deird1: Fred looking pretty and thoughful (Default)
deird1 ([personal profile] deird1) wrote in [community profile] still_grrr2010-09-15 09:26 am
Entry tags:

187 ficlet - History, Repeating

Title: History, Repeating
Author: [livejournal.com profile] deird1
Rating: PG
Word Count: 440
Prompt: 187 (history)
Character: Pike



History, Repeating

It’s over eight years before he sees anything like it again.

He’s leaving work one night when suddenly there are three of them – ridged foreheads, yellow eyes – vampires, coming out of the alley opposite. And he’s instantly back in junior year, with killer quarterbacks, and danger, death, and burning school buildings, and one kickass chick.
Then the memories flash off, fade back to nothing, and it’s just him and three vampires… and, weirdly, the kickass chick.

She’s got red hair, though – not the same one. (Obviously not the same, idiot.) But she fights the same.

Kicks, flips, and punches, and then she’s elbowing one in the face while staking the other – but as he explodes into dust the third one grabs her stake, and suddenly it’s two on one and she’s out of weapons.

It might be eight years away, but it’s still automatic: he runs in to help, doesn’t even think. Pure muscle memory, or something.
And he’s ducking punches, blocking what he can, doesn’t really do damage, obviously – but he’s a distraction, and after a few moments he gets the chance to pass her, well, not much, it’s a pencil, but it’s all he’s got and at least it’s wood.

They end up standing there, out of breath, with dust slowly settling to the ground.

He grins and says, “Hi.”

“That was actually helpful,” the red-head says, like that’s unusual.

“What, that surprises you?”

“Yeah, kinda.” She shrugs, and retrieves her stake from the gutter. “Usually it’s a big handsome guy being chivalrous, and rescuing the helpless little girl from the bad guys. Then I just end up with extra people to keep safe.”

Apparently he’s not handsome. Good to know. “You’re the Slayer, right?”

A Slayer.” She raises an eyebrow, speculatively. “Do you know one of the others?”

And she’s using present tense. Weird. “Yeah, I knew a Slayer when I was in high school.”

“But you don’t look…” She frowns. “Huh.”

Suddenly she’s looking at him like he’s from another planet, and he’s not sure why him having met the Slayer is stranger than whatever else she must be used to, but if someone doesn’t break the silence soon it’s going to get awkward.

He sticks out a hand. “I’m Pike. I’m a mechanic, and I suck at vampire hunting.”

She smiles uncertainly. “Vi.”

“Want to get a coffee, Vi?”

“Actually, I should probably…”

“Mocha? I promise not to be chivalrous. In fact, if we’re attacked, I’ll probably shriek like a girl and you can save me.”

Another smile – this one maybe a bit less uncertain. “Coffee. Sure.”

And that’s how the night begins.



[identity profile] undrheavenskies.livejournal.com 2010-09-15 02:33 am (UTC)(link)
PIKE!... It's not a name, it's a fish! Loved it! You do, however, have me hooked.. therewillgonnabemore, sayyes??

[identity profile] gryfndor-godess.livejournal.com 2010-09-15 02:59 am (UTC)(link)
I love this! Pike has always been my favorite part of that movie. I love how you bring him in again, and his banter with Vi is so cute!

[identity profile] rebcake.livejournal.com 2010-09-15 03:33 am (UTC)(link)
Yummy with a spoon! I do wonder what's going through Vi's mind. Does Pike look too old or something? Not familiar, as if her 6 months in Sunnydale would somehow acquaint her with everybody who has ever known a Slayer back when they were a singular sensation? Kids are so funny.

Why is it that a guy offering to act the damsel is so disarming? Don't answer that! My own kink...
Edited 2010-09-15 03:34 (UTC)

[identity profile] flyingcarpet.livejournal.com 2010-09-15 04:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Pike! there should always be more Pike fic -- and this is fun, and a great way to bring him back into the family, so to speak. :)

[identity profile] bobthemole.livejournal.com 2010-09-15 05:45 pm (UTC)(link)
There's never enough Pike! Glad to see him here.

[identity profile] brutti-ma-buoni.livejournal.com 2010-09-15 05:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Very nice!

[identity profile] undrheavenskies.livejournal.com 2010-09-15 11:41 pm (UTC)(link)
YAY!!! *does a happy dance*

[identity profile] anyjay.livejournal.com 2010-09-17 11:20 am (UTC)(link)
This was great. Add me to the list of people who would be delighted to see more.

[identity profile] wyncatastrophe.livejournal.com 2010-09-20 12:16 am (UTC)(link)
Here from crack_van. I adore this, it's so cute and captures the speech/thought patterns of the buffyverse really well. Kudos!

[identity profile] princess-aleera.livejournal.com 2010-09-20 12:28 am (UTC)(link)
Saw this through [livejournal.com profile] crack_van and OMG I LOVE THIS.

I've seen all of Buffy, and the movie- I think the movie pretty much sucked, but I LOVED Pike. And I LOVE YOU NOW.

*flails*

[identity profile] crowgirl13.livejournal.com 2010-09-20 12:45 am (UTC)(link)
Oh Pike! Yay!

[And I can clearly hear Luke Perry here. heck, I can *see* him, flailing effectively away as a distraction.]

This is charming and marvelous. It also does a lovely job of blending the feel of film and show. I hope you end up writing some more with these two, but even if you don't, this slice of banter-y action is perfect.

[identity profile] stars-inthe-sky.livejournal.com 2010-09-20 01:21 am (UTC)(link)
Aw, love.
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[identity profile] libco.livejournal.com 2010-09-20 02:12 am (UTC)(link)
Glad someone recced this because apparently I totally missed this. Lovely bit!

[identity profile] itcomesinphases.livejournal.com 2010-09-20 02:32 am (UTC)(link)
The movie doesn't get enough love! And this is just perfect. <3

[identity profile] firewings133.livejournal.com 2010-09-20 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
Deja-vu! The crack-van arrived on Sept 19 and your ficlet is recommended as "awesome"! I started reading and... didn't I just read it the other day? Compared the dates - yes - I am not crazy. The second reading was even better as I finally figured out from the comments who Pike was. I did see the movie when it first came out and it was weak. Donald Sutherland and Rutger Hauer could not save it. Amazing how good the show was.

Unrelated: loved your Italian Spike icon - just rewatched Angel Season 5 in 2 days, laughed and cried all over the place. Any desire to re-visit Spike/Angel bitching? Pretty please!

[identity profile] kattahj.livejournal.com 2010-09-20 04:54 am (UTC)(link)
This completely reinforces my belief that Pike was Buffy's best boyfriend ever. (Not that the competition was very stiff.) Very cool story!

[identity profile] hypertwink.livejournal.com 2010-09-20 05:10 am (UTC)(link)
This was great. It takes me back to a movie that I totally loved, which lead me to tuning in to a show that all my other friends laughed at because...Buffy the Vampire Slayer, how inane does that sound a decade or so ago?

I kinda liked that she's surprised by how nonchalant he is. And he's cool and awesome about the whole thing,

[identity profile] rivestra.livejournal.com 2010-09-20 04:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Hee! This was most excellent!

[identity profile] bymagajones.livejournal.com 2010-09-20 09:58 pm (UTC)(link)
I really enjoyed this, and I have to place my vote with the others who want more.

I'm glad Katy (secondalto) recced this over on crack_van, or I might have missed it.

[identity profile] aslana.livejournal.com 2010-09-21 08:36 am (UTC)(link)
I love Pike, so I'm glad that you wrote him. This was really great, and I hope you do right more.
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[identity profile] moscow-watcher.livejournal.com 2010-09-27 06:52 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm catching up with the stuff I missed during my vacation - and I love-love-love your story. Pike! ♥

[identity profile] whyskeyeyes.livejournal.com 2010-10-04 06:15 am (UTC)(link)
OK this was highly fantastic. A cool character we haven't seen in forever and Vi, an actually useful baby slayer. More more more please?

[identity profile] treadingthedark.livejournal.com 2011-07-27 02:37 am (UTC)(link)
This was awesome.

Loved this:
"Apparently he’s not handsome. Good to know. “You’re the Slayer, right?”

And this:
"He sticks out a hand. “I’m Pike. I’m a mechanic, and I suck at vampire hunting.”

I'm one of those strange fans who actually liked the movie, and you have captured Pike, and given him a little space in the verse. Nice.