If The Dead Rise (Or Not)

It seems the world's always ending. No matter how many times they stop it, they're just putting it off.

The first time was a couple of days after the battle of Sunnydale. After Spike, after Robin, after watching the last of the seriously wounded girls flatline. After they both couldn't bear to be alone, and anything that said they were both here and alive seemed better than another night of mulling over mighthavebeens. Or worse, having to talk about it. Faith could have sworn that Buffy made the first move, except swearing would mean she'd have to tell someone Buffy Summers just fucked her silly, and after Dawn almost walked in on them in the morning they silently agreed that it didn't happen.

Which of course was just the way Faith liked it. Really. Get some, get gone, and all that. No need to complicate things.

The next time was a few months later, the night before they closed the Cleveland hellmouth. It should have been just another apocalypse, but it wasn't. They (by which, Faith figured, Buffy meant "I") didn't have the element of surprise now, they couldn't just go in and improvise, they were responsible for hundreds of girls and deployment tactics and exit strategies and attack formations and this was so not them and they were going to get everyone killed and uuuurgh. She doesn't remember exactly what she said to Buffy, though she does remember some of what Buffy said later on. Damn, the mouth on that girl. This time, they actually talked briefly about it as they got dressed and returned to their separate rooms. An impending death thing, they agreed. Anything that happens within twelve hours of the world possibly ending doesn't count.

Three weeks later, about to board a plane to Uzbekistan to stop the spirit of Whatshiskhan from rising, they amended it to 24 hours. They've stuck to that for the next couple of apocalypses - turns out that it's a brand new world out there; with thousands of Slayers all over the globe, there's always something trying to end the world somewhere. Brazil, Java, Rome, LA, everyone looking to Buffy and expecting her to lead them, looking at Faith and wondering when she'll fuck up or run away, and something's got to give. So, 24 hours before, 24 hours afterwards, they get a window where none of that matters, where nobody owes anyone else anything. Either they'll die soon, in which case what the hell, or they just survived, in which case... well, there's only so much non-fat yoghurt in the world, Faith supposes. And so far they've always been alive for the after part, so they've gotta be doing something right.

So when Buffy walks into her room one night while she's going over a duty roster, straddles her and kisses that spot on her neck, Faith doesn't ask. Something bad's going down again, and they might as well join it while they have the time.

Of course, afterwards she can't keep her mouth shut.

"So what's the apocalypse this time?"

"Hmmm?" Buffy stretches lazily in the bed beside her, showing no signs of getting up and rounding up the troops just yet. She snuggles up and mumbles something into the crook of Faith's neck.

"Global what?!"

Buffy reluctantly raises her head and looks at her. "Global warming." Seeing Faith's expression, she grins and settles back down, sneaking an arm around Faith's waist. "What? It's an apocalypse. Happening right now. Gotta stop it. I'm renting a Prius tomorrow."

The world's always ending, Faith thinks as Buffy drifts off to sleep. Maybe just putting it off isn't as bad as it sounds.