The Room - drabble series
Okay, I posted the first in this series as a birthday drabble for strangebint, and intended to eke these out as birthdays occurred, posting the second as agilebrit's late drabble.
But see, I've been reading a translation of the poetic Edda, a collection of Icelandic epics, and I detected the fell influence of this tome as I was writing, in both structure and the unfolding of the story (Relax. I made minimal concession to poetic form). Many people won't like where this goes for various reasons, though I hope they enjoy the drabbles anyway. On the off chance that agilebrit doesn't care for them, I've decided to write a different one for her. That will be coming up later this evening or tomorrow.
I decided the drabbles need to be posted together and I've included the original, with a few minor changes so it fits better with the others. It isn't necessary to re-read that one if you remember it.
The Room
Immediately post-NFA.
Spike's cursing, the scent of Angel's blood, Anya's excited query: "Xander? Is Xander all right?"
Faith looked around the room, surprise on her face. "Whoa! You guys are all dead. This hell or something?"
"You were both killed by the ubervamps? What's he doing here, then?" Anya pointed at Angel.
Spike frowned. "Brought down the Hellmouth over a year ago."
"More like six," Faith whispered.
A door swung open silently, beckoning them.
"Huh. Must all be here. Looks like we have an invite," Spike said.
Angel nodded. "Shall we go?"
Spike held his elbows out. Anya shrugged, saying why not?
Anya's Room
The second in 'The Room' drabble series.
Children's laughter, the scent of pine, the crinkle of wrapping paper. The family didn't see the four ghosts who entered the room.
"Look, Daddy!" The youngest girl held up an ant farm for Xander to admire.
Xander grinned in response, throwing his arm around a beautiful woman, and kissing her. "Mommy told Santa you wanted one."
Spike put his hand on Anya's shoulder.
"It's alright," Anya whispered, "I wanted him to be happy with me, but as long he's happy..."
"Let's move on," Angel suggested.
Faith looked back after they moved through the next door, and realized Anya was gone.
Faith's Room
The third in 'The Room' drabble series.
Shrieks of pain, the scent of blood, the sobbing of the damned. The cacophony swallowed Wesley's moans. The knife sliced through his flesh, re-opened scars, scraped along bone.
Faith's blow sent the dungeon-master flying. "I'll take his place."
"No. It's not possible. I couldn't allow…" Wesley couldn't keep the hope from his eyes.
"Go." Faith said. Angel folded Wesley into his arms, and she rolled onto the slab.
"I'll find a way to get you out," Wesley whispered. "You won't be here forever."
Spike kicked another door open; they barreled through. Only Spike and Angel arrived on the other side.
The Next Room
The fourth in 'The Room' drabble series.
Silence, the scent of perfume, a gasp of surprise. Buffy jerked around, scanning the room, looking right through them.
"Bugger," Spike snarled. "This room yours, or mine?" He hesitated: Angel didn't.
Angel put his mouth next to Buffy's ear. "Buffy? Can you hear me?"
Buffy swatted the air, then froze. "Angel?" she whispered, turning to face him, wonder growing on her face. "Angel?"
Spike ran, halting at the open door. He closed his eyes, afraid to turn around, afraid to go forward.
The sound of a kiss decided him.
"Nothing for you here, Spike," he told himself.
He stepped through.
The Last Room
The last in 'The Room' drabble series.
The soft croon of a lullaby, the scent of lilac-water, a gasp of delight. Drusilla saw him instantly, opened her arms. "I've missed you so."
Spike hung back, rueful smile on his face. "Our own personal hells? That what this is all about?"
Drusilla hugged him, resting her head on his shoulder, rocking. Spike stroked her hair and sighed. "Well, as hells go, guess this one isn't so bad."
"You've all been bad children," she whispered, "but then you were good. You've earned both heaven and hell."
Drusilla raised her head. "And eternity with someone who can give you both."
DRABBLE INDEX FANFICTION INDEX
But see, I've been reading a translation of the poetic Edda, a collection of Icelandic epics, and I detected the fell influence of this tome as I was writing, in both structure and the unfolding of the story (Relax. I made minimal concession to poetic form). Many people won't like where this goes for various reasons, though I hope they enjoy the drabbles anyway. On the off chance that agilebrit doesn't care for them, I've decided to write a different one for her. That will be coming up later this evening or tomorrow.
I decided the drabbles need to be posted together and I've included the original, with a few minor changes so it fits better with the others. It isn't necessary to re-read that one if you remember it.
The Room
Immediately post-NFA.
Spike's cursing, the scent of Angel's blood, Anya's excited query: "Xander? Is Xander all right?"
Faith looked around the room, surprise on her face. "Whoa! You guys are all dead. This hell or something?"
"You were both killed by the ubervamps? What's he doing here, then?" Anya pointed at Angel.
Spike frowned. "Brought down the Hellmouth over a year ago."
"More like six," Faith whispered.
A door swung open silently, beckoning them.
"Huh. Must all be here. Looks like we have an invite," Spike said.
Angel nodded. "Shall we go?"
Spike held his elbows out. Anya shrugged, saying why not?
Anya's Room
The second in 'The Room' drabble series.
Children's laughter, the scent of pine, the crinkle of wrapping paper. The family didn't see the four ghosts who entered the room.
"Look, Daddy!" The youngest girl held up an ant farm for Xander to admire.
Xander grinned in response, throwing his arm around a beautiful woman, and kissing her. "Mommy told Santa you wanted one."
Spike put his hand on Anya's shoulder.
"It's alright," Anya whispered, "I wanted him to be happy with me, but as long he's happy..."
"Let's move on," Angel suggested.
Faith looked back after they moved through the next door, and realized Anya was gone.
Faith's Room
The third in 'The Room' drabble series.
Shrieks of pain, the scent of blood, the sobbing of the damned. The cacophony swallowed Wesley's moans. The knife sliced through his flesh, re-opened scars, scraped along bone.
Faith's blow sent the dungeon-master flying. "I'll take his place."
"No. It's not possible. I couldn't allow…" Wesley couldn't keep the hope from his eyes.
"Go." Faith said. Angel folded Wesley into his arms, and she rolled onto the slab.
"I'll find a way to get you out," Wesley whispered. "You won't be here forever."
Spike kicked another door open; they barreled through. Only Spike and Angel arrived on the other side.
The Next Room
The fourth in 'The Room' drabble series.
Silence, the scent of perfume, a gasp of surprise. Buffy jerked around, scanning the room, looking right through them.
"Bugger," Spike snarled. "This room yours, or mine?" He hesitated: Angel didn't.
Angel put his mouth next to Buffy's ear. "Buffy? Can you hear me?"
Buffy swatted the air, then froze. "Angel?" she whispered, turning to face him, wonder growing on her face. "Angel?"
Spike ran, halting at the open door. He closed his eyes, afraid to turn around, afraid to go forward.
The sound of a kiss decided him.
"Nothing for you here, Spike," he told himself.
He stepped through.
The Last Room
The last in 'The Room' drabble series.
The soft croon of a lullaby, the scent of lilac-water, a gasp of delight. Drusilla saw him instantly, opened her arms. "I've missed you so."
Spike hung back, rueful smile on his face. "Our own personal hells? That what this is all about?"
Drusilla hugged him, resting her head on his shoulder, rocking. Spike stroked her hair and sighed. "Well, as hells go, guess this one isn't so bad."
"You've all been bad children," she whispered, "but then you were good. You've earned both heaven and hell."
Drusilla raised her head. "And eternity with someone who can give you both."
DRABBLE INDEX FANFICTION INDEX