Seventeen Bells: [WRITTEN/ACTION]

[simplestgift]

On July the 4th, 1776, one Horatio Hornblower was born in Kent.  If you see him, bid him many happy returns.  He will most likely grump about it all day and act ungrateful, but don't allow it to discourage you.  He does appreciate it, he simply does not know it.

[For most of the day, Archie will be running around trying to furnish a bedroom in the house for a new housemate. He'll end up in the library, Good Spirits, the grocery store, then finally the Battle Dome, mostly staring in bewilderment at the controls before deciding this is too scary and leaving. At some point, he'll also take a walk in the woods, rain or no rain, in shirtsleeves and waistcoat but no coat. After a while, he'll get back on the journals.]

[Filtered away from Grell, 44%]

If you wanted to surprise someone dear to you, to cheer her up when she returned from being kidnapped, what would you do for her?

Comments

[herotypical]

...I should be embarrassed by how difficult that question is to answer. He's -- he's an ally. With occasional friendly leanings. [ a beat before she jumps to clarify something that archie -- unaware of their history or the curse -- really didn't need to have clarified at all: ] But not too friendly!

[simplestgift]

[herotypical]

We dated.

[simplestgift]

Ah, yes. Part of your history.

[She was drunk when she spouted off her long list of failed romances, though.]

[herotypical]

Yes! And history's the best word for for it. Very much...in the past. And done with. And over. [ thought it's still odd and there's so much unspoken, there. ]

[simplestgift]

If truth could be judged by how emphatic one is about it, this would be the greatest truth of them all.

[herotypical]

...Your moral support is touching. [ ... ] And I think I need to fire whatever higher power is managing my social life because Jack comes back and then the next day Angel shows up. That's just -- that's cruel and unusual.

[simplestgift]

...I think it was very kind of said higher power to bring Jack back to us, regardless of the circumstances.

[herotypical]

[ her sudden smile should be indication enough of how she feels on that subject, but: ] Don't get me wrong. Jack, back? Kind of like Christmas and a birthday and a bouquet-of-flowers-just-because all wrapped up into one.

[simplestgift]

Flowers! [That's something to add to his list of Things To Do For Dawn When She Gets Back.] Erm. Yes. It's very exciting.

[herotypical]

..Try some really bright gerbera daisies. Aerith at the flower shop should be able to hook you up. [ she dispenses this advice smoothly and casually -- as though she knows what archie is thinking on the matter. ]

I just -- Jack has this big understandable hate-on for vampires and Angel...[ a shrug. ]

[simplestgift]

...Why does he hate him? Has Angel been here before?

[herotypical]

Mmhm. He was here when I first arrived, but he doesn't remember...and as for the hate? I can just tell. Slayer's intuition. [ and a strangely over-protectively possessive streak a couple of miles wide in the vampire. ]

[simplestgift]

No reason he hates him?

[herotypical]

Oh, I mean -- will hate. That will be one messy meeting, Archie.

[simplestgift]

Do I need to drug him?

[herotypical]

...Let's opt out of the potential felonies, this time. I'll -- it'll smooth over. It's gotta. He just needs to realize that I've made my choice.

[ buffy be less vague with pronouns. ]

[simplestgift]

Jack does, or this Angel fellow?

[herotypical]

Both. [ a beat. ] I mean -- Angel. It won't be tough. He's moved on. We both have. But that doesn't mean he's gonna approve of the who that the moving on's been done with.

[simplestgift]

Then hit him in the teeth. He has no right, anymore.

[herotypical]

[ laughter. ] You're right. He doesn't. But -- hitting a vamp like Angel in the teeth? Fun. Lots of fun. But ultimately not much of a deterrent. Me and him've been pretty evenly matched.

[simplestgift]

And he would fight a woman? You can't even use that to your advantage anymore?

[Tone still light.]

[herotypical]

Hah. Remember when we were talking about patronizing and me looking after myself? Angel's more than well aware of what I'm capable of. More aware than most. Which might actually be the part that's actually to my advantage.

[ she matches that lightness. ]

[simplestgift]

I see. Vampire slayer.

[herotypical]

Mmhm. The very definition of star-crossed.