Ficlet - Deck the Walls (Faith & Oz)

[clawofcat]

Title: Deck the Walls

Author: ClawofCat

Timing: S3, shortly before “Amends”

Rating: G

Pairing: Faith & Oz

Words: 523

A/N: Written for rebcake, who asked for a Faith & Oz drabble. This ficlet is a mixture of what I originally wrote for your request in December and new material. Since I love canon tie-ins, references to events in “Lover’s Walk” and “Amends

Comments

[louise39]

Unexpected kindness and companionship between a slayer and a werewolf. Christmas magic?

A gentle little episode.

[clawofcat]

Thanks. Both of them are a bit down and out by the time "Amends" rolls around. I could see them finding unlikely companionship in each other as the outsiders of the Scoobie group. Oz doesn't seem like a particularly judgemental guy, and I bet Faith likes musicians and respects his unreadable (and guarded?) demeanor.

After writing this, I'd be really interested to know if there are any post-NFA Faith/Oz fics out there. Between her homicidal turn and his self-exile to control the beast, I think they'd have a lot to talk about as adults. Maybe even some common ground.

[rebcake]

¡Yay! Red hair dye for Xmas! Heh. Plucky Faith! (She was, you know. She was really trying to do the "social" thing.) More than stoic Oz, pulled from his own head (an interesting place, no doubt) by someone with an even harder row to hoe. *mwah!* Bellissima!

[clawofcat]

I like writing Faith in any incarnation, but S3 Faith before she totally goes off the deep end is so refreshing. She desperately wants to impress people, fit in, be likeable, and that's an aspect of her personality (or maybe her disguise?) that gets discarded the more unstable she becomes.

Oz, pulled from his own head by someone with an even harder row to hoe.Exactly. They're both a bit down and out by the time "Amends" rolls around. Faith's tried to kill Buffy after some seriou manipulation by Post. Oz has to deal with cheating Willow. Neither of them are particularly judgemental. Between his music and his unreadable (guarded?) demenor, I think Oz is the type of person that Faith would actually go out of her way to hang with. If they ever do cross paths post-NFA, I would love to see that conversation. They both did a lot of growing up by the end of the series

[rebcake]

Somebody asked me to do an Oz drabble, too, and it kicked my butt! That guy is soooo hard to write, and I decided that it's because he's way cooler than any of us could ever hope to be. I say that as a gal who played drums in punk(ish) bands, so I'm not without perspective here, I think. Understand, bass players are generally cooler than drummers, regardless, but you get my drift.

Anyway, I've got no criticism of your take on Oz. An argument could be made that Oz upset and Oz on a normal day are virtually indistinguishable (insert Calvin Coolidge joke here), so it's hard to know how to jump. If you're interested, check out my post-S4 breakup drabble:

http://community.livejournal.com/writercon100/51396.html

[ozma914]

Wow, that was great! Who'd have thought those two could generate such chemistry?

[clawofcat]

Thank you! They're certainly not a pairing I would have ever thought of on my own. After writing this though, they do share some parallels when it comes to "fighting the demon inside." I would love to read a post-NFA fic with them. They would certainly have a lot to talk about.

[ozma914]

Hm ... I've slowed down a lot on my fanfiction, but Faith is in my post-Chosen stories and I've always planned to bring Oz back, so maybe I'll get a chance to try that, someday.

[maureen]

Oh, well done! I've always like the idea of these two as friends though you are right and they've shared precious little screen time together. This was sweet.

[clawofcat]

Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I think both of them were in need of a little sweetness at this point in the season. Maybe a jam session in the CVS parking lot ensued afterward :)

[anonymous]

Hi,

marvellously observed, and perfectly believable, as a missing scene from Season 3. I felt really bad for Oz when I finally got to see their initial break-up (their second in Wild at Heart was the ep that finally clinched my new addiction to Buffy), and though I wasn't initially sold on Faith, when I re-watched her early eps years later I began to see a far more complex character than I;d allowed mysellf to see before.

Well done, and thanks,
Still under Willow & Tara's spell,
Ray Harley, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland.
kerkevik@btinternet.com

[rebcake]

Hey Ray!

It's good to see your thoughtful comments popping up here and there once more! Keep 'em coming!

[anonymous]

Hi,
I hope this is okay, but I just wanted to thank you for your kind words. I have said in a comment on another fic that I have nothing but admiration for all the writers who take what Joss created, and run with it. If, with a comment (when I feel I can properly express myself), I can show that appreciation, well... that's just a small thank you.

Ray.

[clawofcat]

Thanks! I'm glad this worked for you. I love writing missing scenes, especially when it's a bit challenging to come up with a scenario that works for the characters.

I've always liked Oz, but have never been inspired to do anything with him since he's not particularly transparent. That disconnect makes it hard to "inhabit" him. As for Faith, I loved her from the start and that's only gotten stronger the more I write her. It's too bad Eliza isn't able to match her as Echo on Dollhouse. Like James, Faith might be the best part she'll ever have.