Salad Bar Blues (RP for Kara)

[summers_day]

When you got down to it, it was probably Peter Gallagher's fault.

Or Sandy Cohen's, more precisely. Not that Buffy exactly owned up to being a fan of the OC, especially not the recent seasons. But season 1 had come up in her media studies class -- something about psychosexual dynamics in Ryan and Seth's relationship -- and she'd been daydreaming

Comments

[kara_marie]

Kara would of been rather surprised to realise that she and Buffy Summers had something in common aside from the whole slaying biz (she was pretty sure Buffy was NOT a natural blonde). But, Kara also had daydreams about Sandy Cohen - and had in moments substituted him, in her daydreams, in the place of her actual dad (or sometimes her Uncle, or Wesley, or Angel, depending on what male role model was failing to live up to expectations at the time). Sandy Cohen never failed to live up to expectations. He was the giver of endless advice, an always available ear, and the provider of that almost mythic thing: unconditional love

[summers_day]

When Kara walks in, she's smiling about something or other. This is the first thing that takes Buffy by surprise. She's managed to create a picture in her mind of a Kara who is constantly enraged about something or the other. But Kara's not only smiling, she's complimenting Buffy's directions. Buffy's relieved that she actually took the effort to do a good job with those -- and that, apparently, any irony went over the younger slayer's head.

"Thanks," says Buffy. She rises and half-moves to hug the girl, before wondering if she'd take it wrong -- they really don't know each other that well. Buffy stops and turns the gesture into a stretch and says. "So, umm, I was just about to get a Snapple. Do you want one?"

[kara_marie]

Kara generally ignores attempts to mock her (or what people try and pass off as 'irony', which she generally thinks is a way of dressing up rudeness to be clever rather than plain old impolite!). The exception to this is Connor. Where Connor is concerned she generally looks as hard as she can for something to get really mad about. But Connor is the exception to many rules.

"I don't drink snapple."

It wont take a very long conversation for Buffy to realise that Kara is both particular and assertive when it comes to what she does and doesn't eat and drink.

"It's actually very bad for you. You should maybe consider another refreshing beverage."

Buffy should also realise that she is not the only preachy little slayer in the world.

"I mean, even if you are kind of retired or whatever? You really should be looking after your health - or, you know, at least your figure

[summers_day]

"Snapple has vitamin C," says Buffy. She tries to sound matter-of-fact, not defensive, but she's pretty sure that she'll end up paying 4 bucks for all-natural-pomegranate juice, or something, just to prove she takes care of herself.

As for the Diet Coke boycott, it's the kind of thing that Buffy would normally expect to make waves at an artsy school like Emerson. But it hasn't because of a more fundamental problem that that. Walking toward the counter, she says lightly, "Actually, they carry Pepsi here but. . .that should be fine, right?"

Buffy tries not to look around the snack bar for anybody that she knows. If Kara's going to make a scene, there's not much she can do about it at this point, and Buffy had rather not know who might be watching.

[kara_marie]

"He's also gay." Kara decides to share that just in case Buffy hasn't heard. "Although he thinks he's, I dunno, like, in remission or something

[summers_day]

"Well," Buffy says carefully, "I don't think you can ever judge what's going on in other people's relationships -- And it's not like gay or straight is this on/off switch, you know?" Her media studies professor has had a lot to say about that and. . .this seems like a good time to stuff her mouth full of canteloupe and use the chewing time to figure out if she really wants to discuss this subject with Kara.

It doesn't really take that long to chew canteloupe, but it's long enough for her to realize the answer is no. Besides, Kara's brought up something that sounds like Slayer business, and Buffy is relieved to let the topic switch to violent death.

"I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary," Buffy admits, "But I spent most of my slaying years on a Hellmouth, so I may have a skewed idea of what's normal. Tell me more?"

[kara_marie]

Oh, the Hellmouth. Everyone always goes on and on about the Hellmouth. It's not like it's so special! There's a Hellmouth in Chicago now, isn't there?

Well, maybe Buffy hasn't gone on and on, but Kara's a bit sensitive about Hellmouths ever since some girl from W&H said to her:

Look, Candy, I fought in the final battle on the hellmouth. I think I'm a little more qualified to deal with this than you.Firstly, there was nothing FINAL about it! There's always another hellmouth and always another battle! And secondly her name is KARA

[summers_day]

Buffy is long-reformed from trying to convince Kara that, if the Hellmouth had opened and the world had ended, there would, in fact, have been no Young Miss Arizona Pageant. And frankly, she's fairly sure that the more than seven years she spent as the one-and-only-slayer-(who-wasn't-evil-or-in-prison)(excluding the time that she spent being dead) has earned her a little bit of downtime.

On the other hand, it's not like college is proving to be a thrill a minute.

"Are you saying something's killing slayers?" she asks.