Title: Saying the Words
Author: Julia du Mais (slayerjules@hotmail.com)
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: Willow/Tara (for about two or three sentences...), Willow/Spike
Summary: A response to Challie's challenge on the spike-n-willow-fic mailing list: write a story without any narrative. Any length, but conversation only.
Distro: Fever of Fate, Eyeballs to Entrails, Bite Me...Please? (first archive to use my fics!!! *showers BMP with thanks and praise*, all the usual suspects. If you want it, take it (though I can't honestly imagine why you'd want this one), as long as my name and email addy stay attached. I'd absolutely love to know, though, because it'll give me such a happy.
Dedication: To my wonderful beta reader, Lucinda Silverling. You complete me!
Disclaimer: Joss, Mutant Enemy, WB, and all the wonderful actors and actresses.
Set: After Season Four.

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind."
-Rudyard Kipling

* * * * *

And it's so sad, you're so good and I'm so bad
But you won't see me wasting the best thing I ever had
And it's such a shame that I can't tell you anything
You won't hear me 'til you endear me, yeah
-Nine Days, '257 Weeks'

* * * * *

"I've got it, Buffy!...Hello?"

"W...Willow?"

"Hey, sweetie. We still on for tonight?"

"That's...that's what I wanted to talk to you about.

*sigh* "Not tonight?"

"Um...no, not exactly."

"Not exactly? What does-"

"Willow, I'm not sure...I just don't think I can see you anymore."

*pause*

*longer pause*

"Willow?"

"I heard you."

"I'm sorry, I just-"

"No, no, it's okay. Why should you apologize?"

"You're mad at me, aren't you?"

"Me? Mad? Oh, no. I mean, you didn't do anything wrong. I mean, yeah, you did just rip my heart out and feed it to a bunch of rabid dogs, but why should I be mad about a silly little thing like *that*?"

"Willow-"

*slam*

* * * * *

"Hey, Will, who was on the phone?"

"Tara."

"Will, what's wrong?"

*pause*

"Oh, God, Will. Did she-"

*nod*

"Oh, God. It's okay, Will."

"I thought she was the one this time. *sniff* I thought, hey, maybe after everything...maybe someone's finally decided to give me a break. *sob* But I guess I was wrong once again, wasn't I?"

"Will, come on. It's like it was with Oz. If she doesn't appreciate you, then she doesn't deserve you."

"Well, now I've been dumped by people of both genders. How many people can say that?"

"Come on, Will. Let's go to the Bronze. I'm not gonna let you sink into some kinda black hole of
despair."

"Oooh, see you and Riley and Xander and Anya and all of the other happy couples. Yeah, that'll make me feel better."

*pat* "Will, you don't have to go anywhere. But I'd really like you there."

*sigh* "Maybe later, Buffy. I don't feel very Bronzy tonight."

*hug* "Will, you probably want some time alone right now, so I'll give it to you. But tomorrow, you and I should do something."

"'Kay."

* * * * *

Later - Will's on a mission

* * * * *

*wham*

*gasp*

"Okay, um...whatever icky thing I ran into, I'm kinda armed, so don't you dare try anything! Eep!"

"You can open your eyes, love. 'Sonly me."

"Oh. Okay, then. I'm leaving."

"Not so fast, love. You've been drinking, haven't you?"

"Drinking?" *hic* "Me? You're imagining things."

"Of course, love. Let me smell your breath."

"No!" *sigh&sob*

"Beer. Figures. Not many, either. Could've at least had something stronger."

"Don't *you* be telling me what to drink! I'll drink whatever I damn well please, Mr. Badass`Vampire! Now if you'll excuse me, I have important things to do. Teach her to dump me..."

"Wait up, love. Witch Number Two left Witch Number One?"

"Huh?"

"Your girlfriend left you?"

"Oh. Yeah. You gonna make fun of me some more, or are you gonna leave me alone?"

"Just curious as to what you were planning to do."

"Why should I tell you?"

"Don't have anything else to do?"

"You don't or I don't?"

"Both."

"All right, if it'll make you leave me alone, fine. I'm gonna do a love spell. Get her back. We'll see who loves who then! Get her to come crawling back...what are you doing?"

"I'm taking you back to your room."

"Why? I'm going to the magick shop."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am. I'm going to do a love spell and get Tara to come back to me."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am. I'm going to make her come crawling back to me."

"No, you're not."

"You know, I never thought I say this, Spike, but you can be damn boring when you can't bite."

"Look, witch. You think I'm trying to spoil your fun. To ruin whatever relationship you're in. As much as I'd like to confirm that, to tell you that yeah, I'm evil, I'm just trying to ruin your life and make sure neither you nor any of your little friends is ever happy, that's not true. I don't want you doing something stupid, something you're going to regret later."

"Oh, yeah? Says the guy who kidnapped me just to make me do a love spell."

*growl*

*louder growl*

"Sweet mother of Christ...where'd you learn to do that?"

"You. Oh, and evil me."

"What?"

"Evil me. You never heard about that?"

"Can't say I did."

"Evil me from an alternate universe. She was a vampire."

*pause*

*pause*

"Spike, did I exap-esasper-did I piss you off?"

"Wha...uh, no, love. Just having trouble picturing you as a vampire."

"She wore a lot of leather. Except when I had to pose as her. Then she wore my clothes, and I wore a lot of leather. Oh, and she kept Angel chained up in a cage. She enjoyed torturing him. Oh, and she wore a lot of tight clothes, too. Really tight. Except when I had to wear them."

*pause*

"Hey, Spike?"

"Uh...yeah?"

"When did you start carrying around a stake? And, um, isn't that kind of an dangerous place to keep it? I mean, what if you fall on it or something? I mean, yeah, vampire recuperation powers, but it'd still hurt a lot, wouldn't it?"

"Love?"

"Hmm?"

"Go home."

* * * * *