Title: Real Friends
Author: Paradox761
Email: Paradox761@mail.com
Website: members.tripod.com/~Paradox761
Disclaimer: Joss and co. own all things Buffy, no copyright infringement is intended so please don’t sue. I don’t have any money anyway.
Summery: Post “Superstar”, Xander confronts Buffy about the way she’s been treating him lately. Buffy denies it of course, but when Willow takes Xander’s side she’s forced to do some series thinking about her friends. Also, things heat up in the romance department for Xander and Anya, as well as for Willow and Tara. Can Xander, Willow and Buffy make it through all this and still come out friends on the other side?
Spoilers and such: General spoilers for season four, specifically for “Superstar”. Also, this is my first attempt at a Xander/Anya, so please be gentle. I’m of the mindset that Anya is different when she and Xander are alone, so you might find her characterization off a little bit. It’s all a matter of perspective. Also, this story was written before “New Moon Rising”, which kind of makes it a moot point as far as W/T, but I don’t think TPTB have been very far with the relationship as far as showing how they fell in love. Consider this an alternative explanation.
Also, acknowledgments and thanks have to go to the denizens of alt.tv.buffy-v-slayer. This story was inspired by the discussion threads that sprung up around “Superstar”. I’d like to thank you all by name, but I don’t have that kind of time here.
(BtVS, Xander/Anya, Willow/Tara, NC-17)

(7/9)

Willow entered her dorm room to find that Buffy still hadn’t been there. She wasn’t too worried, she knew that Buffy was probably staying with Riley, but she was worried about what her scarcity meant. Whether or not she was thinking about what had happened, or maybe she had just decided that she didn’t want to be their friend anymore. ‘No,’ Willow told herself. ‘That’s silly, Buffy’ll always be our friend.’ She set her bag down next to her desk and was about to get changed when someone knocked on the door. She crossed the room and opened it to reveal Xander and Anya. “Xander!” she said happily.

“Hey Wills,” Xander said. “How goes it?”

“Still no word from Buffy, come in. Hey Anya.”

“Hey Willow.”

“Listen, Wills. Anya told me that you stood up to Buffy and defended me. I just wanted to say thanks, that took guts.”

“Oh, I’m just sorry I didn’t do it sooner Xander. I really am sorry about what happened.” She reached over and hugged Xander, who returned the friendly gesture.

“It’s okay Willow, but thanks.”

“So, sit down guys. What’s up?” Willow said as the hug broke. “Enjoying the wonders of post-‘I Love you’ life? On second thought, I don’t want to know.”

They all laughed. Willow sat down on the foot of her bed. Xander sat next to her and Anya sat on the desk chair opposite them. “Actually Willow, there’s something else that we wanted to talk to you about,” Xander said.

“Oh, what’s that?”

“Well…um, that is…how’s Tara?”

Willow was slightly confused by how uncomfortable Xander seemed, but she answered. “She’s fine, why do you ask?”

“I’m just happy that you’re happy again,” Xander said. “You know, after everything that happened with Oz. She’s really great, I just wanted to let you know that I thought so.”

“Oh, yeah. She is great, she’s a great friend. She’s smart and sweet, plus she’s like a real bad-ass Wicca. We did this spell the other night…” Willow trailed off, she knew that Xander and the others weren’t too crazy about her doing spells after the disaster with the thy-will-be-done spell she had cast. “Um, thanks, I’m glad you like her.”

“Yeah, she’s um…great.”

“Oh for crying out loud,” Anya moaned. “It’s a wonder the two of you say anything at all to each other. Willow,” she said turning her attention to the redhead. “Tara’s in love with you, and we think that you’re starting to fall for her too.”

“What?” Willow said. She was trying to sound shocked, but it just didn’t come out right. “No, we’re friends, that’s all. I mean, I’m not…I mean, I know that my vampy self from that other universe was…well, you know, but I’m not…” she trailed off.

“Willow, think about it,” Xander said. “Don’t think about your vampy self, don’t think about Oz, don’t think about society and what’s normal and what’s not, just think about Tara. Do you find yourself smiling for no reason whenever you’re around her?”

“Do you think about her a lot whenever you’re not around her?” Anya asked.

“Do you find yourself looking for reasons to touch her? Brushing a lock of hair off her face?”

“Picking a piece of lint off her sweater?”

“Holding hands for no reason other then that you want to touch her?”

“Come on Willow,” Anya said. “You hang out every night, you walk her home, you hold hands and make googily eyes at each other, you’re practically already dating.”

“All right, I get the point,” Willow said as she stood up and started pacing.

“There’s nothing wrong with it Willow,” Xander said. “You’re allowed to have feelings for someone again.”

“This can’t be happening,” Willow said. “I’m not gay.”

“Love doesn’t know anything about gay or straight Willow,” Anya said. “It doesn’t care about race or religion or gender. The heart wants what the heart wants.”

“Do I love her?” Willow asked herself. “What if I do? What are my parents going to say? What are my friends going to say?” It was clear that Willow had had these thoughts before, but this was the first time she had vocalized them. She was afraid.

“Well, I can’t speak for everyone Willow, but I’ll tell you the same thing you told me. I’m happy for you. And anyone worth having as a friend will be happy for you.”

Willow allowed herself a smile as she looked down at her friend. “What do I do?” she asked.

“First, you have to ask yourself how you really feel,” Anya said. “I mean, deep down, way deep inside in the bottom of your heart, you have to dig in and figure out how you feel about her.”

Willow nodded. “Then what?”

“Then you tell her,” Xander said.




Next Chapter