Saviors 4
Our lips touched.
‘Oh my god.’
I gasped in surprise and jerked my head back, slamming it painfully into the tree. Upon contact I gasped again, this time in profound pain.
"Oh… Are you.. ok..?" Even with my eyes shut tight I could hear the snicker in her voice.
"Suuuure.. just fine.. Except for the splinters in my brain." I shook my head trying to clear it.
Buffy reached up and rubbed the back of my head gently, her fingertips moving lightly over the newly bruised area. "Awww… I’m sorry. I…" She grinned. "Didn’t mean to cause that."
Still slightly in shock, though the pain dispelled some of it, "Why.. did you…?"
She smiled again, this time a soft, shy smile. "Because I wanted to?"
I had extreme feelings of deja vu. "You mean.. What I said… You don’t.. hate me now?" She shook her head. I just gaped. In all my wild imaginings I had never imagined it could be this simple. There just *had* to be a catch.
Her hand was still on the back of my head, but it was more of a caress than anything. Her fingers ran through my hair, sending chills up my spine. She noticed the shiver and misunderstood the reasons.
"Lets get out of the night air." She took my hand. "Lets go back to my house and talk."
Or maybe she understood all too well.
My heart hammered in my throat as I laced my fingers with hers and nodded. "Alright." With a gentle tug she pulled me away from the tree and headed down the street. We didn’t speak, content for the moment to revel in our newly discovered emotions. My mind kept shouting "Yippeeeee" at the top of its lungs. Once in a while I’d catch her looking at me out of the corner of her eye. When I’d turn to her, she’d give that sweet smile and my heart would lurch. The moonlight lit up her hair and the stars danced in her eyes.
I couldn’t stop myself even if I’d wanted to. "You are beautiful."
Her smile got bigger as she ducked her head, a blush rising to her cheeks. After a moment she looked back up. "Only half as beautiful as you." She stopped for a second, waited until I turned to face her, and brushed her lips across mine again.
It was enough to almost roll my eyes back in their sockets, and more than enough to cause a soft whimper to escape my lips. I found myself leaning forward, pressing against her lightly. Her hands slipped around my waist and pulled me closer. My lips began to part…
An approaching car split us apart.
We just stared at each other for several minutes. Our eyes were at half mast, bodies charged with tension and energy as we both gasped for air and control.
"House.. mine.. walk.. we.. go.. now" She spoke slowly, trying to regain a focus beyond what had just happened.
I nodded. "Agree.. I.. do.." I winked. She chuckled and we resumed our walk.
At a much faster pace.
Upon reaching her house, she climbed up the tree, and called down advice on the best way to do it when my turn came. Soon enough I was standing in her room. Without a clue what to say next.
"Want something to drink?" She was standing near the door. "I’m going to grab a soda so its no bother…" I shook my head smiling.
"I’m fine. Thank you, though."
She grinned at me and slipped out the door quietly. I let my breath out, unaware that I’d been half holding it in until that moment. Inhaling I memorized every second of the walk here. The kiss, the way she looked, how her fingers caressed mine subconsciously. Standing in her room I breathed in the scent of her. Her perfume lingered in the air and I made sure I never forgot it.
I was startled when a hand touched my shoulder. I spun around, a half cry on my lips that was quickly ended when I saw it was only Buffy.
"Good gods, you scared the life out of me!"
She chuckled. "I’m sorry. My bad." Moving to the bed, she sat down at the head of it, kicking off her shoes and curling her legs under her. Taking a drink off her can, she pointed at the foot of the bed.
I followed her lead and was soon curled up and waiting for whatever was going to happen next. I watched as her eyes darted around the room, looking everywhere but me. I knew the urge. Only the fact that she couldn’t look at me made it able for me to even look in her direction.
Finally I couldn’t take it anymore. "I guess.. I should.. Explain." That did it. Her baby blues locked onto me and my gaze did its best to escape. I squirmed slightly as she nodded. "Alright.. Where…to begin.."
She chuckled. "There really is no easy place for this to start, is there?" She thought a moment. "Alright.. I have it." The shy smile was back. Her voice was soft. "Tell me what you told me before."
I looked up, startled. ‘Repeat it?? She nuts?’ I swallowed heavily.
"Please?"
With that one word, I was defeated. I sat up and faced her. "I… Love you." And had no idea where to go from there.
She had no such difficulties. "How do you know?"
Blinking, I stammered. "I.. just.. know.."
"Alright.. When did you know?"
That made me think. "Honestly, I don’t know.. I know I really liked you when you first transferred in. Thought you were cute." I flushed slightly at how childish that sounded. "And.. as we got to know each other.. As I found out how.." I floundered, looking for the right words. "Great.. terrific.. outstanding you are…." Her face flushed deeper with every praise I said. "It was easy."
She was silent a moment, drinking that in and processing it.
I gave her a minute or so then asked my own question. "Why did you.. kiss me?"
She grinned at me. "Like I said. I wanted to."
I rolled my eyes and lightly swatted her knee. "Ok.. Why did you *want* to kiss me?"
She chuckled then grew serious as she thought. "Because I realized.. That what I was feeling.. Was returned. That it wasn’t just me. That I didn’t have to.. hide it anymore."
I was taken aback. She’d obviously given this more thought than I’d first imagined. "Then when did you.. first know?"
"The night of the.. attack." She said the words hurriedly. I felt a twinge but quickly suppressed it. I wasn’t going to let the memory itself bring me down now. I nodded to show her it was ok to go on, unconsciously shifting forward as I did so.
She reached out to brush a stray lock of hair from my eyes.
"That night… I stayed with you."
I frowned. "I don’t remember that."
She smiled slightly. "You passed out right as we entered your room. I took off your shoes, tucked you under the covers and started to stand. But.. You grabbed my hand, your eyes open but not focused, and begged me not to leave. You were afraid… And needed me." She started to lean forward but caught herself. "How could I have left? So I told Cordy to take Xander home, I was staying."
She blushed slightly. "I locked the house up, came back up to your room, and held you all night. Quieted you when you started to toss and turn.. made sure you were ok. As I lay there, before I fell asleep, I realized what had been growing in me the last months. That, as far as I understood the emotion, I loved you. Which is why…." She stopped herself.
I finished for her. "Why I was attacked. To hurt you."
She nodded. "He must have known how I felt. I must have been more obvious than I ever thought I was. I know he watches me, even when I can’t sense him. Maybe.. Maybe I let myself look at you too long in the Bronze. Made it too plain in my eyes.. I don’t know." She started rambling as she tried to explain herself.
"Buffy." She was looking out the window, still apologizing. Louder. "Buffy." Finally I moved closer and put a hand on her knee. "Buffy." Her gaze jerked towards me.
"Its alright. It wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have known."
Guilt lay heavily in her eyes. "I should have."
I shook my head. "No one can know what another will do. Its impossible. The world is too unpredictable." She started to say something but I stopped her. "No matter what you say, I don’t hold you responsible and I forgive you whatever it is you think you’ve done."
A slight smile hovered over her lips. "Really?"
I smiled back, one hand reaching out to cup her cheek. "Really. Promise, pinky swear."
Buffy gave a small laugh and covered my hand with her own. Drawing it down to her lap, she let her fingers play with mine. She tilted her head. "What happens now?"
"Now.. Now we just let things.. Go where they will. We’ve waited this long, haven’t we?"
"True. But… Before we take things slow?" She left the question hanging.
Puzzled, I nodded. "Yes?"
She took my hand and pulled me close, her arms wrapping around my neck as she kissed me. It was at once soft and sweet, sensual to a painful degree, and so full of passion it left me shaking with the intensity. Her lips were soft and yielding, brushing along mine, kissing the corners of my mouth before sucking my bottom lip between her teeth. Nipping gently she released it only to take advantage of my moan to slip her tongue between my parted lips.
My hands came up and cupped her face, holding her gently yet firmly to me, making sure the kiss wasn’t broken yet. My senses reeled under the wave of desire that flooded me. Her tongue danced along my teeth then passed over my own, darting away only to return and swirl around. I sucked lightly on her tongue, pulling it deeper, turning the heat inside up a notch.
Our hands had begun wandering over the other’s body, making sure not to turn it into anything more than we were willing to do at the moment. I caressed her sleek back, fingers stroking along her spine as she mirrored my actions. We both arched at the same time, bringing our bodies into contact with each other.
Somehow I ended up on my back with her lying over me, pressing against me. I chased her tongue back into her mouth, learning and discovering all that was her. The sweetness of her mouth, the perfection of her teeth. The smooth silk of her tongue. All wrapped up in the heat of need.
Her thigh slipped between my legs and I found myself arching against it, throwing my head back as a moan slid from my throat. She eagerly nipped at the offered flesh, her tongue leaving trails of fire wherever it passed. Half grinding against me, she moved her hand up my side and under my shirt.
I knew we should stop. Knew we’d decided to take it slow. But Gods did I want this! My hands ran up and down her back, nails raking lightly. She arched her own neck and I nuzzled it lightly before nibbling. I was lost in feeling, aswirl in the sounds coming from her throat. The way her body seemed to fit so perfectly against mine.
Suddenly it was gone. I groaned as she pulled away, pushing herself up above me on her hands and knees. Looking up I saw her eyes were closed and she was shuddering, chest heaving as she fought to keep control. I knew one touch from me would destroy it.
I lay there, my own breath ragged and fast, and did nothing. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done.
Unable to bring herself to move away -- or maybe it was fear that if she moved, she’d ravage me on the spot -- she hovered above me until she trusted herself. Then she carefully moved a bit to the side and lay down.
I flipped over to my side, head propped up on my elbow. We were inches apart.
I made the understatement of the year.
"That was.. incredible." I wanted to badly to caress her cheek but knew that would be a baaad thing.
Buffy grinned. "Why thank you." She winked. "You were pretty damn incredible yourself."
A flush rose into my cheeks, I hoped it wasn’t noticeable against the other heat that had risen into them. "I can’t believe we stopped." I had to be honest, it surprised the hell out of me.
She turned her face into the pillow and groaned. "I know." She looked back at me. "And I thought killing the bad guys was hard." She noticed my eyes light up with questions and held up a hand.
"Ah. I promise. All questions will be answered. Just.. Not right now. All I can think of is how good it felt to kiss you. I really don’t want to think of anything *work related* right now. So.. I swear. In the morning.. or at school or something.." She smiled. "You and I will have the talk I put off so long ago."
I grumbled a bit, grinning to show I was kidding. "So.. Morning, eh? That mean I’m staying the night?"
Buffy grinned right back. "Of course. Can’t have you walking the streets at night, can we?"
"But.. what about your mom?"
"Oh, she’s in bed so early most of the time, I’ll tell her you came over to study and just decided to crash here instead of going home."
I beamed. "That so works for me. But.. What shall I sleep in?" I couldn’t help it, I had to say it.
She laughed hard. "I’d.. better behave. I’ll get you something to change into." She slipped from the bed and rummaged through her dresser. I watched her carefully, memorizing the way she moved. The flex of her muscles…
She turned, triumphant. "Here we go. Boxers and a tank top. The only way to go." She laughed and tossed them at me.
Barely managing to catch them before they landed on my face, I stood up. "Oh, I’ll get you for that, Summers."
She smirked. "That a promise?"
I mock growled. "You can count on it." I grinned and went into the bathroom to change. When I came back, Buffy had already gotten ready and was in bed. I walked slowly over. "Think.. it’ll be, safe?"
She patted the sheet. "Sure." I slipped in next to her. "I’ve got Slayer control."
I snorted. "Yeah, I saw what great control you have earlier." I muttered softly. "Damn the control."
Buffy laughed and waited until I was comfortable. "Well.. how shall we do this?"
I thought a moment. "Not sure. This is new territory for me."
"Hmmm. Me too. We’ll just have to wing it." She half rolled over and grabbed my arm, pulling me over on her when she lay back down.
"Oh.. wow.. this’ll work…"
She laughed and gently pushed my head down on her shoulder and draped my arm across her stomach. I pulled my leg up and let it rest over hers as her arms wrapped around me.
"Well?" She nudged me slightly.
I sighed happily and snuggled in. "I am more comfortable than I have been in my entire life. Well… That I’ve been awake for, apparently. Least I only missed one night."
"Welllllllllll……"
I looked up at her. "Well.. what?"
"Two, actually."
I half sat up. "Two? When was — Oooh… The party."
She nodded. "The second time we went to sleep."
I lay back down. "The dream had woke me up.."
She was silent, but I felt her nod again. "Speaking of which…." There was a note of extreme curiosity in her voice. "I know you woke up with a nightmare.. But.. I can’t believe the whole thing was a nightmare. Those weren’t noises of.. Fear.. I heard."
I fought down the embarrassment and responded glibly. "If I tell you, our vow of going slow will be broken."
"Oh?" She sounded half hopeful.
"Uh huh. And I kinda like the idea of slow."
She sighed. "Oh all right." Her finger tickled my side. "But you’re telling me later."
I let out a wicked chuckle. "I’ll do better than that… I’ll show you."
"Oooh.. a much nicer idea. But for now. Sleep. Kiss me and tell me goodnight."
I met her lips and kissed her softly. "Goodnight, Buffy. "
"Goodnight, Alex."
Softly, together. "I love you."