Chapter Text
“I’m home,” Buffy called out, throwing her keys onto the kitchen counter with a clang.
“In here,” came a reply from an adjoining room.
Buffy shrugged off her coat and hung it up next to the door. A quick scan of the kitchen revealed the makings of supper in progress on the stove, with various condiments strewn about the area.
“Hey, you’re home early,” Faith said as she entered the kitchen.
“Yeah, one of the other girls at the clinic wanted to swap shifts later in the week and I agreed.”
“Ah, I see. Well, I was gonna surprise you by making supper for when you got home, so…” Faith waved her hands out around the kitchen. “Surprise?”
“I am pleasantly surprised indeed,” Buffy chuckled. “You didn’t have to do that, Faith, but I appreciate it.” She wandered over to the stove to open the lid on one of the pots for a peek. “Whatcha makin’?”
Faith reached over and lightly smacked her hand before she could do so. “Ah ah ah, at least let me have that be a surprise.”
“Ok, ok,” Buffy said, shaking her hand a little. “No need for violence. Save it for our patrol tonight, yeah?”
“That’s tonight?” she asked, adjusting the heat on one of the stove top burners. “I thought that was tomorrow night.”
“Nope, we were out this time last week, so it’s tonight.” Buffy stepped back from the stove and crossed her arms. “It’s no big if you can’t go, it’s not like we had much to do last time after all.”
They mainly patrolled out of habit now; Willow ran the rest of the Slayers who’d become unlocked, with the assistance of Xander and the others, allowing Buffy and Faith to actually live the lives they’d been unable to have. They still felt the need to patrol occasionally, usually once per week, though a lot of the time there was nothing to be found.
“It’s not that I don’t want to go, it’s just…” Faith snapped her fingers. “How ‘bout this, you go tonight and then we can both totally rock it this weekend. Like old times, right?”
“Sure, no worries.” Buffy said with a wave of her hand. “I’m going to change before supper, shout out when it’s ready?”
“Five by five,” replied Faith with a small salute.
Buffy headed for her bedroom, which was at the end of the upstairs hallway in the split level house they rented. She passed Faith’s room along the way, peering in through the open door.
Sitting on top of her bed as an outfit, laid out and presumably ready for whatever plans Faith had for the evening. While it wasn’t anything exceptionally dressy or formal - consisting of a nice but simple top and dress pants, among other things - it was more than what was required for patrolling.
Buffy shook her head and continued to her own room, where she changed into something more comfortable and waited for supper to be ready.
-
Once supper was finished Buffy excused herself to arm up for the night’s excursion. She threw a hoodie on over her t-shirt and jeans, grabbed her usual weapons, and she was good to go.Faith volunteered to do the dishes and told her roommate she’d likely be gone by time she returned.
It was late August and still fairly warm, though there was a faint chill in the air for those sharp enough to pick up on it. Daylight was fading, and her neighbourhood was gradually becoming deserted. The small Arizona town Buffy and Faith lived in was about equidistant between Las Vegas and Phoenix, and boasted a small yet dedicated population in the low thousands. It was very different from Sunnydale, but that wasn’t a bad thing, not at all.
The months that followed the final battle with The First that destroyed Sunnydale changed Buffy’s world in more ways than one. While it meant a new future and a new life for her, for all of the Scoobies, it also felt something like a trip back in time as well. A time when things were simpler, when worrying about her homework took priority over her regularly scheduled patrols around Sunnydale.
Buffy’s cell phone rang, breaking her out of her reverie. She smiled as she saw who was calling and answered the call.
“Look who’s calling as I was just thinking about school and homework,” she said.
“Sorry, I must have the wrong number, I’m looking for my sister Buffy,” said Dawn. “Someone I’m pretty sure almost never thought about either of those things.”
“Nuh-uh,” Buffy countered. “Sometimes I did, just not all that much.” She found an empty park bench and took a seat. “How are you doing?”
“Not bad, settling in for the term.” Dawn was attending university in another state, an opportunity Buffy herself had never had. It left her feeling both good and bad; good that her little sister had far more options than she herself had, but bad that her little sister was consequently living miles away. It was what she wanted, however, and Buffy was glad that Dawn had the ability to make that choice. That’s what they’d always been fighting for after all, wasn’t it, she’d asked herself.
“As long as settling in doesn’t mean attending raging keggers and abusing recreational drugs then that’s good to hear.”
“Pfft, whatever Mom,” replied Dawn before stopping, both of them at a temporary loss for words. “So, uh, how’re things with Faith?” Dawn asked, quickly changing the subject.
“Good, good, she’s doing ok.” It had been about six months or so since Faith had moved in with Buffy. The arrangements were only supposed to be temporary but there was no real end in sight. While that was more than fine with Buffy in theory, she’d had some concerns about the other Slayer pulling her own weight.
“So she’s got a job now?”
“Well, not that good, but she’s trying,” Buffy answered. She thought back on the clothing on her bed and her skipping patrol that evening. “I think.”
“Oh.” Dawn paused again. “Well, tell her I said hi, will you?”
“Will do. Do you need anything?”
“Nah, we’re good. I just wanted to call and check in, we’ve been busy and I haven’t had a chance the last few days, that’s all.” said Dawn.
“Ok, thanks for letting me know then,” Buffy said. “I’ll let you get back to it, I’m on patrol now anyway.”
“You still do that?” Dawn asked. “I mean, I can see how it’d be second nature now but… you don’t really need to, right?”
“I know, it’s a force of habit.” She chuckled and shook her head. “Either way, I’ll call you sometime this weekend, ok?”
“Sounds good. Love you, be careful!”
“Love you too, bye.” Buffy slid the phone back into her pocket after hanging up, then got back to her feet.
As she got closer to the park exit, she looked across the street and caught sight of a group of people entering a nearby large building. They were laughing and talking amongst themselves, with one of the men holding open the entrance door for the others, one of whom was Faith.
Buffy waited until they had all entered and were out of sight before walking closer and taking a better look at the building. There was a large series of signs along its front, and it appeared to be a mini mall filled with various businesses and offices. One sign in particular caught her eye: Larry’s Pub.
She sighed and turned around, any and all motivation to continue her patrol having evaporated. Instead she went back home, got into her pyjamas, popped some popcorn and watched some bad television before calling it an early night. Faith, true to her word, hadn’t returned home by the time she went to bed.
-
The next morning Buffy woke up to the smell of something sweet wafting in from the kitchen. She yawned and sat up, stretching for a minute before slipping into her slippers and wandering out to see what was up.
“Mornin’, sunshine.” Faith was at the stove again, making something else. Buffy couldn’t see quite what from her vantage point so she rubbed her eyes and walked closer.
“Heya, you’re up early. I presume,” she added, not really knowing what time her roommate came home exactly. “Or has it just been like a really, really long night?”
Faith chuckled and turned to work at the stove again, then reached over for a plate that sat next to it. “Nah, I wasn’t out all that late, just wanted to make up for missing out last night is all.” She turned back to Buffy and placed a plate on the table. “You like crepes, right?”
The plate was full of a huge crepe, complete with hazelnut spreading both on top of it and oozing out, with pieces of banana sprinkled about.
“Oh wow. Yes, yes I do,” said Buffy, pulling out a chair and sitting in front of the proffered food without taking her eyes off of the plate. Faith had already placed a fork and knife on the table, and she returned with a cup of coffee as well, sliding it next to the plate. “You really didn’t have to do this, Faith, but damn. Thanks.”
“No worries. It’s something I wanted to try, so I figured why not make one for you as well, right?” Faith returned to the stove to finish the one she was making for herself.
After a couple of forkfuls, Buffy pondered whether to bring up seeing her last night. “So, you had a good night, I take it?”
Faith shrugged, glancing over her shoulder as she worked. “Eh, it was ok, nothing special.”
“Go anywhere fun?”
“Just out with a few friends, y’know?” Faith took a plate and served up her own crepe, adding some fresh fruit and more hazelnut spread before sitting across the table from Buffy. “No big.”
“No big, yeah.” Since no real answer was apparently forthcoming Buffy decided to let it go for now. Taking another mouthful of deliciousness, she glanced at the clock and then sighed. “I better get a move on soon, working again this morning. Tomorrow’s payday at least, which is good, rent being due in a few days and all.” She watched Faith to see if that’d get any reaction from her.
“Yeah, that’s right,” Faith replied. “I’ll get you some money before then, promise. I’m due to get some before then.”
“So… you’ve got a job, then?” asked Buffy, forking another piece of crepe and swirling it around in some of the excess hazelnut spread.
“Not exactly, but…” Faith sighed. “I’ll get you some, Buff, don’t worry, ok?”
“Ok, sorry, I just…” She finished the last bit of her crepe and pushed the plate away a little. “We can talk later when I get home if you want, right now I need to hop in the shower.”
“Alright, sure. Have a good one.” Faith gave her a small tight smile, taking the empty plate and bringing it over to the sink. Buffy headed for the washroom with the remnants of her coffee in her head, sipping it on the way.
-
When she got home from work, Faith was waiting for her inside the living room, clutching an envelope in her hand. She waved for Buffy to come join her as soon as she came in.
“Hey there, what’s up?” Buffy asked, plopping down in one of the couches across from Faith.
“Got some big news for you, B.” She grinned and handed the envelope over to her, and Buffy stretched out to take it from her hand. It seemed too thin for cash, she figured; maybe it was a cheque?
Buffy opened it and frowned as she removed and saw its contents. It was an invitation of some sort, which wasn’t what she’d been expecting at all.
“So? Are you gonna come or what?” asked Faith.
“To what, exactly?” Buffy read the invitation more closely. “Wait, this is for a school? You’re not going to someone’s prom or something, are you?” She looked at Faith with a wide eyed stare.
“What? No, what the hell, Buffy?” Faith laughed. “What kinda creeper do you take me for, exactly? It’s for… well, it’s for my school.” She reached over and tapped the top of the invitation to point it out. “I’ve been going there since shortly after I started staying here with you.”
Buffy reread the header, which was a logo for an Adult Basic Education school. The address looked familiar too, and she quickly realized that the school was located in the same building she’d seen Faith enter the other evening.
“Yeah, that’s where I’ve been going most nights. I just didn’t want to tell you because, well, y’know.” Faith shrugged, resting her hands in her lap and looking down at the floor.
“Oh. Oh, so that’s…” Buffy reached out and put her hand over Faith’s. “I’m sorry, Faith, I didn’t know.” She felt terrible for thinking her roommate wasn’t getting a job because she’d been too busy partying and wasting her time, and here she was out trying to upgrade her education.
“And I didn’t want to tell you, I was too ashamed, I guess.” Faith shrugged, still looking down but not pulling her hands away. “I mean, I didn’t exactly have perfect attendance before the whole Slayer thing, and since then, well.”
“No, I understand, Faith,” Buffy replied. “I just never thought that’s where you were going. If I’d have known, I’d…”
“You’d what, offered to help me with my homework?” joked Faith. “It’s all good, Buffy. And now that I’ve got my GED I’ve applied for trade school and just got accepted. I’ve got funding for it and everything, which is how I’m planning to pay you back for all the rent and groceries and things you’ve been paying.”
“From your tuition? Oh no, Faith, you don’t have to do that -” Buffy started.
“I want to pay my part, B, seriously,” interjected Faith. “That’s part of why I’m doing this, I’m not a freeloader.” She pulled her hands away and got to her feet, crossing her arms and walking over to the living room window and looking out onto the street below.
Buffy got up and followed her, unsure of what to say. Instead she reached out and gently put one hand on her shoulder, staying there like that for a few moments.
“You’re not a freeloader. You just needed a place to stay, and I was more than happy to have you here, Faith. Still am, even.”
Faith didn’t reply, but she did reach up with one of her own hands, placing it on top of Buffy’s. If Buffy didn’t know better she might’ve thought the other Slayer was crying, or trying not to, but she wasn’t about to say anything about it.
“Hey, I’ll totally come to your grad. Of course I will.” She squeezed Faith’s shoulder before stepping back, sliding her hand out from under Faith’s to go look at the invitation again. “Yup, I’m definitely free for this. I’ll be there with bells on. Hell, I’ll even go out and get actual bells to wear if that’s what you want, though I don’t know if that’d go over well now that I think about it. It’d be noisey, yeah? And there’s probably, like, parts of the ceremony where you have to be quiet, so no bells.”
Faith wiped her face before turning around, grinning at Buffy once she did. “Just shut up and tell me you’re going, will ya?”
“I’m going.” Buffy smiled. “Without bells, just so we’re clear.” She gave Faith a hug, and was a little surprised at how tight she was being hugged back. It was nice, though; warm and soft, not things she normally associated with Faith, but pleasantly surprising.
“Oh, hey,” asked Buffy, pulling back from the hug. “You didn’t say what you’re going to be studying in trade school.”
“Baking, believe it or not,” Faith answered. “That’s why I’ve been trying to cook more often and make breakfast and all that.” She paused, looking skyward for a beat. “Well, that and trying to make things up to you.”
“Ahh, now it all makes sense,” chuckled Buffy. “You’re great at it already, so I can only say I look forward to whatever else you learn in the near future.” As if on cue, her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn’t had supper yet. “And on that note, we’re going out for supper to celebrate, my treat. I insist,” she added, finger raised to cut off any argument.
“Alright, alright, how can I say no to that?” Faith raised her hands, knowing better than to argue with Buffy.
“Perfect. You pick out the place while I go and get changed.” Buffy nodded and then headed to her bedroom, feeling a lot better about things - and Faith - than she had in a long time.