Getting to Know You: Gettting to Know You
by Tracy Girlie
FEEDBACK: SHAMELESS BEGGING FOR FEEDBACK!!! Please? Please?

RATING: Absolutely G.

SPOILERS: Inca Mummy Girl, Halloween, and What's My Line Part One

SUMMARY: The beginning of Oz & Willow's relationship, from Oz's point of view.

DISCLAIMER: All characters in this story from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and the WB Network. I'm dirt poor, so suing me would just be a big waste of time.

DISTRIBUTION: I'll probably say yes, but it's nice to be asked first.



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Part One - Is that a harpoon in your hand or are you just happy to see me?

Oz squinted and studied the crowd from his spot on the stage. Another lame dance at the Bronze. He really wasn't in the mood to be here tonight, but since his band "Dingoes Ate My Baby" was the entertainment... he didn't have much choice. He sighed and watched Devon croon out the lyrics to his latest song. Several girls were standing in front of the stage staring at Dev, enraptured as he made eye contact with each of them. Oz snorted as he changed chords. Two hula girls had been dancing right in front of Oz all night, trying to get his attention. Another night of dodging brainless groupies who only want me for my guitar skills, he lamented in his head. And wanted to brag with their friends about how they made out with the lead guitarist. Oh, he's going to write a song for me! Oz squealed in his brain, mimicking their typical reactions. If it weren't for this dance, he would have skipped out tonight to go see the Monster Movie Spectacular at the Revue Theater. He consoled himself with the thought that at least the dance had an amusing theme -- something about bringing the world closer with the student exchange program. Everyone was dressed in costumes to represent a section of the world. The blonde hula girl at his feet was trying to spell something in the air to him with her hands. He took that opportunity to step up to the mike and sing some backup, averting his eyes from her and to the back of the room. Then he saw Her. The backup words died in his throat. And his heart stopped.

There, at the back of the room, holding something that looked suspiciously like an authentic harpoon, was an angel dressed as an Eskimo. He smirked to himself. How cool - an Eskimo. And it was a great costume too. Very authentic looking. No one else would have dared to come as a culture so unique, but this girl wasn't like everyone else. He'd been able to tell that with one glance. He admired her individuality. He liked girls who were willing to go against the grain, who wanted to be smart AND sexy. He couldn't clearly see her hair - it was covered by her hood, but he thought he saw a slight red tint around the edges of the hood. Redhead. I love redheads, he mused. She had the loveliest face he'd ever seen. Deep soulful eyes set in a thoughtful face. It was too dark to tell, but he was willing to bet his guitar that she had green eyes. She looked a little awkward as she watched the couples around her, as if she wasn't sure who to talk to or what to do.

Oz inched slightly closer to Devon, who was now merely dancing and swaying to the music as the band played the bridge of the song. "Hey," he began, getting Dev's attention. Devon swayed closer and closer to Oz until he was standing beside him. He cocked an eyebrow and waited for Oz to finish his thought. Oz gestured with his chin to the angel in the crowd. "That girl. Who is she?"

Devon searched in the direction Oz had indicated for a moment, his eyes lighting upon a beautiful girl dressed in a colorful outfit. "She's an exchange student. I think she's from South America."

Oz had to tear his eyes away from the Eskimo girl to see who Devon was talking about. Oz was momentarily stunned. How could Devon possibly think he was talking about that girl? The Angel-Eskimo had everything over her. "No, not her. The Eskimo!"

Devon shrugged slightly. He didn't recognize the girl dressed as an Eskimo at all. Trust Oz to pick the strangest girl, he thought as he began singing again.

Oz spent the next few minutes observing the girl. She seemed to be watching one particular couple - the colorful South American girl and some guy she was dancing with. He wished he wasn't on the stage playing; he wanted to ask her to dance. He wasn't sure where she could put her harpoon while they danced, but he was so interested in the idea of holding her in his arms that he put the problem away for the moment. Sudden movement on the dance floor caught his eye. The colorful South American girl left her partner as she rushed from the dance floor. And they looked so happy, he thought. She was soon lost in the crowd, but Oz stopped following her with his eyes and watched jealously as her partner approached Eskimo Girl. They spoke briefly and then the guy moved past her, obviously searching for the departed girl. His Eskimo Girl looked hurt as she watched him go. I wonder what that guy said that upset her, he pondered.

Dev shot him a nasty look and Oz realized he had missed a few notes. He looked down at his guitar as he finished the song, taking care not to screw anything else up. Three minutes later the song was finished, and Oz eagerly hopped off the stage and headed in the direction of Eskimo Girl. He could see her talking with a blonde girl. Then an unusually big football player stepped in his line of vision. He moved around the guy as quickly as possible, reluctant to let her out of his sight, and as he cleared the big oaf his heart plummeted a little. She was motioning to her friend and looked anxious. He was once again slowed down by a large guy, and as he reached the spot where she was standing, she and the blonde rushed away. "Hey, I---" he began, watching her rapidly disappearing figure. He smiled to himself, knowing that he would find her. Now that he knew she existed, he'd never stop looking for her. His smiled widened slightly, and he spoke to himself, "Who is that girl?"


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