video ↯ the second ⇒ no time to think of consequences

[allbloodyhail]

[ at first all that comes into view is a bottle of single malt scotch, unopened. then an ashtray, nowhere near as untouched. slowly spike's hands and then his face enter into the picture too and he looks haggard; tired, and far too human. he had known this day would come, because in the end he always ended up alone. but it was always different when it actually happened, and somehow the abandonment itself was never any less painful. ]

I told myself I'd say something profound, quote some Churchill or something... [ did wes even like churchill? it wasn't like he knew. ] But how do you mourn a ghost? How do you mourn a ghost again even?

This was his drink, too rich for my blood, but then again I'm not a Wyndam-Price.

[ spike swallowed and turned away before slowly pouring a shot and raising it up for a fallen friend. ] To Wesley.

Comments

[stakes]

Got one in there for Giles?

[ Not that Giles is going home to be... Well... Dead. But. ]

And you should stop day drinking.

[allbloodyhail]

Care to join me?

[ yeah that's all you get, buff. ]

[stakes]

I'd really rather --

[ ... But he's always there for her. And would it really kill her to be selfless just this once, when it comes to him? ]

Y'know what? Yeah. I'll be right over.

[ffuckoff]

You have a funeral. Just, y'know, not on consecrated ground.

[allbloodyhail]

You sound like you've got experience in this area. [ but still, it pulls a small smile out of him, quite a feat today. ]

[ffuckoff]

We pretended my dad was dead once to get the mob off his ass. [That counts, right?] It was a pretty good funeral, all things considered.

voice;

[doggedly]

[How do you mourn a ghost isn't a question that's typically asked, never mind how do you mourn a ghost again. And this isn't his wake, or whatever this is, but that is some nice looking scotch--more sincerely: he's not lost friends, here. But he gets the sentiment.]

Thing with ghosts is, you don't typically have to mourn them, as they're... ghosts. [is this like an exorcism problem or] But, er--I think getting really soundly pissed is a pretty good way to commemorate, if not mourn, so you might actually be on the right track there, mate.

voice;

[allbloodyhail]

Give it to the Englishman to understand. [ he raises the short glass to sirius and shrugs. ]

I'm sharing if you're interested.

voice;

[doggedly]

[He lifts his hand, anyways, because he hasn't got a drink to offer a toast in return with.]

Cheers, mate. Am I actually allowed to crash a wake?

video;

[companioning]

Your friend left? I am truly sorry.

video;

[allbloodyhail]

Yeah, me too. But it's alright, knew he wouldn't stick around for too long.

Goes along with the ghost thing.

video;

[companioning]

... [She's not entirely sure what to say about the ghost thing.]

Well I'm certain it's still not easy. Maybe you can have a party in his name? Something like that?

voice.

[likethetragedy]

You don't. You move on. [She's as supportive as ever.]

voice.

[allbloodyhail]

Not surprised to hear you say so, Princess. [ and for some reason, it gives him comfort to hear it, but that's probably just the source. ]

voice.

[likethetragedy]

You're learning. [That should really bother her, but it doesn't.] If only you came up with better nicknames.

video.

[brainiest]

Spike? [ She - what can she say? She hasn't had anyone leave yet. She isn't sure what she can say and she's always been terrible at comforting people. ] Would you like me to come over?

video.

[allbloodyhail]

Only if you bring that little hairball with you.

[Video]

[comeonthensexy]

When you say ghost, you actually mean ghost, don't you?

[Video]

[allbloodyhail]

Oh, yeah. See-through, incorporeal. The whole deal.

[becauseichooseto]

'Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.' A Churchill quote, if you need it.

[allbloodyhail]

Not sure it's the right message for today, but. Ta anyway, Irv.

[daddyissues]

[ You look.... yeah. ]

I'm not sure, but it's not by becoming one. How much of that have you had, Spike?

[allbloodyhail]

Plenty for you, if you want me to save you some.

[fredless]

[Her first instinct is to ask Spike what's wrong. He wears things differently here, and there's more shadows and sharp angles to his face now than Fred can ever remember seeing. Not even when they couldn't seemed to stop fighting. There were all these words then. Now, she thinks, he looks like he doesn't have any.

And then she knows why.

Wesley.

Wesley.

She might've said that outloud.

Something to release all the pressure sitting full and heavy in her chest. Pressure that'd been there since they were all pulled to that mirrored world. There'd been plenty of words then. So, so many of them. And then they were back and back to avoiding words and feelings and each other.

And now he was gone]

...you're sure?

[allbloodyhail]

Yeah, luv. I'm sure.