SPARRING PARTNERS - 1 of 5 - Willow/Tara NC-17
Title: SPARRING PARTNERS
Author: Ariel
Pairing: Willow/Tara
Feedback: “Oh, yes!” All feedback gratefully accepted; specific input welcome.
Disclaimers: These aren’t my characters, but I love to take them for a ride!
Spoilers: Tara’s ‘secret’ from the episode of “Family” in season 5 is used briefly.
Summary: Takes place on the last week of their freshman year. There is lots of W/T, a healthy serving of Buffy, and a dash of Xander. No other familiar faces.
Rating: NC-17 for sex in strange settings, voyeurism, group nudity, and violence during a heavy duty sparring session between Buffy and W/T. Do not read if offended by sex and violence!
Thoughts are in italics
Dedication: To LonelyTara who gave me encouragement when I badly needed it. Special thanks to my beta reader, Helena, who helped clarify the plot and improve the writing!
Part 1 of 5: The Invitation
Last night had been agonizing. They had started laundry at Willow’s then lit candles and undressed slowly, teasing each other with light caresses and smoldering glances. They embraced lightly and felt the first tingling shock as their nipples brushed against each other. Then their breathing became labored, eyes glazing with lust as they fumbled to remove their clothes.
They heard a knock on the door, followed by the sound of sobbing. They stared helplessly at each other, dressed quickly and opened the door, spending the next several hours comforting one of Willow’s hall-mates through a painful break up. Finally, Christine left for her own room and their eyes locked.
“Your room!” Willow said breathlessly.
“My room!” Tara replied, swallowing thickly.
They grabbed book bags and fled to Tara’s room, grateful that the odds of being interrupted were much less likely. They rushed through the door, flung book bags aside, lit only one candle and began yanking off their clothes.
Another knock on the door.
They became absolutely silent and looked desperately at each other, determined not to open the door unless absolutely necessary.
“I know you guys are in there. Slayer hearing, remember? Open up!”
They glanced helplessly at each other, again, then speed dressed to open the door for Buffy.
Buffy entered, taking in Tara’s mis-buttoned blouse and Willow’s partially zipped up pants. Wow, they either dressed in the dark or, or you should get an award for lousy timing!
“Hate jerking you out of Wicca wonderland, but Scooby support is needed.” She had their attention, although they both still seemed strangely uncomfortable. “I heard the word that a demon is coming after me, may be on his way right now, and it has magical powers. Giles said I should practice fighting magic. Will you spar with me?”
“Sp-spar?” Tara was clearly confused.
“Well, kinda mock-fight. We battle but don’t kill each other. Hopefully. Just some bumps and bruises.”
Tara’s eyes went wide in her pale face, but she tried to conceal her fear. She straightened and raised her fists high in the air, rotating them in small circles. “I’m not very good at--“
“Bike riding?” Buffy looked confused.
“No, swimming,” Willow couldn’t resist teasing Tara about their previous talk, but the blonde wasn’t playing.
“Violence,” she said softly.
Willow didn’t know Tara’s history, but she saw the real fear etched on Tara’s face. She caught the blonde in a tight embrace. “It’s okay, baby, I can do this for Buffy.”
She turned to Buffy. “I’ll spar with you and I’ll back you up tonight.”
Buffy spoke, “then hurry, Wills. I’m hoping this isn’t a Big Bad, but we’ve got to get ready!”
“W-wait! I’ll help.” Tara’s fists were clenched and her knuckles were white, but she knew that she could not let Willow go off into danger alone.
Willow embraced her lover, “are you sure, Tara?”
Tara nodded. “We need a strengthening spell.”
“Right. For both body and magical ability.” Willow had seen Buffy fight and knew how dangerous the petite girl could be. “This is a spell that should increase our strength over time.” She turned to her best friend. “Buffy, sit down and do the big quiet thing. Seriously, no talk, no noise, no movement. Gotta concentrate.”
Willow and Tara moved as one, quickly gathering magical equipment, setting their circle, and beginning the ritual. Soon their ring of power glowed into life, rising into the air to encircle them.
Buffy gasped, in awe of the power humming silently in the air. She felt the hairs on her arms stand and, strangely, she felt sexually aroused. O, God no! No pinky, pointy stuff with my friends trying to help! She noticed the witches’ labored breathing and the sheen of sweat on their bodies as they swayed together, hands still clasped. At least I’m not the only one!
Then the shining circle lowered and dimmed, but the two witches remained in position, eyes dark with the intensity of their gaze.
“O-kay! I’m just leaving now. Don’t mind me.”
The girls seemed to awaken from a trance and stared confusedly at Buffy, who had risen to her feet.
“I’m lining up a fight space for maximum destructo-factor. I’ll come by when I’m ready, probably around ten, this morning.”
They nodded, then stared at each other again. They didn’t even hear the door close as they began jerking off their clothes. Tara threw Willow on the bed, licked her lips hungrily, and leaned in. Suddenly Willow grabbed her, pulling the big blonde on top, and wrapped her legs around Tara’s waist. Tara reached down, thrusting up inside Willow’s molten core as Willow ground herself against Tara’s hand.
There was a knock on the door.
Willow growled, she was in rut and needed Tara inside her right now. Nothing else mattered.
“Willow,” shouted Xander Harris, one of Willow’s two best friends. “Family emergency! Open up!”
“Fuck! Damn! Shit!” Tara cursed.
Willow snapped out of her trance; she had never heard Tara swear before. It was kind of sexy.
Willow sighed. “Are my parents okay?”
“Yeah, open up.”
They attempted to dress, but Tara’s blouse had only one button left and Willow had ripped out all her bra fastenings though her shirt still looked okay. Without speaking, Tara grabbed the cover off the bed and wrapped herself up in it while Willow pulled a big pillow in front of herself. A few seconds later Xander was sitting on a chair, successfully obliterating all traces of desire and romance in the room.
“Wills, your folks tried calling over here but there was something wrong with the phone.” His eyes traveled to the disconnected phone cord, lying on the floor and he grinned. “You really ought to complain to the phone company, the way this thing keeps slipping out.”
Willow blushed. “Yeah. It’s awful when things get too slippery. I mean some things. Slippery in itself isn’t bad, it can be beneficial like the oil in a frying pan or other types of lubrication.” Tara’s blush was severe enough to raise the room’s temperature and Willow mentally slapped herself. “So they really are okay, right?”
“Yeah. But you need to head home. I was there about the remodeling job when the call came in, so I offered to come pick you up. It’s about some relatives.”
Willow shrugged helplessly and went over to give Tara a light kiss. At least it started out as a light kiss, but suddenly they were in each other’s arms drinking each others kisses and pressing against each other.
“C’mon you, two! Do I have to get the hose!”
They stumbled apart and Willow stared at her lover. “Tara, wait for me. Promise that you won’t do anything till I get back!”
The blonde nodded and gave a slow, seductive smile. Then she pulled Willow close, her hot breath sending chills down Willow’s back as she whispered, “I’m waiting and wanton. Hurry back, baby.” She finished with a nip and suck on Willow’s sensitive earlobe which Xander pretended not to see.
Willow gave her a fierce, frustrated hug then felt Xander grab her hand and tug her out of the room.
Hours crawled by and Tara waited, at first aching with desire then finally able to control her breathing and relax enough to sleep. When Willow tiptoed back later she sat down in the chair to take off her shoes and change then took a look at the clock.
She jumped to her feet. “Tara, wake up!”
Tara stretched sensuously and held out her arms to Willow.
“Now! Up! We’ve overslept, final in 10 minutes!”
Tara jerked awake, Professor MacDonald loved to shut the door and lock out students who were late. “Willow, open up the laundry bag and-where’s the laundry?”
Willow clapped her hand to her forehead, “across campus in my dorm laundry room!”
Tara blanched. They had spent more time than ever together and laundry had piled up. She began scrabbling through drawers. “No bra! No underwear!”
“Wear yesterday’s!”
“They’re lying on the floor of your room!” Tara threw on her mid-thigh length skirt from yesterday and found a tank top she had bought when she was in the 9th grade. She went without socks and jammed her feet into a pair of old loafers. She looked quickly at her reflection and gulped, remembering Willow’s description of Faith as “a cleavage-y slut-bomb.” And THAT’s my new look. Hope Willow can stand it until we change after class!
Willow, meanwhile, stared down at her shirt and pants recalling how she and Xander had stopped for breakfast on the way back and how the waitress had poured orange juice down her front and into her lap while checking out Xander. She ripped off her clothes, used the sink to wash off the worst of the stickiness, and re-checked the time.
“Now, Tara!” Willow threw Tara’s raincoat on over her naked body and picked up both their book bags on the run. They panted along, side by side, just making it into the classroom.
Ariel/Arianillyn