Author: Malorie Matos
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are the property of Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy.
Note: Thoughs in italics.

"Hand me your jacket."

Tara did as instructed, and without a word, handed her jacket to the love of her life. She felt bad that Willow felt obligated to help her. As much as she wanted to tell the redhead she could handle washing up without her assistance, she couldn't seem to muster up the words. Here she was, in the girl's restroom with the most beautiful girl in the world. Tara watched as Willow turned the faucet on the sink and ran her cheese-stained jacket under the water.

"Um, don't you think you should start... you know... cleaning up a little? I mean, not that you look bad or anything but... you just... I wouldn't really want to be walking around all day with food in my hair, you know? I'm sure you don't either, unless... you do? What am I saying? Of course you don't... uh, sorry..."

Tara was pulled out of her trance by Willow's adorable babbling. It was way cuter being on the receiving end of the babble then when she overheard it in class. The blonde smiled and Willow shot her an endearing grin.

"It's o-okay. I don't m-mind, I um actually kind of l-like it" Tara said sheepishly. She earned another engaging grin in exchange for her confession. Tara walked over to the sink next to where Willow was and began washing up.

After a few minutes of silence, Willow asked "Uh... so, you just moved here right?"

Tara looked at the redhead through the mirror and said "Y-yeah, from S-Sacramento."

"Wow, Sunnydale must seem so small and boring compared to Sacramento" stated Willow.

"W-well, it's not so bad, I um, I kind of like it" Tara smiled; she had noticed her stutter gradually decreasing. Willow must have noticed too, because she, once again, began grinning like mad.

Then the red head looked down. "Oh, here." She handed Tara her jacket, with a few water stains on it, but cleaner then before. "I guess the stains weren't that bad." She laughed a little.

Tara looked down at the handy work of the love of her life. "Um, th-thanks." More smiling.

"No problem. I mean, hey, why I wouldn't help you. It was my friend who did it. Although he should really be the one helping you, but then again, he can't go into the girl's restroom. Not that I would rather not be helping you or anything! I just... I mean... it IS Xander's fault, but I have absolutely no problem assisting you i-in... all of this. You know, now that everything is all shiny and new, I guess we should be getting back to class. Unless, you're not done washing up? Are you? I mean you kind of look as if your done and your jacket just needs to dry off a little... uh... oops, I guess I'm doing the whole babbling thing again." Tara smirked, still adoring Willow's babbling tendencies.

"Y-yeah. I'm done w-washing up. We should get b-back to class n-now." She gestured towards the bathroom door.

"Yeah, okay, right" Willow responded. She started off out the door, the blonde close behind. They didn't talk the rest of the way back to class, but they cast shy glances back and forth. Tara fully enjoyed the silence.