Chapter 3

"Now can I kiss you? Please?"

Faith couldn't help but smile. B was asking for permission to kiss her! It was … She managed another tiny nod, but that was all confirmation Buffy was looking for. She brought her face even nearer to the younger girl's, drew a deep breath – She's just as scared as I am! the dark Slayer realized – and brushed her lips gently over Faith's. Then she closed the gap between them and gently kissed her. Their kiss was hesitant and a little shy, but it was sweet and promising and she tasted like cinnamon, honey, vanilla, and like something Faith couldn't name nor describe but felt like she'd been looking for all her life.

Buffy could hardly believe this was actually … she was kissing Faith, and it felt … her lips were full and soft, and she tasted like cherries and cigarettes and seduction, like a whole new world to explore, like thrill and adventure, and like home – all of this at once. She felt a hand in her hair, felt one arm round her hips, pulling her even closer, felt her breasts pressed against Faith's larger ones and couldn't help but moan into their kiss …

And then, suddenly, she felt the other girl stiffen in her arms, and she didn't need to open her eyes to know the expression on her face … she could feel her fear in every touch.

Faith broke the kiss and tried to step back, but Buffy didn't let her go of her. Instead she tightened her embrace and buried her face in the thick dark hair that was falling over Faith's shoulders. "What is it, Faithy?" she asked quietly.

She felt Faith relax slightly, but she was still tense. "God, B …"

Now Buffy opened her eyes and looked at the younger girl, finding what she'd expected. Fear. "You can tell me, Faithy … you know that, right?" Then a thought stuck her and made her gasp in horror. "Don't … please don't tell me you think this was a mistake and we should forget it ever happened! Please don't! I …"

"No!" Faith interrupted her, apparently as shocked by the assumption as Buffy had been by the thought. "No, no, never!" She gently caressed Buffy's face, looking at her intensely. "I … I've made a fuckin' lot o' mistakes in my life, but this …" She hesitated, searching for a word strong enough. "This … holdin' you, kissin' you … hell, B, it's the best thing I've ever … I never dreamed …" She fell silent, embarrassed – but before Buffy could say something, she went on. "An' that's why … why I have to … but please don't be mad at me …"

"I won't", Buffy assured her when she fell silent yet again. "Unless you're going to tell me that you don't want … this … I can't think of anything that could possibly make me mad at you right now … I'm far too happy!"

That seemed to calm Faith a little, but she still looked unsure and troubled. "Buffy", she whispered, "this aint just … some kinda … experiment to you, right? You're not just curious how it feels to kiss a girl, 'cos … I couldn't …"

She was cut of by a deep kiss that turned out to be much more passionate than the first one. After quite some time they parted, both breathing heavily. "Does this answer your question?" Buffy asked with a small smile. She placed a finger under Faith's chin and gently coaxed her deep brown eyes towards her. "Faith, listen to me. This was never a game … I think I've never been more serious in my life! And although I won't deny having been curious, it wasn't about kissing a girl but about kissing one particular and very special girl – you." She pulled the younger girl close again and buried her face in her neck. "It's all about you, Faithy", she whispered. "It always was."

Faith couldn't remember feeling that happy in her life. She couldn't think, she couldn't say anything, she … all she could do to show her feelings was hugging Buffy, enclosing her in her embrace with a vigor that would have crushed any human's ribcage, feeling her warmth, breathing her scent and crying silently, knowing that Buffy understood the nature of her tears. And Buffy was hugging her back with equal strength and passion, trying to convey in this gesture what she knew that was too soon to be said aloud just now: You're cared for, Faithy. You're loved. You don't have to be lonely any more – I'm there for you now. And I'm not going anywhere!

Faith had no idea how long they'd been standing like that, when suddenly she heard B speak in a small voice. "Faith?" And when she reluctantly took a step back to be able to look at the blonde girl, she saw the same expression in her face that must have been on her own before: Uncertainty, even fear …

"Yeah?"

"I … I have to ask you something, too, and …I'm feeling really stupid about it, so … please don't laugh at me, okay?"

The dark-haired girl had a fairly good idea where this was going, and it made her feel bad – and more than a little guilty. Damn, now I whish I hadn't … "I promise."

Buffy closed her eyes and took a deep breath – and when she opened them again, Faith could see an amount of pain that surprised and shocked her. I didn't think it was bothering her that much …

"You … you won't go all evil on me, will you?" Buffy asked silently, her voice trembling a little. "You won't … try to kill me and my friends, so that I have to … stab you with something sharp and pointy to stop you? Because I don't think I'll be able to … go through that again …"

Faith stared at her for a second or two, completely confused, not getting a thing. Then she realized what – or rather who – B was talking about … and started laughing. She just couldn't help it. She tried to suppress it, but it was too late: She could see the hurt in B's eyes, and now it was her who tried to move away.

"I'm sorry, B", she said quickly, stepping forward und pulling her close again, "I really am, I didn't mean to laugh, but I wasn't expectin' that, in fact I …"

"What were you expecting, then?" It was clear that Buffy was still not happy with her reaction, but at least she was relaxing into her embrace again.

"Uh, actually …" Faith stuttered, suddenly embarrassed. Great! Now B'll think I'm some kind of sex-freak … "Well …"

"Well?"

Oh, screw it! "Something about … sexual experiences with girls …"

For some seconds there was what is described best as a stunned silence … then it was Buffy's turn to burst out laughing. She was laughing so hard that she had to hold on to Faith for support – and Faith was soon joining in, relieved at B's reaction.

"You really thought …" Buffy gasped between two fits of laughter, "… you really thought I'd ask about that now?"

"Uhm … you know …" Faith was avoiding to look at Buffy, for her embarrassment had returned – it seemed a really stupid thing to think now.

Still giggling, the blond Slayer gave her a quick and fleeting kiss. "Oh, Faith, you're priceless!" Then she surprised Faith by lowering her voice to a seductive purr: "I will ask you about that some day soon, you know … and I'm expecting details, and a practical demonstration …"

A … what? I can't believe she actually said that! Faith felt herself blush – and that was something she hadn't experienced for a long time. But the thought of giving B that kind of practical demonstration … "Do you, now?" she replied in a husky voice, showing her sexiest smile. "I'll be most willing to provide any kind of … assistance you can think of – and most likely some more …"

"Oh, don't underestimate me …" With that, Buffy turned and walked down the street, her hips swaying in a way Faith found to be unbelievably seductive; she couldn't help but stare. This was a side of B she'd never seen before, a side she sometimes had doubted to exist at all – and a side she couldn't wait to explore …

Lost in thought – or in fantasy, more accurate – she still hadn't moved when Buffy looked back. "Are you going to stand there all night? You have a mission to accomplish!"

"What?" The dark-haired girl hurried to catch up. "What mission?"

Buffy put an arm around her hips, pulled her close and smiled at her slyly. "You promised Willow to make sure I got home safely, didn't you?"

Faith just grinned back. "You two are really … evil!" Then she suddenly remembered something, stopped walking and turned to face the blond girl who looked at her startled. "I won't." she said quietly. "I won't go evil, B. I promise. Wanna know why I can?" She lowered her head and gave her girl the sweetest of kisses. "Cause the dark side has nothin' to offer to me – not 'ny more. I just now got everythin' I ever wanted …"

Buffy looked at her, blinking back tears. "Thank you, Faith." She whispered. "Thank you …"

For some time, they walked in silence, enjoying each others closeness, physically as well as emotionally. Then Faith said casually: "Anyway, I get it you've got plans for tonight?"

When Buffy looked at her, confused, she just smirked. "Oh, come on, B … All that talk 'bout practical demonstrations an' stickin' long things into me … I'm not that dense, y'know?" She wiggled her eyebrows – and was rewarded by a furiously blushing Buffy. God, I love it when she's blushin' … 'ts so cute!

But the blond girl surprised her yet again. "Who knows …" she remarked airily – and then, with a wink: "I guess there's only one way for you to find out …"

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Hey, guys, this is the last chapter, but it's not the end of the story yet … there will be a short epilogue. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this Saturday Night with Buffy and Faith – please review!