thatslayer

[thatslayer]

Does Faith look weirded out by their surroundings? Does she? She's through the basement door and halfway down the steps when she hears someone talking to her. She dips her head down enough to see into the basement but it doesn't seem to make whatever gross this is any less gross. "Uh. Hey." Does not look happy to be here. Ready, but not happy. The note of uncertain ick in her voice is still there when she motions, vaguely, over her shoulder, "Just walked in without an invite. You guys might wanna do somethin' about that."

She has to assume that stink is worse thanks to the hyped up olfactory that came with her vampirism, and she's suddenly longing for a more open arena. Maybe one with a breeze. Faith takes the last two stairs in a hop and starts a stride towards her host. "So, what's with you and basements? Didn't you, like… keep a sex vampire in the basement back in the day?"

She starts to slowly walk the edges of the room, noting the walls particularly bare of any adorement save for a couple of weapons --- and one spot mounted like it's waiting to have it's weapon returned to it. Cute. Faith might give major bimbo but she wasn't dumb enough to bring the Scythe in here with Buffy. She'd never fuckin' see it again.

"Dunno what you got against St. Anne's, man, but at least it's got actual air in it. The breathing kind. This place is pretty rank." She doesn't mention that Elijah threw Marcel out of his own gym like a sack of trash, which makes having claim to it a hell of a lot sweeter. Probably not a great idea to regale Buffy with tales of the times her honey was a straight-up jackass. Especially since Elijah already has a brutal reputation to live down --- a deserved one. "Like, for real?" Faith folds her arms across her middle and finally turns just enough to catch Buffy's gaze over her shoulder. "This coulda been an email."

@thatslayer suggested training things :3

The basement smells like sweat, old wood, and something vaguely scorched. Probably from the last time Buffy tried to punch a punching bag into another dimension. She rolls her shoulders back, listening to the creak and pop of tired joints that shouldn't be this tired, not at her age, not with her job description. But it’s the 2010's, and even Slayers have wear and tear.

She tightens her ponytail, more for something to do than necessity. She’s already warmed up. Already ready. This was her idea, after all. Olive branch by way of roundhouse. Because sometimes working things out means working someone over, with mutual consent and padding. She tells herself this isn’t about proving anything. That she’s grown. Matured. That this is about bonding and trust and other adult words she pretends to be fluent in.

Buffy hears the door open behind her and turns, casual but deliberate. She plants herself centre mat, hands on her hips, one eyebrow already raised like it's clocked in early. Her grin is wide and unapologetic, "I was starting to think you’d flaked, and I was this close to getting sentimental about it."

[thatslayer]

Bitch, moan. She's barely listening. Eddie's making his usual anxious, disgruntled Eddie noises. The ones that start in a loop whenever there's some yolo on the horizon. Boy hates a good time. Makes her wonder why they're friends. Whatever, she's learned to tune out his unhelpful jibba-jabba. He can pretend he had a suck time after they have a little fun.

She practically drags him through the sliding glass door, into a house packed with meatheads in various stages of drunk off their asses. About half a dozen guys are hanging out on the sectional, passing around a blunt like it's the most important thing on the planet. They're dressed like idiots, which Faith has to attribute to this being the fucking 80s, but not hard to look at. They all look super serious, trying so hard to stay that way that watching it's, like, an actual hoot. The only one of them with a name that Faith kind of knows is Derek, who wouldn't even have a name if Eddie hadn't mentioned it outside. He's glaring a hole in the back of Ed's head as they rejoin the party, not particularly happy to realize he's not just a cast off… Faith upgraded. Which, fuck. That surely won't bite them in the ass, later.

Faith has to weave them through a drunken cheer routine by a genenerous handful of bimbos, one who's managed to misplace most of her clothing. There's music, if you can call that one song from 'Flashdance'… music. The others must because there's something that almost looks like dancing going on around them, and to be honest, Faith's never been to a party where people were cutting a rug. It's weird. 80s parties are weird. She really needs to drag Eddie to a club. Hell, she needs to drag Steve to a damn club. Or a doctor's office to get that giant stick removed from his ass.

She can't vibe to this crap so as soon as she spots the record player, she lets Eddie's hand go and stops his forward motion by taking a handful of his jaw and it's always a toss up with Faith as to whether she's about to lay the law down or get physical. It's the former, and all she thinks she has to say to keep him there is, "Hold up." and gone. Just disappears into a sea of dipshits, leaving him there to fester.

Faith's gone for about fifteen seconds when the music cuts and the folks trying to have a good time start softly griping. There's a pause of ambient needle-on-vinyl and then the silence is cut by Ozzy screeching, "Allllllll aboard!" and still cackling over the speakers as Faith reappears out of the crowd. She shoots Eddie a pirate grin and catches two handfuls of his jacket, giving him a playfully rough tug, "Call this a solid. Come on, Munster, loosen up."

" popular belief is bullshit. " in most cases in a small town. this time?? not exactly. there's been girls, though far less than say, mr. derwood of the 'burbs. it's not a competition. he's got other priorities. it doesn't mean her comments don't irk him just a bit. faith always finds a way. what fun would it be if they didn't sometimes annoy each other?? well now that'd just be boring. && these two are most definitely the LEAST boring people in attendance.

eddie awaits a bombardment of throwbacks to february or a sly comment, mentally preparing himself to zone out through the ordeal. except it doesn't come, instead a taunt at all the girls. met with an eye roll, but he doesn't cut her off again or deny. eddie nods his head, like he's accepted his fate. " you should be honored. i had to ditch two - no, three chicks just to be here. " might as well play along.

but faith doesn't answer his question; catching the glimpse of a smile on her face. oh she knows, she's just not telling. " alright, fair enough. i'll guess. " he says jokingly, shrugging it off. he doesn't care all that much, just a curious question to push it. curiousity killed the cat, though. && faith is, without a doubt, capable of doing so. he'd rather not push it. they're only prodding back && forth lightly, no way is he ruining the mood - this is the best fun he's had ALL night. or so eddie thought. too soon.

in what seems like a blink, the joint is smoked && stubbed out on the ground. there's no rush. but eddie stands with faith as she grabs his hand, assuming she's leaving, or - " no. " he says firmly, serious like he's dead set not to mingle in what seems like senior year hell. drunk seniors && teens, falling into each other && on the floor, chants during beer pongs && a keg stand over some belinda carslile song, come-downs from drugs probably sold by yours truly && girls crying in the two bathrooms over their high-school sweetheart who's fucking their best friend. all of the aforementioned being his classmates, who aren't exactly his biggest fan either unless they're buying. oh yeah, that's QUALITY partying. maybe to someone from the outside it is. he's witnessed enough.

" thank you?? you're kidding me. seriously, this isn't fun. this is the ninth circle of hell, lehane. " but he doesn't take off running, begrudgingly letting her guide him to the party. " dante warned us about this!! " eddie screeches over the music around them && the crowds of students cheering && singing. abandon hope, all ye who enter here.

[thatslayer]

A guy looks at me, let’s just say his priorities shift. Why, because you’re so hot? It is what it is, yo. Oh, please. I am so much prettier than you are.

[thatslayer]

He's almost growling at her. He's not a baby. He can do it himself. "Right. You're gonna keep a cursed torture dagger from crawlin' around your insides by yourself." Sure as hell sounds like a damn baby. Faith's not paying his instruction much mind, she's got other things to worry about. She's done with the basic chore, having not-so-gently dug the weapon out of his skin before it could lodge itself any deeper. It's lying, bloody, on a couple of Arby's napkins not far off. The stitches probably do hurt, not in the least because Faith is a Slayer and field-dressing a wound in her world doesn't always include kid gloves and a light touch. She starts to loop and knot the final stitch and as she snips the thread she asks a stupid question - a very stupid question. "How the hell did you get witch daggered, anyway?"

would you cut it out? i'm trying to help you. "Would you cut it out? I'm trying to help you. God, you're such a baby."

There's a Romanian curse that leaves his lips is indication enough that he wasn't much of a fan of the stinging pain at this back. Then again, it wasn't unfamiliar to the larger figure. The scars that scattered his tanned skin were indication enough. And yet he hears her words and a low growl practically leaves him as he turns his head to look over his shoulder. "I know you are." He grumbles, the glare still directed at her as he keeps as much of his gaze on her as he can. "I am not a baby." He adds. "A warning before pressing against the wound would have been fine. I didn't expect it." Jaw tenses as he now further expects her to continue with the treatment of the wound, now able to anticipate the pain that would follow until she was done. "You also don't have to do this." He turns away, looking ahead but expression remains unchanged. "I can handle myself."

Patching Up Wounds | Accepting | @thatslayer

[thatslayer]

So, call it the unforeseen side effect of leaving tumblr for months, but my dash is very quiet, whereas it used to be incredibly active. I'm poking around for new blogs to follow, specifically in the supernatural, action & horror genre --- I encourage recommendations! Because I'm sort of lost, lol.

[thatslayer]

Faith's unfortunate luck is that she over-identifies with the trials and tribulations of Bangel in all it's unholy glory --- her own whirlwind romance has been so marred by menace and disaster that any rational person would have thrown up their hands by now. Only, how can she? When living a sane, safe life means walking away from the man she willingly followed into her own afterlife? At Buffy's pause Faith crushes out a sigh, almost rolls her eyes at a conversation she knows Buffy's had with herself a million times before. "See, that's where you're losin' me. Yeah, it's hard but it is is 'that simple'." Oh, Faith and her misuse of air quotes. "Because you want him enough, you make it simple."

Sounds duh when she says it like that, but Faith's never towed a normal line. No family, no friends, no life makes it easy to do something reckless on a whim and she doesn't seem to understand why the average person doesn't just throw caution to the wind the way she does. Call it impoverished and unloved white trash privilege, but there's something to be said for how much leeway you get when you have no roots holding you down.

"You get on me for suitin' up my own pair of fangs but, just bein' real? It solved a problem. Simplified. He was gonna live forever, and i was probably gonna die young, anyway. I'm not saying, like, yo, go be a vamp or anything but, be on the level, B. If you wanted him enough, you'd figure it the hell out because you guys pretending it's over is just effin' with your head." And, yeah, Faith sounds frustrated but there's a heavy melody in her voice of genuine concern. "And don't gimme no look like you dunno what I'm talking about, neither. He makes you crazed, like 'let's throw punches at Elijah Mikaelson's woman'-crazed, so I got your number, here, Blondie." It's possible that Faith doesn't miss a chance to remind the world that Elijah's hers. Super flex. "Taxin' my gig over Angel like we're back in Sunny D just tells me you're still all about your boy. Might as well just cop, you know? Take a breather from being an adult… Simplify."

She's closer to Angel than anyone, probably knows him better than Buffy after all these years, because Angel stopped trying to impress Faith eons ago. Faith lets silence settle between them as she starts to slowly pace the length of the cemetery's gate and back, hands pushed deep into her pockets, expression soft and hard at the same time. She's passing Buffy when she pauses, hesitates to look over at her and admits, almost gently, "He misses you. Sucks at hiding it."

Buffy doesn’t even try to hide the twist of her mouth. Could be a smile. Could be a grimace. Could be both. "Way to ease into a topic. What are you, Oprah for doomed soulmates?" She leans against the railing, lets her elbows rest there like she’s not sure if she wants to stay upright or melt into the cemetery. Her gaze lifts to the sky, half out of habit, half in that dumb, eternal hope that maybe, just maybe the universe will finally hand her a clean answer for once.

Jess. She thinks about him for the first time in this whole conversation. About how he folds his arms when he’s trying not to roll his eyes, how he corrects her Latin pronunciation even when she nails it, how he believes she deserves something easy. Something normal. Something safe. And maybe she does. But maybe... that's the problem.

"It’s not that simple. It never is with him. Or with me." That part's harder to admit. Because when you’re the Slayer, everything is supposed to be black and white. Good guy, bad guy. Demon, dust. Mission, done. But love? Love’s always been the grey zone she can’t navigate without leaving something scorched. Angel. Spike. Damon. Klaus. Every ending more complicated than the last. Maybe she doesn’t want the kind of love that comes easy. She doesn’t even know anymore.

"But I don’t think it’s about ending up with someone." She adds, a little more sure now, like the words are catching up with the thoughts she didn’t know she’d been having. "Not for me. Not anymore. I think it’s about who makes me feel like me when I’ve forgotten how." And she doesn’t say Angel does that. She doesn’t have to. Because it’s not about Jess being a mistake or Angel being the answer. It’s just… complicated. Like everything else. She tilts her head slightly, eyes on Faith, open in a way they so rarely are, like this moment, whatever it is, cracked something loose between them.

"It never works with us." Doesn't say it like it’s tragic. Doesn’t make it into a song. Just… lays it out. Like a scar she’s stopped trying to cover. "No matter how much we want it to. Something always breaks."

[thatslayer]

Did I close my fist around something d e l i c a t e ?

Did I... shatter you?

[thatslayer]

ELIZA DUSHKU as MEGAN The Kiss (2003) dir. Gorman Bechard

[thatslayer]

i have no time for confession,

for i'm too busy committing sins

[thatslayer]

What's this #winchesterimpala79 and why is sending you pictures of his car?

"Never know what a guy's gonna send you on one of these apps. Was kinda hopin' for less 'safe-for-work content', if I'm honest. I dunno. Call me old fashioned."

[thatslayer]

I still have lots of drafts but the lack of A/C is making it a bit hard for me to think. I'm going to try a cold shower and we'll see if that makes my brain less melty, lol.

[thatslayer]

OOC: What do you have Faith doing for a life after the end of the Buffy series, going around the country slaying, or something else?

Ooo, well it honestly depends on the verse. All of my verses are massive crossovers, because that's where I do my best work, but my main verse is very hunter-centric. It's two big crossovers are Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries and in that verse, yes, Faith is travelling from town to town the same way Sam and Dean do. It's an extension of BtVS canon and has been on-going for the 12 years I've been on tumblr. I feel the most comfortable in this verse.

The verse I'm probably most active in at the moment, Immortal Beloved, is mostly set in The Originals universe and is the only verse where Faith is a vampire and in that verse she mostly has her hands full with the Klaus and his friggin' tantrums and paranoia. It's mostly a group verse on discord, but has an open version on tumblr.

The third most active is Crossed Worlds in which Faith was tapped by The Avengers about seven years ago. It's crossovers include DC, MCU, Supernatural, TVD and Shadowhunters and is a very 'this is stupid, mundane life for superheroes'. Again, it's a group verse on discord but also has an open tumblr version.

[thatslayer]

-- INTEREST TRACKER -- If you're interested in writing with me, this is the way to my heart.

[thatslayer]

Seeing as how the Big Beautiful Bill just passed, here's are some websites that offer discounts on medications:

- GoodRx

- SingleCare

- Pharmacy Checker

- WellRx - this one compares prices across different pharmacies

- Cost Plus - thanks to @thedamnqueenofhell for suggesting!

-NeedyMeds - a nonprofit that helps pay for prescriptions. Thank you to @allitdoesispause for the suggestion! They also suggested checking the manufacturers website for a paitent assistance program, which can give you a coupon for free or cheaper meds.

- Scriptcycle - thank you to @teleomancer for the suggestion!

-Ask for a discount card - thank you to @cccshutdown for the reminder!

-Walmart - They have a $4 generic list! Thank you to @tristese !

- Nurx - is a Planned Parenthood alternative. You can get birth control and other medication here. Thanks to @tomhenks!

- Costco Pharmacy - which offers discounts and you don't need a membership to access. Thank you @alarmed-father!

- Walgreens RX Savings Finder - This let's you compare prices and applies discount codes from sites like GoodRx to find the most affordable option. Thank you to @maledictionwolf !

- CVS - which automatically applies discounts if you don't have insurance. Thank you, @imtrying-ok !

- MDsave - which provides lower costs for self-pay procedures. Thank you to @mustacchiofurioso who also recommended the next entry.

- Jasonlabs - for labwork.

Stay safe, everyone. Things are about to get much, much worse in the US.

EDIT: if you're worried about doctor/therapy appointments, see if there's a sliding scale clinic near you (and ask your therapist if they offer sliding scale prices)

@scribblingandscrawling recommended Open Path, a service that offers sliding scale therapy

@Ilbertas had a great suggestion to check your community and colleges for free clinics.

[thatslayer]

She looks like she's not paying attention, sat on a broken crate and far too near the dead center of a thru-way alley to be safely distracted. Wrapped up in a ding at the edge of the Scythe's blade that she's trying to hone out with a stone, or something, she's got tucked in her hand. He's hard to miss, though, and not just because he looks like the actual devil, either. Faith breathes out, slow and tense, but doesn't look up from her task. "Hey." The blade's going to need more help than she can give it, here, and she turns it over in her hands to examine her handiwork, "Nah. Already took that head. Bent this thing in the process. You still know a guy who works with this kinda metal?" Or was that Blade?

@thatslayer liked for a starter!

❛❛ Hope I'm not the head you're huntin' for, Slayer. ❜❜ Hanging around a slayer had always struck him as an odd schtick. A demon that was supposedly destined for large things and his would be slayer, also marked by destiny, fighting for the same team instead of playing into their fates. Prime time television worthy. ❛❛ Or that you don't try to take it as a consolation prize, since you're late for the party. ❜❜

[thatslayer]

This is some serious shit. Hellmouth bubbling, massive demon uprising. All signs point to the actual mouth of hell murmuring beneath this very spot --- something that couldn't have been missed. Earthquakes, the whole 'sky went red' thing, and here he is... saying some bimbo nonsense. Faith hasn't seen Nandor, or any vampire of his species, in a while but it's all coming back to her. She makes a face, murmurs to herself, "Oh, right..." She sighs, reaches up to rub a little tension out of her temple, "Forgot you're more for looking at then talkin' to. Since you clearly missed all the doomsday signs, we think we got an active hellmouth. Here."

Did he know why she was here? The deads maybe? The missing humans? The bodies in the backyard? Or maybe those in the front yard? Honestly, he had no idea. -- He shook his head from side to side, and yet answered with a yes. "You.. forgot something? Your wallet, maybe? Your keys? Oh! Or maybe you wanted to see me again, which it's understandable, really."

[thatslayer]

"Are you seriously playing devil's advocate, feminist edition?" Faith's over this conversation. Oh, she's still participating, but her willingness to go beat that barney senseless is evident in the way she's already got her jacket off and is busy taping her hands like a boxer. There's a name for what Slayers are in the debate of the sexes... MISANDRIST. Ragingly so. The truth is that Faith's never met another Slayer who wasn't. The very notion that men are capable of anything but screwing the world up seems almost laughable to anyone chosen to beat the daylights out of the darkness. Maybe it's the lack of men in her line of work, or maybe it's the way men have treated her over her entire life, who knows. What Faith does know is that right now there's a man who needs his corn creamed because she doesn't feel the need to pay the fucker for any info he's got --- she'll know what he knows. One way or another. "Look, I get this is the you being Fair Girl, or whatever, but you're either coming with or staying here, talkin' men's rights to the wall. Capisce?"

"Hmm." Well, it wasn't as if she was wrong. It was odd being a sometimes-man for these conversations. "Point. In the interest of fairness, perhaps I should point out that women are capable of the exact same stupidity?"