Healthy Hobbies

Main Points:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Iron Man Crossover (Self-Made Hero)
Summary: faster to read
Word Count: 320
Rating: Gen

          “Hey, White Star.  Do you have a moment to spare?”  It’s Willow.  She’s been more hesitant around Star, not that the AI blames her.  White Star has always been associated with battle, not friendship, and after the death of her brother AI, a hesitance to get close when it might result in more pain following loss is only logical, based on the parameters presented.
          “I am capable of multitasking.”  She’s pretty sure it’s a joke, but it’s hard to tell.  She’s still working on those subroutines.
          Willow smiles.  It’s a hesitant smile, from what observational data she has, but she’s good with that.  “It’s been a while since I’ve worked with just tech, and I’m getting rusty.”
          Her personality matrix comes up with a laugh from somewhere.  “I would consider that to be a mistake, yes.”
          “Every year,” Willow says, getting to the physical keyboard and booting it up, “…I would hack into the governmental databases, just to see what’s the what.  Now seems like a decent enough time to do it.  Besides, so much has changed, maybe there’s a file on us or something.”
          “I’m not sure how Xander would react,” Star remarks.  He would either get really excited and join in or be worried about his friend and AI.  Or would that be ‘friends’?  She pauses.  “…Should I keep this ‘off the books’?”
          “Might want to, yeah.”  But Willow looks focused and happy, and that’s better than previously.
          “I have to say, this seems better for you—and more fun—than what you’re usually doing,” Star remarks, and Willow throws her head back and laughs.
          “All right, all right already, I get the message.”  She smiles and pats the monitor.  A silly gesture, but a comforting one.  “Thanks for worrying about me.  And for Xander worrying about me, too.”
          “Sometimes it hurts, but it’s well worth it, Willow,” she remarks, and gets started on helping out her friend.