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

[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.

[simplestgift]

You had two vampire suitors.

[herotypical]

...And two Captains. And two guys from Iowa. [ she offers these as if to say 'so? are you accusing me of having a type?' ]

[simplestgift]

It's just a bit ironic.

[herotypical]

And it also makes me the poster girl for why you should avoid office romances.

[simplestgift]

[Buffy's romantic drama makes her a poster girl for a lot of things. He's reminded why he's dating the other sister, as much as he loves Buffy.] Daisies, you say?

[herotypical]

[ that and 'cause a woman like buffy summers might actually eat someone like archie alive. for breakfast. figuratively speaking. she's always needed a little monster in her man. ]

They're a cheery kind of flower. They say 'hey, I'm glad to see you again -- look how bright and cheery I am to see you again!'

[simplestgift]

[Oh Buffy, you are not so horrible.

A soft chuckle.]

So long as she's not flinging them in my face for being too cheerful.

[herotypical]

...I'm not thinking that's gonna be an issue.

[simplestgift]

[Some hesitation.]

I miss her desperately, Buffy. I know I've no right to say that to you, but I do.

[herotypical]

...You have a right. Maybe not as much of a right, but still a right.

[ here falls her cheery facade. ]

[simplestgift]

I've always been afraid of running out of time. [He's not trying to belittle what she went through with Jack, though he wonders briefly if it wasn't a mistake to put it quite that way.]

[herotypical]

...You should be.

[ she clams up; this is a very, very tender subject. all the time in the world. ]

[simplestgift]

[A pause. After a moment, he downs the last of his whiskey in one shot.]