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Chapter 6: Six

Author's Notes: Bits of dialogue reproduced from issue 12.

Once word of Satsu’s probation spread, she received understanding sympathy from all corners. And for the two weeks she was sidelined, she was asked if Buffy denied her “other” things, too. Maybe it was two weeks of having to overhear these hushed conversations now that interest in their relationship had increased, maybe it was realizing how much the possibility of Satsu’s death scared the shit out of her, and how much she...loved her for doing the crazy thing she did.

Whoa. Was that what she was feeling? Besides the cold air on her currently naked self?

“That was...that was...wow. *Way* better than with clothes on.” Buffy declared, but at low, post-coital volume. They laid on their sides in her bed, heads on pillow, just...looking at each other. “Truth...” In a small, insecure voice, she asked, “...was I okay? An-and remember, ‘spontaneous’ means no planning, no time to--”

Satsu touched her lips to her girlfriend’s wordlessly, and they began trading quick kisses. Kisses that steadily grew in intensity, and could’ve led to where they’d just been. But the blonde used what little, higher brain function she had access to at this point, to not let her body make her forget the question. Important question.

“You aren’t answering. Why aren’t answering?”

‘Finding took too long. I know it did. But I wasn’t expecting all the complicated. What’s funny? Went in sorta confident. Mean, I have, she has...we both have. So, um, familiar thing. Especially lately. The problem? Forgot about angles and where they’re different. Needed diagrams. And she coulda been *so* easily pulling a ‘Meg Ryan’...probably was...probably sucked, or...oh. Should’ve more, maybe...’

Satsu’s hand moved Buffy’s hair to reveal the ear that had hidden underneath, and her nails followed along the curve. “Thought I was.” To Buffy, she seemed content. Content was good. “You were amazing.”

“I can live with amazing.” Buffy said with a sated smile, her eyes half-closing at Satsu’s light touch. “What was I scared of again?”

“How do you feel?” Satsu wondered at that, somewhat anxious.

“Not in pain.” Through all that spontaneity, Buffy’s mind didn’t have time to argue with body. Sexual healing (thank you, Marvin Gaye) had begun. Being with Satsu was the absolute, polar opposite of...what was previous. Felt clean again. “Also, top of my head? Grateful. Lucky. Relaxed/comfy.” She inhaled then exhaled--yep, entirely relaxed. “Glad for you nudging, that I let myself accept it, and that I got to here...you make me wanna be.”

Buffy’s hand found Satsu’s at her ear, and their fingers locked together before both hands came to rest between them over blanket. “I want us to have other fun. ‘Leaving the weapons at home’ fun. Been forever since I had a life, and you’re why I all suddenly want one again. Not that sure how I’ll manage, or how other, twenty-first century people do, but ‘wanting’ is a major theme.”

There lay one, dumbstruck, naked Asian. “I was really that good?” She sat herself up then, and her bedfellow did too. She brushed the hair from her face, more talking to herself. “Because I can’t, um, remember exactly what I did. So next time could...” Then her lips quirked to form what Buffy could only describe as a goofy grin, which she wasn’t aware Satsu did. Possibly the girl wasn’t as forgetful as she claimed. “Really?”

Buffy kissed her, then smirked. “Yeah, you really w...wow.” She was noticing now, that when Satsu sat up, she didn’t bring the blanket with. There was more doing then long-looking earlier. She admired. “Girls are pretty.”

“Hey...” Satsu’s attempt at a self-conscious reaction was weak. She didn’t try to pull the blanket up fast enough, and her arms weren’t used at all.

“What, you’re allowed to have eyes wander but not me? Double standard much?” Buffy mock-huffed, playing along. “Guys are pretty too, you know...”

“I knew you didn’t just...turn gay.” Apparently Satsu didn’t get when her girlfriend wasn’t serious.

Or the blonde was an idiot for teasing around that topic at this stage in the relationship. “Not exclusively.” Her eyes didn’t wander from those staring back at her, as they asked forgiveness and to understand that this was the serious part. “But until you’re tired of me, I am.” Then following that promise, she pulled her section of blanket down. “Here, go nuts.”

Satsu lost it first, but Buffy wasn’t far behind. Laughing couldn’t be helped. Not that Buffy wanted it helped. On the contrary, it was welcome. Her head dropped onto Satsu’s shoulder once it was impossible to keep up.

“I’m not getting tired of you.”

“Can we forget that I brought my stuff into the pillow talk? It was going great.” Buffy lifted her head, looking for reassurance. “I’m taking steps though, right? Forward? Like tonight. *Big*, wonderful step.” She ran it back in her head, and regretted the “step” motif. “No...you’re not a step. You’re Satsu--hot, cool, ‘n good-smelling. Now in nudity.” For the second time, she cursed her idiocy. “Steps’re eventually walked past--you’re staying present. Please.“

***

Satsu silenced the worried blonde with another kiss, and hoped Buffy got the message this time. This was her being reassuring, getting across that she understood. Any uncertainty about where their relationship was heading, tonight’s activity wiped out, with pillow talk confirming (except for that teasing a minute ago). She wouldn’t have called it “amazing” if Buffy had just done what was necessary to satisfy a long unsatisfied sex drive.

The Japanese slayer went into it half-expecting that to be the case, despite the last, close to two months. Had that been the ultimate goal, Buffy wouldn’t have really needed to *do* anything. Satsu would’ve given her what she wanted because she loved her and wanted to give her some kind of happiness, they would’ve ended their...whatever, then gone on as before--straight girl and foolish lesbian.

She was honest about the details being fuzzy. What she remembered, however, was how passionate. How enthusiastic, which more than made up for Buffy’s learning curve. For someone with that previously mentioned, denied, sex drive, Buffy seemed more interested in her. Exploring everywhere. Satsu remembered *that*. The single, truly vivid memory was watching Buffy watching her...react.

Her girlfriend was fascinated. They were some of the most intimate couple minutes in Satsu’s life. Plus, the look in that hazel? Immediately took it beyond physical only. She wouldn’t guess to what, but she’d known then, that Buffy didn’t want them to be over after tonight. She didn’t have to fear scaring her away. So, all amazing.

And, “Was I okay?” kind of had her wanting to cry.

“That was a ‘stay’ vote.” Satsu spoke up, just so there was no confusion.

“People should vote more.” Buffy smiled, relieved, then glanced behind her at the panties flung over the right, headboard post, and her skin visibly flushed. “How’d they get there?”

“I wasn’t really paying attention.” Satsu answered, starting to grin.

Buffy leaned over her side of the bed, presumably to see where else they’d discarded in their wake. “Oh my god. Kyoko and Mr. Gordo had sex. Look.”

Satsu got on her knees and crawled over next to Buffy so she could see down to the floor. Just because they were lying sort of next to each other, face up, didn’t mean... “They couldn’t have. She’s a...and he’s a...no. You don’t know that.”

“Fine. They didn’t. Meaning they weren’t too busy, and saw *everything*.”

Satsu bit her lip, seeing Buffy’s point. “Yeah...they had sex.”

Buffy nodded. “Can you believe it?”

The bedroom door creaked open. “Okay, probably nothing to worry about...but there seems to be a wolf and/or panther situation I should bring to your--“

That voice wasn’t either of theirs, was it? Satsu gave Buffy a wide-eyed look--she was rather exposed. Buffy, quick-thinker in a crisis that she was, cleared away the sheets and blanket on the soon-to-be reoccupied side of the bed, and Satsu quickly scrambled back so Buffy could throw them across her.

“*Oh merciful Zeus!*” Xander exclaimed, now at the foot of the bed.

“*Xander, get out of here!*” His best friend exclaimed right back.

This part was amazing, too. Amazing that it was happening.

***

“*Oh my god! Buffy, what are you doing!?!*” It was at this point, with her little, big sister’s face taking up the entire window, that Satsu had an obvious yet bright idea.

Instead of trying to feverishly grab clothes to protect modesty--which was all but hopeless as soon as Andrew walked into the bedroom--why not hide under the covers until everybody leaves? Even if that appeared to be a pipe dream.

“My girlfriend! Go away!” Though muffled, Buffy’s voice carried through the layers of fabric. In their hiding place, they were back to the same position when the pillow talk started--their heads were next to each on the pillow. “Geez. Wasn’t ‘stuffed animal togetherness’ traumatic enough?” She whispered. “Are your grandfather and my mom here too?”

“Buffy!” Satsu was horrified, and put her hands over her face. “Stop!”

“Uh, stop what?” They heard Xander ask, and then heard, “Ouch.” Go Renee.

Buffy brought a finger to her lips. “Ssh!” Beat. “My mom woulda loved you.”

Satsu smiled. “Jiichan let me go because he saw you had a good heart...but it was sad. Between when we were in his garden and your hand touched my back, and later at dinner when you thought a shamoji was, uh, something else,” An embarrassed blonde learned the paddle was for rice-cooking, “I knew I was gonna have a crush. But after he said that? I wanted to fall in love so bad.”

“He was sweet.” Whether she was worthy or not, the girl next to her certainly made Buffy feel like she was. The tip of her finger touched the top of Satsu’s nose and followed it down. “I remember we were still moving into the castle, it wasn’t uber-crowded yet, and you were outside practicing by yourself. Wearing that shirt with the midget, ninja hippo. Add a sunrise, plus fast, glint-y swords...I couldn’t not look at you. Hello, buried crush.”

Buffy told herself it would stay that, but then she liked talking to her too much. At some point, she could tell Satsu’s idolization of her went away, and was replaced solely with respect. When that happened, they became friends. Close friends. Then it grew until tonight, when they became lovers. Both girls wanted their visitors gone to become again.

“Why aren’t they leaving?” Satsu asked pointlessly.

KRRRWHAM!

Did something just crash through the ceiling?

“Hi, ‘Why.’”