You'll Come Back (When It's Over) || Febuary Catch-All

[slayerskiss]

Who: Faith Lehane + Others
What: Catch-All for closed threads through Febuary
When: The month of Febuary
Where: All over the place

Content Warnings: TBA.

Comments

Where's Your Mother? | Closed to Tara (Early Febuary)

[slayerskiss]

[Faith walks out of her apartment, a long leather coat stocked to the brim with plenty of weapons and remedies necessary for hunting. In her hands is what looks to be a crossbow, and she's currently in the process of loading a bolt into it.

Her focus is broken, however, when she sees Tara near her... porch? That's what you call these things, right? She wouldn't know, she lived in a one bedroom apartment. She raises an eyebrow, immediately a mix of confused and suspicious.]

Um. Hi? Can I uh, do somethin' for you? [If she finds out that Willow told Tara about her mentioning she felt jealous of Spike and now Tara's come to preach at her, she's killing them both probably.]

[psychopepsquad]

[If Willow had talked about these things, Tara didn't remember them. They were outside of her moments of coherency, lost in what she called her "blips". The moments her memory and control shut off.

At least for now, she was reasonable and in control of herself. She was in the driver's seat as it were. Thinking of it in those terms made her chuckle, but she was careful not to make a noise. People seemed to look at her strange whether she did it with purpose or not.

She glanced up at Faith, doing her best to smile. There was no real feeling behind it, but that wasn't Faith's fault, it was her own. Maybe. Possibly. It was hard to know. Part of her wished it was Buffy here instead, someone who could explain this sensation, having gone through it.

But in a way, she was glad it was Faith. She was outside it all, unlikely to share this with anyone, especially Willow. She was like a safe stranger.]

No, I was just looking for someone to talk to. I didn't want anyone else here, if that's okay? Or I could go, if you want me to?

[slayerskiss]

[Someone to talk to? Huh. Faith's not sure how to interpret that, but it's not like she's against it. Sure, she's listened to other people lately, tried to be nicer, she might as well keep it up. She nods, slowly.]

...Nah, it's chill. I was about to go patrol, but I can go later. Not like I'm stuck on a schedule or whatever. My place is empty as hell, except, you know, all the weapons. [She gestures inside, opening the door for Tara. She's not knowingly avoiding inviting her in verbally, it's just habit.]

What'd you want to talk about?

[psychopepsquad]

I can go with you. [It would give them something to do while they talked. Maybe even the effort of keeping on guard and danger around them would stop any potential blips.] I've never been the best with physical exertion, but I doubt we'll have to run any.

You...you don't have to stay there alone. I think the others would let you stay at the house. [She's not sure it's her place to offer, but she doubts Faith will accept. Unless she does. If there was a problem, she'd accept the trouble, but Faith shouldn't be alone.] They let me stay and they don't know me.

[There was a genuine smirk, a rare breakthrough of...something, some feeling. But it didn't last long. Either she made it up, or it was a lingering residue of her old self.]

Um, it's kind of difficult to talk about. I...I guess I wanted to ask your blood type. It's kind of related to that. Not you personally, but mine.

Don't tell Willow.

[slayerskiss]

[She nods. Yeah, sure, that works. She closes the door behind her with a shrug.] Probably not. A-hunting we go, then.

[She slings the crossbow on her shoulder, stepping down and walking alongside Tara. She lets out an amused huff at Tara's offer. Willow might have buried the hatchet with Ozpin and Qrow but Faith has always been considerably more distrustful than the scooby gang.] Somehow I doubt it. Don't know if I want to stay with Ozpin either, or the crow guy who got all pissy at me and Willow. Still, it's nice of you to offer.

[She feels like they must have let Tara stay by virtue of her being Willow's girlfriend. Faith and Willow have been getting along so far, but she feels like Willow's not going to advocate for her in quite the same way.

Tara's next statement is a bit of a shock, though. Faith furrows her brow and gives Tara a puzzled look. Why would she tell Faith something and not tell Willow? She was pretty intensely distrustful in their first encounter, not to mention visibly pissed at Willow for keeping a secret. Whatever, Willow and Tara's relationship drama's not Faith's issue.] Uh... vileblood. So far all I've noticed is that I get stronger if I'm angrier.

But yeah, sure, it'll stay between us. Promise.

[psychopepsquad]

[It's not as if she brought any weapons with her. She's got her magic, but she hasn't really explored it since the blood zealots. Something about being a Vileblood. Using its magic would only make her feel even more wrong, even more decaying.]

It's not the best thing to stay alone in a place like this. Things can happen and you might want someone there. It's like...this is Sunnydale pulled into the Hellmouth.

[It was the first time she voiced it out loud to someone, but it felt good to say, especially to Faith. A person who would understand but wouldn't be Willow. Willow thought other things about the Trench.

She nodded, feeling a bit relieved that Faith shared the same blood. It made this conversation easier and Faith more trustworthy. She stepped closer, not wanting anyone to overhear, not that there was anyone around.]

Do you ever feel like the blood is wrong? That its made you w...wrong?

[slayerskiss]

[Your girlfriend and all her friends were perfectly content to leave me squatting in a motel in Sunnydale even while I was fighting for them, why should here be any different?

She's a bit tempted to say that. It's not fair to Willow, or to Xander or Buffy or Oz or Cordy. Wesley, Giles, sure. But it doesn't change the fact that the only one who over offered that kind of familial comfort and safety was the Mayor. And even now, she's not sure how much of that was manipulation.]

It's a miserable hellhole, yeah. I'm not sure Sunnydale was any better even above ground, though. It just sort of... pretended to be.

[She gives Tara a concerned look at her confession. It only lasts a few moments before her expression shifts to consideration and dark amusement.] Speaking personally, I was already wrong. That's what they keep telling me anyway. But I guess I understand what you mean, yeah.

How's it manifesting for you?

[psychopepsquad]

It definitely wasn't any better aboveground, but Buffy told me once about what the Hell dimension she visited was like. This isn't exactly a demon slave camp or whatever, where we're worked until old age, but this is still pretty bad.

[And really, it's the only explanation that makes any kind of sense. Sure, Anya talked about how there were various dimensions, but this...this was the only way to make it seem more...real.]

Not that kind of wrong.

[She was meant as a defense for Faith.]

You were human, no matter what you did. This kind of wrong is like...not being alive. A decaying state. It's hard to explain.

[She frowned.]

I keep having...blips. I say or do something and not know I did it or said it. Everyone looks at me like I'm crazy when I kind of come to.

I'm Not Angry Anymore | Closed to Dirk Strider (Early Febuary)

[slayerskiss]

[Now that the Ozpin business is over, Faith has taken to patrolling like she and Buffy used to do back when they were friends/acquaintances with weird tension/mutually pining. She figures that going out and hunting monsters is something that the others can do, and keeping the locals in check is for the local militia. She's a Slayer, she can find monsters in their hidey-holes.

Having said that, it's a slow night, and for now she's stopped with her crossbow slung over her shoulder, standing in front of a store and staring up at the name.]

What the fuck does Yow Ease even mean?

[givehead]

(Dirk was on his break. Granted, every waking moment of his life was his break because he worked whenever the hell he wanted to. Still. He was sitting on the sidewalk a few feet away, a cigarette between two fingers. There weren't too many people out tonight. Not that Dirk could blame them. It was cold and shitty, but he was trying to get used to the snow. So here he was. Suffering. Like an idiot.

He had noticed the chick with her crossbow, but like, it's a usual day in Trench so he doesn't really pay her much mind beyond that. Not like she was pointing it at him. Then it would be a different story.

She is, however, talking about his shop. So, with a casual, indifferent Texan drawl:)

It's a stupid wordplay on the Japanese word 'yaoi' which is a genre exclusively about dudes who fuck dudes. (He takes a slow drag from his cigarette. He doesn't even know why he picked up this stupid habit.) It's also now a sex shop.

[slayerskiss]

No shit?

[She huffs a breath of laughter. She's fairly sure this is the owner, just based on a feeling.]

Doin' god's work, then. [Or the devil's, as many people tried to beat into her head when she grew up catholic. She slings the crossbow over her shoulder.] Kinda surprised nobody else built one yet, considering how much living in a post apocalyptic nightmare world lends itself to screwing.

[That statement is entirely sincere and not sarcastic. In Faith's experience, nothing gets someone going more than hunting down and murdering monsters. She takes a cigarette of her own out from the pack in her jacket and puts it between her lips. Fuck it, she can be on break too.] Light?

[givehead]

Yeeeup. (While he doesn't necessarily smile at her laughter, there's something of a twitch at the corner of his mouth. This was clearly a woman of refined taste and he could respect that.

Okay, no, he actually smirks a bit at that second part.)

Someone's gotta. (Dirk thankfully never had to be subjected to religion at any point in his life, but he's read enough about it to have some serious pity for those that were.)

My thinkin' exactly. Granted, there's probably some podunk shack that sells blood-enchanted condoms or some shit.

(Faith was completely correct. He grunts, pushing himself up to his feet, and strolls over to her. He digs out his lighter and flicks it at the end of her cigarette. He cups his hand around it just to make sure the biting wind doesn't knock it out.)

Take it you're a Hunter? (With a nod to the crossbow.) That or just completely sensible.

[slayerskiss]

[She scrunches up her nose at the mention of blood enchanted condoms.] See, blood-enchanted condoms just sounds like how you'd catch a boatload of STD's, magic or no.

[She inhales and lets the smoke settle before blowing a smoke ring.] Can't say I've ever been accused of being sensible. Have to add it to the pile. [She takes a moment to think.] I guess you could say I'm a hunter, yeah. Not officially with them, but I hunt monsters.

Sort of my calling, I guess. Literally.

[givehead]

Right? See...I'm always telling people that barebacking is the natural solution to these problems. (Dirk, ew, no. Then again, they are standing in front of the kink shop he owns, so also maybe this should be expected.) Man, now I'm picturing this place's idea of an STD.

(It involved a lot of legs and he has no idea why. It's probably accurate. He slips his lighter away and takes another drag himself.)

Reckon you don't meet too many bright people then. I don't see enough people walking around with weapons. (He's not walking around with a weapon either, but he didn't strictly need one so. Details.)

Literally? Are you a prophecy baby or something?

cw for nsfw conversation

[slayerskiss]

And on the other end, you never hear about anyone gettin' pregnant from taking it up the ass. Must be onto something. [It's almost impossible to gross Faith out with sex talk. She grosses other people out with sex talk. The idea of this place's idea of an STD nearly does it though, because she makes a face at the second part.

She's picturing something alive, and vaguely aquatic. Gross.]

Well, last guy I ran into got all pissy about it even though he had a scythe.[She doesn't exactly need one either, slayer strength and all that, but she likes them. Besides, when she first arrived here, Luz told her that an axe is too short ranged for this place, so the crossbows here just in case whatever she's fighting shouldn't be touched.] But yeah, something like that, I think. I'm a Slayer. It's a chosen one type of deal, one girl in all the world gets to fight the forces of darkness, blah blah blah. I get monster killing powers, so y'know.

cw for nsfw conversation

[givehead]

Takin' it up the ass is underrated. (The look on her face actually makes Dirk snicker quietly. He too was the king of gross-out with this stuff. The more disgusting, the better, in his opinion.)

Sounds like a sensitive dude. (Dirk taps his cigarette lightly to knock the ash off. Much like Faith, Dirk didn't need a weapon either. They were just so fucking cool. And so was the title 'Slayer' over Hunter.)

Sounds like a classic badass tragic backstory. Does this Slayer babe have a name? (Coming from anyone else, that question might have been the cringiest thing on this godforsaken earth. But Dirk somehow makes it sound natural and not like a come-on.)

It Was A Bad Idea | Closed to Mara

[slayerskiss]

[Faith's been largely sticking to patrolling the streets, mainly because she doesn't like the sound of going insane after a hunt through the woods, but partially just because that's what she's used to.

The problem is that Faith needs to fight, it's a primal urge like any other need. She knows the difference between a slayer and a killer now, but it doesn't change the fact that slayers were born for one thing. To kill. She also brought some chocolate along that she picked up from a totally trustworthy source, just so she has one thing to scratch one of the two itches that commonly occurs after she gets violent.

So she ventures out into the outskirts, hoping for something to fight. And that's when she sees Mara fighting a monster. And more than holding her own too, Faith's impressed. She raises her crossbow and darts over.]

Yo, want an assist or is this one all yours? [It's etiquette thing, but Faith does look primed and ready to jump in anyway.]

[hacktivated]

[ Penny hasn't exactly been looking after Clockhouse - between Ruby, Ozpin, and Qrow she knows they've got it covered, and that's not even counting the other residents of the home. Still, she's over there a lot and when she shows up to visit she does make a habit of examining the premises. You can never be too careful with a murderer who has loudly announced his intention of being a murderer on the loose.

Thus, she has a pretty good idea of who lives in the neighborhood and who tends to pass by. Most critically, she has an idea of who tends to linger around the house with suspicious regularity.

This is how she becomes aware of Faith and her tendency to lurk. And while Faith hasn't done anything that Penny parses as actively hostile she has done enough that Penny no longer feels comfortable leaving well enough alone. So the next time she catches sight of Faith lurking around the manor she... Well. ]

Excuse me!

[ She just calls out to her, tone bright and clear. Her expression is serious as she approaches, but a far cry from aggressive. 'Focused' would be the best word, here. ]

[slayerskiss]

[Faith, similarly, has been taking note of people who come and go from the Clockhouse and the people who might linger around. Maul mentioned he had allies who'd kill for him, so she has to be careful.

It seems like the residents know this chick, but still. Faith isn't the trusting kind, and she knows full well what can lie behind a friendly mask. She crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow. At least she's being confronted directly, that makes things a lot easier, one way or another.]

Yeah? [Her own body language isn't really aggressive or hostile. It would be closer to describe it as guarded.]

[hacktivated]

[ Well, she's neither running away nor trying to duck out of the conversation. That makes this easier. Penny comes to a stop a few feet away from Faith, far enough away to mind her personal space but not so far that they're likely to be overheard. ]

You have spent a prolonged amount of time near the manor grounds for several days in a row.

[ Penny doesn't bother defining 'prolonged'. She's been here often enough to be noticed, which is what matters. ]

Why?

[slayerskiss]

[She furrows her brow. That's very... to the point.]

Well, I dunno if you heard, but a lunatic threatened my... friend, I guess. I'm keeping an eye out to make sure he doesn't try sneaking his way in.

Who are you, anyway? You don't live in there.

[hacktivated]

[ Penny is good at speaking bluntly, if only because it takes a pretty specific set of circumstances for her to start feeling shy.

Faith answers, and 'a lunatic threatened my friend' could only refer to...

Well, a lot of things, actually. However, it does apply to a particular thing that Penny is aware of. The focus in her expression and posture fade away into something much closer to genuine neutrality. ]

Penny Polendina. Ruby Rose is a close friend of mine.

Who are you?

[slayerskiss]

Uh, Faith Lehane. Willow's a friend of mine. Ruby too. I gave her cookies once and she said I'm in the top five or something.

[She smiles, still a bit guarded.]

You're keeping guard in case Maul shows his ugly face, I"m guessing?

[hacktivated]

[ 'Faith' is a name that Penny recognizes. The cool neutrality vanishes like a light being flicked on, and in its place comes a bright and sunshiny smile. ]

Oh! I know who you are. I am pleased to finally meet you!

[ She doesn't offer a hand out or anything like that, but her posture remains open and friendly. ]

That's correct! I specialize in combat against individuals with unusual abilities.

[slayerskiss]

[That's... surprising. Faith cocks her head slightly. Her interactions with this house have been mixed to say the least, and it seems unlikely that Ozpin and Qrow just left the little detail of her following the two of them around with a loaded crossbow.]

I see my reputation proceeds me. [And because she's just... the slightest bit curious.] Good things, I hope?

Well, I don't mind teaming up. Not sure I could take him on my own while he's got his fuckin' glowstick.

[She immediately feels bad for cussing.]