( 01 ) video ✵ she's a rebel vigilante missing link on the brink of destruction

[stacked]

[ faith has a cigarette lighter in her hands, and she watches it for a moment. click: open, fire. click: closed, no fire.

click click click. ]

So, this is space. Final frontier, boring crap on NOVA, blah blah blah. I got the jump-- thing, whatever. Here's my issue. I got what they call 'anger management problems', and this kidnapping shit? It's jumping right up and down on my last freaking nerve right now.

[ click. click. click. she sets down the lighter, smiling at the communicator with a grin that looks more like a baring of her teeth than anything resembling pleasure. baby steps! ]

So let's make a deal. Somebody uses the simple words to explain what the hell I just walked into, and I don't have to bust any skulls. Sounds fair to me.

[ and she's out. MAKING FRIENDS AND INFLUENCING PEOPLE WITH FAITH LEHANE. ]

Comments

VIDEO

[stacked]

[ don't be jelly you didn't think of the nickname first, wes. ]

Jesus, Wes. Who crapped in your cereal? [ NO RLY SHE COULDN'T TELL. ] You're just gonna lay down for this?

[ she shrugs, lips pressed together in a thin line. ] Like I said, Wes, I'm not the science geek. He started talking tech, I started drifting off.

VIDEO

[cryptid]

[ the love of his life died okay HIS CEREAL IS ALMOST 100% SHIT RIGHT NOW ]

I said I'd look around. Punching people isn't going to help things. [ not yet, anyway. don't worry, he'll be there if it needs to happen.

another rub at the bridge of his nose, another drink. ]

There are training facilities if you need to let off a little steam.

video;

[stacked]

[ your life, man. the hell are you la people even DOING. ]

Uh, no offense, but from this end it's gonna help a whole hell of a lot. [ you're not her real dad you can't tell her what to do. ]

Yeah, so the guy said.

video;

[cryptid]

[ running an evil law firm nbd. ]

Let me rephrase: don't punch people unless absolutely necessary. [ and don't use your definition of 'necessary', faith; it's a space ship, not a hell dimension. (well, perhaps it is, but details.) he's not your dad but he's your— no, he's not your dad. ]

If you're going to hit something, I'd suggest using those. For the time being.

[ he might even join you. ]

video;

[stacked]

[ okay, when faith can tell something's a shitty idea, it's a rly shitty idea. she's only saying. ]

...Yeah, little late on that one. My bad. [ in her defense, the dude she fought literally asked for it. plus he was all british and shit like certain watcher status denying folks she knows, so he double asked for it. ]

Come on, seriously? I'm networking, here. [ no she isn't. ]

video;

[cryptid]

[ what can he say, blah blah seduced into the belly of the beast blah. he's got no excuse other than books. ]

Faith. [ why is he not surprised. listen, just because someone is british doesn't grant you immediate 'hit him' status—usually. faith's mysterious punch-ee could have asked for it (that does tend to happen), but wesley doesn't really care enough to ask who it was or why it happened. ] Unless I'm very much mistaken, 'networking' generally isn't a synonym for 'threatening.'

video;

[stacked]

[ books are bad, faith's been saying it for years. ]

What? He started it. [ HAVE YOU MET YOURSELF, WES. IT'S EVERY EXCUSE. ] I'm making connections. Have a few throw downs, pass out a cig or two... be just like prison.

video;

[cryptid]

[ look he's removed like 3/4ths of the stick from his ass what more do you want.

wesley doesn't answer for a moment, considering her levelly through the feed. he can't really argue that, since this place is certainly beginning to feel like a prison—even if it's built to imply otherwise—and faith has a point, whether she meant it or not. ]

Just be careful. [ he's serious. don't get yourself into trouble you can't get yourself out of. ]

video;

[stacked]

[ a pony, a cookie, a gold star and a pat on the head? ]

Careful there, Wes. People're gonna start to think you trust my judgment.

video;

[cryptid]

[ a) no, b) perhaps, c) only if there are craft supplies, and d) you'd break his wrist. ]

You're not a child. [ he trusts you more than he trusts most people, and coming from the man you tortured, that means a hell of a lot. ] I trust you not to act like one.

video; 1/2

[stacked]

Jesus, Wes, I was kidding. Lighten up, all right? You're no good to me if you bust something making that face.

video;

[stacked]

[ looking awaaaaaaaaaaaay and muttering. ]

But, uh-- thanks. For the confidence, or whatever.

video;

[cryptid]

[ he reminds himself, for at least the tenth time, that faith doesn't know the whole story, and that he's spent his recent time surrounded by people who did. it isn't fair to her to get—angry. (life goes on. lighten up.)

his answering look is almost mild enough to mean you're welcome. ]

I'm sure you'll handle yourself well.

video;

[stacked]

I get by, Wes. You know me.

[ ew what is this why feelings. ]

We done with girl talk?

video;

[cryptid]

[ good lord is that a hint of a— nope, still line-faced. ]

We're done.

video;

[stacked]

Good by me. Let me know if that big brain of yours puts it all together while I'm kicking a little ass?

video;

[cryptid]

[ wesley nods, a perfunctory tilt of the head. ] Of course.

[ and he disconnects the feed. ]