It was Tuesday. Date Night.

Date Night had previously been Fridays, but for obvious reasons, Faith and Buffy had later decided to change the night of the week they dedicated to spending one-on-one time together. Besides, there was something about Tuesdays that felt important – as though it was meant to be that they'd always have adventures on Tuesdays.

Buffy unlocked the front door of her Cleveland house and pushed inside. She patted at herself with one gloved hand. A light dusting of snow from the slight flurries outside clung to her jacket, hair, and eyelashes. Despite how long she'd lived here, she wasn't sure she'd ever adjust to actually having snow and cold during the winter months. Maybe they'd get lucky and a new Hellmouth would form under Hawaii.

It was she and Faith's first Valentine's Day as an official couple. Buffy couldn't remember the last time she'd actually had a Valentine, and she hadn't been sure if Faith would even want to observe the Hallmark Holiday. They'd agreed to not make a big deal out of the day, at least this first time. Buffy was terribly pregnant, and to her, waiting for a table at an overpriced and overcrowded restaurant sounded like the least romantic way to spend the evening.

Instead, Faith was going to come over early in the evening; they had plans to make dinner together and watch melodramatic movies on Lifetime. Buffy blamed her recent obsession with the channel on her pregnancy. She'd never liked the over-the-topic dramas before, but lately her hormones had gotten the best of her, and Lifetime seemed to be the only cure.

Buffy hung up her jacket and then struggled to bend at the waist to untie her winter boots. She made a few huffing noises as she attempted to reach the laces over her distended stomach. The tips of her fingers wiggled uselessly as she discovered her goal was just out of her reach. Giving up, she righted herself.

"Faith!"

"Yeah, babe?"

The dark-haired slayer ambled out from the back of the house. Her step contained a recognizable swagger. In one hand she held an open container of chocolate chip cookies and liberally shoved more cookies into her mouth as she made her way from the kitchen to the front foyer.

Buffy frowned at the sight of her girlfriend. Barefoot and wearing jeans and a t-shirt, even with cookie crumbs clinging to her lips, Faith looked devastatingly attractive.

"I hate you," Buffy grumbled sourly.

Faith stopped her swagger mid-step and quirked an eyebrow at her girlfriend. "Why this time?"

Buffy flapped her arms at her sides like a penguin. "You could eat all the cookies in the world and still have an amazing body," she complained. "And I can't even untie my shoes anymore."

"Awww, B," Faith chuckled. She put a half-eaten cookie back in the box. "You know you're adorable, with or without the belly bowling ball."

Buffy lightly stamped her foot on the ground. "Will you just help me with my shoes?" she huffed.

Faith's generous lips pulled into a wide grin. "Of course. Anything for you."

The Boston-born slayer got down on her knees and started to tug at the blonde's shoelaces. "How did you manage to get these tied in the first place?" she asked as she struggled slightly with a particularly stubborn knot.

Buffy sighed. "Dawn stopped by for breakfast this morning, and I made her help me."

Faith chuckled, not unkindly. "I'm sure she loved that." She pulled the first snowy boot off and set it on the welcome mat.

"More like I'm never going to hear the end of it," Buffy groaned.

"Don't worry. You'll get your body back soon enough," Faith reassured her girlfriend as she pulled off the second boot. "And just think, when Dawn's knocked up, you'll get to tease her. Payback's a bitch."

"Oh my God. Why would you say something like that? Dawn is never getting pregnant," Buffy sputtered. She gave Faith a horrified look. "Dawn is never having sex."

Faith shook her head and clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "Whatever you say, B."

"By the way," Faith remarked when she'd finished removing Buffy's shoes, "since I'm down here on my knees..." She pulled a small, rectangle box into view. Buffy had no idea where on her body she'd been hiding it unless she'd stashed it in the cookie box.

Buffy's hazel-green eyes widened when her brain slowly registered what was happening. Faith was on her knees. Holding onto a small box that no doubt contained jewelry.

"It's not an engagement ring or nothing," Faith chuckled, sensing Buffy's apprehension, "so don't get too excited."

Buffy gingerly took the box from her girlfriend, and Faith stood to her full height.

"But I didn't get you anything," Buffy quietly complained as she stared down at the small, embossed container. "We agreed not to make a big deal about today."

Faith shrugged. "I know. But I couldn't help myself," she grinned. "I love surprising you. Open it," she urged.

Buffy carefully lifted the top from the unmistakable, light blue Tiffany & Co. box. Her hands slightly shook, and she held the box as though it might crumble beneath her ministrations. Inside rested a simple sterling silver pendant with the letters "F. L." etched on the metal.

"So now you don't have to get that tattoo," Faith murmured. She pulled the delicate chain from the box and draped the necklace around her girlfriend's neck. The pendant rested perfectly at the hollow of her throat.

Buffy gently touched the heart-shaped disc. "Does this mean you're going to get my initials tattooed on you?"

A few months ago the topic had come up. Faith had hinted that she wanted to get matching tattoos and suggested they swapped each other's initials. Buffy had initially balked at the idea, however. Pregnant women didn't get tattoos, she insisted. Plus, she was terrified of needles.

"I dunno," Faith shrugged. "Kinda seems like the Kiss of Death now. Like I'd jinx us if I did that."

Buffy frowned slightly, but Faith quickly captured her lips with her own before it could turn into a full-wattage pout. Buffy felt her knees buckle when Faith's tongue slid into her mouth and stroked along her teeth. When Faith pulled back, she left Buffy feeling slightly breathless. Her kisses tended to do that. And lately, multiple flights of stairs.

Faith grabbed the smaller slayer's hand. "C'mon," she urged, tugging on Buffy's arm. "I'm hungry. Let's burn some food in the kitchen."

After a dinner that was only mildly charred, the two slayers found themselves lying together in Buffy's bed under her feather duvet. Faith sat nearly upright in bed, resting her head against the headboard, while Buffy used Faith's breastplate as a pillow. In the background, some teenage pregnancy-pact drama played on the television.

Faith stifled a yawn and brought her right hand up to cover her mouth. Buffy looked up with a ready quip about Faith's old age. Her taunt fell from her lips, however, when she noticed something different about her girlfriend's arm. On the inside of Faith's right wrist, in careful script, were the letters "B.A.S."

Buffy reached up and traced the delicate black lines with the tip of her finger. "When did you have this done?"

"Damn it," Faith chuckled. She ducked her head and kissed Buffy's temple. "Guess you busted me. I got it a couple weeks ago," she revealed with a soft smile. "I wanted it to be healed for today."

Buffy kept her fingertips on the black lettering. "How did I manage to not notice that?" she asked. "Am I that bad of a girlfriend?"

Faith shrugged. "Long sleeve shirts and conveniently placed jewelry, I guess. I wanted to surprise you."

Buffy grinned up at her girlfriend. "Well, mission accomplished." She wrapped her arms tighter around the woman in her bed and kissed the exposed skin just above the neck of Faith's tank top.

Faith gently rubbed Buffy's stomach. "It seems like you've been pregnant forever," she absently remarked.

Buffy groaned and rolled onto her back. "You're telling me."

"Excited?" Faith posed.

"Nervous," Buffy corrected.

"Don't worry, B. You're gonna be an amazing mom," Faith reassured. "And when the little mango decides it's time to hatch, you've got all of us to help out. Me especially."

"Mango? Hatch?" Buffy echoed. Her eyes crinkled at the corners.

Ignoring Buffy's light taunt, Faith reached across her girlfriend's pregnant belly and pulled open the top drawer of the bedside table.

"What are you looking for?" the blonde questioned. She strained her neck to see what Faith was doing. The contents of the top drawer rattled as Faith moved things around.

"One more present."

Buffy suddenly felt flushed. "I don't think I can…" she started.

Faith chuckled. "Not getting the vibrator, B. Damn, girl," she winked. "Get your head outta the gutter." She pulled another light blue box wrapped in a delicate silk bow from the dresser.

Buffy sat up in bed. "Faith. No," she lightly protested when Faith handed her the second present. "It's too much."

"It's not jewelry, B," Faith insisted. "Just open it, okay?"

Buffy nodded. She carefully pulled on one end of the ribbon and the elegant bow slid free. She bit her bottom lip and lifted the top.

"What's this?" She pulled a single, silver key out of the box. She turned it over in her hand and examined it. Nothing about the key visibly indicated what it was for. It was simple and nondescript.

"It's the key to my apartment," Faith noted.

"But I already have one of those," Buffy observed. Her eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"I know. I just…I didn't know how to gift this. I-I'm subletting my apartment," Faith revealed in a rush. "And when the lease is up, I'm not renewing the contract."

"You mean…you're finally moving in?" Buffy nearly shrieked. "With me?"

"If you'll still have me," Faith nodded. She smiled through her embarrassment. If Buffy said no, she'd be homeless.

Buffy threw her arms around her partner's neck. "This is the best present ever, Fai!" she mumbled into Faith's neck.

"Oh," Faith chuckled. "So does that mean I can return the necklace I got you?"

The small blonde pulled away and stared incredulously. "Of course not."

Before Faith could say something else that might ruin the moment, Buffy kissed her girlfriend hard. Her soft lips pressed solidly against the Bostonian's mouth. She gripped onto the bottom of Faith's tank top, pulling the material taut against her back.

"Uh, B. I kinda need that key back," Faith noted in between Buffy's energetic kisses. The blonde's mouth traveled down to her neck, and Faith's shuddered when Buffy nipped at her jugular.

"And th-the other one I gave you, too," she stuttered. It was hard to form complete thoughts, let alone verbalize complete sentences with Buffy latched onto her neck. "I'm sure the chick leasing my apartment wouldn't appreciate everyone and their mother having access to her new digs."

"Later," Buffy confirmed with a mischievous grin. Her hazel-green eyes sparkled brightly. She deftly rid Faith of her tank top. Her eyes made a show of raking over the brunette's naked torso.

"Right now," she said, licking her lips, "I wanna show you how much I appreciate your presents."

FIN