[Faith sees Buffy die. Still sees it every time she closes her eyes. But she's been here in Reims long enough to know that that sort of thing doesn't take. And for Buffy death can't seem to keep hold of her regardless. Of course she's got her doubts. The storm is new. The way these arrivals came here is new. Maybe the way things used to work won't be the same anymore. Maybe she really is dead...?
These thoughts sink in, creeping and sickening. For all their issues, Faith cares a great deal about Buffy, not that she's ever really voiced those feelings. The idea that she might be dead? No. Fuck that. So Faith keeps a watchful eye on this of usernames that come across her device. Maybe one of them will be Buffy. Maybe...
The username 'slayer' is a hard thing to ignore, so after a few minutes to work up the courage her fingers fly over her device and she hits send.]
[ The memories of her arrival in Reims are slow to return. She was brutally killed. Her attackers turned to dust, but not in a vampy way. There were others out in that storm... But it's not until she sees the username attached to that message that she puts together that Faith was there.
[Fuck. She's alive. That confirmed, she feels all sorts of other emotions filling her head. Relief, fear, happiness, self-loathing, it's all coming at once and she can't really process it all.]
Yes.
Where are you? [Regardless of how she's feeling, Faith has to just... see her. Confirm she's alive for real.]
[ She's okay. Either she made it through the storm and that weird attack, or... Probably best not to think about that. If the worst happened, they can talk about it sometime. Figure out what they know and where to go from here.
For now she just wants to make sure her sister slayer really is okay. ]
[The house Spike lives in. Faith really should have guessed that. It's actually kind of obvious.] I'm in Seven. I'll be right over.
[And she is, leaving her room and nearly running out the door to get over to House 6. She's no idea where Buffy is there, but she'll find her. And when she finally does, she stop and just stares at her. Okay. She's here, alive, but now she's at loss for what to say. Is this house sound proofed? Faith's got no idea.]
[ Seven, the house right next door and she hadn't known. It seems wrong, like they should have been able to sense each other. That's not how this works though, and it's a silly thought, but it's still there as Buffy heads out into the communal part of the house to meet Faith.
Standing there in the great room, she feels the strangest urge to cry at the sight of the dark haired woman standing there, safe and sound. ]
Hi. [ Ever eloquent, that's about all she can manage to say. At least they can talk here and not have to use that phone thingies. ]
[Faith's got the same urge, although she's not holding back the tears nearly so well. Her eyes are already glassy.] Hi, Buff. [Taking a step closer, but still leaving some distance. Faith's never been a hugger, even if she can feel the urge to put such stupid pride aside at the moment.
Her throat feels tight when she finally manages to say more.]
[ Oh no. She doesn't stand a chance against that, the look in Faith's eyes and the sound in her voice. And what she says -- the tears are in her eyes before she realizes it's happening. ]
It's not your fault. [ The words waver, her breath hitches, and she doesn't even think about it when she takes those steps closer and pulls Faith into a tight hug. It might be the first time for them, come to think of it. ]
[It is the first time, Faith's almost certain. She doesn't think she's ever really let Buffy get close enough to try. Always at a distance. It was better that way, right? The moment Buffy's arms go around her, a sob is coaxed out and tears start to fall in earnest.] I had to save Max. I saw her... I n-needed to.
[Her own arms go around Buffy too, needing to reassure herself that she's really there.]
[ It occurs to Buffy then that Faith probably isn't used to losing people. From what she knows of the other woman, she's always kept others at arm's length, not letting anyone get close enough for their loss to really get under her skin. But the two of them have always been connected, in a way no one else could ever possibly understand.
Smoothing a hand over Faith's hair, she keeps her voice soft, doing her best to offer what reassurance she can. ] It's okay, Faith. I would have told you to do it. It was the right call.
[She's lost. Her mother. Her first Watcher. But ever since then Faith's tried to keep herself from feeling it ever again. Clearly it hasn't worked.
Faith is trying to catch her breath, to pull it all back together, but it's hard now that she's let the floodgates open.] People come back from the dead here, but i didn't know what would happen. With the storm and everything. Maybe it would be different.
[ Faith can take as long as she needs to get a handle on her emotions; Buffy's not about to judge her for needing to let it all out. If anything, it's making her feel more connected to the other woman, and might even be helping to repair some of the damage done over the years. ]
Even if it was supposed to be, you know me: just can't stay dead. [ It's meant to be a joke, there's even a hint of humor in her tone, but it's a joke based on something that still makes her ache inside. ]
[The damage done to their relationship isn't really a thing Faith ever truly believed could be repaired. But after the First, they'd really started to have a connection again but it still felt so fragile.
THere's a small laugh between sobs as Faith works to collect herself again. Maybe Buffy doesn't mind the crying, but she's never been very good at letting that side of her show.] Yeah, really, I should have just assumed there was no keeping your ass down.
I get to cart around sand all day. Which, not a bad gig when you're super strong, but flipping burgers might have been more intellectually stimulating than this.
[ Not that she misses the Doublemeat Palace. But she kind of does a little bit. ]
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un: 5by5
These thoughts sink in, creeping and sickening. For all their issues, Faith cares a great deal about Buffy, not that she's ever really voiced those feelings. The idea that she might be dead? No. Fuck that. So Faith keeps a watchful eye on this of usernames that come across her device. Maybe one of them will be Buffy. Maybe...
The username 'slayer' is a hard thing to ignore, so after a few minutes to work up the courage her fingers fly over her device and she hits send.]
Buffy?
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It only takes her a few seconds to reply. ]
Faith. You're okay?
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Yes.
Where are you? [Regardless of how she's feeling, Faith has to just... see her. Confirm she's alive for real.]
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For now she just wants to make sure her sister slayer really is okay. ]
House #6.
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[And she is, leaving her room and nearly running out the door to get over to House 6. She's no idea where Buffy is there, but she'll find her. And when she finally does, she stop and just stares at her. Okay. She's here, alive, but now she's at loss for what to say. Is this house sound proofed? Faith's got no idea.]
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Standing there in the great room, she feels the strangest urge to cry at the sight of the dark haired woman standing there, safe and sound. ]
Hi. [ Ever eloquent, that's about all she can manage to say. At least they can talk here and not have to use that phone thingies. ]
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Her throat feels tight when she finally manages to say more.]
I'm sorry. I should have had your back.
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It's not your fault. [ The words waver, her breath hitches, and she doesn't even think about it when she takes those steps closer and pulls Faith into a tight hug. It might be the first time for them, come to think of it. ]
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[Her own arms go around Buffy too, needing to reassure herself that she's really there.]
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Smoothing a hand over Faith's hair, she keeps her voice soft, doing her best to offer what reassurance she can. ] It's okay, Faith. I would have told you to do it. It was the right call.
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Faith is trying to catch her breath, to pull it all back together, but it's hard now that she's let the floodgates open.] People come back from the dead here, but i didn't know what would happen. With the storm and everything. Maybe it would be different.
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Even if it was supposed to be, you know me: just can't stay dead. [ It's meant to be a joke, there's even a hint of humor in her tone, but it's a joke based on something that still makes her ache inside. ]
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THere's a small laugh between sobs as Faith works to collect herself again. Maybe Buffy doesn't mind the crying, but she's never been very good at letting that side of her show.] Yeah, really, I should have just assumed there was no keeping your ass down.
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un:hotdog
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Same ones she does. Probably a few more, actually.
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she said that too. interested in teaching?
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I might be. Teaching who?
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I get to cart around sand all day. Which, not a bad gig when you're super strong, but flipping burgers might have been more intellectually stimulating than this.
[ Not that she misses the Doublemeat Palace.
But she kind of does a little bit.]no subject
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