Joyce drabbles
Feb. 29th, 2012 03:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
deird1Here are six drabbles starring Joyce, in all her wonderfulness.
One is new (and inspired by![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
dailyprompt). The others are LJ reposts.
Mistake
“Don’t even think about coming back!”
It’s said. In that moment it feels like the perfect thing to say – frustration, anger, despair all colliding in one last attempt to get through to her daughter.
It’s said, and it’s right – the strong thing to say. The parent firmly, lovingly, laying down the law, assertive and sure.
It’s going to work, it’s got to, it’s too important not to.
But then that moment becomes the next one, her words become weapons, and her silly, rebellious, beloved, lost daughter walks out the door without a thought.
And it’s been said. No going back.
Making Up For It
One day she figured it out. Sat down, thought about it, and realised that her daughter’s first meal would have been leftover pizza because she couldn’t be bothered cooking that night.
Her first family event was probably Holding A Bucket While Mom Throws Up Again.
And the closest she’d ever gotten to being tucked in with kisses and bedtime stories was a tired smile and “night, sweetie”.
When Dawn got home, there was a three-course dinner, cool movies, and a long cuddle waiting for her.
She might have wondered why, but she didn’t ask, and Joyce wouldn’t have answered anyway.
No More Denial
It’s a complete reassessment.
Rebellious teen becomes heroic fighter.
Sulky silence becomes necessary secrecy.
Lack of direction becomes mystical destiny.
Psycho boyfriend becomes psycho vampire boyfriend, which... doesn't really help.
Every memory must be reconsidered.
What about the time when... oh, just a demon attack?
Apparently, her daughter has not been sneaking out to wild parties, experimenting with drugs, or joining a gang.
She’s just been saving the world.
Re-evaluating yet another event from the last two years, Joyce closes her eyes and longs for the days when she thought her daughter was only burning down buildings for the attention.
Discovery
She found it behind some of Buffy’s old clothes, in the top of the closet.
It was long, metallic, and had about fifteen different knobs and levers that looked like if you pressed them in the wrong order the whole thing would explode - or maybe radio to the FBI and let them know they should come and raid your house because there was an unauthorised knob-presser in possession of a big... gun-type thing.
Why did Buffy need this? Wasn't slaying mainly about stakes? And axes? Did she actually use...
Joyce put it back, carefully, and decided not to ask.
Effort
“Well, no, but before this year she was never really-”
“I think you’ll find her grades-”
“If I could-”
“There were some extenuating-”
“If you’d please just consider-”
Dial tone. Yet another person opting for the hanging-up-on-crazy-mother-with-psychotic-child idea.
She sighed, and slumped in the chair.
It was hopeless.
“None of that, Joyce Summers,” she said firmly. “You’re not going to give up on your daughter’s future. Instead, you’re going to get back on that phone, and STAY on it until you find a school that will take her.”
She pulled the phone book towards her, and once again started dialling.
Hangover
Giles wakes up with a headache, and a t-shirt that smells of cigarette smoke.
What did I…?
Then he remembers — Ethan, chocolate, shoplifting, Joyce, police car, handcuffs…
Oh dear.
* * *
Joyce wakes up from a dream of a hunky guy with a gun and a reckless grin, the two of them taking the town by storm… and tries to convince herself she’s much more embarrassed about it than she actually feels.
* * *
Snyder wakes up, remembers, and instantly resolves to give detention to the next fifty students he sees.
* * *
Ethan doesn’t sleep that night. He just counts his profit, and leaves smiling.
One is new (and inspired by
dailyprompt). The others are LJ reposts.Mistake
“Don’t even think about coming back!”
It’s said. In that moment it feels like the perfect thing to say – frustration, anger, despair all colliding in one last attempt to get through to her daughter.
It’s said, and it’s right – the strong thing to say. The parent firmly, lovingly, laying down the law, assertive and sure.
It’s going to work, it’s got to, it’s too important not to.
But then that moment becomes the next one, her words become weapons, and her silly, rebellious, beloved, lost daughter walks out the door without a thought.
And it’s been said. No going back.
Making Up For It
One day she figured it out. Sat down, thought about it, and realised that her daughter’s first meal would have been leftover pizza because she couldn’t be bothered cooking that night.
Her first family event was probably Holding A Bucket While Mom Throws Up Again.
And the closest she’d ever gotten to being tucked in with kisses and bedtime stories was a tired smile and “night, sweetie”.
When Dawn got home, there was a three-course dinner, cool movies, and a long cuddle waiting for her.
She might have wondered why, but she didn’t ask, and Joyce wouldn’t have answered anyway.
No More Denial
It’s a complete reassessment.
Rebellious teen becomes heroic fighter.
Sulky silence becomes necessary secrecy.
Lack of direction becomes mystical destiny.
Psycho boyfriend becomes psycho vampire boyfriend, which... doesn't really help.
Every memory must be reconsidered.
What about the time when... oh, just a demon attack?
Apparently, her daughter has not been sneaking out to wild parties, experimenting with drugs, or joining a gang.
She’s just been saving the world.
Re-evaluating yet another event from the last two years, Joyce closes her eyes and longs for the days when she thought her daughter was only burning down buildings for the attention.
Discovery
She found it behind some of Buffy’s old clothes, in the top of the closet.
It was long, metallic, and had about fifteen different knobs and levers that looked like if you pressed them in the wrong order the whole thing would explode - or maybe radio to the FBI and let them know they should come and raid your house because there was an unauthorised knob-presser in possession of a big... gun-type thing.
Why did Buffy need this? Wasn't slaying mainly about stakes? And axes? Did she actually use...
Joyce put it back, carefully, and decided not to ask.
Effort
“Well, no, but before this year she was never really-”
“I think you’ll find her grades-”
“If I could-”
“There were some extenuating-”
“If you’d please just consider-”
Dial tone. Yet another person opting for the hanging-up-on-crazy-mother-with-psychotic-child idea.
She sighed, and slumped in the chair.
It was hopeless.
“None of that, Joyce Summers,” she said firmly. “You’re not going to give up on your daughter’s future. Instead, you’re going to get back on that phone, and STAY on it until you find a school that will take her.”
She pulled the phone book towards her, and once again started dialling.
Hangover
Giles wakes up with a headache, and a t-shirt that smells of cigarette smoke.
What did I…?
Then he remembers — Ethan, chocolate, shoplifting, Joyce, police car, handcuffs…
Oh dear.
* * *
Joyce wakes up from a dream of a hunky guy with a gun and a reckless grin, the two of them taking the town by storm… and tries to convince herself she’s much more embarrassed about it than she actually feels.
* * *
Snyder wakes up, remembers, and instantly resolves to give detention to the next fifty students he sees.
* * *
Ethan doesn’t sleep that night. He just counts his profit, and leaves smiling.