+ appointments

[strangelyliteral]

Please follow the format below:

- If it's a private journal ring: [ voice + date ] (i.e. [Voice - April 11])

- A private journal note: [ written + date ] -- of course, if it's just a note saying "lets meet here", it can progress to action quickly enough.

- A knock/planned meeting/continued thread/etc and so forth: [ action + date ]

Comments

[herotypical]

"Jack named her," she paused to sip her chai. With that act, the pirate had reopened a door that had otherwise been rather firmly shut. He'd appealed to Buffy's long-buried sentimentality. Now, of course, that choice had been brought into question. Had it been for her mother or for the strange dream-child Jack claimed had saved his life during that winter? Most days, Buffy decided she didn't want to know the answer.

"And he also made a pretty good case about sailing for sailing's sake. Who knows? One day, there may be somewhere to go. And if that happens, I don't wanna be left behind."

She also didn't want to be left depending on others' know-how.

[strangelyliteral]

She reaches for her own chai, mostly in an attempt to mask her acknowledgement that Buffy had made a good point. Sure, it might have seemed useless on the surface, but Anya understood the sense of skill-acquiring. Even if she still relied too heavily on other people for them.

"Is it satisfying?"

[herotypical]

Finally, a genuine (albeit slight) smile lit her lips.

"A little. I mean -- yes, absolutely. In my line of work -- in our line of work -- you don't get to do much with your hands that doesn't end in broken bones and bloodshed. This changes that."

[strangelyliteral]

She contemplates the chai cup after another sip, setting it down.

"And it's, something you're doing for yourself, right? For - ... skill acquiring and still feeling productive. Not like - like your doing bartending for free gig."

[herotypical]

"...Exactly." She was pleased they could find some common understanding -- however fledgling. "I serve no one but myself. And -- okay, technically? Jack's the Captain. But only technically. And only because he built her. Which, by the way, happens to be another one of those feeling productive things."

[strangelyliteral]

"...Like Xander's old job."

Except it wasn't just a job, for Xander, when it came to construction. He built himself right out of his parent's apartment and into a new life - even if it wasn't with her.

Which still stung, in it's own way. Not a painful one, but the sadness of knowing that they never would have the time to piece together what it was that they were.

[herotypical]

"Very much like that. I'll never make fun of a dove joint again."

[strangelyliteral]

"I'm sure all the dove joints are happy for it."

Was this small talk? She contemplated her cup further, still feeling the burn to go but having no destination.

[herotypical]

"I'm sorry that the Spirits thing had to be your first taste of...here, by the way. It was mine, too, when I showed up. It's more than a little freaky."

[strangelyliteral]

"... Did one choose you that time?"

Said very lightly. Anya could remember Twila's twinge of disappointment at the failure to recruit Buffy to it's cause - though at the time, it had been quickly crushed under the weight of that revelation.

[herotypical]

"Nah. I was untouched. But, like you, it was my first month. I didn't know anyone except the anyones from home. For all I knew, they were the bad guys."

[strangelyliteral]

"Shouldn't you have been more prepared this time, then?" The edge comes back. "It's not like you didn't know who I was."

[herotypical]

Her problems this time were entirely different from her problems last time, but saying so would only sound like an excuse. So: "Well, I wasn't considering slaying anyone -- that was already an improvement."

Wrong response, really, given the real subject at this conversation's core.

[strangelyliteral]

"You took it into consideration whether or not you should slay." The words are repeated, granted not in the same order that Buffy had said them, with some disbelief. "I guess in your defense, slaying doesn't count for much in a world where people don't stay dead."

[herotypical]

"...I got Drusilla, once." And while Anya might never have met the vampire, Buffy knew the name had been dropped around the household. "Straight to dust. She came back in a week -- fangless."

[strangelyliteral]

Considering what she's heard about the not-so-trendy vamp, Anya has to admit that's pretty lucky - almost impressive, if not for already being informed that the penalties didn't exactly stick here either.

"Oh. That's good for you, I guess." And lo, how they were again straying from the touchy subject.

[herotypical]

"Goodish. I mean -- as good as it gets. She still managed to cause trouble. I guess...what I'm trying to say is that anyone could show up. You being here as good as proves that."

Because, in four years, she'd seen a lot of people come and go. Most of them multiple times. But this was Anya's first. It was still a surprise.

[strangelyliteral]

"Anyone could show up and anyone could go. Maybe I'm here so that you can go get your life back."

She's not sure what brought that thought to mind - other than the strange coincidences in the similarities of their arrivals and experiences. Anya no longer had a place at home, but Buffy would always have one.

[herotypical]

"I wouldn't hold my breath. I mean -- I can't imagine me leaving any time soon."

[strangelyliteral]

"You say something like that, and then poof - gone tomorrow, I bet."

[herotypical]

"Don't even joke about that," she said -- startled. Clearly distressed by the notion.

[strangelyliteral]

"Who's joking? I was under the impression this place liked tragic irony."

[herotypical]

"It's just that...look -- leaving's not something I'm ready to do. Yet."

[strangelyliteral]

"It's going to happen whether you're ready for it or not, Buffy."

[herotypical]

She flattened her palms on the table.

"Hey, now. I'm the one who's supposed to be giving the sage advice. Winged veteran, here."