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]

[Okay, clearly this is a weird subject they are on and Archie wants out. But he will try not to act like anything is too strange, as per her request.]

...No.

[herotypical]

[ she sits back a little straighter, narrowing her eyes. ] And you'd tell me if you did, right?

[simplestgift]

Of course. Buffy, I didn't even know magic existed, at home.

[He's getting that this is not as weird for her as it is for him, so she must have some cause. He trusts that she has some cause.]

[herotypical]

[ a quiet nod -- however, she seems satisfied. ]

[simplestgift]

[Maybe part of her long stream of unlucky lovers? He hardly dares to ask.]

Anything else?

[herotypical]

[ for a brief moment she considers don't let jack talk you into listening to his advice; however...that was all just too strange and weird.

and so: ] That's it. For now.

[simplestgift]

[He nods softly. He's still unwinding like crazy from his conversation with Jilly, so forgive the jumpiness, Buffy. He drains his glass of Scotch and figures he can just get drunk later on, after more errands are run.]

For now.

[herotypical]

...People change. It -- I wouldn't want to see something bad happen to either of you.

[simplestgift]

[He goes quiet for a little, then slides his glass forward for a refill.]

Neither would I.

[herotypical]

[ she was generous in her pouring. ]

And I mean it. Either of you.

[ not just her, archie. ]

[simplestgift]

Do you wish to tell me anything, Buffy?

[herotypical]

...Anything like what?

[ the question catches her off guard -- give her a moment. ]

[simplestgift]

You're very insistent.

[herotypical]

Once bitten, twice shy. On everyone's behalf.

[simplestgift]

[He nods.] I'm sorry.

[As if he's apologizing for men in general.]

[herotypical]

[ of course, buffy is conducting this conversation on the older-sisterly assumption that dawn has yet to jump this particular hurdle. ahahaha. who knows if buffy would be shocked or flabbergasted over yet another summers woman finding supernatural consequences to a first time. ]

Not your bites to apologize for, Kennedy.

[simplestgift]

No, but it's easier for a man to do such things, I think. We're not the ones with swollen bellies after. [His eyes widen as he realizes what he's said to his girlfriend's sister.] I'm sorry.

[herotypical]

[ ...she goes bug-eyed. a little war plays itself out on buffy's face and soon she is pouring herself a modest vodka-orange just to deal with that accidental implication. ]

Oh God, I have to talk to Dawnie... That's not even what I was talking about. But that? There -- look, there are ways to get around that.

[simplestgift]

[This, Buffy, is Archie looking trapped. Are you really the one who needs to give him this speech? Please say no.]

[herotypical]

[ she downs that vodka-orange altogether too quickly. ]

I mean, what do you think I-- [ no. she frowns some more. none of this was working. but she was dawn's older sister. and mom's...buffy has to be the adult of the family. another deep breath. ]

I'll talk to her. Make sure she knows.

[simplestgift]

Good. [He drinks about half that whiskey at once.] Good, tell her. [Not me, please, please, please.]

[herotypical]

...So -- how about that local sports team?

[simplestgift]

The Blue Rogues are completely useless.

[herotypical]

...Also? Not a sports team. But points for trying.

[simplestgift]

What is a local sports team?

[He'd heard the word "team" and ran with it.]