The Date

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb luck.

Distribution: http://mysticmuse.net

You want it? Take it. Just let me know where it is.

Spoilers: Season 4

Feedback: Yes, please. The more the better.

Pairing: Willow/Tara

Buffy Summers was sitting cross-legged on her bed with a UC Sunnydale course catalog in her lap, trying to decide the classes she was going to take next semester. It was hard trying to balance academic life with being a Slayer, and she was almost surprised she was being allowed to continue at all, considering how many of her classes she had missed because of one supernatural emergency or another.

She looked up when she heard a knock at the door. Actually, it was more of a quiet rapping. The Slayer shrugged off the catalog and went to answer the door, even though she already suspected she knew who it was going to be. There was only one person she knew who knocked like that.

As Buffy had expected it was Tara, but the Slayer was stunned. Until this moment, she had only thought of her best friend's girlfriend as cute, perhaps in a clumsy sort of way.

Tara was wearing a blue-green evening dress which perfectly complimented her somewhat pale skin. Her blond hair was done up and she had on the most flattering make-up, much different from the jeans and tee-shirts Buffy was used to seeing her wear. Though she did look uncomfortable in the shoes she was wearing—which weren't actually high heels but were the next best, or worst thing—the blond nevertheless managed to smile.

"Is Willow ready?" she asked, for once her voice not breaking into a stutter.

Buffy shook her head. "I think she's in the bathroom, finishing her face. You want to come in?" She stepped aside as Tara entered the dorm room the Slayer and Willow shared. "Tara, you..."

"I know." The Wiccan looked down at herself. "It's too much, isn't it? I look like..."

"You look beautiful," Buffy replied. She smiled comfortingly. "Trust me. Willow is a very lucky girl."

Tara lowered her eyes and turned away, her cheeks reddening with embarrassment. The two of them stepped further in and turned as the dorm room door opened once more.

Willow entered, wearing a black evening dress which rivaled Tara's for it's slinkiness and beauty. She, too, had done her hair up, though her attempts at make-up were somewhat less understated. The redhead walked with surprising grace on a pair of heels even taller than those Tara was wearing.

"Sorry I'm late. I got my..." The redhead's eyes widened when she saw Tara. "...my god. You're beautiful."

Tara was equally stunned, and it showed in her speech. "S-So are...y-you."

"Not to pry," said Buffy. "But what's the big occasion?" She shook her head. "I mean, you didn't both get all dressed up just to go see a movie." This date was all Willow had been talking about recently, so she knew it was something more important than their usual weekly, or more often daily, get-togethers.

Willow walked up to Tara and clasped the blonde's hand. "It's our one month anniversary."

"Really?" Buffy blinked as she tried to wrap her mind around the thought. "It's been a month already?" So many things had been happening lately, what with defeating Adam and the First Slayer and all, she had completely overlooked a special moment in her best friend's life. "Will, that's great. I'm so happy for you." She embraced the redhead, and then put a hand on Tara's arm and smiled. "For the both of you. Congratulations."

Willow was beaming. "Thanks."

"So, where are you two off to tonight?" Buffy asked. "Must be some place fancy."

Willow nodded. "Giles got us tickets to a play. It's...uhm..." She turned to Tara. "What was it again?"

"Phantom of the Opera," Tara replied. "But I heard they've been sold out for weeks. I wonder how Mr. Giles even got them in the first place?"

"That's Giles for you." said Buffy. "He can surprise you when you least expect him to."

Willow glanced at her watch. "We'd better get going. We've got a reservation at the restaurant in half an hour."

"How are you going to get to the restaurant?" Buffy asked. "Or the play for that matter? Last I checked, neither of you has a car." She smiled when they both looked at one another with pleading eyes. "Tell you what. Since I forget it was your anniversary, why don't I pay for the cab? It's the least I can do."

Willow put her arm around Tara's shoulders, and smiled. "Thanks, Buffy."

A short time later, the two Wiccans sat across from one another at the only good Italian restaurant in Sunnydale, and after they ordered drinks they began to talk.

"Your friends sure are helpful," said Tara. "I mean, the tickets, the cab, and Xander..."

Willow nodded. "I'm glad he recommended this place too, 'though I could have done without Anya's telling us the parking lot is private enough to have sex in the car."

They both giggled. It was good to laugh, especially after everything they had been through.

"Willow?"

The redhead looked up from her menu. "Yes?"

"I-I just wanted to say...how great it is to be here with you. Like this."

Willow smiled. "I know. It's not often we get to have an evening without being attacked by vampires or demons, or some new evil trying to kill us or open the Hellmouth again."

Tara nodded. "I know. I agree. But that's not what I meant."

"Oh." Willow arched an eyebrow. "What did you mean?"

Tara cleared her throat, and lowered her voice. "Do you realize this is our first official d-date?" She saw Willow's eyes widen slightly and continued. "We've hung out, and we've gone to the Bronze and the Scooby meetings, but this is the first time since Oz, since you told me you l-loved me, that we've..."

Tara's voice trailed off, and Willow reached across the table and squeezed her hand. "You're right." She smiled. "It's one more reason to celebrate I guess. Speaking of which..." She reached into her purse and took out a small box, the sort jewelry usually came in. "I got this for you. It's an anniversary present."

"For me?" Tara took it, somewhat reluctantly. "Willow, you didn't have to..."

"I know that." The redhead smiled. "But I wanted to." She gestured. "Go on. Open it."

Tara did. "Oh my." Inside was a ring, with a gold band and several small crystals in the shape of a heart. "Willow, it's incredible. It's...it's too much. I can't..."

Willow shook her head. "I insist. I want you to have it."

"But it looks so expensive. I don't want you to be wasting your money on me."

"If you like it, it's not wasted," said Willow. "Besides, to be perfectly honest, I didn't buy it. I conjured it. It was a fairly simple spell, all I had to do was mix a little of my blood with the hair of the person for whom I was casting the spell, and a token of my heart appeared." She smiled. "You're a part of my heart."

Tara's cheeks reddened, and she turned away as the waiter came over with the drinks.

The End

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