The Turning of the Year 5/7
I've just spent most of the afternoon reading the newly-finished Seraph for the first time; luxuriating in Spike mpreg that makes sense and is funny and even *gen*. Surprised? Baffled? Then run to snickfic's journal and read the whole thing. Then you will understand, and you will have spent your time well.
Not quite on that level, alas, but I have another snippet from the Rulesverse for you. Very short ficlet this time, and very silly too. Time has moved on quite a bit since the last ficlet; Faith and Giles's relationship has a new dimension; but there are also old worries to consider.
Part four was here (Confused? Visit the Rulesverse reference page for help.)
December 24 2011: Journey to the Ends of the Earth
Characters: Giles, Faith, Mike, Santa Claus (query?)
Dear gods, it was cold; and dark. Giles tried very, very hard not to shiver, or to mention that he was slowly freezing to death. Faith, 18 months into her northern European posting, had adopted the smug Scandinavian view that there’s no such thing as cold: only bad clothing. Giles’s own view that buying a whole new wardrobe for a long weekend in Tromsø would be a foolish waste of money was turning out to have been... incautious.
Michael looked snug enough - albeit rather like a confused, padded starfish - bundled into so many layers he could barely bend his limbs, and further snuggled into his mother’s arms. But then, Faith, having decided to invite them onto her turf for the holidays, had done the thing properly and kitted Michael out in local clothing.
Not that they were on her turf, precisely. Faith was based a hundred miles away, and they weren’t going to see the Slayer Squad headquarters. But she’d invited them to the area she protected, nonetheless, and they were going to have a family Christmas. Even if Giles had to freeze to an ice-block to achieve it.
He would have been better dressed tomorrow, or so he silently assured himself. But he’d somehow managed to forget the continental custom of celebrating on Christmas Eve, and was consequently suffering the candlelit arrival of Julenissen with cold feet and a draught down his neck.
Giles looked hard at the jolly man in the sleigh. He hadn’t forgotten Anya’s information on Santa Claus the disemboweller of infants. Not going to hand over his helpless son to a demon. Not this year.
“Relax, G, Anya was a little out of the loop,” said Faith in his ear. “I checked. Santa Claus got Slayed in 1964.”
“Oh? Oh, splendid. Well, as long as there’s really no Santa Claus, let’s have a perfect Christmas.” Giles took a chortling Michael from her, and headed towards the sleigh.
He was still freezing, but at least they weren’t going to have to fight for their lives before the presents were opened.
*
Part six is here
Not quite on that level, alas, but I have another snippet from the Rulesverse for you. Very short ficlet this time, and very silly too. Time has moved on quite a bit since the last ficlet; Faith and Giles's relationship has a new dimension; but there are also old worries to consider.
Part four was here (Confused? Visit the Rulesverse reference page for help.)
December 24 2011: Journey to the Ends of the Earth
Characters: Giles, Faith, Mike, Santa Claus (query?)
Dear gods, it was cold; and dark. Giles tried very, very hard not to shiver, or to mention that he was slowly freezing to death. Faith, 18 months into her northern European posting, had adopted the smug Scandinavian view that there’s no such thing as cold: only bad clothing. Giles’s own view that buying a whole new wardrobe for a long weekend in Tromsø would be a foolish waste of money was turning out to have been... incautious.
Michael looked snug enough - albeit rather like a confused, padded starfish - bundled into so many layers he could barely bend his limbs, and further snuggled into his mother’s arms. But then, Faith, having decided to invite them onto her turf for the holidays, had done the thing properly and kitted Michael out in local clothing.
Not that they were on her turf, precisely. Faith was based a hundred miles away, and they weren’t going to see the Slayer Squad headquarters. But she’d invited them to the area she protected, nonetheless, and they were going to have a family Christmas. Even if Giles had to freeze to an ice-block to achieve it.
He would have been better dressed tomorrow, or so he silently assured himself. But he’d somehow managed to forget the continental custom of celebrating on Christmas Eve, and was consequently suffering the candlelit arrival of Julenissen with cold feet and a draught down his neck.
Giles looked hard at the jolly man in the sleigh. He hadn’t forgotten Anya’s information on Santa Claus the disemboweller of infants. Not going to hand over his helpless son to a demon. Not this year.
“Relax, G, Anya was a little out of the loop,” said Faith in his ear. “I checked. Santa Claus got Slayed in 1964.”
“Oh? Oh, splendid. Well, as long as there’s really no Santa Claus, let’s have a perfect Christmas.” Giles took a chortling Michael from her, and headed towards the sleigh.
He was still freezing, but at least they weren’t going to have to fight for their lives before the presents were opened.
*
Part six is here