action + video ✪ my words don't travel far -- they tangle in my hair and tend to go nowhere
[ It's a beautiful fall day in the neighbourhood and the Slayer and her ex-Watcher are doing something they should have done a while ago. Despite the Shift (or perhaps, in a twisted way, because of it), they are sitting out on a pretty little checked blanket. A picnic basket stands nearby. Many fantastic, eye-opening heart-to-hearts are about to happen... ] Giles. [ Buffy begins. ] You're totally right. I should've...it's about time we... [ Her stammering gives way to frowning. The Slayer gently touches the base of her throat. What's happening?
Giles, for his part, had immediately started shuffling through his mental catalogue of fairy tales - already extensively referenced, during this experiment - for something relevant when Buffy had made the proposal. He'd come up blank, a fact which was both gratifying and...a little intimidating. They should have done this a while ago. The fact that they haven't was...probably going to make this harder.
But if Giles was anything to her anymore, he was the one who made the hard decisions, no matter how much they were bound to hurt later. And so he'd walked over and seen the pretty little checked blanket and the picnic basket and let himself hope.
He looks over at the sound of her voice, very much fighting back the urge to clean his glasses as an excuse to look away. He expects the stuttering. It's unusual, from her but...not unexpected. The clearly distressed silence, however, is.] Buffy? What's wrong?
[ She taps her throat again. And again. Again and again with growing insistence. Her eyes widen -- more in frustration than in fear; after all, they'd both walked this path before. Albeit, Giles has done so more recently. Her mouth opens, soundless. She beckons him closer. Help.
And closer Giles comes. With all they've both lived through, a sudden case of muteness isn't a cause for panic. Frustration and concern, yes. But not panic. It doesn't take long for two and two to be added together. ] You...can't talk?
[ Buffy nods her head. yes, that's right. And then she realizes that such an answer is ambiguous and so she shakes her head. No, I can't. And then a perfect frown of annoyance.
Suddenly, she feels a swell of daughterly affection. Suspicious but not foreign. A stern obedience soon follows -- foreign and suspect.
If there is any change in Buffy's demeanor, Giles doesn't notice it yet. His mind is already working, analyzing the situation they'd found themselves in and eliminating those that didn't fit. Eliminating any of those where the female lead could actually speak.
That still leaves them with a great many options, however. ] Good Lord, this experiment...
I don't suppose you're suddenly possessed of an inclination to wear a tiara, then?
[ Buffy gives him a look that's one half when do I ever not want a tiara? and one half are we legit playing the fairy-tale elimination game? -- however, the more she didn't speak the more she didn't mind not speaking. Huh.
That is Giles' intention. At first. However, he is finding himself fighting off a nagging but insistent voice telling him that it's pointless. He can't figure this out. She won't speak for him. Much as he wishes she would, much as he is stung that she wouldn't.
But she might for someone else. Someone worthy. Hard as it is to think of there being anyone more worthy than him to speak with her. But revealing the situation to anyone would attract entirely unsuitable people and that just would not do, and...
He goes quiet for several seconds, but for a soft, thoughtful "oh". ]
[ Half an hour of busy construction after that, an announcement is made to the village at large. ] People of Luceti. Sorry to interrupt the general chaos, but I have a bit of a challenge that I thought some of you might be interested in.
[ The video function is turned on. Giles, to his...much reduced annoyance, is back in his royal costume. Buffy has been put into something suitably pretty and demure for a reclusive princess. A table has been set up on top of the checkered blanket, with three chairs placed nearby. ]
I know a great many of you here claim to care for Buffy. Well, I'm afraid today is where you prove how much. If she'll actually speak to you, then fine. Wonderful. What further proof do any of us need? But if she won't even deign to do that...
[ The camera is turned so that what appears to be a miniature guillotine is visible, a few yards away. It's a small one - a stage prop, more than anything, modified to deliver a blow with a lump of wood to the back of the head rather than a blow to the neck. But, still. It's utterly intimidating. Tremble in fear. ] I'd say you'll have a great deal to think about, but you won't, because I'll be executing you.
Have a nice day, everyone. I look forward to any visitors who might like to stop by.
(ooc; it's backdated to wednesday afternoon and buffy and giles are stuck acting out the mute princess! bring your characters along to try and conversationally tempt the chilly, silent slayer into talking! mortify the ex-watcher with your total unsuitedness to steal away his daughter! or feel free to wreak other fairy-tale havoc!
please be sure to let us know in the subject line whether you want a thread with giles or with buffy or perhaps both separately. or both together. as it is, be on the look-out for timely threadjacks! )
Giles, for his part, had immediately started shuffling through his mental catalogue of fairy tales - already extensively referenced, during this experiment - for something relevant when Buffy had made the proposal. He'd come up blank, a fact which was both gratifying and...a little intimidating. They should have done this a while ago. The fact that they haven't was...probably going to make this harder.
But if Giles was anything to her anymore, he was the one who made the hard decisions, no matter how much they were bound to hurt later. And so he'd walked over and seen the pretty little checked blanket and the picnic basket and let himself hope.
He looks over at the sound of her voice, very much fighting back the urge to clean his glasses as an excuse to look away. He expects the stuttering. It's unusual, from her but...not unexpected. The clearly distressed silence, however, is.] Buffy? What's wrong?
[ She taps her throat again. And again. Again and again with growing insistence. Her eyes widen -- more in frustration than in fear; after all, they'd both walked this path before. Albeit, Giles has done so more recently. Her mouth opens, soundless. She beckons him closer. Help.
And closer Giles comes. With all they've both lived through, a sudden case of muteness isn't a cause for panic. Frustration and concern, yes. But not panic. It doesn't take long for two and two to be added together. ] You...can't talk?
[ Buffy nods her head. yes, that's right. And then she realizes that such an answer is ambiguous and so she shakes her head. No, I can't. And then a perfect frown of annoyance.
Suddenly, she feels a swell of daughterly affection. Suspicious but not foreign. A stern obedience soon follows -- foreign and suspect.
If there is any change in Buffy's demeanor, Giles doesn't notice it yet. His mind is already working, analyzing the situation they'd found themselves in and eliminating those that didn't fit. Eliminating any of those where the female lead could actually speak.
That still leaves them with a great many options, however. ] Good Lord, this experiment...
I don't suppose you're suddenly possessed of an inclination to wear a tiara, then?
[ Buffy gives him a look that's one half when do I ever not want a tiara? and one half are we legit playing the fairy-tale elimination game? -- however, the more she didn't speak the more she didn't mind not speaking. Huh.
That is Giles' intention. At first. However, he is finding himself fighting off a nagging but insistent voice telling him that it's pointless. He can't figure this out. She won't speak for him. Much as he wishes she would, much as he is stung that she wouldn't.
But she might for someone else. Someone worthy. Hard as it is to think of there being anyone more worthy than him to speak with her. But revealing the situation to anyone would attract entirely unsuitable people and that just would not do, and...
He goes quiet for several seconds, but for a soft, thoughtful "oh". ]
[ Half an hour of busy construction after that, an announcement is made to the village at large. ] People of Luceti. Sorry to interrupt the general chaos, but I have a bit of a challenge that I thought some of you might be interested in.
[ The video function is turned on. Giles, to his...much reduced annoyance, is back in his royal costume. Buffy has been put into something suitably pretty and demure for a reclusive princess. A table has been set up on top of the checkered blanket, with three chairs placed nearby. ]
I know a great many of you here claim to care for Buffy. Well, I'm afraid today is where you prove how much. If she'll actually speak to you, then fine. Wonderful. What further proof do any of us need? But if she won't even deign to do that...
[ The camera is turned so that what appears to be a miniature guillotine is visible, a few yards away. It's a small one - a stage prop, more than anything, modified to deliver a blow with a lump of wood to the back of the head rather than a blow to the neck. But, still. It's utterly intimidating. Tremble in fear. ] I'd say you'll have a great deal to think about, but you won't, because I'll be executing you.
Have a nice day, everyone. I look forward to any visitors who might like to stop by.
(ooc; it's backdated to wednesday afternoon and buffy and giles are stuck acting out the mute princess! bring your characters along to try and conversationally tempt the chilly, silent slayer into talking! mortify the ex-watcher with your total unsuitedness to steal away his daughter! or feel free to wreak other fairy-tale havoc!
please be sure to let us know in the subject line whether you want a thread with giles or with buffy or perhaps both separately. or both together. as it is, be on the look-out for timely threadjacks! )