The Fears of Yesterday (Willow and Leopold)

Leopold wandered through the door he had just unlocked, the front door to the house he seemed to be sharing with Willow, before closing it behind him. He sighed slightly in mild irritation as he then relocked the door with the five locks it now had.

Having finished that, Leopold moved into the home proper, stopping in the main hallway to hang his coat up on one of the hooks by the door. Moving into the living room, he looked around for Willow,

"Willow, I'm home." he called out for her reasonably loudly as he picked up the paper on the table and had a quick look through it. He was trying to control his anger at some people who had thrown abuse at him today and it was only just working.

Willow heard that Leopold was home and she beamed, happily bounding out of the kitchen where she had been cooking their dinner and she could tell without even looking at him that he was angry, but that didn't matter to her, he wasn't angry at her, and that was fine by her. Wrapping her arms around him Willow giggled happily.

"Leo!" she grinned "You're home so early, I've missed you. Dinner is cooking as we speak."

With that Willow let go of Leopold and she gave him a soft kiss on the lips, nuzzling his nose with her own, it was so nice to finally get to spend some time with him again, she had been so busy after all and she was sure that they would have the talks she had wanted to have tonight.

"How has your day at work been...you...you seem a little bit angry were the clients mean to you?" she asked gently.

Leopold was happy that Willow was so happy to see him and this made his mood brighten considerably. Unlike the other woman he'd been with, Raven, Willow made him happy when she was happy. When Raven was happy it was usually not something that made him happy,

"Hey Willow." he greeted her with a small smirk, "I managed to get away early to avoid all of the abuse and the stupid people. What is dinner then?"

He kissed her gently back, the anger getting less just because of that small symbol of affection. Leopold loved it when he was with Willow. He sighed a little bit and shook his head,

"I am a little bit angry... which means to you I might seem very angry." he told her honestly, "I got a lot of abuse today but instead of attacking I kept the anger inside. It's been making me feel angry at other things..."

Willow smiled softly when Leopold said that he had managed to get away early to be with her, well, that was what she read in his statement, she knew that was what he meant even if he didn't say it in so many words, she was happy that she could understand the meanings behind his words already.

"Dinner today is a slow cooked beef stew with baby potatoes, carrots and brocolli." she smiled gently "It's cold out there today so I thought you might like a hearty meal like this."

Gently Willow squeezed Leopold's hand and lead him into the kitchen so she could look over the meal while it cooked and still talk to him, she needed to get his anger all worked out of him, otherwise he might be in a bad mood all night.

"Why were people so abusive to you?" she asked, shocked "You didn't do anything bad did you...? They were probably just reacting to some bad news off a case or something." Willow mused.

Leopold had to admit that it was good to see Willow again today, just seeing her seemed to calm him down immensely. To the point that he was beginning to think his anger was managable without killing someone for the first time that day,

"Mmm that sounds delicious." he told her honestly with a small smirk, "I'll eat all of that up no problem Willow. In fact, you might have to get there first to get any."

He allowed himself to be led off into the kitchen and immediately smelt the food. Allowing himself a deep sniff of the food, he paused before shrugging a little bit,

"They were abusive because I was frank about their daughter's chances of coming home." he told her, "She ran away because her parents were beating her after all."

Willow smiled softly and she turned her attention back to the stewpot, she looked over the meat and she couldn't help but take a deep breath in with a happy little sigh, it was getting to smell rather good and she knew that it would be ready for them to eat soon. The vegetables were cooking nicely and the potatoes looked just about ready.

"Well calm down there Leo," she giggled "The food will be done soon and then you can have as much as you want, I'm not all that hungry today really, I've been too busy to really get time to be hungry after all!"

Blinking, Willow's mouth popped open and she couldn't help but take a small sharp breath in, it was so horrible that anyone abused their children, and she nodded her head furiously when Leopold mentioned that she wouldn't be returning home.

"Oh I hope she is okay though, how old is the poor little thing?" she asked her voice deep with sympathy "Such awful parents, giving you abuse because of their own misgivings."

Leopold wasn't used to acting as a caring member of society so this whole case with the young girl running away from abuse had been upsetting on a personal level. Mainly because before he had met Willow he wouldn't have given a damn. At most he would have just killed the parents,

"Well I suppose I can't eat if I'm ranting." he observed with a small smirk before raising a curious eyebrow, "What you been up to today then Willow?"

He could tell that the case had touched Willow as it had him and that was strange to him. She was normal, since when was he normal too? He shook his head slightly,

"14." he replied quietly before shrugging, "I gave her the money her parents gave me. She'll be fine."

Willow smiled softly and she was glad that Leopold was getting the anger off his chest, it wouldn't be good for him to keep all of it inside, it just wasn't healthy and maybe that was why his only outlet for his anger had been killing before, his mistress certainly didn't seem like the listening type.

Speaking of which Willow plucked out an envelope from her apron and handed it to Leopold;

"This came in the post today Leo, it's an invite to Raven Drakes wedding, I wondered if you wanted to go...if not I understand, she is a sore spot for you after all." Willow hummed gently, but inside she was still worried he had feelings for Raven...that would rival his feelings for her.

Nodding her head Willow smiled gently and turned off the heat, grabbing two plates from the cupboard and serving up the food, handing one with the knife and fork she had gotten out earlier to Leopold, Willow gestured to the Living room.

"Make sure you check up on her okay? If she needs help tell her to come here, we'll help her out wont we?" she asked with a smile "Come on then into the living room to eat."

He was aware that his anger seemed to be deminishing and that was strange to him. It was strange that his anger was deminishing even when he hadn't killed anyone. Perhaps it was just the effect that Willow had on him? He had to admit that it was the most likely answer. He took the letter and looked up at Willow with a small smile,

"Ah so they're finally getting married..." he nodded abruptly, "Good for them. Took him long enough to ask her. I want to go if you would be my date for the wedding?"

Leopold followed Willow into the living room, having pinched a carrot and eating it as he walked. Sitting down on the sofa he nodded a little bit,

"I will tell her that don't worry." he assured her before pausing and turning to Willow, "The wedding invitation... it troubles you... doesn't it?"

Willow smiled gently, she was glad that Leopold seemed to be happy for Raven and Konig, even if their names were left from the conversation still, she thought that the two of them could use some real conversation, there were some worries Willow had been developing, and she felt she needed to share them.

"I would like to be your date for the wedding of course." she beamed "I've never been to a wedding, I hope that I don't cry although I think that I will, they're apparently so emotional! Do you know what the venue is like?"

Obviously excited about the wedding, as a typical girly girl, Willow loved everything to do with Weddings and she hoped that one day she might be able to get married herself, but for the plans she had, they would need so much money....even if the man she loved wanted to marry her.

Blinking, Willow bit her lip, and started to eat her stew having passed Leopold's his;

"Just a little bit Leo, I...I just worry that you will still have feelings for Raven, after all you two are connected in a way I can't attempt to understand...I guess..." she whispered with a blush "I guess I'm just a little scared, and a little jealous."

Leopold had given up most of his ties to Raven a long time ago and, surprisingly, Raven had just let him go without a fight. He had been a little bit hurt for a few moments, as it made him feel as if he was unimportant, but he got over it pretty quickly when he realised that he not fighting his decision made him free to be with Willow,

"Well then we'll have to go shopping at some point then for a dress for you, a tux for me and masks for the both of us. It is a themed wedding apparently." he told her with a small smile before chuckling lightly, "A castle gothic enough for dracula to live in. But big and bright enough for it to be happy and not depressing."

He could tell, just by looking at her, that Willow was upset about something more than just the wedding. When she told him the reason he smiled softly and cupped her cheek with his hand,

"You don't have to worry Willow." he assured her, "Raven brought me back from the dead by giving me a body, that's true. But you know what? You made me alive again, by giving me your heart and giving mine a reason to beat again. You're more important to me than anyone else in the world Willow. Including Raven."

Willow blinked lightly when Leopold told her that they would have to go shopping, she had never imagined that Leopold was going to volunteer himself to go shopping, he didn't seem like the type after all, and she just hoped that he would be able to contain his anger while he was out with her, she didn't want to break up a fight.

"Well it sounds lovely to me." she whispered gently "And I would love to go shopping with you to buy our outfits, I have the perfect one in mind already...I hope it actually exists in a shop somewhere though." Willow laughed.

Leaning her hand into his cheek, Willow felt herself relax a little bit more, but the doubt was still there in her mind despite Leopold's reassurances. Gently she pecked him on the lips and blushed at his romantice declaration.

"I didn't know you could be so romantice Leopold." she smiled bashfully "I still have lots of things that are upsetting me, and...if you don't mind I want to talk them through with you, if you have any concerns, you can tell me too...deal?"

Leopold could see the surprise in her eyes when he was the one to suggest that they go shopping. To be honest he was rather surprised in himself but the fact was that he just didn't have a tux so it was just the easiest thing. He chuckled slightly,

"Oh Willow it probably will not already exist..." he smirked, "Which is why I am taking you to a dress-maker. So that your vision may come true. Literally, with a few spells."

He rubbed her cheek gently with his thumb, wanting to reassure her with his every action that he loved her. Enjoying the peck on the lips, he blushed ever so slightly,

"I... I have been practicing for you. I thought that you might like it..." he muttered uncertainly before nodding, "If something is upsetting you then feel free to tell me. I shall do the same, do not worry."

Willow smiled softly and she couldn't help but feel herself growing even more excited than before, she really did love the idea of getting her dress made, the one inside her mind, but she thought that it would be terribly expensive for her...and bit her lip softly, it just might have to wait until she had more money.

"I hope that wont be to expensive though Leopold, I don't really have that much money coming in at the moment, I can't afford an expensive dress however nice the thought is." she smiled softly, moving to sit next to him on the sofa, snuggling up close.

When he told her he had been practicing for her Willow looked up at him with a gaze of adoration, oh he was so cute! She thought to herself, bt of course he would pout if she said that out loud and so she kept her thoughts to herself. With a slightly less happy smile Willow thought about the first problem on her mind.

"I am very grateful for the practice Leo, I do like it you're right. But I don't want you to change who you are to make me happy, when you already do that being yourself. But...I was wondering...what are we to each other? Are we,,,are we together properly? Are we dating...?"

Leopold could tell that Willow wanted to have a dress tailored for her but was worried about it for some reason. If he had to guess then he'd say that it was the cost of such a dress, which he already had a solution for,

"Don't worry about the price Willow." he told her with a small smirk, "I know the tailor and I've done quite a lot for her in the past. She'll be insulted if we try to pay her."

The look she gave him made him want to blush even more but at the same time he didn't want to blush. He looked away, slightly sheepish. He smiled a little bit,

"Don't worry Willow, such a small change to myself is not a problem. I find that I rather like it like this." he told her before he smiled and took her hand, "Yes I think we are dating. If you would like to think that... I would... understand if you decided not to persue me. You could probably do a lot better than me, fucked up as I am."

Willow smiled gently and she should have known that Leopold would have some sort of plan to get the dress for cheaper, or for free, he knew a lot of people after all doing the work that he does, and to hear her was getting the dress for free, Willow's worries melted away. With a happy giggle Willow jumped lightly in her seat.

"Well...maybe I would be able to bring her some of my brownies, as a way of saying thank you, I would feel horrible if I got something for nothing, it just wouldn't feel right." she pouted lightly "But I'm so excited to go and get this dress made! It will be such a lovely treat."

Hearing that Leopold thought that the two of them were dating, Willow's eyes widened a little bit and she felt herself beginning to pout, she had already thought of them as partners, after all they had been 'dating' for quite a while now, and Leopold lived with her.

"I guess that we are dating then," she whispered quietly "I didn't think that we were I thought that were had been partners for a long time now, but I see that you want to be a little bit more sure of your affection before you make this long term. You're not messed up Leo, so don't say that."