August 30 - Keeping Secrets (BtVS/MCU)
Title: Keeping Secrets
Author: GlitterAngelEm
Fandoms: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Marvel Movie Universe
Characters: Buffy Summers, Faith Lehane, and James Rhodes
Rating: PG
Word Count: 938
Author's Notes: Follow up to The Benefits of Leaving a Party Early.
“I made a mistake. A full-out, huge mistake,” Buffy announced, wincing as the rubbing alcohol hit the cut on her back. “The rules we put in place about proper medical care? I was having an out of body experience. I wasn’t in my right frame of mind. Therefore, I rescind my approval. Motion denied. Back to the drawing board.”
Faith snorted, rolling her eyes. “Geez, B, didn’t know you were such a baby. It’s just a cut.”
“Which means it doesn’t need any medical attention!” she said brightly, twisting to get away from her sister slayer. Unfortunately, the non-injured Faith had reflexes slightly faster than hers at the moment, and her attempt to escape was thwarted. She pouted as Faith continued cleaning up the ‘just a cut’ - the remnant of a demon claw that had raked across her back during their patrol. Since demon claws often led to infections, cleaning it out was one of the rules of the newest iteration of the Watchers Council.
It didn’t mean that Buffy couldn’t complain, though she made sure to do so when the newbie slayers weren’t around.
“I can’t believe you let a Howler demon catch you,” Faith said as she placed a bandage over the cut, only doing so because she knew it would annoy the other slayer. “Getting slow in your old age.”
Buffy turned to glare at her. “I was too busy making sure your slow ass didn’t get gutted. I blame you.”
“So nothing new,” Faith said flippantly. “Good to see the game of Blame Faith is still alive and well.”
Her response was interrupted by the sound of her cell phone ringing, and Buffy froze, for the life of her not able to remember where the phone had gone. A frantic search ensued, in which half of the room was upended in the desperate attempt to find the phone before it stopped ringing. There was a rush of victory as she found the phone under a demon encyclopedia - how in the world had that happened - and she breathlessly answered it, “Hello?”
“Hello, Buffy,” James said, his voice amused as he asked, “Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“No, not at all!” she said reassuringly, sitting back on the bed as she shooed Faith away. “The phone tried to make an escape, a battle ensued, but in the end, I came out victorious.”
Faith’s incredulous look was ignored by Buffy, who glared at her once again and motioned for her to go away. Faith merely snorted lightly, walking the room as she feigned interest in different things on Buffy’s chest of drawers. Giving her fellow slayer the stink eye once more, she turned her attention back to the phone as James responded, his own tone still tinged with amusement, “You must have some pretty impressive phones in Cleveland, to try to escape like that. Not even Tony has developed one with those capabilities.”
“It’s the water here,” she said airily. “Not only able to start on fire, but gives cell phones otherwordly abilities.”
“Note to self; don’t drink the water when I visit Cleveland,” he said firmly, a pause in his voice as he seemed to add somewhat self-consciously, “If I visit Cleveland.”
“I liked the first one better,” Buffy said impulsively, biting her lower lip in uncertainty, hoping she hadn’t said the wrong thing. While she and James had clicked during her trip to Miami - one that may have extended a few days longer than originally anticipated through absolutely no fault of her own, she claimed - all they had were phone conversations since then. Someone as successful as he probably had a plethora of women interested in him, more able to meet him at an intellectual level.
“Speaking of visiting,” James said, oblivious to her uncertainties, “I looked at my calendar and I have a pretty light week when you’re in town. If you have some nights free, I’d like to take you to dinner.”
“Consider me dinner-having,” she said, not able to keep the smile off her face. “Most of my appointments are during the day. I can text you the nights I have open?”
“That would be great,” he said. “I…”
He trailed off, and Buffy could hear a muffle of arguments in the background, arguments that even her Slayer-hearing couldn’t quite grasp. A sigh echoed, and his voice came back, apologetic, “I just got a call. I need to take care of something. Text me? There’s a steak place here I think you’ll like.”
“I will,” she promised, part of her a little disappointed at the shortness of the call, the other part of her excited at the prospect of seeing him again in a few short weeks. “Good luck with…the thing. Tell whoever is causing trouble that you’re in charge. Says me.”
He snorted at that. “I will. Take care, Buffy. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Goodbye, James,” she said. With slight regrets - wishing they could talk longer - Buffy pulled the phone away from her ear and ended the call, pointedly ignoring Faith. In fact, she purposefully turned her back on the other woman, pretending to be utterly occupied by straightening her room - which in her defense did need to be cleaned after her desperate phone-search.
“Methinks someone has been keeping secrets,” Faith said suddenly.
Buffy turned slowly at the comment, haughtily saying, “Casual conversations with potential contacts doesn’t entail secrets.”
“Don’t gimme that crap, B,” Faith snorted. “You like him, whoever he may be. But don’t worry. I’ll keep your little secrets.”
She smirked, winking at the other slayer. “For now.”
Author: GlitterAngelEm
Fandoms: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Marvel Movie Universe
Characters: Buffy Summers, Faith Lehane, and James Rhodes
Rating: PG
Word Count: 938
Author's Notes: Follow up to The Benefits of Leaving a Party Early.
“I made a mistake. A full-out, huge mistake,” Buffy announced, wincing as the rubbing alcohol hit the cut on her back. “The rules we put in place about proper medical care? I was having an out of body experience. I wasn’t in my right frame of mind. Therefore, I rescind my approval. Motion denied. Back to the drawing board.”
Faith snorted, rolling her eyes. “Geez, B, didn’t know you were such a baby. It’s just a cut.”
“Which means it doesn’t need any medical attention!” she said brightly, twisting to get away from her sister slayer. Unfortunately, the non-injured Faith had reflexes slightly faster than hers at the moment, and her attempt to escape was thwarted. She pouted as Faith continued cleaning up the ‘just a cut’ - the remnant of a demon claw that had raked across her back during their patrol. Since demon claws often led to infections, cleaning it out was one of the rules of the newest iteration of the Watchers Council.
It didn’t mean that Buffy couldn’t complain, though she made sure to do so when the newbie slayers weren’t around.
“I can’t believe you let a Howler demon catch you,” Faith said as she placed a bandage over the cut, only doing so because she knew it would annoy the other slayer. “Getting slow in your old age.”
Buffy turned to glare at her. “I was too busy making sure your slow ass didn’t get gutted. I blame you.”
“So nothing new,” Faith said flippantly. “Good to see the game of Blame Faith is still alive and well.”
Her response was interrupted by the sound of her cell phone ringing, and Buffy froze, for the life of her not able to remember where the phone had gone. A frantic search ensued, in which half of the room was upended in the desperate attempt to find the phone before it stopped ringing. There was a rush of victory as she found the phone under a demon encyclopedia - how in the world had that happened - and she breathlessly answered it, “Hello?”
“Hello, Buffy,” James said, his voice amused as he asked, “Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“No, not at all!” she said reassuringly, sitting back on the bed as she shooed Faith away. “The phone tried to make an escape, a battle ensued, but in the end, I came out victorious.”
Faith’s incredulous look was ignored by Buffy, who glared at her once again and motioned for her to go away. Faith merely snorted lightly, walking the room as she feigned interest in different things on Buffy’s chest of drawers. Giving her fellow slayer the stink eye once more, she turned her attention back to the phone as James responded, his own tone still tinged with amusement, “You must have some pretty impressive phones in Cleveland, to try to escape like that. Not even Tony has developed one with those capabilities.”
“It’s the water here,” she said airily. “Not only able to start on fire, but gives cell phones otherwordly abilities.”
“Note to self; don’t drink the water when I visit Cleveland,” he said firmly, a pause in his voice as he seemed to add somewhat self-consciously, “If I visit Cleveland.”
“I liked the first one better,” Buffy said impulsively, biting her lower lip in uncertainty, hoping she hadn’t said the wrong thing. While she and James had clicked during her trip to Miami - one that may have extended a few days longer than originally anticipated through absolutely no fault of her own, she claimed - all they had were phone conversations since then. Someone as successful as he probably had a plethora of women interested in him, more able to meet him at an intellectual level.
“Speaking of visiting,” James said, oblivious to her uncertainties, “I looked at my calendar and I have a pretty light week when you’re in town. If you have some nights free, I’d like to take you to dinner.”
“Consider me dinner-having,” she said, not able to keep the smile off her face. “Most of my appointments are during the day. I can text you the nights I have open?”
“That would be great,” he said. “I…”
He trailed off, and Buffy could hear a muffle of arguments in the background, arguments that even her Slayer-hearing couldn’t quite grasp. A sigh echoed, and his voice came back, apologetic, “I just got a call. I need to take care of something. Text me? There’s a steak place here I think you’ll like.”
“I will,” she promised, part of her a little disappointed at the shortness of the call, the other part of her excited at the prospect of seeing him again in a few short weeks. “Good luck with…the thing. Tell whoever is causing trouble that you’re in charge. Says me.”
He snorted at that. “I will. Take care, Buffy. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Goodbye, James,” she said. With slight regrets - wishing they could talk longer - Buffy pulled the phone away from her ear and ended the call, pointedly ignoring Faith. In fact, she purposefully turned her back on the other woman, pretending to be utterly occupied by straightening her room - which in her defense did need to be cleaned after her desperate phone-search.
“Methinks someone has been keeping secrets,” Faith said suddenly.
Buffy turned slowly at the comment, haughtily saying, “Casual conversations with potential contacts doesn’t entail secrets.”
“Don’t gimme that crap, B,” Faith snorted. “You like him, whoever he may be. But don’t worry. I’ll keep your little secrets.”
She smirked, winking at the other slayer. “For now.”