Lera

It's been signed by both of them.

When I wrote this fic, 20+ years ago, never would I have imagined I'd live in a world where A) Someone would make art for it like this (ily @flyora) or B) I'd get it signed by both Spike and Zangy.

Seriously, she has a ton of fics, I'm going through all of them like my life depends on it and they are all INCREDIBLE!! I don't even know how it's possible.

She understands and knows how to write Spike and Spuffy better than anyone I've ever seen, it's Spuffy heaven!

Anyway, this is all to say I just started The Writing on the Wall and I'm wondering if anyone else has read it because I don't think I can do it alone.

It's set after Buffy sacrifices herself at the end of season 5 but this time she ends up in a hell dimension and Spike goes to rescue her, and let me tell you, it is BRUTAL.

He has to go through trials to get to her and one of them involves him staying by himself in an empty cave, completely tied up, with no food for the equivalent to 3 Earth days.

And at first you think, yeah, sure, that's not exactly easy but of course Spike can do it.

So, the 72 hours go by but, for some reason, he doesn't get to move on. Years seemingly go by with no end in sight until, finally, this demon who's responsible for his trials lets him know he's made it through the first day.

One day on Earth means 100 years in hell...and he still has 2 more days to go.

This is where I'm at right now, so, there are still 200 years ahead.

She's a HEA writer so I know things will end ok no matter how much pain there is until then but JFC I was not expecting that!

I had a dream about the similarities of OUAT and BtVS … this is one that stayed with me when I woke up. Well at least in one world a super powerful, chosen one blonde woman ends up with her rock n roll, black nail polish, snarky one liner villain turned hero himbo 😭🖤

That's true, but only half true. It's about Buffy's sacrifice. Angel performs sacrifice. But ultimately he sacrifices very little.

His greatest act of sacrifice—leaving Buffy—was ultimately another act of avoidance, in a long list of avoidant acts, and only catalyzed by Buffy’s growing needs and Joyce’s intervention. The only noble thing about it was him finally owning up to his complete inability to embrace true redemption so long as he could use Buffy as his redemptive vessel. Angel easily could have gone to Africa to get rid of his curse—but he did not feel he had earned the right to be uncursed.

When he is dying from Faith's poison arrow, Buffy sacrifices her own honor and morals to save him. And when she fails to bring Faith to him, she sacrifices herself to save him. Her sacrifice was not met with a mutual offering—Angel ultimately does not refuse. As Xander says: Angel drank from the girl he loves to save his own ass.

Spike sacrifices his life so that Buffy can live. So that Sunnydale is completely demolished. So she can escape it forever and have a chance at a life away from the Hellmouth.

For Spike, sacrificing himself for the woman he loves is the deepest possible honor—not just because he loves her, but because Buffy has always needed someone to sacrifice for her the way she would for them.

That's true, but only half true. It's about Buffy's sacrifice. Angel performs sacrifice. But ultimately he sacrifices very little.

His greatest act of sacrifice—leaving Buffy—was ultimately another act of avoidance, in a long list of avoidant acts, and only catalyzed by Buffy’s growing needs and Joyce’s intervention. The only noble thing about it was him finally owning up to his complete inability to embrace true redemption so long as he could use Buffy as his redemptive vessel. Angel easily could have gone to Africa to get rid of his curse—but he did not feel he had earned the right to be uncursed.

When he is dying from Faith's poison arrow, Buffy sacrifices her own honor and morals to save him. And when she fails to bring Faith to him, she sacrifices herself to save him. Her sacrifice was not met with a mutual offering—Angel ultimately does not refuse. As Xander says: Angel drank from the girl he loves to save his own ass.

Spike sacrifices his life so that Buffy can live. So that Sunnydale is completely demolished. So she can escape it forever and have a chance at a life away from the Hellmouth.

For Spike, sacrificing himself for the woman he loves is the deepest possible honor—not just because he loves her, but because Buffy has always needed someone to sacrifice for her the way she would for them.