Meredith Delany (band_chicka) wrote in btvsal, @ 2009-08-11 20:13:00 |
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Current location: | Mere and Jack's Place |
Current mood: | depressed |
Entry tags: | ash kowalski, mere delany, place: la |
So, We Meet Again
Who: Mere and Ash
Where: Mere and Jack's Apartment
When: Same Day that Buffy and Ash talked
Right now, Ash felt nervous as hell. The last few times he'd seen Meredith, she'd mostly teased him, mocked him mercilessly, and made him feel like he was about to be her next meal. But... at Buffy's urging, he decided to be the one to go and ask her for help in the upcoming fight. Taking a deep, deep breath, he walked up to the front door of the home she shared with her father, and knocked nervously.
Mere was at home alone tonight. Jack had to go out and do some random band things, since Pat was busy with his kid being born and all. She had apologized to him about the way she had been acting, though. She wasn't sure if he bought it or not, but figured that the best way to make him know her sincerity was to show it. She had even invested in some animal blood to really go backward on her dark ass path, even though the stuff tasted like slop compared to the real thing. Still, cold turkey better than trying to ease off of it right now, she figured. She walked up to the door and answered it, wearing a pair of sweats and a tank top, and no make up, so looking almost like another person. "You're probably the last person I expected," she admitted. "I take it that this isn't a personal call?"
"Well... no..." He admitted, realizing truth was the best way to go here. "Can you blame me? Every time we've tried to be friends recently, you've either tried to eat me or PRETENDED to try and eat me."
"Sorry about that shit, by the way," she said, knowing that Ash was on her long ass list of people to apologize to at the moment. She backed up so that he could decide whether to come in or not. "I promise, no bullshit tonight."
He blinked, standing still for a moment. "....are you being serious here?" He had no idea what had happened, so... to him? This was like, in Meredith-language, like a pod person had taken her over.
"No, this is an elaborate ploy to get you inside so that I can suck your blood," she said, dead pan. Luckily, even in the circles they traveled, it seemed that some things stayed secret after all. "Yes, I'm serious. I'll explain later."
He sighed, feeling uneasy, yet slightly more comfortable than he had around her lately. "Look. As you know by now... I'm working for the new Watchers Council. And... we have a huge battle coming up. A lot of people could lose their lives, Mere. People you're close to. And I'm here... to ask for your help."
"Aren't you guys always preventing some huge apocalypse or have some huge battle on the horizon?" she asked him. Well, she had a good point. "And why would you even want my help? Half of your staff doesn't trust me, and for good reason."
"No. A lot of them DON'T trust you." He said, point-blank. "But if that MATTERS to you... this is your chance to prove yourself to them. We're gonna be vastly outnumbered, Mere. We need you."
"Alright," she said, shifting from foot to foot. "God, a vampire needing to find redemption now, how lame is that?" That wasn't meant to be said out loud, but just thought, but she blurted it out none the less. "When did I become a stereotype?"
"You're not a stereotype." For a moment, it looked as though he wouldn't mess with her at all over it. "You'd be helping your friends, Meredith. And giving Anne Rice tons of inspiration for her next novel."
"If you really want my help, I suggest laying off the Anne Rice references," she said to him. "I'm a fuck up, Ash, with no flowy dialog or puffy shirts, thank any god who might be listening. You didn't hear about the serious fuck up that Mere pulled this time?"
"We've all fucked up, Mere." He said, seriously, ignoring her threats. "You don't owe me any explanation... remember when I wanted to burn Sunnydale to the ground, with all of you in it? I don't think I have any room to judge, babe. I was just trying to lighten the mood, that's all."
"I drained a bitch in an alley, and then some other vampire came along and sired her for the fuck of it," Mere said bluntly to him. "Oh, and did I mention that now she's going around and wantonly killing mothers and little kids at random? I wouldn't want to forget that part. Did you ever do that, Ash?"
"Hey... hey..." he hushed her with a finger against her lips, going against everything his brain was yelling at him and pulling her into a hug. "Like I said... we all fuck up, Meredith. It'll be ok. I promise."
She stood there, frozen for a moment before hugging him back. Fuck, when was the last time someone had hugged her unlecheriously? She couldn't even remember. "So, guess we're both on that whole redemption path now, eh?"
"Welcome to my world, hon. Welcome to my world." He laughed sadly, for the first time since realizing she was a vampire, feeling sincere sympathy for her. "It's the hardest thing you'll ever do. And it never ends."
"Not making this any more tempting, Ash," she pointed out about the 'never ends' part. "This sucks. I hate having feelings, even if they were kind of muted." That sure as fuck didn't last.
"Look... we may not be together anymore, but you know damned well I'll always have feelings for you, Mere." He said, giving her a sympathetic smile. "Hell, it still kills me to see you with Bale. Not that I don't think you should be happy... I just think you deserve better, vampire or not."
"Why does everyone keep saying that?" she asked, tempted to roll her eyes but managed somehow to not do so. "Everyone wants to hate on Ben lately." Which, as far as feeling goes, he wasn't the one to feel sorry for his actions, but she loved him.
"Hey. What can I say? As someone who still loves you, I just want the best for you." He grinned, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Always will."
She smiled at him for a moment, and not the evil, snarky smile that had graced her face so much lately. It was much more genuine and just a hint of the human that she was before. She still felt...something for him. She just had no fucking clue what it was called. Feelings mostly confused her now, and pissed off the demon within.
"You know... despite what happened, between us, to you, to me.... you're still my best friend." He admitted, hating how weak he felt saying this stuff. "I miss you."
"Wasn't even sure if I had friends anymore, considering the way that I was acting," she admitted.
"Come on. You know the girls in the band LOVE you." He said, laughing. "I don't think Chloe could hate you if you bit HER."
"Chloe has her kinks, but I think she'd take a little offense to me treating her like food," Mere pointed out. "Now Lexi, she kind of liked it."
"Ok, Mere? Got a girlfriend now... DON'T need the admittedly awesome visuals here..." he laughed, feeling himself blush a little.
She winked at him. "Don't let this get out but...as far as who you picked...could have done a lot worse." OK, that was about as close to a compliment for a person destined to kill her kind as Mere could get. Give her a break.
He laughed again there, knowing that coming from Meredith, that was practically a glowing recommendation. "Buffy's a great girl. And... as long as we're sharing secrets... she's got a little bit of you in her, if you know what I mean. She's just... more careful with when she lets it out."
"Well, not everyone can be the town doorknob," Mere cracked. Might as well have fun with your reputation, right? "Glad that you're happy, though. I hear it helps with that redemption thing."
"It does. Doesn't hurt that between you, Dawn, Lucy, and Buffy... I've had some massively hot girlfriends..." He added, a little smirk on his face.
"And two sisters, even. Ever try to get them to go in on a threesome with you?" Yeah, Mere was totally going to go there. What else would be expected of her?
Ash tried. He REALLY tried to take the high road and not answer. FAIL. "Only in my grandest of dreams, Mere. Only in my graaaaaaandest dreams."
"Only in most people's grandest dreams," Mere said with a grin. "Seriously, those are some hot ass genes those girls carry."
"Don't I know it!" He chuckled, shaking his head. "The worst part is... I don't know if Buffy really knows JUST HOW much I did with Dawn. And I sure as hell ain't gonna be the one to tell her if she DOESN'T know. I just have to hope Dawn never brings it up mid-argument."
"No, she probably doesn't," Mere pointed out. "And, unfortunately, girls are naturally catty, so yeah, she probably will bring it up once Dawn finds out what you are doing with sister dear instead of training all the time."
"Jesus." He looked at her, his look so pleading it was actually funny. "This is going to get SO Melrose Place before it's over, isn't it."
She nodded. "Yep, so I suggest you just get ready for the fall out, or actually grow a pair and tell Buffy for yourself and save the hell."
"Good to see that despite everything..." he snickered, shaking his head. "You're still the same Meredith I fell in love with back in Sunny D."
"Well, the same me is still in here," she pointed out. Just sharing with a demon, she added silently. Didn't need to freak out the mundane, after all.
"I get that. I mean... the old Ash that you knew is still in here, somewhere." He smiled, almost blushing. "Sometimes... I almost feel like Buffy's close to finding him."
"Well, tell her I said that it's worth the looking," Mere said with a half-smile.
"Dammit." He said, a nervous laugh coming out. "Sometimes you make it damn hard to not wanna kiss you, ya know that?"
She just smiled. "It's a part of my charm," she told him with another wink.