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The first time Faith comes home muttering to herself and clutching her shoulder, Buffy doesn't think much of it beyond making sure she's okay. They are Slayers, after all; bumps and bruises come with the job and, even with all the junior Slayers running around, the 'Chosen Two' still get more than their fair share.
The second time Faith comes lumbering in out of the cold - this time with a limp - Buffy is a little more concerned. Mostly because, yes, injuries happen but it isn't like Faith to be careless and two injuries inside a week seems more careless than coincidence. But Faith insists she's fine, that she just landed wrong during a fight, and Buffy has no reason not to trust her so she lets the matter drop.
The third time it happens, with Faith clutching her still-bleeding nose as she stumbles in through the front door, has Buffy officially relocating from the Land of Concern™ to Suspicion Island™. Because Faith is not careless or clumsy, she's finesse and ferocity; she's a Slayer, for god's sake. And it would be different, maybe, if they were still teenagers with no one but each other to rely on but it isn't like that anymore so three injuries inside of two weeks? Injuries that only seem to happen during 'spontaneous solo patrols'? That's beyond odd, beyond coincidence; that is a pattern, one that Buffy is determined to figure out.
Which is why the next time Faith kisses her and says she's going out for a little 'solo action' Buffy waits about a minute and a half before she, too, is out the door.
It's cold. They've been here for two years and Buffy, California-girl that she is, still isn't used to how downright frigid Cleveland gets. But as Faith veers away from both graveyards and clubs and towards who knows where, Buffy tells herself the frostbite will be worth it as long as she discovers what's going on.
Faith's steps are quick and sure, boots clomping loudly in the snow, and Buffy is sort of annoyed with how much she wants to give up the game just so she can walk next to her and hold her hand. Because, whatever's going on, Buffy knows it isn't bad. It's a secret, apparently, but not a bad one. Because Faith isn't like that anymore and, if she was involved in something dangerous, if she was in over her head, she'd tell her. Because there's nothing they can't take down if they do it together and they both know it. It took them a long time to figure that out, maybe, but they got there eventually.
The snow is stupidly thick and Buffy nearly gets caught two dozen times and then they're surrounded by trees. Which is weird for a lot of reasons but mostly because Faith is a self-proclaimed city girl with no love lost for any and all things green and growing. But, as it turns out, that's not actually the weirdest part because, in the center of all the trees, there's a pond. A frozen pond. And apparently that's where they've been headed all along because Faith makes a sound of victory in the back of her throat when she gets there and tosses her bag down in the snow before dropping down beside it.
Buffy hides behind a tree and watches with wide eyes as Faith digs around in said bag until she produces what has to be, hands down, the most surprising thing of the night: ice skates. Old and, no doubt, in need of sharpening, but clearly taken care of, if the way Faith carefully replaces her boots with them is any indication.
And, oh, she wants to run out right now and tackle her down into the snow because this is exciting and also sort of adorable and, while Faith is nearly always the former she is rarely so obviously the latter and Buffy wants a front row seat for it. But something makes her stay, watching from behind her tree, as Faith stands and makes her way across the pond.
She's not bad. A little wobbly during turns, maybe, but her stride is smooth and confident, like she's been doing this for a long time. When she does a little jump, landing clean, Buffy knows she's right. But, if this isn't a new hobby, then...why? Why hide it? Ice-skating isn't exactly in line with the bad-ass persona Faith prides herself on but they know each other too well and for too long for that to work on Buffy. Besides, Buffy loves ice-skating and-
Wait. Buffy loves ice-skating. At least once a year she drags at least one person to the Ice Capades with her - which means, for the last two years, she's dragged Faith - she's always trying to convince someone to go to the rink with her, and she's borderline fanatical about DVR'ing the Winter Olympic skaters. So, why would Faith hide this from her?
Only one answer makes sense. Faith isn't hiding; she's surprising. And Buffy refuses to ruin it.
Matching her incoming footsteps with care, Buffy risks a look over her shoulder as Faith lands another little jump and lets out a clearly involuntary whoop of joy, smile wide and cheeks flushed with pride. And Buffy feels her heart swell and her own lips curl up to match and she hurries away as quickly as the snow will allow because if she doesn't get out of here she's gonna ruin the surprise for sure.
She's not the patient sort, she knows this, but she's gonna make sure Faith gets to do this in her own time. So, just that once, Buffy can wait to be surprised.