[fic] something to talk about part 7

[leonhart_17]

Title: Something to Talk About pt VII
Rating: PG/PG-13
Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue...
Summary: When their daughter gets in a fight at school Willow and Faith have to have a talk...



Faith could hear Willow humming as she entered the hallway and she turned from her intended destination of the stairs and living room to continue on her way to their bedroom. “What’s u…p?” she asked, her voice trailing off as she glanced up from the stack of mail in her hands to catch sight of Willow. “Whoa,” she commented. “New skirt?”

Willow glanced down at herself with a shrug, not seeming to notice her lover’s fascination. “Technically yes, but it’s just a loan. I borrowed it from Buffy. Why?”

“You’re obviously not seeing it from this side,” Faith said lowly as she wandered closer, dropping the mail absently behind her. “I’m getting B a cake for this,” she declared. “Or a new sword or something. Something she’ll appreciate. Do you think she wants a new broadsword?” she mused, pacing a slow circle around the witch to admire the knee length black leather skirt Willow had on. It was set off nicely by the grass green blouse she was wearing.

“Actually, I think she needs a new crossbow string.” Willow was distractedly picking out earrings and she gave her partner a confused glance. “What are you… Oh.” She turned to look at herself in the mirror and Faith groaned appreciatively behind her. “Really?” she asked, grinning giddily.

“Oh yeah,” Faith confirmed, her voice hoarse. “Is this all for me? Because you really don’t have to…” She sidled up behind her as she spoke, curling one arm around her waist so her fingers could drag over the sliver of skin between Willow’s top and the skirt that had so fascinated her.

“It’s for Joy’s teacher,” Willow corrected her, laughing.

Faith paused, her chin on Willow’s shoulder. “Um…what? Run that past me again,” she requested.

“Parent’s night at school,” the redhead said, touching the hand at her waist. “So you’ve got to take a shower and get dressed,” she reminded her. “You know you smell kind of like a toilet, right?”

Faith grumbled, having forgotten about the school function. “That’s what it smells like in the sewers. Where do you think I’ve been all afternoon? Do I gotta go to this school thing? I stink!”

“Yes,” Willow said immediately, turning to face her. “Joy wants you there.”

Faith muttered under her breath for a moment, narrowing her eyes at her girlfriend as she put a hand on each of Willow’s hips. “That’s a low blow.” They both knew that Faith would do anything for their daughter. She sighed heavily, her hands squeezing. “Fine, but you’re hanging onto that skirt for a little bit longer,” she bargained. Willow nodded, giggling. “Give me twenty. That going to be fast enough?”

Willow kissed her quickly before stepping back. “Thank you,” she said cheerfully.

“Yeah, yeah,” Faith complained, taking another, longer, kiss. “You look good.”

The witch blushed, biting her lip. “You’re gorgeous, but filthy…” she countered, ducking away as Faith tried to swat her butt. “I’ll walk Bones while you’re in the shower.” The Slayer growled in her throat as she wiggled her backside deliberately on her way out the door, Faith heading toward the now-destined-to-be-cold shower.

Willow gave her an appreciative wolf whistle as Faith appeared from the stairs twenty minutes later in tight, dark jeans and a dark blue button-down shirt that had the top few buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up, the thump of her boots on the hardwood floor announcing her entrance. “I like those jeans,” the redhead said cheerfully, appreciating the clingy pants. “You know I like those jeans,” she said breathily as her eyes trailed back up slowly.

Faith was smirking as their eyes met, the Slayer shrugging. “Gotta bring the A-game to keep up with you,” she said, looking down as Joy slammed into her leg. “Hey, kiddo. You ready to go back to school so we can meet your teachers?” She looked back up at Willow. “That is what happens at these things, ain’t it?”

Willow looked amused as she picked up their car keys and whistled to Bones. “What? Have you never been to a parent-teacher night?” she questioned, holding the door open for Bones to go outside. Faith just lifted her eyebrows without speaking and Willow shrugged. “I guess not. That’s what happens. We’ll go sit in the little desks and the teachers will talk about what they’re teaching our kid.”

“And I made you a picture!” Joy chimed in happily, clapping her hands in excitement.

Faith leaned over and picked her up, tossing her into the air for a brief second before she caught her again. “I can’t wait to see it,” she said, catching Willow’s fond smile out of the corner of her eye. “Let’s go!” She put Joy down as the six year old kicked against her hands.

Willow led the way out as Faith snagged her leather jacket and Joy bolted past her parents to try and climb into her seat in the back of their Jeep by scaling the side of the vehicle. Willow blinked as Faith grabbed the keys from her hand, the Slayer jogging ahead to open the door for her. “What’s that about?” the redhead asked, standing clear as Faith snagged Joy off the side of the car and lifted her over the side.

“I’m wearing the pants tonight,” Faith pointed out with a devilish smirk. “I’m driving.”

Willow’s eyebrow lifted and she smiled. “Mmh, yes ma’am,” she agreed, yelping as the Slayer slapped her butt as she was climbing into the car.

Faith just shrugged as she shut the door behind her, completely unapologetic. “I like that skirt,” she said earnestly. “You all buckled up back there, Joy?” she checked, winking when the little girl nodded.

They parked and joined the crowd filing into the school as they arrived, Joy pulling Willow’s hand to lead them to her classroom. She was eager to show off her desk and the cubby where she stored her lunchbox and jacket and they followed her patiently through the crowd of other parents and children doing the same thing. The kids all snapped to attention when the teacher rang a bell on her desk, a reaction she seemed pleased with, making Faith wonder how successful it was when her students weren’t accompanied by their parents. Willow noticed her wicked smirk and gave her a swat to the arm, her eyes rolling.

“Students, if you’ll go across the hall, your parents will join you there shortly,” the teacher prompted with a smile. “And parents, if you’ll take a seat.”

Faith immediately gestured that Willow take the seat at Joy’s little desk, stepping back with her arms across her chest. Willow rolled her eyes again but took the seat while Faith sidled up behind her. The witch smiled as she looked down and found their daughter’s drawing of them, Faith’s stick figure sporting unruly dark scribbles while her own was bright orange. There was a little Joy figure in between them, holding onto each of their hands. Faith’s figure was holding what appeared to be a stake in her other hand, and she wondered what the teacher had made of that as she held it up for the Slayer to see.

Faith laughed, grinning down at her. “At least she didn’t draw the scythe,” she pointed out. “Can we take this home, you think?”

Willow nodded, holding her hand up to take it back. “I’ll put it in my purse.”

Faith gave it to her and resumed her arms crossed posture while the teacher started her lecture. She’d never paid attention in her own classes and she found her daughter’s kindergarten lessons about as interesting. Willow noticed the Slayer’s boredom, but it wasn’t unexpected, and she didn’t do anything until Faith started fidgeting with the buttons on her jacket, shifting her weight from side to side restlessly.

Faith shrugged as Willow looked up at her, able to see the rebuke in her partner’s eyes without needing to hear it. “Fine,” she muttered. ‘You owe me,’ she thought, knowing that the witch would be able to hear her.

Willow smirked, head moving in a barely visible nod. Her attention went back to the teacher, and Faith concentrated on being still, focusing on the board on the far side of the room to keep from fidgeting. After what felt like forever, the older woman stopped talking and she let out a deep breath of relief, ignoring Willow’s knowing look as the redhead stood up.

“You’re off the hook,” Willow said with a laugh. “I think all the dads in here were doing the same thing.”

Faith shrugged, hands brushing the backs of her thighs. “You know how me and school mesh.” She grinned charmingly. “I still managed to get a brain to fall for me,” she pointed out.

“We were drunk,” Willow pointed out, but she was smiling fondly.

“Not for the last ten years you haven’t been,” Faith teased with a raised eyebrow.

Willow leaned her head to the side and the tip of her tongue peeked out between her lips. “Well, you can really wear those jeans,” she countered, giggling as Faith groaned.

“Can we get Joy and go home now?” the Slayer asked, her voice low as she stepped closer only to trip over Joy’s short plastic chair.

Willow laughed, covering her mouth with one hand while her other took Faith’s and led her back down the narrow row between the seats. The brunette was grumbling under her breath, embarrassed about tripping, but Willow leaned over and pecked her cheek as they cleared the little chairs and tables. Faith had to keep her patience for a few more minutes as Willow chatted with the teacher, but she relieved when the witch was satisfied and gestured her toward the door. Parents were wandering in the hall, but Faith’s enhanced hearing picked up a familiar set of sounds that stood out sharply against their surroundings and made her push her way forward quickly.

Willow could see her frown, letting the Slayer pull her through the crowd by the hand. They burst through the door of the room where the kids had been sent to find a group of children circled around two others who were apparently fighting. Faith forced her way into the circle as gently as she could while still moving quickly, picking up a few kids and setting them aside.

“Hey!” she barked, intercepting the next blow before it landed. “What’s going on here?” she demanded, surprised to recognize one of the combatants as Joy. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Willow was there then, narrowing her eyes at the assembled children. “You should all go find your parents,” she suggested. “Now,” she added more firmly. The silence was tense as they waited for the crowd to scatter. “What was that about, Joy?” Willow questioned when they were alone, Faith releasing her to step back. “You know what we’ve said about fighting!”

Joy’s shoulders were back and she was defiant. “But Mom, you don’t know what he…”

“It doesn’t matter what he did,” Willow countered. “You don’t fight.”

“Mama fights!”

“It’s different and you know it. I fight bad things,” Faith said, making an effort to keep her voice calm.

“You fight Aunt Buffy,” Joy argued petulantly.

Faith and Willow exchanged looks, the Slayer taking a deep breath as she crouched down to be at their daughter’s eyelevel. “I fight with your Aunt Buffy sometimes, you’re right. But it’s not the same as picking a fight at school.”

Willow managed to restrain her snort of disbelief, sure that would only hurt their efforts. Faith gave her a look over her shoulder and the witch couldn’t help shrugging. “It’s no fair! He said stuff about you! How come I’m getting in trouble for it?” Joy demanded, stomping one foot.

Faith stiffened, looking back over her shoulder at Willow again as she took another deep breath. They had been expecting something like this to happen since Joy had started school, but now that it was upon them, they were both a little stunned. “Baby, you know that you can’t…” She trailed off, at a loss for something to say.

“Just because you have two moms…” Willow started.

“It’s not cause of that,” Joy interjected, confused. “Todd’s got two daddies.”

Faith stood up slowly, exchanging confused looks with Willow. “Oh. Okay. Then what did he say that made you so mad?” she asked hesitantly.

Joy gave them an exasperated look that she could have only learned from watching Willow, and she crossed her thin arms across her chest. “I tried to tell you before!”

“I know, we’re sorry,” Faith said quickly. “What did he say, please?” They both knew they’d get nothing from her without the ‘please.’

Joy took a moment, her wide hazel eyes traveling between her parents. “Todd said that you’re not married, so if you break up nobody’s going to want me and I’ll have to go back to the orphanage.” She said it all in one breath, her words tripping over each other as she rushed.

Willow shook her head in denial, crouching to pick Joy up. “Sweetheart, no. We want you.” The little girl’s face was buried in her shoulder and she rubbed her back soothingly. “We’re always going to want you. You’re ours. Our daughter.”

“And we’re not going to break up,” Faith added. “You’ve got nothing to worry about, Joy,” she said, leaning over to meet her eyes as Joy slowly peeked up over Willow’s shoulder. “You believe me, right? We’re a family. You and me and your mom. That’s how it’s always going to be.” Joy didn’t answer, just curled her arms tighter around the redhead’s shoulders. “Let’s go home,” Faith prompted, one hand brushing over Joy’s hair. Of all the things to upset her, this wasn’t one they’d anticipated.

Joy didn’t want to let go of Willow to buckle into her seat, and the witch climbed into the backseat with her while Faith drove them home in silence. Their daughter was still upset when they got to the house and she ran straight upstairs to her room with Bones on her heels, leaving her parents in the kitchen to figure out a way to reassure her.

Willow slumped into a seat at the table, Faith joining her after she went by the fridge to pick up a beer. The witch gave her a look, but the Slayer just shrugged. “At least I’m not smoking,” she said, taking a sip. They were both silent for a moment and Faith sighed. “What the hell is going on?”

“You mean how we’re causing a stir among the local five and six year olds, not because we’re gay, but because we’re unmarried…?”

“It’s a travesty,” Faith intoned flatly, her sarcasm obvious.

“It’s less funny to think about how Joy is upset about this,” Willow reminded her pointedly.

Faith’s face fell and she took another deep breath. “Oh yeah… Well, what can we do to fix it?”

Willow shrugged and reached over to steal the bottle from in front of Faith, taking her own long sip. “We’ll just have to convince her that she’s not going anywhere. And neither are we.” She studied Faith’s morose expression. “But even to spare Joy’s feelings, you don’t want to get married,” she said knowingly. Faith groaned, her head dropping against the tabletop with a thud. Willow reached over to comb her fingers through the Slayer’s hair. “It’s fine,” she said reassuringly.

“I don’t really know that it is,” Faith disagreed, her voice muffled. She turned her head under Willow’s hand and her fingers kept moving slowly. “I mean, you’re right, I don’t, but do you know why I don’t want to get married?”

Willow shook her head silently, giving the Slayer a soft smile. “It’s nothing you need to tell me. I don’t mind…”

“I saw my dad split, you know, but then I watched my mom get married again,” Faith interjected. “And not just once, but lots of times.” She left her head on the table, but her eyes were on Willow’s. “By the time I left I think she was on husband four, maybe.” She sighed. “I guess she was trying to make it more stable and give me a dad, or whatever, but none of those guys stuck around and it just made everything worse…”

Willow frowned, sympathetic. “Faith, I…”

“Don’t say you’re sorry,” Faith requested, sitting up and leaning back in her seat so the chair went back on two legs, the display of balance completely unconscious. She snagged her beer back from Willow and took a long pull before she put it back on the table between them. “I’m not scared of commitment, or whatever. At least not to you,” she said honestly. “But marriage has never been a part of that. I grew up seeing exactly how much it’s worth and it didn’t really add up to much.” She grimaced, hesitating. “So what should we do about this thing with Joy?”

It took a moment before Willow spoke, and when she did her voice was hoarse. “I think you should go upstairs and say all of that to Joy,” she suggested.

Faith frowned, trying to think. “What did I say?” It took her a second to realize that there were tears in Willow’s eyes and she leaned forward sharply, the chair legs hitting the floor with a thump. “You’re crying. Why are you crying?” Willow wiped her eyes as she smiled, Faith standing up from her seat helplessly. “What did I do?” she questioned. “Will, come on! What did I do?!”

Willow could see her lover panicking and she stood up quickly, hands rising to hold the Slayer still. “You said the right thing,” she answered, voice thick.

Faith still looked twitchy, and she frowned. “But what did I say that was so right?”

“Marriage and commitment…that bit,” Willow said. “They’re not the same thing. People think they are, but they’re not. You can be married and not committed at all to the person you’re with.”

Faith nodded, thinking it over. “But we’re committed without being married,” she said, finishing the thought. “That’s what I said?” she asked doubtfully. “But, of course, it sounds better when you said it.” She brushed the back of one hand over Willow’s cheek, thumb curling up to swipe the tears from underneath her eye. “Why’re you crying then?”

Willow shook her head, smiling. “You… I’m happy, Faith.”

The Slayer narrowed her eyes, not sure about that answer. “I don’t normally make you cry when you’re happy,” she pointed out. “If I screwed it up, you just have to tell me! You know I suck at guessing!”

“You didn’t…” Willow abruptly decided that there was an easier way of making Faith see the truth, and she curled her hand around the back of her partner’s neck and pulled her into a kiss. They were slow, Willow pressing closer to her until they were flat against each other. Faith let her in, curling both arms around her waist and lifting her off her feet. The Slayer took two long steps forward until Willow’s back collided with the side of the fridge, the kiss deepening and growing more passionate.

“I guess you really aren’t upset,” Faith breathed against her lips before recapturing them, one hand sliding up between the appliance and Willow’s back to slide into her hair, the arm around her waist tightening to hold her up so that the witch’s toes were just barely off the floor.

“I told you,” Willow answered with a laugh as they separated after a few more long moments. “Put me down,” she prompted, her own hands sliding to Faith’s shoulders. “I’m really enjoying reassuring you, but we’ve still got to go talk to Joy,” she reminded her, holding on as the Slayer lowered her gently back onto her feet.

Faith nodded, breathing deeply to steady her breath as she took a step back to give Willow room to move. Her brown eyes trailed down and she swallowed hard. “Yeah, you’re right.” Their encounter on the side of the refrigerator had dislodged a few magnets and her hand reached over Willow’s shoulder to fix one. “Wait a sec,” she said as something occurred to her. “Do you have Joy’s picture in your purse? The one she drew at school?”

Willow nodded, getting it without a word and handing it over. Faith gave her an uncertain smile, drawing in another deep breath. “You’re a good mom,” Willow said finally, voice quiet.

Faith shrugged. “I bet that not what anyone expected,” she said, looking down as the witch took her hand.

“I did,” Willow stated, drawing her chin up with two fingers. “The first time I ever saw you with Joy I knew you’d be great with her. And I was right. You are.” She kissed the Slayer again softly, smile distinctly pleased.

“Well, you’re just a smarty-pants, know-it-all, aren’t you?” Faith teased, laughing as the redhead nodded. “You’ll come with me?”

“Anywhere you want to go,” Willow promised, letting her lover lead her up the stairs. She paused in the doorway to their daughter’s room, letting Faith approach the bed on her own.

Bones was lying at the foot of the bed, but he didn’t move as they entered, just lifted his head for a look before he sighed and settled back in his spot. Faith took a seat on the edge of the bed, relieved that Joy didn’t flinch away from her when she rested a hand on the young girl’s shoulder. Their daughter was curled on her side, face turned away from the door.

“Joy,” she stared quietly. “Joy, I want to tell you something.” It took her moment, but the little girl turned over, sniffling. “Baby, you and your mom, you’re my family.” Joy looked up at her, blinking teary eyes. “That will never, ever change.” She swallowed, trying to figure out what to say and feeling completely out of her depth. Give her something to fight and she was fine, but this - reassuring a little girl that she wasn’t going to be left behind, this was something completely foreign. Willow’s hand touched the back of her neck gently and she blew out a deep breath.

“We’re not going anywhere, Joy,” Willow said softly. She pointed out the picture in Faith’s lap. “Who’s that?” she asked, finger aimed at the figure she knew was Faith.

“Mama,” Joy answered, voice barely audible. She curled closer, her own little hand indicating Willow’s half of the drawing. “And this one is you, Mommy,” she said after a moment.

“And who’s this with us?” Faith prompted, voice low.

“That’s me,” Joy said, looking up at her parents.

The Slayer swallowed hard, feeling Willow’s hand slide off of her as the witch moved to sit on the other side of the bed. “Can I tell you about when I was little like you?” Faith started hesitantly. Joy nodded, obviously curious. The Slayer cleared her throat and Willow gave her a supportive smile. “When I was a kid, my mom used to get married a lot. She was trying to take care of me, but the guys she brought around, they weren’t good. They weren’t good people.”

“Mommy’s good,” Joy pointed out, looking at Willow.

Faith gave them both a smile, nodding. “Mommy’s really good,” she agreed, giving the witch a wink.

“So how come you don’t marry her?” Joy asked, confused.

“Your Mama doesn’t want to get married. Because getting married doesn’t mean that you love each other. Just like us not being married doesn’t mean that we don’t love each other, because we do! Sharing a life, like we all do, doesn’t mean we need to get married,” Willow said, smiling. “We’re a family without that.”

Joy frowned, thinking that over. “What do you think, Joy? Do you get it?” Faith asked. “Marriage doesn’t mean that much to me. All that matters to me is you and your mom.”

“I love you, Mama,” Joy announced, throwing herself forward into the Slayer’s arms.

Faith met Willow’s eyes over their daughter’s head, her own eyes wide as she hugged the little girl. The witch smiled, mouthing the same sentiment silently. Faith blinked, nodding. “Love you too,” she said hoarsely, her eyes still on Willow.

Joy pulled back after a few minutes and she smiled tiredly up at her parents, letting Willow pull her into her lap for a hug. “Sleepy, sweetheart?” she questioned softly, kissing her head when Joy nodded. “Well, let’s get you in bed.” She coaxed Joy down, laying down next to her and singing softly. Faith watched them for a few long moments before she laid down as well, combing her fingers through Joy’s hair.

It never took their daughter long to fall asleep, but they didn’t move even after her breathing deepened and settled into its slow rhythm. Faith leaned up on her arm to look down at them, smirking as she noticed that Willow’s eyes were closed. A smile told her that her lover wasn’t asleep, though.

“Come on,” Willow whispered, one eye cracking open. “Let’s let her sleep.” Faith got off the narrow twin bed without a sound or a tremor and moved around the bed to lift Willow. “Anyone ever tell you that you’re freakishly strong?” the witch murmured, head rolling to rest against the Slayer’s shoulder.

“You don’t weigh anything,” Faith said, amused. Her foot nudged Joy’s door as they left the room, leaving it opened just a crack to let in some light from the hall and so Bones would be able to let himself out of the room. “I’m not tired, but if you want to go to bed…”

“I’m with you,” Willow said, opening her eyes. “I can even walk if you want to put me down.”

Faith shrugged, already moving soundlessly down the stairs. She let Willow down at the bottom, smiling uncertainly. “How’d I do up there?”

Willow stood on her toes to kiss her quickly, smiling as she pulled back. “You did great, Faith. You told the truth. She understands now.”

“You know we now have a troublemaker child, right?” Faith reminded her, curling her arms around Willow’s hips. “Started a fight at school and everything.”

The witch arched an eyebrow, lips curled up in a smirk. “I hadn’t thought of it like that, but I guess you’re right.”

“Must be my bad influence,” Faith joked, walking them back slowly.

“Shut up,” Willow said, pushing Faith down onto the couch and then dancing away as the Slayer reached up to pull her down as well. “Joy looks up to you.”

“And there’s were my bad influence comes in,” Faith said, laughing as Willow skipped off toward the kitchen. “It’s not intentional. I’m just not…”

“You’re a good mom,” Willow interjected, returning with drinks. “And a good person.” She smirked suddenly. “But if she even jokes about dropping out, I’ll…” She was in reach now and Faith pulled her down with one hand, cutting her off with another kiss.

“You’ll what?” Faith challenged brashly as she lifted her head. Willow’s legs had landed across her lap and one hand dragged toward Willow’s knee, thumb circling on the cool leather covering her leg. “Ooh, you know, I had almost forgotten about this.”

“You still owe Buffy a present,” Willow said with a laugh.

“I certainly do,” Faith agreed earnestly, watching Willow stretch to put their drinks on the coffee table and admiring the strip of skin she was flashed as the redhead’s shirt hem moved with her. The hand on Willow’s knee curled under the bottom of her leg and she pulled her in, causing the witch to yelp in surprise.

“What?! Faith, if you keep pulling on me, I’m going to spill these!” Willow warned her.

“I’m not thirsty anyway,” the Slayer said hoarsely, pulling her leg again.

Willow was knocked off balance by the move, and it took her a few moments to get her equilibrium back. “Faith, what are you…? Oh.” It didn’t take a genius to interpret Faith’s expression, and Willow Rosenberg was no idiot. “You really like this skirt.”

“I really like what’s under it, but the leather just… It’s a good skirt,” the Slayer finished dumbly. Her hand slid over the top of Willow’s thigh to hook two fingers in her waistband, using the grip to pull her fully into her lap. She leaned over to kiss her before Willow could protest, not that she would.

Buffy did though, spinning to turn her back on them as she saw hands in places she didn’t want to see them. “Will-oh! Come on! You’ve got company! Get off of her!” The blonde peeked over her shoulder when she heard movement, grimacing when she saw Faith’s glare.

“Knocking isn’t possible?” the Slayer demanded as she let Willow go and leaned forward to get her drink, slamming back a long swallow. “What are you even doing here?”

“I came to check on how it went at school… I didn’t think you were going to be touching my best friend in the living room!” Buffy protested.

“We’ve been living together for how long and you’re still…!” Faith shot back. “We do sleep together! Frequently even!”

Willow stood up quickly before the Slayers could go further. “Okay, stop it! We’re not doing this again. Buffy, why don’t you come in and have a seat and we’ll tell you what happened at school. Do you want something to drink? Beer, juice, milk, or water?”

“Yes, beer, please,” the blonde agreed hoarsely, sinking into a chair while Faith continued to glare at her. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”

“Fine,” Faith growled as Willow returned. “You can make it up to us. Will needs to keep the skirt for a few more days,” she informed her counterpart smugly, smirking proudly as Buffy groaned, pounding herself in the head with the heel of her hand.

“Willow!” Buffy whined. “Control her, please,” she requested.

The witch rolled her eyes, handing over the beer bottle. “Actually, she’s wearing the pants tonight,” she said without thinking, unable to help laughing as Buffy’s eyes widened and she choked on her drink.

Faith was laughing wildly on the couch and she pulled Willow down close beside her. “I hate you both,” Buffy said when she could breathe, eyes narrowed at the pair on the sofa. “Can we please not talk about sex?”

“You brought it up, B!” Faith crowed, arm casually across the back of the couch behind Willow’s shoulders. The witch gave her thigh a swat in warning, but her body settled against Faith’s side and the Slayer’s beer bottle holding hand came to rest on Willow’s knee as the redhead curled her legs up.

“Anything else!” Buffy pleaded, squeezing her eyes closed.

“Joy got in a fight,” Willow interjected before Faith could say anything else to tease Buffy. The blonde looked surprised, and she related the story. “She’s sleeping now, but we had to talk to her about marriage and everything.”

Buffy leaned back in her chair, taking a small sip of her drink with a glance up toward the ceiling. “That’s rough. Poor kid.” She sighed. “As if we’d let her go, even if Faith is stupid enough to let Willow get away.”

Faith growled, hand sliding possessively over the witch’s knee. “Buffy,” Willow chided her patiently. “Faith and I aren’t going to break up.”

“And you’re still not getting married?” Buffy questioned idly, rolling her beer between both hands.

Faith sighed and Willow’s hand dropped to graze over her lover’s stomach, tips of her fingers finding their way between the buttons to touch her skin soothingly. “Nope,” Willow said calmly. “We’re doing great the way we are. We’re happy. And we’ve got Joy.”

“Not pushing,” Buffy said quickly, grinning as she toasted them with her bottle. “Believe me, I couldn’t be more thrilled that you guys are happy. You both deserve it. And you couldn’t have gotten a better kid than Joy.”

“You’re right about that,” Faith chimed in, smiling fondly.

“And if that’s all you need, then good for you guys,” Buffy said, giving her friends a nod.

“That’s everything,” Faith said lowly, scarcely audibly by Willow. Buffy probably could hear her as well, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. For all that she liked to pretend that she was oblivious when it came to them, the blonde knew exactly how deeply she felt for Willow. There was no sense in hiding it. Willow leaned further into her with a smile across the room at Buffy, moving her fingers slowly against Faith’s stomach.

“She at least won the fight, didn’t she?” Buffy asked, smirking.

Faith blinked, frowning. “Actually, I broke it up, but now that you mention it, her form wasn’t great.”

“You guys aren’t training her to fight,” Willow chimed in dryly, snaking the beer from Faith’s hand for herself.

“Where’s your drink?” the brunette asked, pretending annoyance.

“All the way on the table,” Willow complained, pointing at the coffee table right in front of them. “Yours was closer.”

“Why can’t we teach her?” Buffy demanded. “It’ll help her. And it’ll be fun!”

“I don’t want my daughter fighting,” Willow insisted. “You both fight and get hurt and I don’t want that for Joy. I don’t even want it for either of you.”

The Slayers exchanged looks and Faith shrugged her shoulder under Willow’s head. “It’s a little bit different for us, babe. She would never be out on patrol or anything. Learning could teach her discipline. And it’s fun!”

“You know we’d never hurt her, Will,” Buffy added. “We’d never let her get hurt.” She gave her best friend a pleading smile. “Come on… you know you want to let us do it!”

Willow felt Faith nod behind her and she sighed. “Fine. As long as it’s just training. And she has to want to do it. If she wants to play sports or something, you guys just let it go.”

“Sure,” Buffy agreed.

“Yeah,” Faith added, grinning excitedly as she squeezed the witch’s knee, causing her to giggle.

They shared a moment of companionable silence before the hand on Willow’s knee took a quick detour under the bottom hem of the leather skirt. It took her a moment, but Buffy choked again as she noticed. “Got the message, Faith! I’m going!” she yelped. “Night!” She left her mostly empty beer bottle on the coffee table beside Willow’s wine glass and was gone a few moments later.

“That was mean!” Willow chided, swatting the Slayer’s belly. “We were having a nice talk. It’s rare that you two are playing so nicely when Joy’s not around.”

“It got her to leave,” Faith responded. “She interrupted us!” she reminded her, voice a low rumble in the witch’s ear before her teeth closed on the shell. Her hand moved down the redhead’s leg as she spoke and Willow’s eyes dragged themselves closed shakily. “Where were we?”

Willow struggled to concentrate enough to speak, and it took her a long moment to answer. “About there…” she gasped her agreement, giving up the resistance.

[part 8 here]