Advent Challenge DAY NINETEEN!
Title: Holiday Themes
Author: acanismajoris or Sako Akarui
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Rating: PG?
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Buffy is not mine, nor her companions/foes.
Summary: Buffy is still getting over her bout with the Master, but it's Christmas time.
Notes: Okay, tomorrow's my flight, so I'll see y'all in the Pacific time zone. Ugh, back to packing... And, as always, head over to Advent Challenge for more stories!
Buffy was wide awake in her bed as soon as she heard the clatter. Her heart froze, and she peered through the darkness of her room. Everything seemed silent again but she didn’t trust the silence. Cautiously, she slid from beneath her sheets and grabbed the wooden stake from under her pillow.
“Vampires can’t get in unless you invite them,” she told herself, moving into the hall. A soft tinkle downstairs startled her, and she whipped her head about. If her mother was up in the middle of the night, Buffy would be very put out. Her nerves were strung way too tight for midnight munchies.
Buffy descended the stairwell, past the framed photos of doors, and scanned the living room. Everything was set for Christmas morning. Seeing no one, she walked into the room, staring at the little vampire doll sticking out of her stocking. She didn’t know what would compel her mother to buy such a stocking stuffer for her. She picked it up, noticing the red stains around the doll's mouth. It almost looked like real blood.
Suddenly, something grabbed her from behind, turning her in her place. She dropped the doll in shock, eyes fixated on the red-and-white clad figure. The blood red eyes of the Master bored into her, and she barely began to scream before his sharp teeth descended on her neck.
“Buffy! Wake up!” Buffy shot awake, dimly aware of the crick in her neck from sleeping on her desk. The teacher’s voice sharpened into focus.
“…and I want you to remember to do the reading. Just because it’s Christmas break doesn’t mean you have the opportunity to forget everything we’ve been teaching you.” Willow removed her hand from Buffy’s arm as the teacher dismissed the class and everyone began packing up.
“Bad dream?” Willow asked with a sympathetic smile.
“Yeah…” Buffy said, reorienting to the present and collecting her things.
“You’re not still having nightmares about the Master?” Xander asked in a whisper, shouldering his backpack. “Same thing every time?” Buffy shot him a look of panic, then began babbling.
“Yup! Same dream! The cave, the biting, the drowning. No variations. And certainly no… holiday themes. And never the Master dressed up as Santa.” Buffy threw all her things in her bag and popped out of her seat. “Who’s in the mood for a soda? I think it’s soda time.”
Willow and Xander followed Buffy, whispering quietly.
“Okay, did any of that seem weird to you?”
“Shh, Xander. Buffy went through a lot. And - And of course it’s still going to bother her.” They shrugged it off, picking up the pace to catch up to Buffy, while Xander whispered to himself.
“Wait, Master in a Santa suit?”
Author: acanismajoris or Sako Akarui
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Rating: PG?
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Buffy is not mine, nor her companions/foes.
Summary: Buffy is still getting over her bout with the Master, but it's Christmas time.
Notes: Okay, tomorrow's my flight, so I'll see y'all in the Pacific time zone. Ugh, back to packing... And, as always, head over to Advent Challenge for more stories!
Buffy was wide awake in her bed as soon as she heard the clatter. Her heart froze, and she peered through the darkness of her room. Everything seemed silent again but she didn’t trust the silence. Cautiously, she slid from beneath her sheets and grabbed the wooden stake from under her pillow.
“Vampires can’t get in unless you invite them,” she told herself, moving into the hall. A soft tinkle downstairs startled her, and she whipped her head about. If her mother was up in the middle of the night, Buffy would be very put out. Her nerves were strung way too tight for midnight munchies.
Buffy descended the stairwell, past the framed photos of doors, and scanned the living room. Everything was set for Christmas morning. Seeing no one, she walked into the room, staring at the little vampire doll sticking out of her stocking. She didn’t know what would compel her mother to buy such a stocking stuffer for her. She picked it up, noticing the red stains around the doll's mouth. It almost looked like real blood.
Suddenly, something grabbed her from behind, turning her in her place. She dropped the doll in shock, eyes fixated on the red-and-white clad figure. The blood red eyes of the Master bored into her, and she barely began to scream before his sharp teeth descended on her neck.
“Buffy! Wake up!” Buffy shot awake, dimly aware of the crick in her neck from sleeping on her desk. The teacher’s voice sharpened into focus.
“…and I want you to remember to do the reading. Just because it’s Christmas break doesn’t mean you have the opportunity to forget everything we’ve been teaching you.” Willow removed her hand from Buffy’s arm as the teacher dismissed the class and everyone began packing up.
“Bad dream?” Willow asked with a sympathetic smile.
“Yeah…” Buffy said, reorienting to the present and collecting her things.
“You’re not still having nightmares about the Master?” Xander asked in a whisper, shouldering his backpack. “Same thing every time?” Buffy shot him a look of panic, then began babbling.
“Yup! Same dream! The cave, the biting, the drowning. No variations. And certainly no… holiday themes. And never the Master dressed up as Santa.” Buffy threw all her things in her bag and popped out of her seat. “Who’s in the mood for a soda? I think it’s soda time.”
Willow and Xander followed Buffy, whispering quietly.
“Okay, did any of that seem weird to you?”
“Shh, Xander. Buffy went through a lot. And - And of course it’s still going to bother her.” They shrugged it off, picking up the pace to catch up to Buffy, while Xander whispered to himself.
“Wait, Master in a Santa suit?”