Work Text:
A Small Production
by Jeffrey Patrick
Xander laughed. He couldn't help it. Buffy looked ridiculous.
"What?!" She demanded. "It's a costume."
"It's, uh..."
"Great," Willow lied. "He was gonna say 'great'."
"Yeah. Greeeeeeeaaaat," He said sarcastically, before breaking into a fit of unrestrained laughter.
"What is so funny?" Buffy asked Willow. "I'm a butterfly."
"Yeah, but... Um, you look like a rabbit with wings."
"Huh?"
"It's the ears, I think."
Xander continued his fit of laughter.
"They're antennae."
"That look like bunny ears," Willow said, trying hard not to join Xander in his laughing fit.
"Do not!" Buffy glanced at herself in the mirror. "Only... kind of."
"It's okay, Buff," Xander said, stifling his laughter. "I can put on blue spandex and we could go as the Tick and Arthur."
"If I got the reference, I'm sure I would be offended," she said with a pout. "I guess I'm not going."
"Not going?" Willow repeated. "But You promised. Who could take your place? And besides, Xander and I already rented costumes and everything."
"But now I don't look like a butterfly. I thought you needed a butterfly."
"We do. But... You'll do fine. The kids will know you're a butterfly," Willow lied again.
"And why are we doing this again?" Buffy asked. "I mean, we don't have a great track record when it comes to drama."
"Speak for yourself," Xander said. "I was a fabulous Oedipus Rex."
"Riiight."
"I wasn't?" He asked turning to Will.
"Um, on to another subject quickly," Will started. "Xander, did you get the props?"
"No. I even sent a shout out to my homies back at the crib and... Oh, wait... You mean the rubber knife?"
"Yes, Xander," Willow said rolling her eyes.
"Oh. That I got."
"And your costume is ready to go?"
"Yep. With the wig I look suspiciously like Lion-O from the Thundercats."
"The kids will know you're a match."
"Yeah," Buffy said. "Once they stop laughing and mocking, they'll know."
"Not helping," Willow mumbled. "Now let's go over scene 3."
"Again?" Buffy and Xander asked together.
"Yes. Again."
"Okay," Buffy said before clearing her throat. "This forest is SO beautiful! Perhaps I'll land near that gorgeous flower."
"Why, hello there," Willow said. "I'm Daisy."
"Okay, hold up," Xander said. "Would you really find a daisy in the middle of a rain forest?"
"Well... I'm sure that... I mean, you would think," Willow started. "Um, actually, I have no idea."
"That's what I thought. What about moths? Do moths inhabit the rain forest?"
"I'm a BUTTERFLY!" Buffy said, punching him in the arm. "Don't piss me off, flamehead."
"Okay someone's in need of an attitude adjustment."
"Willow, Xander's picking on me!"
"Would both of you be quiet?" Willow said sternly. "We need to get this right for the kids."
"HE started it."
"Uh-uh..."
"Did too."
"Buffy!" Willow was exasperated.
"Sorry," she mumbled.
Xander smiled and stuck his tongue out at Buffy.
"You, too, Xander!"
"Sorry. I'll behave."
"Okay, then... From the top."
"This forest is SO beautiful! Perhaps I'll land near that gorgeous flower," Buffy said.
"Why, hello there," Willow said. "I'm Daisy."
"I'm Pixie," Buffy said.
"And I'm Larry," Xander laugher. "This is my brother Darryl and this is my other brother, Darryl."
"Xander! How can we teach the kids at the daycare center about fire safety if you don't cooperate?" Willow looked at him sternly. "Now behave."
"Yes, mother."
"I told you he wouldn't take this seriously," Buffy said, shooting Xander a dirty look.
"This coming from the bunny with wings," Xander mumbled.
"Okay," Willow said. "Just forget it! We'll try this again tomorrow. Maybe you two can stop pissing each other off long enough try then. I'm outta here."
Willow grabbed her bag and made a beeline for the door.
"But he started it, the little weasel," Buffy shouted.
"Did not!" Xander protested. "If you'd stop be a bitca for half a second, you might have realized that this is all your doing!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
Suddenly the door slammed and they stood there alone.
"You think she bought it?" Buffy asked.
"Heck yeah, she bought it. Did you see how red she got?"
"Yeah," Buffy said with a grin. She put her arms around Xander's neck and kissed him passionately. "She's gonna freak when we tell her about us."
"Hey... I freaked when I found out about us."
She kissed him again. "You seem to have adjusted just fine, sweetie."
end