Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy, but I do own Sophie, baby Lily, and Echo the puppy :)

AN: Okay, I'm kinda in a Fuffy mood at the moment, probably because I just finished the 'Love Will Find A Way' chappie of 'The Wicca Queen 2'. So, this is a little Fuffy thing set some time before Faith's first 'I love you' in the last chapter of the animal arc in 'Dawn's Magical Mishaps'. It does contain another 'first' for them, but you'll have to read to find out what it is!

Buffy and Faith were on patrol. It had been a relatively quiet patrol, until a group of demons with sharp, dangerous looking claws decided to attack. Most of them were easily disposed of by the Chosen Two, but one managed to tear into Buffy's upper arm, leaving a horrible gash that bled heavily. Needless to say, tore that one to pieces in return for her girlfriend's injury.

"Let me see your arm, B" she said afterwards.

"It's fine, Faith" said Buffy, trying to turn away from her girlfriend and keep her from seeing the blood oozing between her fingers where she held her hand against the wound. "Really." If she had had a similar injury herself, Faith wouldn't have blinked an eyelid, and Buffy, for the most part, would have let her be. But when Buffy was hurt, the Dark Slayer had developed a tendency to overreact, and as sweet as it was, it also got kind of annoying.

"B, just let me take a look" said Faith. "I promise not to freak this time, okay?"

"Okay" Buffy relented, moving her hand. Faith looked at it, and while the gash was rather bloody, it didn't look too deep, but she couldn't be sure.

"It doesn't seem to bad" she said. "I'll clean it up for you and have a better look when we get home."

"Faith, you don't have to.."

"Don't argue with me" said Faith. "I'm good at cleanin' up cuts." Buffy opened her mouth to say something about this, but her girlfriend quickly cut her off. "Don't ask, B. It'll only make you mad at someone who's not there to be mad at anymore, and that won't help anythin'.

When they arrived home, the two Slayers quietly crept into the bathroom, not wanting to wake any of their housemates. Buffy sat on the edge of the bench, carefully balancing herself so as not to fall into the sink, while Faith rummaged through the cupboard gathering the items she needed to clean her girlfriend's arm. When she had collected these, the Dark Slayer attempted to roll up Buffy's sleeve in order to gain access to the wound, but couldn't get it high enough.

"Um, I can't get at it, B. I need you to.." she gulped, "Take your shirt off." Buffy tried to obey her girlfriend's instructions, but her injury limited her arm's mobility, and she struggled, getting the shirt only about half way off before it got stuck.

"Can you give me a hand?" For anyone who knew the stage that the Chosen two had currently reached in their relationship, it would be easy to understand why Buffy's request made Faith feel so awkward. You see, Buffy had tried not to let the emotional side of their relationship progress too fast, for fear that she would scare her new girlfriend away. On the other hand, Faith had not let the physical side of their relationship progress too fast for fear that Buffy would think that that was all she wanted from her. So, although Faith would often sneak into Buffy's room late at night for what the blonde fondly referred to as 'Snuggle lessons', they still had separate bedrooms, and had not yet made love, a matter that their current situation had unexpectedly brought to a head.

"Sure." Faith's face reddened very slightly, the closest Buffy had ever seen her to blushing, yet not enough to be considered a real blush. She then quickly whipped her girlfriend's shirt the rest of the way off, before instantly turning her attention to the gash on Buffy's arm and away from her semi-nakedness. First the Dark Slayer wet a cloth with warm water, then cleaned the blood away from around her girlfriend's wound. Next she wet another cloth, this time adding antiseptic and gently cleaning the cut itself. Buffy winced.

"Faith.."

"I'm tryin' to concentrate here, B."

"But it stings" Buffy complained. Momentarily forgetting her efforts to avoid her sister Slayer's current half-dressed state, Faith looked up and met her eyes, smirking.

"Seriously?" she said, as her smirk morphed into a full dimpled grin. "You've jumped off a freakin' tower before, and a little antiseptic bothers ya?"

"Watch it, Faith" said Buffy, her expression the perfect mixture of playful and deadly serious that she pulled off so well. "Thanks to the wonders of modern technology it would be very easy for me to make Willow and Tara's home movie of you singing 'I'm A Little Teapot' with Sophie go viral." Faith's grin fell away.

"You wouldn't."

"Oh, I so would" Buffy smirked. Faith playfully swiped a hand at her in retaliation, but was then forced to grab Buffy as the blonde lost her balance, almost slipping into the sink and hitting her head on the cupboard. Unfortunately, the act of saving her girlfriend caused Faith to lose her own balance and she fell backwards, dragging Buffy down on top of her. And now, in this compromising position, they were both painfully reminded of the fact that Buffy was still half-naked. And just as Buffy moved to kiss Faith, the Dark Slayer sat up, gently pushing her girlfriend off of her.

"Um.." Faith paused, trying to get her breathing under control. "Your arm B, remember?"

"Oh, right" Buffy sighed, getting to her feet. Faith quickly gave the cut one last go-over with the antiseptic, then placed a bandage over it and gave her girlfriend a barely noticeable peck on the cheek, before attempting to flee the bathroom.

"Well, it's gettin' pretty late. Night, B." When Faith headed for the door, Buffy had barely a second to make a decision. They had reached a stalemate, she realised, and one way or the other, something had to give sometime, and, Buffy decided, that time may as well be now. And as she jerked her girlfriend around to face her, kissing her with afierceness and passion that left her with no doubt as to where it was supposed to lead, Buffy realised how much she really did want this, how ready she was to take this step with Faith. Faith on the other hand, still plagued by insecurities regarding her relationship and herself, was not so sure, and pushed her girlfriend away. "What are you doin', B?"

"Kissing you" Buffy teased.

"Don't joke, Buffy" Faith frowned. "That wasn't just any regular kissin', and you're not wearin' too much.."

"I know" Buffy grinned.

"Are you sure?" asked Faith, now knowing what her girlfriend wanted. "I mean, really sure?"

"I am" said Buffy, nodding. When Faith still hesitated, she added, "But if you aren't ready.." She took few steps backwards, but Faith still clung to her arm, pulling her back, mumbling before she kissed her,

"If I hurt you, kill me."

"Well," said Buffy breathlessly, "That didn't hurt."

"No" Faith smiled, pulling Buffy closer to her side and dropping a kiss to her forehead. She was mildly surprised at herself for doing something so coupley, but since it had come so naturally to her now it didn't phase her much. "You're amazin', B."

"You're not too bad yourself, Faith" Buffy chuckled. They lay there for a long time, just snuggling and enjoying the afterglow, until eventually Faith drifted off to sleep. Buffy pressed a feather-light kiss to her lips. "When you're ready to hear that I love you, let me know, okay?"