theheartpart: (Default)
Xander Harris ([personal profile] theheartpart) wrote in [community profile] entrancelogs2013-06-19 03:36 am

Dazed and Confused

Who: Xander Harris ([personal profile] theheartpart), Rupert Giles ([personal profile] throughthedark), Cordelia Chase ([personal profile] tact)
Where: Out and About
When: June 17, 2013; backdated
Rating: PG
Summary: Xander and his shadow are bound to be tortured by friends!
The Story:
Was nothing in Wonderland pleasant and different? Xander had appreciated the pie, felt pretty good to know there were crazy old dudes always out to protect the youngin's, and he could definitely find something good to say about the people. But none of that was happening as long as he was stuck with that shadow.

"Look, all I'm saying is that you're not that original, man."

"Of course I'm not," the shadow replied, clearly exasperated. "I never said I was the original, I said I was your shadow. There's a difference, numbskull."

Harris balked. "Hey, if I'm a numbskull, then you're the... the numbskulliest, because you're not even that good of a copy, so ha!"

The shadow came to step and held up a hand. "Not a copy. Not a clone. Not a duplicate. I am your shadow. And I find the fact that we're associated to be entirely opposite of the point. Plus gross. You suck, Harris."

Xander sighed dramatically. "Oh, boy. Everyone's a critic these days."
tact: (pic#6291354)

[personal profile] tact 2013-06-19 12:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Cordelia couldn't stay in her room for too long. Her shadow was yapping her ear off. And while Cordelia was a fan of her own voice, she wasn't fond of hearing it slurring out insults to herself. There was something ironic in all of this, she was sure of it. She found herself back in the gardens again, where she had originally wound up when she first found out she was, in fact, not in another hell dimension where there was a good possibility she'd be named ruler, but in Wonderland.

All throughout the mansion, regardless of where she went, Cordelia couldn't outrun her shadow. It followed her, exactly as it was meant to, and she found herself growing so irritated she broke out into a run to the grounds.

Before long, she came to a quick, hurried walk, but it's voice continued to follow her.

"They've forgotten about you already, you know. How does it feel to have met your expiry date? Without those useful visions, you're no longer necessary," it was saying. She could feel the smile - or was it a smirk? - around its lips.

"Shut -"

It must be fate that she, and her shadow, happen to walk upon someone who only resided in her memories. Cordelia's eager walk slowed down until she stopped completely, crossing her arms over her chest. The smile on her face was a side-effect of being harassed by her shadow all day. She wasn't thrilled to see Xander Harris at all. Except her heart seemed to beat quicker at seeing someone she used to call a friend in secret.

"- Up."

But she was surprised. Taking a few steps, Cordelia approached Xander casually, as if the situation at hand didn't include a copy of either of them. One Xander was enough.

"Did you know the first sign of insanity is talking to yourself?" She cocked her head to the side, unthreading her arms briefly to shove her shadow before it could even utter a word to ruin the moment. "So, since you're already insane, what does that make you?"
tact: xander. (pic#4153385)

[personal profile] tact 2013-06-20 02:22 am (UTC)(link)
"Bup-bup-bup isn't smoking hot, dumbass." The shadow was at the corner of her eye, but she ignored it. She figured if she paid it no mind, it would simply fade away. (It was, so far, not working, but Cordelia had all the time in the world to wait.)

Cordelia was taken aback by the fact that Xander Harris had willingly pulled her into a hug. She wasn't sure if she was even more surprised (if that was even possible) by the fact that she was returning it, albeit a little stunned, with awkward pats on the back. "Took you long enough, lunkhead," she said, once her hand had stopped patting him awkwardly on the back and simply held onto him. Xander wouldn't be Xander without his jokes, and she hadn't realised she had missed them until this very moment.

"Although, am I hugging your shadow? I don't remember Xander being this hands on." She pulled away, but kept a hand on his shoulder. "And while it's a nice surprise, even if it's a few years too late, the bad timing doesn't take away the fact that it's really good to see you again." With a glance over towards his shadow, her brows knitted together, "Even if there's two of you."
tact: (pic#4153429)

[personal profile] tact 2013-06-24 02:35 am (UTC)(link)
Cordelia frowned at Xander - the real one, the actual, likeable one that she remembered rather fondly, despite him being a royal dumbass to her many a times - when he took a step back. While she wasn't his number one fan, and he had created a I Hate Cordelia fan club with his little minions, he was someone she cared about greatly. Even with all the years spanning between them, that was one thing Sunnydale!Cordelia had let linger in the new, improved Cordelia. She found she didn't mind it one bit.

"Sounds a lot like a place we both know very well," she said, frowning at his shadow. She honestly didn't know who to direct the look to - real!Xander or the uglier side of him. She decided to give the glares to his shadow. His tone sounded very familiar; condescending and judging. Didn't she used to sound like that?

"While I'm very fond of the compliments, Xander two-point-oh, they're kind of unnecessary. You are actually aware your type is petite and blonde and holds a stake in her hand?" She cocked her eyebrow. Perhaps that would put shadow!Xander in his place, or perhaps it would make the entire situation even worse. Knowing the way things were panning out in Wonderland, it wouldn't end on such a wonderful note.

Her shadow rolled its eyes. "You're always going to be second best to the Slayer, Cordy," she smirked. Her shadow hugged his, too. If only to be a pest - and rub it in that shadow!Cordelia didn't have the cooties real!Cordelia apparently did.

With her lip curled slightly, Cordelia glanced to Xander. "Is it creepy if I say get a room?"
tact: (pic#6291357)

[personal profile] tact 2013-06-26 05:08 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah.

Thank god for small favours, like Xander knowing himself way better than anyone (as in, Cordelia) had originally thought.

But she continued to eye him as though he had grown another head among the two he currently possessed. "And make things easier on us? Pfft, please. We wouldn't be in this gig if everything was as easy as making your evil self do all your chores while you're out saving the world." It was a dream, however, and she wished that Xander was right, for once in his life.

"Or dying. Being useless. There's a whole list of things." Her shadow cocked its head to the side. "Should I count them off of my fingers?"

Cordelia turned to her shadow. "I'm about to give you a finger to count." She turned her gaze back to Xander desperately. It was one thing she never would've thought she'd do, turning to Xander as if he was a potential white knight on a white horse coming in to save the day. Stranger things had happened. "Has this ever happened before? There has to be a way of getting rid of these things."
tact: xander. (pic#4153284)

[personal profile] tact 2013-07-20 01:00 am (UTC)(link)
Cordelia simply looked at Xander. "I wonder where he got that from," she said with a smile. Watching Xander bicker with himself, while a little unsettling, was kind of amusing.

But considering Xander was one to always hide his feelings and thoughts and what have you behind his humour, which was one of his thickest and best defences, Cordelia thought to take advantage of it. She remembered her conversation with George, of something she had mentioned in a way to identify who Cordelia was in Xander's life. If Xander wasn't going to give her a proper answer, perhaps his shadow would.

"So, while it's great that we're talking about versions of ourselves that don't exactly take priority when it comes to us living our lives, when did you - real you, or even the less well-dressed version of you - get a demonic fiancé?"
tact: (pic#3947547)

[personal profile] tact 2013-07-23 12:50 pm (UTC)(link)
If this shadow stuff didn't disappear when it was expected to, Cordelia knew she'd be seeing a lot more of Xander - if only to simply rid herself of her shadow for a few minutes or hours. Cordelia's shadow seemed to respond positively to Xander's shadow, taking that as a sign to exit.

Cordelia watched the shadow selves walk away before returning her attention to Xander. Her eyes narrowed a little. Why didn't she hear about this engagement? Why wasn't she invited? "So new you are engaged? Or are we talking more about this being a new development for a very old, long-lasting romance between you and a demon?"
tact: (pic#3947564)

[personal profile] tact 2013-07-29 09:50 am (UTC)(link)
Don't turn into the girl that you are on her now, Xander.

"Apparently it does," she said. Cordelia found herself wanting to pull a pep-talk on him, to make Xander see that time does stop while they're here, because someone out of this damn group of unfortunate misfits needed a happy ending.

"And if it doesn't, hopefully she'll wake up and realise that putting it off for one more day isn't going to end well for her. Take it from the expert. Putting an apocalypse before yourself? Generally never ends well."

Her chance with Angel was done the moment she had hesitated in declining Skip's offer on ascension. Cordelia, for as selfish as Xander may remember her, had turned into a selfless dumbass, and that selflessness had almost destroyed her best friend's life. It's something she didn't know if she could forgive herself for, even if the gang had already done that act in regards to all the misgivings she had done against them.

"I was staring down the end of the world and I didn't take the one chance to be completely selfish and happy. And we deserve it, Xander. No matter how short or long it may be, that happiness deserves to be had."

She grinned. "And I better be invited."
tact: (Default)

[personal profile] tact 2013-09-14 12:25 am (UTC)(link)
"And sit all by myself?" she grinned. She'd sit on his side, perhaps not right up the front, as that was more reserved for family, but she'd be there — and warn the future Mrs Harris that she had quite the resume in demon slaying and if he lost one hair on his head, no one would find her body.

Of course, only if you excuse the fact that Cordelia Chase was already long since living. But it was the thought that mattered, right? Cordelia wanted to be there for the happy moments — since there were so few in Los Angeles.

Cordelia frowned, raising her finger as she pointed at him, "If you're getting married to a demon, does that mean you're wedding will be a rainbow one?" From green-skinned demons to red-skinned, Cordelia would definitely not be out of place if she brought Lorne as her date. "Do demons even have friends? Lorne's never really introduced me to any of his demon buddies."
throughthedark: Giles, back turned and head bowed in defeat (Back turned)

[personal profile] throughthedark 2013-06-19 09:06 pm (UTC)(link)
"Are we really going to take a walk? Are you really taking a rest from beating your head against the wall to go outside?"

"You wouldn't shut up about it, so yes. We're taking a walk and going outside."

"Excellent. Research is all well and good, but you know you're not going to find anything. You just don't have any other coping mechanism for a crises. There's no point in disdaining physical exercise just because you can't fight your way out of a wet sack as you are now. Or fresh air. Buffy isn't here to be impressed at your dedication."

Giles was good at dealing with strange occurrences. After a few days of this, he'd started to actually get used to his yellow-eyed shadow. It really didn't seem to mean him any harm. It just seemed to disapprove of him and his life choices to a degree that would put his father to shame.

Partly to shut it up, and partly because he'd turned up nothing in the library or in any of his inquiries over the journals that could stop this, Giles was taking a walk to try and clear his head. His shadow wasn't making it easy to clear his head, since it wouldn't shut up. 'Getting things out in the open', it said.

However, thoughts of fixing this or figuring this out or even just looking for that dragon all flew completely out of Giles' head when he turned the corner and there stood Xander Harris. Even his shadow was surprised enough to fall silent.

For a moment, at least. When, panicking, Giles hastily made to turn away, it stepped forward. Its voice was sharper than he'd ever heard it.

"Oh, no. Just because you're a coward, you are not just...ignoring him. Xander!" The shadow even waved to get Xander's attention.

Giles just...stopped, then, putting his head in his hands from mingled anxiety and embarrassment. Please don't turn around, he thinks. Please don't really be a Xander who's so young he still has two eyes.
throughthedark: Giles, sitting in an armchair with his legs drawn up (Brooding)

[personal profile] throughthedark 2013-06-20 03:04 am (UTC)(link)
Of all the responses he'd been expecting...Giles realized he should have expected that one, but didn't. It had been a while, after all. So he surprised himself by chuckling. It was a strange feeling, and he barely recognized his own voice. There had been so few opportunities for humor over the last...week? Had it really been a week? Good Lord.

"And, once more, I pride myself on having absolutely no idea who you're talking about." Ah, pop culture references. They'd gone over his head even when he'd been taller, and that had never really changed. The feeling was almost nostalgiac.

"He really does. Sentiment is utterly irrational, that way, and he has missed you all."

Giles took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves, and forced himself to look up at Xander. It wasn't as though he was unaware of time travel being a possibility, here, after his talk with Cordelia. But it was still the strangest thing, seeing Xander with two eyes. The universe at large seemed to agree with him, if Xander's shadow was any indication. The boy had a yellow-eyed doppelganger of his own, and Giles was immediately sympathetic.

But, first thing's first.

"You don't recognize me. That's fine. I...wouldn't expect you to."

"Even if I hate you calling me a child. But I'm Giles, Xander. Rupert Giles. Buffy's Watcher. A few years older, even if I look just the opposite."

For a second, just that second, Giles was grateful to his shadow for figuring out a way to introduce himself.
throughthedark: Giles, finishing up a talk with Faith (What can you do but smile?)

[personal profile] throughthedark 2013-06-23 02:32 am (UTC)(link)
"Of course I am."

The disbelief, even if it was a joke, hurt more than he expected. But, most things did, these days. Damn body with all its damn emotions running out of control. It still felt so alien, and that only made it harder to keep control of himself during...moments like this.

He wanted to be six feet tall. He wanted to be old. And Xander's shadow was right, but only because it was kind of nice to see Xander like this - before things started falling to bits.

He was expecting a lot of different things, after that. He was not expecting a hug. Giles rarely did, though.

It was awkward, just because...well, hugs generally were, in his experience, and that had been when he was taller than most of the people around him. This just drove home how different he was from how Xander must have last seen him. All the same, Giles hugged him back. It had been a while, after all. And at least Xander knew him at all.

"Um...n-no, I'm afraid not. I arrived alone, and a day or so before Cordelia."

"I haven't seen Buffy in a long time. It's better that way."

Suspicion strikes, and Giles asks: "...and you?"
throughthedark: Giles, sulking at his state in life (I'm not a little kid)

Oh, that's okay! As long as you're still having fun <3 .

[personal profile] throughthedark 2013-06-26 09:43 pm (UTC)(link)
This time, at least, Giles wasn't in any fit state to notice how short he was, and how obvious that was. What Xander's shadow said just after that proved a very good distraction that immediately took up his attention.

Stunned, Giles looked from Xander to his shadow, eyes wide, briefly speechless. When he found his voice again, all he could manage was: "...Glory?"

He'd known that Xander was from in the past, but suddenly hearing it, hearing him talk about Glory like she was still a threat, threw Giles for a loop. For a second, he could only gape.

"And that's one question answered that you should have thought to ask yourself. Thank you, Xander. Are you going to tell him that Glory is dead and Buffy comes back to life, or are you going to make him guess?"

"For god's sake, be quiet!" he snapped at it, nerves frayed enough that snapping at his own shadow seemed a perfectly logical response. It held up its hands and took a step back. Giles took a deep breath, trying to calm down, before looking back up at Xander in embarrassment.

"...as it said. Glory was, um, a while ago for me."
throughthedark: Giles, back turned and head bowed in defeat (Back turned)

[personal profile] throughthedark 2013-07-05 07:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Giles, in turn, found himself flabbergasted that this was news to the boy. Really, for all that Glory had tormented them, the Hell Goddess had become inextricably linked in his mind with two things - Buffy's death, and Ben's. Especially now, with Dawn gone from his mind, that entire wretched year seemed to turn on that night, with everything else just...lesser, compared to that. Glory caused her death. That was how Giles remembered her.

"...she comes back to life, yes." He didn't fault Xander or his shadow for needing to hear that a second time. It was something that Giles found himself having to say just to reassure himself, remembering that night. She died, yes. But she came back, and the world was better for it.

It was a fact he'd held on to for a long time. That, and the fact that Glory was really, truly dead.

"And Glory is dead. I'm...very positive of this." He had been the one to kill her, after all. So Giles was very, very grateful for an excuse to move on, even if the news wasn't about to get any better.

"Years. It...good lord, it must be over five years, since then." Half a decade. It felt like a lifetime ago that Sunnydale had been an actual town that existed, and not a smoking crater. "I'm older, Xander, even if I don't look it. I feel confident in saying that you all probably are as well. But I'm...something of a special case, at the moment."

Actually feeling a little lightheaded from...well, everything, Giles found himself saying: "Do you want to know how long it's been? Angel and Faith are living in my house in London and we're all working together to save the world. That's how long it's been."

If that didn't drive home the point, Giles didn't know what would. It sounded utterly ridiculous even as he said it. He almost, almost laughed.

"We're all quite friendly now," Giles' shadow added, in a voice of acid. That sobered the real Giles right up. "I'm still not sure how I feel about that, but to be fair, I haven't really had time to think about it."

At least it hadn't said why.
throughthedark: Giles, sitting in an armchair with his legs drawn up (Brooding)

[personal profile] throughthedark 2013-07-16 02:23 am (UTC)(link)
"No!"

"No!"

But if they sounded appalled, it was more at the way Xander described the situation than the implications of the situation - that they were not only amicable, they were downright friendly with one another. Adding Giles' great-aunts into the mix, and the house was more full than it had been in years.

"In point of fact, we were working together in yet another attempt to save the world."

It was more complicated than that, of course. It was Faith's house, and she'd let Angel stay with her, and for the last year or so they'd been trying to bring him back, and it was hard to hate someone with all of their memories crammed into your head...

...but Giles didn't want to torture Xander any more than he already had and, thankfully, his shadow seemed to agree. Xander knew where Giles was coming from. That should be enough.

Even by Xander's time, apocalypses were routine.

"I was literally on my way with them to do just that, when I found myself here!"

At this, however, Giles and his shadow both relaxed a bit. If nothing else, Xander's presence here answered a worry that had been nagging at his mind for a while. "But since I don't remember you disappearing for...however long you've been here, I suppose I won't miss much until I find my way back." There wasn't much he could do when the fight finally came, but he'd just figured out how to do something, and to have that denied had been tormenting him.