Buffy stood looking in a mirror and wondered silently if it was too late to beg out of her bridesmaid duties.

Willow was in another room, thinking the same thing.

It wasn't unusual these days for Buffy and Willow to think the same things. But there were always different reasons.

Buffy objected to the color of the dress; it didn't go with her eyes. She didn't like the cut, either. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a voice that sounded suspiciously like her mother reminded her that bridesmaids aren't supposed to out-beautiful the bride.

Willow didn't mind the color - it looked nice with her hair, and Tara would notice that - but she would have preferred not to stand up at this particular wedding. She would never say
so out loud, but she still didn't particularly like Anya, and she definitely didn't like Anya with Xander.

Buffy ran a powder brush over her nose one more time (what a day to be shiny, she thought), and Willow took a deep breath to resist the urge to do her hair with magic. When they later bumped into each other, the first thought they both had was about how gorgeous the other one looked.

Willow didn't dismiss the thought. She knew she was attracted to Buffy, even if she never let the thoughts trickle down into fantasies.

Buffy was startled by it. Really? Willow? Gorgeous? She was willing to go with cute, maybe even pretty, but gorgeous? Not even at prom....

Willow moved on down the hall, and Buffy stood there a moment.

Willow was gorgeous.

Huh.

======

That night, once Dawn was finally tired enough to fall asleep and Xander had been petted and comforted enough, and every avenue to find Anya had been exhausted, Buffy and Willow found themselves alone in the living room. They were still wearing their dresses, and Willow had pulled her hair up. Buffy had kicked off her shoes.

They had discussed the whole situation until it was useless to say anymore. Xander had probably done the right thing, but it was still bad to leave your bride at the altar. Anya was definitely mad enough to do anything, and neither Willow nor Buffy really trusted her right
now. She could be out there, doing anything.

"Do you think she'll go to D'Hoffryn?" Willow whispered it, even though there was no one to overhear. She felt a little like her grandmother, whispering the horrible things so that they don't come true.

Buffy shook her head, but then stopped and stared at her hands. "Who knows? What would you do if it were you, Will?"

Willow knew. "Vengeance. I would want to get back at him." She thought of the impotent anger she had occasionally felt at Tara, at Oz, even at Xander. She didn't say anything else, but the way her palms began to sweat she knew that she had done exactly that, she had wreaked vengeance on Tara with that spell. It was her way, it had been her way.

Buffy still stared at her hands. Willow thought she was thinking of Angel, how he left, how he'd hurt her.

Buffy was really thinking of Faith, and of Giles, but wasn't going to look Willow in the eye until she stopped. She never told any of them about Faith.

So they sat in silence.

======

It was late, almost morning. Buffy felt stiff and horny. She always did on nights she didn't patrol, especially since....well, she just did.

She shifted on the couch and realized with a start that she'd put her feet in Willow's lap at some point. Willow was asleep, her head tipped back against the back of the couch. Her mouth was open just a little, and it was this that caught Buffy's attention.

She had often wondered what kissing another girl would be like, after Faith. Faith had kissed like it was the last thing she was ever going to do. But Buffy pushed thoughts of Faith as far from her mind as she could, as she always did. That was just a thing, it was just high school. It was just the one time.

And the two times after that, and maybe that time in the gym.

Buffy closed her eyes. She focused on other things.

But she didn't move her feet.

Willow stirred, some dream jolting her back into consciousness. Her hands found Buffy's feet.

Buffy's eyes flew open, and she frowned.

"Will?"

Willow yawned and turned her head slightly to look at Buffy. She smiled.

And she tickled the soles of Buffy's feet.

======

Willow hadn't had sex since Tara. She'd hardly touched herself since Tara.

But she had been dreaming about it, just now. Sex.

With Buffy.

Buffy was a surprisingly unticklish person. Willow had rarely been the kind of best friend that horseplayed, except of course with Xander. But she knew Buffy wasn't going to shriek and pull her feet away because she couldn't stand the tickling.

Buffy didn't pull her feet away at all.

"Willow..."

She said it low, and kind of pleadingly. Willow was surprised. She didn't think Buffy would....

But Buffy did. She leaned over and kissed Willow.

No shy kiss either. Willow knew Buffy wasn't a shy kisser. She'd seen her kiss Angel, and Riley.

Huh. Buffy kissage.

======

Willow was a better kisser than Faith. Buffy noticed that right away.

She was slower, more thorough, and she seemed to know that too much tongue is a bad
thing.

Buffy pulled away and shifted so that she was sitting next to Willow. Willow was a little breathless, and still had her head turned toward Buffy. Her breaths hit Buffy's ear in soft pats.

Buffy reached down and took Willow's hand.

"This doesn't change anything."

Willow shook her head.

"We can't...I mean, I can't...."

Willow nodded.

"There's...it's complicated. I still like boys, you know."

"I know."

Buffy, her Spidersense alerted, turned her head sharply to look Willow in the eye. Did she know about Spike? Did she suspect?

But the look in Willow's eyes was acceptance and love. Not condemnation.

"It's okay, Buffy. It was a kiss. It wasn't a commitment. And, you know, it's complicated for me, too. I still like Tara. I still love her."

Buffy smiled. "Yeah."

They sat there not talking for maybe five minutes before Willow put her hand on Buffy's leg. High up on Buffy's leg.

Buffy knew this feeling very well.

"Touch me, Will?"

Willow did.

======

A few days later, Willow was in the kitchen, and Buffy was upstairs in her bedroom, getting ready to go out and patrol.

Buffy was thinking about the other night, on the couch with Willow.

Willow was thinking about the other night, on the couch with Buffy.

It wasn't unusual these days for Buffy and Willow to think the same things. But there were always different reasons.

Willow was glad to know that she was, in fact, gay. She thought about the way Buffy's legs parted and the way she kissed and the way she tasted.

She looked over at Xander, woebegone and nibbling absentmindedly on Doritos.

Yup, she was definitely gay.

Buffy, zipping up her coat, was glad to know Spike wasn't the only person capable of making her...feel. And she felt on that couch. She felt lots.

She still liked boys, she knew that. But maybe she could like girls, too. That was good to know.

And Willow was good. She was better than Faith. She was better, if Buffy were honest, than Riley. That girl could kiss.

She walked out the back door, smiling at Willow as she left, squeezing Xander's shoulder as she passed him.

Willow was gorgeous.

And Buffy knew it.