Work Text:
Not Just Once
by Lucinda
Willow grinned as she turned in her test. Today was the final exam in her Physics class, and their Professor had announced that they were free to go as soon as they turned in their completed test. Putting in the extra effort, Willow had finished with a good forty minutes to spare, and was eager to get back to her apartment, the one she shared with her boyfriend Remy.
If not for Remy, she might still be back in Sunnydale, getting beat up by demons and vampires when she helped with patrols, and struggling to keep her magic under control. He’d turned her life upside down, leaving her head spinning and her insides fluttering. He’d charmed her with spicy kisses, sweet smiles and eyes that focused on her and her alone when they talked. That wasn’t even discussing what the man could do when he touched her…
Small wonder she’d left Sunnydale to go with him. Her parents still hadn’t figured it out, and she was iffy on the whole question of them realizing that she’d even graduated from high school. She had stayed in touch with Xander, who was quite happy with Anya, and he was even planning to propose in the near future. Buffy had her number, but she had only called a couple times since Willow had left, all in the first month. Giles hadn’t called at all.Willow had flung herself into her new life. She’d enrolled in classes at Louisiana State University, taking a full course load, though she hadn’t picked a major yet. She had managed to test out of some of the basic math and computer classes, and her classes from UC Sunnydale had transferred with no difficulty. She was pondering the idea of a double major, something and computers, because it might enhance her future career prospects.
Of course, her studies in magic with Tante Mattie were going well enough. Magic wasn’t coming as easily as math and computers, but she was improving. Unlike many of the people Tante Mattie had taught, Willow needed to focus more on control than gathering power. Willow was certain that just leaving the Hellmouth had helped her control to significantly improve. She could probably keep going right now doing magical odd jobs and mixing simple potions, aromatic oils and perfumes. But Willow didn’t want to be able to scrape by, and she didn’t want ‘probably good enough’ control over her power.
Hopefully Remy would be back from his latest job. She worried about him, and wasn’t entirely sure that she approved of the fact that he was a thief, though she felt a bit of guilty pride that her boyfriend wasn’t just a thief, he was one of the finest thieves in the Guild. He took pride in his work, and took his responsibilities very seriously. Not that anyone could accuse Remy of taking life too seriously… if ever there was a man who knew how to relax and have fun, it was definitely Remy LeBeau!
Catching a bus back to her apartment, Willow could feel herself drifting into a happy mental haze. Her physics exam was over, and that was the last one for the quarter. She had a charming, handsome boyfriend, and a few ideas as to how she could welcome him home when he got back. Life was great.When she got to the apartment, she discovered that the door wasn’t locked. That was odd, she was sure that she’d locked it before leaving for her exam. Leaving your home unlocked was just asking for trouble, even if her boyfriend was a thief. Hopefully they still had their things, though she was certain Remy could get them back if they had been taken.
There was a creaking noise coming from the back of the apartment. Or maybe it was from the neighbors across the building… Willow hoped it was the neighbors.
“Ohhh…. Ohhh… yes, Remmmeeee!”
The sounds of someone being noisily passionate were unmistakable. Not only that, but extremely unwelcome.
Willow had a very bad feeling about this. It sounded like someone was in her apartment, having sex. And just who were they having sex with? Dread and suspicion gnawed at her as she stepped towards the bedroom. “Maybe it’s not… Remy’s not that strange of a name…”
She didn’t want to look, didn’t want to see… Except that if she didn’t look, she’d imagine. And what if her horrible suspicion was wrong? What if it was just someone really loud next door, someone else involved with a charming Remy? What if… Uncertainty was not her friend, and so Willow cracked the bedroom door open, catching sight of the mirror that revealed most of the room, including the scene on the bed.
It turned out that her boyfriend was already back from Bordeux, and was currently in their bed with some dark haired woman with long braids and big breasts. That explained the door being unlocked. That explained why the noises were so loud.
It felt like Oz all over again.
Small objects in the apartment began to wobble, and a few bits of fabric and fallen papers began to flutter in a breeze that shouldn’t have been inside the apartment. Willow could feel her magic crackling just over her skin, and had she looked in a mirror, her hair would be crackling with energy as well, looking similar to a case of static. Her eyes burned with tears, and her vision kept going blurry. A candle on the kitchen counter lit, the lavender scent doing nothing to calm Willow down. Her insides felt cold and heavy.
“I should have known he was too perfect,” she whispered.
Willow stood in the living room, trying not to cry as she fought to keep her temper from destroying the apartment. “I left home to follow him. I moved half way across the country to hurricane country to be with him. I trusted him. And I come home to this…”
The door opened, revealing a naked Remy LeBeau. He froze when he caught sight of Willow, “Ahhh, cher, your home early…”
“I didn’t know you were back yet. Since you couldn’t have been here very long, it shouldn’t be that hard for you to get dressed and get out,” Willow hissed at him.
“Cher, I…” Remy ran his hand through his hair, those brilliant red eyes seeming to dim. “I can…”
“I doubt that anything can explain that. I came home to find you cheating, not only that, but in our bed,” Willow fought not to cry, feeling a tear sliding down her cheek.
As Remy ducked back into the bedroom, Willow walked into the kitchen. Tears were falling down her face, and part of her wanted to just watch everything burn. The bed that she and Remy had shared, the bed where he’d been with that other woman… Had this been the first time? Had he been cheating all along? The couch where they’d snuggled together to watch movies and news. The table and chairs where they’d shared spicy cooking and carry-out. The clothing he’d talked her into buying, whispering about how good it looked on her and how much he looked forward to helping take it back off. The apartment where she’d thought they could be happy together.
Once again, happiness had detonated in front of her eyes. Once more, she’d walked in on her boyfriend naked with another woman. Once more, her ‘happy relationship’ had fallen apart before she’d realized anything was wrong. Of course, this time, she hadn’t just found them naked together, she’d walked in while they were still…
Something glass shattered.
She didn’t think she could bear to stay here, in this apartment. There were too many memories, moments of joy and contentment and passion with Remy, now tainted and ruined by what she’d seen. Even if she blasted him into oblivion, she’d see him everywhere in the apartment. Besides, if she blasted Remy, she’d regret it someday. Probably.
Life wasn’t great anymore. She wasn’t sure it ever would be again.
End Not Just Once.