Fanfiction || The Queen's Battle || Buffy/Faith || Part Two
Title: The Queen's Battle
Author: Sapphire Smoke cuzimastripper
Beta: supershineygirl
Fandom: Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Rating: NC-17 (for future chapters)
Pairing(s): Buffy/Faith, Buffy/Satsu
Word Length Thus Far: 17,782 words
Timeline: Season 8 - though in my world the whole Gigi thing never happened and the whole world isn't going to shit with Twilight. Because I say so. lol
Summary: Slayer dreams don't always mean an apocalypse is looming, but they're still confusing as hell.
A/N: I don't know why I'm doing another multichapter story. I think I might be insane.
Other Parts: PART ONE
CHAPTER THREE
When Things Get Complicated…
Faith completely whupped Xander’s ass at Mario Kart. Again. Really, she doesn’t know why he even bothers to try anymore.
Smirking in her victory, the brunette Slayer makes her way into the kitchen, figuring victory food is in order. It’s been hours since she ate breakfast and her stomach was doing that weird gurgle noise that never signified anything good. The kitchen was deserted except for Satsu, who was sitting on the counter with a bag of chips in her hand, watching Buffy train outside. Faith raises an eyebrow.
“Sup, Yuri?”
Satsu almost jumped out of skin at the unexpected witness and turned around to see Faith smirking.
“Ya gotta work on those Slayer reflexes, kid.”
Satsu looks embarrassed for a minute, but quickly recovers. “I guess I was zoning out. You’re right though; I should have been more aware.” Faith chuckles a little and shakes her head, going into the fridge.
“I ain’t B, Junior. I’m not gonna be the one bustin’ your balls for chillin’ in the kitchen. Even the General’s second in command deserves time to eat chips and ogle,” Faith says as she grabs everything she can find to make the biggest sandwich in the history of the freakin’ world.
“I wasn’t ogling!” Satsu defends quickly. The nervous butterflies in her stomach are going haywire. She was told, specifically by Buffy, to not let Faith find out about their ‘relationship’, if you can even call it that. Which didn’t seem like much of a stretch seeing as she thought no one knew about their ‘relationship’, but apparently Willow and Xander both know and have been put under strict orders as well. Satsu wasn’t sure why Faith finding out would be a big deal at first, but after the fighting they do? It’ll probably be just another thing Faith will throw in her face when they go at it again and she doesn’t want to cause Buffy any pain.
Satsu realizes though how quickly she defended that and how much like a lie it sounded so she revised by shrugging casually and popping a chip in her mouth. “Just appreciating,” she tells her. “She has great form.” Alright, that sounded a little better. Kind of.
Faith looks at her amused as she puts all her ingredients out on the counter. “Ya ain’t the first to ‘appreciate’ B’s form. Everytime I’m in this joint I always see at least ten girls trip over their tongue when she’s around.” She starts piling everything onto her sandwich and Satsu wonders how she’s even going to fit that in her mouth.
“Did you… ever?” Satsu asks carefully. “Appreciate her, I mean.”
Faith laughs, turning to look at her. “Ya got balls on ya, Yuri. I’ll give ya that.” Most of the girls in here scamper away scared when she comes around, having heard stories of “Big Bad Faith.” Not Satsu though; Satsu was one of the few who even talked to her.
Satsu shrugs, popping another chip into her mouth. “Just curious,” she tells her. Hey, if Faith was going to appreciate the pair she’s got on her, she’s not going to back down.
Faith smirks and puts the last piece of bread over her masterpiece, squishing it down with her hand to flatten it. “I ride stick.” Mostly.
“That’s not what I asked,” Satsu says pointedly.
“Brass ones,” Faith says, but looks like she maybe respects Satsu for her boldness. “Alright, fair enough.” She shrugs, leaning against the counter. “Yeah, at one point I was all tangled up in the Buffy Summers spell. Think everyone goes though that at least once in their life. Swear the shits like an initiation into the world of fucked up apocalypses and demons.” She smirks, “So welcome to the club, Junior.”
“What changed?”
“She’s a stick-lover, for one. For two, me and B ain’t got the best history. Shit went down,” Faith replies conversationally. She takes a big bite of her sandwich and Satsu drops the topic, not wanting to go too far with it. She nods though before looking back outside at her lover. In all honesty, she has no idea how she became Buffy’s first, especially if Faith was chasing her at one point or another. The woman oozed sexual energy and confidence. She was-okay now she was checking out Faith. Satsu decides it’s time to go, especially when Faith smirks when she catches her doing it.
“I’m just gonna…” Satsu says, sliding off the counter and pointing towards the door. Go. She was feeling kind of awkward. Faith just chuckles a little before taking another bite of her sandwich and Satsu practically bolts out the door.
Faith watches her go; amused. Poor kid. Crushing on Buffy doesn’t ever go over well for anyone. Leering at Faith though? Well, she does drive stick usually but hey, it’s been awhile. Satsu’s kinda young though, so Faith doesn’t entertain that stray thought for long. If she’s gonna jump into bed with anyone just cause it’s been awhile, it sure as hell ain’t gonna be with some kid who looks barely older than sixteen. She does have some sense of decency, no matter how slim.
The side door opens then and Buffy comes in, looking sweaty from her workout. She stops dead when she sees Faith in the kitchen though, munching happily on her sandwich. “What are you doing in here?” Buffy asks before she could stop herself.
Faith cocks an eyebrow and holds up her food like it’s obvious. “Eating.”
“I see that.”
“Then what’s with the stupid question?”
“It wasn’t-!” Buffy starts, but then stops herself. She’s not going to do this; she promised Willow she wouldn’t do this. She takes a breath, trying to remind herself fighting with Faith over every single thing isn’t going to get anyone anywhere good. She leans against the counter and instead holds out her hand. “Pass the chips.”
Faith grabs the bag and tosses it to her. Buffy catches it easily and starts digging in, feeling starved.
“Y’know your second’s got a crush on ya,” Faith tells her casually before taking another bite of her sandwich.
Buffy chokes on a chip.
Faith’s eye brows shoot up and she comes over and slaps Buffy on the back. Buffy coughs a couple times, holding her hand to her chest. “Jeez B, learn to chew,” Faith tells her.
“I’m… fine,” Buffy gasps out, coughing a little bit more to dislodge pieces of chip from her throat. “I’m sorry… she what?”
“She’s gotta crush on ya,” Faith reiterates. She raises her eyebrows at Buffy’s shocked expression, though interprets it as Buffy not knowing about it. “Don’t tell me ya didn’t notice. It ain’t like she’s the first girl to have the hots for ya.”
“How do you… how do you know that? That she… likes me?” Buffy asks.
“Wicked obvious, Twinkie.” Buffy looks like she’s about to pass out. “Relax, doubt she’s gonna make a move on ya. Think she knows you’re a cock lover.”
“Faith!” Buffy exclaims, her expression horrified by Faith’s vulgar term. “Don’t… don’t call me that. Jesus. Do you have any tact?”
“Have I ever?”
“No.”
“Well then, there’s your answer,” Faith says with a smirk before she takes another bite of her sandwich. Buffy doesn’t say anything; she just digs back into the chips, trying to move the conversation away from Satsu. Faith seems pretty dense on the subject - which she’s thankful for - but she doesn’t want to push her luck. She does, however, need to talk to Faith about something. She doubts it’ll go over well and she’s already mentally preparing herself for an argument.
“Faith… we need to talk.”
Faith stops mid-chew. She’s pretty damn sure she knows what this is about and she really doesn’t wanna go there. “Don’t think we need to do anythin’.”
Buffy closes the chip bag and puts it back on the counter before looking at Faith. She starts playing with her hands nervously. “Faith… you kissed me.”
“Ya asked me to.”
“It was a dream,” Buffy defends.
“Look B, let’s not make a thing outta it. Ya asked: I delivered. End of story,” Faith says flatly, feeling uncomfortable with this conversation. She takes the last bite of her sandwich before folding her arms across her chest; defensive.
“Okay… well fine. Outside of the kiss though… I mean, we have Slayer dreams for a reason,” Buffy tells her.
“And that reason is?” Faith avoids.
“I don’t know, to tell us something? Don’t you think we should at least try to figure it out? Because all I’m getting from it is that you’re going to be ‘struck down’. Doesn’t that in the least bit worry you?” Buffy asks.
Faith shrugs. “Not really. Apparently you’re gonna fix everything… like always.” Yeah, that came out a little bitter. She doesn’t play the damsel in distress, especially not for Buffy frickin’ Summers.
“Why do you always have to act like this?” Buffy asks, folding her arms across her chest. “I mean I know we fight all the time and you have an ego as big as the whole castle but do you really expect me to stand by and watch everything go to shit for you?”
“Why do ya always gotta assume that it’s gonna go shit for me?” Faith retorts.
“Faith, the damn dream said so!” Buffy exclaims, throwing up her hands. This woman is going to be the death of her. “Can you just please, for once, realize that I’m actually here to help you?!”
“When the hell have you ever helped me?!” Faith exclaims. “Was it when you stabbed in the gut and pushed me off a roof or when you told me that if I ever apologized to you, you would beat me to death?”
“Why do you always have to go there?!” Buffy screeches, slamming her hand down on the counter for effect. “Can’t we just get past that?!”
“Why? You’re not past what I did to you!”
“Of course I am!”
“You’re a lying sack, Buffy! The whole reason you jumped down my throat at the meeting is because you still think I’m gonna spontaneously turn evil again!” Faith yells.
“I’M JUST SCARED!” Buffy screams, making Faith stop her train of thought and urge to yell. She just stares at the blonde, who looks like she can’t believe she just told her that.
Buffy sighs and puts her hand over her eyes before dropping it back down to her side. “I’m just… scared, Faith. I hate your job. I hate it. I know you do so much more good and that I guess, somehow, it balances out but I’m furious with Giles for having you, of all people, be the one who has to kill Slayers that are past the point of no return. I’m furious he’s making you into a murderer, okay?! And I’m terrified that you’re going to relapse and after everything you’ve done to try to change I,t would just… it’d kill you! It’d kill me! Okay?! I can’t watch you go down that road again! I just can’t!”
Faith just stares at her for a minute, not knowing what to really say after that outburst. She never really thought Buffy cared that much. Or, hell, at all. “I’m… fine, B,” Faith says, a little unsure. She’s never really experienced much emotion when it came to Buffy recently besides anger. She didn’t know what this was but it made her feel weird. “S’The job,” she tells her, trying to make light of it.
“I know,” Buffy says, tiredly. “I know it is, but I just…” she sighs and leans over the counter, putting her head in her hands. “You remember how it felt last time?” she asks softly. Faith doesn’t say anything for a long time and Buffy takes her head out of her hands to look at her.
“Yeah,” Faith says quietly. “I remember.”
“Well I’m freaking out because our connection is starting to hurt again, Faith,” Buffy tells her honestly. “And last time that happened…”
“I’m not goin’ evil, I swear,” Faith tells her quickly, but honestly. She may have a tough time with the kills and have had temptation but she’s not about to fuck up everything. “I dunno, maybe the connections just havin’ a spaz.”
Buffy looks at her almost sadly, “Faith… there’s something wrong between us.”
“Well it ain’t my fault,” Faith says flatly. She’s not getting blamed for this crap again. She’s doing her job, she’s working on redemption… this ain’t her fault.
“Okay, we are so not getting into the blame game because we’d be arguing for hours,” Buffy tells her seriously. Faith doesn’t say anything so Buffy presses, “Have you been… doing anything different lately?”
“No. Just been roundin’ up girls and bringin’ ‘em here, same as always. Ain’t been slayin’ nothing to big or fucking anything important. What about you?”
Buffy’s eyes shift to the left. “No; just been training the girls. There’s no Big Bad or anything, just your regular annoyances.”
“You just lied to me.”
“What?” Buffy asks, looking up at the brunette.
“You’re eyes just shifted; you’re lying to me,” Faith tells her flatly.
“What? No they didn’t. I don’t know, maybe I have shifty eyes!” Buffy defends.
“B, I ain’t fuckin’ stupid. What aren’t you tellin’ me? I’ve been getting’ this feeling like you’ve been hiding something since I walked in the door.”
“Nothing!” Buffy exclaims. God, she’s a horrible liar. She winces at the sound of how unconvincing she is and fidgets under Faith’s gaze. Alright. She can… slightly avoid this. She can just give her part of the story, right? Right.
“B,” Faith says flatly. “Just fuckin’ tell me.”
“Okay fine,” Buffy says, taking a breath. She wrings her hands together nervously, not knowing how Faith’s going to react. “I think I might be… well, um…” Faith just cocks an eyebrow at her.
“What, are ya growin’ a tail?”
“What? No!” Buffy exclaims, flustered. She wrings her hands together more, starting to pace. “No. I’m just… I think I might be… a little bit… less…straight than I originally thought.” She freezes, waiting for Faith’s reaction.
There’s a long silence, too long.
“…You’re serious?”
Buffy nods.
“Did ya fuck Red?”
“NO!” Buffy exclaims, horrified. “No! God, Faith. No! Willow’s one of my best friends!”
“It was a valid question,” Faith defends. Her brain’s kind of at a stop though. Little Ms. Likes-To-Ride-The-Cock has been having girl on girl fantasies? That’s… kinda fuckin’ hot. Faith smirks; she has to.
“Please don’t make fun of me,” Buffy begs. She doesn’t think she could handle that right now.
Faith holds up her hands, “Hey, ain’t lookin’ to beat ya down for it, Princess. I ain’t completely straight and narrow either. But what I don’t get is why that would fuck up our connection. I mean you peakin’ your head outta the closet shouldn’t make it feel like we’re about to destroy each other again.”
“Well I don’t know,” Buffy says, sighing. “I mean, it’s the only thing that’s really changed since I saw you last. Unless you were lying to me about what you’ve been doing.”
“Nah, I ain’t done shit. Certainly didn’t have any major revelations like that either.” There’s silence for a little while, while Faith pieces the timeline together in her head. Wait a minute… “When exactly did this happen?”
Buffy flushes beat red and Faith has her answer. Her smirk just went to a full on grin.
“It was cause of that dream, ain’t it? Ha! I should get some kinda medal or somethin’ for that shit.”
Buffy narrows her eyes, but her embarrassment is still full throttle. “Okay, you don’t have to get cocky about it. God.” Yeah, it was Faith that made her realize that she might like women. Or a woman. Okay now it’s two women but whatever. That actually started a long time ago but the kiss confirmed it and then of course, because Buffy apparently likes to make her life complicated… she jumps into bed with Satsu. But Faith seriously doesn’t need to know about that last part.
“Yeah, really do. This is like… legendary,” Faith says with a smirk. She hops up on the counter, her ego swollen to the brim and a little smile of pride on her face. “Buffy Summers has the hots for me.”
“I do not!” Buffy exclaims, her face becoming redder. She groans. “God, will you just stop? Please?”
Faith chuckles, far too entertained by this to stop now, “You totally want in my pants, don’t lie. Ain’t nothin’ to be ashamed about; lots of people want in ‘em. Only the special ones actually get there though,” Faith winks at her and Buffy feels like she’s going to die where she stands. This was not how she needed this to go.
“I don’t want in your- God, Faith! Why do you have to be this way? You know, it isn’t my fault that you’re tongue is like… ungodly talented!”
Oh, that was so the wrong thing to say. Buffy needs a mouth filter; it might stop things like this from happening.
Faith leers at her, “If ya liked it in your mouth, bet ya can just imagine what it could do to other places of your body.” A beat, then a smirk. “Though you probably already have.”
“Okay, I so hate you,” Buffy says, her face so hot right now she’s sure it’s about to make her brain explode and her head pop off. “You said you wouldn’t make fun of me!”
“Ain’t makin’ fun of ya, Lover,” Faith says as she slides off the counter, coming over to the blonde. Buffy feels like she’s rooted to the spot, her brain dribbling out her ears from just being called ‘lover’. Faith touches her hip and she jumps a mile, making the brunette chuckle as she presses Buffy back against her and whispers in her ear, “Just lettin’ ya know there’s more to life than fantasies.” Her hot breath is tickling her skin and Buffy swears she just came in her pants. Oh fuck.
“I… I… I-I gotta go,” Buffy stammers, untangling herself from Faith and making a dash towards the door. She can’t handle this right now; not after everything. This was way too much for her to process.
Faith watches her go, smiling like an idiot. She felt happy, really happy. And it was fuckin’ weird because she got over her crush on Buffy a long time ago. Apparently not long enough though. And yeah, it’s fucked - they fight all the time and whatever else and Faith’s pretty damn sure it’d never actually work out between them other than just a good lay but hell, who is she to pass that up?
Buffy’s still nervous as hell about it though so it’ll probably take a lot of fuckin’ work to get to that point but hey; Faith’s up for the challenge. It’ll be fun.
Faith struts out of the kitchen and through the side door. “I’m the shit,” she says with pride and a big grin before she starts working out in the yard. Oh yeah, ‘Operation Fuck Buffy Summers’ has officially commenced.
* * *
Buffy ran all the way up the stairs, making a mad dash to her bedroom, too wrapped up in her little world of ‘Oh my god Faith actually hit on me, what do I do?’ to realize Willow was standing in the hallway, minding her own business. At least she was until Buffy ran smack into her, sending them both sprawling to the ground.
“Oh god! I’m so sorry, Will!” Buffy apologizes, feeling scattered. She gets up and holds out her hand to help her friend off of the ground.
“Where’s the fire?” Willow asks, looking at Buffy’s terrified face as the blonde helps her to her feet.
“What fire? There’s no fire,” Buffy says quickly. “I’m just… running. Because running is healthy and as a Slayer I should be in better shape, I think I should exercise more, don’t you? Maybe we should all exercise more; we can make a day of it!”
“Buffy?” Willow says, amused. “Babbling.”
“I… I… I’m just… running,” Buffy finishes lamely. Willow gives her a small, comforting smile and takes her hand.
“Come on, let’s go talk in my room,” Willow tells her, guiding the perplexed Slayer into her bedroom. She closes the door behind them and Buffy collapses on her bed face down and groans. Willow smirks.
“Girl trouble?”
“Like you wouldn’t believe,” Buffy mumbles into the covers.
“Well the Lesbian Love Doctor is in,” Willow says with a smile, sitting down next to Buffy. “Is this about Satsu or did you get into it with Faith again?”
“Oh that was such a bad choice of words,” Buffy mumbles. Willow’s eyebrows rise.
“Okay, spill.”
Buffy sighs, rolling over so she can look at Willow a little guiltily. “Okay, so you know when I told you about the dream me and Faith shared?” Willow nods. “I kind of… left out a key bit of it.”
Willow looks at her expectantly.
Buffy takes a breath. “Okay so… in the dream…. Faith maybe sorta kissed me.” Willow’s eyebrows have gotten lost in her hairline. “And in the dream I maybe sorta asked her to make it real. And then… she maybe sorta kissed me earlier today; while we were screaming at each other, no less. God, she can’t do anything right, can she? I mean as far as a first kiss went, that wasn’t exactly one for the books.”
There’s silence for a minute. “Faith… kissed you?” Willow asks, like she couldn’t really believe what’s coming out of her mouth. She knew Faith flirted with Buffy sometimes, but she didn’t actually think it would go that far. She didn’t think either of them would ever have the guts to take it to that level because of their past. “And… you kissed her back?”
“It gets worse.”
“…Of course it does.” Nothing with the two of them was ever simple.
“I told her I might be into women,” Buffy says, covering her face with her hands. “I mean, I didn’t tell her about Satsu, I’m not suicidal, but she… she kind of realized that it all started when she kissed me in the dream and she’s been… she’s been…”
“Cocky?” Willow offers.
“Yeah. But worse,” Buffy says. “She… hit on me.”
“Like… subtly, or…?” Willow presses.
“Willow, she’s Faith. She doesn’t do anything subtly,” Buffy tells her, then groans again. “God, what am I gonna do?”
“Buffy, you’re with Satsu,” Willow reminds her.
“No I’m not. I mean I am, just not really. We haven’t made anything official and it’s not like I don’t like Satsu, I do. She’s an amazing girl and she’s so sweet and I’m probably mentally damaged for not just jumping into her arms and say ‘Take me away!’ but… but it’s… it’s Faith, Will.”
“And Faith is different how?” Willow asks, knowing the answer but also knowing Buffy needs to say it.
“Don’t make me say it out loud,” Buffy groans, taking a pillow and putting it over her head. Willow smirks and grabs the pillow, taking it away from her.
“I repeat: Faith is different how?”
Buffy lets out a long breath of air, staring at the ceiling. “Because she’s Faith?” she answers meekly.
“Buffy.”
“Okay, okay!” Buffy exclaims sitting up. “I might have had a crush on her when I was a teenager, maybe, and you know, if I did, I did the whole suppressing thing and all it did was make more drama and angst and now we’re older and Faith’s hotter and she always just waltzes back into my life all ‘I’m five by five!’ with her leather pants and her smoky eyes and pouty lips and she never, never realizes what her being around does to me! She’s always sent weird mixed signals with the flirting then the fighting and she drives me absolutely insane and yet I think I should probably be committed because if I’m to be honest with myself, some weird part of me likes that we fight just because it gives us an excuse to be around each other!”
Willow just stares at her after that outburst and Buffy groans again. “God, I need therapy.”
“Maybe,” Willow says, but she smiles. She puts a hand on Buffy’s arm, trying to comfort her. “Well… why don’t you tell Faith how you feel?”
“Ha!” Buffy exclaims. “Right, let me go downstairs and tell the Queen of ‘get some, get gone’ that I fell for her a long time ago but was too stupid to realize it. But hey! Now I have so we should go live happily ever after and skip off into the freaking sunset.”
“That was a lot of sarcasm.”
“That’s because that would be such a stupid thing to do and you know it,” Buffy tells her. She puts her hands over her face, sighing. “And god, what am I going to do about Satsu?”
“You need to be honest with her, Buffy.”
“No I don’t. I mean, not if I’m going to avoid Faith at all costs, right?” Buffy asks, hopefully.
Willow raises an eyebrow. “You think you can do that? Do you want to do that?”
“Well… yeah. I mean, I’d have to, right? Faith will just fuck me then kick me out of her bed in the morning and I… I can’t handle that. And I shouldn’t go ruining a good thing with Satsu just because Faith’s screwing with my head. She’ll be gone in a week anyway. There’s no point messing up something that could potentially turn out good for something that I know is going to end in tears.”
“Buffy… you and Satsu have been sleeping together for a month and you still haven’t been able to call her your girlfriend. Do you really think that’s going to change?” Willow asks her.
“No. I don’t know. It has to, right?”
“That’s not the way these things work, sweetie. And you know what you’re doing isn’t fair to Satsu. She’s in love with you,” Willow reminds her.
“I know… I know that. Don’t you think I know that? But I just… I think I need her right now. I know I need her right now,” Buffy tells her, trying to not sound as guilty about that as she feels. Willow looks at her disapprovingly.
“Buffy…”
“I have to go anyway,” Buffy says, standing up. “We have to do training in a half an hour - I need to get ready.” Yeah, she’s done with this conversation. She doesn’t want Willow talking sense into her because she’ll pretty much lose everything she has. No Satsu, no Faith. No win for Buffy.
“Buffy…” Willow tries, but Buffy’s already halfway out the door.
“We’ll talk later!” she promises, before closing the door behind her and leaving Willow in her room, worried about her friend.
CHAPTER FOUR
Jump Through Hoops
“Satsu! Pull back; use the leverage to your advantage!” Buffy barks at the girl, who’s sparring with another Slayer, Michelle, and looking like she’s about to actually get her ass kicked. “No! Don’t- ugh. Michelle, nice form. Satsu, look for her weaknesses! She-Jesus,” Buffy finishes, exasperated as Satsu lands on her ass. She rubs her temples, trying to stop the forthcoming migraine.
“Michelle, that was great. You need to work on your defense but your offense is very nicely executed. Satsu…” she sighs, watching the younger girl pick herself up off the ground. “You keep getting distracted and it’s going to cost you. This is unacceptable, you need to have your head in the game or you’re going to get yourself killed in the field. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Satsu says, feeling dejected at being so harshly criticized in front of everyone. She knows this is how Buffy is though. She expects more from Satsu; pushes her to her limit. She wants to make her the best and with that comes harsh training. Just because she’s sleeping with her she’s not going to get any special treatment. If anything, it’s made Buffy harder on her.
“Jeez B, little harsh on Yuri, ya think?” Faith says from her place in the stands, lounging back and watching Buffy train since she still has yet to get any kind of permission to join in or help.
“I’m training Slayers, Faith. This isn’t cheerleading practice,” Buffy snaps, a little too aggressively. She’s felt Faith’s eyes on her for the last hour and if she didn’t know any better, Faith was using them to undress her. It’s been a little distracting. A lot distracting, actually.
“Shame, ya’d look hot bouncin’ up and down in a short skirt,” Faith responds, smirking. Buffy flushes and narrows her eyes.
“Don’t have you somewhere to be?”
“Nope.”
“Can you have somewhere to be?”
“Nah, I like it here. Waitin’ patiently until you decide I can play with the big kids,” Faith says, smirking as she leans back on her elbows. She cocks an eyebrow at Buffy in that irritating little way that makes Buffy wet and the blonde Slayer huffs.
“If I let you spar with me, once, just for demonstration… will you leave after?” Buffy asks, trying to compensate. Faith grins and gets up.
“Thought ya’d never ask.”
Buffy sighs. “And no bantering,” she tells her with a pointed finger. “I mean it.”
“But that’s half the fun,” Faith says as she grins and stretches her arm in front of her chest, watching Buffy’s eyes sweep down her form before she makes a look of distaste because she let herself go there. Faith smirks; this’ll be fun.
“Things get… heated when we do that,” Buffy tells her, clearly nervous. “And things get said that don’t need to get said and I’d rather avoid that.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Faith says, dismissing her with a hand wave. Buffy narrows her eyes, knowing she’s probably not going to listen.
“Alright,” Buffy says, addressing her troops who have backed up into a group and were whispering among themselves excitedly to watch to the two original Slayers spar. “Watch our strengths and weaknesses; Faith focuses more on strength while I favor speed. Watch how we interact and try to pin point at which point I’ll get the upper hand,” she smirks and looks over at Faith, who rolls her eyes.
“Oh please. Kids, watch and learn how the Slayer who has the bloodline kicks the old, washed up Slayer’s ass, is what B here meant to say,” Faith retorts with a wink towards Buffy who steps back in stance.
“Bring it, F.”
“You know I always do, Princess.”
Buffy moved first in a wave of concentration and perfected form. Faith blocked her first punch with ease, turning around to try to deliver an elbow to Buffy’s face which she barely dodged. No blow connected for awhile, each Slayer seeming to be on equal footing. Their dance was one they did often, each falling into step with the other so fluidly it looked like it was more a practiced routine than spontaneous fighting. Faith gets in the first blow that connects and she lets out a triumphant, “HA!” as Buffy stumbles back, but is quickly subdued by Buffy delivering a leg sweep that had her flat on her back. Buffy laughs and Faith growls, springing back up to feet before they start circling each other again.
“See what happens when you get cocky?” Buffy taunts.
“Didn’t think ‘cock’ was in your dictionary anymore, Slayer,” Faith retorts with a smirk at how annoyed Buffy gets from that one sentence.
“Was it ever in yours?” she shoots back.
“You’d have to ask Xander.”
“Rather not.”
“Mad someone got there first?” Faith asks with a grin. Buffy tries to hit her but Faith dodges it easily.
“I don’t want Xander.”
“Not who I was talkin’ about, Twinkie.”
“You wish.”
“No, apparently you wish,” Faith says with a smirk. But bantering interrupts her concentration and Buffy gets a hit in, clocking her clean across the jaw.
“Just shut up and fight me!”
“With pleasure, baby.”
The Slayers fall into their dance again, the fight seeming to last forever. Buffy does end up on top though when Faith becomes distracted after snagging her studded bracelet on Buffy’s shirt, trying to deflect a punch; making the material slip down and expose the top of Buffy’s breasts as she tries to pull away. Her staring costs her and she ends up flat on her back, Buffy straddling her waist and pinning her arms over her head. She smirks down at her.
“Now class, what did we learn?” she asks, though is looking at Faith who’s annoyed she lost. Buffy’s smirk of victory isn’t helping matters.
“Don’t wear jewelry?” Michelle asks with a smirk.
“Don’t stare at your chest,” Faith deadpans.
“Both valid points,” Buffy says with an amused look, getting off of Faith and extending her hand to help the younger girl up. Faith takes it grudgingly and lets Buffy help her to her feet.
“Questions?” Buffy asks the group.
“Can we spar with Faith?” Satsu asks, sizing Faith up. She fights differently than Buffy, and while she knows she’ll probably never be able to beat her, with Faith she might have more of a chance. It’d be good practice, anyway. Faith smirks.
“Step on up, Yuri,” Faith says, holding her hands out in invitation.
“No,” Buffy says, stepping between them. Faith and Satsu both look at her, annoyed and disappointed. “I’m sorry, but Faith is something none of you are ready for. Not only is she stronger than all of you, she likes to disarm people with ridiculous sexual comments that have nothing to do with anything,” Buffy says, shooting a look at Faith.
“It had somethin’ to do with somethin’ all right.”
“Oh shut up,” Buffy says with an eye roll before she turns back to the group of girls. “No, all of you need more training before you attempt it. Maybe next time she’s here. Trust me, she can make the best of us get… distracted,” Buffy says with a little scowl.
“Appreciate the props, B.”
“Yeah well, I might not agree with your tactics but they are effective,” Buffy says begrudgingly. “Doesn’t matter though, because I still kicked your ass.” She smirks.
“Next time, baby.”
“You keep saying that and yet… oh no wait, you still have yet to beat me,” Buffy says with a taunting smile. Faith scowls.
“Ya know Blondie, one day I will end up on top,” Faith promises her, moving in a little bit closer to the blonde. Buffy stands completely still even though she knows she should have moved away from her and Faith leans down to whisper in her ear, igniting a shiver through the older girl, “It just may not be during a fight.”
Buffy flushes and pushes her back. “I’m so going to kick your ass for fun later.”
Faith laughs before picking up her bottle of water off the ground and starting to walk away. But she stops by Satsu, putting her hand on her arm and leaning in to whisper, “Me and you later, if ya still wanna go. I’m up for the work out.” She flashes her a sexy grin that makes Satsu get a little hot and bothered and Faith smirks as she watches the girl’s breathing become shallow. Man, she should flirt with the recruits more often, this is entertaining.
“Faith, don’t hit on her!” Buffy snaps. Both Satsu and Faith look at her, surprised for different reasons.
“Little defensive there, B. Might wanna work on bein’ a bit more subtle,” Faith says with a chuckle before she runs her fingers up Satsu’s arm, making the girl shiver before she walks away. Satsu’s eyes catch Buffy’s and she’s furious. Oh shit.
“Class over,” Buffy says flatly. All the girls go to scatter, Satsu included, but Buffy says, “Not you, Satsu.”
Shit.
Once all the girls have gone, Buffy’s staring at her, arms crossed across her chest. “Don’t play with fire, Satsu. You’ll get burned.”
“Buffy, you should know that I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t do that to you. I love you,” the younger girl tells her seriously, not understanding Buffy’s jealousy. Didn’t Faith flirt with everyone? She’s heard the stories. Besides… “Faith was flirting with you too.”
Buffy brushes that off. “She’s always done that. She just likes to screw with my head; ignore it. I try to.” Buffy pauses, taking a little breath before she continues. “I’m serious though. Please don’t… let her get to you.”
“She’s beautiful, Buffy, but she isn’t anything compared to you,” Satsu tells her honestly. Buffy smiles a little, feeling somewhat better. She doesn’t exactly know what she’s jealous of; Faith flirting with Satsu or Satsu noticeably reacting to it. Maybe both. Which is probably not good in any way because then she’s thinking of them both as her property and that’s just… one mess she seriously needs to avoid.
“Does she know about us?” Satsu asks her.
Buffy’s eyes widen. “No! God no.”
“Well she was making comments on your sexuality,” Satsu pointed out. Buffy sighs.
“I… I told her that I wasn’t… completely straight anymore. But she doesn’t know about us, and I really need it to stay that way,” Buffy tells her seriously.
“Why?” Satsu would appreciate a real reason instead of theories for once.
“Did you not see how she was acting when we were sparring? Think of that, only about a hundred times worse. She’ll be making little comments everywhere, making everyone uncomfortable, and she’s got a big mouth and I can’t have all the other girls knowing our business. They’ll start saying I’m playing favorites by you having be my second in command and it’s just… it’s too complicated. Okay?”
Satsu nods; she understands that.
Buffy looks at her though, curiously. Satsu just casually commented that Faith was flirting with her. Doesn’t that make her… jealous? “You’re fine with… Faith being so overtly sexual towards me?” she asks, a little in disbelief. Satsu shrugs.
“I don’t view her as a threat.”
“Why not?” Buffy asks, then says quickly, “Not that I’m saying you should, because you shouldn’t! I’m just… wondering.”
“She said things changed between you guys a long time ago.”
“Understatement, but I still don’t understand what that has to do with anything,” Buffy says.
“She used to have a crush on you; I guess when you guys were young. But she’s over it.”
Buffy blinks, not knowing how to feel about that. Well, she knows how she does feel; let down. But she knows that’s not how she should feel. “She used to have a crush on me? Like… a real one? Faith doesn’t do crushes.” Faith’s screwed and screwed, but they’ve never meant anything to her.
Satsu shrugged, unfazed. “Apparently she did. It’s what she said.”
“Wait… Faith shared this information with you? Getting anything out of Faith for me is like pulling teeth! How is that fair?” Buffy asks, stomping a bit. That really does bug her; Faith barely even knows Satsu and she’s all sharing her past feelings? What the heck?
Satsu smirks, obviously realizing this is something to be proud of. “She appreciated my directness. She said I have balls.”
“That you do,” Buffy agrees. “Still… still not seeing the fair in the situation.” She sighs, but rolls her eyes, willing to forget about it. She shouldn’t want to talk to Faith about feelings… that probably wouldn’t lead anywhere good. “It doesn’t matter,” she says finally, even though it does. Satsu can see it.
“You wish she’d open up to you more?”
“I don’t know,” Buffy tells her honestly, flopping down to sit in the grass. She looks up at Satsu; her jet black hair sparkling in the sunlight as she looks down at her. The sight actually takes her breath away; she looks almost like an angel. “God, you’re beautiful,” Buffy says softly. A small smile creeps across Satsu’s face before she kneels next to the older Slayer. She tucks a piece of blonde hair behind Buffy’s ear and tells her:
“So are you.”
Buffy smiles, taking Satsu’s hand in hers before she lies back on the grass, taking the younger Slayer with her. Satstu lies next to her and looks up at the clouds, enjoying Buffy’s company. She’s talked to her more over the last two days then she had in an entire week. And maybe that’s just because she needed someone to talk about her Faith frustrations with, but Satsu will gladly take that. Buffy seems to want to spend more time with her, and she’s not going to care about the reason.
She’s not naïve; she’s just accepting of a lot of situations. She knows Faith gets under Buffy’s skin, in more ways than one, even if Buffy doesn’t realize it. But Satsu meant what she said; she didn’t view Faith as a threat. Even if Faith suddenly wanted to pursue Buffy, she didn’t think the older Slayer would be able to take it that far with the rogue Slayer because of their past together. Buffy was really hung up on it.
“You ever wish things were different?” Buffy asks, looking up at the sky, watching the clouds pass over head.
“What do you mean?”
Buffy takes a breath, lacing her and Satsu’s fingers together. “Like all the demons and the bad in the world didn’t exist? That the world really is just a happy place.” Satsu smiles a little, turning her head to look at Buffy. She sounded so much like a kid then.
“No, I don’t,” she tells her softly.
“Why?” Buffy asks, turning her head to look at her. Satsu smiles.
“Because then I would have never met you.”
Buffy smiles, liking the way that sentence made her feel. “You’re so sweet. Why are you so sweet?” she asks, though the silent question in her head is, ‘Why can’t I just be happy with what I have?’
“You inspire it.”
Buffy groans. Why does she have to be so perfect? “God, I wish things were different,” she says covering her face with her free hand and feeling like an idiot.
“Because you can’t love me,” Satsu says quietly. She knows. It hurts; but she knows. Buffy takes her hand off her eyes and turns to look at her again, a little sadly.
“I don’t know if it’s a ‘can’t’, Satsu. It’s not that simple. You’re so… God, you are so everything I’ve ever wanted. I mean, you coming in the package of a girl was kind of a shock, but I’m dealing. And it should be so easy and yet it’s… it’s not. I think I try to sabotage myself,” Buffy tells her with a little sigh.
“You’re waiting for something.”
“Yeah, like a big explosion in my face that’ll tell me to stop being so stupid.”
Satsu smirks a little, rolling over on her side to face the older woman, propping her head up on her hand and looking down at her. “You told me when we first started this that you were going to hurt me, and I know you will.” That makes pain flash across Buffy’s face, but Satsu continues. “I know I’m not the one for you, and maybe you’re not the one for me. But you’re my first love and I’ll always remember that. And yeah, things will end. Everything always does. But for right now I’m just enjoying having you to myself for a little bit.”
Buffy groans again. Perfect. She’s freaking perfect! What is wrong with her? Why can’t she just be happy right here, right now?
“Why do you always have to be so understanding? Can’t you be normal and tell me I’m a bitch or something?”
Satsu smirks. “Bitch.”
“Not that convincing.”
“Fucking bitch.”
Buffy giggles a little. “We’ll work on it.”
Satsu smiles at her before laying back down, looking up the sky again. “I love you, Buffy,” she whispers.
“I know you do, Satsu.”
* * *
“Ya look hot when you’re all sweaty.”
Buffy jumps a freaking mile and a half at the sound of Faith’s voice cutting through the silence of the basement where she was working out alone. With Faith’s overt sexual comments during sparring and Satsu being so sweet that she wanted to jump her right there in the grass, she had a lot of energy she needed to burn. She would have just taken Satsu up to her room and had her way with her but the other Slayers must have gotten into the sugar because they’ve been spazzing all around the house and Buffy didn’t want to run the risk of being heard.
And now Faith was here, being all… Faith-like and so isn’t helping matters.
“And you say it’s me that wants in your pants?” Buffy responds, though knew she shouldn’t have even said anything in the first place. She takes a breath and starts hitting the punching bag again. Left, right, left, right, sex, left, right, Satsu naked, left, right, Faith naked-fuck.
“Ya look a little flushed. What’re ya thinkin’ about?” Faith asks with a smirk as she comes up to Buffy, sliding around the side of the punching bag to hold it in place for her. Buffy doesn’t look at her; she just keeps hitting it, only this time harder.
“Hitting you,” Buffy says flatly. Faith chuckles.
“Knew ya were thinkin’ about hittin’ it.”
“I said hitting you not hitting it,” Buffy responds, still refusing to actually make eye contact with the rogue Slayer.
“There’s a difference?”
“Huge one.”
Faith smirks and slides around to the front of the punching bag, facing Buffy. Buffy stops herself before one of her hits connects and she sighs in annoyance. “Well? Hit me,” Faith dares her.
“What do you want?” Buffy asks, sweeping her hair back from her face and looking irritated.
“You.”
That makes Buffy’s brain grind to a halt. God, why does Faith have to be so… blunt? She doesn’t make anything easier by doing that. Can’t she just avoid and flirt subtly? That way Buffy can ignore it. She can’t ignore this though. Fuck.
“I…” Yeah, making a full coherent thought isn’t working out.
“Ya want me to spell it out for ya?”
Buffy narrows her eyes. “Don’t be a prick.”
“Not bein’ a prick, just waitin’ for ya to respond,” Faith says, so cool and cocky on the outside but Buffy can see the flicker of doubt in her eyes. It’s that flicker of doubt that reminds Buffy that Faith’s a real person with real feelings and god that makes it so much harder.
And oddly enough, her small insecurity makes her more attractive. Oh, this isn’t good.
“I… I don’t know what to say to that,” Buffy says honestly, quietly. She feels a slight blush creep up her cheeks and she purses her lips in nervousness.
Faith doesn’t say anything at first, instead she just takes a step forward, all that’s left to close the distance between them. Buffy’s heart is pounding in her chest as she looks up at her, feeling vulnerable. Faith has always gotten to her. She’s what makes her feel weak and out of control. But there’s a part of her that loves that feeling because it’s almost like being free. Buffy takes a sharp inhale of breath when Faith touches her waist, pulling her a little closer to her. Buffy moves like a puppet on strings and her eyes flutter closed once Faith’s lips make it to her ear.
“Well let me know if I can help ya figure it out,” she drawls, her low, sexy voice right in her ear making Buffy melt into a puddle. She’s in so much trouble here.
“Faith…” Buffy breathes, her heart going a million miles an hour. She knows she was supposed to avoid and keep her distance but that resolve is slowly cracking as Faith’s fingers start wandering up the back of her shirt, dragging across her bare skin. “You’re just going to-” fuck me and leave me, but she doesn’t get a chance to actually finish her sentence because Faith’s lips are on hers all of a sudden and she can’t think of anything else.
She knew Faith wasn’t going to wait for a verbal go ahead; the way Buffy was reacting to her touch was obviously answer enough.
Buffy’s body reacts instinctively to Faith’s lips on hers and her arms wrap around Faith’s neck, tangling her fingers in her long, dark hair as her mouth opens in invitation. Faith doesn’t kiss soft and slow, she goes at Buffy just like she does everything else; hard, fast, and with no hesitation. Faith groans into her mouth as Buffy’s tongue slides against hers and she wraps her arms around Buffy’s waist, pulling her body flush against hers.
Buffy can’t breathe. She can’t think.
The blonde is panting against her lips, the feel and taste of Faith surrounding her and screwing with her sense of reality. “Fuck,” Buffy breathes out as Faith lowers her head to her neck, sucking on her pulse point and making Buffy’s head spin. “Jesus…”
Faith’s hands start to wander up though; her fingers grabbing hold of Buffy’s tank top, ready to peel it from her body. That makes Buffy come to her senses. “Faith…” she gasps out, “Wait, Faith…” she breathes, but Faith doesn’t seem to hear her so Buffy has to put her hands on Faith’s and push them off of her. Faith steps back, breathing heavily.
“What?”
“We… we can’t… do this,” Buffy manages to get out finally.
“Why not?” Faith asks, because she really doesn’t understand the reason. Buffy wants Faith; Faith wants Buffy, usually somewhere along that line that should equal them getting naked and sweaty together.
“This is too fast,” Buffy tells her, still a bit breathlessly.
“It’s been fuckin’ almost seven years, B.”
“I know… I know that. I just… I’m not ready for… you. This. Everything. I mean, you’re just going to have sex with me and then what?”
“More sex?” Faith offers.
Buffy rolls her eyes, offended, and pushes Faith off of her. “You know I don’t do that.” Except that she was doing that right now with Satsu. Why did she expect something different from Faith?
“You did it with Spike.”
“Look, Faith. I’m sorry but I can’t just… let down all my walls and inhibitions and jump into bed with you just because you happen to turn me on. We have past; lots and lots of bad past and this is just too much for me. I’m not just going to be your sex toy.”
“Is that what you think this is?” Faith asks, her turn to be offended. Yeah, she might know a relationship would never work with Buffy; that it would just be about sex, but that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t give a shit about her.
“I know that’s what this is! You want to ‘get some’ from me and then ‘get gone’.”
“Fuck you, Buffy. Ya always wanna make me out to be the bad guy, huh?” Faith asks angrily. She shakes her head, fed up with trying to prove to the girl in front of her that she’s changed. “Whatever,” she mumbles before turning away from her to leave. She gets halfway to the door before Buffy stops her.
“If you want me, prove it.”
Faith turns to look at her, raising an eyebrow. “How?”
“Prove that you care about me more than just sex,” Buffy tells her, knowing full well that Faith isn’t the type of person to do that so she figures it’s the safest bet. It also gives her a reason to stop things, or stop Faith from trying to do things. She has to jump over the hurdle and Faith Lehane doesn’t do that for anyone.
It’s safe. Hopefully.
“Again I ask how.”
“I’m not going to give you all the answers, Faith. If I did then it’d be pointless,” Buffy tells her.
“B, ya know I ain’t no good with this touchy feely bullshit.”
“Then obviously you don’t want me as bad as you think you do.”
Faith cocks an eyebrow, “And obviously you’re pretty confident in what you think I feel for you. Thought you just said it was all about sex, so why ask me to do something that has nothin’ to do with that?”
“I’m not confident in what I think you feel; I’m just sure you don’t care enough to try,” Buffy tells her honestly.
“Is that a fact?” Faith asks, obviously getting angrier. “You’re a piece of work, B, I’ll give ya that. Deaf, dumb, and blind. Have fun in the dark, girlfriend.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Buffy asks, but Faith has already started climbing the stairs, needing to get away from Buffy. How can she think Faith doesn’t give a shit? More than that, how the fuck can she just assume that Faith wouldn’t try? The girl really is freakin’ blind; she never sees shit. Not that Faith’s sure she should try for her though, regardless. Bein’ all touchy, feely, and romantic ain’t her deal and she ain’t lookin’ to change the name of the game but fuck maybe it is kind of pathetic that she feels like she has no choice but to jump through hoops for her.
Because she’s Buffy Summers. She’s Buffy frickin’ Summers and she’s been the center of Faith’s world for better or for worse.
And maybe she’d like to make the better outweigh the good for once.
GO TO PART THREE
Author: Sapphire Smoke cuzimastripper
Beta: supershineygirl
Fandom: Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Rating: NC-17 (for future chapters)
Pairing(s): Buffy/Faith, Buffy/Satsu
Word Length Thus Far: 17,782 words
Timeline: Season 8 - though in my world the whole Gigi thing never happened and the whole world isn't going to shit with Twilight. Because I say so. lol
Summary: Slayer dreams don't always mean an apocalypse is looming, but they're still confusing as hell.
A/N: I don't know why I'm doing another multichapter story. I think I might be insane.
Other Parts: PART ONE
CHAPTER THREE
When Things Get Complicated…
Faith completely whupped Xander’s ass at Mario Kart. Again. Really, she doesn’t know why he even bothers to try anymore.
Smirking in her victory, the brunette Slayer makes her way into the kitchen, figuring victory food is in order. It’s been hours since she ate breakfast and her stomach was doing that weird gurgle noise that never signified anything good. The kitchen was deserted except for Satsu, who was sitting on the counter with a bag of chips in her hand, watching Buffy train outside. Faith raises an eyebrow.
“Sup, Yuri?”
Satsu almost jumped out of skin at the unexpected witness and turned around to see Faith smirking.
“Ya gotta work on those Slayer reflexes, kid.”
Satsu looks embarrassed for a minute, but quickly recovers. “I guess I was zoning out. You’re right though; I should have been more aware.” Faith chuckles a little and shakes her head, going into the fridge.
“I ain’t B, Junior. I’m not gonna be the one bustin’ your balls for chillin’ in the kitchen. Even the General’s second in command deserves time to eat chips and ogle,” Faith says as she grabs everything she can find to make the biggest sandwich in the history of the freakin’ world.
“I wasn’t ogling!” Satsu defends quickly. The nervous butterflies in her stomach are going haywire. She was told, specifically by Buffy, to not let Faith find out about their ‘relationship’, if you can even call it that. Which didn’t seem like much of a stretch seeing as she thought no one knew about their ‘relationship’, but apparently Willow and Xander both know and have been put under strict orders as well. Satsu wasn’t sure why Faith finding out would be a big deal at first, but after the fighting they do? It’ll probably be just another thing Faith will throw in her face when they go at it again and she doesn’t want to cause Buffy any pain.
Satsu realizes though how quickly she defended that and how much like a lie it sounded so she revised by shrugging casually and popping a chip in her mouth. “Just appreciating,” she tells her. “She has great form.” Alright, that sounded a little better. Kind of.
Faith looks at her amused as she puts all her ingredients out on the counter. “Ya ain’t the first to ‘appreciate’ B’s form. Everytime I’m in this joint I always see at least ten girls trip over their tongue when she’s around.” She starts piling everything onto her sandwich and Satsu wonders how she’s even going to fit that in her mouth.
“Did you… ever?” Satsu asks carefully. “Appreciate her, I mean.”
Faith laughs, turning to look at her. “Ya got balls on ya, Yuri. I’ll give ya that.” Most of the girls in here scamper away scared when she comes around, having heard stories of “Big Bad Faith.” Not Satsu though; Satsu was one of the few who even talked to her.
Satsu shrugs, popping another chip into her mouth. “Just curious,” she tells her. Hey, if Faith was going to appreciate the pair she’s got on her, she’s not going to back down.
Faith smirks and puts the last piece of bread over her masterpiece, squishing it down with her hand to flatten it. “I ride stick.” Mostly.
“That’s not what I asked,” Satsu says pointedly.
“Brass ones,” Faith says, but looks like she maybe respects Satsu for her boldness. “Alright, fair enough.” She shrugs, leaning against the counter. “Yeah, at one point I was all tangled up in the Buffy Summers spell. Think everyone goes though that at least once in their life. Swear the shits like an initiation into the world of fucked up apocalypses and demons.” She smirks, “So welcome to the club, Junior.”
“What changed?”
“She’s a stick-lover, for one. For two, me and B ain’t got the best history. Shit went down,” Faith replies conversationally. She takes a big bite of her sandwich and Satsu drops the topic, not wanting to go too far with it. She nods though before looking back outside at her lover. In all honesty, she has no idea how she became Buffy’s first, especially if Faith was chasing her at one point or another. The woman oozed sexual energy and confidence. She was-okay now she was checking out Faith. Satsu decides it’s time to go, especially when Faith smirks when she catches her doing it.
“I’m just gonna…” Satsu says, sliding off the counter and pointing towards the door. Go. She was feeling kind of awkward. Faith just chuckles a little before taking another bite of her sandwich and Satsu practically bolts out the door.
Faith watches her go; amused. Poor kid. Crushing on Buffy doesn’t ever go over well for anyone. Leering at Faith though? Well, she does drive stick usually but hey, it’s been awhile. Satsu’s kinda young though, so Faith doesn’t entertain that stray thought for long. If she’s gonna jump into bed with anyone just cause it’s been awhile, it sure as hell ain’t gonna be with some kid who looks barely older than sixteen. She does have some sense of decency, no matter how slim.
The side door opens then and Buffy comes in, looking sweaty from her workout. She stops dead when she sees Faith in the kitchen though, munching happily on her sandwich. “What are you doing in here?” Buffy asks before she could stop herself.
Faith cocks an eyebrow and holds up her food like it’s obvious. “Eating.”
“I see that.”
“Then what’s with the stupid question?”
“It wasn’t-!” Buffy starts, but then stops herself. She’s not going to do this; she promised Willow she wouldn’t do this. She takes a breath, trying to remind herself fighting with Faith over every single thing isn’t going to get anyone anywhere good. She leans against the counter and instead holds out her hand. “Pass the chips.”
Faith grabs the bag and tosses it to her. Buffy catches it easily and starts digging in, feeling starved.
“Y’know your second’s got a crush on ya,” Faith tells her casually before taking another bite of her sandwich.
Buffy chokes on a chip.
Faith’s eye brows shoot up and she comes over and slaps Buffy on the back. Buffy coughs a couple times, holding her hand to her chest. “Jeez B, learn to chew,” Faith tells her.
“I’m… fine,” Buffy gasps out, coughing a little bit more to dislodge pieces of chip from her throat. “I’m sorry… she what?”
“She’s gotta crush on ya,” Faith reiterates. She raises her eyebrows at Buffy’s shocked expression, though interprets it as Buffy not knowing about it. “Don’t tell me ya didn’t notice. It ain’t like she’s the first girl to have the hots for ya.”
“How do you… how do you know that? That she… likes me?” Buffy asks.
“Wicked obvious, Twinkie.” Buffy looks like she’s about to pass out. “Relax, doubt she’s gonna make a move on ya. Think she knows you’re a cock lover.”
“Faith!” Buffy exclaims, her expression horrified by Faith’s vulgar term. “Don’t… don’t call me that. Jesus. Do you have any tact?”
“Have I ever?”
“No.”
“Well then, there’s your answer,” Faith says with a smirk before she takes another bite of her sandwich. Buffy doesn’t say anything; she just digs back into the chips, trying to move the conversation away from Satsu. Faith seems pretty dense on the subject - which she’s thankful for - but she doesn’t want to push her luck. She does, however, need to talk to Faith about something. She doubts it’ll go over well and she’s already mentally preparing herself for an argument.
“Faith… we need to talk.”
Faith stops mid-chew. She’s pretty damn sure she knows what this is about and she really doesn’t wanna go there. “Don’t think we need to do anythin’.”
Buffy closes the chip bag and puts it back on the counter before looking at Faith. She starts playing with her hands nervously. “Faith… you kissed me.”
“Ya asked me to.”
“It was a dream,” Buffy defends.
“Look B, let’s not make a thing outta it. Ya asked: I delivered. End of story,” Faith says flatly, feeling uncomfortable with this conversation. She takes the last bite of her sandwich before folding her arms across her chest; defensive.
“Okay… well fine. Outside of the kiss though… I mean, we have Slayer dreams for a reason,” Buffy tells her.
“And that reason is?” Faith avoids.
“I don’t know, to tell us something? Don’t you think we should at least try to figure it out? Because all I’m getting from it is that you’re going to be ‘struck down’. Doesn’t that in the least bit worry you?” Buffy asks.
Faith shrugs. “Not really. Apparently you’re gonna fix everything… like always.” Yeah, that came out a little bitter. She doesn’t play the damsel in distress, especially not for Buffy frickin’ Summers.
“Why do you always have to act like this?” Buffy asks, folding her arms across her chest. “I mean I know we fight all the time and you have an ego as big as the whole castle but do you really expect me to stand by and watch everything go to shit for you?”
“Why do ya always gotta assume that it’s gonna go shit for me?” Faith retorts.
“Faith, the damn dream said so!” Buffy exclaims, throwing up her hands. This woman is going to be the death of her. “Can you just please, for once, realize that I’m actually here to help you?!”
“When the hell have you ever helped me?!” Faith exclaims. “Was it when you stabbed in the gut and pushed me off a roof or when you told me that if I ever apologized to you, you would beat me to death?”
“Why do you always have to go there?!” Buffy screeches, slamming her hand down on the counter for effect. “Can’t we just get past that?!”
“Why? You’re not past what I did to you!”
“Of course I am!”
“You’re a lying sack, Buffy! The whole reason you jumped down my throat at the meeting is because you still think I’m gonna spontaneously turn evil again!” Faith yells.
“I’M JUST SCARED!” Buffy screams, making Faith stop her train of thought and urge to yell. She just stares at the blonde, who looks like she can’t believe she just told her that.
Buffy sighs and puts her hand over her eyes before dropping it back down to her side. “I’m just… scared, Faith. I hate your job. I hate it. I know you do so much more good and that I guess, somehow, it balances out but I’m furious with Giles for having you, of all people, be the one who has to kill Slayers that are past the point of no return. I’m furious he’s making you into a murderer, okay?! And I’m terrified that you’re going to relapse and after everything you’ve done to try to change I,t would just… it’d kill you! It’d kill me! Okay?! I can’t watch you go down that road again! I just can’t!”
Faith just stares at her for a minute, not knowing what to really say after that outburst. She never really thought Buffy cared that much. Or, hell, at all. “I’m… fine, B,” Faith says, a little unsure. She’s never really experienced much emotion when it came to Buffy recently besides anger. She didn’t know what this was but it made her feel weird. “S’The job,” she tells her, trying to make light of it.
“I know,” Buffy says, tiredly. “I know it is, but I just…” she sighs and leans over the counter, putting her head in her hands. “You remember how it felt last time?” she asks softly. Faith doesn’t say anything for a long time and Buffy takes her head out of her hands to look at her.
“Yeah,” Faith says quietly. “I remember.”
“Well I’m freaking out because our connection is starting to hurt again, Faith,” Buffy tells her honestly. “And last time that happened…”
“I’m not goin’ evil, I swear,” Faith tells her quickly, but honestly. She may have a tough time with the kills and have had temptation but she’s not about to fuck up everything. “I dunno, maybe the connections just havin’ a spaz.”
Buffy looks at her almost sadly, “Faith… there’s something wrong between us.”
“Well it ain’t my fault,” Faith says flatly. She’s not getting blamed for this crap again. She’s doing her job, she’s working on redemption… this ain’t her fault.
“Okay, we are so not getting into the blame game because we’d be arguing for hours,” Buffy tells her seriously. Faith doesn’t say anything so Buffy presses, “Have you been… doing anything different lately?”
“No. Just been roundin’ up girls and bringin’ ‘em here, same as always. Ain’t been slayin’ nothing to big or fucking anything important. What about you?”
Buffy’s eyes shift to the left. “No; just been training the girls. There’s no Big Bad or anything, just your regular annoyances.”
“You just lied to me.”
“What?” Buffy asks, looking up at the brunette.
“You’re eyes just shifted; you’re lying to me,” Faith tells her flatly.
“What? No they didn’t. I don’t know, maybe I have shifty eyes!” Buffy defends.
“B, I ain’t fuckin’ stupid. What aren’t you tellin’ me? I’ve been getting’ this feeling like you’ve been hiding something since I walked in the door.”
“Nothing!” Buffy exclaims. God, she’s a horrible liar. She winces at the sound of how unconvincing she is and fidgets under Faith’s gaze. Alright. She can… slightly avoid this. She can just give her part of the story, right? Right.
“B,” Faith says flatly. “Just fuckin’ tell me.”
“Okay fine,” Buffy says, taking a breath. She wrings her hands together nervously, not knowing how Faith’s going to react. “I think I might be… well, um…” Faith just cocks an eyebrow at her.
“What, are ya growin’ a tail?”
“What? No!” Buffy exclaims, flustered. She wrings her hands together more, starting to pace. “No. I’m just… I think I might be… a little bit… less…straight than I originally thought.” She freezes, waiting for Faith’s reaction.
There’s a long silence, too long.
“…You’re serious?”
Buffy nods.
“Did ya fuck Red?”
“NO!” Buffy exclaims, horrified. “No! God, Faith. No! Willow’s one of my best friends!”
“It was a valid question,” Faith defends. Her brain’s kind of at a stop though. Little Ms. Likes-To-Ride-The-Cock has been having girl on girl fantasies? That’s… kinda fuckin’ hot. Faith smirks; she has to.
“Please don’t make fun of me,” Buffy begs. She doesn’t think she could handle that right now.
Faith holds up her hands, “Hey, ain’t lookin’ to beat ya down for it, Princess. I ain’t completely straight and narrow either. But what I don’t get is why that would fuck up our connection. I mean you peakin’ your head outta the closet shouldn’t make it feel like we’re about to destroy each other again.”
“Well I don’t know,” Buffy says, sighing. “I mean, it’s the only thing that’s really changed since I saw you last. Unless you were lying to me about what you’ve been doing.”
“Nah, I ain’t done shit. Certainly didn’t have any major revelations like that either.” There’s silence for a little while, while Faith pieces the timeline together in her head. Wait a minute… “When exactly did this happen?”
Buffy flushes beat red and Faith has her answer. Her smirk just went to a full on grin.
“It was cause of that dream, ain’t it? Ha! I should get some kinda medal or somethin’ for that shit.”
Buffy narrows her eyes, but her embarrassment is still full throttle. “Okay, you don’t have to get cocky about it. God.” Yeah, it was Faith that made her realize that she might like women. Or a woman. Okay now it’s two women but whatever. That actually started a long time ago but the kiss confirmed it and then of course, because Buffy apparently likes to make her life complicated… she jumps into bed with Satsu. But Faith seriously doesn’t need to know about that last part.
“Yeah, really do. This is like… legendary,” Faith says with a smirk. She hops up on the counter, her ego swollen to the brim and a little smile of pride on her face. “Buffy Summers has the hots for me.”
“I do not!” Buffy exclaims, her face becoming redder. She groans. “God, will you just stop? Please?”
Faith chuckles, far too entertained by this to stop now, “You totally want in my pants, don’t lie. Ain’t nothin’ to be ashamed about; lots of people want in ‘em. Only the special ones actually get there though,” Faith winks at her and Buffy feels like she’s going to die where she stands. This was not how she needed this to go.
“I don’t want in your- God, Faith! Why do you have to be this way? You know, it isn’t my fault that you’re tongue is like… ungodly talented!”
Oh, that was so the wrong thing to say. Buffy needs a mouth filter; it might stop things like this from happening.
Faith leers at her, “If ya liked it in your mouth, bet ya can just imagine what it could do to other places of your body.” A beat, then a smirk. “Though you probably already have.”
“Okay, I so hate you,” Buffy says, her face so hot right now she’s sure it’s about to make her brain explode and her head pop off. “You said you wouldn’t make fun of me!”
“Ain’t makin’ fun of ya, Lover,” Faith says as she slides off the counter, coming over to the blonde. Buffy feels like she’s rooted to the spot, her brain dribbling out her ears from just being called ‘lover’. Faith touches her hip and she jumps a mile, making the brunette chuckle as she presses Buffy back against her and whispers in her ear, “Just lettin’ ya know there’s more to life than fantasies.” Her hot breath is tickling her skin and Buffy swears she just came in her pants. Oh fuck.
“I… I… I-I gotta go,” Buffy stammers, untangling herself from Faith and making a dash towards the door. She can’t handle this right now; not after everything. This was way too much for her to process.
Faith watches her go, smiling like an idiot. She felt happy, really happy. And it was fuckin’ weird because she got over her crush on Buffy a long time ago. Apparently not long enough though. And yeah, it’s fucked - they fight all the time and whatever else and Faith’s pretty damn sure it’d never actually work out between them other than just a good lay but hell, who is she to pass that up?
Buffy’s still nervous as hell about it though so it’ll probably take a lot of fuckin’ work to get to that point but hey; Faith’s up for the challenge. It’ll be fun.
Faith struts out of the kitchen and through the side door. “I’m the shit,” she says with pride and a big grin before she starts working out in the yard. Oh yeah, ‘Operation Fuck Buffy Summers’ has officially commenced.
* * *
Buffy ran all the way up the stairs, making a mad dash to her bedroom, too wrapped up in her little world of ‘Oh my god Faith actually hit on me, what do I do?’ to realize Willow was standing in the hallway, minding her own business. At least she was until Buffy ran smack into her, sending them both sprawling to the ground.
“Oh god! I’m so sorry, Will!” Buffy apologizes, feeling scattered. She gets up and holds out her hand to help her friend off of the ground.
“Where’s the fire?” Willow asks, looking at Buffy’s terrified face as the blonde helps her to her feet.
“What fire? There’s no fire,” Buffy says quickly. “I’m just… running. Because running is healthy and as a Slayer I should be in better shape, I think I should exercise more, don’t you? Maybe we should all exercise more; we can make a day of it!”
“Buffy?” Willow says, amused. “Babbling.”
“I… I… I’m just… running,” Buffy finishes lamely. Willow gives her a small, comforting smile and takes her hand.
“Come on, let’s go talk in my room,” Willow tells her, guiding the perplexed Slayer into her bedroom. She closes the door behind them and Buffy collapses on her bed face down and groans. Willow smirks.
“Girl trouble?”
“Like you wouldn’t believe,” Buffy mumbles into the covers.
“Well the Lesbian Love Doctor is in,” Willow says with a smile, sitting down next to Buffy. “Is this about Satsu or did you get into it with Faith again?”
“Oh that was such a bad choice of words,” Buffy mumbles. Willow’s eyebrows rise.
“Okay, spill.”
Buffy sighs, rolling over so she can look at Willow a little guiltily. “Okay, so you know when I told you about the dream me and Faith shared?” Willow nods. “I kind of… left out a key bit of it.”
Willow looks at her expectantly.
Buffy takes a breath. “Okay so… in the dream…. Faith maybe sorta kissed me.” Willow’s eyebrows have gotten lost in her hairline. “And in the dream I maybe sorta asked her to make it real. And then… she maybe sorta kissed me earlier today; while we were screaming at each other, no less. God, she can’t do anything right, can she? I mean as far as a first kiss went, that wasn’t exactly one for the books.”
There’s silence for a minute. “Faith… kissed you?” Willow asks, like she couldn’t really believe what’s coming out of her mouth. She knew Faith flirted with Buffy sometimes, but she didn’t actually think it would go that far. She didn’t think either of them would ever have the guts to take it to that level because of their past. “And… you kissed her back?”
“It gets worse.”
“…Of course it does.” Nothing with the two of them was ever simple.
“I told her I might be into women,” Buffy says, covering her face with her hands. “I mean, I didn’t tell her about Satsu, I’m not suicidal, but she… she kind of realized that it all started when she kissed me in the dream and she’s been… she’s been…”
“Cocky?” Willow offers.
“Yeah. But worse,” Buffy says. “She… hit on me.”
“Like… subtly, or…?” Willow presses.
“Willow, she’s Faith. She doesn’t do anything subtly,” Buffy tells her, then groans again. “God, what am I gonna do?”
“Buffy, you’re with Satsu,” Willow reminds her.
“No I’m not. I mean I am, just not really. We haven’t made anything official and it’s not like I don’t like Satsu, I do. She’s an amazing girl and she’s so sweet and I’m probably mentally damaged for not just jumping into her arms and say ‘Take me away!’ but… but it’s… it’s Faith, Will.”
“And Faith is different how?” Willow asks, knowing the answer but also knowing Buffy needs to say it.
“Don’t make me say it out loud,” Buffy groans, taking a pillow and putting it over her head. Willow smirks and grabs the pillow, taking it away from her.
“I repeat: Faith is different how?”
Buffy lets out a long breath of air, staring at the ceiling. “Because she’s Faith?” she answers meekly.
“Buffy.”
“Okay, okay!” Buffy exclaims sitting up. “I might have had a crush on her when I was a teenager, maybe, and you know, if I did, I did the whole suppressing thing and all it did was make more drama and angst and now we’re older and Faith’s hotter and she always just waltzes back into my life all ‘I’m five by five!’ with her leather pants and her smoky eyes and pouty lips and she never, never realizes what her being around does to me! She’s always sent weird mixed signals with the flirting then the fighting and she drives me absolutely insane and yet I think I should probably be committed because if I’m to be honest with myself, some weird part of me likes that we fight just because it gives us an excuse to be around each other!”
Willow just stares at her after that outburst and Buffy groans again. “God, I need therapy.”
“Maybe,” Willow says, but she smiles. She puts a hand on Buffy’s arm, trying to comfort her. “Well… why don’t you tell Faith how you feel?”
“Ha!” Buffy exclaims. “Right, let me go downstairs and tell the Queen of ‘get some, get gone’ that I fell for her a long time ago but was too stupid to realize it. But hey! Now I have so we should go live happily ever after and skip off into the freaking sunset.”
“That was a lot of sarcasm.”
“That’s because that would be such a stupid thing to do and you know it,” Buffy tells her. She puts her hands over her face, sighing. “And god, what am I going to do about Satsu?”
“You need to be honest with her, Buffy.”
“No I don’t. I mean, not if I’m going to avoid Faith at all costs, right?” Buffy asks, hopefully.
Willow raises an eyebrow. “You think you can do that? Do you want to do that?”
“Well… yeah. I mean, I’d have to, right? Faith will just fuck me then kick me out of her bed in the morning and I… I can’t handle that. And I shouldn’t go ruining a good thing with Satsu just because Faith’s screwing with my head. She’ll be gone in a week anyway. There’s no point messing up something that could potentially turn out good for something that I know is going to end in tears.”
“Buffy… you and Satsu have been sleeping together for a month and you still haven’t been able to call her your girlfriend. Do you really think that’s going to change?” Willow asks her.
“No. I don’t know. It has to, right?”
“That’s not the way these things work, sweetie. And you know what you’re doing isn’t fair to Satsu. She’s in love with you,” Willow reminds her.
“I know… I know that. Don’t you think I know that? But I just… I think I need her right now. I know I need her right now,” Buffy tells her, trying to not sound as guilty about that as she feels. Willow looks at her disapprovingly.
“Buffy…”
“I have to go anyway,” Buffy says, standing up. “We have to do training in a half an hour - I need to get ready.” Yeah, she’s done with this conversation. She doesn’t want Willow talking sense into her because she’ll pretty much lose everything she has. No Satsu, no Faith. No win for Buffy.
“Buffy…” Willow tries, but Buffy’s already halfway out the door.
“We’ll talk later!” she promises, before closing the door behind her and leaving Willow in her room, worried about her friend.
CHAPTER FOUR
Jump Through Hoops
“Satsu! Pull back; use the leverage to your advantage!” Buffy barks at the girl, who’s sparring with another Slayer, Michelle, and looking like she’s about to actually get her ass kicked. “No! Don’t- ugh. Michelle, nice form. Satsu, look for her weaknesses! She-Jesus,” Buffy finishes, exasperated as Satsu lands on her ass. She rubs her temples, trying to stop the forthcoming migraine.
“Michelle, that was great. You need to work on your defense but your offense is very nicely executed. Satsu…” she sighs, watching the younger girl pick herself up off the ground. “You keep getting distracted and it’s going to cost you. This is unacceptable, you need to have your head in the game or you’re going to get yourself killed in the field. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Satsu says, feeling dejected at being so harshly criticized in front of everyone. She knows this is how Buffy is though. She expects more from Satsu; pushes her to her limit. She wants to make her the best and with that comes harsh training. Just because she’s sleeping with her she’s not going to get any special treatment. If anything, it’s made Buffy harder on her.
“Jeez B, little harsh on Yuri, ya think?” Faith says from her place in the stands, lounging back and watching Buffy train since she still has yet to get any kind of permission to join in or help.
“I’m training Slayers, Faith. This isn’t cheerleading practice,” Buffy snaps, a little too aggressively. She’s felt Faith’s eyes on her for the last hour and if she didn’t know any better, Faith was using them to undress her. It’s been a little distracting. A lot distracting, actually.
“Shame, ya’d look hot bouncin’ up and down in a short skirt,” Faith responds, smirking. Buffy flushes and narrows her eyes.
“Don’t have you somewhere to be?”
“Nope.”
“Can you have somewhere to be?”
“Nah, I like it here. Waitin’ patiently until you decide I can play with the big kids,” Faith says, smirking as she leans back on her elbows. She cocks an eyebrow at Buffy in that irritating little way that makes Buffy wet and the blonde Slayer huffs.
“If I let you spar with me, once, just for demonstration… will you leave after?” Buffy asks, trying to compensate. Faith grins and gets up.
“Thought ya’d never ask.”
Buffy sighs. “And no bantering,” she tells her with a pointed finger. “I mean it.”
“But that’s half the fun,” Faith says as she grins and stretches her arm in front of her chest, watching Buffy’s eyes sweep down her form before she makes a look of distaste because she let herself go there. Faith smirks; this’ll be fun.
“Things get… heated when we do that,” Buffy tells her, clearly nervous. “And things get said that don’t need to get said and I’d rather avoid that.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Faith says, dismissing her with a hand wave. Buffy narrows her eyes, knowing she’s probably not going to listen.
“Alright,” Buffy says, addressing her troops who have backed up into a group and were whispering among themselves excitedly to watch to the two original Slayers spar. “Watch our strengths and weaknesses; Faith focuses more on strength while I favor speed. Watch how we interact and try to pin point at which point I’ll get the upper hand,” she smirks and looks over at Faith, who rolls her eyes.
“Oh please. Kids, watch and learn how the Slayer who has the bloodline kicks the old, washed up Slayer’s ass, is what B here meant to say,” Faith retorts with a wink towards Buffy who steps back in stance.
“Bring it, F.”
“You know I always do, Princess.”
Buffy moved first in a wave of concentration and perfected form. Faith blocked her first punch with ease, turning around to try to deliver an elbow to Buffy’s face which she barely dodged. No blow connected for awhile, each Slayer seeming to be on equal footing. Their dance was one they did often, each falling into step with the other so fluidly it looked like it was more a practiced routine than spontaneous fighting. Faith gets in the first blow that connects and she lets out a triumphant, “HA!” as Buffy stumbles back, but is quickly subdued by Buffy delivering a leg sweep that had her flat on her back. Buffy laughs and Faith growls, springing back up to feet before they start circling each other again.
“See what happens when you get cocky?” Buffy taunts.
“Didn’t think ‘cock’ was in your dictionary anymore, Slayer,” Faith retorts with a smirk at how annoyed Buffy gets from that one sentence.
“Was it ever in yours?” she shoots back.
“You’d have to ask Xander.”
“Rather not.”
“Mad someone got there first?” Faith asks with a grin. Buffy tries to hit her but Faith dodges it easily.
“I don’t want Xander.”
“Not who I was talkin’ about, Twinkie.”
“You wish.”
“No, apparently you wish,” Faith says with a smirk. But bantering interrupts her concentration and Buffy gets a hit in, clocking her clean across the jaw.
“Just shut up and fight me!”
“With pleasure, baby.”
The Slayers fall into their dance again, the fight seeming to last forever. Buffy does end up on top though when Faith becomes distracted after snagging her studded bracelet on Buffy’s shirt, trying to deflect a punch; making the material slip down and expose the top of Buffy’s breasts as she tries to pull away. Her staring costs her and she ends up flat on her back, Buffy straddling her waist and pinning her arms over her head. She smirks down at her.
“Now class, what did we learn?” she asks, though is looking at Faith who’s annoyed she lost. Buffy’s smirk of victory isn’t helping matters.
“Don’t wear jewelry?” Michelle asks with a smirk.
“Don’t stare at your chest,” Faith deadpans.
“Both valid points,” Buffy says with an amused look, getting off of Faith and extending her hand to help the younger girl up. Faith takes it grudgingly and lets Buffy help her to her feet.
“Questions?” Buffy asks the group.
“Can we spar with Faith?” Satsu asks, sizing Faith up. She fights differently than Buffy, and while she knows she’ll probably never be able to beat her, with Faith she might have more of a chance. It’d be good practice, anyway. Faith smirks.
“Step on up, Yuri,” Faith says, holding her hands out in invitation.
“No,” Buffy says, stepping between them. Faith and Satsu both look at her, annoyed and disappointed. “I’m sorry, but Faith is something none of you are ready for. Not only is she stronger than all of you, she likes to disarm people with ridiculous sexual comments that have nothing to do with anything,” Buffy says, shooting a look at Faith.
“It had somethin’ to do with somethin’ all right.”
“Oh shut up,” Buffy says with an eye roll before she turns back to the group of girls. “No, all of you need more training before you attempt it. Maybe next time she’s here. Trust me, she can make the best of us get… distracted,” Buffy says with a little scowl.
“Appreciate the props, B.”
“Yeah well, I might not agree with your tactics but they are effective,” Buffy says begrudgingly. “Doesn’t matter though, because I still kicked your ass.” She smirks.
“Next time, baby.”
“You keep saying that and yet… oh no wait, you still have yet to beat me,” Buffy says with a taunting smile. Faith scowls.
“Ya know Blondie, one day I will end up on top,” Faith promises her, moving in a little bit closer to the blonde. Buffy stands completely still even though she knows she should have moved away from her and Faith leans down to whisper in her ear, igniting a shiver through the older girl, “It just may not be during a fight.”
Buffy flushes and pushes her back. “I’m so going to kick your ass for fun later.”
Faith laughs before picking up her bottle of water off the ground and starting to walk away. But she stops by Satsu, putting her hand on her arm and leaning in to whisper, “Me and you later, if ya still wanna go. I’m up for the work out.” She flashes her a sexy grin that makes Satsu get a little hot and bothered and Faith smirks as she watches the girl’s breathing become shallow. Man, she should flirt with the recruits more often, this is entertaining.
“Faith, don’t hit on her!” Buffy snaps. Both Satsu and Faith look at her, surprised for different reasons.
“Little defensive there, B. Might wanna work on bein’ a bit more subtle,” Faith says with a chuckle before she runs her fingers up Satsu’s arm, making the girl shiver before she walks away. Satsu’s eyes catch Buffy’s and she’s furious. Oh shit.
“Class over,” Buffy says flatly. All the girls go to scatter, Satsu included, but Buffy says, “Not you, Satsu.”
Shit.
Once all the girls have gone, Buffy’s staring at her, arms crossed across her chest. “Don’t play with fire, Satsu. You’ll get burned.”
“Buffy, you should know that I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t do that to you. I love you,” the younger girl tells her seriously, not understanding Buffy’s jealousy. Didn’t Faith flirt with everyone? She’s heard the stories. Besides… “Faith was flirting with you too.”
Buffy brushes that off. “She’s always done that. She just likes to screw with my head; ignore it. I try to.” Buffy pauses, taking a little breath before she continues. “I’m serious though. Please don’t… let her get to you.”
“She’s beautiful, Buffy, but she isn’t anything compared to you,” Satsu tells her honestly. Buffy smiles a little, feeling somewhat better. She doesn’t exactly know what she’s jealous of; Faith flirting with Satsu or Satsu noticeably reacting to it. Maybe both. Which is probably not good in any way because then she’s thinking of them both as her property and that’s just… one mess she seriously needs to avoid.
“Does she know about us?” Satsu asks her.
Buffy’s eyes widen. “No! God no.”
“Well she was making comments on your sexuality,” Satsu pointed out. Buffy sighs.
“I… I told her that I wasn’t… completely straight anymore. But she doesn’t know about us, and I really need it to stay that way,” Buffy tells her seriously.
“Why?” Satsu would appreciate a real reason instead of theories for once.
“Did you not see how she was acting when we were sparring? Think of that, only about a hundred times worse. She’ll be making little comments everywhere, making everyone uncomfortable, and she’s got a big mouth and I can’t have all the other girls knowing our business. They’ll start saying I’m playing favorites by you having be my second in command and it’s just… it’s too complicated. Okay?”
Satsu nods; she understands that.
Buffy looks at her though, curiously. Satsu just casually commented that Faith was flirting with her. Doesn’t that make her… jealous? “You’re fine with… Faith being so overtly sexual towards me?” she asks, a little in disbelief. Satsu shrugs.
“I don’t view her as a threat.”
“Why not?” Buffy asks, then says quickly, “Not that I’m saying you should, because you shouldn’t! I’m just… wondering.”
“She said things changed between you guys a long time ago.”
“Understatement, but I still don’t understand what that has to do with anything,” Buffy says.
“She used to have a crush on you; I guess when you guys were young. But she’s over it.”
Buffy blinks, not knowing how to feel about that. Well, she knows how she does feel; let down. But she knows that’s not how she should feel. “She used to have a crush on me? Like… a real one? Faith doesn’t do crushes.” Faith’s screwed and screwed, but they’ve never meant anything to her.
Satsu shrugged, unfazed. “Apparently she did. It’s what she said.”
“Wait… Faith shared this information with you? Getting anything out of Faith for me is like pulling teeth! How is that fair?” Buffy asks, stomping a bit. That really does bug her; Faith barely even knows Satsu and she’s all sharing her past feelings? What the heck?
Satsu smirks, obviously realizing this is something to be proud of. “She appreciated my directness. She said I have balls.”
“That you do,” Buffy agrees. “Still… still not seeing the fair in the situation.” She sighs, but rolls her eyes, willing to forget about it. She shouldn’t want to talk to Faith about feelings… that probably wouldn’t lead anywhere good. “It doesn’t matter,” she says finally, even though it does. Satsu can see it.
“You wish she’d open up to you more?”
“I don’t know,” Buffy tells her honestly, flopping down to sit in the grass. She looks up at Satsu; her jet black hair sparkling in the sunlight as she looks down at her. The sight actually takes her breath away; she looks almost like an angel. “God, you’re beautiful,” Buffy says softly. A small smile creeps across Satsu’s face before she kneels next to the older Slayer. She tucks a piece of blonde hair behind Buffy’s ear and tells her:
“So are you.”
Buffy smiles, taking Satsu’s hand in hers before she lies back on the grass, taking the younger Slayer with her. Satstu lies next to her and looks up at the clouds, enjoying Buffy’s company. She’s talked to her more over the last two days then she had in an entire week. And maybe that’s just because she needed someone to talk about her Faith frustrations with, but Satsu will gladly take that. Buffy seems to want to spend more time with her, and she’s not going to care about the reason.
She’s not naïve; she’s just accepting of a lot of situations. She knows Faith gets under Buffy’s skin, in more ways than one, even if Buffy doesn’t realize it. But Satsu meant what she said; she didn’t view Faith as a threat. Even if Faith suddenly wanted to pursue Buffy, she didn’t think the older Slayer would be able to take it that far with the rogue Slayer because of their past together. Buffy was really hung up on it.
“You ever wish things were different?” Buffy asks, looking up at the sky, watching the clouds pass over head.
“What do you mean?”
Buffy takes a breath, lacing her and Satsu’s fingers together. “Like all the demons and the bad in the world didn’t exist? That the world really is just a happy place.” Satsu smiles a little, turning her head to look at Buffy. She sounded so much like a kid then.
“No, I don’t,” she tells her softly.
“Why?” Buffy asks, turning her head to look at her. Satsu smiles.
“Because then I would have never met you.”
Buffy smiles, liking the way that sentence made her feel. “You’re so sweet. Why are you so sweet?” she asks, though the silent question in her head is, ‘Why can’t I just be happy with what I have?’
“You inspire it.”
Buffy groans. Why does she have to be so perfect? “God, I wish things were different,” she says covering her face with her free hand and feeling like an idiot.
“Because you can’t love me,” Satsu says quietly. She knows. It hurts; but she knows. Buffy takes her hand off her eyes and turns to look at her again, a little sadly.
“I don’t know if it’s a ‘can’t’, Satsu. It’s not that simple. You’re so… God, you are so everything I’ve ever wanted. I mean, you coming in the package of a girl was kind of a shock, but I’m dealing. And it should be so easy and yet it’s… it’s not. I think I try to sabotage myself,” Buffy tells her with a little sigh.
“You’re waiting for something.”
“Yeah, like a big explosion in my face that’ll tell me to stop being so stupid.”
Satsu smirks a little, rolling over on her side to face the older woman, propping her head up on her hand and looking down at her. “You told me when we first started this that you were going to hurt me, and I know you will.” That makes pain flash across Buffy’s face, but Satsu continues. “I know I’m not the one for you, and maybe you’re not the one for me. But you’re my first love and I’ll always remember that. And yeah, things will end. Everything always does. But for right now I’m just enjoying having you to myself for a little bit.”
Buffy groans again. Perfect. She’s freaking perfect! What is wrong with her? Why can’t she just be happy right here, right now?
“Why do you always have to be so understanding? Can’t you be normal and tell me I’m a bitch or something?”
Satsu smirks. “Bitch.”
“Not that convincing.”
“Fucking bitch.”
Buffy giggles a little. “We’ll work on it.”
Satsu smiles at her before laying back down, looking up the sky again. “I love you, Buffy,” she whispers.
“I know you do, Satsu.”
* * *
“Ya look hot when you’re all sweaty.”
Buffy jumps a freaking mile and a half at the sound of Faith’s voice cutting through the silence of the basement where she was working out alone. With Faith’s overt sexual comments during sparring and Satsu being so sweet that she wanted to jump her right there in the grass, she had a lot of energy she needed to burn. She would have just taken Satsu up to her room and had her way with her but the other Slayers must have gotten into the sugar because they’ve been spazzing all around the house and Buffy didn’t want to run the risk of being heard.
And now Faith was here, being all… Faith-like and so isn’t helping matters.
“And you say it’s me that wants in your pants?” Buffy responds, though knew she shouldn’t have even said anything in the first place. She takes a breath and starts hitting the punching bag again. Left, right, left, right, sex, left, right, Satsu naked, left, right, Faith naked-fuck.
“Ya look a little flushed. What’re ya thinkin’ about?” Faith asks with a smirk as she comes up to Buffy, sliding around the side of the punching bag to hold it in place for her. Buffy doesn’t look at her; she just keeps hitting it, only this time harder.
“Hitting you,” Buffy says flatly. Faith chuckles.
“Knew ya were thinkin’ about hittin’ it.”
“I said hitting you not hitting it,” Buffy responds, still refusing to actually make eye contact with the rogue Slayer.
“There’s a difference?”
“Huge one.”
Faith smirks and slides around to the front of the punching bag, facing Buffy. Buffy stops herself before one of her hits connects and she sighs in annoyance. “Well? Hit me,” Faith dares her.
“What do you want?” Buffy asks, sweeping her hair back from her face and looking irritated.
“You.”
That makes Buffy’s brain grind to a halt. God, why does Faith have to be so… blunt? She doesn’t make anything easier by doing that. Can’t she just avoid and flirt subtly? That way Buffy can ignore it. She can’t ignore this though. Fuck.
“I…” Yeah, making a full coherent thought isn’t working out.
“Ya want me to spell it out for ya?”
Buffy narrows her eyes. “Don’t be a prick.”
“Not bein’ a prick, just waitin’ for ya to respond,” Faith says, so cool and cocky on the outside but Buffy can see the flicker of doubt in her eyes. It’s that flicker of doubt that reminds Buffy that Faith’s a real person with real feelings and god that makes it so much harder.
And oddly enough, her small insecurity makes her more attractive. Oh, this isn’t good.
“I… I don’t know what to say to that,” Buffy says honestly, quietly. She feels a slight blush creep up her cheeks and she purses her lips in nervousness.
Faith doesn’t say anything at first, instead she just takes a step forward, all that’s left to close the distance between them. Buffy’s heart is pounding in her chest as she looks up at her, feeling vulnerable. Faith has always gotten to her. She’s what makes her feel weak and out of control. But there’s a part of her that loves that feeling because it’s almost like being free. Buffy takes a sharp inhale of breath when Faith touches her waist, pulling her a little closer to her. Buffy moves like a puppet on strings and her eyes flutter closed once Faith’s lips make it to her ear.
“Well let me know if I can help ya figure it out,” she drawls, her low, sexy voice right in her ear making Buffy melt into a puddle. She’s in so much trouble here.
“Faith…” Buffy breathes, her heart going a million miles an hour. She knows she was supposed to avoid and keep her distance but that resolve is slowly cracking as Faith’s fingers start wandering up the back of her shirt, dragging across her bare skin. “You’re just going to-” fuck me and leave me, but she doesn’t get a chance to actually finish her sentence because Faith’s lips are on hers all of a sudden and she can’t think of anything else.
She knew Faith wasn’t going to wait for a verbal go ahead; the way Buffy was reacting to her touch was obviously answer enough.
Buffy’s body reacts instinctively to Faith’s lips on hers and her arms wrap around Faith’s neck, tangling her fingers in her long, dark hair as her mouth opens in invitation. Faith doesn’t kiss soft and slow, she goes at Buffy just like she does everything else; hard, fast, and with no hesitation. Faith groans into her mouth as Buffy’s tongue slides against hers and she wraps her arms around Buffy’s waist, pulling her body flush against hers.
Buffy can’t breathe. She can’t think.
The blonde is panting against her lips, the feel and taste of Faith surrounding her and screwing with her sense of reality. “Fuck,” Buffy breathes out as Faith lowers her head to her neck, sucking on her pulse point and making Buffy’s head spin. “Jesus…”
Faith’s hands start to wander up though; her fingers grabbing hold of Buffy’s tank top, ready to peel it from her body. That makes Buffy come to her senses. “Faith…” she gasps out, “Wait, Faith…” she breathes, but Faith doesn’t seem to hear her so Buffy has to put her hands on Faith’s and push them off of her. Faith steps back, breathing heavily.
“What?”
“We… we can’t… do this,” Buffy manages to get out finally.
“Why not?” Faith asks, because she really doesn’t understand the reason. Buffy wants Faith; Faith wants Buffy, usually somewhere along that line that should equal them getting naked and sweaty together.
“This is too fast,” Buffy tells her, still a bit breathlessly.
“It’s been fuckin’ almost seven years, B.”
“I know… I know that. I just… I’m not ready for… you. This. Everything. I mean, you’re just going to have sex with me and then what?”
“More sex?” Faith offers.
Buffy rolls her eyes, offended, and pushes Faith off of her. “You know I don’t do that.” Except that she was doing that right now with Satsu. Why did she expect something different from Faith?
“You did it with Spike.”
“Look, Faith. I’m sorry but I can’t just… let down all my walls and inhibitions and jump into bed with you just because you happen to turn me on. We have past; lots and lots of bad past and this is just too much for me. I’m not just going to be your sex toy.”
“Is that what you think this is?” Faith asks, her turn to be offended. Yeah, she might know a relationship would never work with Buffy; that it would just be about sex, but that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t give a shit about her.
“I know that’s what this is! You want to ‘get some’ from me and then ‘get gone’.”
“Fuck you, Buffy. Ya always wanna make me out to be the bad guy, huh?” Faith asks angrily. She shakes her head, fed up with trying to prove to the girl in front of her that she’s changed. “Whatever,” she mumbles before turning away from her to leave. She gets halfway to the door before Buffy stops her.
“If you want me, prove it.”
Faith turns to look at her, raising an eyebrow. “How?”
“Prove that you care about me more than just sex,” Buffy tells her, knowing full well that Faith isn’t the type of person to do that so she figures it’s the safest bet. It also gives her a reason to stop things, or stop Faith from trying to do things. She has to jump over the hurdle and Faith Lehane doesn’t do that for anyone.
It’s safe. Hopefully.
“Again I ask how.”
“I’m not going to give you all the answers, Faith. If I did then it’d be pointless,” Buffy tells her.
“B, ya know I ain’t no good with this touchy feely bullshit.”
“Then obviously you don’t want me as bad as you think you do.”
Faith cocks an eyebrow, “And obviously you’re pretty confident in what you think I feel for you. Thought you just said it was all about sex, so why ask me to do something that has nothin’ to do with that?”
“I’m not confident in what I think you feel; I’m just sure you don’t care enough to try,” Buffy tells her honestly.
“Is that a fact?” Faith asks, obviously getting angrier. “You’re a piece of work, B, I’ll give ya that. Deaf, dumb, and blind. Have fun in the dark, girlfriend.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Buffy asks, but Faith has already started climbing the stairs, needing to get away from Buffy. How can she think Faith doesn’t give a shit? More than that, how the fuck can she just assume that Faith wouldn’t try? The girl really is freakin’ blind; she never sees shit. Not that Faith’s sure she should try for her though, regardless. Bein’ all touchy, feely, and romantic ain’t her deal and she ain’t lookin’ to change the name of the game but fuck maybe it is kind of pathetic that she feels like she has no choice but to jump through hoops for her.
Because she’s Buffy Summers. She’s Buffy frickin’ Summers and she’s been the center of Faith’s world for better or for worse.
And maybe she’d like to make the better outweigh the good for once.
GO TO PART THREE