simplestgift | Seventeen Bells: [WRITTEN/ACTION]

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Seventeen Bells: [WRITTEN/ACTION]

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?

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I do understand, Buffy. I suppose Scotland still exists, but I can never return to it.

...And I guess there's still the rest of California.

[ a forced silver lining. ]

But not your house. At least I know my family lives in the house I was a boy in.

When was the last time you'd been back, Archie?

Three years.

...And three for me, too. Kind of a sad way to match up, huh?

There are pleasanter ways. But at least we understand one another.

For once.

[A sharp exhalation, like an ironic laugh.]

...Can you do me a favour? If -- [ and she clearly doesn't like entertaining this possibility ] If you get to her first, when she comes back? Mum's the word on the Angel sitch. I'd like to break that news to her myself.

Mum's the word, then. And if that happens, I'll bring her straight to you.

[ a breath of relief. ] Oh, thank God.

[What, was it her worst nightmare for him to stumble upon Dawn before she does? No, he won't read that much into it. Buffy is being Buffy, that's all. But his mouth still works, because that's what happens when Archie feels offended.]

Did you think I might sweep her away to test out your new advice first and leave you wondering?

[ her jaw drops rather momentously for a second. ]

Wh-what? No -- I...no I'd just...I'd want to see her. Make sure she's alright.

[ a beat. ] Hug her. Promise her that things'll be okay, no matter what happened.

[Another beat, during which his attitude changes drastically--back to being calm and not-snarky. Right. Just a loving sister.]

You know, I think everyone is just a little frightened of you. Just enough that we wouldn't dream of finding your sister without finding you directly after.

...Everyone?

[ how can she have lived in ignorance of this for so long? who knows. ]

[A pause.]

Well. It's also because we care about the both of you and would never do it to you. But sometimes, just a little fear is a good thing.

[ jack she could probably believe. it doesn't help that she's full-on smashed the guy in the face with her fist before.

but... ] Even Bones? [ notice how she's still sorta following on from her original thought. ]

Mm, he may be the exception. The Devil himself could come at the man and he's be on him with one of those hissing things he uses.

Hypospray. They're fierce, huh?

My birthday present was an immunity to the ague.

...That's our Bones. Always making it the thought that counts.

Well, I suppose I should be grateful. I spent part of my hospital stay talking to another patient, a girl who had it. Selphie, if you know her. She might have been the only one there who had it, of everyone I spoke with, but it was still a sensible precaution.