o4 . january catchall

[clocktowers]

Who: clocktowers and CR.
What: A bit of drama at Clockhouse.
When: Early January
Where: Throughout Trench.

Content Warnings: Tagged in subject lines as needed.

Ozpin's Vampirism Timeline:
- [Ford] rescue from the Sleeper Farm
- [Qrow] not talking about it
- [Willow, Tara] rancid vibes
- [Zhongli] a fight
- [Willow] stalking
- [Willow] on the groupchat
- [Oscar] checking in
- [Ruby] the intervention pit
- [Ange] on the groupchat
- [Sayo] a wakeup call
- [Shannon] after the wakeup call
- [Faith, Willow] a confrontation
- [Willow] on the groupchat
- [Oz] on the groupchat
- [Qrow] after the confrontation
- [Willow, Ford] discussing options
- [Faith, Qrow] hostile stalking
- [PH house] meeting the inlaws
- [Qrow] an offer
- [Willow] reconciling
- [Ford] at the Red
- [Willow] wolf talk

Comments

[frogfear]

[Willow gives Faith a small smile and returns the wave as she goes, and as soon as the door is shut, a little more of the tension in her drains away. Until she sees the look on Tara's face.

She's quiet for a long moment in the wake of the disapproving frown. If anyone had asked her this morning how today would have gone, she never would have expected to have the rug ripped out from under her quite to this extreme. Still, Tara deserves an explanation.

She runs a hand over her face as she tries to recollect her thoughts.]

It's, um, a Paleblood thing. People can't lie to us this month, it's why Ozpin couldn't...

[She trails off, and follows Tara upstairs. She winces a little as the drawers open and shut louder than is actually necessary, and sighs.]

I know Buffy wouldn't trust her, but she's the help we have right now.

[psychopepsquad]

I don't think she's lying, I think that she's impetuous and reckless. Didn't you say that she just snapped one day and killed a man? You told me that she was unstable. This could just be a bit of reason before she changes again.

[She has to wonder for a moment if she was talking about herself. No, no, it was Faith. She had seen what Faith could do and how dangerous she could be. It wasn't a good idea to give her room to suddenly go back to being a psycho.]

Do we really need her help? We've gotten along fine without it.

[frogfear]

[Impetuous and reckless is not at all an unfair assessment of Faith, and she is very well aware of this. Still, she was the help they had in the moment, and Willow is well aware from her conversations with Ozpin, that vampires might need a little more explaining to the rest of the household, and in that moment, with a vampire loose on the town, it does not feel like they have time for questions and explanations.]

I think we need her right now, yeah. They don't have vampires in Remnant, the others are going to have questions, and asking Faith to keep an eye on Ozpin means we're free to answer them, and then find a solution before someone gets hurt.

[She knows an apology is owed, and she genuinely didn't mean to upset Tara like this.]

I'm sorry. I should've told you Faith was here before bringing her to the house. I didn't think things were going to go this way...

[psychopepsquad]

[She crossed her arms, a bit put out by Willow's defense, but not really able to argue with it. Willow had a point. If you were dealing with vampires, it was better to have a slayer around than none at all.

But why did it have to be Faith?]

Why didn't you? I keep feeling like you're walking on eggshells around me.

[Which was leading into a bigger issue.]

[frogfear]

[Willow sighs. Not telling Tara Faith was here had been completely unintentional, but she can understand why an explanation is still owed.]

I saw her on the beach ages ago. It might've even been before you came. People come and go from this place all the time - lots of people show up when Sleepers come to shore, take a look around, and end up going back out to sea to... I dunno? Live their best squid lives or something? I didn't see her after that, so I figured that's what happened to her.

[She smiles a little.]

I guess I kind of got caught up in the excitement of you showing up and forgot all about Faith. 'Cause, come on, who would you be happier to see? Her or me?

[The smile spreads to something a little lighter, and more teasing.]

Hopefully it's me.

[Willow turns serious again, and sighs, rubbing a hand over her face. She might be able to still make a small joke, but she is still well beyond stressed by today's everything.]

Anyway. I didn't see her again until today. I didn't even think she was still here. I promise I didn't intentionally keep anything from you. It'd be kind of dumb for me to say 'hey, I'm gonna hide Faith from Tara, but also invite her over to the house where we all live and just hope she doesn't notice.'

[psychopepsquad]

I know you're excited, but that doesn't change that it seems like you're trying to shield me from things sometimes. Even if it slipped your mind that Faith was here, there's a bunch of other stuff that it seems like...well, you're afraid to say?

[She realizes she's making a thing of all this. Being that sort of girl. It's frustrating. She put her face in her hand, letting out a loud sigh.]

You don't need to answer that. I'm being bratty. The whole "Faith thing" has me rattled. I'm sorry.

[frogfear]

[Willow steps over to Tara and gently lays a hand on her arm. She's careful to avoid bare skin, but it's hard not to want to comfort her.]

Tara, I was in Deerington for, like, eight months, then here for another three, or thereabouts, before you came. And most of the time, it made Sunnydale look... Boring. Trust me, I still have all kinds of stories I can tell about the stuff that happened there, but the main reason why I haven't yet is because it's kind of a lot to talk about all in one sitting. I'm not trying to keep things from you, I promise.

[Well... There are a few stories she's deliberately avoiding sharing because she worries how Tara will react, or because she's still processing herself, but it will come in time.]

[psychopepsquad]

[There's enough layers to keep from the risk of infecting Willow. The touch isn't unwelcomed. She placed her gloved hand over Willow's. It was probably the first real intimacy they shared since coming back.]

I know, I know. I'm just being bratty. I'm sorry. Don't pay attention to me.

I know you'll tell me all about it when you're ready.

[frogfear]

[Willow smiles warmly as Tara lays her hand over hers. Things have changed irrevocably for both of them, but the small intimate gesture is a comforting reminder that they will get through it together.]

It's okay. I'd probably feel the same way if I was in your shoes.

[psychopepsquad]

Well, we'll see how things go with Faith.

At least for now, I can do the spell. I might need help remembering everything. It's been awhile since we needed it.

End tag?

[frogfear]

I remember how to do it. I can walk you through it if you need me to.