Five favorite pre-series stories

[rbfvid.livejournal.com]

Five favorite pre-series shorts of the past year, arranged from shortest to longest.

Prodigal Son by dragonyphoenix (or here is AO3 link). Giles, three encounters after Randall's funeral. Three incredibly powerful insights on how young Ripper was turning into Giles.

Custody Battle by aliceinsunnydale (Darla, Drusilla and Spike). Remember "Why We Fight" episode - “Don’t ever go to a “free virgin blood" party. Turns out it’s probably a trap.” So, how did Spike got here anyway?

Crossroads by sparrow2000 (or AO3 link). Ethan/Giles. In the early stages of their relationship, Giles and Ethan take a trip to France. Turns out Ethan has more on his mind than red wine and cheese (although that’s there as well).
Perfect study of the subtle duality of Giles' and Ethan's relationship, that's almost impossible to capture. Almost.

Pointy Horns and Black Hats by baphrosia (or AO3 link). And another look at Giles' early Watcher days. In this one he gets to be a badass. And, of course, it comes at a price.

Someone To Watch Over Me by shapinglight aka Glassdarkly (+ here is AO3 link). Darla/OFC. Paris in 1903 is a cruel place for a woman alone, even when that woman is a centuries old vampire like Darla.
shapinglight here she excelled herself, capturing Darla in all her complexity - so evil, so vulnerable, so cruel and yet so capable of love. The last one is not the most obvious thing about Darla, but once you read the story you can only wonder, how you never noticed it before. Because even in series canon it was always there.

Comments

[shapinglight]

Thanks once again for reccing my story. Also for reccing the others, which I haven't read and am now looking forward to reading very much.

[sparrow2000.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for the lovely rec. I'm very fond of that story so it's wonderful to know it resonated.

I've read Pointy Horns, but not the other three, so looking forward to discovering them as well.

Thanks so much again

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

Excellent choices, thanks for posting.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the rec. Mine and Sparrow2000's were the only stories I'd read before. The others are great though and I definitely got more out of Crossroads on the reread. ;-)

[yourlibrarian]

I always enjoy explorations of Giles' days with Ethan or pre-Sunnydale. I'd only read Shapinglight's story before.

[chasingdemons.livejournal.com]

Just read Custody Battle. Loved it!

[thenewbuzwuzz.livejournal.com]

I loved all the Giles stuff here. Two of them, I hadn't read before, and it's not something I'd just stumble upon, so thanks.
Darla is wonderful, too, especially in "Someone To Watch Over Me" (as I remember it).