[location: Library/accidental visual] i will get into your head and every day out of your bed

[inquitvigiliant]

A video feed cuts on suddenly, the image wobbling around and accompanied by a high-pitched beeping for a moment, until it settles into stability and silence. The screen shows a wide-angle view of a double bed, occupied by two bodies, one of which is a grumbling Giles, sitting up and rubbing a hand over his face

Comments

[visual]

[beenthroughhell]

Tara, in fact, has never seen or even heard of Ethan; the last time he was seen in Sunnydale was before she'd really known any of the Scoobies other than Willow. So when she picks up the tablet to call Giles and is greeted by the visual instead, she's just embarrassed, not horrified.

"Giles! I-I'm sorry. I can c-call back later. I just - I needed to ask you something. It's kind of urgent, but not like.. the city's about to burn down urgent. Right." She's making a mess of this and knows it.

[ visual ]

[beenthroughhell]

Ethan actually wins a laugh at that, despite all the things she's worried about. "No. No plans in that direction either."

[ visual ]

[fuckyouripper]

"You have no idea how comforting that is. I'm fond of him; it'd be a shame if I had to peel the skin off his testicles with a nail file."

...Ethan. He's still smiling, though, he's probably kidding. (He hasn't hexed any of Dawn's boyfriends in years.)

[ visual ]

[beenthroughhell]

Crinkling her nose at him, she observes, "I think I can safely promise you I will never date Xander." She's going to assume that he's kidding, because frankly, it's hard to picture Giles getting close to someone who would actually do such a thing. At least over dating.

[ visual ]

[fuckyouripper]

One day, Ethan should really tell Tara some of the more exciting stories from their shared history. (Or not.)

"You know the old adage about broken hearts." They lead to broken faces? That's not an old adage, Ethan. He's just being bratty, now, which is ... par for the course, really. He grins at her, lazily, and tries to do something about his bedhead with one aimless hand. "But I'm sure you charming young ladies can take care of your own."

[ visual ]

[beenthroughhell]

"True. And he's not... really my type." Her smile fades a bit, but she says, "I didn't mean to interrupt. I just was worried about a friend of mine, so I was going to ask Giles about it."

[ visual ]

[fuckyouripper]

"Let him get his trousers on," Ethan advises, peering over the top of his own tablet (presumably at Giles), "and I'll give him a nudge."

[ visual ]

[beenthroughhell]

"Okay. Thanks. And... maybe some time soon we can try to figure out why I should remember you but don't? If you'd like."

[ visual ]

[inquitvigiliant]

Giles apparently finally manages to get his trousers on, and he even manages to figure out how to pick up Tara's transmission on his tablet without cutting her off from Ethan. (It's probably an accident.)

"Tara, dear, I'm so sorry." He's hurriedly buttoning up a shirt that looks far too fashionable to be worn with tweed. "What is it?"

[ visual ]

[beenthroughhell]

"Um. Well, I've forgotten Mr. Rayne when I should know him, apparently. But the reason I called is that a friend of mine is acting weird. Weird in the Sunnydale way, not just normal weird." Talking to Ethan calmed her down a little, but she's still noticeably worried.