InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I am the vampire Armand"

Spike (chipswiththat) wrote in marinanova,
@ 2017-01-30 21:25:00

Entry tags:

jack harkness, kitty pryde (aoa), spike

413 - action, open and closed
[ OPEN ACTION - AROUND THE DOME ]

[ It's an errand day. Nothing special, really, expect that today Spike's loading up on more than the usual cigarettes-whiskey-bloodbags that have become his usual shopping list. He can also be found at Bull's Eye, picking up extra linen and towels, stopping by the actual frozen food section of the grocery store where they keep the frozen food that isn't blood, adds a pack of coffee to the pile. Almost like he's preparing for less an overnight guest and more something permanent. Shit hit the fan and for once he's not the one to blame.

He'll take his time, so there's plenty of chances for people to stop and say hi. ]

[ CLOSED TO JACK ]

[ It's later that evening when he tracks down Jack at some bar. Maybe it's the first bar he checked, or the third, but there's an unmistakeable determination in this search. Almost like he's looking for someone to punch some sense into. ]

Figures I'd find you here.

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chipswiththat
2017-02-11 09:17 pm UTC (link)

"They did last time." In the pleasure prison, where everything was horrible and he spent the entire stay keeping himself too drunk to really do anything stupid. "But if they don't... if don't remember, just send me home. Things will sort themselves out in a few years."

Except if he doesn't remember this, he won't remember them either. That, like so many other things, is a problem for later. He's got bigger things on his mind, anyway.

"Maybe you lot at Torchwood can think of something clever to keep this soul of mine from going to Hell."

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foreverjack
2017-02-11 09:32 pm UTC (link)

"Yeah." He remembers the pleasure prison too; even if he never actually interacted with Spike there, Ianto told him all he needed to know. He nods in acceptance of the second part. He knows all too well that if any of them leave here without their memories of here, nothing that happened here will matter anyway.

And then he lifts his eyebrows, laughing at the sheer strangeness of that idea. "Unfortunately, I don't think that Torchwood has any information or knowledge at all about souls. Not to mention that in the time I'm from there is no Torchwood. All that's left is me, and a partially functioning wriststrap. No resources, no contacts, no nothing."

No wonder he's so not bothered about going back there.

He gives Spike a rueful little shrug. "Sorry. I wouldn't even know where to start looking after a soul."

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chipswiththat
2017-02-11 09:35 pm UTC (link)

"What good are you, then?" he teases, though it's not quite as mischievous as he'd like it to be. It was a nice thought, while it lasted but if Jack doesn't know and he sure as hell doesn't, then going back to Sunnydale is really starting to look like a death sentence.

"Guess we'll just have to make the most of it while we can. Who knows, maybe something will come up."

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foreverjack
2017-02-11 09:45 pm UTC (link)

He shakes his head because, no matter that he's saved the world more than once with less, it's at been such high cost that in a lot of ways he really does feel useless.

"Well, on the plus side," he says slowly, "if we do get out of here, you don't have to go back home immediately. Wherever and whenever we actually are, we're all from different times and places, so there'd have to be time travel involved in getting any of us home. And that means we could take as many years out as we wanted before going back. Especially if we happen to be an immortal who doesn't change at all physically so no-one would ever know how much time had passed in the meantime."

Not avoiding it. Just... putting it off.

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	chipswiththat 2017-02-11 09:51 pm UTC (link)
	"Sure." he snorts, hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans. "And just when would the right time be to leave, if we do that? Especially if I'm on sire duty. Can't leave one of my own behind with no supervision." This is getting too complicated. It's not like they can do anything about it right now anyway. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	foreverjack 2017-02-11 09:54 pm UTC (link)
	"I don't know." He sighs. Why does everything have to be so complicated? "You're the one who starts talking about going back to save the world whilst also wanting forever with Ianto. I don't know how you can have both any more than you do!" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

chipswiththat
2017-02-11 09:57 pm UTC (link)

"The way I see it, we won't know what to do until it happens. Until then, I'm going to enjoy myself. No point in stressing out about something that might never happen."

As much as he wants to get out of here, it's clear there's very little he can do to make it so. Leave that to the pros and look out for an opening, that's the extent of his plan.

"Besides... I haven't lived it yet. It's just a nagging, vague memory in the back of my head. For all I know it won't even happen that way."

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	foreverjack 2017-02-11 10:02 pm UTC (link)
	At that, he lets out a vaguely amused snort. "See, that's why I've always tried to just live in the now and not think too far ahead. You never really know what's coming, even if you're a time-traveller. You can never be sure. And even if you think you know what's coming, it can often trick you by sticking in a twist at the end." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

chipswiththat
2017-02-11 10:08 pm UTC (link)

"Making plans is so boring!" he huffs, feeling impatient just thinking about it. "We have too much time on our hands here, there's too much thinking and not enough doing!"

Which is, perhaps, part of the problem that they started off this conversation with. Time moves painfully slow and immeasurably fast here all at once. It does things to your brain, to your perception of what's important.

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foreverjack
2017-02-11 10:20 pm UTC (link)

"Right with you there," he agrees readily, because this is one area where they really do think alike. "I've always been much more of a doer than a thinker."

Or a talker, of course. Which is also what prompted this converstaion in the first place.

He cocks his head at Spike, curious. "How were things for you yesterday? Beyond the Ianto stuff, I mean. Was that really enough for you, or were you really as bored out of your skull as I was and just hiding it better?"

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	chipswiththat 2017-02-11 10:26 pm UTC (link)
	"That was more than enough for me." He's a romantic. Is it that surprising? "Don't get me wrong, I was bored out of my mind... but I'm bored now. Twenty years don't really make that much of a difference." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	foreverjack 2017-02-11 11:41 pm UTC (link)
	He shakes his head, smiling sadly. "I think I rather envy you, you know. I wish I could make things that simple for myself, too." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	chipswiththat 2017-02-12 09:01 am UTC (link)
	"Funny, that." He snorts. "You're the one with a beating heart and yet someone I'm the one who knows how to follow it." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

foreverjack
2017-02-12 04:40 pm UTC (link)

"It's not about whether they beat literally or not, you old romantic," he points out, amused - and that right there is of course the difference between them.

Except that he did follow his heart when they first got here, agreeing to a blue band arrangement with Ianto, and then again when all the stuff with Spike happened. Perhaps...

"Should I try to be more romantic?" he wonders for a moment, and then shakes his head, scoffing. "No, that's your department. I'm not trying to be like you!"

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chipswiththat
2017-02-12 04:52 pm UTC (link)

He makes an amused noise, biting back a comment about how last time Jack had control over Spike's body it didn't end so well and he should probably stay clear of any copycat behaviour, just to be safe. No sense in dragging up that old thing, though.

"Y'know... you don't have to be romantic. From what I can tell, that's definitely not what he sees in you in the first place." Okay, he can't help himself, but at least it's a gentle dig.

"That said, I bet it wouldn't hurt if you made an effort from time to time. Surprise him with something he'll like. Sometimes, you could even go for something that isn't your cock."

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foreverjack
2017-02-12 09:55 pm UTC (link)

He lifts a rather longsuffering eyebrow at the amused sound, and the second eyebrow joins it at that last comment. He knows what Spike thinks of his sex obsession, but the fact is that sex has always been what his relationship with Ianto has revolved around.

"Thanks for that," he says dryly, but he is actually thinking about the advice, especially since Spike isn't the only one to have brought it up over the last few months. "I suppose I could have a think about what might be a nice surprise for him. We've never exactly dated, after all. Back home, it was pretty much just sex and here - well, here we just kind of move in together right at the start and that was that. I guess it's been a good while since I've surprised him with something nice."

Probably, their 50th day date and night in a hut on the beach was the only and only time, in fact, if he really thinks about it.

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chipswiththat
2017-02-12 10:05 pm UTC (link)

This is what you get for getting in bed with him. Sorry, Jack.

"It's not a bad idea, you know. Act like a proper couple and maybe you'll become one." Said plainly, without attitude and with the hopes that Jack will understand what he's getting at. Graduate from just sex to something multi-dimensional.

"Even if it's just taking him out for dinner. It's the thought that counts."

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foreverjack
2017-02-12 10:14 pm UTC (link)

It's okay. He knew what he was getting into bed with. He considers it worth it, mostly.

"We eat together a lot of the time," he points out, because of course they do. They live together; they eat in a fair amount of the time, and especially breakfast - on those mornings they wake up together, which of course is by no means all of them any more.

"But yeah, I could make more of an effort there. I guess actually taking him out, making a bit of a thing of it, might foster some conversation and give us a chance to actually talk without sex getting in the way."

His lips twitch. "When we're at home and we try to talk, it pretty much always seems to just devolve into sex!"

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	chipswiththat 2017-02-12 10:36 pm UTC (link)
	Some day Spike will make good on those promises of non-breathing blow jobs and maybe even out the good and the bad. "That's what I'm talking about - there's a big difference between eating and going out." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

foreverjack
2017-02-13 03:47 pm UTC (link)

He can wait for the blow jobs. Contrary to what Spike might believe, he does value more than just sex, and although he might never admit it out loud, the advice and companionship Spike's giving him right now are worth more than sex.

"I know. It's just something we've never really done." He lifts his eyes to Spike's face. "Sometimes I worry there really isn't any more to our relationship than working together and sex."

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	chipswiththat 2017-02-13 07:10 pm UTC (link)
	"No time better than the present to find out, don't you think?" Rather than let two decades of bitterness poison any chance they have of remaining friendly in a place so small you can hardly turn a corner without running into someone familiar. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	foreverjack 2017-02-14 10:10 am UTC (link)
	"Yeah. I guess." He nods, rather exhausted by the prospect of what feels like it's going to be a long uphill climb, but a lot more accepting of it, and a lot more at ease about it, than he was half an hour ago. He manages a small smile. "Thanks, Spike. For all of this. And... I'm sorry about all the hitting. Thanks for letting me." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	chipswiththat 2017-02-14 10:41 am UTC (link)
	This is what they're supposed to do, Spike thinks. They agreed to this threeway arrangement and that means supporting each other and working shit out. He's just doing his job. "You hit like a girl." he shrugs, and coming from him it's not even almost an insult. More like the opposite. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

foreverjack
2017-02-14 11:16 am UTC (link)

It is a big part of what it's all about, of course, but it's still new enough with Spike that it still feels a bit weird. He's also definitely feeling that so far Spike has got something of the shitty end of the relationship with him, having to spend more of his time talking him through how to make things work with Ianto than enjoying the actual fun parts of a threeway relationship!

(On the other hand, he remembers Spike considers talking rates more highly than sex, so maybe Spike's entirely happy with the way it's going!)

He laughs lightly at the insult/compliment and stands up, moving to cradle Spike's bruised face in his hands and lean in to press an affectionate kiss to his mouth.

"Thank you. I'll see you around." And, with the inevitable swirl of the coat, he's gone.

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