Faith's just getting out of her post-slay shower when she hears the door to her room crack open and soft footfalls pad over to her couch. Wrapping the towel around herself, she pokes her head out of her bathroom door and peers out. "Buffy."
"Hey." She looks exhausted and shaky, with a scrape across her jaw and a little blood matted in the hair on one side of her head.
"Whoa. You okay?" Buffy shakes her head quickly and looks down, and Faith rolls the top of her towel down twice so it'll stay in place and goes to her.
The pads of Faith's fingers brush softly over the scrape on Buffy's chin. "This been cleaned yet?" She shakes her head again and Faith makes for her bathroom, gesturing for Buffy to follow.
Buffy hops up the counter, and Faith goes through the familiar motions of cleaning and dressing, first on Buffy cheek, then her scalp, then the slash across her bruised side.
When Faith's done, and Buffy's still sitting silently on the bathroom counter in just a bra, refusing to make eye contact, Faith reaches out and tilts Buffy's chin slightly towards her and ask "So what happened out there tonight?"
"Lara's critical and it was my fault."
Inhaling sharply, Faith looks troubled but not shocked. "She gonna be okay?" she asks huskily.
"They don't know yet."
Faith sighs and places a comforting hand absentmindedly on Buffy's knee. "It wasn't your fault."
Buffy gives her something of a glare. "You weren't even there."
"Maybe not tonight, but I usually have her in training. That girl was a disaster waiting to happen." Faith licks her lips and considers solemnly. "I shoulda kept her with me. It was stupid, I wanted to test out the newbies tonight…"
Now Buffy's really glaring. "What, it was irresponsible to let her go out with me? I've only been doing this for ten years now. Three years longer, last time I checked, than you."
"I didn't mean it like that and you know it. She's been in my training group and maybe you noticed, but I know a thing or two about unhinged teenage slayer types."
That's all it takes for Buffy to crumble. "I know. She just went nuts out there tonight and got carried away and got bit and I just… I don't know. All these years you'd think I would have learned something about how to keep them safe and… " Buffy shrugs and lets some tears slip down her cheeks. "I just failed her."
"Shhh," Faith murmurs. "I fucked it up, too, B, I shoulda been keeping a closer eye, but honestly? Shit happens."
"I know." Buffy says hoarsely. "And I hate that I know that."
Faith rubs Buffy's shoulder with one outstretched hand. "Me too," she says softly. She lets the moment sit just long enough before straightening up and asking. "Any other injuries? Legs okay?"
Buffy nods. "Fine. How about you? How did yours go tonight? New girls do okay?"
Suppressing a half-grin that tells Buffy there's a funny story in there somewhere Faith shrugs. "More or less. I'll give you the full rundown in the morning, okay?"
Buffy nods, gratefully. She has no executive functioning left to process a full report on the latest rookies. "I'm so ready for bed," she sighs.
"You sleeping here tonight?" Faith asks.
"If that's okay."
"Yeah, yeah. You know that's always cool." Suddenly realizing she's still wearing only a towel, Faith heads for the dresser and pulls on some underwear and a clean tank top. She tosses a second tank to Buffy, who unhooks her bra and lets her pants fall to the floor before pulling the cotton over her head.
They crawl into bed and Faith settles in to spoon Buffy, but Buffy shifts. "Just…" she rolls over so she's on her side, facing Faith. "Come here?" she half pleads. Faith scoots closer and Buffy drapes her hand over Faith's side, slipping it under her shirt and rubbing soft circles across her waist, the small of her back, her ribcage just below her breasts. Faith reaches her hand out, too, gently touching Buffy's neck, running her fingers lightening soft over the scars there, then moving to the safer ground of Buffy's shoulder and using firmer strokes.
Buffy sighs contentedly and pulls Faith a little closer, letting her leg rest slightly on top of Faith's and moving her hand up, crossing her arm over Faith's and slipping her fingers under the strap of Faith's top and rubbing the soft skin there gently.
"I love you," Buffy sighs, tilting her chin slightly so her lips are mere centimeters from Faith's.
"Love you too," Faith mumbles, struggling to keep her voice even and hoping against hope that even with her slayer senses, Buffy doesn't notice how fast her heart is beating.
It seems to last forever, slow breathing and soft fingers dissolving time. Finally, finally, Buffy sighs and rolls onto her back. Faith exhales quietly and does the same, not sure whether to be relived or disappointed.
But she doesn't have time to decide before Buffy is turning back onto her side and snuggling up against Faith, one leg against, almost on top of her; head buried in the crook of Faith's neck, one hand resting just below her throat, first two fingers idly stroking gently at the tender skin there.
Faith absently drops a kiss on the top of Buffy's head, and Buffy responds with a half-kiss on the inside of Faith's neck that sends electricity all down Faith's body.
She tries to get control of herself, and then reaches a hand over to Buffy's side, keeping her pats long and firm and with her whole hand, trying to keep this encounter in territory she understands.
But Buffy's using the very tip of her index finger to trace the line of Faith's clavicle, and Faith honestly can't tell whether it's absent or deliberate on Buffy's part. It all fades, though; it's gentle and soothing and before either one of them realizes it, they're both asleep.
When Faith half-wake in the middle of the night, she feels Buffy pulling her close, curling her body around Faith's drowsily and using one sleepy hand to run through Faith's hair, fingertips dancing along Faith's scalp.
When the morning light wakes them for real, Buffy stretches lazily and pokes Faith with her toe. "How'd you sleep?" she asks casually.
Faith's morning rasp of "Good," feels so inadequate she wants to scream.
"Mmm, me too." Buffy sits up and peels up her shirt, undoing the dressing on her side and smiling with satisfaction. "All better. Thanks for taking care of it last night."
"Anytime," Faith says, propping herself up on her elbows.
"I need to go shower, get over to the hospital and see Lara. Can you just add the girls in my morning classes to yours for today?"
"No problem."
"Thanks." Buffy reaches for Faith's hand and gives it a warm squeeze. "I don't know what I would do without you," she says with a smile. She pulls on her clothes as Faith stretches in bed and starts for the door.
"Oh!" She turns over her shoulder. "Did I tell you I have a date tonight?"
"No. You didn't."
"Yeah. That law student I keep seeing at the coffee shop. I'll let you know how it goes!"
Then Buffy swoops down, pecks Faith on the cheek, and in a flash— she's gone, again.