The Smell of Summer

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Sorry it's so late in the day - hopefully it's worth the wait. I love posting so early, I'm looking forward to enjoying everyone else's offerings without any stress!


He dreamed of blonde hair and sunrises.

He hadn’t dreamed of the sun since Angelus-that-enormous-git abandoned them to Darla’s tender mercies. He’d never gone in for blondes; give him a dark-haired and sloe-eyed beauty over a pale peaches and cream girl any night of the week.

But today he woke half-expecting to be tangled in long golden hair with sunlight streaming in the window.

Worst yet, he’d woken with a smile, looking forward to facing the day with this blonde dream girl at his side.

He pulled on black jeans with abrupt movements and face contorted in a snarl. His bloody mind was being particularly bloody-minded today, filling itself with fantasies from some other wanker’s life.

He already had a near perfect life. Top of the heap, king of the hill and all that bull. No one to answer to, nothing to do but fuck, feast and fight. A world full of oblivious imbeciles who practically walked up to him and offered themselves as a meal. Like that cold dead thing crumpled in the corner. Dru must have finally taken a wee nip. She’d be warm and playful, his darling Drusilla. No, he had no need of any pasty faced blondes when his dark mistress ruled his heart.

One more night and they’d be on the Hellmouth. Take out the Slayer and rule that town. Paint it red until it chokes on blood. Forget all about this bloody dream and the golden hair and the sunshine and smell of summer.
.
.
.

He dreamed of blonde hair and sunrises.

He hadn’t dreamed of her since he’d gotten solid again. Hadn’t needed to, what with her dancing and spinning through his mind every second he was awake. But today was probably his last day on earth, what with Angel-the-enormous-git’s bloody stupid plan.

Worse yet, fear bled into the dream, and he’d woken with a strangled scream, half-expecting her beside him bleeding and dying in his bed.

Life wasn’t perfect, not even when he was beside her. There was always death stalking behind, sniffing at every footprint, loping to catch them in the night. There was always something or someone ready to pull her away, to push him back to the dark, no matter how they reached out for each other. But they’d reached, and they’d struggled and they’d stood shoulder to shoulder and faced life head on. There was nothing more that you needed, when you had Buffy by your side.

One more night, and they’d take on the Black Thorn. Take out the Circle, and leave the world safe for the Slayer. He just needed to hold onto the memory of golden hair and sunshine and the smell of summer.

Comments

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

One more night, and they’d take on the Black Thorn. Take out the Circle, and leave the world safe for the Slayer. He just needed to hold onto the memory of golden hair and sunshine and the smell of summer.


"sniffles" Nice one.

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. It gives me warm fuzzies when people pull out quotes.

[readerjane]

(There was always death stalking behind, sniffing at every footprint, loping to catch them in the night.)

Ooh, powerful imagery there. Good thing our man's the fiercest beast that walks!

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Thanks! You are all making my day with these wonderful comments!

[cindergal.livejournal.com]

Some great imagery here! Very poetic, as befits our Spike.

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

[seapealsh.livejournal.com]

Very nice. I'm a little teary. This seems true.

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Thank you, that is an amazingly wonderful thing to hear. :)

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

I love how this loops around to that first line. This rings true to Spike and his history with Buffy. Nicely done.

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much. Sometimes I think my repetitive style of writing is cheating, but it really works for me. :)

[urania-calliope.livejournal.com]

That was very lovely! Well done!

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

[zanthinegirl.livejournal.com]

Lovely contrast! This is really very clever writing.

But they’d reached, and they’d struggled and they’d stood shoulder to shoulder and faced life head on. There was nothing more that you needed, when you had Buffy by your side.

Very believable Spike; and gorgeous imagery. Thanks so much for sharing it!

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness, what an adorable icon. :)

Thank you very much. I'm glad you thought it was believable Spike - I'm afraid I have a tendancy to turn him poncy. :)

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Very powerful. You managed to imbue your short story with so many telling details it became the quintessense of Spike's journey.

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I feel guilty that I post such short pieces, so I'm glad you enjoyed it and feel it adequately tells the story.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Short can be epic too.

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Like Veronica Mars? She's definitely short, and definitely epic. :)

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Or Buffy :)

[amyxaphania.livejournal.com]

I really liked this. :)

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[ezagaaikwe.livejournal.com]

Full circle, our Spike. I like how you tie his first encounter with Buffy, to his last memories on earth. Did he finally die, then? I can't bring myself to read "season 8" comix.

Very nicely done, Garnigal.

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Well, in comics canon, he's certainly not dead. Depending on what I'm going for, I tend to conveniently use or ignore comics canon... all canon, really.

Thank you so much for reading.

[spikesgurl.livejournal.com]

Lovely!! Thanks so much for sharing!

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for reading.

[sarian71]

Oh, how things change...

This was lovely! I liked the poetic feel to it very much. :)

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[louise39.livejournal.com]

One more night...
First part to forget, the second part for Spike to remember...

Love the rhythm and the repetition.

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much.

[ghostyouknow27.livejournal.com]

Lovely!

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[aerintine.livejournal.com]

Lovely. Spike in a nutshell from one beginning to another.

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much!

[abelina.livejournal.com]

Love love love the pre- and post-Sunnydale glimpses into Spike and how they are both so similar and so different. Very nice.

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

He already had a near perfect life contrasts so well with Life wasn’t perfect, not even when he was beside her.

I always think of Buffy and the Scoobies discovering all the shades of gray as they grow up, but this reminds me that Spike, too, had lots to learn about life, and that his blissful, 120-year youth was every bit as much of an illusion. I forget that.

Wonderful piece.

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much. I enjoyed writing Spike's POV - I never know what he's going to make me think about. :)

[missmurchison.livejournal.com]

Lovely!

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[gigi-tastic.livejournal.com]

excuse me while i sob like a baby that was AMAZING. wonderfully written

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much. I'm looking forward to the next season. Now I just need an idea.

[gigi-tastic.livejournal.com]

ohhhhh yay!!!!!! i am an awful writer but am plagued with plot llamas (because bunnies are evil and anyas my home girl and i just wont be having any of that thankyouverymuch) if you want any.. which you probably wont.