Fragments

#13: Absurd

"Nuh uh."

"Yes huh."

"I don't believe you."

"It's true."

"Bullshit, B."

You turn to look at her. "Why is that so hard to believe?"

Faith snorts into her bottle of beer and meets your gaze, eyes full of amusement. "Because you've always considered 'experimenting' as being brave enough to eat one of Dawn's peanut butter and salami combos."

"Hey!" Your elbow connects with her ribs. "I see you eating those all the time, you cow."

You narrow your eyes when she puts her hand on her chest, faking offense.

"B, how could you?" Faith is smirking; especially as you cross your arms, a pout forming on your face. She mirrors your previous action, nudging you in the side with her elbow only a lot gentler than you had. "Come on, B. I'm just messin' with you," she says. "I'm sure you had a great giggly makeout session with Satsu before you both ran your separate ways in embarrassment."

You know what she's trying to do, so you just continue to face the TV, your face void of any expression as you wait until her beer bottle is pressed against her lips again.

"Actually, we had sex."

Faith nearly spits out her beer and coughs a few times before turning to you again. "Now I know you're fucking lying," but her face is serious, and you wonder what's going through her head.

You shake yours. "I'm not. It was a… one-time thing, you know. Post-slay, loneliness, vice versa. It was just a thing."

There's nothing but silence and the low voices coming from the television as response. You look out of the corner of your eyes to see Faith staring at the TV, an unreadable expression on her face.

"It's not that big a deal," you say, trying to break the awkward silence. "You really find it hard to believe I had a thing with another Slayer?"

"No, I don't," she replies curtly.

Turning more toward her, you furrow your brow. "Then what's up with you?"

More silence.

"Faith?"

"Nothing, I'm just kinda pissed you slept with another chick- let alone another Slayer- who wasn't me."

You watch her close her eyes, put her hand over her face in embarrassment. "Shit," she says, and before you can reply, she's up and out the door.

It doesn't take you long to pick up your jaw and wrap your head around her revelation. In just a minute or two, you realize it makes complete sense. Faith had tried so hard to get your attention for so many years, and now you realize it had been one of the biggest factors in her betrayal. You feel like an idiot, having been so blind to her affection for you. And you just told her you slept with another woman whom you barely knew because you were worked up.

You find her outside on the porch, a cigarette in her hand. She speaks before you get the chance.

"I'd rather we not talk about what just came out of my idiotic mouth, if you don't mind."

But you don't answer; instead, you watch Faith's silouhette as she runs a hand through her hair, moving the cigarette between her lips as she slowly inhales. After a minute, she turns her gaze to you.

"No sarcastic retort to go with my little revelation, B?" Her voice is derisive.

You move closer to her. "That's why… God, I was so stupid," you say, suddenly wondering why you're out of breath.

Faith doesn't reply as you stand just inches from her. "I'm sorry, Faith. I never realized."

"I really don't want to talk about this, Buffy," she says, and her voice shakes as she tries to back up a few steps. You only follow her.

"I do," and you take her hand, looking up into wide, dark eyes. "It took me all of the two minutes after you left until I came to find you to realize that that was a big part of the problems between us."

She begins to pull away, and you hope like hell you can stay past her walls long enough.

"It took me less than that to realize it wasn't Satsu I wanted," Your hand cups her face, turning her gaze back to you. Her eyes are wide; more vulnerable than ever, but you know it's because this time, you're looking.

"It was you. It's always been you. God, the reason I pushed you away so hard…" You shake your head, and look back up at her. "I'm sorry it took me so long."

"Buffy, don't do this," she begs you. "Don't fuck with me like this."

A light smile curls at your lips. "I'm not. I promise, I'm not."

The kiss you share doesn't feel like the first. It feels like your mouths were puzzle pieces that finally fit together after having tried so many other wrong edges. You feel more than hear her moan as the tip of your tongue finds hers, and you smile, pulling back to end the kiss quicker than either of you wanted.

"Just one thing, though, Faith," you say, tracing her lips with your thumb.

Faith's voice is breathy when she answers. "Yeah?"

You point to the burning ember between the fingers of her other hand. "I'm not gonna kiss you again until you throw that out and promise to quit," you smirk, knowing the difficulty of your proposition.

But she smiles at you and takes a step back, hitting the cigarette once more with a daring look in her eyes as they meet yours. Then she tosses the cigarette butt off the balcony- along with her pack of cigarettes.

You laugh; partially in surprise, mostly in relief. That she thought you were good enough to give up something like that for.

Faith pulls you to her again. "Just so you know, I'm gonna be a real bitch for the next coupla days," she cups your face, the smile still across her lips.

"Oh, I'm sure it won't be the last time," you smirk. She puts her hand on her chest again and drops her jaw. You laugh and pull her closer. "But that's one of the reasons I love you, yunno."

You're pretty sure the kiss she gives you is a good enough response.

End notes: Fluffy little chapter, no?

This one was quite difficult. What with trying to think what to do for this, cleaning house, writing an essay and studying for an algebra midterm… yeeahhh, lotsa stress this week XD

Oh, and last chapter's AU is currently being fleshed out into a full-length fic. I can't promise it will be finished or finished soon, but I can tell you that I will post it in its entirety if and when it does get finished. :3 it's been super intimidating, and all I've gotten to do is write an outline so far! :P Stick around, y'all. Love the love you've been giving for this. xxx