"Say it. 'My name is Nan and I am in love with Oz."

"Fuck you." I wasn't playing this game today. Grabbing the sparring pole
Giles had gifted to me before he died horribly, I growled at Larry. He had
this shit eating grin on his face and I know I'm going to kick his ass. Idiot.

"You're not my type. Although manly enough...No balls. Like telling a certain
fellow lycanthrope you have a thing for him." Larry grinned and tapped me
with his pole. His strength was obvious as I buckled under the 'love tap'.
Not like this bitch was going down.

It was definitely that bitch going down. The one who thought it would be
funny to spar with me while wearing a pink T-shirt that says quite clearly,
'I like Boys.' Wish I'd never bought it for him. Big fairy. He was the sister
I never had. Or wanted. If he starts borrowing my shit I'm outta here.

Three weeks since we'd seen any action...of any kind. Both of us were
frustrated. So, Larry says, "Let's beat the shit out of each other." In other
words, "Training." But then I get in here and it's all, "Why don't you tell
Oz you love him?" Sure, I fucked that guy a couple times. Yeah I wanted him.
But love? Love was an illusion. I heard that on TV once and damn, in this
world it makes sense. You think you're in love. You're in love. You think
you're dying of malaria...Ha. It's like what comes out of cows: bull shit.

Larry hit me and I parried or whatever, knocking him on his big dumb ass.
Towering over him I relished the idea of being taller, until he swept my legs
out from under me. On his feet again, Larry laughed, "You work, eat, hunt and
sleep together. He needs to know how you feel."

"Again. Fuck you." I took his legs out from under him.

He hit the mat, again. Forcing air into his lungs, the big lug actually had
the balls to say, "It's not a weakness."

"But your fat ass is." I slammed my pole down. He took the brunt of my thrust
on the pole. The reverb hurt him though as the poles skidded along one
another. Every action has an opposite and equal...pain reaction. He knocked
my pole loose.

Bitch.

My hair was in my eyes. I'd straightened it for a week and it was blinding
me. Larry tried to take advantage but I was a bitch in more ways than PMS. I
heard him moving and slammed my fist into his guts. He doubled up and I
gripped my hands together and slammed them like a sledge hammer into his
meaty back. Lar, he went down.

"You have to do it soon or else.." His breathing was thickening. We'd have to
stop soon but I was building up a nice rage behind my eyes. "Before..you
know?"

"Before I kill you?" I growled, diving down but he was oily and rolled away
from me.

"No." He was on his feet again. Moved fast for a big guy. That was good. This
conversation? Bad. We were at war. War with vampires and demons and duality.
I didn't have time for this maudlin shit. "Before something kills him."

I stopped. My heart stopped. Oz dead? Not possible. He was the lil' man o'
steel. Oz could take abuse like a pro. Yeah right. He couldn't die to save
his life... "Shut the fuck up."

"That's right." Larry's sides were heaving as we danced around one another
pressing our defenses like Giles had taught us. Before he died. Horribly.
"Get mad at me but you don't know..We could die tonight. He could die
tonight. And you need to tell him. So freaking imagine him dead. How would
you feel if he didn't know? Shit, I'd die."

"SHUT UP!" My heart was going to fast. I couldn't stand the idea of Oz dying.
Not after my parents and my friends and Giles. It was too much to handle. One
person can only go so fucking cold and I was...So fucking cold. Except for
Larry and Oz. I loved Larry. I was in love with Oz. I staggered as Larry
knocked me down with a blow I should have seen.

And it could have been real. If Larry were a vampire I'd be shitting blood
and eating dirt. Or maybe it was the other way around...If I was really
unlucky. "Shit. I give."

Larry dropped to his knees. Sweat was pouring off of us both. My sides were
fluttering like a rabbits. His face was pale with exertion. He hugged me.
"It's worth it."

The door slammed open and a body was tossed in. "Holy mother.." I staggered
to my feet. The body shuddered and moved, "Don't do it asshole." I shouted as
the voice cried out, "Come in."

"Oh shit." Larry whispered, getting to his feet. Willow stood there in all
her whorish glory and we had beaten each other into a stupor. I backed away
from her. The stakes were half a room behind Larry. I glanced at him.

He ran but he was too slow. As I watched him time slowed further and I saw
Willow make a grab for me. I hit her with the pole but her red lacquered
nails plucked it free and tossed it into Larry. He crashed to the ground, two
feet from the chest of weapons.

Willow stepped over the fucking moron who invited her in. As an afterthought,
she crushed his throat. I didn't even care. I ran for Larry. Willow was there
before me. My lungs were burning. She laughed, "We've got time to play."

I only pray I have enough blood left to write "I love Oz." in a corny fucking
heart on the floor when it was all over.

End.