Little Posts In Between

Sometimes, Boscha hated her mom.

"Mom no! Every time you try to set up a tutor they hit on me. No, would you--I said no! I'm finding my own tutor mom!" And she promptly hung up, letting her iRaven fly off. Boscha really, really hated her mom sometimes. And now if she didn't actually find a tutor, she'd be set up with another one of those stuffed shirt losers who sound about as dry as an overcooked not dog.

One of her first thoughts went to Amity. And she immediately wanted to bang her head against a wall. Amity had been getting more and more distant, outright ignoring her even when they were all together.

No way would she ask anyone else in the group. Boscha had her pride, after all.

But who could she go to?

Another crossed her mind. That half-a-witch was good with plants right? Yeah, Boscha could have her as a tutor.

"Oh ew, I must be getting desperate." She thought back to her mom's previous tutors she hired and shuddered. "Half-A-Witch Willow it is."

Boscha could ask nicely right? Yeah, she could. And she definitely will--

Boscha glared down at the witch she had pulled into an empty hall and pinned against the lockers, "Tutor me."

--not.

Willow tried to lean away, unable because of the lockers. Her glasses were tilted, hair mused from the suddenness. "What--why?" She sputtered, more confused than anything. "Why are you of all people asking me?"

"Because nerd," Boscha scoffed, "if you tell anyone about this, no one will believe you." She watched the increasing discomfort on Willow's face. It was annoying. "What? Just say what you have to say."

"Could you...not be so close?" Willow squeaked.

The taller witch practically jumped away. But she couldn't show how it flustered her. "Whatever. I had to make sure you wouldn't run."

Half-A-Witch fixed her glasses, she was visibly nervous. "I don't see why I should help you..."

"Just do it alright? I'm sick of my mom's tutors. They always hit on me."

"I thought you liked stuff like that." Willow said, it clearly wasn't just a careless comment. Willow didn't do careless comments. It was a dig.

Boscha sneered, "Oh, you have a spine now?"

Willow just sighed, her entire body seemed to slump. No wait, wilt. Kinda like a plant. "Do you seriously want my help?"

She was surprised by the sudden cooperation, but smirked none the less. She'd gotten Half-A-Witch to cave! That's sort of like asking nicely. "See you at the library, 7 o'clock sharp!" She turned away, ignoring Willow's attempts at getting her attention.

Half-A-Witch Willow would show up...if she knew what was good for her.

Boscha was the first one to show, not surprising. Of course Half-A-Witch would be late. She fought the urge to summon her scroll. School work, she had to do it if she didn't want her mom to keep interfering with her social life.

Boscha opened one of her books with great reluctance, having used the assignment as a bookmark to track where she was in the reading. Which she hasn't started. The witch groaned, "Stupid plants...why do you have to be so involved in the Potions track?" Boscha muttered petulantly.

She tried to read through the dry text that just went on and on about the history of sage and it's uses. Why couldn't they be quick about it? It would save her the time of picking through each droning sentence for a single worded answer.

"Blue sage."

Boscha didn't yelp at the sudden appearance of another voice. She didn't. "Don't do that Half-A-Witch!" She snapped, Willow flinched.

'I have to keep her around to help me. Say something encouraging.'

"Thanks for the answer or whatever--"

'--nailed it--'

"--but next time just get my attention like a normal witch." Willow only nodded, her usual meekness seemingly back. That made Boscha...frustrated? "Come on, sit. I've only got until 9 before I have to meet up with my friends."

"Right," Half-A-Witch Willow muttered as she sat in the chair beside her, making sure to scoot further away by a few inches, "What do you need help with?"

Boscha picked up her mostly blank sheet, "This thing. Supposed to fill in blanks from this reading, then write some stupid paragraph that summarizes the uses of the different sages."

The shorter witch took the sheet, looking it over with a small frown, "The only answer you have is the one I gave you."

"Uh, yeah. Kinda why I need your help, you're the plant nerd."

"Have you even really tried?"

She glared at Willow, "You take a look at this thing," she shoved her textbook over, "and tell me how easy it is to get through."

And so Willow did, carefully reading the same three paragraphs she had been. There was something satisfying about how she went from focused to cringing in a matter of minutes. "That wasn't the...most inspiring thing I've seen written about sage."

"Admit it, it's boring."

"Fine, it is." Willow coincided, "Do we have do use only this book?"

Boscha shrugged, "Only for the fill in the blanks stuff. But I'm sure you've got another book that isn't so dry in mind for the paragraph part."

"So you just assume I know one off the top of my head?"

All three of her eyes gave Willow a look, "I know you have one off the top of your head nerd."

Willow huffed, "...Brazon's Book Of Boggling Botany: Potion Applications. The library has it."

Boscha gave a smug grin as she got up to check it out real quick, "Thought so, nerd."

Willow didn't say anything back, but the spark of annoyance in her green eyes was enough for Boscha. She liked it better when Half-A-Witch had a little bit of bite to her. 'Makes it worth it.' She thought.

But for the life of her, Boscha couldn't tell you why.

It continued like that. Boscha would discreetly pull Willow aside and (demand) ask her to come to the library by 7, they'd study until 9, and so on.

Boscha soon forgot about the reason why she was getting Willow's help in the first place. She was too busy being distracted by the banter, the barbs, Willow's eyes, wondering if her hair was as soft as it looked, and most importantly, denying she was distracted because of all the reasons listed above.

The conversations weren't always perfect. They had their spats in between the actual studying and bantering. But they were the realist conversations she has ever had in...in years. She's know Skara all her life, Amity for almost as long. But nothing was ever...fulfilling? Genuine? And anytime so called joking or teasing occurred, it always had a cold, hollow ring to it. As if reading from a script no one wanted to follow.

And Boscha wouldn't have known any of that if she hadn't been spending as much time as she had with (a real friend?) Half-A-Witch Willow of all people.

'Any friend of Willow's is an automatic dork,' Boscha had remembered saying, 'Does that mean I'm a dork now?' She mused but quickly killed that thought. 'No way. We're not friends. She doesn't think so, so I don't think so.' Boscha halted mid-type on a post, 'But what does she think?'

She didn't know. And that was strangely nerve wracking.

'What is wrong with me?'

It was one of those times. 7:56pm and all Boscha's work done, but they were still talking together.

"Do you have any real passions?" She had asked innocently.

Something about that question hit Boscha in a way she wasn't comfortable with. "...I like taking pictures."

Willow rolled her eyes, "I meant something other than Penstagram."

"No really I..." Boscha couldn't stop herself from blushing as she summoned her scroll and clicked on a certain file. Was she really going to do this? She could do this. It was just Willow. "I...like taking pictures of lots of things."

Willow took the hint and came up beside her to look at what she pulled up on her scroll. She watched as Willow went from hesitant interest to wonder, "Wow...can I...?"

Boscha nervously handed it over, letting the shorter witch look at the various pictures of scenery and people she's taken. "It's nothing special..." She tried to ignore how exposed she was feeling. And the best way to do that was to put on her dismissive mask. "They aren't even that good."

"Boscha! These are beautiful!" Willow gushed, and Boscha wasn't sure what the surge of something fluttery in her stomach was, but she wanted it to stop. "Oh, you even have the different track rooms in here! How did you get that lighting on the Snapdragon, and so close without it biting you? You're really good." Willow continued, looking at her with far too much genuine admiration and--and now that fluttery feeling was worse!

Boscha took her scroll back, probably with a bit more urgency than she intended to show, "Thanks I guess. At least you have a good eye for a half-witch." The fact that Willow didn't immediately start insulting her was throwing her off enough. She didn't need any of...whatever that was messing up her thought process any further.

Plus, she knew if Willow had kept going, she'd have seen the discreet pictures she had taken of her throughout their past study sessions. Definitely didn't want to explain that.

"I'd be worried if someone with three eyes didn't have any good ones."

Said three eyes narrowed at her, "Cheeky, four-eyes. Didn't take you for the type."

"You've never been good with identifying plants."

"Was...that a pun?"

"Maybe."

"You really are something else Hal--" She cut herself off. Willow just saw one of her biggest secrets and didn't laugh in her face. She earned--deserved--a break. "--Willow." It felt weird to say her name without the added insult. It wasn't...bad.

Willow herself looked just as shocked as Boscha was uncomfortable. She was as unnecessarily (but thankfully) as nice as ever, "I'm assuming that is a compliment. So...thank you, Boscha."

It was that moment she learned three things. That fluttery feeling was butterflies, she really liked it when Willow said her name like that (like she wasn't an enemy anymore, like she was just another person, like she was a friend--), and lastly--she may have liked those little things little too much. 'Oh. Oh no. No no no no--'

Boscha ignored her thoughts, which were quickly diving into incoherent territory. With a cough to clear her dry throat, she said, "Yeah whatever, don't expect it that often..." She hesitated, "...Willow."

Willow only smiled, and Boscha hoped those stupid butterflies would kill her before that smile would.

"You don't pick on me anymore." Willow pointed out one day, out of the blue and completely off topic. Which was supposed to be about application of various roots in potions. "Or call me Half-A-Witch Willow."

"So?" Was the best she could come up with without saying something that was probably dumb.

Willow gave her a shy smile and oh just kill her now-- "I like you better when you're not being mean."

"I uh--" The taller witch wanted the floor to swallow her up, "--I'm sure most would."

"Maybe you can try not to be more often?" She suggested softly.

Boscha swallowed hard. "Maybe."

Willow looked so bright then, and Boscha was sure she was blinded by it in all three eyes.

Imagine her surprise when she was cornered by Amity one day after school. "What's your deal?"

She almost answered with an insult, but remembered her last conversation with Willow. "I don't know what you're talking about."

'Eh, not nice. But close enough.'

Amity's gaze was cold, openly showing her distrust. "I saw you in the library with Willow, and I've seen you with her in the halls. What are you doing to her?"

Boscha was actually offended. "Nothing! I wouldn'thurt her!" Was out of her mouth faster than she could catch herself.

The Blight's eyes widened in surprise, not necessarily at the outburst itself, but rather the meaning behind it. "You aren't...blackmailing her? Anything?"

"No!" She growled, "Willow is my--my..." She shook her head, "she's my tutor okay?"

Amity nodded slowly, "Right..."

"Is that all?" Boscha asked impatiently. She had to get to the library soon.

"For now." Amity answered cryptically, leaving Boscha to stew in her confusion.

"What the hell was that?"

It was a late realization, but Boscha noticed for the last two weeks she didn't even have to invite Willow to the library. She just showed up by 7pm.

That knowledge made the butterflies she'd been dealing with for the past month flare up again, and she sighed. "Not even friends and I'm already wanting what I can't have. Good going Boscha."

"What did you say?"

Boscha jumped and nearly fell out of her chair if not for the (surprisingly solid and strong? Holy shit) arms that caught her. Yes her face and ears were always this red thank you very much! "How do you keep doing that?"

Willow hummed thoughtfully, not even moving to set Boscha back in her chair yet and could she just hold her forever-- "I think it's just because you're easy to startle."

"Whatever...are you going to just stand there and hold me or are you going to sit down?"

Boscha swore she saw a hint of red color Willow's face, "Oh sorry," And let her sit back down in her chair, quickly joining beside her. "Earlier, what was it you said?"

"Oh, still on that." Boscha winced, "It was stupid."

"I still want to know. You looked...sad."

"I wasn't sad!" She snapped defensively, "I was just thinking about...about--" Boscha groaned, "--okay, promise you won't laugh."

"Of course I won't." She said so seriously, it had Boscha nearly swooning.

'Focus!'

"I just wasn't sure if you thought of me as a friend." The taller witch said awkwardly, "We talk a lot more but that doesn't make us friends, you know? Ugh, I sound so stupid..." She nervously ran a hand through her hair.

Willow carefully grasped her shoulder, it nearly made Boscha fall out of her chair again, "No no! It's a perfectly normal thing to think about...but for the record," Willow pulled her into something she'd seen the human do with her. It was disarmingly warm and wow Willow was strong. "We can be friends if it's what you want."

"What are you doing?" She hissed in embarrassment, her arms were held up, unsure of what to do.

"A hug! Luz showed me how. Nice right?"

Boscha mimicked Willow carefully, unintentionally pulling the witch closer, "I...can see the benefits."

Willow pulled her head back with a giggle, and Boscha just about lost the ability to breath. 'Human...I owe you one.' The Plant track witch was so close, she could just kiss her.

But she wouldn't. She...wouldn't.

"Boscha?"

She inhaled sharply, realizing that she had, in fact, began leaning in. "Sorry--" Boscha said breathlessly, "--hugs are...hugs are weird." She turned her head away, not trusting herself. "But I wouldn't mind them happening more often."

Willow hugged her tighter, having no idea what she was doing to Boscha's mental health. "I can make that happen."

'I am in so much trouble.'

"How do you take such good pictures?" Willow had asked one day.

Boscha's third eye blinked slowly, the other two staring. She snapped herself out of it quickly, "You're...interested?"

Willow summoned her scroll, coming to stand beside her, "I am! I don't know how you always get such amazing shots."

It still made her feel weird to get outright compliments like that. "I could show you if you want?"

"I'd love that."

Boscha blushed, but soldiered on, "I usually use this lens setting here, better close ups. In this lighting, the best angle is up," She adjusted how high Willow held up her arm, "just like that."

Willow pulled her into what she learned was a side hug, "You're going to be in my first good selfie!"

"Cool." She answered lamely, but quickly got into her default selfie pose.

But just before Willow snapped the picture, Boscha felt her suddenly pull her closer. And all she felt was warmth and something soft on her lips and all Willow filled her senses--

--it was over before the taller witch fully comprehended it. She stood there, jaw and ears dropped, crimson all the way down her neck. "Did you--was that--what?"

Willow held her scroll shyly, a smile on her lips and a matching blush on her face. She showed Boscha the picture, and the taller witch wanted to keep it forever. "Did I do a good job?"

Boscha inhaled, "Yeah you did...you did great...but maybe we can take another?" She asked in a whisper, "Practice makes perfect."

She looked so perfect in this lighting. Willow, with a smirk Boscha knew she learned from her, demanded, "Tutor me."

"Gladly."