Fic - Why is it Always Prophecy Time? // In Her Arms
Title - Why is it Always Prophecy Time?
Disclaimer - Joss Whedon owns them
Rating - teen
Timeline - post series, using IDW Angel comic canon
Summary - Buffy has learned to hate prophecies but this one has brought someone back into her orbit.
Author’s Note - written for
evil_little_dog on LJ’s comment_fic for the prompt Buffyverse, Buffy Summers/Angel, A prophecy brings them back together.
XXX
Buffy could honestly say Cleveland wasn’t her favorite city, but she had been in town for a month now, first to help Faith with something hellmouthy and now because of a prophecy. Most of the team had convened here because a prophecy that needed investigating. Xander wasn’t in town, still traveling, still in pain after all he had lost in Sunnydale. Willow sans Kennedy was here to help Giles and Dawn. As much as Buffy didn’t want Dawn working toward being a Watcher, she had to admit her sister had aptitude for it and magic. She wasn’t going to get her wish about keeping her little sister out of this life so she determined she would help Dawn be the best she could.
The prophecy gnawed at her but soon she might have answers. It had been hard to ask for help. Faith pretty much insisted on it and oddly enough Buffy thought her Sister Slayer knew something she didn’t. Faith wasn’t usually subtle, but she had been cagey about whatever this was. Finally, she had given up on pressing Faith about it. She’d find out soon enough.
Buffy stiffened her spine. A very familiar feeling crept over her. Her vampire radar had always been broken but not where he was concerned. He was here, just outside the door of their Cleveland Heights brownstone. Buffy walked to the door, resting her forehead against it. She tried to calm herself. The last time they had met the same fire was there. That kiss had melted her even driving what she felt for Spike from her mind. Of course, it had ended badly with analogies she wished she had never uttered because they were awkward and just plain dumb. She had meant some of it and he had honored her desire for space. But that ended up being two years now, years without seeing either of them and feeling that distance.
His knock vibrated against her forehead and Buffy stood back. How was she going to greet him? Cool and business like had been the plan but her mind blanked. So much for plans. Buffy opened the door and Angel didn’t smile, shocking her. She didn’t let herself think about it, launching herself at him. She yanked him against her, kissing him hard. Need overwhelmed her and she was so glad the others were deep in the brownstone hard at work. Faith would give her shit for this.
Only then Buffy realized he wasn’t quite kissing her back. She let go, studying his broad face. Angel looked puzzled. Over his shoulders she spotted a young man who had a vaguely disgusted expression on his pale face. She hadn’t expected Angel to bring some of his team. She was surprised her blush didn’t set the apartment on fire.
“Hello, Angel,” she said, her voice thick and rasping. His expression didn’t warm. “Is something wrong?”
“I was surprised to get your request for help. I’d been told you moved on and didn’t need me or Spike,” Angel said, stiffer than Frankenstein’s Monster.
“What?” she asked in a hoarse whisper.
“Way to go. Just launch right into the fight,” the young man said. “I’m so glad I’ve been cooped up for two days and twenty-four hundred miles in your land barge for this. I don’t want to watch this. Can I just go inside and get to work or pass out, whichever comes first?” He stifled a yawn.
Buffy stared at the fey creature, wondering who the hell this was. Angel had never mentioned bringing anyone with him when he agreed to help with the prophecy. She stepped back. “Come in, both of you. Angel, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Spike and I went to Rome to see you, to warn you about the Immortal and Andrew told us you had moved on,” He growled, only taking one step inside. The skinny kid slithered past him. “And when our request for help went unanswered and Los Angeles ended in hell as a result, I had to assume you actually meant it, that you saw us as the enemy so you can imagine my confusion when you called and asked for my help with a prophecy.”
Buffy couldn’t stop the trembling that overtook her. “Angel…I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was never in Rome. That was a decoy. I have no idea what Andrew told you about me or what he said to the others. I know he had a blistering report about you, Spike and Wesley over the Dana incident but I’ve never thought you were the enemy. How could you even think it?”
“Not a single Slayer helped us when we called,” Angel said, so much sorrow in his tone Buffy nearly cried.
“I lost my family as a result,” the young man said, and Buffy flinched.
“I’m sorry. I….I don’t even know what to say. I didn’t even know you had asked for help,” she said, and Angel’s angry expression melted some. “Please believe me.”
He hesitated for a moment before saying, “I do.”
“If you thought we hated you, why did you come?” she asked.
“Hey, Angel!” Faith called loudly bouncing down the hallway followed by Willow.
A pang of jealousy bubbled up in Buffy as Angel’s expression truly opened up when he saw Faith. She hugged him shockingly chaste for Faith and then slugged the young man in the arm. “Connor! Surprised Angel brought you along, given the crap you pulled the last time I saw you.”
He sneered at her, going from puffed up and happy to see Faith - judging by his expression when he spotted her - to immediately sulky leaving Buffy completely confused. Of course, Faith had gone to L.A., so she knew Angel’s team. “I’m the one who did all day time driving to get here so fast. Hey Willow.”
“Nice to see you again, Connor. You going to help with the prophecy?” Willow smiled at him and waved at Angel.
Buffy wished they’d all just go away so she could talk to Angel in peace.
“Yeah,” he said.
“But you hate magic,” Willow said teasingly.
“Oh, I do, even more now than before but there are reasons.” Connor looked over his shoulder at Angel. “Are we going to do this, Angel or do you two need to keep fighting?”
“We’re not fighting,” Angel replied, weariness in every word. “Let’s go hear that prophecy in full and Buffy, that will explain why we came so far in spite of it all.”
She nodded, so far past confusion she didn’t know what to do other than to lead him into the living room where the others worked. Giles and Dawn glanced up as they came into the room. Dawn beamed and called a hello to Angel. Giles did not. He’d been uneasy ever since she had contacted Angel about this, and she would have to find out why, but she was betting it went back to whatever Andrew had reported about the Dana incident.
“They’re here to help,” she said needlessly. She and Giles had argued about summoning Angel. “Tell them about the prophecy.”
“I didn’t think it necessary to bring you all this way,” Giles said, looking over his glasses at Willow. “But the ladies disagreed. I get the feeling I don’t have the whole picture. But the prophecy is impossible. It’s about the miracle child of two vampires, which right there should have been proof that this was just the ravings of a madman.”
“Let me guess, the Great Potentate Ul-Thur?” Angel sighed.
Giles blinked and Buffy felt equally confused. “You know of this prophecy? There’s another one that’s similar by a different seer, which just seemed odd to me,” she said.
Connor looked between her and Faith. “You didn’t tell her?”
“That’s not our story to tell,” Faith shook her head and anger bubbled up in Buffy. What the hell was going on?
“Okay, Angel filled me in on your relationship with him on the way here, and I really don’t want to be part of what is going to be a very awkward talk,” Connor said. “So maybe you two can go somewhere or Faith, want to go out? I promised Spike I’d get him a Hard Rock or Rock and Roll hall of Fame T-shirt.”
“Chicken,” Faith laughed.
“You weren’t trapped in a car with Grumpy for days. Even when I was trying to sleep in the back seat all I could hear was the big jackass muttering to himself.” Connor sulked and Angel glared at him.
“What is going on that no one is telling me about?” Buffy snapped.
“Miracle child right here.” Connor raised his hand. “So, I’m pretty worried about what those prophecies say.”
“What?” Giles asked when Buffy couldn’t find her voice.
Connor smirked. “I’m the bastard son of two dead things.”
Angel face palmed. “Don’t call yourself that, son.”
“Angel, what is going on?” Buffy asked, her knees weak and not in a good way.
“You know what, you’re right. Let’s go to the club.” Faith linked arms with Connor.
“He’s not twenty-one, Faith,” Angel said.
“Ignore him. I need beer and a place to catch some sleep, in that order.” Connor leaned against Faith.
“I can do that.” She pulled him away going deeper into the house. Willow and Dawn went with her.
Giles hesitated, pointing at Connor’s back. “Truly? The son of two vampires?”
Angel nodded. “Mine and Darla’s.”
“Fascinating.” With that, he followed the others.
“And that’s why I came so far so fast, Buffy. The prophecies are about my son. I needed to know what they were. I need to be sure he’s safe.”
“A son….” She sank onto the couch.
Angel sat next to her and told her everything. She had stopped listening halfway through because it was too unreal. When his story was done, he looked at her expectantly, and she had no idea what to do.
“I have no words. Where do we go from here?”
“Hopefully to the heart of the prophecies and deal with them,” he replied.
She narrowed her eyes. “You know that’s not what I meant.”
“I know. I have no idea where we stand, Buffy. Things are complicated now. I come with even more baggage than ever before and I should come up with a better term for it. Connor is not a burden. He’s a pain in the ass most days but he’s a good man. Some days he’s my heart ache but mostly he’s my joy.”
She took his hand, squeezing it. “I’m glad to hear that but you do realize you sent your son off with Faith to find beer and a bed.”
Angel chuckled. “Let her tire him out. It might be good for him, given his last girlfriend set him up to be murdered and the one before that gave birth to a hell goddess. Next to that, Faith is calm and normal.”
“I don’t know what to say to that either.”
“It’s a lot to take in. Give it time. In the meantime, we tackle prophecy boy.” He smiled.
Buffy laughed softly, suddenly feeling more at ease. “I can do that.”
Looking into those warm brown eyes, she felt something shift, a burden lifting. Buffy looped an arm around his neck, bringing him down into a kiss. This time he kissed her back. The son of two vampires had just entered Hellmouth country cloaked in prophecies but in this moment, Buffy couldn’t care about that. They would work it out as always. For now, she wanted to live inside this piece of time when it was just him and her and the heat of their embrace.
Title In Her Arms
Disclaimer - So not mine. All characters belong Joss Whedon
Rating - Teen
word count 641
Summary - A quiet celebration that once again they didn’t die.
Author’s Note - This is a comment_fic written for the
templefugate for the prompt “Any, any, cuddling.”
XXX
“I can’t believe we had to face off with a kappa,” Tara said, sitting against the vanity watching Willow in the tub.
Willow rubbed her bruised ribs where the Japanese water spirit had kicked her before Buffy was able to dispatch it. She scooted up a bit in the tub. “I was half afraid to take an Epsom salt soak if another of those things might pop up out of the bath.”
Tara smiled, picking up a big fluffy towel as Willow hauled herself out of the water. She handed it over. “It was something else. I prepared a little something for when you’re dressed.”
Willow would have rather gotten in bed for a little ‘we survived lovemaking’ but they had already decided her ribs were too sore for it. “Oh?”
“You’ll see.” Tara grinned, slipping out of the room.
Willow toweled off and dressed in a soft nightgown as fast as she was able. On the living room table, Tara had two cups of cocoa and some warmed cinnamon buns, store bought but who among the Scooby Gang had time to bake? Tara was stretched out, her back to the couch pillows with a blanket held open around her.
Grinning, Willow spooned up with her, grabbed both mugs of cocoa, handed off one to Tara and dragged the rolls over, balancing it on her hip. “This is lovely.”
“I’m not done.” Tara turned on the VCR and The X-Men started.
Willow grinned. Both of them agreed Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman were drool-worthy enough to watch the movie over and over. “You, my love are the best.”
Tara cuddled up tighter, kissing Willow’s shoulder. “Mmm, I was thinking the same of you.”
Tara draped her arm around Willow, cocoa mug pressed against her belly. The warmth spread through her. Willow was putting this night in her good memories bank to be withdrawn often.
Disclaimer - Joss Whedon owns them
Rating - teen
Timeline - post series, using IDW Angel comic canon
Summary - Buffy has learned to hate prophecies but this one has brought someone back into her orbit.
Author’s Note - written for
evil_little_dog on LJ’s comment_fic for the prompt Buffyverse, Buffy Summers/Angel, A prophecy brings them back together.
XXX
Buffy could honestly say Cleveland wasn’t her favorite city, but she had been in town for a month now, first to help Faith with something hellmouthy and now because of a prophecy. Most of the team had convened here because a prophecy that needed investigating. Xander wasn’t in town, still traveling, still in pain after all he had lost in Sunnydale. Willow sans Kennedy was here to help Giles and Dawn. As much as Buffy didn’t want Dawn working toward being a Watcher, she had to admit her sister had aptitude for it and magic. She wasn’t going to get her wish about keeping her little sister out of this life so she determined she would help Dawn be the best she could.
The prophecy gnawed at her but soon she might have answers. It had been hard to ask for help. Faith pretty much insisted on it and oddly enough Buffy thought her Sister Slayer knew something she didn’t. Faith wasn’t usually subtle, but she had been cagey about whatever this was. Finally, she had given up on pressing Faith about it. She’d find out soon enough.
Buffy stiffened her spine. A very familiar feeling crept over her. Her vampire radar had always been broken but not where he was concerned. He was here, just outside the door of their Cleveland Heights brownstone. Buffy walked to the door, resting her forehead against it. She tried to calm herself. The last time they had met the same fire was there. That kiss had melted her even driving what she felt for Spike from her mind. Of course, it had ended badly with analogies she wished she had never uttered because they were awkward and just plain dumb. She had meant some of it and he had honored her desire for space. But that ended up being two years now, years without seeing either of them and feeling that distance.
His knock vibrated against her forehead and Buffy stood back. How was she going to greet him? Cool and business like had been the plan but her mind blanked. So much for plans. Buffy opened the door and Angel didn’t smile, shocking her. She didn’t let herself think about it, launching herself at him. She yanked him against her, kissing him hard. Need overwhelmed her and she was so glad the others were deep in the brownstone hard at work. Faith would give her shit for this.
Only then Buffy realized he wasn’t quite kissing her back. She let go, studying his broad face. Angel looked puzzled. Over his shoulders she spotted a young man who had a vaguely disgusted expression on his pale face. She hadn’t expected Angel to bring some of his team. She was surprised her blush didn’t set the apartment on fire.
“Hello, Angel,” she said, her voice thick and rasping. His expression didn’t warm. “Is something wrong?”
“I was surprised to get your request for help. I’d been told you moved on and didn’t need me or Spike,” Angel said, stiffer than Frankenstein’s Monster.
“What?” she asked in a hoarse whisper.
“Way to go. Just launch right into the fight,” the young man said. “I’m so glad I’ve been cooped up for two days and twenty-four hundred miles in your land barge for this. I don’t want to watch this. Can I just go inside and get to work or pass out, whichever comes first?” He stifled a yawn.
Buffy stared at the fey creature, wondering who the hell this was. Angel had never mentioned bringing anyone with him when he agreed to help with the prophecy. She stepped back. “Come in, both of you. Angel, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Spike and I went to Rome to see you, to warn you about the Immortal and Andrew told us you had moved on,” He growled, only taking one step inside. The skinny kid slithered past him. “And when our request for help went unanswered and Los Angeles ended in hell as a result, I had to assume you actually meant it, that you saw us as the enemy so you can imagine my confusion when you called and asked for my help with a prophecy.”
Buffy couldn’t stop the trembling that overtook her. “Angel…I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was never in Rome. That was a decoy. I have no idea what Andrew told you about me or what he said to the others. I know he had a blistering report about you, Spike and Wesley over the Dana incident but I’ve never thought you were the enemy. How could you even think it?”
“Not a single Slayer helped us when we called,” Angel said, so much sorrow in his tone Buffy nearly cried.
“I lost my family as a result,” the young man said, and Buffy flinched.
“I’m sorry. I….I don’t even know what to say. I didn’t even know you had asked for help,” she said, and Angel’s angry expression melted some. “Please believe me.”
He hesitated for a moment before saying, “I do.”
“If you thought we hated you, why did you come?” she asked.
“Hey, Angel!” Faith called loudly bouncing down the hallway followed by Willow.
A pang of jealousy bubbled up in Buffy as Angel’s expression truly opened up when he saw Faith. She hugged him shockingly chaste for Faith and then slugged the young man in the arm. “Connor! Surprised Angel brought you along, given the crap you pulled the last time I saw you.”
He sneered at her, going from puffed up and happy to see Faith - judging by his expression when he spotted her - to immediately sulky leaving Buffy completely confused. Of course, Faith had gone to L.A., so she knew Angel’s team. “I’m the one who did all day time driving to get here so fast. Hey Willow.”
“Nice to see you again, Connor. You going to help with the prophecy?” Willow smiled at him and waved at Angel.
Buffy wished they’d all just go away so she could talk to Angel in peace.
“Yeah,” he said.
“But you hate magic,” Willow said teasingly.
“Oh, I do, even more now than before but there are reasons.” Connor looked over his shoulder at Angel. “Are we going to do this, Angel or do you two need to keep fighting?”
“We’re not fighting,” Angel replied, weariness in every word. “Let’s go hear that prophecy in full and Buffy, that will explain why we came so far in spite of it all.”
She nodded, so far past confusion she didn’t know what to do other than to lead him into the living room where the others worked. Giles and Dawn glanced up as they came into the room. Dawn beamed and called a hello to Angel. Giles did not. He’d been uneasy ever since she had contacted Angel about this, and she would have to find out why, but she was betting it went back to whatever Andrew had reported about the Dana incident.
“They’re here to help,” she said needlessly. She and Giles had argued about summoning Angel. “Tell them about the prophecy.”
“I didn’t think it necessary to bring you all this way,” Giles said, looking over his glasses at Willow. “But the ladies disagreed. I get the feeling I don’t have the whole picture. But the prophecy is impossible. It’s about the miracle child of two vampires, which right there should have been proof that this was just the ravings of a madman.”
“Let me guess, the Great Potentate Ul-Thur?” Angel sighed.
Giles blinked and Buffy felt equally confused. “You know of this prophecy? There’s another one that’s similar by a different seer, which just seemed odd to me,” she said.
Connor looked between her and Faith. “You didn’t tell her?”
“That’s not our story to tell,” Faith shook her head and anger bubbled up in Buffy. What the hell was going on?
“Okay, Angel filled me in on your relationship with him on the way here, and I really don’t want to be part of what is going to be a very awkward talk,” Connor said. “So maybe you two can go somewhere or Faith, want to go out? I promised Spike I’d get him a Hard Rock or Rock and Roll hall of Fame T-shirt.”
“Chicken,” Faith laughed.
“You weren’t trapped in a car with Grumpy for days. Even when I was trying to sleep in the back seat all I could hear was the big jackass muttering to himself.” Connor sulked and Angel glared at him.
“What is going on that no one is telling me about?” Buffy snapped.
“Miracle child right here.” Connor raised his hand. “So, I’m pretty worried about what those prophecies say.”
“What?” Giles asked when Buffy couldn’t find her voice.
Connor smirked. “I’m the bastard son of two dead things.”
Angel face palmed. “Don’t call yourself that, son.”
“Angel, what is going on?” Buffy asked, her knees weak and not in a good way.
“You know what, you’re right. Let’s go to the club.” Faith linked arms with Connor.
“He’s not twenty-one, Faith,” Angel said.
“Ignore him. I need beer and a place to catch some sleep, in that order.” Connor leaned against Faith.
“I can do that.” She pulled him away going deeper into the house. Willow and Dawn went with her.
Giles hesitated, pointing at Connor’s back. “Truly? The son of two vampires?”
Angel nodded. “Mine and Darla’s.”
“Fascinating.” With that, he followed the others.
“And that’s why I came so far so fast, Buffy. The prophecies are about my son. I needed to know what they were. I need to be sure he’s safe.”
“A son….” She sank onto the couch.
Angel sat next to her and told her everything. She had stopped listening halfway through because it was too unreal. When his story was done, he looked at her expectantly, and she had no idea what to do.
“I have no words. Where do we go from here?”
“Hopefully to the heart of the prophecies and deal with them,” he replied.
She narrowed her eyes. “You know that’s not what I meant.”
“I know. I have no idea where we stand, Buffy. Things are complicated now. I come with even more baggage than ever before and I should come up with a better term for it. Connor is not a burden. He’s a pain in the ass most days but he’s a good man. Some days he’s my heart ache but mostly he’s my joy.”
She took his hand, squeezing it. “I’m glad to hear that but you do realize you sent your son off with Faith to find beer and a bed.”
Angel chuckled. “Let her tire him out. It might be good for him, given his last girlfriend set him up to be murdered and the one before that gave birth to a hell goddess. Next to that, Faith is calm and normal.”
“I don’t know what to say to that either.”
“It’s a lot to take in. Give it time. In the meantime, we tackle prophecy boy.” He smiled.
Buffy laughed softly, suddenly feeling more at ease. “I can do that.”
Looking into those warm brown eyes, she felt something shift, a burden lifting. Buffy looped an arm around his neck, bringing him down into a kiss. This time he kissed her back. The son of two vampires had just entered Hellmouth country cloaked in prophecies but in this moment, Buffy couldn’t care about that. They would work it out as always. For now, she wanted to live inside this piece of time when it was just him and her and the heat of their embrace.
Title In Her Arms
Disclaimer - So not mine. All characters belong Joss Whedon
Rating - Teen
word count 641
Summary - A quiet celebration that once again they didn’t die.
Author’s Note - This is a comment_fic written for the
templefugate for the prompt “Any, any, cuddling.”
XXX
“I can’t believe we had to face off with a kappa,” Tara said, sitting against the vanity watching Willow in the tub.
Willow rubbed her bruised ribs where the Japanese water spirit had kicked her before Buffy was able to dispatch it. She scooted up a bit in the tub. “I was half afraid to take an Epsom salt soak if another of those things might pop up out of the bath.”
Tara smiled, picking up a big fluffy towel as Willow hauled herself out of the water. She handed it over. “It was something else. I prepared a little something for when you’re dressed.”
Willow would have rather gotten in bed for a little ‘we survived lovemaking’ but they had already decided her ribs were too sore for it. “Oh?”
“You’ll see.” Tara grinned, slipping out of the room.
Willow toweled off and dressed in a soft nightgown as fast as she was able. On the living room table, Tara had two cups of cocoa and some warmed cinnamon buns, store bought but who among the Scooby Gang had time to bake? Tara was stretched out, her back to the couch pillows with a blanket held open around her.
Grinning, Willow spooned up with her, grabbed both mugs of cocoa, handed off one to Tara and dragged the rolls over, balancing it on her hip. “This is lovely.”
“I’m not done.” Tara turned on the VCR and The X-Men started.
Willow grinned. Both of them agreed Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman were drool-worthy enough to watch the movie over and over. “You, my love are the best.”
Tara cuddled up tighter, kissing Willow’s shoulder. “Mmm, I was thinking the same of you.”
Tara draped her arm around Willow, cocoa mug pressed against her belly. The warmth spread through her. Willow was putting this night in her good memories bank to be withdrawn often.