Multiple Relationships in the Buffyverse
Tomorrow will mark two weeks that I've been sick and it's getting old. First my throat hurt, then my nose became stuffed and then I developed this wet cough that's persisted the longest of any of the other symptoms. I haven't seen the doctor because I figured that the cold would clear up by itself, but the lingering cough has me a bit worried. I started thinking about all these outrageous possibilities - swine flu, pneumonia, bronchitis!? It's probably none of those things, but if I'm still hacking after Labor Day an appointment is definately in store.
After cycling through a number of ideas for both IWRY and seasonal_spuffy, I think I've finally settled on two that I'd genuinely like to write. Awhile back, I wrote a Spawn one shot called Truth Discovered and had loosely drafted a longer sequel to it set 10 years post-NFA. I'd still love to write the Spawn version of the concept I'd come up with, but I think I can reasonably adapt it so that it takes on more of a Spuffy spin instead. I'm excited about this idea because it's a) not heavily canon based, b) more of an ensemble fic than a shipper fic, c) has a plot and a mystery component to it that both unfolds through the present happenings and in flashback. It's pretty different than what I usually write and I'm excited about trying it. I haven't written a fic from Spike's POV in a long time, so that will also be different and fun. There will also be an OC or two - I'm not much in the habit of incorporating them into my fic, so again with the different. Some of the plot points are still a little sketchy to me, but if I can pull all of this off, I think it'll be great.
Two things common to both ficathon entries is the idea of multiple relationships. This seems like an important thing for me to explore. Love in the Buffyverse is not narrow. There are many different types of love - romantic, familial, platonic-friendship - and these inter relationships define and drive much of the drama of the show. Love is often at stake. But, unlike fandom, love is not represented as OTP, at least that's not how I see it. Buffy loves Angel. Buffy loves Spike. She also had meaningful relationships with Faith and Riley. Love is not mutually exclusive. And I want to explore those points of intersect in these stories. The SS fic will be Buffy/Spike, but it will also touch on Buffy/OC, Buffy/Angel and Buffy/Faith. They are part of this emotional web together and each of these relationships can exist simultaneously, if perhaps at different degrees.
My IWRY idea takes my Buffy/Faith fic Severed and Sewn as a jumping off point. That fic is as much about Buffy/Faith as it is about Buffy/Angel, Buffy/Spike, and Faith/Angel. And I think continuing the Faith/Angel/Buffy dynamic is an interesting one because Angel meant different things to each of them, and sometimes it takes a third party to make you realize the deep connection you have with someone else. In that story, I briefly mention that Buffy has disturbing dreams following Chosen and I want to use dreams as the avenue where a lot of action unfolds. Also win since I can get very surreal and Salvidor Dali-ish. Hooray for abstract imagery!
Anyway, points of intersection, multiple relationships. That's where I'm going with my ficathon ideas and I'm excited about it. Hopefully all the shippers won't flat out reject the idea. *worries*