The Perk: Afternoon

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

Mel had staked out a spot in the coffee shop where she could keep an eye on the door and still watch people going by outside. Anyone watching her might think she's actually deep in thought.

Which is kind of a scary concept. At least for her.

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Comments

[neverfaithful.livejournal.com]

Faith usually skipped coffee in favor of a little hair of the dog, but this didn't seem like the kinda day to start drinking early.

She noticed the other girl in the shop and nodded with a smile. Hey, one person off the list of people she kept meaning to hunt down.

"Mel," she said.

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

Mel flashed a small distracted grin. "Faith. Heard you came into town recently. You sticking around for a while?"

[neverfaithful.livejournal.com]

"Just might be," she smiled. "Hangin' out, keepin' an eye on Dawn. Stuff like that."

She rested a hand on the back of one of the chairs opposite Mel. "You mind a little company? I can take off if you'd rather just zone."

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

Mel shook her head. "Nah. I could use the distraction," Mel admitted. "So you're here to look after Dawn? It wasn't because of... you know. What happened on Parents Weekend. Right?"

[neverfaithful.livejournal.com]

Faith pulled back the chair, torn between a glib answer and actually admitting --

"I came in for that. Some of it. The Parents' thing?" She fussed with her drink, not looking up. "Just in case everybody else blew it off. And I said I'd stay in touch, if she wasn't gonna get sick of me or whatever, and she ended up saying I should just ... stick around, and ... I dunno. I did."

Nobody ever really asked her to stay, before.

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"It's kind of nice to have another slayer around," Mel said quietly. "Granted there's multiple people around here who can handle vampires but Buffy's gone home for a bit and... yeah. Coming from a girl who's used to working alone I'm not liking the solitary thing."

[neverfaithful.livejournal.com]

"B's gone?" Faith said, perking up a little. "Usually, you get too many Slayers together, they start itching each other's nerves. Maybe it's 'cause there's only supposed to be one. Maybe it's just Buffy being ... Buffy."

Faith took a sip and eyed Mel, remembering that there had been more to that weekend than just her drinking in a bar and avoiding any forms of Buffy. "Heard some shit went down with your brother," she said carefully. "You doin' okay?"

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"Shit would be an accurate description," Mel grumbled. "Yeah. He popped up and nearly killed a friend of mine and wiped the floor with me until Dawn snuffed him with a crossbow. But ever since then..."

Mel stumbled around for the right words. "Did Summers ever tell you about how Harth? That he was my twin and he got that psychic slayer connection mojo thing?"

[neverfaithful.livejournal.com]

"Don't remember that bit," Faith said, shaking her head. "Knew he was your brother, and that Dawnie got the kill. Think she was worried you'd hate her, for that. Sorry. That had to be a gutshot, trying to take your own family out."

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "You don't get the crazy dreams? Damn. Had a fucked-up one last night, was gonna ask if you were getting bad vibes, too."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

If Isabel was going to survive the afternoon, she needed more coffee. She hung the Back in a few minutes sign on the door of the store and made her way over to the Perk where she ordered the largest mocha they would make her.

"Hey Mel," she smiled as she stopped by the table on her way out the door. "What's up?"

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"Hey Iz," Mel said with a wave. "Not much. Just hanging out. What about yourself?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I needed a caffeine fix to survive the afternoon," Isabel explained. "It's either that or I'm going to curl up in a ball behind the counter at the store and snore. I don't think my boss would appreciate it."

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"Isn't your boss like... six inches tall? I think you can take her."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Six inches tall with a magic wand and an attitude," she pointed out. "I've seen trolls that were less intimidating."

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"You couldn't stuff her in a sack or something?" Mel asked. "If you got the drop on her?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I probably could. But then I'd lose the employee discount. Which would suck," Isabel grinned. "So no taking out the boss for me."

"So what's up in the world of Mel? I haven't seen you around much since the joy that was Barney's workshop."

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

Mel frowned a little. "Oh just your typical insane brother coming to town and trying to kill some of your friends."

[sarcasm-guy.livejournal.com]

Sokka poked his head in. "Boy, don't YOU look cheerful."

"...It's probably because of your boyfriend."

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"Contrary to popular belief, my life does not revolve around Zuko. Who is not my boyfriend," Mel scowled. "Shouldn't you be off polishing your boomerang?"

[sarcasm-guy.livejournal.com]

Sokka thought about that a moment. "Hmm... I probably should... I can't remember the last time I gave it an oil rub-down. Don't want it to get rusty..." Then he blinked, and his eyes grew wide. "NO!!! NO I SHOULDN'T!!! NOT LIKE THAT!!!"

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"Sounds like it is already a bit rusty," Mel snarked.

[sarcasm-guy.livejournal.com]

"HEY! I stopped in because you looked... I dunno. Sad, or worried, or one of those 'bad' emotions, or something. If you're just going to insult me, I can take myself elsewhere!"

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"Really? I thought you came in here to hassle me about Zuko. Which is what you usually do."

[sarcasm-guy.livejournal.com]

"What? No, I..." Sokka bit his lip. "Oh, yeah. Sorry. ...Hey, look, how about I stop hassling you about him, and you use your 'feminine wiles' to get him to not kidnap my friends?"

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"Do I get to harrass you on a regular basis though?" Mel asked. "Because honestly it's kind of fun."