"Ouch, what kind of an animal did that to you? Was it a vamp or is was there some other demon-y thing out roaming the streets last night?" Willow asked kindly as she spotted the fierce red marks scraped down Buffy's bare back "look's pretty nasty". The blonde blushed as she pulled her shirt on and stuffed her P.E. clothes back into her locker. The red head walked over and pulled the other girls shirt back up to take a closer look.
"Uh, just a vamp, bit of a rough fight last night. I think Faith got a couple of cuts and bruises too. But, nothing to worry about. Slayer healing. They'll be gone by tomorrow" she grinned as she shied away from the Wicca's touch. The wound still stung, probably because it wasn't a mere vamp that caused it but another slayer. Willow gave her a small, unsure smile before returning to her own locker and shutting it softly.
"So, you and Faith are goin' out again tonight?" the red head asked, avoiding eye contact with Buffy as she knew it would give her away. She didn't like Faith very much anymore, partly because the other slayer was dark, violent, overtly sexual and scary. Also because the blonde had been spending so much time with her lately, and Willow was beginning to miss her best friend. She wanted her back, she wanted to hang out with Buffy and Xander and watch odd foreign movies together while stuffing their faces with junk food in Buffy's room like they used too. Before Faith came.
"Well, we've gotta patrol, but we could hang at the Bronze for a while first. You know, if you and Xander wanted?" The blonde asked as she slung her bag back over her back and batted her eye lashes at her best friend. She wanted to be alone with Faith as little as possible tonight. The last thing she needed right now was her mother prodding as to why she'd been out so late last night. She'd been lucky so far, not being caught sneaking back in at one in the morning, but her luck would have to run out eventually. Willow looked up at her best friend grinning happily. Sure, Faith would be there, but shared Buffy was better than no Buffy.
"Sounds awesome. I'll tell Xander. Shall we meet you there around eight?" she asked as she followed the blonde's lead towards the changing room exit. The slayer nodded, leaning over to hug her best friend cheerfully as they came out into the open corridor.
"Yup! Great, I'll see you there!" Buffy added as they parted to go their separate ways home.
X.x.X.x.X
The four teenagers sat awkwardly in the wake of one of Faith's extremely sexual jokes, which Willow had taken a second to get, but the moment she did her eyes had widened and her cheeks had gone even redder than Buffy and Xander's. The darker slayer slumped a little against the back of the soft, red couch, feeling out of place amongst the other slayers friends. She could never really fit in with them. The blonde cleared her throat, her mouth suddenly feeling dry.
"I'm gunna go get some drinks. Anyone want anything?" she asked, as she began to rise to her feet. All three nodded as they looked up at her.
"Water" her two best friends chorused.
"Umm.. I'll just come with you" Faith muttered as she got up as well. Buffy did her best to hide her frown and jut nodded, turning to head through the crowd to the bar. As they disappeared from Willow and Xander's sight into the moving mass of bodies, the brunette reached out to take the other girls hand in her own. The blonde blushed and kept walking. Music was pumping through their bodies, urging them to dance, to let everything go and just be free with the melody. But Buffy couldn't, is she let herself go, she'd find herself gravitating towards the other slayer and she couldn't. Not here. She let go of the darker girls hand as the reached the bar and smiled at the guy on the other side, music still pounding in her ears.
I heard you driving in my car, Then in a frozen bar, And I claimed I didn't care for you, But your verse got trapped inside my head, Over and over again, You played yourself to death in me
"Two waters and two cokes please" she told him, placing one hand on the cold counter as the brunette stopped behind her, only centimeters away. She couldn't stand to be this close to the brunette without touching her, but she couldn't. She shook her head, closing her eyes and taking in a deep, slightly rattling breath. Faith grinned at the blonde and moved a little closer so their bodies where just brushing against each other. Her grin widened as she felt Buffy shiver, but the blonde shook her head and pulled away.
I thought I'd drop you easily, But that was not to be, You burrowed like a summer tic, So you invade my sleep and confuse my dreams, Turn my nights to sleepless itch
"You know, I've always loved your hair. It's kind of like… honey. That delicious honey kind of colour, and silky smooth…" she whispered in the blonde ear as she reached out to twirl a piece of the other girls hair between her fingers gently. Buffy swallowed loudly, breathing in the other girls scent as they stood barely a breath apart. She was pulled from her trance when the bar tender placed their drinks down loudly on the counter top as he gave them both a slimy grin. The blonde blushed profusely, sliding the money across the counter towards him before picking up their drinks and quickly maneuvering herself out of the other girls grasp. The dark slayer followed close behind, reaching out and running her hand down the blondes arm before slipping them round Buffy's small waist and pulling her in close.
Stuck on you 'till the end of time, I'm too tired to fight your rhyme, Stuck on you 'till the end of time, you've got me paralyzed
"Please Faith, not here, not now" the other girl begged her and she stopped, pulling away and looking to the floor with dark eyes before shrugging it off as coolly as she could.
"Sure, what ever. I'm gunna go and patrol. You stay here and hang out with your friends, I'll cover the vamp fest tonight" the brunette told her, trying to stay as indifferent as possible while she spoke before turning on her heels and walking away. Buffy bit her lip as she watched the other girl go, so hard that it began to bleed again. With a sigh, she continued back to her friends, handing them each a drink on her arrival and telling them that Faith had decided to head out. Willow looked happy, though she did her best to hide it and Xander just nodded apathetically.
"Hey Buff, what's wrong with your lip?" the red head asked as her friend sat back down. Buffy shrugged, reaching a finger up to her mouth tentatively to find warm, fresh blood from her reopened wound. The copper taste and familiar, slightly painful feel brought back fresh memories of the other night and the blonde winced.
"Umm… I dunno. I guess I bit down on it too hard" she shrugged carelessly and took a long sip of her coke, avoiding her friends eyes and staring out at the crowded dance floor instead.
X.x.X.x.X
Holding on the telephone, I hear your midrange moan, You're everywhere inside my room, Even when I'm alone I hear your mellow drone, You're everywhere inside of me
Faith threw down her leather jacket grumpily and reached up to free her hair from a tight ponytail, letting it fall down around her face in tangled, chocolate brown curls. Her small hotel room was dark, her figure outlined by the moonlight peaking through the space between the curtains behind her. With a groan, she rubbed her head and reached over blindly to find the light switch. She wasn't used to coming back from a patrol alone anymore. She missed busting through the door with the other slayers arm round her waist, their tongues already entangled as they tried to find their way across to the bed in the dark. Now without the blonde's body against her she truly felt the cold, like her blood was freezing beneath her skin. Like she was hollow, empty, and the cold wind was blowing right through her, as though she where a thin, gossamer curtain. Her fingers felt up the rough wood of the door frame till they reached the switch and flicked it down. The lights flickered for a moment, their light a yellow liked stained teeth, flashing the room from dark to light and back again till it finally steadied and revealed a petite body lying beneath her wrinkled, starch white sheets.
Stuck on you 'till the end of time, I'm too tired to fight your rhyme, Stuck on you 'till the end of time, You got me trapped inside
"Surprise" the blonde murmured, sitting up slowly to look up at the other girl, and blinking slightly at the brightness of the light now flooding the room. Buffy had been waiting for over an hour. After saying goodnight to Xander and Willow at the bronze she'd come back to Faith's place, breaking in through the window and slipping under the covers when she found the other slayer wasn't there yet. But the time had slowly ticked by, and enveloped in the warm covers and surrounded by the other girls familiar scent, Buffy had dozed off. Now she sat up with the covers up to her shoulders, squinting at the brunette and blushing.
"What are you doing here?" Faith asked, walking over to the edge of the bed and crawling up it to where the other girl sat, shivering slightly. The blonde gave her a small smile before burying her head in the brunette's shoulder and reaching out to tug at her shirt and pull her closer. The darker slayer sighed, reaching up and running her fingers through the other girls soft, blonde hair.
I can't escape your incessant whine, When you beam it out all across the sky, No I can't escape --stuck on you 'till the end of time-- your insipid rhyme --I'm too tired to fight your rhyme-- When you shoot it deep --stuck on you 'till the end of time-- Straight into my mind
"I'm sorry" Buffy whispered as she looked back up, leaning in slightly till she could feel Faiths hot breath on her lips. The other girl shook her head as the small space between them closed and their lips met in a soft, chaste kiss that soon became hotter and more passionate as the brunette slipped beneath the covers as well.
