tales of that slayer

 Flesh and Bone 1/1

A story about mothers and daughters.

Once upon a time, there was a girl. She smiled easily and her eyes were bright with love for all that surrounded her because she was blessed. All the women of her line were magic users and had been for as long as the oldest among them could remember. She learned her inheritance when she was ten and spent many a day practicing spells in her bedroom. Her mother would read to her at night, and braid her long brown hair, weaving a protection spell around her.

“I give you starlight to light your way when you think it’s too dark,  a sweet voice to soothe the bad times, and my love to guide you always.”

Then she would press a kiss against her forehead and the girl would sleep soundly.

Even when the girl became a young woman, her mother would still perform their nightly ritual.

But all that changed when the young woman left her home to venture out into the world.

She left behind her mountains, the blooming magnolias, and the comforting creak of the porch swing.

It would be difficult, she knew. She would have to keep her magic hidden until she met someone who would understand her gift. Her friends thought she was a lovable eccentric and the boys she dated were brief detours before she found her One.

Her mother cautioned her not to set her expectations too high, that there may be many others before the One came into her life. It had taken her mother seven summers after her twentieth birthday before she laid eyes on the girl’s father.

“It is fine to dance and dream and love without thinking this is your ending.”

The girl just smiled and nodded. “Yes, Mama.”

 

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 Chrysalis 1/1 

Another Boom!verse inspired story. 

Buffy takes her phone out of her pocket and checks it, even though she knows it hasn’t changed from the last time she checked it. The clock is stuck at midnight and there are zero bars. She sighs.

Angel turns from his lookout position at the mouth of the cave. He raises one eyebrow.

“Still no reception?”

Buffy shakes her head.

“No. I’m surprised Google maps doesn’t have Hell as a location.”

“You’d think a place with an active Hellmouth would get more attention,” Angel says and smirks. “Standards are falling all over the place.”

Buffy taps on her phone checking one last time. She does it mostly so her brain doesn’t have to process the fact that she jumped into the Hellmouth. Feet first, no stake – and how dumb was that, Buffy – she could practically hear Giles admonishing her that she was too reckless. It had been a hard landing, but Slayer powers meant she could walk away with a little ache and not much else. It hadn’t affected Angel either, he practically floated to the ground, his coat billowing gently around him as his feet touched down.

The real miracle was that her phone survived the landing.

“So what’s our next move?” Buffy asks. “Find a magic amulet, close this sucker and go home?”

“Something like that,” Angel agrees. “But I think with more fighting.”

She nods and then looks around the cave, looking for something that can be used as a weapon. “Damn it. I knew I should have brought my hoodie. It has bigger pockets.” She looks at Angel doubtfully. “I don’t suppose you have a portable ax or something sharp on you?”

He slips his hand into his coat and passes a sheathed knife to her. “Lucky for you, I bought a spare.”

Buffy shrugs. “Yeah, well I left my weapon toting shorts up there.”

Then she realizes what she’s said and her face heats up with embarrassment.

Angel’s expression is perfectly blasé. “I noticed.”

At least he has the sense to keep his eyes on her face, she thinks, as she pushes past him.

 

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By My Side 1/1

This story uses characters and situations from the Boom! Studios comic reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It is non-canon compliant but is based during the Hellmouth crossover event.

The silence is unbearable. Willow takes a peek at Rose, who is whittling a stake and pointedly not looking at her.

“Baby?”

Rose sighs and turns away.

“So this is how it’s going to be now?” Willow says in a small voice. “You’re giving me the silent treatment?”

Her girlfriend sets down her penknife and stake. “I’m not giving you the silent treatment.”

“You haven’t said anything since –”

“Since I saw you floating in the air with your eyes blacked out? I was processing stuff, Will.”

“I didn’t want you to see me like that,” Willow says.

“Well, I did. And you didn’t want to tell me about your friends’ secret lives, either.”

“It wasn’t my secret to tell,” Willow squirms as Rose stares at her. “The fewer people who know about Buffy…”

“Cordelia Chase,” Rose says. “Robin Wood. Xander. The school librarian. Ms. Calendar knows. That’s five people who are not me.” She agitatedly taps her fingers against her thigh. “Why do they get to know but not me?”

“I’m sorry,” Willow says. “I just – it’s been a lot, these past few months and there never seemed to be a right time to tell you…” she trails off at Rose’s hurt expression.

“We used to tell each other everything,” Rose says. “I could have helped you, Willow. It just makes me wonder – what if there was other stuff you didn’t tell me? To protect me?”

Willow curls her fists around a soft pillow –a Valentine gift from Rose the previous year – as if it could shield her from Rose’s anger. “I did it because I want to protect you. You’re the only part of my life that isn’t full of danger and spookiness.”

“I don’t mind spookiness,” Rose says. “And I don’t want you to be in danger, either. How could you think that would have protected me – if something happened to you, and there was no reason? Would Xander have told me then? Would Buffy?” She crosses her arms and stares at her lap. “I’m on your side, Will.”

The remaining half of her soul – Willow feels it twinge horribly. “I know,” she says. “I’m sorry, Rose. I don’t know what I can do to make you believe me again, but I never wanted to scare you or hurt you –”

“Just tell me things,” Rose says. “Don’t hide secrets like this. If Sunnydale’s going to get sucked into some end of the world badness, I want to be there fighting with you.” She smiles crookedly. “It’s not like I have anything major to worry about anyway.”

“Rose,” Willow says gratefully. She slumps forward, the tension evaporating from her body. Rose pulls her closer and cradles her head against her lap. “Tonta,” she says affectionately. She combs Willow’s hair with gentle fingers, and Willow sighs happily.

“I won’t keep any more secrets from you,” she says. “It sucked, really. Like I was congested and every day I saw you, the stuff just got bigger but,” she waves her hand, “I was so scared that you wouldn’t want to be with me anymore.”

“No way,” Rose says. “I was mad, but not that mad. Honestly, after I got over the whole Craft thing, it was pretty cool. My girlfriend’s a witch.”

“I’m not a witch,” Willow says. “I was just…experimenting. I didn’t expect it to happen like that.”

“Will. After everything you told me? Sunnydale’s a gate between Hell and Earth. I’m not surprised you have powers. You always were an overachiever,” she teases. “Maybe I should call you Hermione instead.”

“Does this mean you’re my Ron?”

“Please,” Rose scoffs. “I’m Angelina if I’m anyone.”