calic0cat | Just a little snippet...

Current Mood: contemplative

Entry tags:

Just a little snippet...

One of the hazards of jumping back and forth between fics, writing a little here and a little there as the muse allows, is that you don't end up with anything long enough to post, let alone anything that's actually finished. Hopefully, I'll have either a TS or GW bit that's long enough to post either tomorrow or the day after but, for now, here's a little bit of something that's headed for S/X pre-slash - eventually. *eyes snippet* Though even pre-slash is stretching it at the moment, since this kind of looks like it's headed for a series of ficlets rather than a single, longer, story...

Title: Artifact
Part: 1/?
Author: Calic0cat
Fandom: BtVS
Pairing: S/X (eventually)
Rating: FRT (for now)
Warnings: profanity
Notes: Post-season 7 BtVS AU.

Everyone else was long gone to their own offices before Angel finally worked his way down through the huge pile of paperwork in his inbox. It was with considerable relief that he slit open the last envelope, allowing a familiar but very unexpected item to slide out onto his desk.

Five minutes later, he was dumping the pendant back into the envelope. Angel felt a twinge of guilt at the resigned but unsurprised expression on Spike's face as he faded out with the resealing of the obviously-enchanted package, but didn't allow it to weaken his resolve. Soul or not, incorporeal or not, Spike was just one more headache that he - that they - really did *not* need right now. He didn't care how or why Spike's ghost had been sent to him; he was tired of being manipulated by the Senior Partners and the Powers That Be. Wesley and the others had enough work to do without adding researching the puzzle of Spike and the amulet to the list; Rupert Giles and the new Watchers Council were much better choices for the assignment.

The fact that he was not in the mood to face his always-complicated relationship with his perennial problem-Childe had absolutely nothing to do with his decision.

***

It was as bad as being chained in the Watcher's bathtub again. Worse, even.

Bad enough that he could only move a certain distance away from the damn amulet but, adding insult to injury, the Watchers Council had limited him even further. Instead of having the run of the building, he was trapped in the library's heavily-warded Restricted Room. For his own good, of course.

Bloody wankers. Spike knew that his safety had nothing to do with it; they just didn't know what the hell to do with the ghost of William the Bloody any more than his defacto Sire had but, unlike the poof, they didn't have anyone else to palm him off on. Havin' a soul and savin' the world apparently wasn't enough to earn either trust or respect; despite Giles's assurances that they would 'look into' his situation, he'd been stuck here for months - or at least, he thought it was months, the lack of any means of keeping time made it a little hard to be sure - already, with nothing to break up the boredom other than the - very - rare visit by someone needing access to the materials in the restricted archives. No one ever dropped in just to visit with him; he was hoping that meant no one had been told he was there rather than that no one - not the Slayer or even the Nibblet - had cared enough to visit.

He didn't even have a telly; Giles had apologetically mumbled some rot about the warding interfering with reception when he'd demanded one.

Couldn't even read; little tough to turn the pages when yer nothin' but an insubstantial spirit, t'weren't it?

Nothin' to do but think. Not a good thing, what with the soul an' all. Liable to turn into a broody git like someone else he could name.

Assumin' that he didn't go loopy as Dru before then, that was.

No one to talk to, nothin' to *do*...

Nobody to need him... no place to *belong*, not like he'd belonged with Dru for so long, not even like he'd - maybe, almost, despite everything - belonged with the Scoobies back in Sunnydale, just before the end...

Spike shook his head sharply, trying to shake off his darkening mood as wistful yearning for the near-camaraderie of those days turned to regrets for things done and undone. Which yielded to the weight of so many other memories and regrets... to so bloody damn much *guilt*...

Between the soul's whingin' about the past and the demon's ragin' at the solitary confinement, and the *loneliness* and the *uselessness* and the thrice-damned *futility* of it all, sometimes he couldn't help half wondering if this was actually meant to be his own personal purgatory. Because one thing was for damn sure - it bloody well wasn't a *reward*.

***

"Supposed to be 'Slayer-scout' Harris, not Xan the Research Man..." Xander groused under his breath as he made his way through the Council building. "As if Africa wasn't bad enough, now Giles is all, 'We need you to go find a new Slayer in the Balkans, Xander. Oh, and, while you're there, I'm sure that you won't mind checking into the Whatsits of Whosits and bringing it back if it's the real thing. How can you tell? Well, you'll just have to do a little research before you go. Here, take a key for the restricted archives; you should find everything you need there. Please take whatever you need.' And then he gives me this *look*, like I should be glad he's giving me carte blanche to help myself to the archives..."

Inserting the spelled key into the warded lock, he waited for the doorknob to glow a welcoming green before wrenching the door open and stalking inside. Slamming it shut behind him, he muttered sarcastically, "Gee, thanks, G-man. Just what the Xan-man's always wanted - lots of musty old books and creepy arti..."

"Harris?!"

Wiggins time. "...facts." *Major* wiggins time. Xander slowly turned his head towards the source of the familiar but very unexpected voice. Make that *seriously* major wiggins time. "Spike?!"

***

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Excellent start. How many fics do you have started? I have five. *hides*

Excellent start.

Thanks! Writing in a new fandom - or even from a different POV in a familiar one - always makes me a little nervous.

How many fics do you have started? I have five.

Five? *snickers* Is that all? Gee, maybe I should send a few plot bunnies in your direction.

My current count... Well, let's see...

Currently open in WordPerfect:

two S/X (counting this one)
Kindergarten Heero (would really like to get that finished - *sigh*)
next LWH installment
GW Regency Christmas fic
next TS Lifebond fic
two GW fics for last year's Moonridge Auction winners

others not currently open, but recently worked on:

two TS short fics
two other S/X fics
GW 1x2x5 (not "Winning Duo" sequel)
"Winning Duo" sequel
"Simple Human Contact" sequel
next Sweeper Three fic (and revised versions of previous ones)
"Mission: Nerima"
three more GW fics/ficlets and the next chapter of "Searching", all for

au100
a post-EW GW fic (1=2)
"Counterpoint"

I think I'm still missing something off that list, but I can't think what at the moment... Oh, yeah, my MOR mission fic (which isn't progressing very well, unfortunately :P ) and two TS fics for this year's Moonridge Auction.

Holy crap! Busy little thing ain't ya? (I'm impressed.)

Oh, yeah, my MOR mission fic (which isn't progressing very well, unfortunately :P )

*sniffle* I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. You always write such nice fics for my contests.

I'm still hoping - it just isn't cooperating very well for some reason. And unfortunately nothing that is cooperating is suitable for the contest. Argh. Stubborn muses... *sulks*

Whee! Nice twist!! Love that. I bet Giles set them up. Can't wait to see more! Thank you so much for writing this!

Glad you like it! Giles may have his hands full with other things and he may be a little reluctant to push the rest of the recreated Council too hard about the whole Spike-issue, but I can see him feeling just guilty enough to do something like this.

oh!

Please take whatever you need. famous, oft-regretted words!

Would like more, please.

Let's just say that Giles worded things that way for a reason. *grin* He does feel a little guilty about Spike's situation, after all.

*g* I'll work on my 'seeing beyond the obvious' skills, then. 'S what I get for commenting before reading the other comments.

not that i'm complaining in any shape or form b/c i'm happy with whatever you have to tgive but you do know luv that starting another fic now, even if it's just snippets, isn't going to help the problem *grins*

The problem is that I've found out the hard way that I have to write whatever the muse offers, or I don't get to write anything at all. :P And yes, that unfortunately means that I end up with umpteen dozen WIPs on my hard drive. *groan* Better than ending up with writer's block, however! At least this way, I might eventually manage to finish something!

well that just means there'll be more to read once you finish ^_^

on a side note i just realized i forgot to mention how much i adore it when a fav author moves into another of my fandoms ... and your intro into BtVS and AtS is fantabulous ^_^

Lovely start, I believe this is your first foray in to Spander if so with this type of quality we definitely need to bribe/manipulate/beg you in to continuing on.

So pleeeeeease keep going.

Anything else tempt you? First born child..? damn gave it away already.
Ummmm....

Chocolate cake?

Yep, first foray into BtVS and first attempt at S/X. Though it's already been joined by the beginning sections of several other fangy little plot bunnies. I've learned the hard way not to put anything off once inspiration hits. Better to write down however much I can than to try to wait till I finish something else. Otherwise, inspiration has a bad habit of running far, far away, and proving very difficult to recapture.

At any rate, there will be more of this story (hopefully with a title by that point, bane of my life though titling may be), and at least two or three other S/X stories as well. Eventually.

Now if only I could win the lottery so that I wouldn't have to waste valuable writing time on that pesky thing called "work"... *sigh*

w00t! Excellent characterization my dear. Bang on job. Of course Giles is feeling guilty and wants to find a way to pawn off the guilt on someone else. And of course, Xander is more than oblivious enough to do so for him. ^_^ Does Spike become Xander's knowledge man? Do they go off on the searching mission thing Giles told him to do, and Spike proves how useful he is? *squees* 4 S/X fics huh? *nibbles at them* Mmmmm tasty...
<3333333 RE

Thanks! I'm glad that the characterization is on target. I usually consider it to be one of the most critical elements of a fic. As a reader, if a character isn't recognizable as her/himself other than by name and physical description, then it's going to take a darn good explanation of why to keep me interested and reading. So, as a writer, I try very hard to keep characterization on target - unless, of course, there's a darn good reason why the individual is acting out of character.

As for what happens next - well, you'll just have to wait and see. Hopefully, I'll get back to this one in the not too distant future.

oooooo... *voices complete satisfaction of ficlet* seriously hoping this turns into a First Chapter rather than a stand-alone-never-gonna-touch-again. 'cause man, you even have GILES down, which is scary. so many people have him either a complete mush-ball, or a jack-ass, and you have managed to get that middle ground, where he's human and therefore just doesn't know what to do and shunts Spike off to the side so he doesn't have to think about it. ever. *takes deep breath* aaaaanyway. love it. want more, please, if that's at all possible.

Thanks! I'm glad that Giles came through so well. There will definitely be more, it's just a matter of when. Hopefully, fairly soon.

seeing as how S/X obessed as I am, I feel giddy now only when I see a really good plot forming.

And you have me as giddy as Buffybot on crack.

So naturally I want more. :)

*lol* Thanks! Glad you enjoyed this little bit. There will be more - hopefully in the reasonably near future.

Wow! This is your first foray into BtVS fic? Wow! I'm speechless. Okay, not noticably.

Beautifully written, well characterised and leaving me with an urgent desire to find out what happens next. Surely you could dump your other projects temporarily and continue with this? I don't like to beg, but I will if necessary. *g*

Look at the icon. How could you resist writing about such a beautiful man?

Yep, first try at BtVS. Considering just how long it's been since I last watched an episode, I spent a good chunk of time reading the transcripts that

amejisuto pointed me towards, in order to check the "voice" and characterization - not to mention incidental storyline details that I either didn't remember or that occurred after I'd stopped watching more than the occasional episode.

As for dumping other projects to concentrate on this one (or any other one, for that matter)... I am, unfortunately, one of those people with butterflies for muses. *sigh* I have to write whatever story inspiration happens to strike for, or I end up with writer's block. :P Not good. If only I could concentrate on just one thing for a while... I'd love to get a couple of my almost-complete WIPs off my plate. But there will definitely be more S/X BtVS from me in future, including more of this particular story.

Please write some more of this. It's hard to believe this is your first ever Spander, you have it down so well.

Thanks! I'm glad that it turned out so well. There will definitely be more, hopefully fairly soon.

hey there, Calic0cat. I've being trying to send you a pic I've made of one of your fics, but my mails doesn't seem to reach you. What can I do??? I really whant to send it :D

If you're having trouble reaching me through my fastmail.fm address, try sending it to calic0cat2004@gmail.com instead. Fastmail is usually pretty reliable, but there could be a specific problem between your mail server and theirs.

I'm really enjoying this. It reminds me of one of my favorite authors: Amanda Quick who is also Jayne Ann Krentz. I've never read any of the Jayne Castle books but the story "Counterpoint" is very intriguing and I might have to check those books out. Keep up the good work.

I have a feeling you were referring to my GW Regency AU rather than this story, since you mention Amanda Quick. Either way, I'm glad that you're enjoying it.

As for Jayne Castle, if you like Jayne Ann Krentz's books written as Amanda Quick, then I imagine you'll like her Jayne Castle stuff too. Hopefully, I'll get back to writing "Counterpoint" before too much longer.

Glad you're enjoying the stories!

You're right, I clicked on the wrong comment button. I was indeed refering to the regency fic, sorry.

Ok, where's the rest?

Xander to the rescue! Yay! But now what happens? I like this, it's different, and cool, and I'd like to read more. :-)

I am working on the next bit... along with the other half dozen things that my muse keeps flitting back and forth between this weekend. *sweatdrops* Hopefully, I'll have more ready to post sometime fairly soon. Glad you're enjoying it so far!

Oh that's marvellous. What a turn up for the books, something really different. Very clever. I can't wait to read the next bit, which I'm going to do right now. :D

Thanks! It's always a challenge trying to come up with a unique take on something in a fandom that has so many great stories already written. I seem to make a habit of writing in fandoms that have a lot of writers already at work in them.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Just a little snippet...

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

oops!!

just a little snippit

Re: just a little snippit

no subject

no subject