The Road Not Travelled

TITLE: The Road Not Travelled AUTHOR: Midknight CHAPTER: 2 of ? FANDOM: Buffy the Vampire Slayer SHIP: Xander / Faith RATING: NC-17 CATEGORY: Romance and Erotica SPOILERS: A couple, Season Three SYNOPSIS: What could have happened if Faith hadn't simply kicked Xander out of her room once she was done with him in the episode Zeppo DISCLAIMER: None of these characters belong to me. They belong to Josh Wedon and whoever else does. I pay homage to them and I make no profit from this story in any fashion, way or means. AUTHORS NOTE: I apologize before hand and hope you will forgive any errors or blatant discrepancies. FEEDBACK: Yes Please. It helps. It really, really helps. - midknight_tales@yahoo.com Chapter Two - The Date Sunnydale, Faith's Motel Room, Early Evening She stepped out of the shower and wrapped her slightly threadbare towel around herself. She wiped the mirror clear of the condensation that frosted it and looked at her reflection. She raked her dark hair back and out of her face. She hoped it had enough time to dry properly before he arrived to pick her up. She searched the eyes that looked back at her from the mirrored surface. She was nervous. The last thing to make her this nervous was an ancient vampire, a ruthless killer who had followed her to Sunnydale and she had faced the spawn of hell without batting an eyelid, but here she was almost close to vomiting with anxiety over a date with Xander Harris. She'd dipped into her rainy day fund and bought a dress. It was simple white, satiny, slip dress with a very pale lilac pattern on it and thin shoulder straps that showed a modest amount of cleavage and a fair amount of back. She had found herself, for the first time looking at dresses in shop windows and wondering what it would feel like to wear them and privately, what Xander would think of her in them. She also started looking at the price tags, which was a shock all on its own. She also bought a pair of sandals, simple, and white to match her dress. She thought that was a mistake. She thought her feet looked ugly as she wriggled her toes in them, they were just so pale, but she had to admit, her usual boots just didn't work with the dress. Faith briskly dried her hair, looking at her clothes where she had neatly laid them out on her bed and then glanced up at the clock. She still had about three quarters of an hour before he was due to pick her up. It had been five days since he'd spent the night and they'd shared a couple of lunches and a few patrols. She'd thought they'd be going at it like rabbits, hell she wanted them to go at it like rabbits, but they ended up talking instead. They made out a little first, but he always put on the breaks before it really got serious or too fun. At first, it really irritated her and she thought he was messing with her, playing games and teasing her, but after a while she realized he was just taking it slow, spending time with her in order to get to know her and for her to get to know him. It was a new experience for her. They hadn't told any of the others. The secret was a little thrilling and also the source of awkwardness. She had become very comfortable and easy with Xander and he with her, but when around the rest of the Scoobies she had to be very aware of her actions and behavior. She couldn't just sit in his lap or touch him or speak of the things they had shared with each other without having to explain. She noticed Willow giving them searching glances and she wondered if, maybe, Xander had told his oldest friend despite their agreement not to tell anyone until they knew where, if anywhere at all, their relationship was going. She doubted it though. She trusted Xander to keep his word. 'Relationship' and 'Trust', the word reverberated in her mind, alien concepts that she was suddenly associating with a person, a guy who was stirring these strange feelings inside. She had found herself on more than one occasion simply sitting on the edge of her bed trying to process and sort out the sequence of events, which had led her to these strange discoveries. They had set this date, before he left her that morning, four days ago, after one of the most satisfying nights and most refreshing sleep, she'd ever had. Waking up in his arms, snuggled against the slow rise and fall of his chest had been a little shocking and a touch confusing until the cobwebs of sleep were blown away and her memory of what had transpired returned. He must have felt her tense against him, because the rhythm of his breathing changed and looking up she had found him blinking the sleep from his eyes. "Good morning." He greeted her and placed a light kiss on her forehead. "Morning." She replied trying to remain calm while her mind ran a mile a minute. This thing between them was so new and tenuous, and she was sure it would not stand the test of being looked at in the clear light of day. She kept waiting for the excuses, for the denials and rationalizations that were bound to come, but instead his arms just tightened slightly around her, enveloping her in their warmth and strength and she had surrendered to them, simply relaxing as they lay together. The following night, and every one since, after much tossing and turning, she had arranged the pillow in such a way as to have something to drape her leg over and hug to her chest. Her bed suddenly felt empty and it made it strangely hard to sleep. She felt him stir against her thigh, sliding against her skin as he twitched and hardened. "Well good morning to you too." She told him, reaching under the covers and wrapping her hand around his growing member. "He looked a little flustered. "Sorry about that. Never woke up with a beautiful, naked girls in my arms before." He apologized. She let out a throaty laugh. "Absolutely no need to be sorry, X." she told him as she slowly started to stroke his length. He groaned and his hips shifted, pressing into her fist, throbbing against her grip. She tilted her head up invitingly, and he lowered his to kiss her. She broke the kiss, grinning at him as he thrust into her hand. "Why don't I take care of your little problem and then you won't have anything to be sorry about? She suggested and before he could say anything, she slipped from his arms and dove under the covers. "Faith?" he called her name in confusion and then she heard him gasp as she wrapped her lips around the head of his cock and sucked it into her mouth. He smelled kind of funky, but not bad, a mixture of sweat, sex and heat. She could still taste herself on him as she worked her mouth down his cock, sliding her lips along his smooth skin and swirling her tongue in a wet caress. Early morning sunlight bathed her as he drew back the covers. She flicked her eyes up, and through a gap in the curtain of her tumbled mass of dark hair, found him looking down at her. His expression spoke of awe and wonder. She continues to work her mouth down his cock, steadying her breathing through her nose and when he hit the back of her throat she changes her angle slightly to let him slide into the tight confines of his throat and bury her nose in the dark curls of his pubes. She swallowed and hollowed her cheeks as she sucked at him and she heard him exclaim her name as her throat massaged his cock. She slowly dragged her lips back up his length and then simply nursed at his head, sucking at it and swirling her tongue over its smooth surface. Gentle, trembling hands drew her hair out of her face as his cock twitched heavily in her mouth and the hand she had wrapped around its base. "Christ, I've never felt anything like that before, that feels amazing." He told her on a heavy breath. She could see his chest heaving with the effort of control his breathing and keeping his hips still. It suddenly occurred to her that this could most likely be his first blowjob. She lifted her mouth off his cock, giving it a soft kiss. "No one has done that for you before, have they?" she asked softly. He simply shook his head in answer. "Just relax, and enjoy." She told him and took him back into her mouth. He groans loudly as she sucks him deeper into her mouth and then back into her throat. She feels his hands clench slightly on her head and then relax as she works his cock with her throat, before starting to bob her head, and fuck him with her mouth. She can feel shudders going through his body as she runs her tightly sealed lips up and down the smooth, but hard flesh of his throbbing manhood. His fingers have wormed their way deeper into her hair and strong fingertip start to massage her scalp, whether by design or a tensing in response to the rhythm of her sucking mouth she doesn't know, but it feels good. He looses the battle to keep his hips still and he starts to buck and undulate, but she adapts her rhythm and pace to let him thrust into her mouth and throat. Words of praise and encouragement float down to her in a strained voice and she feels a small thrill of surprise when he tells her how beautiful and amazing she is, and not just how good her mouth feels on his cock. She kneads his thigh with one hand and uses the other to gently, firmly fondle his balls. "Oh shit. Faith... Faith, stop! You have to... stop! I'm gonna. I can't... I'm going to cum!" he nearly wails and his hands tighten in her hair, trying to stop her movement and pull her off him at the same time. She lets him, and then locks her lips tight, just behind the flare of his dick head, and sucks hard several times in quick succession, while at the same time massaging his balls. He sought of tugs at her head, but she doesn't budge. "Oh Fuck!!!" he exclaims and she feels him jerk in her mouth and then expand slightly before pulsing and firing heavy spurts of his seed into her mouth. He grunts with each heavy spurt and she eventually has to swallow when he fills her mouth. His semen tastes just a little sweet and salty, and she finds it quite pleasant. His whole body had tensed when he came and slowly starts to relax as the intensity and volume of his ejaculations start to taper. She continues to suck lightly at him, making his hips jerk and his cock slide slightly along her tongue. She hadn't realized he had sat up, but he lets go of her head and drops back onto the bed with a heavy, slow exhalation and with a last hard application of suction that makes his breath hitch, she releases his cock from her mouth. She savors the taste and texture of his seed in her mouth. She looks up and catches his wide, slightly dazed looking eyes before slowly and loudly swallowing it. He blinks slowly and she smiles up at him and then uses the tip of her tongue to collect the lost dollop of his jism that has welled up out of his slit. She feels a shiver go through him at her touch. His strong hands grip her shoulders and then he is pulling her up along his body. She realizes his intent when her face nears his and it is her turn to balk and attempt to stop him. She can still taste his cum in her mouth and she knows he will too. She tries to explain, but her words are silenced as his lips connecting with hers. His strong hands gathering her to him and she continues to protest, feebly, as his tongue insistently probes between her lips and eventually braches her defenses. No one has ever kissed her after she has sucked him off, much less with such hunger or passion and she melts into the kiss. She keeps waiting for him to realize what he is tasting and pull away with disgust, but instead his head shifts and he deepens the kiss. His arms are warm around her, his hands just resting on the small of her back and the upper curve of her buttocks, her breasts flattening against the hard planes of his broad chest. He broke the kiss, only when breathing becomes an issue, and she felt herself reluctant to relinquish it. He slides a hand up her back and then uses it to brush stray curls of her hair out of her face. "No one's ever kissed me, after..." she stated, flicking her eyes down to his saliva coated cock, which she notices is still at half mast, to indicate what "after" meant. "A morning of firsts, then." He comments without the slightest hint of his usual flippancy. She lowered her head to his chest, relaxing to the steady rise and fall of it and the beat of his heart, relaxing into a half-dose in the warm, silent comfort. To keep, their little secret, they were going to drive to the next town, about an hour or so up the coast, for dinner and a movie, he'd even promised ice cream. She looked at her choice of clothing the dress and sandals were new the plain white cotton panties and bra was not. She wished she had sexier underwear, but her idea of sexy in terms of underwear had simply been not to wear any at all. She moisturized her arms and legs and got dressed. She looked at herself in the mirror on top of her dresser and smoothed the dress down over her hips and front. It made her look strangely feminine and a lot younger than she felt. She tried to adjust the straps of the dress to hide the straps of her bra without much success and her hair was still a wild mess from being towel dried. She considered taking off the bra. She didn't particularly like wearing one in the first place, but had felt that it wouldn't be proper. "I should have chosen a dress with thicker shoulder-straps." She berated herself as she took a brush to her unruly hair. She also wished she had picked up some make-up. The shades of lipstick and nail varnish she normally wore, just didn't go with the look she wanted. They were too bright, too garish, so she was going with out. She also wished she had some jewelry, just something simple to wear around her neck or some earrings. She felt naked and ugly, but it was too late now. She could still make a run for it. Slide into her trademark leather pants, tank top and boots and go hide out in the cemetery. She'd leave him a note explaining something had come up. This was Sunnydale after all, it was plausible enough. The plan had flaws, obviously. She couldn't hide forever and she couldn't leave. She didn't have anywhere to go and the strange little group that surrounded Buffy was quickly becoming the closest thing to family she had ever had, even with her Watcher. She just kept brushing her hair, letting the feel of it and the rhythmic hissing sound slowly calm and steady her nerves. Still, she jumped slightly, at the knock at her door. "Coming!" she shouted, loud enough for him to hear through the paper thin motel door and put down her brush after a few quick styling strokes. Her hand only trembled slightly and stopped once she set the brush down. She grabbed her denim jacket and headed for the door. The lady at the store where she had bought the dress and sandals had also offered her a light sweater, in pale pink, to go with the ensemble, but she'd refused, there were some lines she just wasn't ready to cross yet. She opened the door and saw his face light up. "Wow! Faith you look... You look, um nice." He told her. She had the distinct feeling he had wanted to say something else, but had changed his mind. "You clean up nice too." She complimented him in return. He was dressed in jeans, but with a plain white shirt and a dark brown sport coat that matched his shoes and belt. He was clean-shaven and his hair was neatly combed, the epitome of the respectable boy next door, and she was going on a date with him. Faith valiantly fought down the urge to start laughing hysterically. "Are you ready to go?" he asked and she nearly replied: " I'm always ready to go." Her meaning quite different from his intended question, but caught herself and simply nodded with a smile. She locked her door and when she reached his car, he held the door open for her with a gallant ushering gesture. "Goof ball." She accused him with a soft, bright tinkle of laughter that sounded so unlike her it was startling. "At your service." He countered with a bow that made her laugh again. He rushed around and got into the driver's seat. In, the few moments it took him to do so, Faith realized something. She might be a little nervous, even a little afraid if she was honest, but she was also happy, a happy that had nothing to do with killing something, and what's more she liked it. He started to put the key in the ignition and then stopped and turned to her. She looked at him questioningly. "Sorry, I almost forgot something." He said reaching into the inner pocket o his jacket. "I didn't take you for a flowers kind of girl and chocolates, well, just too corny, so... I got you this. It isn't much, but I hope you like it." He continued and placed a small, flat brown paper package, tied with a pink ribbon in her hand. She looked at him as if he were speaking Greek. "Faith?" he queried with a frown. "What?" she asked slowly and quietly, closing her hand around the package, just to feel if it was really real. "This is the part where you open it and tell me how lame it is." He prompted. "Oh." She acknowledge in the same quiet voice. She opened her hand and careful undid the ribbon and unfolded the paper and lifted what she found from its concealment. It was a thin silver chain with small silver pendent in the shape of an alligator and she stared at it, mesmerized as she dangled it in front of her face. "I saw it and thought of you for some reason. I don't know how much actual silver is in there, so don't go trying to strangle any werewolves with it or anything." He informed her and she turned her attention to him. He actually made a little squeak of surprise as she lunged for him and before she pressed her lips to his in an enthusiastic kiss and a warm embrace. His wide eyes relaxed and he returned the kiss, tilting his head to accommodate her better. After a few minutes she lightened the kiss and finally broke it with one last slow touch of her lips to his. "It's very lame. Thank you, Xander. I love it." She told him, running the tip of her tongue lightly over her lower lip. "Now, would put it on me. Please" She requested, handing him the chain and turning while lifting her hair away from her neck. He seemed to be a little stunned at the intensity of he reaction, but he drew the chain around her neck and fastened it. The little pendant slid against her skin and then settled just above her cleavage as she lowered her hair. "I have nothing to give you." She said suddenly in a worried voice and his lips quirked into a smile. "It doesn't work that way, Faith. Although, I wouldn't call that kiss nothing. No Sir-ree." He corrected her and she smiled back. "Now, let's go. Our dinner reservations are at six and the movie starts at eight thirty." He informed her and started the car. She felt strangely self conscious as they drove through Sunnydale with the top down, but it was a beautiful, warm evening and the wind across her arm as it rested on the car door and through her hair as they hit the highway felt good and she relaxed back into the seat. They spoke of easy, inconsequential things and laughed often. She caught herself playing with the pendant he had given her, just holding it between her fingertips or sliding it over her skin, feeling the little ridges and valleys that made up the little alligator. She didn't know the name of the town and didn't really care, but it did look quite quaint as they drove down its main street and parked in front of a restaurant called Alfredo's. Then again, Sunnydale looked quaint if you didn't know what lie beneath the surface. He held the door for her both to exit the car and to enter the restaurant. She was used to getting attention, but just not this kind. It made her feel nervous and left a butterfly flitter in her stomach along with strangely comforting warmth. They were seated and after only a small panic over the wine list, which she solved by ordering them Heineken's. She was kind of impressed; the waiter didn't even card them. They enjoyed a good meal, chatting between mouthfuls. Somehow the conversation turned to childhoods and parents and for the first time Faith felt a little uncomfortable around Xander. The were venturing into territory she had taken great pains to forget and she liked it that way, but after a few minutes she found that she and Xander had a lot more in common than she had ever expected. She didn't furnish him with many details, but she wasn't as evasive as she had been in the past. She, like him, was an only child. Unlike him, she never knew her father. "I'd almost trade you on that." He told her and she shrugged. His parents were drunks like her mother and that made for some pretty dismal formative years. "My mom wasn't bad, she really tried." Faith mused out loud, only adding in her head: "To stay as drunk or high as possible to forget I existed." He told her how he once stayed with Willow for nearly two months when he was eight before his parents realized he was missing. "This is a little depressing. Why don't we speak of more exciting things?" she noted and he nodded. "So, speaking of Willow... You and her have never done the horizontal mambo, right? Why's that?" she asked, finding the way his eyes widened in shock and he nearly choked on the mouthful of beer he had just swallow, amusingly cute. "Errrr... mmmmm. We... She's my best friend. I've known her forever. It would be... I mean... it would be like... like doing it with my sister." He answered and she noticed he couldn't quite meet her eyes and she made some conclusions. "A spitfire of a hot, sexy, red headed sister, for sure. C'mon level with me. You've thought about it, though?" she coaxed. She saw a haunted look creep into his eyes and she immediately felt sorry for touching on something that obviously pained him while she had been simply trying to amuse herself at his expense. This was also new to her. She regretted very few things, felt guilty about almost none and now she was both. She reached across the table and laid her hand over his. "Sorry. My curiosity and smart mouth sometimes gets the better of my good sense and manners. Forget I ever even brought it up." She apologized. "You have good sense?" he asked his smile returning to warm his eyes. "Oh ha ha ha." She responded. "We, me and Willow, had a moment of craziness." He started. "You don't have to..." she tried to interrupt, but he shushed her. "It just happened. We just suddenly found how great it was to kiss. We tried to deny it, but it escalated and we almost, how id you put it? Did the horizontal mambo. We were caught before we went that far and we ended up hurting some people, one of them literally. It nearly ended willow and Oz, and it could have ended our friendship too." He explained softly, almost more to himself than to her. He seemed to pull himself out of his thoughts after a moment as he straightened in his chair. "Let's go catch that movie." He proposed and she nodded. He paid the cheque and walked across the street to the theatre. They ended up watching some romantic comedy; she didn't catch the title of. It was funny and light and she simply relaxed and laughed as they shared a large tub of popcorn. She saved him the clichŽd yawn maneuver by draping his arm over her shoulders and snuggling into the crook of his arm. Then, after a moment's consideration, she shifted his hand until it lay warmly against the side of her breast. It took him a moment or two, but he caught the hint and lightly cupped her, not quite a fondle, but a nice comfortable warmth and pressure. She smiled up at him and then they shared a quick kiss before returning their attention to the movie. He did not, however, remove his hand. She felt like such a girl, and it wasn't half bad. It was kind of fun to play at being normal. To, just for a night, forget that she was a Slayer and about the dark, dangerous world that she battled. And, Xander was giving her that night. No matter what happened between them, she knew, she would always be grateful to him for that. The movie ended and the credits began to roll, but neither of them made a move to rise as the cinema slowly emptied. "We should go." He suggested lazily. "Yes. You still owe me some ice-cream." She agreed, toying with his fingers where they lay warmly over her breast. Wordlessly they savored their comfortable connection for a few more moments and then they slowly got up and he led her from the theatre. TO BE CONTINUED