Epilogue (Part II)

San Francisco, California

Buffy opened up the white laptop on the desk in her back room and waited for the machine to whir to life. She was privately proud of how her computer skills had improved over the past few months. Both Willow and Dawn had shown great patience in acclimating the blonde slayer to the nuances of recent internet technologies; she could now log onto Skype without anyone holding her hand. Which was a good thing, because when she talked to Faith online, she typically needed the use of both of her hands.

For typing.

Although Faith had once suggested they make "better use" of their video chat time, Buffy had never felt brave enough - or drunk enough - to participate. Plus, both Dawn and Xander were generally just in the next room, and something about that imagery did nothing for Buffy's libido.

Buffy logged on to Skype and mindlessly hit the appropriate screen name and button to call the slayer located across the Atlantic Ocean. The calling chimes rang through her laptop speakers, and she hummed a wordless tune while she waited for Faith to pick up. When the call continued to go unanswered, however, Buffy canceled the connection. She frowned and stared at her girlfriend's screen name in her list of contacts. Actually, it was the only name on her list since she had no other reason to use the chat program.

"She's never late for date night," Buffy murmured to herself.

She sighed and stared at the screen name, mentally willing the little green and white icon to appear next to Faith's name. After waiting a few more unsuccessful minutes, she opened the laptop's calendar program to check on the date. Maybe she'd lost track of time and it was the wrong day of the week - it wouldn't have been the first time she'd done that. Buffy frowned deeper when the computer confirmed it was indeed Friday night - date night.

Buffy could feel herself starting to become annoyed. She could be doing any number of other things on a Friday night instead of sitting in her bedroom, staring at a computer screen. True, it probably wouldn't be a very exciting thing - probably just watching Reality TV with Dawn and Xander and getting jealous of their non-long-distance relationship. But it was the principle that mattered - she and Faith had agreed that on Friday nights at 9pm, California time, they would spend time together. Faith had volunteered to be the one with the strange hours since, as a lady of leisure, she didn't have a day-job to attend. But no matter what, barring an apocalypse, of course, they were supposed to set that time aside for each other.

Before she could work herself into a blind rage, however, Faith's screen name flashed online and Buffy immediately received a chat request from the girl in question. She clicked on the "Video" option, and Faith's face filled her laptop screen.

"You're-"

"Late," Faith interrupted. She nodded. "I know, B." Her face looked thoughtful. "I feel like in another life, I've done this date night thing before..."

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "Is this the part where you impress me with all your past conquests?"

"You know you're the only one for me, B," Faith easily admitted. "Besides," she noted with a dramatic sigh, "these Skype dates have been some of my most exciting dates ever." She smirked to let Buffy know she was kidding.

Buffy knew better than to waste precious date night time on a petty, insignificant fight, so she swallowed down her annoyance. "So, you ready for the movie?"

"Uh huh. Movie, check," Faith listed off. "Girlfriend, check. Pizza, almost-check."

Buffy unconsciously licked her lips. "Pizza sounds really good. I should have gotten some," she pouted. "I can't believe you found a place that'll deliver out to the farm house at 5am."

Faith grinned broadly. "I bet it's going to smell and taste really good, too," she taunted. "Too bad you aren't here to enjoy it."

Buffy stuck out her tongue at the computer. "I'm going to hang up on you."

Faith quirked an amused eyebrow. "That's fine," she shrugged cavalierly. "I'll still have my pizza and movie to keep me company."

Buffy couldn't pretend to be mad when a burst of laughter erupted from her lungs, giving her away. She beamed when a thought crossed her mind. "I can't wait until you're here in two days."

Faith leaned closer to the built-in camera and wiggled her eyebrows. "Oh yeah? Big plans for us?"

Buffy grinned playfully. "Maybe..." she trailed off vaguely.

The two hadn't seen each other in person since Buffy had left England more than three months ago, but Skyping on Friday nights had become routine. Since returning to San Francisco, Buffy had found another mindless coffee-shop job and had done her best to resume the life she'd left behind - with one caveat - Faith.

Although Buffy had originally hesitated to tell her friends and family about their budding relationship, in the end it had become too taxing to lie about how she was spending every Friday night, so she had finally come out to the extended Scooby gang. None of them seemed too surprised, however, which had made Buffy feel even guiltier for guarding her feelings from the people in her life.

Faith's eyes focused on something off screen. "Hey B," she clipped. "You're gonna have to hold that thought. I'll talk to you in like 10 minutes?"

Buffy's features crumpled in disappointment. "What's happening now?"

"No worries, pizza's here," she breezed. "I'll call you back in like 10?"

Buffy nodded. "Okay. I'll be here."

Faith grinned. "I won't be long, so don't fall asleep."

Faith abruptly ended the call, and Buffy was once again left to stare at the blank computer screen. She glanced quickly at the clock in the right-hand corner of her computer. All this taunting about pizza had her stomach growling. 10 minutes would be just enough time to grab a snack from the kitchen, she reasoned. She left her laptop on the desk and hopped down the hallway in the direction of the kitchen.

In the kitchen, she found her sister standing over the sink, rinsing the dishes from a late dinner. Buffy nodded a hello and opened the refrigerator to scan its meager contents.

"Shouldn't you be Skyping with Faith right now?" Dawn observed as she scrubbed at a particularly stubborn plate.

Buffy didn't look away from the open fridge. "Yeah," she confirmed. "But she's getting pizza right now, so I'm going to get something to eat, too."

"Excited about her being here soon?" Dawn grinned knowingly, turning from the sink to appraise her sister.

Buffy closed the refrigerator door when nothing inside inspired her. "Maybe."

Dawn scoffed. "Don't give me that 'maybe' crap. You've been an extra pleasant roommate lately; you're over the moon." Her features turned scolding. "And don't think just cause you're pleasant it means I wanna hear you and Faith doing the nasty."

Buffy's hazel-green eyes widened in shock. "Dawn!" She wasn't a prude, but it still unnerved her when her little sister talked about sex. No matter how old she appeared, Dawn would always be that same little girl to Buffy.

Buffy cast her gaze around the kitchen in search for something to eat. She skipped over the opened bag of chips on the countertop and the fruit bowl in the center of the kitchen island. Now that she had pizza on the brain, nothing looked good. She plucked an apple from the bowl and inspected it. "Okay, I'm a little excited," she admitted to her sister without making eye contact.

Dawn snorted, and Buffy finally met her gaze. "Fine. A lot excited," she grinned. "Happy?"

"That's more like it," Dawn smirked.

The lazy blip of an incoming call rang down the hallway, interrupting their conversation. Buffy bolted back to her room without saying goodbye to her sister. She grabbed her laptop off the desk and plopped down on her futon before answering the Skype request.

Faith's dimpled grin filled the screen once again. "What took you so long? I was worried you fell asleep, lady," she playfully teased.

Buffy shook her head. "Nope. I decided to grab food."

Faith's eyebrows rose on her forehead. "Oh? You grab a hot pocket or somethin'? Cause that ain't no pizza."

Buffy pulled her piece of fruit into view and snapped a bite off. "Better," she mumbled around her mouthful. "An apple."

Faith made a face, and Buffy looked at her apple. "Who am I kidding?" she sighed in disappointment. "It's no pizza."

No longer distracted by her apple, Buffy noticed the darkness of Faith's background. "Are you..." She squinted. "Are you outside your house?"

Faith's darkened features scrunched together. "Uh. Yeah...I couldn't wait."

Buffy made a confused face. "You couldn't wait until you got back in the house, so you're Skyping on your phone?"

The screen pixelated as Faith moved. "Something like that," came the reply.

Buffy's head snapped toward an unidentified sound coming from the front of the apartment. "Dawn?" she called out. "What are you doing out there?" She waited, her ears strained. Dawn made no reply, but a few moments later the muffled sound repeated. "What is that?" she murmured out loud. She set her laptop on the futon and stood up, her slayer curiosity piqued.

"What? Are you leaving me now?" Faith's image called out. "What happened to date night?"

Buffy didn't look down at the laptop. Her eyes instead were trained on her bedroom door. "Just give me a minute," she stated distractedly. "I gotta check on something. And while I'm gone," she noted, "get your butt back inside. The lighting outside is terrible."

"Be careful," Faith said solemnly. "It might be a vamp."

Buffy grabbed the stake she always kept under her pillow and stalked toward her closed bedroom door. She cautiously swung the door open and found an empty hallway. "Dawn?" she called again. She waited tensely in the doorway. Her sister didn't respond, and from her position, Buffy couldn't tell if the kitchen light was on or off.

Another noise alerted her, this time louder since her bedroom door was open. It sounded like someone was at the front door, but the knock sounded strange. Buffy silently padded down the hallway towards the mysterious noise, knowing which squeaky boards to avoid in order to remain stealthy. She glanced quickly in the direction of the kitchen as she passed by. The light was off and there was no sign of Dawn anywhere. Buffy swallowed hard as a feeling of foreboding settled in her stomach and the base of her spine began to tingle.

She strode closer to the front entrance. Another knock, this one louder, rattled the door. "Who is it?" Buffy called.

A familiar voice answered: "Pizza."

Buffy's hand shot to the door handle and she violently yanked the door open, nearly wrenching it from its hinges. A giant, open pizza box faced her.

"I didn't order a pizza," she said. She noticed a giant slice was missing. "Especially a partially eaten one."

The lid to the pizza box closed shut. "I hope you're not gonna call my boss and complain," Faith smirked. "Cause I don't thi-"

Buffy leaned over the closed box and eagerly pressed her mouth against Faith's, effectively silencing the other slayer. After a moment, she pulled back.

"You're here," Buffy breathed.

Faith grinned. "Nothing gets past you, Blondie."

The two slayers stood in the front entrance in silence staring at each other. Buffy hadn't had the opportunity to appraise the other woman's clothes when they were briefly Skyping, but she now took a moment to appreciate the way Faith's soft v-neck revealed just enough defined collarbone and fell to the right length at her hips, meeting up with faded black denim that hugged at her hips and strong thighs.

After a moment, Buffy wordlessly took the pizza box from the other woman. And then she cocked her right fist back and punched Faith in the arm.

Faith's face revealed her shock. "What the hell?" she complained. She rubbed at her throbbing bicep and winced. "Bully."

Buffy childishly pouted. "You said two days from now," she huffed.

"And I'm early...that should win me some points," Faith grumbled, "not someone jacking my pizza."

Buffy's lower lip stuck out in her well-practiced pout. If possible, she was poutier than usual. "I'm not ready for you." She gestured to her yummy sushi pajamas.

Faith smiled warmly. "You look amazing as always."

Before Buffy could open her mouth to protest, Dawn brushed past them with Xander in tow. "Hey!" Buffy called out. "Where were you?"

Dawn barely turned to look at her sister. "Hiding in the bedroom, duh."

"Hey, Faith is here," Xander observed, clearly not in on the secret. "Aren't you early?"

Faith nodded her head once at the one-eyed man. "Hey, Xand."

"Keep walking," Dawn instructed. She tugged on Xander's hand harder. "Enjoy it, Faith."

"Thanks, kiddo," Faith stated. She handed the younger Summers girl a card that looked like a hotel room key.

Buffy stared in bewilderment after her sister. "You knew about this?" she asked, blinking hard.

Dawn kept walking down the hallway with Xander close behind. "I don't wanna know what you two do," she called over her shoulder, "but you have until tomorrow night to do it."

"Where you going?" Buffy called after her sister and her boyfriend.

Dawn and a still-confused Xander stopped in front of the elevator door. "Don't worry about it," she waved. The elevator doors opened and the couple disappeared inside the lift.

Buffy shook her head. "I can't believe her," she murmured.

"Are we gonna stand in the hallway all night?" The smile on Faith's face slowly grew. "Or you bailin' on our date night?"

Buffy blinked hard and shook her head. "Right. Sorry. Where are my manners? Come in," she ushered the brunette. "Come in."

Faith strode into the apartment foyer and took the pizza box from the blonde. Buffy craned her neck and looked either way down the hallway. "Don't you have any bags?" she asked.

"Oh, they're back at my hotel room."

Buffy closed the apartment door. "You got a hotel room?" she asked with furrowed brow.

Faith nodded sheepishly. "I didn't want to assume you'd want me sleeping in your space," she revealed. She scuffed her heel against the hardwood floor. "I mean, we've been talking nonstop since you left England, but I know you wanted to 'go slow.'"

Buffy grabbed Faith's hand, nearly causing her to drop the pizza box. "We could still 'go slow' with you sleeping next to me."

Faith released a shaky breath. "Speak for yourself."

Buffy bit her bottom lip. "You're cute."

"No. I'm horny."

Buffy cleared her throat. "So is that why you're two days early?" she asked suspiciously.

Faith's dark eyes widened. "No!" She tightened her grip on Buffy's hand when the blonde turned her face away. "Seriously, B. I-I just wanted to see you. I've missed you like crazy."

Buffy turned back and Faith took the opportunity to brush some errant blonde strands away from her face. Buffy hummed at the easy, intimate gesture.

"So why aren't we at your hotel?" Buffy asked with a smile that told Faith all was forgiven. "You do know I sleep on a futon in an office, right?"

Faith smirked. "Too good for a futon now? Did someone get a little spoiled during her visit to England?"

Buffy wrinkled her nose. "It's your fault," she pointed out. "The fancy dress and the necklace."

"Speaking of which, I hope you didn't hock those the moment you got back to the States."

" I was tempted," Buffy chuckled. "But how could I part with the first present I ever got from my girlfriend?"

"Oh, so we're using labels now, huh?" Faith cheekily retorted.

Buffy ducked her head, hoping Faith wouldn't comment on the blush that had quickly crept onto her bronzed cheeks. "What? You don't like it?"

"Just a little surprised that you were the one to say it first," the brunette easily admitted.

Buffy kept her eyes downcast until she felt Faith's hand touch the side of her face, urging her to raise her chin. She looked up and met sincere, dark, chocolate irises.

"The pizza's getting cold," Faith murmured. Her words betrayed her features. Buffy could tell that Faith wanted to say something else, probably comment on her 'girlfriend' remark, but she was keeping it bottled inside.

Buffy closed her eyes and leaned into Faith's hand. They still had miles to go until they could both be honest about their feelings to each other and to themselves, but she knew they'd eventually get there. They had to. This was too important to let it slip through their grasp again.

Buffy opened her eyes. "So, how about that pizza?"

+++++++

Faith flopped down on the blue futon mattress. The metal frame rattled in protest. She wiggled around, getting comfortable. "This isn't so bad," she observed.

Buffy smirked from the doorway with her arms folded across her chest. "Yeah, but try sleeping on it night after night. I'm getting too old for this stuff."

Faith propped herself up on one elbow and appraised the other slayer. "Do you want me to buy you an actual bed?"

Buffy sat down carefully next to Faith, as if unconvinced the barely-twin mattress could handle their combined weight. "You don't have to keep doing that," she said softly. She rested her hand on Faith's hip.

Faith looked down at Buffy's hand and then back up to her face. "Do what?"

"Throw your money around," Buffy responded. "I'm not interested in you because of Giles' money."

The Bostonian grinned. "Then why are you interested?"

Buffy pushed on Faith's hip, forcing her onto her back. She crawled on top of the reclining slayer, straddling her torso between her thighs. "Besides the fact that you're the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen?" she casually observed.

Buffy raked her eyes over the other woman's body, no longer able to subtly appreciate the woman. One of the best things about revealing her feelings for Faith is that she could actually look at the woman - really look at her. Before, she had always been too afraid of getting caught, and too afraid of what her desire to linger a little longer than necessary might mean.

Faith anxiously licked her lips and looked up at the woman perched above her. With the halogen light backlighting her, Buffy's face was partially in shadow. "Yeah, besides that."

Buffy sat back, resting her weight more fully on Faith's abdomen. Her features were now bathed in full light. She chewed on her lower lip and pretended to look thoughtful.

Faith bucked her hips a little into the blonde. "Well?" she stated impatiently. "I'm waiting."

Buffy swatted at the other woman. "I'm thinking," she playfully chastised.

"Great," Faith groaned. "We're gonna be here forever now."

Buffy pursed her lips. "Insulting my brain isn't going to get you in my pants."

"Yeah, well, calling me nothing but a pretty face attached to a hot body isn't gonna charm my pants off either," Faith countered.

Buffy cocked her head to the side. "Oh, so you want to hear about how you're the most selfless person I've ever met?"

A slow grin settled on Faith's upturned lips. "That's a good start."

Buffy leaned forward and placed a small, chaste kiss near one of Faith's dimples. "And how you're thoughtful without even trying?"

"Oh, I'm trying alright," Faith murmured, almost to herself. She desperately wanted to feel more of Buffy, but she kept her hands at her sides, content for the moment to let Buffy take the lead.

Buffy played with the collar of Faith's v-neck top. Her fingers ran along the rough ridges of her upper ribs and collarbone.

"Mmm, I like that," Faith purred. "Keep going."

Buffy raised an eyebrow and looked down at her girlfriend. "Keep going with the compliments or the touching?" she asked.

"Both are nice," Faith wheezed when Buffy leaned down again and nipped her canines against the bare skin where her neck met her left shoulder.

"You look really adorable in your reading glasses," Buffy said as she licked a straight line up Faith's neck. "I hope you brought them with." The brunette shuddered beneath her ministrations.

"You got a thing for smart girls?" Faith whimpered, desperately trying to keep her cool. "Cause I could totally read a book right now if that's your thing."

"Did you know that no one makes me as wet as you do?" Buffy practically panted into her ear.

"Now you're just making shit up," Faith growled. She clamped her hands on to Buffy's hips. The blonde had started to wiggle on top of her, and Faith needed to control the other woman's movements before she herself entirely lost control. But maybe that wouldn't be so bad.

"If you don't believe me," Buffy breathily challenged, "why don't you check for yourself?" She lifted her center, no longer perching on Faith's pelvic bone.

Faith's eyes rolled back when Buffy grabbed one of her hands and shoved it down the front of her drawstring pajama pants. The blonde slayer wore no underwear, and Faith was met with no resistance. Her fingers slid through warm, liquid heat.

Buffy rolled her hips and rocked into Faith's hand. "God, I want you so badly," she throatily moaned. She continued thrusting, bumping her sex into Faith's stilled hand, hoping for some kind of friction.

Faith's free hand went to Buffy's hip, tempted to stall the other woman. There was no hurry, she wanted to remind the blonde. They had the apartment to themselves the entire evening and the next day as well.

"Please, Faith," Buffy whimpered as if sensing Faith's thoughts. "I can't wait any longer. I just need to feel you."

Buffy's pained tone tugged at Faith's heartstrings, and she knew she was doomed. There was no way she'd ever be able to deny this woman anything. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she gathered Buffy's accumulating wetness on the tips of her fingers. She swirled two fingers around Buffy's swollen clit, pulling another throaty groan of approval from her partner.

Buffy's head fell forward when Faith dipped just the tips of two fingers into her sex and began a slow, shallow thrust. Her hips remained motionless, content for the moment to let Faith set the pace. The shallow thrusts deepened as Buffy accommodated the other woman's digits.

Faith closed her eyes at the intense feeling of once again being engulfed by the heat and tightness of the other woman. "I wanna see you," she growled impatiently.

Before Buffy could voice her consent or refusal, Faith wrapped her free arm around Buffy's lithe waist. Still keeping her fingers firmly lodged inside her partner, she reversed their positions so Buffy now lay on her back with Faith hovering above. The Boston slayer made quick work of Buffy's pajama bottoms, stripping her of the cotton pants with her free hand and rendering Buffy naked from the waist down.

Faith felt momentarily overwhelmed. There was so much she wanted to do, to touch, to taste. Something akin to a panic attack overcame her senses. Her chest tightened and her breath quickened.

Noticing the change in her partner's demeanor, Buffy's hazel-green eyes narrowed in apprehension. She reached up and cupped Faith's face in one hand. "Hey. Are you okay?" she asked, locking her concerned eyes on the brunette's troubled features.

Faith struggled with her emotions. She wiped at her eyes with the back of her free hand. "I just love you so fucking much," she choked out.

Buffy's features crumpled at the words, and she looked close to tears. She reached up with both hands and stroked her thumbs along Faith's cheekbones. The two wordlessly stared into each other's eyes, the rushed and needy sex seemingly forgotten for the moment.

Buffy pulled the other woman's face down to her until lips and tongues met. As if suddenly remembering where her other hand still was buried, Faith resumed the slow and steady thrusts in and out of Buffy's aching center. The blonde sighed into Faith's mouth, and their tongues brushed and intimately tangled. She arched her back when Faith curled her fingers toward the ceiling.

"Oh fuck," Buffy cursed, pulling away from Faith's mouth. She bit down on her lower lip. "Whatever you just did, do it again."

Faith grinned cheekily. "Oh, you mean this?" She flexed her forearm and curled her fingers inside the blonde slayer once again.

"Holy shit!" Buffy's eyes flew wide open. "Yes. There," she chanted each time Faith bottomed out and curled her fingers against her g-spot. "Right there."

Knowing enough to not deviate from her pattern or rhythm, Faith continued with the slow, solid strokes. She smirked to herself. Who knew she'd eventually get so good at obeying Buffy's orders?

"So close," Buffy panted. She clutched at the bed sheets beneath her and focused on the way Faith's right bicep tensed and rippled with each thrust. She could see the muscles in Faith's jaw working and the concentration on her face.

"I'm gonna…" Buffy choked out. She clenched at Faith's right arm, never wanting her to stop.

Faith licked her lips and bent down to capture Buffy's mouth once again. She bit down on Buffy's lower lip, pulling a small cry from the blonde. She thrust into her girlfriend harder, and her knuckles made a quiet slapping noise every time she bottomed out.

"Faith!" Buffy cried out. She scratched at Faith's back and buried her face into the other woman's shoulder as her first orgasm quickly overcame her. She muffled her screams by biting down into Faith's clothed shoulder, causing the Boston woman to groan from a combination of pain and pleasure.

Faith carefully slid her fingers in and out two more times as she waited for the inner pulsing of Buffy's orgasm to dissipate. When she felt Buffy's body uncoil around her, she pulled her saturated fingers completely out.

Buffy looked up at Faith with slightly unfocused eyes. But even through her disorientation, she could still make out the amused smile on her girlfriend's face.

"What?" Buffy demanded, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "What's so funny?"

"You," Faith said simply.

Buffy's features crumbled. "There you go again, charming off my pants," she grumbled.

The amused smile broke into a smirk. "Don't wanna point out the obvious, B, but your pants are long gone."

Buffy scowled and pulled at the top sheet to cover herself up. "Fine," she huffed. "If I'm so funny, then you won't mind—."

"Uh uh," Faith tsked, interrupting the other girl. "No covering up." She grabbed at the blonde's wrists and stopped her stubborn actions. She pulled the sheet from Buffy's grasp and shoved the comforter away.

"Hey," Buffy protested sourly. "You're messing up my bed."

Faith brought the smaller slayer's wrists up above her head. "I promise I'll make it back up when we're finished here," she breathed into Buffy's neck.

"P-promise?" Buffy stuttered when Faith slowly sunk her teeth into her tender flesh.

Faith licked at the inflamed skin. "Scouts honor," she murmured.

"Well in that case," Buffy sighed, allowing the other slayer to take back control.

Faith fisted her hand in the back of Buffy's head, tangling her fingers in soft, blonde hair. Buffy moaned loudly when Faith tugged and tilted her head back. Faith greedily dove into Buffy's exposed neck. She bit down hard, pulling a quiet whimper from the elder slayer.

Faith caught herself and looked down worriedly at the other woman. "I'm sorry," she hastily apologized. Buffy's neck looked raw. That last love bite was going to leave a bruise for sure. "Was that too much?"

"Stop apologizing." Buffy grabbed onto the back of Faith's neck and pulled her back down for a fierce kiss. Lips and teeth mashed together, threatening to break skin. "I'm not going to break," she growled into the other woman's mouth. "I'm a fucking slayer, too."

Buffy's words caused something primal to stir inside of the dark-haired slayer. Her nostrils flared, and she clenched Buffy's wrists tighter.

Faith pinned Buffy's wrists back above her head with her left hand while her right hand worked on the buttons of her pajama top that had somehow remained intact. She easily unfastened the top two buttons as they kissed with tongues that continued to battle for dominance. Growing impatient as she reached button number three, however, Faith grabbed the front cotton material and yanked hard, retching the remaining buttons from their thread, cleaving Buffy's pajama top in half.

Buffy made a small cry of protest, but her annoyance was soon silenced when hot, eager lips left her mouth in favor of tightened nipples. The blonde arched her back up into Faith's mouth. She wiggled beneath Faith in a weak attempt to regain control, but Faith only tightened her hold on her wrists. Her wrists began to ache and would probably be left with small blue-green bruises from Faith's insistent grasp, but it was a small price to pay for the way Faith's mouth rotated from one dusky nipple to the other.

Faith released her grip on Buffy's wrists in order to tweak and roll a sensitive bud between her fingers while her mouth nipped and tongue flicked against the other.

When she felt Buffy start to move her arms, Faith gently grabbed onto her wrists once again. "Keep your hands above your head," she ordered as she began to slink down Buffy's body toward her neglected sex.

Buffy bit her bottom lip and gave a barely perceptible nod.

Faith continued her descent until she was on her stomach, nestled between Buffy's parted thighs. She closed her eyes and breathed in the delicate scent of Buffy's sex. "God you're so fuckin' edible," she moaned.

Buffy anxiously licked her lips and looked down at the woman positioned between her legs. "Then maybe you should show me," she urged.

Faith placed her hands on the insides of Buffy's soft thighs and gently spread the woman further apart. She lowered her head and placed delicate kisses along the tender flesh, lingering to suck the skin between her teeth long enough to leave behind light, purple marks.

Faith licked her way closer and closer to Buffy's center. The blonde's femininely muscled thighs quivered beneath her attentions. Buffy clenched tighter against the futon frame, surprised she had yet to completely rip it apart. She bit down hard on the inside of her cheek to stem back the flow of unattractive whimpers. She wanted to grab the back of Faith's head and position her just where she needed her. But she was really enjoying this take-charge version of Faith. She couldn't hold back a private smirk as she desperately clung to the metal headboard. Who knew that one day she'd be so good at obeying Faith's orders?

++++++++

Buffy swatted at Faith's hands. She seemed to have grown an extra pair in the past few minutes. "No, Faith," she practically whined.

Faith looked up from between Buffy's thighs. "What's wrong?" she asked, her full lower lip sticking out. She looked hurt that Buffy was stopping her from having her fun.

"I need a break," the blonde sighed. "Too much. Too intense." She ran her hand along the side of her face, pushing away some errant strands of hair that stuck to the side of her face.

The eagerness from Faith's face fell. "Oh," she said somberly. "Sorry." She pulled herself up on her knees, reluctant to give up so easily.

Buffy propped herself up on her elbows and inspected the downcast slayer. She couldn't help the smirk that felt so natural on her mouth. Faith looked like someone had just stolen her Halloween candy.

"But that doesn't mean we have to stop entirely," Buffy remarked slyly as she sat up fully. She pulled Faith back down on top of her.

"How is it that you still have so many clothes on?" Buffy mumbled against the dark slayer's mouth.

"What can I say?" Faith retorted, nipping at the other girl's lower lip. "You're a selfish lover."

Buffy quickly rolled them over, reversing their positions for the second time that evening. "Oh really?" she said, her eyebrows creeping up her hairline. She shrugged out of her mangled pajama top, rendering herself completely naked.

Faith grinned mischievously. "Well, last time I checked, the orgasm count was 2-0 in your favor."

Buffy's unlined forehead furrowed. "I guess I'll have to do something about that then."

"Not that I'm complaining," Faith breezed, just enjoying the feeling of Buffy's warm, naked body on top of hers. It was surreal to her that they were talking so openly and easily about all this. "It's not like I wasn't having fun."

Buffy reached down to Faith's waistline and fiddled with the top button of her dark jeans. "So is this the part where I get impatient and tear off your clothes and ruin your favorite pants?"

Faith ducked her head. "I'll buy you new pajamas," she said sheepishly.

"Keep your money," Buffy lightly ordered as she unfastened the button and pulled the zipper down. "I can't be bought."

It was hard to keep track of what they were talking about, knowing that Buffy was about to take off her pants. Faith lifted her backside off the mattress and allowed the other girl to peel her tight jeans off her. "Then how do I win your love?" she challenged, unthinking.

Buffy's fingers caught at the top of Faith's dark purple boi shorts. "Um…"

Faith looked at the other girl with confusion. "What's the holdup? Don't know what to do next?" she lightly teased.

"No…you just…I can't…"

Faith's muddled brain quickly backtracked to their recent conversation. Her eyes widened in recognition. "Shit, B. I know. The L-word. We're taking it slow. It's okay," she reassured her. "I was just talkin' shit. It's hard for me to concentrate on the words coming outta my mouth when you're touching me."

Buffy chewed her bottom lip as she toying with the waistband of Faith's underwear. "Stop being so nice," she scowled. "I'm being selfish."

Faith grabbed Buffy's hands and brought them to her lips. She kissed the backs of Buffy's knuckles. "No. You're being honest," she reassured the other woman. "And that's all I can ask for."

"Are you sure?" Buffy asked with hesitant hazel-green eyes.

Faith nodded once. "When you feel it, you'll say it. I know that. And I wouldn't want it any other way."

Buffy stroked her hand along Faith's cheek. "You've always had a talent with words," she chuckled fondly. "Keep it up, and I won't be able to stop myself from falling for you."

Faith smiled warmly. "That's kind of the idea, B."

Buffy leaned down and placed a tender kiss against Faith's upturned mouth. "Now where was I?" she murmured playfully.

Faith wiggled her eyebrows. "I'm pretty sure you were about to give me an orgasm."

"Oh, right. How could I forget," Buffy teased back.

Faith sat up and pulled her v-neck off. "That's gotta be some kind of record," she casually remarked. "I don't think my clothes have ever stayed on this long into sex."

Buffy pouted. "You distracted me."

Faith pulled Buffy in for a lingering kiss. "Not complain', cutie."

Buffy eagerly deepened the kiss. Her hands roamed up the other woman's smooth back in search of her bra clasp. She smiled into Faith's mouth as she unfastened the bra on her first try.

"Impressive," Faith murmured, moving her lips along Buffy's jaw line. "Been practicing?"

"Don't ruin the moment," Buffy censured.

Faith gladly ceased talking when Buffy pulled her bra-straps down her shoulders and flung the lacy undergarment across the room. The blonde surprised the other woman by ducking her head and wrapping her mouth around one dusky nipple.

Faith tangled her fingers into blonde hair, encouraging the other woman's attentions. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the feeling of Buffy's tongue lashing out against her sensitive bud. She chewed on the inside of her lower lip and breathed harshly out her nose as Buffy took an experimental nip.

Buffy flicked tentative eyes up to the brunette. Faith hummed her approval and Buffy returned, emboldened. She sucked hard on the nub and rolled it around with her tongue. She lightly bit down and felt a surge of arousal when Faith groaned louder.

Buffy placed her palm against Faith's clavicle and pushed her backwards onto the bed. Faith put up little resistance and allowed the smaller slayer to push her flat on her back.

Buffy positioned herself on her knees in between Faith's slightly parted thighs. Her fingers returned to the top of Faith's underwear. She curled her fingers beneath the soft material and began to pull down.

Faith cleared her throat. "You can, uh, go over the underwear if you want."

"Huh?"

The Boston girl looked uncharacteristically bashful. "I, uh, kind of like to be teased."

Buffy pursed her lips. "Oh really…." she drawled.

Buffy kept her fingers tucked under the inside of Faith's underwear, but doubled over until her face was close to Faith's covered sex. She breathed out a gust of warm air against her and smiled when Faith squiggled uncomfortably on the futon.

Buffy placed warm, open-mouthed kisses against the thin material of Faith's underwear, nearly saturating the material. She licked hard against Faith's hipbone, causing the other girl to hiss loudly and buck up into her mouth. She nudged her nose against Faith's sex, seeking out the tell-tale bump, pulling more quiet moans from the brunette slayer.

"Fuck, B," Faith sighed when Buffy paused. She slapped her palms against the futon mattress in frustration. "You're a natural at this teasing stuff."

Buffy smiled proudly from the praise and began inching the purple underwear down slowly. She gently kissed and licked against the naked skin as it came into view. She pulled the undergarment completely off her hips and down Faith's long legs, finally rendering her completely naked.

"Get ready for an ego boost," Faith panted as she lurched up into Buffy's eager mouth.

Buffy looked up from between Faith's thighs. "What?"

"I'm not gonna last long," the brunette warned. "Getting you off was too much of a turn on."

Buffy's features fell. "So, I'm not really this good at sex?" she pouted, pulling away.

"No, no. Of course you are, B," Faith insisted. "I'm just saying…I'm just warning that…I don't know what I'm saying…fuck," she cursed loudly in frustration. She pounded her fists down on the mattress. "Just get your mouth back on me."

"So bossy," Buffy mumbled, rearranging herself between Faith's parted legs.

"Less talking. I'm losing lady wood here, B."

Buffy delicately licked along Faith's sensitive folds.

"Annnnd we're back," Faith sighed contentedly.

+++++++

Buffy crawled back up the bed and settled in next to the panting brunette. She snuggled against the naked slayer. Faith's eyes were closed and her full mouth was twisted into a small smile. Buffy poked her in the ribs, and Faith's dark eyes fluttered open.

"Yes? Can I help you?"

Buffy worried her bottom lip. "Was it good?"

The small smile widened. "Fuck yeah."

The smaller slayer's body seemed to relax at the affirmation. She rested her head against Faith's shoulder. "I'm glad."

Faith absentmindedly stroked her fingers through Buffy's hair. Somewhere in the midst of their late-night activities, it had pulled itself entirely free of her ponytail. Buffy quietly moaned approval as Faith placed more pressure on the tips of her fingers and massaged her scalp.

"You weren't honestly worried, were you?" Faith asked into the room.

Buffy turned and buried her face into Faith's shoulder to hide. "Maybe," she mumbled into the other woman's skin.

"Hey. Don't hide from me." Faith gently coaxed the blonde to look at her.

"It's just that I'm not that…experienced," Buffy sighed as she struggled with the words. "And, you're just so good at what you do…and I don't want to disappoint you in bed and make you second-guess wanting to be with me…"

Faith quickly silenced what could soon turn into a desperate, self-depreciating ramble by pressing her full mouth against Buffy's moving lips.

++++++++++

Buffy stretched her arms above her head as she padded down the hallway from her bedroom toward the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and pulled two bottled waters from the inside. Slayers might have amazing stamina, she smirked to herself, but even they needed to stop to rehydrate once in a while. She opened the top of one of the bottles and took a quick sip. The clock on the microwave noted the early morning hour.

Footsteps down the hallway alerted her that she wasn't alone. "Hey, B?" Faith poked her head around the corner.

Buffy grinned. "I was gone for like 2 minutes," she laughed. "Don't tell me you missed me already."

Faith wrinkled her nose and scowled. "I'm not clingy," she grumbled. "I just wanted to ask if it was okay if I take a shower?"

Buffy's hazel-green eyes glimmered mischievously. "Don't tell me you're tired already?"

"Whatever," Faith huffed. "I wasn't the one whining about being too sensitive to go for another orgasm."

Buffy ducked her head bashfully. "It's not my fault you know exactly what I like."

Faith grinned proudly. She knew she was good at sex. It's hard to be bad at something you enjoy doing so much. But her ego couldn't help but swell a little from hearing Buffy acknowledge it. "Wanna join me in the shower?" she asked with a wiggle of her eyebrows. "We could do something cliche like get clean only to get dirty again."

Buffy shook her head. "Tempting," she admitted. "Go ahead and get a head start. Maybe I'll join you in a few minutes."

Faith flashed her one more quick, charming smile before turning and making her way back down the hallway in the direction of the bathroom.

A few moments later, Buffy heard the tell-tale sound of water turning on and the shower spray starting. She listened to the other sounds coming from the bathroom and imagined Faith going through the dutiful motions of readying for her shower. She heard the medicine cabinet open and close and the sound of the linen closet door opening as Faith probably searched for a towel that wasn't too girlie-looking. She heard the closet door shut again before finally the shower curtain was pulled back, followed by the muffle of water as a naked body stepped beneath the shower spray and returned the curtain back to its original position.

Buffy sat down on a stool and took another sip from her water bottle. She mindlessly glanced at a short stack of mail on the kitchen island. She frowned at the pile of letters. She hated mail. No one ever sent her real letters anymore. She only ever received junk mail from credit card and wireless companies or bills that reminded her of just how meager her coffee shop salary was.

It was nice that after such a troubled upbringing, Faith didn't have to worry about working a 9 to 5 job; Buffy herself hated the long hours spent on her feet for paltry pay and the even worse tips. But with barely a high school diploma from a town that no longer existed, it was the best she could really hope for. She could always go back to college, she silently mused, maybe pick up a few classes at UCSF on her days off. Sure her credits from UC-Sunnydale wouldn't transfer since there was no more Sunnydale Registrar to confirm she'd ever taken classes, but she had to start somewhere. She sighed as she plucked at a few of the legal-sized envelopes. She almost envied the slayers that came before her - none of them had really lived long enough to accumulate a pile of credit card bills.

Buffy shuffled through the pile of untouched mail. Just as she had expected, it was mostly bills and junk mail. Amongst the wasted paper, however, was one nondescript envelope addressed to her. She turned the envelope over in her hands. There were no distinct markings, no return address. She ripped open the top fold to examine the envelope's contents. Inside, she found a 5x4 photograph that had been folded in half. She looked again in the envelope and on the floor around her to see if anything had fallen out, but she found nothing.

She carefully unfolded the photograph and ran her fingers along the fold to flatten the crease. The photograph was black and white and a little grainy as if it had been taken while moving and hadn't given the camera the opportunity to focus, or as if it had been shot from a great distance from the photographer's subject. Pictured was a small girl dressed in loose-fitting clothes. Her long, straight hair flew behind her as though she were running and a dimpled grin was plastered across her face. Buffy frowned. She outlined the young girl's face with the tip of her finger. There was something familiar about this girl, but she couldn't quite place it.

She turned the photograph over. In careful black letters were the words, "Starbucks is coming."

She frowned in confusion. What kind of ad campaign was this? Why was Starbucks warning her that it was coming? Had she been personally targeted for some type of mother-to-be age group? Or maybe this was all because she worked at a rival coffee shop?

Buffy looked away from the handwritten message when she heard the water turn off in the bathroom. She'd missed her opportunity to shower with Faith, but that didn't mean she couldn't surprise her while she was toweling off. A mental image of Faith's glistening, naked body flashed through her mind, and she quickly hopped off the stool to go join the other girl.

She abandoned the photograph, and the image of the young girl with flashing, determined eyes fell back to the kitchen countertop with the rest of the junk mail.

+++++++++++
FIN