#like not an actual vampire slayer although that could be cool i just mean some guy who exudes the vibe that he would slay vampires | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

prose-for-hire · 4 years ago

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Me and You

Pairing: Faith x fem!slayer!reader

Request: Hi, could you write a faith x female reader (maybe also a slayer) story where the reader is like Faiths opposite, really responsible and serious (sorta like Kendra) and her and Faith keep squabbling but end up falling for each other? If not I completely understand, its your call, thanks :)

Requested by: Anon

A/N: I absolutely love Faith, I want her to hold me lol 💖🖤

As soon as you had been called, your life had completely slotted into place. You were a Slayer. One of the chosen ones. You had perfectly crafted a ten-point plan and highlighted all of the goals you wished to reach now that you were on this path.

You took studying very seriously, you read more than the watcher that you had been assigned. He was actually pretty hopeless, you wondered why he had been assigned to you.

But, you did respect those in authority. So, you assisted him and somehow the correct tome made its way to his desk as if by magic. You respected the status quo for the most part. The way that everyone had their place and yours was to fight vampires and other kinds of demons.

You had arrived in Sunnydale, having been told there were already two slayers there. You weren’t really used to friends and so you didn’t know what to make of them. Faith had taken one look at you and decided she knew everything she needed to know about you.

“Slayer?”

“Yes! Isn’t it a gift?”

“Yeah, the kind you return” She had rolled her eyes at you and dipped. Not needing to hear you recite the entire Slayer manual to her backwards.

As time went on, you got on with Buffy although you felt she wished you would switch off as well. But you had a duty, it was what you had trained for. You couldn’t relax for a moment, you didn’t want to.

However, you entirely didn’t get along with Faith. You were always squabbling. You infuriated each other. You never agreed. Especially not on slaying. But it ended up bleeding through into all parts of you lives.

You just couldn’t stop arguing. Sometime sit was heated and one of you had your hand curled into a fist. Other times it was stupid and petty and you both knew it, but it didn’t mean you would stop.

However, as this continued, you began to find yourself becoming increasingly attracted to her. It confused you and you hadn’t understood at first. But soon you were watching her lips as she spoke. Imagining kissing her. Having those toned arms wrapped around you.

You only snapped more at her when you realised. Didn’t want anyone to notice, much less her, the way that you felt. You had never even considered that she felt the same. And she really did.

Buffy had said you needed to patrol. There was a nest of vamps and she needed you to take the west and you would meet your patrol partner there.

She had chosen to have her actual friends with her so that she wasn’t bored and decided to pair you and Faith up on the far side from where she would be.

“You?!” You squeaked, your voice higher in pitch than you had expected it to be.

“Yep. Just me and you” She grinned at your expression walking past you her stake in hand. You exhaled, sighing audibly in frustration as you stalked after her to catch up.

You were going to be alone together. You didn’t know if you were annoyed or elated. You couldn’t help imagining what it would be like to be her girlfriend.

It took about three steps before you began to squabble again. As you usually would. Your voices had carried across the cemetery you had been walking through. It wasn’t your usual stealth. Because of how much attention you were paying each other and how engrossed in the interaction you were, no matter how heated it was getting, it meant you hadn’t noticed the vampires that were beginning to surround you.

You walked for a while until you made a left turn and suddenly found yourself surrounded. A nest of vampires were apparently a whole army of vampires.

But they had a mastermind behind them. They had rushed you, you managed to thin the herd slightly but not by enough. You and Faith retreated into an old tunnel system. You fought hard, but it was no use. You were strong but there was too many.

You had began fighting in-sync but you had soon ended up as if you were fighting your own battle. Getting in each other’s ways. You shouted at each other but it was no use.

Suddenly as more vampires could be heard running to join the fight overhead, there was a loud cracking sound above your heads. The foundations weren’t solid in this area. The ground above had caved in and left the concrete crumbling into the tunnels.

Luckily, you and Faith had been left in one half and the vampires in the other. Unluckily, you had hit a dead end and had been sealed in.

Now you were trapped. Together. Because you had been paying more attention to each other rather than the threat.

“Well, that’s one threat gone” She shrugged as you just stared incredulously. You hadn’t taken out the nest and now you were trapped. There was no good side.

“Oh yeah, well done. I could have handled it”

“You and what army, huh? You’re kiddin’ yourself” Faith shook her head at you. At the way you were so self-assured you were giving her a run for her money.

But despite her faults, of which you had pointed out many to her as she had to you, she was perceptive. She noticed something about you. She wished she could pretend she hadn’t been taking notice of you on purpose. Because of that guilty affection she harboure for you. The one she couldn’t dare name. She didn’t want to get hurt, she would rather stick to relationships with guys she didn’t care about. She only had to pretend to care for a night.

With you, it was different. To be vulnerable with you and to have you reject her. To not be affectionate with her the way she was embarrassed to admit she had dreamed about.

She didn’t usually do this. Let you see that she took notice of you, but she couldn’t help saying it.

“Not everything is you havin’ the whole world on your shoulders y’know?” she asked, her tone had changed. Almost… softened. You didn’t take care of yourself at times, she had noticed. Sacrificing yourself for your duty.

“Yeah you wouldn’t know” You snapped back at her despite the tone you had thought you caught from her. But your voice was wavering. Every second you spent trapped you began feeling worse and worse.

Faith didn’t take your snapping personally, she never did. In fact, she found herself enjoying it. Finding herself noticing the absence if you hadn’t interacted that day. Even if it was just you at each other’s throats.

It had been hours. You had both barely spoken since. You had to take your jackets off as the room began to heat up. You were beginning to sweat. Your breathing irregular. You were pacing.

“I-I can’t do this!” You suddenly shouted, “I need to get out of here!”

“Hey, y/n/n-”

“Help!” You screamed, pounding on the wall. Hoping that someone, anyone would hear you. But Faith, as you usually would, knew that this could bring threat. You were panicking so Faith clasped a hand over your mouth, muffling your shouts. You missed the way her other hand lingered on your shoulder in your panic.

She expected you to push her off but you just sort of let her hold you there. The proximity to you was agonising and your breathing was heavy. From the fear. From the way her skin felt against you.

But rather than argue, you just stopped. She moved her hands away and you moved against the wall, sliding down it to sit at the bottom on the floor.

You put your head in your hands. You didn’t like this. You were truly scared. She had never seen you this way. You were always cool. Taking everything as it came at you. You took on every duty that was expected of you.

But now you just couldn’t handle it. Couldn’t follow protocol. You didn’t want to be stuck here. Didn’t want to have to wait it out. To possibly never see the light of day.

She saw that you were scared. Genuinely scared in a way you would never usually let her see. She presumed you were so cool all of the time. A robot. Y/n the slayer-tron.

You were visibly worried. Expecting the end. She watched you for a moment, debating whether to comfort you. Before her mouth decided for her.

“Hey, don’t freak okay? B knows where we are. Her and the others’ll come” She shrugged, sitting down beside you on the floor.

But she wasn’t as sure of herself as she came across. She was being strong. For you. She had never seen you be this vulnerable before. You would never admit you were scared. But being confined here it made you rethink everything. Your very purpose.

“What if we die down here?”

“Hey, don’t sweat it, huh? It’ll be cool” she said firmly.

She looked at you for a moment, wanting to put her arms around your shoulder. Provide some kind of comfort. She couldn’t explain it. She cared about you, she had just never known how to show it. Arguing and working up a lot of sexual tension was so much easier.

“B-but it’s real, isn’t it? That we could die. That we will die… sooner than later” You never allowed yourself to think of it, much less discuss it. But this situation had gotten to you somehow. Had made you question your resolve. Your duties. How you just listened to the rules without questioning them.

This also made you incredibly guilty. You prided yourself on how seriously you took your duty. On the way you were a watcher’s dream. How you had saved the world.

It shocked her, that you would include her in your thoughts. Gave her this strange feeling. Hope. Or, a feeling that you trusted her in some sense. Could rely on her in the way she wished you would sometimes.

“Look, I don’t know about you but I’m here for the long haul. We’re good at this, we’re survivors” She offered, talking of you both as a unit. As something that appeared to meant she was by your side. That you weren’t alone in how you felt.

“Yeah, when we’re not getting ourselves trapped” You berated yourself more than her. You didn’t want to be stuck here, but you would be lying if you hadn’t imagined having her to yourself this way. In a conversation that was kind.

“Accidents happen. Me and you, we’re, uh, the ultimate team. We’re- we’re gonna get through this, right?”

“Me and you” you repeated and she nodded, smiling. As if telling you ‘that’s the spirit’. But her smile dropped a little when she saw the look you were giving her. Your lips were parted slightly and she couldn’t help scanning your face. You were so close she could map out every feature so clearly. She was making a mental picture so that she could submit it to memory.

The temperature had been rising the entire time you had been stuck there. The proximity of the way that you were sitting made those words feel intimate. You had wordlessly shifted closer as you spoke.

The meaning growing as you both leaned in. Agonisingly slowly. Heat rising around you, but you still reached for her weaving your fingers through her shiny brunette hair. She felt so good under your hands it propelled your forwards her lips were waiting. She had waited so long for this moment.

Driven herself wild with want. With the lust she had, the thoughts she had drove her crazy. That she wanted all sides of you. Even your stick-by-the-rules nature. She was fond of you. She had such deep feelings.

Your lips met. Crashing against each other in your haste. In your innate need to connect with her. Through the arguing. Through the frustration. Focusing only on her lips, the way her tongue entered your mouth urgently.

You couldn’t get over how good she tasted. How you never wanted to stop. You were addicted to her touch. To her.

But of course, you knew this already. You were only confirming it. And this was no mere kiss. Not to either of you. This was Earth-shifting. Ground breaking.

You had kissed her. She was surprised at the way you had initiated this. She didn’t expect you to actually feel the tension the way she did. But she fucking loved it.

You were hungry for more. For her. In that moment, you were willing to forget your situation. Hell, you were ready to forget every responsibility. Your very destiny. Just to keep her lips on yours. To have her reciprocate your feelings even if it was only physical for her. But it wasn’t just physical to her. This meant something.

Suddenly you heard something. A spell had broken through the barriers that had blocked you in. A flash of light and you had sprung apart. Both breathing heavily, trying to catch your breath. Chests heaving. Eyes glancing towards the other, making sure it wasn’t dream.

Some guilty secret. Somehow, you both knew that wasn’t the last kiss you would share.

Your rescuers all pretended they hadn’t seen anything. But your friends were all as relieved as you, it had been about time.

#Faith lehane #Faith lehane x reader #Faith x reader #Faith x you #Faith imagine #Faith lehane x you #Faith lehane imagine #Buffy The Vampire Slayer #buffy the vampire slayer imagines #btvs #btvs x reader #btvs imagine #btvs x you #buffyverse #slayer #slayer reader #female #female reader

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crystalessenceswrites · 4 years ago

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Shadows- Chapter Four

Shadows

A modern monster AU Pairings: Din Djarin x fem!reader Rating: T (at the moment- subject to change) Warnings: swearing, canon-typical violence, dark themes, death of unnamed and background characters, descriptions of blood, descriptions of a dead body Summary: Crypto- concealed; secret. You have always lived your life in the shadows; after all, you’re one of the creatures who go bump in the night. He has sworn his life to a creed that aims to protect the world from monsters like you.

[Masterlist] [Chapter Three] [Chapter Four] [Chapter Five] Cross-posted to AO3

Why was it always vampires?

It seemed like the bounty lists were chalk full of them these days, more so than normal. Which was not awful for slayers. They were generally high paying jobs, considering most of them were wanted for the murder of the humans or cryptos they’d been feeding on. You just preferred to stay away from the fangs. The superhuman abilities of a well-fed vampire were difficult to match in a fight, even for seasoned slayers. While you had the training and equipment to deal with them, the bounty was not always worth the medical bills after the fact. You specialized in the kinds of bounties that were more brains than brawn. Preferring the chase over the actual fight. Today you did not have much of a choice, apparently. You’d come into the office later in the morning and arrived to find all the new non-vampiric bounties had been promptly snatched up by the early birds. Leaving you stuck with the fangs. Great.

Your target was a vampire named Qin. He was active and was not doing much of anything to cover it up. A serious threat to everyone if left unattended to. The urgency in needing to deal with someone like him had bumped his bounty up fairly high, even for the usual vampire fair. There were plenty of breadcrumbs to follow, making your afternoon much easier. He was holed up in the old industrial district during the day. Most of the old neighborhood was being retrofitted for industrial lofts and modern condos, so there would be plenty of construction sites and condemned buildings for him to hide in and a steady stream of workers to pick off for food. Sightings and intelligence had his location narrowed down to a three-block radius. The was all easy enough. Killing him would be another story.

Vampires did not have any one magic bullet weakness- they aren’t susceptible to iron or silver- making them harder to handle. Staking one through the head or heart was usually the best way to incapacitate one, until their body was burned and ashes were scattered. That required getting closer than you were comfortable with. The last thing you wanted was a fanged creature with arms reach of your neck. You really should have just taken the day off. Too bad your landlord never took a day off when it came time to collect your rent.

Starting with the largest warehouse on the southside and moving north until you got lucky, or rather unlucky, enough to run into your bounty, seemed the best course of action. And today kept proving to be an unlucky day for you. You’d barely broken into the first building when you came across two completely drained corpses left out in the open, bodies still cooling. Your bounty was here and full of fresh blood.

Well shit.

Sword drawn you continue to sneak through the abounded building. Vampires were natural predators; their sense of smell was leagues above your own. It was more than likely he already knew you were here-unless he was occupied with another victim. That must have been the case, considering he hadn’t jumped out at you yet. On high alert you continue farther into the warehouse with a white-knuckle grip on your weapon. The main body of the building is split into two storage areas, the first dark in the overcast afternoon and empty. There are signs someone’s been around, a mattress and blankets in a corner, duffle bags and a pile of dark clothes next to a tower of take-out boxes. Odd.

You drop to the floor as the crack of a gunshot splits the silence. Mind reeling you wonder what vampire needs a fucking gun. Another scan of the space confirms you’re still alone, no shooter in sight. It must have come from the next room, too loud to have been outside the building. As you approach the partition the familiar metallic sting of fresh blood reaches your nose. Vampires don’t bleed.

Three more shots ring out, definitely from the other side of the partition.

Vampire’s don’t use guns.

Another deep breath draws more of the scents in, the dust and mildew of the building, the spark of gun powder and the overwhelming musk of human. Your bounty was not alone and wasn’t with anyone friendly. It wasn’t another slayer- once a bounty gets picked up its pulled off the lists- and most slayers didn’t smell so strongly of human, so the next logical assumption was a lone hunter. Not that it would have been hard for any human to pick up on this vampire’s trail, but if it had been law enforcement to find him the building would be flooded with cops.

You truly had the worst luck today.

Odds were probably one to four against the hunter. Humans rarely stood a chance against vampires unless they caught one out in sunlight.

A loud crash, like something heavy collapsing, shakes the silence. As a slayer you’re obligated to help the human but considering all that’s gone on in the last few weeks you’re feeling much less inclined to do so.

“Come on Mando! I thought you freaks were proud warriors and all!”

Fucking hell. Kira was right, you are a Mando magnet. The vampire’s taunt is not reassuring in the slightest. You did not need a dead Mando on your hands. Creeping into the next room you’re quick to find cover behind some dust covered work benches. Surveying the space leads you to believe the Mando and Qin have been at a while. The space is trashed, boxes toppled over and crushed, shelves up ended, and bullet holes are scattered throughout the space.

The Mando’s back is to you at the moment while he and the vampire stare each other down. You don’t need to see his face to know who you’re dealing with; you’d been on the look out for this particular mop of curls since your last run-in. How was he everywhere you needed to be? Why couldn’t you shake him?

He suddenly springs into action again, drawing the spear he’d been carrying on his back, swinging it in a wide arch at the vampire. Qin’s too fast and easily dodges the attack before going in for his own, trying to get within arm’s reach. Mando doesn’t let him, blocking each attack with deadly precision. Neither gives in, pushing back against the other, jumping around the other in attempt to land a hit.

You’re hesitant to say you’re impressed by Mando, but only out of spite. He moves like a well-oiled machine, despite not having the upper hand he does not give up control of the fight to his undead opponent. This is the most dressed down you’ve seen him, baring the silver tac vest over a dark colored shirt. You can safely assume its beskar, the metal harnessed solely by the Mandalorians. Just one of the things that made then unique to other hunters. As he circles around Qin you catch sight of blood dripping down his sharp jaw, the hair just above his ear dark and matted with it. He’d taken a pretty serious hit already.

Now you really had to help him.

This was the kind of opportunity you never had when dealing with vampires. Qin’s attention was solely focused on the hunter. There was no indication from either that they’d noticed your silent arrival. You had one shot with the element of surprise, and you needed to make it count. If you could incapacitate Qin, stun him long enough for you and Mando to finish the job you could make it out of here in one piece. Mando in close to one piece.

Although there was no magic bullet for vampires, a bullet wound did still require time and energy to heal. Even though vampires and the like were technically “undead,” they still felt and registered pain to some degree, meaning bullets also provided a certain shock factor. You lose the sword, reaching for your thigh holster instead. While you were not a fan of guns, you weren’t willing to risk a fight with a vampire for your pride. You always came prepared when dealing with a bloodsucker.

Qin and Mando continue to circle each other in their tense dance. Despite the dark look in both their eyes, Qin has a smug smirk plastered across his face, probably under the impression he was going to be having a Mandalorian for lunch. Too bad you couldn’t allow it. All you needed was a clear shot. You mentally will Mando to put some distance between him and the bloodsucker, as if that would actually work.

Your breath catches in your throat as Mando sweeps his spear in another wide arc, forcing Qin back. Maybe you were lucky today after all. The moment Qin lands back on his feet, far enough away from the hunter, you jump out from your cover and take the shot, tagging Qin in the temple.

Damn good shot.

Mando jumps as Qin’s body crumples to the ground, face drawing together in confusion. That feeling akin to satisfaction returns. You could get the jump on him and a vampire. Third time would not be his charm, you are sure of it. You would not let it.

His brain catches up with the situation and he swings around, staff pointed at you as you vault over the workbench. Next comes the recognition, his jaw dropping just a bit at your sudden materialization. You’re thankful his first reaction isn’t to attack as you’re quick to re-holster your gun.

“Focus Mando,” you quip, directing your attention back to the vampire beginning to move on the floor.

“Fuck!” Qin curses, already starting to come back to it. That seemed too quick, even for a recently fed vampire.

Mando snaps into action, kicking Qin down before his spear finds its way through the vampire’s rib cage. Judging by the ear-splitting screech Qin let’s out, Mando found his mark, staking Qin where he lays. Mando does not move as you approach with sword in hand. He does not move as you bring your blade to rest on the bounty’s neck.

“You have one chance to surrender or I collect the bounty on your head, Qin.”

“You bitch!” He snarls, thrashing around the pole shoved through his torso. “Working with a Mando, that’s low- even for a slayer!”

You roll your eyes. “I’ll take that as a no.”

“See you in hell one day, bitch.”

Smug even in death. Ugh. You don’t feel much as you chop his off with one swift swing. Not after you saw those two innocents on your way in. People like him were the exact reason humans called your kind monsters.

“Sunny disposition on that one,” you grumble, stepping back from Mando and the decapitated bounty. The hunter doesn’t even offer you a curtesy laugh. Stick in the mud.

“Why are you here?”

He doesn’t bother to hide the suspicion. Did he think you were following him now? That was rich.

“Doing my job. I took on the bounty for this one.” Pulling your messenger bag off, you begin to organize your supplies, “which I’d like to finish up if you have no objections.”

Mando just steps back, leaning against his staff. You can feel the weight of his gaze boring into you while you work. His eyes tracking your every move, detailing each item you pull from your clean up kit. You didn’t spot any bag of his lying around, you wonder how he had been planning on dealing with the body.

“You’re welcome, by the way.”

“Why did you help me?”

Questions, questions.

“You let us go last time- I owed you for that at least,” you shrug. Now you were even. Well, as even as you could be with a human Mandalorian.

He’s silent for a moment, watching as you pull a few jars and a water bottle out of the bag. One contains a small collection of thistle bulbs. Mando doesn’t ask but you can see the curiosity growing as you stick the sharp plants into the vampire’s wounds.

“Vampires are weak to thistle, introduce it into the body and it halts their healing abilities. Aloe vera works too, it’s just not as flammable.

“Aloe vera and thistles?”

You chuckle, “what, did you think garlic would work?”

Mando scoffs, his sharp eye still following your hands. Next comes the burning of the body. You want to get that done as quick as possible. Thistle was not an end all weakness and even decapitated vampires could regenerate. You douse the body and head in gasoline from the water bottle.

“Light?”

Eyebrows raised you gingerly take the lighter he offers, catching the edge of Qin’s shirt with the flame. It doesn’t take long for the rest of the corpse to catch. The flames cast shadows over the Mandalorian’s face as you watch him from the corner of your eye. The air is heavy between you and not with the smell of burning flesh.

“Wouldn’t it have been easier to let him kill me?”

“Why would I want that?” Had he not come to the realization that you couldn’t kill him?

“You get rid of nuisances, right? So one of you will have to kill me eventually.”

It takes all your will power to not burst out laughing. There was no way he was getting anything from an inside informant if that’s what he thought slayers did. You had this Mando pinned down about as wrong as he had you figured out. No wonder no one had been able to find a turn coat when one didn’t exist to begin with.

“I don’t know where you’re getting your info, but you need to find a different source. Trust me. As much as most slayers want to get rid of hunters, we can’t without very good reasons. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be any better than the ones we hunt.”

He quirks an eyebrow, arms crossed over his chest, “so what? You’re just monsters hunting other monsters?”

“One,” you hold up a finger, “we use the term crypto.”

“Crypto? Like cryptid?”

“Where do you think humans got the word from?”

Mando scoffs at that but doesn’t press.

“Two, most of us don’t actually qualify as cryptos. Slayers are primarily half-bloods.”

You revel in the confusion on his face. Never did you think you would find yourself completely altering a Mandalorian’s understanding of the world. This was priceless.

Why were you telling him all this?

“Half-bloods?”

“You know, half human?”

“That’s possible?”

Now you cannot hold back the laugh this time, “human genetics are surprisingly adaptable.”

A look of disgust washes over his face and your heart drops.

“I just want you to know we’re not so different… our job is to stop those who hurt or take advantage of humans, to stop those who threaten to expose us. I imagine that’s not so different from what Mandalorians want…” after all, they couldn’t want to kill you all, could they?

#fic: Shadows #the mandalorian x reader #the mandalorian x f!reader #din dijarin x reader #din djarin x f!reader #din djarin #reader #the mandalorian #the mandalorian fanfiction #the mandalorian au #modern au #enemies to lovers #monsters and monster hunters #fanfiction #chapter four #crystalessences writes

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winifredsandersonsbitch · 5 years ago

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“Den Mom”

Warnings: season 7 spoilers, drinking, implied sex.

Description: If you’re going to have a bunch of teenage girls over at your house who are basically just biding their time until a battle that will determine the fate of the world, then you might as well make sure they have a little fun.

You’ve always wanted to be a camp counselor. This isn’t exactly it, but hey. You’re not complaining. You’ll participate in the good fight anyway you can, and if that means setting up movie nights and taking the potentials to the mall, then so be it. It’s Buffy’s job to train them, but you remember exactly how difficult it was for her to accept that she was the Slayer. It’s best, you think, to ease the girls into it.

That’s how you and Spike get into your first real fight since he came back with a soul.

You’ve been tender with each other recently, both of you trying to prove that you do in fact know how to have a semi-normal functional relationship. He’s been through so much for you, given up everything, so you’ve been as gentle as possible. The perfect doting partner.

Except in your haste to be a good den mom, you might’ve let a few things slip about your relationship.

“I can’t believe you told them that,” Spike repeats when you apologize. He’s stalking down the sidewalk with his stupid vampire speed, which means he’s about twice as fast as you and you’re forced to run after him like an idiot.

“I’m sorry! I thought you’d be proud! You used to terrorize Xander with the details, I didn’t think that you’d mind if I shared just a little—”

“A little?” he scoffs without turning around. “You gave them the whole bloody story! No one’s going to take me seriously in there! Especially not your sisters.”

“They already knew most of it!”

“That’s not the point!”

You have no doubt that the girls are leaning out the windows of the house, gathering on the front porch in an effort to hear the rest of this argument. The two of you are certainly being loud enough, although you’re almost all the way down the street now.

“Spike, I was only trying to have some fun with them. Teenage girls love gossip, especially about boys, and they’re so interested in you—”

The flattery gets you nowhere. He whirls around the corner and you let out a frustrated sigh. You’re almost certain he’s going to the graveyard, which has become your least favorite place over the years. You tolerated it when he had his own crypt—it even became kind of cozy—but now, there’s nothing there for you.

In your hesitation, you lose him. You fully consider going home. But after having all that girl talk about your relationship and the potentials telling you how lucky you are, you don’t especially want to face them after a fight that woke the whole block.

Still, it’s not safe for you to be out on your own. You always keep a stake and holy water in your jacket, but that won’t be enough if the First decides to send something after you. With this in mind, you hurry to Xander’s to ask if you can crash there for the night. Normally, you’d consider it rude to come over uninvited, but God knows he’s stayed over at the Summer’s residence enough times to rack up a bill.

It’s a weekend, and even in a town with as many dangers as Sunnydale, there are people out and about. Not many, but enough to make you feel a little safer. Whole crowds wouldn’t stop the First from trying something, but you’re comforted by the living. The Bronze is open and although it’s not as full as it once would’ve been, the music is good and people are dancing. It reminds you of better, easier days when the world ending could be solved by Buffy and Co. instead of an entire army that might not win anyway.

One drink, you tell yourself. You’ll hit the bar, grab something light-ish, and then be on your way.

“You here by yourself tonight?” the bartender asks when you sit down.

“Not for long,” you say, pulling out an emergency twenty. When he smiles, you backtrack, realizing how you must sound. “I mean–– Not like that. I’m not looking for anyone. I just wanted a quick drink.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Really.”

“It’s like the Hotel California in here. No one comes in for one anything.”

When he sets down your drink and moves on, you down it quickly. Determined to prove him wrong, you head for the door. Only–– the music tonight is so inviting and you’ve been so focused on the girls lately. You join the crowd on the floor before you’ve even made a conscious decision. Two, three, four songs later you’re sweaty and laughing as you finally exit back out into the cool night.

It’s late now. Xander might not even be awake. You’re willing to bet money that the girls will be, though, and you take the risk. Sunnydale is a small town. You know you can make it to the apartment in maybe ten minutes.

You’re feeling good about this decision and don’t even snap at the man who bumps you on the sidewalk, until he opens his mouth to reveal a nasty set of fangs.

“Excuse you.”

“You know what? Just for that, I’m going to bite you.”

He lunges at you, but you’ve already got the stake out of your jacket pocket and you slam it into his heart. It takes more muscle to do this than Buffy ever lets on, makes your wrist ache a little with the effort, but he’s dust soon enough. The vamp doesn’t concern you so much as your boyfriend, who stepped out of the shadows when things got rough.

Spike tries to retreat, but it’s too late. You wrinkle your nose at him.

“You followed me?” You put the stake back in your pocket and shake the cremation off yourself. “I thought you wanted your space.”

“That doesn’t mean I wanted you dead. You should’ve gone home.”

“I was going to stay at Xander’s.”

“It wasn’t enough to tell the girls all of our problems? You have to tell him, too?”

He’s poking the bear, but there’s no heat in his words, so you turn right around and resume your walk. You’re not taking the bait. If he wants to talk about this, then you can talk. Tomorrow.

“Stop following me. I can take care of myself. Obviously.”

There’s no response. If you spun around now, you wouldn’t see him. You wouldn’t hear his footsteps either. But you know he’s there. Spike’s never given up that easily.

“I wasn’t telling anyone our problems,” you mumble, more to yourself than to him, though you know he can hear you. “I wanted them to like me.”

The girls worship Buffy, even if they do think of her as a kind of demanding drill sergeant, and they hang out with Dawn. They all giggle over Spike and ask Willow all sorts of questions about witchcraft. But you worry that they think of you as the same stiff older sibling you’ve always been, the one who reminds them about lights out and takes requests for the grocery list and agonizes over money. You want them to have fun while they still can and you want to be part of that fun.

“You were bragging.” Spike appears next to you, light-footed as a cat, and you flinch. You’ve never gotten used to that and he knows it. “You wanted them to be impressed with you, so you used me.”

He’s actually preening, spiking up his hair with his hands and subtly flexing underneath all that jacket. You roll your eyes.

“That is not what I said.”

“It’s what you meant. You knew that they all had little crushes on me and you wanted to make them jealous, show them that you were at least cool enough to land me.”

“First of all, Kennedy is gay. Second, I was not trying to make them jealous! And if I was, then I would use my savings account, or my job, or my many skills and hobbies!”

You’ve quickened your pace and Spike matches it casually. When you get stuck at a stoplight, briefly considering jaywalking just to cut this torture short, he wraps his palm around your upper arm.

“No need to be embarrassed, love.”

He’s trying to get you to look at him, passing his thumb gently over the cloth of your jacket, allowing you to imagine what it would feel like on skin. You keep yourself focused on the destination, but you don’t pull away.

“I’m not.”

“I think you are, a little, but it’s all right.”

“I said I’m not.” You pivot to glare at him, but he catches you off guard with his eyes. He’s so clearly laughing at this, at you. You guess he has a right to. This time was your fault.

“Why don’t you come back to the house with me?” he asks after a minute or two have passed. “I guarantee I can make you more comfortable than Xander. And it’ll give the girls something to talk about, too.”

“You’re awful.”

“All you had to say was no.”

He heads back toward the cemetery in a dark flash and he’s halfway down the block before you call out, “Wait!”

#spike x reader #btvs #buffy season 7 #buffy the vampire slayer

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cilldaracailin · 4 years ago

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These Are The Days Of Our Lives

Hello my Tumblr lovelys!

Happy weekend! Hope everyone is keeping well and still smiling. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is on Disney + and I am binge watching like mad! I worshiped this show as a teenager and it is amazing watching it again. I do have the boxset but streaming has made me lazy and I hate having to change the DVD wevery 4 episodes so it is great just to go one after the other. Now they just need to add Angel too and I will be happy camper! (I was so obsessed with this show that one year for Halloween, I dressed up as Buffy with red leather trousers, a long black jacket and a stake....)

Anywhoo, here is the next part to the story. Thanks so much for the lovely comments and love.

Suze xx

“The more honest you are, the more open, the less fear you will have, because there's no anxiety about being exposed or revealed to others.”

After his call with Lyndsey, he felt better in himself and moved back to the couch where Robyn still slept. Taron had no idea how long she had been asleep and with it still being so early, had no intention of waking her. Instead, he made his way around his couch and very carefully sat by her head, easing himself so slowly onto the cushion so he wouldn’t jostle her. Without a second thought, he brought his right hand to her head and into her hair, drawing light circles on her scalp, letting his fingers run through the loose strands, cringing when they got caught in a little tangle, praying the slight pull hadn’t woken her. He stalled and waited and as she continued to breathe deeply, took his hand out and moved to a different part of her head, being so slow with his movements, taking such gentle care. Worried he was going to get her long hair knotted in his fingers, he moved his hand to rest on her left upper arm as she still hugged the plush tightly to her. Seeing Robyn so vulnerable looking, only made his need to love and look after her come forth so strong and knowing it was probably a stupid idea, ones he had often when he was around Robyn, he eased the cushion from under her head, replacing it with his legs, so she was supported only by him. So nervous and worried he would wake her, Taron felt slightly guilty for moving her because deep down it was his selfish need to comfort her that helped him make the decision to move her.

Holding his breathe, he felt her move once and then nothing, her arm still holding the dinosaur, her right hand now resting palm up on his inner right thigh. The sheet had slipped down her body and he reached to pull it back over her. She slept on and Taron was beyond happy that she was getting some rest and with the slightest of movements, stroked her left cheek. “I love you Robyn.” He whispered.

It was a different softness under her head which she woke up to. Her pillow was warm and the fur of the dinosaur she was still holding, lightly tickling her nose. She moved her right hand to scratch her nose and then laid her hand back down and heavily sighed.

“Always a cosy pillow.” She said, her eyes still closed. She knew without question that she was laying on Taron’s legs, the warmth so clearly different from the coolness of the cushion she had lain her head on earlier that morning.

“So you keep telling me. Maybe I am a pudding.” He joked, so glad to see her lips rise into a small smile.

“Not a pudding.” She said, her voice still laden with sleep. “Just so cosy.”

Taron took the chance to brush her hair, hoping he didn’t get his fingers caught in a tangle again and felt the very deep breathe she took.

Robyn opened her eyes, the white in front of them a stark bright contrast to the blue of his couch and as she watched the very light in and out movement of the white material, she quickly realised she was facing Taron’s stomach, her head nestled right on his lap, her right hand on his thigh very close to somewhere her hand shouldn’t be. She lifted herself from him and sat up, looking down as she realised what she was wearing and how close she had been to Taron. When she took her top off, she had kept it right beside her, knowing that if she heard movement from the bedroom, she could quickly pull it back on but her plan was ruined when she had fallen asleep and she woke up on Taron’s lap, his hands in her hair and she was wearing nothing but a bra and shorts. She had always felt so comfortable around him but her heart was hammering in her chest and she moved to sit crossed legged beside him, pulling the sheet that was covering her around her body. “Thanks for the sheet.”

“You are welcome. I thought you might have been cold.” Taron hadn’t missed the slight shock on her face when she woke up and realised she wasn’t wearing her top and he kept his eyes focused on his hands on his lap. “I woke up and found you asleep here and knowing how you are always cold, wanted to make sure you weren’t as you slept.”

Robyn saw the little blush fill his cheeks and knew immediately that was not the only reason why he had covered her up and she pulled the sheet a little tighter around herself, trying to keep the heated flush on her body from his eyes. “Thank you.”

“I got a bit of a fright when you weren’t beside me when I woke.”

Robyn had been watching him but when he spoke and looked to her, she couldn’t look him straight in his caring eyes. “I don’t think you actually realise the heat you radiate. I haven’t known someone to be so warm. Already feeling overly heated after waking up, I just needed to get some air.”

“Some physical air?” He asked, so glad Robyn finally met his eyes. “I saw my key on the island.”

Robyn’s hand’s let go of the sheet as she covered her face with her hands, looking at him through her fingers. “I am sorry I routed through your stuff. I just needed to get some fresh air. I really felt like I was suffocating inside.” She took her hands from her face, dropping them into her lap. “The air helped to clear my head a little. I just paced a bit out front, sorting my thoughts out, trying to settle myself. Ben was there with me.” She added quickly.

Taron, relived she had been honest with him as soon as he asked, reached for her hands. “There is twenty-four-hour security here.”

“So he was telling me. I didn’t stay out very long. Maybe five minutes in all. Got the start of the sunrise.”

Taron’s eyes widened. “Sunrise?”

“I sat with you for a little while after you fell asleep.”

“Covered me with the duvet from the spare room.”

“I didn’t want you to get cold.”

“Thought you said I radiated heat?” He asked with a small smile.

“You felt cold.”

“I felt cold? You feeling me up now?”

The laughter that filtered through the quiet apartment was desperately needed and Robyn felt the tension she had been holding, leave her body, giggling more as Taron’s cheeks blushed a wonderful shade of red, his head hitting the back of the couch as he let go her hands to hide his face behind his own hands. Robyn was still chuckling when he took his hands away, every facial feature filled with embarrassment.

“Jesus Christ Robyn, I am so sorry. That is not what I meant at all.”

“Just to set the record straight, I did not feel you up or even try too but rather placed my hand on your leg and your skin felt a little cold.”

“I am so sorry.” He apologised again.

“I am not. I needed that laugh. Really needed that laugh.”

“I am here all day.”

Still smiling, Roby moved so she could sit beside him, fixing the sheet again so not so much of her skin was on show and automatically leaned her head onto his right shoulder.

“You ok?” He asked her, feeling the light hearted atmosphere quickly change serious once more.

Although he tried to keep his voice steady, Robyn could still hear the underlying tone of worry as he spoke. “I will be and I know that is not the answer you want.”

“Not really.” He admitted.

“Thank you for last night, for just holding me tight.” She didn’t hear him answer and knew he needed more and that he deserved more. “Because we are so much closer than we were back in September and have spent so much time together, gotten to know each other so well, been there for each other constantly, having a dream where I could not help you at all, cuts me deep. I think it has a more significant effect because we have become so close and you are such a wonderful friend to me. It scared me Taron and you know I don’t have that many close friends so to dream about losing one of my closest, one who means so much to me, was horrible. I am sorry for closing up last night. I always need some time after.”

“Robyn you have nothing to apologise for. I couldn’t imagine wanting to be willing to talk so soon after such a dream.”

“It just takes me some time to calm down, to clear my head and think it through with some sort of logical thought.”

“Robyn you were there when I went to the gym, using exercise to do the same thing.” Taron lifted his right arm and wrapped it around her, so glad to feel her lean into him. “I would never expect you to just be ok immediately after a nightmare like that. I know you will talk to me when you are ready.”

“And it was what I was going to do this morning.”

“You can do it when you feel ready. Robyn there is no pressure to tell me.”

“And I know that but as I said, the fresh air does wonders to clear my mind.” Robyn moved into him some more and took her right arm from under the sheet and slipped it around his stomach, resting her palm flat on his waist, feeling the deep intake of breath he made as she cuddled him a little. “I still think about what would have happened if it all went wrong in Florida, how the responsibility of your life was in my hands the whole time. I know I always say we should focus on how everything turned out for the better but it still weighs heavy with me Taron and I think the nightmare last night was so much more extreme because like I said, we have grown so close to each other.” She felt him pull her a little closer to him. “I am sorry if you felt like I was pushing you away last night when I couldn’t hug you or cuddle you in our normal way but I was just so panicked by the dream and maybe felt I couldn’t get too close to you in that moment as I had dreamt about not being able to help you, about what you said in the dream and I know…” She said very quickly before Taron could even say anything. “I know you would never say something like that to me but you know, sometimes words can have a much more negative and detrimental effect than actions and it can instil a little fear.”

Taron roughly pulled his arm from her and turned around in his seat, grabbing her by her shoulders, making her turn too. His face was so serious, his eyes staring at her, the green of his eyes stunning in colour, Robyn had never seen his face so intense before. “I promise you, that I will never ever disrespect you in such a way, in anyway. I don’t need to tell you, again, that I would not be here if it wasn’t for you and as for last night and not getting a cuddle after you have had a sickening dream, I wouldn’t expect one, not after what you went through.” Taron opened his arms, Robyn leaning into his hug. “I wouldn’t expect you to forget what happened in Florida sweetheart. Out of all of us in that store, you were the one who held us all together, kept positive and kept us alive, got us all out. You were so strong for all of us, I am not surprised really that you are still struggling with it all. I don’t think you really ever talked about it in this way before. Not even to me and like we said at the afternoon tea, it is getting closer to August, hard memories are going to surface.” Taron moved to kiss her cheek. “I am so proud of you though. This is a different Robyn to one I knew last year.”

She smiled into his shoulder. “It is getting easier to open up but then I could always talk to you.”

“Good because I am always here for you and you know this.”

“I do.”

“So can I ask you something then?”

“You know you can ask me anything.”

“Will you please stay with me tonight?” Taron took his arms from around her but kept his hands on her shoulders. “I just can’t let you get on a plane today after last night, after what you have just told me.” He gave her sheet covered shoulders a light rub. “It doesn’t sit right in my heart, letting you go home so soon. I just need you to stay with me one more night so I can absolutely make sure you not only get a good night’s sleep but don’t spend the next twenty-four hours alone, throwing yourself head first into work.”

“Taron…”

“I just can’t let you go yet.” He said quietly.

“You are back to work tomorrow.”

“I am starting some night shoots tomorrow. I don’t have to be on set until five, six at a push.”

“Night shoots?” Robyn asked raising an eyebrow at him.

“Yes Robyn. Night shoots. It is when we shoot at night.”

“Taron, I know what a night shoot is but I thought you were shooting your interior scenes in London. Surely you are inside for those.”

“Most of our exterior shots are in Belfast but to make sure we keep to our schedule and make it to Belfast on time, Matthew has changed some of our schedule for next week so we shoot over night for a longer day.” He saw the look she gave him. “I can ring Matthew for you.”

“No need. I believe you.” Robyn moved a little, the sheet slipping down her right shoulder, Taron fixing it back up again.

“Please stay with me Robyn. One more night. I just need to make sure you get some proper sleep and spend today with me so you can talk to me when you need to, lean on me when you feel like it and to just give you so many squishy hugs, you will be pushing me away.”

She gave him a small smile. “I will never refuse a squishy hug but don’t forget I do have work tomorrow.”

Not expecting her reply, Taron also didn’t hear her giving him a straight out no for an answer to his request. He had been ready for a bit more of a fight from her. “Call Emma. How much over time did you work this week? I am sure you are owed something back, maybe a holiday day?”

Robyn moved on the couch so she was sitting properly, wrapping the sheet around herself again. “I can try.”

“So you will stay with me if you can?”

Robyn looked to the most kind and thoughtful man who sat beside her, one leg tucked under him. Taron had done nothing but think of her and what she needed since she woke up, not pressuring her to talk to him, not demanding an explanation of any sorts. She never had anyone, apart from her family, put her first in such a way and when he asked her to stay with him for another night, everything inside her melted and he could have asked her to run a marathon and she would have said yes to him. Desperation plagued her to just jump into his arms, bury her face into his neck but she held back and nodded at him. “One more night.” She watched as he moved his legs so he could sit beside her. “I really would love a proper night’s sleep before I have to go home.” She turned her head to look at him, a sudden realisation coming to her. “But Taron what about my flight? I am on one this evening.”

“I might have already asked Lyndsey to look at changing your flight.”

“Look at or actually change it.”

“Change it.” He answered a little sheepishly.

“You were so sure I would say yes.”

“I hoped you would say yes. I just can’t let you go yet.”

“So, Lyndsey has booked me a new flight?”

Taron nodded very slowly. “One at five tomorrow.” He hoped he had done the right thing by Robyn with his plan, his request and was still waiting for her to tell him she couldn’t stay with him, that her work commitments meant she had to go home. “It didn’t cost her anything. Just a simple change over.” He added. “It just doesn’t sit right with me Robyn. I don’t want you to be alone tonight.”

Robyn leaned her head on his shoulder. “Guess I will call Emma then.”

Taron handed her his phone. “Please.”

“I don’t know what she is going to say Taron.”

“I know but please still try, for me, for you. You need this.”

Robyn took his phone from him and unlocked it, his background another new picture of him and her from his premier. It was one she had never seen before, the two of them smiling and talking to each other and she had a sneaky feeling it was his mother who had taken it when they weren’t looking. Her heart beating fast, she tapped into the keypad and typed in Emma’s phone number. As she listened to the ringing tones, Robyn was completely taken back by Taron’s kindness and his question in asking her to stay with him one more night, not that she needed much persuasion. She honestly wasn’t looking forward to going home to her empty apartment after her troubled night and was touched by the Welshman’s thought process and how he seemed to understand what she needed and she needed sleep and a long tight cuddle from the most perfect man in the world.

“Hello?”

“Hey Emma, it’s Robyn.”

“Robyn? You get a new number?”

“Ahh no, I am using Taron’s phone.”

“Taron’s phone?”

“Yeah. Will you keep this number under your hat?”

“Don’t worry, I will. Do you even have time to call me?” Her managers voice playfully teased. “Shouldn’t you be getting pampered?”

“Something like that.”

“Hey what’s up?”

“Remember you told me I could use those overtime hours whenever I wanted?”

“I do remember a conversation about that.”

“Well, I was wondering if I could use them tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow? I guess your weekend has been more than you expected?”

“And some.”

“Robyn what happened?” Emma could hear a tiredness in her voice and though she had told her supervisor that she could use her many overtime hours when she needed, Robyn had never once taken her up on her offer of using her hours for time off and it was very unusual for her to ask, especially on such short notice. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong. Just haven’t had a great night’s sleep.” She felt Taron nudge her, trying to coax her on. “My nightmares have come back.” She said quietly. “And Taron has asked me to stay one more night with him.”

“You stay as long as you need.” Emma answered her immediately. “Take two nights, three if you need them.” She was very aware of the sleepless nights Robyn had last year, the young woman walking around like a zombie before Taron came to visit her, seeing the change in her after Taron arrived at the creche so was more than happy for Robyn to stay with him, knowing what a positive impact he was having on her life.

“One is all I need. Taron is back to work tomorrow night. I will be back on Tuesday morning.”

“He is so perfect for you.” Emma whispered on the phone.

“He is a wonderful friend.”

“Please look after yourself and Taron too.”

“I will.”

“And I am dying to hear all about your weekend.”

“It is has been absolutely perfect. Thank you Emma.”

“Enjoy the time off Robyn.”

“I will.”

Hanging up the phone, she handed it back to Taron who was smiling her way. “So you will stay with me?”

“Yep. One more night.”

His hug was slightly awkward and as he folded his arms around the front and back of her shoulders, he kissed her temple. “Thank you Robyn.”

“No thank you Taron. I desperately need a good night’s sleep and really don’t want to be alone today or tonight.”

“I won’t leave you.” He kissed her temple again and took his hands away, sitting back on the couch properly once more. “So, can I ask you something else?”

Robyn laughed lightly. “Taron you already got me to stay with you. What else could you want?”

“What does your tattoo mean?”

Robyn shifted in the seat so she was facing him a little and tilted her head. “Oh, you saw that did you? Thought you covered me with the sheet?”

“Well, I did and I didn’t. Well, what I mean is that I did cover you with the sheet and I wasn’t looking but it was just the way you were laying on the couch and because you didn’t have your top on and…” Taron stopped when he realised what he had said, slumping down in the couch. “Just no end to my word vomit today.”

Robyn reached for his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Not at all. Would you like to see it?”

Taron looked to her. “If you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind.”

Robyn stood up and where she thought she would have been nervous letting the sheet drop, a lot of her bare skin on show, she wasn’t. Taron had done something for her that had only her best interests at heart and she was beyond happy to get another night with him, another day to just sit and be with him. She stood with her left side facing him and pulled up the black waistband of her sports bra, the whole tattoo on show for him. She felt so comfortable showing him, not even worrying that she was basically in her underwear in front of him. Taron had been nothing but respectful towards her and apart from a lingering touch, the same as which she had given him, he had never once made her feel uneasy. She was so relaxed around him and knew she had nothing to worry about letting him see a little bit more skin.

Taron moved forward on the couch, so he could really see the tattoo printed on Robyn’s skin. Still confused to how he had never known she had a tattoo, he inched himself a little closer. “It’s in Irish?” He asked.

“Yep.”

“What does it say?”

“Eiridh tonn air uisge balbh.” Robyn said, the words running like silk off her tongue. She grinned at his confused look. “It means a wave will rise on quiet water.” She watched as he lifted his hand ready to feel her skin but retracted back. “It is ok Taron. You can touch it.”

“You sure?”

Robyn rolled her eyes and took his right hand on her left. “It is fine.” She placed her hand on her ribs. “I won’t break.”

With a nervous look towards the woman who was freely letting him touch a very intimate part on her body, Taron was glad to receive the help from her to place his hand on her body and a further nod from Robyn as his index finger hoovered over the inked skin. He knew his touch was faint, barely letting the tip of his finger skim over the words and it was because he was trying so hard to keep his hand from shaking but also from not touching other parts of her body that were so close to his hand. With a second run, his movements a little more accurate and purposeful, Taron eyes followed the trail his finger made and as he rested his palm right on her waist, his thumb gently stroked the first word.

Robyn definitely felt the initial nervousness and hesitation from Taron’s hand as the first brush of her skin was slightly tickly but he as became more comfortable, Taron’s touch was so soft and careful and each run he made over her tattoo was more confident but he never pressed any pressure into her skin or ribs, keeping his fingers on her tattoo only. The heat from his hand was so gorgeous as he laid it flat on her ribs and she could still feel the slight uncertainty in the weight of his hand on her body, Robyn wishing that he would just put a little more firmness to his touch.

“I heard the ribs are the worse place for a tattoo.” He said as he moved back on the couch, picking up the sheet and handing it to Robyn, who wrapped it around her shoulders. As much as he loved how she let him see her tattoo and just dropped the sheet, standing in front of him in so little clothes, he didn’t want her to think he was taking advantage but also for his own fizzling blood and excitement, needed to see a little less of her curves and silky skin.

“It definitely wasn’t a pleasant feeling.” She agreed, sitting back beside him.

“You had it long?”

“About three years.” She saw Taron’s face change when he eventually put the timeline together. “Yeah after Keith. Just was the right time.”

“Is it a direct translation?”

Robyn nodded. “Yeah, pretty much. An old Irish proverb.”

“A wave will rise on quiet water.” Taron repeated. “They are some beautiful words.”

“Yeah they are.”

“Quite suited to you too.”

Robyn smiled. “Yep. Just something I look too when things get a little rough.”

“It’s perfect Robyn.”

“Thanks Taron.”

“Thank you for showing me.”

Robyn shrugged. “You had already seen it.”

“Really didn’t peg you as a tattoo person.”

“It was something I had always wanted and the right time came along and the words just seemed to suit my mind frame.”

“Robyn you don’t have to tell me anything and I know you have already had a bloody hard night but did Keith…” Taron felt a shake to his hands, a new frown on his brow and his body tense. He felt her move beside him and the hug she gave him was badly needed and as he rested his arms on her back, felt bare skin under his hands, Taron realising she had let the sheet go as she went to hug him tightly. He had to move himself again, so he could properly give his all to the hug and as Robyn rubbed his back, he closed his eyes, letting his forehead rest on her shoulder.

“Never.” She said firmly. “Not once.” She felt his exhale on her shoulder. “Near the end of our relationship, words were his go to put down method but no never.”

“I fucking hate that man.” Taron growled.

“I know.”

“Just what a prick.”

“I know.” The light kiss he gave her shoulder was very welcomed. “Thanks for asking me to stay one more night.”

“You are welcome to stay here for as long as you want, whenever you want even if I am not here and you are in London.”

“Thank you Taron.” Robyn ended the hug and placed her hands on his cheeks, giving his forehead a kiss. She took her lips away from his skin and moved her hands down his cheeks so her thumbs were in front of his ears, her fingers around the back of his neck. She let her thumb of her left-hand stroke over his right cheek, a faint red mark still on his skin from when she had hit him last night. Her face turned sad and she felt Taron place his hands over hers.

“Stop over thinking it. It was an accident.” He smiled as she kissed his cheek, right on the spot she had hurt him. “I have had much worse.”

“Taron!” Robyn scolded him.

He chuckled her way. “I will be fine and you will be too. I call for a low-key movie day with extra blankets, cuddles and cake.”

“I would love that but first I think I might go and have a shower.” She kissed his head once more.

“Sure chicken.”

Robyn got up from the couch, not bothering to bring the sheet with her but she picked up her blue top and walked past his legs but before she walked past the arm of the couch, stopped and came to stand by it, putting her hand on his left shoulder. “Would it be ok if I used your en suite?”

“Of course Robyn. Let me get you some fresh towels.” Taron got to his feet and walked into the bathroom and opening the large white press, took out two white towels. He had heard Robyn follow him and she was picking up her wash bag when he turned around to her. “Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

“Take as long as you need. Are you hungry? Would you like some breakfast?” Taron looked to his watch. “Or brunch?”

“Surprise me.” She answered with a little smile, so glad to see a smile fill Taron’s face too.

“Challenge accepted.”

#Taron Egerton #Taron Egerton Fanfiction #Taron Egerton Fanfic #Taron Fanfic #Love #Friendship #Cuddles #Trust #Emotions #Talking #Nightmares #Open Conversation #Robyn and Taron

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cynicalrainbows · 4 years ago

Note

I was reading one of your old relationship hcs, and I was wondering- Would you be able/willing/interested in writing the conversation between Catalina and Cathy when Aragon learns that her goddaughter was almost beheaded and stuff? If not, that's cool, I just love that idea.

Feedback, comments and reviews are always so very welcome!

‘Cathy, mija-’ Catalina knocked on the bedroom door. ‘Can I come in?’

For a moment, there wasn’t any response and Catalina wondered if she’d got it wrong- if Cathy had actually gone out after all, if perhaps everything was all in her head, if maybe there really wasn’t anything wrong and the lightening-fast look of panic she’d noticed on her goddaughters face just before she absented herself from the room (and the conversation) was just in her imagination, a strange trick of the light.

‘Cathy?’

She was sure that it wasn’t though. Her first life may have given her rather extraordinarily impressive skills in deliberately not seeing anything that might cause conflict later, but she didn’t make things up.

Just as she was on the cusp of deciding that perhaps Cathy must have ended up joining Anna and Kitty on their walk (‘Shall we go by the icecream parlour or by the park to pet the dogs?’ ‘How about we go the long way, get ice cream first and then to pet the dogs?’ ‘Kitty, you genius!’), the door opened a crack, just enough to reveal the cuff of a blue hoodie (suspiciously like one that Anne had spent most of the previous week searching for, come to think of it) and a pair of dark eyes.

‘Yes?’

Catalina waited a second for Cathy to open the door properly and let her in but surprisingly, she didn’t, just stood still with her face half hidden by the doorframe.

‘Can I come in?’

‘Why?’

‘I just wanted to talk, if that’s alright with you. Just quickly, it won’t take long.’

(At least, she hoped it wouldn’t take long, although she felt that the chances of Cathy reassuring her that all was completely fine in a way that she could believe were receding more rapidly with every second more that she was kept hovering the hallway.)

‘I didn’t think you wanted to talk anymore.’

There was just an edge of petulance in the words that would have made Catalina smile if it wasn’t so obvious that her goddaughter was upset.

The history books remember Lady Parr for her erudition but they fail to mention her ability to sulk.

‘I’m sorry querida.’ Now for the trickier bit of the conversation. ‘That was actually what I wanted to talk to you about.’

There was a pause- Cathy didn’t welcome her in but she didn’t slam the door either, and Catalina decided that was a good enough invitation to continue as any.

‘Can I come in?’

Silently, Cathy pulled herself away from leaning on the doorframe and returned to her place at her desk, allowing Catalina to follow.

‘Thank you.’

She sat down on the edge of the bed.

‘I wanted to let you know that I’m sorry I snapped like that mija. It wasn’t fair to you. I should have just told you I wasn’t feeling-’ She stopped, she didn’t want to get too sidetracked with excuses. ‘I should have said something earlier.’

‘That’s ok.’ Cathy, faux casual, half turned back to her laptop as if to go on with her work (or whatever it was she was doing- Catalina had a strong suspicion she had foregone her article for the 30K Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanfiction she was in the middle of) . ‘I should have realised-’

‘There was no way for you to-’

‘It’s fine’ Cathy spun round her chair to face her godmother with sudden and unexpected swiftness. ‘You don’t need to say sorry, I just-’ She took a breath. ‘I know I’m a lot and I know it’s annoying and I- I should have realised I was irritating you and stopped earlier, ok? I’ll try not to do it again.’

Catalina felt momentarily wrong-footed at the turn things had taken.

Why is she apologising to me?

‘Mija, you’re not annoying-’

Cathy smiled bitterly.

‘You don’t have to say that, it’s ok-’

‘No!’ Catalina leaned forward, trying to catch her goddaughters eye. ‘Really mija- I’m worried that you think that that’s what I was implying, when it really wasn’t-’

There was a silence. After a moment, she realised that Cathy had tears in her eyes.

‘Oh mija-’

She tried to draw her into her arms but Cathy shrunk away from her.

‘I’m fine, I’m-’

‘Querida, you’re obviously not-’

She passed over a handful of tissues and waited silently while Cathy dried her eyes.

‘Sorry, sorry, I just-’

‘Mija, there’s no need to keep apologising.’

‘But there is, there’s-’ Cathy took a deep breath. ‘I- I just-’

‘Take your time mija. There’s no rush.’ Catalina kept her voice as gentle as a kiss, with no small amount of effort. ‘Take as long as you need.’

Don’t fall over yourself with empty reassurances, let her actually explain what the matter is first.

‘It’s hard to explain….’ Cathy pressed a hand to her forehead. ‘I know you’re probably not angry with me- cognitively, I know that. Just...I can’t help but feel-’

‘Of course I’m not angry with you- Ah’ Catalina had a sudden flash of inspiration. ‘Is this because of something else? Something that’s happened to you before, maybe?’

Cathy gave a tiny, reluctant nod.

‘Someone else….got angry with you for talking to them? Or-’

Who do I need to have stern words with?

‘Yes.’ Cathy opened her mouth- and then closed it. ‘I….I’d explain but I- I don’t think I can. It’s not something I can talk about.’

‘That’s alright mija, take your time.’

‘No, I mean.’ Cathy shook her head slowly. ‘Not just that it’s hard- I can’t.’

She sounded sincere and Catalina’s heart sank.

How can I help if she can’t talk to me about it? And worse- what is so bad that she knows, right from the off, that she won’t be able to put it into words?

‘You- can read about it though. If you like.’ Sliding from her chair, Cathy went to her bookcase, selected a book from the bottom shelf and flicked through the pages, before settling on a chapter and handing it to her godmother. ‘Here.’

‘Thank you.’ Catalina tried to hide the sense of dread that was working its way up from the pit of her stomach- if this was something that had actually been immortalised by a historian, she could bet it was unlikely that Cathy’s insecurity stemmed from some light teasing or a couple of thoughtless remarks.

‘I’ll read it and you don’t have to answer any questions about it afterwards unless you’d like to but-’ She settled herself against the head of the bed and stretched out an arm. ‘Will you come and sit with me while I read it? You feel very far away over there and I’d like to be able to hold you-’

For a moment, Cathy didn’t move. Then she slowly joined her godmother on the bed. After a hesitation, she curled up against her side, resting her head against Catalina’s shoulder. Catalina wrapped an arm around her and turned to the book.

‘Henry was annoyed by Catherine….commented himself to Gardiner ‘a good hearing it is when women become clerks’...easily obtained Henry’s consent for her arrest…. Henry continued to dissemble with Catherine, allowing her to debate religion with him as she did before….’

Catalina puts down the book with shaking hands.

How had she not known about this before?

She read it again: ‘....intended to arrest Catherine and take her to the Tower’.

Her arm unconsciously tightened around Cathy, pulling her closer.

‘The shock sent her nearly out of her wits…. Recognised it for the trap it was…’

Eventually, she put it down.

‘Oh mija-’

‘Do you see? Cathy’s voice was faint and muffled against Catherine’s shirt.

‘I do.’ The force of what she’d just read hit her and she pulled Cathy fiercely against her chest. ‘Oh mi vida- you must have been so afraid-’

No response but a tiny, stifled sob.

She wanted to say more- to rage against a man long dead, to rage against his selfish cruel games, and against the system that allowed them to be put in place- but she held herself in check. This wasn’t what Cathy needed right now, she knew. Instead, she put up a hand to stroke her hair gently, soothingly.

‘I’m sorry mija, I had no idea.’

‘It’s not your fault.’ Cathy’s peeped up at her, her reddened eyes full of self reproach. ‘I just don’t like to talk about it…..but it’s not your fault. Just...I know it’s ridiculous but thinking that someone- anyone- is annoyed with me. Not with me, I can bear people being annoyed at me, but thinking that everything is ok and then that it isn’t…’ Her words turned into a frantic rush. ‘It makes me, it makes me doubt, it makes me wonder what else I’ve been getting wrong, if secretly they’re just getting more and more annoyed with me and I have no idea and no way to try and fix things until it’s too late…So when I thought we were just talking and then you suddenly stopped and looked annoyed- and I hadn’t been expecting it so-’

She broke off.

Catalina nodded regretfully. ‘And there I was thinking I was doing the right thing by not mentioning that I had a headache until it got too bad-’

Cathy pulled back even more and looked surprised. ‘You had a headache?’

‘Yes, I told you- Oh.’ Catalina could have kicked herself. ‘No, I didn't, did I? I meant to- and then Anna asked if we wanted to come with her and Kitty, she interrupted me-’

‘And then I left-’ Cathy finished.

Look Cathy can we just leave it now please? I’m tired and I really need to go get some aspirin-

Look Cathy can we just leave it now please? I’m tired. Full stop. And her tone had been a lot sharper than she’d intended.

No wonder Cathy had taken it badly.

‘It just...stirred up some bad memories.’ Cathy turned her head away, and brushed at her eyes again, looking slightly embarrassed. ‘I genuinely thought you were enjoying the debate up until then and….then it made me wonder how I'd managed to miss that you were getting annoyed, I suddenly wondered how many other times you’d been annoyed and I’d missed it-’

‘Oh mija-’ Catalina felt guilt roil in the bottom of her stomach. ‘I’m sorry- I honestly was enjoying it….so much that I didn’t want to leave until the pain got worse and then I couldn’t… I know how it must have looked to you though.’

Cathy nodded. ‘I know it’s stupid though- i just need to get over it, get it into my head that things aren’t the same now…. It’s just hard-’

‘What do you need?’

Cathy shrugged. ‘For my mind to be less stupid and jumping-to-conclusions, I suppose-’

‘No!’ Catalina looked as shocked as she felt. ‘That’s not what I meant at all- I meant, what do you need from me? What would make it easier for you?’

‘You don’t have to do anything, Catty, it’s my issue-’

Catalina just looked at her. ‘I’m waiting Cathy. If you’re not sure, that’s completely fine but if there is anything, you need to tell me.’

Cathy still looked reluctant. ‘But you shouldn’t have to-’

‘Look, if it helps, think of it as something you’re doing for ME.’ Catalina looked at her steadily. ‘Think about how you’d feel if you were accidentally upsetting Anne and she didn’t want to tell you how you could help- imagine how guilty you’d feel…’ Cathy seemed to waver. ‘If it helps, I promise not to do it if I don’t feel like it-’

A reluctant smile played on Cathy’s lips before she nodded and it faded. ‘Alright. Ok. Just maybe…’ Catalina nodded encouragingly.

‘If you ever…’ Cathy bit her lip. ‘If you do want to stop a conversation….if I am annoying- and don’t say I’m not, we all are sometimes, just….let me know earlier, ok? That’s all I need, just...to know that we’re on the same page, that I’m not unwittingly ruining things….’

‘You could never ruin things mija’ Catalina pressed a kiss to the top of Cathy’s head. ‘You could never ruin things, not with any of us. You’re not getting rid of us that easily. But-’ She added as Cathy opened her mouth. ‘I do understand and I’ll make sure to be more open with you in future. Ok?’

‘Thank you.’ Cathy lent further into Catalina’s touch and closed her eyes.’ Thank you for...not being weird about this. And for not being upset that I didn’t tell you.’

‘Of course mija. Thank you for being honest, I know it wasn’t easy.’

Cath didn’t reply, playing with the cuff of Catalina’s cardigan and tugging at a loose thread.

‘Don’t do that mija, you’ll ravell it.’

‘Sorry.’

Catalina felt like Cathy was on the cusp of saying something and she knew from experience that the worst thing she could do and the best way to make Cathy clam up would be to start asking questions.

So she waited, and let the slightly awkward silence do her work for her.

Eventually Cathy looked up at her. ‘I nearly didn't, you know.’

‘Didn’t what, mija?’

‘I nearly didn’t tell you.’

‘Oh.’ Catalina kept her tone very neutral.

There was another pause.

‘I don’t like to- to think about it, even. Or to have people know.’

‘I can understand that mija.’

There was a long pause.

‘I’m - so ashamed.’

‘Well, I know we all struggle with shame for things that aren’t in any way our fault-’

‘No’ Cathy interrupted her. ‘Not….that.’

‘Ah.’

‘When i married him….’ Cathy took a deep breath. ‘I wasn’t happy about it.’

Catalina nodded.

‘I wasn’t happy, I would have taken any excuse to get out of it, if I'd been able to find one that might not backfire on me or my family later. And I was scared, but-’ Cathy bit her lip. ‘I wasn’t...I wasn’t terrified.’

‘Ok.’

‘I thought-’ Cathy covered her face with her hands and kept talking through her fingers. ‘I thought I could handle him. I thought if I was just….clever and careful, I could get through it.’

‘Alright.’ Catalina was still slightly confused at her goddaughter's agonies of self reproach and Cathy quickly picked up on it.

‘Don’t you see?’ Cathy turned anguished eyes to her, as if relaying something terrible and shameful. ‘I thought I could manage him where you all failed, I thought I could survive when you didn't-’

She flinched, like she was bracing herself for Catalina’s reaction, and Catalina deliberately spoke more slowly, hoping that she could convey reassurance just through tone.

‘And you did, querida. And I’m so glad.’

‘But-’ Cathy was obviously struggling with expressing herself, which was unusual. ‘I- I thought I could manage him! I looked at him- this man who had done everything that he had done…. Kitty was barely cold, they were still unpicking the stitching from the curtains of the barge….I looked at him and I thought...I thought I could be clever, I congratulated myself on being clever! I thought-’

Cathy was properly crying now, Catalina could tell from the waver in her voice.

‘I thought- well, he won’t live long enough for me to get too old for him, like, like with you… and he knew who I was, so Anna's problem obviously didn’t apply, there was no way he could claim I looked different. And I wasn’t going to have any babies with him- God knows everyone was aware it wasn’t going to happen by then, even if we couldnt acknowledge it. And- and-’ Cathy broke off, with a gasp. ‘And I thought- I- I could be careful and clever, to make sure I didn’t get too close to anyone, so there was no way, no way at all he could be jealous, to make sure he and everyone else could see that all my attention, all of it, was on him-’

Catalina didn’t interrupt but she pulled Cathy gently back into the circle of her arms and started to rub her back as she cried. After a moment, Cathy caught her breath, her face still streaked with tears.

‘But I was wrong, I was- I was so stupid, so thoughtless. I was so sure that I’d thought of everything, I was so sure that I knew how to manage him and get around him that I stopped being careful- I even thought, I even thought it was easy. I actually thought that- that it wasn’t really too hard and- well, I knew partly what made it so easy for me was that I had you all to learn from but still-’ Cathy wrung her hands desperately. ‘I thought I was cleverer, I thought I'd found the way to, to please myself and keep him sweet. And all the time-’

‘And all the time, he was saving up his evidence against you,’ Catalina finished. Gently, she brought Cathy's twisting hands to her lips and kissed them. ‘Mi pobrecita.’

Cathy accepted the caress but still eyed her warily, as if waiting for something. When Catalina continued stroking her hair and murmuring sympathetically, she pulled away.

‘Is that it?’

‘What, mi vida?’

‘Aren’t you-’ She appeared to almost brace herself. ‘Aren’t you angry with me?’

Catalain considered asking what for but decided that would be only drawing the whole thing out. Really, she wanted it settled so Cathy could stop torturing herself.

‘No. Not at all, mija. Not with you. Never with you.’

‘But I-’

Catalina cut her off, something she only allowed herself to do in dire circumstances.

‘Mija. you did what you had to do to survive. You were forced into a situation that was extremely volatile and you coped as best you could.’

‘But- no…’ Cathy still looked troubled. ‘I don’t think it’s wrong that I survived but….I shouldn’t have thought I could have done better, I shouldn't have been so arrogant-’

‘Were you arrogant?’ Catalina asked gently. ‘Or were you searching for any sense of agency you could, to stop the entire ordeal being unbearably terrifying?’

Cathy did not respond.

‘Do you still think that the rest of us had it easy, that we could have done better?’

‘Of course not-!’ Cathy’s eyes were wide and shocked at the idea and Catalina smiled.

‘Then there is no problem, querida.’

‘But-’

‘Honestly mija, and I speak for the others here too- if thinking you could do better than us gave you the mental strength needed to survive at the time, then I am so, so glad that you did. So pleased. Anything that helped spare you an ounce of pain was worth it, if you ask me.’

Cathy still didn’t look entirely convinced, although she nodded slowly.

‘What is it?’ Catalina prodded, and Cathy looked surprised. ‘You’re still thinking querida….what’s going on in that head if yours, hm?’

Cathy squirmed slightly under her gaze. ‘Nothing.’

Catalina didn’t believe her for a minute.

‘No. There’s still something troubling you, I can tell.’

‘I’m fine-’

‘Cathy-’

‘Just stop!’ Cathy burst out at last. ‘You’re being so- so nice to me but why? I deserved it, I deserved all of it….!’

Catalina was stunned. ‘Cathy you don’t actually think that do you?’

‘Of course I do!’ Cathy looked at Catalina as if she were mad. ‘Of course I deserved it- it was, it was, I don’t know, fate or something, karma, whatever it’s called- it was what I deserved, to show me I wasn’t any cleverer, to show me how arrogant I was being. I should have noticed, I should have picked up on it- what sort of person doesn't realise their husband is signing their death warrant?’

‘Well, Anne-’

‘Anne knew things were turning against her!’ Cathy interrupted angrily. ‘It wasn't her fault she couldn't stop it, with half of the court plotting against her. And Kitty- there was nothing she could do about it either, she was used and abused and she never had a chance, even without Culpepper, she’d have been ruined if Dereham had come to light! But me-’ Cathy gave a bitter smile. ‘That was all me. Not things I did or people I know….just talking, just all the things I said, being so difficult and frustrating that he wanted to kill me just to silence me….that was all me…’

‘So you see it as being something that you're to blame for-’ Catalina spoke slowly, working it out in her mind. ‘And you don't see yourself as deserving sympathy for it….because it was your fault-?’

Cathy nodded tearfully.

‘And then- if you had died, you wouldn't have been deserving of any sympathy for that either. ..?’

From the look of sudden panic in Cathy’s eyes, Catalina was sure she had it right. ‘You feel like you would have deserved it- and maybe that other people would have thought you deserved it too-?’

‘What sort of person is so awful at conversation- so annoying and argumentative that she incites her husband to want her dead?’ Cathy choked out.

The sincere despair in her face made Catalina's heart squeeze and she quickly bundled Cathy back into her arms, holding her tightly as if she could protect her from the 500 year old hurt.

‘Oh mi vida…. Pobrecita-’ She started to rock back and forth very slowly as Cathy gave up her struggle and sobbed into her shoulder. ‘How can someone as clever as you be so very foolish hm?’

‘But-’

‘No, querida-’ She smoothed Cathy's hair down, and kept on rocking. ‘Now you listen to me ok? It was not your fault. There was nothing you could have done. No-’ She saw Cathy opening her mouth to disagree. ‘If he hadn’t argued with you over religion, he would have decided you were too dull for him. Or he would have looked at your past- perhaps decided that you must have secretly had too much sympathy for the pilgrimage and punished you like that. Or he would have blamed you for there not being a baby. Or he would have found something else- honestly mija-’

She pulled back so she could look her goddaughter full in the eye. ‘Once he decided to get rid of you, there was nothing you could have done to change it. You were very lucky- and yes, clever too, that you caught him at a good moment and he changed his mind but….trust me, mi vida, if he had wanted you dead, you would have been dead and that would have been entirely on him. Nothing, not a scrap of blame would have been attached to you, and you would have deserved all the sympathy in the world. You do- you still do. You had a dreadful time, you survived and all of us are so proud of you.’

Catalina finished her speech with another kiss to Cathy’s forehead.

Cathy drew a deep shuddery breath and the very tiniest jerk of the head. It might have been a nod, although Catalina knew that there was every chance she had just run out of energy to argue and was acquising purely out of emotional exhaustion.

‘I’m going to remind you of this querida, every day if I need to, until you start to believe it. And you know how stubborn I can be.’

Cathy just nodded weakly at the threat, clearly too wrung out to be amused. Catalnia hummed in sympathy and continued her soothing ministrations, even though Cathy's hair sprung back into place no matter how much she stroked it.

After a minute, she adjusted them both into a more comfortable position and tightened her hold.

‘We’ll stay like this until you are ready to move, mija. And then I'm going to make us both a cup of tea.’

‘Why?’ Cathy’s voice was a tiny bit croaky and Catalina made a mental note to put some honey in her goddaughters cup.

‘Because tea is very soothing and you should drink something that isn’t coffee once in a while. And you’re going to sleep in here tonight too, where I can keep an eye on you.’

‘Im ok really, Catty-’ Cathy scrubbed her eyes tiredly but made no move to extricate herself from her godmother’s arms. ‘You don’t need to.’

‘Then you can count it as a favour to me’ Catalina countered unbendingly. ‘It’d be nice to have some company and you have very warm feet.’ She softened. ‘Please mija. Let me take care of you.’

‘Alright.’ Cathy nodded resignedly after a long moment but she didn’t seem unhappy about it.

‘Thank you.’

They sat in silence for a while, neither really wanting to get up but also wanting a way to change the subject to something a little lighter. They'd come back to the issue at hand at a later date, Catalina knew- if she could, she’d try and get Cathy to talk to the others as well, so that they could reassure her in their own ways.

Having all of them on the same page would be good- she made a mental note to find a way to explain what Cathy needed to the others in terms of honesty and openness, without making it feel too obvious, too patronising.

For now though….she just wanted to find something that could take about that wouldn’t upset Cathy any further.

Eventually, her gaze fell on the book laying face-down on Cathy’s bedside rug.

‘What are you reading now mija?’ It was a safe topic, and she hoped it would help Cathy to put her mind to talking about something she was enthusiastic about.

Wordlessly, Cathy passed the book to her and Catalina glanced at the back cover.

‘It looks interesting- are you very far through?’

Cathy shook her head, without even the energy to try and hold forth on her usual favourite topic of conversation. She suddenly looked very, very small and very very weary- even though Catalina had her tucked into her arms already, she still felt the impulse to scoop her up and carry her somewhere safe.

Somewhere no one can hurt her, somewhere she can rest.

Catalina decided to try something else. She flicked through the book until she found the folded down page.

‘Is that where you’ve got to mija?’

There was another faint nod.

Catalina began to read. ‘Maycomb was an old town but it was a tired old town when I first knew it-’

Cathy sat up a bit. ‘You don’t have to-’

Catalina pressed a kiss to her forehead and gently pressed her back into place.

‘Shhhh mija. Just relax.….In rainy weather, the streets turned to red slop, grass grew on the sidewalk, the courthouse sagged in the square-’

Slowly, she feels Cathy relax against her and go heavy in her arms, sinking into her. Her eyes drifted shut.

And Catalina kept reading.

Everything was going to be ok.

#six #six the musical #six the musical fanfiction #six fanfiction #sixfic

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glowyjellyfish · 4 years ago

Text

For some reason, despite not having watched the show in roughly seven years according to when I last wrote thoughts about it, I decided last week to start listening to a podcast about Buffy the Vampire Slayer because October. The podcast turned out to be amazing, and despite being thoroughly disillusioned with Joss and worried that would change how I see the show too much, I started watching along with the podcast. Well, really I’m playing catch-up. I just started the Reptile Boy podcast episode, and I just finished The Pack in actually watching. My perception has changed, but mostly in a more mature/woke direction, I’m seeing more problematic stuff and wanting to deconstruct it, but it’s not hampering my love of the characters. I am trying to use death of the author to try to deconstruct and watsonianly explain things, but sometimes it’s better to just go “the writers fucked up” or “yup, that’s a weird and creepy Joss fetish” and let the characters off the hook and be a Doylist.

Here are the thoughts I’ve had so far, which as you can see cheerfully spanned the entire range of the show, because season one doesn’t give me personally a lot to work with.

-Xander is borderline Nice Guy in season one, and I don’t like it. I am enjoying deconstructing him and figuring him out more than I ever did before, though, despite an uneasy feeling that doylistically it started from Joss’ idea of how a average dorky teenage boy would act when surrounded by awesome girls and then reasons for it were added later. It’s really genuinely interesting that Xander’s the heart of the team and has all the feelings about everybody and wears his heart on his sleeve, crushing a lot because of that leaving him vulnerable in addition to hormones, and that growing up in an abusive and neglectful household led to insecurity and overcompensation and poor coping skills. And it’s a really fascinating idea that he despises vampires because he lost one of his best friends to them, and can’t handle the idea of any being capable of redemption or good behavior because he semi-accidentally staked Jesse while trying that concept out and if they can be redeemable then he can’t forgive himself, but of course the show didn’t want to talk about Jesse and preferred to heavily imply if not outright say that Xander’s feelings about vampires were mostly about jealousy over Buffy, which is the most Nice Guy angle they could have possibly chosen. (I... can’t say I totally mind, as Jesse’s behavior was objectively worse than s1 Xander, but still I think it would have been better to not ignore his impact on Xander.) I’m glad Xander more or less gets over his crush after season one and doesn’t wade any further into Nice Guy territory, if I recall correctly, and I’m not claiming it’s unreasonable for him to have had it in the first place, it’s just so much of his behavior regarding it is so uncomfortable, and it could have been handled loads better.

-weirdly, The Pack is the first episode of season one that I found I still thoroughly liked. I did enjoy the show deconstructing/dealing with some of the Xander problems by cranking them up to eleven, and part of it is that I am a sucker for werewolf and werewolf-like stories, and also a sucker for supernatural things happening to the Normal Harmless People in media, but I honestly think a big part of it is how little the episode uses terrible s1 special effects to play the story out. It’s all in the acting, and there was some really convincing and good acting going on.

-I discovered that the last time I watched seven years ago, I concluded that despite his general attitude, Angel genuinely likes being around fun and lighthearted people. I want to bask in that concept for a moment before I turn it around to an earlier point, and say that if Xander wasn’t constantly openly hostile to Angel, they could very well be bros, and I am bummed the show never tried. I mean, jealousy or not, Xander’s vampire issues should still be a problem. But I like the idea of Angel just silently enjoying Xander’s dumb jokes and his naivety, and logically Angel would also super appreciate Xander being adamant about killing him when he’s gone evil. In fact, even if they never became bro’s in canon, I’m going to declare it headcanon that Angel quite liked Xander as a person, and just did not take kindly to constant jabs at his nature. Although, honestly, Angel probably would be a little jealous of Xander regardless for being the most emphatically human person around, (especially considering what a disaster Angel was when he was Liam? He wouldn’t see Xander and think “what a foolish child”, he’d think “is this what I could have been if I was alive now? if I had a couple good people in my life to protect me and help me grow into a better person?”), and wouldn’t really enjoy Xander constantly reminding him that Xander is human and Angel is not. So here’s the revised headcanon: Angel likes Xander as a person, and would quietly consider him a friend if Xander wasn’t openly hostile to him. Angel does not super enjoy spending time with Xander since it means constant needling and reminders that Xander has what Angel never got, but he does appreciate that Xander never lets his guard down and by extension reminds Angel not to let his guard down, either. I will have to see if that holds up as I rewatch; I am still mired in season 1 and I haven’t gotten up to them even sharing a scene yet.

-I have been thinking a little about the escalation of Willow’s heartbrokenness over the course of the series, and… I know there’s a good topic there but it just makes me sad to think about.

-on willow: I think she’s bi and the show/joss is just bi-phobic. Watsonianly, she just never had a full education in the nuances of sexual orientation, and emphasized her gayness to reassure Tara and to embrace a label to define herself. However, while I think she’s bi, I would describe her as having more attraction to women than men, and might even argue that all her attraction to men is demisexual—Xander’s obvious, and Oz did all the pursuing and showed all the interest early on. I think Willow was excited to be desired and to achieve the milestone of not only “boyfriend” but “cool boyfriend in a band” that helped distance herself from nerdiness, and it took a little while for that to build up to attraction and love. Not super long, but long enough for her to doubt her attraction when thinking about it in hindsight.

-speaking of Oz I have so many Oz thoughts. Oz, I love you, but where did you get the idea that you need to solve all your problems yourself and not talk to anybody about it? Stoicism is cool and all but use your words, Oz. You would solve so many of your problems if you learned how to communicate! WHO TAUGHT YOU TO BEHAVE THIS WAY. I haven’t gotten up to him yet but my fandom brain’s already there, he’s my favorite and I can’t wait to try applying this perception to him in action.

-I would love to peek into the alternate universe where Oz didn’t leave. Hell, I want to know what would have happened both if everything else was basically the same but Oz was still around as a main character (say, he wanted some distance to work on control but didn’t leave town; Willow was very upset about it but perhaps not to the same degree, and still met Tara while looking for a way to train/practice magic and developed feelings for her; New Moon Rising happened similarly but Oz doesn’t leave town at the end; alternately he did leave but just for the first stretch of episodes and he stays after NMR), and also in the different scenario where because Oz isn’t leaving, Xander is picked to be The Gay One. I mean, he’d have to be bi, too, and my mind honestly boggles at the hurdles the show might have had to leap to make it plausible, but I would like to see it. What kind of boyfriend would the show have given Xander, and why am I thinking of Schitt’s Creek when I wonder what a gay romance for Xander would look like?

...but I’m reeeeally getting ahead of myself now. I did not expect to have so many of my thoughts be about a. the dudes and b. Xander, but what can you do? Soon I’ll have material to talk about, for example, how amazing Cordelia is, but for now...

(and yes, I have been pinging from one fandom to the next in order to find The Right One, and doing one or two thought-dumps before I find myself moving on to a different one without finishing the first. I do not control the hyperfixation. I might go back and forth when the newest one loses its shine, but I am really enjoying the concept of revisiting Buffy for October, and might proceed to do the same with Teen Wolf when I’m done if only for a fascinated comparison between the two and what inspired what and what was improved upon or done worse. Might. Hyperfixation, remember.)

#buffy the vampire slayer #btvs

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danetobelieve · 5 years ago

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Don’t Drop Dead || Athena and Winston

When: 22/06/2020 Who: @athenaquinn & @danetobelieve. Where: The carnival . Summary: Athena and Winston try the drop ride with varied success. Warnings: None

Winston shifted their glasses and shuffled their feet. The ice cream they’d bought from one of the stands as they waited for Athena to arrive was good. Really good. It was days like this when Winston really enjoyed the summers of Maine. The weather was amazing, the sun shining, the sky a deep sapphire and there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky. There was a cool breeze rolling in from the ocean and sure there was the weird creepy carnival music but Winston could forget that. They were determined to have a normal, cool, absolutely okay time. No weird supernatural shenanigans. Spotting Athena, they waved and made their way over. “Hey, you get here okay?”

When she’d first heard about the carnival, Athena had been intrigued. If nothing else, it gave her something else to occupy her mind after everything that had happened recently. Winston was a good person to spend time with, and she found herself feeling oddly relieved that they wanted to spend time with her. Something new, but not something she was used to feeling, but she did consider them a friend and there was a small pang somewhere in her whenever they said they didn’t want to spend time together. But you didn’t invite people you hated to the carnival - or at least good people like Winston didn’t. It was a nice day - just warm enough and perfect weather to finally break out her shorts and one of her Kappa Iota Lambda rush shirts. Casual, but she knew that she still looked good. Summertime did make hiding the knives a bit more difficult, but she still had one pressed against her hip bones, covered by her shirt. No matter how possibly normal this carnival might be, it was always important to be safe. She arrived and began to make her way over, pausing as they began walking too. “I did. Nice to do normal small town things.” Athena grinned at them. “So, what would you like to do first?” She shook her head for a moment, her gaze flicking over to their neck. “Actually, no, nevermind, what on earth happened to you?”

Honestly, Winston was amazed that the wound on their neck had healed as much as it had. They shared it now. With Luce and Nell. They each had a third of the same scar that Bea did. Where she had lost her head … quite literally. Fortunately however, they had been able to reattach it and now things were looking better for all of them. But Winston kind of sucked at lying. So they did their best not to. “Oh, this?” they knew that although it was mostly healed and just a few days away from becoming a fully healed scar, “I had a run in with some undead …” it wasn’t technically a lie, “and I got cut and it’s still healing. Don’t worry, it’s fine. I was with a bunch of other spell casters and a hunter came and helped us too so we were fine in the end.” Again, none of that was a lie. But they had been very careful to not explain that something was undead because of them. They knew the taboo around necromancy. They weren’t going to risk anything happening to the Vural’s because of this. They didn’t deserve that. “You want to go on one of the rides or something?” Winston tried to ignore Athena’s legs. But they were toned, the brief glance had told them that. It was infuriating that she was so hot. It was also infuriating that she was apparently so oblivious … to everything. “I heard that they’ve got some pretty good stuff this time round but I never really came here before so i don’t have a comparison point.”

At their mention of a run in with some undead Athena felt her body tense up. That vampire back months ago? Something else? But they mentioned that there was at least another hunter there and she breathed a sigh of relief. “At least someone else was there to help you. I hope everything got taken care of.” Even though part of her felt a small pang that they hadn’t thought to call her. Maybe it had been a slayer who’d come by, who’d sensed what was wrong and had helped out because of that. She’d focus on that rather than the fact that maybe they didn’t want to call on her. They’d agreed to go to the carnival with her and that was something. Maybe they were starting to understand her perspective more - or maybe, based on the fact that she caught them looking at her out of the corner of her eye - it was just that she was pretty. She’d take either. Perhaps the shorts had been a good choice outside of sheer practicality. “Sure, we can go on a ride!” She grinned. “Which one did you have in mind? I can’t recall if I’ve been to this carnival before, but it’ll be fun to go on some anyhow, I think.” She placed her hands on her hips and looked over to them. “What sounds best to you?”

“Oh, yeah, we solved the problem and having help is definitely great.” Bea was no longer dead, but August had instead taken her place. Winston didn’t regret their decision, they just weren’t sure that their conscience felt the same. It didn’t matter, they were going to have to learn to live with it because there was no going back now. Glancing around they spotted a drop ride and raised an eyebrow at it, the lurching pit in their stomach was already there. It had been there since they’d brought Bea back. It felt like they were boiling under their skin at moments and then at others it was just a pit. So what was a drop ride compared to that right? Eager to find something that they could do together, “We could try that?” Winston asked tentatively, “I don’t know what the ride is called but I guess it looks cool?” Winston wasn’t really the type to go to carnivals and fun fairs, theme parks were even kind of a step to far. But here they were anyway, trying their best to enjoy a more normal summer.

“I’m glad. Not that I’d ever doubt your skill in problem solving.” Athena gave a small nod. “You do know how to think fast and on your feet.” She watched them carefully as they took a look around the carnival. Truthfully, she did not care what the two of them did. While she loved the feeling of how busy the carnival was, she knew that she still had to keep an eye out. “Yeah, sure - if you’d like.” She bit her lip for a moment. “I don’t know what it’s called either, but it looks like quite something.” She could hear the sound of screams as the ride cycled back up again to start. It’s just a ride, not somewhere to save people. Probably. “Let’s do it.” She grabbed their hand for a moment and pulled them over to where the ride was, before dropping it and walking up to the operator. “We’d like to go next, please.” She flashed them a small smile. Always best to make a good first impression, if possible. The operator gave the two of them a once over with a small grin and motioned to stand in line, just behind a couple other people.

“You’ve lived in White Crest long enough to realise that sometimes you don’t have any choice other then thinking on your feet.” Winston almost protested when Athena grabbed their hand, before gratefully realising that they’d not grabbed the hand with the eye in it. That might’ve hurt. They weren’t really sure, no one had grabbed it yet. “Cool, yeah, sure, cool.” Winston smiled as best they could, honestly they were still recovering from the ritual. It was hot as shit. They weren’t sure that a drop ride was really the best idea but suddenly they were being ushered into the line. Winston watched the ride wind up, lifting the members of the public strapped into their seats high into the air before bringing them down before stopping just mere feet away from the ground. There were screams of delight, terror and horror. Winston’s stomach turned and they swallowed their fear the best they could. It was a ride. These were definitely safe. The silence got the better of them and Winston couldn’t help but break it. “Having a good summer?” Winston asked as they were harnessed into their seats.

“I mean, yes. I do in fact think on my feet a lot. I like to think it’s a good skill, though the ways that I have to do so aren’t always easily discussed with the wider world.” Athena raised an eyebrow. It was nice to be able to admit that, even though Winston didn’t know the full extent of what she did. Not that she cared, nor did she think whatever she did was wrong, but there was a small part of her that wanted to keep them out of at least part of it. Even though they hadn’t seemed to have any issue with her being a hunter she knew that it was not something she was supposed to talk about in most company. It was much nicer, anyhow, to just enjoy their company. Maybe she should have talked them out of this ride, she wondered, as she noticed their face as the two of them got towards the front of the line. One of the people working on the ride glanced at Winston with a broad smile on their face and Athena flashed them a glare. Not that she was even close to being nice all the time, but there was something about the smile that unnerved her just slightly. Before she could take time to process it, they were ushered onto the ride and Winston was asking her questions. “Huh? Yeah! I am!” She grinned. “Soccer camp starts in a bit over a week, and I’m super excited to help coach that. How about you? You graduated, right? What’s it like out in the big wide world?” They’d still have a minute or two while everyone else was buckling in. “Sorry I didn’t get you anything. I’ll have to do that soon.”

Everything always circled back to the fact that they weren’t normal and they weren’t in a normal place and it wasn’t a normal time. Winston didn’t mind. It wasn’t their fault. But even now they knew that there was this constant reminder that something was different. “If you couldn’t think on your feet then I would have legitimate concerns about your survival in this place.” As they were strapped into their seat, Winston listened carefully to what Athena had planned. “Oh, nice cool, soccer camp sounds like a good way to keep busy plus you get to enjoy all of this great weather.” There was the familiar click of a buckle sliding into place and then suddenly the attendants were stepping back. “Oh, yeah, I graduate-” Winston’s words were quite literally left behind them as they were shot up into the air. From the ground it hadn’t looked quite so violent. But in that second Winston was dragged through the air, the g-force causing any loose skin to ripple from the momentum of the ride. Winston’s mouth was open and screaming some obscenity but they were convinced that any sound they’d made had been left behind. As they were dragged through the air they were just as quickly falling and as the ground came flying towards them Winston was gripped with terrror and then as quickly as it all started it stopped. Gasping in breaths of air, Winston sat in silence for a moment before turning and looking at Athena. “I don’t remember what we were talking about…”

“I’ve been thinking on my feet and been darn good at it since I was tiny.” Athena raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t afraid to admit that. Orion would have said that she thought on her feet more than with her brain sometimes, but it got the both of them out of trouble so who was he to complain about her process? “Yeah, and it’s a good way to stay active, too.” Winston was about to comment when all of a sudden the ride started and it was not the sort of rush that she liked. Not one that she got from doing her duty, nor one she felt after a good game or run. Then, suddenly they were back on the ground she unclenched her hands from the fists that had formed, nails digging into the palms of her hands. “What?” She looked over to them. “I - I don’t either. I also worry I might be sick.” She looked over at them. “I’d like to be done with this ride though. Maybe go get a slush or something? It’s hot out.” She tugged at the collar of her shirt. One of the operators was walking over towards them, glancing over at Athena - they brushed against her shoulder and when she met their gaze, about to ask them if they could please be let off of the ride all she could see was her brother, dead on the floor, body cold. “No!” She screamed, pushing against the man. “I mean,” she caught her breath, looking around. Orion was nowhere to be seen. Her hands felt clammy and she looked over to Winston, before back to the man, “I see there - there’s others waiting to go. Can you let us off?” She wasn't afraid. She didn’t get afraid. That wasn’t her job.

“Some of us are clearly just born lucky,” Winston couldn’t help the sarcasm, of course they were joking. They hoped Athena didn’t take offense to it, they just hadn’t been a natural at any of this. They weren’t sure that they were even good at it now. They felt like they were often just doing enough to keep their head above the surface and that was it. “Exactly, staying active is very important.” Yet Winston really made little to no effort to stay fit, they hadn’t returned to the gym after happening to meet Athena there. Though that might’ve been more because of how busy they had been rather then anything more. “Yeah let’s definitely not do that again,” a drink sounded like a good idea, except Athena suddenly looked pale. Winston knew she wanted to get them off and this wasn’t that difficult tech. Reaching out with their mind they focussed on the locking mechanism and sending the relevant electrical charges to the right place. Except, of course they overdid it. They hadn’t anticipated the amount of power that was going to come surging out of them and the locks exploded open with quite a lot of force. The restraints snapping open and Winston couldn’t help but blush as people yelped in surprise. “That was weird…”

“I mean, I do have an advantage in the genetics department as far as that goes.” She raised an eyebrow. Athena didn’t speak for a moment after they’d stopped and the man had come over. Rio was okay, he was alive, everything was fine. Then why did she feel a sense of unease? Why did the man look like he was about to reach out again? All of a sudden there was a sound almost like an explosion and the locks opened with far greater force than normal. She caught Winston’s blush and nodded. “Really weird.” She felt herself practically fall out of the ride, though at least her natural abilities were always there for her, and so she caught herself, readjusting her position. She stood up and began walking away from the ride, hoping Winston would follow her. “I’m sorry. I just - well, never mind. We should go do something else.” She turned around and flashed a glare at the man. At least she’d thrown him off, at least she’d had the sense to do that. “I need something to eat. We should find that slush.” The coolness of the iron against her hip felt all too appealing, but this was a public space and she couldn’t do anything right now.

As Athena stumbled out of the ride, Winston was quick to follow suit. They’d decided the longer that they spent at this carnival the more certain they were that they didn’t want to come back if it was going to be like this every time. “I am glad that was over, I don’t think that will be a ride that I ever go on again.” They were worried about Athena. It was clear that whatever had happened to her on the ride had rattled her and Winston hadn’t ever seen her like that before. “Are you okay … did something happen other then the rides nearly exploding?” Winston felt guilty about that but from the way that Athena had reacted they had tried to get her out of the situation that made her uncomfortable as soon as they could. “Defo, let’s get some food.” Winston wanted a corndog, where better place to get one at a carnival?

“I don’t think I’ll go on one of those ever again, either.” Athena half-whispered. Then Winston was asking how she was and she shook her head. “I just saw something back there. Something that there’s no way was real. I don’t - I’m not seeing things, though.” She bit her lip. “Like, I don’t know, a vision - something that I’ve only seen in the worst parts of my imagination, of what-ifs.” She forced a smile onto her lips and bumped her hip against one of theirs. Trying to at least attempt to make light of it. “Good. Maybe I just haven’t eaten enough.” She knew of some creatures - not as much detail as she should have - that could cause horrifying visions, but the idea of them running a ride made her feel ill. “I’ll buy. I should probably get myself something that isn’t just sugar. Maybe I’ll go all out and get fries or something.” She grinned. “What about you?”

Frowning gently at Athena’s description of what had happened to her, Winston sighed and nodded. “That is weird,” they didn’t know what the hell could’ve caused that sort of thing for Athena and they were pretty sure that she wasn’t the type to get hysterical or freak out and make things up, no they believed her, “let’s make sure that we keep some distance between them, it just sounds like they got to you a bit maybe?” Winston wasn’t really sure honestly what the hell they’d done to Athena but they didn’t want to repeat the performance for her. “It’s pretty hot too, we can chill out for a bit and try and calm down….” Winston honestly couldn’t have felt more useless if they had tried. “Uh, maybe a corndog or something…” they shrugged, “we could see what they’ve got?”

“Really weird. I - I’ll ask when I go home.” She shrugged off the would-be mention of her parents. Clearly they were hunters, if she was, but she also didn’t want to go down that route. Not right now, right now she’d focus on Winston. They were there. They were a solid, real person for Athena to focus on. “I guess, it’s whatever.” She shrugged. “It is hot, and I think I’m just about done with rides. We can just eat and walk around or whatever?” She looked over at them and smiled. “Hey, it’s okay! Maybe I didn’t sleep well enough, or something? I’d love to go and see what they’ve got.” She took a few steps forward and turned back to look at them. “I appreciate what you did back there, both for the sheer wow factor and for helping me out. Goodness knows I didn’t want them getting us out of that ride.”

Raising an eyebrow, Winston blushed a little bit. They had been hoping that their little incident on the ride hadn’t been noticed but of course it had been. Athena was as observant as ever, which made sense. “Yeah, well, you looked like you needed an out and I wanted to do my best to give us one without drawing too much attention.” Which they hadn’t exactly succeeded in, maybe that wasn’t that important though. No one had realised it was them aside from Athena and she knew about their magic. Had for a while. “That’s a good idea,” Winston agreed as they headed towards the stalls of food, it was your standard affair. Nothing really out of place. Nothing that you wouldn’t expect to be there. “You have something that you want specifically?”

“Well, I’ve saved you, you’ve saved me, I think I like how this is all balancing itself out, don’t you?” Athena winked at them. “Besides, you know this town, they’ll just say it was some hardware malfunction or something else and everyone will forget about it.” She offered them a soft smile. “If anything, maybe they’ll pause that ride for a while and that can only benefit everyone.” She pulled a scrunchie off of her wrist and tied her hair up into a ponytail before focusing back on Winston. “I think I could do with some fries first, at least - which you’re welcome to share, if you want. Maybe we’ll find a booth with both those and the corndog you’re looking for?”

“I don’t know if that is necessarily comparable to fighting off a bunch of vampires, but I’ll take it anyway.” Winston returned her wink with a smile. Despite everything they still enjoyed Athena’s company and she was Rio’s sister. They wanted to make Rios family work for him, but somehow they couldn’t help but think about the fact that Rio’s parents had definitely been the worst parents there were. Was Athena really entirely to blame for the way she’d turned out? “I was hoping that it would just be clocked to a malfunction or something because people wouldn’t know for sure what had happened, I think I’m safe. Besides, if anyone normal asks they’re not going to believe in magic. “Uh, we can definitely look,” it didn’t take long for Winston to locate a food truck that had both. “Do you want a slushie too?”

“Well, I think it’s plenty impressive. Besides, I don’t always fight vampires,” her tone was hushed, now. Even if other people didn’t believe in the supernatural, Athena didn’t want them overhearing, “that’s not my specialty.” She gave a half-hearted shrug. “I bet they will. I mean, magic?” Her voice was still quiet, only audible to Winston. “As if! You know these sorts of cheap rides, they’re always breaking down.” She followed their gaze to the food truck. “Oh, wonderful. I’m paying, and sure, I’ll get a slush. When in Rome, right?”

#p: athena #para #chatzy para #chatzy #wickedswriting #Don't Drop dead

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buffyversefanfiction · 5 years ago

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Twisted Tristan

Chapter 2: Our City (Volume 2)

Warnings: I do not own or claim to own the original content to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, “Angel”, the comics or any of the original characters from the “Buffyverse” all rights belong to Joss Whedon.

15 plus, displays of Violence, Gore, Torture, M/M, F/M, F/F.

Buffy, Faith and Willow just stood there in the underground sewer tunnels completely stunned by what had just happened as they tried to fathom the notion that Buffy’s baby boy was lost to a portal going somewhere that Willow couldn’t remember the location to.

“What do you mean you don’t know where the portal went too?” Faith asked the redheaded witch. “Can’t you just open it back up?”

“I can’t open up a portal if I don’t know where or even when I’m opening a portal to.” Willow revealed as tears formed in her eyes.

“You literally just went through the damn thing how could you have forgot the location and time already?” Faith quizzed her.

“She cast a spell so when the portal closed there’d be no way of anything coming after us to find him.” Buffy cried as tears fall down her cheeks. “He was never supposed to go through the portal alone.”

“There must be some way of tracking him.” Faith replied. “There must be some way of getting your boy back Buffy.”

“I could try a locating spell but there’s no telling if Tristan is even in this dimension.” Willow explained as tears began falling down her cheeks too, fearing she may have lost her nephew and taken Buffy’s son from her forever.

“So, he’s just gone?” Faith asked in complete disbelief to the situation as she looked over at a clearly broken Buffy.

Tristan and Faith walked into Tristan and Dante’s demonic dive bar side by side and instantly Faith could see all the customers’ eyes on her some demons looking at her with haters, some monsters looking at her with curiosity in their eyes and some vampires looking at her with simple hunger.

“I must admit I was a pretty big fan of your early work i.e. poisoning the vampire Angelus, torturing Buffy Summers and your work with Mayor Richard Wilkins albeit on the failed ascension.” Tristan said to her as the two of them walked over to the bar counter. “Last I heard anything from you there was a Buffy body swap and the end of Sunnydale which you had some kind of involvement with although rumor has it, you’re back playing on the good team these days.”

“See that right there is why I tend not to like keeping people alive I mean tongues can’t wag if they’ve been removed am I right?” Faith replied hoping Tristan would buy her bluff. “Word is out you the leader of this uprising in New York and I though I’d see if I could join the party.”

“An uprising you say,” Tristan responded with a stern poker face. “And just where did you here something of this topic?”

“You know as well as I do monsters just love to talk.” Faith lied.

“Yeah and so do slayers,” Tristan retorted. “Did she send you here?”

“Let me guess she is the big bad Buffy clearly your gossips are slow because her and me don’t get along something to do with me constantly trying to kill her and that one time I slept with her boyfriend.” Faith admitted to Tristan using the truth to her advantage.

“I was told you helped her defeat the first back when Sunnydale was still a town and not the second Grand Canyon.” Tristan revealed to try and suss Faith out.

“Here if I was fighting on team Sunnydale then there’d still be a Sunnydale.” Faith boasted.

“You make a rather fair point there,” Tristan said before ushering the vampire bartender to pour him and Faith shots leaving it on the bar counter in front of them both. “I’ve heard a lot about you mostly nothing as of late and I’m worried you won’t be able to keep up with let’s say current events.”

“Try me!” Faith replied before downing her shot and slamming the glass back down on the counter.

“Tell me Faith what is it that you want?” Tristan asked before taking his shot.

“A partnership of sorts one that I reckon you’d benefit from when Buffy does eventually come to town.” Faith revealed as Tristan placed his glass on the counter.

“I tend not to play very well with slayers in fact one could say I loathe your kind.” Tristan admitted to her.

“Yeah well if you ever want to take the biggest baddest slayer down then your going to need me on side because trust me when I say Buffy’s a hard kill and even when you do kill her she has this annoying little tendency to come back from the dead.” Faith said trying to make Tristan see he needed her on his team.

“Don’t mean this as a dig because I do admire your previous work but me aligning myself with someone who tried and failed to take Buffy down makes absolutely no sense.” Tristan told her while ushering his vampire bartender to refill their shot glasses. “I reckon I’d be successful taking her down without any assistance.”

“I was that stupid once too,” Faith laughed before downing her second shit. “That kind of stupidity gets your ass in a coma actually it got my ass in multiple comas. You may think you’ve got your shit together, but Buffy really is something else there’s a reason she’s considered the best whether I like to admit it or not.”

“Yeah well she hasn’t met me yet.” Tristan replied smugly before downing his second shot as his lover Dante appeared from the back of the bar immediately noticing Tristan drinking with Faith.

“Tristan it can’t hurt to have another on your side you know I’d never doubt you but Faith clearly has more experience in this particular field and we can’t be missing an opportunity to work alongside a slayer while we set out to wipe this world of all slayers.” Dante butted in making it clear he was keen to have Faith on side.

“My boyfriend speaks sense,” Tristan admitted to Faith. “But the thing is I don’t trust you.”

“You’d be wise not trusting me kid in fact you’d be wise not trusting anyone but like your lover told you I’m your best shot at taking B down when she comes to New York.” Faith put it rather bluntly.

“I say we let her live and if she doesn’t live up to her reputation then we kill her.” Dante suggested to Tristan.

“Fine!” Tristan reluctantly agreed.

After a few more drinks at Tristan and Dante’s demonic dive bar Tristan decided to take Faith out for a walk and by this time day had once again became night as they continued walking through the city before walking down a dark alleyway together neither resistant of the other, each probably certain they could take the other with only one of them going to be right if it came to that.

“So, why have you been living so bloody quietly all this time?” Tristan asked her.

“Honestly recovering from my last showdown with Buffy it may make me sound like a little bitch, but that girl took a lot out of me.” Faith told him as they continued to walk further down the alleyway.

“You see I’ve never had any issue killing anyone it’s so easy to me that I eagerly await with anticipation the day someone actually proves them to be a challenge.” Tristan openly admitted to the slayer. “Dante often thinks I’m a fool for not fearing her but in truth I long for a fight where my victory isn’t totally guaranteed.”

“Well Buffy’s quite the opponent she has taken down everything that’s got in her path and we’re talking The Master, Angelus, The Mayor, some cyborg dude, a freaking god, her own wicked best friend and let us not forget the first freaking evil.” Faith reminded him.

“You really do amuse me Faith.” Tristan said with a sinister laugh as a group of vampires began to appear from out of the shadows circling the two of them. “However, I can’t help but feel this fear of her has made you weak so consider this a challenge being set. Kill everyone of these vampires then join me back at the bar for a drink and I will question you no further and if they kill you then I guess they’re the ones who will be having that drink.”

“All your going to have is a bunch of dusted lackeys.” Faith told him as she looked around at the vampires circling her knowing she could take them.

“Don’t worry all of these vampires are completely expendable to me I never use the best for such trivial experiments.” Tristan admitted.

“Okay now I’m offended.” Faith retorted before changing towards the vampires in front of her.

Faith stormed back into the demonic dive bar about an hour later after being set a trap by Tristan to find Dante and Tristan behind the bar passionately kissing only to stop upon her arrival.

“Next time you want to give me a test kid make sure it’s worth my while.” Faith said to Tristan as she walked over to the counter.

“Well it was definitely worth my time no mediocre slayer would’ve came out of that alleyway alive.” Tristan replied to her making it clear he was impressed.

“Did you seriously try to get her killed?” Dante asked his lover making clear he wasn’t in on Tristan’s plans. “We’ve made an alliance with her which means you can’t go around trying to kill her not while the alliance stands anyways.”

“She’s still alive isn’t she if I wanted her dead, I would’ve seen to it myself I was simply just testing the woman.” Tristan told Dante sternly neither lover impressed with the other.

“I totally get it I would’ve tested me out too if I were in your shoes.” Faith admitted trying to break the ice between the vampire and his slayer loathing lover.

“You might actually become the first slayer on this earth I don’t actually want to see dead.” Tristan complimented her before his three vampire minions came bursting through the door holding a bloody and barely conscious girl between them immediately making Faith panic for the defenseless girl.

“Now what do we have here boys?” Dante asked his minions while Faith tried to remain cool.

“Another slayer,” One of them replied while another looked at Tristan and asked. “Shall we prepare the darts boss?”

“Yes,” Tristan answered them before looking at Faith sinisterly. “I say we let my new acquaintance pick out the poison for this beauty.”

“Poison?” Faith wondered while fearing the answer.

“You’re going to love this game!” Tristan said sadistically with an excited smile on his face.

Following her ordeal with Tristan and Dante, Faith returned to her motel room only to find Angel sitting on the edge of the bed waiting for her as she walked in.

“You took your time checking in I was beginning to get worried.” Angel admitted to Faith as he stood up to face her.

“Yeah well as it turns out this particular operation is very hands on.” Faith replied. “You know I hate to be that girl but I kind of like this Tristan guy I mean I know he’s a raging psychopath with some serious slayer issues but other than that he seems pretty cool to hang with.”

“Does that mean you’ve earned their trust then or am I having to worry about you now.” Angel joked with her.

“Yeah but they’re currently torturing the hell out of a slayer while we’re stood here talking so I guess it’s time to switch up the game plan.” Faith revealed to him.

“How did they get their hands on another slayer so quickly?” He asked her. “You don’t think they could be setting up a trap.”

“Well I wouldn’t be surprised if they were testing me with this slayer but unless we act fast an innocent girl could very well be about to die.” Faith warned the vampire with a soul.

“You’ve come a long way faith.” Angel said with a smile, proud of his friend.

“I told some lie about needing to change after dusting vamps so I don’t really have much time before I need to head back so in the mean time you need to call for some back up because something tells me your right about them being hard work.” Faith told him. “Even if the lovers aren’t, they’ve got a bar full of creatures ready to back them up.”

“Good plan but Faith please promise me you’ll be careful.” Angel replied to her.

“I always am.” She answered knowing her words were untrue.

Following her de-brief with Angel, Faith returned to the demonic bar fearing what she could be walking into only to be left horrified upon arriving as she found Tristan throwing darts onto his latest dartboard the tied-up girl from earlier.

“Who sent you?” He asked before launching another dart into the girl’s chest causing her to scream.

“Nobody sent me I promise,” The girl cried. “Please just let me go I won’t tell anyone.”

Faith stood there reluctantly watching as Tristan threw another dart at the girl this time the dart launching into her leg as her screams clearly amused the troubled raven-haired man.

“You’ll have to forgive us for not waiting for you,” Dante said to Faith as he walked over to greet her. “Tristan tends to get carried away with himself sometimes and the customers just love it when he lets his hair down.”

“I bet they do.” Faith replied while looking over at Tristan who clocks her and walks over to the undercover slayer.

“Would you like a shot?” Tristan asked while holding out a dart in Faith’s direction.

“Don’t mind if I do.” Faith responded before taking the dart off Tristan and walking towards the injured girl.

She stood in front of the human dartboard for a second in disbelief over the situation she had found herself in before spinning around and changing direction as she threw the dart towards Tristan who quickly caught it in his hand stopping it from hitting his head.

“I guess Buffy really did break you more than you let on.” Tristan said with a disappointed sigh before throwing the dart to the ground. “Oh well I guess I’ll just have to kill you after all.”

Just as Tristan, Dante and their customers began circling her Angel burst through the front door instantly staking two of the three vampire minions before taking down the third leaving nothing but the dust of Tristan’s minions.

“Good,” Tristan replied with excitement while looking over at Angel. “You brought back up.”

Faith and Angel instantly began fighting their way through the crowd of demons, vampires and monsters killing whatever came in their way while Dante grabbed a hold of Tristan and started dragging him towards the exit clearly eager to flee the scene.

“What the bloody hell are you playing at?” Tristan asked while pushing Dante away. “Things are just starting to get interesting around here.”

“Tristan that’s bloody Angelus.” Dante snapped at his lover while Faith and Angel continued to slay, beat and murder their way through Tristan and Dante’s customers.

“That’s exactly why we should stay.” Tristan replied as Illyria burst through the front door grabbing a vampire’s head with both hands before decapitating the female vampire with her bare hands causing the vampire to turn to dust as Dante looked on in horror at the goddess effortless brutality.

“That’s Illyria.” Dante revealed while trembling in fear.

“Okay now we can run.” Tristan gave in as the two of them ran out through the back of bar which Faith noticed and decided to chase after them.

“You don’t have to go with him Tristan.” Faith shouted after following Tristan and his vampire boyfriend out into the alleyway in which Faith and Tristan first met.

“I’m with him because I want to be I’m on the right side here Faith it’s a shame you’re not with us it really is but there’s no redeeming me nor do I understand why anyone would want to when I’m perfect just the way I am.” Tristan replied to her.

“Okay that’s fair enough can’t say I didn’t offer but before I kill you before tell me what the bloody hell are you?” Faith asked him eager to know the answer.

“Your asking the wrong question Faith you shouldn’t be asking me what I am you should be asking me who I am.” He revealed to her leaving her confused over what was the meaning behind those words.

Faith, Angel and Illyria walked back into Faith’s motel room after a successful night of slaying demons, dusting vampires and killing as many enemies as possible and although Faith was glad to save the girl and cut down Dante and Tristan’s army she could help but think about what Tristan had said while frustrated she didn’t manage to get them both.

“That girl was nothing more than your average blood bag,” Illyria scoffed. “It would only take a second to see now power resided within her.”

“Well blue I was kind of busy trying to save her to evaluate her.” Faith replied before throwing herself down on her motel bed.

“If you sense her power what did you sense from Tristan?” Angel asked the blue haired goddess.

“Power a lot of which still dormant but more power than your average human,” Illyria explained to them both. “The raven-haired man is no slayer or blood sucker, but he is something I recognize but just can’t quite work it out, yet his concubine however is just your average blood sucker nothing particularly impressive about him.”

“Except for Dante’s lineage.” Angel said to which Illyria scoffed at. “So, what the bloody hell is Tristan then?”

“That’s not the question we should be asking though,” Faith revealed to them both as she sat up on the edge of her bed. “We don’t need to find out what he is we need to find out who he is.”

Tristan and Dante walked back into the remains of their demonic dive bar only to see the destruction left by Faith, Angel and Illyria as bodies of monsters and dust from killed vampires lay scattered across the floor leaving them both furious to see the state of their once thriving empire.

“So, a slayer, a vampire and a goddess walk into a bar.” Tristan joked.

“This is not funny Tristan we could’ve wound up dead tonight if we stayed here any longer.” Dante told him in a bid to try and make Tristan see some sense.

“You’re exaggerating there a little babe,” Tristan replied. “So, I underestimated her and didn’t expect her to have back up especially not the kind of back up she came with, but we are far from down and out.”

“Tristan if we go up against them again, we’ll wind up dead.” Dante warned his overconfident lover. “I love you Tristan and it’s that love for you that stops me from wanting to see you dead.”

“And I love you too Dante,” Tristan responded before kissing his boyfriend. “But I’d never love a coward so don’t start acting like one now. I need this fight whether I win or lose I need it.”

“Oh, what the hell,” Dante sighed before kissing Tristan once again. “If we’re going to go out, we may as well go out in style.”

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stahlop · 5 years ago

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Once Upon a Time 1x09 “True North” Review

Reviews 1x01 1x02 1x03 1x04 1x05 1x06 1x07 1x08

Yeah, this episode was not that great. Hansel and Gretel is one of my favorite fairy tales and I did not like the way this was presented. I did, however, love the Blind Witch, but I’m also a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, so seeing Emma Caulfield on my screen in any way, shape, or form is great. But her Blind Witch was so creepy and just amazing to watch. We also get an outsider invading our fair Storybrooke. I wonder what he will eventually bring to the table.

Synopsis: Emma tries to prevent homeless twins from being sent to foster care by finding their father. In the Enchanted Forest, the Evil Queen sends Hansel and Gretel to the Blind Witch’s house to retrieve something that was stolen from her.

Opening: Gingerbread House

New Characters:

Ava and Nicholas/Gretel and Hansel: Considering these two are the focus of the episode, there really isn’t much to say about them. They are twins (although Ava/Gretel seems much older than Nicholas/Hansel) who are homeless, having lost their mother years ago. They go to school with Henry and he wants to help them out, even though they were going to frame him for shoplifting, because he doesn’t have any friends. They are afraid of being separated, which, fair. And, while we get a little bit of tension on whether they would make it over the Storybrooke border, they end up reunited with the father they never knew they had and get their happy ending.

Hansel and Gretel are a bit more interesting than their SB counterparts. Again, Gretel seems to be the one in charge. They have a loving relationship with their father, and everything is hunky-dory until they lose their father and the Evil Queen finds them. EQ thinks they have spunk and bravery so she sends them to retrieve something from the Blind Witch’s house in exchange for finding their father for them. And at the gingerbread house, we see exactly which twin got the brains and which one didn’t, as Hansel decides to take a huge bite of cupcake when they were specifically told not to eat anything in the house (and this after he tried to take a piece of candy from the front of the house before they even went in). Hansel and Gretel get locked in a cage and Gretel pretends to be Hansel because Hansel is too scared to go through with the plan Gretel thought up for them. Hansel then trips, making the witch realize she actually caught two children and not just one, and they manage to get her onto her cooking rack and throw her in the oven. I’m sorry, but Hansel is a serious waste of space. They bring back the satchel to EQ who offers them the opportunity to live with them. Hansel’s like ‘cool’ and Gretel’s like ‘you promised to help us find our father.’ So now EQ sends them to the forest with the promise that they can be together if they can find their father. Never make deals with Evil Queen’s children. They never keep their promises.

Woodcutter/Michael Tillman: We don’t know much about the woodcutter. We know he loves his children so much that he gives them his compass to always find him, unlike the Grimm fairy tale which you can read here. We also find out that he was captured by EQ, for what purpose we don’t know.

Michael Tillman has no idea that he is a father. His cursed memories state that he met the twins’ mother on a camping trip where he also lost his compass, the same one the twins keep on them as a reminder of their mother. He wants nothing to do with the twins because he doesn’t know how to be a father. But when Emma calls him to ‘tow’ her car at the end of the episode, he sees the children, thus having found them, and thus EQ’s promise comes true, and they are allowed to be reunited with each other.

Blind Witch: By far the best new character we’ve seen lately. Too bad she died. The actress did an amazing job with the little amount she got to do. I really would’ve liked more background on why she ate children and how she became blind. She was thoroughly equal parts creepy and campy.

Mr. Clarke: We don’t see much of Mr. Clarke who runs the drug store the kids were caught shoplifting at, but we can determine that he is Sneezy from the seven dwarfs (how appropriate, the sick one runs the drug store).

The Stranger: We know nothing about the stranger who comes at the end of the episode except that he drives a motorcycle and has some kind of box strapped to the back of his bike. Since Henry says strangers can’t come into Storybrooke, must he originally be from the Enchanted Forest? I guess we will find out.

Character Observations:

Emma: This is a very Emma heavy episode. Emma is dealing with her past and present demons. Her past demons in the form of the twins having to go to social services and group homes, something she experienced herself and she never wants anyone else to experience. Her present demons in the form of Michael Tillman being there for his kids when she is trying to be there for Henry as the parent that abandoned him. Emma understands Ava and Nicholas because she’s been there. She was raised in the foster care system. She knows that many of those people are doing it for the money. She’s also knows what it’s like to have to steal for survival (maybe this is why she was in jail). Emma also understands Michael Tillman in a way. Yes, she already knew she had a child out there that she had given up and this is new information for Michael, but she understands the doubts that having pre-teen children can bring and how she doesn’t feel like she could be a good mother to Henry. Let’s not forget, Emma’s original intention when Henry found her was to bring him back home and go back to her life in Boston. She was never planning on staying. It was only because she suspected Regina was lying to her about loving Henry that got her to stay and try to be his mother. So Emma gets it, but at the same time, she doesn’t get why he wouldn’t even want to meet his children to see if there was anything there. Yes, she ends up forcing his hand, but at the same time, she breaks whatever curse Regina had placed on them so they get to be a family again.

Now, as for lying to Henry about his father, this is total self-preservation on Emma’s part. She obviously does not want to talk about Henry’s father and she wants to give Henry hope that apparently both his parents weren’t messed up people when he was born. I have a feeling this will end up biting Emma in the ass in the future.

Regina/Evil Queen: I actually don’t feel Regina was so bad in this episode. Yes, she insulted Emma every chance she got, but technically, she was doing what should have been done for Ava and Nicholas. I know she was circumventing the sheriff’s job and she had her own agenda, but technically, the twins needed to be with social services if there were no other relatives known or willing to take them in. Although, if people can’t leave Storybrooke, I don’t know how Regina expected them to leave, unless she knows that Emma can leave without consequence.

And the Evil Queen gave us some depth this episode as well! We see that EQ doesn’t care if you’re a child or not, being in her forest will have consequences. But she is impressed by Hansel and Gretel’s bravery, so she sends them on a mission to steal something for her from the Blind Witch, which we find out is an apple. She says that it is ‘something to defeat a wicked and powerful enemy’ and later on “is a weapon for a very particular and devious enemy.’ Knowing that Snow will eventually fall under the sleeping curse from the apple, EQ really has a lot of hate towards Snow. But, we also see vulnerability in EQ this week. She is so impressed with Hansel and Gretel that she wants them to come live with her and have everything their hearts desire. Then, when she talks to their father, she asks why they wouldn’t want to stay with her when she could give them everything and doesn’t seem to understand why family would be more important than material things. Now, if we hadn’t seen EQ’s father before, I might have understood why this confused her so much, but we know that EQ’s father loved her so much that he basically died for her so she could get her revenge. So how does she not understand why Hansel and Gretel would rather be with their father who loves them rather than live with her and only have material possessions?

Gold: Again, not much Gold in this episode, but he does help Emma find Michael Tillman through the compass. Since the card was blank, does that mean that Rumplestiltskin procured it for him in the EF, did he have some sort of premonition about it, or was it just something the curse provided for him? However he knew, it is obvious that he gave Emma the name, not for her forgiveness or tolerance as he so claimed, but as a way to thwart Regina.

Henry: Poor Henry, he is so happy when Ava starts talking to him in the drug store, and then devastated when he discovers they were using him to shoplift. Of course Henry wouldn’t have any friends his age, he’s the only kid that’s allowed to grow up. But it seems he has some friends now. Hopefully, we’ll see more of Ava and Nicholas in the future. As for the lie Henry is told about his father, he seems happy knowing that his father was a hero. I have a feeling that he will discover the truth someday though. Otherwise we wouldn’t have had Emma tell Mary Margaret that she lied. Also, another reminder that no one can leave or enter the town.

Mary Margaret: I understand not knowing about other student’s home lives (hell, I didn’t know about most of my students’ home lives unless they told me or it was serious enough that a memo was sent out), but not realizing that social services may not be the way to go is naive. But she is right, not all foster and group homes are terrible. Emma just got the raw end of the deal, so to speak. But her talk with Emma at the end was so heartbreaking; being that close to her daughter and not knowing it. I can’t wait to see how Mary Margaret and Emma react to each other when the curse is finally broken.

Questions:

How old are Ava and Nicholas supposed to be? I’d wager a year or so older than Henry, so 11 or 12? They still go to the same school as Henry, since Mary Margaret has seen them around and Henry is in 5th grade, so 6th or 7th grade? Is it a K-8 school?

How do they afford school uniforms? Are they free? And where do they get their regular clothes from, and their school supplies? Is all that just built into the curse?

Has Henry been the only student to age? No one ages in Storybrooke because time didn’t move. So he would have different classmates every year. How in the hell did Regina think she was going to explain that? Sorry, all your classmates failed again and you’re the only one moving up?

Also, did the teachers teach the same thing everyday if time didn’t move? Did Henry learn about the birds and made a birdhouse everyday until Emma came and started up time?

Can the mayor take the only copy of the twins birth certificate? Wouldn’t they have made her a copy instead?

How are all the foster and group homes in the state of Maine full? Is this really a thing that can happen? Did they actually call every single one or was this another ploy from Regina to separate the twins?

I get that Gretel was focused on getting the satchel, but did she really not notice the absolutely huge pile of bones right in front of her?

Aren’t blind people supposed to have heightened senses since they don’t have sight? Maybe she didn’t become blind until later in life (studies show people who become blind later in life don’t usually have the heightened hearing).

How did the Blind Witch get the apple? What was she planning on using it for? Did it already have the sleeping curse infused in it? Is that why Regina needed that particular apple?

It is heavily implied that EQ can see what is going on through other people’s mirror, as evidenced by her looking through the Blind Witch’s mirror. So how did she see Snow in the woods with the dwarfs? Are there random mirrors in the woods?

Did the Evil Queen kidnap Hansel and Gretel’s father with the explicit intention of using them to get her satchel back from the Blind Watch, or was it a happy coincidence? If not, then why was the woodcutter captured, because he was in the Queen’s Forest?

Observations:

Sneezy runs the drug store.

The Evil Queen has sent several children to their deaths by sending them to retrieve the satchel from the Blind Witch.

Very Pan’s Labyrinth vibe with the not eating the food in the Blind Witch’s house (check out the clip).

Hansel is the dumbest, klutziest kid ever.

Apparently fireballs can go through her magic mirrors to kill the Blind Witch, but not to kill Snow White.

Emma somehow sabotaged the sheriff’s car enough to make it stall out, but not actually need a tow.

Snow White has now met the dwarfs.

The compass starts working when Michael Tillman shows up to help Emma.

Mary Margaret almost looks like she’s going to remember something when she sniffs Emma’s baby blanket, and then doesn’t.

The articles Emma is looking at say this:

7 Year Old Boy Finds Baby On Side of Road

Still No Leads on Deadbeat Parents: Baby Emma Remanded to Foster System

After weeks of futile searching, Emma turned over to Child Services for Care

It seems like Emma was a big deal when she was found if the papers were making such a fuss over her. Seems very unlikely she wouldn’t have been adopted right away (or at least not returned like she told Henry in the first episode) given the news coverage about her.

Henry’s ‘father’ liked pumpkin pie.

Once Upon a Time Firsts:

Emma’s baby blanket

Emma’s foster care experiences

Names:

Ava - in German it possibly means desired.

Nicholas - is the patron saint of many things, including children.

Michael Tillman - the surname Tillman mans husbandman or farmer, basically, someone who works with the earth.

I would like to say that I understand that the writers had to made life tough for Emma by having her have a horrible experience in foster care, but having several friends who are foster parents, several friends who work in social services, and even several former students who had been in a group home, it makes me sad that this is the way Emma’s background is approached. From her experience, she never had a single foster parent who loved or cared for her and it was all about the money from the state. I know there are plenty of people out there who foster because they care for children. I only wish Emma could have been placed with one of those (but then we don’t have her mistrust and walls and all that, I know).

This was the first appearance of Sneezy/Mr. Clark played by Gabe Khouth who, unfortunately, passed this Tuesday, July 23rd. RIP Gabe Khouth.

Please leave comments and reblog!

@searchingwardrobes @thisonesatellite @justbecauseyoubelievesomething

@laschatzi @profdanglaisstuff @mariakov81

#once upon a time #once upon a time rewatch #once upon a time 1x09 #once upon a time true north

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comradesummers · 5 years ago

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8 People To Know

I was tagged by @justletthembehappy . Thank you!!

Name or Nickname: My full name is Naomi, and my nickname is Nom-Nom, which I swear sounds less weird in an Israeli accent. And honestly, only my family calls me that anyway.

Nationality or Country: American, Israeli, and recently German for Holocaust reasons, although I have not yet set foot in Germany (I should probably get on that).

Languages: Hebrew, English, and some Arabic (mostly written Arabic, which is different from spoken Arabic).

Birthday: December 31st (1999) because I’m just that special, lol.

Zodiac: Capricorn

Occupation: Part time used books saleswoman and future full time student (the semester begins in October).

Hobbies: Reading, writing, watching tv, baking, walking long distances, and going on this hellsite to write overly long metas about a 22 year old show.

Fave Book: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay

Fave Movie/Show: My favorite show, it will shock no one to discover, is Buffy the Vampire Slayer. My favorite movie is probably the Blues Brothers.

Fave Color: I believe that all colors are created equal.

Fave Season: Whenever it’s not hot out.

Fave Food: A variety of soups.

Fave Animal: Elephants are cool.

Last Movie I Watched: the Steven Universe movie

Last Song I Listened To: Let It Be, the Aretha Franklin version

Last Book I Read: If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin. And currently making my way through a collection of short stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer.

Meaning Of My URL: It’s a Buffy quote because I couldn’t think of anything clever.

Last Fun Thing I Did: Went to a bar with friends.

Last Purchase I Made: Tomatoes.

My Inspiration/Muse: Buffy Summers. My fifth grade homeroom teacher. ADHD medication. Sleep if I can get it. Am I doing this right?

Dream Destination: Probably Germany, so that I can actually visit the country I am now technically a citizen of (as of like a year ago).

Dream Job: I’m not sure. Something in publishing or academia maybe. Tbh, my dream is for someone to pay me well to read books for a living. It probably won’t work out, so in the meantime I plan on being a student for as long as I can.

I’m tagging: @daisys-quake, @ofstormsandwolves, @baumanhp, @casuallyspookytidalwave, @imaslowlearner-butilearn, @slayers-every-one-of-us, @via-whitmore, @gracenm and anyone else who feels like sharing.

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prose-for-hire · 4 years ago

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The Magic of Tupperware

Pairing: Spike x fem!demon!reader

Request: I'd love to see the Scooby gang's reaction to Spike's gf. He hypes her up to be this strong badass who could kill anyone but when she finally meets the gang everyone's confused cuz she's polite & sweet & cute. On patrol with everyone, Spike is super protective of her which leads to him being kidnapped & then GF shows the gang how badass she is as she hunts down and destroys the ghouls who took Spike (maybe some fluffy care for wounded Spike that clashes with her badassery?)

Requested by: Anon

Warnings: Reader is kinda violent. Violence/fighting. Blood mention.

A/N: It’s the longest I’ve written on here, I always get carried away on a back story.

I took liberties with the demon the reader is (Fae is a catch-all I think I just needed something that wasn’t human and wasn’t vampire lol). Use your imagination if you want to be something else !!

You and spike had met in a demon bar. You appeared human, pointed ears was a myth at least in your lineage, and so he wasn’t really sure what you were doing there. You were descendent from fae. You didn’t have wings or anything to that effect, but a spell had been cast on your eighteenth birthday that meant you had strength, reliant on earthly forces for your power. You hadn’t aged much since then, your skin aged much slower than human. You would live a long life, appearing youthful for centuries at least.

He asked you why you were there – you even smelled human. You explained, hit it off, and you have been together for a while now. You had surprised him and confessed your love for him first, leaving him in awe that you were as invested in the relationship as him. Spike hadn’t introduced you to the Scoobies despite being together for a year, although he told you a lot about them. It didn’t stop him bragging about you at any given opportunity to them either.

Spike now lived with you in your little one-bedroom flat, the crypt had been nice and all but you were becoming inseparable and you wanted to share a cosy place together. You had shipped some necro-tempered glass from the manufacturer in LA and had it installed on the sly so that he could be comfortable. This glass meaning he could be in direct sunlight through the windows.

You were kind. Sweet-tempered for the most part. Your strength was often used for good, but perhaps in a more abstract sense than the Scoobies may agree with. You would do anything for him because you loved him so much and you knew without doubt he felt the same for you. However, especially when it came to him, you had a protective streak and it could get ugly.

One of the many times Spike had gushed about you, had left the Scoobies unsure. One, about the actual legitimacy of this ‘significant other’ they have never even seen after a whole year and two that he actually appeared to gush about you. Like, non-stop. Nobody could shut him up.

Spike had been, once again, punched in the face for his suggestion to a problem that launched him into a rant that turned into talking about you, “She’s gonna sort the lot of you right out. One look and you’ll be trapped in her eyes. She’ll kill you. She’ll bloody torture you and laugh while you writhe on the floor like-” Spike cut himself off, you had told him not to brag about you this way. You liked a little mystery and also, you didn’t enjoy bragging the way he did. You knew the slayer wouldn’t like you if he told them of the ways you had killed various demons that threatened either you or Spike.

There was a new threat in town. A vampire cult. Their goal was to turn people and then ‘elevate’ them as a higher being by torturing them until they sign away their un-life to the cause. They were very powerful and bonded by the violence that would break even the strongest will. It was a massive problem, Buffy and the others had been overwhelmed the last time they had faced the group and had barely got away unscathed. This was why they were going back with reinforcements. Buffy had explained that they really should meet you and also, they needed the numbers. It was hard to tell how big the threat from the group truly was from a vague prophetic dream and a half-translated text.

That evening, you and Spike entered Giles’ home and Spike made a show of introducing you to the others.

“This is y/n” spike said, pride in his voice evident, his eyes never leaving yours as he introduced you to the scoobies. He was besotted with you. Nobody else mattered in the room when you were in it. You were perfect, the sweetest person he had ever met rolled up into the tough exterior of someone who could handle themselves at a rate that could match him.

“What a lovely home you have!” You say sweetly, the sincerity acutely evident to the room, “It’s so nice to finally put faces to the names” you went around and greeted everyone individually as if they were Spike’s friends, a pleasant little smile that read as almost shy to the others.

Buffy squinted at you, on guard, but she was still pleasant. Willow and Tara offered you a smile, telling you they liked your outfit. Xander and Anya were both speechless, which should be a day memorialised for years to come. Neither of them were speechless often. You weren’t what they had expected. They had thought you would at least have scales or something. But you were innocent-looking and incredibly polite as you greeted them. Dawn squealed, instantly thinking you were the coolest. Spike had told her so many stories and she had tried twice to follow him to where you lived without luck.

“Oh, uh, well yes. Welcome” Giles sputtered; you were exactly nothing like he had pictured. Xander, Buffy and Willow just stared in shock. You spoke for a while, friendly small-talk with the group that was genuine. You really did want to hear about them, meeting new people was always interesting to you. You were a perfect sweetheart, by all accounts, and nobody could understand how you and Spike had even happened. You opened your mouth to tell them something before someone spoke over you.

“You are not like how Spike described. I don’t believe you could have fought five vampires and a fyarl demon by yourself” the woman, Anya, said bluntly finally finding her voice.

“I’ll take that as a compliment. I think” You offer with a pleasant smile, trying to figure out how to phrase what you wanted to say, “He’s said a lot about you all, he, uh- he uh- barely stops talking about you” You finish awkwardly, still smiling at the group. Spike hadn’t told you anything particularly good about any of them, so you couldn’t say you had heard good things. You didn’t tend to lie.

“Love!” He warned, trying to get you to be quiet but you giggled softly and he melted. He pulled you into his side, wrapping his arm around you and making sure he was in contact with you.

“Sorry, I didn’t want to tell them you’re usually threatening to kill them” you whispered in his ear, punctuating your words with a soft kiss next to his ear, making him smile. He loved that you cared so much that you’d protect him from them threatening him if they found out about that.

“Um, so, patrol then?” Xander asked, not able to stop staring at you much to Anya’s annoyance, leaving Buffy to take control. You would all descend on the graveyard in question together before splitting off into smaller groups to find the threat.

As you all walked towards one of Sunnydale’s many graveyards, you felt a few questioning glances on you and then on the tub you were holding. It was as if they were expecting you to turn on them at any moment. You slowly started to open the lid, their eyes widening in case they needed to fight.

“Oh! I brought snacks! Can’t patrol without cookies” You smiled, offering the younger group some homemade cookies, you had wanted to make a good impression. Spike rolled his eyes at your nature but took one for himself. They were his favourite kind and you had baked them with this in mind. Everyone delved into the tub you brought along with you, grinning wide, except Giles and Buffy. They were a little more wary of you.

Everyone was told to split up. Spike looked at you, silently threatening Buffy to try and split you both up. You and he took the west and the others squabbled among themselves for who would be with who. You left them to it. You walked for a little while, giggling and talking softly as you both were simultaneously hyper-aware of movement around you. Spike heard something and went behind an old mausoleum to check as you walked a little ahead slowly, so that he could catch up.

You were tough. A fighter. One with the elements. One thing that you never quite mastered, however, was the element of surprise. Instead, they had surprised you. Meaning you were caught without so much as a defensive stance at the ready.

“Get off!” You shouted as you were ambushed by several more. It had surprised you, usually you could handle it.

“Mm, this one’s for turning” one spoke as they kept your hands behind your back. One stroked your cheek, liking the fight you displayed. Spike ran up to them, having heard the struggle.

“You don’t lay a bloody finger on her, mate!” Spike shouted, anger lacing his voice, his temper would never cool with the vamps threatening you. Leering. Talking of siring you. Offering something so intimate. It was worse than propositioning sex.

He didn’t wait for the others, who were making their way towards the fight, he just took them on. They dropped you, but everything went slow motion. As you turned around, ready to fight alongside your love, they disappeared as if out of thin air with Spike.

You screamed bloody murder. Looking around, realising they had used some kind of transportation magic. You could feel it. Stupid cults and their powers. They were stronger because there was so many of them. You kicked the dirt where they had been only moments before in anger before turning to the rest of the group who had managed to get themselves over to where you were about two minutes too late. You couldn’t help snapping. Insulting Buffy, the supposed Slayer, for her horrible plan.

“Splitting up never works! You left him to be taken!” You stated, exasperated you had gone along with it just to be polite, “I’ll have to do it myself – here, hold my Tupperware” You start to get mad towards the real target, throwing the object towards Xander who catches it, eyes wide at your change in demeanour. How dare they take your Spike?!

You close your eyes, contacting the elements. Your fae ancestors working with you. You needed to find him and fast. You didn’t like the sound of being signed over to them yourself, much less your soulmate. You started to stalk off, trusting you were being pulled in the right direction. Knowing your ancestors approved of Spike, knew that you needed to be with him. You could tell the group was following you as you turned your pace into a run. You needed to get to him. Fast.

When you arrived at an abandoned warehouse, after a while of almost non-stop running to the outskirts of the town, you sensed there were seven. Seven horrible, evil beings holding your Spike hostage. This wouldn’t do. Couldn’t do. You needed him. You knew he would be fighting well himself, against whatever hold they had on him, but you needed to get in there. Giles tried to get you all to hang back, regroup. But you ignored him. There was a time and a place for pleasantries. You were probably older than him anyway in reality.

Instead, you charged in. A head start on everyone and you were faster than most. They had been torturing him for not breaking and joining them. They had started to threaten him with you, saying they would do worse to you. You saw Spike tied up, horrible angry wounds marked his body. His chest was bare, face bloody and not from a meal. It was his blood. This enraged you. Blood boiling thick and gelatinous in your veins. They had to pay. At a speed faster than the evil group could get their bearings, you were running at them fists raised.

You took the first three out with ease, working on pure rage. The next was more of a struggle as they rounded on you. Spike struggled against his restraints so he could join you in the fight, but he was weakened from the pain they had inflicted. You were tackled by one, restrained your arms above your head. You spat in the vamps face, kneeing him in the groin which loosened his hold on you enough to move from under him and dust him.

By the time you had recovered and were spinning into a brutal kick towards the fifth, the Scoobies had all made it into the warehouse behind you. Ready to fight. But you didn’t give them chance. You were working on pure rage. You took two long knives from your waistband, concealed in a way that not even Buffy had spotted as you cut the rest down mercilessly. Decapitating the final two and leaving them to turn to dust.

The scoobies stared in shock. Each mouth open wide in a mix of awe and horror. Half expecting you to turn on them. But you had no need to hurt them, for the most part they tolerated Spike. The day they didn’t and they started hurting him, was the day they should be scared (Spike had never told you the way Buffy had a tendency to beat him up for this very reason. You were strong, but taking on a Slayer would worry him too much – she tended to bounce back even after death).

You dusted your hands off, a satisfied little smile that Spike found adorable before your face drained, you needed to check on Spike. Tend to him. You rushed towards him, he had managed to escape the restraints while you distracted the group by, well, killing them. He had slid down the wall, sitting against it for support – the wounds still seeping blood and he appeared to be a little dazed. You were worried, his face had started to swell.

“Oh, sweetheart… look at you” tears started to well in your eyes at the state he was in. You wanted him well again. You leaned in, a small kiss pressed to his cut lips. The brief kiss telling him how proud you were to him for protecting you, how grateful you were to him and how much you loved him. Would always love him. You were a team and he was so glad you were there with him. Had come straight to get him. He wasn’t sure how long he would have lasted otherwise. He was just glad they had taken him instead of you. He would give himself time and again just so it had been him half-tortured rather than you.

Everyone appeared to have whiplash from your emotions running through so quickly. You had switched from sweet and caring to tough and scary before being back at caring again.

“Tupperware!” You shouted over to the boy who awkwardly fumbled with the tub and threw it back to you. You close your eyes, imagining what you needed to be in there before opening it and magically, it appeared just as you dreamt it. A first aid kit and a little herbal remedy for him to drink. It was items you had transported from your house into the tub. Your strengths were many.

You doted on him. Your touch so light, soothing. You never wanted to cause him pain. You cleaned him up, held him as much as you could without hurting him. The scoobies were at a loss. You were like two opposites, soft and gooey but with hard edges.

You took him back to your shared home, doting on him until he was well enough again. You snuggled up to him, caring for him and occasionally keeping the Scoobies happy (and away from Spike) by helping them instead of him out patrolling, putting his un-life at risk.

You didn’t want him in any danger, knowing that he would always protect you in the way you protected him.

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thunderheadfred · 6 years ago

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Why I Love Spike But Also Hate Him A Lot: an unsolicited essay by me

OR: Why I personally relate to blood-sucking poseurs OR: dude what if I ever got high enough to rewrite season six?

(under a cut because this goes on for a while. also discourse frightens me)

Okay. I’m like twenty years late. But I’ve been rewatching BtVS s5 during my latest depression spiral and wandering against my better judgement into the Spuffy fic verse. Disclaimer that my grasp of the series’ larger canon is meh at best, and frankly I don’t care.

As usual, I have too many thoughts.

Spike is, hands-down, my favorite character on this show. Maybe one of my favorite characters, period. He’s just... good to watch. But listen. Secret poet or no, he was never an inherently good person. Meek and shy does not equal Buffy’s equal. I squirm at this apparently massively popular canon interpretation of his human character as some kind of adorable perfect cherub, as if William the Dipshit Poet is somehow preferable to Spike the Complicated Murderer or like, we should just automatically assume that cute shy white people who lived in 1880 London are default Lawful Good when in fact... ahahaa haaaa YIKES COLONIALISM?

I actually think the reason Spike is “more human” than other vampires (in the weird, contradictory Buffy soul-canon) is exactly because William was not Pure, he was a Pratt. Sweet? I guess. Loves his mum? He’s got that going for him. But that guy?? Is not Buffy’s long-lost true love, not a weepy ghost to be shoved into Spike’s Billy Idol cosplay bod at the last minute. In a show that, at its best, tries to give us a protagonist who fundamentally believes we must always make the choice to keep living mindfully, accountably, and with purpose... we get a love interest who is... Spike. A guy who, until the very end of his arc, acts as though he has zero fucking free will. Even though, through a combo of deliciously fun and inconsistent writing, Spike is apparently the only vampire in the Buffyverse who does.

I’ll get to that but first, let’s accept for a minute that Free Will + Buffy = good, and people who roll over and say “I had no choice” + Buffy = Mr. Pointy. This counts for her friends too, (*coughWILLOWcough*) and it’s one of the reasons I love the show despite its many textual problems. As a character piece, it’s great. People fail to take accountability for their behavior all the time. It’s an extraordinarily human flaw, one that rarely equals automatically evil, and I love that it can bite characters on the side of good, too. But that’s not the point of this, oh shit!

Okay. William, cute glasses aside, has no free will. He didn’t even sign up for the vampire thing, he just wanted to get felt up by a pretty girl who saw him cry and didn’t laugh at him. At every point, he was an immature, weak-willed, naive dreamer type who wanted nothing more than to be validated by his shitty friends. The vampirism made him a killer, yeah. But it also inadvertently gave a cowardly nobody a lot of good qualities. Now he’s a weirdly observant, relentlessly optimistic, fun-loving, sexually secure Cool Guy who gave up poetry for punk... but still tries too hard to impress his shitty friends. Basically, being a vampire made this guy a happier-but-still-undeniably-crappy version of himself, especially... considering all the murder.

But now, let us transparently and metaphorically link cartoonish Vamp!Murder to addiction. Because wow, death in BtVS is either a manipulative authorial gut-punch or a dumb joke, and either way, it’s almost impossible to take seriously in this show, so let’s not.

How to make a remorseless bloodsucking fiend out of of “boo hoo I’m a bad writer and I wish some jerks thought I was cool?” Ha ha you can’t! Turns out you basically recreate my early twenties but with more murder. Spike is a socially-dependent ADHD art school reject on a century-long avoidance bender. He’s a codependent, moon-eyed boyfriend who learns how to aggressively project not caring while caring Far Too Much, all while clinging to aesthetic as an identity. ALTHOUGH let us not deny that he 100% enjoyed all the killing - wtf so much killing - because for vampires, killing equals pleasure, and charming, “happy” addicts always justify the comforts of their vices. He talks the talk cuz fitting in is his whole deal, but he’s not actually in it for chaos and destruction or any high-falutin’ evil reason, or even really for eating delicious ladies but because, in the end, it feels good and the only girlfriend he’s ever had thinks eating people is cool. Even his whole (gorgeous, splendid to watch) episode-long speech about killing two slayers was written more for Buffy’s character arc than his; we don’t really know why he killed the slayers other than like, “Because they had a death wish I guess. Side note: it was fun.”

There wasn’t much legitimately vengeful or hateful stuff in sad little William for demon!Spike to work with, and apparently William’s soul-or-whatever moved about twelve inches over his left shoulder and stayed there, occasionally poking him for the next hundred years. So it should shock no one that he immediately switches sides when a) his girlfriend dumps him, b) his addiction suddenly hurts, and c) it’s time to impress a new friend group.

I get that Spike’s whole soul-getting between s6 and s7 has been interpreted in fanon as a grand romantic sacrifice (ehhhhhhhhhhhh) and I get why that’s tempting, but the show itself bungled that up way bad and I just can’t get behind it. R*pe idiocy aside, making it ultimately all about Buffy just kinda cheapens what could have been a really fucking powerful redemption arc, one that would have led to a far more satisfying love story. Especially from Buffy’s perspective.

Okay listen.

We have a guy who has been playing the “duh, Vampire!” card for a century, pleasure-seeking and self-centered, pandering to various peer groups, murderous or otherwise, a happy addict, impervious to change. So when finally, after a HUNDRED SODDING YEARS of being a soulless, hilarious dick, Spike has consequences shoved into his gray matter by the government, he doesn’t change. At all. He just starts obsessing over another woman, doing what he thinks she wants. A woman he thinks will give him new pleasures, a new, perpetually fine status quo. But this woman is Buffy, whose identity is rock solid even though her life is constantly full of challenge and change and choices. She “rewards” Spike only when he makes willful, selfless decisions. And the rewards aren’t romantic, either. Not early on. Even in canon, she keeps rejecting him over and over again, for crystal clear reasons. Thank god. Because when he accepts that she’ll never have him, but still does the hard stuff anyway, he’s unwittingly starting to change. It’s not just Buffy. Buffy demands real personhood. Independence. Identity. Choice.

Uh oh. She’s gotten to him, then. Though it starts out selfish, he still makes a CHOICE. Quite literally, he takes on the pain of self-improvement - first by embracing the consequences of his chip, later by going on his fancy sparkly soul quest. Buffy is the catalyst, no doubt, because once a poet always a poet and girls are pretty, but Spike’s path to improvement (if not redemption) was already there, laid out nice and neat. His narrative low point, the lightbulb moment that makes him want a soul again, should never have come out of a season of terrible backsliding, culminating in the shower scene we all regret.

It should have been The Gift.

Death isn’t Buffy’s gift. It’s love. And not that simpering, easy kind of love that just says, “there there,” but the hard, truthful love that makes you want to keep getting that goddamn rock from the bottom of the hill. Yes, Spike’s arc should still be about Buffy, it’s Buffy’s show, but it should have been more about the hole she left behind. Not just in Spike but in the world.

What’s left? This latest and greatest group of people who have so far RIGHTLY rejected a demon whose sole motivator seems to be comfort. And maybe when these particular people hit rock bottom, they have enough wisdom to see a monster down in the dark and recognize themselves. Maybe Dawn (whose humanizing effect on Spike has been nearly as important as his obsession with Buffy) shows him that rare, rare thing called Validation. And oh god, he realizes he’s never actually moved beyond trying to sell effulgence to Cecily Whatsherface, that he’s been sitting on his own grave for a hundred years, waiting for someone to coddle and fix him, and now the only woman who might have, the best woman, literally the one girl chosen one above all others... is gone. This would be a good time to die.

Or...

...maybe there is no magic soul cave, maybe he tries to end it and makes the CHOICE not to. Chooses to stay and help, because what else is there? Then BAM! it just slams back into him in a way that hurts like you can’t even believe, because admitting how bad you’ve fucked up is the most painful moment of a lifetime and I’ve lived it and I wish I’d had a hellmouth to jump into, but the Scoobies pull him back, and he takes care of Dawn until life seems to have some meaning again, then Buffy comes out of the earth traumatized and broken and no one is better equipped to help her than a recovering Spike, not because he’s magically her rock but because he’s also learning how to roll his own rock and keep on climbing, because Camus ruined us all for metaphors...

THE END

Anyway. As a recovering addict and toxic person who has been struggling a lot recently... who wants to improve and be able to give more to the people I love, Spike has an arc that just like... cuts me deep, man. Especially because of what should have been.

#I'm also afraid to tag this as anything #haha aaa aa #uh

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sserpicko · 6 years ago

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Which witch show is which?

The arrival of a new trio of Charmed ones and a certain enchanting teen proves that witchy offerings on the big and small screen are no longer relegated to Halloween, or even the month of October. And it’s not hard to see why tales about powerful women fighting persecution through magic resonate so much right now. But with five witch-centered series currently airing or streaming —including the OpenTV web series Brujos and an upcoming Chicago-based show titled Brujas—The A.V. Club decided it was time to take a closer look. Here, we help our readers determine who at least glanced at the Book Of Shadows before conjuring up a story.

The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina (Netflix)

Which witch is this? Honestly, the Satanic Temple had a point when they said CAOS gave Satanists a bad name. Although the Spellman family and their fellow witches and warlocks worship the goat-headed god Baphomet—first conceived by French artist and occultist Éliphas Lévi in 1856, and frequently used as the symbolic incarnation of Satan—the Satanic Church of the Night’s brand of magic has very little in common with the actual Left-Hand Path, as practitioners of so-called “black magic” prefer to call their belief systems. Neither of the major Satanic groups, The Church of Satan and The Satanic Temple, believe in Satan as a literal deity, for one. (There are a few theistic Satanists out there who do believe in an actual devil, but not in great enough numbers to be statistically significant.) And even if they did, they don’t believe in forcing anyone, let alone minors, to join up. They’re all about free will.

The show’s frequent name-checking of ingredients, tools, and deities frequently utilized in real spellcraft, as well as its use of concepts like astral projection and familiars as plot devices, are similarly loose—some might even say nonsensical, from a magical point of view—in their interpretations. If anything, the coven’s ritual cannibalism and practice of signing their names in the Devil’s book are more akin to the rhetoric of witch hunters in early modern Europe, who fed the public salacious (and baseless) tales of midnight orgies and shapeshifting witches in order to justify burning rebellious women at the stake. Of course, there’s not a lot of dramatic tension in an organization whose first guiding principle is “one should strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason,” so it makes sense that the writers of CAOS would take some liberties when designing the show’s fictional witches. But if you’re a fan of the show and meet a real-life Satanist, don’t worry—the most dangerous thing about them is likely to be a libertarian streak. [Katie Rife]

Charmed (The CW)

Which witch is this? There are three in Jennie Snyder Urman’s Charmed reboot: sisters Macy (Madeleine Mantock), Mel (Melonie Diaz), and Maggie (Sarah Jeffery), who discover they’re witches after their mom dies. Their magical abilities have been slightly tweaked; what was once Phoebe’s (original cast member Alyssa Milano) premonition is now Maggie’s telepathy. They’re still strongest when they’re working together, so the Power Of Three remains intact (aww).

But where, exactly, do those powers come from? Well, in its original iteration, Charmed was informed by general Wiccan tenets, e.g., spell-casting, potions, the use of familiars, etc. The Halliwell sisters—played by Milano, Shannen Doherty, and Holly Marie Combs—even had a Book Of Shadows, a similar copy of which was bequeathed to 2018’s Charmed ones. For the most part, the reboot has followed the same path, despite having a male witch in their writers room and the fact that the main characters (if not all of the cast) are Latinx. Season one hasn’t explored brujería much at all, even though there’s a long and rich history of it in Latin America. But the fourth episode, “Exorcise Your Demons,” introduced a bit of Santería, a syncretic Afro-Caribbean religion that draws from Catholicism and Yoruba beliefs, to the world of the Vaughn-Vera siblings. (The incantation was even in Spanish.) But Charmed is still leaving a whole lot of culture untapped while cobbling together a fairly generic form of witchcraft. We mean, if Starz’s Vida can feature a limpia de huevo, Charmed could have a barrida or two. Okay, so maybe that’s more curanderismo than anything, but the fact that we’ve already cited several Latin American-originating practices here proves there’s a lot more where that season-one spell came from. (Incidentally, Vida creator Tanya Saracho is developing a series about Afro-Latinx witches called Brujas). [Danette Chavez]

A Discovery Of Witches (Sundance Now/AMC Shudder)

Which witch is this? The source material for A Discovery Of Witches is Deborah Harkness’ historical-fantasy novel of the same name, which was in turn inspired by Harkness’ work as a historian and her decades-long private research into magic and the occult. The spell-casters on this Sundance Now series are a special brew—they’re informed as much by Harkness’ studies of “the transition from the superstitious Middle Ages to the rational, science-loving Enlightenment” as they are the occult. Dr. Diana Bishop (Teresa Palmer) is a very powerful, very undisciplined witch who’d much rather get tenure at Oxford than join a coven, but soon destiny—and a dreamy vampire played by Matthew Goode—come calling.

Though there aren’t many fun incantations a la Harry Potter, A Discovery Of Witches does touch on alchemy, which once seemed like magic. Much of the story in the first season centers on Ashmole 782, a book that’s more myth than manuscript. As our colleagues at io9 demonstrate, Ashmole 782 doesn’t actually exist, but the works of 17th-century alchemist and astronomer Elias Ashmole do. Harkness really did her homework, drawing inspiration from medieval alchemy, which was full of all kinds of fantastic occurrences and creatures (possibly even including vampires, though probably not ones as hot as Matthew Clairmont). [Danette Chavez]

Legacies (The CW)

Which witch is this? In short, the “just for funsies” kind. In this spinoff of a spinoff of The CW’s long-running supernatural teen series The Vampire Diaries, witchcraft and magic are heritable conditions. That means that you can chant in all the esoteric languages and draw all the arcane symbols you want, but if the blood of ancient magicians doesn’t flow through your veins, you’ll never be able to develop psychokinesis, manipulate time, read minds, or do any of the other cool tricks that the witches on the show can do. That puts Legacies, about a supernatural high school for witches, vampires, and werewolves, closer to Harry Potter or X-Men than any religious form of witchcraft. (The school’s called the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted, for goodness’ sake.)

As for what these witches actually believe, vague gestures are made towards a pagan nature religion akin to Wicca: “I was a witch like you … we believe in the natural order of things,” an undead witch tells the biological daughters she’s never met (don’t ask) in one episode. That being said, the actual mechanics of the spells performed on screen are more reminiscent of the alchemical and theological systems of hermetic magic than Wiccan goddess-worship. Not that it really matters in the context of the show, whose characters spend a lot more time discussing who has a crush on whom than the philosophical underpinnings of the duality between “light” and “dark” magic.

Siempre Bruja (Netflix)

Which witch is this? Caracól Television’s Siempre Bruja, which was inspired by Isidora Chacón’s novel, Yo, Bruja, centers on a time-traveling witch named Carmen (Angely Gaviria). When we first meet her, Carmen is a slave in 17th century Cartagena, who’s on trial for being a witch. She’s condemned to death, but as the flames grow around her at the stake, she begins to chant. Suddenly, she washes ashore in Cartagena some 300 years in the future, where she’s in only slightly less danger. Siempre Bruja is part Buffy The Vampire Slayer, part Outlander—there’s plenty of teen drama mixed in with the time jumps.

Though it’s not referred to by name (at least, not in the first half of season one), there are plenty of clues that suggest Carmen and the other witches in the story are followers of Santería, which has a long history in Colombia. She chants in Lucumí, a variation of Yoruba that’s used as the spiritual language of Santería. (In fact, “Lucumí” can also be used as a synonym for the belief system itself.) Carmen also acts as a curandera, using plants to heal wounds in the past and present. She’s also able to communicate with ghosts, and spiritism is a huge part of Santería.

Source: tv.avclub.com

by Danette Chavez and Katie Rife

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cerastes · 6 years ago

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With all these Belmonts, is there a concise family tree?

Concise, yeah, though not all the details are filled, and some stuff has been left open-ended or simply not enough information was given. The traditional timeline’s canon Belmonts, and their tree, is as follows:

The short answer is Leon -> Trevor -> Christopher -> Soleiyu -> Simon -> Juste -> Richter -> Julius.

The long answer is

Leon Belmont (Lament of Innocence): The earliest known Belmont who went into a vampire fortress alone and unarmed to beat the absolute crap out of whoever it is that kidnapped his wife in the year 1094. A baron who was widely believed to be the strongest knight in Europe, he started the Belmont Clan’s tradition of killing vampires and respecting women. Quotes of his include “I’ll kill you and the night!” and “Mark my words, from today on, I and all my descendants will not give you peace! The Belmont Clan will hunt the night!” which proves that people named ‘Leon’ in PS2 era games are just treasure troves of quotes, and not small time. Actually didn’t fight Dracula! He did best Death, though. He was engaged with Sara Tantroul, but during the Mess that happened during Leon’s adventure, as she was dying, she infused her soul with the Whip of Alchemy, turning it into the Vampire Killer. This means that every Belmont is practically swinging their great great great grandmother at Vampires to beat the utter piss out of them and she couldn’t be happier. Leon later married an unknown woman, which I hope wasn’t too awkward for his now Whip Wife.

Trevor Belmont (Castlevania III and Curse of Darkness): Almost 400 years pass, and in 1476, Trevor becomes the first Belmont to defeat Dracula, alongside future wife Sypha Belnades (a powerful spellcaster from the magic-focused Belnades Clan) and close friends Alucard (that Alucard, Dracula’s son) and Grant Danasty (a noble thief from Wallachia), and then assists a Devil Forgemaster that defected from Dracula’s service named Hector (a very strong and good boy) kill Dracula after Bad Vlad resurrected prematurely. Although an incredible warrior proud of his skills, he is also cautious, and kind of a rude jackass but he has a heart of gold. Has a REALLY good boss theme for when you have to fight him. He also starts in the Castlevania Pachislot game, which has a soundtrack too good for a fucking pachislot game, what the hell.

Christopher Belmont (The Adventure and Belmont’s Revenge): Around a hundred years later, in 1591, Dracula resurrected tougher than ever. Luckily, Christopher Belmont, great-grandson of Trevor, was lifting pretty much every day, so he went and clowned on Dracula. He was very happy about this, and he also very happy that 15 years after this fight, Soleiyu Belmont, his son, was coming of age as a Vampire Hunter. He was going to give him the Vampire Slayer, as per tradition, to make him the main Belmont, BUT THEN, Dracula, the tricky willy, HADN’T ACTUALLY DIED from the fight with Christopher, and had just been left very very weak, but due to this, he couldn’t do anything, so he possessed Soleiyu to recover his power, which Christopher DIDN’T LIKE, so he went at him again. After defeating his son Soleiyu in a duel and freeing him from Bad Vlad’s influence, he went and beat Dracula SO HARD that he did die this time, and for a while at it.

SIMON FUCKING BELMONT (Castlevania, Simon’s Quest, Super Castlevania IV, Harmony of Dissonance, and Chronicles): THE LEGEND HIMSELF. Simon Belmont, the hero of the very first game, and thus, the “first” Belmont in that way. Simon grew up hearing stories and legends of his lineage’s finest feats: His ancestor Trevor, his great-grandfather Christopher, even his grandfather Soleiyu, and always felt anxious of whether or not he was worthy of the name Belmont, worthy enough to be in such a kickass family, always wondered if he would be able to stand up to the expectation. A chance to find the answer to that question would come in 1691, when Dracula revived AGAIN, and Simon, age 22, who had spent his whole life training and becoming a monster truck gijinka, went and absolutely fucking eradicated Dracula, just gave him those kind of punches that send you to another side of the map, blew him across his own throne room as if he was on 200% damage in Smash Bros, just pulverized him. Dracula, however, managed to inflict a wound on his back, and he cursed it with his dying breath. The wound never healed, and Simon just kinda accepted that. 7 years pass and Simon’s all bummed out ‘cause he’s gonna die from this one little fuckin’ nick on his back, when a Mysterious Woman tells him “hey, find Dracula’s body parts and burn them to heal your curse” and he was like “sounds good to me”, so he did, assembled the parts, and ended up reviving Dracula, who immediately looked at Simon and went “Oh bother” before Simon unleashed the mother of all beat downs on him, tore him apart AGAIN, and now burned dismantled Bela Lugosi-looking mother fucker for good measure. This undid the curse, because exorcisms and blessings are weak and inferior to some good ol’ ultraviolence. The Belmont Clan was kinda ostracized before this because people were afraid of their superhuman power, but Simon’s feat of kicking Dracula’s ass, and then reviving him so he could kick his ass even harder was so awe inspiring that the people were like “that’s pretty cool dude!” and now they loved the Belmonts, and Simon became a legend, and a village formed around the Belmont Clan household out of respect for them.

Juste Belmont (Harmony of Dissonance): ...And in this village is where Simon’s grandson, Juste, grew up! Even among Belmonts, Juste was particularly powerful due to his immense aptitude for magic in addition to his factory setting Belmont Strength, owing to the Belnades blood in his lineage. In 1748, his best friend, Maxim Kischine, wanted to prove he was stronger than Juste, so he emulated Simon’s feat from 50 years ago and collected all of Dracula’s body parts (which should have burned but Dracula is tenacious HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO TEACH YOU THIS LESSON, OLD MAN), EXCEPT despite being a formidable lad, Maxim was nowhere near Simon levels of strong, physically or spiritually, so he got possessed by Dracula’s influence, lol. Not Dracula himself, though, he was still VERY dead after Simon got done with him, but his influence lingered in his body parts. Juste is also a very successful IKEA employee and loves interior design, skills he puts at good use in a room in Castlevania for some reason unknown to everyone but him. Despite his kitsch tastes, Juste, as said before, is VERY STRONG, and so he beat the influence right out of Maxim and then killed it AGAIN outside of Juste, all while traversing a physical Castlevania and a spiritual Castlevania brought to quasi-existence by Maxim’s psyche, all the while rescuing their mutual friend Lydie Erlanger. Fun Fact! What Juste kills is Dracula’s influence, not Dracula himself. The final boss, Dracula Wraith, is just the manifestation of his influence after draining power from Maxim (as formidable as the real Dracula, but not actually Dracula), making him and Leon the only two people in this list that didn’t actually kill Dracula. He then likely marries Lydie and they have a no doubt very beautiful home hand-decorated by Juste himself.

Richter Belmont (Rondo of Blood, Symphony of the Night, Nocturne of Recollection, Portrait of Ruin): Richter is either Juste’s son or grandson, we don’t know, but what we do know for sure is that he’s made of something harder than the strongest metal known to man. He is VERY strong, and said to be The Strongest Belmont, period (at least until Julius). Dracula revived again SIGH and ordered a bunch of women to be kidnapped to be sacrificed to him, which included Annette, Richter’s girlfriend. Richter kinda doesn’t like this, so much like Leon, he goes absolutely ballistic on 1792 and embarks on his quest to kick vampire ass. Unlike Leon, however, he does bring weaponry. On his path of asskicking, Richter rescues fellow Vampire Hunter and distant relative of the Belmont Clan, Maria Renard, and if you’ve been following this post, you’ll know that just one Vampire Hunter is VERY strong, WELL IMAGINE TWO OF THEM NOW. Holy SHIT, they just fucking suplexed the entire castle like Sabin on steroids, satellite lasers have less firepower than this duo. So Dracula obviously loses like the jobber he is, and everything’s ok. Unfortunately, Dracula has a hyper competent sidekick. No, not Death, that guy jobs, too, I mean a Dark Priest named Shaft, who, unlike what his idiot name might suggest, is actually really good at his job. He’s the one that revive Dracula this time, and boy howdy he was going to try again, EXCEPT this time he brainwashed Richter into helping them, and that’s when Alucard, ally of Trevor, bursts out of his sarcophagus and decides to lend a hand in this whole Dracula ass kicking, but that’s another story for another day.

Julius Belmont (Aria of Sorrow/Dawn of Sorrow): The last known Belmont and the strongest. Julius fucks. In 1999, he obliterated Dracula, we don’t know how, we never were told how it went down, but all that is known is that he absolutely did that. He then lends a helpful hand to Aria/Dawn’s protagonist, Soma Cruz, but that’s also another story for another time.

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