Fic: Epitaph

[sparrow2000]

Title: Epitaph
Characters: Giles, Ethan
Author: sparrow2000
Warnings: Gen
Rating: G/FRC
Disclaimer: Joss and Mutant Enemy et al, own everything. I own nothing.
Summary: Giles mourns his Slayer and receives an unexpected visitor.
Comments and feedback are cuddled and called George
Beta extraordinaire: thismaz
Written for 2022 summer_of_giles
Word count: 3,200(ish)

This is my final contribution to this year's summer_of_giles and it was wonderful to have the opportunity to think about Giles and Ethan - I always enjoy writing them so much, so I hope folks enjoy reading. Again, thank you to the mods of this great community for giving us all such a lovely space to show our love of Giles and I look forward to everyone else's contributions for the rest of the month.

Epitaph (on LJ)

Epitaph (on AO3)

Comments

[accioawesome]

I love the idea of Ethan actually caring about Giles not becoming a watcher for his own sake, not just because Ethan would hate everything the council represented.

This quiet reflection between them is so nice, you write them so well, these tired older men with so much history.

I really liked a few lines specifically:
“helicopter parents to his newborn slayerless state” and “the gulf of years gone by smaller than it had been even moments before”.

[sparrow2000]

Thank you so much! The idea of Ethan both being self absorbed and caring about Giles really appeals to me - it's part of him being two-faced, just like Janus who he worships. They are definitely older and more tired here, and that makes them so appealing to explore.

Yay, quotage - it's always so interesting to know what lines resonated with people.

Thank you again, I really do appreciate you reading and the wonderful comment.

[il_mio_capitano]

Sorry I can't make LJ work today.

This was beautiful sparing as Ethan gave Giles the companionship he needed. I like you choice you made - not angry or slushy - just two old guys saying things others couldn't share.

Thank you

[sparrow2000]

LJ has definitely been playing up. I keep threatening to migrate to DW fulltime and can't quite make myself leave LJ for nostalgia reasons! :)

Thank you so much for the lovely comment. I loved the idea of Ethan genuinely wanting to support Giles in his grief, but at the same time still being true to his own contrary nature. As you say, "two old guys saying things others couldn't share" - that's it in a nutshell.

Thank you, again!