Just Fading - Going with it

"Uh... what about this Jackson? I mean what if he calls back? Could be important. We're on the run and everything. Do we honestly have time for this?"

"Before tomorrow afternoon? Sure."

I do admit that I was having more than a little fun making Buffy a little uncomfortable with my forwardness. Call it just a little payback for all the dismissiveness I'd put up with in Sunnydale years ago, if you must. I'd stop, though, if I thought she was really uncomfortable and not just in this flirtatious way.

A flutter of nerves seemed to go through her. Buffy paused, thinking, then responded with a wide, knowing smile.

"I see... You planning on breaking it? Just what did you have in mind, Pryce?"

"All sorts of things," I answered, "and better the bed than me, Summers. You're quite the handful, you know."

"Oh, and don't let me forget. I bought you a gift that should be ready in a few hours."

I laughed. "Plenty of time for one or two--"

Never did get the chance to finish that though, as apparently Buffy decided to go with whatever instincts seemed to be guiding us both and kissed me. I kissed her back quite happily, then in one move, stood, scooped her up and deposited her on the bed.

Glancing from Buffy to the table, I was struck by an idea. In the spirit of just going with it, I extracted one of the jelly-filled donuts, and squeezed some of the sweet filling onto my finger. Kneeling beside Buffy on the bed, I smeared a dark red line on her throat and down to her collarbone.

Leaning down, I put lips and tongue to work against her throat, a low "mmmmmm" vibrating against her skin.

((Open to Buffy))

Angel Afterlife - CSI: Hyperion

Gunn still lay in that deceptive appearance of peacefulness. As i stood beside the table, I couldn't help but be reminded of when I'd stood beside Lilah's body, in the basement, and the grisly necessity I'd seen to.

Would Gunn sit up and talk, as well? Would he condemn me for failing him, somehow? Would he absolve me of my sins? It was far too much to hope that he would name his killer, of course.

I actually did wait a few moments, just to make sure that I wasn't about to have the same hallucination as I had with Lilah.

When Gunn remained still and silent, I looked up to regard the two women who'd accompanied me. Two women, I realized at that moment, who had done so much to shape the last few years of my life.

"I know this isn't going to be easy on any of us," I began, my throat much drier than it had been a few minutes before. "But we need to know.

Fred stood opposite me, watching as I looked over the shell that once held a man I called my brother, as if to make sure I did the job properly, and ready to employ her much more comprehensive scientific expertise at any time.

"Brusing and discoloration around the neck indicates that victim was either strangled or had neck broken by assailant. No evidence of cuts or puncture wounds. Not a vampire."

I raised my eyes to Fred's to see how I was doing.

((Open to Fred and Faith))

The Dark Ages - Dead Man in the Mirror

Four in the morning again. A time with which I was already well acquainted when I returned to England, and the old saying turned out to be true-- plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

'The more things change, the more they stay the same.'

( Guns, Ghosts and Spirits )

Lifting the Ithaca shotgun, the pistol-handled, brushed nickel-plated, 12 gauge SWAT-tested Ithaca shotgun, I took a long drink from the neck of the bottle of scotch and crossed the floor to the hearth.

I took one more look at the dead man in the mirror, then smashed the fucking thing with the butt end of the shotgun's pistol grip.

Like seven more years would make a difference.

I left the bottle on the mantle and went to bed.