Samhain

Craicbloke (Matt)

Samhain

Author: Craicbloke (Matt)

Rating: PG, possibly U.  Nowt in it, really.

Disclaimer: Based on an original concept by JW and ME. If BTVS were a LEGO kit, then this is my model, but it’s made with their bricks.

Setting; Post – series 7 in the Buffyverse, somewhere in the USA. Some spoilers, probably best NOT to read it if you’ve not seen the finale.

The pumpkin’s skin feels, well, like skin. Kind of mostly smooth, with wrinkles, and lumpeys, too. I’ll get going with the face in a minute or two. No point doing it, yet, it’ll go all icky by the time I’m ready. Not that anthropomorphically carved fruit are, essential, they’re just, traditional at this time of year. Why does it remind me of Giles?

Funny, pumpkins aren’t even really all that Halloweeny, apart from the whole Jack O’Lantern thing. The guy who can’t get into Heaven, can’t get into Hell thing. Pumpkins are kind of meant to keep him away from your home, along with all the other nasties. Just a coincidence, their handy decoratey–ness. Same as Holly at Christmas; really, that’s all they were for; repelling evil. Like mace, for the undead. Hey, wouldn’t it be great if you could, like, make into a spray. With holy water in it for the vamps. Cool.

Another great idea for the magic box. If it was still there. Should keep it in mind, if we ever decide to go back into business over a Hellmouth.

Nine months. Wow. Feels more like nine minutes, or nine years, can’t decide. Still can’t believe what happened. What we did.

The kettle clicks off, the water inside all bubbly for a second or two. Interrupts me. I start making the tea, taking my time, the way Giles would do it. Wow, again. Six months since I’ve seen Giles. I’m just about to start wondering how the old coot is, but I already know he’s fine. I just know. Water first, to warm the pot, so the tea doesn’t get scalded. Poor tea. Throw the hot water away, add a couple spoons of camomile, fill the pot. Just like Giles.

He said, when I went to stay with, that the only thing in life that doesn’t change, is that things, well…change. It sounded better when he said it. Everything did. Like, he’d really, really thought it through before he opened his mouth. Huh. Maybe that was it, after all. And I always thought it was because he’s British. He’s right, though.

I can feel it now, things are different since I used the magick to pull the big Slayer switcharoo. More now than I did before. Haven’t done so much magick since, either. Back in Blighty–land, with the coven, they said I would start to notice changes. I kind of thought I already had, but maybe not so much, then. Hard to tell. And I thought I’d done with all that puberty nonsense… It was just after I’d broken up with Kennedy, too. And again with the wow.

I don’t think I really loved her, she was just, there, when I was all kind of needy. S’pose it was the same for her. It was good, got us through some, but we were soooooo different. A whole big chunk of different, right there. And then, after the big Sunny–D went all Titanic on us, and we still had nowhere to stay, and we lived with her parents for a couple of weeks, that’s where it started to kind of suck. In the not–so–good kind of way. Kind of didn’t help that she hadn’t even come out to them – really not a surprise that they didn’t take too kindly to me after that. I mean, hey Mom, hey Dad, this is my girlfriend Willow, and by the way, did I also mention I’m gay? Awkward doesn’t even begin to describe.

Still. Over that now; ancient history. Slate clean. Stiff–upper–lippy. Still feel a smidge guilty, though. I know we were both using each other, but even so, no–one likes to be anyone else’s crutch. Huh, I do like that word. Sounds dirty when it’s not.

- Crutch,

Makes me smile – had to say it out loud, to get the effect. Feel all kind of teenagerish, now. What was the other one? The one Giles would say? Oh yeah,

- Gusset. Gusset, gusset…gusset!

Makes me laugh out loud, all kind of warm inside, too.

Miss Giles, now. Seems so long since I went over there. At least I know he’s okay. Why do I think about Pumpkins every time I think about Giles? Pumpkin! Time to put that face on.

I pick it up, hold it in front of me, concentrate. And again, a big old heap of Giles–ness. Weird. Damn, lost my concentration.

The way they showed me at the Coven, this isn’t really magick, it’s more persuasion. I hold the pumpkin in my hand, think hard enough at it and it’ll do what I want. Works with anything that’s alive, or that was alive. I’ve just got to persuade it that it has a face. Tricky, there’s a knack to it. The Coven said it wasn’t a glamour or anything, it was a – what did they call it? Praxis. Practical, something, thingummy, knowledge and skill. Focus and concentration, basically, like, Jedi mind–control for fruit. Anyway, eyes first.

Surprised again, how easy it all is, just a little nudge, and the pumpkin regrows itself. Eyes, nose, mouth. I get a small black candle, light it, ’til the wax at the top goes dribbly, and spills into the pumpkin. Root it down in the soft wax, and put the top of the orange fella’s head back on. Mmm. Looks familiar.

I put him on the window sill, looking out. And that’s it. All done with the preparations, the ritual. Time to sit and wait. Might have to start on the candy corn, soon. Pour myself another cup of tea, sit back down in my comfy spot. A pumpkinney glow, where the light reflects on the glass.

There’s a knock at the door.

- Hey.

- Hey!

- How did you know I’d come?

- I had a…feeling. Like the pumpkin?

- Very much. Looks like…Giles?

- Oh yeah! That’s who it is!

She smiles, inclines her head some, golden hair tucked behind one ear, just like always.