Title: The Artist in 4C

Author: ChinaTeaSunflowers (formerly LettyToretto)

Rating: M+ (just in case)

Summary: Buffy's an art gallery owner, engaged to Lindsey but wanting to understand the strange attraction she has to Faith Lehane, the artist in apartment 4C. All-human AU. Fuffyfic.

Disclaimer: I don't own them. Just use them for my guilty pleasures and then return them. Any characters, places or themes of familiarity belong to Joss Whedon and the Powers That Be at Mutant Enemy.

A/N: This story will be long (eventually, it could be novel-length... who knows?). Please Review. It helps me know that I'm doing an okay job.

Part I

Chapter 1: Housewarming

August

Something about the girl in apartment 4C was unconditionally magnetic. From the moment they'd nearly collided catastrophically at the mailboxes of her apartment building, Buffy had been completely and irrevocably drawn to her.

The thing was: Buffy Summers wasn't a lesbian. She'd only had one lesbian encounter; an art major, named Rayne, at UC-Sunnydale. It happened during her sophomore year and she had gained nothing more from the experience than an awkward romp with the girl whom she now called her bridesmaid and crossing it off of her bucket list. Now, at twenty-six, Buffy owned Galleria de Veranos, an art gallery just off of Wilshire Boulevard and was engaged to Lindsey, a handsome lawyer she'd met through an anonymous art deal.

But 4C was different. She was exotic. Mysterious. Passionate. The things that had been lacking in Buffy's life as of late. Just about the only thing that Buffy knew about her was that her last name was Lehane.

Two days earlier...

Tuesday, 5:45pm

Buffy opened the front door to her apartment building and continued emailing her assistant via her Blackberry en route to her mailbox. Just as 4C rounded the corner with a large, bordered blank canvas, Buffy sent her email. She looked up in time to side-step the walking canvas.

"I'm sorry." An raspy yet, feminine voice said. "I didn't see you...there." 4C lowered the canvas to rest it on the floor and her last word got caught in her throat. She'd never seen Buffy around before and she was certain she'd remember such a gorgeous face.

"No worries." Buffy replied. The woman's dark brown hair was wavy and damp as if she'd just emerged from the shower. Her light blue jeans were torn and frayed at the knees and her white, fitted T-shirt boasted "SAN FRANCISCO SLAYERFEST '98' in black writing.

"How was it?" Buffy asked, gesturing to Faith's shirt.

"Oh, I didn't go. My friend brought me back the lousy T-shirt. I heard it was to die for, though."

4C appeared to be in a hurry. She opened up her mailbox, grabbed her mail and turned back to Buffy.

"I'm Buffy Summers, by the way. I'm in three-B." Extending her hand, 4C gave it a shake.

"I'm-." She turned Buffy's wrist sideways to look at the time on her watch, "so fucking late!" With that, Buffy's mystery woman hoisted up the canvas and tucked it under one arm and made a beeline for the front door.

Present Day

Thursday, 6:15pm

Clutching an invitation to her and Lindsey's housewarming in her hand, Buffy shut the door to her loft and headed up the stairs to 4C.

She rang the bell and then knocked twice. Moments that seemed like hours passed as Buffy went over in her head what she would say. A tall, thin man opened the door. He had bleach blonde hair and was dressed in a black, muscle shirt and black skinny jeans.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" His English-accented voice spoke, clipped and deep.

"Hi. Is-."

"Faith! You've got a hot, blonde at the door. Should I take a message or-?"

Faith! Finally a name!

"Shut up, Spike." Faith said, coming into view. Air caught inaudibly in Buffy's throat.

"Hey! Buffy Summers from three-B. What brings you to the fourth floor?" She said, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorframe. Faith's hair was pinned up and her hands were covered in oil paint. There were also a few smudges on her face and neck. As Buffy continued to stare, her lightly-glossed lips slowly curved into a smirk and her ocean-deep dimples appeared. Suddenly the heat in Buffy's cheeks found its way to her core.

Actual words left Buffy's mental Webster's...

"Hi, yeah, I uh, just wanted to give you this." Buffy handed her the invitation. "I-it's an invite to my housewarmy thingy."

And were apparently replaced with words from the Nervous Schoolgirl's Thesaurus, Buffy thought.

"Cool." Faith opened it up and quickly skimmed the contents. "Tomorrow night. I'll be there."

"Awesome. See ya then. And feel free to bring anyone." Buffy added before she walked off. Satisfied, she went back to 3B and shut the door.

"Buffy? That you?" Lindsey asked.

"Yeah, it's me." He met her at the door and gave her a kiss. "You just get home?"

"Sure did. Where were you?"

"I just gave out a last minute invitation to our housewarming to the girl in four-C. Her name is Faith." Buffy said. She didn't know why she felt the need to mention Faith's name.

"Cool. She'll be there?"

"That's what she said."

"Good. I'm excited to get to know our neighbors."

"Me too." Buffy smiled.

"Now, to business: where's my dinner, woman?" Lindsey joked. Buffy crossed her eyes at him to solicit a laugh and headed into the kitchen.

At work on Friday, Buffy could only concentrate on her plans for the evening. She wasn't anal. Everything just had to be perfect!

"Miss Summers? Your three o'clock is here." Jasmine, Buffy's assistant, interrupted her thoughts.

"Thanks, Jazz. Oh, will you be there tonight?"

"Absolutely. I'm going to go home, shower, change and head on over. Do you need me to bring anything?"

"Uh, no. I think we have everything we need. Besides, you're not my assistant tonight. You're a friend." Buffy reminded her as the phone rang.

"Right." Jasmine replied, answering it. "Galleria de Veranos."

Friday night, 9:48pm

It was damn near ten and there was still no sign of Faith. Buffy preoccupied herself by fluttering through the loft, mingling and making sure everyone always had a drink in their hand.

"Buffy, I have to admit, this is the first time we, as neighbors, have all been in the same room together. It's actually quite refreshing."

"Really, Buffy, it's wonderful what you've done with the place."

"I hope you and Lindsey will plan on staying here long."

There were dozens of comments tossed her way and Buffy couldn't have been more pleased with them. It was one, however, that sent a chill down her spine.

"Awesome, place, Buffy. You could use a little more art in here, though."

Buffy turned around to see Faith standing behind her.

"You made it!" Buffy exclaimed with a little too much enthusiasm than necessary.

"Yeah." Faith handed her a bottle of champagne that she'd creatively painted in vivid hues of green, orange and red. "For the lady of the house."

"Thanks, Faith. It's beautiful. You're so damn talented."

"No problem. I brought my friend, William, with me but... I think he's hitting on that girl over there." Faith said, pointing towards the kitchen island.

"That's my assistant, Jasmine. He's not going to get very far. She's got a boyfriend."

A snort of amused laughter left Faith's nose. "That's never stopped him before. Give it seven minutes."

"Can I get you something to drink?"

"Sure. Soda or water."

"Not a drinker?" Buffy asked as she and Faith walked to the kitchen.

"Not really. I tend to become a different person when I drink."

"Understood. No explanation necessary."

Buffy opened two ginger ales and handed one to Faith. They tapped them together and drank. Buffy's eyes widened at the sight she was seeing behind Faith.

"Oh my god. I think you were right."

"'Course I was." Faith mused. "What was I right about?"

Buffy made a circling gesture with her index finger. Faith turned around and grinned. Jasmine was twirling her hair and giggling at something William was saying. He took his phone from his pocket and handed it to her. Jasmine pressed a few buttons on it and then handed the Blackberry back to him.

"I think I should cut her off." Buffy said.

"Nah. Let her have some fun. Everyone can use a break from their own lives once in a while."

"Even if it gets them into trouble."

"Especially if it gets them into trouble."

"You strike me as someone who likes to live on the edge."

"She doesn't just live on the edge. She'll parasail right off the cliff if you give her the right equipment, yeah?" William interjected. He put his arm around Faith's neck.

An hour later, the party-goers started to disperse and head back to their separate lives. All but Faith. Even William had gone home after giving Faith a sly look that said "don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"So what do you do?" Buffy asked. "Stupid question. With the canvas and the smeared paint..."

Faith laughed at Buffy's nervousness. It was cute. "Yeah. I'm a painter."

"Really? I own an art gallery on Wilshire."

"Galleria de Veranos." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes! That's me."

"Nice. I've only been in there once or twice."

Buffy noticed that Faith kept a mysterious vagueness about herself. It was maddening, but charming. Elusive, yet telling. For most of the conversation, when Faith spoke, there was almost always another way that Buffy could take it.

Faith read the digital clock on the cable box. "It's really late. I'd better go before Lindsey thinks I'm trying to steal his girl."

"Alright." Her voice held just a hint of disappointment.

Buffy walked her to the door and they stood their awkwardly for a few moments before Faith opened the door.

"Well, I'll see ya around, B." Faith said.

"Okay. Yeah, see you..." Buffy trailed off when she noticed that Faith was no longer in her line of sight.

What the hell was it about this girl? Whatever it was, was killing Buffy. The only thing Buffy could thoroughly conclude was that Faith was somehow going to shake up her life.

Up Next: A gallery opening.

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