~*~*~*~
Xander set his unopened present aside and moved up so he was sitting against the headboard. "Come here, Wills. I have to tell you a story of a little redheaded girl."
She frowned. "What?"
"Come here. Humor me."
Willow crawled up the bed to him, her eyes locked with his. His pupils dilated in lust as he watched her crawl towards him slowly, his thoughts running away with him. She was beautiful crawling towards him, as if she were stalking him. . .
He inwardly groaned, willing his semi-erection to go down. < Baseball. Spike and kinky stuff. Giles naked. Oh, yea. That did it. No more hard on. >
He pulled her in his arms and she settled against him, sitting between his legs. Her back was to his chest. He would hold her like this when they were children, and he would tell her incredible tales about Princes and Princesses, making the Prince always named Xander and the Princess always Willow. They would always cheer her up.
"There was once this beautiful Princess named Willow," he started.
Willow giggled, pushing away from him. "We aren't nine anymore, Xander," she said, turning her head to grin at him.
"No, we aren't. But I still think you need a good story. Don't make me spank you, Willow." His eyes widened slightly as the teasing they did as children took an entirely different connotation as adults.
Willow's heart stopped. She licked her lips softly and turned back against Xander, not saying a word. She didn't know what to say, what to think. She knew he was just playing around, but still. . .
It didn't stop her from wanting him.
"Anyway," he said, his voice huskier than normal. "There was this Princess named Willow. She was the most beautiful woman in all the land. She was kind and fair, and her people loved her dearly. Now Willow had to travel from WillowLand to a land far, far away, called XanderLand. She was scared, because she was going alone, but she had heard that Xander, the Prince there, was a kind man, and would treat her right, as long as he wasn't being an idiot as he was known to do."
Willow giggled, slapping his arm. "Xander!"
Xander chuckled, wrapping his arms around her. He rested his hands on her stomach, ignoring the feel of her warm body pressed against him.
"Anyway, so she goes to XanderLand. She walks along the streets as a normal person, not wanting the entire town to know she was a Princess. She wanted to know what people thought of her by herself.
"No one approached her. She was sad, thinking that she wasn't beautiful, wasn't special, wasn't anything more than just a girl. She felt upset that her entire kingdom would lie to her like that."
Xander ran his hands through her hair as he continued the story. "She went to a bar that night, completely depressed, wanting to drink herself into oblivion. She met a handsome man there, who was drinking himself. He asked to sit with her and they begin talking about how depressed the two of them were. As the night passed on, she turned to him and said, 'Oh, kind man, tell me, am I not attractive?' He replied, 'You are beautiful, milady.' She pouted, and asked, 'Then why don't they notice me? Why doesn't anyone notice?' The man laughed joyfully. 'Because, milady, you carry yourself with such grace, everyone will think that they are not good enough for you.
You are so perfect, no one believes that they can touch you.' "
Tears filled Willow's eyes and she started chewing on her bottom lip.
"Willow leaned forward and told him, 'I just want to share my night with someone.' The man laughed and said, 'I will be with you, milady. You are too good for me, but that doesn't mean that I can't pretend for one night that I'm perfect.' And so they went and had hot monkey sex all night long."
"Xander!" Willow shrieked, hitting his arm. He laughed, the chuckle vibrating through his body. She shuddered softly when his body moved against hers.
"So the next morning, they woke up and he watched her dress. 'You are beautiful, milady.' She turned to him, gushing. 'Last night was the best, you were such a stud!' "
"Xander. . ." Willow's voice was dangerous.
"Sorry," he laughed. "She turned to him and said, 'Thank you. My dear, I must confess, last night was wonderful, and I don't know if I want to let you go.' 'But I'm not good enough for you,' he said, sitting up. 'I think you are,' she whispered, sitting next to him. 'I don't even know your name, ' he whispered. 'Willow.' He was surprised. 'Princess Willow?' She studied him curiously. 'Yes. How do you know me?' 'I'm Prince Xander,' he replied." Xander brushed her hair away from her face. "Do you understand? You put off this vibe of. . .perfection. No one is good enough for you, Willow, and most men realize that."
She turned to him, her eyes filled with unshed tears. "Do they stay together?" she asked.
"What?"
"Princess Willow and Prince Xander. Do they stay together?"
Xander gulped, knowing that he could be fucking up a good thing by his next move. "I don't know yet," he whispered. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, part of him praying that she kissed him back, the other part waiting for the beating to come.
He was pleasantly surprised when she returned the kiss. It was a slow kiss, one of old love. She pulled away slowly, her eyes closed and tears falling on her cheeks. "We. . .can't," her voice cracked.
"Why, Willow?" he asked. "I'm not with anyone, you aren't with anyone. Why can't we be together? We always knew we would end up together when we were little, but life got in the way. Now everything can get back on track." < I love you, Willow, please don't deny me the chance. I never gave you one, and I'm sorry, but I'm willing. . . >
"No," she said, pushing out of his embrace. She got up and started pacing. "I'll get hurt again. I don't know how, but I will. I always get hurt when it involves you and me and my heart."
"I won't hurt you, I prom -"
Willow silenced him with a look. "Don't make a promise you can't keep." She sighed. "Just. . .go. Please? I need to unpack."
"Wills. . ."
"Xander, leave."
He stood up angrily. "You know, I am beginning to think that the vampire versions of ourselves are so much smarter than us."
She frowned. "Why?"
"Because when he got turned, he went and got her, and had her turned. He couldn't live without her by his side, and she wouldn't have had it any other way. And they will always be together. Forever."
"'Cept they are probably dust now," Willow said softly. "I'll call you later."
"Don't bother," he grumbled, walking out.
Willow stared at her door in shock. She didn't start crying until the door slammed downstairs.
She lay down and cried for what seemed like hours. She cried for her old friend Xander, and the new person he'd become. She cried for the love she felt for him, for the fear she felt of getting hurt again. She cried for the fact that he wanted her and she was too scared of him. She cried for a love she thought would never be realized.
The phone rang.
Willow sniffed and picked it up. "Hello?"
"Hey, Wills! Buff! How are ya?"
"Been better," she said sullenly.
"Why? What's wrong? Do you miss Italy?"
"No," Willow whispered. "I don't. Things are back to normal."
There was a frown in Buffy's voice. "What do you mean?"
"It's a long story." Willow turned and gasped slightly, seeing Xander's present. It had started to be opened, but he had set it aside to tell her the story of the Prince and Princess. She started sobbing.
"Wills?"
"Buffy. . ." she sobbed.
"I'll be there in a minute," Buffy said, hanging up. She rushed over to Willow's house and let herself in.
She found Willow sitting in the corner of her room, hugging her knees. She was sobbing on incoherently. "Willow, what is it?" she asked, rushing to her best friend and pulling her in her arms. "Why are you crying?"
"Xander," Willow sobbed. "He. . .he kissed me."
Buffy's eyebrow shot up in surprise. "Really? Where did that come from?"
"I. . ." Sob. "I don't know. I can't, Buffy. I can't do it!" She looked up at Buffy and shook her head no. "I've wanted him for so long and he's hurt me so damn much, and I can't let myself get hurt like that again!"
"Xander is your best friend, Willow. He will understand."
"No, I don't think he does. He left his present," Willow said, motioning to the prettily wrapped present on her bed.
"He left his present? Oh, god," Buffy whispered. "He was mad."
"Yea," Willow sniffed.
"Shh. . ." Buffy cooed, rocking the sobbing witch.
*~*~*~*
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