Drabble: Through the Looking Glass

[snick_backup]

For quinara in the Three Sentence Ficathon.

Through the Looking Glass: Spike/Buffy
PG-13 for language

He's like a mirror but only hers, distorted yet still returning an image of something like herself: predatory (she accepts that now) and violent (again with the acceptance, hard-won), driven and relentless (however different the things that’ve driven them each so far), and let's not forget fashion-conscious, blond. Now they even move in sync, the year of fighting and fucking (there’s no polite word for what they did) and fighting again evident in every complementing move, smooth as choreography.

Still, he’s not really a mirror, not quite; reflected in his eyes is some other girl she wishes she could be.

Comments

[ladyofthelog.livejournal.com]

Ohhh, I love this. The last sentence is so bittersweet.

I need to go dive into the Three Sentence Ficathon some more. It's producing some truly beautiful and nuanced stuff (like this!).

[snickfic]

The ficathon is way cool. And having so specific a structure makes responses ridiculously easy.

And thank you!

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

There is lots of fic about how Buffy was only able to be herself with Spike during Season 6, that everybody else was putting pressure on her to be something specifically not her, but this clearly reminds us that he also has a viewpoint, and that nobody really knows us, often not even ourselves. Well done.

[snickfic]

Thank you!

I think those fics about Spike not putting any pressure on her are a bit silly - as early as Life Serial, and definitely from OMWF he was pulling her towards 'darkness' and himself as hard as he knew how. It's the element of his character that screws up all S6 Saint Spike depictions for me.

(Also, this was actually meant to come across as being from an S7 POV, when Buffy's a bit more emotionally stable, but I can see how it could also be read other ways.)

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

this was actually meant to come across as being from an S7 POV, when Buffy's a bit more emotionally stable

I thought it was clear that this was post-S6. It just got me thinking about the period when it seemed like everybody was trying to see Buffy as "some other girl she wishes she could be". If she had the strength to wish anything.

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

I think those fics about Spike not putting any pressure on her are a bit silly - as early as Life Serial, and definitely from OMWF he was pulling her towards 'darkness' and himself as hard as he knew how. It's the element of his character that screws up all S6 Saint Spike depictions for me.

This is a lovely fic (as ALL your buffyverse fics are) but that comment above just has me nodding in absolute agreement; I've seen it in comment threads on metas as well as fics, the idea that "he didn't want anything from her" - huh? I think you've got it right.

I did understand that this was meant to be S7 but it does apply to S6 as well. The ambiguity here is lovely - and to me, part of what was wonderful about Spuffy in S7 IS the ambiguity.)

[snickfic]

*nod* Spike and Buffy are both in very complicated emotional places during S6, and that complexity is compounded in their relationship. I'm very rarely impressed with claims that either of them are "just" anything this season. It's all messiness and ambiguity and nuance, poor babies.

Anyway, I'm very glad you enjoyed the fic. :)

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

I'm very rarely impressed with claims that either of them are "just" anything this season. It's all messiness and ambiguity and nuance, poor babies.

*nods enthusiastically in return* You're a Spuffy fan after my own heart.

[gingerwall.livejournal.com]

That was awesome.

[snickfic]

Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed.

[joans-journal.livejournal.com]

Wow, this is beautiful...

[snickfic]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)