Like Other Girls...

Alrighty then, here’s another update. It’s of course for all of my loyal readers… and the not-so-loyal readers that are just bored and skimming any trash they come along. I still appreciate them too. Especially LeleAngel.

And Criz, what you talkin’ ‘bout? *yes complete with pouty frown and said like that. Brownie points for whoever remembers what it’s from*
I just updated this last week! Lol

When they’d found Buffy, it was in the park. She was throwing tiny bits of bread out onto the surface of the water for the ducks to peck at, a small frown on her face. Willow and Faith had both been reluctant to approach, Faith especially as she still didn’t know how exactly she’d managed to be pulled along. Then again, she also didn’t know why, after all Darla had done and said to her, it was for what the girl was doing to Buffy that Faith finally retaliated.

Tara had approached, of course, without a flinch or hesitation, and taken a piece of the loaf of bread and began to do the same thing. Buffy didn’t act as if she noticed at first, but after a few minutes, Willow was sitting next to them, occasionally tossing a bit of bread too, and Faith was sprawled on the grass next to the redhead. So this was comfort? Boring. She’d always thought that there was something more to it. Her dark eyes traced the patterns of clouds in the sky as she waited for something to happen, knowing that if she tried to say something before anyone else, it’d fuck everything up.

Absently, Faith wondered if she should talk to Tara or Red about the little discussion that morning. Tara would probably be able to give her insight into the aggravating blonde, but that also meant that the meeting would be pointless. Why meet in secret to plan playing matchmaker when they just found out anyway? Sighing, she looked over and noticed Buffy watching her out of the corner of an eye, and quickly looked away.

“So… you guys wanna Bronze it tonight, or do something else?” Tara and Willow both looked at Buffy quizzically. That was sudden. “I mean… there’s not much to do in this town, and I know it’s only Wednesday, but I don’t have much homework.”

“Bronze? On a school night?” Willow looked a little confused, and as she thought it over, as if she were about to hyperventilate. Tara, as a result, looked very concerned, and Faith, chuckling, told her to ‘Breathe, Red. Breathe.’

“Eh, it’s probably gonna be dead anyway, B.” Faith said when Willow finally calmed down from her moment of uber-geekiness Tara, after a moment, confessed that she’d been putting off a paper that she had to write, and couldn’t go out anyway. Looking at Buffy’s still somewhat strained, but mostly distant expression, Faith sighed. “Well, B, Red’s not gonna risk her comfortable existence on the fact that, when she goes out on a school-night for some wicked partying, the world will end…” Willow looked shocked, first, at Faith’s somewhat witty, and long-winded, joke, then pouted. She did have a test to study for next week though, and starting tonight was better than putting it off. “But ya know me. Since when do I say no to fun? My ‘appointment’ tonight cancelled… so I could always take ya to a bar or somethin’.” At that, she waggled her eyebrows in an exaggerated manner.

Buffy glared at her, but a smirk slowly started struggling its way to her lips. She was fighting it though. “Faith, your libido must be the size of Texas.”

“If that’s what I think it is, Twinkie, what the fuck are you doing thinking about the size of my anything?” Faith said with a mock glare. Of course she knew what a libido was! Willow snorted and chuckled, trying not to choke as she attempted to hide her laughter, as Tara just turned bright red and stared at her. Buffy, of course, was trying even harder not to smile, but was also turning red in the process. “Damn, I think I broke Blondie.”

“I… I… I’m not b- broke…. broken” Tara complained, still bright red.

~

Buffy was somewhat surprised when Faith actually stuck around as they all walked home. She didn’t really know why Faith was following them to their house at first, but as Willow separated to finish her walk home, Faith leaned against the porch railing and raised her brows. “Well, B? Get changed already.”

It took some convincing, and Faith’s promise, for Joyce to let the two girls go out. Faith’s promise being that they wouldn’t be out too terribly late. As they walked along, Buffy still didn’t know where they were going. “So, ‘F’, what’s the what? Were’re we headed?”

“Yanno, B, surprises ain’t much o’ surprises if ya know about ‘em ahead of time.” Faith chuckled, dragging Buffy down several streets, and finally toward what seemed to be an office building. “And before we go in, I wanna say that yeah, you were right, this mornin’ I mean. Fuck if I can be blind sometimes.” Faith waited for Buffy’s reaction before continuing, raising her brows at the shocked and almost frightened look on her face. “About Red and Blondie, B. What the hell did ya think I was talkin’ about?”

“Oh… nevermind.” Buffy waited until Faith had gotten them through the doors and looked around. Stairs? She could hear something akin to techno music filtering up through them, and followed obediently when Faith dragged her down them. It was an underground arcade! Why hadn’t she heard about this place before? She hadn’t even seen any signs. “Wait, what?”

“I talked to Red. Damn she’s got it bad.” Faith chuckled and dragged Buffy over to the concession stand in one corner, gesturing to a couple bottles of Pepsi. “So now what?”

“That’s what I was thinking. Why are we here Faith?”

“It’s something to do.” Faith shrugged and paid for the drinks, grumbling to herself that Buffy should pay for her own, and then gestured a free pool table. “What, ya never played before?”

Buffy’s eyes settled on the table, and she froze in place.

TBC