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summer_of_giles2016-07-11 09:23 am
Fic: Legacies
Title: Legacies
Author: ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
littleotter73
Characters: Buffy/Giles
Rating: FRM
Setting: Two years post Chosen, no comics.
Word Count: 23,150
Summary: After helping to rebuild the Council, Buffy and Giles team up to search out artifacts and investigate supernatural issues on its behalf. This assignment takes them to Germany along the Mosel River to meet up with a man who has a couple of medieval manuscripts in his possession belonging to the Council and to the Giles family. What sort of wisdom can a long dead ancestor impart after 750 years? And what were his books doing in the possession of someone not affiliated with the Council?
Beta: foreverbooks, to whom I am totally indebted for stepping in to help when other arrangements fell through. This story is a behemoth and she took it all in stride.
Disclaimer: Just for fun, not profit
A/N 1: Special thanks to my friend emerys for help with some of the French background - it goes deeper than what is in the actual story, but it was fun to create that world, and to my friend Regan for the Latin translation.
A/N 2: This story was not supposed to be this long, but it evolved and needed to be told in its current form. I didn’t write it in chapter form, so there are no real natural breaks for me to parcel it out on LJ which is why I am posting on AO3 and linking to Summer of Giles.
A/N 3: Dedicated to il_mio_capitano, thank you for being you.
Legacies
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Aww, this was so lovely! I loved the romance, it was so gentle and sweet. It certainly hit the fluffy spot and gave me the warm and fuzzies. Loved it!
I loved their post-coital banter:
“Wow,” she said, when she finally found her voice.
Giles beamed at her. “It was rather, wasn’t it?”
“God, you are so British,” she said with a chuckle, slapping his shoulder in amusement.
“Well, I am British,” he stated with a sated grin on his face.
“Yeah. Take the man out of Old Blighty, but you’ll never take Old Blighty out of the man.”
Made quite a few people in the cafe I was in give me a funny look when I started chuckling.
I really liked the plot. It's such a good idea and I love that you gave Buffy a legacy of her own. Part of me wonders what exactly would happen if you cross a Watcher and a Slayer line. Super awesome Watcher/Slayer combo or the BtVS version of a squib? I also enjoyed boss Xander. Hehe.
I’ve already proven I can’t fight genetics.
Damn straight!
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It delights me so that you loved the story! And I would've loved to have been in the café to see and hear your reaction. LOL
It was important to me to give Buffy a legacy and something to root her to, because I think in the wake of Chosen, she, as the Slayer from which all others are "born" so to speak, becomes the root. And when your foundation is a bit shallow - Buffy really never wanted the job, nor to be the general, though she rose to the roles and was extremely effective, it can be too much. And I think that is one of the reasons why, after she works to rebuild the Council, she doesn't take a prominent role within it and instead opts to travel the world and hunt down supernatural artifacts and follow leads. In a way, she's running from all that, but still does what she knows, does her job.
We'll have to work on those genetic squares and talk theory! ;)
Thank you for reading, commenting, and being supportive!
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I loved the plot about Roland Giles and all the small details. I loved Giles figuring out the code in no time flat. But mostly I loved Buffy's reaction to the book of slayers. I loved the idea that Buffy who was feeling rootless and adrift to be given physical evidence of a different heritage that she was a part of. She was envious of Max and Giles being able to trace their lineages to the Middle Ages only to discover that a possible slayer bloodlines means that she has a linage that stretches back even further! (You know, I've toyed with a possible headcanon that Joyce was an unidentified Potential, so I really am intrigued by this idea.)
As for Buffy and Giles relationship, I loved how sweet it was. Like they both realized they were ready for the next stage of their relationship, so they just went ahead and got on living. I loved how you capture the sweet, ordinary moments of being a couple. I really loved the scene with Buffy and Max's daughter. I could see how it would make Giles doubt himself a bit, but I'm relieved Buffy was able to knock some sense into him! And I really, really loved Buffy's nonchalant "Yeah, sorry we can't stay longer, Xander. Giles and I have to go house hunting."
Mostly I just loved this fic!!
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I am sure Roland's contemporaries wouldn't have cracked the code so easily! Giles is a badass. ;)
I tend to explore that theme a lot (perhaps too much). The idea of Buffy not knowing her family history and Giles having a rather rich one that he's tied to. But we see a bit of that in canon, at least on Giles' side when we get glimpses of his past. Wish we got more, but then if we did, then we wouldn't get to build worlds and histories, and admittedly, I like that.
I've read one or two fics that explored the idea of Joyce as a potential. I can't remember them too well, but I find the idea interesting.
Giles usually gets so beat up in SoG, that I wanted him to have something easy and sweet. Of course, there has to be that little bit of conflict, and of course it has to be self induced. LOL
And Buffy has a gentle side to her and I wanted to explore that a bit outside of her protective nature. With Dawn, it was always about protecting her, both as a big sister and later in the maternal role after Joyce died. I wanted to see her in a relaxed setting with a small child. I am glad it worked well.
I think the only way to handle the announcement that they were a couple, was to do it in an understated way. Like, this happened and it's a thing, and we are happy. Buffy trusts Xander not to overreact and he takes it in stride.
Thank you so much for reading and commenting! I am glad it has an audience because I am really proud of this story. :)
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Oh I think it was a given that nobody would have cracked it as fast as Giles! I'm sure Max gave it his best shot!
Wish we got more, but then if we did, then we wouldn't get to build worlds and histories, and admittedly, I like that.
I totally agree. I love the show for what it was, but I love the fandom for being able to explore what it could be!
I think the only way to handle the announcement that they were a couple, was to do it in an understated way. Like, this happened and it's a thing, and we are happy.
Totally agree. I can't really see it happening any other way, but I really find satisfaction from those scenes. I'm not entire sure why. Maybe because after something has been so private, it's nice to see the reactions of those they love. And I probably find too much amusement in "how long has this been going on?!" reactions.
I am glad it has an audience because I am really proud of this story.
You should be proud! It's excellent!! And as someone who found this little corner of the fandom quite late, it's so nice to have people still writing wonderful fic!! Makes me feel a little better about missing its heyday!
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I am a sucker for and a huge fan of the quiet moments between Buffy and Giles. I mean to the point that they are so my jam, I want to feed them, snuggle them, and call them George. They never got many of those in the show. And I think that is something that Xander would be cognizant of. And he knows he will get the full scoop at some point, because they have yet to tell Dawn and Willow, so he'll probably arrange a movie night or something.
Aww *blushes*. I came to the fandom late too. We definitely need more B/G fic out there! I'm glad you are here! :)
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He felt like a fully conceived character! It's one of those details that make this story so enjoyable.
I am a sucker for and a huge fan of the quiet moments between Buffy and Giles. I mean to the point that they are so my jam, I want to feed them, snuggle them, and call them George. They never got many of those in the show.
This! This! This! That's exactly how I feel!! They both suffered enough on the show. I just want them to have some happiness that last. Lord know they more than earned it!
We definitely need more B/G fic out there! I'm glad you are here! :)
Aww, thanks! Happy to be here! Hopefully, my writing mojo will keep going because I have more stories I want to tell!
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It was clever that Giles is comparing himself to Roland and feeling miserable for himself. I didn't see that coming but it makes so much sense.
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Well, eventually, Buffy and Giles would end up in Germany in one of my stories. I am so glad the German details were true. And yes, I've been there. :) I lived in Germany for six years (Schleswig-Holstein and Baden-Württemberg) and I also lived in Belgium for three years. I know the Mosel River valley quite well!
There were a lot of similarities between Giles and Roland (Roland even got knocked on the head in the opening scene ;)), it was only natural that he would end up comparing himself to his ancestor. Roland was essentially a mirror for him.
Thank you for such kind words and taking the journey and being such an avid reader of my stories! I am thrilled that you felt right at home in the fic. For me, that's high praise indeed! :)
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Oh my god this took me forever to read but it was so worth it. Then again, i knew it would be, your stories always are. As usual your attention to detail is simply amazing. It's been a while since I've read a Buffy/Giles fic because I've been spending most of my time reading BtVS/Supernatural crossovers. So this was a nice way to get back into the B/G swing of things. Anyway, loved the fic. I'm really bad at reviews, so I think I'm going to stop typing now.
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And with my ADD, it would probably take me three days to read something that long... okay, maybe not quite that long, but I could never sit down and read something this long in one go. Hey! Flock of turtles!
Well, welcome back to B/G fic. I am so glad you loved the story. It means a lot to me! Thank you for reading and leaving some love! :)
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