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vocab_drabblesTitle: A Child's Smile
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Author: Apache Firecat
Rating: PG/K+
Word Count: 570 (I really hope y'all don't mind me going a little bit over this time. :))
Characters/Pairings: Giles, Buffy, Willow, Xander
Warnings: None
Summary: A child's smile can be a definite driving force.
It was astounding what one look could do to a man's soul. He had spent his entire life avoiding conflicts such as these, where he knew the odds were entirely cast out of their favor. There was no sense or reason why they should win this battle or even why he, as a Watcher, not a Slayer, should be here, or at any of his other Slayer's endless battles. Yet here he was. Knowing full well that he had important meetings scheduled with both the school board and the Watcher's Council in the morning, up far past midnight, his tweed suit completely ruined yet again, covered in slime and torn asunder, almost ripped from his body.
He was beginning to run out of suits. It was odd, perhaps, that a thought such as this would run through a man's mind when he was facing certain death. Yet even as he leveled the weapon the children had made, with himself overseeing a little though not truly comprehending what it was they were building, the thought sprang to his mind, and he found himself making a mental note that he must find a way to have more shipped from London. He was already not acting the part of a true Watcher; it would not due at all for him to no longer be able to appear the part either.
He fired. Knowing the instrument would not work, knowing that he was about to be the next fatality, he fired the instrument which he did not even fully comprehend. The beast roared, and the Demon promptly exploded. Giles tried to remain strong as he hesitantly lowered the weapon. He was trembling throughout his body, but he did not want the children to see. If they knew he was terrified, what use would any amount of words do to entice courage in them?
He waited just long enough to make certain that the Demon did not appear to be collecting itself -- some of them did have a nasty tendency to bring their parts together, no matter how often exploded -- before turning to check on the children. His Slayer is up and on her feet and grinning at him proudly.
"Way to go, G-man!" Xander exclaimed, as he helped Willow stand.
Battles he could not win may not be a place for him, but battles had never been a place for children. It was bad enough that the Slayer was always called so young, but these two extra lives that held in the balance almost every time Buffy went on patrol? Buffy and Xander were both looking at him gleefully and pridefully. It was Willow who could barely open her eyes, but even she managed to reward him with a tremulous smile.
The child was brilliant; she had been the one to convince him the machine would work. Xander knew no end to his loyalty to his friends. Although he might not necessarily approve of her methods, Buffy never failed to disappoint him. And those looks they were giving him were the impetus as to why he did everything he did, from fighting impossible battles and ruining suits to refraining from telling the Council to shove this wretched job. Giles handed the weapon over to his Slayer, straightened himself, removed his spectacles, and began to clean them with a handkerchief he'd had tucked far into his shirt, but he did allow himself a small smile.
The End
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Author: Apache Firecat
Rating: PG/K+
Word Count: 570 (I really hope y'all don't mind me going a little bit over this time. :))
Characters/Pairings: Giles, Buffy, Willow, Xander
Warnings: None
Summary: A child's smile can be a definite driving force.
It was astounding what one look could do to a man's soul. He had spent his entire life avoiding conflicts such as these, where he knew the odds were entirely cast out of their favor. There was no sense or reason why they should win this battle or even why he, as a Watcher, not a Slayer, should be here, or at any of his other Slayer's endless battles. Yet here he was. Knowing full well that he had important meetings scheduled with both the school board and the Watcher's Council in the morning, up far past midnight, his tweed suit completely ruined yet again, covered in slime and torn asunder, almost ripped from his body.
He was beginning to run out of suits. It was odd, perhaps, that a thought such as this would run through a man's mind when he was facing certain death. Yet even as he leveled the weapon the children had made, with himself overseeing a little though not truly comprehending what it was they were building, the thought sprang to his mind, and he found himself making a mental note that he must find a way to have more shipped from London. He was already not acting the part of a true Watcher; it would not due at all for him to no longer be able to appear the part either.
He fired. Knowing the instrument would not work, knowing that he was about to be the next fatality, he fired the instrument which he did not even fully comprehend. The beast roared, and the Demon promptly exploded. Giles tried to remain strong as he hesitantly lowered the weapon. He was trembling throughout his body, but he did not want the children to see. If they knew he was terrified, what use would any amount of words do to entice courage in them?
He waited just long enough to make certain that the Demon did not appear to be collecting itself -- some of them did have a nasty tendency to bring their parts together, no matter how often exploded -- before turning to check on the children. His Slayer is up and on her feet and grinning at him proudly.
"Way to go, G-man!" Xander exclaimed, as he helped Willow stand.
Battles he could not win may not be a place for him, but battles had never been a place for children. It was bad enough that the Slayer was always called so young, but these two extra lives that held in the balance almost every time Buffy went on patrol? Buffy and Xander were both looking at him gleefully and pridefully. It was Willow who could barely open her eyes, but even she managed to reward him with a tremulous smile.
The child was brilliant; she had been the one to convince him the machine would work. Xander knew no end to his loyalty to his friends. Although he might not necessarily approve of her methods, Buffy never failed to disappoint him. And those looks they were giving him were the impetus as to why he did everything he did, from fighting impossible battles and ruining suits to refraining from telling the Council to shove this wretched job. Giles handed the weapon over to his Slayer, straightened himself, removed his spectacles, and began to clean them with a handkerchief he'd had tucked far into his shirt, but he did allow himself a small smile.
The End
no subject
Date: 2022-08-09 04:01 am (UTC)No worries on going over the word count, it happens. It's only a bit over. I was writing a ficlet for one and it just refused to stop, ended up being over 800 words! I ended up using it for a different comm's challenge.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-09 10:02 pm (UTC)