Looky What I Found - A Ficlet!
Whilst searching through my files for something else (which I still haven't found), I ran across this little ficlet, which I wrote eons ago - or at least a couple of years. :-) I don't think I ever posted it because I was planning on making it a full-fledged fic and never got around to it, but upon re-reading it I kind of like it just the way it is. Despite the schmoop factor, which is relatively high. There's a warning for ya. It's S/B, very short, post-LMPTM, rated PG at the most, and I think we'll call it:
Normal
Buffy was so restless she couldn’t sit still. She was mad at the world. At Giles. At Robin. And she couldn’t even get a moment alone in her own house. She pulled back the drape and looked outside. Finally.
She flung open the front door and stalked by Spike, who was on the front porch, smoking.
“Where you headed, Slayer?”
Her voice was steely when she answered. “Out. I need to kill something.”
“Mind some company?”
She was surprised to find she really didn't. Not if it was him. “Suit yourself.”
Night fell late this time of year, and it was barely dark enough for a vampire to be out, though it was after seven. The sky still held hints of orange and violet, and the streets were filled with people; teenagers in large, rowdy groups, lovers soldered to each others’ sides, couples wheeling strollers, or with toddlers perched on daddy’s shoulders.
And then there was the two of them. This was their life, out hunting demons so everyone else could be safe and happy. Doomed to an existence of fighting and killing; a life devoid of normal things like love, romance, family.
To hell with that. She reached out and grabbed his hand.
From the corner of her eye she registered the shock on his face. His gait faltered, and then resumed. She felt his fingers curl around hers.
“Buffy?”
“We’re not regular people,” she said. “So what? This is our normal. Although I wouldn’t mind dinner and a movie once in awhile. But do you see what I see?”
A group of kids had ducked into an alley to smoke some pot. A group of vampires had followed them.
Spike squeezed her hand. “We’ll resume this conversation later?”
She squeezed back. “Bet on it.”
***
He watched in awe, never got tired of watching her fight. He’d already disposed of half the vamps, but it wasn’t a good idea to intrude on the Slayer’s territory unless she asked you to.
“Need some help, love?”
“I got it.” She spun and took out the last one. “And you know, I kind of like it when you call me that.”
“Thought you hated it.”
“I lied.” She walked towards him slowly, tucking the stake into the back of her waistband. “You did good.”
His smile became a full fledged grin. “Thanks, boss.”
She grinned back. “Shut up.”
He wanted nothing more than to grab her and kiss her, but he didn’t really want an audience. “Uh, Slayer?” he asked, nodding toward the gang of kids cowering up against the wall.
“Oh! You can go now,” she said to them. “And in the future? Just say no.”
The kids took off running down the alley, and Buffy turned to him and smiled. “Now, where were we?”
He held out his hand. “As I recall, right about here.”
Normal
Buffy was so restless she couldn’t sit still. She was mad at the world. At Giles. At Robin. And she couldn’t even get a moment alone in her own house. She pulled back the drape and looked outside. Finally.
She flung open the front door and stalked by Spike, who was on the front porch, smoking.
“Where you headed, Slayer?”
Her voice was steely when she answered. “Out. I need to kill something.”
“Mind some company?”
She was surprised to find she really didn't. Not if it was him. “Suit yourself.”
Night fell late this time of year, and it was barely dark enough for a vampire to be out, though it was after seven. The sky still held hints of orange and violet, and the streets were filled with people; teenagers in large, rowdy groups, lovers soldered to each others’ sides, couples wheeling strollers, or with toddlers perched on daddy’s shoulders.
And then there was the two of them. This was their life, out hunting demons so everyone else could be safe and happy. Doomed to an existence of fighting and killing; a life devoid of normal things like love, romance, family.
To hell with that. She reached out and grabbed his hand.
From the corner of her eye she registered the shock on his face. His gait faltered, and then resumed. She felt his fingers curl around hers.
“Buffy?”
“We’re not regular people,” she said. “So what? This is our normal. Although I wouldn’t mind dinner and a movie once in awhile. But do you see what I see?”
A group of kids had ducked into an alley to smoke some pot. A group of vampires had followed them.
Spike squeezed her hand. “We’ll resume this conversation later?”
She squeezed back. “Bet on it.”
***
He watched in awe, never got tired of watching her fight. He’d already disposed of half the vamps, but it wasn’t a good idea to intrude on the Slayer’s territory unless she asked you to.
“Need some help, love?”
“I got it.” She spun and took out the last one. “And you know, I kind of like it when you call me that.”
“Thought you hated it.”
“I lied.” She walked towards him slowly, tucking the stake into the back of her waistband. “You did good.”
His smile became a full fledged grin. “Thanks, boss.”
She grinned back. “Shut up.”
He wanted nothing more than to grab her and kiss her, but he didn’t really want an audience. “Uh, Slayer?” he asked, nodding toward the gang of kids cowering up against the wall.
“Oh! You can go now,” she said to them. “And in the future? Just say no.”
The kids took off running down the alley, and Buffy turned to him and smiled. “Now, where were we?”
He held out his hand. “As I recall, right about here.”