create these characters. I’m just borrowing them, because it’s lots and lots of fun.
Rating: PG-13
Author’s Note: I find the weirdest stuff on my computer. Apparently, I started a Bonus Vignette in which Xander and Dawn are discussing who would win in a fight - Batman or Superman. And I'm sure I was planning on ending up in a schmoopy W/T place from there, but I have no idea how. So this is something entirely different, and yet definitely as ridiculous.

Panic
By Sassette

Willow lifted a hand to knock, and then let it drop. This was a little obsessive, even for her, right? So what if Tara hadn't answered her phone? She could be in the library, or ... somebody else's dorm in a study group or something. Maybe she stopped off to grab some food with classmates after her last class?

But her last class ended hours ago, and Willow had Tara's study group sessions memorized.

And Tara should have been home, but hadn't answered her phone - ergo, Willow was worried.

It was a perfectly reasonable reaction.

"Just knock, make sure she's okay, then go," Willow muttered to herself.

Quickly, before she could change her mind, she lifted her hand and knocked, then jerked her hand away from the door to hide it behind her back, as if it were afraid of the consequences of its impetuous action.

Then she waited. And fidgeted.

And fidgeted some more.

Willow pasted a sheepish smile on her face when the door finally swung open, feeling a mixture of relief and chagrin regarding her, apparently, unnecessary check that Tara hadn't, well ... fallen into a ditch or been eaten by a vampire lurking in some shaded corner or something.

"W-willow?" Tara said, sniffling noisily, tears welling up in her eyes.

Willow's face fell, all relief and chagrin washing away, because Tara was >crying<.

Her hands fluttered up, then back down again, as Willow started to panic.

Tara was >crying<.

And Willow didn't know what to say, or what to do, or even what to think.

So she just reacted.

"Oh my God," Willow said, rushing into the room and closing the door behind her. "Oh my God. What happened? Are you okay? What happened?" she asked, running her hands over Tara's arms and up to her shoulders.

No broken arm bones, and she was standing, so legs and spine were okay.

Tara was hunched over slightly, tears spilling over, and Willow reached up, her fingers gliding along Tara's forehead and hairline. No bumps on the head, either.

With her thumbs, she brushed the tears away, feeling like a total idiot when she felt tears stinging her own eyes. She didn't even know why they were crying.

"What's the matter?" Willow asked softly. "Did something happen?"

Tara just shook her head wordlessly, taking a shaky breath before she started crying again.

Willow moved to hug her, but Tara moved away, flopping onto her bed, leaving Willow standing awkwardly with upraised arms.

Leave? Stay?

Leave?

Stay?

During her bout of indecision, her inner-being warring between letting Tara have her privacy and wanting to stay and help, Tara started sobbing.

Willow winced.

"Please don't cry," she said, sitting on the bed next to Tara's prone form, rubbing her back comfortingly. "What's wrong?" she asked, feeling a little frustrated, a little stupid and awkward, but mostly just helpless.

"It's ... stupid," Tara sobbed.

"It's not stupid," Willow protested. "Not if it's making you cry." If it was making Tara cry, it was definitely not stupid. Probably evil, though. She hoped for evil. Because then she could get Buffy to slay it.

Wordlessly, Tara reached out, grabbing a book that Willow hadn't noticed, its black cover granting it a certain camouflage against Tara's dark comforter. Tara handed the book back, and Willow took it, looking at it with a confused expression on her face.

'Where the Red Fern Grows' she read the title.

Still rubbing Tara's back, Willow flipped the book over, reading the synopsis on the back.

Willow's eyes widened with realization. "Is this a dog book? Is this a >dead< dog book?" she asked, her voice raising on the last words.

She didn't wait for an answer, flinging the offending reading material away from her and then wiping her hands off on her jeans, as if she were afraid that the wrenching sadness would infect her by osmosis.

"Old Dan ... died saving Billy from the ... the mountain lion," Tara sobbed, her voice catching as she got the words out. "And then Little Ann died of a broken heart!" she wailed, curling up into a ball and crying like her own heart was breaking.

Willow hadn't read it, but in that moment, she hated that book with a burning passion and fierceness she had never known.

A little shaken and unsure, Willow got on the bed and reached out, tugging on Tara until Tara was curled into her, sobbing into her shoulder, the two of them propped up against the headboard.

Willow hugged her and rocked her and stroked her hair, all the while glaring at the offending paperback in the corner of the room.

She didn't say that they were just fictional dogs. She didn't say that they were in a better place, or that they lived a good life, or any of the things Xander had said to her that time they'd inadvertently watched Old Yeller because, hey - it was on the Disney channel, so it had to be good, right?

She just held Tara, and let her cry, murmuring wordlessly into her hair, alternating it with small, comforting kisses to her forehead.

It's okay, sweetheart. I've got you. I'm here, baby.

Willow didn't think about what she was saying - she just spoke from a heart that was aching to see Tara so sad.

Eventually, Tara quieted, the sobs settling down into tears, and then they, too, stopped, leaving a kind of calm peace in their wake. The two of them, together, drifted in that calm, time passing them by as they semi-dozed together.

Half-asleep, Willow felt Tara stir against her shoulder, and Willow lifted her head from where it had fallen back against the headboard, looking down at Tara who was blinking open tired, sleepy eyes.

The evidence of her recent crying jag was apparent, and Tara looked rather rumpled, in a very endearing way that just made Willow internally go 'awwwww'. She couldn't help but smile a little as Tara looked up at her.

"Feeling better?" she asked softly.

Tara nodded, and looked down, a blush rising up on her face as she tried to pull away, but Willow tightened her arms and pulled her back.

"Good," Willow said, giving Tara a heartfelt squeeze of her arms, turning their intimate position into a hug. Dropping her head a little, Willow gave Tara another kiss on the forehead, letting her lips linger there a moment before she pulled back and looked into Tara's eyes.

She smiled a little, and hesitantly, Tara smiled back, and Willow cupped her cheek, stroking her thumb along the side of Tara's face.

Usually, Willow's brain was a mass of thoughts, swirling and swooping and moving. It was a frenetic place, always moving, but in that moment, it was still, and the only thought in her head was 'kiss her'.

So she did.

Ducking her head again, Willow brought their lips together, her heart leaping and letting out a little 'woohoo!' when Tara lifted her head and met her halfway.

A little voice in her head announced: Willow, you are - at least - bisexual. Straight women do not have a "kiss her" reflex.

That little voice in her head had been bugging her for weeks, whispering and insinuating things Willow hadn't really been ready to examine too closely. But this felt right. Good. Great, even.

So it was time to throw in the towel, as it were, and 'fess up to her inner voice.

Yes, yes - I'm totally into Tara, Willow admitted to the voice. Now will you shut up and leave me alone? I've got kissing to do.

And Tara, as it turned out, was a really good kisser. Her lips were soft and warm, and they gently coaxed her own lips apart, not demanding, but encouraging with shy, sweet promises.

Willow thrilled when those promises were realized, and their kiss deepened, Tara's tongue finding hers, brushing together in a tantalizing, teasing way that pulled a gasp from her lungs.

"W-wow," Tara said finally as they slowly pulled apart, by unspoken mutual agreement winding things down.

"Mmm," Willow hummed against Tara's lips. "I ... really like you," Willow murmured, pulling back a little so she could look at Tara. "And ... I'm ... really happy right now."

"Me too," Tara confessed, a slow smile spreading across her face.

"So ... we're good with this?" Willow asked hesitantly, just - wanting to make sure.

"Very good," Tara said, her smile spreading further and her voice taking on a slightly sultry quality that Willow had never heard from her before, but immediately decided she wanted to hear again and again.

"Good," Willow had time to say before Tara was kissing her again.

Willow grinned against Tara's lips, opening her eyes briefly to glance askance at the paperback book in the corner. No, being the catalyst for getting her to finally kiss Tara was not going to save it - she was going to burn the damn thing.

But later. She had a girl to kiss.

So she closed her eyes and got back to it.

[Laragh]

Dibs (again, yay!)

This was so sweet. I haven't read some S4 stuff in a while, this was a nice throwback.

Willow's concern at the beginning was adorable, and hey, anything that ends with is good in my book!

[Sassette]

You have some serious Super-Dibs Skillz. And thank you - I'm glad you enjoyed it. I really like them S4, partly because it's the nature of the vignette series to have no continuity, so I'm never going to have to write Willow coming to grips with the fact that she's really, really gay - I get to just kind of "snapshot" pieces of that process, if not have her realize in a sudden epiphany. And it has to balance with not having them >too< together, because, as a writer, I know NMR is coming up, and if they're >too< together, Willow's angst with that doesn't make as much sense. So, schmoopy declarations of undying love are kind of out in that time-frame.

What's tricky is writing from Tara's POV S4. I've never quite gotten a handle on how she balances believing she's a demon with her developing relationship with Willow ... though, maybe I haven't gotten a handle on it because I haven't tried writing it yet. Something for me to ponder.

And, yes - ending with makes everything better.

[mishki]

Awesome:

Willow's eyes widened with realization. "Is this a dog book? Is this a >dead< dog book?" she asked, her voice raising on the last words....

"Old Dan ... died saving Billy from the ... the mountain lion," Tara sobbed, her voice catching as she got the words out. "And then Little Ann died of a broken heart!" she wailed, curling up into a ball and crying like her own heart was breaking.

I'm not sure why, but I love this exchange of dialogue.

Overall, great sweetness and shyness and natural progression toward smoochies. Another lovely vignette. Thanks!

Delurkingly yours,
shix

[LonelyTara]

What a lovely holiday treat! This was a fantastic little moment, I can so see Tara being moved in such a way by a sad ending, she's such an empathetic character...

With her thumbs, she brushed the tears away, feeling like a total idiot when she felt tears stinging her own eyes. She didn't even know why they were crying.

Not to be outdone by sweetie-sweet Willow, who cries just because her friend is crying.

And then to give us the moment when Willow realizes how she feels about Tara, to give us that first kiss, just wonderful!

Thanks Sassette!!

[BeMyDeputy]

Finals-week-filler feedback:

I am deeply in love with you.
1) For the use of the word "frenetic." Because it's awesome.
2)

A little voice in her head announced: Willow, you are - at least - bisexual. Straight women do not have a "kiss her" reflex.

3) The previous fiftysome vignettes

[wayland]

Hi Sassette,

I really enjoy your S4 vignettes. They're sweet, but because of your witty writing style, never too sweet.

I like to reread your stories, so thank you for taking the time to produce an index. It will make it much easier to find my many favourites.

[Sassette]

**mishki: Thank you. I can't say why you loved that exchange either - these things are subjective - but I loved writing it because it's 1) silly 2) real and 3) dead dog "no really, these are for >children<" books are a horrible trick. That is, btw, precisely how 'Where the Red Fern Grows' ends ... I do not recommend it unless you are in the need of an epic weep-fest.

And thank you for delurking - I love all comments, but delurkers generate a warm-fuzzy sense of accomplishment.

**LonelyTara: Oh, hey - we are nearing the holidays, aren't we? I'm glad you enjoyed the vignette. She is an empathetic character, and I would definitely say she has a soft spot for animals - and, well - Willow, I think, is a largely rational character whose very strong emotional reactions to some things sneak up on her. Overall, I'd say Willow cries easier than Tara - not because they have radically differing levels of empathy, but because Willow can't manage her negative feelings as easily and gracefully as Tara can.

And that got kind of wordy. But I think I've established that I'll "talk" people's ears off about these characters in feedback replies when given half a chance ...

**BeMyDeputy: I hope your finals are going well. I'm trying to remember the last time I had a final, and actually went ... I think it was '98.

And thank you - I am very, very flattered
1) "frenetic" >is< a great word. It is sadly neglected - you don't see it very much - and it should be used more often.
2) That was my favorite line to write in the whole thing.
3) Thank you - I've certainly enjoyed writing them, and am glad to hear you enjoyed reading them.

**wayland: Well, thank you. S4 is fun to write because it's so wide-open to interpretation. I actually take great pains to keep them from being >too< sweet ... I usually write pre-NMR S4 when I'm writing S4, and try to keep in mind that Willow is conflicted when Oz shows up again. If she's >too< happy and settled and aware that she's in love with Tara, there's no conflict.

I'm glad the index is helpful to you. People have been saying for awhile now that they like re-reading the vignettes, and I finally caught a clue and figured out I could edit the first post to add links directly to them. I'm slow sometimes

[vampyregurl73]

Sassette,

You're killing me here, throw in The Yearling (not a dog but a fawn) and it would be a dying animal trifecta!

I like how Willow waffled at Tara's door unsure of herself, and how her immediate reaction is to start checking her for injuries maybe not realizing that putting her hands on her might be a bit intrusive. It was just instinctual.

She didn't wait for an answer, flinging the offending reading material away from her and then wiping her hands off on her jeans, as if she were afraid that the wrenching sadness would infect her by osmosis.

This was sweet and funny.

A little voice in her head announced: Willow, you are - at least - bisexual. Straight women do not have a "kiss her" reflex.

That little voice in her head had been bugging her for weeks, whispering and insinuating things Willow hadn't really been ready to examine too closely. But this felt right. Good. Great, even.

So it was time to throw in the towel, as it were, and 'fess up to her inner voice.

Yes, yes - I'm totally into Tara, Willow admitted to the voice. Now will you shut up and leave me alone? I've got kissing to do.

The realization that has to be made when coming out, but even in WIllow's head there a sense of humor about - yes, this is what it is but I need kisses so deal.

This just tickled me to no end, right there with ya let's burn the damn things!

Willow grinned against Tara's lips, opening her eyes briefly to glance askance at the paperback book in the corner. No, being the catalyst for getting her to finally kiss Tara was not going to save it - she was going to burn the damn thing.

But later. She had a girl to kiss.

So she closed her eyes and got back to it.

[Matrim]

I love the latest vignette! Willow manages to be at first very hesitant, later in charge of the situation, she is so empathetic when she sees Tara crying that any naughty thougths are forgotten. Not for long because it's Willow and her frenetic brain has room for a lot of thoughts. She gets the smoochies but still makes a mental note to burn the book. That's the Willow I know and love, all full of contradictory impulses but always adorable.

Willow hadn't read it, but in that moment, she hated that book with a burning passion and fierceness she had never known.

I love Willow's all consuming hatred of all things that make Tara cry.

Y'know, the joy of writing fanfic is getting to ignore canon. Not that I generally ignore canon - most of my stuff fits, even if its silly - but I get the emphasize the pieces of characterization that speak to me, and downplay the others. Scoobies ultimately love each other and are totally loyal and supportive? Yes, yes, and yes some more. Going through rough patches with each other? Eh - these things happen in friendships, but I exercise my right to ... not go there. I like writing about characters that I like, and I don't like them much when they're neglecting each other or getting all selfishly caught up in their own drama to the detriment of their seriously-important world-saving group. So ... plotless ficlets ... no need for interpersonal drama when the purpose is silliness, cuteness, and general happy-tinglies.

First, thanks for the reply. Second, on a similar note, I have found out that while I can and do love many a story (fanfic or original fiction) full of drama and tragedy when it comes to re-reading or re-watching I tend to stick to the warm and fuzzy parts (or stories who are full of happiness altogether). For example Becoming and Passion are objectively better episodes than say Triangle or I, Robot, You Jane but I have re-watched the latter more because they are fun and light on angst. So this attitude probably helps explain why I love re-reading the Vignettes so much. Well, that, and this fic being so awesome, obviously.

[BlondCavalier]

Hi Sass, I just read the first in your Vignettes series and I loved it!! I can't wait to read all of them. You have inspired me to try and write some vignettes of my own though I think it will by no means be easy! I was thinking of a series where W & T go time traveling. That's just something I'm really into and it has so many possibilities. Thanks so much!

[Sassette]

So, I was at the point where normally I would wait six months or so until I had another vignette to post before replying to replies - that's kind of been my pattern. I do read replies right away, and deeply appreciate people taking the time to comment, but it's is how I handle "bumping my own thread" guilt. Unfortunately, it generates "replies to replies are so late" guilt. I seriously can't win ...

Then I got a very nice PM from BeMyDeputy asking if she could post a rewrite of Vignette #1 to the board. As a writing project for herself, she's rewriting other people's work (which isn't unusual for a writing exercise, btw, in case anyone didn't know and/or was wondering), and so she was basically asking me if she could "share with the class".

I said 'yes', and the results are here: http://www.thekittenboard.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=6182

And now the replies to replies, which won't have to wait until I've written something new (which can take a really long time ...)

**vampyregurl73: Is it sick and wrong that I find the phrase "dying animal trifecta" deeply, deeply amusing? I admit that I have not read The Yearling - but you have effectively warned me away from it, so I won't fall into that trap. I sincerely offer my thanks - dying animal fiction just kills me. I normally don't endorse burning books, and would be satisfied with a big red sticker that said "Warning - SuperSad Animal Death", but absent those necessary stickers, these kinds of books Should Not Be.

Heh - Willow's tendency to overthink things gets shattered by situations where she's having a visceral emotional reaction to something. I figured Tara crying qualifies

Y'know, it's weird, sometimes, writing pre-out Willow in a snapshot. There's so much to consider: has she even consciously considered the idea? Has she admitted it to herself? How is she handling it? Is she done processing and gotten to the point where there can be smoochies? But, yes, there's humor about it. We are talking about a girl who frequently mocks the Apocalypse, after all

**Matrim: Thank you. And, God yes, Willow's contradictory impulses are so much fun. I always had a harder time getting a read on Tara than Willow, because she was on the show a much shorter span of time, I think, and because so much of what's "Tara" is beneath the surface. Willow, however, is just ... well, I guess you could say that Willow attempting to internalize things makes her explode, so she's much easier to read.

And you're very welcome for the reply. I am also more inclined to re-watch a lighter, funnier episode rather than something more serious. The drama may have been a necessary part of the overall series, but what really worked about the show is that the characters felt like old friends by the end of the series. I dislike seeing friends miserable

**BlondCavalier: Thank you - I'm really glad you enjoyed it, and it's so, so very cool to hear that you found it inspiring. I think your time-travel series sounds like a neat concept, and yeah, it does have a lot of possibilities - have fun with it

-Sass

[wayland]

Hi Sassette,

Seeing your thread at the top of the list is always a pleasure. It invariably leads me to read at least one and often several of these vignettes again. The latest is one of my favourites. The writing is so good, and it just gets better on rereading. There isn’t one word out of place and you make it seem so effortless. I’m sincerely impressed. If I highlighted all the things I admire about this story, it would be longer than the story itself. Concise and witty, but not superficial at all. There’s a real depth of characterisation. ‘Panic’ alone shows so many facets of Willow’s personality. I could list them all, but again, that would end up being longer than the story.

Clare

[Legolise]

Okay, i just found this and have read only the first one, but i really like the idea of a vignette series, and i already liked the introduction. i think this is a really smart way to start, having them talk about the pros and cons of vignettes. i personally agree with tara on vignettes, furthermore the whole fun of them is that they leave room for imagination, hint at things. reading them always makes me really creative. i have to say though that i agree with willow on the topic broccoli looking forward to having time to read the other ones!