Girls Like...
Kit wasn't quite certain why she found herself wanting to hang out with Dawn. Dawn wasn't like her. Sweet and bright and glittery. The type of girl who probably still had the same soft rose coloured wallpaper and room decor from when she was little. The type of girl who went for the clean, natural look. Face always looking freshly scrubbed, just the slightest hint of gloss on the lips. Not like Kit. Not the type of girl who hid behind dark makeup and gothic lace.
Girls like Kit didn't socialize with girls like Dawn. It wasn't done. A little bit of friendliness and a near-death experience shouldn't change the natural order of things.
And yet, here they are. Sitting across from one another at a table in the cafeteria. Murmuring softly. About what just happened and life in Sunnydale in general. And somewhere in the back of her mind Kit's aware of the cliques and groups staring at them oddly. Because apparently Dawn had a freak out moment in class earlier, and Kit's considered a freak anyway, and soft, glittery girls like Dawn didn't hang out and chat and eat lunch with cold, dark, girls like Kit. Therefore, they're both just Weird. Let them hang out with each other, nobody else is going to hang out with them now.
So they sit and talk and Dawn smiles. Blindingly white teeth flashing between soft, pink glossed lips. And Kit smiles back, just a small twist of one. And Dawn says, "I'm not sure if I should even be telling you half of this stuff. The Hellmouth and Slayers and everything is supposed to be secret. But, like, you saw what my sister can do. I figure it's better to be honest. With friends at least, right?"
And the very idea that Dawn is calling her friend so soon just... boggles the mind. Kit only nodding and taking a sip of her soda to cover the fact that her mind just can't wrap around this.
Girls like Dawn don't make friends with girls like Kit.
But Dawn doesn't laugh at her the next day. Or ignore her. Not like Kit expected. Instead hurrying up to her side and smiling. Asking her how she's doing. And once again they sit together at lunch and it all just seems so odd. Hanging out at lunch or after classes. Indifferent to social standing and the cliques. Kit had never pegged Dawn as one of those girls who would be indifferent to popularity.
People can be surprising.
It was one afternoon while hanging out and doing homework, that Kit declared she needed to repaint her nails. Digging through her purse and sparing a glance at Dawn's fingers and nails. Stating quite simply that Dawn needed to paint her nails too.
"Why?"
"Look at them. They're like... little girl nails. All perfectly clipped and clean. You should try to grow them at least."
A frown and Dawn's lower lip sticks out slightly as she examines her fingers. "They are not little girl nails. I have very mature looking nails."
"Whatever. Come on, it'll be fun. I got a ton of colours in here. All you have to do is pick one."
"Any pink?" A giggle escaping Dawn at the deadly look shot in her direction. "I know, I know. But I had to ask."
"You're lucky I'm not stabbing you with a file for that one. Here." About a half-dozen bottles lined up along the table. Black, a few different blues and purples, and one bottle of a vibrant ruby-red. Dawn's hand moving towards the final choice and Kit smiles.
"Yea. That one, definitely. Gimme your hand. We'll do the whole manicure treatment here. Sorta."
And Dawn sits back and allows Kit to file and poke at and paint her nails. Giggling at the occasional idle joke or bit of snarky gossip. Sunnydale High As According To Kit, being what Dawn's termed it. Admiring the glossy red sheen when it's finished and Kit's adding another coat of black to her own nails. Trying not to think about how nice it was to have her hand cradled in Kit's. Their heads so close together that all it would take was a slight tilt for their lips to touch in a soft, chaste, kiss.
"Next I'm gonna try to convince you to let me experiment with makeup on you." Kit's teasing comment breaks into her thoughts and Dawn grins back. Shoving the thoughts aside.
"I don't think so."
"Um... it'll be fun?"
"For you maybe."
All temptation forgotten.
Mostly.
Although there are times. Like when Kit's reapplying her lipstick when Dawn wonders what it would be like. To press her soft, lip gloss coated mouth to Kit's darkly painted lips. Kiss and let her tongue dart out to taste the faintly bitter tang of lipstick.
One day, while they're doing homework, she does it. Kit's eyes widening with surprise. Dawn blushing slightly when it's over. Trying to brush the whole thing aside with nervous chatter until Kit silences her once again with lips pressed to lips.
Study sessions get far more interesting after that.
Dawn's lips are soft and glossy. Rose petal pink and tasting like whatever flavour of lip gloss she decided to put on that day. Sometimes like fruit. Sweet and juicy. Peach, watermelon, green apple, cherry. Sometimes a biting minty taste, like hard candy. Once there was chocolate. Bubblegum another time. Always a surprise whenever they kiss.
Kit figures her lips always taste the same. That faintly bitter tang of lipstick. But she wouldn't change a thing. Because Dawn is always the first to press their mouths together. To run a tongue over Kit's lower lip and taste. To pull away and smile wickedly and Kit can do nothing but smile back. The faint flavour of Dawn's lip gloss lingering on her tongue. Their foreheads pressed together.
Kit stays over some nights. When Buffy's out patrolling. Buffy always lecturing them about not inviting things in and keeping the doors locked before she leaves and Dawn simply smiles and nods and tells her not to worry so much. That if there's any serious trouble she'll call, not that there'll be any serious trouble. And that her and Kit are just going to do their homework or watch a movie or whatever it is the plans for the night are. And Buffy would nod and walk out the door, Dawn locking it behind her. Knowing that Buffy would stand out there all night if need be until she heard the locks click into place.
And there is studying. Or a movie. Or whatever. But there is also shy kisses and tentative cuddling up on the couch. Secretive smiles. And the niggling thought that maybe girls like Dawn can be friends with girls like Kit. Or if not that, than maybe more.