Mother-ish (Joyce, slight Willow/Tara)

[punch_kicker15]

Title: Mother-ish
Author: punch_kicker15
Rating: PG-13
Fandoms: BtVS
Characters/Relationships: Joyce, slight Willow/Tara
Summary: Tara's thoughts about Joyce, during Buffy vs. Dracula
Word count: 172

 

“Oh, when you girls are older you'll understand. It's hard to date.” Joyce said. “Sometimes you just . . . feel like giving up on men altogether.”

Willow and Tara exchanged sly smiles at Joyce’s cluelessness about their personal lives, but something about it didn’t sit right with Tara.

Later that night, as they cast the protection spell on the house, Willow gazed at Tara with a look of pure adoration, and Tara realized what bothered her. Willow thought of Joyce as a mother to her. Yet Joyce didn’t know that Willow and Tara were an item, even though Willow’s face lit up with love whenever she looked at Tara. They weren’t trying to hide their love any more. How well could Joyce understand Willow if she couldn’t see the blindingly obvious?

Tara knew what it meant to grow up with a loving mother. She knew the difference between someone who cared for other people’s children as if they were their own, and someone who was just friendly.

Joyce was just friendly.