FIC -- Can you believe it???

[huzzlewhat]

A long, long very long time ago, I said I would write a story for hpchick. It was to be a Xander story, post-Africa. A post "Seeing Africa" story, specifically. Since it’s so overdue, I made it more than twice as long as requested. (Anyone who knows me knows that’s bull - it’s actually an effort to get me to keep things short.)

If you haven't read Seeing

Comments

[faroutgal]

So excited to see that you wrote a Xander story because you know Seeing Africa is my all time fav BtVS fanfic.

I really enjoyed the banter between Angel and Xander. These two will never be friends but I can see them move towards a thin civility and even a begrudging kinship based on their history.

I also liked the internal voice contrasting "immature Xander" with "adult, responsible Xander". I could hear him saying that.

And Buffy/Xander family type caring scenes always makes me teary.

Here's something you want to fix:

So you fight for the humans while the lowly, weak humans do… what, exactly? Get a tan? It’s our world. Doesn’t that give us the right for fight for it?

I think you meant "to"

*sigh* Xander...still the White Knight...

[huzzlewhat]

I really enjoyed the banter between Angel and Xander. These two will never be friends but I can see them move towards a thin civility and even a begrudging kinship based on their history.

Hee. No, the boys will never really like each other, even though Angel will admit that Xander will never quit helping, and Xander will admit that Angel looks pretty spectacular in that coat... ;-) Twenty years down the line, they'll both still be fighting the good fight, and they'll both be glowering at each other.

And Buffy/Xander family type caring scenes always makes me teary.

I love the Scoobs. The core four are the reason I'm in this fandom.

I think you meant "to"

Ooh! Thanks! Fixed now...

[flyingcarpet]

I love this. Xander is wonderfully himself -- determined, brave, and a little too self-deprecating for his own good... and I love the way he interacts with the other characters here, especially Angel. It all felt very natural. Great job!

[huzzlewhat]

Thanks! I usually try to avoid writing dialog, but Angel and Xander are just too fun to resist.

And yeah, Xander. What a honey.

[liz_marcs]

*sniff sniff*

I had to read this three times to get all the nuances. Wonderful job at making Xander the unreliable narrator. I started reading going, "Xander feels unappreciated and poorly used." Then the punchline (so to speak) in the closing graphs changes the entire feel of the story. Xander's not seeing a power struggle or possessiveness so much as he's seeing some people (like Giles and Naomi) walking on eggshells around him and others trying to get him to take a break (like Buffy and Willow) so he can get time to heal.

I love, love, love how Buffy points out that in many ways Xander is trying to recreate the empowerment spell in a non-magical way so there'll be more people like him around and that he's not above playing the "You don't understand me card." Yay, Buffy

[huzzlewhat]

Thank you! What wonderful feedback!

Xander's not seeing a power struggle or possessiveness so much as he's seeing some people (like Giles and Naomi) walking on eggshells around him and others trying to get him to take a break (like Buffy and Willow) so he can get time to heal.

Yep. Xander may be "the one who sees," but he's got a huge blind spot where his own worth is concerned - which leads to him making weird assumptions and radical interpretations of the text.

Yay, Buffy!

I came to the Buffy-love relatively late in the game - never disliked her, but she was just there, you know? - but I do love her so very much now. She had to get the last word.

The whole thing with Xander and Angel was pitch-perfect.

Which is ironic, because Angel was never supposed to be part of this story. He just showed up, all on his own, and then refused to leave. Very frustrating vampire.

Oh, and I just wanted to say: It's nice seeing Naomi (the little Slayer from the end of 'Seeing Africa') older and protective of Xander in the same way that Buffy

[huzzlewhat]

Thanks, hon! I'm glad you liked.

oz fic?

Well, now that this one is finally done, I can get to work on yours. Should only be another YEAR!!!

Hee.

Seriously, though. I do have the structure planned, and a rough outline done. Now, as long as Angel doesn't show up and insist on being chatty (!!!), it shouldn't be quite that long.

[arysani]

i really love this.

i mean, i LOVE Xander to teeny bits. but that's not just why i love it. it's because it's Xander/Angel banter, which i never got enough of, and it's Xander having a speechifying moment, which had to happen eventually.

and because i love certain lines. like: Her grin was beautiful, and older, mature Xander reflected that however stupid he’d been about so many things, younger, immature Xander had had impeccable taste in hopeless crushes.

i love the "younger Xander vs. older, mature Xander" bits.

and i like how it's still hopeful.

[huzzlewhat]

i mean, i LOVE Xander to teeny bits. but that's not just why i love it. it's because it's Xander/Angel banter, which i never got enough of, and it's Xander having a speechifying moment, which had to happen eventually.

Angel insisted on showing up, even though I hadn't invited him, and then of course he and Xander just sat around and snarked at each other. It was so hard to get them moving again. ;-)

Xander doesn't speechify often, but when he does, he does a great job. And he usually does it on behalf of one of the girls, so - yeah.

Thanks for the great feedback! I'm glad you enjoyed the story.