465 - Flashback - Obsession - Dragon's Phoenix - BtVS

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Title: Obsession (scene from second chapter)
Fandom: BtVS
Prompt: 465 - flashback
Rating: PG
Word Count: 609

Willow found Buffy sort of outside of school, with lockers to one side and the open area where they hung out for lunch on the other. She was standing there by herself holding her purse strap in both hands which was, yeah, sort of odd but Willow was on a mission and wasn't going to let herself be waylaid. “So, um, Buffy, I was thinking. You know how Angel's been back almost a week now and I'm feeding him, or bringing him blood I should say, which is working out find and all but, well, don't you think it's time we told Giles?”

“I'm not going to tell Giles. We're not telling anyone.”

“But, well, I know Angel was all grr and all when he was Angelus and he was evil, but he's Angel again and Angel helped us, fight evil that is. I mean, yeah, he's still weak, but he had this ear to the ground thing going on and he knew stuff before Giles did even.”

“People wouldn't understand, Will. They wouldn't see that he's getting.” Buffy paused and took a deep breath. “Better.”

“But he is better. I could, you know, back you up when you explained it.”

Buffy shook her head. “No. All Giles would need is one flashback to Miss Calendar's death and he'd be in the mansion with flaming crossbows.”

Willow couldn't help but notice that Buffy had used the passive voice, saying 'Miss Calendar's death' rather than wording it to acknowledge that Angelus had killed her. “Oh, I just thought that I could explain how we'd talked and everyone would accept that Angel is Angel now and not all Angelusey.”

“Angel talked to you?”

Oh, God, Buffy looked stricken. Well, she'd been looking sort of down all along and Willow was such a terrible friend for not noticing. “Um, no, or, well, yes, but not talked talked. I mean we talked but not as in would you like to get coffee talked. I mean, really, we hardly talked at all.”

Buffy sobbed. It was a short, harsh sound sort of rough even, but at least there was nobody else around which probably meant, oh God, they were missing class but Willow couldn't leave Buffy alone when she was all upset like this.

“Buffy?” Willow patted at her shoulder, very lightly in case she didn't want to be touched. “Really, we hardly talked at all. He explained that when vampires eat they call it feeding and that was pretty much all there was too it.” But he thanked me. She wasn't about to share that. It didn't seem like something Buffy would want to hear right now.

“It's Scott.”

“Huh? What's wrong with Scott?”

“He dumped me.”

“What? But Buffy, that doesn't even make any sense. Just last night he invited you to Homecoming and, okay, if you just broke up you probably don't want to be reminded of that. But why? What did he say?”

“Something about me being distracted and not lively anymore.”

“Well, I guess you have been distracted, what with Angel back and all, but that's hardly your fault. I mean, that's awfully distracting although I guess Scott wouldn't know about it so he wouldn't know why you're distracted. Not that you are, overly distracted that is. You know what? If Scott can't appreciate how very lively you are, then he doesn't deserve you.”

“Thanks, Willow. We should get to class.”

Buffy didn't sound all that happy but they were already late for class. “Um, yeah. You sure you're going to be okay?”

“Yeah, I'll get through it.”

Looks like telling Giles about Angel's being back had been tabled.