"Well then." Giles said, pacing back and forth before his couch. "It seems as though we have successfully mastered the placement of our work tools..." He locked eyes with each of the four young adults sitting on his couch. Oz at one end, trying to keep the boredom out of his usually nuetral face. Willow was next to him, fiddling with the bracelet on her boyfriend's wrist with one hand and stifling a yawn with the other. The Slayer sat next to the almost-bad ass wicca, and poked her when she began to nod off. Xander sat at the other end, glaring up at Giles with a 'kill me now' expression plastered across his face. "It is essential that we come to look upon this place..." Giles droned on. "As our new sanctuary. That is the only way we will be as effective a team as we were." He paused, and sighed when Xander kicked his feet up on the coffee table and kicked a few books off. The watcher picked up the books, dusted them off, and held them to his chest. "That doesn't mean that we're going to treat it like our *home*..."
Buffy leaned over to Willow. "How long do you think he'll go on?" She whispered.
Willow gave her friend a weary look. "Are you kidding me? He hasn't even gotten to the rules and regulations yet..." They both rolled their eyes, and then semi-tuned back into the lecture.
"... drinking will be permitted, but only in the kitchen. Heaven knows how much it would cost to have this carpet replaced." He paused. "I will permit coffee drinking in the study for whoever is on... erm, Oz... watch, during the Full Moon."
Willow perked up a bit. "Can I have frappicinos?" She glanced at Oz, who smiled softly at her enthusiasm. "It's just so... summery outside, and cool drinks are much more refreshing."
Giles rolled his eyes heavenwards. "Yes, yes, do what you must." He collected his thoughts, and then moved on. "I do understand that once the fall term begins, it will be a bit more difficult for all of you to get to and from headquarters with ease, but I do ask that you do not... erm, blow it off when I request your prescence."
Xander raised his hand. Giles sighed. "Yes, Xander?"
"Yeah, uh..." He paused. "About that 'No Eating' thing... I'm exempt from that, right?" He glanced at his friends. "'Cause, you know... I *have* to eat. It's my thing!"
Oz leaned over to look at the brunette. "So you finally found one?"
Xander nodded back. "Yep." He glared at Giles. "Unless Mr. Clean decides to take it away."
Giles crossed his arms and sighed. "Fine! Fine!!! You can have your... thing, Xander, Willow you have my permission to stain my carpet all you'd like, Buffy I suggest that you destroy as many of my fragile possessions as possible when you train, and Oz, you and your band might as well rehearse here as well."
Oz nodded. "Cool, 'cause Devon's mom kicked us out--"
Giles groaned. "Enough!!" He took a deep breath. "I know that all of you must be exhausted, I just thought it imperitive to move into our new area and get situated as soon as possible."
Buffy gave her watcher a simpathetic smile. "We appreciate it, Giles, really! And we promise to make it our clean, non-destroyed home away from home, right guys?" The three slayerettes nodded affirmatively. "It's just... it's summer..."
"It's warm." Xander piped up.
"And we wanna... do stuff!" Willow finished, glancing at Oz. "Fun stuff." Buffy nudged her, grinning, and Willow blushed. "Summer stuff."
Giles nodded. "If you are requesting leave, you may have it."
The gang got up simultaneously. "Thanks Giles!" Buffy and Willow called, as Oz opened the door for them and they filed out. Xander followed close behind.
"I can still eat, right?"
Giles waved him on. "Yes, yes." Xander grinned, and sprinted out the door.
*************
"So, what are the plans?" Buffy asked, as the four of them piled into Oz's van. Willow turned around from her place in the front seat and shrugged.
"I dunno..." She glanced at Oz, and then back at Buffy, giving her a pointed look that said her plans for that day involved privacy with the werewolf. Buffy grinned.
"Gee, Xander, remember that movie you wanted to see?" Buffy piped up.
Xander leaned back against the bean bag chair in Oz's van and popped a gum drop into his mouth. "Which one?" He mumbled, as Oz began to drive down the streets of Sunnydale.
"Um... Boogie Nights?" Buffy replied, hoping she'd remembered correctly. Oz smirked from his driver's seat.
Xander's eyebrow perked up. "Naked women?"
"Lots." Buffy smiled. "I just bet they have a copy over at the video rental place. And it's so nice and air conditioned in my house."
"Sure!" Xander replied. "We can have a big movie marathon." He tapped the back of Oz's seat. "Don't worry man, we'll stay away from any movie that involves a dog."
"Actually." Buffy replied. "Didn't Oz have that... thing to do?"
"Yeah!" Willow cried. "That thing. With your mom, right Oz?"
Oz raised an eyebrow, then caught the look in Willow's eye and nodded. "Yeah. A thing. With my mom."
Xander shrugged. "So, you me and Willow."
Willow smiled politely. "I have to help with the thing."
Buffy slugged Xander playfully. "Looks like it's just the two of us."
He nodded. "Sure." He was more interested in the pack of gum he'd just found in his wallet than his plans. Suddenly, the van halted to a stop, and Buffy swung the door open.
"Oh look." She said. "We're here."
Willow looked at the Sunnydale Video entrance, and then back at Xander. "You guys don't mind walking back to Buff's house, do ya?"
Buffy grabbed Xander's hand and pulled him out of the van. "Nope." She shut the door and waved at the couple through Willow's window. "See ya!"
***************************
"Miniature golf?" Oz asked, as they sat in the parking lot of Sunnydale Putt-and-Play Miniature Golfing course. Willow nodded enthusiastically. Oz sighed.
"It's fun!" She insisted. "And very summery."
"And miniature golf-y." Oz replied. He saw the hurt look on Willow's face and gently squeezed her hand. "I don't mean in a bad way. I mean... it's different."
"It's something we've never done." She said. "But... we've done lots of things we've... never done, in the past few days." She offered him a shy smile, which he returned. "Besides, it's harmless, as long as we avoid the kid's course. And it's not like we have the option of doing anything else, unless your parents just suddenly decide to leave the house for the rest of the day."
Oz nodded. "Yeah... just..." He saw the hopeful look in Willow's eyes and nodded, opening his door. "Okay, let's golf."
She squealed. "Yay!!!" She hopped out of the van when Oz got her door for her, and practically dragged him across the parking lot by the hand. "I get the red ball!"
**************************
Willow and Oz dodged a couple of shreiking kids on their way to the first hole. They had everything they needed; clubs, balls and a scorecard that Willow had deemed neat.
"I'm really good at miniature golfing..." She babbled, as Oz gestured for her to go first, and she stepped up to the hole. "My dad used to take me here all the time, 'cause he didn't want me to see movies." She set the ball down, aimed, and got it in two tries. Oz watched her affectionately, but quietly. She then bounced over to him, and waited eagerly for him to take his turn. Oz sighed, and stepped up to where Willow had set down her ball. He looked kind-of helpless. He stood, looking at the ball for a second, and then glanced back at her.
"Okay." He admitted. "So, I've never played."
Willow made a soft cooing sound as she walked to her boyfriend and took his hand. "Why didn't you tell me?" She asked. Oz looked a bit ashamed.
"Because you were so excited, and I didn't want to taint that. Besides, it's a little embarrasing. I just never got around to doing it when I was a kid."
Willow smiled tenderly at him, and then turned him towards the hole. "It's easy." She told him, putting the club in his hands and then stood behind him. She gently reached her hands around his back, and put them on his own hands to guide him. Her soft breath on his neck made him shiver, and he glanced back at her with a smile, and a notable desire in his eyes. She grinned and sighed softly, also revelling in the intimateness of their position for a moment, before snapping into teacher-mode. "Now, swing like this." She instructed him, and he took a practice swing. "See, it's easy." She said, hugging him close for a moment, before reluctantly stepping back. "Try by yourself."
Oz took a small breath in, and swung. The ball travelled down the green, and landed directly in the hole. Willow's mouth formed a little 'o' and Oz turned to look at her.
"Is that good?" He asked innocently.
************************
"I can't believe this..." Willow muttered as she and Oz approached the 18th hole. He looked at her guiltily. "You've never even played! And you're winning!"
Oz glanced down at the scorecard. "Only by..." He lowered his voice as he mentally tallied up the scores. "Thirteen." He murmered. She huffed, and he looked up at her. "It's just luck, Will." He stroked her arm in an attempt to calm her down. "You can go first."
She sighed, and dragged herself up to the last hole. She set the ball down, swung at it a few times, and missed the par two by one. "Goodbye, red ball." She murmered as the ball disapeered into the hole. She stepped back and let her boyfriend take his turn. He landed it in two. She sighed, glancing up at the sky.
Oz stepped closer to her carefully. "I just have some weird kind of good aim." He offered, taking her hand. She sighed, and said nothing. "I didn't mean to..." He continued, trying to get her to look him in the eye. "I promise I'll never do it again." He finished, offering her a small smile. She tried to hide her own, but the corners of her mouth turned up anyway. Before she could reply, however, she felt a raindrop hit the top of her head. Oz looked up at the sky at the same time she did. They'd been so busy playing that they hadn't noticed the sky fall overcast with rain clouds. Big drops of water began to fall from the sky rapidly. Willow and Oz looked around, but the only shelter they could find was under a big aluminum tower, with a pinwheel that spun everytime someone got a hole in one. They quickly ran for cover, and ducked under the large structure. Once they were in, they found that they could stand up straight.
"I guess it's a good thing we're short." Oz commented, his voice echoing slightly. Willow nodded, feeling much more relaxed as her competitive side slowly faded. He held her close, rubbing her arms to dry her off and keep her warm. "Are you mad at me?" He finally asked, after a few moments of listening to the rainfall.
Willow gave him a smile and shook her head. "No, I wasn't mad at you." She said. "Just remind me never to play mini-golf with you again. I don't know if my competitive side can handle it."
Oz grinned, and kissed her. "I will." He mumbled against her lips. "Hey, when we get home we can play Sorry, you always beat me in that."
She wrapped her arms around him and drew him closer, the sound of the rain and obscurely romantic situation getting the best of her. They kissed, and then she pulled away, stroking the hair on the back of his neck and staring into his eyes, a playful and loving expression on her face.
"When we get home, there are lots of fun games we can play." She replied, rubbing her nose against his and smiling brightly at him. He laughed inspite of himself, kissing her again.
"I like that plan, but are you trying to confuse me?" He asked, leaning his forehead against hers. "'Cause it's hard for me to go from having you upset to having you imply sexual innuendos in the matter of minutes."
She giggled, and hugged him close. "It's not intentional. It's just... so much has happened in the past few days... Not that I'm not incredibly in love with you and glad that it has... I'm just more susceptible to those pesky girl mood swings." She smiled innocently at him. "Forgive me?"
He kissed her, and smiled. "Of course." Their lips met once more, and then Willow spoke.
"You think we can make a run for the van?"
The End.
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