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calic0catJust a little ficlet that fits in sometime not too long after "Wish". Hopefully, the next drabble I tackle will lead to progress on another WIP... *crosses fingers*
Title: Family
Series: (Dark and Evil Are) Not Synonymous
Author: Calic0cat
Genre: Crossover, Drama, Angst
Story Pairing: Hint of Giles/Ethan if you squint
Series Pairings: Xander/Spike, Giles/Ethan/Anyanka, Tara/Willow/Oz, Drusilla/Cordelia, Buffy/Riley, Angel(us)/Wes, Harry/Draco, possibly others
Rating: FRC (Fan Rated for Children)
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Neither the Hogwarts crew nor the Scoobies belong to me.
Website: http://www.calic0cat.net/
Author's Note: The "Not Synonymous" series is majorly AU for BtVS (events took a right turn at Albuquerque beginning sometime around "School Hard" in Season Two) & for HP (for reasons which will become obvious in a hurry). HP's timeline is shifted so that its Book One/Year One begins a year after BtVS Season Seven. Stories in the series are *not* being written in chronological order, nor do they necessarily need to be read in any particular order (though "Visit" actually does make a good starting point).
*************************
“Hmm... Maybe it needs just a touch more oregano... What do you think?” Joyce handed over a clean spoon and watched as Van dipped it into the bubbling pot. His forehead wrinkled in concentration as he tasted the sauce.
“Hmm... Maybe just a pinch,” he agreed.
Joyce nodded. “Go ahead.” She smothered the urge to laugh at his solemn expression as he carefully added a pinch of oregano and stirred it in. He took everything so very seriously.
She had never known a child quite so eager to please, so ready to learn. Evander Harris readily soaked up affection, attention, and knowledge with equal delight. Oh, Buffy had always liked to be hugged and cuddled, especially at Van’s age, but she’d never been quite so interested in learning. She would perch on the counter and chatter away while Joyce cooked or baked but she’d never shown any interest in getting involved beyond setting the table or licking the leftover dough off of the mixer’s blades. And, even though it could well save her life someday, Joyce knew that Buffy had no patience for the academic knowledge that her Watcher had to offer and only a limited attention span even for the physical training. Buffy was interested in what she was interested in, period; trying to persuade her to learn anything outside of her area of interest was an exercise in frustration and futility.
Willow probably came closest to Van’s level of interest in learning, but she took her pleasure from her grades and from putting her knowledge to use while Van took at least an equal measure from the actual process of being taught. It didn’t matter whether he was helping Joyce cook spaghetti or Xander was helping him with his math, whether he was learning Latin from Giles or self-defense from Buffy, whether Oz was teaching him to play guitar or Willow showing him how to make study notes; Van always focused his complete concentration on his instructor and gave the task his very best effort. If there was something - anything, no matter how dull or obscure - that someone was willing to spend the time to teach him, Van was ready and willing to learn.
Van finished stirring the sauce and looked to her for approval as he set the spoon down on the counter. “Good work,” she praised, wrapping one arm around thin shoulders and giving him an affectionate hug. He flung his arms around her waist and hugged her back, squashing his glasses between them uncomfortably. Joyce didn’t mind; she was just happy that he no longer flinched and looked uncertain at every touch.
Joyce was well aware of what that said about Van’s life before Xander’s parents had adopted him. The child was absolutely starving for affection and attention, and she knew perfectly well that he wouldn’t be getting it from his new “parents” any more than he had from his previous family. Fortunately, his big brother and the rest of the Scoobies were more than ready to make up for the shortcomings of both the senior Harrises and his previous guardians. The arrival of one small boy had started a chain reaction of changes. Changes for the better, in Joyce’s opinion.
Within a week of Van’s arrival, Xander had come to her for instruction in shopping for and preparing simple, nutritionally balanced meals and - with his new brother’s disturbingly experienced help - had taken over the Harris family cooking rather than allowing the far too skinny child to subsist on junk food and the vagaries of their mother’s non-existent culinary skills. His determination to ensure that his brother was taken care of had also resulted in a new, dogged effort towards his schoolwork; it was a rare week that didn’t include a serious study session around the Summers’ kitchen table. He’d even argued Giles into training all of them - Joyce herself included - in basic Hellmouth self-defense.
Learning all about the Hellmouth, demons vampires, Watchers, and Slayers, had been a decidedly nasty shock. Joyce still wasn’t happy about the dangers that her daughter and the others were facing on a nightly basis but she understood that, at least for Buffy, there really wasn’t a choice in the matter. The Slayer was the Slayer; evil would find her whether she went out looking for it or not. It was good to know that Buffy had both training and trained backup.
And, knowing what was out there, Joyce was also glad to know that even she could now take out a vampire at fifty yards with a crossbow. She was probably the only parent in the Parent Teacher Association who carried a silver dagger, wooden stake, and squirt gun filled with holy water in her purse, just as Van was most likely the only child in his school to carry two drinking bottles full of holy water in his backpack.
The sound of the front door opening and the chatter of familiar voices brought Van’s hug to an abrupt end. “Xan!” he shouted happily as he raced out of the kitchen.
Joyce smiled and turned to put the spaghetti noodles into the bubbling pot of water awaiting them. “Everyone go wash up; dinner’s ready,” she called as she put the salad on the table.
Buffy poked her head through the doorway. “Mom? Is there enough for a couple of extra guests?”
“Giles and Ethan?” Joyce guessed. Buffy nodded. “Of course,” Joyce agreed readily.
“Mom says okay!” Buffy yelled over her shoulder as she turned to head upstairs.
Joyce just shook her head in amused tolerance. Leaning out of the kitchen for a moment, she reminded everyone, “Dirty weapons go in the washtub in the backyard, not in the upstairs bathtub!” She received a chorus of “Certainly,” “Of course, Mrs. Summers,” “Sure,” and “Gotcha,” in response.
As she added two more place settings to the six already at the table, Joyce reflected that she was going to need a bigger table if the Scooby Gang kept growing. It was nice to have the whole family together for Sunday dinner and her table was already getting a bit crowded.
Title: Family
Series: (Dark and Evil Are) Not Synonymous
Author: Calic0cat
Genre: Crossover, Drama, Angst
Story Pairing: Hint of Giles/Ethan if you squint
Series Pairings: Xander/Spike, Giles/Ethan/Anyanka, Tara/Willow/Oz, Drusilla/Cordelia, Buffy/Riley, Angel(us)/Wes, Harry/Draco, possibly others
Rating: FRC (Fan Rated for Children)
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Neither the Hogwarts crew nor the Scoobies belong to me.
Website: http://www.calic0cat.net/
Author's Note: The "Not Synonymous" series is majorly AU for BtVS (events took a right turn at Albuquerque beginning sometime around "School Hard" in Season Two) & for HP (for reasons which will become obvious in a hurry). HP's timeline is shifted so that its Book One/Year One begins a year after BtVS Season Seven. Stories in the series are *not* being written in chronological order, nor do they necessarily need to be read in any particular order (though "Visit" actually does make a good starting point).
*************************
“Hmm... Maybe it needs just a touch more oregano... What do you think?” Joyce handed over a clean spoon and watched as Van dipped it into the bubbling pot. His forehead wrinkled in concentration as he tasted the sauce.
“Hmm... Maybe just a pinch,” he agreed.
Joyce nodded. “Go ahead.” She smothered the urge to laugh at his solemn expression as he carefully added a pinch of oregano and stirred it in. He took everything so very seriously.
She had never known a child quite so eager to please, so ready to learn. Evander Harris readily soaked up affection, attention, and knowledge with equal delight. Oh, Buffy had always liked to be hugged and cuddled, especially at Van’s age, but she’d never been quite so interested in learning. She would perch on the counter and chatter away while Joyce cooked or baked but she’d never shown any interest in getting involved beyond setting the table or licking the leftover dough off of the mixer’s blades. And, even though it could well save her life someday, Joyce knew that Buffy had no patience for the academic knowledge that her Watcher had to offer and only a limited attention span even for the physical training. Buffy was interested in what she was interested in, period; trying to persuade her to learn anything outside of her area of interest was an exercise in frustration and futility.
Willow probably came closest to Van’s level of interest in learning, but she took her pleasure from her grades and from putting her knowledge to use while Van took at least an equal measure from the actual process of being taught. It didn’t matter whether he was helping Joyce cook spaghetti or Xander was helping him with his math, whether he was learning Latin from Giles or self-defense from Buffy, whether Oz was teaching him to play guitar or Willow showing him how to make study notes; Van always focused his complete concentration on his instructor and gave the task his very best effort. If there was something - anything, no matter how dull or obscure - that someone was willing to spend the time to teach him, Van was ready and willing to learn.
Van finished stirring the sauce and looked to her for approval as he set the spoon down on the counter. “Good work,” she praised, wrapping one arm around thin shoulders and giving him an affectionate hug. He flung his arms around her waist and hugged her back, squashing his glasses between them uncomfortably. Joyce didn’t mind; she was just happy that he no longer flinched and looked uncertain at every touch.
Joyce was well aware of what that said about Van’s life before Xander’s parents had adopted him. The child was absolutely starving for affection and attention, and she knew perfectly well that he wouldn’t be getting it from his new “parents” any more than he had from his previous family. Fortunately, his big brother and the rest of the Scoobies were more than ready to make up for the shortcomings of both the senior Harrises and his previous guardians. The arrival of one small boy had started a chain reaction of changes. Changes for the better, in Joyce’s opinion.
Within a week of Van’s arrival, Xander had come to her for instruction in shopping for and preparing simple, nutritionally balanced meals and - with his new brother’s disturbingly experienced help - had taken over the Harris family cooking rather than allowing the far too skinny child to subsist on junk food and the vagaries of their mother’s non-existent culinary skills. His determination to ensure that his brother was taken care of had also resulted in a new, dogged effort towards his schoolwork; it was a rare week that didn’t include a serious study session around the Summers’ kitchen table. He’d even argued Giles into training all of them - Joyce herself included - in basic Hellmouth self-defense.
Learning all about the Hellmouth, demons vampires, Watchers, and Slayers, had been a decidedly nasty shock. Joyce still wasn’t happy about the dangers that her daughter and the others were facing on a nightly basis but she understood that, at least for Buffy, there really wasn’t a choice in the matter. The Slayer was the Slayer; evil would find her whether she went out looking for it or not. It was good to know that Buffy had both training and trained backup.
And, knowing what was out there, Joyce was also glad to know that even she could now take out a vampire at fifty yards with a crossbow. She was probably the only parent in the Parent Teacher Association who carried a silver dagger, wooden stake, and squirt gun filled with holy water in her purse, just as Van was most likely the only child in his school to carry two drinking bottles full of holy water in his backpack.
The sound of the front door opening and the chatter of familiar voices brought Van’s hug to an abrupt end. “Xan!” he shouted happily as he raced out of the kitchen.
Joyce smiled and turned to put the spaghetti noodles into the bubbling pot of water awaiting them. “Everyone go wash up; dinner’s ready,” she called as she put the salad on the table.
Buffy poked her head through the doorway. “Mom? Is there enough for a couple of extra guests?”
“Giles and Ethan?” Joyce guessed. Buffy nodded. “Of course,” Joyce agreed readily.
“Mom says okay!” Buffy yelled over her shoulder as she turned to head upstairs.
Joyce just shook her head in amused tolerance. Leaning out of the kitchen for a moment, she reminded everyone, “Dirty weapons go in the washtub in the backyard, not in the upstairs bathtub!” She received a chorus of “Certainly,” “Of course, Mrs. Summers,” “Sure,” and “Gotcha,” in response.
As she added two more place settings to the six already at the table, Joyce reflected that she was going to need a bigger table if the Scooby Gang kept growing. It was nice to have the whole family together for Sunday dinner and her table was already getting a bit crowded.
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no subject
Date: 2006-11-06 06:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-07 05:31 pm (UTC)Glad you enjoyed this little installment in the series.