Fic: Droopy Dog Will Save You

[dragonyphoenix]

Title: Droopy Dog Will Save You
Fandom: BtVS
Summary: As the Slayerettes form, Xander misses his best friend.
Rating: PG
Characters: Xander
Disclaimer: They will be mine, oh yes they will, once I've taken over the world. Bwah-ha-ha!
Note: Written for a prompt at Open on Sunday: towel

When they'd been six, Jesse's crazy aunt had folded up towels to look like animals and left them all over the house. Willow had been gone, on vacation, and “Droopy dog will save you” had become their special phrase, his and Jesse's. Willow had thrown a fit about it when she got back, angry at being left out. She'd never really understood droopy dog. Her attempts to join in had fallen flat and so, by unspoken agreement, the two boys had dropped the phrase. Only rarely, when he saw that Xander was feeling down, would Jesse would bring it up.

But droopy dog would never save anyone ever again. It was just as well. The things they needed saving from were darker now, too big for a pretend hero to handle.

Willow was excited, looking forward to helping the Slayer. She'd even coined a name, the Slayerettes. Jesse would have laughed his ass off. Xander hadn't laughed when Willow had told him. He's said just enough to let her think he was excited too. Xander wasn't sure he'd ever laugh again. He couldn't look forward to this Slayer-filled future, not when his present no longer allowed Jesse to plop down next to him and say that droopy dog would, once again, save the day.

Comments

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

*sniffles* This was sad and very well-done.


Gabrielle

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Thank you. ;-)

And that was quick. I just posted it!

[snogged.livejournal.com]

This was fantastic and silly and sad.
You hit all the right notes, sweetie.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Awww, thank you.

[chaoskir.livejournal.com]

How bittersweet. Well done! Thank you.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I was remembering an old nickname from my childhood that nobody uses anymore and missing it. I tried to duplicate that feeling here.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I was having a bit of a sad but nostalgic mood while I was meditating yesterday and decided to put it into a story.

[lusciousxander.livejournal.com]

Poor Xander. I've always thought he was closer to Jesse than Willow was.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

That would make some sense, plus with Buffy Willow quite possibly has all the excitement of her first close friend who is also a girl.

I'm liking your icon.

[sparrow2000.livejournal.com]

Can't believe I hadn't read this before - very remiss of me, but yay for buffyversetop5 for pointing the way.

This is lovely - sweet, sad and poignant. Sniff...

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it. And Buffyverse Top 5 has pointed me to a number of stories I'd somehow missed too. ;-)