A Buffyverse Bachelor Challenge: Part Five

By RoseFyre

Blah blah, I have nothing to say, blah blah.

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Still don’t own Joss, the Buffyverse, or anything that comes from that…or even most of the sims in this!

“So, Kathy, what do you think of your daddy’s dates?” Xander asked her while bouncing her.

She giggled. “Like!”

“You have a happy nature. Probably for the best, considering your daddy.”

“Happy!”

Caleb managed to toddle over to them. He placed his hand on Xander’s knee. “Happy,” he said solemnly.

“Happy indeed.” Xander picked Caleb up and sat him on the couch between him and Elle.

Elle smiled as she snuggled her son. She turned to Rose. “More hot tub time today, then kissing tonight and flirting in the morning, right?”

“That’s what’s on the schedule, though I did suggest…ah.” She peered at the TV. “Yup, he’s taking my suggestion.”

All of them turned to look. “So no hot tubs?” Stuart asked.

“No. No hot tubs.”

* * *

While the girls spent a bit of time in the house, Liam prepared the tea table. It would be nice to share something he shared with his closest friends with the women he was…well, sort of dating.

The more he thought about it, the more certain he was that he’d made the right choice in sending Croissant home. She’d never seemed as interested in him as the other girls had. On top of that, he wasn’t sure he’d ever understand her – and not just her speech patterns, either. She was playful while he was serious, messy while he was neat, and far nicer than he ever was.

She was a good friend, but that was enough.

He looked up when the door opened again, showing that half an hour had passed.

“Blue hair?”

“You did give us half an hour. What’d you expect me to do?”

“Fair enough.”

Liam waited for Cassie and Lydia to join them as well before beginning. “I have something important that I need to tell all of you, and I didn’t think a hot tub was the best place for a serious discussion.”

“So instead you’ve got us drinkin’ dead leaf juice?” Rissa asked, looking at her teacup in disgust.

Liam raised an eyebrow. “Tea is a very pleasant ritual.”

“I like it,” Cassie agreed.

Lydia poured some sugar into hers. “Tea is fine, as long as it’s sweet enough.”

Liam looked at her. “Aren’t you Simlish?”

“I may be Simlish, but that doesn’t mean I’m addicted to tea. I prefer hot chocolate myself.”

Rissa finally took a cup, but she didn’t drink it. She did, however, use it to warm her hands; it was chilly outside.

They all sat in silence for a while, sipping – or not sipping – their tea, enjoying the sound of the birds and the rustling of the leaves.

“What was the important thing you had to tell us?” Cassie asked eventually.

“I wasn’t sure – and am still not sure – how to say this, so I guess the best thing to do is just to say it. I haven’t told any of you this, but you have a right to know, before anything more serious than flirting happens. I have a daughter, Kathy. She’s a toddler.”

“Who’s her mother?” Lydia asked, eventually.

“Oh, no. No one. No, she’s half-alien. I was abducted.” He took a deep breath. “I wanted to tell all of you now, before anything became more serious. I know that this isn’t necessarily what you expected, but…it is what it is.”

“Where is she? Your daughter, I mean?” Cassie asked.

“I left her with friends. It’s all a bit complicated, but my Creator assures me that what takes a week here will only be an afternoon for them.”

“That’s odd,” Lydia said.

Rissa shook her head. “Sounds like a simself. Crazy as fuck, all of them are.”

Liam smiled at her. “That would be Rose, yes.” He poured himself more tea. “Would anyone like another cup?”

“No thanks,” Rissa said. “One cup of dead leaf juice’s enough for me.”

“I know it’s sudden,” Liam said, “and that I didn’t tell you before. I hope you can all accept it. And if you can’t…well, let me know.”

The three girls exchanged glances. “Give us a bit of time to think?” Cassie said. “This isn’t something that can be taken lightly.”

“Of course.”

The conversation turned to lighter topics, as the four of them sat and enjoyed their tea – or at least enjoyed its warmth.

Finally, when three hours had passed, Liam stood up. “I’ll be in the flirting room. It’s time for kissing. You three can decide the order.”

Cassie stood up immediately. “I’ll go first,” she volunteered.

They headed into the house, leaving Rissa and Lydia alone.

“What are you doing with that tea?” Lydia asked. “I thought you didn’t like the stuff.”

“Nope. But I bet trees like dead leaf juice just fine.” And with that, she poured the rest of the tea out into the yard. Lydia shook her head.

The kissing went well; first with Cassie, second with Rissa, and finally with Lydia.

Liam still wasn’t sure which girl he liked best. Kissing all three of them had been nice.

More than nice, if he was being honest.

When the kissing was done, Liam sat down at the chess table for a quick break before dinner. He was starting to get hungry.

Cassie joined him. “Do you want to play a game?”

He shook his head. “I’m not really in the mood. It was just a comfortable chair. Besides, I could use dinner.”

“Oh. I guess I’ll play by myself then.”

“You gonna sit there all day?” Rissa asked.

“Actually, no. I’m not really in a chess mood. I was about to get dinner.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Rissa said.

“You want to join us, Cassie?” Liam asked.

“No thanks. I’m going to play a bit. Take some time to think.”

“What about you, Lydia?” he called over.

Lydia, who was busy playing pool, also shook her head. “No thanks.”

They sat and ate dinner, chatting all the while. Liam kept the conversation light, and Rissa reciprocated, telling him stories of various pranks she’d pulled in high school. He was particularly amused by the story of the time she’d filled an entire locker bank with pudding.

“So what did you want to do?” Liam asked when they were done.

“Not gonna hang out with Cassie or Lydia?”

“They’re both still busy.”

“Fair enough. You wanna go stargaze?”

“Sure.”

“So which of those stars is your kid from?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t really remember being abducted.” Liam looked at her. “It doesn’t bother you?”

“Hey, if you’re willing to have the kids, it means I don’t have to carry them. You’re way more maternal than I am.”

That startled a laugh out of Liam. “You know that for certain?”

“I’m pretty damn sure.”

Rissa looked at him. “Besides, I always liked astronomy. Alien abduction is fascinating.”

He shook his head. “You would think that, wouldn’t you?”

“I told you yesterday I like science. It hasn’t changed since then.”

Meanwhile, inside, Lydia had noticed that Liam and Rissa were no longer in the room. “Where are they?”

“I think they went outside.”

“And you don’t mind that she’s monopolizing him?”

Cassie tilted her head. “I’m still thinking over that whole parent thing. It’s a bit odd.”

Lydia sagged. “Yeah. It is. What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. That’s why I’m still thinking.”

Outside, Liam and Rissa had decided that the ground was getting a bit cold, so they got up. When Liam hugged Rissa and claimed it was to keep her warm, she laughed, but didn’t protest.

She even pulled him into a kiss.

“Are you sure about this? I can’t promise anything, not now.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You think I don’t know that? I can make my own decisions, Liam.” She kissed him harder and reached down to grab his butt. He barely managed to avoid jumping.

They kissed a bit more. “We have got to stop this,” Liam said eventually, his breath short. “Or this is going to turn into more and I can’t do that now.”

Rissa frowned. “Oh, fine.”

Liam suggested a game of catch, and Rissa acquiesced, even though it clearly wasn’t her first choice of activities. They played until Liam started shivering again.

“I’m going to head inside. It’s cold out here.”

“Alright. I’ll see you in a bit.”

“You’re not going to come in?”

“Nah, not yet.”

Instead, Rissa chose to do a bit of gardening. The bushes were a mess.

When Liam went inside, he found Cassie and Lydia hanging out by the stereo. He joined them until it was time for bed.

In the morning, he woke up and made his bed as usual, then headed to the computer to check his email and the schedule for the day.

The morning was flirting, as it had been every day so far. However, with only three girls left, it would take less time, and he’d have more time to spend just hanging out with them.

At noon, there was a move out, then another hot tub date – though he rather thought he’d do tea again.

That night, there would be dancing and kisses with the two remaining girls. That sounded nice.

Once again, Lydia was the first one to join him in the morning.

“Have you thought more on what I said yesterday?” he asked as he took her hands in his.

“I have. I’m not entirely happy that you didn’t tell us from the start. But at least you’re not married.”

“That would be incredibly rude, to participate in something like this if I were.”

“Yes, it would.”

“I do like you, Lydia.”

“But not as much as you like Rissa or Cassie.”

He didn’t answer, but he knew she was right. He did like Lydia. But he didn’t know her as well as the others, considering how she’d mostly ignored him the first couple of days. And on top of that, Lydia could be very biting. So could Rissa, but somehow it was different.

There wasn’t quite the same connection with Lydia as he had with the other girls, and both of them knew it.

He caressed her cheek. “I am glad you came, Lydia.”

She quirked her lips. “I’m glad I did too.”

Rissa was next into the room, and Liam greeted her with a caress.

“I like your hair like that. Blue, I mean.”

“Better than red or purple?”

“No. Not better. It’s just…different. In a good way. You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t change your hair color often.”

Rissa just shook her head at him.

“Okay, I said that wrong,” Liam said, taking her hands in his. “You are beautiful, Rissa Chandler, no matter what color your hair is, be it red, purple, blue, white, black, or, God forbid, pink.”

She laughed and he joined in.

Then he drew her close for a hug, letting his hand stray down her back as he did so.

She raised an eyebrow when she felt his hand on her butt, but she didn’t jump. He just grinned back.

Cassie was last into the room, and Liam happily greeted her by holding her hands.

“How are you? Have you thought about what I told you yesterday?”

She lifted his hand so he touched her cheek. “I wish you had told us sooner, Liam. It’s taking me time to come to terms with you being a father.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t. Tell you sooner, that is.”

“I know.” She smiled. “I’m going to try not to let this destroy our connection, Liam. I like you a lot. Maybe…a lot.”

“I like you a lot too.”

They stepped apart. “I’m sorry,” he said again.

“I get it. You needed to get to know us first.”

“Yeah. I did.” He paused. “We should go into the living room.”

“Flirting time is over?”

“Yeah.”

However, when they got into the living room, they discovered that Rissa and Lydia had both found things to do on their own once their flirting time was finished.

So they went into the dining room for breakfast.

Liam grimaced slightly at his salad. Salad was not breakfast food. What he wouldn’t give for an omelet or some pancakes right now…

When he was done with his salad (Cassie was still pondering the not-very-breakfast-y options) he headed back out into the living room.

Rissa was still by the pool table, but she was cursing up a storm.

“What happened?” Liam asked.

“Hit my hand on the fuckin’ table,” she growled, shaking it.

“Here, let me look.” He examined her hand. “Doesn’t look like it’ll even bruise.”

“Then it’s good enough to give you a backrub,” she said, spinning him around. He didn’t protest – Rissa gave very good backrubs.

When Cassie finally came out of the dining room, she distracted Liam with a game of red hands.

Then Rissa grabbed him for a hug.

Then Cassie did.

Finally, Lydia came back inside and grabbed him for a hug as well, as Rissa challenged Cassie to a game of punch you punch me.

Neither Rissa nor Cassie wanted to leave him alone with Lydia – or with each other – if they had the option, so they stuck close by.

“What was that for?” Liam asked.

“Can’t I just want to hug you?”

“You never have before.”

Lydia smiled sadly. “No. No, that was me saying goodbye.”

“Wait, what?”

“I’m not an idiot, Liam. It’s obvious you’re more interested in both Rissa and Cassie than you are in me.”

“I don’t, it’s not…”

“It’s okay. Someone has to go. But I’m going out on my terms.”

He smiled sadly. “I’m sorry to see you go.”

“But you’re not begging me to stay.”

“…No.” How could he, when she was right?

“Goodbye, Liam.”

And with that, Lydia walked down the hall to the computer, leaving Liam alone with Rissa and Cassie.

They stopped their game and came to stand on either side of him, looking in the same direction as him.

“I’m going to miss her,” Liam said quietly.

Rissa and Cassie exchanged a glance. “We know,” Cassie said.

“Yeah, but you’ve still got us. And we’re amazing, y’know.”

He smiled. “I do.” He looked at both of them. “Shall we do tea?”

* * *

At Rose’s house, everyone watched as Lydia left.

“He was going to send her off anyway,” Elle said.

Xander nodded. “That’s what it looked like to me.”

“You think so?” Rose asked.

“Definitely,” Elle said.

Rose shrugged. “I can’t say I know Lydia that well, but…from what I know of her, it doesn’t surprise me that she’d want the last word.” She sighed. “I’m sure Cait will understand, especially considering…well.” She cut herself off. “I’m sure she’ll understand.”

* * *

Scores!

Rissa: 100/100 = 200, best friends, mutual love

Cassiopeia: 100/92 = 192, best friends, mutual love

Lydia: 100/48 = 148, friends, mutual crush

Here. Enjoy some randomly!shirtless!Liam. (As this was taken after breakfast, I have no idea why he was shirtless. I’m pretty sure he showered first thing in the morning.)