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[not_that_spike]

Spike's definitely out of his comfort zone: gun under virtual lock and key (which means no clip loaded), lighter tucked away safely, and... he has no fucking idea what to expect.

No one's ever asked him for this kind of favor before, and it makes him nervous as hell. He's no good at it and he knows it, but he owes it to her to try. He sits at his usual table, glass of iced coffee already halfway drained. He hopes he doesn't need anything else.

At least he might learn a thing or two.

Or not.

He'll see how it goes. And remember never to make offhand comments again, because sometimes people take them seriously.

Comments

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

*Snow heads over to his table, beaming. Millie and Wade, still a bit hyper from the birthday cake of the previous day give matching grins and waves to him*

Glad to have you, Spike. Are you sure you can handle this?

*from the tone, it's clear this is in jest, and she's pretty sure he can*

[not_that_spike]

"Sure. Just tell me what I have to do."

Wade's not going to float away on me, is he?

"Because I have no fucking idea, Snow." He shoots her a small smile. "Good thing I learn fast." He reaches out and offers his hand to Millie; he knows her from before at least, even though Wade's been sleeping every time he's seen the little wind-baby.

Mental checklist: "Gun's not loaded, lighter's put away, Beth's going to be here sooner or later. What do I need to know?"

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

*Snow smiles and passes Millie over first*

Millie's fairly easy to handle if you can keep track of where she is. It's all right if she feels like wandring around a bit, but don't let her go outside without you. Same goes for Wade, but there's at least an easier way to control it. . .

*she unclips Wade's tether from her belt and passes both it and Wade to Spike*

Wade can gust around and get out of reach a lot easier than Millie can, so the tether is a good thing, for now. He'll come back if you let him go for a flight around the lake or something, but the tether is best if you want to keep close track of him.

*she unshoulders a bag filled with various toys, games, diapers, bottles and snacks*

And pretty much everything you'll need is in here. They've had their dinner already, but I don't mind if they have a snack later.

[not_that_spike]

Tethers. Wandering. Out of reach. Toys. Games. Snacks.

Diapers?

Fuck. Beth, where are you? He takes the tether and hooks it onto one of his belt loops, Millie in his other arm. "Hey you," he says to her softly. "Do I need to do anything for them for bedtime or anything?"

Millie's definitely heavier than the last time he held her, but she's still pretty damn cute as far as babies go. "Does Wade... does he like to be held?"

Spike Spiegel, famous bounty hunter and baby sitter. Great. He's about to remind himself that the only thing missing is the dog, but then he remembers that Millie can turn into a wolf. "Hey. What if Millie changes form, any hints?" He scratches the side of his head.

This is more complicated than setting up to catch the sneakiest bounty he's ever nabbed.

"So can they have shit like apple juice? Stuff like that?" He has no idea what babies like. Or what they like to do. He only knows that watching them makes people really, really tired.

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

*Millie smiles at him*

Don't worry, I'll be back for them before their bedtime, but there's a couple blankets and pillows in the bag if they're tired and want a nap.

Wade likes to be held; he's not fully solid, but certainly solid enough that he won't slip away unless he's trying to.

If she shifts to wolf form, it should be all right -- we're trying to make sure she's comfortable in either form, and the same sort of bribes and threats will work on her; she has a taste for chocolate and wouldn't like an offer to feed her vegetable-based baby food. Apple juice is fine for Millie, and there's a bottle of 'special' milk in the bag, along with a container of nutrient-enriched air from Bar for Wade.

[not_that_spike]

He shrugs. "Okay."

It sounds easy enough. Still, he likes to have a good feel for the odds before he gets into a situation, not after.

Millie nestles into his arm just a little, and that's kind of comforting: at least she's not screaming. Above his head, Wade's gusting around a tiny bit. He looks from one to the other, then back to Snow. "Should be fine. Go have fun. I won't let either of them get away. You don't mind if I teach them to shoot, do you?"

But he laughs. "Just kidding."

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

*Snow gives an approving smile at how he handles the children*

I'm sure you'll get along fine, and I'd rather you wait for their fine motor and hand-eye skills to develop a bit more before teaching them to shoot. *she snickers at this*

[not_that_spike]

"Yeah. I would never. Not till they're 4, 5." He bounces Millie on his knee just a little bit. "I'll take good care of them, and I won't even tell them the joke that goes so a bounty hunter, a wind-baby, and a little girl walk into a bar..."

He takes a sip of the iced coffee, glad he left the wait-rat with the instructions to keep refreshing it. "Couple hours till their bedtime, you think?" He's just trying to set a framework. He's never worn a watch. The one Joe left for him is up in Room 8, tucked away safely in a bureau drawer.

Spike just has a good sense for how long things ought to take. He looks down at Millie. Tell you stories about Bruce Lee and walking dogs and life in space and lava birds. And when Beth gets here, you might actually see me smile.

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

*Snow gives a slight sigh*

At least they haven't learned enough words to repeat it. *a smile again* You'll have a few hours together before I come back for them, but it shouldn't be too long. I'm sure you'll do well.

[not_that_spike]

"Okay." He nods to Snow. "We'll be good. Don't worry."

He almost can't wait to see what's in that magic bag of hers, anyhow. He can probably come up with plans for all of its contents.

[valehero.livejournal.com]

From his place at the bar, Isaac watches the dark haired man. There was something odd about him, but he just couldn't quite put his finger on it. He remains in silence, though, and unwavering in his seat at the bar stool.

[not_that_spike]

He can always tell when he's being watched.

Always.

His eyes meet those of some kid at the bar, someone he hasn't seen here before.

It takes him about three seconds to get his gun and clip and load that clip into his gun from where they are now in separate jacket pockets: at least it would out there beyond the door, back in his own life. He might be a little slower about it now. But this is the bar and there's that no-business-no-violence rule, so he's not real worried about it.

Instead, he just watches the kid for a bit, knowing that he always has the knife tucked into the back of his waistband in case of emergencies.

Doesn't feel dangerous, though. Path of least resistance. Like water. He raises his iced coffee glass in the general direction of the bar then takes a sip, and his eyes never waver.

[valehero.livejournal.com]

Isaac continues to watch him. Though he does have his sword strapped to his back for quick access, he can only hope not to have to use it. As the dark haired man seems to show some form of odd greeting, he in turn bows his head towards him.

[not_that_spike]

Hell of an odd little dance. What the fuck. He turns both hands palm up, the traditional gesture of innocence. Someone wants to watch him, there's not much he can do about it. So he lights a smoke and glances away, making note of something that catches his eye at the last minute: a sword.

He's used to swords.

He's beaten swords.

He probably won't have to here. Not if he minds his own business. There sure are a hell of a lot of strangers here these days.

[valehero.livejournal.com]

Curiosity began to peak at the strange hand gesture the man uses. Finally, he stands, but stops, turning to look to the bar. Strangely, there was a glass of water sitting there. He stops and looks around, perhaps trying to figure out if someone was nearby and might have set it there, but there was no one.

With a shake of the head, Isaac turns to the bar and holds a palm up. As circles of energy surround him, the glass raises into the air and over to his hand. With that, he walks off with his glass of water.

[not_that_spike]

Huh.

He's seen some things here he never thought he'd see, like the levitating water glass just now.

Kind of reminds him of when Hotaru healed his hand, although he's really not sure why it reminds him of that, or why he's thinking of Hotaru just now when he hasn't in such a long time. It's either kids or age or that weird kind of magic shit he can't explain and sure as hell can't do.

If he didn't have a prior engagement, he'd follow up and see what the kid finds so fascinating about him.

[forbiddensailor.livejournal.com]

A moment after the sound of the front door being opened and shut again, comes the patter of a child running towards him. "ONIIISAN!!" she calls.

Out of breath, she stops right in front of him and without a moment of hesitation, places her hands flat on his lap so she can peer into his eyes. Satisfied with what she sees, (that it really is Spike!... His hair is the same color as Setsuna-mama's, more-or-less), she quickly breaks out into a grin and wraps him as much as she can, unabashfully, in a huge hug.

[not_that_spike]

His first thought is what the fuck is this, why does every damn kid in this place think I'm fair game tonight?

This one throws herself at him and wraps her arms around him so fast he doesn't even see who it is. He only knows it's not Ed, and he pulls back. "What the..."

And then he looks at her. And recognizes her.

At least he thinks it's her, and he studies her carefully: she's... different. She's younger, for sure, and not as frail, and no bandages, and...

"Hotaru?"

[forbiddensailor.livejournal.com]

Hotaru's eyes are wide after he pulls her off, but they were already running with tears before he did so.

"I missed you," she bites her lip, hoping nothing too drastic has changed about her or anyone else here while she was gone. It has been a long time.

[not_that_spike]

Well, fuck.

Fuck.

Spike rests his hands on her shoulders, studying her carefully: up and down, back and forth. He lets his hands run down her arms and he doesn't feel any of that awful shit he used to feel under her clothes there, and she's littler, and she's pale but damn if she doesn't look a hell of a lot healthier, and...

Fuck. You were gone. You were gone.

"Imoutosan?"

He does something he never does: he gathers her back into a hug. It's not a huge hug and it doesn't last forever or any of that bullshit, but it's a hug.

"I thought you were gone."

Don't you be fucking around with me, now. Once was enough.

[forbiddensailor.livejournal.com]

Happily, she accepts the brief embrace. She stands back to see him. "I made it back!" she smiles brightly. Spike looks just like she remembers him, and she's glad.

Except for Ed and Ein, her whole family has been found again. Everything is as it should be.

[not_that_spike]

"But where... what... how..."

There are so many questions: where the hell does he start?

Probably with the most basic question of all. "Imoutosan, meiyuu, otome: what happened?"

He still doesn't believe she's back. Not after the way she disappeared in a screaming envelope of purple light. Not after the way he couldn't even fucking get to her to help her.

[forbiddensailor.livejournal.com]

With the tenderness of a child's instinct, she presses one white hand on his face. "You shouldn't think about that so soon," she assures him. It's too hurtful. You don't want to know yet. She smiles, softly.

"Are you well?" she asks right away, taking note of her conversation with Arithon recently. Events may have progressed in any way for her Oniisan as well, and she must know now.

[not_that_spike]

Well, how the fuck did you get so wise.

Reaching for a cigarette, he taps one out, then flicks on his lighter. He usually just smokes out of habit, not because he needs it.

Right now, he needs it.

He answers her question: "I'm good, I'm good." She wants to do it that way it's okay with him. Maybe she doesn't want to talk about what happened. Maybe she doesn't know. Or yeah: maybe she does. For the time being he lets the mystery go unanswered. "You want to know what I've been doing while you were gone? It's been a hell of a long time, imoutosan. A hell of a long time. I thought you weren't ever coming back."

[forbiddensailor.livejournal.com]

She nods, "It has been a long time."

And sighs inwardly, this is happening now instead of later, I guess. Grownups. Why don't they ever listen to us kids?

"Do you have a book or something...?" The seats of the chairs are a little low in comparison with the table. She needs a booster not to look weird. "I'll tell you what happened," she begins, gravely, "If you really want to know."