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gryfndor_godess ([personal profile] gryfndor_godess) wrote2011-11-11 10:28 am
Entry tags:

Comics!Fic: Propositions

Title: Propositions
Rating: G
Summary: At the end of Severin's arc (i.e., this is not directly post 9.3 but takes place sometime later in the season), Buffy ponders her track record with men and takes matters into her own hands.  900 words.
A/N: I figured out something to write in reaction to issue #3 after all!  Comments on my Thinky Thoughts post inspired me, and I ended up frantically writing this at 1:00 AM and then tidying it up this morning.  :)


“So,” said Spike, looking up from Severin’s charred corpse, which lay smoking on the ground between them.  “Can I say ‘I told you so’ or do you need a minute to process?”
 
“Shut up,” said Buffy, automatically.  She couldn’t manage much venom, though.  It was just too-
 
God, how had she managed to fall for this kind of act again?
 
What was wrong with her? 
 
Angel, Spike, Twilight, Severin- even Parker had been a jerk.  Did she send out pheromones to demons and creeps?  Was Riley some sort of lucky fluke, and she was otherwise only attracted to smooth-talking villains?
 
Was there any saving grace to her love life?
 
“Ahh, s’all right,” said Spike, and she was startled into looking at him.
 
Her tummy gave a funny wobble.
 
 Spike shrugged, wearing a lopsided, only-slightly-bitter smile.  “He was rich, human, and a slayer, of sorts.  Of course you liked him.”
 
Buffy didn’t know what to say.
 
Spike made an exaggerated face, one clearly meant to amuse.  “Can’t say much for his appearance, though.  Weedy-looking.  Beanpole skinny.  Not deformedly tall, so not really your type-”
 
“He had blue eyes,” said Buffy.  “I like blue eyes.”
 
Spike blinked, which showed off his own baby blues quite nicely.  “Uh.  Oh.  Well.”
 
After a few seconds of silence, Buffy glanced at the corpse again.
 
“Wanna ditch this place, Slayer?” said Spike finally.
 
She nodded, and they walked out of the warehouse together and headed for home.
 
* * *
 
“I’m sorry,” said Buffy, after she’d had half a glass of wine.
 
Only half a glass; that was important.  She needed a bit of liquid courage, but she didn’t need him thinking anything she said or did from here on out came straight from the bottle.
 
“I should have believed you.”  The words felt acidic in her mouth, but they were necessary if she wanted to say anything else tonight.
 
Spike looked taken aback but pleased, which she took as a good sign.  “Yeah.  Well.”  He shrugged one shoulder, and Buffy could tell he was trying to be nonchalant.  “You wouldn’t be Buffy if you didn’t sleep with guys you shouldn’t.”
 
She tried not to let it show how much the response stung.  It was probably true, after all.  And the evidence in front of her proved there could be silver linings to that character flaw.
 
“No big deal,” said Spike hastily, as though he regretted his first reaction.  “Thanks.”
 
It was a simpler acknowledgment than she had expected; she’d been preparing herself for endless gloating.  In fact, he’d been astonishingly gracious in the hour since they’d left the warehouse- mostly avoiding the subject altogether instead of mocking her. 
 
She wouldn’t have been as gracious if the positions were reversed, Buffy couldn’t keep from thinking.  Snapshots of their degrading relationship the past few weeks rose inexorably to mind: of Spike telling her Severin was actually an evil demon named Siphon and her refusal to believe him; of calling him petty and jealous as he persisted with his theories; of sleeping with Severin (eurgh) and Spike demanding whether she was trying to end the world again; of punching him; of him fighting by her side anyway when she realized he’d been right all along. 
 
Guilt rolled through her. 
 
Buffy put her wine glass on the floor and slid it away from her.  After picking up a celebratory pizza and beverages they’d ended up at Spike’s apartment.  She was grateful for the invitation, as she was nowhere near ready to return to Severin’s, her refuge from the police for the past few weeks.  They sprawled on the floor, since there was no table and only one armchair, which they weren’t up for sharing.
 
Yet.
 
As Buffy focused on what came next instead of on mistakes she couldn’t undo, she was surprised by the flicker of hope she felt.  She wasn’t sure she deserved it, but it was invigorating.
 
She did her best to sound casual.  “Can’t say I really regret my track record.”
 
Spike’s eyebrow shot upward.  “Really,” he said disbelievingly.
 
Buffy shrugged.  “You know, it’s like for every ten frogs you kiss, you get a prince.  For every ten evil guys you get a…not so evil guy.”
 
“Are you talking about Soldier Boy?” said Spike warily.  “’Cause I’ve got some things I can say on that account-”
 
“No.  I’m saying, some evil guys are worth it.”
 
His eyes narrowed.  “Are you talking about A-”
 
No.  Jeez.  Will you let me finish?”  Buffy took a deep breath and looked straight at him.  “I’m saying, sometimes the evil guys stop being evil, and that makes the sleeping with them worth it.  Cause you get something amazing out of it.  See, for example, there’s this one evil guy I slept with whom I’d like to sleep with again.  Cause now he’s formerly evil.  Thought he was the Big Bad.  Now he’s a Big Bad white hat.”
 
Spike blinked.  He stared at her.  His mouth opened, but no words came out.
 
Buffy lifted one corner of her lips and raised an eyebrow.
 
Pointedly.
 
Spike blinked again, and she saw the flash of a smirk as he straightened.  “Could this white hat take you out to dinner first?”
 
Butterflies spiraled in her stomach, and Buffy smiled.  “Yeah.  I’d like that.”

[identity profile] penny-lane-42.livejournal.com 2011-11-11 04:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Awwwwwwww!

Favorite line: Not deformedly tall, so not really your type- SO TRUUUUE.

[identity profile] gryfndor-godess.livejournal.com 2011-11-11 04:23 pm (UTC)(link)
:D Thank you! So glad you liked that line! I don't think witty dialogue is usually my strong point, so I was particularly proud of that.

[identity profile] rebcake.livejournal.com 2011-11-11 04:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Dinner first! ¡Yaaaaaay!

So much win in this! Of course he thinks she's talking about everybody except him, and of course he gives her a small bit of grief before backing off into comfortable companionship — with pizza. And of course she was a sucker for a pair of pretty blue eyes. It worked in the past, right?

I predict smoochies. Mmmmmmm.

[identity profile] gryfndor-godess.livejournal.com 2011-11-11 05:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you liked it and that his characterization worked for you. He wouldn't be Spike if he weren't a little snarky. :D

Mmm, Spuffy smoochies...

[identity profile] norwie2010.livejournal.com 2011-11-11 07:14 pm (UTC)(link)
That's remarkably fluffy considering the dire circumstances. :)

“He had blue eyes,” said Buffy. “I like blue eyes.”

Schmoopy AND snarky at the same time! Yay! Great comeback line in this conversation.

[identity profile] gryfndor-godess.livejournal.com 2011-11-11 10:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! Fluff is pretty much all I'll write at 1:00 in the morning. Even the marginally angsty exposition of their fight only came about this morning in the Serious Light of Day. :) I figure Buffy's used enough to dire circumstances and fed up enough with her love life that she could jump straight to what really mattered, once she sorted it out.

[identity profile] anviloverheaven.livejournal.com 2011-11-12 11:47 am (UTC)(link)
“Could this white hat take you out to dinner first?”

I love that!

Their relationship's at such a hopeful point now. This time they're going to take it nice and slow, and it's going to be absolutely brilliant, and they'll live happily ever after gosh darn it!

[identity profile] gryfndor-godess.livejournal.com 2011-11-12 01:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you like that line! Usually I'm all about the angst and them taking two steps forward and one step back because they don't trust their feelings, but here I was like, It is the end of the season, they are tired of mincing around, they know what they want. :D

they'll live happily ever after gosh darn it!

Damn straight they will! :D

[identity profile] gingerwall.livejournal.com 2011-11-12 08:17 pm (UTC)(link)
“Could this white hat take you out to dinner first?”

Hahahaha. They are so cute. :)

[identity profile] gryfndor-godess.livejournal.com 2011-11-12 08:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! :D

[identity profile] ellievanna.livejournal.com 2011-11-13 12:45 am (UTC)(link)
Aww, this was adorable! I loved Spike being clueless as usual and the snark was absolutely wonderful. Great job!

[identity profile] gryfndor-godess.livejournal.com 2011-11-13 04:31 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much! I'm really glad you enjoyed it. :)

[identity profile] eilowyn.livejournal.com 2011-11-13 01:54 am (UTC)(link)
Your fics are my FAVORITE part of Season 9! Go for the goal of Spuffying up EVERY ISSUE! We will gladly beg encourage you for it!

[identity profile] gryfndor-godess.livejournal.com 2011-11-13 04:50 am (UTC)(link)
You are TOO NICE. Thank you!! I'm so happy you're enjoying them. *hugs* And you totally inspired one of them when we were talking about how the comics didn't address "Chosen," so thank you for that! :)

[identity profile] seapealsh.livejournal.com 2011-11-13 03:40 am (UTC)(link)
Boy, if you're going to manage to Spuffy every issue, I think I'll have died and gone to heaven. Asking Buffy to dinner - love that!

[identity profile] gryfndor-godess.livejournal.com 2011-11-13 04:52 am (UTC)(link)
*blushes* Thank you so much! I hope they continue to please!

[identity profile] kerry-220.livejournal.com 2011-11-13 12:35 pm (UTC)(link)
“So,” said Spike, looking up from Severin’s charred corpse, which lay smoking on the ground between them. “Can I say ‘I told you so’ or do you need a minute to process?”

*Snorfle*

I'll wish for this, though I think it a horse :)

[identity profile] gryfndor-godess.livejournal.com 2011-11-13 01:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks for reading! Glad you liked that line! :)

[identity profile] gabzillaz.livejournal.com 2011-11-14 12:26 pm (UTC)(link)
“Could this white hat take you out to dinner first?”

Aaaw, Spike. I love this.

I also wanted to thank you, your fics got me into re-watching Buffy!

[identity profile] gryfndor-godess.livejournal.com 2011-11-14 01:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, thank you, that is one of the nicest compliments I've ever received on a fic! I'm so happy you enjoy them and that they made you want to re-watch. :)

[identity profile] gabzillaz.livejournal.com 2011-11-14 05:27 pm (UTC)(link)
You are welcome!

I actually never read a Buffy fic before! I watched the last seasons when they aired, but I was never in the fandom. Always been a big fan of Spuffy, though!

[identity profile] gryfndor-godess.livejournal.com 2011-11-14 08:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Spuffy fandom is a wonderful place to be! :)

[identity profile] zanthinegirl.livejournal.com 2011-11-16 10:56 am (UTC)(link)
I love the way you write your version of season nine! I gave up on season eight-- it got so I didn't recognize the characters-- but so far I'm enjoying season nine. I know better than to get my spuffy hopes up, but I can buy Buffy's position.

Spike blinked again, and she saw the flash of a smirk as he straightened. “Could this white hat take you out to dinner first?”

Butterflies spiraled in her stomach, and Buffy smiled. “Yeah. I’d like that.”


Your take is just too cute!

[identity profile] gryfndor-godess.livejournal.com 2011-11-18 02:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much! Fic and fandom are what keep me invested in S9 (cause I completely agree about S8), so I'm glad you like my take on it. :)

[identity profile] hello-spikey.livejournal.com 2012-01-05 08:44 pm (UTC)(link)
SQUEE!
So love Spike asking for dinner first. Hee. I'm a huge nerd for reversed dating tropes with these two. ;)

And I like the "Was Riley some kind of fluke?" Because he does seem that way, doesn't he? The one time they tried to give her a 'normal' boyfriend on the show. Poor Riley. *pats him*

Yay. LOVE.

[identity profile] gryfndor-godess.livejournal.com 2012-01-05 10:25 pm (UTC)(link)
:D Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it.