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snoggedI get to go see Casey tomorrow! *bounce* In light of that, I'm posting the next chapter tonight and I'm praying you all don't form a lynch mob after this one.
Title: Mission X (5/?)
Author: snogged
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon and Co. own the characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I don’t.
Pairing: Willow/Riley
Word Count: 1792
Overall Rating/Warnings: FRT-13/PG-13 (will be FRAO/NC-17 in later chapters); language, angst, drama, violence, het sex, sexual innuendo.
Setting: AU! Season 6. Parts of this story come from the established canon plot lines and others are my own desire to twist things my way.
Summary: When Riley comes back to Sunnydale, he stays for a reason that’s not Buffy.
Beta: the sweet Gabrielle and the quirky![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
angelskuuipo.
A/N: This chapter is dedicated to everyone who's been following it so closely thus far. I really appreciate every comment. They make my day and they make me write faster.
Previous Chapters
“Good morning, Agent Finn.”
Riley grunted, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he rolled onto his side and brushed his elbows over the rough fabric on the military cot he’d chosen to sleep on while crashing in Buffy’s basement. They’d offered him the sofa the first night he’d stayed, but he quickly discovered that his body wasn’t adjusted to such comfort. In the wee hours of the morning, he’d switched to the floor and he’d nearly cost Dawn a sprained ankle when she’d tripped over him on her way to the bathroom.
“Morning, General,” Riley muttered, glancing over at the computer screen that was lit up with the broad face of his commanding officer. It felt a little weird to be contacted this way but he was certain that special ops had their reasons. They always did.
Despite not being thrilled about the 5 AM wake-up call, he was glad there was no risk for getting caught on account of his roommates preferring to sleep half the day away on weekends, the sound proofing qualities of concrete walls, and the rattling pipes that needed to be looked at later.
“What’s your status?”
“Barely conscious,” Riley replied, cracking a tentative smile and hoisting himself into a sitting position.
General Huth narrowed his eyes and made a clicking noise of disapproval with his tongue. It was a noise Riley had heard plenty of times before back when he had helped Giles train Buffy and when he hadn’t accomplished something to the letter for Dr. Maggie Walsh, but he’d never had daddy and mommy issues so he didn’t let those sounds get to him.
“Actually, General, I’ve become quite close to the subject.” Riley said, pursing his lips together. A mere eight hours ago, those same lips had been locked with Willow’s, tasting her relief and her need to be wanted unconditionally. In addition, he’d also locked onto a new feeling, one that had the potential to jeopardize this whole mission if he wasn’t careful.
“Excellent, Agent Finn. And what have you discovered?”
“She’s currently not a threat, sir. Hasn’t used magic in a month.” Riley reported. He’d been with her the day she’d crossed off day 30 on her calendar and they’d popped open a bottle of sparkling grape juice to celebrate. Willow had argued against wine on the basis that they were trying to conquer addiction and that seemed like a bad bandwagon to climb aboard.
General Huth nodded, rubbing his chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Interesting. Very well. Continue to monitor her progress and we’ll speak to you again shortly.”
There was a shadow hanging over the General’s eyes as the screen switched to black that made Riley wonder if he was getting the whole story, but asking questions at this juncture probably wouldn’t get him the results he wanted. Huth had a reputation for not taking kindly to soldiers’ inquiries and he had heard rumors that men who’d asked unwelcome questions had disappeared into the desert and never come back. Riley had also heard of one guy who’d gotten on the wrong side of curiosity and ended up in a federal prison serving time for conspiracy against the government.
It was much better and much safer for him to keep his focus on Willow. He was sure that even though she’d initiated the kissing last night, she was likely feeling intense guilt about it today. That was just the way Willow was. She always let her shyness and her insecurities get to her and he needed to be there to help her fight those demons off.
Realizing there was no way he’d be able to fall back asleep, Riley headed up the stairs, bee-lined his way to the coffee pot, and popped the lid off the canister of Folger’s Medium Roast. He placed the filter into the top and scooped in the desired amount, nose twitching as it was assaulted by the rich scent of the powder. Then, he dumped in the water and pressed the ‘start’ button.
With the coffee brewing, he headed towards the fridge to grab the carton of eggs, his stomach settling on the notion of a scrambled egg sandwich. He knew he was running the tiny risk of having his throat punched by Buffy for filling the house with so many smells but he hoped that she’d forgive him as long as there were extras.
While his food and drink were cooling down to the proper temperature, Riley stepped out into the warm California sun and grabbed the local paper off the stoop. For a few moments, he let himself enjoy the chirping of the chickadees that had come to rest on the tree in the front yard and felt comfort knowing that poisonous spiders weren’t about to drop on his head.
For a few moments, he also let himself indulge in the fantasy that he’d go back inside and find Willow standing there, a coffee mug in her hands, and a naughty glimmer in her eyes. She’d be dressed in a lacy, yet innocent, negligee, leaning against the counter with her thighs parted ever so slightly. Her pink tongue would poke out from between her lips and he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from kissing her, from caressing her, from getting so close to her that he couldn’t tell where he ended and she began.
It surprised him a little to see how deep the scenario ran since he’d only recently come to see Willow in a more personal way, a way that was far more conducive to forming that sort of relationship instead of just thinking about her as a mission. If his recollection of last night was anything to go on, it made him think that maybe he hadn’t been fudging the details about anything he’d said even though it had kind of felt that way at first. He’d started out this mission thinking that he’d get to know Willow, keep her away from the magic, and be done with it. But his heart evidently had other plans as he realized just what it meant to get close to Willow Rosenberg.
Damn.
This was more complicated than he thought.
Walking back inside, Riley nearly collided with Dawn who was practically bouncing like a bunny rabbit as she made her way down the stairs. To his credit, military training had taught him the easiest ways of avoiding obstacles and he smoothly turned his torso to allow her to pass by.
“Hello, Joe,” Dawn said, her perky attitude radiating off her in waves. It was the complete opposite of how he remembered Buffy being this early in the morning when they’d spent the night together in the dorms. There’d been times when Buffy’s morning demeanor could make a nest of growling vampires seem like a warm welcome. “Gonna go get a cup of yourself?” She laughed and headed into the kitchen without waiting for his response.
Riley ran his fingers through his still-tousled hair. Dawn might be bright and chipper but she didn’t always understand the concept of joke-telling. Some days, she could make the weirdest comments that made little to no sense no matter how funny she found them. So he didn’t bother trying to figure her out; instead, he followed her into the next room and grabbed a mug from the cupboard. The coffee was still steaming as it hit the ceramic and it smelled even more amazing than it did in its solid form.
“You’re a strange little kid, Dawnie,” Riley murmured, tentatively taking a sip of the energizing beverage.
“I’m no stranger than anyone else around here,” Dawn replied, preparing a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios for herself.
Riley chuckled. “You’re probably right about that.”
The remainder of their time together was spent in silence until Willow shuffled in, wrapped in a large, plaid bathrobe. It was an image far removed from the way he’d envisioned her earlier and yet he still felt the unexpected stirrings of arousal. Lucky for him, the edge of the counter kept his private parts from being viewed by Willow or Dawn.
As Willow thumbed through the newspaper sections, Riley could see her chewing nervously on her bottom lip. He was sure it was a sign that she wanted to say something about what happened between them but didn’t want to bring it up with another party in the room.
Dawn- who was clearly better at handling awkward situations than she was at doling out the humor- picked up her bowl and grinned politely. “Cartoon Network is running a Looney Tunes marathon. Feel free to come join me if you feel like getting in touch with your inner child.”
When Dawn was out of earshot, Willow inhaled sharply and looked at Riley with courage in her eyes. “Do you still mean it?”
Riley was slightly taken aback by how quick she was to bite the bullet. Clearly, she’d done a lot of work on her self-confidence since Oz left her and she’d come out of the closet. He’d imagined that this would have played out differently but he wasn’t about to throw himself in front of the train to make it stop so he decided that the fantasy was worth preserving. And it wasn’t like he was going to betray the mission either. He was supposed to be getting close to her and he was sure he could keep the balance. “Yes.”
“Because you have to realize that you’re asking me to not be gay anymore and I’ve been sporting the colors of the pink squad for the last two years. It’s not something I can turn off…well, I mean, I did last night when we…kissed…because I didn’t even defend my gayness one iota. But I…I need to adjust to this, okay? And...and…we’re going to have to tell people. Because Buffy is my friend and I don’t want to keep this a secret from her.”
Riley nodded. He was far less keen about shouting this from the rooftops quite yet but he understood where she was coming from. “Okay.”
“And another thing is that I want…” Willow paused, seemingly swallowing down a lump in her throat. “…is for you to kiss me again so that I can stop babbling now.”
It was a request he could fill with ease and eagerness as his hands reached across the counter to cup her chin and pull her mouth to his. It was better than the night before and far sweeter knowing how vocal she’d been about wanting this. Kissing her wasn’t a task, wasn’t a requirement, wasn’t an obligation. Kissing Willow was an order he wanted to follow as long as she’d let him.
Or at least, until…
“Willow?”
…someone showed up to stop them.
Chapter Six
Title: Mission X (5/?)
Author: snogged
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon and Co. own the characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I don’t.
Pairing: Willow/Riley
Word Count: 1792
Overall Rating/Warnings: FRT-13/PG-13 (will be FRAO/NC-17 in later chapters); language, angst, drama, violence, het sex, sexual innuendo.
Setting: AU! Season 6. Parts of this story come from the established canon plot lines and others are my own desire to twist things my way.
Summary: When Riley comes back to Sunnydale, he stays for a reason that’s not Buffy.
Beta: the sweet Gabrielle and the quirky
angelskuuipo.A/N: This chapter is dedicated to everyone who's been following it so closely thus far. I really appreciate every comment. They make my day and they make me write faster.
Previous Chapters
“Good morning, Agent Finn.”
Riley grunted, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he rolled onto his side and brushed his elbows over the rough fabric on the military cot he’d chosen to sleep on while crashing in Buffy’s basement. They’d offered him the sofa the first night he’d stayed, but he quickly discovered that his body wasn’t adjusted to such comfort. In the wee hours of the morning, he’d switched to the floor and he’d nearly cost Dawn a sprained ankle when she’d tripped over him on her way to the bathroom.
“Morning, General,” Riley muttered, glancing over at the computer screen that was lit up with the broad face of his commanding officer. It felt a little weird to be contacted this way but he was certain that special ops had their reasons. They always did.
Despite not being thrilled about the 5 AM wake-up call, he was glad there was no risk for getting caught on account of his roommates preferring to sleep half the day away on weekends, the sound proofing qualities of concrete walls, and the rattling pipes that needed to be looked at later.
“What’s your status?”
“Barely conscious,” Riley replied, cracking a tentative smile and hoisting himself into a sitting position.
General Huth narrowed his eyes and made a clicking noise of disapproval with his tongue. It was a noise Riley had heard plenty of times before back when he had helped Giles train Buffy and when he hadn’t accomplished something to the letter for Dr. Maggie Walsh, but he’d never had daddy and mommy issues so he didn’t let those sounds get to him.
“Actually, General, I’ve become quite close to the subject.” Riley said, pursing his lips together. A mere eight hours ago, those same lips had been locked with Willow’s, tasting her relief and her need to be wanted unconditionally. In addition, he’d also locked onto a new feeling, one that had the potential to jeopardize this whole mission if he wasn’t careful.
“Excellent, Agent Finn. And what have you discovered?”
“She’s currently not a threat, sir. Hasn’t used magic in a month.” Riley reported. He’d been with her the day she’d crossed off day 30 on her calendar and they’d popped open a bottle of sparkling grape juice to celebrate. Willow had argued against wine on the basis that they were trying to conquer addiction and that seemed like a bad bandwagon to climb aboard.
General Huth nodded, rubbing his chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Interesting. Very well. Continue to monitor her progress and we’ll speak to you again shortly.”
There was a shadow hanging over the General’s eyes as the screen switched to black that made Riley wonder if he was getting the whole story, but asking questions at this juncture probably wouldn’t get him the results he wanted. Huth had a reputation for not taking kindly to soldiers’ inquiries and he had heard rumors that men who’d asked unwelcome questions had disappeared into the desert and never come back. Riley had also heard of one guy who’d gotten on the wrong side of curiosity and ended up in a federal prison serving time for conspiracy against the government.
It was much better and much safer for him to keep his focus on Willow. He was sure that even though she’d initiated the kissing last night, she was likely feeling intense guilt about it today. That was just the way Willow was. She always let her shyness and her insecurities get to her and he needed to be there to help her fight those demons off.
Realizing there was no way he’d be able to fall back asleep, Riley headed up the stairs, bee-lined his way to the coffee pot, and popped the lid off the canister of Folger’s Medium Roast. He placed the filter into the top and scooped in the desired amount, nose twitching as it was assaulted by the rich scent of the powder. Then, he dumped in the water and pressed the ‘start’ button.
With the coffee brewing, he headed towards the fridge to grab the carton of eggs, his stomach settling on the notion of a scrambled egg sandwich. He knew he was running the tiny risk of having his throat punched by Buffy for filling the house with so many smells but he hoped that she’d forgive him as long as there were extras.
While his food and drink were cooling down to the proper temperature, Riley stepped out into the warm California sun and grabbed the local paper off the stoop. For a few moments, he let himself enjoy the chirping of the chickadees that had come to rest on the tree in the front yard and felt comfort knowing that poisonous spiders weren’t about to drop on his head.
For a few moments, he also let himself indulge in the fantasy that he’d go back inside and find Willow standing there, a coffee mug in her hands, and a naughty glimmer in her eyes. She’d be dressed in a lacy, yet innocent, negligee, leaning against the counter with her thighs parted ever so slightly. Her pink tongue would poke out from between her lips and he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from kissing her, from caressing her, from getting so close to her that he couldn’t tell where he ended and she began.
It surprised him a little to see how deep the scenario ran since he’d only recently come to see Willow in a more personal way, a way that was far more conducive to forming that sort of relationship instead of just thinking about her as a mission. If his recollection of last night was anything to go on, it made him think that maybe he hadn’t been fudging the details about anything he’d said even though it had kind of felt that way at first. He’d started out this mission thinking that he’d get to know Willow, keep her away from the magic, and be done with it. But his heart evidently had other plans as he realized just what it meant to get close to Willow Rosenberg.
Damn.
This was more complicated than he thought.
Walking back inside, Riley nearly collided with Dawn who was practically bouncing like a bunny rabbit as she made her way down the stairs. To his credit, military training had taught him the easiest ways of avoiding obstacles and he smoothly turned his torso to allow her to pass by.
“Hello, Joe,” Dawn said, her perky attitude radiating off her in waves. It was the complete opposite of how he remembered Buffy being this early in the morning when they’d spent the night together in the dorms. There’d been times when Buffy’s morning demeanor could make a nest of growling vampires seem like a warm welcome. “Gonna go get a cup of yourself?” She laughed and headed into the kitchen without waiting for his response.
Riley ran his fingers through his still-tousled hair. Dawn might be bright and chipper but she didn’t always understand the concept of joke-telling. Some days, she could make the weirdest comments that made little to no sense no matter how funny she found them. So he didn’t bother trying to figure her out; instead, he followed her into the next room and grabbed a mug from the cupboard. The coffee was still steaming as it hit the ceramic and it smelled even more amazing than it did in its solid form.
“You’re a strange little kid, Dawnie,” Riley murmured, tentatively taking a sip of the energizing beverage.
“I’m no stranger than anyone else around here,” Dawn replied, preparing a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios for herself.
Riley chuckled. “You’re probably right about that.”
The remainder of their time together was spent in silence until Willow shuffled in, wrapped in a large, plaid bathrobe. It was an image far removed from the way he’d envisioned her earlier and yet he still felt the unexpected stirrings of arousal. Lucky for him, the edge of the counter kept his private parts from being viewed by Willow or Dawn.
As Willow thumbed through the newspaper sections, Riley could see her chewing nervously on her bottom lip. He was sure it was a sign that she wanted to say something about what happened between them but didn’t want to bring it up with another party in the room.
Dawn- who was clearly better at handling awkward situations than she was at doling out the humor- picked up her bowl and grinned politely. “Cartoon Network is running a Looney Tunes marathon. Feel free to come join me if you feel like getting in touch with your inner child.”
When Dawn was out of earshot, Willow inhaled sharply and looked at Riley with courage in her eyes. “Do you still mean it?”
Riley was slightly taken aback by how quick she was to bite the bullet. Clearly, she’d done a lot of work on her self-confidence since Oz left her and she’d come out of the closet. He’d imagined that this would have played out differently but he wasn’t about to throw himself in front of the train to make it stop so he decided that the fantasy was worth preserving. And it wasn’t like he was going to betray the mission either. He was supposed to be getting close to her and he was sure he could keep the balance. “Yes.”
“Because you have to realize that you’re asking me to not be gay anymore and I’ve been sporting the colors of the pink squad for the last two years. It’s not something I can turn off…well, I mean, I did last night when we…kissed…because I didn’t even defend my gayness one iota. But I…I need to adjust to this, okay? And...and…we’re going to have to tell people. Because Buffy is my friend and I don’t want to keep this a secret from her.”
Riley nodded. He was far less keen about shouting this from the rooftops quite yet but he understood where she was coming from. “Okay.”
“And another thing is that I want…” Willow paused, seemingly swallowing down a lump in her throat. “…is for you to kiss me again so that I can stop babbling now.”
It was a request he could fill with ease and eagerness as his hands reached across the counter to cup her chin and pull her mouth to his. It was better than the night before and far sweeter knowing how vocal she’d been about wanting this. Kissing her wasn’t a task, wasn’t a requirement, wasn’t an obligation. Kissing Willow was an order he wanted to follow as long as she’d let him.
Or at least, until…
“Willow?”
…someone showed up to stop them.
Chapter Six
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no subject
on 2010-03-02 02:56 am (UTC)no subject
on 2010-03-02 03:07 am (UTC)Thanks! I wanted to create that comparison.