"Up an' at'em, atom-ant."

These are the words Buffy wakes to lazily. She comes around from where she fell, stretched across the comforter of her bed, a hand trapped at the crook of her neck, her elbow resting on the cushiony mattress. Watching Faith has sufficiently taken the energy out of Buffy.

"It's time for some prowlin'." Faith uncurls from the bed, and Buffy watches. She blinks herself into existence, it feels like, and stretches on the palms of her hands. Faith's lips quirk into a bit of a sarcastic grin (but the grimace doesn't go unnoticed) and she rasps, "Way to go, ballet B."

"You wanna—" Buffy's words are swiftly engulfed by a harsh yawn. The entire sound just swallows up the sentence, "—You wanna 'prowl' with your head like that? Don't purposefully put yourself in for a world of planet owch."

Faith's attempts at sitting up bring in the 'planet owch' Buffy formerly spoke of. But Faith has learned that pain is an integral part of being a Slayer. Slayerism requires the ability to tolerate extreme amounts of discomfort without batting an eyelash. Either you do, or you just crawl into a corner and die like a pitiful puppy-dog. Faith is familiar with pain, acquainted with it, in love with it.

"I'm patrolling tonight. You're sleeping tonight. Sleeping a lot."

Buffy catches herself doing that thing again. Staring at Faith, watching Faith. Faith's lips are a light pink underneath the usual hooker-rouge, the lipstick that's finally faded away. Buffy swears she looks worlds better without all the makeup; the weird, dark stuff that contrasts her pale skin.

Buffy wonders about Faith more than she knows she should. Why she knows Faith is 'damaged goods', like a bike that's beginning to rust. Buffy begins to want to know the reasons that have made Faith break. The death of a watcher, a torment beyond reason…but what else? There's more than that. But it wouldn't be fair to dig now, Buffy decides. Not when Faith isn't at her one-hundred-percent; not when she's prone to incidental statements. It wouldn't be a fair match.

"Come on, B." Faith groans, and clutches stuffed-bunny to her chest as she lies down in Buffy's bed. The blonde doesn't do a thing but look her over briefly as Faith rolls onto her stomach. She lies her forehead on the mattress and breathes in deep.

"If you're overcome by the urge to barf, bathroom's next-door. Or you could use the garbage pail next to my bed as temporary puke central."

Buffy doesn't know if it's an accidental reflex or the concussion, but Faith reaches out for her again. The brunette takes her hand in her's and squeezes it, but remain burrowed face-down in the bed. The groan is audible, but all she managed out is, "I owe ya a great big favor for this, Buff."

Yeah, Buffy thinks, but doesn't let go of Faith's hand. The younger Slayer seeks out her warmth, and Buffy decides it's best not to decline it. Maybe just this once. A great big favor.

For a few seconds, Buffy doesn't move. For a few seconds, Buffy doesn't even breathe.

She feels suddenly regretful that she needs to go on patrol. A part of her wants to stay and cling onto Faith; Faith, who when she's all back in order will have nothing but contempt and witty quips for Buffy.

Buffy wants to enjoy this while she can.

So, when Faith finally uncoils enough to rest her chin on the bed, Buffy takes advantage slowly. She leans in gently until she's sitting on her knees, then ducks low enough that her lips meet with Faith's when she contort against the mattress. Surprised, the younger Slayer muffles a small sound into the blonde's mouth, but when they break apart Faith's look of dumbstruck confusion is unavoidable.

Buffy licks her lips. They taste sweet. And she smiles.

"I'll be back later tonight. And when I come back, your ass better be parked right in that bed."

Faith touches her mouth disbelievingly. Her eyes swim with confusion. She doesn't have an inkling of how to react to this.

When the curtains blow with the sudden departure of Buffy Summers, the room fills with a billowy breeze. Slowly, her brain thumping with a million questions, Faith begins to smile.