𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙖𝙮

12 | Fate

"Shut up! Charles is going to be mad!" I whispered that night as the four of us lay in Mr. Giles' large bedroom; Casey on the bed (she insisted) and Ellie, Jim and I in sleeping bags, mine of which used to belong to my mother.

"What's he gonna do? Barge in here like it's summer camp?" Casey asked.

I grinned, rolling my eyes.

"Maybe! He almost did last night!" I replied and I heard her laughing quietly.

"He wouldn't do that. Now shut up!" Jim hissed and I grinned at him.

"Why are you smiling at me like that?" he whispered and I had to hold a hand over my mouth to stop myself from laughing.

A sharp knock sounded on our bedroom door and we all shared a look, trying desperately not to laugh.

"I know you're awake," Charles's voice spoke.

"No we're not!" Casey whispered and I clamped my hand tighter over my mouth.

"I can hear you! Now please if you wouldn't mind, be quiet? Its nearly sunrise anyway and Jim, you agreed to help Summer with something this morning remember?"

I couldn't help it any longer.

"What?!" I cried and Jim sighed.

"You'll see. Jim will explain, don't worry. But not now. I'll see you later. Goodnight," Charles spoke and I turned to stare at Jim.

"What are you helping me with and when were you planning on telling me?" I hissed.

"It was going to be a surprise. Charles asked me to show you some exercises that help you find calm in battle," he replied and sudden nerves flushed through my body.

"Like...tai chi?" I whispered and he gave a low laugh. (A/N: Remember Buffy and Angel doing tai chi 😭💀)

"Yeah. Kind of anyway,"

Jim and I would be doing tai chi.

Together.

Alone.

"Oh," I whispered, feeling slightly faint. "Cool,"

Casey snickered behind me and whispered something to Ellie.

"What?"

"Nothing!" they both squeaked before bursting into laughter.

Rolling my eyes, I turned over so that I was facing away from Jim and his dark eyes that I constantly obsessed over.

That I would soon be staring into.

...

"You have to breathe to feel it. It's almost like magic, except it comes from inside of you, rather than the elements around you," Jim whispered in my ear as the two of us stood out the front of Sunnydale High, under the cover of the evaporating dawn.

"I...how do you know all this?" I murmured and he smiled.

"I just do,"

"Is it a Native thing?"

"Kind of,"

I smiled back, trying to keep my gaze from slipping to his lips.

"If this was battle I...I don't think I'd be able to control my breathing. I can't even do it here," I spoke.

"You're nervous," he replied and I could feel myself begin to panic.

"I...No. I'm not," I stuttered and Jim laughed quietly.

"It's okay. I'm right here,"

I stared into his dark eyes, afraid of what I would say next.

"I...I know,"