Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“C’mon, baby!” Willow straightened her skirt for the thousandth time and reached her right hand up to bite down on her pinky nail. She tapped the fingers of her left hand on the table top beside her. “I don’t want to be late! It’s her first gig with this new band.”

“I know sweetheart,” Tara cooed quietly. “I’m just wrapping this last gift up, okay?”

“Okay,” Willow cleared her throat anxiously. “Did you get that little model of the black guitar? And the painting of the wolf howling at the full moon? Did we remember to pick up the book on Shamanism? And I--” She stood up so abruptly the chair she had been sitting on almost fell backwards. “Oh no! I forgot the album! I was supposed to get it at the record store after class and I--”.

“Shh,” Tara broke in softly, before Willow could work herself up to an anxiety attack. “It’s all here. Well, except for the big thing. I think we should probably leave that in the kitchen until we get back. But I’m about to put the bow on the album right now. Don’t worry.”

“Okay,” Willow repeated, heaving a sigh. She sat back down and put her nail back into her mouth.

“All done.” Tara walked into the room and set the last bundle covered in wrapping paper onto the pile of gifts on the coffee table. She walked over and gently removed Willow’s hand from her mouth, and gave her a soothing kiss. “Why so anxious, sweetie?”

Willow shrugged. “I dunno. Just worried about being a good girlfriend, I guess. I mean, it’s her first time performing in over a month, and it’s her birthday.”

Tara smiled gently. “You are a very good, very caring girlfriend. I should know.”

“Really?” Willow looked up at Tara with shining eyes.

“Yes. And Oz will love everything. I promise.” Tara whispered. “And...I made her something while you were in class.” She shyly held up a card made on thick paper, with a drawing of two witches, one with red hair and one with brown, each with one arm around a large red wolf that sat between them, and the other arm stretched up to a full moon, with little twinkly stars coming out of their fingertips and settling in the sky next to the moon. “It’s us.”

“Oh, Tara,” Willow breathed, “It’s beautiful. She’ll love it.”

Tara blushed slightly. “Okay, let’s hurry up and write in it before we really have to leave.”

*

Willow settled into a couch at the Bronze. She leaned into Tara’s side and put her head back on the arm Tara had wrapped around her. She watched Oz on stage and let the music they were playing relax her, until she almost felt sleepy. Every few minutes Oz would glance over at the two witches, as she deftly played guitar with her black nail-polished fingers, and give them a small smile. Willow felt warmth in her chest every time. She smiled at her girlfriend on stage, and cuddled with her girlfriend by her side, and she felt happy and whole.

*

They had returned home and were settled on their large bed, in the middle of gift giving. Willow had her arms around Oz, and Tara lay with her head in Willow’s lap.

“Congratulations, honey. The show was great. Your playing is amazing.” Tara ran her fingers through Oz’s short, ginger (for the moment) hair.

“Thanks, Tar” Oz smiled as she bobbed her head to the album she had just opened. “I made a deal with some pretty nefarious-type demons last night, so…” she crossed her fingers.

Tara laughed and Willow shook her head. “You would never have to do that, baby! The talent’s all your own.” She smiled and nuzzled her head into Oz’s neck. “Okay, now open this one!” Willow handed Oz the wolf painting with Tara’s card tucked on top.

Oz ripped the paper off and stared, speechless for a second. “Wow...this is so beautiful. Both of them. But especially this one,” she held up Tara’s painting, “because...you did it...it came from the heart.” She leaned over and gave Tara a soft kiss. “Thank you. Both of you.” She turned her head to give Willow the same treatment.

Tara struggled as she tried to sit up. “Oof. Okay. We have one last thing for you.”

Oz glanced at her. “Really? This is too much...you guys didn’t have to...”.

Willow waved her hand. “Nope. We want to spoil our girlfriend on her birthday and you have to let us!”

Oz nodded as Tara walked forward and opened the kitchen door.

Something—a blur—speed out of the kitchen and leaped onto the bed, and started licking Oz’s face.

“Wha…?” She said as she struggled to hold the wriggly ball. “What is it?” She glanced down at its face and saw…

“A baby wolf!” Willow smiled so wide she looked slightly insane. “We figured Miss Kitty Fantastico needed a friend. And we thought...wolf...you...” she pointed at Oz. “We thought you guys might get along.”

Oz was grinning. “Wow. I love him. Look at this cute lil face.” She rubbed her nose on the baby wolf’s nose, and made a growling noise that the wolf responded to. “But how are we going to keep him when he gets fully grown?”

“He’s a miniature wolf,” Tara spoke up. “At first we didn’t want to get him ‘cause we don’t want to encourage inbreeding, but he was going to be abandoned so we snatched him up.” She sat back down on the bed and let the wolf sniff her hand. “Isn’t he sweet?”

Oz was too distracted to respond, and Tara smiled fondly.

*

That night their bed was rather full, with not just the three girlfriends but a kitten and a baby wolf as well. And they wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Chapter Text

“No, we can’t! We told Mister Giles we’d be observing the vampires only tonight. Recon. No fighting.”

Faith scoffed. “And what happens if one of those vamps takes a nice, juicy bite outta some innocent civilian tonight, huh? How’s Miss Goody Two Shoes gonna feel then?”

Kendra narrowed her eyes. “I will not care. Every day many humans will lose their lives to vampires all over the world. It is unfortunate, but it is not possible for us to stop them all. What is more important is for us to learn the mission of dis specific group. Did your watcher not teach ya well?”

Faith scowled. “Whatever. I’m not gonna sit around on my ass waiting when I could be doing something. To help people. You know, like we’re supposed to?” She turned around and jumped straight into the sewer drain.

“Faith!” Buffy called out, but it was too late. “Ugh,” she growled under her breath. “She’s so dumb.” But she turned to Kendra with flushed cheeks and a shy smile. “Okay, um, I’m gonna follow her. To...make sure she’s okay and stuff.” She rolled her eyes. “She just has to rush off on her own. Dummy. So...will you come with? I could use your help.”

Kendra folded her arms and looked away pointedly.

“Okay, fine. Just wait here then. I’ll bring her back.” Buffy slipped down the drain in pursuit of Faith.

Kendra gritted her teeth. “Imbeciles.” But she followed the two other slayers into the underground tunnel.

She walked for a few minutes until she reached the spot where Buffy and Faith were fighting roughly ten or more vampires. She threw herself into the fray, and the three slayers worked as one. Each of their short comings was made up by another, and no enemy could defeat them when they worked as a team.

Faith finished off the last vampire with a vicious kick that knocked his head clean off, and she bent over her knees panting, and grinned. “That was wicked cool. Bet you’re both glad you came with me now.”

Buffy smiled, breathing hard as well. “It didn’t suck.”

“You’re both going ta die.” Kendra pointed at Faith. “Especially you. You’re lucky one of us has a brain.”

“Oh yeah? Well you don’t seem to be doing much to stop us. Guess we’ve already corrupted you, right B?”

Buffy giggled. “Not yet. Look at her face.” She gestured at Kendra’s glower. “It’ll be a while before we get to the corrupty-ness.”

When Kendra’s frown deepened, Buffy became serious. “Kendra’s just trying to keep us alive. And a lot of her ideas are good ones.” She walked over to Kendra and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “We were just kidding. We appreciate it, right Faith?”

“Yeah, sure. Still, you might wanna try to get that stick outta your ass if you ever want to move into the modern world, K. The boys don’t like girls who are so uptight, if you know what I mean.”

Kendra sniffed. “As if I would care. I do not do anything for boys. I do not like them.”

Faith grinned suggestively, her eyes twinkling. “Well I’m right there with you on that.”

Kendra smiled. “Interesting.” They both turned to look at Buffy.

“Well, I—I, um, I think boys are...okay.” She hurried on when both brunettes rolled their eyes. “But not right now! I mean, um, they’re...a lot of work...usually not worth it...kind of cute, but...” she paused and took a breath, collecting her thoughts. “Why have boys when you could have two hot girls?”

Faith clapped her hands together. “Damn B, that’s what I’m talking about!” She strode forward and pushed Buffy up against the damp sewer wall, kissing her fiercely. They lost track of the minutes until Kendra cleared her throat.

Faith wiped her mouth and turned around. “So, K? You in?”

Kendra crossed her arms. “Well...okay. An arrangement such as this could prove interesting. But there will have to be rules! Like… No messing around when we’re supposed ta be slaying. And no messing around when we’re supposed ta be training. And no messing around when we’re supposed ta be studying.”

“Wow, I never thought someone would be able to take the fun out of a three-way,” Faith mumbled under her breath.

“We are still slayers, after all. We have a responsibility.” Kendra said, nose in the air.

“Fine, fine. I dunno if me and B will be able to keep that promise,” she winked at Buffy, who blushed. “But you’re off the hook. Now what say you both we head back to my hotel for a little...” she trailed off, wiggling her eyebrows.

The three girls linked arms and headed out of the sewer at a speed faster than usual.