"I can't believe you did this!" Willow cried, running away from the door.
Xander glanced at his wife then back to the immobile couple on the bed. "We'll--We'll be in the living room..." Xander said in a funny voice and quickly shut the door.
"Oh...Oh God..." Buffy said. She jumped off of William and went to the closet to get a robe.
William wanted to die from the embarrassment. Being caught by his cousin and her husband was bad -- very bad. Buffy was going through her closet frantically. William called to her, rattling his cuffs to get her attention. Buffy looked at him.
"Oh! Oh, right..." She went to her nightstand and got the keys, then unlocked the cuffs. "I'm sorry -- Oh God -- Willow's going to kill me!"
William removed the gag from his mouth and panted for breath. "Sweet Christ...they saw us..." His face was bright crimson.
"I know...I know..." Buffy ran her hands through her hair. "I have to go talk to her... What the hell am I going to say?!" Buffy said, her voice rising in panic.
William stopped rubbing his wrists and put his arms around Buffy. She was breathing rapidly, like he was, but she relaxed slightly into his embrace.
"I don't know. But...I'm an adult... I can sleep with whomever I choose. And what right did she have to enter your house without permission? It's her fault she--she and Xander saw what they did," William said, trying to think things through.
Buffy kissed him softly. "I have to go out there..."
William nodded and released her from the hug. "I'll get cleaned up, and I'll be right out."
Buffy slipped on a long, black silk robe and tied it around her. With a deep breath, she went out to face her best friend.
Willow and Xander were sitting on the couch. Willow's elbows rested on her thighs, her head was down. She was covering her face with her hands. Xander was trying to comfort her, patting her on the back. He had a throw pillow over his groin to hide his erection, he had a hunch that his wife would beat the shit out of him if she knew he'd popped a boner from watching Buffy fucking William.
"Willow...Xander..." Buffy said, walking slowly into the room.
Willow's head snapped up. Her eyes narrowed. "How could you!? I trusted you to take care of him!"
"I have... I-I'm sorry you had to see that," Buffy said.
"Please tell me you didn't force him," Willow said.
"Force? Force him? You think I raped him!?" Buffy said in shock.
"He was handcuffed to the fucking bed! He had a--a gag in his mouth!" Willow yelled.
"It was just a game!" Buffy explained. "I didn't force him, I swear -- I told him I'd stop if he didn't like it!"
“Games -- that’s all you do is play games with men,” Willow said coldly. “Every guy you hook up with, it always ends up the same way. You chew them up and spit them out -- you’re a maneater, Buffy!”
“I am not! It just happened -- I didn’t plan on it!” Buffy lied about the not planning on seducing him part, she‘d wanted to fuck him ever since seeing him naked in the bathroom. “I care about him... I care about him a lot.”
“Yeah, right!” Willow shot daggers with her eyes.
“It’s true. What? I didn’t know you thought I used men like that. You want me to say --“
Just then, William, having wiped the whipped cream from his torso and put on some pants, decided to listen to them talking for a minute before going out, to gauge the tone of the conversation. He opened Buffy’s bedroom door a crack and put his ear to the opening.
Buffy continued, her voice rising, “He’s a great fuck! That’s all I wanted him for! You can take him home now if you want -- I’m done with him! That‘s me -- Maneater Buffy strikes again! Humpin‘ and Dumpin‘ men for sport!”
William felt like he’d been sucker punched in the gut. He quickly shut the door, cutting off the rest of the conversation. His eyes became watery. How could she say those things? She had lied to him...telling him that she had feelings for him...just so he’d continue to service her. He'd been such a git...he should've known that Buffy couldn't feel anything for a loser like him -- it was only the sex that she cared about. He felt tremendous pain from that realization, his insides felt like they'd been torn to shreds. He had to get out of here.
William flung Buffy’s door open and went quickly to his bedroom to gather his things, shutting the door behind him so that he wouldn't have to hear anymore of Buffy's gut-wrenchingly painful words.
While William’s heart was breaking in two, Buffy had continued her rant. If he had only listened a few moments longer, he wouldn’t be on the verge of tears.
“Would that be easier for you to believe, Willow? Well, too bad. The truth is -- that I’m falling in love with him. I want a relationship with him.”
“What?” Willow looked even more stunned. “In...love? You?”
“Yes. Me. In love with him. I want him to stay here with me, that’s what he wants too. He told me that he loves me,” Buffy said.
"It's only been a week! How can you be in love or falling in love -- How?"
"I know it's fast...but that's what's happening," Buffy said. “And it’s not just the sex...I’m really falling in love with him.”
Willow shook her head in disbelief. Buffy didn’t toss around the ‘L-word’ lightly. Willow knew that all too well -- she'd been Buffy's friend for a long time had had seen boyfriends come and go. The fact that she’d said it made Willow stop and take notice.
“Please, Willow,” Buffy said in a softer voice. “Please don’t hate me. I couldn’t take it. But...I want to be with William too... Don’t make me have to choose between our friendship and my feelings for him.”
“Come on, babe,” Xander said to his wife. “If they really do love each other... It’s not so bad. Don’t be mad at Buffy for this.”
“You’re ganging up on me...” Willow pouted slightly, her red brows knitting.
“No, we’re not. They deserve a chance, you know? If people can find someone to be happy with in this topsy-turvy world, I say go for it.” Xander smiled.
Willow sighed. “I-I guess...”
Just then, William stormed into the room, fully dressed with his suitcases. “Let’s go,” he said, carrying his bags to the front door.
Buffy stood up and furrowed her brows. “William? What--What are you doing?”
“Leaving,” he said, opening the front door.
“Wait! I thought you wanted to stay with me?”
“Well, you thought wrong.” William turned back to her with a hurt and venomous look. “If I have to spend one more second in your presence, it will be one second too long.” He fought back tears and looked at an equally stunned Xander and Willow. “I’ll be in the car.”
He walked out the door, slamming it behind him.
Buffy was too shocked to move or speak. Her mouth kept opening and closing.
Xander and Willow stood up, exchanging confused glances.
“Guess we’d better go,” Xander said going to the door.
“But--But... I don’t...I d-don’t understand....” Buffy’s eyes welled up with tears. “What happened? He was... What did I do?!”
Willow saw Buffy starting to cry and felt stabs of concern and sympathy. She was mad that Buffy had bedded her 18-year-old cousin, but she still loved the nympho bitca.
“I have to talk to him... I have to find out why he's so angry,” Buffy said, sniffling and moving towards the door.
Willow took her gently by the arm. “I don't think he wants to talk right now. I’ll find out what’s bothering him...okay? I'll tell him to call you when we get home.”
Buffy looked back and forth from Willow to the door. Finally, she nodded and sobbed lightly. Willow was taken aback for the umpteenth time this evening. Buffy did NOT cry over guys. In fact, the blonde bombshell had been called an ‘Ice Queen’ more than a few times. Could Buffy really have it bad for the shy, retiring William? It appeared to be so.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy waited by the phone, waiting for it to ring. That was something she hadn't done in a long time. It had been hours since they'd left. Why hadn't he called? What made him act so bizarrely? Before Buffy had left the bedroom to talk to Willow, he had hugged her and tried calming her nerves. What had changed in the space of a few minutes?
The phone rang, startling Buffy for a moment. She dived on the phone and answered it.
"William?" Buffy asked anxiously.
"No, Buffy. It's me," Willow replied.
"Oh... Wh-Why didn't he call me?"
"I talked to him, or rather, I tried talking to him... He refuses to talk about it. He said he never wants to see you again."
"What?" Buffy felt sick.
"I'm sorry...that's what he said."
"Did you ask him why?"
"Yes, but he wouldn't answer me. He said that I knew why and wouldn't discuss it any more." Willow could hear Buffy's light sobbing over the phone.
"I don't know what I did, Willow! One minute, we were fine. The next, he's acting like he hates me! I don't even know why he's mad! Please ask him to talk to me."
"He's in bed," Willow said, feeling like crying a bit herself. She didn't approve of Buffy sleeping with her cousin, but her friend was obviously in a lot of pain at his sudden rejection of her. "First thing in the morning, I'll work on him some more. See if I can figure out what's going through that big, squishy brain of his."
"Okay..." Buffy said quietly. "Thanks for not killing me...and for trying to talk to him."
"Yeah, it's alright. I really did want to tear you a new one, you know..."
"I know... I'm so sorry that I... I'm sorry it hurt you for me to be with him. But...I care about him so much, Willow. If he doesn't want to see me again...is it some kind of Karmic bullet coming back on me, to hit me in the ass for dumping other guys? The one guy that I-I fell for..."
"Don't talk like that. You never treated guys that bad, really. When I said that stuff...I was really pissed and traumatized, seeing you guys going at it like that... Wow...that was something. I'm surprised I didn't get hysterical blindness," Willow tried to make a joke. When Buffy didn't respond, Willow continued, "I'll talk to him, Buffy. Try to get some sleep."
"Please tell him to call me...if he'll listen."
"I will. Night, Buffy."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William lay on his side in bed, staring at the opposite wall.
He'd been stupid. So stupid.
Buffy had just wanted him for his body -- which was still a lot more than anyone else had ever wanted him for, but he had his pride. She'd lied to him, making him think there was more to it than there was. William was a highly romantic young man. Other guys his age might enjoy a purely sexual tryst with no emotions involved, but not him. He needed -- no, more than that -- his nature demanded that there be more.
William supposed that the mature thing to do would be to chalk up his time with Buffy as life experience and move on. He should enjoy the rest of his stay with Willow and Xander, then go back to his life in England. He should be happy that he wasn't going to die a virgin. But he wasn't happy -- far from it.
He rolled over and punched his pillow, trying in vain to get comfortable. William laughed without humor. He couldn't sleep without her body next to his. He'd become accustomed to having her curled up with him, her body heat warming him, her soft, smooth skin under his hands...
The urge to go to her, to throw his pride out the window and just run back into her arms, was almost overwhelming. If she wanted to use his body, then so be it -- he just wanted her for however long she'd have him.
William caught himself actually getting out of bed.
"Don't..." he told himself, sitting back down heavily. "It's not what I want...and she lied to me...it's over."
William somehow kept from going to her that night, and the nights that followed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3 days later…
Buffy was going crazy. William still hadn't called her, and Willow was getting peeved about her calling. Willow didn't say so, but Buffy could tell. Buffy managed not to call for a day and a half...but her control was slipping again.
Buffy couldn't stop thinking about him. She missed him -- seeing his handsome face, hearing his ear-pleasing voice, kissing his luscious lips, feeling his hard, young body against hers... What had she done to upset him? She still didn't know. All Willow could get out of him about it was that it should be self-explanatory.
Buffy broke down and used the speed dial to call Willow and Xander's again, hoping for a different result this time.
"Hello?" Xander answered.
"Xan, it's Buffy, yet again. I'm sorry to keep calling and bothering you guys, but --"
"Buff, hey... How's it going?"
"Terrible," Buffy said wretchedly. "I need to talk to him. If he won't talk to me, I'll just have to come over. It's not --"
"Buffy," Xander interrupted, "William's not here."
"Oh... Well...when is he coming back?"
"He's not."
"Wha? What are you talking about?"
"Willow took him to the airport. He's flying home this afternoon," Xander said regretfully.
"I-I thought he was staying with you guys for 2 months?!" Buffy panicked.
"He was, but he changed his plans... Sorry, Buff."
"Wh-Why didn't Willow tell me?" she asked, feeling hurt.
"William asked her not to tell you. She was just doing what he asked. Willow picked at him until he at least wrote you a letter, saying why he was mad. It should come in the mail, maybe today."
Buffy's mind was reeling. William was gone? She'd never see him again.
"Buffy?" Xander said with concern.
"Yeah... Okay, thanks Xander... I have to go." Buffy hung up the phone absently.
She went outside. Her heart beat faster when she saw the mail sticking out of the mailbox. She ran to it and went through it quickly. There was an envelope addressed to her from William. Buffy went back into the house and sat on the couch, tearing the envelope open quickly and unfolding the letter.
She read it:
Buffy,
Willow insisted I write you and tell you my reasons for my behavior. As if you didn't know.
Honestly, I don't know why everyone is having a problem understanding my attitude towards you. You know what you said. I suppose you didn't intend for me to hear it, but I did. I was listening when you told Willow and Xander, and I quote, "He’s a great fuck. That’s all I wanted him for. You can take him home now if you want. I’m done with him. That‘s me, Maneater Buffy strikes again. Humpin‘ and Dumpin‘ men for sport.” End quote.
I have an excellent memory; those were your exact words. Hopefully, you now understand why I reacted the way that I did. Personally, I didn't think you deserved any sort of explanation. But cousin Willow was strangely and irritatingly persistent about it. Obviously, her and Xander's friendship with you is more important to them than my feelings or the cruel game you played with my heart.
I thought I meant something to you, other than a warm body. My mistake. You didn't have to lie to me, to make me think you were falling in love with me too. I would've been happy to continue being with you. It was the lying that wounded me the most. I was an idiot. I believed you.
I suppose I should thank you for my first sexual experiences, although it pains me to think of them now. Congratulations, you crushed me like a paper cup. Is that comforting to you? Are you laughing at my naïveté? That you could fool me so easily? Sorry to sound so bitter, but I am. I loved you and you squashed me like a nightcrawler under your boot in one fell swoop. Don’t worry about me though; I will endeavor to forget about you. It’s working already. It will be even easier with the Atlantic separating us.
Please, do not try to contact me again.
Sincerely,
William Winthorpe
Buffy read and reread the letter, not believing what he’d written. He’d heard the worst possible moment of her talk with Willow and Xander. Didn’t he recognize sarcasm when he heard it, for Christ’s sake!? Why couldn’t he have listened for another minute? All of this pain and anguish was because of a stupid misunderstanding.
She had to tell him the truth. She had to get to him before he left and explain.
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