Fic: In Motion

[rogin]

I wrote this a while ago to get a bit used to writing fighting scenes and I thought it suits the poetry in motion-prompt on nekid_spike , so I decided to post it before I get swallowed by work and visitors again.

Rating: like the show
Pairing: Spike/Buffy
Disclaimer:  Not mine, I’m just having fun with them
Notes: Thanks to darklingdawns for taking a look at it.
Summary: What goes through Spike’s head when he is fighting Buffy.
Feedback: Makes me insanely happy and run around with a dorky smile on my face for days. Concrit, pointing out of errors and charactarization discussion are als also very welcome.

 

Nothing compared to the feeling of fighting a slayer. And nothing at all compared to fighting this particular slayer. Every nerve in his body sang with excitement, as he reacted to the graceful pattern of her movements. She was truly chosen to do this, to be this. A force of destruction brimming with power like a lightning bolt, charging the air around them, so that the hairs in the back of his neck stood up.

Her left elbow caught his jaw with a disturbingly crunching sound. He tried to ignore the pain as best as he could and used the momentum to dive beneath her right fist that was aiming for his nose. Spike bent back and sidestepped to get out of her reach. Taking advantage from his longer limbs, he aimed a dropkick at the back of her knees. He managed to kick out Buffy’s left leg from under her but it took her just an instant to rebalance and use the same leg to kick him in the face. Spike saw it coming but instead of evading the impact he just changed his stance slightly so that the blow could not catch him with its full force. He grabbed her ankle, pulling her foot towards himself. Buffy lost her stance for a moment but then she twisted in the air, letting herself be pulled by him, using his own strength to tackle him and knocked him off his feet. She crash landed on his chest, lingering just a split second to look him over before she punched him in the face.

It was that little moment that told him that, just maybe, he wasn’t like all the other vampires to her. It was obvious how easy this came to her. Sometimes it even seemed to him that those fights were the only times when he got a glimpse at the real Buffy. Not trying to hide her raw power, but reveling in their mutual brutality. She was enjoying this just as much as he was, no doubt about it. He couldn’t help grinning as he flipped her off himself and tried to pin her to the ground without success.

He would not necessarily say that she was quicker than him. Vampires were after all pretty agile. It was more the impossible way in which she moved, able to twist her small body out of its own strength without any need for leverage. Like a cat falling and preparing to land on it’s feet.  Punches that came out of nowhere and rightfully should not have had any force behind them could blow him off his feet. This made it hard to predict her next move, to lure her into a trap. Made it interesting too, though. All his senses were on edge to keep up with her actions and she still managed to catch him by surprise more often than not.

He twisted back to his feet, paying with a cracked rib for being too careless and expecting her to come from the other direction.

The faintest ghost of a smile glinted in her eyes. He used her split second of triumph to catch her square on the nose, flinging her head backwards. Blond strands of hair that had come loose were flying around her like flames. He mentally swallowed down the E-word.

Slayer healing and all, he could take more damage before it started to affect him. Her head must be spinning, yet the only reaction he could discern on her face was fierce determination.  Despair just wasn’t part of her nature. As long as her body was still alive and adrenalin pumped through her veins nothing was more important than winning the fight. Pain was delayed to be felt when everything was over. 

Still, now, when she was recovering, was the perfect moment to go for her throat. With a growl he changed and charged. That very instant the quick thumping of her heartbeat seemed louder to him than any other noises of the night.  He could almost taste the metallic flavor of her blood in the back of his mouth. He was just a quick bite away from it now.

This was when she clocked him on the head heavily with both her hands, fingers laced together. As Spike went down his teeth ripped open a bloody gash along her left breast. He recovered just in time to roll backwards, avoiding a dropkick that might have clocked him out.

Buffy paused a second there, panting, assessing him, looking for a weakness, for an opening, for any way to end him. It would be a death sentence to tell her that but right now she reminded him of Drusilla. Dru when she was hunting, when she was sussing out the best way to steal a suckling baby from its mother’s breast. A predator from head to toe. It sent shivers down his spine when she looked at him like that. Blood was dribbling down her belly and yet there was not even a trace of fear in her demeanor. It made him want to rip her throat out so he could drown himself in the power that radiated from her.

They circled each other for a few seconds. Then within the blink of an eye they both attacked, mashing their bodies together. He could feel one hand that was supposed to hit him roam down his flank, while the other blocked his punch. Their legs were entwining to throw each other off balance but when he pushed his thigh between hers, he was mostly just reveling in the touch. Grey green eyes met blue ones for a moment. The next instant they broke apart as fast as they had come together and the dance of kicks and blows started once more.

Her scent was getting intense to him. Small pearls of sweat started to form on her forehead. Her blood was rushing and all her juices flowing. Spike found she smelled like sunshine most of the time. Warm, clean and deadly. Like she would burn him to cinders if he came too close. Now that smell was blotted out by a more basic mix of aromas that made him heady. Agitation was there, excitement and, it was useless to deny, arousal.

Where had that stake come from? He must have missed, when she reached for it. He faked another go for her throat and grabbed her wrist. But he didn’t manage to get a proper hold. She was too quick for that. The stake scraped along his arm. Her jaw was set now, the corners of her mouth curling up with a look of amused determination, that involuntary joy in the close kill that probably only her enemies ever got to see. And most of those took it too their graves, just like the dark glare of Nikki Wood.

She went in for it. Impatience was overruling caution. It was the need to end it that drove her now. End it, him, the enemy, the monster, the vampire no matter what. He feigned a block, sidestepped and kicked her hand so he’d be rid of the stake. Their bodies connected once more. He could feel her muscles vibrate with tension from all the adrenalin. He knew his must feel alike, cold but equally taut. He was so close to living, when every fiber of his being sung with the fight.

He caught her around the waist, finally gaining a grip on her that was firm enough to toss her hard enough to break something of importance.  But there it was again! One of those moves that should not have been physically possible. She brought up both her feet between them and kicked herself off from his chest, propelling her body free from his grip if only to crash on the floor.

He leaped after her and for a second there he thought he had her but she rolled to the side last moment and he landed only on wet grass. Her bony fist connected with his jaw, giving him a headache that left him prone for an instant. She took advantage and jumped on his chest, pinning him down with those ridiculously strong arms that looked like easily breakable twigs.

He squirmed beneath her and attempted to bite her with a feral growl. She only rocked her hips in response, almost absently, while she took another stake out of her waistband and raised it.

He stared up into her blazing eyes, suddenly nearly paralyzed. She towered over him like an avenging angel, determined to make him pay for all his sins. Part of him even wanted her to finish him off for good. It was like looking down from a cliff toying with the thought of how the wind would feel if you fell down. To feel for oneself what it was like, when a slayer fulfilled her destiny. Would it be a sensation worth dying for?

But then her lips connected with his, hungrily searching his corpse for a spark of life and he knew, there was no thing in hell that could make him leave this world as long as she was in it.

Comments

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

*Is out of breath after reading that.*

I'm really impressed by the way you could sustain a single fight scene for that long and keep it varied and interesting.

And I especially loved the way you call attention to the supernatural nature of Buffy's strength, with her lack of need for leverage and all that. It's one of those things that's obvious once it's pointed out, and it's definitely going to influence my own descriptions of Slayers fighting now. Though I suspect Spike, with his experience of fighting Slayers (and especially this Slayer) is better placed than most vampires to actually notice the difference.

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

You read my fic! You read my fic *does little dance of joy*

I'm glad you thought that I managed to keep it interesting throughout, I love detailed fighting scenes in books and fic, so I wanted to give it a try.

I figured that part of what the makes the slayers so dangerous is that you can't guess their strength by their looks, so tried to describe how hard this makes it to battle them. And how interesting it makes them for someone who enjoys few things more than a good brawl, like Spike.

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

*does little dance of joy*
:-)

I've read a few rants from people complaining about "unrealistic" fight scenes in movies and TV programmes, and one of the commonest problems is the way people fly across the room when they're hit, or shot, even though in real life there just wouldn't be enough momentum behind the blow to make them do more than stagger back a little. That especially applies to a tiny little blonde woman half the size of her opponent; it's not just a question of strength but of leverage.

So the fact that Slayers' strength is magical in origin means that they *can* do things which are physically impossible, such as kick a 100kg man across the room without any leverage or traction on the floor, and without recoiling backwards twice as far themselves....

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

*nods* yes that's exactly what I wanted to convey.

Of course on the show the scenes are only made to look cool, not realistic, but I like to take that as part of the supernatural canon. So slayer power does not only mean strength and fast healing but also some cheating with Newton.

[scarlett2u.livejournal.com]

That was just a beautiful, beautiful piece of writing. I enjoyed it immensely and will recommend to fellow Spuffy fans. Brava!

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! It means a lot to me, that you enjoyed it.*blushes*

Though I love Spuffy, this ended up the first thing I managed to actually post.

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

Wow! Am speechless, and, as someone else said, out of breath. Well done!

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! It makes me happy that you enjoyed it.

[bubblegum-nails.livejournal.com]

*guh*

Did you post this gem somewhere else, too? 'cos I'm sure you're gonna get a huge amount of positive feedback on that, if you do. And then dreary days at the lab won't be no more! :)

The last part totally swept me away, it's just so Spike!
"To feel for oneself what it was like, when a slayer fulfilled her destiny. Would it be a sensation worth dying for?"
For Spike achieving one perfect moment, (one good day) is an addiction and to gain this one moment he would even die for. Not just Slayers have a deathwish concerning vampires, Spike has a little deathwish concerning Slayers, too. Only his lust for life keeps him alive, eventually, just like Buffy.
Life-junkies, the both of them. :) Which makes them a better couple by far, than Buffy and Angel..
And the last part was just so sweet :D "..there was no thing in hell that could make him leave this world as long as she was in it."
*my spuffy hearts beats for you*

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

:) :D Thank you so much for reading and leaving such detailed feedback. Love all the meta you're seeing in my little fighting scene. We seem to have a pretty similar view of Spike. I love how fighting for him is life affirmation (like when he first got the chip and wanted to kill himself 'till he found out that he could still hit the bad guys) and since Buffy is the ultimate deadly opponent it's only natural that this is a major turn on for him.

With Angel I had more the feeling that he loved her in spite of her being the slayer and him being a vampire, to Spike the slayer thing is bonus.

I'm afraid I only posted it here and linked it on nekid_spike, but obviously not very many people saw it. Do you know a place were it would fit in? It's actually the first Spuffy I posted though I wrote a lot more.

[bubblegum-nails.livejournal.com]

Hee, that's just because I delurked and can post all the stuff I usually ramble about by myself.. :P

Thinking about all the Scoobies and the LA Gang it feels to me that Spike, Faith and Buffy are the only ones truly addicted to the rush of the fight. The other fighters (Angel, Gunn, Giles, Cordelia, Wesley, Wood, Connor) don't fight because of the fight itself, but 1. as a means of self defence 2. to achieve their goals (mostly saving the world) and 3. sometimes also to release aggressions. The thing Buffy, Spike and Faith love about the fight is the primal energy that's released in a fight, that erases all thoughts and intentional acts. Just animalistic instincts and pulsating life.
Spike and Faith are kinda open about their love for the primal - Buffy doesn't admit it openly, but as wise Faith and Spike know, she does too. :]
And this love for the crack and the crunch, that Buffy and Spike share, makes their relationship so wonderfully electric and dirrrty!! Bangel is just a bit..well, I don't wanna say boring, but it just weighs so heavy on the mood..all the drama, there's nothing elevating in it.
|
|--> "With Angel I had more the feeling that he loved her in spite of her being the slayer and him being a vampire, to Spike the slayer thing is bonus."

Hm..dunno..I've never been to any communities..except nekid_spike and the fanged four. ^^ Still congrats, I think its an outstanding fic, because it shows the Spuffy relationship in its basics in a way I never read before!

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

Delurking is good :]

Thought about what you wrote about Spike, Faith and Buffy being the only ones who really bask in the rush of the fight. At first I thought that Angel too likes his fair share of violence and should be in the list, but you're right he doesn't quite fit. As Angelus he enjoyed victimizing people, not actually getting into a fight he could lose (see that wonderful scene between them in the mine). And as Angel he sometimes releases aggression, but he doesn't actually enjoy it.

A lot of what I find so interesting about Spuffy is that while Buffy mostly suppresses her wild side and tried to hide it with Angel, she lets go with Spike. I just get the impression that it's him she's most herself with.
Bangel is not really my thing either, but I'm sure it has it's own appeal to the people who like it.

[bubblegum-nails.livejournal.com]

"And as Angel he sometimes releases aggression, but he doesn't actually enjoy it."
Yeah, Angel is much too uptight to let go, like Spike Buffy and Faith - which is probably a good thing, I don't think Angel/us really on the loose would be a pleasant event.

"I just get the impression that it's him (Spike) she's most herself with."
Like he said in his heartbreaking speech to her, that he's seen the best and the worse of her. He of all people (even íncluding Giles and her mother) truly knows her, all aspects.
Not that I don't like Angel, I really do, just not with Buffy, just as I don't like Buffy with Angel the way I do with Spike. They're not good for each other, forget all about the "true love" crap..*grumbles* A threesome, with Spike in the middle, that's the way to go!! =D

Meeting per accident on icq seems as likely as me ever understanding physics..(that's not very high) How about picking a time? =)

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Angel is much too uptight to let go, like Spike Buffy and Faith - which is probably a good thing, I don't think Angel/us really on the loose would be a pleasant event.
I imagine as Angelus he mostly enjoyed hurting people, so now he's feeling guilty about it and letting go is not an option because it would bring him too close to Angelus self indulging mindset.

just as I don't like Buffy with Angel the way I do with Spike
That's the main aspect for me. I don't like the girly way Buffy acts with Angel.

A threesome, with Spike in the middle, that's the way to go!! =D
Oh yes, I absolutely agree! Actually there's a pretty long unfinished fic on my hard drive that leads to that constellation, but it's pretty plotty and larger than my ability as a writer I'm afraid. I still hope I'll get it done one day.

Picking a time? maybe tonight after six? I'll be in the lab till eight or nine at least, but just guarding my gel, so i could turn on icq.
Otherwise I'll be most likely online pretty much all day on the weekend, since I need to prepare a lecture about my thesis *shudders*.

[bubblegum-nails.livejournal.com]

Yes, Buffy is always so terribly girly and prissy around Angel, which just isn't her - hot chick with superpowers =)
Angel can be such a dork at times, but never around Buffy and also a real badass, much more so in A:tS, than we've ever seen him on Buffy. Around each other, they stop evolving, too involved with their relationship to concentrate on themselves. Spike doesn't block either of them the way they block each other.

Ahh, great there just isn't enough Spuffel (hee, love the name) floating around! I'm sure you can do it and it's going to be great and if not I'm going to cheer anyway =D

Today won't work I'm afraid, how about saturday evening? OhGod, speaking in front of an audience..always makes me want to run of the stage like Willow. =/

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

Hm, I guess Bangel has it's own appeal in the way that they both really want to be their best for each other, but I never could get into it.

Ahh, great there just isn't enough Spuffel (hee, love the name) floating around! I'm sure you can do it and it's going to be great and if not I'm going to cheer anyway =D
*has violent urge to highjack you as a preaudience* I'm terrible.
Elisi has written a little bit of Spuffel that is very good, but you're right there's not nearly enough of it and close to nothing with a plot.

Saturday evening is fine with me, by then I'll probably contemplating self maiming to avoid the talk. I don't have stage fright in general, but I hate it when I have to give scientific talks in front of an audience that knows probably more about the subject than I do...

[bubblegum-nails.livejournal.com]

Eek, mein icq funktioniert nich!! Die Vebindung is abends i.wie immer überlastet..>.<
Bist du morgen nachmittag nochmal online? Wenn du dich bis dahin nich zerstückelt hast o.o *virtuelle Kekse schickt* Gut für die Nerven =D

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

meine verbindung motzt auch grad rum und geht nur so halb. So wies aussieht bin ich morgen den ganzen tag vorm pc (argh), ich mach das icq mal am nachmittag an.

Danke für die kekse :) irgendwie wird es, muss es, gehen. Ich muss bloß noch furchtbar viele strukturformeln zeichnen und hoffen, dass ich keinen unsinn rede.

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

btw. e-mail wär viell. auch praktisch :) timov@gmx.at

[bubblegum-nails.livejournal.com]

Schon eine abgeschickt =)