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butterflyAs that seems to be what inspires me to work on it.
This is a start of a new section of five, which means that each section will have four double-drabbles instead of two.
Because really, the point of the structure of the fic is to strengthen my skills as a writer, especially in the areas of plotting and sustaining characterization through a plot.
Parts One through Sixteen can be found here.
Breaking the Mirror
Thrown Stone
The monster… didn't look surprised at his entrance. Something close to horror, but not really surprise.
The Destroyer dismissed the woman as insignificant, focusing on the familiar scent. He stalked toward the blood and age that was only superficially covered by the smell of technology and knowledge.
Until the vampire moved at him with blinding speed, pushing him to the ground as he felt a crack in the air.
And he could smell gunpowder and he twisted around and looked up, barely able to see past the man to the woman with a gun.
He blinked, a memory pushing in despite all his efforts to stay pure - turning around at the window sill, seeing the man he'd always thought of as the ultimate evil take pain for him - and he tried to speak. He managed a soft whimper.
"Put the gun away, Fred." The demon said sharply to her.
"That's not human," the woman protested and he remembered how to laugh. She glared at him, but lowered the gun. "It's not, Angel. And it feels evil."
"Well, we can talk about that while we talk about you bringing a gun into my office."
A lecture. How incredibly... paternal.
~fade to black~
Broken Glass
It was hard to think. Everything inside him was screaming the same thing - his son had come home - but he knew that he couldn't let himself concentrate on that.
It wouldn't last.
So, he forced himself to focus on Fred, keeping himself between her and Connor.
"I don't feel safe here," Fred said, reluctantly putting the gun back in her briefcase, still staring past him towards Connor. "You know that, Angel. Are you really so surprised about this?"
"You could have killed him." Angel said. He flexed his hands, stopping himself from tightening them into fists.
"Why are…" she trailed off, finally looking at Angel. Knowledge dawned in her eyes. "Oh. This is… Connor."
"Next time, don't shoot first." Angel said, knowing that his tone would imply that next time, he wouldn't be able to stop himself at stepping in front of the bullet.
Angel allowed himself to look at Connor, his eyes hungrily examining every inch of his son.
His son had come home and she'd almost ended it before it began.
Not that anything could begin. Connor would have to forget again. Have to leave again.
But for this moment - his son was finally home.
~fade to black~
Shattered Image
Angel turned away from her and Fred very carefully retreated to the doorway. She'd been right earlier - she'd never seen Angel like this.
She hadn't known that Angel was capable of saying something like that, all dark and full of painful meaning, to someone on the good side. Wouldn't have believed it if she'd been told.
Seeing was believing, though, and her eyes told her that Angel wasn't thinking at all right now. He was totally and completely focused on his… son.
God, Angel had a son. A flesh and blood, evil demon son. And she knew she was right about that. His eyes were empty like nothing she'd seen since Pylea.
But Angel wouldn't believe something like that about his own son. Or maybe he did and that's why they didn't remember him? Angel hadn't gotten around to the why yet.
Fred shivered. Just seeing Angel like this, staring at that kid, was creepier than just about anything she'd ever seen.
And her eyes kept skipping over the boy, like she wasn't allowed to look. Was that part of the spell? She'd had such a hard time saying his name… but she had been able to say it.
~fade to black~
Bloody Hands
Names were darting through his head, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to think any of them yet. The woman was electric pain and sandwiches, both equally prominent, yet neither important.
But the man was water and blood and fire, and the most powerful thing in the world.
He'd suppressed the foolish and weak parts of himself earlier, yet already, they were fighting to break free. Fighting for control and for that rarest of gifts - peace.
Casey just wanted to go home, get a big hug from his mom, and believe that this was nothing but a bad dream.
Casey was a lie.
Connor was hurt and angry, wanting to leap up to challenge and to find an escape.
Connor was dead.
The Destroyer just wanted to kill the confusion, but the nameless child in him had grown strong enough to hold the others in check.
The Destroyer was evil.
And that nameless part of him looked at the man and thought home.
The child was helpless.
He betrayed you, Connor raged. Left you to a lie.
That was truth.
But the gentle want still remained and he didn't move, trapped by the intensity of his father's eyes.
~fade to black~
This is a start of a new section of five, which means that each section will have four double-drabbles instead of two.
Because really, the point of the structure of the fic is to strengthen my skills as a writer, especially in the areas of plotting and sustaining characterization through a plot.
Parts One through Sixteen can be found here.
Thrown Stone
The monster… didn't look surprised at his entrance. Something close to horror, but not really surprise.
The Destroyer dismissed the woman as insignificant, focusing on the familiar scent. He stalked toward the blood and age that was only superficially covered by the smell of technology and knowledge.
Until the vampire moved at him with blinding speed, pushing him to the ground as he felt a crack in the air.
And he could smell gunpowder and he twisted around and looked up, barely able to see past the man to the woman with a gun.
He blinked, a memory pushing in despite all his efforts to stay pure - turning around at the window sill, seeing the man he'd always thought of as the ultimate evil take pain for him - and he tried to speak. He managed a soft whimper.
"Put the gun away, Fred." The demon said sharply to her.
"That's not human," the woman protested and he remembered how to laugh. She glared at him, but lowered the gun. "It's not, Angel. And it feels evil."
"Well, we can talk about that while we talk about you bringing a gun into my office."
A lecture. How incredibly... paternal.
~fade to black~
Broken Glass
It was hard to think. Everything inside him was screaming the same thing - his son had come home - but he knew that he couldn't let himself concentrate on that.
It wouldn't last.
So, he forced himself to focus on Fred, keeping himself between her and Connor.
"I don't feel safe here," Fred said, reluctantly putting the gun back in her briefcase, still staring past him towards Connor. "You know that, Angel. Are you really so surprised about this?"
"You could have killed him." Angel said. He flexed his hands, stopping himself from tightening them into fists.
"Why are…" she trailed off, finally looking at Angel. Knowledge dawned in her eyes. "Oh. This is… Connor."
"Next time, don't shoot first." Angel said, knowing that his tone would imply that next time, he wouldn't be able to stop himself at stepping in front of the bullet.
Angel allowed himself to look at Connor, his eyes hungrily examining every inch of his son.
His son had come home and she'd almost ended it before it began.
Not that anything could begin. Connor would have to forget again. Have to leave again.
But for this moment - his son was finally home.
~fade to black~
Shattered Image
Angel turned away from her and Fred very carefully retreated to the doorway. She'd been right earlier - she'd never seen Angel like this.
She hadn't known that Angel was capable of saying something like that, all dark and full of painful meaning, to someone on the good side. Wouldn't have believed it if she'd been told.
Seeing was believing, though, and her eyes told her that Angel wasn't thinking at all right now. He was totally and completely focused on his… son.
God, Angel had a son. A flesh and blood, evil demon son. And she knew she was right about that. His eyes were empty like nothing she'd seen since Pylea.
But Angel wouldn't believe something like that about his own son. Or maybe he did and that's why they didn't remember him? Angel hadn't gotten around to the why yet.
Fred shivered. Just seeing Angel like this, staring at that kid, was creepier than just about anything she'd ever seen.
And her eyes kept skipping over the boy, like she wasn't allowed to look. Was that part of the spell? She'd had such a hard time saying his name… but she had been able to say it.
~fade to black~
Bloody Hands
Names were darting through his head, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to think any of them yet. The woman was electric pain and sandwiches, both equally prominent, yet neither important.
But the man was water and blood and fire, and the most powerful thing in the world.
He'd suppressed the foolish and weak parts of himself earlier, yet already, they were fighting to break free. Fighting for control and for that rarest of gifts - peace.
Casey just wanted to go home, get a big hug from his mom, and believe that this was nothing but a bad dream.
Casey was a lie.
Connor was hurt and angry, wanting to leap up to challenge and to find an escape.
Connor was dead.
The Destroyer just wanted to kill the confusion, but the nameless child in him had grown strong enough to hold the others in check.
The Destroyer was evil.
And that nameless part of him looked at the man and thought home.
The child was helpless.
He betrayed you, Connor raged. Left you to a lie.
That was truth.
But the gentle want still remained and he didn't move, trapped by the intensity of his father's eyes.
~fade to black~