Black Magic White Lies, chapter 3

[moscow_watcher]

Title: Black Magic White Lies
Chapter 3 - In Which Xander and Willow Are Paranoid
Timeline: BtVS, alternate season 5
Genre: drama, mystery, action
Characters, pairing: general, Xander/Faith
Rating: R (for intense situations).
Summary: Xander thinks he has a little secret. He doesn't know that his little secret is a part of a big fat conspiracy.

Comments

[sentine]

I'm not trying to figure anything out - it's way better to just go along and discover new things with each chapter!

I really like your take on Willow's own concerns about magic, how she desperately wants to meet everyone's expectations. It's way more interesting than in the show...

[moscow_watcher]

it's way better to just go along and discover new things with each chapter!

I hope I haven't overcomplicated the plot. I was constantly asking myself if I'm too cryptic. But, OTOH, I don't like stories that explain everything in the first paragraph - or, worse, in author's notes.

I really like your take on Willow's own concerns about magic

To me, Willow was still very insecure about magic in season 5. Tara's presence kept her grounded. When I was plotting the story I decided to send Tara away because I couldn come up with an interesting arc for her; then it ioccurred to me that I could use her absence as a plot point, a way to make Willow lost and insecure among her friends who keep secrets from her.

[stormwreath]

As to Willow, I always had the impression that her addiction has been more about power than about magic.

Of course. But that doesn't mean it can't also be both. Willow's arrogance and need for control lead her to mess around with dangerous forces which almost end up controlling her.

I mean, suppose someone is a workaholic. He has to work 16-hour days to get through all the work he takes upon himself to do. He can't cope, so he starts taking cocaine or amphetamines or whatever to get through the day. He becomes addicted. But the story there isn't just about drugs: it's about his obsession with work, and his fear of failure, and whatever else drove him to such an extreme and self-destructive solution. The same way Willow's needs drove her to go to Rack for magic more powerful than what she already had.

It's interesting that you've already got her here in S5 worried about using too much magic. Presumably somewhere along the line she's going to forget her sensible caution...

[moscow_watcher]

But that doesn't mean it can't also be both.

Oh, definitely. I love your comparison with workaholism.

It's interesting that you've already got her here in S5 worried about using too much magic.I think she couldn't not feel it. Of course, she had never voiced her concerns back in s5 - but that's what I love about fanfiction: I can delve into characters' heads. My Xander often thinks one thing and does another one. He tells himself that he only tries to help Faith and he sincerely believes in it when he is awake. But as soon as his subconsciousness starts working, turns out his motives are mixed. I think the same applies to all of us

[rebcake]

Wonderful exchange. I can feel Xander's tension and Willow's flailing so clearly.

I feel like the answer is staring me in the face but I can't see it.

Heh. It's staring with blue eyes, through a haze of cigarette smoke, me thinks.

[moscow_watcher]

I can feel Xander's tension and Willow's flailing so clearly.

Thank you! I love them dearly but I can't deprive myself of the pleasure of torturing them! :)

It's staring with blue eyes, through a haze of cigarette smoke, me thinks.

Oh, yes. :) Poor clueless Willow. And - she is sure that Xander is squeaky-clean. Yet I think it's in character. She has been shocked when she has found out about Buffy and Spike in Entropy.

[brunettepet]

Monks, a mysterious pregnancy, and Willow misusing magic? This sounds like Glory should be right around the corner.

Xander squeaky clean? Hardly! He was trying to worm information out of his best friend. He's slept with a killer. He's sneaking off to Los Angeles to see if that bun in Faith's oven is a little Harris. He's just getting dirtier and dirtier. It's very entertaining.

[moscow_watcher]

Monks, a mysterious pregnancy, and Willow misusing magic? This sounds like Glory should be right around the corner.

... as well as all the hard choices that may ensue... *evil laugh*

He was trying to worm information out of his best friend. He's slept with a killer. He's sneaking off to Los Angeles to see if that bun in Faith's oven is a little Harris. He's just getting dirtier and dirtier.

Hee! I think both Buffy and Willow were idealizing Xander for a long time. Partly - because writers didn't dare to give him a juicy, dark storyline he served a representative of humanity, a moral center of the story.

But I think Xander has always been worthy of a really controversial arc, on a par with Buffy's and Willow's. I know that Joss toyed with the idea to kill him off in season 7 and make him the face of The First. Hard to say how it could have worked out - but it could have been an interesting development.

It's very entertaining.

Thank you! :)))

[xc_runner50]

Little Harris in the oven. I am loving this story. The answers are staring us in the face....But I don't want to figure them out until later! I want to be twisted and jerked this way and that. Makes things interesting when you have no clue where you will take us next. Well OK you are taking us to LA but still. I love How you hint on Buffy and Spike getting close and how they rationalize why Buffy is spending time with Spike.

[moscow_watcher]

I love how you hint on Buffy and Spike getting close and how they rationalize why Buffy is spending time with Spike.

Thank you!

Apparently, Buffy is so scared of Xander's opinion on her affair with Spike. As much as he is scared of her opinion on his affair with Faith. They both aren't afraid to face apocalypses but are terrified to tell their closest friends about their loves. They squirm and fidget and come up with the lamest excuses... :)