Set of 4 drabbles for ![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
open_on_sunday's challenge #82 - Shakespeare
Oct. 19th, 2004 01:30 amdarkhavensAuthor: darkhavens
Title: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Pairing: S/X
Rating: PG-13 (erring on the side of caution)
Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be. No harm, no foul, no money made.
A set of four drabbles, quotes acting as titles of sorts. (I'm not a Shakespeare fan, so I garnered inspiration from the quotes themselves, not the work from whence they came.)
~~~~~
And since you know you cannot see yourself,
so well as by reflection, I, your glass,
will modestly discover to yourself,
that of yourself which you yet know not of.
Julius Caesar, Act 1 Scene 2
Xander leaned across and planted a swift kiss on a mouth open in shock, pulling back before he got lost in the feel of satin soft skin against his lips.
"You have no idea what I see when I look at you. You think I see a cold, harsh, punk who doesn't give a damn? No. I see the beauty in you, the caring in you. I see the loneliness, the love, the need to have someone to call your own, someone who'll call you theirs in turn. I want to be that someone, Spike. Let me be that someone..."
~~~~~
I have immortal longings in me.
"Antony and Cleopatra", Act 5 scene 2
It was a conversation Xander could only imagine having in the dark, curled beneath the bedclothes with his lover in his arms. He'd thought long and hard about what to say if Spike came out and asked. He never thought he'd be the one to voice forbidden words.
"It's been on my mind since Jesse died. Since Angel proved a vampire could be more than death and fangs, I've wondered... And then there was you and your love for Dru. And now there's us, and the choice is easy. Make me yours, Spike. Let me love you forever. Turn me."
~~~~~
The sands are number'd that make up my life.
Henry VI, Part 3, Act 1, Scene 4
...so I decided to write you instead. I'm sending everything to you, G-Man, (and I'm not apologising for that, either) because I know you'll be there for my girls to cry on when they learn why I won't be around any more. Spike didn't talk me into anything, I swear. I asked him, and the truth is, he turned me down at first. He said I didn't know what I was getting myself into, but I learned a lot from those books you never believed I actually read. He understands now.
So...
This is the last will and testament of..."
~~~~~
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5
One hundred years and never a night apart. Two halves made whole, two hearts unbeating, one soul shared between them both. They lived well in the darkness, kept each other safe from harm. They watched as all they'd known slowly turned to dust and faded memories, but never once regretted what they'd done, though tears were spilt. They honoured long gone friends and watched their progeny grow up, so sure the bedtime stories were all make-believe and jest. They made their presence felt wherever demons roamed the earth. They revelled in the violence and the blood.
Their love was true.
~~~~~
Part 21a
on 2004-11-29 05:28 am (UTC)He hesitated, but then continued to pass by when he noticed Spike leaning against a brick wall, smoking a cigarette. Xander had taken a back entrance from the studio, purposely hoping to avoid Spike, along with the conversation that he didn’t want to have. He kept walking, hands in his pockets, eyes down, completely deflated. It was difficult enough having to see Spike all day, every day, but outside, without the made-up characters and fake scripts carefully laying out every word for him, he didn’t know what to say. Without someone else’s writing, he didn’t know how to act. He was afraid to face him. But most of all, he was afraid of giving in.
When he heard the sound of boots on the pavement and realized he was being followed, he finally gave up and stopped, his eyes still cast downward. “How what’s gonna be?”
Spike moved in front of him, making sure to obstruct his path. The used cigarette was flicked to the ground and Xander caught a halfway glimpse of the clenched jaw line when he chanced a small glance upward.
“This thing. Between you and me. Gonna act like it didn’t happen then.”
And the question was answered when Xander’s head rose, trying to back up his words with a deadpan look in his eyes. “There is no you and me, Spike. Hasn’t been for a long time.”
Spike’s head tilted in a way that made Xander’s heart begin to pound, as if he was actually contemplating, trying to accept it. But then- “I was there. I felt it, same as you.”
“It wasn’t real. Nothing but nostalgia. You were looking at that god damn picture and…”
“Bollocks!” Spike moved in, his eyes slanted to slits, his voice teetering on the edge of anger. “I’ve let you have your excuses. But now… I don’t know what bloody game you’re playing, but that fucking picture had nothing to do with what happened.”
Xander’s voice rose, “And what happened, Spike?! Huh?” When he didn’t answer right away, Xander took his chance to dig. “I blew you. Big fucking deal! I was drinking, I was horny and I sucked your dick. End of story.”
He shoved his way around Spike and started walking again; even knowing he had no chance of getting away that easy. Sometimes, an argument won was all in the attitude. He made it four steps before Spike grabbed his arm and pulled him back around.
“Uh-uh, pet. Not getting rid of me so easy this time. You’re gonna spill what’s going on in that addle-minded little brain of yours and you and me are gonna have a conversation.”
Xander grit his teeth and tensed, rubbing at his arm when Spike finally let go.
“You don’t want to have this conversation, Spike. But, let me see if I can tell you what you do want.” Xander bit his lip and sighed, exhaling deeply. “You wanna turn back the clock and pick up where we were two years ago. Right?! You wanna reminisce and walk down memory lane and act like nothing’s changed. Well sorry to tell ya, pal. Things have changed! And there’s nothing you can say or do to make it anything other than what it is.”
Spike’s arms crossed and he shifted his weight from his right to his left foot. “ And what is it exactly? Enlighten me.”
Xander shook his head. “Does it even mean anything to you?! Don’t you get it! I am positive! I have HIV! Any fluid inside my body can fucking kill you! What part of this don’t you understand?!”
Spike’s expression turned sour as he stepped closer, pushing into Xander’s space. “The part where I’m supposed to let that scare me off. Where you say AIDS and I’m supposed to haul my ass in the other direction. Is that the answer you’re looking for?”
Xander nodded smugly. “Yeah. If you were smart.”
Re: Part 21a
on 2004-11-29 06:07 am (UTC)Oh, he's so asking for a slap! Avoidy games aren't gonna work. Spike's too stubborn!
::runs to read part 21b::