Black Magic White Lies, chapter 8

[moscow_watcher]

Title: Black Magic White Lies
Chapter 8 - In Which Xander Confronts Buffy... Sort Of
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

[brunettepet]

You're writing an extremely frazzled Buffy very well. Faith has sorely tested her, and it's no wonder she's wary of what she'll be up to under Xander's roof. Xander having to tamp down openly defending Faith created a great deal of tension, and Buffy just kept throwing insults out, ramping the tension even higher. It made for a very entertaining chapter.

[moscow_watcher]

Thank you! I'm glad you see it this way. Buffy is really concerned about Xander's safety. She doesn't understand why he defends Faith, and why Willow doesn't take Buffy's side and tries to stop her anti-Faith rants. So, Buffy's very confused and tense. Besides, she has her own secret and she's afraid of the revelation... :)

[mulder200]

Besides, she has her own secret and she's afraid of the revelation... :)

Oh! That sounds quite interesting.

[waddis]

I like this story more with each chapter. It's kind of fun watching these interactions among people with varying levels of knowledge of the actual situation.

I don't know who's going to blurt the truth first. Xander or Willow.

[moscow_watcher]

Thank you!

I don't know who's going to blurt the truth first. Xander or Willow.

*evil cackle*

[sentine]

I felt as 'frustrated' here as I was sometimes watching the show, when they were keeping secrets from each other, and thus making things even messier ;)

Of course, Buffy does sound harsh here, but understandably so. She's exhausted, worried, and well, Faith always made her feel insecure, didn't she?

So, is there already something between Spike and Buffy? ;)

[moscow_watcher]

Of course, Buffy does sound harsh here, but understandably so. She's exhausted, worried, and well, Faith always made her feel insecure, didn't she?

Yes, yes, yes! I'm so glad you see the situation this way. And, technically, Buffy *is* right - they go against the law. (Of course, it didn't stop her when her friends stole a bazooka). So - it's complicated.

So, is there already something between Spike and Buffy? ;)

Who knows? *evil grin*

[sam_arkand]

Well, stealing a rocket launcher was a crime in purpose of a greater good.

Mainly, the greater good of Sheer Awesome.

I have few problems with Buffy's portrayal. It is on par with how she was portrayed in "Sanctuary"--unsympathetic, but whose grudge was perfectly understandable.

[moscow_watcher]

the greater good of Sheer Awesome.

Heee! I noticed long ago that practically all guys drool when they see Buffy with her rocket launcher!

[angearia]

I do love how you make me think and feel so much here.

Caught a slight grammar/punctuation piece to edit - Somebody in Los-Angeles might want Faith's dead. - I think you meant: "Somebody in Los Angeles might want Faith dead."

"You mean it's my fault that she accused me of the murder she committed? That she defected to the Mayor? That she tried to kill Angel? That she stole my body?"

It might be my personal character bias here, but I'm on Buffy's side. Xander and Willow keeping secrets and then him yelling at Buffy when she has good reasons to be angry and distrustful of Faith. It's all making me want to smack the shit out of him. But no! And then Buffy apologizes? I just can't be on the side that thinks Xander is completely in the right. But it's a part of how I view Faith pre-Five by Five. She was sympathetic, but definitely not blameless. She had free will in everything she did and while she lacked the social support she needed, she also rejected the social support that Buffy offered time and again. It's funny, but the

[angearia]

But a huge part of Season 5 is that Xander has already started maturing. And his insightyness of insight is established in the second episode when he realizes what's wrong with Riley and Buffy. Xander becomes the one who sees in early Season 6 and then regresses out of personal fears during Season 6 like everyone else. But the Xander of Season 5 is not so different from 7. It's his reaching maturation in Season 5 that means he's finally on the same plateau of development as Season 7.

[moscow_watcher]

Caught a slight grammar/punctuation piece to editFixed. Thank you