Soul Mates: The Morning After

by Ravenhawk

Copyright © 2005

ravenhawk450@gmail.com

Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss Whedon. Neither I nor the website on which this story appears receive any compensation for this work.
Distribution: The Mystic Muse:  http://mysticmuse.net
Anywhere, just ask.
Feedback: Yes please.
Spoilers: AU in season 5.
Author's Note: Sequel to Soul Mates: New Beginnings.
Grouping: Willow/Tara/Xander

Summary: It's the morning after the night that changed everything.

The first thing Xander noticed as he awoke was the sensation of soft warmth pressed against his body. He opened his eyes slowly, taking a few seconds to blink the sleep out of them. When his vision cleared, he took in the sight of Tara and Willow curled up against him.

They were both draped over him, legs tangled together with his. Willow was on his right, sleeping with her head resting on his chest, the faintest traces of a smile on her face. She had one arm thrown across his body, her hand laying on the small of Tara's back.

On his other side, Tara also had her head on his chest, the expression on her face more…serene. Peaceful. Her golden hair was pillowed beneath her, mingling with Willow's red locks to blanket his chest. She also had an arm strewn across him, her hand resting on Willow's shoulder.

He simply stared at them for a long moment, entranced by their beauty.

A flood of different emotions washed over Xander as he watched them. What had happened last night had been satisfying, to say the least, but there had also been a deeper connection he'd felt with them. That was something he'd never experienced before; with Faith and Anya, things had been purely physical, even though he'd been hoping for more, and had tried for it where Anya was concerned. But with Willow and Tara it was different. Special.

He looked at Willow, his eyes tracing the lines of her face as she slept. It was hard to describe how he felt about her. To call her his best friend just seemed so inadequate – they had so much history together and the feelings involved were so intense. She'd been the most important person in his life for almost as long as he could remember.

They'd been friends from the day they'd met, and their bond had only grown tighter as they'd grown up together. They'd been there for each other all the time because they didn't have anyone else. They hadn't had any other friends until Jesse came along in high school. Willow's mother and father were nice enough people, but they tended to be very cold and distant with her, and as for his parents… Well, he tried not to think about them most of the time.

He'd been so glad to have her as a friend over the years. There were days when being with her at school was literally all he had to look forward to.

And then, somewhere along the line in high school, he'd fallen in love with her. He still wasn't exactly sure when it had happened, but when they'd had their brief affair in their senior year, his heart had been every bit as much to blame for his part in it as his hormones. And it had hurt him when Willow pushed him away after they'd gotten caught by Oz and Cordelia, but it hadn't made his feelings go away.

He reached down and carefully brushed a stray strand of hair off of Willow's face, and she sighed softly at his touch, snuggling a bit closer to him. She meant so much to him. She understood him. She was caring, and brave, and fun. And beautiful, even if it had taken him ages to notice it.

Tara stirred against him, and he turned slightly to look at her. He hadn't known her nearly as long as Willow, of course, but nonetheless he felt a great deal for her, too. When he'd first met her, he'd thought she was sweet, if rather shy. And later, after he'd learned that she and Willow were a couple, he'd found out how happy she made her, and that alone had been more than reason enough for him to like Tara. Anyone who could put smiles on Willow's face like the ones he was seeing was just fine in his book.

But as he'd gotten to know her, he'd discovered that there were also plenty of other reasons to like her. She was without question one of the nicest people he'd ever met, a fact he'd noticed more and more as her initial awkwardness around him faded. Just being around her was…calming, in a way. It was a very nice feeling.

There was no doubt in Xander's mind that Tara was special. She hadn't hesitated to join them in their fight against the evil denizens of the Hellmouth, despite the fact that she knew firsthand how dangerous it could get. She was strong; stronger than she herself probably even realized.

He loved her too, he knew. He loved both of them. Just laying here with them, watching them sleep, he was certain of it.

And okay, there was quite a bit of lust there too, because hey, two gorgeous naked women in his arms – he would have been really worried if he didn't react physically to that.

But also, he couldn't help feeling a little anxious. What if Willow and Tara didn't feel the same way he did? What if they regretted what had happened last night? Once his thoughts started down that path, he couldn't stop them, and a dozen nightmarish scenarios ran through his head one after the other.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when Tara stirred beside him. Her eyes opened and she yawned silently, blinking owlishly a few times. She stared at Willow for a moment before tilting her head back slightly and meeting his eyes.

"Hey," he said softly as she focused her gaze on him.

Tara tensed briefly, and Xander's breath caught as her eyes clouded over with remembrance. Oh God, is she…? He tried to calm himself a little as he waited anxiously for her reaction.

Xander had to hold back a sigh of relief as Tara relaxed against him again. "Morning," she murmured, giving him one of those beautiful smiles he loved so much. She shifted around next to him, moving so she could look at him without having to crane her neck.

She's not freaking out. That's definitely of the good. Xander relaxed somewhat at her reaction, smiling back at her, but he still couldn't banish all the doubt from his mind.

Tara stared at him briefly, her expression fading to one of concern. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Xander's first instinct was to just reassure her that everything was okay, but as he thought about it, he rejected that idea. If he really was going to try to have a relationship with Willow and Tara – as incredible as that thought still was to him – he didn't want to start it off on the wrong foot.

"Are you okay with what happened last night?" he asked softly. He couldn't keep his concern from showing in his voice, and Tara obviously noticed his worried tone. She propped herself up on her arm and scooted up on the bed a little until her face was scant inches away from his.

She leaned forward and kissed him gently, resting a hand on his cheek. Xander quickly relaxed and returned the kiss, losing himself for a moment in the softness of her lips and the warmth of her and Willow pressed against him.

"Does that answer your question?" Tara asked with a grin after they broke apart.

"Yeah. I suppose it does," Xander replied, smiling back at her. Tara held his gaze for a moment, seemingly about to say more, but then her smile suddenly faded. Her anxious expression from earlier appeared on her face again.

"What about you?" she asked. "I mean, did you…?" She trailed off, looking at him worriedly.

"Oh, no," Xander hastily reassured her. "Last night… It was absolutely wonderful." He watched Tara carefully as he spoke, and was relieved to see her relax again at his words.

She moved back to her previous position, resting her head on his chest once more. She reached out and laid a hand on Willow's shoulder, rubbing it lightly as she looked up at him.

"Well…you could probably tell I was nervous," she admitted, blushing slightly. "But it was pretty wonderful for me too," she finished, smiling at him again.

"Thanks," Xander replied with a grin. They laid there for a moment in silence before he spoke again.

"So…" he began cautiously, a bit concerned about broaching this subject, "can I ask how this happened?"

Tara looked at him, a little confused, and he clarified. "This. Last night…everything. What made you and Willow decide that…you wanted this?"

"Oh." Tara looked down again, seemingly pondering her answer. "Well…" she said finally, still not looking at him, "I had a dream about you. An…erotic dream. I told Willow about it, and it got us started talking about you – about seeing you as more than a friend."

"So, this all happened because of a dream?" Xander wasn't quite sure what to think about that.

His voice must have held a note of disappointment in addition to his confusion, because Tara pulled away from him and looked at him intently. "No, Xander, that's not it at all," she said gently. "If it'd just been one dream, it wouldn't have meant anything. But the truth is, I'd been noticing you for a while before that."

"And when I was talking to Willow about it," Tara continued, "we realized that we both like you a lot, we're both attracted to you, and we both care about you. And this just…felt right."

Xander was about to reply when he heard Willow sigh softly. "It certainly did," she said, opening her eyes and looking at them both sleepily.

"Morning," Tara said, reaching over and rubbing Willow's back softly. "Sleep well?"

"Yep," she replied. "Xander's nice and comfy." She closed her eyes again and snuggled against him.

"That's true," Tara agreed with a grin. She scooted in closer and cuddled up to him as well. Xander wrapped his arms around them both again, trying not to think too much about how excited he was getting, with both of them so close.

Willow sighed again, her breath tickling his chest. "I heard most of your conversation," she said, opening her eyes and fixing her gaze on Xander. "Are you okay with everything that happened last night?"

Xander chuckled. "Believe me, okay is putting it mildly," he replied, smiling back at her. He was about to say more when a thought struck him.

"Hey, were you eavesdropping on us?" he teased, his voice light.

Willow's attempt at looking hurt was ruined by the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I was not eavesdropping," she declared. "I was just waking up and heard you talking."

"Willow does take a long time to wake up," Tara offered.

"Believe me, I know," Xander said earnestly. "When we were kids, we had sleepovers a lot. I'd always wake up first and have to wait and wait and wait until she got up too so we could watch cartoons together. Occasionally I'd even have to resort to tickling to finally get her up," he finished with a grin.

Tara smiled mischievously. "I know what you mean. When we have early classes, I have to practically drag her out of bed in the morning."

"Hey." Willow glared at them both in mock indignation. "That's enough of that."

Xander and Tara both chuckled at the look on her face, but didn't press the point any further. Xander gave Willow an affectionate squeeze, and her expression quickly brightened again. She leaned in toward him and kissed him gently, pressing her lips against his softly and lingering for a moment.

Afterward, she turned toward Tara and kissed her as well, then leaned back and looked on as Tara and Xander shared a brief kiss. As Tara pulled away from him and settled back on the bed, Xander looked at her and Willow in turn.

"So…I guess we need to talk," he said.

"You mean about us?" Willow asked, absentmindedly tracing patterns on his chest with her fingers.

"Yeah," Xander replied. "About how all this is going to work."

"Well, you're right," Willow said slowly. "We do need to talk about that." She flashed Tara a mischievous grin as she continued. "But we don't have to do it right now. I mean, it's Saturday…"

"That's true," Tara mused, smiling back at Willow playfully. "We've got all day."

Willow slid her hand down Xander's chest, over his stomach, finding his cock under the sheets and grasping it lightly. "I'm sure we can find something else to occupy us for a while…" she murmured, running her hand up his shaft slowly. Xander sucked in a breath of air, feeling himself jerk under her touch.

Willow sat up, gathering her legs under her, and Tara did likewise, the sheets falling backward and off them as they did. Willow released Xander, and he sat up as well, sliding backward and leaning against the pillows piled against the headboard. Xander simply remained still for a moment, taking in the sight of these two beautiful women naked in front of him.

This will definitely take some getting used to, he thought. Not that I'm complaining!

"Honey," Willow began, laying a hand on Tara's arm, "when you and Xander were talking…about how this all started, did you tell him…" She trailed off, her unspoken question hanging in the air.

"I told him about my dream," Tara replied softly. "Well, I mean," she amended, "I told him I had it. I didn't tell him the details."

"Although, actually," Tara continued, turning to fix Xander with a sultry look, "I don't really need to tell you about it… Considering that we pretty much did everything I dreamed about last night."

"Really?" Xander asked in surprise.

Tara nodded, laying down next to him and meeting his eyes. "And it wasn't as good as my dream," she declared, leaning in to kiss him hotly. "It was better."

Willow laid down on his other side, propping herself up on one elbow. "So, you made one of Tara's fantasies come true," she said, beaming at him. "I think now it's your turn."

"Well, what about you?" Xander replied.

She waved off his concerns. "We'll have plenty of time for that later," she said. "Now, come on, Xander," she continued, laying a hand on his chest and giving him a sexy smile. "I know you've fantasized about us," she finished in a whisper, glancing over at Tara, who watched them silently.

Willow was definitely right about that. He'd tried not to do it too much, because he always felt vaguely guilty about it, but there were times when he couldn't help himself. And even though he'd tried to keep it to a minimum, over the months he'd been spending time with them, Xander had certainly had his share of fantasies about Willow and Tara.

Still, he hesitated. He thought most of his fantasies were pretty tame, all things considered, but what if they didn't like what he told them?

Willow sensed his unease. "Xander, it's okay," she soothed. "You don't have to worry about telling us your fantasies. And if you tell us…" she said, her tone low and sultry, "maybe we can make them come true."

He glanced at Tara, who nodded slightly. Reassured, Xander took a deep breath. There were a fair variety of things he could tell them about, but right now there was one thing that was foremost in his mind.

"I want to watch you," he said softly. "Last night, seeing you touch each other… It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," he finished. It was not an exaggeration.

Willow and Tara could obviously tell that he was sincere, since they both smiled down at him, eyes sparkling with warmth and desire. Willow sat up again and reached out toward Tara, taking her hand and drawing her up with her. She reached out and laid a hand on Tara's shoulder, idly stroking her upper arm.

"Hear that, baby?" Willow said impishly. "Xander wants to watch us play."

Tara's answering smile made Xander shiver with excitement.


Xander watched intently as Willow and Tara embraced, pressing their naked chests together, their lips meeting in a passionate, open-mouthed kiss. They turned slightly, letting their tongues show as they slid against each other. Tara moved one hand up to Willow's head, running her fingers through her hair as Willow rubbed her back softly.

When Willow and Tara finally broke apart – Xander couldn't possibly have told anyone how long they'd kissed – both their faces were flushed with arousal. Tara moved the hand that had been tangled in Willow's hair around to caress her cheek, and Willow sighed quietly at the touch. She laid her hands on Tara's shoulders, moving them slowly down her arms and over to her sides, then over her hips and down to her thighs.

Willow leaned in toward Tara again and kissed her cheek, then her earlobe. She ran the tip of her tongue lightly over the curve of Tara's ear, and the other woman gave a delightful shiver. Willow whispered something into her ear that Xander couldn't make out, and Tara nodded in answer, the wicked smile that appeared on her face matching Willow's.

Willow moved back slightly, sliding her fingers up Tara's body again and taking her large breasts in her hands. Tara reached out and cupped Willow's, lightly caressing the pale orbs of flesh. Xander couldn't suppress a soft gasp at the sight.

They both turned toward him, meeting his eyes knowingly. "I think we found something Xander likes," Tara said with a grin.

"Xander has a thing about breasts," Willow said, smiling. She turned back toward Tara and ran her fingers over her nipples, causing Tara to press into her hands slightly. "Believe me, I know."

"So, he's like you, then?" Tara asked with false innocence. She glanced over at Xander and quickly flashed him a mischievous smile.

"You know it," she replied, giggling softly as she kissed Tara's neck again, then leaned down and kissed one of her breasts. Watching Xander out of the corner of her eye, she wrapped her lips around Tara's nipple, sucking briefly before sliding them back and off of her. Her tongue darted out, circling around the tip before she took it in her mouth again.

Tara rested her hands on Willow's shoulders. She rubbed them softly and murmured words of encouragement as Willow continued to pleasure her with her lips and tongue. After a few moments, Willow moved over to her other breast and gave it the same treatment, and Tara closed her eyes briefly and gave a soft sigh at her touch.

Xander looked on in silence, his cock aching from arousal, but he refused to even consider his own need, so absorbed was he in watching these two beautiful women pleasure each other. He was almost afraid to even blink; he'd never seen anything so beautiful as this, and he didn't want to miss even an instant of it.

Finally, Willow and Tara broke apart slightly, both of them turning toward Xander. Their faces were flushed with arousal, and they both smiled when they met his eyes.

"Enjoying the show so far?" Willow asked, her voice low and husky.

Xander shook his head. "It's not…" He fell silent, and Tara and Willow's expressions faded into surprise as he struggled to find the words to explain what he was feeling.

"I don't see it like that," he said after a moment's thought. "What you two have is really special. The idea that you're sharing it with me… It's the most wonderful thing."

"I mean, don't get me wrong, you're both gorgeous, and seeing you together like this is a huge turn-on," he added with a grin. "But there's a lot more to it than that," he finished sincerely.

If the way Willow and Tara smiled brilliantly at him was anything to go by, they'd obviously liked what they heard. A second later Xander was attacked in a tight hug, both of them taking turns kissing him deeply. Finally, after what seemed like hours, they both pulled away and let him catch his breath.

"Xander, that's so sweet," Tara said, smiling happily.

"Yeah," Willow agreed, caressing his cheek lightly with one hand. "Thank you, Xander."

Taking Willow's hand, Xander brought it to his lips and kissed it softly. Tara ran her hand up Willow's arm and rubbed her shoulder. When Willow turned toward her, she whispered, "Lay back, honey."

Not letting go of Xander's hand, Willow laid back on the bed, stretching out next to him. Xander rolled onto his side once more as Tara positioned herself between Willow's legs and laid down on top of her. Xander looked on as they shared another long, passionate kiss.

Moments later, they broke apart, and Tara rained kisses upon Willow's face and neck. Willow turned toward Xander and smiled at him before releasing his hand and turning her attention back toward Tara. She ran one hand through Tara's hair as she kissed her way down her chest.

Willow moaned softly as Tara flicked her tongue over her nipple. She then lowered her mouth to it, suckling and teasing gently as Willow tightened her fingers in her hair. She took Willow's other breast in her hand, rubbing and pinching her nipple softly. Willow moaned again at the treatment and arched up toward her slightly.

Meeting Willow's eyes and giving her a wicked grin, Tara lifted her head from her breasts. Kissing her taut stomach, she slid down Willow's body again, settling in between her thighs.

She ran her tongue over Willow's lips, parting them slightly with her fingers and kissing her clit. Willow gasped as she ran her tongue over it, pressing toward Tara's face. She stroked Tara's hair softly, staring down at her, eyes shining with desire.

"Oh, baby, that's so good," she breathed.

Smiling, Tara continued teasing Willow's clit, licking it slowly, almost lazily. Occasionally she stopped to probe inside her with her tongue, letting her fingers take over pleasuring the sensitive nub while she did.

"Oh Goddess, Tara, honey, yes," Willow babbled loudly as the blonde returned her tongue to her clit, circling around and over it more quickly now. Willow's chest heaved, her breath coming in short gasps as Tara picked up her pace. She writhed on the bed underneath her, moaning loudly at the pleasurable sensations her lover was bringing her.

Finally, Tara slid two fingers inside her, fucking her quickly as she sucked her clit into her mouth. Willow cried out and held Tara's head to her tightly, gripping the bedsheets with her other hand as her orgasm washed over her. Xander watched her as her eyes closed and her head rolled back, the look on her face almost…rapturous.

As Willow's tremors subsided and she relaxed again, Tara withdrew her fingers and gave her a final kiss between her legs. Pulling back from her, she sat up and turned toward Xander.

"I love doing that to her," she told him. She reached out and laid a hand on Willow's thigh, rubbing it affectionately, and Willow smiled up at her. "I can usually make her come three or four times," Tara added with a grin. "But I don't want to wear her out too much yet."

Tara moved over slightly as Willow stretched lazily and shifted onto her side, her gaze taking them both in. Tara leaned down and gave her a soft kiss before turning her attention toward Xander again.

Xander sat up and moved down the bed as Tara crawled toward him. She threw one leg over his, straddling him, and leaned in toward him, kissing him hotly. He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her to him, feeling a fresh surge of arousal at the feel of her soft skin against his.

She reached down between them and grasped his cock, stroking it gently as she sucked his tongue into her mouth. Moving forward slightly, she positioned herself over it and, resting her hands on his shoulders, sank down slowly onto him. Xander moaned into her mouth as he felt himself surrounded by the wet, silken walls of her sex. Beside them, Willow sighed happily as she looked on.

Breaking their kiss, Tara rolled her head back and closed her eyes. She stayed that way for a moment, and Xander stared at her as her golden hair cascaded down around her shoulders, entranced by her beauty.

After a few seconds, Tara let out a long breath of air. "Oh, Xander…" she said softly, opening her eyes again and bringing her head forward to meet his gaze, "you feel so good inside me." She punctuated her words by squeezing his cock tightly inside her, and Xander had to moan again at the pleasurable sensation.

Tara leaned back, pushing her chest up slightly, an offering that Xander eagerly accepted. He lowered his face to her breasts and, remembering what he'd discovered last night, kissed the space between them. Tara gave a delightful shiver and clenched around him again. Xander inhaled deeply, marveling at how sweet she smelled, wondering if she always smelled this way in the morning. It was definitely something he was looking forward to finding out.

He kissed one of her lovely nipples, nuzzling it gently before taking it in his mouth. Tara sighed softly at the touch of his lips. He ran his fingertips up her spine while he sucked on her, making her shiver again and moan sexily into his ear.

Lifting his head from her breast, Xander found Tara's lips as she leaned forward again. Their kiss was passionate, but brief, as she pulled back after just a moment and pushed gently on his chest. Xander lay back on the bed and looked up at Tara as she smiled down at him.

Slowly, Tara began to move on him, sliding all the way up his cock until only the tip was still inside her and then settling back down onto him. Her pace was almost leisurely, not fast enough to get either of them off, and Xander relaxed, just letting the wonderful sensations wash over him.

He reached for her, sliding his hands up her sides and cupping her breasts. He started playing with her nipples, pinching softly and rolling them between his fingers. Tara leaned forward a little, changing the angle of penetration, and rested her hands on his chest lightly. She smiled at him as she started caressing him as well.

"Goddess… That's so hot," Willow said fiercely. She sat up as Xander and Tara turned toward her. "Seeing you two together like this… It gets me so wet," she finished, leaning in and giving Tara a quick but passionate kiss.

"And I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing that," Xander said with a grin.

Tara and Willow giggled, Tara leaning in toward him, and Xander raised his head to kiss her. She nipped at his lips and sat up again, smiling mischievously at him. Xander opened his mouth, but before he could voice any protest, Willow covered it with hers, sucking the breath from him in a scorching kiss. Tara rubbed Willow's back affectionately as she looked on.

Xander moaned into Willow's mouth as Tara picked up her pace a bit, riding his cock in a slow, steady rhythm. He slid his tongue against Willow's, and she nibbled at it gently before breaking their kiss. She sat up again and smiled down at him before straddling his face.

"Oh, Xander," Willow murmured as he gripped her thighs gently and pulled her down to his mouth. He ran his tongue over the lips of her sex, tasting Willow for the first time. She tasted sweet, like Tara, but different too. A little bit more…spice.

Willow leaned forward and gave Tara a long, slow kiss that was full of heat and desire. She pulled back slightly and gasped as Xander's tongue found her clit, resting her hands on Tara's shoulders briefly. A moment later, she slid them down to her breasts, and then leaned forward again, running her tongue over her nipple. Tara sighed softly and squeezed Xander's cock inside her again, and he moaned into Willow's sex as he kissed her clit and circled his tongue around it.

Moaning loudly, Willow rolled her head back and pulled away from Tara, pushing herself down on Xander's face. Tara took the opportunity to return Willow's favor, lowering her face to the redhead's breasts, kissing, licking, and sucking her nipples. Between the two of them, they soon had her moaning and gasping in ecstasy.

Xander could feel his own orgasm approaching as Tara began to move faster on him, but he fought to delay it as long as possible, focusing on Willow instead. She was shivering above him as he continued to lick her, and after another moment, she took his hand, guiding his fingers toward her sex.

"Xander…please…" Willow breathed, pressing his fingers against her lips. He knew she was close, so he slid two fingers inside her, her slick folds accepting him easily. He started thrusting into her as fast and as deep as his position would allow. Above him, Tara scraped her teeth over Willow's nipple, sucking hard on it while pinching the other one softly.

After just a few seconds, Willow cried out loudly, her climax ripping through her body. She tightened around Xander's fingers, and he continued thrusting into her and sucking on her clit until her tremors finally subsided. Only after she relaxed did he withdraw from her, licking his lips clean of her essence.

With a contented sigh, Willow lifted herself away from Xander's face and carefully swung her leg over him, giving Tara a quick kiss as she rolled to one side. Tara leaned in and kissed him deeply, and Xander slid his tongue into her mouth, sharing Willow's taste with her, which she eagerly accepted.

A moment later, Tara broke their kiss and sat up again. She was moving as fast as she could now, grinding herself down on him hard. Xander rested his hands on her hips and started answering her thrusts with his own. Tara moaned loudly as he drove himself into her deeply.

"Yes, Xander, just like that…" she breathed, looking down and meeting his eyes. "I want to feel you come inside me," she said softly, a slight blush creeping over her cheeks as she spoke.

Xander couldn't help himself, and he laughed, the sound not cruel, but delighted. Here Tara was, naked and straddled over him, his cock buried inside her, and yet she still blushed when she said something like that. God, I can't believe how cute she is, he thought in amazement.

Tara looked at him questioningly, but the urgency of her impending climax forestalled any questions. Xander felt it too, and as she rolled her head back and moaned loudly, he sat up and wrapped his arms around her. He buried his face in Tara's breasts as Willow embraced them both, holding them tightly as they finally went over the edge together.

With a few last, short, frenzied thrusts, Xander's orgasm crashed down upon him. Even as he came, emptying himself into Tara, she cried out as her own release washed over her. Her whole body tensed, the walls of her sex clamping down on his cock, squeezing him tightly, milking him of every last drop of his orgasm. Xander kept thrusting into her, riding out the waves of pleasure, wanting to draw it out as long as he could.

Finally, when it was over, Willow kissed him gently, then did the same to Tara as Xander lay back on the bed, sated for the moment. Willow leaned down toward him, smiling, her hair falling forward slightly and framing her face. Did someone say something about cute? Xander thought, grinning as he met her eyes and pulled her down to snuggle against him.

Tara sat up again and Xander slipped out of her as she pulled away to curl up on his other side. "That was wonderful," she sighed, laying her head on his chest. They rested together in comfortable silence for a moment, Xander marveling at just how at ease he felt with them given the short amount of time they'd been together.

Then a thought struck him, and he turned toward Willow. "So…" he said, "why did you grab my hand earlier? Did I…?" He trailed off, not sure how to phrase that question without sounding really insecure. He wasn't, really, but he was curious.

Willow seemed to sense his discomfort. "No, Xander, it's okay," she reassured him. "Believe me, you didn't do anything wrong," she said emphatically.

"Willow can't come without something inside her," Tara said. "It's just the way she is. I found that out a long time ago." She gave Willow a quick smile that was full of affection.

"Oh," Xander said, nodding. He'd have to keep that in mind from now on. He briefly wondered if there was anything else like that he didn't know about them, then decided against asking. If there was, he'd find out soon enough.

"On the other hand," Willow began, a mischievous glint in her eye, "I can make Tara come with just my tongue." Her sweet, almost childlike tone of voice stood in stark contrast to what she was saying.

"Wanna see?" she asked, smiling sexily at Xander. Not waiting for an answer – as if there was any doubt as to what it would be – she sat up and moved around him.

Xander rolled onto his side as Tara laid down next to him. Willow slithered on top of Tara, sliding her slim figure up Tara's curvy body, kissing her all over as she moved, running her hands over her thighs, her hips, and up to her arms. She gave her a long kiss, and Tara wrapped her arms around Willow, running her hands up her back.

Willow started moving on top of her, grinding her hips against Tara's. They both moaned softly as their nipples brushed together. Their hands roamed over each other's bodies, taking their time, caressing the smooth skin under their fingers softly, teasing small moans and gasps out of each other.

Xander looked on as Willow slid down a bit, raining soft kisses upon Tara's breasts. Xander leaned in and kissed Tara deeply as Willow took one of her nipples in her mouth. Willow slid one hand down between Tara's legs, stroking the lips of her sex lightly as Xander sucked her tongue into his mouth, and Tara's whole body tensed, her eyes closing and her head rolling back slightly. Tara put one hand on Willow's head and the other on Xander's, stroking their hair, holding them to her.

Sensing Tara's rapidly rising passion, Willow moved away from her breasts, kissing her stomach once as she slid down her body. Xander broke his kiss with Tara and moved back a little as Willow settled in between Tara's legs and ran her tongue along her lips.

Already hard again, Xander watched as Willow attacked Tara's clit. There was no trace of the gentle, teasing motions she'd used last night. Willow was clearly focused on one goal – to bring Tara as much pleasure as she could, as quickly as she could.

And she clearly knew exactly how to do that. Within just a few minutes, Tara was moaning and writhing on the bed beneath Willow. The redhead put her hands on Tara's hips to hold her still as she pleasured her clit, using her lips now as well as her tongue.

Just a few seconds later, Tara's climax washed over her. Her cry of pleasure filled the air as she tensed, thighs clamped around Willow's head, her face flushed and her breathing hard. She gave several short gasps of pleasure as Willow continued flicking her tongue over her clit as she rode out her orgasm.

Finally, Tara relaxed, opening her legs again and reaching down to stroke Willow's hair lovingly. Willow, still kissing her clit, looked up at her and grinned. She slowly licked her way up and down Tara's lips, over the wetness there, tasting the fruits of her orgasm. Then her mouth found Tara's clit once more, bringing a soft moan from the blonde.

"Oh, Willow… Honey, you make me feel so good," Tara breathed. Willow smiled again, her tongue darting out to flick over the hard nub in front of her as she reached up to caress Tara's breasts. She ran her fingers over Tara's nipples, pinching them softly before returning her hands to her hips. Tara took over after Willow's hands left her, caressing her own breasts, rolling her nipples between her fingers while Willow suckled and teased her clit.

As Willow guided Tara toward another climax, Xander sat up and moved around behind the redhead. He ran his hands over her ass, caressing her, massaging her gently. Willow pushed herself up at his touch, resting on her knees and elbows. Xander moved his hands around to her hips, holding them as he pushed forward, sliding his cock into Willow's wet sex.

Willow moaned into Tara's pussy, her inner muscles gripping Xander's cock tightly as he entered her. Xander closed his eyes briefly at the sensation of Willow's warm, soft walls clenching around him. He opened them again to see Willow turn her head and smile at him briefly before turning her attention back toward Tara.

Xander fucked Willow slowly, watching over her shoulder as she slid her tongue inside Tara. He reached around underneath her and cupped her firm breasts, running his hands over them slowly, loving the feel of the soft skin under his palms. He started playing with her nipples, stroking them softly, and Willow's moan was echoed by one from Tara as the redhead's tongue found a particularly sensitive spot inside her.

Tara lifted her hips slightly, pushing toward Willow, who backed off slightly and returned her tongue to the blonde's clit. She pressed back against Xander as he thrust into her, grinding against him. Xander tugged at Willow's nipples gently, smiling when he felt her shiver in delight at his touch.

Just a moment later, Tara cried out again, gasping loudly as Willow sent her over the edge once more. She reached down and tangled her fingers in Willow's hair, grinding her sex against her face as her body shook with the force of her climax. When it was over, she let out a soft sigh and stared down at them as she relaxed, a blissful smile on her face.

As Willow pulled away from her sex, Tara beckoned to her. "Come here, honey," she said softly. Willow glanced back at Xander and he nodded at her. She pulled away from him and crawled up the bed over Tara's body until they were face to face.

Willow laid down again, resting on top of Tara. Tara hooked her legs around Willow's and opened them, drawing the redhead's legs with her. Xander approached again as the two of them kissed passionately, Tara tasting herself on Willow's lips and tongue. He rested his hands on Willow's thighs and slid into her again, and she moaned softly into Tara's mouth.

Wrapping her arms around Willow, Tara ran her hands over her back gently as Xander began to thrust into her. After a few more seconds, she pulled away from Willow's lips and kissed her softly all over her face and neck. Willow closed her eyes and sighed in contentment.

"Tell me how he feels inside you, baby," Tara whispered sexily, looking up and meeting Xander's eyes, her own twinkling mischievously.

"Hard and warm and so good," Willow breathed, moaning softly as she clenched around Xander's shaft again.

Xander leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Willow's back, between her shoulder blades. Then he straightened again and picked up his pace, fucking her steadily now. He ran his hands over her ass before sliding them off her and onto the bed, bracing himself on them. Tara caressed her sides, reaching between them to stroke Willow's breasts. Willow moaned again, louder this time, and buried her face in Tara's neck, nibbling on her softly.

The feeling of Willow's smooth, wet walls clenching and grasping at his cock as he thrust into her soon had Xander moaning himself. He summoned every ounce of control he had and held himself back, not wanting to come before she did. As he started fucking her harder, Tara reached down between them with one hand and stroked her fingers over Willow's clit.

The moment Tara touched her, Willow's orgasm crashed down upon her. She raised her head, and Tara quickly captured her lips with her own, sucking the breath from her, swallowing her cry of ecstasy. Feeling her tighten around him, Xander gave a few final thrusts and came inside Willow, spending himself in an orgasm that seemed to go on forever.

Finally, when it was over, Xander withdrew from her and rolled to the side, collapsing onto his back. Willow used the last of her energy to move off of Tara and cuddle against Xander's side. He reached out and drew Tara against him as well as Willow closed her eyes and sighed.

"That was amazing," she breathed. She opened her eyes again and gazed lovingly at Xander and Tara. "Having both of you touch me together, like that… I can't believe how lucky I am," she finished, smiling brightly.

Xander chuckled. "I really think I'm the lucky one here," he said softly.

"You can argue about it later," Tara told them affectionately. "For now, we should rest."

Xander nodded and closed his eyes as they both snuggled against him. It didn't take long for him to drift off into peaceful, contented sleep once more.


Xander awoke again a couple of hours later to the sound of soft whispering and giggling. He stirred on the bed and the voices quickly fell silent. He could still feel Willow and Tara on either side of him, and when he opened his eyes, he saw them both smiling down at him, their expressions somewhere between happy and mischievous.

"Hey," Willow said lovingly as he met her eyes. "Morning. Again." She glanced over at Tara, then back at him. "We were just talking about breakfast, but then we noticed that someone seems to have other things on his mind," she finished, giggling once more.

"That's right," said Tara, running her hand down his chest, tracing her fingers over the contours of his muscles. Willow pushed the covers back as Tara grasped his hard cock, and Xander sucked in his breath at the sensation of her hand circling around him.

"So, does this always wake up before you do?" Tara asked with a grin. She stroked his length slowly, and Xander had to close his eyes briefly at the feel of her soft hand running over the sensitive skin of his cock. He gave a soft, contented sigh as he opened his eyes again.

He chuckled. "Pretty much," he replied. "Especially when I wake up like this," he added, his eyes tracing over Tara and Willow's curves where they were molded against him. The feel of their bodies pressed against his was exciting in a way that was unlike anything else he'd ever experienced.

"Not that I've ever woken up like this before," he continued hastily, and Willow and Tara both giggled again.

Willow grinned at him, her eyes twinkling. "Oh? Are you sure there's not some other hot threesome you want to tell us about?"

Xander had to laugh at that. Considering how long it'd felt like even a twosome was out of reach for him, the idea that he'd done anything like this in the past was definitely an amusing one. "Absolutely not," he reassured them.

Tara and Willow laughed along with him, and he relished the delightful, musical sound. "Good," Willow said after a moment, and leaned in toward him. After a quick but intense kiss, she pulled away and Tara pressed her lips to his as well.

As they broke off, Willow caught Tara's eyes and gave her a knowing smile. Right in front of Xander, they kissed, gently at first, but with rapidly increasing passion. They turned slightly so Xander could see their tongues, swirling around each other, over their lips and into each other's mouths. Xander's cock twitched at the sight, and Tara gave it a gentle squeeze, letting him know that she'd felt it. Xander watched intently as they lost themselves in the kiss, each of them moaning softly at the pleasurable sensations the other's lips and tongue brought.

Finally, they separated, turning back toward Xander and smiling.

"I think we should take care of Xander before breakfast," Tara said, glancing at his cock meaningfully. Willow's eyes followed hers, and Tara ran her fingers over his shaft one last time before releasing it. "Don't you?"

Willow nodded slowly. "It wouldn't be very nice to leave him like this," she said. "And… There is something we haven't done yet."

Rolling away from Xander, Willow practically bounced out of bed. She turned back and, giving him a sexy smile, reached for his hand. She tugged at his arm and drew him to his feet as Tara stood up as well.

Willow led him to the foot of the bed. "Sit down, Xander," she said, her eyes twinkling. Xander knew that look – he'd seen it many times when they were kids and Willow was about to surprise him with something she thought he'd like. He'd always thought it was really cute back then, but now her expression held very different connotations.

Xander sat on the end of the bed and Willow knelt down in front of him. His pulse quickened slightly as he realized what she was about to do, and Willow held his eyes for a moment before lowering her gaze to his cock. Tara sat down on the bed next to him and kissed him passionately, sliding her tongue against his. Xander trailed one hand down her side and couldn't resist cupping one of her breasts and giving it a gentle squeeze. She pulled away and smiled at him, giving him another quick kiss on the lips before sliding off the bed and kneeling down beside Willow.

Tara looked on as Willow guided Xander's legs apart, leaned forward, and kissed the head of his cock. Xander sighed softly as she ran her tongue over it, circling around just underneath it. She licked slowly at the underside, and Xander gasped at the touch of her tongue on the sensitive skin there.

Xander couldn't suppress a moan as Willow slid her lips over his cock, enveloping him in the sweet, warm cocoon of her mouth. She sucked on him gently, her tongue working the underside of his shaft as she pulled back until only his head was still in her mouth. Then Willow moved forward again, taking almost his entire length inside her, and he rested one hand on her head.

"Oh, Willow," Xander breathed. "Oh, that feels amazing."

The redhead looked up at him and met his gaze, smiling at him with her eyes. She began to move slowly, running her lips up and down his length. She slid her tongue all around his cock as she moved on him, and Xander stroked her soft hair and murmured to her encouragingly.

After several minutes of this wonderful treatment, Willow slowly pulled away and released him. Xander groaned in protest at the loss of the amazing sensations, but Willow quickly reapplied her tongue, and his groan was cut off in midstream as he gasped sharply.

"She's good with her tongue, isn't she?" Tara said, her tone soft and sultry. "Believe me, I know." Tara rubbed Willow's shoulders affectionately, and the redhead turned and gave her girlfriend a quick smile before returning her attention to Xander.

Willow slowly licked all the way down his shaft. Xander moaned softly as her tongue laved his balls, and she spent a moment there, licking and wetting them all over. Finally, she gave them a soft kiss and pulled away, turning toward Tara again.

"You wanna try, baby?" she asked. Tara hesitated a moment, then nodded and moved forward, a little nervously, to take Willow's place between Xander's legs.

"Tara…you don't have to," Xander said, concerned.

Tara looked up at him and gave him a reassuring smile. "It's okay," she said. "If it makes you feel good…I want to learn."

"Don't worry, I'll let her know what to do," Willow said brightly. She leaned in and gave Tara a quick kiss.

"Most important thing," she continued. "Don't touch him with your teeth. That's painful. Whatever else you do, always remember that."

Tara nodded, and Willow smiled at her. The redhead reached forward and grasped Xander's cock lightly, running her hand along his length a couple of times. She released him and nodded at Tara encouragingly.

The blonde leaned forward and kissed the tip of Xander's cock gently. Willow rested a hand on her shoulder and squeezed softly as Tara pulled back and looked Xander over once more.

"Take him in your mouth, sweetie," Willow whispered. "Just the tip, to start."

Xander gasped softly as Tara's lips slid over the head of his cock. As soon as she heard him, she pulled away quickly and looked up at him. Her concern was evident in her eyes.

"Did…did I hurt you?" she asked hurriedly.

Xander shook his head. "No," he said emphatically. "No, it feels really good."

Willow rubbed Tara's shoulder encouragingly, and Tara turned and gave her a quick smile. She leaned forward again and opened her mouth slightly, sliding her lips over Xander's cock. She stopped when just his head was in her mouth, and Xander tensed at the wonderful feeling. Tara glanced over at Willow, looking for direction once more.

"You know the place just underneath his head?" Willow said softly. "Circle your tongue around there. He's really sensitive there."

Tara did as Willow said, and Xander moaned at the feeling of her tongue sliding over his sensitive skin. She looked up, clearly a bit concerned at his reaction, but didn't pull away this time. Instead, she ran her tongue around his head again, and Xander moaned softly, consciously restraining himself from pushing further into her mouth. She'd never done this before, so he knew he had to let her go at her own pace.

"Suck on him," Willow whispered. "Gently."

Tara applied slight pressure with her cheeks as she slid her lips further down Xander's shaft. Then she slowly pulled back upward and moved down again, tentatively flicking her tongue around his head as she did. Xander moaned again and his cock twitched in her mouth as she worked into a slow, steady rhythm.

"You're doing great, baby," Willow said happily. She looked up at Xander, giving him a smile and a wink, then back down at Tara. "Look at him. See how good you're making him feel?"

Xander met Tara's eyes as she looked up at him, and he gave her an encouraging smile. "Tara…Oh, that's wonderful," he breathed, entranced by the lovely sight of her lush, full lips sliding over his cock.

Tara picked up her pace a bit, and Xander rested one hand on her head. He didn't want her to feel like he was forcing her to go down on him, so he was careful to be gentle as he ran his fingers through her hair. Willow leaned down and kissed Tara's shoulder softly, watching her girlfriend intently as she pleasured Xander with her mouth.

And pleasuring him she was. Xander's nerve endings were positively humming. His breathing quickened and he was practically tingling all over. Even though he'd come twice already that morning, between Willow's earlier attentions and the way Tara was making him feel now, he soon felt the familiar tension of his orgasm building once more.

He was just about to warn Tara when Willow rested her hand on her shoulder. "He's getting close, sweetie," Willow said softly, glancing up and taking in his expression. "You'd better let me finish him off."

Tara pulled away, Xander's cock slipping out of her mouth, and nodded at Willow. She moved to the side and Willow took her place right in front of Xander once more. She looked up, met his eyes, and gave him a wicked grin.

Without preamble, she leaned forward and sucked his cock into her mouth. She moved her lips quickly up and down his shaft, concentrating most of her attention on his head and the space just below it where he was most sensitive. Her tongue swirled around his head, and he had to gasp at the intense and pleasurable sensations she was bringing him.

It only took a minute or so of this treatment to bring Xander to the brink. "Willow…" he called out in warning. "God, Willow, I'm…" He trailed off as she looked up at him and, very deliberately, met his eyes as she continued to move on him. She reached out with one hand, cupped his balls, and stroked them softly as she sucked on him hard.

An instant later, Xander gasped as his orgasm washed powerfully over him. Tara watched, fascinated, as his come filled her girlfriend's mouth and she swallowed it as fast as it came. Willow moved her hand from his balls to the base of his shaft, squeezing gently and running her tongue over his head as he rode out the waves of intense pleasure.

Finally, as Xander started to relax, Willow pulled back and turned toward Tara, and the blonde leaned in toward her until her face was a bare few inches away from Willow's. As Xander looked on, she slowly licked the last traces of his come off Willow's lips, then they kissed deeply, sharing his taste.

After a few moments, they broke apart again, and Tara giggled softly. "Not bad," she said. "A little salty."

They both smiled up at Xander, and he returned the gesture happily. "God, That was amazing," he said. "This whole morning – and last night. I mean…" He trailed off and shook his head. "I can still hardly believe it all."

Willow and Tara laughed and stood up, sitting down next to him on the bed. "I think we should take that as a compliment, don't you, honey?" Willow said as he put his arms around them. She smiled and rested one hand on Xander's shoulder, rubbing his chest affectionately with the other.

"Oh, absolutely. It sounded like one to me," Tara replied, nodding. She laid her hand on his thigh and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I…" Xander was at a loss for what to say. He thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. "I don't know what to say except thank you," he said, turning to look at Willow as well. "Both of you."

The joyful smile that appeared on Willow's face at his words was one Xander knew well. "You are so very welcome," she said happily.

Tara nodded. "I should thank you, too. For last night, and this morning," she said. "I mean, I never knew it could be so good…with a man," she finished softly. She blushed and ducked her head in that adorably cute way of hers.

After a moment, she smiled again and stood up, looking down at them. "Now, I need to go shower so I can get breakfast started," she said.

Shifting slightly beside Xander, Willow turned her head to meet her girlfriend's eyes. "We could all shower together," she suggested innocently.

Tara shook her head. "That's not a good idea," she replied, chuckling. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting hungry. And if we all shower together, I probably won't make it into the kitchen for at least another hour."


They showered separately, Xander going in last, and after he'd dried himself off and stepped out of the bathroom, he could already smell pancakes cooking. They smelled delicious, and his stomach growled at the scent, reminding him that it was well past his usual breakfast time.

It suddenly occurred to him that he didn't actually have any clothes over here, so there was nothing for him to wear except what he'd worn last night. He stepped into the bedroom and gathered up his boxers, pants, and shirt from where they were scattered about the floor. Dressing quickly, he walked out into the living room.

Willow was seated at the table in their small dining area next to the kitchen. She had on a green and white striped bathrobe and her hair was still damp. She smiled when she saw him and motioned for him to sit next to her.

Xander sat at the side of the table opposite the entrance to the kitchen so he could see into it. Tara stood inside, in a dark blue robe with an apron over it. She was watching several pancakes cooking on the stove, but she looked up and gave him a quick smile when he sat down.

It only took a few more minutes before the pancakes were ready, and Xander quickly discovered that Tara's breakfasts were every bit as good as her lunches and dinners. None of them really wanted to try and tackle anything serious while they were eating, so they chatted about small things. The conversation was light and comfortable, and reminded Xander of the easy, friendly interaction they'd had between them prior to last night, though there was a good deal more under the surface now, obviously.

After they'd finished eating, Xander helped them with the dishes, and everything was squared away in the kitchen in short order. They returned to the table and Xander sat down at one side of it, near the end. Tara sat opposite him and Willow took the chair at the end of the table, between them.

Willow took a deep breath, and Xander could tell that she was gathering her resolve before speaking. He reached out and laced his fingers with hers just as Tara took her other hand. Willow smiled at them both, clearly grateful for the gesture of support, then leaned back a little, pulling away from them.

"Okay. So. We need to talk." Willow's tone was serious, but Xander could see the nervousness in her eyes. He felt it too, honestly, but pushed it aside as he spoke.

"Yeah. So…what happens now?" he asked. He'd certainly never been in a situation like this before and really had no clue as to how to proceed.

"Well…" Willow began, then trailed off. She glanced at Tara, who nodded, then she turned back to Xander. "We were hoping you'd move in with us."

Xander's uncertainty must have showed on his face, because Willow continued in a rush. "We've got a really nice apartment," she said. "And you spend most of your free time over here already. Wouldn't it be nice not to have to go back and forth to your place all the time?"

Tara smiled at him. "And, when you come here after work, you wouldn't be visiting anymore," she said happily. "You'd be coming home."

Willow nodded. "We'd love to have you. But, we don't want to pressure you to make a decision too soon. Oh no, we're pressuring you, aren't we?" she moaned. "Xander, please don't think that…"

"Hey! Don't worry, it's okay," Xander said quickly, cutting Willow off before she could really get going. He smiled reassuringly at her. "Believe me, I don't think you're trying to pressure me."

Willow relaxed a little, but she was clearly still nervous. Tara also seemed a little apprehensive as they sat in silence, waiting for his answer.

And what was his answer going to be? He looked at each of them in turn as he thought about it. It was definitely a big step, but…

At first, the question seemed very sudden. After all, they'd just made love for the first time last night. But as he thought it over, Xander realized that it wasn't, really. Tara and Willow had been a huge part of his life over the past few months. And they'd gotten along so well when they were together, the thought of spending even more time with them appealed to him more than he could say.

"Okay," he said, nodding. "If you want me, I'd love to live here with you."

Xander's spirits soared at the look of pure joy that appeared on Willow's face at his words. Tara's expression was similarly happy, and she looked on, smiling, as Willow threw her arms around him and hugged him fiercely.

"Oh, Xander, thank you!" Willow said excitedly. "This is going to be so great!"

Tara nodded. "Yeah. I'm really happy you'll be living with us," she declared, catching Willow's eyes and sharing a smile with her before turning back to Xander.

"Me too," Xander said, chuckling. "I'll give notice at my place on Monday. I actually just paid my rent, so I'll have almost a month before I have to be out. Which is good – it'll give me plenty of time to bring my stuff over here."

"We should go over with you sometime," Tara suggested. "So we can all decide together if there's any furniture we want, or anything."

"That's a good idea," Willow said, and Xander nodded his assent.

"Okay," she continued. "Next thing. I think we should probably set up a few ground rules for our relationship."

"What did you have in mind?" Xander asked, curious.

Willow looked at each of them in turn. "First of all – no sex unless all three of us are together."

At Xander's quizzical expression, she continued. "I think it's a good rule. I mean, what if I had to stay late at the library studying for a test, and I knew you and Tara were back here having sex? Or suppose Tara was sick – I don't think it'd make her feel very good if you and I were having sex in the next room while she was feeling all icky, do you? Stuff like that could really lead to some bad feelings."

When she put it that way, Xander definitely saw her point. Still, now that he thought about it…there was one thing he had to ask about.

"Okay, I understand why it's not a good idea for me to have sex with either of you when the other's not around," he said. "But what about you two? I mean, you've been in a relationship for a while already. You're used to it being just the two of you. Won't you miss that, even if it's just once in a while?"

Tara shook her head. "No, Xander, it's okay," she replied. "Really. If you're worried that we'll resent you, or anything, don't be. You're a part of our relationship now."

"That's right," Willow added. "Plus, if Tara and I can have sex without you, but you can't have sex with one of us without the other… Well, it kinda says that we're more important than you." Her expression turned earnest and sincere. "And we don't want that. We're all in this together, and none of us should be any more important than anyone else."

Xander couldn't help but smile at that. "Okay," he told them. "I think you're right and this is a good idea."

Tara and Willow beamed at him. "Next," Willow said. "There'll probably be times when one of us wants some space. I mean, it might not happen, but with two other people around? It might get kinda crowd-y sometimes. So we should have somewhere where one of us can go to get away for a while. We can use the second bedroom for that, or the main one if I'm on the computer."

"Makes sense to me," Xander said. "It doesn't mean any of us did anything wrong, it just means we want a little space for a while."

"Right," Tara agreed. "People just feel that way sometimes. There's no blame, or anything."

"Another good idea," said Xander. He grinned at Willow. "You've really given this a lot of thought, haven't you?"

Blushing a little, Willow smiled back at him. "Well, this is really important. I really want this to work."

"So do we, sweetie," Tara said, rubbing her shoulder softly.

"That's right," Xander agreed, leaning back a little in his chair. He'd be the first to admit that he didn't have the best track record for relationships, but this one meant so much to him, there was no way he wasn't going to give it everything he had.

As another thought struck him, he spoke again. "Okay, now I have a question. Last time I checked, you two were still witches, right? Practicing witches?"

Tara and Willow exchanged curious glances, but they nodded in answer to his question, and he continued. "Well, you know that magic isn't exactly something I can do with you, right? Spells and I…well, they don't mix."

"It's okay, Tara and I talked about this," Willow said. "We usually get home in the afternoon, a few hours before you get done with work. We can practice our spells then, and probably get some studying done too. It's usually when we do it anyway, so there's no problem." She smiled at him brightly, folding her hands on the table in front of her.

"Um, speaking of magic…" Tara spoke up, and they both turned toward her. "This morning, I had an idea. Come with me." She stood up and stepped into the living room, and Willow and Xander rose and followed after her.

Tara stopped in front of the shelves on the wall that separated the living room and the kitchen. "The flowers Xander brought last night?" she said, gesturing to the carnations in the vase on the middle shelf. "I thought maybe we could use the preservation spell on them. So we'll always have something to remember the night we got together."

"That's a great idea, honey," Willow said, clapping her hands together in excitement.

"Wait, preservation spell? What's that?" Xander asked.

"It's a pretty simple spell," Tara said. "It only works on plants – small plants, like the flowers you brought us. It, it preserves them. They'll draw energy directly from the earth instead, so unless we cancel the spell, they won't need water anymore and they won't ever die."

"Energy from the earth? Doesn't the earth need that energy?" Xander said, a little concerned.

"No, Xander, it's okay," said Willow. "The amount of energy we're talking about is really small. It'd take millions of spells like this one to have even a tiny impact on the earth. Your car has more of an effect on the earth than this spell will."

"Oh, okay." Well, if they wanted to do this, Xander didn't have any problem with it. What they'd told him made sense, and Tara and Willow knew what they were talking about when it came to magic – most of the time, anyway.

He stepped back and watched as Willow and Tara joined hands. They passed their hands over the flowers a few times and spoke a few words that sounded like Latin. Xander saw a faint shimmer in the air, but it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared.

"There we go. All done." Tara picked up the vase, took it into the kitchen, and emptied out the water. She quickly returned and set it back on the shelf, then she and Willow stepped over to stand next to Xander again.

They stood in silence, looking at the flowers together. For his part, Xander was thinking over this new development in his life, wondering what living with Willow and Tara would be like. He was definitely nervous about it, but he was also looking forward to the days ahead and the new discoveries about them that they were sure to bring.

After a moment, Xander spoke again. "Well, I should run back to my apartment sometime today and pick up some clothes, I guess. Plus my toothbrush and a few other things."

Willow and Tara glanced at each other, then shared a conspiratorial grin.

"Well, you don't have to go right now," Willow said innocently, pulling the bottom of his shirt up from where it was tucked into his pants.

"That's right," Tara agreed. "It's not even noon yet. You don't have to go for another few hours at least." Tara started unbuttoning his shirt while Willow worked on his slacks and boxers, and between the two of them they had quickly rid him of all his clothes.

"Well, no, I…" Xander began, but quickly trailed off as Willow opened the tie holding Tara's robe closed. She slipped her hands under it and slid it off of Tara, running her hands over her girlfriend's chest and shoulders as she guided it to the floor.

Tara did the same to Willow, combining the removal of the redhead's robe with a slow, sensual caress. They both looked at Xander, and he shook his head and smiled ruefully at them.

"I do have limits, you know," he protested.

Willow and Tara smiled and stepped in closer. Xander gasped, feeling a surge of arousal, his body responding as they pressed themselves against him.

"We know," Willow whispered, running her tongue lightly over his earlobe. "But won't it be fun finding out where they are?"

Xander had to admit that she was right, so he simply followed as they led him, giggling, back into the bedroom.

The End

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