Tragically, she seems to not be the only person with this idea. It's a stretch and then some to say the Magic Box is ever crowded, but anyone in Sunnydale who wants to try out some random fortune telling trick or learn crystal healing seems to be lolling around inside the store. And the one poor panicked employee who actually showed up today is completely overwhelmed. Alli growls, makes a note of their extended hours, and resolves to come back later.
A few hours later, she's back and digging through potions ingredients. It's a little after sunset but she's resolved not to stress about it too much; Bella scratched crosses all over this place eons ago, she's got the Swans on speed dial and there's a holy water gun in her purse. (Admittedly it's in a plastic bag, because one water leak all over her purse was quite enough thank you, but it's there!)
And really, you can't beat discounts like this. Why pay more for potion supplies than you have to? Witching is, as Alli is discovering, not the cheapest hobby she could have taken up.
"It's not your fault," Alli sighs. She flicks glitter at him rather despondently, basically on automatic. Have Mark, add glitter. "I mean, unless you picked the job of trained assassin specifically to fuck with me. In which case, your fortune telling power is shit and you should have words with it about the vampire thing."
She thinks for a minute. Then takes a deep breath and gets back up, and smiles at him kind of ruefully.
"You know those days, where there's just too much, and you feel like you're being tugged in all these directions? And then you need to just- shit, I don't know. Stop. Think. Process, something like that. You, you turned my day sideways. In at least four dimensions, and for once that's not me just bitching about geometry class. And blah blah I'm whining and you have literally been nothing but nice, helpful and actively life saving. But." She shrugs. "Processing. Convincing my brain that yes, the scary assassin vampire from the future is really, honestly and truly just a nice kid my age who likes to throw glitter."
He flicks a tiny bit of glitter at her and smiles a tiny smile.
After a moment's thought, and a glance at the puddle of dust again, she amends that to, "Unthreatening to me. Which is all that matters, obviously."
"I mean. Of your options, I'm a fan of the one you picked. See, me, being here and not dead or vamped? These are good things!"
Alli snorts. "Search me. The only other person I know top of mind who can throw glitter lives with the Slayer, and there's a terrible idea if ever I heard one.
"I mean. With a title like Vampire Slayer, I assume I do not actually need to review why you two hanging out could be a really shit plan?"
"Sorry, private joke. In my family's social class on their home planet the most sacred possible oath is to swear by one's family name; Vorkosigan is mine."
She sticks out her tongue at him for emphasis. Alli is not strong on the 'manners and etiquette' front.
"Overkill is rather my style, as you can see," he says, gesturing to the drift of vampire dust.
"Not dead, not complaining." She waves; rather than appearing in her hands, the glitter rains down on his head. She beams, pleased with the results of her experiment. "Careful reminding me how completely and utterly you saved my life, though. I might graduate from glitter to hugs."
Alli doesn't actually think through if responding to that particular bait is an especially good plan. She's just baited. Besides, she's taller than him. His shoulders are at such a convenient height for glomping. "Mwahaha! Gratitude hugs!"
That is delightful. Hugs are so much better when they are returned. "Now my gratitude has been appropriately delivered," she informs him. "The universe is improved!"
(He is not wholly comfortable - but it's worth it. It is so very worth it. Hugs.)
She's rather pleased too! After all, gratitude hugs are for gratitude. But she also looks a tiny bit calculating. She is thinking thoughts.