Drowning Not Waving by reremouse & tabaqui (NC-17)
Title: Drowning Not Waving
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel the Series
Pairing: Spike/Xander (side Gunn/Wes, Connor/OMC, Xander/OMCs; pre-story Xander/OFC)
Categories: angst, AU, DARK, horror, kids, vampire
Length: Epic (~54,000 words)
Warnings: The authors have warned for this being an extremely dark fic (which it truly is) with a caveat that the ending is happy for most characters. Be forewarned that despite this being the case, the general ending can best be considered unhappy, and some may even classify it as sad. General warnings: Xander is in the porn industry, which is actually the least dark part of this fic, and Spike amounts to a pimp; thoughts of filicide; thoughts of suicide; major substance abuse; character undeath; extreme child neglect; partner betrayal; Xander’s son is unwanted, and Xander treats him that way
Authors on LJ: reremouse, tabaqui
Authors Websites: The highly arbitrary and subjective masterlist, Scarecrow Horses
Review:
Xander never left Oxnard due to unexpected consequences of a one-night-stand. Just as things are about to change Xander stumbles upon the most unexpected of people in the most unexpected of places.
There are times when fic is better than canon. In my opinion, this fic is just such a time. Drowning Not Waving takes place after a slightly altered Season Four Buffy and Season One Angel. Xander and chipped Spike end up in LA instead of Sunnydale.
I’ve always had a bit of a problem with Season Two Angel. It’s nice to see a story that’s far more interesting than the endless Angel/Darla/Lindsey drama of the first three-quarters of that season.
And Xander is more realistic in this one than he is in canon. Considering his family history it seems highly likely that he would develop a substance abuse problem for at least some period of time in his life. And considering how abusive Xander’s father is portrayed canonically, neglect would be the least we could expect from Xander the Daddy.
Best is Spike as he ought to have been. Tabaqui particularly does a fantastic job of writing the obsessive Vampire-with-a-capital-V version of Spike. And this is him at his darkest.
Both reremouse and tabaqui are fantastic writers in their own rights in the Buffy fandom, but this work puts either of their solo efforts to shame. The twisted relationship between Spike and Xander is highlighted when contrasted with the budding mother-son relationship of Cordelia and Julian. Each of the members of AI is shown in their natural state in this. And the writing itself is a thing of beauty
The only thing I can fault reremouse and tabaqui with is a bit of false advertising. Don’t get me wrong, this story does in many ways have a happy-esque ending, but this is not the story of recovery from addiction, this is the story of drugs wholly taking over a life. If you don’t like dark fic, really avoid this one. (On the other hand, if you usually don’t care for kid fic, this should still be up your alley.)
Drowning Not Waving: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel the Series
Pairing: Spike/Xander (side Gunn/Wes, Connor/OMC, Xander/OMCs; pre-story Xander/OFC)
Categories: angst, AU, DARK, horror, kids, vampire
Length: Epic (~54,000 words)
Warnings: The authors have warned for this being an extremely dark fic (which it truly is) with a caveat that the ending is happy for most characters. Be forewarned that despite this being the case, the general ending can best be considered unhappy, and some may even classify it as sad. General warnings: Xander is in the porn industry, which is actually the least dark part of this fic, and Spike amounts to a pimp; thoughts of filicide; thoughts of suicide; major substance abuse; character undeath; extreme child neglect; partner betrayal; Xander’s son is unwanted, and Xander treats him that way
Authors on LJ: reremouse, tabaqui
Authors Websites: The highly arbitrary and subjective masterlist, Scarecrow Horses
Review:
Xander never left Oxnard due to unexpected consequences of a one-night-stand. Just as things are about to change Xander stumbles upon the most unexpected of people in the most unexpected of places.
There are times when fic is better than canon. In my opinion, this fic is just such a time. Drowning Not Waving takes place after a slightly altered Season Four Buffy and Season One Angel. Xander and chipped Spike end up in LA instead of Sunnydale.
I’ve always had a bit of a problem with Season Two Angel. It’s nice to see a story that’s far more interesting than the endless Angel/Darla/Lindsey drama of the first three-quarters of that season.
And Xander is more realistic in this one than he is in canon. Considering his family history it seems highly likely that he would develop a substance abuse problem for at least some period of time in his life. And considering how abusive Xander’s father is portrayed canonically, neglect would be the least we could expect from Xander the Daddy.
Best is Spike as he ought to have been. Tabaqui particularly does a fantastic job of writing the obsessive Vampire-with-a-capital-V version of Spike. And this is him at his darkest.
Both reremouse and tabaqui are fantastic writers in their own rights in the Buffy fandom, but this work puts either of their solo efforts to shame. The twisted relationship between Spike and Xander is highlighted when contrasted with the budding mother-son relationship of Cordelia and Julian. Each of the members of AI is shown in their natural state in this. And the writing itself is a thing of beauty
The only thing I can fault reremouse and tabaqui with is a bit of false advertising. Don’t get me wrong, this story does in many ways have a happy-esque ending, but this is not the story of recovery from addiction, this is the story of drugs wholly taking over a life. If you don’t like dark fic, really avoid this one. (On the other hand, if you usually don’t care for kid fic, this should still be up your alley.)
Drowning Not Waving: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14