“Hey.” The single syllabled word is soft but a little strained, a little hoarse. Fingers curl and ball into a fist, knuckles pressing against a palm until a quiet pop emits from tired bones. It’s a bad habit, a nervous tick, bared biceps flexing in the streaks of moonlight coming in through the single bedroom window. “Look, I’m—“ she stops herself, the words she’s wanting to say are getting caught and staying lodged in the back of throat until they singe and burn. All that remains is a pile of ash, leaving her to choke.
‘I’m sorry’ was just a phrase she never learned to properly pronounce.
“What happened back there at the house— I didn’t—“ Brows twitch before furrowing, eyes narrowing as they shift through the layers of darkness in search of a familiar figure scrunched up somewhere on a bed. “I just want you to know that it wasn’t my idea. I mean, you and I bothknow that I’m far from ever even being considered some sort of leader. But if ya ask me,” a heavy puff of air is exhaled as a spine curls and knees bend to perch on the edge of the mattress, “they’re wrong. What they said— What they did— All wrong.”
buffy found it difficult to process what had happened back at her home, which she’d now officially been kicked out of. she found herself in a stranger’s home, abandoned due to the upcoming apocalypse, curled up on the bed, tears falling down swollen cheeks. she’d been crying for hours, angry at those who had betrayed her. she’d been through so much with them, had saved their lives numerous times, risking her own always -- to think they could just remove her like she meant nothing, tell her she wasn’t the leader they needed anymore. that faith was. she peered up hearing the other slayer’s voice, she seemed nervous approaching the blonde. buffy glared at the brunette, anger coursing through her body. she didn’t hate faith, how could she? they’d been through so much together. if anything, she ENVIED her.
she sat up in the bed & moved damp locks from her eyes, wiping at the tears that wet her cheeks. ❝ —- hey, maybe they’re not wrong, maybe they’re right. i mean, it’s not like i’ve been saving all their asses for the past few decades. maybe i should retire, give up the whole ‘saving the world & kicking demon ass’ thing. i could even flee town like the rest of them, find a nice, NORMAL life in los angeles or something... ❞ deep down she knew she couldn’t leave, even if she wanted to, which, she didn’t. she couldn’t sit back & watch as the hellmouth tore them apart. even if they didn’t want her to be their leader, she would still have to take it on the chin & fight for the cause.
