Author's Notes: Written for a drabble tree with et_tu_lj, with the prompt "regret washes through her."

First Kisses

Her thumb sweeps across his forehead; the tip of her skin meets his eyepatch. His remaining eye stares at her, mouth opened slightly. When her gaze meets his lips she wants to kiss him, and regret washes through her.

She never expected to have this moment with him. He is her best friend, her family, her heart. For him this is probably an adolescent pipe dream miraculously coming true. For her, she doesn't know what it is or means, outside of unexpected. Can she love him more than she already does?

"Buffy?" he asks, uncertain of what her hesitancy means.

She replies with her lips grazing his, and soon their mouths are inspecting each other. There is more passion from him than she expected, and then she realizes she is reciprocating.

And she decides she doesn't need to love him more than she already does, but she can love him differently than before. She will not worry about wasted time, for it took all that came before to bring them here, and so there is nothing to regret.

Their lips part but their faces remain close. When she whispers his name, it means so much more and she hopes he understands.

"Xander."