poly_chromatic | 54th Slay [Action

Entry tags:

buffy the vampire slayer - buffy summers

54th Slay [Action | Video]

[Buffy is sitting next to the window at Cafe Juliet, looking out to the crowds. It's probably pretty clear she's looking for someone(s) in particular. She smiles at the device]

Welcome to the City. Stay out of the Underground, don't feed the deities and have a nice probably temporary stay.

Any Sunnydale residents that want to say hi?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Oh God. Spike's on fire. Buffy reacts quickly. It's still cold enough that she wore a jacket to the cafe. She grabs it off the back of the chair and tosses it over his head, steering him by the shoulders back toward the back end of the cafe that's more shadowed.]

At least you know how to make an entrance.

[For the moment, the smell of singed flesh and the sound of his own cursing drowns out the reality. And he doesn't realize what's happened, or who has found him.]

Bloody buggering fuck!

[He pushes her away, instinctively, though with a new instinct laid over that keeps him from pushing hard. It's only when he emerges from the tablecloth and jacket, still smoking faintly, that he sees her and it's like the world stops for a moment before shuddering violently back into motion and he falls backwards, against the back wall, eyes haunted.]

Buffy?

[For her part, during his flailing and his pushing, she's just attempting to make sure no one else gets caught in the cross fire and she does actually stay out of any sunlit patches. When he finally sees her, realizing who she is, she stays her distance, not certain when he's from.]

Yes. Spike. And now that we've identified each other...

[He just stares for a long moment, not believing what he's seeing, and he shakes his head once.]

No, not again. Not doin' this again. The nightmares are bad enough. Don't bloody need to see you all... [He gestures, indicating her vaguely.] alive.

[Ooooookay that narrows it down a bit.]

Spike...why don't we go to my house, get you some blood and a blooming onion. We'll watch kung fu movies or something.

Now I know I'm dreaming.

Or you're a robot.

Are you a robot?

Definitely not a robot. Cross my heart.

Buffy...

[For a moment he's just staring, his heart in his eyes as it always has been despite his best efforts.]

You're alive. You're really alive?

[The look in his eyes breaks Buffy's heart. She reaches out and takes one of his hands with hers.]

Yeah. Really alive. Heart beating, breathing, walking, talking, shopping alive.

[He stares down at her hand, threading their fingers and unconsciously mimicking the gesture in the cave he'd not yet made. He can't speak for a moment.]

You were...

[She lets him, her fingers folding down to his. She has an idea of when he's from and she thinks he probably needs slash deserves this right now.]

Yup. And now I'm not. It's going to be okay, Spike.

[He looks up, eyes locking with hers.]

Then what is this? The afterlife? [He's not supposed to have one--not in the same place as her, anyway.]

[Buffy laughs a little and shakes her head.]

No. It's a snow globe dimension thing. We're all trapped here. Except you. You're probably just visiting for a while. And I'm not alive because of this place. They bring me back at home.

[She means it to be comforting really.]

They. [Spike's head is in danger of falling off.] You're dead, Buffy. I saw you. You telling me those children bring you back?

[She nods and then forces a smile.] It's okay, Spike. Really. I'm all energizer bunny and miles to go. Things are...things are good.

Yeah?

[His eyes search her face. He wants to believe her. But it's too much to hope, that she comes back, that she's happy. He smiles a little.]

Miss you, Buffy.

[Buffy sighs and then hugs him a little. She knows it's too familiar from his time but he seems to need it.]

I miss you too, Spike.

[And that much is true. Spike is one of those constant things in her life that she can count on regardless of how messy her life gets. She slides her arm around his waist.]

Come on. Let's get you somewhere less flammable.

[She's warm and real and as good as his memory is, he's not sure he could replicate that scent. But the hug isn't her, is too close to a dream. What can he do, though but go along with it?]

Yeah, all right. But now I know I'm hallucinating. Never missed me in your life, Slayer.

[Buffy smirks at his comment.] I learn to like you more later. Plus, if you fry while you're here, I'll feel bad.

[She's going to take him out the back door and stick to the shadows in the alley.]

That's what you get for having a conscience.

[Spike goes along with her, eyes squinting around at the City as best he can.]

So you come back to life, everything's hunky-dory, an' you don't hate me anymore. S'like I did die an' go to heaven. [He grimaces at the architecture.] Sort of.

[She goes a little quiet at the mention of heaven. That's still a sore spot and might always be. She wishes things had been that easy and that seamlessly. The truth is much uglier, but then it usually is.] Something like that.

[And then she's back to being forced flippant.] If it'll make you feel better I can stake you.

No thanks. No need to mix your messages any more. Just... prefer the real thing, I've found.

[To the 'bot, for instance. Or the dreams he's been having.]

[It takes her a second to realize what he's talking about. The bot has been a very long time ago for her.]

I'll try to keep my messages unmixy.

[She glances across the alley way.]

Okay. That ware house there is where I live. The windows should be covered. [She doesn't mention that he lived here once before and that's why the windows are covered up.] It's going to be a sunny short dash though. Give me a head start, I'll unlock the door and invite you in.

[Because he doesn't live there anymore and she's not sure how that works.]

You'll be safe inside.

[Spike peers over at the warehouse, and nods.]

Decent of you, Buffy. [Wasn't all that long ago she invited him in for the last time. He won't forget it anytime soon.] Not to mention, vamp-proofing ahead of time.

Habit. [She refuses to admit anything else, at least while he's just here for a weekend. She dashes across the street and opens the door, holding open as she gestures for Spike to make a run for it. When he does, she'll tell him to come on in just before he gets to the door.]

54th Slay [Action | Video]

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