Out of His Shell
Nov. 5th, 2024 01:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
madimpossibledreamerMain Points:
Buffy/Devil May Cry
Chapter Summary: Giles reflects on the fact that he's been going about this all wrong and how he wants to do better in the future.
Word Count: 1015
Rating: Teen
Also awkward is the idea that he has somehow become the guardian of three teenagers with little idea of how to care for them (he can train their bodies for sure, he can keep them alive, to a point, he’d been put in a position where that was his entire purpose, but the rest hadn’t been considered essential to the duties of a Slayer and was disregarded), never mind the fact that he’d never considered having children himself. But then, he’s come to care for them despite himself.
He’s still scared. Scared he wouldn’t be able to protect his Slayer. Scared for his own life. He’d planned to just stay there a night and leave. Remain on the run. Except, of course, that such a plan was doomed to failure. Perhaps not right now. Perhaps they would even be able to escape to a different dimension, assuming those little rumors he’d heard about had any semblance of truth. Perhaps it would be years down the line that they would finally make a mistake, but the Council’s wetworks teams were not to be underestimated, and an insult like defying their orders? That would be avenged no matter how far or how long the chase took.
He needs to let go of the fear, or at least, bury it deep, a time capsule to be dug up if necessary. His own fear and inability to trust had once nearly cost him his Slayer, and Xander’s open nature is earning him more trust than Giles’ natural reclusive manner.
He’s being more thoughtful about his actions, now, and what he says, but it’s not that easy to get rid of prejudice. Sometimes he wonders what exactly the Council had done. Whether they had used magic on his mind, to mold him to their will. During his Ripper days, he would have happily chatted up even a Devil—probably tried to seduce one at that, even with the age gap, solely for the bragging rights.
“So, why a carnival?” Buffy asks, sounding vaguely amused, and interrupting his thoughts. It’s a good distraction, not only for him, but for them all. His thoughts keep circling, leading nowhere. However, he guesses, probably quite accurately, that this is not the response to bring up if he wishes it to actually be a restful distraction for them all.
“Believe it or not, but I was actually rather fond of them in my youth,” he answers instead, amused and embarrassed in equal measures at the disbelief he’s met with. “There’s a reason they are a dating cliché, though I suspect I will see a very different side of them today. Apparently, there’s even a prize for those who manage to find their way out of the mirror maze, though I suspect it is probably a trinket of little worth.”
His Slayer sits up a little, forced smile changing to something a little more natural. She obviously hasn’t been getting enough gossip-worthy material from the shows she watches on the TV (he’s still not sure how Xander managed to get them hooked up with either cable or internet, much less how it’s going unnoticed, but then, unlike young Willow such things are far from his area of expertise) or reads in the tabloids Xander picked up last week when all he’d been sent out for was milk (he suspects that the ‘demon-baby’ allegation caught his eye and he hadn’t bothered to look closer until he’d actually brought them home). “Oh? You weren’t tempted to go with…Freon?” It’s closer than some of her previous attempts, he’ll admit.
“Freya,” Giles corrects. On one hand, it’s a somewhat awkward topic, though five years ago he might not have even cared. On the other hand, perhaps he should demonstrate that thought out, mature relationships are not something to be ashamed of. “She had work, and I’ve found it best not to pry when it comes to such things. She did suggest it might be of interest, but didn’t bother to warn me of any dangers, so we shouldn’t have anything to worry about.”
Buffy lets out a groan, while Willow squeaks a very quiet ‘oh no’. “You’ve jinxed us.”
This is actually vaguely amusing. He can’t tell them they’re being utterly ridiculous, since they live in a world where many superstitions are real and even vital, but he can at least try to reassure them from their fears. “In all of my studies I have not found any evidence of Murphy’s law being an actual phenomenon…”
“If Xander gets stabbed again while we’re here I’m blaming you,” Willow mutters from where her head is buried in her hands.
Really, they should have nothing to warn about, but he suspects any protests to that effect on his part will be utterly pointless. Instead, he remarks, “Well, we’re here.”
“We’ll be here in about ten minutes,” Buffy estimates, craning her head out the window to look at the line of cars. “I didn’t think that many people lived in this town, let alone would be interested in a carnival.”
“It’s different when you barely go into the city, and they might not all be from here,” Willow suggests.
“It’s certainly not London, but it is slightly larger than a few of the municipalities in the area, so that might indeed be the case…” Giles agrees, biting off a curse at the impatient American laying on their horn behind them. Good example, Rupert. Think of the children. No matter how irritating, you are better than that heathen behind you. And you are above superstitions about the fog, particularly as it’s not a constant presence that would indicate it was supernatural in origin.
Buffy/Devil May Cry
Chapter Summary: Giles reflects on the fact that he's been going about this all wrong and how he wants to do better in the future.
Word Count: 1015
Rating: Teen
Previously, it had been Giles’ caution that had kept them both alive. It’s hard to come to terms with the fact that such is no longer the case, that he has been, as it were, an ass. He won’t be able to fully let go of his own prejudices, in all likelihood; a past betrayal had left him incapable of full trust, but as it is, he can work to overcome.
Also awkward is the idea that he has somehow become the guardian of three teenagers with little idea of how to care for them (he can train their bodies for sure, he can keep them alive, to a point, he’d been put in a position where that was his entire purpose, but the rest hadn’t been considered essential to the duties of a Slayer and was disregarded), never mind the fact that he’d never considered having children himself. But then, he’s come to care for them despite himself.
He’s still scared. Scared he wouldn’t be able to protect his Slayer. Scared for his own life. He’d planned to just stay there a night and leave. Remain on the run. Except, of course, that such a plan was doomed to failure. Perhaps not right now. Perhaps they would even be able to escape to a different dimension, assuming those little rumors he’d heard about had any semblance of truth. Perhaps it would be years down the line that they would finally make a mistake, but the Council’s wetworks teams were not to be underestimated, and an insult like defying their orders? That would be avenged no matter how far or how long the chase took.
He needs to let go of the fear, or at least, bury it deep, a time capsule to be dug up if necessary. His own fear and inability to trust had once nearly cost him his Slayer, and Xander’s open nature is earning him more trust than Giles’ natural reclusive manner.
He’s being more thoughtful about his actions, now, and what he says, but it’s not that easy to get rid of prejudice. Sometimes he wonders what exactly the Council had done. Whether they had used magic on his mind, to mold him to their will. During his Ripper days, he would have happily chatted up even a Devil—probably tried to seduce one at that, even with the age gap, solely for the bragging rights.
“So, why a carnival?” Buffy asks, sounding vaguely amused, and interrupting his thoughts. It’s a good distraction, not only for him, but for them all. His thoughts keep circling, leading nowhere. However, he guesses, probably quite accurately, that this is not the response to bring up if he wishes it to actually be a restful distraction for them all.
“Believe it or not, but I was actually rather fond of them in my youth,” he answers instead, amused and embarrassed in equal measures at the disbelief he’s met with. “There’s a reason they are a dating cliché, though I suspect I will see a very different side of them today. Apparently, there’s even a prize for those who manage to find their way out of the mirror maze, though I suspect it is probably a trinket of little worth.”
His Slayer sits up a little, forced smile changing to something a little more natural. She obviously hasn’t been getting enough gossip-worthy material from the shows she watches on the TV (he’s still not sure how Xander managed to get them hooked up with either cable or internet, much less how it’s going unnoticed, but then, unlike young Willow such things are far from his area of expertise) or reads in the tabloids Xander picked up last week when all he’d been sent out for was milk (he suspects that the ‘demon-baby’ allegation caught his eye and he hadn’t bothered to look closer until he’d actually brought them home). “Oh? You weren’t tempted to go with…Freon?” It’s closer than some of her previous attempts, he’ll admit.
“Freya,” Giles corrects. On one hand, it’s a somewhat awkward topic, though five years ago he might not have even cared. On the other hand, perhaps he should demonstrate that thought out, mature relationships are not something to be ashamed of. “She had work, and I’ve found it best not to pry when it comes to such things. She did suggest it might be of interest, but didn’t bother to warn me of any dangers, so we shouldn’t have anything to worry about.”
Buffy lets out a groan, while Willow squeaks a very quiet ‘oh no’. “You’ve jinxed us.”
This is actually vaguely amusing. He can’t tell them they’re being utterly ridiculous, since they live in a world where many superstitions are real and even vital, but he can at least try to reassure them from their fears. “In all of my studies I have not found any evidence of Murphy’s law being an actual phenomenon…”
“If Xander gets stabbed again while we’re here I’m blaming you,” Willow mutters from where her head is buried in her hands.
Really, they should have nothing to warn about, but he suspects any protests to that effect on his part will be utterly pointless. Instead, he remarks, “Well, we’re here.”
“We’ll be here in about ten minutes,” Buffy estimates, craning her head out the window to look at the line of cars. “I didn’t think that many people lived in this town, let alone would be interested in a carnival.”
“It’s different when you barely go into the city, and they might not all be from here,” Willow suggests.
“It’s certainly not London, but it is slightly larger than a few of the municipalities in the area, so that might indeed be the case…” Giles agrees, biting off a curse at the impatient American laying on their horn behind them. Good example, Rupert. Think of the children. No matter how irritating, you are better than that heathen behind you. And you are above superstitions about the fog, particularly as it’s not a constant presence that would indicate it was supernatural in origin.
