* "So I'll sing to the mule . . ." *
"What the fuck did he just say?" Faith chortled.
" 'So I'll sing to the mule,' weren't you paying attention?"
"B, I gotta tell you this movie is wicked weird. Next time, I get to choose the movie."
Buffy rolled her eyes, and brushed her hair away from her face. "Oh, great. So we can have ANOTHER evening of you jumping up and down, shouting, 'we're gonna see some plasma!' No thanks."
"That's really unfair, B." Faith's mouth parted slightly, like she was going to say more, but then it closed. "Dude, is Kate Winslet and that chick going to . . . well, shit."
Buffy chuckled when she saw that Faith was now entranced by the action on the television. Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey, in their roles as Juliet Hulme and Pauline Parker had been prancing around in their undergarments.
Faith whistled appreciatively. "Damn, B, you know how to pick them. Are they gonna get all sapphic on us?"
"Will you just watch the freaking movie? You do this every time we go to the pictures and every time I bring a video-"
"That's because EVERY time we see a movie I want to watch or we rent something I want, you DIG your nails into my arm and you won't let me watch the friggin' movie with your, 'is she going to die? Is she? Is she? FAITH!'" Faith did a fairly decent imitation of the blonde Slayer.
Buffy punched Faith's arm. The brunette rubbed it and gave Buffy a hurt look, still grasping her arm where Buffy had hit her.
"Ow, B. That really hurt."
Faith sounded so serious that Buffy actually believed it for a moment. She scooted closer to the younger girl. "What? Are you serious? Let me see . . ."
Faith pounced on her. "Got ya, B." Faith wrapped one arm around Buffy's shoulder and gave Buffy a noogie with the other.
Buffy squealed, disentangled herself from Faith's grasp, and slapped the girl's hand in an almost maternal gesture.
Buffy sighed "I can't believe I fell for that!" she exclaimed.
"Again." Faith added.
"Again," Buffy grudgingly acknowledged.
They continued to watch the movie. "Dude, B. Kate Winslet sure looks hot after that bout with TB. It's the hair. She looks pretty fuckable with her hair sort of longish like that."
Buffy looked sort of grumpy. "You never say that about me. What is it with you and English girls lately?"
Faith glanced at her with a wrinkled nose. "Geez, B. Mellow out. It was just that one chick in that God awful 'Wuthering Heights' adaptation. I never say that you look fuckable because that's sort of a crass thing to say to a girlfri-" Faith paused. "I mean to someone I screw, uh, have sex with on a regular basis."
The blonde Slayer inwardly chuckled at Faith's renewed interest in the movie. After her fumbled explanation (Buffy thought it was endearingly cute), she had gone back to staring at the movie.
"Dude, B! They're, like, having sex!"
Buffy laughed outright at that. "Yes, my darling girl. God forbid I should force you to watch a movie without a little sex and gore in it."
"There's GORE?!" Faith asked, clearly pleased.
"Don't get so excited about it, sheesh. Didn't you read the beginning credits?"
"No, silly. I wasn't able to, you were too busy feeling me up."
Buffy blushed. "Oh, right."
Faith laughed. "So, what kind of gore are we talking about? Were you talking about the TB scene?"
Buffy shook her head. "Just watch."
The movie progressed, and Faith found herself enjoying her. She'd never admit that to Buffy however.
* "I did not tell Deborah of my plans of removing mother. I have made no decision yet, as the last fate I want to meet is one in a borstal." *
"Holy shit! They're going to kill the mother!" Faith exclaimed. Buffy glanced at Faith, the tone of her last comment had sounded peculiar. Faith looked troubled. "And what the fuck is borstal?"
She sounded normal again.
"Giles said it's a reformatory. Hey, Faith . . . you okay? You look sort of funny . . . "
"I'm not wearing any make-up," Faith responded immediately in jest, "since we're gonna go to bed soon."
"No, seriously, Faith-"
"Shhhh."
Buffy was cut off as Faith pointed to the screen.
Buffy kept glancing at Faith throughout the last portion of the movie Faith looked distressed when Honora Parker cried out after being hit with the brick.
The film ended.
Buffy wondered what the hell was making Faith look like that. It suddenly occurred to her. 'Shit! Her mother is dead and the only other maternal figure she ever had was brutally murdered, no wonder she looks so funky! Shit!'
"Faith. Faith, I'm really sorry. I forgot about how watching something like this would make you feel with your mom and you Watcher-"
Faith tensed up immediately, but ignored the words. "Jesus, B. Your hallmates have atrocious taste in music. What the fuck are they listening to that happy Alice DJ stuff for? I'm gonna tell them to shut the fuck up. Be back, yeah?"
Without another word, Faith was up and out the door.
The sound of Alice DJ was cut off abruptly. She heard some yelling in the hall, and then Faith was back.
"Uhm, B. I think I'm gonna go back to my place. You know, make myself scarce from here."
Buffy watched her closely. "Did you do something stupid just so you'd have a good reason to get out of here?"
Faith stared at her. "What would make you think that?" Then the dark-haired girl grabbed her duffel bag and left.
Buffy scratched her head in confusion, and pondered whether or not to give chase. Should she give the younger Slayer her space or prevent her from getting TOO much space?
She contemplated, and then was out the door to Faith's new motel room.
The blonde Slayer had already knocked on the door when she realised that she had nothing "good" to say.
Faith answered the door wearing a white tank top and a pair of skimpy black shorts. Her sleep attire. "B. Couldn't get enough of me, ey?"
"Faith, what happened back there?"
"You mean with those guys and their too loud stereo? I just tossed the CD out the window."
"No, I mean why did you vacate my room like you were a vamp escaping sunlight?"
Faith's lips quirked up in amusement at Buffy's ability to bring in a slaying analogy in almost any situation.
"No reason. Just wanted to sleep in my own bed tonight. Well, it's not really mine, but you know . . ."
"Did it have to do something with your mother and watcher?"
The confident smile faded, and a look of hurt and torment passed through Faith's eyes before it was replaced by a wary look that Buffy was all too familiar with. They weren't going to get anywhere tonight. But she sure as hell was going to try.
"Aren't you going to invite me in, or am I going to have to give you another lesson in etiquette?"
Faith smiled, and held the door open for the blonde to pass through.
"Hey, B. Now that you're here and all, why don't we act out a few scenes from that movie? You know the one about the saints . . ." Faith was doing her best to cut off whatever intent Buffy had in connecting.
Buffy's brain told her to say 'no,' that she had come to talk about what had bothered Faith so much, not to have sex. But Faith just looked so good standing there, looking at Buffy all expectantly. She took Faith's outstretched hand and they tumbled onto the bed. Buffy's brain cursed her for the brief second it was allowed to remain in control. Faith's brain congratulated her on avoiding yet another heavy conversation.