xviii - audio

[breakmychest]

[It's been a rough few days. Buffy still hasn't checked in, and Spike's worried out of his mind. He's also worried about Angel, though in a very different way. And the last conversation he and Buffy had was a fight.

It all leads to him sitting in the Laughing Mynock drinking whiskey. It's not really helping

Comments

action;

[slayerisms]

[ She gets the message, sure. She hasn't been completely ignoring the datapads. In fact, she's been keeping up. Dreading the day Angel returns. Or maybe hoping for it. So, yeah. She gets his message. But, she doesn't respond. She blows it off. He knows she's alive. Dean made sure of that, and he was someone she actually knew she could count on

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[breakmychest]

[It doesn't take Spike long to find her. He'd worried that she'd be in someone's home, somewhere he couldn't follow. But no, she's at the old Crimson Terror warehouse. It was one of the first places Spike had thought to check, too. He thought she might come back here, and at the very least, he hoped to pick up her scent.

Instead, he finds the actual girl. That saves him time.

She looks about as upset as he'd expected. It's not a good thing, but it's nothing he hasn't seen before. Buffy, drowning in guilt.

He approaches cautiously, not wanting to startle her.]

Slayer.

[slayerisms]

Vampire. [ It's said as a cold identifier. Not with the same familiarity that he calls her Slayer. Not even close. She doesn't turn around, either, but she knows it's him. She can't even drum up the rage that's appropriate now. She's just feeling empty more than anything.

She can't help but think about how you'd think the next part would be easy. Slayer. Vampire. Slayer kill vampire, possibly choke on the resulting dust. It's what she'd done to Angel. But, that hadn't been simple, either. It was never simple. That's what she was starting to understand. ]

[breakmychest]

[He goes over to stand next to her, though he doesn't touch her. He has a feeling it would end in him getting hurt or her running away. Probably both.]

Is this where it started?

not here;

[slayerisms]

[ YOU WOULD THINK THAT, CARVER. YOU WOULD BE WRONG. SOMETIMES CHANGING LOVE INTERESTS CAN BE SCARRING TOO. ]

video;

[breakmychest]

Think that'd be the obvious answer, wouldn't you? Bloody hard to guess what'll do which.

[failedhorribly]

To be honest I just sat him down and told him everything, and then we went out and got drunk. Still have the feather boa lying around somewhere, actually.

[breakmychest]

Brute honesty. Guess that's one approach.

[failedhorribly]

The alcohol helps a lot. But mostly it was just that there were far too many other people hanging about who would take all kinds of delight in telling him what went on, or who didn't know how to keep their mouths shut. Better that they get it all at the same time from one source than find it out in bits and pieces. Otherwise it's just sort of like being constantly slapped in the face.

[breakmychest]

...seeing your point, there. [Spike hasn't actually revealed that much. It's mostly been everyone else and Spike trying to do damage control.] Bloody hard to cover everything, though. Lots has happened.

audio;

[omnombouquet]

I've only told what I thought was relevant to them in their immediate futures.

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[breakmychest]

That's what I've been doing. Gets me in trouble if they disagree about what's relevant.

audio;

[omnombouquet]

It might depend on the person, too.

audio;

[breakmychest]

Usually does. People. Bloody inconsistent, they are.

audio;

[oxidantshappen]

I've been told the entire story. Twice. It doesn't change anything unless you can't handle your own actions.

audio;

[breakmychest]

People's actions don't make up the entire future.

[oxidantshappen]

Clearly. But they certainly are a starting point, are they not? I'd rather someone tell me everything instead of cutting out the crap for sensitive reasons.

[breakmychest]

[Spike feels the same way, but that hasn't stopped him from hiding things from Buffy. She thinks the future's bad enough already. He's not adding to it.]

I don't believe the future's set in stone anyhow. Even if I'm living it.