Title: Is It Love?
Author: Sarah
Rating: PG-13 for now.
Disclaimer: You have no idea how much I wish they were all mine but they
aren’t.
Notes: Okay, this is kinda an AU where Faith's been in Sunnydale all along
and is Buffy's best friend. I don't know where this fic is going, but I
imagine it'll be a fun ride. This chapter was going to be longer, but I'm
tired now so it's ending here and I'm going to bed.. Lol..

Dedication: This one is for Miss Kitty.. Just because her fics kick ass and
she lets me grope her in return. *wink*

**********

"How come we're walking and not in your car?" Faith asked as her and
Cordelia walked hand in hand to the pizza joint. She was vaguely aware of
the people who passed and gave them funny looks. It didn't bother her in the
least, but she was surprised that Cordelia not once made any attempt to
remove her hand from Faith's out in a public place.

"Maybe I wanted to show my new girlfriend off," Cordelia smirked, quite
unsure of why they were walking herself. They just started going. The idea
of driving hadn't even popped into her head.

"So now I'm just a piece of the Queen's property huh?" Faith asked, half
seriously wondering if that really all she was to Cordelia. Some sort of
conquest or something. Not that she could really blame Cordelia if that was
all she was to the cheerleader. That is how it started off for her.

"I wouldn't say property. Though I will most definitely not be sharing you
with anyone at any point," Cordelia informed Faith.

"Not even Rob Lowe?" Faith questioned, causing Cordelia to look at her in
horror. "What? We've all got secrets. I happen to think he was very fuckable
when he was younger."

Cordelia wrinkled her nose in disgust at Faith's words. "Crude much?"

"Aww what's the matter doll, you jealous?" Faith teased as she eyed
Cordelia.

"As if," Cordelia answered, sounding as cocky as usual.

"Good, because you know I've only got eyes for you," Faith paused as a smirk
spread across her lips.

"Prove it," Cordelia smirked herself, rising to Faith's silent challenge.

"You sure C? There are all these people out here..." Faith trailed off,
giving her new girlfriend one last chance to back out.

"Well then lets give them something to talk about," Cordelia answered, and
that was all Faith needed before she let her hormones get the best of her.
Before Cordelia even had a chance to stop walking Faith's arm was around her
waist, pulling her whole body against the younger girls.

"You," Faith stopped and looked straight into Cordelia's eyes, showing the
cheerleader her raw lust. "Are a goddess," Faith finished before crushing
her lips to Cordelia's. Cordelia parted her lips as a soft moan escaped from
her mouth and Faith took that opportunity to slide her tongue deeply into
the other girl’s mouth. Cordelia's tongue battled with Faith's for dominance
as she brought her arms up to wrap them around Faith's neck, firmly holding
her in place.

They stayed locked in their passionate embrace until the need for oxygen
caused them to break apart. As Cordelia struggled for air Faith kept her
lips occupied as she kissed her way around the cheerleaders jaw line, down
to the tender flesh of her neck. "You taste so good," Faith murmured softly,
causing Cordelia to remember that not only were they about to do something
that's very illegal to do in public, but that they were supposed to be
meeting Buffy and Angel for food.

"Faith, stop... Buffy," Cordelia tried to form a coherent sentence but was
left pretty speechless under the attention that Faith was giving to her
skin.

Faith scraped her teeth along Cordelia's skin before biting down gently and
pulling away reluctantly. When she saw Cordelia's heavy lidded eyes her mind
went back to what had started this impromptu make out session. "You wanna
share me with B?" Faith asked in confusion.

"No, I didn't mean," Cordelia started, but Faith's sigh of relief cut her
off.

"Good, because trust me you don't have to be jealous of her. I know we're a
little touchy feely and stuff. But when I flirt with her it's all innocent.
It's not like that. It's kinda like we're each other’s security blankets.
We're like each other’s comfort zones. That's all it is."

Cordelia nodded and smiled at what Faith had taken her to be meaning, but
was relieved none the less that she didn't have to worry about Buffy being
something that would come between them. At least not in that way.

"Besides, B's all hot for dead boy. Which I don't think I'll ever understand
since she can't get laid. And as for me I think I'm kinda," Faith started
said before Cordelia could even point out that she had just meant that they
should get to the pizza place now and finish the making out later in a much
more private setting.

"Kinda what?" Cordelia asked when Faith didn't finish what she was saying.
Faith looked down at the ground nervously and just shook her head indicating
to Cordelia that it was obviously something of importance.

"It's nothing. You'll just laugh," Faith said as she looked back up to the
understanding eyes of her girlfriend.

"You know I won't laugh, but I won't push." Cordelia leaned in to give Faith
a chaste kiss and took the shorter girls hand back into her own. "But as
I've been trying to say for the last five minutes, we need to hurry up and
get to the pizza place. I'm sure Buffy and Angel are already there."

"That’s what you meant?" Faith asked, actually blushing as her and Cordelia
continued walking once more. Cordelia just nodded and smiled softly at her,
and Faith was actually shocked that Cordelia wasn't mocking her for it. The
bitch behind Cordelia Chase was definitely an act, and the more Faith
learned of the real Cordelia, the more she liked her.

They walked the rest of the way in a comfortable silence and when they
finally reached their destination they noticed that Buffy and Angel had
indeed beaten them there. Faith and Cordelia quickly joined them at the
booth they had already been sitting in and Buffy and Cordelia both noticed
the awkwardness between Angel and Faith. After they had ordered their food
and awkward silence fell upon them, leaving Buffy and Cordelia no choice but
to make conversation with each other.

As they we discussing fashion once more, Cordelia could feel Faith fidgeting
and she put a hand on the younger girls thigh to get her to settle down.
Faith did, much to Cordelia's pleasure and the rest of the time was spent
with the three girls indulging in small talk, while Angel did his best to
pretend he cared about what they were saying. Faith noticed the emotional
distance between Buffy and Angel, and was sure to make a mental note of it
so she could talk to her best friend about it later and find out if there
was trouble in paradise.

Two large pizzas later the two couples once again went their separate ways,
Buffy and Angel to patrol, and Faith to walk Cordelia back to the Summers'
residence where her car was. "What's wrong?" Faith asked as she stole a
glance at her girlfriend and noticed her eyebrows all scrunched up.

Cordelia smiled at her, and shook her head to indicate that nothing was
wrong. "I was just trying to think of a way to ask you something without
actually demanding it. I'm not very used to dropping my act in front of
someone. I got so used to acting, I really started to believe it's who I
was."

Faith nodded in understanding and just squeezed her girlfriend’s hand in
reassurance, but didn't speak so she could give Cordelia the chance to sort
out her thoughts. When they got back to the house Faith leaned against
Cordelia's car and pulled the taller girl into her arms and waited for her
to speak.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" Cordelia finally asked and Faith arched an
eyebrow in surprise. "Not like that," Cordelia replied, knowing instantly
what Faith was thinking she meant. "You're a very naughty minded girl you
know that?" Cordelia asked, kissing Faith on the lips before she could even
respond.

Faith just chuckled as they broke apart and pulled Cordelia closer to her.
"And you're not with that whole 'lets give them something to talk about'
display earlier? You don't fool me for a second doll." Faith stopped to give
her another kiss. "But I think I can manage to control myself enough to
spend the night with you, but only if you grant me one request," Faith added
when they broke apart.

"Depends on what it is," Cordelia responded, her eyes narrowing immediately.

Faith looked down at the ground shyly, worried about actually verbalizing
something like this. "Well you know... I mean, we were never friends before
and stuff. But I always thought you were wicked hot and all you know? At
first, I just wanted to get in your pants, but I... Well now I really like
you and all. I've never had a real girlfriend before. I'm sure you know my
reputation. And well... I was thinking it'd be kinda nice to just hold you
for a while and watch over you as you sleep."

Faith never bothered to look up, she was certain that Cordelia was going to
walk away from her for good at that, and upon not getting any sort of reply
from the cheerleader, she was afraid to look back into her eyes. When she
felt Cordelia's fingers under her chin, pulling her face back she almost
expected to be smacked, but instead she was met with the most passionate
kiss she had ever experienced.

"Go get your stuff," Cordelia breathed out as they broke the kiss. "I'll
wait for you out here."

Faith let her cocky grin slide back across her lips as she walked back into
the house. She couldn't believe it, she was really going to be spending the
night with Cordelia. And even more, she was actually surprised at how honest
her words were, and that all she really wanted to do was just be near the
cheerleader.

TBC...