Prompt 91 - Hollow Men - BtVS

[thismaz]

 Title: Hollow Men
 Fandom: BtVS
 Prompt: 91 - Rusting
 At: tamingthemuse
 Rating: Older Teen
 Summary: Part 30. Set during the summer before season 1, Xander's life is changed radically when vampires invade it. In the meantime Angel and Spike have their own, separate agendas.
 Word Count: 2,215
 Comments: Are greatly appreciated, loved and cherished.
 Previous parts: In reverse order, in tags here
 In my memories.
 Or, starting here with links to the next, at the end of each chapter.
 Disclaimer: here.
Now beta'd by the wonderful laazikaat

Warning (highlight the white area to see the warning text):

Demon Spike/Vamp Xander story

dark_amia made a wall paper and she turned it into a banner for me. Lookee here -

Isn't it pretty?

30. Hollow Men

Dru was as beautiful as he remembered. Even through his disillusionment and bitter disappointment, Angel noticed that fact. Thinner, maybe, and paler, if that were possible, but just as beautiful. She was sitting in an easy chair when he entered the living room of the small cottage in Spike's wake, and his eyes were immediately drawn to her.

Spike relaxed as soon as he saw she was safe. He'd been worrying at them to hurry up for the last half hour, ever since they'd lost Liam to the watcher. Now he walked over and bent his knee before her, taking her hand. For a moment she gazed down at him, then she looked up and saw Angel. The slow smile of welcome that spread across her face was like a soothing balm to his soul and although a voice deep inside him told him it shouldn't be, he felt some of his pain fade. "Angel," she sighed.

Feeling ridiculously awkward, he nodded formally. "Drusilla," he acknowledged.

With a shake of her head, Dru's voice turned fretful. "No, no that's not right," she wailed. "Your line is 'Baby, I'm back'."

Angel closed his eyes for a moment and dropped his head, absorbing the distress. When he looked up again he caught and held her gaze, willing her to understand him. "I'm sorry, Dru," he said. "But I'm not back, not the way you'd want me."

Standing up, Spike growled as he quickly moved between them, herding Angel towards the sofa and interrupting their mutual stare. "Enough of this," he said, "you're back with us for now." He stood close to Angel, until Angel gave in and took a seat. "Once we've done Dru's cure, you can go where you like and do what you like, but until then you'll stay with us." There was no suggestion in his tone that he would accept a compromise on that decision and Angel found he didn't have the energy to argue.

Meanwhile, Spike turned to Jesse. "You," he instructed, "take Dru's supper through to the kitchen and tie her up, then make yourself scarce. Go and make up the bed in the spare room. And bring a few blankets in here too, for my Grandsire." Angel looked up at that, but Spike was already turning to Xander, who had stayed close to the door. He went over and placing a hand behind Xander's neck, pulled him in for a kiss. "You'll have to give up your place to my sire, pet. Okay?" Xander nodded, although he didn't look too happy about it. "It's the way things work, love. My sire owns me, just as I own you. Doesn't mean I'm rejecting you. Just means there's a way these things are done, understand?" Again Xander nodded. Spike kissed him once more and gave him a small shove, taking custody of Ethan. "Go offer your obedience, then," he instructed.

Xander walked across the room to Dru's chair and went down on one knee. She reached out her hand and he took it, bowing his head and placing a reverent kiss on the backs of her fingers before he straightened up again. Seemed like Spike had trained some manners into him then, a fact Angel had been doubting up to now.

Drusilla smiled graciously down at him and patted the side of her leg. "Sit, my dear," she murmured. When he twisted around and sat at her feet, leaning against her chair, she laid her hand on the side of his head and pushed it down against her knee. He settled then, gradually relaxing as she began to run her fingers through his hair.

"Jesse," Spike yelled.

The minion stuck his head through the kitchen door. "I've tied her up, sir," he said, immediately. "I was just going to make up the bed, like you said."

"Bring some spare rope in here first and tie this one up too. I don't want to be holding on to him all night and I don't trust him to stay put, just because I say so." Jesse disappeared again and re-emerged a moment later with a few yards of thick cord. "Just his wrists, for now," Spike added. Once that was done, Spike gave the ropes an experimental tug, shoved Ethan down to sit next to Angel and jerked his head at Jesse, sending him off to the hallway. "Sheets and blankets in the cupboard in the spare room," he instructed.

Jesse left and Angel looked across at Xander, to see how he was reacting to Spike's treatment of Jesse. There was a story there, if he knew anything of young vampires. Jesse was not the type of minion he thought Spike would turn, too young looking to be of use in many situations. Of course, so was Xander, but Angel already knew the reason for that turning. Once again he felt the tendrils of despair creep up his spine as he thought about the human boy he'd tried to guard, but there was no denying that the demon who had taken his place looked superbly content, sitting against Dru's leg as she petted him. With his eyes closed he looked so much like Jeb that Angel's heart hurt.

Movement across the room caught his attention and he looked over to see Spike remove his coat and toss it over a hard backed chair against the wall. Spike stretched, as if to remove the kinks of tension and Angel was momentarily mesmerised by the thin, hard lines of his gandchilde, the muscles that played along his arms, the deadly power of him.

Arms braced behind his neck Spike turned and once again Angel saw his face soften as he regarded his sire and his childe. "Hungry, pet?" he asked.

Dru slowly shook her head but didn't say anything. Leaning back in her chair, she looked exhausted. Spike sighed and when he turned to speak to Angel the smooth predator of a moment before had totally disappeared and all Angel could see was a young man who looked suddenly vulnerable in his obvious desperation. "She's weak," Spike explained, although Angel hadn't needed to be told. "But she won't eat. She's been all over town for you tonight and you can see she's not fed. I can't make her eat."

Angel looked down at his bruised arms and held them out for Spike to see. "I'd help if I could, Spike," he swore. "But..."

Spike cocked his head thoughtfully and a slight smile formed on his lips. "I'll hold you to that, mate," he said. Going back to Dru's chair, he bent down to whisper something in her ear. She listened for a moment, then looked up, past Spike to Angel, and her eyes were suddenly wide and alight. Angel wasn't sure if it was a feverish symptom or not and he found himself wishing there really was something he could do to help Dru, but he also knew he couldn't drink from the woman in the kitchen and until he healed, there was no way his body would spare any blood for anyone else.

Angel tore his eyes away and watched Dru's fingers trace patterns in Xander's hair, combing and twisting the strands. He remembered the skill with which, in the distant past, those fingers could soothe his anger on the rare occasions one of his plans went wrong and they lost the object of their hunt. Almost against his will, his eyes followed the line of her arm to her shoulder and on to her face. She was watching him with a pensive expression which blossomed into a mischievous smile when she caught him looking. Her eyes flashed up to Spike, then immediately down to Xander and her smile turned seductive. Angel felt his earlier despair transform into a shiver of jealous need.

Spike's voice interrupted his thoughts before he could even think of trying to understand them. "Alright, food will have to wait. First things first," he announced. Turning to Ethan he continued, "You bargained a spell for us to get you out of the court. It's time f'you to pay up. Do it now, where Dru can watch and make sure you do it right. And believe me, she'll know if you try to pull a fast one."

"My very dear sir," Ethan replied, his voice somehow both mellow and smarmy at the same time. "Believe me, I would never dream of welshing on a deal with such a powerful demon as yourself."

Spike just snorted as he untied the cord from around Ethan's wrists. "Yeah, sure," he said. "I know you wouldn't. And so does Dru," he glanced back at her, "don't you pet?"

"I know this one's mind," she replied. "He's twisted and tied by more than your rope, my love. He wants things he can't have and it hurts him. He is one of the hollow men, the stuffed men. Headpiece filled with straw and veins of rusting blood." She looked directly at Angel. "Makes him do silly, dangerous things," she continued. "Playing with fire and chaos to prove a point to the ones who don't care enough to watch. I'll know if he tries to play you false."

Spike hauled Ethan to his feet, none too gently, and set him in the middle of the room. "Need any props?" he asked. "Candles or whatnot?"

Ethan shook his head. "No, it's just an incantation." He took a step back, away from Spike. "If you'll allow me?" he asked, casting a glance around the room. Spike backed away and settled on the arm of Dru's chair to watch and Angel found himself straightening in his own seat. He looked across at Dru, quickly, and saw that both she and Xander were watching attentively too.

Ethan folded himself down to the mat, sitting cross-legged in approximately the centre of the room.

"The whole house, mind," Spike reminded him.

Ethan nodded and shifted himself a few feet towards the door into the hall. Straightening his back he laid his hands palms up on his knees, closed his eyes and began to speak. His voice started off low but rose in volume to end in a shout, "Janus, evoco vestram animam. Illis lacuna, Tego! obscurate!"

As simply as that, it appeared, he was finished. Opening his eyes, Ethan relaxed from his rigidly held pose into an exhausted slouch.

"That it?" Spike asked, sceptically. Ethan nodded wearily. Apparently not satisfied, Spike turned with a raised eyebrow, to Dru.

She was still sitting back in her chair, but her hands were now gripped together in her lap. "Yes," she said simply. "It's done."

Nodding, Spike stood up, went over to Ethan and hauled him to his feet. He dragged him back to the sofa and dropped him into it. Before the man could move, assuming he was capable of it, exhausted as he looked, Spike snatched up the rope and tied his hands together again.

Ethan opened one eye. "Don't suppose I could trouble you for a drink?" he asked. "Rather took it out of me, that."

"Not yet," Spike replied. "Got other things to do first. Just sit tight. I'll be back." Unsurprisingly to Angel, that didn't appear to reassure Ethan much.

Spike, however, was already back at Dru's chair. Reaching a hand down to Xander, he said, "Come with me." Xander scrambled to his feet and they disappeared together into the kitchen.

Angel looked around the room. Dru was staring blankly into space, apparently lost in her tangled thoughts, or possibly enjoying the swirls of magic, which Angel was convinced she could actually see. Ethan was slumped where Spike had left him. Jesse had not returned, obviously judging that Spike's admonition that he make himself scarce was an order to be obeyed. Not so stupid after all. By the door to the kitchen was a bureau, with bottles and glasses on top.

Getting up, Angel went over to inspect the selection: Bushmills, he noted with approval, as well as Glenmorangie and seventeen year old Eagle Rare, as well as a bottle of Jack Daniel's. He smiled his appreciation, Spike had obviously learnt a few things about living well, since Angel had last seen him. Pouring out a glass of JD, he returned to Ethan and placed it in his hands. Ethan smiled his thanks and Angel smiled back, before returning to get something slightly better for himself.

He'd just lifted the glass to his lips when Spike and Xander came in from the kitchen. "Hang on, mate," Spike said. "Before you start on that you have to help Dru. Your blood'll give her a boost and she'll take it. Better than trying to force feed her something else." He looked Angel up and down. "But I know you have to heal first."

Shaking his head, Angel interrupted, "I'm not drinking that woman," he said, lifting his glass again.

Spike reached out and snatched it from him. "You don't have to. But young Xander here needs to be welcomed into the family. He's got Dru's approval. How about you give yours?"

Angel narrowed his eyes. "And then?" he asked.

"Then you can feed from him and you can feed from me. That'll heal you up and give you some extra to pass on to Dru. What d'you say?"

Continued here.


Ethan's spell - umm, yeah, well, I did a Willow and mixed and matched a few words from different Buffy 'verse spells found here http://www.darkshire.net/jhkim/rpg/buffy/spells/byseason.html with some translation from the online Latin:English translation device here http://www.translation-guide.com/free_online_translators.php?from=English&to=Latin
By those somewhat haphazard means, it should translate as - Janus, hear my plea. By these words, obscure! Conceal/shield!
Oh, and the title and Dru's misquote are from the poem, The Hollow Men, by T.S. Eliot.

Comments

[sparrow2000.livejournal.com]

The misquoted Eliot was just wonderful, so perfectly Dru and so perfectly summing up Ethan.

Loved Angel watching Xander at Dru's feet and how much he looked like Jeb.

Loved him working out what had happened with Jesse.

Loved him givin Ethan the JD and going for something better for himself.

Loved him recognising the weariness and vulnerability in Spike when he turns round.

Loved the stab of jealousy and need when he sees Spike look at Angel and Dru.

I think you've gathered that I quite liked this chapter *g*

And crafty Spike, getting Angel to drink from him and Spike. It helps Dru and it emphasises again what Angel has been missing - family!

One tiny thing - when Dru says Angel's line should be "My baby, I'm back" I'm assuming that's meant to be the quote from Innocence. Looking at the script, it's actually 'Yeah, baby, I'm back." Unless your script site says something different, or you weren't quoting from Innocence, in which case completely ignore me and I'll go and stand in the corner...

Did I mention that I loved this chapter!

[kaydee23.livejournal.com]

I so love your slant on this story. It's so wonderful. I feel sorry for Angel and Dru, too. I'm even hoping Dru can get better, even knowing what she'll be able to do when she does.

[smwright.livejournal.com]

*shakes head* You, my darling, are marvellously evil.

This is possibly my favourite chapter to date in this story. Angel is dealt with almost entirely without mercy, but it's incidental - no one knows it's happening. Of course, that's the problem with Angel in canon; so much of his torment is self-inflicted, his own observations and what he allows those to do to him. The difference here is where you choose to place his focus. ;)

Very clever solution to Dru's needs from Spike. I wonder 1) if Angel will go for it, and 2) if it will work, and 3) what the ramifications for Angel (if any) will be.

This was just excellent!

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

I think you've gathered that I quite liked this chapter
*grins back at you* Yes, thank you, I caught on eventually. And thank you for the list of things you particularly liked.

when Dru says Angel's line should be "My baby, I'm back"
Yes, Dru is misquoting from Innocence at this point. Why misquoting? My problem was I couldn't hear her say the whole quote. It's not that she doesn't use the word 'Yeah', all the characters do, I think, even Giles, but that is such a well known line that when I wrote it out properly, Angelus' tone of voice overwhelmed Dru's voice, so I changed it a bit. So you are not wrong at all. The fact you mention it though, suggests that it jars. Again, it is such a well known line, I should have thought of that. I'll go and mend it somehow. Thank you for pointing it out. I appreciate it.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. I don't think I can say anything else, in response to your comment, without getting int to spoiler land, but thank you for your lovely comment.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Marvellously evil? Wow! Thanks. *is flattered*
What you say about Angel as a character is so true and your comment has me sitting here hugging myself gleefully. As for your wondering... All will be revealed in the next chapter. *g*
Thank you, hon.

[smwright.livejournal.com]

Tease...

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

*grin*

[lit-gal.livejournal.com]

Oh Angel, you're starting down the path. If you drink from Spike or Xander, you know they'll go out and kill some humans to replace that blood. I do wonder where Angel will draw the line, or if he can draw the line. I keep thinking about the fact that he tried to rejoin the Fanged Four after his soul, and left only because Darla pushed too far. Spike isn't stupid enough to do that, so I have to wonder how tangled Angel is going to get in this newer version of his family!

[texanfan.livejournal.com]

You've produced a lovely domestic scene here. Everyone has slipped into their place and there is a feel that Angel wishes he could carve out space for himself in this homey little environment. With Liam's defection that must be more tempting than ever as he realizes he can't be accepted by humans. How long before he goes back to the murderers and assorted bad guys compromise he used to get back in Darla's good graces. It could be enough for Spike and Dru as it wasn't for Darla.

I was a little surprised Dru settled down so fast after Angel missed his cue. Could bode well for that scenario. One thing's for sure, Angel is not in control of this situation.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

It's a problem. I'll have to see if I can carry it of convincingly. *g*

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad the vampire familias feels right to you. Yes, it really must be creating all sorts of nostalgia in Angel's mind.
I was a little surprised Dru settled down so fast after Angel missed his cue
I tend to write all the vampires with somewhat mercurial mood swings and Dru's moods in particular did tend to shift, in the blink of an eye. But I think she always had a reason for her behaviour *g* even if the reason was not always clearly apparent to the sane ones amongst us.
And no, I think Angel has very little control at the moment. *g* I quite like him that way.
Thank you so much.

[sevendeadlyfun.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness! Angel actually welcoming Xander into the family? Wow. Watching him compromise his scruples one by one is intriguing. How far down will he fall before he catches himself? Or will he fall all the way?

Edge of my seat here, hon. The corruption of Angel is much more interesting than the return of Angelus outright. Love it!

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Angel actually welcoming Xander into the family?
You know, as I wrote that, I was aware of the common form such an act takes in slash fandom, but for all that Spike told Xander to consider it, in chapter 19, I'm not sure Angel has been corrupted enough to do it.

The corruption of Angel is much more interesting than the return of Angelus outright. Love it!
Thank you so much. I can't answer your speculation right now, but it will come clear eventually. Promise.

[laazikaat.livejournal.com]

One of the best chapters so far, really love the dynamics of this little family.

Perhaps the "My baby, I'm back" line could simply read "Baby, I'm back" if you really feel it needs changing? I read it as simply 'alternate universe = slight changes in wording' and it didn't jar me.

I really do love this verse!

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. Writing with so many people in the room was interesting. I think I've only ever done so once before. I have to admit, I am enjoying writing a family centred vampire story, so many rules and customs to explore.

Perhaps the "My baby, I'm back" line could simply read "Baby, I'm back"
That's what I've gone for. Thank you for the reassurance, but if it jars on one, it probably jars on others too, and it's not like the word 'my' is critical to the sense. *g*

I really do love this verse!
That makes me very happy. Thank you.