INBOX

[corporeity]

WELCOME TO THE SALTBURNT NETWORK


USERNAME
@WATERDEEP

text 🔮 audio 🔮 video

Comments

[corporeity]

I’ll treat your queries with the utmost seriousness, my friend, for your sake and mine.

[chipped]

What would you do if that girl I told you about showed up here. And you didn't remember anything happening between the two of you, other than one very brief but tender kiss, but you've got an inkling she's lying to you about something more happening. Sometime in your future, thanks to this place's radically fucked time travel business, but only days, apparently, because the universe has a truly mental sense of humor and loves to play a game of kick the Spike.


Just theoretically

1/2

[corporeity]

[ oh my god ]

Presuming I’m you in this scenario?

[corporeity]

Theoretically, then, what cosmic torture! You’ve my sympathies, as one previously left behind in the timeline, so to speak.

The goods news is that you are still you, so whatever kindling ultimately sparks the blaze of her affections surely remains. And you need only have patience, in the face of this temporary (and temporal) uncertainty.

1/2

[chipped]

Yeah, well-- me being me, I'm a monster to her.

And all her friends. Including one of her exes, who's also showed up because of course he has

[chipped]

She was dead, you know.

Sacrificed herself for the sake of the world and her kid sister. Spent six months looking after the niblet in the wake of it, because I promised. Because I'd die myself before I let anything happen to her.

And then her friends brought her back. Had barely--a few days to sit with that before I wound up here. Knowing she was back in the world and I'd been yanked somewhere else.

Doesn't feel real. And at the same time, having her here--

It's everything I want. Selfish of me.

1/2

[corporeity]

I’m sorry for your — and her — loss.

But you’re not a monster, Spike, regardless of what others believe. Caring for your beloved’s sister is about the least monstrous and selfish thing one could do, when caught in the tidal wave of grief.

[corporeity]

And, for whatever it’s worth, I’d also rather Astarion remain here with me than continue our fight by his lonesome, regardless of the dangers. If that’s a selfish instinct, it’s a frightfully human one.

[chipped]

Think you might be the first person in all my years since turning to say I'm not a monster.

So...thanks, for that. And for listening. Dumped a lot on you.

Sunnydale's probably gone to hell in a handbasket without Buffy there. Literally.

[corporeity]

Well, I am the cleverest wizard of my lifetime.

[ an attempt at levity, after gale rereads that message for third time. it’s easy to give into monstrous urges, when everyone expects the worst of you. he’d like think he understands spike a little better now. ]

You’re very welcome.
And to soothe both your concerns, it seems time doesn’t move so swiftly beyond these walls.