Mechanical Feelings

[madimpossibledreamer]

delayed because me reading about more CW shenanigans + Joss jossing his own progressive cred, but we all knew that already.  and then I had to decide on outfits.
Also, I'm writing from his PoV but I don't like younger Xander as much.  This took probably about 3 hours to post because I really am not sure about this one.  I really like some of the dialogue and stuff, but as much as I usually like writing these characters, that's not 100% true in this case.  I like older 'having been forced to deal with his shit' Xander.  Maybe teenagers are less aware of themselves being jerks (or less able to stop themselves for being jerks).  Or maybe I've just been reading too much about Joss.  I hate saying this, but at least something will go wrong in the next installment so he'll have bigger issues than his own insecurities.  That being said, saying no to being a Dilgar is a correct decision.  Also, yes, Xander, I have actually heard and participated in a pocket rant, because I love my pockets and everyone should be able to have pockets if they want them.  Which is actually also kind of a metaphor as well as a real-world issue if you think about it.

Main Points:
Buffy/Babylon 5 AU (same as The Ushari): Agents of Chaos AU
Chapter Summary: The costumes come together.
Word Count: 1971
Rating: Teen
Spoilers for up until halfway through Season 4 of Babylon 5 + the Technomage Trilogy Books (it's quick but it is kind of a major spoiler).
Warnings: Milder and more self-aware than the show but Xander's definitely still got some issues to work on (generally slight sexism), Ethan is still a bit of a creep

            It turns out that Angel can’t come to the costume shop, at least, although they really should’ve thought about that little hiccup beforehand.  It’s during the daytime, it doesn’t have sewer access, and it’s not a matter of life-and-death.  Still, he is interested.  Xander’s not entirely sure whether it’s the novelty or Buffy was really convincing or whether he simply wanted to do more couply kinds of things…whatever.  He’s going along with something Xander suggested, and Willow’s gushing about one of his favorite shows, so he still considers it a success.  He’s not totally useless when it comes to contributing to the group.  Buffy’s been given a glove size, so she can pick it up, and she’s kind of adorably excited, which is…well, it’s something, anyway.
            The issue, once they get there, is the selection.  He’d kind of expected that, honestly.  It’s not like they’d just have technomage outfits on hand, much as Xander would love that.  Particularly for a new costume shop.  He’d been planning on sucking it up and bugging Angel for a spare coat if they didn’t find anything, but he’s lucky enough to find a Gambit costume he could spray-paint.  When it comes to the face-paint, though, he’s not as lucky.
            “A group of children just picked those up, I’m afraid,” the shopkeeper, Ethan, explains apologetically.
            “Hey, Xander, he’s got masks,” Buffy points out, waving a cat one in his direction, and he makes a face.  He’s pretty sure she’s making fun of him, which is annoying but kind of fair, given some of the crap he’s pulled lately (the thing with the Hyena alone which wasn’t exactly his fault but wasn’t not his fault either that he’s pretty sure she knows about and is just humoring him which is also annoying but he’ll deal because that was bad), and he’s still not pulling off the Centauri.  If nothing else, he is not Peter Jurasik, he will never be Peter Jurasik, and that kind of makes it hard to pull off the hair-fan thing.
            The thing is, she doesn’t know about the fact that the only feline race are the Dilgar, notorious mass-murderers who died when the sun went supernova.  Also, it’s kind of plasticky and just doesn’t look good.
            “The only other masks are monster types—a couple vampires, a Frankenstein’s Monster, some horror movie villains…”  Willow’s joined her and is now reporting, and Xander groans.  He’s really, really tempted to just go for human now, but she brightens.  “Oh!  But you could come up with a new race that’s just joined the League of Non-Aligned Worlds…”  And just like with Resolve Face, he’s completely unable to crush her hopes and dreams like that.  Plus, it’s Buffy’s suggestion, and he’s kind of trapped himself with his own ideas, hasn’t he?  It’s not like it’s a hard challenge, when he’s being forced to think about it.  For one thing, it’d be fascinating to have a connection to the Shadows, now that he’ll be a Technomage, and also it’d be interesting to have a race that’s not just plain evil like the Drakh or expansionist like the Centauri be involved, or a race, interestingly, that doesn’t take as much interest in the politics and might not have even insisted they have a presence on board the station…
            “Yeah, okay,” he agrees.  It’s only one night.  He can deal.  The only issue is finding the stuff for Buffy and Willow and Angel’s costumes.
            “I already have a few leather jackets, though I don’t know what they look like for these, uh…tech-mages?  I didn’t get much of a description other than ‘leather’.”  Which…fair.  They hadn’t had time for him to even show any episodes, and…huh.  They hadn’t seen any women technomages on screen yet.  Maybe JMS just hadn’t gotten to it yet, or maybe didn’t want to mess with the mystique by introducing too many…
            “Well, you kind of think of the typical wizards, only put them into leather and have some electronics-type stuff?  We haven’t really seen them a lot…”  It’s the first time Willow’s enthusiasm has faltered a bit, probably stumbling over the same thing Xander’s is.
            “I’m planning on taking this,” Xander shakes the Gambit costume, “…and spray-painting it black.  Maybe using some gold spray paint for ‘circuits’ if I can find some.”  He considers it.  Maybe he’ll just spray paint the mask too.  It might not look quite as cheap that way.
            Buffy looks thoughtful.  “You really should use paint that works on leather, especially if you’re going to rewear it later.  Does it matter if it’s black?  Because I might only need a top and maybe footwear if not.” 
            She strides off with purpose, without even waiting for an answer, and Willow turns to him with a shrug.  “I guess we follow her?  At least she’s enthusiastic.”
            “…Yeah, but she’s in Slayer mode.  That’s…”  That’s too much like Cordy, he thinks, but catches himself.  He’d still had a bit of an expectation that this was his thing, but it’s not, really, is it?  It’s something he’s hoping to have in common with his friends, so he should be happy she’s into it, even if he’s not getting to be The Expert here.  It…if he’s honest with himself, it mostly just sucks because he doesn’t have a Thing.  Buffy’s the Slayer, Willow’s the Hacker and Researcher, Giles gets to be the Watcher, and he’s here to crack jokes and distract the enemy and be thrown into things and bring food.  He’d feel better if he just wasn’t completely useless.  “Don’t mind me, I’m just being weird.  No tails, though.”
            “Come on, that would make them different than the Dilgar.”  At least that makes him happy, that she remembers some race that was only really important in one episode (aside from, you know, being the impetus to start the whole League of Non-Aligned Worlds, but when you start experimenting on people and trying to wipe them out, people start getting nervous for very good reasons).  “Unless you’re some baby the Technomages found and saved for some reason.”
            He shudders all over.  “Come on, no, imagine what they would’ve done with Shadow tech, or the power of a Technomage.  They wouldn’t risk that.”  He thinks about it deeper.  “Okay, no, the main thing is, I don’t want to have to deal with a tail.”
            She considers his stance for a moment as they walk to Buffy, who’s currently looking at what is apparently paint.  At least the kids didn’t get the non-skin paint, apparently.  “Okay, point.”
            “Maybe most of them do, but when they’re not in a tree habitat, they don’t need it as much, so a lot of them start being born without a tail?  That’s essentially what humans went through with evolution, right?”  It’s maybe a bit of a reach, but it’s the first thing he can think of.
            “I’m proud you were listening in class,” Willow beams, and he sighs.  That wasn’t the point, but he doesn’t have the time to argue it, because they’ve reached Buffy.
            “We haven’t seen a ton of technomages, but the few we’ve seen have been dressed in black.  But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t a few more colorful types, as in terms of, you know, actual color,” he tells her, and she gives him the paint.
            “I’ve actually used this before, because the design of the boots was really nice, but the color was hideous.  So I can help if you want.”
            His smile, this time, is fully honest, because at least she’s giving him a choice.  It doesn’t feel like he’s being run over this time.  Sure, he’s still not contributing a lot, but it’s something.
            “Sure, though I’ll probably have to do it at your place.”  His mind almost spontaneously combusts at the thought of trying to do it in the garage at his house.
            “Buffy, it’s really pretty!”  It’s something he almost thinks is a dress before he realizes no, it’s a trench coat, though it’s got more of that gothic witch feel, what with all the sequins and maroon accents.  There’s some sort of undershirt with it, but it doesn’t honestly look like it even needs it, with the long shaped sleeves.
            “Check the size, and you’ll need shoes and pants,” Buffy reminds her gently, and he knows without asking what the answer is when Willow’s face falls.
            “Excuse me.  I’m the owner, Ethan.  Can I be of help?  I don’t want any potential customer walking away unhappy.”  It’s honestly kind of creepy, the way the owner pops up, but at this point Xander’s not going to turn away a helping hand, and the British accent making someone a villain is more of a TV thing than a real one (see: Giles).
            “It’s too big.”  Willow starts reluctantly putting it back, but the owner takes it instead.
            “While it won’t be perfect, given the time frame, I am a deft hand with a sewing machine.  I can get it closer—and fortunately, shaping on a garment is far easier for women than it is for men.  Lines, even identical ones, are harder to make it look purposeful for us.”  It’s…kind of a weird length to go to, but again, Xander can’t just assume everybody new in Sunnydale is plotting something just because most of them are.
            “At least you menfolk get pockets,” Buffy points out, and—wait, who wouldn’t want pockets?  Xander’s pretty sure his brain is short circuiting.  Wait, is that because women use purses, or is it the other way around—?  And sure, she can take a stake or two in her purse, but then what’s she supposed to do with it in the middle of a fight?  Leave it on the ground for some fledge to steal everything inside?
            Ethan sighs.  “Sadly, I only sell clothing; I don’t make it.  Though I might absolutely be able to add pockets, if desired.  While I’m at that, is there anything else I can get for you?”
            Buffy starts listing off everything, and as much as she likes to play clueless blond, she was most definitely paying attention, and Ethan seems to at least be intrigued by the idea of cobbling together costumes to go along with everything.  It turns out he actually has two sets in different sizes of a ‘biker girl’ costume, complete with leather pants and boots and short leather jackets which don’t quite fit the aesthetic as well, and black tank tops that unfortunately have a fire logo.  “We can fix that.  We’ve got spray paint.”
            The weird part is when he offers to let them have the extra pieces they can’t use for free.  Even the butler outfit, even though Angel can only use the gloves.
            “Make no mistake, young man, this hardly qualifies as a free lunch.  I simply underestimated the business expenses to open a store and need to move most of my merchandise to pay the fees,” Ethan explains, probably seeing Xander stare with a bit of skepticism.  It’s not enough to dull Willow’s enthusiasm.
            “I actually have an old computer that died—maybe we could make some sort of jewelry from a circuit board or something?”  Willow suggests, and that’s actually a kind of interesting idea, and something he can maybe sort of do.
            He volunteers quickly.  “I’m good with pliers and superglue and stuff, so I could do that.  Though we’ll probably have to spray-paint that, too.  Green doesn’t quite fit the color scheme.”
            “So now it’s just a matter of getting it sort of fitted.”  It’s slightly odd, though it shouldn’t be now that he thinks about it, when Buffy joins him to follow Willow to the back.  But it makes sense she’s more aware of threat assessment, even when it’s something that should be fine.  It’s a relief when nothing happens.