Voice testing for luceti and maybe eswareinmal

[consultmybooks]

Right. So, we're doing this again, then, are we?

...at least you're excited. If we both don't want this, well, what's the point? I'll be gone in another month. And I refuse to put anyone else through that again.

Certainly some interesting plans in the works. No...sorry, I meant "horrific". Yes, I'm sure that's what I meant. Yes, that includes the party. Especially if one of them takes it into their heads to make it a surprise party. And depending on when Helios decides to admit what happened over Valentine's Day. To say nothing of all the people who I know fully well are hoping for a chance to shout at me or, um, smack me. Or hit me. In some cases, probably hard enough to knock me unconscious. And, with my luck, I'll probably be tossed at one or two individuals who wouldn't mind another chance at attempting to murder me, just for the flavor, and I don't just mean Drusilla.

Still. Um...it will be nice to see Willow, again. That's...something. Still as far ahead as ever, of course, but...well, you know how it is. I can at least make that work to my advantage, this time. And I most certainly intend to.

As for the other place...all right, fine, it's a shame about the train, but you do recall that having me in two places at once never works out, yes? I don't care how much the three of you are amused by it. We would not do well in a medieval setting. They stoned people like us to death, back then.

...but, we'd, we'd be able to remember one another? Helios, a-and Ginia, and I? Fine. I, um, I suppose my tastes towards weaponry, fighting style, and reading material might finally be relevant. I can only imagine how much that news might amuse Buffy.

And I hope the fact that I very strongly protest being made a ghost is assumed. In other words, I would hope you would know better than to, um, make me argue that point with you. I don't care if it sounds interesting. Things that, um, sound interesting to you rarely end well for either of us.

Comments

[consultmybooks]

Hm? I thought I...oh. [Catching on now.] You, um, y-you meant Helios. Right. Um, of course. [He knew that. Just...mentally facepalming, here.

...and then thinking very hard. Giles realizes then and there that he doesn't know very many stories about the two of them without him. Not really, at least, not without cheating.

Except...]

Did, um, did either of them ever tell you about the time we were all turned in to children?

[daddies_girl]

[Tara laughs and shakes her head, already enjoying another bite of ice cream. She tries to imagine her parents as children, fails really, because trying to imagine ones parents as anything but is always odd.

...And Giles-Dad is so old too.]

[consultmybooks]

[Yes, dear daughter, but once upon a time he was a half pint little brat. Any tantrums you threw as a kid probably paled at the kind of fuss the twelve year old Rupert could have kicked up.

He smiles at the recollection, despite himself. The world had been a strange place, seen through twelve year old eyes. But they'd had one another, and a dog, and after meeting Buffy they'd had Cheez Its.

Life had been good.]

Well, um, we were. The, the three of us were all called away together on a mission, by the Malnosso, a-and that mission involved the three of us becoming twelve years old for a little while.

[daddies_girl]

[...Probably true. Sure, Tatiana threw stuff around with magic and might have almost set the house on fire once or twice, but the most Tara did was yell and sulk angrily. And maybe run away to Aunt Grune's. And stole Giles' sword.

Tara laughs again, still trying to imagine her parents as twelve-year-olds.]

What were you guys like?

[consultmybooks]

Well, um, Helios was...a good deal quieter.

[He hopes that it was never brought up that Tara and Tatiana technically have an uncle.] Rather shy, um, actually. He, um, he mostly followed Ginia about. Remarkably good at magic, however. It, um, it was snowing at the time, and he certainly had the edge at making snowballs.

...I, um, I don't really think Ginia was, was terribly different, honestly. Very intelligent. Very practical. Very attached to her dog and, um, very good at making friends.

[daddies_girl]

[Uncle Nero is unknown by both children, and if the parents have any say about it, they'd never have to know him.

Tara hangs onto every word with a smile.]

Mom showed us pictures of Odin. I wish I could have met him, but at least we have Freya now.

What were you like?

[consultmybooks]

[...cleaning his glasses now.]

Um...well, after a few days of knowing me, I was, um, subsequently banned from their attempts at making a snow fort until I brought sufficient tribute in the form of baked goods.

Does that answer your question?

[daddies_girl]

[Some habits never change. Tara giggles, knowing exactly what dad is doing when he cleans his glasses. Silly father.]

That's not very nice. I don't think you were that bad as a kid.

Unless they were being smart and that was their way of ensuring they got baked goods to enjoy.

[consultmybooks]

Oh, no. I was, um, actually quite unbearable. Only Buffy was able to put up with me for very long.

A-And, um, with magic, the two of them were quite capable of gathering their own sweets without me.

[daddies_girl]

But you three were still friends, right? [Because the idea of them not being friends as kid, even while under a shift, is mildly distressing.]

[consultmybooks]

It took a bit of getting used to, a-and we took a bit of getting used to, but...yes. We were still friends.

[To you and him both, Tara. Granted, Giles privately thinks that it says a lot about himself that he promptly became so much better at communicating with the other two kids after he returned to being an adult first.]

[daddies_girl]

[And so all is well once more. Tara smiles and gives his hand a small pat, just as Ginia does.]

I'm happy. Mom says she's known you two for forever. [Forever being the beginning of her adventure in Luceti, so yes, forever.]

[consultmybooks]

...it, um, i-it...certainly feels as though she has, yes.

[A pause, as Giles thinks back - over the past, and what he now knows of the future. Then, with some ceremony, he fishes another spoonful out of the tub.]

I'd never wish it any other way.

[Then, surprising himself, he leans over to kiss Tara softly on the forehead. Once he realizes that he's done so, of course, this display of fatherly emotion apparently is still a bit too much for him. Giles immediately takes his bite of ice cream and changes the subject to how she's doing in her studies.]