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crack_van2009-01-08 12:32 am
moscow-watcher.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2009-01-08 12:32 am
Entry tags:
Unspoken by Anaross (PG-13)
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moscow_watcher, your Buffy the Vampire Slayer reccer for this month.
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairing: Buffy/Spike
Length: ~ 30 000 words
Author on LJ:anaross
Author Website:anaross uses her LJ Memories as her fic archive.
Why this must be read: Anaross writes vintage Buffy - a girl who laughs at her own misery - and the plot twist is fresh and intriguing. Buffy, who lives in Cleveland, gets an unusual gift - a garden - from an unknown person. Investigation leads her to newly-resurrected Spike, who lost the ability to speak and to write. Gradually Buffy realizes that he uses the language of flowers to warn her about some danger. This premise allows the author to delve into the magic of words, spoken and unspoken, into the art of omissions and reservations. In the classic BtVS episode, Hush Joss Whedon has brilliantly explored the ramifications of people's inability to speak; Anaross continues his exploration by pitting an emotional mute (Buffy) against Spike who usually did the talking but can't do it now. As the story progresses, we watch how words separate people and actions unite them.
Excerpt from Chapter 2:
"What about the waterfall?" I ask. "There must be some connection to electricity and water."
Xander bends over the pond, his hand plunged into the water as he feels around in the piping. "Well, let's just say you're not going to get a bill from the water company." He yanks his hand out and shakes it, sprinkling water on the bush. "Or the electric company."
"What do you mean?"
He squints at me through the noon sun. "It's tapped into the water main that runs along the street. And the power line -- hijacked."
Oh, no. Here I am, committing felonies without even knowing it. "How is it done?"
Xander shrugs and dries his hand off on his jeans. "It isn't really hard. I've done it myself, back when we put that shower in at Spike's."
Oops. I can see the appalled expression in his eyes. He probably just remembered that we don't say that name out loud. They all think -- well, I don't know. That I can't hear that name. But I can. Really. I just don't say it myself. I try to make this casual. No big deal. "So you tapped into the city water main?"
Xander looks relieved that I'm not having a violent reaction. "Yeah. Plus we got electricity and cable in there too."
I can do casual. I just don't say his name, see. "Did you get paid for this?"
"Uh, sure." Xander pauses, and I can tell he's trying to figure out how to say this without, you know, mentioning the name. "I got paid $100. Plus, uh, the first Lord of the Rings DVD."
"Oh," I say carelessly, dropping onto my bench. "Well. Am I in danger of arrest?"
Xander shakes his head. "The amount is pretty minimal. They'll put it down to the usual leakage. I gotta run, hon -- late for work."
And he goes to his car, ducking a little as he exits the low doorway, and I'm left there thinking about this garden and the generous felon, whoever he is, who made it for me.
Quick, I jump up and run out onto the street. "Xander!"
He stops halfway into his truck cab. "Yeah?"
"Did you teach him how to do that? Tap into the city utilities?"
Xander leans against the roof of the pickup and studies me for a minute before he replies. "I guess we figured it out together. You know how it goes. I had the technical know-how, and he had the criminal instincts."
"A great team." I laugh kind of carelessly. At least I hope it sounds careless. "But he ended up knowing how to do this, right? After you were done?"
He pauses again. Then, gently, he says, "Buffy, he's dead. Three times over. Remember? Angel told Giles. Said he'd been killed in some big battle, along with Wes."
I toss my head. Carelessly. "Of course I remember. It's not like something I'd forget. But --"
"I know what you're thinking. That he came back before." His voice got real soft. "And you didn't try to reach him then. So maybe you're feeling a little guilty–"
"I don't feel guilty!"
"I recognize the signs, Buff." He shakes his head. "I used to have these dreams about Anya. Every night. Only they didn't feel like dreams. They were completely rational, not crazy at all. We had conversations exactly like we'd have if she actually came back -- conversations about death and what it felt like, and about our future. Me apologizing for treating her bad. I --" He sighed. "I didn't tell anyone. But I thought it was her ghost."
"What happened?" I whisper this.
"When I moved here, it just stopped. I needed to get away, see, for my subconscious to let go."
Or maybe -- but I can't say it. I can't say that maybe Anya's spirit can't find him now. That would be too awful to think about, Anya's spirit waiting there in California, waiting for him. So I just say, "Grief is a funny thing sometimes."
Unspoken
moscow_watcher, your Buffy the Vampire Slayer reccer for this month. Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairing: Buffy/Spike
Length: ~ 30 000 words
Author on LJ:
anarossAuthor Website:
anaross uses her LJ Memories as her fic archive.Why this must be read: Anaross writes vintage Buffy - a girl who laughs at her own misery - and the plot twist is fresh and intriguing. Buffy, who lives in Cleveland, gets an unusual gift - a garden - from an unknown person. Investigation leads her to newly-resurrected Spike, who lost the ability to speak and to write. Gradually Buffy realizes that he uses the language of flowers to warn her about some danger. This premise allows the author to delve into the magic of words, spoken and unspoken, into the art of omissions and reservations. In the classic BtVS episode, Hush Joss Whedon has brilliantly explored the ramifications of people's inability to speak; Anaross continues his exploration by pitting an emotional mute (Buffy) against Spike who usually did the talking but can't do it now. As the story progresses, we watch how words separate people and actions unite them.
Excerpt from Chapter 2:
"What about the waterfall?" I ask. "There must be some connection to electricity and water."
Xander bends over the pond, his hand plunged into the water as he feels around in the piping. "Well, let's just say you're not going to get a bill from the water company." He yanks his hand out and shakes it, sprinkling water on the bush. "Or the electric company."
"What do you mean?"
He squints at me through the noon sun. "It's tapped into the water main that runs along the street. And the power line -- hijacked."
Oh, no. Here I am, committing felonies without even knowing it. "How is it done?"
Xander shrugs and dries his hand off on his jeans. "It isn't really hard. I've done it myself, back when we put that shower in at Spike's."
Oops. I can see the appalled expression in his eyes. He probably just remembered that we don't say that name out loud. They all think -- well, I don't know. That I can't hear that name. But I can. Really. I just don't say it myself. I try to make this casual. No big deal. "So you tapped into the city water main?"
Xander looks relieved that I'm not having a violent reaction. "Yeah. Plus we got electricity and cable in there too."
I can do casual. I just don't say his name, see. "Did you get paid for this?"
"Uh, sure." Xander pauses, and I can tell he's trying to figure out how to say this without, you know, mentioning the name. "I got paid $100. Plus, uh, the first Lord of the Rings DVD."
"Oh," I say carelessly, dropping onto my bench. "Well. Am I in danger of arrest?"
Xander shakes his head. "The amount is pretty minimal. They'll put it down to the usual leakage. I gotta run, hon -- late for work."
And he goes to his car, ducking a little as he exits the low doorway, and I'm left there thinking about this garden and the generous felon, whoever he is, who made it for me.
Quick, I jump up and run out onto the street. "Xander!"
He stops halfway into his truck cab. "Yeah?"
"Did you teach him how to do that? Tap into the city utilities?"
Xander leans against the roof of the pickup and studies me for a minute before he replies. "I guess we figured it out together. You know how it goes. I had the technical know-how, and he had the criminal instincts."
"A great team." I laugh kind of carelessly. At least I hope it sounds careless. "But he ended up knowing how to do this, right? After you were done?"
He pauses again. Then, gently, he says, "Buffy, he's dead. Three times over. Remember? Angel told Giles. Said he'd been killed in some big battle, along with Wes."
I toss my head. Carelessly. "Of course I remember. It's not like something I'd forget. But --"
"I know what you're thinking. That he came back before." His voice got real soft. "And you didn't try to reach him then. So maybe you're feeling a little guilty–"
"I don't feel guilty!"
"I recognize the signs, Buff." He shakes his head. "I used to have these dreams about Anya. Every night. Only they didn't feel like dreams. They were completely rational, not crazy at all. We had conversations exactly like we'd have if she actually came back -- conversations about death and what it felt like, and about our future. Me apologizing for treating her bad. I --" He sighed. "I didn't tell anyone. But I thought it was her ghost."
"What happened?" I whisper this.
"When I moved here, it just stopped. I needed to get away, see, for my subconscious to let go."
Or maybe -- but I can't say it. I can't say that maybe Anya's spirit can't find him now. That would be too awful to think about, Anya's spirit waiting there in California, waiting for him. So I just say, "Grief is a funny thing sometimes."
Unspoken
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