Live The Questions
Jun. 1st, 2007 12:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sevendeadlyfunPairing: Spike/Angel, Willow/Faith, Oz/Xander
Rating: R this chapter (NC-17 overall)
Warnings: None this chapter
A/N: I'll be adding an epilogue to this at some point, but this is essentially completed. I'm not sure how I feel about this last part. I'm not sure if it really fits the rest of the story, but I've changed directions as a writer and I'd say this definitely reflects that. Con/Crit welcomed and you won't hurt my feelings if you say this part sucks...just be specific about what's wrong, that's all I ask. Thank you so much to all of you who've read this and commented. My apologies for taking so long to finish it!
Rating: R this chapter (NC-17 overall)
Warnings: None this chapter
A/N: I'll be adding an epilogue to this at some point, but this is essentially completed. I'm not sure how I feel about this last part. I'm not sure if it really fits the rest of the story, but I've changed directions as a writer and I'd say this definitely reflects that. Con/Crit welcomed and you won't hurt my feelings if you say this part sucks...just be specific about what's wrong, that's all I ask. Thank you so much to all of you who've read this and commented. My apologies for taking so long to finish it!
“Ah the sweet sweet silence of a Slayer free residence, “ Xander sighed.
“Hey!” Willow and Faith objected in unison.
“Whoops,” Xander chuckled. “Sorry, Faith.”
“No big,” Faith nodded. “Can't say I'm sorry to see the last of the Baby Brigade gone either.”
“Giles seemed pretty relieved too. I think he wasn't as thrilled with the whole hundreds of Slayers as he pretended to be,” Willow observed thoughtfully.
“So is he really disbanding the Council?” Xander asked. He hadn't really talked to Giles before the older man left. Not that he was holding a grudge, exactly. But, it had hurt that Giles would attack first and ask questions after.
“Not so much disbanding as scaling back.” Faith shook her head wryly. “Since I'm not exactly jumping to become a Council minion, they don't have a whole lot to do.”
“I thought you said you'd work with the Council?” Willow asked, puzzled.
Faith huffed in irritation and then shrugged. “I said if they had an emergency and needed a Slayer, I'd think about it. I won't be at their beck and call, though. I don't want a Watcher or a stupid set of rules imposed on me, ya know?”
“Bet Buffy's furious, “ Oz stated, weaving his fingers through Xander's hair.
“Surprisingly, not so much,” Faith smiled. “Seems B just doesn't give a flying fuck and that's a quote.”
“Seriously?” Xander's jaw dropped. “Wait, why am I surprised?”
“Because B was all duty-driven good girl,” Faith replied quietly. “But man, she's earned her break. I told her that, and she just laughed. Said it wasn't so much a break as a permanent retirement. I doubt it, though. She'll probably pick up the stake at some point. She just wants it to be on her terms, and I can't blame her.”
Angel smiled slightly as he withdrew from the balcony. It looked like things were getting back to normal for Champions. No more PTB driven requests, no more psycho-Watchers, just good old fashioned helping the helpless.
“Don't get too comfortable, Angel,” a quiet voice warned him.
“Jesus,” Angel jumped. “Don't do that, Whistler! And what the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Sorry,” Whistler answered, clearly unrepentant. “It means you still have a debt to pay. The Powers aren't letting you lay down your burden just yet.”
“What kind of debt,” Angel asked wearily. “I gotta tell you Whistler, I just don't care about redemption anymore. So, put down your carrots and sticks and give it to me straight, okay?”
“Now, where's the fun in that, Angel?” Spike drawled, stepping out from the shadows. “No point in being all mighty if you can't jerk the lesser beings around, right?”
“Yeah, that's what the Powers' do for kicks,” Whistler said sarcastically. “In between maintaining the balance and tidying the firmament, they like to make your lives miserable. Now, can we get back to the point here?”
“What point is that, mate? The one where you tell us we're The Powers' bum boys or the one where we tell you to get bent,” Spike answered darkly.
“Shut up, Spike,” Angel snapped. “What do The Powers' want, Whistler?”
“Keep working the visions,” Whistler told him. “Keep lines of communication open. The next big thing's around the corner. Gonna need all hands on deck, Angel. Don't turn anyone away, okay?”
“I planned on it, if you insist, I'm not surprised, and I never would, in order,” Angel said seriously.
“Good to hear,” Whistler smiled. “Now I'll let you two get back to your cuddles.”
“I don't cuddle,” Spike snarled.
“Sure you don't,” Angel teased as he watched Whistler saunter away. “What do you call wrapping yourself around me and lying in my arms?”
“Pre-shag nicety,” Spike insisted, snorting. “Just catering to your soppy tastes, Sire.”
“Sire,” Angel purred. “Been awhile since you called me that, Childe.”
“Been awhile since you acted the part,” Spike shot back.
“True enough, “Angel agreed. “What do you say we go indulge in some of those pre-shag niceties?”
“If we must,” Spike acquiesced. “Might as well enjoy the downtime.”
“Who said anything about downtime,” Angel smirked. “I plan on keeping you up as much as possible.”
The foursome downstairs jumped to their feet, reaching for weapons, at the sounds of crashing furniture and animal growls. The sound of Angel's laughter and Spike's “Bloody Hell!” caused a round of eye rolls and they all sat down again.
“Wonder how long they'll be at it this time,” Faith complained.
“Oh they can go for quite awhile,” Xander stated absently. He looked up in shock and blushed bright crimson. “Not that I know personally or anything...”
“Uh-huh...well, all in favor of going out and staying out 'till this round is over?” Faith asked with a raised eyebrow.
Four sets of hands raised. Motion carried, the two couples gathered their jackets and wandered out of the hotel.
“Hey!” Willow and Faith objected in unison.
“Whoops,” Xander chuckled. “Sorry, Faith.”
“No big,” Faith nodded. “Can't say I'm sorry to see the last of the Baby Brigade gone either.”
“Giles seemed pretty relieved too. I think he wasn't as thrilled with the whole hundreds of Slayers as he pretended to be,” Willow observed thoughtfully.
“So is he really disbanding the Council?” Xander asked. He hadn't really talked to Giles before the older man left. Not that he was holding a grudge, exactly. But, it had hurt that Giles would attack first and ask questions after.
“Not so much disbanding as scaling back.” Faith shook her head wryly. “Since I'm not exactly jumping to become a Council minion, they don't have a whole lot to do.”
“I thought you said you'd work with the Council?” Willow asked, puzzled.
Faith huffed in irritation and then shrugged. “I said if they had an emergency and needed a Slayer, I'd think about it. I won't be at their beck and call, though. I don't want a Watcher or a stupid set of rules imposed on me, ya know?”
“Bet Buffy's furious, “ Oz stated, weaving his fingers through Xander's hair.
“Surprisingly, not so much,” Faith smiled. “Seems B just doesn't give a flying fuck and that's a quote.”
“Seriously?” Xander's jaw dropped. “Wait, why am I surprised?”
“Because B was all duty-driven good girl,” Faith replied quietly. “But man, she's earned her break. I told her that, and she just laughed. Said it wasn't so much a break as a permanent retirement. I doubt it, though. She'll probably pick up the stake at some point. She just wants it to be on her terms, and I can't blame her.”
Angel smiled slightly as he withdrew from the balcony. It looked like things were getting back to normal for Champions. No more PTB driven requests, no more psycho-Watchers, just good old fashioned helping the helpless.
“Don't get too comfortable, Angel,” a quiet voice warned him.
“Jesus,” Angel jumped. “Don't do that, Whistler! And what the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Sorry,” Whistler answered, clearly unrepentant. “It means you still have a debt to pay. The Powers aren't letting you lay down your burden just yet.”
“What kind of debt,” Angel asked wearily. “I gotta tell you Whistler, I just don't care about redemption anymore. So, put down your carrots and sticks and give it to me straight, okay?”
“Now, where's the fun in that, Angel?” Spike drawled, stepping out from the shadows. “No point in being all mighty if you can't jerk the lesser beings around, right?”
“Yeah, that's what the Powers' do for kicks,” Whistler said sarcastically. “In between maintaining the balance and tidying the firmament, they like to make your lives miserable. Now, can we get back to the point here?”
“What point is that, mate? The one where you tell us we're The Powers' bum boys or the one where we tell you to get bent,” Spike answered darkly.
“Shut up, Spike,” Angel snapped. “What do The Powers' want, Whistler?”
“Keep working the visions,” Whistler told him. “Keep lines of communication open. The next big thing's around the corner. Gonna need all hands on deck, Angel. Don't turn anyone away, okay?”
“I planned on it, if you insist, I'm not surprised, and I never would, in order,” Angel said seriously.
“Good to hear,” Whistler smiled. “Now I'll let you two get back to your cuddles.”
“I don't cuddle,” Spike snarled.
“Sure you don't,” Angel teased as he watched Whistler saunter away. “What do you call wrapping yourself around me and lying in my arms?”
“Pre-shag nicety,” Spike insisted, snorting. “Just catering to your soppy tastes, Sire.”
“Sire,” Angel purred. “Been awhile since you called me that, Childe.”
“Been awhile since you acted the part,” Spike shot back.
“True enough, “Angel agreed. “What do you say we go indulge in some of those pre-shag niceties?”
“If we must,” Spike acquiesced. “Might as well enjoy the downtime.”
“Who said anything about downtime,” Angel smirked. “I plan on keeping you up as much as possible.”
The foursome downstairs jumped to their feet, reaching for weapons, at the sounds of crashing furniture and animal growls. The sound of Angel's laughter and Spike's “Bloody Hell!” caused a round of eye rolls and they all sat down again.
“Wonder how long they'll be at it this time,” Faith complained.
“Oh they can go for quite awhile,” Xander stated absently. He looked up in shock and blushed bright crimson. “Not that I know personally or anything...”
“Uh-huh...well, all in favor of going out and staying out 'till this round is over?” Faith asked with a raised eyebrow.
Four sets of hands raised. Motion carried, the two couples gathered their jackets and wandered out of the hotel.