A Buffyverse Bachelor Challenge: Part Three

By RoseFyre

Once more into the breach, dear friends?

---

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

“So,” Rose said, “now that the Apocalypse girls are gone…I guess it’s hot tub time again!” She scanned around the house, seeing where everyone was, and took note of one girl in a bathroom. “How did she…”

Elle leaned forward. “What?”

“Look,” Rose said, pointing.

Everyone leaned forward, including the toddlers. Kathy clapped her hands. “Red!”

“Yes, red,” Elle said. “Very red.”

“How unusual,” Stuart added.

Xander grinned. “You know? I kind of want to see Liam’s reaction.”

* * *

After Kori left, Liam told the other girls that he wanted a half hour alone before the hot tubs. They all assured him that that was fine, as they needed to change into bathing suits anyway – Liam, knowing that there would be hot tubs, had worn his under his regular clothing that day.

He spent his time alone thinking, about the girls he’d sent home and the girls who were left. He was pretty sure he’d made the right choice with both Lirael and Kori. He’d tried his best not to be biased, but a girl from an Apocalypse wasn’t for him, and he knew it. The longer he thought, the more sure he was.

After the half hour was up, Liam looked up to see Rissa and Cassie approaching.

His eyes narrowed. “Wasn’t your hair purple this morning?”

Rissa grinned. “You wanted half an hour free; I took the time to dye it. Just gotta be careful not to get it wet.”

He smiled. “It looks good.”

Cassie jumped in on Liam’s other side, then Croissant took the last space.

This left Lydia and Keira (again the victim of Creatorly powers, and thus actually wearing a bathing suit) on their own in the second hot tub. They seemed to have fun splashing each other while Liam and the girls in his tub chatted.

“So you packed hair dye in your suitcase then, Rissa?” Cassie asked. “Did you bring anything else interesting?”

Rissa smirked. “What makes you think I’d tell you if I did?”

“But did you?” Croissant asked eagerly. “I mean, the most interesting thing I brought was this bathing suit, which really isn’t very interesting, though I do like the polka dots. They’re fun.”

Rissa shook her head. “That’s for me to know and you to find out.”

Liam grinned at her. “Would you show me if I asked?”

She raised an eyebrow. “In your dreams.”

Croissant splashed her then. “Hey, no monopolizing the bachelor.” She batted some water at Rissa, who not-so-good-naturedly splashed back.

“Speaking of monopolizing the bachelor,” Cassie cut in, “when do we get to the kissing?”

Liam shook his head. “You’re all quite obsessed with the kissing, aren’t you? Anyway, it’s not for two days.”

He left unsaid the fact that any or all of them might not make it to the kissing. They knew that already; he didn’t need to spell it out for them.

“So,” Cassie said, with a hint of forced cheer, “what’s your favorite kind of music?”

That started a much lighter conversation, as the four of them debated the merits of various types of music, though all of them agreed that every single radio station tended to be very repetitive, playing the same music over and over with very little change.

After three hours in the hot tub, it was time to get out. Liam was hungry again, so he grabbed a plate of turkey and sat down to eat. The five girls who were left swiftly joined him.

Then he cleared the table.

Admittedly, there was no need for him to do so; he’d hired Kaylynn Langerak to clean the house every day, so he could pay attention to the girls rather than the mess.

But he felt uncomfortable when it was too messy, and he couldn’t imagine not cleaning up after himself – or others, for that matter. And so he did.

And after a quick dinner, it was time for chess.

Lydia was the first to join Liam at the table.

She looked at the table with distaste. “I suppose we have to do this.”

“Not a fan of chess?”

“Not at all.”

“I hope you’re still enjoying being here?”

“Yes.”

The played quietly for a bit, concentrating on the game, until Lydia suddenly pointed behind Liam. “Look! Keira took off her bathing suit again!”

Liam automatically looked, even though Keira without her bathing suit had made him feel rather uncomfortable the day before.

Luckily for him, Keira was not naked.

Unluckily for him, Lydia moved the pieces around while he was looking behind him. However, even though he didn’t notice the cheating, he won the game anyway.

Keira was next to join him at the board. “Chess is it?”

“Yes, of course.”

She shrugged. “I’ve heard of Bachelor Challenges where they do fishing or basketball or something else.”

“I like chess. No reason not to.”

She gave him a thumbs-up. “If that’s what you like!”

They played quietly for a bit until Rissa came over.

Keira looked up at her. “Did you want something?”

Rissa smiled. “No, nothin’ much. Just wanted to see how things are going.”

“You can wait til your turn for that.”

“Right. See you in a bit, Liam.”

Liam nodded to her. “See you in a bit.”

“Sorry,” Liam said. “I didn’t know she’d interrupt.”

Keira frowned at the board. “This is supposed to be private time.”

Liam shrugged. “I’m not in control of any of you. Everyone knows chess dates are one-on-one, it’s up to them what they do what that knowledge.”

Keira pointed behind him. “Shoot! Rissa is coming back!”

Liam shook his head. “You expect me to believe that? She knows enough to leave us alone.”

Keira shrugged. “You can’t blame me for trying.”

Liam crossed his arms. “I think you should go. I have three more dates to do and I think your time is up.”

“Alright, whatever. Have a good time with everyone else.”

When Keira left, Rissa surprised Liam by not being the next one to come over. Instead, Croissant pulled out the chair and sat down.

Croissant stared at the chess table with a confused look on her face. “I don’t think I’ve ever played chess in my life. What are the rules?”

Liam stared at her. “You’ve never played chess?”

“Well, it just seems so boring.”

“But how did you learn logic?”

“…We were supposed to learn logic?”

Cassie walked by then, but when she saw that Liam was busy with Croissant, she walked away, just smiling at Liam.

When the game was done, Liam looked at the pieces. “Thanks for playing,” he said.

Croissant shrugged. “I tried but I don’t think I did very good at the actual chess part of the chess date, did I?”

“No, but you were good company, and that’s more important.”

She smiled. “I hope so!”

After Croissant left, Rissa finally sat down at the chess table.

“Ready for a game?” Liam asked.

“Always. Let’s see if you can beat me.”

“Why don’t we see if you can beat me?”

“You can try.”

The game was going well when Cassie came by again.

Rissa glared at her, which was enough to send her away.

Then she turned back to the game.

“You’re better than I’d have thought.”

Liam shrugged. “I grew up playing chess. It was one of the few fun things we had to do at home. Apocalypses aren’t easy. I spent a lot of time at the chess table for lack of anything else to do.”

Rissa nodded. “I wasn’t allowed to leave the house much.”

“I wasn’t allowed to leave the house at all.”

They glanced at each other, sharing a moment of understanding.

Their time was up, and they finished in a stalemate, neither able to get the better of the other.

Cassie was the last girl to join Liam at the chess table.

“You changed,” he said.

“Just getting ready for bed,” she said quietly.

They set out the pieces and began to play a quiet game. They were fairly evenly matched; the game went back and forth, never obvious who was going to win.

“You’re good at this,” Liam said as he studied his pieces.

Cassie grinned. “I learned from my mother. After she got abducted by aliens and had me and Corvus, she stopped using the telescope to learn logic and switched to the chess table.”

Liam looked up. “Women can get impregnated by aliens where you come from?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

“It’s only men where I come from, at least as far as I know.” He almost mentioned that he’d been abducted by aliens and had an alien daughter, but decided not to. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to share that yet.

“Interesting.”

Once they’d finished their game, Liam headed into the kitchen and refilled the buffet table.

As much as he loved chess, two and a half hours of it made him rather hungry.

Rissa was the only one to join him at the table, as the other girls all ran off to do various things by themselves.

He wasn’t totally surprised; they’d all played chess for only half an hour, and had had the rest of the time to eat dinner, while he’d been at the table for two and a half hours – plus the time it took for one girl to stand up and another to sit down.

And, anyway, it gave him a chance to spend time alone with Rissa. He liked talking to her, and enjoyed her unique perspective on life, and she seemed to like talking to him as well.

Once he finished his jello, he headed to bed. He needed sleep.

In the morning, Liam woke up and got ready for the day, stopping to look at a strange statue that was in his bedroom. He considered asking Rose exactly why there was a cerulean anteater in his bedroom, but decided not to. She’d probably give him some nonsensical answer that he really didn’t need to hear.

He checked the schedule; this morning was flirts, then at noon another girl would leave, and afterwards there was more time in the hot tub and a chat with each girl, in which they were to discuss their interests.

Therefore, he went into the room outside his bedroom and called the girls in, one at a time.

Lydia, like the day before, was the first into the room.

“I really like your hair,” he said. “That style looks great on you.”

“Thanks.”

She leaned back and looked at him consideringly. “You know, you’re not so bad.”

“Um, thanks, I think?”

She shrugged. “I thought you were a broody bastard, but you’re not so bad.”

He smiled wryly. “I used to be, but I’m trying to be less of an asshole.”

“A bit of assholeness isn’t terrible. Being too much of an ass is.”

He grinned. “Well, glad you think I’m not too much of an asshole.”

Keira was next into the room.

He made sure not to repeat the same flirt as he’d used with Lydia today; Keira hadn’t taken that at all well yesterday, and he couldn’t be sure she hadn’t heard him today.

“I really like the way you fill out your bathing suit, Keira. That bikini looks great on you.”

“I think it looks better off me,” she said, raising her eyebrow.

He blushed a bit, but decided to return her innuendo. “Well, yes, it did.”

He started giggling and Keira joined him. “I feel so odd saying that,” he admitted.

“It did sound a little silly.”

Liam smiled a half-smile. “At least I can recognize that?”

Third into the room was Croissant.

“I hear you’re handing out compliments,” she said.

He smiled. “I am.”

“So what do you like about me today?”

“Your underwear is very cute. Blue is a good color on you.”

She leaned back. “You said that yesterday.”

“It’s still true.”

Croissant smiled. “Good to know I’m not the only awkward one here!”

Liam leaned back when Rissa came into the room. “You look hot.”

She burst out laughing. “You are such a dork.”

Liam leaned back. “I don’t mean to be. If you don’t like it, I can try and change–”

She shook her head. “Don’t change for anyone. It ain’t worth it.”

“Do you like me as I am?”

She hesitated for a moment, as though thinking about what to say, and then said, “I do.”

Cassie was the last one in. “Hi, Liam.”

“Hi, Cassie. You look lovely today.”

“Thank you. You look handsome as well.”

“Thank you.”

“I hope you’re looking forward to more flirting and the kissing in two days.”

“Am I staying, then?”

“I can’t officially say, but…I want you to stay.”

She smiled. “I want me to stay too.”

Once the flirting was done, Liam had jello for breakfast and chatted a bit with Lydia, who was the only one to join him.

“How are you doing?” he asked.

“I got a membership to the Games Club while you were flirting with everyone else.”

“Are you planning on going?”

“Not during this, for sure.”

“Would leaving even be allowed during a Bachelor Challenge?” he mused as Lydia sat down.

“As far as I know, no. Besides, if I hated you enough to want to leave that badly, I’d ask you to kick me out.”

“…You don’t hate me that much, right?”

“No. You may be a bit of an ass, but that doesn’t mean I hate you at all. I like my men a bit on the cranky side.”

“Good to know I qualify.”

After breakfast, Liam used the bathroom before it was time for the elimination.

Right after he finished, Cassie came in.

“Oh, sorry! I didn’t realize anyone was in here!”

Liam shook some water off his hands. “I’m done. Do you need the bathroom?”

Cassie shrugged. “Not really.”

Liam grabbed her. “I’m glad we get a little private time, then.”

Cassie giggled. “In the bathroom?”

“Why not?”

“Cause we have to be at the elimination?”

They were interrupted by Rissa. “So, hey, elimination time?”

Liam bit his lip. “Not sure I want to send anyone home, not really.”

“You can get through it,” Cassie said, giving him a thumbs-up. “You’ll know who’s best to keep.” It went unstated but understood that she thought she was in that category.

Liam nodded, looking at both of them. “I definitely know who I want to keep. Give me a minute to think?”

They both nodded and headed out.

The women went outside to the back porch and sat down, while Liam took a minute to prepare himself.

He knew for certain that he wanted to keep both Rissa and Cassie. He couldn’t imagine sending either of them home, not now. Possibly not ever.

That left Lydia, Keira, and Croissant. He took a moment to think about each of them.

At noon, he headed outside, where he found the girls sitting on the benches, chatting about Kori while the gardener walked by, headed into the yard to clean up the leaves that had fallen from the trees.

Keira looked up at him. “Have you decided?”

“I have.” He walked over to her. “I’m sorry, Keira, I just feel like we’re not connecting.”

She nodded. “You’re nice enough, but…”

“But not right. No. Have a good time with, well, everything.”

“Thanks. I’ll do my best.”

And with that, Keira headed inside to call for a taxi.

* * *

Over at the watchers’ house, Rose paused the TV. “Well, that went better. At least he was friendly with the girl who left.”

Xander nodded. “Definitely better. And he really likes two of them. And they seem to like him back!”

“Definitely a good thing.”

Stuart frowned. “I do hope things continue to go well.”

“Me too,” Elle said. “It would be bad if they didn’t.”

Rose shrugged. “We’ve got to trust in Liam. It’s his life, and his choice. And if he chooses no one, we have to respect that…though it would be sad.”

Xander nodded. “Best to be optimistic. I think Liam will be fine.”

Elle smiled. “I hope so.”

* * *

Scores!

Cassiopeia: 100/47 = 147, friends, mutual crush

Rissa: 100/43 = 143, friends, mutual crush

Croissant: 45/17 = 62

Lydia: 39/18 = 57

Keira: 29/16 = 45

Rissa completely stalked Liam during the chess dates. Keira was not amused.