Z is for Zebra Stripes

Author notes: Thank you so much all who keep reading this- and all my other fics. I really appreciate all the regular readers…you are very inspiring. And by the way I am writing Bonded again, just finished a chapter and have a rough outline of more, so hopefully I'll have it up within a few days.

Faith fidgeted about restlessly from where she lay on top of the covers, her already-not-very-impressive patience thinning even further the longer she waited. For God's sake, how long did it take a person to get ready for bed already?!

It had been a long, busy, and very enjoyable Christmas. Callie had loved each of her gifts, particularly the one from Faith that the brunette had dubbed a 'Slayer Starter Kit.' It had consisted of several stakes and weapons made for a smaller hand and form than hers or Buffy's, and a large and rather pretty cross necklace, along with some vials of holy water.

Callie had squealed when she opened it, proclaiming what a grown-up gift it was even as she beamed and wiggled around like the little kid she was. At eight years old, she was beginning to develop an interest in being a 'grown-up' and had even, in all seriousness, once proclaimed herself to be a preteen. Looking down at her tiny, completely undeveloped form, Faith had barely been able to suppress a snicker.

Almost immediately Callie had started clamoring to know if this meant she could not go slaying with them- a proposition that had earned Faith a black death glare from Buffy. The present hadn't been quite as popular with Buffy as with their daughter.

Of course, Buffy's irritation with Faith had quickly been forgotten when she opened her own gifts. Faith had put her hopeful imaginative best effort into them this year…making sure Callie was safely occupied with her new toys in her room, she had watched Buffy open her perfume, lingerie, and the rather expensive necklace she had picked out for her, among other things…some including 'toys' that Faith couldn't wait for them to try out together.

If she would just hurry the hell up…

Faith shifted herself again uncomfortably; she was wearing the red, rather low-cut dress Buffy had gotten her for Christmas, even though it wasn't her style and their get-together with their friends had ended hours ago. Faith really wasn't a dress-wearing kind of girl at all, but Buffy had seemed to so strongly think that she'd look good in it that she had worn it anyway, to the shock of some of the others at the party. Now she was hoping Buffy would come in and be the one to take it off of her…

And what was taking so long anyway? How long did it take a girl to take a shower, brush her teeth, and remove her makeup?

Stupid question. This was Buffy they were talking about, after all…

Faith shifted herself again, finding herself scowling, entirely restless; she had given up the seductive pose she had maintained when she first lay down, and was now simply sitting with her back against the bed's headboard.

Wouldn't it be just about right if after all this, Buffy finally comes in and proclaims herself to be too tired to do anything other than go straight to sleep? Faith felt her frustration intensify at the very thought…if that happened, she was gonna have to go take a shower herself, because no way could she just lay there and act like she was good to go when-

Just then the door opened, and Faith sat up straighter, her eyes widening. All thoughts died as she stared at the figure in the doorway, not quite cognizant of the grin spreading across her face.

"Hey baby," Buffy said in a voice deliberately more husky than usual, one arm extending slowly up the door frame. "Been waiting long?"

Of course she had been and Buffy knew it, but Faith could care less now. Her eyes continued to travel up and down Buffy's length, taking in every inch of her form…

Buffy may have taken a shower, but she looked from the neck up as if she were just starting the day. Her hair was dry and carefully brushed out so it fell around her shoulders, her face made up heavily, her eyes emphasized in the way Faith loved. And she seemed to be putting to use as many gifts Faith had given her as possible.

Even across the room Faith could smell on her the perfume she had given her. Buffy was also wearing her necklace, its ends stopping between her breasts, and her new stilettos. In her hand as well was the handbag Faith had given her, one that looked suspiciously full…

But what her eyes were really taking in was the matching zebra stripe bra and thong set that Faith had given to her…which were currently the only items other than the necklace that Buffy was wearing. Faith had no problem telling herself that her selection had been excellent.

Seeing Faith's temporary and uncharacteristic ability to find words, Buffy smiled, taking a slow step into the room before shutting and locking the door behind her. Faith's already hammering heart kicked it up a few more notches…

"So what do you think?" she asked mischievously, knowing full well what Faith thought since it was written quite expressively across her face.

"I think you look hot in zebra stripes," Faith said immediately, and Buffy laughed, coming to sit next to her and pulling her into a deep kiss. Faith returned it in kind immediately, and all else was forgotten but the feel of Buffy in her arms, the taste of her against her lips…

When they finally pulled away, catching their breath, Buffy's hand fumbled for her handbag, pulling it into her lap. Slowly, teasingly, she began to pull from it more of her gifts… fake whips and chains, handcuffs and whipped cream, scarves and vibrators and dildos…

"Thought I'd share…since it's the season of giving and all…"

Faith wasn't about to protest.

As Buffy's barely-clad body once more pressed close to hers, her lipsticked lips smearing marks against and inside Faith's mouth, Faith felt the excitement building rapidly inside herself in a way that nothing else could do for her. She could feel Buffy's fingers moving to the zipper of her dress and sucked in her breath…

Buffy was the best gift she could ever have been given…just Buffy, her love for her, and their life together now was all she could ever want or need.

The end, and Merry Christmas to all!