Drabble: The Archivist (Buffy/Giles)

[kivrin]

Title: The Archivist
Characters: Buffy/Giles
Rating: PG-13

He is still, always, the record-keeper, all their apocalypses mapped on his skin. In darkness the whorls and ridges of his scars are like Braille under her fingertips: a star at his temple, five small sunken ovals around a too-smooth circle on his chest, a long, thick, twisted snake along his left side. Stripes on his back, odd uneven lines on his fingers, countless lumps beneath his hair. Gwendolen Post, she whispers, Willow, the Knights. When her hand covers his, he grips it hard and kisses her harder,stilling her lips before she can continue: Angel, Angel, Angel.

Comments

[antennapedia.livejournal.com]

Ah, this metaphor, yes. And in this context, yes again. And the repetition at the end, a word that shouldn't land painfully but does here.

[raedbard.livejournal.com]

Oh, Giles. Oh, this is lovely, and (painfuly, wonderfully) sad too, of course. This: He is still, always, the record-keeper, all their apocalypses mapped on his skin is beautiful.

[bodhibird.livejournal.com]

Hummina hummina.

[headrush100.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's lovely. Quiet and beautiful and vivid. A litany of experience and pain.

[heron-pose.livejournal.com]

Golly.

Much better than dragonback and wars.

Golly.

[breadandroses.livejournal.com]

Oh, I like this very much. [/Temeraire-voice]

[penwiper26.livejournal.com]

I don't even ship B/G and I was very struck by this. It's remained in my memory for a long time as a poignant moment all the more powerful for being short. This is how a drabble is done, cats and kittens.

Well done!