By Laura Smith
Author's Note: This one's for Karen. She knows why.
"I am so sick of studying!" Xander declared as he slammed his book closed. "I've been doing this for five hours now and I know no more about the British aristocracy now then I did five hours ago." He glared at Wesley and Giles. "It's all your damn country's fault that I'm going to fail my history final. You had to have so many kings, didn't you?""You've had a few presidents…" Wesley began, stopping when he saw Xander's look. "Well, um…"
"But I live in this country. I've never lived in England. I don't ever plan on living there. The closest I want to get to England is to give Elizabeth Hurley a nice, long, passionate kiss. And, to me, it's not important that it's done in England or in front of Richard the third."
"He's dead."
"I know that Giles."
"And here I thought you hadn't learned anything." The older man smirked. "Why don't you take a break from studying? There are a few prophecies we're researching. We could use the help."
"No thank you. I'm going to go out and enjoy the sun while there's…" He cut his sentence short as Willow and Buffy burst into the library completely drenched.
"Hey Giles!"
"Don't come in here!" Wesley and Giles yelled as one. Both girls froze, looked at each other then nodded.
"Right. Books. Water. Not good." Willow continued to nod. "Unless they're on fire, but even then it's not so much a good thing."
"What on earth has happened to you?" Wesley walked over and observed the girls with detached interest. "A water sprite? A fire spell gone wrong? A…"
"No." Buffy narrowed her eyes and shook her head. "We got caught in a rain storm."
"How odd." He turned away.
Xander slammed his history book on the table. "Argh! I even missed the sun. That's it. I'm leaving." He got up and brushed past Giles then the girls.
"What's with him?" Buffy asked.
"I think the common term is stir crazy."
"Or cabin fever." Oz walked out of the stacks, surprising everyone. "Which is odd, since there are no cabins in the library. Unless you count Uncle Tom's Cabin."
"What were you doing?" Wesley asked. "We didn’t see you come in."
"Werewolf thing. I left something in here last night and I couldn’t find it. But the wolf can get pretty tiring, so I sort of fell asleep while I was looking around. Kind of lame, hmm?" He walked over to Willow and put his arm around her, despite her damp state.
"I think it's sweet. I only wish I'd been here to cover you with a blanket or something." She smiled at him, her eyelashes sparkling with raindrops.
"Hey, I have an idea." He kissed his girlfriend and looked at Buffy. "Go find Xander. We'll need him for this."
*** Xander groaned in exasperation as Buffy led him to the front doors of the school. No one was around, not even Oz and Willow. "What's going on, Buffy?"
"No idea. This is Oz's baby."
Leaning up against the window, Xander stared out at the cascade of rain falling through the gray sky. "What a miserable day. As if a history final tomorrow weren't bad enough, now there's rain and murkiness."
"But no slaying, at least. Vamps don't like the damp ground." Buffy shrugged. "So, upside. Although that just frees up my time for studying for French. At which I am Le suck."
Xander laughed. "Well, at least Willow can tutor you. Ever since…everything, she and I aren't on the best of terms."
"It'll work itself out." Buffy gave him a quick hug. "Where do you think they are?"
"Right here." Oz and Willow came down the hall, carrying an armload of towels. Buffy grabbed for one but Oz stopped her.
"These are for later. Later we'll need them. Right now, we're going to play a game."
"I have finals…"
"We all do, Xander. And that's what this is all about. Willow and I are a team and you two are a team. Every time one of you catches one of us, we owe you an hour's worth of tutoring in whatever subject." He raised an eyebrow at Xander. "As long as it's officially in the school curriculum."
Xander laughed. "Don't worry, Oz. There's nothing that's not in the school curriculum that I need your tutoring help in. So, I still don’t get the towels."
Pushing open the door as Willow set the towels down on a bench, Oz pulled his shirt over his head. "We're playing outside."
*** Hours later, the four of them lay on the wet ground completely exhausted. Xander and Oz were both shirtless, enjoying the warm rain on their skin. The two girls were barefoot. "This was a great idea, Oz." Buffy reached over and squeezed his hand. "And it's nice to know that I may pass French. You guys owe me enough hours of tutoring, it might be easier if you just take the test for me."
"Note to self," Oz said quietly. "Never play hide and seek with a Vampire Slayer." He sat up and helped Willow do the same. "But the game isn't over with."
"It's not?" Willow sighed. "I have to have some time to study for myself too. As many hours as we owe them, we're going to be tutoring them into next year."
"Not to worry." Oz pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her waist. "This part is fun for everyone." He started humming one of the Dingoes slower songs, moving with Willow to the pleasant sound.
Xander got up and offered his hand to Buffy. "This Oz guy, he's just full of good ideas, isn't he?"
"Did you pay him to figure out a way you could press up against me while we were both all wet, Xander?" Buffy's mock disapproving tone caused him to smile.
"No. I guess I got this one for free." He pulled her close and they started dancing. Casting a quick glance at his best friend, he sighed softly. "She looks happy, doesn't she?"
Buffy nodded. "She is happy."
"Good."
*** Oz rubbed his nose against Willow's before actually kissing her. Her lips were cold from the rain, but heated nicely under his touch. "You like this part of the game better, baby?"
"Much." She rested her head on his shoulder and hummed along with him. "I like dancing in the rain with you, Oz."
"I like doing anything with you, Willow. Although I have to say having you in my arms, more than slightly damp and shivering is kind of nice."
"You say the sweetest things." She giggled and snuggled closer.
Oz stroked her hair with a loving hand. "You make it easy."
The End
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