'Wilfully Oblivious', 3/5, for stagesoflove Round 2, Senses - #3 Touch

[darkhavens]

Author: darkhavens
Title: Wilfully Oblivious, 3/5
Pairing: Spike/Xander
Fandom: Buffy
Rating: PG-13 for now, possibly NC-17 before the end.
Words: 270
Feedback/Concrit: darkhavens @ slashverse.com
Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be. No harm, no foul, no money made.
Summary: "There are none so blind, as those who would not see..."
Notes: Written for stagesoflove 2006, Round 2, 'Exploring the Relationship Through The Senses', stage #3 Touch.
Also posted here.
Stage #1 - Sight, stage #2 - Hearing.




Buffy doesn't see the rumpled hair, the half-zipped jeans, the crumpled shirt with buttons mis-aligned; she just sees the livid bite mark on Xander's neck.

It doesn't register as a hickey, it can't, not when there's a vampire at his side. It's a visceral reaction, no brain required, a soul-deep Slayer's instinct - bite mark equals vampire equals must protect friend.

There's no personal animosity behind the blow - no hate, no 'Xander isn't gay', no 'Gods, not Spike!' Just bite mark equals vampire equals must protect friend.

She's completely unprepared for Xander to step into the blow, to deflect her killing rage from Spike onto himself. She's not prepared, but her reaction time's amazing, and she manages to pull the punch before it smashes through his chest.

His ribs creak in protest as he doubles over gasping, and then Spike is tugging him back and out of danger, moving to intercept the next swing that never comes.

Buffy stares at her still clenched fist, at Xander's pain-glazed eyes, at Spike's blue-yellow accusing glare.

"I… You…" She frowns and suddenly looks young and lost. "Xander?"



Willow's the one who sits them all down, fetches ice for Buffy's knuckles and scotch to soothe the furious vampire on the sofa. She sees the way that Spike can't keep away from Xander - hand on knee or nape or shoulder, thigh pressed tight against thigh. She sees the caring, the want, the love in every easy touch. She suddenly sees what Tara's tried to make her see for months now, with subtle phrases, careful whispers.

She wonders just how long she's been blind.


Part Four

Comments

[literati.livejournal.com]

awww, poor oblivious girls.

::pets Xander::

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

Hee! Thanks! (They missed so many sweet moments between the boys. ;)

[fearless5555.livejournal.com]

Thats the first time that I've really believed a violent reaction from Buffy towards X/S. Using the Slayer in her was perfect and her realization was fantastic. Great little chapter.

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Sometimes I can bash Buffy with the best of them, but this time just wanted her to be as oblivious as the title suggests, and not vindictive or vicious. She just didn't see it because she wasn't expecting to see it. :D

[amejisuto.livejournal.com]

That's just so believable and so damn good! Lovely bit!

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

Thanks, sweetie!

You know I'll Buffy-bash with the best of them sometimes, but this just felt right for this particular 'verse. She didn't see because it wasn't something she expected to see, but once she calms down and actually looks, she'll get it, just like Willow has. :D

[blue-icy-rose.livejournal.com]

I love that Buffy's reaction wasn't because it was Spike or Xander was gay but was just because her instinct was to protect. It was a perfect reaction and so was the description of her after her realization. You captured both Buffy and Willow in this with both their reactions: Slayer to girl in a second and Willow wondering how she couldn't have seen it.

Wonderful job with this!

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Buffy's life has been geared towards 'Stake first, don't bother with the questions', so it's instinctive to lash out. But once that's out of the way and her mind puts Spike and Xander in the same equation, the teenage girl part of her kicks in and boggles. *g*

[tabaqui]

*la la la*
Yeah, nice nice.

And yeah, no 'Xander's not gay!' rant - that's dumb.
*bounce*

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

There are so many canon moments that Xander could bring up to counter such a rant - in fact, I vaguely recall reading a fic like that. In the fic he mentioned the comment he'd made about Angel, the one about enjoying the sauna (a room full of hot, sweaty men) in Go Fish, the 'can I have sex with Riley' moment, and the compact Spike comment. it was very well done, and left ranty!Buffy with no option but to admit that, yeah, he was kinda gay. *g*

Dammit, now I wish I could remember author/title so i could reread. *kicks brain*

[tabaqui]

Yeah, no kidding!
Very cool.
Uh - if you find it? Link me!
:)
*smooooooooooch*

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

Will do! :D

[twilightofmagic.livejournal.com]

Just caught up to these three sense drabbles. What a delight. I love fiercely in love Spander. Lovely ;-)

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Fiercely in love Spander is the bestest. :D

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Wow... This was sooo the Buffyverse!! With slash!! Wonderful segue, honey!! I'm enjoying the hell outta myself with these ficlets!!

*Hugs...*

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

I'm enjoying the hell outta myself with these ficlets!!

Me too! Sometimes I have no clue what's about to come out of my fingertips when I sit down to write, and sometimes I have the words queueing up to come out. It never gets dull. :D

Thanks!

[(Anonymous)]

Love your fics. :)

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :D

[soraidh.livejournal.com]

I love that it's Willow who's the calm one and how she finally sees what Tara and Giles have seen all along. "The love is in every easy touch" is such a great line. I'd steal it if I could.

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

Thank you! (You can borrow that life if you really want to. ;)

Canon!Willow sometimes played the peacemakeer, the little mother, and it was the perfect reaction for this piece. PLus, while she's fussing around everyone else, she's not giving herself time to visibly freak out, and it gives her time to think things through and realise. :D

[katbcoll.livejournal.com]

There was more? How did I miss the more? *pouts*

Honestly, I'm a doof!

Oh, the more is very, very good! Love the more, definitely!

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

Hee! Thanks! Sometimes (read 'often') I post at odd hours, as and when the muse strikes, or more often 5 seconds before deadline. *g*

[sablerose2.livejournal.com]

Thank you I just read it and still I need more. I need my fix please!!

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

It'll be posted in the next day or tweo, definitely no later. And after that there's only one left. o.O

Thanks! :D

[kitty-poker1.livejournal.com]

It's just wonderful! How could I have missed it? Don't answer that question. *g*

Buffy's reaction is totally believable - ...must protect friend - and so is Spike's - ...hand on knee or nape or shoulder, thigh pressed tight against thigh.

It's all the better for there being no bad guy, just Willow's and Buffy's inability to see what was right in front of them.

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

Thank you! *smooches you and does not answer* *g*

Spike strikes me as a very tactile vamp as well as being possessive (and understandably insecure), so the constant little touches are instinctive and multi-layered. :D

Buffy and Willow couldn't see it. Any small voice in either one's head was getting stamped out with thoughts of 'It's Spike, and Xander, don't be so silly!', hence the title. ;)

[inkingwords.livejournal.com]

The end was so sweet!!

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Willow loves Xander, she just doesn't always see what's going on in his life. ;)

[acostilow.livejournal.com]

Poor Xander!

*would hug Xander, but Spike is growling*

Um, yeah. Other stories. :D

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Spike is so possessive. Rowr. :D