Video.

[supercilious]

[ It's well after midnight. The camera feed is a mess of black and grey, the Forge screen the only illumination. It turns Arthur's face sickly, throws unusual shadows across it. His voice is low. ]

Tell me a story.

[ There aren't many left familiar with the way he demands this in bored, petulant tones. ]

About someone you lost.

[ An

Comments

[atonementsucks]

You really want to hear stories like that?

[We could be here all night.]

[supercilious]

Yeah. I do. It's that kind of night.

[atonementsucks]

Yeah. I get those too.

[And the pause before he goes is practically heavy enough to break the Forge.]There was this princess once. She was beautiful... spoiled, loud-mouthed, pain in the ass, all the things you expect from a princess. But brave, even if she didn't know it at first. One by one she began to fight against the monsters that plagued the land, kind of by accident, and one by one her court fell away from her, and when she finally had nothing left she traveled to a distant city. Full of lights, and people, and... designer shoe stores. Which she loved

/threadjack! | private to Angel (hey, look, he's really got the hang of it now)

[samianscar]

Don't think I know that one.

Thought I did at first, but it isn't.

private to Spike (WELL DONE he gets a vampire cookie)

[atonementsucks]

That's because you weren't there for most of it.

[He doesn't even sound like he has it in him to complain about the stalkiness going on here.]

Which is probably for the best, since I can't think of a quicker way to a headache than you and Cordelia in the same building for very long.

private to Angel (does NOT want to know the shape/consistency of vampire cookies)

[samianscar]

It worked out okay. That one time. ...Bite notwithstanding.

private to Spike (they're just like gingerbread men! s-sort of)

[atonementsucks]

Actually I was thinking of later on, when you were less evil and more just annoying.

[...]

Maybe-- ...no. Forget it.

still private (no weetabix?)

[samianscar]

Yeah, so was I.

Maybe what?

still private (no weetabix.)

[atonementsucks]

[Enjoy the glorious silence that is Angel brooding about something or other.]

It's just that... Wesley's here.

And he shouldn't be.

In fact, I hear there's a lot of people who are here who shouldn't be. This place doesn't care what time you're from, what state you're in.

[And he doesn't need to say she could still show up, but the lack of saying is evidence that he's been thinking about this.]

MORE private! (d'aww)

[samianscar]

[Enjoy the utter bizarrity that is Spike looking genuinely serious. And… thoughtful. Of Angel.]

This world's not so different from the others as they might think. Know you won't be surprised. It's got its quirks, but it follows certain laws.

Including that oldest one: loves don't come back for us waiting around for them. If they'll turn up, it'll always be right when we're looking the other way, doing something else.

[supercilious]

You must know a lot of exceptional people, then.

But that was a good story. One of the most admirable strengths, in my opinion, is the ability to carry on through adversity for the sake of others.

[atonementsucks]

A few. Over the years.

Not all of them were really the tough guy type, but when you get caught in a battle what else can you do but keep fighting?

[supercilious]

A lot of people would run. Or die.

[atonementsucks]

You're right. A lot would.

All the more reason why they need people who won't.