Fanfiction: Tis The Season
“Eighteen bucks a day and the crappy TV doesn’t even work,? Faith muttered under her breath. She gave up messing with the antenna and gave the side of the box a good whack. Nothing else to do in this town, you’d think you could at least catch a flick or two.
She heard a knock at the door and gave the box another shake. “Yeah?” she called, not asking the visitor in. Little more careful with the invitations lately.
The door opened and Buffy appeared at the threshold.
Another new coat. Girl’s closet must take up half the house. “Hey, what’s up?” Faith said carelessly, returning her attention to the static on the screen. “Work, damn it!”
“Hey,” answered Buffy hesitantly. She thought about saying something nice about the room, but the memory of her last visit checked the impulse.
Faith sighed and gave up, switching off the offending TV. So much for downtime. More uglies to kill. Didn’t Slayers get holiday time?
“What’s going on? Scary monsters?”
‘Cause we both know you wouldn’t be here for any other reason.
“No, um,” Buffy felt a flash of guilt at the group’s unfulfilled pledge to socialize more with Faith. “We’re having Christmas Eve dinner at my house, and I thought that, um, if you didn’t have plans…”
A pity invite. Great. Now she was a charity case. No thanks, had enough of that in life already. “Your mom sent you down, huh?” Faith smiled wryly, her expression clearly showing her opinion of the generosity
Buffy ordered herself not to blush. “No,” she responded, trying to look shocked and appalled.
Faith watched her for a second and decided to play along. “Well, thanks, but I got plans.” She wasn’t a total loser. “There’s this big party I’ve been invited to. It should be a blast.” Faith smiled unconvincingly. She didn’t need Perfect Buffy and her Perfect Family Christmas. Partying at the Bronze was a better time any day.
Buffy paused, unsure of whether to press the matter. “Okay. Cool. But if you change your mind, the offer…”
Didn’t believe her, huh? Thanks a lot. On some level Faith recognized the illogical nature of her thoughts, but her embarrassment propelled her on. “That’s nice of you. Thanks. But I got …” She trailed off for a moment. Don’t be a loser, Faith, just get rid of her. “I got that big party that I’ve been invited to, so…” She ignored the wisps of regret at the back of her mind. Whatever. She didn’t need this.
Buffy nodded, surprised at the disappointment she felt. Unsure of what else to say, she turned to go. On impulse, she looked back once more. “I like the lights,” she added quietly.
The honesty of the statement stood out in contrast to the rest of the conversation. Faith glanced up at her words, taking in the lone string of Christmas lights adorning the bare room. She shouldn’t have bought them. It’s not like she needed them. Eighteen bucks a day was eighteen bucks a day she didn’t have, so blowing six bucks on some lame Christmas decoration had been pretty stupid. Plus a buck for the thumb tacks. She imagined Buffy’s mom had thumb tacks in the house already. And clean towels. And extra light-bulbs. And a million other little luxuries Faith had never known. They probably had a dozen strings of lights around the tree. Faith briefly considered attempting to get any of that across to the well-groomed girl with the fancy new coat.
“Yeah, well. ‘Tis the season. Whatever that means.”