Twenty isn’t a birthday Tara has ever looked forward to or one that she ever thought would be good or end with her happy or anything aside from evil. But she’s twenty, and she’s happy and in love and Willow loves her and she’s not a demon. She remembers the way her mom used to tease her whenever she’d tell her she didn’t need the spell to hide her demon-self, she’d never let someone get that close. Her mom would hug her and in the teasing but always sad toned voice her mom had she would tell her one day she’d realize she let someone get close enough and it would be too late, love isn’t something you can take back.
Loving Willow isn’t something she thinks she could ever take back, not that she would ever want to. But, she also knows Willow loving her is something Willow wouldn’t ever take back and that’s news. Of course she knows Willow loves her, it just feels different to get such a resounding reminder through her actions. She gets it now, her mom’s teasing words about love. Today is a good day, which seemed impossible earlier when her dad was in her room and his words burned her because she thought they were true.
But she’s not a demon. And she’s safe. And Willow is in her arms. And all the Scoobies actually do care whether she’s there or not.
It was a good day. In terms of birthdays, it easily comes out on top as the best.
But, she’s still her, and she still wants to be useful, so she’s pouring over books and she can hear the teasing in Willow’s voice before she says anything at all. “Your books get more action than I do.”
Tara snorts and smiles. “That’s not true.”
Willow grins back. “No it isn’t, but I love you and it’s still your birthday and I’m pretty sure birthdays are a decidedly research free day.”
Tara nods. “Maybe. I love you, too.”
Willow tilts her head at her. “How are you?”
Tara smiles widely. “What do you mean?”
Willow shrugs. “It’s a big day. I mean, your dad - have I mentioned he’s an ass yet today? - with his whole taking you away stuff wasn’t exactly great.”
Tara smiles softer. “No, that was definitely not fun, but, now I know I’m not a demon and you love me and your - our - friends are very nice people. So, definitely on the side of good days.”
Willow grows warm at the correction after months of anxious fluttering about the fact that Tara and her friends still felt like such separate parts of her life. She furrows her eyebrows. “You know I would’ve still loved you even if you were a demon, right?”
Tara shakes her head. “Willow…”
Willow stares into her eyes. “Tara. I would.”
Tara smiles and looks down. Willow continues, “I mean unless you got stuck in the internet and decided to make a robot version of yourself.”
Tara’s eyes widen. “What?”
Willow smiles at her. “We all have our pasts.”
Tara laughs. “You know you’re not getting out of telling me that story, sweetie.”
Willow tilts her head. “I mean, I could. I did have other plans for tonight, though.”
Tara smirks. “Oh?”
Willow hums and kisses her. “I love you, you know.”
Tara smiles widely against Willow. “You’ve mentioned it once or twice. I love you, too. Thank you.”
Willow pulls back. “Thank you? What for?”
Tara shrugs. “Making me feel safe. And introducing me to your friends and for letting me decide if I wanted to stay and trusting me.”
Willow smiles warmly and holds Tara’s cheek with one hand. “I love you, those things are so, so easy to do. You don’t have to thank me for that.”
Tara blinks away the tears in her eyes as she looks down. “I know, just, the people who have loved me before made those things seem like a chore.”
Willow frowns softly but tilts Tara’s chin back up so their eyes meet. “Loving you is as easy as breathing. It’s not a chore or some task, everytime you smile at me I feel like I’ve won the lottery or just got 100 on an exam or both at the same time. People like your dad who made it seem like you were hard to love or some chore or equally wrong things, they’re wrong, okay?”
Tara sniffs. “Okay.” She smiles and adds, “Snot and all?”
Willow kisses her. “I’d love you even if you were a snot demon.”
Tara wrinkles her nose and laughs. “You’re kind of sappy.”
Willow laughs too. “Maybe a little, but my wonderful girlfriend is definitely worth the sap.”
Tara kisses her. “Your girlfriend sounds pretty lucky.”
Willow nods. “Definitely, especially with the frequency with which demons attack her.”
Tara shakes her head. “You’re a dork.”
Willow laughs. “Yeah, but I’m your dork.”
Tara kisses her deeply and says, “Hey, Will, uh, maybe enough talking?”
Willow hums against her lips. “Sounds good.”