Title: Approaching Normal
Author: Restive Nature
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to BtVS or Supernatural. They are owned respectively by Whedon & Mutant Enemy and by Eric Kripke. No infringement is intended. This fiction is intended for private enjoyment only.
Rating: UNK
Genre: Crossover
Type: Friendship/ Romance
Pairing: Buffy/ Sam Winchester
Summary: At last they got the chance at a normal life that they thought they always wanted.
Spoilers/ Time line: Season 5 of Buffy (of sorts) and Pre Series for Supernatural.
Feedback: Always welcome!
Distribution: Ask first please.
A/N: This is written for the Jess? Who's Jess? challenge from the Twisting The Hellmouth site.
Chapter Five
Count Famous
The end of the first meeting of the fencing club could not come soon enough for Buffy. She'd been on a sort of nervous tension vein since before she had arrived and her mind was whirling with thoughts of the bad kind ever since she had given into the Slayerly urge to check out the noise in the alleyway.
To think, that Dracula, the real Dracula had come looking for her! It was enough to make a girl's head spin. Or maybe not a normal girl, but when had that ever really been her life since she had been called to this gig? But it was like a super famous actor or something, seeking out a drama major and enthusing over their part in a two bit high school production. Or at least something like that, she had decided.
Of course, the feeling of flattery had ended, the very moment that she had sensed someone else in the vicinity. And then it was business as usual. Protect the innocent. But Dracula had seemed to be in the agreement that no one else needed to interfere, and hopefully not die that evening. As Buffy heard Sam calling her name, Dracula had whispered his parting line and with a flurry of his purple cape, had departed. She'd been able to track his flight, and flight it was, when he'd turned into a freaking bat! She could only surmise that some of the legends were more true than she had supposed. She had resolved to ask Giles about it until Sam had distracted her. And then she remembered the part she hated about having gone back to secret identity gal.
Luckily, she had been able to come up with, due in large part to her conversation with Drac, the alibi about the creep role playing. Even better, though skeptical about the mental health of the gamer in question, Sam had fully bought into the story, even sharing a similar experience and wasn't that a hoot? But even as they continued on to the meeting, Buffy hadn't realized that Sam was more than just being a gentleman, another novelty in her world, because she was working too hard to get through the implications of what was happening now.
Throughout the meeting, she was able to pretend absorption in the instructor's welcome and discussion about the club. She figured that she could get the logistics of meeting times and places later, since she did catch that they'd post the meeting times in common areas and also that they had an emailer that they sent out to those that signed up. She resolved to do that, since she really enjoyed clubs that offered some physical activity as an outlet when she wasn't on a slay heavy schedule. She had caught mention when those that needed to, were invited to change in the community centers bathrooms. There were a small number that did, Buffy and Sam among them.
Upon the recommencing of the class, they'd moved into learning some basic Katas that would help them before picking up an actual sword. And since they were all in formation to learn the forms, Buffy didn't have to worry about going one on one with an opponent and trying to gage her strength so an ordinary person didn't get hurt. The forms were so familiar and soothing to her that she moved through them, in a trance like state. So while that was good for her, it also meant that she totally missed the appreciative eyes and some jealous ones roaming over her as she moved through the motions. And at last, when the instructor had congratulated them all on a good first meeting, Buffy had developed a plan that she could put into action almost immediately. Like a good little Slayer, she would call her Watcher.
“That was amazing,” Sam enthused from beside her. Buffy glanced up, a little startled. She had sat with him while the instructor had talked, but when they took up positions around the room, she hadn't even noticed that he had stuck with her.
“It was a good workout,” she agreed with a grin. There was just the lightest sheen of perspiration on Sam's cheeks and checking herself, Buffy could feel one small trickle trying to make it's way down her hairline, tickling at that little spot in front of her ear. As people milled around them, Buffy glanced around for her bag and started moving to it, to retrieve the towel that she had brought with her. Sam followed, as of course, his bag was stowed with hers.
“Yes, but I was actually referring to you,” Sam chuckled. “Have you done this before?” he asked with interest. Buffy was slightly caught off guard, but then realized that she had already told Sam about her interest in self defense. She shrugged as she squatted down to open her bag.
“A... friend of mine,” she winced soundlessly, referring to Angel as such, but it was a subject she really didn't want to get into, “back in high school, got me into tai chi. I found it very relaxing and continued with it. I do the Katas every morning, sometimes at night before bed.”
“It shows,” Sam grinned as he knelt to retrieve his own towel to mop at his face before wrapping it around the back of his neck. “You were more graceful than the instructor. Looked very natural to you.”
“Oh, uh thanks,” Buffy could feel the blush creeping up her cheeks. She chastised herself just a little. One thing she had learned throughout her life was that people in charge rarely liked being shown up by their students or underlings or whatever have you. And then she chuckled and glanced at Sam as she straightened up, bag in hand, towel in the other. “I'm sorry to say, I was so caught up that I couldn't even honestly return the compliment.”
“Oh,” Sam waved his hand. “I know some of the moves, but my use of them was more, get the job done, you know, not looking... I don't know,” he chuckled, looking sheepish. Buffy smiled as well. Being short, all her life, she knew that people couldn't appreciate the problems that went with it, so she imagined, on the other end of the spectrum, being so tall probably offered Sam some challenges.
“Well that's what counts right?” she offered. “'Cause I highly doubt in a real fight that executing a perfect Biellmann would wow your opponent into submission.” She saw immediately the confusion in his eyes.
“A beel what?” he grinned and Buffy was shaking her head.
“Sorry, figure skating term,” she offered. “If you've ever watched...” she trailed off when she saw his face scrunch up as it caught up to the puzzlement in his eyes. “The move named after Nicole Biellmann where the skater's leg is pulled up from behind to a position higher than the head?”
“That sounds... very painful,” Sam finally admitted. “So you, uh, like figure skating? Watching or...?”
“Both actually,” Buffy admitted, watching him from the corner of her eye, to gage his reaction to that little tidbit. To some, it was a weird hobby, but one that she loved and wouldn't back down from. It was actually, unknown or uncared about to most, a very athletically challenging sport. And beautiful at the same time. Much like the tai chi. With skates! “Although it's been a few years since I last went,” she sighed. She noticed that the room was slowly emptying, with some of the club members utilizing the community centers restrooms to change in again. She gestured that way and Sam automatically began moving along with her.
“I never really watched any actual figure skating,” he admitted and she was pleased that there was no derision in his voice. “Regular skating was tough enough for me,” he told her quietly, but with a smile still on his face.
“Especially when there's a lack of snow and ice in your region,” Buffy decided. “Indoor rinks are nice though, but usually too crowded for the kind of skating I like.”
“I can imagine,” Sam nodded. “I was invited to this one kid's birthday party. Everyone in our class was. I spent the entire hour falling down.” He shook his head, lost in recollection it seemed. “Man, my brother was supposed to pick me up, he came early instead and spent the entire time flirting with every girl he saw and getting them all to laugh at me.”
“Hey now,” Buffy protested. Sure, she didn't mind having a good giggle at Dawn's normal misfortunes, but to actively encourage others... “That's really mean!”
“Oh I don't mean that,” Sam winced and then shrugged. “I guess it was just too hilarious for him and he couldn't help it. He was laughing and I just drew the attention to me, I suppose.”
“Well, okay,” Buffy sighed, but then held up her finger. “But you know, if I find out different, then I'm gonna track your brother down and kick his butt, you know, one older sibling to another. That's just bad,” she sputtered. “Bad big brother!” Sam however was laughing so hard, probably at the image of tiny little Buffy trying to lecture and lay the smack down on someone who was just as huge, maybe more than Sam was.
“Actually, Dean'd... no never mind,” Sam grimaced then.
“He'd what?” Buffy chuckled. “Don't leave me hanging here.” They'd moved into the hallway by then and paused outside the door.
“Well, pretty girl putting her hands on him,” Sam hinted broadly. “He'd so totally take it the wrong way, if you get what I mean?”
And of course, Buffy did. “Right,” she nodded with a grin plastered on her face. “I forget. Porn stash Dean. I don't know what I was thinking.” She watched and Sam winced and grimaced all in one motion and she giggled. “You're really regretting ever letting that slip, aren't you?”
“Like you wouldn't believe,” Sam nodded quickly and vigorously.
“All right,” she drawled. “I'll let you off the hook this time.” She glanced over to see a girl exiting the change room, heading out into the night, alone. It brought back the portion earlier in the evening that should be prevalent in her mind. Girls like that weren't safe. Not with Dracula in town. She needed to call Giles as soon as possible and then get out there and patrol. It was all she could do at the moment. “Well, this is where I hop off,” she muttered, gesturing at the rest room door. Sam nodded, seeming relieved at the end of the topic of conversation and with a small wave, continued down the corridor to where the men's change room was. Buffy slipped into the changing area and with a quick glance under the stalls to see if anyone was left, hurried to change into her street clothes before making her call.
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