Behind the Meerkat Cabin, late morning through lunch

[izzyalienqueen]

Isabel didn't get to bed till late and didn't get to sleep until even later. She was too busy replaying the evening in her mind and smiling at the memory. Thursdays were workshop free, so she slept in late and then brought her blanket out to lie in shade of the trees behind the Meerkat cabin. The jug of iced tea is cold, her book is incredibly entertaining in that cheesy, this is entirely not plausible way and overall, life is good.

[Feel free to interrupt!]

Comments

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Dawn squealed. "Ooh! He gets big romance points for that." She bounced a little. "Did you have fun? What did you talk about?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Big points," Isabel agreed. "Especially for the candle and pretty colored flame." She took a sip of tea as she thought back over the conversation. "Everything really, workshops, cheerleading, creepy guy. It was really, really nice."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Ooh, candles," Dawn smiled, very impressed by Greg for the moment. "That's so great--are you going out again? And wait, who's creepy guy?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"He's into chemistry. We talked once about how some chemicals can make fire change colors. He brought the candle along to demonstrate last night. It was pretty. And romantic. And sweet. So we will go out again. It was too nice not to."

Isabel chuckled, "Creepy guy is the magician from Caritas. He's teaching one of Greg's workshops about being an entertainer. He's also going to coach the basketball team. He also made a pass at me when he was driving me to prom."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Awwwww, he's a geek," Dawn said, "that's so sweet! And yay you and a second date! Is there ongoing boyfriend potential, or just dating?"

She twitched theatrically. "Ewwwwwww," Dawn said, giving the word about nine syllables. "They're letting him be around kids? Isn't that against the rules or something?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"What's wrong with being a geek? I've dated the football stars. Ultimately they're jerks." Isabel looked down again, "I don't know. Maybe? We've been out once, I think we just need to give it time and see."

"Think about our cheerleaders. Molly, Buffy, Phoebe. There's a mutant, a Slayer, and a witch who's dating a protective half-demon. He leers once? He's going through a wall." Isabel was clearly amused by this prospect.

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Oh, there's nothing wrong with it," Dawn assured her. "In fact, I meant it as a compliment. I had a crush on a football player once," she reddened, "and it really didn't go well. Almost painful."

"Oh, well, then. Bring on the creep?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Oh no. I'm sorry," Isabel said. "In my admittedly limited experience, I've found that the quieter guys are much nicer in the long run. They don't feel like the world or you owe them something. It makes things much nicer."

"Think of it this way, it could be the half time entertainment."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"It gave me a lifelong aversion to letterman's jackets," Dawn nodded, taking a few gulps of her lemonade. "Or at least a year's worth. I like quiet. And strange. And maybe a little goofy."

She glanced around to make sure a tall, dark-haired soon-to-be carpenter wasn't hiding in the bushes, then whispered, "Xander was the first guy I ever had a crush on. He sets a high standard."

"Do you think they'd let us sell tickets?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Well Greg's mine," she said and then facepalmed. "Although not really and I can't believe I just said that. Besides, you've got Dean. Who I tried to beat up in karate yesterday." Isabel grinned at the revelation about Xander. "I can see that. I can totally see that and understand that. He really is a sweetheart."

"Oh absolutely. And organize a betting pool."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Dawn started giggling. "I do have Dean. But he's not so strange or goofy, really." Actually, Sam was much more her usual type...and she was going to stop that thought right there, thanks very much. "How'd he take being hit by a girl? I swordfought with Peter yesterday and I think he took it easy on me, which, okay, nice, but not so much with the actual learning."

"Maybe we can see who breaks more bones? Or which bone breaks first?" Dawn wondered if she should have been making a list.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"There's no rule that says you always have to date the same type of guy," Isabel laughed. "We're young, we should enjoy the buffet. He was fine with it. He's better then I am, definitely because he's been doing it longer and he might have pulled some punches because we really we're looking to hurt one another. But it was good practice for me."

"That could be the secondary pool," she grinned. "The first pool is exactly how many minutes, or possibly even seconds, he's going to last before the hurting starts."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Hmmm," Dawn considered, "Do you think he'd spar with me, if I asked? And I think it's good that he pulled punches, maybe? I'm used to dealing with slayers, and they're all stronger than me."

"I like this pool. Oh," she glanced around for stray Stickbugs, "How long do you think we should make them suffer?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I can't see why he wouldn't," Isabel said. "I bet it would be fun. I know I had a good time. Considering I didn't want to go on my date black and blue and sore? I think it's great that he pulled his punches. Slayers? Plural?"

"Not too long. Only because they might get cranky. And I only had one date with Greg."

[ooc: I might have to vanish shortly for a few hours. But I'll be back this evening.]

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"I'll have to ask Dean," she decided, then paled as she realized what she'd let slip. "I didn't mean anything by it. Must be one of those dimensional differences--like Xander not dating girls where I'm from."

"How do we let them know they can ask us, without giving away that we did it?" Dawn pondered, tying her hair into a knot behind her head. "There may be a flaw in the plan."

[ooc: NP.]

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"You should. And if you have Slayers to spare you should consider exporting them. I'm sure Xander's Buffy could use some help."

Isabel had been wondering about this herself. "Maybe we can just drop some pie off?"

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Maybe," she sighed. "Okay, so I got my planning skills from Spike. I can overcome that."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Spike? As in vampire Spike?" Isabel's heard enough stories from Xander and in her time in Fandom to recognize the name. "No offense but you come from a weird universe Dawn."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"None taken," Dawn replied, "I mean, it's not like I can argue with you."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"But it's home right?" Isabel asked with a smile. "I'd think in the end, that's all that matters."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, but it's not like this place is bad. I really like it a lot here, though I'm starting to think you're exaggerating some of it."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"It's been unusaully quiet for Fandom these last few weeks. Honestly? I'm starting to get worried."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Does it run in cycles here? Maybe we're just in a natural slow period?" Dawn suggested.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I don't know," Isabel sighed. "I've only been here since January. At the end of the semester we had acorn flinging trees, striking washing machines, random slime attacks and dancing lemurs. We haven't had anything unusual happen since then. It's too quiet."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Dawn stared at Isabel.