This chapter's shorter than the previous one, but I think the next one will be longer. I don't know yet. Who cares about the length, anyway, as long as you like it !

Feedback is highly appreciated !

It's been a week since they last saw Faith. Satsu is glad but she can tell that Buffy is upset. She doesn't understand why the brunette has left without a word after the good time they spent together at Willow's. Satsu can feel the change in her girlfriend's attitude. Buffy seems a little down lately. And she'd do anything to cheer her up.

"Hey Buffy, why don't we go to that club tonight ?"

"Yeah, why not…"

Satsu doesn't regret her decision when she sees Buffy's smile. It's been a couple of days without a real, warm smile from her and she was starting to get desperate. But clubbing always has this effect on Buffy.

Or… Maybe that's because she is here too.

As soon as Satsu catches sight of Faith, she sighs and swears internally. And to make things worse, Faith waves at them to join her on the dance floor. Buffy doesn't wait and takes her hand to lead her in the middle of the crowd.

That's gonna be one hell of a night, Satsu thinks.

They sit around a table, Buffy next to her and Faith on the opposite side. Satsu lets her hand on Buffy's thigh, to remind the other slayer that she's here with her. But Faith just smiles at her and keeps talking as if nothing has happened between them.

The brunette leaves for a while to get them some drinks and Satsu loses no time : she kisses Buffy as if there was no one else around, as if there was no tomorrow. When they finally pull apart, a few minutes later, Faith is there, smirking.

"Got a few tequila shooters for you lovebirds !"

Satsu can't seem to understand why she acts so cool after what she just saw. Maybe she has it all wrong. Maybe Faith doesn't want Buffy the way Satsu thinks she does. Or maybe she's just a very, very good actress.

They drink and talk, and Satsu slowly lets go of her barriers. She actually starts to have fun and to enjoy Faith's company, something she thought would never ever happen. But they joke, each of them tells the others a bit about their life and Buffy seems so happy that Satsu can't help feeling happy too. They drink, and drink again, even though Satsu knows she can't keep up the pace. The Chosen two handle alcohol much better than she does, even if Buffy is not so much of a drinker herself.

A new song starts and Satsu smiles because she knows this song is one of Buffy's favorites. She hardly feels her girlfriend's hand trying to make her get up. The room is spinning and Satsu has to hold on to Buffy's shoulders to keep her balance.

"Okay, then I guess I'll just dance alone…"

That's when Satsu catches the smirk on Faith's lips.

"There's no way I'm letting the opportunity to dance with you again go away, B. Let's show them how it's done !"

And as Buffy takes the hand Faith is holding out, Satsu understands that she's lost that battle.

She watches helpless as Faith has her hands all over Buffy's body and she wishes she could just get up and beat the crap out of this bitch. Buffy has never let anyone touch her while she's dancing, not even Satsu at the beginning of their relationship. But now her back is pressed against the other woman's torso and she seems to enjoy it a little bit too much.

Every other person in the club seems to have frozen and all the looks convey towards the middle of the dance floor where her girlfriend is dancing - no, almost fucking - with another girl. Their obvious complicity breaks Satsu a bit more. She's drunk, yes, but not enough to not realize what's happening in front of her eyes.

If she had any doubts before, they're all gone.

Anyone in the club could tell that the chemistry between Buffy and Faith is undeniable. Satsu herself is forced to admit that they match perfectly. If she didn't know the two women, if one of them wasn't actually her girlfriend, she would easily believe that they were a couple.

Except that they're not.

And Satsu, as drunk as she currently is, can't stand this anymore. She gets up and manages to walk through the crowd without falling. She grabs Buffy's arm and it seems to bring the blonde back to reality.

"Satsu ?"

"Let's go outside !"

"Why ? Come on, it's so much fun !"

"I need to talk to you !"

The look on her face probably worries Buffy because she frees herself from Faith's embrace and follows Satsu out of the club.

It's worse now that they're alone, because Satsu can literally feel how aroused Buffy is thanks to their small connection to one another. And her eyes are sparkling, which is a pretty rare thing lately. To be honest, Satsu has never seen Buffy so… alive.

"What's the matter, Satsu ? Are you feeling bad ?"

"I'm fine."

"Well, you can barely stand on your own…"

"Do you love her ?"

There's a small moment of silence during which Buffy stares incredulously at Satsu.

"What ?"

"Please, Buffy. I need to know."

Satsu feels like she's going to fall down in a second and she just doesn't want to do it in front of her girlfriend. Buffy frowns and takes a step backwards.

"I don't understand… What are you talking about ?"

"Her ! I'm talking about her ! I've seen it ! Everything ! She's… She… She just knows."

"Hold on, there. Who knows what ?"

Tears form in her eyes as she whispers :

"Faith… She knows how to make you happy."

Buffy just stands there, motionless, as Satsu finally bursts into tears, unable to keep them from falling any longer.

"I thought… I thought we had a real thing, Buffy. I thought that… maybe one day… you would love me back. But I should've known better… Oh God, I should've known it was her… all along. Just her…"

The blonde slayer kneels down and takes Satsu's face in her hands.

"Satsu… Satsu, look at me. Please."

She wishes she could just say no, and run away from her, but she can't. Because of all the love she feels for that woman, and because her voice is so soft, and her hands are warm, and…

"I don't want you to think that there's something between Faith and me. We're friends. I mean, we finally get along well after all these years… It's new to us. But I promise you there's nothing more."

And Satsu laughs. It's a cold, sarcastic laugh, and it sends shivers down Buffy's spine because she's never seen her girlfriend like this.

"Don't be stupid, Buffy. Don't… Don't be so blind ! That woman, there, she's… She's head over heels for you and you can't even see it !"

"Faith ?"

There's a real surprise in Buffy's voice and it makes Satsu look at her more carefully. Through her blurred vision, she can see that the blonde is frowning even more than before and Satsu realizes her mistake.

She didn't know. Buffy had no idea about Faith's feelings. That means that all this time, she wasn't playing with the other slayer. She was acting on her own feelings. Buffy was already on the way to realize what she truly felt for Faith.

Satsu's sure that her heart is breaking. She can hear it howling in pain.

"Satsu, you're drunk. We should go home."

"I'm not ! I am not drunk, Buffy. I'm just trying to understand what the hell is going on !"

"Well so am I ! Talk to me, Satsu ! And please, try to make sense this time !"

They shout now, and the few people outside the club turn their attention to them. They don't really care. They don't even see who's around. It's only the two of them.

"Tell me, Buffy. Tell me how you truly feel."

To say that Buffy is taken aback by the question is an understatement.

"I…"

"You what ? C'mon Buffy, shouldn't be so hard for you to talk about your feelings. I love you. I know I do. You know I do. What about you ?"

"I'm with you, Satsu…"

"That's not what I asked."

She's being a cold bitch, she knows it but right now, she couldn't care less. Buffy deserves to hurt a bit too.

"Satsu, I… I…"

"See ? You're not even able to lie to me. You can't even say that you love me so that I leave you the fuck alone ! But for her, Buffy… For her… You could. I'm sure you could scream to the whole world how much you love her…"

"I don't love Faith."

"No ? Then you're in denial. Way deeper than what I thought."

"I don't love her !"

"And you don't love me either, Buffy !"

"Is it about that ? Is it all because I haven't said it yet ?"

Satsu almost wants to slap her. She turns her back on her and takes a deep breath.

"Satsu, if you have a problem with Faith being here, I can ask her to leave."

"Would it make your feelings for her go away ?"

Buffy grabs her shoulder and forces her to look her in the eye.

"I don't have feelings for Faith !"

"Keep telling this to yourself."

Satsu gets free from the slayer's hold on her and walks away. There's so much pain one can take at once, and she's already dealt with enough for the entire year. This time, Buffy doesn't try to stop her.

Soooo, I'm really curious to know what you think. Want to share your thoughts with me ? Just leave a review ! :)

Next chapter isn't fully written yet. It'll be posted before the end of next week, for sure.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter, it means a lot. Thanks too, for all the story alerts/favorite story.

OTH-FOQ