prompt for January 24th - Harry Potter/Buffy/outsideinn
This is something that's happened in game time, but that never got threaded out. And when I got to thinking over the prompt... well, it does sort of suit.
prompt for January 24:
Write about leaving.
For once, Regulus is dropping by Willow's room, rather than the other way round. But they do need to talk, and this probably isn't the sort of conversation they should have down in the lobby.
Besides, it's only fair, given the number of times she's wandered in on him doing his utmost to avoid humanity.
And so he knocks; a few moments go by before Willow opens the door a bit. "Oh, hey. Come on in." She heads back toward her bed, opening the door the rest of the way.
"How are you?"
"Oh, not too bad. All the Hellmouth-y stuff's calmed down - good thing, too, since Buffy's at her dad's for the summer."
Regulus snorts. "I wasn't aware evil took summer hols."
"I dunno. Maybe they just think it's more fun when there's someone who can keep up fighting back. What's up with you?"
"Oh, the usual. If Bella hasn't got herself killed in the infighting, it won't be long before she does. We've been planning things for the aftermath of the war, but we're still waiting for a good moment to start easing them into circulation. And... I thought we should talk, if this is a good time."
"Sure. I wasn't doing anything in particular. What's up?"
This isn't the easiest subject to raise, so Regulus takes a moment to consider his approach. "...Before your friends were attacked," he finally says, loath to bring up the bad memories but at a loss for any other reference point. "You came in rather upset about something, and it seemed important, but you also wanted a distraction. Is this a better time to discuss it?"
"...Oh, yeah. That." Willow looks at the floor, biting her lip. "There was a dance thing, at school. And Xander asked me, and normally I'd be peachy with that, only he'd already been shot down by Buffy."
"You might have mentioned it, not that I know what good I would have been at a social function."
"No, no, it's not you. Promise. It's just... you know. I didn't want to be his second choice."
"I see. Are you certain you don't want me to hex him? The offer stands."
That at least gets Willow to laugh, though she's still not meeting his eyes. "No, that's all right. I gave him a good talking-to. Think that got the point across."
"All right." There's a pause, which turns into the most awkward silence they've had to put up with in quite some time (though comparatively speaking, it's not too horrible).
"It's not fair to you," Willow finally says. "If we keep up the whole relationship thingy. 'Cause I still like Xander - really like, I mean, I have for a while - and I really don't want this to get impossible."
Regulus nods. "That would be a rather unfortunate state of affairs, yes. For one thing, who else would help me put together a clockwork computer?"
"True. So... you think we can stay friends?"
"We're sensible enough to manage that, I should think."
Willow looks him in the eye again, and smiles a bit. "Good."
prompt for January 24:
Write about leaving.
For once, Regulus is dropping by Willow's room, rather than the other way round. But they do need to talk, and this probably isn't the sort of conversation they should have down in the lobby.
Besides, it's only fair, given the number of times she's wandered in on him doing his utmost to avoid humanity.
And so he knocks; a few moments go by before Willow opens the door a bit. "Oh, hey. Come on in." She heads back toward her bed, opening the door the rest of the way.
"How are you?"
"Oh, not too bad. All the Hellmouth-y stuff's calmed down - good thing, too, since Buffy's at her dad's for the summer."
Regulus snorts. "I wasn't aware evil took summer hols."
"I dunno. Maybe they just think it's more fun when there's someone who can keep up fighting back. What's up with you?"
"Oh, the usual. If Bella hasn't got herself killed in the infighting, it won't be long before she does. We've been planning things for the aftermath of the war, but we're still waiting for a good moment to start easing them into circulation. And... I thought we should talk, if this is a good time."
"Sure. I wasn't doing anything in particular. What's up?"
This isn't the easiest subject to raise, so Regulus takes a moment to consider his approach. "...Before your friends were attacked," he finally says, loath to bring up the bad memories but at a loss for any other reference point. "You came in rather upset about something, and it seemed important, but you also wanted a distraction. Is this a better time to discuss it?"
"...Oh, yeah. That." Willow looks at the floor, biting her lip. "There was a dance thing, at school. And Xander asked me, and normally I'd be peachy with that, only he'd already been shot down by Buffy."
"You might have mentioned it, not that I know what good I would have been at a social function."
"No, no, it's not you. Promise. It's just... you know. I didn't want to be his second choice."
"I see. Are you certain you don't want me to hex him? The offer stands."
That at least gets Willow to laugh, though she's still not meeting his eyes. "No, that's all right. I gave him a good talking-to. Think that got the point across."
"All right." There's a pause, which turns into the most awkward silence they've had to put up with in quite some time (though comparatively speaking, it's not too horrible).
"It's not fair to you," Willow finally says. "If we keep up the whole relationship thingy. 'Cause I still like Xander - really like, I mean, I have for a while - and I really don't want this to get impossible."
Regulus nods. "That would be a rather unfortunate state of affairs, yes. For one thing, who else would help me put together a clockwork computer?"
"True. So... you think we can stay friends?"
"We're sensible enough to manage that, I should think."
Willow looks him in the eye again, and smiles a bit. "Good."