Chapter Five
“So you got plans with Pinks today?” I nod at Faith and sip my coffee. I know I look like hell and it’s kind of annoying that Faith looks damn good right now. Even with her hair all messed up and sleep deprived she’s still got this sexiness that would kill a lesser mortal. And before you think it, no we’re not sleep deprived because we were having earth shattering mind blowing multi orgasmic sex. Wes woke up not long after we got in to bed and crept in the room.
Thank God for Slayer hearing. If Faith hadn’t heard the door open the poor little guy would have gotten an eyeful of something no four year old needs to see. But it wasn’t his fault; he just wasn’t feeling well and had thrown up all down his pajamas. It put the brakes on my libido that’s for sure but I wasn’t actually bothered by the sudden stop. Sure I needed to breathe for a few minutes and Faith refused to get anywhere near me, but I wasn’t upset. Wes needed Faith and I got that.
So we spent the night taking turns getting him to the bathroom for either clean up or puking. I won’t lie, it was pretty gross but not the huge ick that I thought it would be. Maybe I just didn’t mind because it was Wes. Huh. I’ll have to ask Faith about that. I just can’t imagine she’d be okay with cleaning up anyone’s puke but her own or her kid’s. I’m zoned out and she knows it because she moves in close and kisses me on the temple. “Ya know it’s really not fair that ya so look good after the night we just had.”
Ha. We must have just totally had a crazy mind meld thing. I snort and shake my head. “You’re sweet. A liar but a really sweet liar.” Faith gives me her mock offended look and sips right out of my coffee cup. It’s not like her cup isn’t on the counter not two feet away. She just wanted mine. “How’s Wes doing?” She raises a shoulder in a half shrug and runs a hand down my side. I shiver as my body remembers what her touch was doing to me last night. Oh boy. The lust will be back and it’ll come back with a vengeance.
“Better. Poor kid is wiped out from chuckin’ all night. I don’t think anythin’ short of a marchin’ band could wake him up.” Really now. I just give her a mild look and sip my coffee some more. Okay. I can stand here against the counter and not react. Yep. I can do it. Faith moves in closer and eyes my choice of sleepwear. Her favorite Red Sox tee and her favorite pair of boxers. “Was wonderin’ where these went.” She tugs the waist of the boxers making them slide lower on my hips.
“Well I had to put something on when Wes came in the room. I didn’t want to have to pay for his therapy bills at seeing his mom doing things to another woman that he just wouldn’t get.” Faith snickers and takes the mug out of my hands and puts it on the counter. Yeah. I’m not even going to try and hold out. Not with her looking at me like she can practically taste my arousal in the air. Which. Hey maybe she can. God, this is so not fair. She hasn’t even kissed me and I’m wanting her.
Faith puts her hands on my hips and leans in for what I hope is going to be the kind of kiss that causes spontaneous orgasms. It’s not. It’s soft and gentle and way to brief for my liking. Not fair. “You were real good with Wes last night B. It’s...I...” I stare up at her as she looks down and away and shrugs. Okay something is on her mind, something she doesn’t know how to express. I slide my arms around her waist and just wait it out. “I love seein’ ya with him. Seein’ how ya care and everything. It...it’s nice is all.”
It’s nice? I don’t want to laugh or even smile because Faith is right on that knife’s edge of closing off. She’s been really good about expressing herself to me in the couple of months I’ve been here but when it comes to Wesley it’s really hard for her to be open. “Well. I love him. I want to be there for him.” Didn’t we talk about this last night? Oh my God. Is she changing her mind? I don’t know if I can handle that.
“I know ya do. It’s why I gotta ask ya somethin’ real important an’ I don’t want ya to answer right away. I just want ya to think about it.” Um. Okay. I nod and wait for whatever it is she’s going to ask me. “If anything ever happens to me, with the Slayin’ or anything...will ya make sure Wes always has someone?” First of all, nothing is going to happen to Faith. I won’t let anything happen to her. And secondly Wes will always have me. Always.
We stand in silence as I stare at her. “How long do you want me to wait before I tell you that I think you’ve been hit on the head way too many times on patrol?” She blinks a few times and opens her mouth to say something but just snaps it closed. Ha! I finally made her speechless. That’s never happened before. Faith always has the last word. “C’mon Faith. You think I would ever let anything happen to you? Especially now that we’re doing what we should have been doing for ten years? And please. Make sure Wes always has someone? He’s got me. He’ll always have me.” You’ll always have me.
“MAMMA!” Faith stops herself from actually kissing me and sighs softly. Right. We can wait on that one. She gives me a wry smile and heads out of the kitchen. And yes I do watch her ass as she leaves. Tiny feet pound down the stairs at fast pace and I frown. That’s weird. I move in to the living room in time to see Wes leap in to Faith’s arms and hide his face in her neck. He’s shaking and crying and I’m wondering if my heart is going to break every single time he cries.
“Hey hey hey. Shhhh. It’s okay Wes, I got ya.” Faith holds him close and rubs her hand comfortingly over his back. I think he must have had a nightmare. And if he did I’m pretty sure I know who it was about. God I hate that bastard. I can’t say that enough but it does make me feel a little better to say it often. “Breathe baby.” Wes gives a shuddering gasp but it starts to calm him down a little.
“He’s gonna come get me mamma. I don’t wanna go. Don’t let him take me.” I fucking knew it. Faith tosses a glance over her shoulder at me and nods to the sofa. Okay I don’t know what that’s about but I’m game for anything to help reassure Wes. We settle on the sofa together and I reach out to run my hand through his dark hair.
I know one true thing. I will kill to protect this boy. No if ands or buts about it. And I probably won’t even bat an eyelash at it either. “Wes, look at me.” He does but his face is still all red and scrunched like he’s going to cry again. “No one is ever gonna take you away from me again. Ever. Remember how I told ya that no matter what ya always got me?” He nods and clings just a little tighter to her. Faith gives him a kiss on the head and looks over at me. I can't read her expression very well. It’s a mixture of anxiety and something else. “Well ya always got B too. An’ even if the world ends...me and Buffy won’t ever let you go.”
Wes sniffles loudly and turns his gaze on me. I’m drowning right in to those brown eyes. It must be a genetic thing with them. “She’s right you know. You’ve got me.” I take his hand in mine and kiss it. Wes looks back at his mom and then to me as if he’s trying to take it all in. It’s probably confusing. It’s not like we’re getting married or anything we’re just deciding to be together for as long as we can. Um. Not unlike marriage but it’s not. Because there’s no rings and no actual discussing of marriage. Crap. Now I’m going to be thinking about it all day.
“And your dad isn’t gonna even know where ta find ya even if he wanted ta take ya from me.” At this he furrows his brow and looks at her in confusion. “You an’ me are gonna take a trip. Ya wanna go on vacation?”
“Can Buffy go too?” Awwww.
Faith looks at me and smiles and oh geez. I’m going to have to start wearing sunglasses around these two so I don’t wind up mesmerized by the dimples, the grins, or the eyes. Gah. “Well it was kinda her idea boyo. We’re gonna go see where she lives an’ ya get ta meet her sister an’ all her friends.”
He turns his head and looks at me with wonder and a little bit of awe. “Can I meet Xander?” How’d he know about Xander? I look to Faith and she bites her lip. Wait a minute, I know I missed something here.
“Sure Bubba. I’ll give him a call and let him know I’ve got a friend that wants to meet him.” Wes squeals and launches himself out of Faith’s arms and right in to mine. Hrm. So this is what home really feels like. Boy, I really feel sorry for everyone that’s missing out on knowing what this is like.
“Mamma told me all about him an’ how he’s a hero an’ how even though he can’t be a Slayer ‘cause he’s a boy he’s still got special powers an’ how he saved her life an’...” Whoa. “...how come she named me Wesley Alexander ‘cause of him an’ how cool he is.” I look over at Faith who is very pointedly not looking at me. I’m so going to drag this story out of her later. I grin at Wes and nod.
“That’s my Xander. He’s a winner alright.” Wes gets off my lap and heads for the stairs. I think he’s already on his way to pack and we haven’t even figured out when we’re leaving yet. When he gets to the top of the stairs I turn to Faith and raise my brows. She shakes her head and I don’t want to push it but I do really want to know. “So. What’d Wood want?” Faith smacks her head and mutters.
“I fuckin’ forgot to call him. I’ll do that today while you’re hangin’ with Pinkie.” I nod and scoot closer to Faith on the sofa. No we’re not going to crawl all over each other and have sex on the couch. I’d like to but timing has to be right and now isn’t right. “Oh an’ B. Don’t eat the brownies.” What? I blink at her and frown slightly. “At Pinkie’s place. Don’t eat the brownies.”
Um. Okay. Why? “Okay...why?” She chuckles and pulls me against her body for a deep kiss. Have I mentioned how good she is at that? No seriously. She’s really good at it. Extremely good. Spontaneous orgasm good at it. I shudder and accidentally bite down on her lip as a small orgasm crashes through me. Faith's deep chuckle makes me open my eyes and focus on her.
“C’n I hab my lib back?” I blush lightly and let go of said lip. Faith rubs her thumb over it and I should feel ashamed at that but no I’m actually kind of smug about it. “She’s got glaucoma. So. Don’t eat the brownies.” What does Pinkie having glaucoma have to do with brownies? Faith inhales deeply with a satisfied smile on her face as she pulls me down to lay with her on the couch. Ah the cuddles. I’m loving the cuddles.
“Don’t think this is over Slayer. This is just getting put on hold until later.” She chuckles again and runs her fingers through my hair. In fact that little orgasm didn’t really do anything to lessen the feeling of need within me. It just stoked the fires a little more.
“Was hopin’ ya’d say that.” I nip her shoulder playfully and slide a thigh between her legs. Faith groans at the pressure I’m creating and grinds up a little. Oh yeah. She wants me. And bad. And I’m so never going to get over the fact that she wants me like that. No matter how many times we sleep together it never ceases to amaze me that she wants me. Fuck I want her. “An’ I get the feelin’ I’m in serious trouble for teasin’ ya.”
You have no idea.
Chapter Six
JPOV
What the fuck is this shit? I look at the cave entrance then back to Ma. “I gotta go in there?” She gives me a blank look like she don’t know I hate dark places like that. Ever since Randy Wade pushed me in to that well when I was six. Little prick. I got him but good after that. Stuck a pencil right in his ear and made him deaf. But I can’t take a pencil to Ma’s ear. She’s already dead anyway. “How’s this gonna get me ready to take my boy back anyway?”
“That girl is more trouble than you know what to do with. Her and the blonde.” Well no shit. She done knocked my fuckin’ teeth out. I swear that woman hits like a man. If I didn’t hate her ass so much I’d be impressed. Well I’d be impressed if it was someone else’s teeth that got knocked out. Maybe Randy Wade’s. I look at the cave and shake my head. Hell no. No way, no how am I goin’ in there.
“Why can’t I just shoot ‘er? Wyatt’s got a gun I can use and ditch. He took it off some dirty street pimp last month.” I don’t bother to tell Ma the details. She was never fond of cousin Wyatt and his whorin’ ways. She sighs and crosses her arms over her chest. Now that is a scary sight.
“She ain’t no average girl, boy. She’s a Slayer.” A what? What the fuck is a Slayer? “She’s a demon Slayer.” Huh? Ma gives me a look that could skin a skunk and shakes her head. “I swear if I wasn’t already dead your stupidity would kill me. I told you boy, she’s not natural. She’s stronger than the things that go bump in the night. And the other one. Well that one has caused a whole hell of a lot of problems for a lot of people on the other side.” Is that so? Well I knew the dumb bitch was a pain already.
I look back at the cave. I don’t stand a chance against either of them if I don’t go in there and find out what Ma needs me to do. I run my hand through my hair and try to steel myself. “Does this mean my boy is gonna be...like them?” Because I’ll kill him dead before I ever let him grow up to be like Faith or her whore.
“No. But you won’t stand a chance of gettin’ him if you don’t get your stupid ass in to that there cave right now!” I wince because Ma in a mood is about as deadly as rattlesnake half full of buckshot. “Look boy. You want him back?” I nod. “Good well the one pullin’ the strings around here wants them dead. Way I see it that’s two birds with one stone.”
Yeah I get that. But do I gotta kill them? Can’t I just hurt them real bad? Make them suffer, teach ‘em a lesson. Nothin’ like a real man to change that bullshit gay thing they got goin’. And if it don’t well who the fuck cares. I got mine. “Yeah and who exactly is pullin’ the strings?” Ma stops lookin’ at me and stares at the cave as somethin’ inside it makes a rumbling sound. “It’s bigger’n a name. Bigger’n death and life itself. And it’s got a grudge.” That don’t tell me shit. “You can call it The First.”
The first? The first what? I look over at Ma and then nod. “So...this thing is stronger’n Faith and Buffy? How come it hasn’t killed them already?” I feel more than see something in the cave. Whatever it is, scares the crap outta me. Ma gets real close to me and I flinch even though she hasn’t touched me.
“The First is eternal. And it’s been waitin’ a long time to find a weakness and now it has one. And you’re gonna do what I damn well tell you to do and get in that cave or I'll never leave you. Never.” Okay that’s enough of a threat for me. I just nod and take a few steps toward the cave. I stop and look back at Ma but she’s already gone. Fuck.
Chapter Seven
“So when are you two takin’ the kid and headin’ back to wherever you came from?” It’s really hard not to be offended by her tone but I think it’s because she’s upset that Faith and Wes are taking off and she’ll be lonely. I sip my tea and let out a breath before answering. Faith and I still haven’t talked about when we’re leaving we’ve just decided to leave.
“Well. We’re not sure yet when we’re leaving. Soon though. Jimmy’s starting to show himself again and it’s affecting Wesley.” Which is something I don’t like at all. I put my mug down and wrap my hands around it. Pinkie nods at me and taps her cane lightly on the floor. She hates Jimmy as much as I do and she’s known him longer than I have. So she must really hate him.
“That boy is trouble that’s for sure. Always been a bully and I never really got why Faith wasted her time on him. You could tell she didn’t love him.” She shakes her head sadly and pulls a plate of brownies closer to her. They look good. Faith told me to skip them but...chocolatey goodness is hard to pass up. Pinkie pushes the plate toward me and I take one of the brownies.
Mmm. Brownies good. I chew slowly and nod my head. “Yeah well I guess we all make some questionable relationship mistakes. I once dated a guy from Iowa. He was a really great guy but he wasn’t anything like anyone else I ever dated. I thought I wanted nice and normal, bring home to mom, white picket fence. I thought it’d make me forget about everything and everyone that had ever left my heart broken and bruised.” But I was so wrong. Riley was a good guy, he really was and he deserved more than I could give him.
I’m glad he found someone who could love him the way he deserves to be loved. Pinkie raises her brows and takes another bite of her brownie. I wonder what the secret ingredient is in these. They’re wonderful. “I’m guessin’ that’d be Beefstick?”
Jesus did Faith tell everyone about that? I swallow another bite and wash it down with tea. “Um. Yeah. Faith wasn’t fond of him. I don’t really blame her, I sort of pushed her away for some guy I was seeing and then when it was over I jumped right in to Riley's arms without even giving her a second glance.” Then there was the whole thing where she slept with him while she was in my body. I’m disturbed by that on so many levels. You know the old adage, walk a day in someone’s shoes? That was one of the worst days of my life.
“You all had a bumpy road to get to this point. You sure this is somethin’ you really want to work out?” Yes. Yes I do. I want this more than anything in the world. I need it. I finish off my brownie and tea and lean back in the chair. I can’t imagine that Faith wouldn’t like these brownies. I’ll have to take one back to her and force her to eat it. Or I’ll just eat it myself.
“More than anything in the world Pinkie. I can’t go back to living the way I was. I felt like I was drowning before I came here. I mean, I had my good days, and my friends and family but there was a part of me that was just dead. Empty. Cold.” I’m really going on a rambly tangent here. “There was just so much I was missing. And I knew it was Faith I was missing but she was gone and all I had left were these memories of her. Okay not all of them were good but I cherished them anyway because I thought I’d never see her again.”
What is going on with me? This is stuff I’ve never told anyone. Not even Willow and I tell Willow everything. Well. Almost everything. I haven’t exactly told her about the sex stuff, I’ve just kind of glossed over it. And I don’t think I’m going to get away with that for much longer since she did mention that we needed a girl talk when I get home. I guess that means she and Kennedy are going to be making a trip up my way. “Well I’ll tell ya Buffy. I didn’t think much of you from what Faith’s told me. Oh don’t you start, she never said a word against you. No. She blamed herself for anything and everything under the sun but in my mind I didn’t think much of a woman who’d let Faith get away when she clearly loved you.”
I didn’t know that then. I didn’t understand and maybe a little part of me hoped, or wanted it to be true but the other parts of me that were scared put it out of my mind. “I didn’t think much of myself either Pinks.” Pinks? Did I turn in to Faith at some point here? Pinkie smirks and gets up from her chair. I get up too and put the mugs in the sink for her. “So are we okay? You and I? You mean a lot to Faith and Wes and that means you mean a lot to me too.” Okay Buffy now would be a good time to shut up. Why am I talking so much?
“Well I reckon we’re okay. Faith’s been happier these last two months than I’ve seen her in the last five years. And Wes seems to love you. So you must be doing somethin’ right. But don’t you think for one hot second that I don’t have my eye on y’all.” I have to smile at that. I’m totally okay with Pinkie being a part of our lives. She’s a very special lady. I give her a hug and kiss her on the cheek.
“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” I make my good byes and head out the door. As fun and nice as it was to hang out with Pinkie I’m really missing Faith and Wes right now. I push the gate to Faith’s house open and note that it’s white and pickety shaped. I laugh to myself as I climb the porch. So I finally got my white picket fence. I poke my head in the door and absolutely melt at the sight of Wes knocked out on Faith’s chest on the couch. She’s asleep with one arm around his small body.
They’re both smiling in their sleep and it’s really fucking adorable. I make my way to the couch and brush a lock of Faith’s hair off her face. She opens her eyes and gives me a big dimpled grin. “Hey B. Have a nice time with Pinkie?” I don’t even bother to answer her, I just lean in and give her a kiss. She blinks at me and chuckles. “Ya ate a brownie didn’cha?”
Yep. I sure did. “Only one. They’re good, I don’t know why you told me to stay away from them.” Wow. What’s wrong with...hey! Those weren’t normal brownies! “Oh God I ate a pot brownie didn’t I?” Glaucoma. I should have figured it out then. Faith bites her lip to keep from laughing and waking up Wes. Well my sudden babblefest makes more sense now. And the fact that I feel just a little like I’m floating.
“Don’t worry B, she slipped me the mickey a few times. It’ll wear off soon en...”
“Shhh. Do you hear that?” I get up and walk to the kitchen and then back in to the living room. Faith is really working hard not to laugh at me now. Great. Just great. I’m stoned and she’s making fun of me. I give Faith my best glare of death and walk out of the room. I can hear her picking up Wes and following me up the stairs. I take the turn to her bedroom and she goes in to his. Poor guy was all tuckered out from last night and the excitement of this morning.
I drop my body on to the bed and groan happily. Even if Faith pisses me off I still love her. And I’m sure once I’m not all fucked up I’ll find this whole thing funny. Even the parts where I’m paranoid are kind of funny. Faith lowers her body on to mine and whispers in my ear. “Ya pissed at me for laughin’ at ya?”
“Not really. But you can make it up to me anyway by giving me a massage.” A throaty chuckle in my ear sends fire down my back and right between my legs. I give a loud groan of extreme pleasure when Faith’s hands start kneading my back. Okay I was wrong I never went to heaven, this is heaven right here. Heaven is kneading my back and making me feel ten shades of loved.
“You’re not goin’ ta sleep are ya B?” No. Kinda. Alright yeah I was. I grunt and arch my back in to her hands. “Feel good?” Uh huh. I nod my head and nuzzle the pillow that must be Faith’s since it smells like her shampoo. I inhale deeply and feel all my muscles relax instantaneously. Faith works out a particularly tight muscles in my shoulder. I’ve always had problems with that shoulder. Ever since Faith and I fought on the rooftop I’ve had a sore spot right there. God it feels good to have her hands on me.
“If you get any better at that I might never leave this bed.” She laughs in a low sultry tone and I’m so hers. How could I have ever thought I loved anyone else? “Best massage ever.” Faith’s hands slow to a stop and she settles her weight on my lower back. I can’t resist the urge to arch up in to her again and smirk as she grinds down against me.
Faith lets out a shaky breath and I have to congratulate myself. All my life I’ve always known I was pretty but I never thought I was you know. Lust worthy. And the way that Faith responds to me...well that’s just a serious ego booster. “Had a lot of massages in your day B?” Hrm. I know she said it as a joke but I can read between the lines here. I have no idea why she’s feeling insecure now but I want to make sure she doesn’t doubt this.
“I’ve had a massage or two.” I look back at her over my shoulder and run my hand over her thigh. This isn’t about who we’ve been with or what we’ve done because I really have no desire to know who Faith’s been with in the past or anything like that. “But I’m here with you.” She nods once but there’s a storm brewing in her eyes. Damnit. Faith gets off my back and lays on the bed a few inches from me. She’s staring up at the ceiling with her hands under her head. “What’s wrong?”
She shakes her head and doesn’t say anything. If I have to pry this out of her I’m going to be really pissed off. I prop my head on my hand and nudge her shoulder gently. Come on Faith tell me what’s wrong so we can talk about it and get back to the touching and snuggling and maybe the naked stuff too. “I don’t mean ta be a dick or anything but are ya with me ‘cause I fit some kinda ya know, type?”
I think back at my past lovers and I have to say that I understand why she would think that. There was Angel, and then Spike. The only one that doesn’t really fit is Riley. Oh. And Parker. But I never think about him really, he was just one night. And it wasn’t that great either. “I’m not with you because you fit in to some kind of category. I’m with you because I love you, because of who you are.” She flicks her eyes to me and then back to the ceiling.
“So the fact that I’m a reformed baddie has nothin’ to do with it. Or the leather. Or the mysterious background. Or the fact that I’ve been known to kill people.” I can hear the tension in her words. Just under the surface. “I just...needa know B. Before we take this trip, before me an’ Wes get any closer. I just need ta to know it’s me.” I can’t blame her for wanting to know.
I roll over on to her so she’s pinned to the bed with my body. “You and Riley are anything but similar. He was so...Riley. Kind of dull, kind of boring. Kinda everything you’re not. Which is why I was with him in the first place. I was hoping that he’d make me not want you, that I could feel safe with him.” But I didn’t. I just shake my head at that because I know how it must have looked to her. How it must have felt to wake up from a coma that I put her in only to find me all over Bee...er Riley.
“And I never felt the things you made me feel when I was with Angel. He was cold and he was...well...dead.” I didn’t realize it at the time but later on I realized that there was some part of me that never felt right with him. Never safe. Maybe because he was a vampire and I’m a Slayer. Or maybe because I was young and stupid and I was in love with the idea of being in love. Even if loving him wasn’t the same as being in love with him I thought it was then. “You made me feel so many things. Mostly frustration. But I always felt alive.”
I run a finger tip over a dark brow and chuckle. Boy did she ever frustrate me back then. It’s like she knew every little thing that would get under my skin and did them. Repeatedly. And I wanted to hate her because she did a lot of things to hurt me but I just couldn’t bring myself to. I should have known then that it was love. “Yeah well what about Spike? I’m not like his replacement or anything am I?”
Oh baby if you only had a clue. I snort and shake my head. “Spike was dangerous and mysterious and sexy and leather wearing, cigarette smoking, eye liner wearing...and boy did he ever push my buttons but no you aren’t his replacement.” I shift so I’m more fully on top of her. Faith’s arms come around my body instinctively. “He was yours.” He was the closest thing I could find to Faith. “I needed you then Faith. I needed to feel safe and alive and I needed to not be babied and treated like I was going to die any second. But...you were in prison and I was still angry with you so I went to Spike.”
And I used him. I used him in the same ways that I would have used Faith and that hurts to admit. I’m glad she wasn’t there when I came back from the dead. I would have hurt her far beyond anything Jimmy has done. And she would have hated me for it. Hell. I would have hated me for it. “So...this is real right?” I give her a kiss that says so much more than I could ever express with words. This is real. This was always real.
Chapter Eight
“So...” Yeah that isn’t the smoothest of intros. I run my fingers over Faith’s bare stomach. I love all the little ridges of muscle just under the skin. She hasn’t been working out all that much but I guess I’ve been giving her all the exercise she needs. Oh yeah I’m totally in to the sex part of our relationship. It’s not all there is to it but it’s really really really really good. Faith opens an eye and gives me a mildly amused look. Okay let me try this again. “I don’t want to push here but we should talk about when we want to leave.”
Faith’s arms tighten around me and I groan at the contact of her thigh against my super sensitive sex. Shivers. I feel the shivers. She chuckles softly and places a few kisses on the top of my head. No one would ever believe me if I told them how affectionate Faith is with me. Actually I think I might keep that little secret to myself. “Depends on when ya wanna get gone B. Woody asked if I could run up to New York an’ give him a hand with one of his girls.”
So we can leave after that. I can maybe help in New York. Or maybe she wants to do this alone. Maybe I should wait here with Wes. I nod slowly against her shoulder. “When are you going up to New York?” Faith stops her tender touches along my back. I look up at her and frown slightly. It’s my ‘why’d you stop?’ look. Her look is disappointed I think. Faith is a hard read in the best of times.
“Ya mean when are ‘we’ goin’ to New York. Right?” Oh. I chew my lower lip and give her a warm smile. I wasn’t sure if she wanted me to tag along. I mean it’s been a long time and she’s been saving the world on her own for awhile now. Faith narrows her eyes and tweaks my ribs getting a giggle and a half yelp of surprise. “You didn’t actually think that I was gonna just take Wes an’ leave ya here did you?”
You know it never occurred to me that Faith would take Wesley with her at all. “I didn’t know you took Wes with you on your missions.” She laughs and wiggles out of my grip when I tickle her hip.
“Have you seen the temper on that kid? He’d kick my ass if I left him behind.” Probably not really since he’s the sweetest little boy I have ever met. But I’m sure he’d give her a Slayer sized attitude for sure. “Plus...I kinda like him near me. Not when there’s fightin’ or anythin’ but at the end of the day I like to know he’s gonna crawl in to my arms and love me no matter what happens. I never had that kind of love before.”
I don’t even know what to say to that. Wes has a lot to do with the woman Faith has become. I’ve said it before and I’ll be saying it until I die. And I’m completely amazed at the person I see. She amazes me every day. “So when are we leaving?” I’m not going to call attention to the fact that Faith just let a very personal side of her show because if I do she won’t do it again. And I desperately want to see more. I need to now everything about her that I never gave her the chance to show me before.
“Well I was gonna go to work this afternoon and tell Cal that I was gonna be gone for awhile. He’s got another bartender that he can call in to pick up the slack.” Cal. I try really hard not to let my irritation show. It’s not that I don’t like the guy. I just don’t particularly appreciate his personality. Or his lack of hygiene. Faith rolls over so we’re facing each other, nose to nose, chest to chest, hip to hip. “I know ya hate him B, I’m not gonna be offended by that. He’s a prick.”
I shake my head and sigh. “He just creeps me out and I don’t like the way he treats the girls.” At this Faith’s brows crawl right up in to her hairline. “What?”
She stays silent for a long second. “Didn’t think ya cared much for the dancers at the bar.” Well. I don’t like the way they hang all over her but I don't dislike them. They’re women who do what they have to and maybe it’s not my first choice of work but I’m not them.
“They strip for a living, that doesn’t mean they should be treated like shit.” Before I can go on a tangent on objectification of women and today’s societal norms, Faith covers my lips with her own in a fiery hot kiss. Okay what were we talking about? “Um...what was that for? Mind you this is not a complaint just you know...wondering.”
“Because you’re amazing.” Oh. I blink at her and clear my throat. I seriously have to stop getting lost in her eyes. I flush pink and give a slight nervous laugh. “You have no idea why I think that do ya?” I shake my head and let her roll me under her. I knew it would only be a matter of time before she did that this morning. Or I did. It almost seems like we do it when we want undivided attention because what we’re going to say is so important. It’s kind of hard to disregard the body covering yours and most especially when her voice gets that low growl. “You care B. Ya don’t know these women an’ they sure as fuck don’t make it easy for ya but ya care. Because they’re friends of mine an’ because it’s how ya are. I love that about ya.”
Oh. So what she really means is that she realizes I’m not the judgy bitch I used to be. I chuckle and wrap my legs around her waist. Well if she’s just going to lay there I should be getting something out of it don’t you think? “Well. Slayers or not we’re all women and we share a common bond.” She gives me a wry smirk and rolls her hips a little to grind against mine. Oh yeah that’s the stuff right there. I hiss softly and oh my God. Wesley.
“Wha’cha doin’?” I had no idea he was right by the bed. Faith nearly jumps out of her skin at the sound of his voice and I’m struggling to hang on to her because if she moves I’ll be you know, naked. Why is it that the earth never opens up to swallow me whole when I want it to? Why Lord? Why? I quickly hide my face in Faith’s neck and refuse to move. Thank the PtB that there’s sheets on most of our bodies at least.
“Wes! What’d I tell ya about knockin’?” I can’t see him because you know...hiding here. But I can guess that he’s looking at her curiously. I knew I should have gotten him that collar with bells on it.
“Ya said ‘if the door is closed knock’ but the door wasn’t closed so I just walked right in. So. Wha’cha doin’?” Oh my God did we forget to close the door last night? He could have walked in at any time last night and seen me doing terribly dirty things to his mother. I am never leaving the security of her neck. I don’t think I can look Wes in the eye right now.
Faith keeps trying to pull away from me but I’m so not letting it happen. She grunts and in the middle of the struggle parts of our bodies brush against each other and we both have to fight not to react. “Okay...this ain’t workin’. B. Let go.” Damnit. I unlock my legs from around her waist and stare directly up at the ceiling. I think I might die of embarrassment now. “Wes, g’wan downstairs an’ we’ll be down in a minute.”
He gives her a mildly suspicious look but nods. I sigh when he turns his back and starts walking out of the room. He’s almost out and I’m almost home free before he comes running back in to give me a kiss on the cheek. “Mornin’ B.” And then he’s gone. I’m...a ginormous puddle of Buffy shaped goo. That kid. Faith chuckles at my look and slides out of the bed. So much for a morning romp.
“You do realize you’re going to have to tell your son why exactly he can’t just come in to the room right?” She snorts and nods. Thankfully I will not be in on that conversation. I lean over the edge of the bed and look for something to put on. Faith’s arms wrap around my body and I sigh happily. The heat of her body against mine does a world of good when it comes to soothing my frazzled nerves.
“You do realize ya gotta talk to him to. Right B?” What? So much for the soothing of the frazzled nerves. I look over my shoulder at her grinning face and yep. Panic. I’m panicking. I can’t breathe. Faith kisses my shoulder and chuckles. “Easy Slayer. We’ll do it together. It won’t be so bad that way.” Okay. Together. I can do together. I think.
