we have found our solace here in this unexpected place

[herotypical]

Who: slaying & lists_to_port
What: there is a tradition that needs to be upheld on the eves of horrors.
When: sunday night.
Where: good spirits, at first. then elsewhere.
Summary: debriefing and de-traumaing and all kinds of good stuff.
Rating: danger danger high voltage -- things get r-ratedish. fair warning!

Back on Friday, Buffy had scribbled a tense little note to Captain Jack Sparrow:

Need some time. Don't worry. Mission accomplished -- no deaths. Just gotta look after me for a bit. Good Spirits on Sunday night?

-- Buffy

After returning to the village, Buffy had wanted nothing more than to find the pirate and curl up next to him. But the fight with Derek had been harder than she would care to admit and she wanted to scrub as much of that from herself before rejoining the rest of Luceti. She had Giles to look after and she had her own mind to tend to and she spent hours focusing on those meditation crystals -- begging for peace. Peace was so far away.

But on Sunday, Buffy took a long long bath. She put loose, fashionable curls in her hair and she took the luxury of all the time in the world to dip into her make-up drawer and line her eyes and mascara her lashes and pick a natural, light lip gloss. The aim was to look healthy if she couldn't look happy.

She walked into Good Spirits with apprehension in her step and looked around for the man she had asked to meet with her there.

Comments

[all7seas]

"Trust me---you wouldn't want it the other way. Teague either takes to a person, or he doesn't. He wouldn't very much like bein' called a 'criminal,' though, Annie---he's Keeper of the Code and a pirate lord in his own right. Not to be crossed, eh?

And no-one I know of likes cannibals, 'cept maybe lady cannibals. And they don't much like cannibals, either."

[herotypical]

"...Being told don't cross so-and-so has never, ever, ever encouraged me to be any less crossy with anyone. Haven't you learned that yet?"

Lawful she may be but she was also a law unto herself.

[all7seas]

"Shhhhh. Don't be so obstreperous, Annie. Perhaps it's best he's not here, then; you're not nearly diplomatic enough not to be shot by him. Though he might like that, too---difficult to tell with Teague, really."

[herotypical]

"Now you think I'll be the one who'd get shot? If you can out-maneuver the FBI sniper, I think I can manage getting not shot by your father. Slayer reflexes!"

Really, she'd only been shot three times for all the many others that guns had turned up in Sunnydale. "And if I'm getting shot by your dad then you are definitely getting hit on the head by my mom with a fire axe."

Somehow, in some way, this was a very friendly kind of response.

[all7seas]

"No! No, no no--I don't think you'd be shot, not at all. Teague's just not as nice as me, Annie. He likes a measure of respectfulness paid to him is all. You might like to hear him play the guitar, though. He's brilliant.

And...you mean your--Booth? Outmaneuver? Out-think, more like."

[herotypical]

"I'm not so sure you get to be a flashy FBI agent for being a slow thinker."

But even she didn't sound convinced. Buffy did have a healthy dose of respect for Jack's strategies, even if she wouldn't be quick to put words to that respect.

[all7seas]

He snorted and rolled over, tugging a great deal of that quilt with him. "Then they clearly have a flaw in their selection system, don't they. I'd love to see if his 'long range' is as long as he claims."

Jack's own sniper skills are considerable. His expertise is mostly in shooting rather than the sword, in any case.

[herotypical]

H-hey. Buffy clawed back some of that quilt and took the opportunity to curl around him, this time. Well -- as much as a rather short individual could try and play the big spoon.

"It's the FBI. That's not just your regular average-joe cop."

[all7seas]

"Mmhmm." Most of his sulking was feigned, now. He liked having her wrap around him like this. "Splendid. I'm glad you've taken such an interest in a man who wants to shoot me, Annie. Shall we invite him out to dinner?"

[herotypical]

Her arm slipped over his side and settled on his stomach -- fingers tucking under him. "He's a nice guy, Jack. Maybe a little freakishly protective of his partner but..." But Buffy could understand that sentiment, at least. "But fine. No dinner invitations."

Because that also required her to imagine she and Jack somehow managing to co-dinner with anyone.

[all7seas]

Jack knew he couldn't control whom Buffy befriended or what she did with herself or any such thing---nor did he want to. It didn't mean he had to like her other friends, though, or that he even had to try and get along with them: Giles being the essential example of this. "I understand you lawful types---pal around together and such. 'S fine, Annie. If he wishes to pursue pirates, though, well---pirates won't be responsible for what happens."

[herotypical]

"You make it sound like a club -- or a secret society. Like we all get decoder rings and cards and special stickers for our cars to get into the gated community clubhouse."

She kissed his neck between every few words. "It's not like that. It's not...sitting down and swapping stories about how many evil plans have been foiled. Or, not usually."

More accurately, Buffy trusted the man far too much because of his familiar face and voice.

[all7seas]

Those kisses very quickly melted any resentment Jack harbored. "Oh, I think it is. Most boring club in the world, likely.

...

Decoder rings?"

[herotypical]

"Super top-secret good-guy rings used to decode top-secret good-guy messages. All very confidential and colour-coordinated."

Buffy kept her nose against his skin as she answered, then turned her head to lay her cheek on the back of his neck.

[all7seas]

"Then I should acquire one, so that I can translate said messages and uncoordinate those colors and wreak. A bit of mayhem. For a lark. Love."

The pirate was growing sleepy, relaxed; he felt so well-cared for and warm and with her.

[herotypical]

"...Eat more cereal."

[all7seas]

"Hmmm?" He slid his hand over hers, the one resting on his belly. "How will that help with the finding of the ring of power, Buffy?"

[herotypical]

"Well? You can't tell anyone that I'm giving away this extra-special team good secret but," she smiled against his skin. "Cereal boxes? That's where us hero-types hide all our gadgetry. I got my very first team good decoder ring in a box of Froot Loops."

[all7seas]

"I see. And here I'd thought the stuff tasted horrid. Right. Your secrets, darling, and those of your compatriots are no longer safe. Sorry."

He reached back to draw her leg across his body, keeping his hand behind her knee.

[herotypical]

Her foot found its way on the other side of him. Tangling them up, once again.

"Just don't tell them it was me. I'd hate to get kicked out."

[all7seas]

"I'd never compromise your secrets that way, Annie. You're so very lovely, you see, and I've grown fond of you, and if you were sadly kicked to the street by your lawful secret club, I'd feel a bit responsible for you. It would be sad, like---you, forlorn, neglected, out of the club..."

He would be eating so much more cereal, now, just to find a ring.

[herotypical]

"...This isn't going to turn into a musical, is it?"

Her thumb stroked across his stomach and she could feel his wings against her skin. She could grow to like this trying to play the holder rather than the holdee. Buffy bowed her head and kissed the edge of a feather.

[all7seas]

"Musical? Is it? I hadn't noticed."

The reason he wasn't making much sense was because he was so wrapped up in what she was doing to him.

[herotypical]

"Well, not yet." She took a break from the kisses to labour this point. "But any more talk of being kicked to the streets and...and forlornness? And I'm sure a breakaway number would be soon to follow."

[all7seas]

"I rather hope it doesn't; I was enjoying the quietness of House 2, wasn't I. Annie, if you were all forlorn I'd cheer you up straight off. A sadder sight than that I cannot picture."