Blood and Dreams - A Buffy/Faith Story
Title: Blood and Dreams (Part 1 of ?)
Characters: Buffy/Faith
Rating: R for explicit reference and some violence
Disclaimer: If I owned BtVS, do you really think I'd be letting you guys see it for free?
Summary: The aftermath of Graduation still on Buffy's mind, she seeks solace in the one person she needs the most.
AN: Well, it's been a while since I last posted anything anywhere, and this is my first proper BtVS fic. I spent most of yesterday almost doing work, but instead I watched Graduation Day, Restless and read some Fuffy fics on the internet, so I was inspired to write this. It's set right after Graduation Day II. It mostly consists of dream sequences, so put your metaphor hats on, people!
Blood and Dreams
Buffy collapsed on the bed, sweat on her brow and tears on her cheek. She was still trembling from it all - the ascension, the battle, the school, the fight with Faith….. Faith in a coma. She couldn’t believe it. She kept hearing herself taunting the Mayor, each word biting at her heart…. “slid it into her gut….. just slid into her like she was butter…..” She clutched tighter at the item in her right hand, trying not to die from the memory. She couldn’t stop herself hearing those taunts, over and over again. It was like someone else had done it. Someone else had said those words, someone else had stabbed Faith. And she hated that person. She wanted to find the bitch who had done that to her Faith and hurt her… kill her. She felt the anger. She felt the slayer rage, boiling like tears under her skin.
She brought the object up to her face and lightly ran her fingers over its sharp edges. Her skin burst and bled, but she didn’t feel anything. She was numb as her blood trickled down the knife, mixing with Faith’s. She brought it closer, choking back tears, feeling the cold, flat metal against her skin. It might be cold and dangerous, caked in sweat and blood, but it was the only thing she had left of her. Trembling, she lay down and slept.
“I didn’t think you’d come.”
Buffy stepped into the grey alley, the harsh rain whipping down. She was completely dry, but she could see Faith a few metres away, completely drenched.
“I had to.”
“No you didn’t.”
“Neither did you.” Silence between them. Faith just stared through the rain, motionless and expressionless. “Aren’t you cold?”
“I can’t feel the rain.”
“Yes you can. More than most.” Buffy looked up at the umbrella she was suddenly holding. “Do you want this?”
“You’ve never offered before.”
“I should have done this a long time ago. I don’t need it anyway.”
She lowered and closed the umbrella, holding it out for Faith to take.
“Take it.”
“I can’t.”
“Take it!”
“I don’t deserve it.”
“TAKE IT!” Buffy lunged forward, forcing the umbrella towards Faith, into her stomach, piercing the skin and organs beneath. She shook with horror as she saw Faith’s blood spilling over her hands.
“You’re right. You should have done this a long time ago.”
“NO!”
Buffy screamed as she woke. The vision of her bedroom fuzzed into her brain like a bad television signal. Her breath came in torn, ragged gasps. She still hadn’t stopped trembling. She knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep, so she grabbed her coat and shoes. She had to get out, go somewhere, and there was only one place she could think of.
* * * *
Faith wasn’t sure if she was asleep or awake. If she was dead or alive. It must have been a dream, but she was sure she heard Buffy in the room. She hadn’t spoken a word, but it felt like Buffy. All her nerve endings were numb, but she could feel a hand clasp around hers, fingers intertwined. She could feel every tremble and goosebump slowly disappear, until it was just Buffy’s smooth, unmoving skin against hers. Even though she was in a coma, she finally felt calm. She wondered why she had come now. Maybe she had had the same dream. Maybe she was just guilty. Too fucking late for guilt now. That’s what she wanted to think. But she knew that it would never be too late with Buffy.
She could feel eyes watching her. Damn those eyes. She could feel them now. She wanted more than anything to wake up now and look into them one last time. She could feel hot breath coming closer, moving slowly towards her face, before lips caught lips, and for a second neither of them breathed at all. They parted, and Faith felt the breath move over her cheek and neck to her ear. Her lips her so close she felt the whisper before she heard it. A faint, terrified hiss of…
“I love you.”
Faith opened her heavy eyes. She heard a faint hiss and felt a forked tongue flick her ear. The snake lay next to her on the bed, its warmth the only warmth in the room. She clung onto it because there was nothing else.
“I’ve already taken it.”
Faith looked up, and the snake was gone. She looked over to the doorway of her tiny motel room to see Buffy, holding the snake and staring at her, slowly strangling the life out of it.
“I should have done it earlier.”
“I’m alone.”
“So am I.”
Buffy lifted Faith’s knife, and slashed it across her own throat.
“Your neck…” Faith looked up in horror to see blood flowing from Buffy’s neck, flooding the floor.
“I’m OK.”
“I’m sorry.” She looked down to see her own blood spilling out of her chest.
“So am I.”
The blood was gone. The room and the snake was gone, and they were standing in the Bronze, in the middle of the dancefloor. It was completely empty, and there was no music to be heard.
“Are we supposed to dance?” she asked.
“I think we’re supposed to fight.”
“Do we have to?”
“Isn’t that why we’re here?”
The sun shone bright in her eyes. She looked around at an endless beach. She thought it was a beach, but there was no sea. Just sand and burning sun. It felt like fire, intense and horrible.
“Did you bring me here?”
“It’s not my dream.”
“I don’t know this place. Where are we?”
“You know where we are. After all, you live here.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Then come with me.”
Faith looked over to Buffy’s outstretched hand.
“Can I survive anywhere else?”
“I did, so can you.”
Faith put her hand out, and clasped onto Buffy’s.
“You should leave me here.” She dug into her pockets and pulled out a handful of golden sand. “I carry it everywhere.”
Buffy took her other fist and peeled it open. With one breath, she blew the sand fluttering away into the sun.
“Now let me see you.”
“I can’t.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve already seen it all. You can see me too”
Faith closed her eyes and breathed out slowly. Opening her eyes, she was still in the desert, and completely naked. She looked at Buffy’s equally naked frame. She didn’t have a scratch on her. Faith, however, was coated in scars and bruises.
“I can make them go away.”
“Nobody can. I have to cover them up. I have to…”
“Shhh…” Buffy put a finger against her lips, and pulled their bodies together. The two slayers wrapped their arms around each other, never breaking eye contact.
“You need to come closer.” Buffy whispered.
“We’re already touching.”
“The touch isn’t enough. You need to be inside of me.”
Instinctively, Faith moved her hand down towards Buffy’s crotch, but a hand stopped her.
“No. Not like that. You need to let me see you. Let me inside your head, and I’ll let you in mine.”
“I can’t… It hurts too much.” Faith could feel her scars burn, millions of them crawling over her body. The sand whipped against them, and Faith wished she was clothed again.
“Shh…” Buffy breathed, her lips dangerously close. “I can stop the pain.”
“They’re too deep.”
“Then we’ll go deeper.”
Buffy’s lips closed on hers, and silence fell across the desert. She held Buffy and Buffy held her as their mouths moved against each other, and their minds opened. A flash of light, and Faith felt it. She was inside Buffy’s head. She could see her life, walk among her thoughts, and she could feel Buffy inside hers. The pain lessened, and scars began to heal as memories flooded their shared mind. Faith wasn’t even sure which were hers and which were Buffy’s, but she didn’t care anymore.
“Are you inside my mind?” Faith didn’t say the words, her lips were too preoccupied, but Buffy heard them.
“As much as you are in mine.” Buffy replied without interrupting the kiss.
“And this is supposed to help?”
“If you let it.”
She felt cool water lapping at her feet as wave after wave crashed over them. They kissed for days, maybe seconds, maybe years, she didn’t know. All that mattered was that in that moment, she had someone. Not even just someone. Buffy.
“It’s time to go.”
Buffy’s lips parted from hers and she opened her eyes. They were both standing in the Bronze again, fully clothed.
“I don’t want this to end.”
“I’ll be back. You’re still hurt.”
Faith looked up, and for the first time, she could see scars, all over Buffy’s arms.
“I never saw them before.”
“You never looked.”
Faith wanted to reach out and touch her skin, heal her scars in some way.
“I thought I was the only one. But you’re hurting just as bad.”
“No I’m not. I had this.” Buffy held out a small black umbrella.
“I’ve always wanted one of them.”
“Then you should listen to yourself once in a while. Want.” She pushed the umbrella into Faith’s hands. “Take.” She leant over and kissed her forehead ever so lightly. “Have.”
.