Oh wow. What is Tara getting them into? I can only imagine the Scooby gang asking them what they did on their vacation to France. (Xander...OMG) As soon as you mentioned the secluded place in France with the gated fee, my mind jumped to nudist colony. Will Willow spaz later, I wonder?

I have a feeling Willow's gonna be totally fine Especially with Tara around. Great twist this is!



Just wanted to say I still love your short(er) stories and am always much looking forward to updates!

And I say there's trouble when everything is fine...

The need to destroy things creeps up on me every time

And just as love's silhouette appears, I close my eyes and disappear tonight

Well, it's certainly an appropriate place for them to stay when they don't have any clothes to wear. Very amusing twist you have there.

I got bitten by a drunk lesbian! Does that mean I'll turn into one?



~my friend Mary

I'm off for a week's vacation from tomorrow (yay!) so I thought I'd get replies in, and finish this short story off.



JSI - well, who's counting? Whenever you leave feedback, it's great already, no need to remember if you've left one last time. As long as you're enjoying the stories ...

Quote:

---

I love the way you are so matter-of-fact about their love.

---

I know exactly what you mean. This is not a story about 2 people who have just met, I know I haven't put a setting to this one, that's because in my mind, this could have happened pretty much at any point of their relationship after S6. This means they're committed to each other, have gone through the getting-to-know-you stage, perhaps even some ups and downs. Like you said, kinda old-coupley, but still very much in love.



randomsocks - welcome, Alice! Happy that you liked the little twist



TaraBaby77 - I'm hoping they took a shower right after they woke up, cos all with the getting prepared for the day. It's all for the good.



Willow18 - Buffy will be like, "tell me everything!", Xander's eye will pop out of its socket, Anya will be getting all the information and Giles, I can just see Giles trying not to listen to it all. What fun!



lil fled - thanks short and sweet, yes?



Tempest Duer - glad you found it amusing, it kinda fits really.

------

quiet thoughts

Title: Coffee Moods

Author: watson (hiddenwatson@yahoo.com)

Distribution: please email me first

Rating: PG to NC-17, see individual entries for rating

Disclaimer: BtVS characters, concepts and dialog belong to Mutant Enemy, Fox, The WB, UPN and others. The stories contained here are of a personal nature, non-commercial, not for sale or profit, and may not be sold or reproduced for commercial purposes.

Summary: Thoughts and frivolities in a coffee sort of way.



*****





Coffee Moods #4: French Nature



Summary: A case of lost luggage proves to be a hidden blessing.

Rating: R



Part 3/3



Dinner was interesting. I expected to stand out in a crowd of naked people, but was pleasantly(?) surprised to find most people at the restaurant to be dressed to varying degrees.



The overwhelming sensation I felt when I entered the restaurant was an air of relaxation. Naked or partially naked people sat mingled with clothed people and there was no embarrassment, no staring, no judgment. People of all shapes, sizes and ages simply enjoying themselves. It felt free. It felt safe.



There was another feeling.



"It's like camp," I blurted out.



"Camp? I thought you never went to camp," she said.



"Yeah, I never went to camp. But this is how I thought it might be, everyone equal, squeaky clean and wholesome," I said.



"Guess you really never went to camp," she sighed. "There's a lot of bullying and cliques there too, it's just like school, only you can't go home at the end of the day. But I get what you mean about the atmosphere, it's very family, even though there aren't that many children. And I feel a bit like I'm being watched by the principal or chief counselor or an inspector from the moral police."



"Now I know what the receptionist means about behaving. Notice how proper everyone is?" I remarked. Our fellow diners, though relaxed, were kind of stiff and correct, no physical touching, everyone the picture of politeness, it was like being transported to an English boarding school. I subconsciously sat up straighter in my chair.



"I think they're sensitive about how nudity gets associated with sex, so they're being extra careful. That, or I was wrong about naturist wanting to be part of nature and they really are so prim and proper," she speculated.



"Darn, does it mean I can't hold your hand?" I pouted. "Or slip my hand on your thigh, like this."



"That's never stopped us before," she deadpanned, and the glint of Tara the vixen announcing its arrival. My hormones did their little dance of gleeful anticipation as I gripped her thigh tighter. I was glad we found seats in a quiet corner.



The waitress came with our order and we ate quietly, surreptitiously playing footsie under the table. It was like being a teenager again, pushing the limit of other people's tolerance, the illicitness of it was so intoxicating. I remembered something I once said, when I was very young, "I'm very seldom naughty" and couldn't help but laugh at how far I had come since then.



"You're laughing at something and you're leaving me out," she grumbled.



"Just thinking of me at 15," I said.



"You were a nudist at 15?" she asked wickedly, knowing the sort of reaction that comment would elicit.



"Hey! No dissing me at 15. I was a genius, and alright, the biggest geek, and I can't imagine how that 15 year old managed to grow up into me, but well ..." I clamped up as soon as I realized I wasn't going anywhere, I could control my babble sometimes.



"I bet that 15 year old had some fantasies, can't have been all Miss Wide-eyed Innocence," she suggested.



"Well, apart from wanting to marry Xander, which seems to preposterous now, I was a good kid, I didn't have naughty thoughts. I was as straight and narrow as they went," I glowered.



"Straight. Right," she smiled knowingly.



"Hey again!" I protested.



"Okay, no saying anything bad about young Willow, check. You're always so defensive about your younger self, I bet she has a lot more in common with you than you give her credit for," she considered.



"Yeah, a warehouse for tidbits of useless information, can code in any language faster than the majority of the programming community, a total spaz on the dance floor, I know. How come you're so obsessed with me when I was younger?" I wondered.



"I've always been envious of Xander, I wish I'd known you for that long, it's like there's a huge part of your life I'm not part of a-a-and I want to be all of your life. Plus I'd like to know how 15 year old you will react if I told her, secretly of course, that she'll grow up into an insatiable sex machine and total perv," she switched from stuttering insecure Tara to Tara-tease in the space of one sentence, I was a goner.



"I'm not a sex machine," I whispered my protest, glancing around us to make sure we weren't overheard.



"What's the longest you can go for?"



"I'm not answering that! And, if I were a sex machine, which I'm not," I dropped my voice. "Then so are you, missy."



"Not denying it."



She really was something. Only she could get away with sitting at a restaurant full of stiffnecks, calmly eating her pasta with the sweetest lop-sided grin, and yet come up with a statement so risqué, so blatantly suggestive, and so absolutely adorable. I felt immediately like I was going to melt into a puddle of desire.



We locked eyes for a long minute, then I swallowed. "I want to kiss you," I said thickly.



"Oh yes."



"But, people watching ..."



"Make it quick."



I leaned over and gave her a small, chaste peck on the lips, too self-conscious to hold it any longer.



"Sorry," I mumbled.



"For kissing me? When are we sorry for kissing?" she asked out loud.



"No, not sorry for kissing you, just, it's a bit short," I stammered.



"Then make up for it later," she directed. I blushed 15 shades of pink as I pictured what "making up for it" would entail.



We finished our dinner, decided to skip dessert and ordered two iced coffees. She wrapped her lips round the straw jutting out from the tall glass in a manner so seductive that it left no question about what she was imagining the straw to be and her intentions for me for the rest of the night. I watched as the condensation outside the glass turned to a water droplet that ran down the side into a pool on her coaster. Some other places were beginning to drip and pool also.



By then some tables had been cleared, the lights dimmed and the restaurant turned into an impromptu dance club, though the dancing and music could at best be described as sterile. Very restrained and again the word proper seemed to be stuck in my head. It was remarkably stress-free though, none of the posturing or thinly disguised competition for the biggest boobs, or the hardest hotbody that proliferate at normal dance floors.



I felt Tara's hands briefly touch mine. She leaned across the table, half across me, one hot hand on my lap, to whisper in my ear. I glanced, despite myself, down her shirt, which at some point between coffee being served and the music coming on, had lost a couple of buttons. I caught a glimpse of the milky flesh that was my own private heaven and idly wondered why I hadn't noticed she wasn't wearing a bra before.



Instinctively I licked my lips and my body turned momentarily into her.



"Dance with me," she hummed into my ear. I could see her breasts, so firm and taut, through the material of her shirt. She was so close to me, I could feel her heart thump, her uneven breath. I wanted to crawl on top of the table, open myself for her and feel her tongue slide inside my warm fullness.



I smiled up at her. Usually we were so synchronized that she could feel my thoughts. I was sure she could smell my arousal. "Yes," I whispered back.



We danced, our bodies close but maintaining a decent amount of space between us. An inoffensive PG version of the dance we both knew would continue well into the night as soon as we were back in our private space. We held hands innocently, swinging them together in an easy rhythm. I had danced in closer proximity with Dawn.



Still, I felt exhilarated, light, joyful. The hellmouth was light years away, the pressures of work, the demands of being the slayer's best friend, the constant temptation of dark magic, all faded away with the clothes that soon we would shed.



"Want to take this back to our room?" she voiced the thought that was in my mind.



"Oh yes."



She hooked her arms through mine and we skipped happily along the cobblestone path towards our room, enjoying the sight of the beautiful sandy beach and the smell of surf pounding on the shore and the feel of the cool breeze blowing through us. The moon wasn't up yet, but we could see hundreds of stars up in the sky above.



"Wonder if we can see the Moose in the Bathtub from here," she commented.



"May be, stars align themselves differently in different continents, but you never know," I replied.



"So, have I redeemed our vacation for you?" she asked softly.



"Yes, I haven't thought about our bags for nearly half a day now," I smiled.



"You've thought about them," she said pointedly.



"Only to thank whoever can't find them that they're still lost," I said. "Does that make sense?"



"I know what you mean," she agreed.



"You, Tara Maclay, are an inspired genius. I'd never ever think of coming to a resort like this," I said.



"Even if I suggested it, you'd never agree to come," she said truthfully.



"Am I that much of a prude?" I asked, though inwardly I agreed with her.



"Just a little bit anxious, if it weren't for the circumstances, you'll never relax enough," she continued.



"Sorry."



"Hey, no sorries. It's just who you are, don't apologize for being who you are. I love you no matter what."



"You do?" I asked stupidly.



"Yes."



"Even when I throw a hissy fit tomorrow about the lack of clothing rule on the beach and refuse?"



"If you don't want to go naked, we'll just avoid the beach and pool. We can rent a bike and cycle round, or stay in our room all day so I can ravish you."



"What about if I do the exact opposite and I strip all my clothes off tomorrow and shamelessly flaunt my body to allcomers?"



"I don't think a naked body, even one as sumptuous as yours, will attract much attention here."



"Going native all week?"



"That's what they encourage here. I might even join in," she giggled at my feeble attempts. I was trying to come up with more reasons, but obviously not doing so well.



"Okay, what about if I took my Powerbook out and surfed all week?" I tried another tack.



"Do you really want me, your girlfriend, to be sunbathing outside in the buff, eyeing and being eyed by other people, while you're inside keeping company with your laptop?" Boy she really had me there.



"No I don't. So, you love me then?" I asked again.



"Yes, silly," she said.



"Okay then. I love you too," I beamed.



We continued our walk in companionable silence.



"Good vacation?" she asked gently.



"Best vacation," and I meant it.



We turned into each other and kissed under the rising moon. Forget about people staring. Forget about randomly assigned ideas of right and wrong. Forget about over-compensating for other people's misconception by hiding our intimacy. Stripped down, bare and naked, we still had each other, our love pure and free as we left the constraining baggage behind us.



*****





The End

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quiet thoughts

Yes, short and very sweet... for another great one!

And I say there's trouble when everything is fine...

The need to destroy things creeps up on me every time

And just as love's silhouette appears, I close my eyes and disappear tonight

watson, i really like that these coffee mood updates usually show up here in the morning when i am actually drinking coffee. it's very nice to wake up to a good story.

i don't think my conscious mind really picked up on the literal vs. metaphorical baggage metaphor until you stated it at the end, but it makes perfect sense. i think some of the best situations we end up in are ones we would never have sought out or planned, but end up backing into almost accidentally. it's so good that willow was able to trust tara and suspend the objections her rational mind probably wanted to throw out there.

you write their banter and teasing very well, it natural and relaxed. funny that the naturalist restaurant goes overboard with the correctness, reads as though you know of where you speak on that. but i'm thinking that on the clothing free beach it must be perfectly acceptable to help each other apply copious amounts of sunscreen to all of those hard to reach places

i'm looking forward to #5, enjoy your week off! ~mary

take me somewhere we can be alone
make me somewhere i can call a home~zero 7

One big, total AAWWWWW! That was so cute! Taking the sex out of being naked... oh well. I've always admired people who actually have the guts to walk around naked in public.

I got bitten by a drunk lesbian! Does that mean I'll turn into one?



~my friend Mary

YAY!!!



Great ending. If only all vacations could be that fun, relaxed.....and that naked, heehee. Anyhoo, I totally enjoyed that one and I can't wait until we are blessed with some more. Thanks a ton and take care. =)

Aaron

'Tarababy77'

---

"Don't buy into all the media crap. Love yourself for who you are, not what others THINK you should look like. It's DEFINITELY more important in this life to love each other despite our imperfections." - Amber Benson

---

Aww. That was a great ending to this short story. I really like how Tara got Willow to relax a bit and not worry continuously about stuff (kinda like me... lol). Have a good time on your vacation.

This has been my favoirte short story of yours thus far. The dialogue between Willow and Tara is so natural and flirty. Wonderfully written Watson. Sweet and delicious.

Ahhh... That's incredibly cute. I like Tara's line about loving everything about who Willow is. That's one of the things I think is so amazing about love. We don't just love a person's resume. We love everything: the way they eat with their fingers when no one is watching and the weird way they click their tongue against their teeth when they're reading. Or whatever. What a well-done short vacation story. Good job.

"It is better to waste one's youth than to do nothing with it at all- Georges Courteline

"Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there." - Chare Booth Luce

My latest story: Survivor - Ash Island

I'm soooo sorry for the lateness of the replies, I've not treated this thread very well, *slaps own wrists*. Anyhow, I promised myself I won't post another CM till later cos I have a lot of writing to do -- Kitten Race, this other uber fic I started set in the world of finance, Days of Innocence Returned (a mega heavy duty VW story) amongst others. But now I'm very, very sorely tempted to post #5, because the new boards are so quiet. Come on people, brand new fabulous boards, post some more!

Anyway, replies:



Thanks always for your continued support!




ITA. Sometimes in life you gotta life a little and know how to take advantage of unexpected twists and turns.

afraid not, it all came from my imagination. Although an exhibitionist at home (no, not afraid to admit to that) I'm far too self-conscious of my body shape to show too much of it in public. I did a fair bit of research on the whole naturalist movement and the overwhelming feeling I get, from reading practitioners' thoughts, is how not sexual they are. I do think over-compensating and being too prudish is a conceivable behavior. Thanks always for reading!




As if that's possible for our girls . But they did behave (kind of) in the restaurant, though they definitely became very naughty. Thanks!




Aaron, me too, me too!




I think our favorite redhead can be a bit tense at times, wanting her life to be well planned and organized. Thank god for Tara.



and
Wow! Thanks indeed! You're talking about the W/T conversations and interactions being sweet and delicious, right? Not anything they might, um, be tasting later, back at their suite? Ahem, my mind went a bit NC-17 there .




Very often, and especially in a community such as ours, we paint the W/T relationship like it's totally 5000% perfect, and then some. Yes it's the most loving lesbian relationship ever shown on TV, but there were dark moments, and they had their insecurities and problems. But we are shown enough of their lives and personalities to believe that they will get through all the obstacles because they do love everything about the other, warts and all. You know about this clichéd saying about beauty being in the eye of the beholder? It's cheesy, but it's so true. Willow lost her temper at the clerk at the Paris hotel, she's uptight and borderline control freak, but Tara loves her no matter what.

_________________
quiet thoughts

OMG, you are doing Days of Innocence Returned! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I read it in your site (another site pointed me there) and I thought it was great. I'll wait patiently until it's posted here to give you proper feedback. Until then, consider this little outburst premature worshipping of your greatness.

Ahem, with respect to Coffee Moods. Have read every single one of them and love them all.

Thanks for sharing your wonderful stories.

Safuega

Safuega - DoIR is "in the queue" so to speak. It may be a while before it's properly posted, I tend to prefer posting after I have more parts written and I know which direction the story is going. Also there's the possibly needing mod approval aspect ... I might post Lamplight first, but I'll see.

As for CM. Thanks for reading, it means a lot to me.

_________________
quiet thoughts

This one's for Car, cos she said we should try to kick start some muses here. I'm posting it in 3 parts so she can read it again (even though she's probably read the whole thing through not just an hour ago) but is allowed to comment on only the part posted here .

**********

Title: Coffee Moods
Author: watson (hiddenwatson@yahoo.com)
Distribution: please email me first
Rating: PG to NC-17, see individual entries for rating
Disclaimer: BtVS characters, concepts and dialog belong to Mutant Enemy, Fox, The WB, UPN and others. The stories contained here are of a personal nature, non-commercial, not for sale or profit, and may not be sold or reproduced for commercial purposes.
Summary: Thoughts and frivolities in a coffee sort of way.

*****

Coffee Moods #5: Juste Milieu

Summary: Much needed good news for the Scoobies. Anya in excessively good form. Willow honey please don't freak.
Rating: R
Part 1/3


I rolled over, half asleep, looking for the other occupant of the bed, but came up empty. With a moan and a frown I woke myself up and glanced at the clock. It was still dark outside.

I thought she might be in the bathroom so I waited for a couple minutes, but I couldn't hear any noise from that direction.

I did hear, faintly, a disturbance coming from outside the bedroom. May be the living room, may be the kitchen.

They taught you to never confront burglars. If you heard a noise in the middle of the night and suspected there was an intruder, call the police if you had a phone in your room. Lock your door and try not to alert the intruder of your presence. Never try to investigate on your own.

Then again, 'they' never lived on the hellmouth, were not a fairly proficient witch, nor did they wake up to find the love of their life missing from their bed.

Besides, it was our home.

I padded outside cautiously, then realized it couldn't be an intruder. Intruders didn't switch the lights on, nor did they make so much noise while rummaging through the kitchen cabinets, making their best effort to hum in tune.

And they certainly didn't wear tank tops that rode all the way up their torso when they stretched up, barely covering pale freckled skin that was showing above the waistband of equally skimpy boxer shorts.

"This isn't some midnight treasure hunt, is it?" I asked.

She jumped two feet in the air and almost dropped the box in her hand. "Ooof, you scared me," she said.

"Sorry, sweetie. I woke up and you weren't there in the bed. What are you doing?" I asked.

"Looking for something."

"Now?"

"I know, I know, but I had a dream where we were running for our lives, not from vamps but a clock with 6 legs was chasing us, I woke up and it occurred to me that we have to so much to do, stuff to buy and get ready. I haven't even started looking at the more detailed websites and charting a timetable. I laid there, kinda panicking," she fretted, smiling thinly. "And we haven't even talked about how we're gonna handle the finances."

She was so cute. It was her first time, so I expected the anxiety attack. Well, it was my first time too, and under the circumstances, I should be the one freaking out, but my redhead was so prone to worrying over the smallest thing.

"What are you looking for?" I asked. At this point, a straightforward question was the best course of action.

"The yogurt maker."

My eyebrows shot up toward the ceiling on their own accord. "The yogurt maker," I tried to keep a straight face.

"Yeah, cos the little research I managed to do tonight, before someone, um, insisted I did something else," we both smiled and blushed, "sour food seems to feature heavily, and of course there's the calcium factor," she trailed off, cute grin firmly in place.

"Sour food and calcium," I echoed. "Sweetie, we won't need those for a while yet, I can safely say we're okay for tonight, come back to bed so we can do that thing again."

"I need to put away some stuff, like knives and matches, not to mention some of the bad food," she was starting to fret again, a frown was firmly making its mark on her forehead, and she was getting fidgety.

"In the morning, honey. It can wait till the morning. Please come to bed," I reassured, holding my hand out toward her.

Her eyes darted between me, my hand and the open cabinet. I could almost see the wheels turning in that busy head, but I patiently waited till the processing was complete.

She scowled but still reached out and closed the cabinet door before slipping her hand firmly in mine. On the way out of the kitchen she did try to turn back, but I ran my other hand up her arm and she soon gave up whatever task she had planned on doing.

*****

I was running late all day, and feeling tired because of our midnight diversion. And on a day such as today. By the time classes ended for the day and I made sure all my assignments were in, I had left myself very little time for the grocery store. Luckily enough Willow's obsessive organization skills had rubbed off and I had made myself an efficient shopping list, one that followed the orientation of the aisles and shelves at our local store, which made filling up the cart so much easier.

I was still pushed for time when I parked the car in our garage and quickly unloaded. A sigh of relief to find I was the first one home and the others hadn't arrived yet. A quick glance at the clock confirmed that Willow was still at computer lab but I had to be quick.

I wanted a nice relaxing bath but in the interest of time I settled for a hot shower. It still helped with the aches and pains, thankfully. I was more comfortable when I started the cooking for the Scooby dinner.

Things had been going fine, until a few months ago. Then one incident, just one, nearly wiped us out. A platoon, no a battalion, of Mafia vampires suddenly descended upon Sunnydale. It took all our experience and reserve to get rid of the menace, but we paid a price.

Buffy, in addition to countless cuts and broken bones, sustained an almost fatal stab wound to her femoral artery. Even with slayer strength she was in hospital for weeks, and was still undergoing physiotherapy for her leg injuries.

Giles took this hard, it was heartbreaking to see him so haggard, so devoid of hope, burnt out after so many years guarding the hellmouth and watching his slayer almost die again. Anya and I tried to convince him to take a break, even going back to Bath for a while to clear his mind, but he refused.

Anya and Xander's relationship seemed to have hit the rocks. The marriage that was aborted too many times to count was about to be resuscitated again, but then the attack happened, and they didn't talk about it anymore. Xander spent all his time at the construction site, Anya hardly left the Magic Shop premises.

Spike, bless the poor sod, had his face totally messed up, lost a finger and he didn't come out of his crypt much anymore.

Willow thought they might all be drinking.

The only bright spot was Dawn, my courageous Dawnie, who grew up overnight, taking care of Buffy, bringing books to Giles, blood to Spike, and trying to bring Xander and Anya back together. I was so proud of her.

And of course Willow, my Willow, who was the one to reach Buffy first, and who tried to stop the bleeding. This was how we found her, shivering uncontrollably, covered in Buffy's blood and her own through overtapping of her magical reserve.

But we had each other, and those first few nights afterwards when she clung onto me, or I to her, when our lovemaking would be so urgent, so needy that our tongues, fingers and hands seemed to be buried deep inside each other permanently. We could not have enough of the other and when we came together our screams were silent and hoarse.

It was time for some good news.

Nothing short of a miracle would do.

*****

TBC

_________________
quiet thoughts

WOOT! I get the first reply! Go Me! Go Me! (Yup...still need to find a life.)

Okay....I'm going to start by quoting little snippits that either made me giggle or sigh in appreciation of the phrasing.

[br]Okay...so typically Willow there...trying to hum a tune, but not quite succeeding.[br][br] [br] Oh the visuals...THE VISUALS! [br][br][br]That section just provokes amazing images and feelings for me. It's so ... raw. Okay...maybe that's not the best word for me to chose, but it's the first one that came to mind. That's my word choice and I'm stickin' to it.[br][br] Overall, I'm finding this fic very interesting. I love Tara's POV -- We just don't see that enough. I love her view of Willow and the other Scoobies. I've always believed that Tara was the most well rounded of all of them...she seemed to be the amalgamation of all the Scoobies. Each Scooby had a defining characteristic ... and I've always thought that these characteristics, in a lighter form, could all be found in Tara. But, hey, that's just me.[br][br] Watson, you've set up the story quite nicely here. We know we have two more parts coming ... so something fairly significant is going to be happening. But, we also know that the Buffyverse cannot be completely overhauled in 3 parts -- regardless of how wonderfully crafted the story is. [br] [br][br][br]So here you've set us up -- what will this miracle be? Is it something magickal -- Do Tara and Willow have the secret to closing the Hellmouth? Or is it something more mundane -- Ed McMahon showed up on their doorstep saying they'd won the Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes and now they can take all of the Scoobies on a trip around the world? Regardless of the miracle, I'm sure you have a good one picked out for us. And I'm sure it will help the Scoobies to find some goodness in the world.

Can't wait for the next!

Carleen



Did I do okay, Lovely watson?

_________________

Frivolous Views

Firstly, per your request

Thankyou Yahoo messenger
Thankyou Carleen

Well things certainly seem to be going badly. Everyone aside from seem to be giving up. I've guess they've just been broken down by all those times they've almost died.

Though am I right in thinking that there is going to be some good news soon? possibly even a miracle? involving coffee?

_________________
02/28/2007

So I had been reading this fic...and then for some reason I stopped and got really behind...but I'm back again! And this last fic especially is heartbreaking. Everyone got all injured and Spike lost a finger(ewww!!). And poor Willow. But hopefully things will get better soon...I trust ya!

_________________
Heaven's not a place you go when you die. It's that moment in life when you actually feel alive.

Hey Watson, Jessica here....

First of all, just let me say that you're an absolutely beautiful writer...but I'm sure that's not the first time you've heard that. I was directed to Coffee Moods by GayNow today and I've just finished "Educating Dawn" I was explaining my thoughts to Carleen and she told me to post them so I am!

Anyway, you have a way of capturing thoughts that have crossed most peoples' minds but after reading your words, those thoughts are better understood . For instance, your reference to coffee when explaining that there are sooo many different varieties of people with soooo many different qualities AND that some people (including myself) find exactly what they want in every aspect of life and they stick to it...like my ice cream...I like Swiss with oreos and strawberries...although there are a lot of different flavors and many more toppings, I've ONLY had this one and I will never have anything different...same thing with my White Chocolate Mocha coffee...I've never had anything different. I guess the same goes for love...you find that perfect "bowl of ice cream" and nothing else will do.

Thankyou so much for this...it was truly wonderful and I can't wait to read on.

_________________
You saw me mourning my love for you and touched my hand, I knew you loved me then...

Ahh..I've always enjoyed your fics, be it the longer ones or the short stories, and this one is no exception.



Can you say adorable???

You're a wonderful writer. I love your style. At the risk of sounding really cheesy here, I must say that your stories come to life. You bring new depth to the characters we all love and know so well, so thank you. I look forward to the next installment.

_________________
What can be said about a society that is more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?

Watson,

So I have some thoughts as to what the miracle is, but I am keeping them to myself.

I love long involved lose yourself from the world stories like I hope Lamplight will be. My other choice are shorts or vignettes or however you want to categorize them. I see the difference in one is painting a whole plot where everything is mapped out. Shorts are more about painting one scene, capturing an emotion or idea. The image of worried spazzy Willow late at night was completely captured here. I could see the whole scene play out in my head as I was reading.

cooper

Replies then the second part.


Actually, that was exactly what I was trying to depict, the rawness of the emotions, of Willow finding a bloodied Buffy and sensing the loss. Then the desperation of the nights afterwards, of not having enough words, not knowing what to do, that even in those terrible times, they still had each other. Raw? Yes, that would have been my choice of word too.


You've probably noticed the CM series are deliberately written in first person. Short stories are just perfect for that, of exploring a story, a scene, from just one person's viewpoint.


how true! Despite how the writers, the real ones, thought they could. The Buffyverse is deeper than that .


I'd say you did SPLENDID, Car , always a pleasure to get your fb.

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I'm keeping mum on that , but soon all will be revealed, soon!

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I hope not too much, 'tis only a short story after all, and I'm putting them truly through the wringer. bad me , but yes, things will get better soon.

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Heh! Thanks ! Sometimes metaphors do work in life, I wasn't trying to ram things down anyone's throats, but choosing certain things, like coffee or ice cream, are so personal. Why then would someone who likes chocolate ice cream say people who like strawberry ice cream is bad? Ice cream is ice cream, and preference is personal choice. Who is to say who is right and who is wrong? Anyway thanks for reading and I hope you like the other stories here too .

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Awww, thanks muchly ! Thanks for reading!

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Wow thank you. That meant a lot to me. I'm not trying to be fake when I say I didn't consider myself as someone who can do descriptions well. I'm so glad you were able to see spazzy Willow in the kitchen.

You have an idea what's next? h Don't tell! Cos I won't!

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Yep, you can say that again ... hubba hubba!!!

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quiet thoughts

Title: Coffee Moods
Author: watson (hiddenwatson@yahoo.com)
Distribution: please email me first
Rating: PG to NC-17, see individual entries for rating
Disclaimer: BtVS characters, concepts and dialog belong to Mutant Enemy, Fox, The WB, UPN and others. The stories contained here are of a personal nature, non-commercial, not for sale or profit, and may not be sold or reproduced for commercial purposes.
Summary: Thoughts and frivolities in a coffee sort of way.

*****

Coffee Moods #5: Juste Milieu

Summary: Much needed good news for the Scoobies. Anya in excessively good form. Willow honey please don't freak.
Rating: R
Part 2/3


"Tara, your cooking gets better and better each time," Giles smiled as he graciously helped me with clearing the table after the meal.

"Soon you'll see us here every meal time, craving your food and hollering to get fed," Xander echoed, sitting back in his chair with a hand on his stomach, doing his best not to belch.

"I totally want to eat here all the time, it hasn't been the same since you moved out," added Dawn. "I miss normal, home cooked food." She stuck her tongue out at Buffy, who gave her a helpless look. "Can I come over Thursday night after school?"

I checked with Willow, who nodded back at me imperceptibly, the decision was mine.

Anya chimed in before any words left my mouth. "Tara I think you ought to think seriously about opening up a restaurant or enrolling in the CIA and getting Michelin stars. But when you end up with your own show on the Food Network don't forget us, okay?"

"Tara can't be a spy, she's too nice, she can't even stake vamps unless they're threatening Willow," Buffy remarked. An odd comment until it clicked.

"I can't see myself as a Scully-wannabe either; the CIA is the Culinary Institute of America, it's a cookery school," I explained to Buffy. Turning to Anya. "I love cooking, I just don't see it as a career for me."

"So what are you going to do after you graduate? I bet Willow's already got job offers from every computer firm under the sun," Anya said pointedly, all eyes turned to Willow who didn't dispute the statement and gave everyone a self-conscious smile instead. "But Tara, you haven't even started looking, and no offense but you're not as geniusy as Willow. You don't seem the type to sit at home leeching on your spouse's hard work. It's not right, you're my friend and I don't make friends with slackers."

Willow and I exchanged a meaningful glance. There was a reason why I wasn't in a hurry to look for a job just yet, I raised an eyebrow and she shook her head minutely before jumping up to busy herself.

"Stop harassing my girl, we haven't graduated yet, why are you in such a huff?" she said sharply.

"I'm not in a huff, I'm just saying I can't picture Tara staying at home and not earning money. I know you tend to wear the pants more, but a woman always need an independent income. You won't believe how many vengeance cases are financially related, some women feel scorned because of an imbalance in asset distribution, or her husband spends all his money on cars and gadgets. What if you leave her?" Anya argued.

"What the hell drugs are you on? I'm never leaving Tara!" Willow snapped. I could swear my normally non-violent redhead was going to sock Anya one, and I kind of didn't blame her.

I placed a soothing hand on Willow's and allowed calming energy to flow into her. It came back jarring, so I smoothed and quietened, and when it circulated back to her it had lost its red streak and was a pure blue. I felt the tension ease out of her.

Xander was doing much the same as I was doing, calming his fiancé. Only his method involved physically placing his hand over her mouth while she struggled. After a tussle she stopped trying to speak but her eyes continued to shoot daggers at him.

"Right, um, does anyone want coffee?" I asked, to bring the dinner back to normal.

Nods around the table and 'yes, please's' from everyone. Well, everyone who didn't have someone else's hand over their mouth. Or Willow, who was still fuming over Anya's remarks that she didn't hear me.

"Hot chocolate?" Dawn piped up.

"Sure, one chocolate and 6 coffees. Anya, you're helping," I gestured to her as I took the last of the dishes back to the kitchen. I didn't want the Anya-and-Willow mutual baiting game to start again, besides I wanted to explain to Anya about how this was not the right time to be pushing Willow.

"What am I doing again? You don't need my help to turn the coffee maker on, you can do that by yourself," Anya leant against the counter and started re-arranging the herb jars.

"I'm just taking you away from Willow for a second, don't want deal with any more tension. Why are you constantly pushing her buttons like that?" I stacked the plates at the sink and sat down on the stool by her side. Though Anya and I had become friends, what with being Scooby spouses, she and Willow never got along, even after the incident with Olaf.

"I'm not provoking her, if that's what you're thinking. She's being too sensitive, I never thought I'd see this butch side of her. I bet she tops you more often than —," she rebutted.

"Anya, you're doing it again! You think that talking about her leaving me or making comments about our private life is not tactless?!" I exclaimed.

She looked so baffled I concluded she probably didn't get it. She threw her arms up in exasperation. "You would've thought after these years it gets less complicated, sometimes I just want to scream or puke. To you it's second nature, but I can't tell when is a remark unsuitable, when to say what, it's not that easy," she sighed.

"Try to think about how you'd feel if someone said the same to you," I suggested.

"Okay, if someone told me to squirrel away some money cos I have to save for a rainy day in case Xander leaves me, I'd agree with them. I practice what I preach," she shrugged.

"That may be what you were trying to say, Ahn, but Willow didn't hear that. All she heard was you complaining that I haven't started looking for a job and was going to be a burden on her. Then you came out with that remark about her leaving me, you know that's a wound that hasn't completely healed, and you go and pour salt over it. Do you get how an innocent comment can be taken the wrong way?" I tried another explanation.

"I never meant to bring up the you leaving her thing again, believe me. God, I'm never going to get this being a human thing, ever," she grimaced.

"Listen, not being perfect is a human trait," I said. "It's just, Will's got a lot going on right now, she's doing that taking on the weight of the world thing again, what with school, job offers, patrol. A-a-and other things."

"What other things? Not you two? Can't have trouble in paradise, I don't think the gang can take another knock," she picked up on the hint immediately. She might be brusque and direct in conversation, but I forgot how quickly she could pick up signals.

"No, no trouble. We're doing fine, more than fine," I blushed unconsciously. Oh god, I could feel the blush at the tip of my ears and all the way down my neck.

Her eyes narrowed as she studied me. "So, what other things? You're trying to tell me something, just say it."

I lost my nerve and stood up.

"I'm making the coffee, can you grab the jar?" I said as I went to the cabinet to take out the coffee maker.

And couldn't find it. With a frown I looked around trying to think about when I saw the machine last. It wasn't like Willow or I to have something out of place at our home.

I decided to worry about later and went to grab the french press instead.

"Where's the coffee beans?" Anya asked. "And you're avoiding my question."

"In the jar, where it usually is. I'm not avoiding," I replied, busy taking other glasses out of the shelf where the pot was hidden.

"Jar's empty," Anya reported. "You didn't answer, that's avoiding."

"Huh? Can't be. I just bought a big bag on Saturday," I puzzled. "There should be another bag in the fridge, at the door." I didn't answer the other question.

I heard the fridge opening, then sounds of rummaging. "Nope, nothing."

"What?"

"It's not there, I'll look more carefully in a second. Come on Tara, spill, if things are going so well, why is Willow being so hyper? And why are you so protective all of a sudden?"

I found the french press and went over to the fridge to search for the bag of coffee beans.

"Okay, okay, we have something to tell everybody, it's sort of good news," I said as I looked in vain for the missing coffee. This was very disconcerting.

Anya's eyes were large as saucers. "Oh my god. She proposed, didn't she? She and Xander were huddling and whispering secretly but they stopped whenever I got near. Well? Did I guess right?"

"Um, yes and no," I replied cryptically.

"It's either a yes she proposed or no she didn't. Which one is it? You're killing me," she whined.

I was still looking for the stupid coffee beans, it took me a few seconds to gather my thoughts.

"Well, it all started when we discovered I was —" I said distractedly, then stopped as a bright lightbulb flashed on above my head. The late night antics. "I don't believe it, Will!"

I marched out to the dining room. She was in so much trouble.

*****

TBC

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quiet thoughts

My first comment is for Irene: Sweetie, haven't you noticed my other posts? I have no life! So I'm on this board pretty much 24/7. Make a deal with ya....help me find a life, and I'll leave all "first replies" alone. Seriously, I just happened to be on the board when watson posted these...and I was being silly with the "Dibs"...cuz, well, I'm silly.

On to my feedback for the dah-ling watson:



Well, then I guess going with my first instinct was good then. Glad I was sharing brain cells with ya on that one.



Okay, I have to take issue with this one, sweetie. What's with this "the real ones" stuff? Huh? Personally, I consider many many people who write on this board more "real" than the writers who were paid to put together scripts for the TV show. You and other authors on this board have a better understanding of who these characters really are and who they COULD be than even Joss sometimes. So, perhaps we could change "the real ones" to "the paid ones"....does that work for you?

Alrighty...on to Juste Milieu....

I'm really enjoying this story quite a bit, watson. You have such a wonderful way of writing their conversation in this piece. I love love love the interaction between Tara and Anya in the kitchen...interspersing talk about baiting Willow with talk about finding coffee beans. It's just so natural. I can hear the conversation actually happening.

And I love how you give Anya a wonderful three-dimensional characterization. This is so often lost in the series and in some fics. We usually see Anya as the impossibly forthright ex-demon who just doesn't seem to want to get a grasp on what it means to be human. And that Anya is funny as hell! But you've done a really nice job of mixing her bluntness with her burgeoning humanity. The following edited section really made that hit home for me:



Okay...so there wasn't much editing. But that section is just so...telling...it's hard for me to edit any out.

And, of course, you have a wonderful knack for being able to toss in subtle humor throughout your tales -- Xander "calming" Anya by clamping a hand over her mouth; Buffy hearing CIA and immediately concerned about Tara's ability to, for lack of a better phrase, "get large with the violence." Moments like this just make me chuckle.

Really great story, watson! Can't wait for part 3!

Carleen

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Frivolous Views

That was a great update



To be honest I though exactly the same thing when Anya suggested Tara join the CIA

I'm guessing that Willow's hidden the coffee after reading that Cafeine is bad for a pregnant woman.

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02/28/2007

Hey Watson! woohoo for your update. I've already told you how much I love this series, but I want to tell you again. You rock!

Funny thing actually happend while reading this! okay, the first update I read a few days ago, and like, halfway through the chapter I'm like "Tara's pregnant! that's it, for sure!". And like, when the chapter continues, I'm like, woohoo, I rule, I knew about it from the beggining, and all that.
Now, today I opened this and started reading this chapter. I'm reading it, and like, after a couple of minutes , I'm like, I know what's their big secret's gonna be! I bet Tara's pregnant!!
Now, I reach the end of the chapter, and then I realise that..
I totally forgot everything that has happened in the last chapter, and that I already was suppose to know that Tara's pregnant! LMAO.. I'm such a dork, I got excited about guessing it, twice. I swear, I totally didn't remember anythng from the last one. lmao. I'm a nutcase.
Anyway, thank you for writing such great updates. Woohoo again!

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Melissa

Missing me one place search another,
I stop some where waiting for you

Oh My GOD Watson. That was absolutely hysterical. This quote cracked me up.

I wonder where Willow hid the coffee

Great job and I can't wait for #3

cooper

Woohoo! I love your Anya...you nailed her dead on. And I THINK I know what's going on with Willow and Tara...though I don't really see how the missing coffee beans get into it. I guess I'll just have to wait and see!

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Heaven's not a place you go when you die. It's that moment in life when you actually feel alive.

Yeay for these lil stories!! I <3 them all! I dunno if I've left feedback for them or not.... With school and all I got crazy behind on EVERYONE'S stories.. BUT! Here I am.. all with the making up

So yeah, I really like what you've got going right now! WIth Anya and her bluntness and Xander's perfect timing of the shutting her up lol. Also Buffy's quirky thinking and confusion.. so great. I'm glad that Tara can be strong for the gang and help everyone get through everything.

Wonder what Willow and Tara are hiding from everyone.. I wanna knooooow! And hey.. where IS that coffee.. ?


More soon pease?
Ashleigh

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Here I stand, with everything to lose, All I know is I don't wanna ever see the end. Baby please I'm reachin out for you, won't you open up your heart and let me come back in. Lets be us again..