Soul Mates: A Week in the Life by Ravenhawk

Rating: PG-13
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: /mysticmuse.net
Anywhere, just ask.
Feedback: Yes please.
Spoilers: AU in season 5.
Author's Note: Sequel to Soul Mates: The Morning After.
Okay, at this point I'm going to open the floor to suggestions from you readers. If there's anything you'd like to see in future installments of this series, whether it's of a sexual or non- sexual nature, email me with your suggestions (please DON'T post them to the list). I can't promise to include anything, but I will at least listen to what you have to say.
I will say up front that I'm not especially a kink fan, so don't bother asking for hardcore BDSM and the like. And the part that a lot of people have been asking about, the trio "coming out" to Buffy, is coming soon, so there's no need to ask for that. But if you have any other thoughts, go ahead and let me know!
Grouping: Willow/Tara/Xander

Summary: Willow, Tara, and Xander adjust to their new relationship.

Tara closed her notebook and tucked her pen into the spiral binding. She dropped the notebook into her backpack, along with her textbook, then stood up from her desk. Picking up the pack, she stood and joined the line of students exiting the classroom.

It had been a good class. Eastern History was something she'd initially been a little hesitant about taking – she just wasn't sure whether or not the subject held any interest for her. But she'd eventually decided to give it a try. After all, wasn't college a time to try new things?

She hadn't regretted her decision. The class had proved to be very interesting. Right now, they were in the middle of a unit on feudal Japan, and she was intrigued by how different their culture was from the one she lived in. Also, the professor had promised a section on the artwork from the region later in the semester, and she was definitely looking forward to that.

Tara stepped out into the hallway, making her way past the groups of students gathered outside the door to the lecture hall. Slinging her backpack over her shoulder, she walked past the rows of classrooms, heading for the building's front doors. It was Thursday, which meant that Willow was still in her psychology class in the building opposite this one and wouldn't be finished for another twenty minutes. They usually met at one of the tables on the lawn outside after it was over.

Their schedules had actually worked out well this semester. She and Willow had classes together on Mondays and Wednesdays, and they'd managed to schedule them with enough time to go home for lunch in between lectures. Tuesdays and Thursdays were the days that they had separate classes, but they were both in the morning and the times they started and ended were less than half an hour apart. All things considered, they'd been lucky to get such compatible schedules.

Tara passed through the double doors and out into the brightness of the late morning sun, stopping momentarily to take a deep breath, savoring the warm, fresh air. Students passed all around her, coming and going, and the sound of their conversation swirled around her. Spotting an empty table underneath a large maple tree, she stepped forward onto the well-kept lawn in front of the building.

As she made her way toward the table, she passed several students and saw that many of them smiled at her as they walked by. She'd noticed that that'd been happening a lot lately, and initially she'd been a little confused by it. But then she'd figured that there was probably a simple explanation for it – other people were just noticing her mood and reacting to it. After all, she'd been very happy these past few days.

And with good reason. Xander was living with her and Willow now, having moved in last weekend, and she couldn't have asked for things to be going any better between them. Not that there had been any problems before – Tara had been very happy living with Willow, but now that they were involved with Xander too, as far as she was concerned a very good thing had just gotten even better.

Tara reached the table and sat down on one of the benches attached to it. She laid her notes from the last class out in front of her, but quickly found that she couldn't really concentrate on studying. Her thoughts kept drifting back over the past few days since Xander had moved in with them.

Granted, in a few ways things weren't that unlike how they'd been a week earlier. Xander had been spending most of his free time with her and Willow already, so the change wasn't as drastic as it could have been. But so many things were different now, too – and as far as Tara was concerned, better. And from the way Willow and Xander were acting, she knew they thought the same thing.

It wasn't just the sex; although that was definitely a big part of it, there were lots of other things, both big and small, that she was quickly learning to appreciate. For instance, she now had two people to snuggle up with on the couch. Yesterday evening, they'd spent a couple of hours sitting together after dinner – Xander had had his arm around her, with Willow snuggled up on her other side, their presence warm and comforting, watching TV and then just talking for a while.

There were lots of other things she liked, too. Little things that showed how considerate Xander and Willow both were. Like how they wouldn't ever sit together in the living room and talk while she was making dinner – they'd always come and sit at the dining table, which was right next to the kitchen, so she'd be included in the conversation.

And as for conversation, well, that had also changed, though very subtly. After Xander had started hanging around with her and Willow a few months ago, it had taken her a little while to warm up to him, but after that she'd really enjoyed the long conversations the three of them had shared. But now, while Xander was still easy to talk to, Tara really felt like she could open up to him, too. Willow was the only person she'd ever felt that way with before, but now there was Xander too, and the fact that there were two people she knew she could talk to about anything, no matter how personal or intimate…Well, it was a wonderful feeling. She'd never had anyone like that in her life since she'd lost her mother, and because she'd died when Tara was very young, it wasn't really the same thing.

So there was definitely a lot to like about the way her relationship with Willow and Xander was shaping up.

And okay, the sex was amazing too. Tara blushed a little when she thought about it, but it really was. She'd never had any complaints before – her sex life with Willow had been wonderful, incredible, and fulfilling. But now that they were sharing their bed with Xander, too…Well, it was another case of improving on an already good thing.

When she thought about it, it still freaked her out just a little that she was having sex with a man. It was something she'd honestly never thought would happen. Pretty much from junior high onward, she'd only been interested in girls.

And for the most part, that hadn't changed. It was just that for some reason, Xander had proved to be an exception to that rule.

And, so far at least, he was the only exception. Tara saw plenty of guys all over the place on campus, but she didn't find herself attracted to any of them. For instance, there was a guy running past her right now. He was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, obviously out for a jog. As she watched, he stopped a little ways in front of her table, took off his shirt and tied it around his waist, and started doing some leg stretches on the lawn.

By all accounts, Tara supposed he was good-looking. His chest was toned and the muscles of his arms were well-defined. He had blond hair and a very nice tan, and the looks he was getting from passing girls told Tara that he was definitely getting noticed.

As the jogger stood up and continued on his way, Tara looked back down at the table in front of her and thought about Xander. She pictured him taking off his shirt, imagined walking up to him and running her hands down his chest…Reaching up and running her fingers through his hair as he leaned down to kiss Willow…

Taking a deep breath, Tara abruptly stopped that line of thought. She was out in public, surrounded by large groups of students passing by, which definitely wasn't the best place to be getting excited like that.

Idly, she wondered what it was about Xander that attracted her to him. It wasn't his looks. Xander was handsome, but there was more to it than that. And while Tara liked him a lot, and he could definitely be charming, it wasn't his personality, either.

As she thought about it, she supposed that what drew her to Xander was the same thing that had drawn her to Willow. They were both very special people. Call it heart, soul, whatever you would, they were special in so many different ways. They were both nice, and caring, and were truly remarkable for the way they risked their lives in the fight against the supernatural evils of Sunnydale not because of a sacred calling or duty as a Watcher, but simply because it was the right thing to do.

She loved Willow for all those things and more. And, she thought with a smile as she turned her attention back to her notes, she was really coming to love Xander, too, for many of the same reasons.

Willow shook her head in answer to her psychology professor's question. The class had ended a few moments ago and she was standing at the table at the head of the classroom. There were still a few students scattered about, but most had left right after class was dismissed, leaving the room mostly empty.

"No, that's all," Willow said. "I just wanted to make sure of the next chapter we'd be covering so I could read ahead."

To Willow's surprise, the professor actually smiled at her. "Miss Rosenberg, I must say it is a pleasure having you in this class," he said. "I don't encounter many students who have your enthusiasm for learning."

Willow blinked. Professor Henrickson was generally regarded as a sour and grumpy old man, and going by her experience in his class so far, Willow would have said that the description was accurate. He certainly didn't hand out praise very often, and Willow was a little taken aback at his words.

She recovered quickly, however. "Well, thank you, Professor," she replied, smiling happily. "Um, I'll see you next week," she added, and at his answering nod, turned and headed for the classroom door.

Well. That had definitely been a pleasant surprise, and it was a very nice way to end her last class of the week. She was still smiling as she passed through the door and out into the hallway. Now, to head outside and find Tara so they could go home and have lunch.

As she walked down the hallway, Willow quickly went over the work she'd have to do to prepare for next week's classes in her head. There were several chapters she needed to read and a couple of short assignments that were due, but since they'd just gotten done with midterms a couple of weeks ago, the workload was pretty light right now. She had the whole afternoon today, plus all day tomorrow – neither she nor Tara had any classes on Fridays – which would be plenty of time for her to finish all her work. She hoped that Tara also wouldn't have a lot she needed to get done; it meant they'd have the entire weekend free to spend with Xander, with no distractions.

That thought brought a smile to Willow's face. True, they were all still adjusting, but this past week with her and Tara, together with Xander…It was everything she could possibly have hoped for.

Sure, there were some things she'd been concerned about when she and Tara had made their offer to Xander. She couldn't help it; she was a worrier. And even though she'd honestly believed, with all her heart, that a relationship between the three of them would be the most wonderful thing, there were still a few small doubts she'd had going in.

For instance, while she'd already known that the three of them got along well, living together was still a big change for them. She'd been a little concerned that there might be some friction or awkwardness between them. But it hadn't materialized – Xander had been a little uncertain of where he fit in at first, but he'd quickly gotten over that. And their apartment definitely didn't feel crowded, which had been another worry – it felt just right.

And, well, she wouldn't ever admit it to anyone, but Willow had been a teeny, tiny little bit worried that when she started sleeping with Xander, she might not be quite as interested in Tara anymore. But that certainly hadn't happened. If anything, she found Tara even more attractive and sexy than she had before since she was seeing her through Xander's eyes now as well as her own. Things were always more enjoyable when you had someone to share them with, and Xander definitely shared her appreciation of Tara's beauty. And her other qualities too, for that matter.

So that worry of hers had also been totally unjustified. In fact, she felt a little silly for having even entertained the notion. She was still very much attracted to Tara.

Plus, knowing how excited Xander got from watching them made playing with Tara that much more fun. Willow giggled aloud at the thought, which earned her a couple of funny looks from passing students, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She was in too good a mood.

Exiting the building, Willow blinked a couple of times as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight. It was lunchtime, so the crowds had thinned out a bit, but there were still quite a few students walking past or lounging about. Willow stopped just outside the doors for a moment, scanning the crowds for Tara. She finally spotted her at a table underneath a nearby maple tree and hurried over to her. Tara was looking down at her notebook, open in front of her, and as she approached, Willow noticed that she was smiling.

"Hey sweetie," she said as she drew near, stopping beside the table. Tara looked up, brushing her hair back behind her ear as she lifted her head, her smile broadening when she saw her. Willow suddenly wanted very much to kiss her, but they'd never been big on public displays of affection, so she resisted the impulse, settling for taking her hand and giving it a loving squeeze.

"What's the smile for?" Willow asked cheerily, letting go of Tara's hand and stepping back slightly.

"I was thinking about you and Xander," Tara replied, closing her notebook and putting it in her backpack.

Tara grinned at her as she stood up. "Very good thoughts." They started across the lawn together, heading for the path that would take them to the street. From there, it was only a few blocks until they were home.

"It was good!" Willow replied. "Today's lecture was about learning and cognition. It was really interesting. Ooh, and I asked Professor Henrickson a question after class, and he actually said he was glad to have me in his class. He said I have an 'enthusiasm for learning.' Pretty nifty, huh?"

"Well, he's right about that," Tara said, laughing, and a second later Willow joined her.

"Interesting," said Tara. "Japanese history is interesting. And you know…" She gave Willow a sly look out of the corner of her eye. "I found out today that if you look at other cultures, our relationship with Xander really isn't that unusual."

Tara fell silent for a moment as they reached the street, since there was another group of students gathered there. They passed them by as they headed off down the sidewalk, and as they started to put the campus behind them, she spoke again. "Well…" she said with a grin, "for example, in Japan, it was pretty common for samurai to have more than one wife."

Willow chuckled. "You'd better not tell Xander that," she said. "Can you imagine what he'd say?"

Willow didn't say anything, but instead just smirked and glanced at her girlfriend. Tara turned slightly and met her eyes, and the two of them laughed out loud together.

"Well, maybe you're right," Tara said as their giggles subsided. She still didn't sound convinced.

They walked together in silence for a moment. "So do you have much work you need to get done?" Willow asked as they turned a corner, their apartment building straight ahead now.

Tara shook her head. "No, not too much. Just some reading, and our Composition assignment," she replied, referring to one of the classes she and Willow shared. "But that's just a short one."

"Good," Willow said. "We should be able to finish up all our studying today and tomorrow. And then we can spend the entire weekend with our boyfriend."

At her words, Tara stopped so suddenly that Willow had taken a few steps past her before she noticed. Turning around, she saw Tara standing stock still on the sidewalk, staring past her off into the distance. Willow's brow creased with concern, and she was just about to ask what was wrong when Tara spoke.

"Our boyfriend," she said. "You called him our boyfriend." She spoke the words very slowly the second time, almost tentatively, as if she was unsure how they'd sound when she said them. Willow watched her anxiously, unsure of her reaction, not knowing what to say.

And then she turned and met Willow's eyes, an expression of pure delight on her face, and Goddess, that smile was still one of the most beautiful things Willow had ever seen. Even now, it took her breath away, and she couldn't help but smile herself in response.

"Our boyfriend," Tara repeated happily as they resumed their walk back to their apartment. "I like the way that sounds. Don't you?"

As she thought about it, she couldn't help but remember years past. Willow had wanted Xander for a boyfriend for a long time – since junior high at least. And although that desire had faded after she met Tara, since they'd been so happy together, it had returned in full force after she'd realized the possibility that they could all be together.

Although now that she thought about it, Willow realized that 'faded' was probably the wrong word. Even when they'd drifted apart after high school, he'd still held the most important place in her heart. It was just that after she'd met Tara, well, she'd moved right in to that place too.

And Willow was still overjoyed from the discovery that there was plenty of room for both of them – in her heart, in her life, and in her home.

"Looks good," he announced. "I think we're back on schedule now. Not bad, considering our material shipment got here a day late. Good job, guys."

From various places around the half-finished interior of the first floor of the building they were working on, the half-dozen men on Xander's carpentry crew exchanged grins and high-fives. Xander let the display go on for a few moments – they had a right to be happy about what they'd accomplished. They'd put in a lot of hard work on this place over the past few days, trying to get caught up after the unexpected delay, and it had paid off.

"Okay, we've got three more interior walls to finish, so let's get back to work," Xander said. "I've got to go talk to Chuck and give him the good news. I'll be back in a few minutes." Smiling, he turned and walked outside as his crew busied themselves behind him.

Xander supposed that he should be happy about getting caught up, but the truth was his good mood had nothing to do with the job and everything to do with his new home life. These past few days living with Willow and Tara…Well, everything else just sort of paled in comparison.

He'd been really anxious at first – not just about moving in with them, but at the whole idea of having a relationship with them. Truthfully, he was still a little nervous about it. He really, really wanted things to work between them, but…

He just didn't have any kind of blueprint for a successful relationship. His parents…well, they definitely weren't an example for any kind of happy or healthy relationship. And his own track record in that area was pretty terrible, too. Cordelia, caught cheating on her and she fell on a chunk of rebar; Faith, turned evil and tried to strangle him; and Anya, tearful breakup as she declared that they were just too different. So all in all, he supposed he had good reason to be concerned about this.

But to his surprise, he'd found that he was starting to relax a little. Even though it had only been a few days since they'd gotten together, he was already noticing that he wasn't nearly as worried anymore about saying the wrong thing around Willow or Tara, or screwing up somehow, as he was right after he'd moved in. He was already really beginning to feel comfortable with the new arrangement.

And a lot of that was because of Tara and Willow themselves. They hadn't just opened their living space to him, they'd opened their home. Since he'd moved in, he'd never felt like he was intruding on their space or their time together. They'd always made him feel welcome, made him feel like he belonged, no matter what they were doing.

Yet again, he had to marvel at how lucky he was. For most of his life, the idea that a woman as wonderful as either Willow or Tara would be interested in him had seemed…well, "far-fetched" was putting it mildly. That wasn't to say that his previous girlfriends had been bad people (well, there was Faith, but she hadn't been bad at the time they'd had sex, and besides, Xander doubted she'd count as a girlfriend anyway). They hadn't. Cordelia and Anya had a lot of good qualities, even if they'd sometimes been hard to get along with. But Willow and Tara…well, they were really exceptional.

And now that he was living with them, he was seeing it in new ways every day. And that made him happier than he could say. When he saw the way they looked at each other, and at him, or when they were all snuggled up on the couch, or when they woke up together in the morning, it seemed there was always something new he noticed about Tara or Willow, something that made them seem even more special in his eyes.

And then there was the sex. While it was far from the only thing, the sex was one of the biggest things Xander was enjoying about their new relationship. He couldn't help it – Willow and Tara were both extraordinarily beautiful, and sex with them was beyond incredible. The three of them had pretty much been all over each other since he'd moved in, and judging by the way they were acting, Tara and Willow were enjoying the physical side of their relationship just as much as he was.

Although he supposed that he had to be careful. His experience with Anya had told him that sex wasn't something you could base an entire relationship on. Even if they were all enjoying their newfound sex lives, there would have to be more to their relationship if it was going to last. And so far, there was, but it was still a concern.

But all in all, he had to say that things were going very well. Tara and Willow were constantly in his thoughts, and a great deal of the time he had to force himself to concentrate on his job as a result. During the day, he found that he couldn't wait to get home in the evening and see them.

God, he was really falling for them. And it was the most amazing feeling – joyous and terrifying all at once.

There was one other thing he was worrying about, though. They'd gone over to Buffy's house for a visit two days ago, but hadn't told her or anyone else about their new relationship. But soon, they were going to have to, and Xander couldn't help but worry at how she'd react. Giles too, for that matter. He was pretty sure they'd be understanding – after all, they'd accepted Willow and Tara being together easily enough – but he couldn't be completely certain.

Still, even all his worries about screwing things up or the reactions other people would have couldn't dampen his mood very much. And besides, he knew that dwelling on stuff like that was pointless anyway.

Xander ceased his musings as he reached his boss' trailer. He knocked on the door and, hearing an answering shout from inside, opened it and stepped in.

"Hey Chuck," he said in greeting as his employer looked up from his desk. Chuck had been a general contractor for over twenty years now, but didn't show much sign of the stresses involved in the job. He was a little heavyset, maybe, but otherwise appeared in very good health. He didn't even have any gray hairs – Xander could only hope he'd be so lucky when he got to be that age.

Chuck gestured to the chair in front of his desk as Xander closed the door behind him. "What's up?" he asked as Xander sat down.

"Just wanted to let you know we're back on schedule," Xander said. "The last three interior walls should be framed in by tomorrow."

"That's great news," Chuck said, smiling. "If only my other crews were as efficient as yours."

They spent the next few minutes talking over the specifics of what needed to be done after the walls were finished. Chuck didn't mention anything out of the ordinary, so Xander was fairly confident that his crew could handle everything without any further problems.

After Chuck had gone over everything with him, Xander stood up. "Okay, I'd better get back," he said. "Just thought I'd let you know where we're at."

Chuck nodded. "Okay. I'll see you later," his boss said, and Xander turned and left the trailer.

As he headed back to the building, he glanced at his watch. Just a few more hours and he could get out of here, go home, and see…

Xander nearly tripped and fell flat on the ground as the realization of what he'd just thought hit him.

When had he started thinking of the apartment he shared with Willow and Tara as home? Had it happened just now?

He honestly wasn't sure. But whenever it had happened, it was definitely a big change for him. Thinking about it, Xander realized that he'd never really had a place he'd thought of as home before. His parents' house definitely didn't qualify – he'd hated it there and had spent as much time as possible being somewhere else. And the apartment he'd rented after leaving had been a nice enough place to live, but nothing more than that.

But now, living with Tara and Willow, it was different. It felt different. Their apartment wasn't just a place to live; it was more than that. And Xander knew that it had nothing to do with the place itself – it was completely because of Willow and Tara. When he was with them, he felt like he belonged.

That thought stayed with him for the rest of the afternoon, and once more he found it very hard to concentrate on his work, but really…it was very much worth it.

Willow was sitting on the couch with Tara, reading over her psychology notes, when she heard the sound of a key in the lock on their front door. She and Tara looked up as the door opened, and when she saw Xander step inside, Willow set her notes on the table in front of her and quickly stood up. She hurried over to the door, smiling happily as Tara followed after her.

"Hey Xander," Willow said cheerfully in greeting as he turned back to her after closing the door. Before he could say anything, she stepped in toward him and kissed him passionately, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her body against his. After a moment's surprise, Xander returned the kiss with equal fervor, and when Willow finally pulled away from him, he was flushed and breathing heavily.

Tara gave her a mischievous glance, grinning as she stepped in toward him. "Hey Xander," she echoed, walking forward and kissing him a little more softly than Willow had, but with no less passion. They embraced, Tara digging her fingers into Xander's back as he stroked her hair with one hand. Willow smiled happily as she looked on. It still came as a little bit of a surprise, just how good it felt to see them like this.

After a long moment, they broke their kiss and Tara stepped back. Xander took a second to catch his breath, then smiled at them. "Hey," he said. "Just for the record, I love being greeted like that, but…to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Xander kicked off his shoes, and Willow stepped forward and took his left arm, Tara mirroring her and taking his right. "We're just glad to see you," she said as they led him to the couch, guiding him to sit down between them.

"That's right," Tara agreed as they settled themselves. Still holding on to Xander's arm, she reached out with her other hand, her fingers entwining with Willow's, and they rested their clasped hands in Xander's lap.

"Actually it was a very good day today," Xander replied. "My crew got all caught up after that shipping delay I told you about. We're working on the interior walls for the first floor now, and…" he paused briefly, glancing between them, "and I'll spare you all the boring details of what we're doing," he finished, chuckling softly.

"But my job is," Xander said. "Well, it's engaging enough when I'm doing it. But talking about it? Not so much." He grinned. "Don't get me wrong, I like my job. But even I can get a little bored sometimes hearing myself talk about it."

Willow recalled what Professor Henrickson had told her earlier and felt a sudden rush of excitement at the thought of sharing it with Xander. She gripped his arm a bit more tightly and shifted a little on the couch. This didn't go unnoticed by Xander, and before she could speak, he turned and met her eyes, his grin not fading one bit.

"Well, looks like someone has something to tell me," he said, chuckling. "Wait – let me guess. Something good happened today." He thought for a moment. "Now, there's only a couple of things you usually get this excited about, and if this had something to do with magic, Tara would probably be just as enthusiastic about it as you are." Xander glanced at Tara, who gave him a small smile, but otherwise managed to keep a pretty good poker face.

"So, I'm guessing…" Xander finished with exaggerated slowness as he turned back toward Willow, "it's good news of an academic nature. Am I right?"

Willow had to smile at that. Xander knew her so well. There was no one else, except for Tara, who would have been able to guess what she was so happy about from so few clues. Yet again she found herself both delighted and thankful that she had two people in her life who understood her the way Xander and Tara did.

She gave Tara's hand a loving squeeze as she answered Xander. "You're right," she said happily. "I was talking to one of my professors today, and he said it was a pleasure to have me in his class. And this is someone who never gives out those kinds of compliments!"

"That's right," Xander agreed. "Come on, Will, I've never known anyone who's a better student than you. It's no surprise that your teachers would sit up and take notice."

Willow beamed at the praise. As nice as it was to get complimented by her teachers, to hear it from the people she cared about most…It was the most amazing feeling. The love she felt in her heart at that moment…she never wanted it to end.

She pressed her lips to Xander's, kissing him hotly. She meant it to be quick, but once she started, she let her lips linger on his briefly, trying to share everything she was feeling with him. After a moment, she broke away and leaned across him, kissing Tara with no small amount of passion as well.

"Wow," Tara said after Willow finally pulled back. "You'd better be careful, sweetie," she continued with a grin. "I have to start dinner in a little bit, and if you keep that up, we might get seriously distracted."

Willow pouted in (mostly) mock disappointment, but she couldn't keep it up for long. It was only a few seconds before she was smiling brightly again. "Okay, okay," she said. "Just snuggling is fine for now."

"Oh! That reminds me," Xander said suddenly. Willow scooted back a bit on the couch as he extracted himself from her and Tara's embrace and stood up. They watched him curiously as he walked around behind the couch and over to the windows.

"What's up?" Willow asked, standing up and walking over to him. Xander seemed to be studying the layout of their furniture, and he was silent for a moment as Tara, too, left the couch and moved to join them.

"Well…" Xander replied at length, "I was thinking maybe we could rearrange the furniture. I mean, if you guys think it's a good idea," he added quickly, nodding toward Willow and Tara.

"See, right now, the couch is facing into the room and the TV is set up on the interior wall," he continued, gesturing back toward the middle of the living room. "But I was thinking, since you've…we've…" Willow smiled happily at his mid-sentence correction, "got windows that face south and west, we could put the TV in the corner here," Xander said, pointing to the area where the two outer walls of their apartment met, "and then we'd have the furniture laid out so we could sit and watch the sunset together."

Tara looked over the living room for a moment, considering what Xander had said. "So all we'd really have to do is turn the couch around and maybe move it a little bit," she mused, turning back to look at her and Xander.

"Well, actually," Xander said, looking at each of them in turn, "I was thinking we might want to get a new couch. Maybe one of those right-angle types with a curve where the two sides meet, you know? It'd make it easier for us all to sit together."

Despite how much she liked the idea, Willow couldn't resist teasing Xander a little. "You mean, it'd make snuggling easier for us," she said, smirking at him.

To Willow's surprise, Xander actually fidgeted a little uncomfortably at that. Still, he recovered quickly enough. "Well, yeah," he said. "I…I like snuggling with you." He chuckled and ducked his head a little. "And god, could I possibly sound any less manly, saying that?"

Willow saw Tara's face light up at Xander's admission, and she knew that her own expression matched Tara's. Xander was talking about one of their favorite things, and to find out that he enjoyed it too…Especially when, as his last comment indicated, it was something a lot of guys didn't like…It was certainly a nice surprise.

They stepped forward together and embraced Xander, pulling him into a tight three-way hug. "Believe me, Xander," Willow said, giving him a quick but intense kiss, "your manliness is not in question here."

"Not even a little bit," Tara agreed, kissing his neck softly as she ran one hand down his chest.

"I think we can have dinner a little late today," Willow whispered, reaching for the bottom of Xander's shirt.

Willow stared at him in confusion. Tara glanced at her, unsure, then back at him.

Xander shook his head quickly. "No, nothing's wrong. It's just…well, why don't we sit down?" he asked, gesturing toward the middle of the room. Puzzled, Willow followed as he led her and Tara back to the couch where they sat down once more. Willow took the middle this time, and Xander turned as he seated himself. He took her hand, reaching across her to clasp Tara's as well, and fixed them with a serious look as he spoke.

"Okay. Like I said, there's nothing wrong, so please don't worry. It's just…" He trailed off, pausing momentarily, clearly anxious about what he was going to say. "I don't want this to just be about sex, with us."

Willow opened her mouth to speak, but Xander continued in a rush, cutting her off. "I mean, don't get me wrong! I love the sex. Sex with you two is absolutely one of my favorite things in the world. This isn't because I have any complaints in that area."

"Well…I was thinking today," he said. "When I was with Anya, we were having sex all the time. And it wasn't until after we broke up that I realized we'd been doing it because there just wasn't much of anything else in our relationship."

"Don't get me wrong, I don't think that about us," he continued hurriedly. "But just the same, I really don't want to screw this up. It's too important to me. You're too important to me. I…" Xander looked down slightly, his eyes betraying his nervousness, and took a deep breath before continuing. "I love you. Both of you."

"I know this probably seems sudden, but it's not, really," Xander said as Willow processed what she'd just heard, her heart racing. "I mean, I think I've been falling for you for a while now, I just didn't realize it…"

Xander was abruptly cut off as Willow and Tara recovered from their surprise simultaneously and tackled him to the couch. He tried to speak, but between the tightness of their embrace and the long, passionate kisses they took turns giving him, it was several minutes before he could manage to say anything.

"Whoa…I…" That was all he could manage before Willow put a finger to his lips, quieting him.

"Xander…You love me?" she asked, smiling, her face just inches from his. Tara had ended up pressed against both of them as they lay together on the couch, and she looked on as they waited for his answer.

"Yes," he replied. His earlier nervousness was gone, and he spoke quietly, but with conviction. "I've loved you the whole time I've known you, but now…it's different. Stronger than ever, which I didn't think was possible." He chuckled. "But it is."

"And you love me?" Tara asked, that beautiful smile that Willow loved so much lighting up her face as she spoke.

Xander nodded. "Yes. I know I haven't known you that long, but…Yes. It's different from what I feel for Willow, but it's just as strong."

Willow found that she was just as elated to hear that Xander loved Tara as she was to hear that he loved her. The sense that the two most important people in her life fit, not just with her, but with each other too…It was the most incredible, wonderful feeling she'd ever known.

Tara stared into Xander's eyes for a long moment before replying. "I love you too," she said, holding his gaze for a few seconds before turning to Willow, her blue eyes twinkling as they caught the light of the sun coming in through the windows. "And you," she added. "I mean, you know that, but…"

"But you just had to say it again." Willow knew exactly how she felt. "Me too. Both of you. With the love. And Xander, what you were saying before…The truth is, I'm happy doing anything as long as it's with you," she finished, looking at Tara and Xander in turn.

"I'm glad," Xander said, and Willow knew he spoke for all of them. Their position on the couch was a little cramped, but none of them wanted to move, so they just laid together for a moment, each of them thinking over this new development and what it meant for them.

Finally, Tara stirred. "I'd better get dinner started," she said, rolling over and pushing herself off the couch. Willow and Xander disentangled themselves, sitting up as Tara turned back to look at them.

"But afterward…if we're going to be looking for something to do, how about we go up to the roof?" Tara said. "It looks like it'll be clear tonight, so we can look at the stars…And we can talk."

"Sure," she said. "I think that's a great idea, sweetie." She smiled at Tara, who returned the gesture warmly.

"Great!" she said, and turned and headed for the kitchen. Xander stood up, pulling Willow gently to her feet, and walked after Tara. He sat down at the kitchen table, motioning for Willow to take her usual place next to him so Tara could participate in their conversation and they could help her if she needed anything.

Tara looked up as the sounds from the kitchen ceased, and she smiled as Xander and Willow walked into the living room a moment later. They'd offered to clean up after dinner, and when Tara had tried to help, Willow had shooed her into the living room and told her to sit down and relax. Xander had said that cleaning up was the least they could do after she'd done all the cooking, and Tara supposed he was right, but even so, she still thought it was a nice gesture.

They approached the couch together and sat down on either side of her. "Thanks for dinner, honey," Willow said, taking her hand and smiling at her. "It was delicious."

"Yeah, it was," Xander agreed, resting a hand on her shoulder and rubbing it softly. "That was really good stir-fry. I even liked all the vegetables. Who knew that food that's good for you could also be so tasty?" he finished, grinning.

Willow giggled. "Xander's a big red meat fan," she explained. "He really likes steak, to give just one example."

"Well, we can have steak every once in a while," Tara said. "It's just, you know, I try to cook things that are good and healthy. But I hope you don't think I'm trying to make you…"

"No! No, not at all," Xander said emphatically, cutting her off with a shake of his head. "Tara, I've loved everything you've made for us. I don't think you've made a bad meal yet, and remember, I've been having most of my dinners here for the past couple of months." He chuckled, giving her shoulder a squeeze. "I'll eat almost anything if you can make it taste as good as you always do."

"That goes for me too, sweetie," Willow said. "I mean, part of me feels kinda guilty that you're always the one who cooks, but on the other hand…My tummy really doesn't want you to stop."

Tara laughed. "Well, don't worry. I like cooking for you guys. It makes me happy when you like what I make."

She turned and glanced out the window, noting that it was almost completely dark out now – there was just a little bit of twilight left. "So let's go up to the roof," she said. "The stars should be out before too much longer."

Willow and Xander nodded, and the three of them stood up off the couch together. They went into the bedroom and put on sweaters, and Tara retrieved a sleeping bag and a couple of large pillows from the hall closet, stepping aside as Willow reached past her for a blanket. Xander stepped into their second bedroom and opened the trunk they kept just inside the door, taking out a couple of stakes and tucking them into his socks. He then fished out a few crosses and two more stakes before closing the trunk and rejoining them.

"I doubt we'll really have to worry about vampires on the roof," he said, handing her and Willow each a cross and a stake, "but better safe than sorry."

Tara nodded. As quiet as it'd been lately, this was still Sunnydale, and you couldn't be too careful. Although she wasn't quite sure what she'd do with the stake, if it came to that – she was fairly certain that she'd be pretty much useless in physical combat. Still, Tara supposed it couldn't hurt to have it just in case, so she tucked the stake under one of the pillows as they walked over to their front door.

They exited into the hallway of their apartment building, Willow closing and locking the door behind them. Making their way to the stairs, they climbed the last flight up from their floor to a small landing at the top. Xander opened the door there and they walked out on to the roof of their apartment building.

It was still fairly warm outside, though Tara knew that it would cool down very quickly now that the sun had set. Their building's roof was flat and completely featureless except for a central air conditioning unit and the door they'd just come out of, but the view all around her was a much more interesting sight.

Sunnydale was a fairly small town, at least by coastal California standards, but the array of lights stretched out before her was still rather impressive. She stepped over to the east side of the building and looked out over the edge. She could see the UC Sunnydale campus from here, the large building that housed the library being particularly standout, and her gaze traveled over the grounds, looking over all the familiar buildings and the paths and spaces between them.

Tara smiled as Xander stepped up and embraced her from behind. She leaned back against him slightly as Willow walked up to stand beside her.

"Right here's probably a pretty good place, isn't it?" Willow said. Tara glanced around her and nodded – this spot would do fine.

Xander released her and took the pillows from her arms, and Tara opened the sleeping bag completely, spreading it out on the roof like a blanket. After Xander set the pillows down, she laid down in the middle of it, and Willow and Xander quickly settled in beside her. Willow unfolded the blanket she was carrying and, handing one end to Xander, covered them all with it.

Tara sighed in contentment as her girlfriend and her boyfriend – and boyfriend still made her insides flutter just a little at the newness of it – snuggled against her. She reached for their hands underneath the blanket, finding and clasping them, Willow's small and delicate, Xander's large and strong. She ran her fingers over theirs as they lay together in comfortable silence for a moment, looking up at the night sky and the stars above.

"I always liked to look at the stars," Willow said at length. "When I was little. A lot of people say the stars make them feel all insignificant, but…not me. They always made me feel like I was…part of something. Something great. I loved it."

"I remember," Xander said, and there was a fond smile on his face as he looked over at Willow. "You used to get so excited when I'd sleep over and we'd go out and look at the night sky. You'd tell me what all the constellations were called, but I could never remember most of the names," he finished with a chuckle.

"I could remember them," Tara said, "but they never made sense to me. So I…sort of made up my own."

"Tell us." Willow's reply was soft, but earnest, and Tara flashed her a quick smile before turning her attention back to the sky.

She released their hands and lifted her arms from under the blanket. Xander and Willow followed with their eyes as she raised one hand and pointed to a cluster of stars. "See that one? 'Moose getting a sponge bath.'"

Willow and Xander both laughed, but without a hint of mockery. There was nothing but genuine happiness in the sound, and Tara closed her eyes briefly and let it wash over her, delighted at their reaction.

In anyone else's company, she would have been afraid to admit to one of her quirks like that. But she'd known that Willow and Xander wouldn't laugh at her, or make fun of her over it. She loved them, and she trusted them, and she knew that they'd never put her down or make her feel like less than she was. It was so completely different from the way that her father, her brother, and the rest of her family had treated her, and it was the most incredible, wonderful feeling. Like finally waking up after a long nightmare that seemed like it would never end and finding a world full of light and happiness and love.

"Tara, that's great," Xander said, still chuckling. "I love it. Tell us some more."

"Well, there," she said, pointing at a different constellation. "That's 'The pile of marbles.' And there? 'Little boy playing pick-up sticks.'"

"Well, that's hard to say," Tara replied, grinning. "It's not like there's a scorekeeper up there too. Although those stars there…" she pointed toward the horizon and a few distant, dim specks of light, "kinda come close."

"Hmm…I don't know about that," Xander said with exaggerated skepticism. "I was on board with the moose getting the sponge bath, but this?"

"Okay…" Willow said slowly. She studied the various constellations above them for a moment. "There," she said, pointing toward the north. "That one. 'Tiger taking a math test.'"

"Well, best guess," Willow replied. "He's hunched over and he's really thinking."

"That one," Xander said, pointing at a different constellation. "'Penguin playing a guitar.'"

"Hey, that could be you," Willow said, turning to look at Xander. Tara glanced at her, puzzled, and she explained. "He used to skateboard a little, back in high school."

"Not much, though, and not for a long time now. I sold my skateboard at the beginning of our junior year. Figured I had enough excitement in my life," Xander said. "How about you?" he continued, grinning at Tara. "You ever do any skateboarding?"

"Oh God, I'd probably end up flat on my face," Tara replied. "I'm not very, um, athletic."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Willow said, a touch of mischief in her voice. "Some of the things you do when we're in bed…"

Tara's appropriately scandalized reply was forestalled when Willow leaned in and kissed her. Tara moaned softly into her girlfriend's mouth as their tongues met, the contact intense, almost electric. As soon as Willow moved back, Xander took her place, giving her another long, passionate kiss.

By the time they were finished with her, Tara had forgotten what she was going to say, so she just sighed happily and looked back up at the sky. They laid together in silence for a moment before Xander shifted next to her, turning onto his side and propping himself up on one arm, his gaze taking both her and Willow in.

"You don't want to look at the stars anymore?" Willow asked, glancing over at him.

Xander smiled. "Don't get me wrong, the stars are nice and all, but the view this way is much nicer."

Tara smiled back at him, blushing a little at the compliment. Beside her, Willow giggled, rolling on to her side and facing her as well.

"So Willow told me about her day," Xander said, looking down and meeting Tara's eyes, "but what about you? How was school?"

"I had a good day, actually," Tara said. "Classes were interesting, and lots of people smiled at me today, for some reason."

"For some reason," Xander deadpanned. He and Willow were both looking at her with laughter in their eyes, but Tara couldn't understand why.

"Why do you think all these people were smiling at you, honey?" Willow said in reply.

"Well, I was in a good mood, and I just figured it must have showed," Tara answered. What were they trying to get at?

"Uh-huh. And you don't think it has anything to do with the fact that you're gorgeous?" Xander said, the amused smile on his face mirrored on Willow's.

"That's right," Xander added, nodding, now completely serious himself. "Face it, Tara – you're really hot," he finished, smiling warmly at her.

At their words, Tara felt herself blushing again. The truth was, she'd never thought of herself as beautiful. There had always been some part of her that simply refused to ever believe it. And even now, even with two people who she loved and trusted telling her that she was, it was still hard for her to think of herself that way.

That didn't mean that she didn't love hearing it from Willow and Xander, though.

"Well, as long as you like the way I look, that's good enough for me," Tara said, still a little embarrassed, but also flush with happiness from the compliment they'd just given her. "That's all I need."

"Oh! And also, at school today," she continued, "in my Eastern History class, I learned something interesting."

Willow chuckled. "Okay, you can tell him about this if you want to, but don't say I didn't warn you," she said, smirking down at her.

"Tell me what? And why was there a warning?" Xander looked back and forth between them, confused.

"Well, today we were learning about feudal Japan," Tara explained. "And by the standards of that time period? Our relationship isn't that unusual. Back then, samurai would often have more than one wife."

"Hey, so this makes me a samurai? Cool!" Xander exclaimed, and Tara had to laugh at the exaggerated glee in his voice, and after a moment, Willow joined her.

"I didn't say that," Tara protested, still giggling, but Xander paid her no heed. He sat up, pulling himself into a cross-legged position, and stared down at her and Willow, flashing that goofy smile that Tara was really coming to love.

"Samurai Xander. I like the sound of that, don't you?" he said. "Hey, does this mean I get one of those cool katanas? I always wanted one of those."

"Xander, there was more to being a samurai than just fighting," Willow said, but her attempt at admonishment was ruined by the obvious amusement in her voice. "They had to live by a very strict code of honor."

"Hey, I could do that," Xander said with a grin and an easy shrug. "I'm a very honorable guy."

"Yeah, but Xander, one of the things the samurai code called for was frugality," said Tara. "You know, simple living. Just the bare essentials."

"Aw, that's too bad," Xander said. "I was just about to suggest that we get cable, but I guess that's out now." He paused for a moment, thinking. "But we can still get over-the-air channels, right? That's frugal, by today's standards."

Tara chuckled. "I don't think so," she declared with a shake of her head. "I think, if you want to live the life of a samurai, it means no TV at all."

"No TV? Man, those samurai had it rough," Xander joked, bringing another round of laughter from Tara and Willow. "Hmm. Maybe it's not the life for me after all."

Willow sat up and rested a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Xander," she said fondly. "We love you anyway."

"That's right," Tara agreed, sitting up as well. She took his hand, ducking her head a little, but still meeting his eyes as she continued. "Xander…Today when we were walking home from school, we were talking about you…And Willow called you our boyfriend."

Next to her, Willow nodded, smiling warmly even as Xander blinked, taking in what she'd just said. Several seconds passed in silence as he looked back and forth between them, uncertainty evident in his expression. Tara stroked his palm with her thumb in what she hoped was a reassuring gesture, and Willow rubbed his shoulder softly, finally bringing a smile to his face.

"Wow," he said. "This is just…It's hard to believe that a week ago, we were just friends. I mean, close friends, really good friends, but…And now I'm…" He trailed off, shaking his head slowly.

"So I guess this makes you…my girls?" he asked hopefully, looking up at them again with a nervous smile.

"We want to be," Willow said softly, and Tara nodded, letting him know that she was speaking for both of them. "I mean, Tara's my girl too, and I'm hers, so, you know, lots of girliness all around, but…yeah."

Xander's expression suddenly turned serious again. "You guys show know that I don't have the best track record where relationships are concerned," he said. "But I promise you that I'll do my best here. I do not want to screw this up, so I'll do absolutely everything I can to make this work."

The sincerity in his voice made Tara smile, and she and Willow leaned in and hugged him tightly. Xander wrapped his arms around them and they held the embrace for a long moment. Tara closed her eyes and savored the feeling of Willow and Xander against her, the warmth of their bodies keeping away the chill of the night air.

Finally, they separated just enough to lay down again under the blanket, snuggling against each other. They laid together for the next couple of hours, watching the stars a bit, but mostly watching each other as they talked and laughed quietly. And when they finally went inside and went to bed, Tara's last thought before she drifted off to sleep was that even though it had only been a week, this thing, this relationship – being with Willow and Xander – already felt more right than anything else in her life ever had.

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Soul Mates: A Week in the Life

by Ravenhawk

Copyright © 2006

ravenhawk450@gmail.com