Seventeenth. All I want for Christmas is you
Now that was when people knew how to be in love.
They knew it! Time, distance... nothing could separate them because they knew.
It was right. It was real. It was...
Sleepless in Seattle, 1993
All the lights are shining
So brightly everywhere
And the sound of children's
Laughter fills the air
And everyone is singing
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa won't you bring me the one I really need
Won't you please bring my baby to me
Oh, I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for
I just want to see my baby
Standing right outside my door
Oh I just want him for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Baby all I want for Christmas is
You
All I want for Christmas is you baby
All I want for Christmas is you baby.
Mariah Carey, All I want for Christmas is you
Will stared down at the small box in his hand, contemplating what he was about to do. He’d spent the better part of a week trying to come up with a gift for her and he’d found nothing, until he dug out a box of his mother’s things. The irony of his life was, he always found what he was looking for right under his nose. Will smiled. Yeah, mate, the woman of your dreams was there all the time, ‘course she was still in nappies but she was there.
Sifting through the jewelry, he nearly gave up on finding anything when his finger snagged the ends of a necklace. Fishing it out, Will remembered it always hanging around his mother’s neck when he was very young. It was beautiful in its simplicity. Simple links, square cut emerald surrounded by four round diamonds, the setting old and elegant. It was perfect.
Or at least he’d thought so, a week prior when he’d taken it to get cleaned, but now he wasn’t so certain. Too much? Not enough? Would she like it? Was it even something she might wear? Will was besieged with doubts. He had no back-up in case she didn’t like it – nothing else to give her – except his other equally sentimental idea, but now he wasn’t sure about that either. Not to mention it was perhaps, just a bit too soon for that.
Looking up at the clock, Will cursed his indecision. No time to go looking for something else. They were meeting in a half hour and he still had to wrap the necklace. Better get to it you git.
Buffy eyed the packages piled on her bed. She had thought, when she got the idea, that it was perfect for him, but now she wasn’t sure. He probably already had everything. She pouted a bit, then shrugged. There was no way she was going to be able to change any of it. The book had been sheer luck, but the music was a stroke of genius, at least she’d thought so. Now . . . gah. Too late.
Grabbing the brightly wrapped packages, Buffy headed out the door.
For once, she was early, anticipation making her rush. Buffy was huddled under a blanket, her back against the crypt wall, her eyes scanning the area.
Those damn butterflies were back, zinging back and forth in her belly, making her insides sing.
She hadn’t told him that she’d sort of confided in Willow. But despite the redhead’s best efforts, Buffy still hadn’t told her any more than she did that first day. There was no way she was going to betray his trust like that. Or them. One thing she knew – they were in this together and what affected one affected them both. And getting caught would be not of the good and really, she didn’t want to be visiting Will in some icky, yucky jail. Nope.
His whistling a Christmas carol signaled his immanent arrival and Buffy smiled, feeling the butterflies take flight. She lifted her head, her smile blinding.
Will rounded the corner of the mausoleum, his eyes finding her immediately. She was tucked up in a corner, her face lifted to his, her eyes sparkling in the pale moonlight. “Hey you.”
“Hullo love. Been waiting long?” Will leaned against the marble, his hands tucked into his pockets.
“Nope not to long.” She held up one edge of the blanket, motioning him closer. “Come snuggle.”
He knelt down, pulling her into his embrace. His nose bumped against her temple. “C’mere you.”
Buffy went willingly into his arms.
Their mouths met, tongues entwining, connecting in the only way they allowed themselves. Will gathered her closer, his hands snaking up under her shirt, cupping both breasts. “God, kitten. . . . love the way you feel.”
Her forehead rested against his lips as she arched into his hands. “Will . . . “
Abruptly he broke off, moving a little bit away from her, his eyes on her face. “You are so beautiful.” He breathed out, his voice husky with need. “You make me feel things, kitten. . . . make me want. . . . Everything.”
Tears sprung into her eyes, because this was the first time he’d spoken of more than the now. She forced them back, smiling at him instead. “You make me feel stuff too.”
“Yeah. Butterflies, right?” His returning smile was crooked, but very real.
“Totally.” Reaching down beside her, Buffy lifted the packages and shyly presented them to him. “Merry Christmas Will.”
“Oh sweetheart.” Dipping into the inside pocket of his duster, Will grabbed the small box. Weighing it in his hand, he held back for a moment, then drew in a deep breath. “Happy Christmas love.”
Buffy glanced down at the little box nervously. She hesitated long enough for him to notice and he nudged her, saying, “go on love, take it.”
With sudden eagerness, Buffy grabbed the box and tore into the silver wrapping. There, nestled against black velvet was a beautiful old necklace – obviously an antique – an emerald adorned with delicate silver filagree and surrounded by four small round diamonds, one on each side. “Oh. Oh, its beautiful.”
“Was, my . . . well, my mum wore it. But I think it was from my da’s family.” His voice was soft, deep with suppressed emotions that she’d grown used to hearing in his tones, but tonight they’d taken on deeper meanings, in light of the gift.
Her eyes were shining with tears when she looked up at him. “And you’re giving it to me? Its. . . oh, its precious to you and you shouldn’t be giving it to me.“
His warm hand cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing gently over her lips. “Hush, baby. Yeah, its. . . precious, but so are you, love. So are you.”
Buffy whimpered a bit, then leaned forward to capture his lips with hers. “Now you open yours.”
Smiling at her, Will tore open the carefully wrapped packages and stared down at the book in front of him. Buffy whispered, “I figured you probably had something like it, but it’s a second edition. . . printed in 1890.” Her voice trailed off when he wrapped her tightly in his arms, unable to say anything other than a muffled “thank you.”
“There’s more you know.” She added after a moment, pointing to the smaller package still nestled in the folds of the blanket.
“More? Sweetheart, this is too much. . . “ Will was shaking his head at her, but Buffy just thumped him playfully on his chest.
“Shuddup. Its not. Everything you’ve done for me. . . I’d give you a lot more if I could.” She smiled again. “Now open it. C’mon.”
Shaking his head at her, Will grabbed the second package and ripped the paper. “Holy bleedin’ fuck! Where didya find this?! Oh kitten!”
Will whooped in absolute joy, swooping her into his arms, raining kisses across her face as she giggled uncontrollably. “So you like it?” She asked him between gusts of laughter.
“Like ‘em? Are you . . . bloody love ‘em, just like you.”
They both sort of froze at his slip, staring at each other. Buffy’s eyes misted over a little, then she swallowed visibly. “Do you. . . mean that?”
Will brushed her hair back, searching her eyes for revulsion or fear. Finding none, he nodded once. “Have for a while now, petal.” He waited a moment, wondering what she was thinking when her small hand reached out to brush his cheek.
Her voice was a mere whisper, “good, coz so don’t want to feel like this alone.”
“Buffy?” But she was shaking her head, both hands on his face now. He brought his hands up to cover hers when she whispered again. “It is how I feel. . . just . . not sure I can say it yet.”
Will slid his hands around her, fisting one at her nape. “‘S all right kitten. I can wait. . . for you I can wait.”
They both knew he was talking about more than three little words.
Every mile that he put between himself and Buffy just made him feel worse. Compounding that was just how very wrong it felt being apart this Christmas. How is this even possible? You barely knew the chit existed . . Now tha’s jus’ bloody wrong. She’d been in his portion of the survey class that sophomores took and she’d caught his eye then. Bloody off limits. . . but adorable as hell.
He didn’t want to spend the holiday with Drusilla and Liam and their girls. Didn’t want to put on a happy face and pretend that his heart wasn’t back in Sunnydale, resting in the hands of a seventeen year old girl. Will wanted to be home, sneaking whatever moments he could, just to be near her. He was two exits away from his destination when his cell phone rang. Lifting it to his ear, Will was greeted with a giggling little girl’s voice, one that always melted his heart. “Unca Will? Did you know Santa’s coming?”
He laughed, realizing that being around Dru’s girls would be good for him. “Yeah, I did sweetpea. You’ve been a good girl?”
She giggled again. “Ahuh. When you coming?”
“Should be there soon sweetness.”
Kathy shrieked in his ear. “Mooooommmmmmyyyy! He’s almosted here!!”
“Right then, sweetpea, put your Mum on the phone.” Will was laughing, despite his sudden deafness.
There was a long pause and finally Drusilla’s laughing voice sounded in his ears. “Hullo William.”
“Hey pet. Next time don’t let halfpint burst m’eardrums.” He was grinning as he said it, but Will was deadly serious.
“Right dearie. How soon before you get here?”
“Bout half an hour.”
Drusilla laughed again. “See you then.”
True to his word, Will got to their house in the allotted time to find the lights blazing and the sound of high-pitched girlish laughter echoing in the darkening night. Two little faces flashed into view beneath fairy lights and dark curtains and then he could clearly hear their squeals and pattering of feet as he approached the door. One of the girls flung open the door and both of them were bouncing in the doorway, calling out his name before he got to the bottom step.
Sweeping them up in his arms, Will twirled them around, laughing at their reactions.
Kathleen, older than her sister Darla by a mere eleven months, whispered loudly in his ear. “Unca Will, we’s getting a ‘perise!” Little Darla wrapped her hands around his neck, placing a sloppy wet kiss on his cheek. “Unca Will? Am I bestest girl?”
Kissing her quickly, Will said, “sure are my best little girl.”
Another sloppy kiss greeted his statement and Darla whispered “wuv you Unca Will.”
“Oh pet, I love you too.” Carrying both girls into the living room, Will greeted their parents. The three of them had practically grown up together, thick as thieves and always in each other’s pockets, until Liam’s parents had emigrated to the States. Liam had been sixteen, Will was just turned sixteen and Drusilla just a couple of months younger. Liam and Drusilla had been dating and Dru had been devastated when Liam left, turning to Will out of loneliness and a need for comfort. It had been real love – only not the kind that took one’s breath away, not the kind Dru and Liam had – and certainly not what he believed he had with Buffy.
Neither of them had suffered a broken heart when their relationship fell apart after three years, Drusilla heading for the States within days, to find Liam.
Will went on to a series of relationships with girls he either loved too much or not enough, but as Dru pointed out repeatedly, none of them was his equal. Liam and Dru got married while they were still in college, doing the Vegas bit, and Kathleen Edith was born right after Dru had finished and Darla Rose followed within the year. Liam was now a detective with the LAPD and Dru. . . Will kissed his old girlfriend on the cheek and wondered what she was thinking.
“Hello Will.”
“Liam, you prat, how’re ya?” Dumping the little girls onto their feet and shooing them away, Will extended his hand to his oldest friend and one-time rival.
“Doing well. You?” Bypassing the hand, Liam pulled the shorter man into his embrace, pounded him once on the back and let him go.
Will started to answer when the girls came careening back into the living room, giggling and shrieking loudly.
For once, Willow’s father didn’t object to her spending Christmas eve with the Summers. Used to slipping out with her mother’s help, Willow was floored when Ira Rosenberg actually agreed to letting her spend the night. So now the two girls were curled up on the couch, watching Christmas videos and munching on popcorn and candy canes and gingerbread.
Buffy leaned forward, to grab another candy cane and the necklace slipped out of her over large black sleep-shirt, catching Willow’s eye. She said nothing for a few minutes, her mind rapidly discarding various ways to bring up the bauble she spied. At the next break between discs, Willow blurted out, “that’s a really pretty necklace. Where didya get it? Is it from him?”
The blonde’s hand automatically covered the emerald, tucking it back under her shirt. A light blush bloomed across her features and Buffy smiled. “Yeah, its my Christmas present.”
“Can I see it?” Willow smiled disarmingly, hoping Buffy would let her get a better glimpse of the pretty piece.
Wordlessly, Buffy lifted the pendant and held it out so her best friend could get a better look at it. “Wow.” Willow looked into Buffy’s eyes. “That’s really . . . Wow.” Once more she paused, then gushed, “so its like serious huh?”
“Yeah.” Buffy felt those butterflies take wing again and she could barely speak for the emotions that were clogging her throat. “Oh Wills. . . I love him so much.”
Willow goggled at her. “You . . . you love him?”
It was just after midnight and, only after numerous threats about Santa and his proposed visit, they had finally gotten the two over-anxious and hyper little girls to sleep. Drusilla was quietly humming while cleaning up the detritus of two little girls and two much bigger boys, who should have known better. Liam and Will were outside, bringing in the piles and piles of presents from Santa, when something caught Dru’s attention. She stopped what she was doing, cocked her head to the side and smiled softly to herself.
A knowing twinkle entered her eyes and she laughed a bit, wondering when she could spring this bit of news on her old friend. Oh William, she thought, you sly dog.
Buffy looked up at the clock, frowning a bit. Willow had fallen asleep on the couch and it had been impossible to move her, so Joyce had just gotten out the sheets and blankets and covered her, finding it easier than trying to move the sleeping girl. It was now just passed midnight and she was hoping that Will would call, just like he’d promised he would. She missed him totally, like a piece of her was missing and she hadn’t realized it until now.
This was so hard, being apart from him. Unable to touch each other, unable to be open about their relationship, she was beginning to feel more isolated than she had, to feel like she was all alone in the world, without any support. Buffy had never imagined that not having him nearby would be so hard. But it was worse. She hugged Mr. Gordo tight, fighting tears, while she stared at the only picture she had of him, his official picture that was in each yearbook for the school. It was a fairly good picture of him, but it wasn’t him. It wasn’t enough. Buffy wanted him here with her, celebrating Christmas.
With her head on her pillow, Buffy stared out into the night, making a Christmas wish.
It was sometime after one thirty in the morning when Will finally got settled into the guest room, his duffel bag flung in the corner and his duster slung over the over-stuffed chair Drusilla had placed in the other corner of the room. He halted at the window, looking out into the starry night, and, despite the hour, reached for his cell phone. If he knew Buffy, and he was pretty sure that by now he knew her better than anyone, she would be waiting for him to call.
With the phone to his ear, Will dropped down on the bed to unlace his boots. The phone rang and just before he thought it would switch over to her voice-mail, a very sleepy sounding Buffy answered the phone. “‘Lo kitten.”
“Hey.” He could hear the sleepy pout in her voice and he shook his head.
“Sorry I couldn’t call sooner, but they’ve just now settled in for the night.” He paused, then before she could say anything, he blurted out, “mss you so fuckin’ much, goldilocks.”
“Oh Will. I miss you too.” Buffy rolled over onto her back, letting Mr. Gordo fall to the floor. Her free hand drifted down to the necklace he’d given her and she idly played with it.
They both spoke at the same time, their words eerily similar.
“I wish. . . “
“If wishes. . . “
Buffy’s higher sigh echoed his, only he recovered quicker, his voice reaching out to her across the miles. “Tell me what you’d wish for.”
“I just wish you were here instead of there.” Her soft sigh captured his attention and Will could almost picture her before him. He eased back onto the bed, resting against the headboard, one knee bent and the other leg stretched out, imagining her laying beside him. “So what about your wishes?”
She settled herself more comfortably, plumping the pillows beneath her head. He chuckled a little and she let the sound wash over her. “Oh kitten. . . you know. . . wishes.”
“C’mon, are you afraid to tell me your wishes?” She teased him, trying to coax him into again admitting that he missed her.
His voice dropped, the rasped huskiness sending shivers down her spine. “Sunshine, I’d wish for you here, with me, warm and wet an’ . . . “ he stopped, knowing this discussion would only lead to a long sleepless night. And a very unfulfilled one.
“And?” Buffy’s suddenly sultry voice had him scrambling for a few seconds, until his equilibrium caught up with him and Will grinned. All right, kitten, let’s see how far you wanna take this. . .
“Hhhmmm” he pretended to think about what he wished for, for a few seconds, stretching out the anticipation. “Oh, let’s see, what else would I wish for. . “ Will shifted a bit, getting more comfortable on the bed, trying to picture her in his mind’s eye.
“Tell me.” She whispered breathily, the sound shooting right to his cock. “Please, Will. . . “
“You’d be wearin’ my tee-shirt an’ maybe some pretty pink panties.” His grin morphed into a leer, but his expression changed when she whispered back, “um, Will? How about your tee-shirt and Christmas red panties?”
His groaned response went right through her and emboldened by it, Buffy kept up the assault on his senses. “So you like the Christmas red? Will, that’s what I’m . . its what I’ve got on right now. That tee shirt I stole from you and . . . “
“Oh hell, kitten. . . “ Almost of its own volition, Will’s hand snaked down to his waistband, and before he realized it, he’d popped all the buttons on his jeans. He cleared his throat, barely grinding out, “yeah. . . red is good too baby.”
“So. . . “ Buffy hesitated, her breath sounding just a tiny bit strained to his ear, then whispering, “what else would you do?”
He was quiet for so long that Buffy thought he’d fallen asleep, but then suddenly he said, “kitten, just how far do you want to take this right now?”
“What do you mean?” Buffy was a little confused, not sure what he was asking.
His laugh was deep and rich, but short. “Sweetheart, I’m sitting here with my. . . bits all danglin’ and if you aren’t ready for this, I need to stop now.”
“Oh. Oh, Will. . . “ she waited a second, trying to decide if she was squicked by what he was saying and when all it did was set off the butterflies, Buffy knew she didn’t want to stop him. “Will. . . please don’t stop.”
“Oh baby girl. . . what you do to me.” He rasped out the words, grinning to himself about her possible expression. “Kitten, do something for me, yeah?”
“Anything” slipped out of her mouth before she could censor it and his breathing got heavier.
“Got your headset?” Putting his own thought to action, Will plugged in the hands free and then laid the phone on the bed next to him.
“My headset? Yeah, why?” She moved around a bit, then the light must’ve dawned on what he was suggesting. “Oh. . . oh! Yeah.”
He grinned, his eyes focused on a vision of her, spread out and waiting for him. There was more rustling and then her voice sounded right in his head, her breathing a little heavy.
“Okay” she giggled softly, confiding, “I’ve never done this before.”
“You sure ‘bout this then?” He wanted to kick himself for offering her an out, but Buffy wasn’t going to back down now. This is a little crazy, she thought, but for him I’ll do anything.
“Will, I’ve already got my panties off. . . “
Holy bleedin’ fuck. “Guess you want to, then.” He paused, trying to come up with some way to make her more comfortable, when her breathy little voice sounded in his ear.
“Are you comfy? Still got all your clothes on?”
She’d shocked him a bit, but Will was already way ahead of her.
“Not wearin’ anything but the sheet, princess. An’ I’m harder than a rock. Buffy, love. . . slip those tiny hands under tha’ shirt.” She was quiet, the only sound her little hitching breaths and he rumbled out softly. “Kitten need you to talk to me. . . . tell me what you’re doing.”
“Ohhkay. . . . not sure what you want, um, my hands are on my belly under the shirt.”
Oh Christ ‘m gonna have to talk her through all of this this. Which really, isn’t so bad, now is it? “All right love, move those pretty little fingers, yeah, bring one to your nipple . . . play with it a bit.”
She gave a tiny protest, and he started to speak, when her voice breathed out, “where do you . . . what else should I do?”
“Mmm. Slip that other hand down, baby girl, brush against those curls for me.” He waited a few seconds, then whispered, “how’s that feel, baby? Feels good?”
Her voice was sweet in his ear. “Yeah. Will . . . . are you?”
“Am I what baby?” He stroked his cock, running his fingers up and down his hard length. “Have I got my fist ‘round my cock wishin’ it was you? Yeah.”
Those butterflies were in full flight, careening wildly in the confines of her belly, making her breath hitch and dip. His next barely spoken words pushed her further. “Listen baby girl, want you to slide your fingers into your pussy. . . get ‘em nice an’ wet for me.”
She whined out something incoherent, making his cock twitch. His command was harsh, but soothing at the same time. “Tell me how you feel, kitten.”
“Oh. . . like. . . its soft . . . and warm. . . its really warm and wet. Is it supposed to be this wet?”
Her artless question sent him over and Buffy could hear the affectionate amusement in his voice. “Only for me baby.”
“Kay, then this is all your fault.”
“Oh, you teasin’ me now?”
“Mmmm. . . maybe. . . Will? Is this what you feel when you kiss me here?”
The hand on his cock sped up, and his words where broken up by harsh gasps and Buffy knew he was as affected as she was. “Oh bloody. . . yeah, kitten, all that. . . . slide those fingers in, c’mon baby. . . . for me. Find your clit, angel, c’mon.”
“Thats. . . . oh. . . Will? Oh. . . “ Buffy swirled her fingers over her clit, her breathing no more than mewling little gasps. “Will. . . . “
“Tha’s m’girl. . . faster . . . . c’mon.” He could barely speak, his words little more than grunts as he urged her on, matching her hitching gasps.
“Oh. . . . huh.”
“Its m’mouth on you. . . . . me. . . c’mon baby. . . . cum for me.”
A soft high pitched whimper hit his ears and Will grunted in satisfaction. She was panting now, her fingers circling furiously over that tiny nub of flesh, her body arching up off the bed. “What. . . you. . . Will. . . need. . . can’t. . . . can’t.”
Almost sobbing, Buffy begged him to send her over the edge. “Baby, cum with me. . . gonna. . . . Buffy. . . . want you. . . faster, c’mon angel-girl . . . . Wanna drink you down. . . feel you around me. . . “
He couldn’t talk anymore, his own release reducing him to incoherent sounds and deep grunts. Their breathing hitched together and he rumbled out her name from somewhere deep in his chest as she whimpered, convulsed a little and cried out his name in a hitched sob.
It was long minutes while their breathing returned to normal. Will finally opened his eyes, then let out a deep breath. “Kitten? Buffy? Baby, talk to me.”
“Will?” She giggled a bit, then breathed out a question. “Should I . . . . I’m shaking again. Is that. . . another?”
A purely masculine grin crossed his features and if Buffy had seen it, she probably would have slapped him. She thought she was recovering when his deep rumble set off the butterflies again. “Yeah, sunshine. Tha’s what happens.”
“So . . . we just wanked together?”
He spluttered out a laugh. “Oh baby, you are. . . you could say that, sunshine.”
A giggle escaped her. “So that’s phone sex?” Buffy giggled again, then shocked the hell out of him by asking, “can we do it again?”
Will groaned deeply, rasping out, “whenever you’re ready sunshine.”
And Buffy smiled into her phone and asked sweetly, “how ‘bout right now?”
This is me begging. Please. Give me some sugar.