Chapter Text
Walk me home
I don't want to go all the way alone
Baby won't you walk with me home
Baby won't you take my hand
Come with me now to a special land
Baby won't you walk with me home
Mandy Moore - Walk Me Home
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Buffy couldn't help but smile as she watched Marty slip his coat on. She couldn’t believe they were finally on the same page. He caught her looking and quirked his lips in amusement, "What?"
Buffy smiled wider not caring she got caught and shook her head, "Nothing. I'm just really happy right now."
"Me too," he said, grin matching hers. God, he was cute, she thought. Marty reached out and gave her hand and quick squeeze. "Any chance I could walk you home?"
Buffy hesitated, "I promised to hang back for a bit to say bye Andi, Cyrus and Jonah... Any chance you don't mind waiting for me?"
Marty scrunched his face, as if he was weighing his options, "I have to wait? I mean... I guess I could do that..."
Buffy fake glared and gently punched him in the shoulder. Marty just laughed and caught her wrist and pulled her in for a hug. Buffy sighed as he put his arms around her. This was really nice; he was warm and smelled really good. Why was she staying again? Buffy was about to say 'Screw it!', grab her coat and head out right then and there. But before she could, Marty pulled away and gestured to the door. "I'll wait for you on the porch."
Buffy nodded and headed to the backyard to join her friends.
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Marty blew on his hands and rubbed them together to keep warm. The sky was clear. It was even colder than earlier. He regretted not waiting inside, but it would have been weird to go back in; Cece had already started cleaning up. He wished he remembered to bring gloves, he originally made plans to get picked up and he hadn't been expecting to walk.. but things change, he thought smiling to himself.
Marty [9:48 PM] Is there anyway I can stay out a little past curfew? Please. I want to walk Buffy home.
Mom [9:49 PM] Yes, but if you're not home by 10:45 I will come find you in my pajamas and slippers. Remember, I know where she lives.
Marty [9:49 PM] Thanks! Love you!
Mom [9:50 PM] Love you, too.
Mom [9:50 PM] So Buffy, huh?
Mom [9:52 PM] Are you two together?
Mom [9:54 PM] I mean together as in a couple?
Mom [9:55 PM] I can revoke your extra curfew time if you don't answer.
Marty [9:55 PM] MOM!
Marty [9:55 PM] This is all new, so just chill.
Mom [9:56 PM] Please, I am your mother. I have no chill.
Mom [9:57 PM] Fine. I will be patient, but only because your father is making me.
Marty [9:57 PM] Thank you. And thank you to dad. See you in a bit.
Marty shook his head in amusement and tucked his phone into his pocket. He started replaying the night in his mind, the dancing, the singing, the bantering- or rather banter free conversation, and then-
"You waiting for a ride or something?"
Marty nearly jumped out of his skin. "Jeez," he turned in the direction of the voice. He could barely make out that it was TJ standing in the shadows of the porch. "You scared me."
"Sorry man," TJ said and stepped into the light. "You waiting for a ride or something?" he asked again.
"Or something," Marty replied. He tried to keep the confusion off of his face, they've shared five classes together in three years and this was the first time TJ has ever acknowledged his existence. "You waiting for a ride?"
TJ shrugged, "Or something." He licked his lips, "You look familiar, you play ball at Monroe?" TJ was trying to play it cool, but Marty could feel a nervous air about him- one Marty didn't normally associate with the basketball team captain.
Marty shook his head, "No, I go to Jefferson. I tried out last year, but I run. Mostly, cross country and track." And we have American history together , he added mentally.
"Cool," TJ nodded. Marty nodded back unsure what else to do. Great, another awkward conversation...
"So..."
"So..."
Marty groaned internally this was going nowhere fast.
"Hey," Cyrus said from behind TJ, poking him in the side. Marty missed Cyrus walking up completely. Cyrus looked over and saw Marty."Uh, hey- hey you ," he sputtered.
"Hey," Marty had spent enough time with him to know Cyrus could be quirky, but ' Hey you ?' That seemed out of character. "You heading out?"
Cyrus and TJ exchanged a look. "Um, yeah..."
Okay seriously, what was going on? He knew from what Buffy told him that Cyrus and TJ were friends - close enough to plan a costume together... but the current vibe was awkward.
The front door opened. "Hey!" Oh Buffy, thank god .
The three boys echoed her greeting and the four of them stood in an uneasy silence on the porch. Marty was pretty sure Buffy and Cyrus were having some sort of non verbal communication. He definitely was missing something.
After what seemed like ages, Buffy finally turned to Marty, "Ready?" He nodded.
Buffy hugged Cyrus and TJ goodbye and Cyrus gave Marty a fist bump. "See you, Marty."
"Wait, you're Marty?" TJ looked to Marty for confirmation, and he nodded. "Marty from the party?" Marty nodded again, slower this time. How did he know about that joke? "Ohhh..."
Buffy rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Guys are so slow on the up take sometimes. See you tomorrow." Buffy nodded towards the street and she and Marty headed down the stairs.
As they got to the gate, Marty reached out to grab Buffy's hand but was stopped by a voice behind them.
"Wait!" They turned back towards the house, Cyrus had followed them, TJ lingered behind him, looking like an enforcer or protector. "I need to say something."
"Cyrus, are you sure?" Buffy looked concerned. Clearly she had an idea what Cyrus wanted to say.
"I'm sure, in case I see you tomorrow, I want to say this now and not then," he took a breath, looking Marty in the eye. "I'm gay." TJ put his hand on Cyrus' shoulder, in what Marty guessed was part solidarity and part ready to step in if the conversation soured.
Suddenly, things began to click into place. There were things Buffy had said, or deliberately not said about Cyrus... which confused him in the moment but were starting to make sense with this new information. She had been protecting Cyrus, keeping his secret. Marty nodded, "Oh, cool. Thanks for trusting me enough to share."
Buffy leaned in and gave Marty a side hug. He slipped an arm around her, keeping her there. She fit perfectly, he noted. He liked being allowed to be this close to her just because, there was no pretense of using the other as support.
"We're meeting up with Andi and Jonah at the Spoon tomorrow, do you want to come with us?" she asked looking up at him.
"Yeah, sounds great." Marty couldn't stop himself from smiling. He was just so happy. Buffy smiled widely back at him. It was nice not being the only one.
"You guys are still here? I thought everyone left." Another voice came from the dark behind them, the porch light was now off. Jonah appeared next to the group.
"We were just leaving," Cyrus said. TJ nodded.
"Oh okay, " Jonah smiled at everyone, oblivious to the tension in the air. "So, what's everyone talking about?"
Everyone looked at each other, no one sure what to say.
They were saved by an SUV pulling up next to the curb, "That's my ride. See you later!" As Jonah hopped in the car, his mom waved to the group.
"Hi Judy!" Buffy and Cyrus waved back.
Jonah was about to close the door, then stopped, "Anyone need a ride?"
They all shook their heads and Jonah and his mom drove away.
Marty checked the time, it was 10:09. "We should probably get going."
The four that remained said one final goodbye and headed their separate ways. Marty and Buffy went right, Cyrus and TJ to the left.
When Buffy's hand brushed against his, Marty took the opportunity to intertwine their fingers. Buffy smiled shyly and looked back behind them. Her smile grew wider and she leaned into Marty's side. Marty looked back to see what she was smiling about but it was too dark to really see anything but TJ and Cyrus' silhouettes walking away.
They walked in silence for a few blocks before Buffy spoke, "Can I ask you something?"
"Okay, fine. I admit it. At the time I thought the live frog thing would impress you." Marty joked. Buffy playfully knocked her shoulder into him.
"I'm serious." Her tone got Marty's attention, he stopped walking and turned to face her. Buffy’s face was solemn as she took a breath. "Um... The other week... when we… I mean, why did you say you didn't like me anymore?" she asked softly, not quite making eye contact.
Marty got a knot in the pit of his stomach, the same knot had appeared earlier that night when Buffy confessed her feelings and thought he didn't return the feelings. As soon as she told him how she felt, he knew he was going to have to answer this question at some point, he just didn't expect it to be now.
He sighed and looked at his feet feeling remorseful and embarrassed. "The truth? I had a few reasons. I thought I was protecting our friendship. I didn't want you to think I had some ulterior motive for becoming friends again. And if you knew I liked you, then you might have had a reason to avoid me again."
"You were the one who avoided me," she corrected him, a slight teasing tone had returned to her voice.
He ignored her slight crack, took both her hands in his and made eye contact with her. "Listen, I thought I was protecting our friendship, but I really was protecting my feelings which only hurt you instead. I'm so sorry for that. It was wrong, I shouldn't have lied."
Buffy smiled softly and squeezed his hands, "There's nothing to be sorry for. I think things had to happen the way they did for us to get here."
"Now can I ask you something?" She nodded. Marty licked his lips before continuing. "What changed your mind about us?"
Buffy hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Last year I wasn’t ready for a relationship. Seeing the drama that Andi and Cyrus had, I just didn’t want that… I don't know if I'd say I changed my mind exactly... I think I always liked you, I just didn't realize it.
“I had this idea in my head of what I thought it was to like someone, and you didn't really fit that idea. But then when I did meet someone who fit that idea, it wasn't what I thought it would be. It actually made me miss what I had with you, which is why I called you. It took me a while but I figured it out."
"And you said guys were slow to figure things out. I figured out how I felt ages ago," he teased.
Buffy narrowed her eyes at him and twisted one of his hands the wrong way.
"Ouch!" He laughed trying to free his hands. "Hey! I'm still very glad you figured it out."
"Me, too." Buffy sighed. "I don't know what I was thinking earlier. Banter free conversations just aren't us. Banter while being straight forward feels right."
Marty was pretty sure he had the goofiest smile on his face, but he couldn't help it. "I think so too." He put an arm around her shoulder and they set off again. He could get used to this. It was what he imagined all those months ago, and more.
"By the way, that was cool of you back there with Cyrus." Buffy looked up at him. "It means a lot to me that you accepted him for being who he is."
Marty shrugged it off, "It's not a big deal... I mean it's important because he was sharing something with me... but it's also not? Because it doesn't change my opinion of him at all. Does that make sense?" He had a cousin who was a few years older, who received a mixed reaction when she came out so he knew how important support was.
Buffy hugged his side and nodded. "Yes, it does."
Marty hesitated not sure if he should push for more information. "Why do you think he told me?"
"Well, Cyrus knows you're important to me and if we're hanging out more it's something you should know. And it didn't sound like he wanted to share at The Spoon."
"I get that." He paused again. "What about TJ? How does he fit into all of this? You told me about the somersault costume, so they must be close... But they were acting strange when I was waiting for you on the porch."
"I'm not sure..." she said carefully. "But I think Cyrus coming out to you plays a role in how TJ fits. I have a guess... but I'm not exactly sure... And it's not my story to tell so we'll have to wait."
"Makes sense." Marty knew that was all she could say. He wouldn't push the issue any further, so he changed the subject. “Also, how does TJ know my name?”
Buffy ducked her head in embarrassment, “I may have mentioned you one or two times?”
"Really?" Marty looked at Buffy slyly. "Is it because I’m… what was the word you used? Oh yes, important to you?"
Buffy scowled, "Don't flatter yourself."
"And you said we're going to hang out more?" His sly grin had turned into a full fledged smile with deep dimples.
"I could change my mind, you know." Buffy crossed her arms and huffed but she couldn't stop the smile from forming. "You're kind of annoying."
"Yeah, but you like me." He said in a sing-song voice as he gave her a squeeze. “Don’t worry, I like you, too." He murmured in her hair. Yes, he definitely could get used to this.
Buffy's house was only two blocks away, and he swore she was suddenly walking slower. "How's your foot doing?"
"It's good, hurts a lot less. I think it's getting better. I have a check up next week. Why do you ask?"
Marty smiled to himself, "Just wanted to check."
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As they walked up the front steps, Marty asked Buffy if she had to go inside right away.
Buffy shook her head and said she had a few minutes before curfew. But when she checked the time when they got to the door, it was already 10:30. “What? It normally takes me about ten minutes, fifteen minutes max. How did it take twenty minutes?”
Marty shrugged. He knew if he brought up walking slowly she would vehemently deny it.
“Oh well, it’s 10:30 and I’m home. Technically, I’m not breaking curfew.” Buffy said confidently. Marty nodded in agreement.
"So how was your day?" Marty teased.
"Oh fine, nothing special," she shrugged trying to have a neutral voice. "How was yours?"
He mimicked her casualness, "Nothing special." They both laughed. "I had a really great time tonight, Buffy."
"Me too."
"Yeah? Why’s that?” Marty asked.
Before she could reply, the porch lights began to flash off and on. When both looked at the front window the lights stayed on. Her dad was in the window pointing at an imaginary watch.
Buffy groaned and covered her face. "Oh my god. My dad is such a jerk."
Marty laughed and gave her arm a reassuring rub, "That's okay. My mom threatened to come find me in her pajamas and slippers if I miss curfew. So I should probably get going." Marty peeked at the window through his fringe of lashes. "I'd kiss you, but your dad is watching."
Buffy let out another groan and turned to the window, and tried to shoo her father away unsuccessfully. "Parents are the worst," she grumbled causing Marty to laugh again.
He stuck his hands in his pockets, "I'll see you tomorrow?"
Buffy smiled sadly, as if she was disappointed the night was over. “Tomorrow.”
She gave him one last wave before she closed the door. Right before the door closed, he heard her yell, “Dad!” and chuckled to himself. Even yelling at her dad was cute. Was there anything she did that wasn’t cute? He came up empty.
Man, he was in deep.
It was crazy to think about the time they met at Andi’s first party and where they were now. He thought she was cute then she definitely was still very cute now. And sure things would have been much simpler had they talked and been completely honest with each other from the very beginning. But Buffy was right, Marty wouldn’t change a thing if it meant not ending up here now.