paradisa | 047;

[As usual, Spike had kept his suspicions to himself. It was easy enough to do; the castle seemed hellbent on distracting him from everything that matters, and he was content enough to let it. But he could feel the change as the days passed without hearing from her. Then when he returned from yet another strange dream, slowly but surely, the truth settled in.

For a while he avoided that obvious conclusion. They'd been the same in that respect. As much as he pretended to be hopeful, there was always an unspoken understanding of the inevitable between the two of them. Every botched second chance only drove the point home. A constant reminder of how history is never erased, it only finds new ways of repeating itself.

In reality, Spike knew the room would be empty before he ever reached her door.

Just like that.

In his own selfish mind, he imagined that he deserved this. Reaching back, he could barely remember a time when she seemed happy. Maybe once. The holes in his head dug deeper, and any further reflection only signified how little he'd done to correct his mistakes.

There wasn't much to be done about it now. And he could go along with it, do nothing, which he supposed was what was expected of him. Mourn the woman he never really knew, and wait for the cycle to come around again. If it ever did. Or he could make a last ditch effort...

He smoked a pack of cigarettes and finished off a fifth of whiskey in her name. Then he thought better of it and opened the journal one more time.]

(Gren)

[If Gren hadn't suspected he'd hear from him again after what he saw -- after what was paraded in front of him -- he should have been better prepared.]

Meet me in the center of town. [Then, tersely:] It's about Julia.

---

(Vicious)

[Spike doesn't know what Vicious has been plotting, or if he's just been biding his time. Either way, he doesn't have the patience for it anymore.]

I'm starting to think you've moved on. Can't catch up with an old friend?

ooc: Totally open to action, either in the castle halls or on his way to town, but just a little note that the end of this has been plotted out beforehand. (Brace for some really epic stupidity;;)

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[He's been waiting for this, on and off, since his arrival. He's only surprised it took him this long.]

I've been busy. What is it?

[Flippant, and calculated to annoy.]

[Oh, he'd suspected this. In fact, he'd been anticipating some kind of confrontation ever since Vicious arrived. Even not knowing the entire story of what bound the three, he'd inferred enough to know it might not be pretty when one or all of them decided to stop avoiding the situation. It was one of the reasons he'd found a place in town.

He might have considered ignoring this summons, but he liked Julia enough that if something had happened to her, he should at least try to hear Spike out. But that didn't mean he'd go in unarmed. Because if it was just about her, Spike would have just said it over the journal.

Gren arrives eventually, hands in his pockets, glancing around as he nears the fountain for signs of Spike.]

Edited 2012-05-08 02:47 (UTC)

[Ray's on his way back down to the basement from the library, looking to put the last of the work in on one of his projects, when he spots his buddy and gives him his usual sunny smile and wave]

Hey, Spike!

[He could almost laugh at that casual response, which says something about his state of mind. Chances are that he already knows what Spike wants, but he's not really being subtle.]

Like I said. Seems like we've missed a lot.

You want to talk?

[He knows very well that's not what Spike wants, but...]

[This last week was something like a learning experience. At least, Spike walked away with something other than bruised pride and sore feet. That's one thing that comes from never digging below the surface of everyone he comes across -- can he really act surprised at the discovery that murder wasn't enough to break old ties? From what he does know of Gren, it isn't quite fair to label it as a betrayal of his trust. The feeling Spike has towards him was already slanted with bias the second Vicious came to the rescue. Besides that, he's been known to empathize with poor decisions. Loyalty can be a fishy subject.

If it wasn't for the timing, he might have even put this off. Just Gren's shit luck.

From Spike's vantage point, he subconsciously notes that he could take a clear shot without any trouble at all. But in a place this public, there are as many advantages are there are drawbacks to causing a scene. Instead, he walks up casually, careful to hide the opinions he's still forming about the other man.]

Everything's back to normal now, huh?

[That all depends on interpretation. Vicious should remember, he can get creative on how to send a message across.]

Why put it off? Everything comes out eventually.

[Spike's not waving back, but he's aware enough to pause and glance over at Ray. Almost like he knows he's not going to get away with storming off moodily into the night.

His expression doesn't mask as much as he'd like, but he's confident that he can keep this short.]

How's it going?

[As annoying as everything had been, what had happened had actually served to strengthen whatever alliance that had formed between him and Vicious. That it had been made public to Spike was unfortunate, but in the end the decision was his to make. Spike was a footnote at the end of his life - a relative blip to the massive swath that was Vicious' influence - for good or ill.

Gren's demeanor was as casual as friendly as ever, though the hands that settled on his hips were within easy reach of the pistol stored against the small of his back.]

Is it really?

You seem very motivated. I wonder why.

[He may give him what he wants, eventually, but not without making him work for it.]

Oh, it's going pretty well! Kinda busy, but what else is new? There's always something to do, around here. How about you, what're you up to today?

[His tone stays low and even.]

I thought you'd be able to tell. You didn't stick around long enough to chat before.

[Expecting him to come unarmed would have been as naive as Gren suspecting Spike had only called him to ask for help. Personal agenda aside, that's just the kind of world they live in.]

Whatever that means. [He's slow to get to the point, like he's giving him a chance if only because Julia once enjoyed his company. Either that, or he's waiting for the right moment.] They're always throwing something at you.

[He smiles, revealing nothing. (Hey, if it's the last he'll see of him, no reason to be a dick.)]

Getting back to what I missed.

And if I'm not interested?

[He prefers confrontation on his terms, after all.]

Then I guess I'll have to collect my things and go home.

Would it really be so simple?

[That chuckle suggests that he doubts it.]

I might have to make a stop on my way.

[He takes a while getting to a point, but he's getting closer.]

Will you.

[Sounds like a threat, if not a very specific one.]

[That's really the only language they use.]

Yeah. I'm sure I can find someone who will talk enough for you.

You might be surprised.

[But he is. Not Pleased. By that implication.]

[That gets a pause. Goes to show that some things you never forget how to do.]

I'll let you know.

[Crowley is lounging as usual in the lobby when he catches sight of Spike. He arches a brow because...well;]

You look like hell.

[she really tries to tell herself that she's worrying for nothing. She sees Spike at a distance at first, but there are bells that she doesn't like ringing in her head almost immediately. She tries to tell herself that it's fine, she jumps to paranoid conclusions so easily sometimes...

...But then the distance between them really starts to close, and that something that was slowly sinking inside of her drops a little bit. It's in the way he's moving, the way that it seems like--even from this far away--he's already found some trouble on the way to wherever he's heading. It feels the sort of familiar that she really hates, and she immediately decides that she should maybe interrupt him before he gets wherever he's trying to go]

Hey! [giving him a wave]

[Luckily, Spike doesn't have to pretend to be considerate for someone like Crowley. He smirks as he walks on by, because everything is hilarious when he hears it back. Just one of those moods.]

You think so?

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