A/N: Happy New Years everybody!!!
PROMPT TWENTY-FIVE: Night
Faith's grin as she pulled Buffy by the hand through the crowd made the blonde Slayer's heart clench in a painful way. Painful in that she knew that those sorts of smiles were only too rare for the brunette Slayer who hadn't had many opportunities in her sixteen years to really smile. The rest of the Scoobies had been coupled off for New Year's celebrations so it had left Buffy on her own. As soon as Faith had found out the blonde would be free her face had lit up and she had insisted that the other Slayer spend it with her.
Now that she was being dragged through the crowds of people that lined the streets of downtown Sunnydale Buffy thought better of agreeing to spend the night with the brunette. Faith had refused to tell her what they would be doing and the sparkle in her eye had made Buffy feel uneasy. She had made the other girl promise that there would be no of the usual places that the brunette liked to frequent as they made the blonde feel really uncomfortable.
"I Promise there will be no skeezy clubs or bars," Faith had replied miming crossing her heart.
"And no strip clubs or finding some fellow and ditching me," Buffy had said.
"I promise," Faith reassured, "It's just gonna be you and me B and we're gonna have a blast."
She couldn't tell where they were headed but Faith certainly looked like she knew what she was doing so Buffy decided to trust her and just go along for the ride. When they reached the outskirts of town and started headed towards the woods she began to feel a little nervous again. As if sensing this the brunette squeezed her hand and threw a reassuring smile over her shoulder as she pulled Buffy up the hill.
"Come on B don't be laggin' now we're nearly there," Faith called over her shoulder.
"And where is there exactly?" Buffy called back nearly tripping over an exposed root as Faith pulled her forward again.
"It's a surprise B I can't tell ya till we're there," Faith said.
They reached the top of the hill which opened up into an open space looking out over the town. Faith grinned at her as she spread a picnic blanket down on the ground. Wondering where the brunette had been hiding the blanket Buffy walked around in awe taking in the bright lights of the city below.
"This is beautiful Faith, how did you find it?" she asked.
"Got lost one night on patrol winded up here," Faith shrugged, "Thought you would like it."
"I do, I'm so glad you brought me here," Buffy smiled noticing the way Faith's eyes brightened.
"Yeah, well we should be able to see the fireworks from here as well," Faith said lying down on the blanket and tucking her arms behind her head. Buffy couldn't stop her eyes from following the brunette's shirt as it rode up, exposing her toned midsection to the pale moonlight. The two of them had been skirting around their feelings both knowing that they felt something for each other but both too afraid to do anything about it. Closing her eyes briefly Buffy steeled herself before lying down next to Faith on the blanket making sure that their sides touched. The two of them lay there in silence both caught in their own thoughts until Faith squirmed. Buffy smiled softly to herself knowing that it was hard for the brunette to stay still for so long unless she was unconscious. Her mind whirled however when Faith moved so one of her arms was resting across Buffy's shoulder.
"You know why I like to look at the stars?" she asked the blonde at her side.
"Why?" Buffy asked flawed by the fact that Faith even looked at the stars but not wanting to ruin the moment by voicing that thought.
"Cause they never let ya down, no matter where you are in the world ya know that if ya look up into the night sky they're going to be there, gonna stay the same" Faith said quietly.
Buffy smiled softly at the brunette's comment, not having the heart to tell her that what she'd just said wasn't necessarily true. For Faith to profess something so profound only made her fall even harder for the brunette whose waist her arm had curled itself around off its own accord.
"You want to know why I do?" Buffy asked her back softly her head finding its way onto the younger girl's shoulder.
"Why?" Faith asked her fingers playing with the ends of Buffy's hair.
"Cause you never know who else is looking at them," Buffy replied, "Like you could be at your motel room and looking at them at the very same time I am from my room, like they're kind of bringing people together."
"That's nice," Faith said quietly, "I like that."
"This is nice too I'm glad you bought me here," Buffy said.
"I'm glad you came, I-I couldn't think of anyone I'd rather spend New Year's with," Faith said looking back up at the stars when Buffy turned to face her.
"The Chosen Two," Buffy smiled.
They turned their gaze to the horizon when the fireworks started both lost in the bright lights that illuminated the darkness and the feeling of being in each other's arms.
"Ten, nine, eight," she could hear Faith counting under her breath.
When she got to one they both held their breath but it was Buffy who eventually made the first move, leaning over to gently press her lips against Faith's. The other girl was hesitant at first, as if her body couldn't quite comprehend what was happening but she soon relaxed into the kiss. Their tongues danced over one another as the fireworks flashed around them and they drew in the New Year wrapped around each other.
"Happy New Year," Buffy whispered brushing the hair out of Faith's face when they eventually drew apart.