Age Switch

[nobler_things]

It was a peculiar place, this Tabula RasaMother had always stressed a thorough education, including all the classics, all of which they'd read together, in the parlor, in the dim light of the fire and gas-fueled table lamps. He had a rudimentary knowledge of Greek and Latin, as every proper, well-bred young man should, and he found it charming that

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[chose]

Buffy stares.

That she has somehow managed to escape unscathed from this particular brand of island torture is not a gift horse that Buffy intends to look in the mouth, as it were. Relieved to both look and feel herself, she's spent most of the day walking around and trying to help those who've not been so fortunate. Unsurprisingly, Tabula Rasans are as adorable as children as they are beautiful as adults, although it seems kind of strange to think as much; it's a trail of thought she soon abandons. This proves easy enough when she catches a glimpse of someone remarkably similar to Spike, yet very unlike Billy Idol

[nobler_things]

The women of this place dressed so strangely, an odd mix of tawdry and masculine, a shocking amount of bare skin and tight trousers. Their hairstyles were unfamiliar, their makeup strange, and the directness of their speech continued to startle him.

When he was spoken to, his eyes leaped from the page, widening a bit behind his spectacles when they fell upon one of the loveliest women he'd ever seen, no matter how harshly she might have presented herself.

Clearing his throat, visibly flustered, he said, "Yes. You certainly can't go wrong with Shakespeare."

[chose]

That is an opinion Buffy herself does not happen to share, but she thinks better of voicing her objection, still too shocked to speak without filter. It occurs to her that there is a chance this isn't Spike at all, but someone new who looks like Spike, or a female turned male in his body, or a kid grown-up to resemble him. The possibilities are unfortunately endless, so she thinks it best to settle that mystery first and foremost.

Taking the nearest seat, she leans forward curiously and asks, "What's your name?"

[nobler_things]

Marking his page, he politely closed his book and set it aside, turning all his attention to the young woman.

"William, my lady. And might I ask yours?"

[chose]

Her suspicion confirmed, Buffy gives a small yet firm nod, mostly for her own benefit. A smile threatens to creep up across her lips, one stopped in its tracks if only because explaining the situation to William here would yield far less interesting results than playing along. Not to mention, he looks like the freaking out type, and the island needs no more of that today. "It's Buffy," she tells him. "Nice to meet you."

[nobler_things]

"That's quite an unusual name," he said, without a hint of judgment, then, realizing he might have misspoken, he added, "A lovely one, of course."

There was a faint flush staining his cheeks.

[chose]

Oh, this is dangerous.

Having picked up as much as is possible from scattered stories and fleeting remarks, Buffy knows a little about Spike's early days, including his tendency to fall in love at the drop of a dime and express himself through colorful prose. She has never read his poetry, nor does she particularly desire to, unlikely though it is that she would find much to criticize, learned in the English language as she is not. Even less than she cares to read poems, however, is how little Buffy cares to inspire them, and as that sad glint in his eyes seems to suggest they may be headed in that very direction, she decides it best not to encourage young William here.

"You think so?" She asks with a tilt of her head. "I'm not sure it was even a name before my parents decided, 'Hey, let's go with this! Who cares if it sounds a little weird and she'll get funny looks her whole life?' Not that I mind, per se, I'm used to it, it suits me - and it could have been way worse. Better than some stuffy old English name, you know? No offense

[nobler_things]

He was taken aback, suddenly, by her brashness, realizing that simply because a woman was beautiful, that didn't mean they were necessarily well bred and well mannered.

"No, of course not," he said, his shoulders sagging, though he'd certainly been insulted much more harshly by other women. Many times, in fact.