willak | 3rd Bite

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3rd Bite - [Video]

[She doesn't make this video private from Jilly, Geordie or any of her friends. What good would that do her? Might as well let them know how to avoid her if they wanted to.

Or where to find her if they wanted to. She was all about equal opportunity when it came to revenge. Even so, whoever would want revenge over something so petty as death around here when you just come back a week later with a little less shine in your paint needed a hobby. Or a job.

Speaking of, not!Jilly has a request:]

So, I gotta ask, just 'cause I'm startin' to go stir-crazy 'round here. Anybody lookin' for some help round their store or shop?

I know it ain't gonna get me paid or nothin'. Just need something to do most days. Recommendations are gonna be hard to come by more than usual but I'm a real hard worker and I don't complain.

I don't mind dealin' with people but I'm not exactly Miss. America when it comes to being sunny and all that. Just a..warning, I guess.

I'll take anythin' so long as I'm needed.

[She smiles with half the effort she might normally put into it. Feeling a little depressed will do that to a gal.]

Anything's appreciated.

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...I'm sorry we didn't end up seeing you at Christmas dinner.

[ it's a gentle phrase. buffy keeps her suspicion well-hidden. she doesn't even share it with jilly.

but she does speak bold enough to signal to raylene that she knows she's jilly's sister, now. that, at least, is where the knowledge line is drawn. ]

[Raylene looks off to the side, not quite feeling up to the whole 'making eye contact' thing that usually comes pretty easy to her.]

Wasn't aware I'd been invited.

[She picks up what Buffy's throwing down though, and files her as one of Jilly's.]

...Jilly never mentioned it?

Why should she have?

She said her sister was in town. I said she should invite her. Easy peasy.

[ or it should have been... ]

Easier said than done.

I would have said no. She probably knew that.

...Why?

[Raylene stops herself from laughing but she shakes her head and the sardonic smile isn't easily hidden.]

Seriously?

Seriously. I wanna know why you would've said no. Or why she already knew that.

[ because people are hiding things from her and that makes buffy summers a little prickly. ]

You don't... [huff. breathing. Do that.]

You don't even know me. What makes you think I'll even tell you the truth?

Jilly is your friend. Why don't you ask her?

[ she takes the time to cobble up a filter. ]

Why? Because she already lied to me once. Not very well...but she tried. And because you're right and she is my friend, I'm not gonna push her into telling me the truth.

You, on the other hand...

I'm a better liar.

And yet, I'm guessing you still haven't this whole conversation.

I haven't had a reason to yet.

But she has. See -- that's what's freaking me out so much. 'Cause I know if my sister walked into town, I would be all over her. I'd be shouting it from the roof-tops.

[ i'd be getting married. ] I'd be inviting her over for every damn meal. And yet -- we've hardly seen you around the house.

I haven't seen her since I was eleven.

[She grits it out, sounding pained almost. It might be jealousy at the mere mention of someone having something like sisterhood with a sibling. It might the red she's feeling creeping in her brain while this talk with Buffy keeps going.

It might be a whole lot of things but none of it makes her want to spill the beans. Just an outline. That's all this chick needs before she hopefully drops it.

God Ray hopes she does.]

I told her t'stay away from me. T'keep her own damn hide away from me.

She's smart t'do that. And I ain't gonna be the one tryin' to fix things 'cause there ain't nothin' to fix.

[Her accent comes out thick and mean and it's a clear switch from how she was speaking before. It's not more natural, it's just what she's used to. It's safer for her.]

[ eleven.

buffy frowns. ]

My very good friend Xander the Carpenter argues that there's always something that needs fixing.

[Were this not such an emotionally charged conversation for her, she might comment on the weirdness that was Buffy's mentioning of her friend.]

I'm past the point of wanting to.

And I'm pretty sure she is too. [At least she should be after that whole...accidental killing re-introduction.]

Fine, fine. I'll back off. [ for now. this isn't over. ]

[Ohoho, someone looking for a way to keep busy?]

Do you enjoy baking? Or would you like to learn?

[Ray shrugs, not terribly enthused but it's the best offer she's gotten.]

I'm a fast learner. You own it -- you're in charge of it?

[Still needs to get used to the whole 'no money' system.]

Yes, I am. I've only got one other person working there with me, so we could always use an extra pair of hands, if you're interested!

[It would certainly take some strain off of her and Nojiko.]

[Oh. Three people sounds nice to Raylene, she really doesn't like people. She gives it a few minutes of thought before nodding.]

That sounds nice.

What kind of hours do you have in mind? I don't have anything else taking up my time so I'm pretty flexible.

Any time you feel like coming in, really. Business is entirely unpredictable, so our hours vary.

Okay. [So it's a deal then.]

My name's Raylene.

[Might as well get that out of the way now.]

What a pretty name! Raylene, It's nice to meet you. I'm Rapunzel.

[There's a hint of a smile, there. She thinks Rapunzel is sweet.]

Nice t'meet you too, Rapunzel.

I'll come by the bakery sometime this week if that's alright.

Of course it is! I'm there most mornings, so come in anytime!

Great. Thanks for...agreeing to see me.

[It's not like she has the job yet or anything.]

I'm happy to. I always love meeting new people, so I'm glad for the opportunity to get to know you.

Hooooooh, what about a little sentry job? No skills needed, just a bright face and perhaps being cute.

Edited 2012-12-31 22:35 (UTC)

[It's too bad Kida can't see this face.]

I'm sorry?

[Well he saw the video and hears the voice. Works for him]

Watching a convenience store.

No, thanks.

[It's too familiar to her old job working and watching the print store. She did that for 10 years and she's looking for some variety now.]

Maaah, that's a shame. But! I shall not press, it's not my nature.

Thanks.

[He knew the details. All the details. And knew most of all that Jilly didn't really harbor much resentment towards her sister. Raylene might have killed her sister, might have been responsible for Jilly's color blindness, but as far as his best friend was concerned, it hadn't been something she had set out to do. Still, it hadn't been so easy for Geordie to differentiate, not to want to reach out and yell at someone - be it Raylene or the people who brought him here or even the first ridiculous magical creature he saw.

People got angry. He had been the subject of his father's temper too many times in his life. But that temper had been unwarranted, his father's beatings provoked by little except a way in which the man could ruin any joy his sons might be facing that day. And he worked hard not to be like that man. Striking out was not what Jilly wanted. It was not what would ease his own conscience.

And Jilly would want him to reach out to her younger sister. It was easier, sometime, than attempting to rebuild the relationship yourself. Geordie had more than enough experience with Christy to think otherwise.

His voice was quiet, a little hesitant and a lot thoughtful, when he does reply.] Have you ever considered learning an instrument?

[She sits and ponders answering him for a good long while. She's trying to adapt to this place without getting involved with Jilly or her crowd, trying to avoid them as best she can and trying to work at being more productive instead of just sitting on the couch at her apartment wishing she was back home or worse.

And then this happens. Raylene didn't want to talk to this guy or even see him again. Either because she didn't want to deal with what she assumed would be righteous anger from him or his pity.

But he doesn't...(outright, at least) sound like he's doing either. Yet.

It's more the question that catches her. The way he sounds reminds her of someone else and she's curt when she replies.]

No.

[When no response comes after a minute or two, he's almost tempted to cough this up to a failed attempt at outreach and come back later. How many times had it taken him and Christy before they had finally found the right balance of personal and impersonal conversation that made being around each other not as awkward as either might have once thought? Too long, he sometimes thinks, though it probably would have been longer if not forJilly, Sophie, and Wendy. The situation with Raylene was something entirely different and maybe, just maybe, he was being naively optimistic in thinking they could ever be even acquaintences.

But there had been a response, even if it was just word. And this, the unnecessary kindness, is the sort of thing Jilly would want him to display towards her sister. It had been, he reminds himself not for the first time, an accident.]

It's not such a bad way to pass the time. [Said with a slight shrug in his voice, as if he understands that not everyone was as musically inclined as himself.] Playing for yourself or playing for others. You can choose from any number of intstruments and I don't think it'd be so far from the truth to say there are many here that'd be happy to take on a student.

Myself included.

[Raylene could be particularly paranoid when she felt it suited her. Geordie's ... courtesy toward her after knowing who she was and presumably a good deal about her and Jilly (she didn't know exactly how much big sister let him know) was strange.

She hadn't been expecting it, nor had it been something she particularly wanted. Granted what little they had seen of each other before he figured it out was...nice. Kind of like starting over before everything went to shit. Again.

If she were a dog her ears would be flat against her head and she'd definitely be growling out of wariness.

Why the hell was he being ... cordial? Raylene could only think of one thing that might make sense to her just then and it only made things a tad worse.]

....She put you up to this, didn't she?

[Raylene didn't think she'd have to specify just who she was talking about.]

[Specification most definitely was not needed. Nor, did he think, was there any need to lie.]

Not exactly. I know she'd like it, but it's not just that. This place is kind of overwhelming, especially if you're not used to anything remotely Otherworldly. Like me.

[He grins a little sheepishly. Christy would love it here. It's not so surprising to see Jilly thrive. But Geordie? Geordie would take the mundane any day. It's why he's thrown himself so much into his music again.]

[Raylene snaps her mouth shut as soon as he mentions the Otherworld, but she keeps up with the wariness - better safe than sorry.]

You never been.

[It should be a question but he already answered it for her when he mentioned not being used to this kind of strangeness. Ray didn't know about Jilly's relationship with the Otherworld, only that some of her friends could go there.

They've met. It never ended well.]

[Geordie looks at the journal, brows knitted in confusion. Her statement is easily misinterpreted as a question. Luceti may be an Otherworld, but Newford is still completely normal in his opinion.]

Been where?

[There's a Look for you Geordie but Raylene realizes that her conversations with him tend to start oversharing (by her standards) and she blames getting a little comfortable with him for that.]

Nevermind.

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3rd Bite - [Video]

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