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prose-for-hire · 10 months ago

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Should I Stay or Should I Go? (Part Four)

Part One // Part Two // Part Three

Pairing: Spike x Giles!reader

Part four of four 💖

Warning: reader drinks/smokes, difficult relationship with Giles and not friends with Buffy. Fighting. Blood. Biting. Sexual reference

It had been a long night.

Spike kept swatting you away every time you started trying to talk to him about something. He was getting exasperated and you found it cute. You didn’t want to walk in silence sensing demons and vampires anymore, that game was getting tired.

He sighed, looking up at the sky exaggeratedly as you started mindlessly talking again. It was something that he usually enjoyed, always had ever since he had met you and you just poured out your thoughts to him against your better judgement. The way you were able to just talk, speak your mind in such a way that made him want to reach deeper. Know you even more.

But there was a time and a place and he was really trying to concentrate. Still, he weaved his hand in yours and squeezed as he listened.

“Don’t you get bored with the fighting? I’m getting splinters here” You moved to show him the other hand, the one brandishing the stake.

“Put the bloody thing away then. You don’t need it anyway, you’re a natural, love” he insisted, making you glow at such a high compliment. He wouldn’t compliment you on your fighting lightly.

“Well, thanks, but I’m still kinda over it. Surely it’s almost dawn?” you yawned, side-eying him to watch the characteristic eyeroll. You knew him so well now, as well as he knew himself.

“Don’t you feel it? Coursing through your veins?” He said, squeezing your hand tighter and bouncing slightly as he walked.

“Boredom?” you teased, the smile spreading across your face telling him that you had been enjoying your little hunting trip. But, really, ten demons was excessive for one night and you were starting to get cramp in your wrist from all the staking.

“The power, pet, the fight of it all”

“There’s me hoping you’d be a lover not a fighter”

“Why can’t I be both, hm?” He arched an eyebrow suggestively, his hand grazing the skin of your arm, until he reached that point on your neck that he loved so much. His thumb stroking the pulse point.

That look was in his eye again, the one from that night. You gasped as his lips caught yours, taking the stake from your hand and throwing it into the darkness. There was a need to the kiss, an urgency even though he had all the time in the world to enjoy your love.

His senses consumed by you, he couldn’t care less if a demon was in the area anymore. All he wanted to feel was you. He pressed you against the closest mausoleum, the rough brick caressing your back as you held Spike against you. You moved your hand beneath his duster, under the layers of fabric that kept his body from yours.

It had been a month. A month since you had died.

He had grazed the skin of your neck, leaving a trail of your blood. He whispered what he wanted to do. That he wanted to turn you. To have you for eternity, that was how strong his love was for you. You had nodded, not thinking and just enjoying the moment. Enjoying him.

You only realised once you had awoken, that you had made the right decision. You would have done anything for him in that moment. In any moment.

It hurt, God it had hurt. If you hadn’t already been dying it would have made you want to so badly. He cradled your form as you went limp beneath him, licking up the side of your neck at the open wound that was still leaking. You had never looked so attractive to him as his own blood collected at the corner of your mouth.

He held you for hours, whispering reassurances, promises of glory and just how good you would feel. Really, he should have buried you. It was a vampire’s rite of passage, having to claw your way out of a grave. But he had never been one for rules.

He laid you in his bed, lying beside you each day, waiting for you to arise.

When you did, you understood everything in such clarity. This is what you were meant to become. You felt like yourself, you weren’t itching for some lame evil masterplan nor were you feeling any guilt for becoming something you had been taught was disgusting and unnatural for so long.

Spike doted, he truly did. He adored you even more now that he had sired you, if that was even possible. Worshipped the ground that you walked on.

And he liked to show you at any possible moment. He liked to stay in physical contact in some way most of the time. Whether it was his hand in yours, leaning against you or kissing you as passionately as he was now. Your life was so full now, you had made friends with a couple of local demons and you sometimes even managed to convince Spike to go on double dates (very, very rarely).

You finally had a purpose. A reason to get up in the evening. All it took was the little death to make you come alive.

You and Spike made a cosy little life together, you lived fully and helped kill demons when the mood struck. You felt like you were doing good, even if it was in a kind of morally grey way. You knew that Giles would never be proud of you, but you couldn’t find it in your to care as much as you did when you were living.

As Spike slid his hand beneath your waistband, his hands sizzling against your skin despite you both being room temperature, your kisses getting sloppier as you mumbled against his lips. You adored this man. His lips. His hands. His everything…

You moaned against his skin, fully wrapped up in him.

Until, of course, you were interrupted in the usual Sunnydale way. You had missed the sound of footsteps, beating hearts and panting breath. You had missed the scent, the urgency and fear that could now be smelled in the air.

“Y/n! I’m glad we found you”

“Y-you are?” You said, managing to drag yourself from Spike’s touch, ignoring Xander’s eyes dropping to where Spike had just removed his hand from. He was stood with Anya looking

“Can’t a man have any sodding privacy around these parts?” Spike grumbled, showing his hands in his pocket and daring Xander to say something about what he had seen with that smirk that you loved so much.

You focused on trying to look human. You blinked probably more than was normal and stook irregular and strange breaths. It was funny how easily you could have forgotten something that had once been so normal.

You stared at them, more specifically at their necks. Beating and full of life. It made you hungry. Ravenous. You gripped Spike’s arm, feeling your fangs threatening to elongate as the human spoke animatedly about something.

Oh, right, you were meant to be listening.

There was (another) apocalypse on the horizon. An evil force that had been exploding people from the inside. Demons and humans alike. It was like a parasite, once you were infected it lived inside you, making a home until it was ready to ‘hatch’, leaving the host exploding into pieces.

It was pretty grim, even by Sunnydale standards and even Anya looked scared. A little impressed, but still scared.

“What am I supposed to do about it?”

“There’s some prophetic-prophecy thingy that mentions you”

“Me?”

“Well, sort of. G-man can explain. Let’s go”

“Hold on, what makes you think we want to help you losers?”

“The world is ending here, and I’m human and mortal and I don’t want to die and we haven’t got time for tantrums” Anya spiralled and Xander comforted her. It was clearly serious. You and spike looked at each other for a moment.

“One condition. Spike comes too.”

It was awkward to say the least. There was something written about the one that ends a Watcher lineage having ‘potential’. Some sort of dormant power that needed releasing. You had to say some words or shake a stick or something that would cause immunity from the parasite. You weren’t listening too closely you were just waiting for instructions.

You had half hoped it was just some excuse so that your father could talk to you. Perhaps reconcile. But when you arrived it was clearly not the case. They had invited you in, thankfully, and you sat in the corner with Spike.

You stared across the room, your father brewing a hot drink for the group who looked like they all needed something a bit stronger. They had all been told that the world was ending, after all.

As if he had read your mind, Spike slid a flask from the inside pocket of his duster, a glint in his eye as he poured the liquor into each of your mugs. Your father either didn’t notice or chose to turn a blind eye due to the nature of the situation.

They discussed the situation well into the night. Each of them eyed Spike suspiciously and your Dad flat out glared every time Spike so much as looked in your direction.

It was getting late but neither you or Spike was tired. You had always been one to stay up late so it wasn’t unusual to your father. He took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes.

“Do you have any snacks?” You asked, moving to look through the cupboards. You and Spike were going to watch movies until everyone else went to bed and you could sneak out for some blood. You had settled on some sort of comedy, with lots of blood and guts.

“Oh! You have a full box of these!” You exclaimed, they were your favourite snack, grabbing them and fighting the box to get it open. He had kept them in the cupboard, in case you ever returned.

“You did, ah, always like them when you were a child” Giles said smiling wistfully. It really wasn’t like him to come over all nostalgic and soft. They might take away his British citizenship if he wasn’t careful.

Your father stayed for another twenty minutes before he left for bed, looking at you and wishing you a good sleep before he went. He had missed you, even if you did make some terrible choices.

You had mostly been camped in your old room for the last couple of days. It had been taken over by stacks and stacks of books since your departure. You had insisted that Spike stayed and seeing as you were helping the Scoobies out they reluctantly allowed you both to stay. You had been grumbling about the state of your old room and Spike reminded you that last time he was here he was sleeping in the tub, so it was somewhat of an upgrade. Willow skipped in that morning to see you.

“Let’s go to the espresso pump, it’s a nice day and I have something I wanted to tell-”

“No. Thanks” You said firmly. Willow had wanted to tell you about Tara, she knew you would be supportive.

“Just go, Y/n, we don’t need you here every hour of the day. Just be on call for when we need you” Your father had walked in behind Willow, eyeing Spike with disdain.

“No, really, I’m good. Thanks, though”

“Come on, some light will do you good” Willow insisted, trying to draw back the curtains. You propelled yourself forward to try and stop her but Spike just braced himself and moved out of the way.

You screamed. It wasn’t exactly your finest moment. But the pain was terrible, it felt as if your skin was being cooked. Bubbling beneath the surface.

Everyone ran in from the other room, shocked and confused as you dived behind your old bed to hide from any stray sunlight.

“You’re-”

“Dead? Yeah”

Buffy didn’t think she just launched herself at you, leaving you reacting instinctively and kicking her in the stomach from your spot on the floor. Leaving her reeling backwards into a stray stack of books, not actually expecting you to be as strong as you were.

Xander caught Buffy and Spike immediately got to his feet and struck the Slayer on her jaw before howling in pain at the chip firing in his head.

“I’m, ow, I’m- I have a soul!” You shouted and everyone just stared at you.

“How?” You father asked, staring at you as if you were a museum exhibit. You could have made something up, some heroic story but you doubt any of them would have believed you anyway. You knew you had a reputation for being a bit of a slacker.

“You liar! You don’t have a soul” Anya stated. She would have been able to see it in your eyes.

“Worth a shot” You shrugged trying your best to stick to a defensive stance.

Giles turned to Spike, rounding on him and pinning him against the wall. Spike had killed his child. And turned you into something evil. You ran to pull him off your love, Giles staring at your strength and seeing a passion that he had never seen you display before. You cared about Spike. Truly.

“Look, Dad, I’m sorry. I know I’m all dead now and I’m probably not exactly what you envisioned but I’m powerful now and I can fight demons the way you always wanted me to.”

“I don’t suppose you believe that this cancels out the numerous killing of innocents?”

“I’m, uh, joining Spike on an animal diet. It’s only fair seeing as he can’t eat proper- uh, the other way around” You insisted, though this hadn’t been entirely true. But they didn’t need to know that.

Spike just stared at your Dad, his face unchanged. The amount of times the vampire had wanted to rip Giles’ head off for the way he treated you. But he had let him get a few blows in, because he knew it would still upset you if he hurt your Dad.

There was a silence for a while. Everyone exchanging glances. Finally Buffy nodded and walked towards you, reaching out her hand to you. Waiting for you to shake. A truce. An agreement.

Buffy leaned in, warning you that the moment she caught you killing or doing something immoral you would be dust.

You didn’t feel particularly evil. Or particularly good. You were happily between the two, basking in the grey area that you had always figured existed for demons. Now you knew it was true. And would try and prove it every day to the Slayer and your father.

You had hoped for a happier ending with your father. He barely tolerated your presence. But, you supposed it was better than the alternative: matching piles of dust. You and Spike had gone back to the crypt, so as not to tempt anyone to kill you both in your sleep. But you had still committed to visiting Giles one evening a week to discuss the prophecy and to spend time with him. You had just left and Spike was waiting for you at the end of the drive.

His face always softened when he saw you, his love for you deepening by the day. You felt a little sad. You hid it from Spike the best you could, smiling at the way he doted on you. Waited to walk you home to your shared crypt.

He reached for you, pulling you into an embrace. He wrapped his arms around you, inhaling deeply, enjoying your scent. It was as if he could feel the sadness radiating off you, though. You were clinging to him a little tighter. Hiding your face against him.

“Sod this” Spike said suddenly, pulling away.

You frowned, “The hug?”

“No love” he replied, having already taken his hand in yours and began leading you at pace through the streets of Sunnydale until you reached his car with the blacked out windows and he gestured for you to get in.

“Where are we going?”

“Far” He shrugged, opening the passenger side door for you.

“We can’t go. I can’t let them die, Spike. Even though I would probably quite enjoy it.” He grinned, pressing a kiss against your temple before you slid into the seat.

“Thought about it, when I visited LA last Angel had an ex-Watcher working with him. I wager they’ll figure it out before any real damage is done” He shrugged sitting beside you and starting up the car.

Wesley. You had forgotten about him. You suppose he had ended his Watcher lineage too if he was no longer in the role.

Spike was, as you had once claimed, quite astute. And he could tell you needed a change of scene. He hated to see you sad. This should be one of the best times, learning to hunt and enjoy the darker side of life. He wanted to show you a whole new underworld, one that he knew you would thrive in.

You didn’t need any crappy jobs, no “success” as defined by your father. You had power. Had love. Had a way to contribute. You could actually fight the demons now rather than cower in the corner and let Spike deal with the threat.

You watched him as he pushed a cassette tape in and started slamming the wheel to the beat and banging his head.

You lit up a cigarette, not able to stop yourself from smiling wide. As you passed the Sunnydale sign, you felt free. For the first time in a long time you felt lighter. With Spike by your side, with all the possibilities that came with your new powers.

You drove towards the sunrise, cigarette smoke curling in the air and the music blasting. You couldn’t help smiling as he slid a hand to rest on your thigh.

You felt happy. Real happiness. You felt a flutter of excitement in your dead heart.

#spike btvs #spike x reader #spike imagine #spike x you #spike btvs x reader #spike btvs x you #spike btvs imagine #btvs #btvs x reader #btvs x you #btvs imagine #buffy the vampire slayer #buffy the vampire slayer imagine

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hayleymarriedjakurai · 9 months ago

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mouthwashing x drdt

NOT a situation where im like "ok whit = daisuke" no. this is a different situation. their own scenario, trust. XF-Ture Express, despite its reputation for being one of the most reliable delivery services across the galaxy, has a terrible inside system. They have one of the lowest failure rates of the space freighters, being at a whopping 5% chance. Employees are paid a hefty amount, motivated by good working conditions on each ship with quality leisure activities and meal plans. But only the ones who earn it get such treatment. The hierarchy in which employees are forced to participate in never leaves the walls of the building. You do your job right and kill yourself working, you get assigned better ships with better shipments. It is as simple as that. So it is unfathomable when Captain Xander Matthews, considered one of the best, is assigned to a ship that is just barely allowed to launch. The "Fatebringer", is what it is called. It just scraped by inspection and is subpar for an XF-Ture ship, but supposedly it is necessary. Xander's job is not an easy one, but simple enough for someone of his caliber. He is to take this crappy ship, along with a shipment, to the exoplanet where the the better functioning ships are maintained and created. He and his crew will turn in this old junk ship for a sleek, modern one and move the shipment to it. Then on their way back, they will deliver it and return to Earth. Simple, they said. Child's play for a captain with so much experience. So it only makes sense for the best of the best to be assigned with him. Rose Lacroix. Her job is what is called 'the documenter'. She has no real purpose other than to keep track of supplies, as well as record daily minutes regarding every single thing that happens on board that is important to note. Due to her memory, she is considered the best to keep track of large quantities of items/the best to spot minor inconsistencies or things that are misplaced. She only needs to walk around a ship once to get it down properly. She has worked with Xander once before. Arturo Giles. The medic. He is apparently not new to this field despite being so young. He is usually quite unbearable and does not prefer to speak to his fellow employees, as most are deemed "too hideous". Despite his terrible personality, he is undeniably the best medic to have on a long assignment due to his quick efficiency. He claims that one day, the company will realize that he deserves better than what he has. (Despite being named the best medical employee.) He has worked with Rose twice, David once. J Moreno. The best mechanic for any ship, especially one as crap as the Fatebringer. When nothing needs to be fixed, she prefers to help out others if they need it (only if they deserve it, of course.) As much as she would prefer to stay on her own, she knows teamwork always comes first on long hauls. Her true identity is known to the company; they still put her actual name on all official documents and tech. She has to manually hide these things, as well as her ID card. Mariabella Rosales and XF-Ture collaborate a lot for financial purposes. She will advertise them with her existence/commercials/whatever, and they will pay her. And of course, never make J's employment public. If J weren't so good at what she does, they would not have cared. But they really like Mariabella's money so. As of now, Julia Rosales is considered MIA. David Chiem. Xander's co-pilot and good friend. David is usually the morale booster of his crews, always keeping spirits up and energy high despite the monotony of long hauls. He is usually who people will go to for advice or mental health discussions in place of the medic for two reasons: He cannot medically document anything, AND he is just such a fantastic listener! He always knows what to say! Xander and David have lost count of how many shipments they have done together. Teruko Tawaki. The stowaway of the Fatebringer who was not meant to be there. She was never meant to be there.

Teruko is usually assigned co-pilot. She has never worked with anyone else on the ship, so it is unclear whether or not her strange misfortune is known to any of them. Every ship she has ever been on has failed to bring their shipments on time- or at all. She has even seen crew members die in front of her. There have been near crashes, close calls...always when she is there. Nobody can terminate her. She has technically done nothing wrong, and firing her for no reason could mean a lawsuit or her spreading rumors about the company. So when Xander is given his assignment, he can only be dumbfounded when written in pen, he spots it. "Kill Teruko Tawaki. Find a way." And so Teruko is brought onto the ship, unconscious and hidden away. When she awakens, Xander will tell everyone that she is a surprise extra crew member. The excuse is that while she is usually co-piloting, XF-Ture is interested in having Teruko's skills expanded by having her shadowing the best of the best. Teruko, not remembering much, accepts this and trusts Xander. David's true personality is the same in canon: cold, cruel, manipulative. He feels threatened by Teruko's presence. After learning that her usual role is his, his theory is that she snuck onto the ship to prove she is better suited/to get him terminated. He treats her as normal UNTIL the crash. Xander is aware of Teruko's past jobs in vivid detail. He has been given reports, seen the documents...how much happens wherever she goes. He wants to get rid of her as soon as possible to keep the crew safe despite his guilt. Things go smoothly...until he receives word that XF-Ture is done for. It had only been two months, so what happened? The Rosales family suddenly stopped funding them, and everything crumbled after that. Nobody ever realized how much of their funding came from them. Xander felt mild relief. He truly does not want to kill a seemingly innocent woman for the company. After all, if she were truly responsible for any of those terrible things, they would have fired her with no hesitation. There must be a reason why she's still employed. But now they're all out of a job. What does that mean for them? Xander's mental health starts to plummet. Small things on board start to go wrong, and his first paranoid thought is to blame Teruko for being there. He becomes obsessed with reading over the reports from the crews that suffered in her presence. They were right; she's the cause. He confides in David, panicked and drained. Xander was a good man; far too good to kill anyone. Even if the people who told him to do so were technically no longer in charge of them...Teruko still needed to go. There's no reason to do the delivery, and there only thing they can really do is go to the exoplanet to swap out ships for a comfortable ride home. But with Teruko on board, there is no guarantee that they'll even get back to Earth. Xander tells him everything- too much. David decides that Teruko cannot make it back no matter what. Whatever field she gets to next will be riddled with destruction and possibly worse. Everyone here is at the top of XF-Ture, the best in a dead company. It is too late for any of them to climb to the top of another wage slave ladder. So he crashes the ship. Teruko Tawaki must die. If Xander cannot do it, he does not mind staining his filthy hands with more blood. What else happens? Who knows.

#drdt #danganronpa despair time #danganronpa: despair time #j moreno #j rosales #julia rosales #julia moreno #xander matthews #arturo giles #drdt arturo #teruko tawaki #rose lacroix #mouthwashing au #mouthwashing

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slutty-gantu · 22 days ago

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The people who say that Buffy's only true friends were Tara and Cordy and that all of her other friends were terrible and didn't appreciate her always tend to only ever use one scene as their justification: when they kick her out in S7E19 Empty Places.

The thing they seem to forget is the people whispering in their ears all season:

Dawn gets manipulated by The First in the form of Joyce pretty early on and while she's told it's the first, she can't shake the warning her "mother" gave her and distrusts Buffy for the rest of the season

Willow spends a lot of time with K*nnedy, who is shown from the start to hate Buffy. It's not unreasonable to assume that K*nnedy would say things to Willow that slowly chip away at Willow's faith in Buffy, especially when X*nder gets actually hurt for the first time

Giles should've died instead of moving back to England because that's when his writing stopped making sense and I stand by that. But pretend for a second that he's the same guy he's always been. Giles is resentful at not being needed anymore – despite him leaving so Buffy wouldn't need him anymore – and jumps right in when he realises without Buffy, he could be in charge again

Anya, the writers didn't know what to do with when she was no longer attached to x*nder and so made writing choices that didn't really make sense for her, including teaming up to kick Buffy out of her own house

Faith was manipulated by The First in the form of the mayor, the only parental figure we ever see her have. She is a vulnerable person who never actually got along with Buffy and is super susceptible to basic manipulation tactics

X*nder acting that way was actually super in character. He's done shit like that to Buffy a bunch before: when he didn't tell her Willow was working on the curse for Angel again, when he gave her that whole speech about going and getting r*ley, when Anya had killed a whole fraternity and Buffy needed to do her job by killing Anya, etc.

At the end of the day, the only people to not consistently have Buffy's back aside from that scene are x*nder and Faith. Make a new point if you want me to believe you so bad

#btvs #buffy summers #willow rosenberg #anya jenkins #xander harris #rupert giles #dawn summers #faith lehane #btvs season 7

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beatriceoverwall · 8 months ago

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I love Buffy like the concept is awesome I love the monsters I love the characters even with their flaws and the way they speak and everything

But I can't shake the feeling every time I watch that Joss Whedon doesn't like his characters? It's not even the main cast and the fact that some issues don't get satisfactorily addressed because like, that's life! But like side characters that make sense to show up often due to being set in a small town and a school just get hardly any characterization which is a shame. Like Larry (think that's his name) is a hero in an alternate universe, he's gay, and he dies at graduation, he was also a bully, but we don't get to know anything more about him. Harmony gets bitten and then is comedic relief with no real satisfying ending even on angel. That random woman who Giles shacked up with for two episodes? Forgotten immediately. Any characters outside of the main ones that Buffy or her friends seem to have a good connection with in an episode? Well too bad they're never coming back again! Kendra? She is nervous around boys and more serious than Buffy, then she dies. She could have been so cool a character, they could have learned so much from each other! Oz, though I love him, leaves to control his werewolfness and there's no story telling us where that journey takes him. Amy was a promising friend to willow then turned into a rãt for years just cause. The annointed one seemed pointless, just a gag for Spike to use? Dawn makes friends in an episode which is cute and then they're never seen again. Just...there was so much potential for fleshing out the world but instead it feels so insular. Lonely almost. There's no world outside the immediate context of whatever the Scoobies are doing at that moment. I suppose it's just that they have a cool setting of a school and other media has used that to full effect having recurring characters that really make the place feel real and just don't use it at all. Like why is Buffy worrying about fitting in and hiding that she's the slayer when she doesn't talk to her classmates anyway? And why don't they try and put things in place to stop situations like the Invisible girl happening again? Why does Buffy and friends only interact with people if they're dating them or if they want information out of them? I know they work to certain beats every episode but there's something cold about it. I love Buffy but it does feel lonely in that world sometimes in a way I can't fully explain.

#buffy summers #buffy the vampire slayer #buffy #buffyverse #buffy comics #joss whedon #btvs

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reginaphalangelobster · 6 months ago

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You're My Perfect

Buffy Summers x Plus Size GN!Reader

Summary: You overhear something you wish you hadn't.

Warnings: self conscious reader, asshole Xander, sweet Buffy

Word Count: 700+

Request: Yes

Notes: This is my first time writing a plus sized reader so I hope it's okay!

“Run!” Buffy screamed at the top of her lungs.

You turned around to see a gang of vampires chasing you. There must have been five at least. Xander, Willow and Buffy were way ahead of you, almost free but you couldn’t keep up. One of the vampires grabbed your wrist and yanked you back, you were barely able to call out Buffy’s name through your ragged breaths. Her head whipped around when she heard you. She bolted back and leapt on the vamp that had you, just as his fangs were beginning to break the surface of your skin. She ripped him off you and drove a stake through his heart. You saw him turn to dust in front of your eyes.

“T-thanks, Buff”

“Are you okay? Did he bite you?”

“Nah, ju-just a scratch”

‘Let’s get you back to Giles’”

“You know, I’ll never get u-used to that”

“What?”

“The dust thing”

“Oh, right. I guess it doesn’t really bother me anymore”

You stand up, still breathing heavily and head back with Buffy.

When you get back to Giles’ he patches you up while the others talk. You don’t mean to eavesdrop but they were in the living room and you were in the kitchen, not much distance between you.

“They were pretty tough, Buffy. Do you think something’s going on?” Willow asked.

“Maybe, vamps don’t usually work together unless there’s a new big bad in town”

“I think we’re glossing over something here girls” Xander moaned.

“What Xander?” Buffy responded with a signature eye roll.

“Hello? Y/n”

“What about Y/n?” Buffy straightened her back and tensed at his tone.

“Totally chubster? Always slowing us down? Almost got both of you killed tonight, am I making sense to anyone?”

You felt his words deep inside you, confirming all of your worst fears and insecurities. You couldn’t listen any longer, you grabbed your coat and ducked out before they could see you.

“I think that’s a little harsh Xander” Willow responded.

“A little?” Buffy turned to Willow.

“Well, you’ve gotta admit Buffy, they do slow us down a bit” “And what do you suppose we do, kick them out?”

“No! I just think maybe it’s better if they don’t come on patrol”

“I can’t believe you, Will! Xander, I expect, but you?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Xander barked.

“I means that you’ve never been supportive of our relationship”

“Of course not! They can’t walk to the mailbox without breaking a sweat!”

It took everything in Buffy not to deck him right there. She walked out and looked for you, just to be met with an empty room.

“Giles? Where Y/n?”

Giles popped his head from around the corner.

“They left, seemed to be in quite a hurry”

“God, they must have heard Xander”

“Heard Xander say what?” By the time he got the words out Buffy was already out the door.

You rushed down the street, trying to get home as fast as possible and leave this terrible night behind you. Tears ran down your cheeks and began to soak your shirt. Through blurred vision you saw a figure in front of you, it was Buffy. Even blurry she looked beautiful.

“I-I don’t wanna talk”

“Okay”

She took your hand and led you to a nearby bench. You sat down and she just held your hand in yours.

“Why are you with me?” You muttered, your breath so shaky it broke her heart.

“Because I love you”

“But why? You’re beautiful and smart and amazing, you could be with anyone you wanted”

“I am”

You scoffed before you looked up to see the sincerity in her eyes.

“You heard Xander, didn’t you?”

“He’s right you know, I do just slow you down”

“No you don’t. You help me keep going when I feel like I can’t. You do everything but slow me down”

“You don’t have to lie to me, I can take it”

“I’m not lying”

“But you’re perfect! I’m nothing”

“You’re my perfect” You didn’t believe her but you saw her eyes, properly this time. You saw the love she carried for you in them, you saw the love you held for her. You saw your home. Buffy leaned in, her lips grazed against yours as though they were asking for permission, which you gladly granted.

“I love you too”

Tags:

@pinkthick @craftytacopiecash @meryuniverse @aliljaybird @thesimppotato11 @vixyl7 @macbaetwo @castielshunterwife @scarletluvsdanno @twentyonetornmyheart

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probably-hyperfixated · 1 month ago

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btvs group rewatch episode 6: the pack (aka my thoughts during the episode, this will contain spoilers for the series) *CONTENT WARNING: mentions of attempted sa*

ah yes, the once-a-season tradition that is the xander episode™️ (thank you to episodic analysis on youtube for the intro that plays in my brain when i say this)

and a bit of probs lore drop comes with this episode: the actor who played lance directed a show i was in at a summer intensive in high school. i had a full leonardo dicaprio pointing at the screen moment the first time i saw this episode and i can’t help but giggle every time think about it (he was a great director btw)

THOSE BULLIES WERE STRAIGHT UP TRYING TO KILL THIS LANCE

xander being chronically late absolutely tracks

justice. for. herbert. if i saw a pig running through the halls of my high school it would be the happiest day of my life. also, it is incredible how calm that pig is considering how much pigs hate being held.

the actor they cast as the gym teacher looks (and acts) so much like one of my high school gym teachers it is alarming

the hosts of the slayerfest98 podcast often say that seeing willow cry is consistently one of the most heartbreaking things in buffy, and i gotta agree. alyson hannigan breaks my heart every damn time

not even ashamed to say that the first time i cried watching buffy was during this episode, and it was because of herbert

“or maybe there’s something wrong with me” is not only such a knife to the chest, but also a sentiment that resonates so deeply with someone who never had anyone show romantic interest in them growing up

pour one out for flutie. hated to see him go (and so brutally) but it makes sense for the way the show functions (aka leaving the door open for an asshole principal a la snyder). school, by the shows very nature, has to be antagonistic towards buffy’s slaying

you cannot talk about this episode without talking about xander’s attempted sa of buffy. it is a truly disturbing moment. i don’t really know what to say about it other than that it disgusts me so much, and i hate that it’s used as a way to contrast between the “good” and the “bad” xander (much like how it’s used later in the series)

on a very unrelated note, willows earrings look like little cheese cubes

the way i would’ve run straight out the window in this situation. no closing doors, no hiding behind desks, just sprint, window, sprint some more

just a hint of ripper with giles rushing the zookeeper

but also, giles getting knocked out in a fight counter: 3

and of course with this being the xander episode™️, he gets the start of the tko of the zookeeper

not one, but TWO people get eaten alive in this episode. TWO. this is episode SIX

i have a lot of thoughts on the potential impact of the events if this episode when it comes to xanders character and, in particular, his family life. with the implications later in the show about his father and what we come to know about his home life, it must’ve been an even more horrifying experience than it already was.

#btvs weekly group rewatch #btvs-weekly-group-rewatch #probs rambles #probs rewatches buffy

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spuffybaby · 10 months ago

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Time to Heal (1)

I'm writing this mainly for myself to cope with all the post series finale emotions in my system. I've never written Spuffy, I originally come from different fandoms, but in case someone enjoys this, I'll leave it here. Set a few months after the battle at the Sunnydale Hellmouth.

(chapter navigation)

The moon was bright, not quite full, not yet full enough to worry about, as she walked between the graves, catching a glimpse of a year here, a name there, sometimes she read them, wondered about them, whenever she had a moment. It wasn't like there was much need to patrol, there were few new additions to the cemetery, and the closest Hellmouth was far enough away. It was, however, one of many nights during which she'd thought actual patrolling could give her a sense of duty, something to keep her mind from wandering. During the day, it was easy, doing research, helping newly called Slayers, even with the burden shared, her sacred duty remained. But nights such as this, they'd become frequent than she liked. It had been months since Willow's spell and the activation of other Slayers all over the world, she had taken time and effort to do right by them, to teach those who asked whatever she could, but still, her new way of life, after she had got so used to sacrificing so much of it, she still had not quite managed to settle into a routine.

Dawn had offered to come out with her, but she'd told her sister she wanted to clear her head. Earlier that day, in a coffee shop she'd come to like and visit often, a man had asked her for her number. She'd politely declined. It wasn't like she'd never been asked out, nor that she'd never turned somebody down, but it was the first time since Sunnydale. It brought back the image in her mind she'd managed to escape for a few hours.

Spike. How he stood in her darkened kitchen in her mother's house, his hand on the door knob, ready to accept that then had not been the time. “After this is over,-” she'd said, under her breath, unsure of how to continue. He maybe hadn't heard, maybe hadn't understood, hadn't dared to hope in that particular moment. In her own mind, things could not have been more clear. No, then had not been the moment. Things had happened, she needed time. He needed time. But she could see where they were headed, if things evolved slowly, if they continued to find their way back to each other, without her taking advantage, without him pushing, without her using him as a punching bag, without him just wanting her. They'd been headed towards what she never had thought could happen. And then, Angel had taken him from her. He never had intended to wear the amulet, the same way Spike had never hesitated despite the unknown consequences. Her bloody champion. She never would forget the look on his face, the realisation that she recognised him as the champion, when she handed him the amulet confidently. When she'd led him to his death. She'd seen his soul, felt it between their palms, and yet, he'd died not believing that she loved him.

A loud growl and she was knocked from her feet, falling hard onto her back, gasping for the air that was momentarily knocked from her lungs. She blocked her attacker, her eyes staring into a pair of glowing black ones, the demon above her unlike any she had seen before, she remembered vaguely seeing something similar in the book, hairy, though covered in slime, and she tried to free her hand to reach for her dagger, beautiful silver, a present from Giles. She knocked the demon back and it fell against one of the gravestones, though before she could rise to her feet, make her attack, it jumped onto her again, her weapon flying from her hand, her stake rolling to her side, her wrists restricted by the claws of the demon, her neck exposed as it leaned to bite and she could not break free, despite forcing er full strength against the monster above her and behind it, another approached. She tried desperately to trash against the grip, gasping when she heard a shriek and she could move her arms again.

For a moment, she wondered if she'd been scratched, bitten, somehow impacted to hallucinate, as she could have sworn she saw a white head of hair fly by. No, her mind was playing tricks on her. She grabbed her dagger in one hand, the stake in the other, then jumped to her feet and charged at the newly arrived demon, kicking its face and making it tumble, the element of surprise on her side as she trapped it against a tree, without second thought or strategy plunging the dagger into its neck which made it growl loudly in pain and she pulled the weapon out, stepping back before stabbing it again, twice before it fell motionless to the floor.

She spun around, ready take on the other, a blow to her face rendering her off balance and she fell back, a sharp pain against her forehead as she hit the ground, the demon approaching in her blurry vision. Blindly, she searched for the dagger which could not have gone far, but braced herself for impact, attempting to roll away as she pressed her hand against the throbbing feeling on her forehead.

She thought she was about to lose consciousness when the demon screamed, blood bubbling from its mouth and before she fully realised someone actually had fought alongside her, the demon fell forward by her feet and behind him, a blurry figure stepped into view, extending a hand to her.

Between the blood and the dirt, she smelled something else, something familiar. Her mind was toying with her, she was passing out.

He cleared his throat.

She forced her eyes open, saw the defined jaw, the bleach blond hair she'd thought she'd already been able to make out moments before. This was cruel. She stayed awake, yet she saw him right there. God, what would she have given for this to be real? How many times had she dreamt about this? During the night and during the day.

Her heart sank. Sunnydale was buried and yet, it clearly wasn't over. All that loss, all that sacrifice – had it been for nothing?

“I thought we defeated you,” she spat through gritted teeth. “Haven't you had enough?” She winced in pain at her own voice, her head heavy. She wondered if she was bleeding. At least it could not attack her. And she would not be manipulated. “You don't deserve taking his form.” Tears stang in her eyes, from the pain in her head and from the cruel irony. He'd died for nothing. Here the First was, ridiculing his sacrifice and taunting her in her grief.

“Buffy.” A voice she had not heard for months. It hurt, made it feel like her heart broke all over again. Dawn had said that the pain would ease, but this hurt worse than day two.

“I won't be manipulated. Don't waste your non-existent breath.” She had to get to the other Slayers, she had to tell someone. Things were going to start all over again. She was exhausted. She tried to gather her strength. “Leave me, it's not like you can touch me.”

“Buffy.” He sounded more insistent this time, his hand was still there, close enough for her to take and fingers wiggling slightly.

Her eyes widened. The smell of cologne. The dead demon by her side. With all the strength she had left, she forced her body upward enough to reach for the pale hand, a choked out sob coming from her throat when the cool palm wrapped tangibly around her fingers and pulled her gently but steadily to her feet. “No.”

He drew his hand away as soon as she stood somewhat balanced, the corner of his mouth curled into a half-smile. “I'm real. It's me, Slayer. I'm not the First. And I'm ready to explain. I know you have no reason to believe I'm not... something else. But please... I'm not. Let me prove it.”

She took a step back, brushing her hair from her face. “Am I bleeding?”

He pressed his lips together. “You are, pet. Let me take you home.”

“You're not real,” she mumbled. Maybe she was lying there. She turned around to where she'd been on the ground, half-expecting to see herself in the grass. There was only the body of the demon. “You died.”

He couldn't help but chuckle. “You're one to talk.”

The sound made her tremble. Hell, if it wasn't him, it was doing a good enough job for her to enjoy the moment, to pretend. But she had to know better. “How did you find me? Convenient, you showing up when I was about to become demon dessert.”

“Pure luck, love.” He shrugged it off. “Trust me, it took quite some time. Finding you.”

She opened her mouth, but he cut her off, continued speaking.

“But I'll explain it all, answer any question you have.” He leaned forward, though then stepped back. “I-...” He swallowed. His eyes were tired, but fixated on her face. “I just want to make sure you're alright first.”

Buffy pursed her lips. She wanted to wake up. Her guard was up and she was too cautious to get lost in the mirage. As much as she wished it, she knew it could not be true. What if she pretended for just a little while? How bad could it get?

He sensed her hesitation. “Hey.”

She sank to her knees, saw him follow without missing a beat, the leather pooling on the ground around him.

“Look at me.”

She did as he requested. His eyes were so familiar, surely no one could copy them exactly like that, their intensity, their unique depth that had never failed to make her heart skip a beat when she looked directly into them.

“Your last words to me were...” He paused. “You told me you loved me.”

“I-”

“I'm not done. I just want you to know it's me. So we can get you somewhere safe. Don't want you to be go anywhere alone in this condition.” His eyes remained on hers. “The night before, I told you I was terrified because of how we spent the night before. And then we did it again that very night. I left and you said that maybe after the battle...”

She hadn't imagined it. He'd heard it. He'd taken it in. He was here. Spike.

He rose to his feet again, the leather duster shuffling. He held out both his hands and she took them without hesitation that time, letting him pull her up.

“You don't have to trust me. Let me just get you home for now.”

Buffy took a deep breath, knew she should not stare at his face any longer. She could no longer fight it. She deserved this, hallucination or not. “Okay.”

A small smile played around his lips, relief in his eyes as she moved. “Lead the way, pet.”

#spuffy #spike btvs #buffy summers #btvs #buffy #buffy the vampire slayer #buffy x spike #alternate plot #spuffy fic #spuffy fanfic #spuffy fluff #time to heal

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imawreck · 10 months ago

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Lead

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier x Original Character

Summary: Finally, the Avengers get wind of an upcoming attack from Hydra, and they all scramble to prepare for it in order to get Max back.

Author’s Note: Hey! Hope you’re all doing well! Just want you to know, we’re getting closer to catching up to where I’m currently writing on the story. I also have some ideas for this story’s future, or perhaps a second part to this series (once I finish it) where Max intervenes in the series Falcon and the Winter Soldier. If you have any interest in that, just comment!

Warnings: nudity, most warnings from the last chapter, suicidal thoughts (read with caution please), branding

Word Count: 4,177

Steve-

Twenty-seven reported murders in a month. That didn't include Pietro Maximoff. Twenty-seven people dead with no leads, no prints, no evidence. All of which were people in high power who were replaced almost as fast as they had gone. There were no connections and no leads. Tony watched the news every morning and listened to the police chase their tails over this 'Serial Murderer'.

We all knew who it was. There just weren't any leads for us to figure out who she'd kill next.

The realization that Max was being used the way the Winter Soldier was had broken Bucky. He never left his room during the day. He had completely isolated himself.

Wanda... She had stuck to staying in her room and only coming out for plates of food to take back with her. No one wanted to stop her.

The team was in shambles. I wasn't even sure we could really be called a team anymore. The missions we went on hardly did anything worthwhile, and those were few and far between. Tony had alerted the authorities about the situation at hand but since there wasn't any evidence or leads, there was nothing they could do.

We were sitting ducks.

That was, until Wanda stormed into the commons room with wild eyes. "I know where she will be hitting next."

"What? How?" I stood from the couch, "That's impossible."

Wanda pursed her lips, "I was upset after... after everything, and my powers got the better of me and it just happened."

"What just ‘happened’?" I met her in the middle of the commons area, searching her face. "You aren't making any sense."

Her fingers ran through her ratty red hair as she looked wildly around the room. "I heard them. I heard her name, Ghost, and I heard his thoughts. He said that they were going to be hitting s-some sort of, like, safehouse or something. A government building in the states. They are going to send her there tonight to destroy it."

I shook my head, taking it all in. "Do you know the exact location?"

"No, but I saw an image in his mind on a map. I can find it."

I nodded, "Go to Tony. Now. Tell him what you told me and make sure not to leave anything else out. And Wanda?"

She had started toward the elevator and stopped short, "Yes?"

"Your powers, you sure it just happened? You weren't trying to do anything?" I knew she was lying. I had seen it in her eyes the minute she walked through and said it.

"Yes. I was upset and it just happened." Wanda held my gaze and didn't waver a bit.

I sent her off with a nod. Even if she was lying, it was a lead. We couldn't risk not looking into it. I just hoped that Tony would have enough to convince the Feds to let us hunker down and try and catch her in the act.

_____

Max-

A pile of stale, bland porridge sat on the floor in front of me.

I hadn't touched it, couldn't. Not with the harrowing images still clinging to mind. Simply staring at it for too long made bile rise in my throat.

I had been stripped naked after Giles had gone. I was left to fend off the cold with nothing more than my own skin. Which wasn't working very well at all. My fingers had long since turned blue and gone numb. I didn't know why, perhaps it was another form of torture or simply to take what little dignity I had left.

My weakened body had adopted a tremble in order to generate even the smallest amount of heat. I didn't want to acknowledge that it didn't leave me even when I was allowed into the heat. Still as death, I remained laid on the floor with my eyes open. Maybe if I wished hard enough, I would just pass on. Maybe death would be better than this. There wasn't anything or anyone waiting for me if the miracle of escape happened, it wasn't like anyone would miss me.

A flash of Bucky and Natasha kissing in his room swept through my mind and the sting of tears met my eyes. Not even he would be waiting for me.

I curled my arms tighter around myself as the sound of boots echoed through the crack under the door, a dozen at least. No one had been sent to move me since Giles used the scepter, so they had probably already moved me while I was out. So, I waited, trying and failing to prepare myself for whatever would walk through that door next.

I was not prepared for Rumlow and his seeping ego to sling open the steel door with a dozen goons on his heal.

I stared at him, taking note of the suit he wore and his polished shoes. And that awful gaze scouring over every inch of exposed skin bared to him. "My eyes are over here, dipshit."

A laugh rattled across the walls, "Even all weak, you've still got a mouth on you, huh?"

"I still bite, too." I gnashed my teeth at him to punctuate my point.

Rumlow sighed, a smile curling onto his scruffy face. "Are you not surprised to see me here, of all places?"

I made a point to furrow my brows, pretending to think on it. "No, not really. Sleazeball men are right on brand for Hydra." I grinned wickedly at him, "You fit the bill to a tee."

His smile left, and I savored it, however small a victory it was. "You should learn to shut your mouth, bitch."

"Can't teach an old dog new tricks, didn't you know?" I sat up, folding my legs in such a way to preserve as much of myself from him as I could.

A feral kind of rage flickered in his eyes. "I came to give you a gift."

Gifts and Hydra definitely don't go well together, and my history with Hydra's 'gifts' weren't exactly pleasant. I chose to just stare at him, waiting for him to do something.

"What, no sarcastic remark? No questions? I've been working with your beloved Avengers. Don't you want to know how they're doing?" He crossed his arms as if he'd won something, the cocky asshole.

"I'd just be wasting precious air." I gave him a tight smile, "Conversation with brick walls aren't very productive."

The men waiting behind him coughed and teetered on their toes. It did nothing but irritate him further. "Haul her out."

They moved right on his words, swinging the cell door open and gripping my arms to drag me out. I screamed at them, thrashed as much as I could and knocking a few of them off, but I was weak. Very weak. After nearly five minutes of fighting against their insistent pulling I was spent. My knees buckled and hit the cement with a painful thud.

My heart pounded in my ears and my vision went foggy as I tried to catch my breath. The itching in my veins thrummed back to life and wriggled in the back of my mind once more. I felt, more than saw, them drag me through several halls. We turned a few times, but my head was pounding too hard for me to pay too much attention to it. The men constricting my arms finally slammed me onto a metal table where they strapped me down.

I was unwillingly restrained and exposed. And pissed. "What could you possibly want from me? Haven't you taken enough?"

Rumlow's lips curled, "Darling, as long as you're breathing, we still have much more to take." I jerked at the straps keeping me in place, but it only served to spur his joy. "You know, I really wanted to dance with you a little longer that night. You remember, don't you? You looked so delicious in that little dress."

I could only watch as he picked something off the table one of the doctors had rolled up. I felt the air shift along my bare legs as one of the few people bustling around the room in white coats threw a thin sheet over my lower half. I silently thanked them for the scrap of fabric.

"But you had to go and call me names for asking a pretty lady like yourself if you were screwing that barbarian." Rumlow's words were low and violent. "I just wanted to have a good time, you see, but you had to go and call for help. We both know you don't need him to defend you." A metal rod rolled between his fingers as he paced out of view.

I didn't like not being able to see him.

"I've been feeling a little upset that you turned me away, I'll admit. I thought you'd be flattered to have someone wanting you. After all, you're just an animal really. You should be grateful that someone shows any interest in you at all." His tactical clips caught the light as he rounded the table on my left side, the rod gone from his grip.

"If I'm just an animal, that must make you one sick bastard." His hand came down hard across my cheek, and the skin stung there. I refused to take my eyes off of his face. "You're pathetic."

Rumlow snarled at me, slamming his fist down on the metal table next to my arm. He hung his head for a moment, collecting himself, before his black eyes met mine once more. "I nearly forgot your gift. I wanted you to know that your little Avengers are doing well without you, better really. Your toy soldier is off with that redhead having the time of his life. I figured you'd want to know that they're happy without you slinking around any longer."

I knew he was lying, he had to be. Tony was my friend, and so was Wanda and Peter, Thor too. I knew that they wouldn't stop looking for me. Not if they knew I was still alive. "You're lying."

But he just shrugged, "Believe me or don't, but I'm telling you the truth." He disappeared once more, only to reappear a few moments later with the rod he had earlier.

The scent of burning metal drew my eyes up the pole in his hands to the red-hot insignia sizzling against the cool air. My stomach bottomed out. "What are you doing?"

If a man could look like a demon, Rumlow sure did. His eyes glowed with the red metal swinging in front of him and his teeth gleamed in the light of it. "I'm repaying you for turning me down. No one gets away with turning me down. Giles told me I couldn't hurt you too bad with the mission coming up, so I had to get creative." He swayed the rod in emphasis, and I flinched at the heat rolling off of it. "I want you to have a reminder for forever. You're weak enough now that it won't heal quick enough before they pump you full of drugs and your little healing trick won't work. Not after what they're going to do to you." He motioned to the white coats that had lined themselves along the wall.

Waiting and watching.

I wanted to scream at them. I wanted to claw at the straps keeping me on the table. I wanted to shred Rumlow until he was nothing but ribbons, but I couldn't. I was too weak, too drained to do anything but stare at him wide eyed and cry as he lowered that rod until it was level to the left side of my neck. "Please, you don't have to do this."

Rumlow's laugh was long and deep, skittering over my bones as the heat of the Hydra insignia crept ever closer. I had begun to sweat. "Oh, but I want to."

I wrenched against the restraints, pulling with every last bit of energy I had. I felt it groan, and then one of them gave way. My arm was free. I swung it down against the arm that held the bar just a few feet from me, swiping my jagged nails against his arm. He yelled out, dropping the rod with a curse and waving over a few men.

There wasn't enough time for me to pry my other hand free before they were on me, pulling and shoving me back down against the metal table. I could hardly see much through the tears pooling in my eyes, only vague outlines of faces leaning over me against the overhead lights. I felt the heat once more nearing me, "Please." But no one would listen.

And then he was pressing it against my skin. My eyes rolled back as I screamed, but then it all drowned to darkness.

_____

Bucky-

The room still smelled like her perfume. Lavender still clung in the air where her candle sat unburned for months now. Satin sheets caressed my unshaven face where my body had pulled the covers from their neat display. I didn't remember passing out, or how I ended up in here again. Sometimes I would find myself at the door without realizing it, like I had forgotten she was gone.

The lights were out, and the curtains were pulled to keep the sun out. My stomach growled in the silence of the room, and I pressed my hand over it to silence it's complaining. I didn't feel like moving, so it would wait. I breathed in, closing my eyes to try and recall the way her skin felt against my own. The way her hands would scrape gently against my scalp to lull me to sleep on the nights my nightmares got a little too much.

I yearned for her like a drowning man yearned for air.

But she wasn't here, and the weight of her absence was suffocating me with each day. I didn't know it was possible to miss someone this much. Not until her. With her soft eyes and love for poetry, her strong heart and tenderness. She had somehow dug herself a home in my heart that would search for her until the day I took my last breath. And it pained me.

The door rattled as someone knocked against it. I didn't so much as flinch at the sudden sound, too drowned in my own mind.

"Bucky, it's Steve."

I really didn't want to talk to him. I didn't want to talk to anyone, really. But Stevie had given up trying to invite me to their dwindling team get-togethers for a while now, so whatever it was he had to say must be important.

I hauled myself up, stumbling over to the door as I blinked my bleary eyes from the fog that seemed to cling to them often with my inability to sleep. I pressed the handle, slipping through the door and shutting it behind me. I didn't like to share our- her room.

I blinked a few more times to adjust to the damn LED lights that lined the hallway before I could see enough to take in the urgent expression on Steve's face. "What is it?" I didn't really bother with being polite nowadays.

His brows pinched, "Wanda thinks she knows where Max is going to hit next. Tony believes we might be able to intercept it and get her back. He's called a mandatory meeting. Seeing as you've chosen to ignore most of those now, I figured I would come get you myself." He wrung his hands, "It's best if we hurry. Tony says it'll be in a few days, and we need to be as prepared as we can get."

I nodded, letting his words roll through my head once more. A chance to get her back. "Let's get on with it."

_____

Tony-

Wanda sat across from me vigorously scratching her pen against the blank paper I had handed her. A map, now marked with the location of the building Max was supposedly targeting, sat on the table between us. I had pulled up the information about her target as well, noting that it was another Politician of high power. She was more than likely targeting them to be replaced by Hydra members to gain more of a stand in society.

My eyes drifted back to Wanda who resembled a madwoman as she tore out a page and slapped it against the steel table only to repeat her scrawling once more on a brand-new sheet. I had no idea what she was scribbling on there, didn't dare mess with the piles stacked haphazardly across its face. She had explained vaguely that she had somehow tapped into one of the Hydra agents mind and that he was directly involved in the missions that Max was sent on. She guessed he was a handler of sorts, or a pilot, someone she had to come in contact with frequently.

The elevator toned down the hall as Banner and Clint made their way towards us, Natasha lingering in the hall for a few moments before following them. I had made a point to keep the information vague. I didn't want Shield to have an opportunity to stop us from the slim chance that we could get Max back.

Since her disappearance, the government has fallen into a frenzy in an attempt to quiet the worry rippling through the ranks. They hadn't had an issue this big since Barnes and having a repeat of history this soon was really rattling them. I had heard whispers of what they were planning to do with her if they ever caught her. Mentions of containment or even execution had been thrown around and it worried me. It had taken the worlds hero, Captain America, to plead for Barnes's freedom. What would it take to get hers?

Just thinking about it made me sick. I was itching to do something about it. Just then, the elevator tolled again, and in came the two super soldiers followed by Vision who didn't even bother to use the elevator. He just dropped in through the ceiling and nearly sent me into cardiac arrest. No biggie. "Jesus, Vision! Use the door!"

"My apologies, Mr. Stark. This way preserves energy and time. You seemed to be in a hurry." He seated himself beside Wanda, shooting her a look I couldn't read.

"Yeah, yeah, just sit and stay quiet till the rest of them get in here." I took note of each of them as they took their seats. We all looked like we'd been drug through the mud. I felt like it, too. "Thank you all for coming on such short notice. I'd apologize for being vague, but I'm really not. I wanted this to stay within the team."

None of them spoke, letting the silence swell. Only Barnes's arm clicked and shifted in the silence where he sat clenching his fist and Wanda's constant scribbling.

"Wanda has gotten a lead on Max's whereabouts and we have a small window of opportunity to intercept her on a mission." I picked up the remote from the table, "This here," I motioned to the screen display, "Is the area she's scoping out for her target, Chairman Houser. It isn't in use at the moment, but it has the facilities to function as a safehouse. Somehow, Hydra has figured out his movements and plans to kill him while he's touring the building. Our job is to prevent her from killing the Chairman and restrain her. If we can get Max back, we can stop this whole ordeal."

Wanda had stopped writing.

Steve leaned against the table, "Okay, so we restrain her. How exactly do we plan on doing that? She's stronger than all of us. It's not going to be easy."

Wanda shifted a paper in front of her. "They said she's weak. It should be easier to handle her."

"What do you mean weak?"

All eyes went to Bucky. He sat rigid in his chair with his eyes glued to the side of Wanda's face. It had been a long while since any of us had seen him. Months, maybe, since he'd come out in the day when all of us were around.

Wanda didn't look at him as she adjusted her stacks of paper. "They didn't specify, they just said that she was weaker than she used to be. Slower, less strong. She bleeds and bruises like the rest of them. That's what I heard, anyway."

Steve dropped his head, "What else did they say about her mission?"

Again, she shifted a stack of papers and thumbed over a page in particular. "They said that it would be in three days. Something about a recovery time. We have three days to come up with a plan to save the Chairman."

"And save Max."

This time, Wanda looked at him. Bucky hadn't pulled his eyes from her since she had mentioned Max. Like her name was one of his trigger words and held him captive whenever it was said.

The air grew tense before she nodded, "Yes, and save Max."

The look on Bucky's face didn't say that he believed her, but he didn't say anything else as I grappled for their attention once more. "Alright, so we're going to need a solid plan. All ideas need to be thrown on the table. Max might not be in her own head, but she's smart, and I don't want to risk losing this opportunity while we've got it. Wanda will brief us on the information she's gathered about Max's mission, and we will go from there."

_____

Three and a half hours later, we had all hammered out a strategy to split Max from the Chairman and get her into an enclosed space. We figured if she was confined, it would be easier for us to tag team her. The risk of her overpowering us was still there, but with both Wanda and Vision on this mission, I had a good feeling we would come out on top.

The team thumbed through the pages we had compiled which contained the layout of the building and all possible exits. We had plotted points for the drop and discussed multiple non-fatal weaponry we would load the jet with. Barnes had been adamant about them and pushed that we reserve fatal weapons in case we were ambushed as a last resort. I agreed just to keep him from tearing a hole through the table if any of the members so much as thought about refusing him.

I understood what he was feeling though. I missed her too, and I knew that what Hydra was doing to her was a fate worse than death. I wanted her back nearly as much as he did, so much so I was willing to risk security for her. Shield would shut this operation down the second they smelled a hint of it. Windows like this were rare, especially with how careful and calculated Hydra had become with Giles heading it all. He was an intelligent bastard.

A chair slid out from the table, drawing my attention from the documents at hand. Steve aligned his papers against the table and gazed at all of us. "I think it would be wise to practice in pairs. None of us should try and take her on alone even if she's weak. Don't tire yourselves but be prepared."

We all nodded, taking a moment to soak in what we had discussed.

None of us had fought against Max in a genuine fight. Only Barnes had gotten a glimpse of what fighting against her would feel like and she'd given his nose a clean break. Cap had gotten bruised ribs too, that time when she had stopped us all from attacking Bucky when his head was all blended up. But all of those instances were defensive and not at all serious, not really. Sure, we had seen her fight, and it was brutal, but it had never been against us with fatal intent. With a job like ours, that made all the difference.

"I think it would be best if we made the most of the time we've been given and get as prepared as we can. Even with a solid plan, we have no idea what she'll do or what orders she's acting on." I pushed out from the table, "Wanda, I want constant updates. I want to know the tiniest bit of change if it's made. This whole ordeal depends on it."

She nodded, her magic fluttering just over her skin as she dug around in whoever's poor mind that had leaked Hydra's information.

With a final breath, I took in their tired expressions. "I know these last few months have been difficult on us all, but now is our chance to make things right. Get some rest and be prepared. It's time we bite Hydra in the ass."

Tags<3

@greatenthusiasttidalwave / @cjand10 / @imdoingathingmom / @hzdhrtss / @calwitch / @blackbirdwitch22 / @greatmistakes

#angst #bucky barnes #winter soldier #fluff #marvel #drama #mcu #original character #fanfic #the avengers

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buffster · 6 months ago

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Family (BTVS 5.06)

This is part of my ongoing Buffyverse Project, where I write notes/meta for every episode in an attempt to better understand the characters and themes of the shows. You can find the BTVS list here and the ATS list here. Gifs are not mine.

A rare Tara-centric episode! I feel like we could have used more of these. As time went on Tara turned into someone almost perfect who wasn't much other than Willow's shadow. I would have liked to see more of her flaws and struggles. To be honest, the first time I watched this I was kind of excited she had a secret.

We open on Willow and Tara hanging out in their room. They have such a cute relationship here, though Tara does express some insecurity over having a role in the Scooby Gang. She's still a bit awkward in general. Willow alone seems to understand her, and no one is particularly thrilled about her birthday at the Bronze. After a lifetime of abuse I get that she's afraid to put herself out there. A family telling women they're demons indicates a whole other level of silencing. Tara is comfortable being a wallflower.

You can see the trauma being triggered when her family comes to town (Amy Adams!). Her stuttering gets worse and she can't meet their eyes. Tara ends up using a spell to keep the Scoobies from seeing demons, hoping it will protect her secret. I guess I will chalk this decision up to trauma because after being around Anya it would make a lot more sense to confess and ask for help.

As luck would have it, demons are coming after Buffy this episode. Now she can't see them and mayhem ensues. Luckily Spike is there to lend a hand, though he swore he was coming for a front-row seat to her demise.

Tara lifts the spell and her father reveals she's a demon and must leave. I loved the moment when Willow stuck up for her and asked her what she wanted to do. It seems like she's one of the first people to not push Tara around, which makes it all the more heartbreaking she starts doing that in the future.

Spike, of course, is the one to discover the men just lie to the women to keep them under control. He punches Tara to prove she's human.

Xander: You're dealing with all of us. Spike: Except me. Xander: Except Spike. Spike: I don't care what happens.

The gang stands by Tara and it serves as a bonding moment.

Other subplots this episode: Buffy tells Giles the truth about Dawn. She also says her father won't help. Hank becomes a worse and worse person the longer this show goes on.

Buffy: He's off in... Spain or something, with his secretary. Living the cliché. I called when Mom got sick, he hasn't even... You know when he bailed on us, I remember Dawn cried for a week. Except she didn't. She was never there, but I can still feel what it was like.

We also see Buffy is moving back home. This is her first step to giving up college entirely. She's just too needed right now.

For some reason I can't figure out, she doesn't tell Riley about Dawn. I understand her point about Xander and Willow possibly treating Dawn weird once they know, but Riley? Why does she keep him at such a distance? I can't decide if it's all trauma or if she just genuinely doesn't feel strongly enough about him. Maybe he's just not "the one". You can't force yourself to have feelings even if someone seems perfect.

Riley: Yeah. I know you got a lot on your mind. You decide you wanna let me in on any of it, you let me know. I'll come running.

This is the first time we see Riley head to Willy's. He rejects a vampire's offer to hang out. For now. The strange thing is that Buffy has no idea why he gets snappy. I can't figure out if she doesn't realize her own distance or just isn't looking to be that intimate with him. Maybe I'll decide by the end of their arc. My heart broke a little bit when he shows up at Tara's birthday and Buffy says, "You came!" and he quietly says, "Of course I came." He's Mr. Reliable, all in. But Buffy's not. (Don't worry--plenty of time to crap on Riley in the next few episodes).

Willow: That's where you're a dummy. I think about what you grew up with, and then look at what you are... it makes me proud. It makes me love you more. Tara: Every time I... even at my worst, you always make me feel special. How do you do that? Willow: Magic.

Character Notes:

Spike: Spike is using Harmony to fantasize about Buffy.

#joss whedon #tara maclay #willow/tara #buffy summers #family #btvs 5.06 #buffy/riley #riley finn #willow rosenberg #xander harris #anya jenkins

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coraniaid · 6 months ago

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I know I keep going on about this, but I really do think that the majority of the Buffy fandom downplays the importance of Buffy's relationship with her mother to, at times, an almost ludicrous extent. Obviously it's not a perfect relationship (if you think Buffy has a perfect relationship with anyone on the show you've really not been paying attention) and indeed at times it's a very strained one, but it's a central part of understanding who Buffy is and why she says and does things that a lot of writing about Buffy on this site just ... pretends isn't there.

There are more or less extreme examples of this -- I saw a "Giles should have adopted Buffy!" post a couple of years ago that didn't even acknowledge that Buffy had a mother who might have objected -- but so much analysis of the show seems not to engage seriously with the thought that Buffy might care about her mother as a person or worry about her mother's opinion of her. And really, the show is very, very clear about this. There are multiple episodes in the high school seasons where the emotional stakes only make sense if you accept that 'demons from hell might end the world' and 'Joyce might think her daughter is getting into trouble at school' are two roughly equivalent problems for Buffy to navigate.

I recently saw a post about Season 5 that listed Joyce's death as just one of several different reasons for Buffy's burgeoning depression that season -- along with Riley leaving and her having to drop out of college -- but .... that's not right, is it? Those aren't three isolated and independent issues at all. All of those factors go back to Buffy's mom. Riley leaves her in Into The Woods because he decided the fact she's too worried about her mom getting sick to spend time humoring his fragile ego means she doesn't really love him. Buffy drops out of college in Tough Love because her mother died and she has to take care of her sister ... which, when you remember that Dawn is explicitly presented as a stand-in for Buffy ("she's more than [my sister]," Buffy tells us in The Gift, "she's me"), can only be read as Buffy dropping out because she has to take care of herself. "Who's going to take care of us?" as she asked Dawn in Forever.

Buffy's depressive spiral in Season 5 happens because her mother dies. There are aggravating factors, sure, but this is surely the heart of it. It's not because her crappy boyfriend left or she suddenly remembered she was a Slayer. It's because her mom gets sick and dies, and Buffy Summers -- who is afraid of hospitals, who blames herself for every death in Sunnydale, who has been trying to protect her mother from the supernatural for years, who hates the very thought of there being problems in the world she can't solve, who loves her mother more than she can say -- doesn't know what to do about it.

"I don't know how to live in the world [...] if everything just gets stripped away. I don't see the point. I just wish my mom was here," she tells Giles in The Gift. It's Buffy who turns to the door to let the shadow of her mother back inside in Forever, and Dawn who has to break the spell that brought her back. In Season 6, Buffy is trapped by a demon in a fantasy world where she was never the Slayer and her mother is still alive, and it's that image of her mother, telling her that she's strong and urging her not to give up which allows her to break free. When Giles comes back to England that season, and offers Buffy a temporary reprieve from all her new financial worries, the highest praise Buffy has for him is that this uncharacteristic generosity on his part is "a little like having Mom back".

There are people in the world Buffy cares about as much as her mother (but not as many as some of you think), and there are perhaps a dozen characters who appear in the show more or get more speaking time than Joyce Summers, and there are certainly lots of characters the writers obviously care much more about as people in their own right. (Like many of you, the writers seem pretty dubious about the idea that middle-aged women could ever be interesting.)

But there is nobody in the world who means more to Buffy than her mother, and I think trying to analyze the show as if there were is going to give you a very strange impression of what's actually going on. Ideas like, well, maybe Giles should have adopted Buffy.

#btvs #PSA: this post is about the fictional character Joyce Summers #I promise that it is not in any way about your mother #nor is this an invitation to complain about her or project her failings onto Mrs Summers #if you have any issues with your own mother you'd like to share with the group then maybe do it in your own fucking post

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sunnydaleherald · 4 months ago

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The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Tuesday, April 8, Part II

[Fandom Discussions]

I really want a Bangel time travel fic in the 1950s by wishverse-angel

They couldn’t let Spike kill his first slayer until after Angel had been cursed with a soul by aphony-cree

I think it’s interesting that xander became the runner by camellcat

question, but does dawn actually have ANY opinions on angel in canon? by camellcat

I’m back on my Buffy bullshit by graveyardlilies

she will die twice and kill the man she loves by violentdevotion

I find my 2 favorite Buffy (the character) ships very funny cuz they are so opposite by not-playable-character

i like to think that after primeval but before restless xander decided he had to do something to show willow he was chill with her sexuality by missjessefantastico

Buffy would love William by sevensistersofsussex

The Amulet- Somone make this make sense by Btvs fan

I wanna ramble about Angel/Angelus by wishverse-angel

Angel and Spike Double Standards by FallenAngel00

Was Willow really addicted to Magic? by Friendly-Performer13

Moments I saw more sympathetically for how disliked they are. Do you have any? by jogaforacont

Angel - I miss Dennis! I hate they had to leave that apartment. by Consistent-Camp5359

I love screenshots of hilarious or unfortunate pause timings. by Big-Restaurant-2766

Most seem to agree Spike is very perceptive, especially with Buffy by negratengoelalma

So many questions about the Bronze but most of them are just “Why” by cuntingly

This scene is funny yet so sadly accurate. by Big-Restaurant-2766

Would a crucifix neck tattoo make you impervious to (neck) vampire bites? by pinkguy90

Pretend I made a title, I don't have one. by Big-Restaurant-2766

"I can't breathe, Will. I feel like I can't breathe." by Big-Restaurant-2766

Dead Things Season 6 ep 13 by Trixieswizzle

Would you realistically be friends with Buffy Summers? by No-Intention-1948

SPOILER: season 7 episode 20 by porchpoetics

Never noticed this about Oz & Tara by Sudden_Astronomer_63

Something I find really interesting about Tabula Rasa by buffysmanycoats

Best fights. by InsincereDessert21

Season 5 by Calm-Butterfly-4808

I Miss Tara by RuggedLove

Is Glory the most powerful enemy Buffy has ever fought? by FoxIndependent4310

Okay, so who's your favorite series’ Big Bad? by SparklingStars82

Is it likely that Angelus knew Dracula? by voldy1989

if Sunday had been the big bad in season 4 as a former slayer now a vampire, instead of Adam how would the show have changed for Buffy and her gang? by voldy1989

Season 2 in 4:3 by OrigarmiKiller

What would you have done if you were Angel? by Simple-Ceasar

If Dracula had been the big bad instead of Glory in season 5 how would the Buffyverse have changed by voldy1989

Season 6 Willow & Amy by NYCRatGirl

How would you write Giles out in season 6? by aceofspades85262

Fav besties ever !!! by Cailly_Brard7

Unseen: The Burning chapters 4-6 by ceecee1909

How would you feel if the Watchers hunted Buffy? by RuggedLove

Comic readers, what is the worse thing each character has done in the comics? by sadhungryandvirgin

When do you think Xander finally let go of his torch for Buffy? (Or did he at all?) by Dazzling_Coffee2062

This scene couldn't be any more relatable than it already is... Poor Buffy. by Big-Restaurant-2766

If you were a character in the Buffyverse, what wish would you make to a Vengeance Demon? by Big-Restaurant-2766

If the revival could cover anything, what would you want to see? by tvcriticgirlxo

Comic Book thoughts by Far-Wedding8656

Becoming Part II and homosexuality by CraftMost6663

Video: buffy the incel slayer () by extra virgin

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

#btvs #buffy the vampire slayer #angel the series #fan art #fan fiction #meta

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meltedbrains · 6 months ago

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Tara - a unified scooby?

Btvs goes out of its way to talk about Buffy, Giles, Xander and Willow as a team, 'the scoobies'. Even before season 4 makes it explicit: Buffy is the strength, Giles is the head, Xander the heart and Willow is spirit. Throughout the series Buffy relies on them for emotional and practical support based on these roles (and she continually provides physical strength for them).

But where does this leave anyone else? How can new people fit into this group and contribute without stepping on the toes of the originals?

These extras normally provide conflict for one or more of the scooby gang. Angel has the ups and downs of a first relationship before becoming the big bad of season 2 and then estranged exes who never got closure. Likewise the other romantic relationships (Oz, Anya, Riley, etc.) also provide conflict both internal to the relationship and, through their actions, external conflict for the scooby gang to solve (e.g. running around as a werewolf).

Dawn and Joyce create the typical family conflict of responsibilities, the trials and tribulations of sharing a living space, and the struggles of growing up. As Tumblr user babygirlgiles put it Dawn also represents Buffy's innocence, something that Buffy strives to protect but ultimately loses over the course of season 5, both through the key/Glory plotline and the death of Joyce.

So how does Tara fit in to this framework? She definitely falls into the category of helpful romantic partner, creating and solving conflict in turn. But in season 6 I feel she really steps into her own. S6 is a low point for the scoobies as a whole: Buffy is trying to reconcile with living in a world she finds unbearable and a mission she already completed; Xander is grappling with what marriage means and how to navigate adult relationships; Willow is fighting addiction and how that brings out the worst in her and Giles is facing up to his own over-protective nature and whether he can leave Buffy to stand on her own.

Grappling with their own internal conflict (or just plain absent) the scooby gang are unable to rely on each other; they withhold their feelings, lying to each other and themselves. There's a reason it's one of the more controversial seasons.

Buffy confides in Tara about her relationship with Spike. Tara is her proxy for the scooby gang, able to counsel and console; running magical tests on Buffy's resurrection, comforting her at her lowest, and taking care of Dawn when she can't.

Luckily this doesn't come out if nowhere, in 'The Body' Tara is able to comfort Buffy with her own experience at a time when Buffy is robotically going through the motions and the rest of her friends are grieving Joyce in their own way.

For the most part Tara has already gone through her character arc. She escaped her abusive, gaslighting family, found love and friendship, lost and regained her mind, and set boundaries with Willow over her misuse of magic (while saving the world along the way, but who hasn't done that?).

Because of this stability and maturity Tara is able to slip into the roles of the Scoobies as needed. Able to be the heart when Xander can't see past his own problems, the spirit when Willow is seeking more and more dangerous magics, the mind when Giles returns to the UK. Crucially she is also an outsider, by being removed from the group (post break-up with Willow) there is a semblance of patient-doctor confidentiality. She is already established as someone Buffy can rely on for emotional support (as of S5) but now (in S6) she is insulated from the pity of her close friends: emotional support without the strings.

Btvs is about Buffy's growth as a person, from scared child ("I'm sixteen years old. I don't wanna die.") to young adult ("You're just a girl." "That's what I keep saying."). As she grows she learns to manage her responsibility by S7 she is no longer struggling with her mission in the world, and in a sense she no longer needs the Scoobies ("And at some point, someone has to draw the line and that is always going to be me."). Buffy has outgrown Giles, Xander and Willow, she still loves them and they still work with and rely on each other but she no longer needs them in the way she once did (this is one of the central conflicts of S7 and their relationships but that's another story).

This independence can be traced back to Tara in S6, the season where Buffy is unwilling and unable to connect with and rely on her friends, her usual support system. The system breaks down and Buffy comes to rely on Tara, because of this (and Tara's death) Buffy becomes independent relying on herself instead of the scoobies. No longer leading by committee, leading from the front (admittedly with an iron fist).

Tara's ability to be all aspects of the Scoobies (mind, heart, spirit) translates to Buffy, she learns from her and becomes an independent adult.

#buffy the vampire slayer #Btvs #buffy summers #tara maclay #Brainedmelts

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