More Father Drabbles

[cornerofmadness]

okay these should be it (overactive muse....)

Angel – S 4  Bastard
 
Self righteous bastard, that’s what his teenaged self had called his father and Angel stood by that. Connor’s flippant responses to that remark cut deep. Obviously his son felt the same way toward him as he felt toward his own father. That hurt more than Angel was ready for especially because he knew it was true. Connor, whether he knew it or not was third generation bastard. The realization was sobering. Angel wanted to be a better father than his was but truth was, he never listened to what Connor wanted. He dictated just like his father had. He could change.

 

Spike – pre-show Father’s Footsteps
 
He hated it when his ripe wicked plum called that square-headed ponce, ‘Daddy.’ It tore him up inside when Dru looked at Angelus with those big eyes, wanting him to make it all better, to take away her pains and fears. That was his job now. He was the one who was supposed to be her solace, not Angelus.

The problem was Dru didn’t see it that way. Worse, there were times Spike caught himself looking to Angelus for help. He needed a mentor. Angelus fit the role. He begrudgingly followed in his new father’s footsteps. He’d become Daddy’s monster

And I usually don't do this, put up drabbles from one of my own AR series but since both

evil_little_dog  and bashipforever  asked for it... The next few are in my AR universe where Connor and Dawn had a daughter, Sorcha. Dawn died in birth and Connor kinda went nuts for a few years and was hospitalized until Sorcha was three. Buffy is raising the girl. You can find the series here if you want. Box of Crayons. If you decide to check it out, I hope you like it. And onto the drabbles

 

 
Rose garden
 
Connor looked into the blue eyes of his baby, memorizing everything about her as if afraid Buffy wouldn’t bring her back to the gardens, his home. He heard Buffy’s whispers to Giles about a mental hospital not being a place for a baby but the words made no sense to him.

 

Connor leaned against the oak tree, looking around for Dawn. Why was she hiding from him? How could he be a father without her? Babies needed their parents. Sorcha gurgled, her tiny hand touching his cheek. She was the most beautiful thing in the world. Dawn needed to see her.

 

 

Connor & Buffy – Wrapped Around Her Finger
 
“Whatcha looking at?” Buffy asked softly.
 
Connor pointed into Angel’s office where Angel and Spike were lounging on the floor intently coloring in Sorcha’s coloring books under the child’s intent supervision.  Connor held a digital camera. “The Scourge of Europe and William the Bloody are trying to out do each other to impress a three year old.”
 
“Your father looks so happy.” Buffy grinned.
 
“He’s finally getting to do all the things he wanted to do with me,” Connor said a little sadly then shook it off. “Evil vampires, smile for the camera!”
 
Buffy watched Connor run for his life.

 

 

Connor – Fireflies
 
Connor watched Sorcha racing around in the courtyard trying to catch lightning bugs. She was everything he had ever wanted. Her laughter was like ethereal diamonds and her innocent joy warmed him. This was the life he was supposed to have had, what every child should have. What he wouldn’t do to have Dawn back in his life. Their little girl was looking more like her mom every day. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Connor looked over at Angel who had joined him by the roses.
 
“Fatherhood’s great, isn’t it?” Angel smiled.
 
“Wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
 

 

Connor – Tantrums
 
“No!” Sorcha used her favorite word with vigor.
 
“Behave young lady, or you’re going to your room,” Connor said and Sorcha promptly threw a tantrum in true three-year-old style.
 
“Still enjoying being a father?” Angel laughed and Connor curled his lip at his father. “At least she hasn’t welded you into a coffin yet.”

”Keep it up, Dad, and there’ll be a repeat performance. Sorcha, enough!”
 
“Let me,” Angel said. “Sorcha, sweetie, Uncle Spike’s in the living room. Why don’t you go play with him?”

Sorcha’s blue eyes gleamed and she ran off.
 
“I almost feel for Spike.” Connor snorted.

 

 

Connor – Christmas Joy
 
“Gently sweetie, pet the kitty gently,” Connor cautioned as Sorcha reached for the Cornish rex Angel had gotten his granddaughter for Christmas.
 
Sorcha stroked the cat a few times then climbed on the couch and threw her arms around Connor’s neck. She kissed his cheek. “Love my kitties. Love you, Daddy.”
 
Connor folded her in his arms, resting his cheek on the top of her head. “Love you, baby.” This was what being a father was about. All too soon, she’d be in school, dating, driving a car, leaving him but for now she was his baby girl, his heart.

Comments

[myfeetshowit.livejournal.com]

I hadn't read the crayon series yet and have been long meaning to do so. I came over here to wish you a belated Happy Birthday and saw these wonderful drabbles.

I decided now was the time and read the series. You and your co-author brought more than one tear to my eye and many a smile to my face. The awards were well justified and I'm sure you'll be getting more.

Happy Belated Birthday.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

thanks for the birthday wishes and all the high praise for the Crayons series (expect two new stories one from each of us soon.) I'll let Chris know

[myfeetshowit.livejournal.com]

To answer Chris; question (and probably yours too, if you are like me--I always want to know what the readers react to), I'll start by admitting that Spike is my guy first and foremost (I'm not a shipper of any kind for any of the characters), although I love all the Buffy group.

That being the case, I was brave and stiff-lipped, though anguished throughout Dawn and Conner's travails. I had only intended to read the first story because I'm so behind on my flist and RL but I was spellbound and could not stop from continuing on to the next and then the next.

I write Spike myself and my take on him is different (than anybodys because I write Victorian morality plays and other strange fantasies) and I was enthralled with this view of him.

By the time he and Cordelia discovered one another I was sniveling like a fool and could no longer blame it on my cold. You got my first tear through my weakest point but it was the cummulative affect of the misery and the slow but steady steps to happiness for the whole cast that had me pulling tissue after tissue from the box.

Reading all the stories in one go probably make the progress from present onset of distress to nostalgia more apparent than if I had read the stories as they were written but I still felt as though I were encountering the highs and lows of life with family. I felt the nostalgia as though I had been there and found the hints of future demands on Sorcha as distressing as though she were someone I truly knew. I'm looking forward eagerly to those two new stories.

I've been doing a little group writing (I'm working on a Soul Survivor episode, if you have been following that virtual series) so I know what that demands from a writer, and I am extremely impressed with how well your writing meshes. I'm fairly good at picking up style and writing habits because I beta quite a bit (or did when I had more time) but I was too involved with the story to even pay attention and neither knew or cared who wrote when or where. You both did an absolutely wonderful job.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

thank you ever so much for the long input (I'll make sure Chris sees) While I'm home I'll have to be sure to stop by your site and print off (for free yay!) some stories so I can read them.

I used to write a lot of Spike until S6 soured me on him. Chris does a lot of SPike stuff, okay almost exclusively SPike stuff. On our site, she's oddities and wonderments.

Yeah, I do a lot of Spike stuff

[(Anonymous)]

And believe me, I never intended to - I started out loathing the little shit until I found that there was more to him than I first thought and that's where the exploration started. If I were to meet someone like him in reality, I'd loathe him. He reminds me of every nasty little boy who bent over backwards not to have me on his ball team but then reversed his opinion the same day when it came time to pick a partner for a science quiz game. However, I pity him in a way, as I now do some of my schoolyard tormentors - but from a safe distance.
Anyway, it's fun to torment him.

myfeetshowit

[(Anonymous)]

Hi, I'm not registered, or part of LJ, but I'm the other author in the Crayons series. Glad you enjoyed it! What about it made you tear up? I'm always interested!