Disclaimers in part one.
Part 3: Choosing
*
Buffy's demon was fiercely, gloriously stunning. She knew
exactly what to do, and executed the kill with such finesse, the
girl barely whimpered.
This wasn't Buffy.
Buffy had a soul, a sympathetic, do-no-evil soul.
The one I fell in love with.
This was a mistake, a very bad mistake.
Her face melted back and her eyes turned from gold to confused
green.
She took one look at the body and then at me and screamed, a
long, piercing, agonized shriek and crumpled, unconscious.
I felt coldness on my face and when I touched it, my fingers came
away wet.
Tears. For what she was. For what she'd become.
When she woke up, my face was dry.
She sat up, drawing her legs close to her chest and stared at me,
large eyes in a frightened face.
I said, "I did what I thought best, you know."
Her gaze didn't move from my face.
My mouth tightened and I asked, "Did you want it?"
She stood up.
"Yes."
I walked closer to her. She backed away, then stepped closer.
"Do you still want it?"
She came even closer, and placed her hand on my cheek. I
resisted the urge to lean into it. She traced my scar with a
finger, and then dragged her nails down, leaving blood behind.
She whispered softly, mercilessly, "I hate you for making me. I
will always hate you."
I ignored that and leaned nearer, hissing, "You didn't answer the
question."
She turned her back on me. The line of it was defiant, but her
hands trembled.
Her voice was low, barely audible.
"You said you loved me."
"I do."
She faced me again.
"Then you would do anything for me." Her face was determined, no
hint of caring.
"Anything." She knew I meant it.
"Even what you've wanted to do since we first met?"
Not anymore, but if she asked....
"Buffy--"
"Don't call me that!"
I blinked.
"Then what, in all hell-gods' names, do you want to be called?"
"Anything but that!" She was quivering, now, and all I wanted to
do was hold her, tell her I loved her, anything to stop the
inevitable conclusion to this mess.
"Pick a name, love, any name. Tell me what you want."
Her eyes were wet, but the tears weren't falling.
"I want--"
Part 3: Choosing
*
Buffy's demon was fiercely, gloriously stunning. She knew
exactly what to do, and executed the kill with such finesse, the
girl barely whimpered.
This wasn't Buffy.
Buffy had a soul, a sympathetic, do-no-evil soul.
The one I fell in love with.
This was a mistake, a very bad mistake.
Her face melted back and her eyes turned from gold to confused
green.
She took one look at the body and then at me and screamed, a
long, piercing, agonized shriek and crumpled, unconscious.
I felt coldness on my face and when I touched it, my fingers came
away wet.
Tears. For what she was. For what she'd become.
When she woke up, my face was dry.
She sat up, drawing her legs close to her chest and stared at me,
large eyes in a frightened face.
I said, "I did what I thought best, you know."
Her gaze didn't move from my face.
My mouth tightened and I asked, "Did you want it?"
She stood up.
"Yes."
I walked closer to her. She backed away, then stepped closer.
"Do you still want it?"
She came even closer, and placed her hand on my cheek. I
resisted the urge to lean into it. She traced my scar with a
finger, and then dragged her nails down, leaving blood behind.
She whispered softly, mercilessly, "I hate you for making me. I
will always hate you."
I ignored that and leaned nearer, hissing, "You didn't answer the
question."
She turned her back on me. The line of it was defiant, but her
hands trembled.
Her voice was low, barely audible.
"You said you loved me."
"I do."
She faced me again.
"Then you would do anything for me." Her face was determined, no
hint of caring.
"Anything." She knew I meant it.
"Even what you've wanted to do since we first met?"
Not anymore, but if she asked....
"Buffy--"
"Don't call me that!"
I blinked.
"Then what, in all hell-gods' names, do you want to be called?"
"Anything but that!" She was quivering, now, and all I wanted to
do was hold her, tell her I loved her, anything to stop the
inevitable conclusion to this mess.
"Pick a name, love, any name. Tell me what you want."
Her eyes were wet, but the tears weren't falling.
"I want--"