439 - Cabaret - Shanshu - Dragon's Phoenix - BtVS

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Title: Last Night
Fandom: BtVS
Prompt: 439 - Cabaret
Rating: PG? Maybe?
Summary: Part 8 of Shanshu
Word Count: 646

There was a phone, its receiver heavy in her hand. Willow placed it down on the phone carefully, very gently, as she stared through the window. Water roiled in the river below her, turgid under the drab morning light. Allegheny, Monongahela, or Ohio. There were three rivers but she could only see one. She never could tell them apart.

“By whose round firm tits? Should I be jealous?”

Willow turned back to the room, combination bedroom and living space like pretty much any hotel room she'd ever been in. She turned back to the bed and to the woman on it. Dianne, her name was Dianne, from the Cabaret at Theater Square. The coven's Seer had insisted Willow use the ticket, saying something about needing to relax. Willow had relaxed all right, into skin as warm as a Caffè Mocha and lips as sweet as sin. “Ishtar. She's a Babylonian goddess, so no jealousy required. It's unlikely I'll ever meet her.”

Although given the way Willow's life went, who was to say whom Willow would or wouldn't meet? But she wasn't going to meet anyone if the whole world went boom.

“Spike's human? What was he before?”

Why'd she always pick smart ones? Oh, wait, she knew that, because the dumb ones didn't figure out the wham, bam, thank you ma'am until Willow was just this side of scarping out the door. “You aren't upset I said you're a gymnast?”

Dianne rose from the bed, wrapped her arms around Willow and there was skin, warm, and brushing against skin, and her lips were still as sweet. The kiss lasted for only a moment but Dianne pulled only an fraction of an inch away. “Granted that was back in high-school and I am wondering how young, innocent perhaps, your friend thinks I am, but why do you think I kept up with it, yoga instructor by day and contortionist by night?”

“Because it's a crowd pleaser?”

Dianne grinned, brushing her lips against Willow lightly. It felt like feathers brushing against feathers. “That it is and you're quite a crowd to please.”

Oh Goddess, Willow wanted nothing more than to drown in those soft touches but, well, Spike was human.

“You're not coming back to bed, are you?”

Willow glanced at the clock. It wasn't quite nine but that meant she'd already missed at least a couple of flights out. “I wish I didn't, but I do have to go.”

“Because Spike's human.”

Willow stepped out of the embrace. “You probably shouldn't think too hard about that.”

“You're not coming back, here I mean, to me.” It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

Willow froze. “I …” I thought you knew. Last night, I thought you'd realized. “I might. Something might draw me back. I mean, I did come here in the first place.” Pittsburgh had one of the most active and powerful covens in the U. S. She might need their help again. If Xander was right about Spike, she might need them soon.

Dianne grinned but it was a sad, lopsided smile. “I know. And after Bre … after my-ex I sure as hell am not ready for long-term but something about you makes me wish I was ready.”

“I, uh.” Willow ducked her head. “Thank you.” She couldn't say it back. As much as she'd enjoyed last night, it wasn't true and when you used magic it was pretty important to stick to the truth.

Dianne's hand under her chin raised Willow's head until they were face to face. “Right, I just wanted to let you know …” Her lips against Willow's were as sweet as they had been the night before. “So, go on then. Spike's human. Might be important.”

An image of Hell come to Earth flashed through Willow's mind. Dianne was lucky she had no idea how important it might be.