63; dictated/action

[gottaknockhard]

( outside room 213 / aka Vicious' )

[Spike used to hate this time of year. He still does, honestly, but for the first time it managed to go over and beyond his general annoyance at forcing fake-romance in his face (which never ends well for him by any means). This time someone figured out a way to make it personal. And what's worse, is how easily Spike let them.

It was a ballsy move, but one that he should have seen coming, which makes him wonder if he'd set himself up for some purpose he's yet to digest. Of course the only thing he had left that held any value to him would be stolen. That's always been the trouble with having something to lose; which the castle seemed to be all too generous to supply. Except now the castle isn't the only one behind the scenes.

Spike has been noticeably quiet on the whole matter. Beyond his initial reaction in the woods, he hasn't acted on it the way he may have in the past -- guns blazing, daring whatever fate had in store to finish what it started -- all that impulsive macho bullshit he's famous for. For once, he took the time to get his ducks in a row. Confirm his suspicions before making a move. Once he has the whole sordid story, ironically with the help of the castle, he goes right to the source.

So on this particular night, he stops by a door he rarely visits, wearing an over-sized trench coat and carrying with him a modest bouquet of roses. A little late for the holiday, but with so few memories to go on, roses seems to be an appropriate reference.

Attached is a simple note, about as subtle as he ever is:]

Bang.

[He leaves it by the door and walks away.]

---

[Once he's finished with his delivery, Spike doesn't linger, half expecting to be stopped before he reaches the lobby. (He's ready, if he is. His gun is seconds from being drawn in case he doesn't make it out the door.) When it seems he'll be allowed to exit without incident, however, he takes out a cigarette. -- Stepping outside for a smoke is as much cover as he ever needs around here.

Outside, Spike takes a look back at the castle. He spends a few moments walking around and counting windows, before he brings out a gun and takes two perfectly aimed shots to break through the glass leading into a certain resident's room. Call him impatient.

And since he does have some indeterminate amount of time to kill, he pulls out the journal (with all the too-conveniently broken filters). Just in case something interesting pops up.]

I'm surprised it took this long to find the flaw in magic books. I guess you live and learn.


ooc: open to everything as always -- and feel free to hear gunshots, it's that kind of night

Comments

[whathedoves]

Shit.

Let's hope it didn't hear me over the rest of the commotion. I'll take something else as my comeuppance.

[gottaknockhard]

[Normally Spike would have been joking about that, but it speaks for his sanity that he wouldn't be surprised if that's how it works.]

Then again, maybe all it wanted was to spread that paranoia.

[whathedoves]

Ah, that's cruel! Do you think it's that likely?

I always hope that this place is less sinister than that. So often it seems more content to kill us with kindness than to attack us straight out.

Now we may very well just end up turning out ourselves. [He laughs a little humorlessly.]

[gottaknockhard]

It's not always subtle. [And if anything, it does whatever it takes to keep them alive. He'll find out just how far it'll go soon enough.]

[whathedoves]

[Or bring them back, at least, like when he saw those human boys die.]

No, just not so violent. Torturers could learn a thing or two from it.

But have you got close friends here?

[gottaknockhard]

[That's a question he wasn't expecting. Ironic, given the timing of it.]

I'm waiting on one now.

[whathedoves]

Waiting? Sounds like a romantic rendezvous, at this hour. What a way to live!

[gottaknockhard]

[Ahah. Actually, that's far enough from the truth to run with. All the little things he does out of spite...]

I try to set the example.

[whathedoves]

[He's suspicious enough, still, but what's having a direct conversation about something? Obfuscating birdbrained behavior is far preferable.]

Slippery slope, mon ami!

That means you have to hold yourself to a much higher standard.

[gottaknockhard]

[He really hopes the two of them are listening.]

Maybe too high. I think she's been cheating on me.

[whathedoves]

What?!

That's no good. Trouble in paradise, really - literally, even.

Any chance it's just a misunderstanding?

[Ah, how double-sided a conversation is this?]

[gottaknockhard]

It doesn't look good.

[whathedoves]

That's a shame.

This would be the optimal time to have some way of communicating privately, wouldn't it?

Is it anything you want to get off your chest, mon ami?

[gottaknockhard]

Funny you should mention it. That's just what I was in the middle of.

[Spike... Making things look worse just to get back at an eavesdropper...]

[whathedoves]

Stress relief, is it? Or spilling your guts to someone who will listen?