Day Shift (PG-13)

[executrix]

Written for lilaeth who asked for Gunn-Spike friendshipfic, PG-13 (for language and allusions to possible sexual relationships). Lilaeth asked for post-NFA, Gunn as the leader of a group of demon fighters, working with Spike, no character death or bashing, no Evil Spike, and no Wesley.

Comments

[zgirl714]

Thank you so much for participating! I love the Gunn voice and Faith getting the upgrade. Great job!

[executrix]

Thanks, Sami! Faith is my favorite BtVS-AtS character, and in the long run I do like to think of her and Angel hard at work and brooding together.

[pinkdormouse]

Nice set of turn-abouts going on there.

[executrix]

Merci, pinkdormouse! To tell you the truth, I think things looked *awfully* rocky for the Gunnville Nine in NFA, so the first thing that popped into my head was that Spike might have another bash at turning someone with a critically short life expectancy. This time, without the Oedipal issues, it worked better!

[likeadeuce]

Oh, nice! This was a really cool and clever way to address the prompt -- upgraded Faith = love. Someone should write that story. This entire slightly upside down post apocalyptic world is intriguing, but I think the Red Harvest and "NHI" references are my favorites (from my previous life as a crime novel junkie).

[executrix]

much with the thanks, likeadeuce. This was just my way of answering Faith's Lilah question: "Have her or be her?" And for anyone who just finished watching the first season of The Wire, "screw it, just let them knock each other off" does come to mind as a strategy.

[liliaeth]

Very nice, poor Gunn though, becoming a vampire and all. Can't think of anything worse that could happen to him.

[executrix]

But he's a good vampire! And he has friends! And he can Do Good and still do *some* fun things! So I don't think it's a Fate Worse Than Death, even though it sure wouldn't be his first pick.

[lyrstzha]

I really like the way you sketch in the new world order with spare, concise, natural-feeling brushstrokes; it's elegant and interesting. Also, I found Gunn's Ku Klux Vamp reminiscences about his staking of Alonna to be quite effective and intriguing. Lovely work!

[executrix]

Lyrstzha: I'm especially grateful for praise from someone as talented as you.
Although overall I like BtVS much more than AtS, I think that one place where AtS scores is being more nuanced about demons, and for that matter about human evil. And we know from canon that Gunn sometimes does things hastily that he regrets later! (although unlike Angel and Spike he doesn't have a long history of cruelty to atone for, just a lot of atrocious judgment that has bad consequences for other people too.

[lyrstzha]

*beams* You so make me remember how to blush, which isn't easy.

I, too, liked the way AtS broke away from the whole demons=evil idea. It was far more interesting to have the demonic races cover the whole spectrum of goodness, and even be the victims of humans sometimes.

[executrix]

PS--about your icon: That's not a prize you're holding...and this isn't incense!