Another Day
by Sulks
Rating: R
Author's Notes: Starcrossed's July Summer of Love Challenge.
"Oh God, Oh God," Buffy groaned, clasping her hands over her ears, "please turn that shit OFF."
"Aw, come on, B. It's not that bad. The accordion is COOL. I was listening to the Cure and it had all this accordion music on it, and-"
"Faith! The Cure? Cool! 'Irish Favourites: A Two Disc Set'? Not Cool!"
Faith pouted, her full lips jutting out provocatively. "I'm just trying to expand my musical tastes, you're the one that said I should listen to something OTHER than Korn, et al."
"Yeah, but I didn't mean for you to listen to Irish favourites on the accordion! I meant, maybe Sarah McLachlan or--" Buffy's voice trailed off as she looked at the grin spreading on Faith's face. "You were doing this on purpose!" she accused.
Faith held up her hands, "me?" Faith asked, in her little girl voice. "Would I do something like that?" her eyes looked wide and child-like.
For a moment Buffy was too taken in by the adorable expression to respond. Then she got indignant. "You were so doing that on purpose! Oh my God, for a WEEK, you've been making me listen to this stuff, just to prove a point!"
Faith broke into robust laughter. "You should have seen yourself last week, when I made you listen to this stuff." She doubled over with laughter, "you actually looked like a kicked puppy or something." She began wheezing, "fuck, B! You looked so goofy!"
Buffy put her hands on her hips and frowned, "I NEVER look goofy," she insisted.
"Sure you do," Faith said, laughing. "You look goofy NOW."
"Why you--" Buffy launched herself at Faith, and began tickling the dark-haired girl mercilessly.
"Stop! Stop!" Faith gasped, through her laughter, trying to capture the blonde's hands.
"Take it back!"
"No!"
"Take it back!"
"Never!"
Buffy continued her assault, paying special attention to Faith's ribs which were the most ticklish part of her body.
"Get off me, you goofball!" Faith yelled, laughing uncontrollably.
Buffy squeezed both sides of Faith's waist, gently. Faith arched up, and said, "okay, okay I--"
Buffy knew she'd remember Faith's uncontained laughter for the rest of her life. It was so rare, for Faith to laugh like that, completely open and unrestrained. Suddenly, Faith flipped them over, so that she was on top of Buffy. "Paybacks!" she called, as she tickled Buffy.
"Oh no!" Buffy said, laughing.
Eventually, they were lying on top of Faith's bed, fanning themselves.
"Fuck, we really shouldn't have done that, it's so fucking hot."
"You got quite the mouth on you, lady," Faith remarked.
"It's from being hanging out so much with you, gutter mouth."
"Oh, fuck you, bitch," Faith said, the words always in jest, the term bitch merely one of affection.
"No, fuck you...bitch."
"Bitch."
"You're the bitch."
"No, you are." Faith said.
"Nah-uh, you are."
"Me?" Faith asked.
"You." Buffy affirmed.
"Me." Faith stated, staring at Buffy intently.
"You." Buffy repeated, unconsciously inching closer to Faith.
"Well, okay, then. But tomorrow you're the bitch," Faith said amiably.
"Deal."
"God, it is hot," Faith complained. She got up, and shucked off her shirt.
"Faith!" Buffy exclaimed.
Faith turned around. "What?"
Buffy averted her gaze. "Put some clothes on!"
"I'm just gonna grab a halter top. It's so fucking hot. I can barely stand it."
"It's not THAT hot."
"Geez, uptight much? Let me grab my top." Faith rifled through her closet and pulled out a white halter top triumphantly. "Yeay!"
"You wouldn't be so hot if you didn't wear so much leather," Buffy remarked, pointing to Faith's trousers.
"Why, B, are you trying to get me to take off my pants?" Faith teased.
Buffy blushed. "No!"
"You're right though," Faith went on thoughtfully, not really paying attention to the blonde. She unzipped her pants, and pulled them off. Buffy's eyes bulged as she drank in the long, toned legs, that were showing the faintest hint of a summer tan. Faith pulled on a pair of short short blue jean shorts, and turned around to face Buffy. "Tah dah!" she said.
Buffy was speechless. "Wow," she said, "you look fantastic!" 'Well, she'd look fantastic in anything,' Buffy thought, 'but wow.'
"Thanks," Faith grinned.
The white halter top and blue jean shorts were sexy, and yet, they weren't sexy in the usual Faith way, which was a sort of overt and feral beauty that just screamed danger. The way Faith was dressed now...she could have been some corn-fed Midwestern farmer's daughter. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail, and her face had been wiped clear of the usual heavy makeup. 'She looks so innocent,' Buffy thought.
Faith flopped down on the bed next to her. "When is that damn pizza going to get here, I get so hungry and ho--" Buffy put her hand over Faith's mouth.
"Don't say it!"
Faith frowned at her.
"Promise you won't say it?" Buffy asked.
Faith nodded, and Buffy took her hand away.
"Horny," Faith continued, "after a slay."
"Faith!"
"At least I didn't grunt."
There was a knock at Faith's door, and she leapt up with a jubilant squeal. She jumped off the bed, ran over to the dresser, grabbed the money and threw open the door. "Hi!" she said brightly, to the very surprised, but very happy pizza delivery boy. He looked at her up and down and grinned appreciatively.
"Hi," he said back, his eyes roaming over Faith's body.
"Here's the money," Faith said, handing over the cash, and taking the pizza.
"Thanks," he said, holding her hand for a moment. "What's your name?"
"Buffy," Faith said with a straight face, imitating the blonde perfectly. "My name is Buffy Anne Summers," Buffy screeched on cue, "and I live at 3333 Revello Drive," Faith continued, unfazed, "and I'm only in this skanky motel room cos of my skanky friend Faith over there," Faith said, pointing at Buffy, "likes rooms like this," she smiled perkily, and ran her pinky through her hair in an imitation of Buffy.
The guy's mouth dropped open, Buffy leaped off the bed and slammed the door.
"YOU!" Buffy said, tackling Faith.
"Wait! The pizza!" Faith exclaimed, as she landed on her back, the pizza balanced between her two hands in the air.
"All you think about is your stomach," Buffy pouted, as she got off Faith.
"It's not like I told him where you really live, B." Faith opened the pizza box, and grinned. "Mmm. Pizza grease."
"You're disgusting. You're a pig!"
"Yeah, but you'd never know it from my figure." Faith poked a finger in her stomach as she took a huge bite out of her pizza. She chewed and then swallowed. "Come on, dig in."
"I'd rather have some low-fat yoghurt," Buffy said.
"Bullshit!" Faith exclaimed. "Come on, you said you wanted some."
"Oh, all right." Buffy took a piece and bit. "Mmm. God, this is good. But how can you eat this so often?"
Faith shrugged. "Oh, please. It's not like I'm going to live for very long."
"Hey! We talked about this. If I can reach 25, so can you."
"Please. I don't turn 25 for another two years, and even before I became a Slayer no one ever thought I'd see 25. Although no one ever thought I'd see 16 either. But whatever. It's just not in the cards for me to reach 25, B. You should accept it, I have. So I may as well live it up."
"If you die, I'll haunt you!" Buffy threatened.
Faith looked amused. "Oh, really? YOU'LL haunt ME. You, the living, will haunt me, the dead."
"Yes! Because I'll think about you all the time, and you know the dead can hear the thoughts of the living. And I'll make you regret it! You'll never have any peace. You think I babble when I talk? You should hear my thoughts."
Faith waved her away. "You saw that on Xena," she accused. "Anyway, you've been dead, and you didn't hear anything."
"You are NOT going to die, we're both going to be old old OLD Slayers."
"Maybe you," Faith said a little wistfully, "but not me."
"Faith!"
"What? I'm just being realistic. Anyway, if I DON'T die soon, the next Slayer can't be called, and she has to be better than me."
"Where's all this coming from tonight?" Buffy asked.
"Pity party," Faith said wryly. "Wanna join?"
"It's okay. You're doing pretty well on your own."
"Want anything to drink?"
"What do you have?"
"Coke and water."
"Diet?"
"Me? Diet Coke? Fuck no."
Buffy shrugged. "I'll live it up. Get me the coke."
"That's my girl."
Faith went to her mini fridge, took two cokes, and then opened the freezer and took out a pint of ice cream and grabbed two spoons.
"How can you eat so much?"
"You eat a lot too!"
"What you put away in one meal could feed Senegal."
"Do you even know where Senegal IS?"
Buffy frowned, "well, no. But I heard Willow talking about it the other day."
Faith laughed. "You're such a goofball, B."
"I am NOT a--"
"You are," Faith laughed, "but that's why I like you."
"Do you really have to go tomorrow?" Buffy asked longingly. "I miss having you around."
Faith shrugged. "Yeah, I really should get back to Deadboy and everyone else," she said nonchalantly.
"Can't you stay one more day?" Buffy's voice took on an uncharacteristic note of pleading.
"Well, I suppose I could," Faith said slowly, a bit perplexed, "but what would be the point? We slayed the big bad, and now I go back home."
"You consider LA to be your home?" Buffy asked softly.
"Well, sure. I guess. Where else would I?"
"I don't know," Buffy admitted. 'Here?' she thought.
It was strange to be having such thoughts, it was strange to be talking and laughing and eating pizza and ice cream with Faith. A few years before, they hated each other, and then Faith went to prison. And Buffy died. And they both changed afterwards. Faith was calmer, and more focused-- the prison psychiatrist had been a good man. And Buffy was more relaxed, and less self-righteous. And they became friends again, especially after the LA Gang had come to help Buffy battle a demon uprising, Faith had almost died saving Dawn's life, and Faith continually came up to Sunnydale to help out with demons. So, yeah, Buffy did feel like she owed Faith a bit.
Just then Faith's mobile phone went off, and she checked the caller ID. Her face brightened.
"Hey sweetcheeks," Faith said. She paused and laughed. "Yeah, I'll be back tomorrow, around noon, I guess. Lunch? Lunch sounds great. Yeah. I miss you too, babe. What? No. Cordelia! Geez, no, all right?" Faith laughed. "You're such a dumb ass, babe. Yeah, okay. See you soon, C."
"Are you two involved now?" Buffy asked, inexplicably jealous. Faith had sounded awfully friendly on the phone...
"Me and C? Shit, no. She's all hot and heavy with that Doyle guy they somehow brought back to life."
"The little Irish man?" Buffy asked, clearly shocked.
"He's not that little, and he's actually really hot when Cordy goes with him to get his hair cut and dresses him."
"But you two are close."
"Yeah, I guess so. We're roommates, and you know, that tends to happen with roommates. Either that or they can't stand each other, but Queen C is really great."
Buffy made a "hmph" sound. "Let's go for a walk."
"What?"
"Let's go for a walk."
"And I repeat, what?"
"Well, I never walk around Sunnydale after dark, unless it's to patrol."
"There's a reason for that, it's the fucking Hellmouth!"
"And it's SUCH a beautiful night..."
"It's fucking hot!"
"Other then the relentless, fiery heat of the hottest Sunnydale summer in fifty years, it's a beautiful night. The stars were so pretty!"
"Those stars were from when that vamp knocked you upside your head on patrol earlier."
"He did not knock me upside the head, it was a mere glancing blow."
"Oh, yeah, just like this was a flesh wound," Faith said, pointing to a round shaped scar on her stomach where a bullet had passed through.
Buffy winced at the close proximity the bullet scar had to the knife scar that Buffy had given Faith.
"Oh, hell, B. Sorry."
"It's okay--"
"I didn't mean to remind you how Dawnie almost--"
Buffy realised that Faith thought Buffy was upset about the bullet hole scar-- the bullet had been meant for Dawn, and it did chill Buffy thinking Faith could have died for her little sister. That her little sister could have died, and she would have been powerless to stop it, if it hadn't been for Faith. It was such a banal way, really. It wasn't a particular smart vampire or an exceptionally savvy demon who'd learned the ways of guns, it was just some punk kid strung out on crystal meth who tried to hold up a liquor store.
"Let's go for a walk, okay?" Buffy asked softly.
"Sure, I'm just gonna put on a shirt more appropriate...we might run into some vamps."
Faith threw on a white tank top that didn't cover much more than the halter top she'd had on, and flashed a bright grin at Buffy.
"Shall we go?"
"Yes."
Faith and Buffy walked out, and observed a group of males run across the carpark, completely naked.
"Woo!!" Faith catcalled and whistled. The men, college-aged boys, really, turned around and grinned at Faith and Buffy, their eyes scanning appreciatively across the Slayers bodies.
"It's not that hot out," Buffy grumbled, a bit put off by the gleam that overcame Faith's eyes. She wanted her walk, damn it.
"Nah, I think it's the full moon," Faith said, pointing up at the sky. Buffy looked up, and the two of them just gazed at the moon for a moment.
"Doesn't it look so huge?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah, it does. It's so close I think I can almost touch it," Faith said, her voice a little pensive. "When I was a kid..." Faith's voice trailed off and she blushed.
"Yes?" Buffy asked eagerly.
"Ah, it's nothing." Faith said, shrugging. She kept walking.
They walked a few paces and then Buffy took Faith's hand in her own. "It's such a pretty night, the intense heat notwithstanding."
Faith nodded. "It is pretty, look! So many stars!" She fanned her face. "The heat's really bad though, I don't think I ever experienced a Boston summer this bad, and Boston summers can be killers. It must be 90 degrees and it's night time."
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"That it's hot?"
"No. What do you think? The heat has anything to do with demons?"
Faith rolled her eyes, "I don't know, I don't think everything unusual has to do with demons. Did you ask Giles about it?"
Buffy shook her head. "I didn't want to bother him, he's happy in England."
"Well, maybe we can do some research tomorrow?"
"You're volunteering to do research?"
Faith shrugged. "This is your town, B. If you're apprehensive about it, maybe we should check it out. I don't really have to go back to LA tomorrow, although I'll have to cancel lunch with Cordelia," there was an element of regret in Faith's voice. "It's too bad, I haven't hung out with her in a while, we both got wicked busy before I came here."
"You guys are really close," Buffy marveled.
"Well, she watches my back, I watch her back. She's a really cool person, B. She's changed a lot. She's not really Queen C anymore, not the way she was here. She has a good heart, she always has."
"I know," Buffy said quietly. 'Cordy's not the only one who has changed a lot,' she thought. 'Faith has changed a lot as well.'
"This is my favourite street in Sunnydale," Faith said a little wistfully as they walked down Germaine Lane.
"Why's that?"
Faith looked at her in surprise. "You mean you never noticed?" Faith paused thoughtfully. "Maybe it was just that one autumn," she muttered.
"Hmm?"
"These trees turn brown and orange and red really early," Faith explained, pointing to the massive rows of trees. "A lot earlier than the other trees in this town. It's kinda romantic. It reminded me of home when I first got here."
Buffy was surprised by the sentiment. It was so unlike Faith. "I never noticed," she said softly, "I'll have to look out for that," 'and think of you.'
Faith smiled. "You're from LA, you don't have seasons. No wonder you never noticed. Anyway, you're good with the Slayer sense shit, and I'm good at noticing stupid shit like that, between us, we got it covered."
"Yeah, we do," Buffy agreed. "What kind of trees are they anyway?"
"Beats me," Faith laughed, and it was all Faith, self-deprecating and mocking at the same time. "Trust me on it though."
A young couple stood in front of their house, both wearing skimpy shorts and tank tops. Faith eyed them appreciatively, as the man took a squirt bottle of water and drank from it, then turned on his wife. She squealed, and leaped backwards. He continued to squirt her, and they fumbled for a few minutes. She managed to grab the bottle away from him, and drenched him with the remnants of the water. They laughed and stumbled, she landed on top of him and kissed him on the cheek. Faith eyed them with a mixture of jealousy, disdain ...and longing.
"I want that too," Buffy said softly.
"Who says I want that?" Faith asked, a little belligerently.
"Your eyes did."
They stopped and faced one another.
"What do you know about my eyes?" Faith's voice was a little tense, and Buffy remembered how volatile Faith could be.
"They're brown," Buffy said cheekily, hoping to dissipate the tension. It worked because Faith laughed.
"You're so clever, B." Faith said.
"And they're beautiful," Buffy said quietly.
Faith stopped laughing. "What?"
"I think your eyes are beautiful. I think you're beautiful."
"I think you're beautiful too," Faith said looking perplexed.
"You're not listening to me," Buffy said quietly, reaching up to cup Faith's chin. "You're beautiful," Buffy stared into Faith's eyes, it was the last thing she clearly remembered.
"Am I dead?" Faith asked, blinking. She was sitting on the ground.
"No," Buffy laughed. "You just hyperventilated, and you passed out for a few seconds. I was worried..."
Faith blushed, and then remembered what happened. "B...Buffy, about what you said. Do you mean it?"
"Only an idiot wouldn't think you're beautiful...Faith, I love you."
Faith released a breath she didn't know she was holding, 'okay, I have to remember to breathe,' Faith thought. "I love you too, B," Faith whispered, reaching out to hug the blonde. "Fuck, B...I've always loved you."
"I think I've always loved you too," Buffy admitted, "it's just wasn't the right time for us to be together...but I really love you, Faith...and when you really love someone you don't give up until it's the right time to be together...and I think I want to show you how much I love you."
"B, God, I--wait, what? You want to show me what?"
"Tonight," Buffy said with a wicked grin.
"Race you home?"
"Yeah."
They ran back to Faith's motel room in record time, heedless of the heat. They burst into Faith's room, laughing and sweating.
"Fuck, it's hot," they groused as they stripped each other of clothing.
"Hey," Buffy said, as she pressed her naked body against Faith's. She kissed the taller woman's neck.
"Hey." Faith's voice was low, guttural. They moved themselves to the bed.
"Suddenly I want some ice cream," Buffy muttered, a few hours later.
Faith sat up in bed. "Shit! The ice cream! I forgot to put it back in the freezer." She jumped off the bed and picked up the melted carton in dismay. "Aw, fuck." She was about to toss it into her garbage can, when Buffy's voice stopped her.
"You're going to put that where?"
"In the garbage, B. It's all melted."
"Put it back in the freezer!"
"It doesn't taste as good when you do that," Faith whined.
"Really?" Buffy purred. She got off the bed and approached the dark-haired Slayer. She took the pint from Faith's hands and opened it. She dipped her finger in, and put a little bit on Faith's collarbone and licked it off. "It tastes good to me."
"Okay, so you spared a carton chocolate ice cream from a fate in the garbage cans, what're you going to do with it now?" Faith teased.
"I think we can find a way."
Waste not, want not. Buffy found that she wanted that to be her new catch phrase.
Hours later, they were sticky, and laughing.
"So you'll stay?" Buffy asked.
"Another day? Yeah."
"What about the day after that?"
"I don't know...I'll have to go back to LA sometime, you know. But I'll come back to you. I promise. I've always come back for you."
"I know," Buffy said, tears in her eyes. "Another day, though. At least I have that." She knew it was going to be difficult, things were never easy for either of them. Anytime either of them were happy, something always came along to destroy it, and they hadn't had the easiest relationship with one another either. But the promise of another day was enough for her for now.
"I need to shower," Faith muttered.
"Me too."
"Let's go."
They ran into the shower, Buffy picked up the travel-sized bottle of Herbal Essence shampoo.
"Wanna act out a Herbal Essence commercial?" Buffy leered.