"London Hellmouth" by Sylvia Volk

[rusty_halo]

I spent the weekend studying for midterms and reading fanfic. (Oh, and eating roasted vegan marshmallows. They're really good!)

One story that I adored is "London Hellmouth" by Sylvia Volk, which you'll find here. It's set in 1905 and the pairing is Spike/Drusilla, but it really sort of revolves around later series events. It foreshadows Spike's redemption and Buffy love and it incorporates a lot of S7 slayer mythology. This story is just so well-constructed. One of the brilliant things is that, having seen all of BtVS, the reader knows what's going on, but the characters have no clue -- except Drusilla, who sees it in crazy Dru-vision and doesn't make sense to anyone else.

Another thing I really loved about this story is that it captures the Spike/Drusilla dynamic better than almost anything else I've read. I always felt that Dru was the real power in that relationship. When BtVS first introduced the characters in S2, Spike was going to die and Drusilla would be revealed as the real threat--Spike was just her boy-toy. They toned that down when Spike lived, but I still think Dru was the more powerful one in that relationship by far. Just look at School Hard--she throws weak little insanity fits whenever she wants Spike to do something--kill the slayer, talk to the annointed one, etc. She's the mastermind of that operation, and she does it so well by letting Spike think he's the one with the power, because that's how she gets him to do things for her and to take care of her. Yes, she's insane--but she also knows exactly how to get Spike to do what she wants.

So anyway, this story captured that really well. Both characterizations are quite layered, and once you get to the end everything makes such perfect sense. It's a great read, so go read it! :)

Comments

[diva-stardust.livejournal.com]

I saw that fic last night and it's definitely one I want to read. Although I think it's a goal of mine to read *everything* on your site;) It's just all so good!

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Hee. Thanks.

Seriously, though, prioritize that one. I read the whole thing with fascination, but a bit of confusion, and then the last two paragraphs brought everything together so *perfectly* -- the plot and character motivations of that story, plus Spike's heroic journey in later BtVS canon. It's awesome.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

BTW - this one I just archived made me think of you.

[mogens.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the rec. I commented the other day in someone's lj that I'm on the lookout for really good Spike/Dru.

[shadowlass.livejournal.com]

who sees it in crazy Dru-vision

Heee!

[kitanotjames.livejournal.com]

Yea, Dru was in charge. Love's bitch, remember?

Of all the vamps Joss has ever created, the only one who actually scared me was Dru. If I saw her in a lit room, I'd still run screaming. She was waaayyy smarter than anyone (except maybe Spike, and then only sometimes) gave her credit for. And that was how she worked it.

I love good S/D fic. You can find some excellent ones at Jess' old site, ficbitch.com/bloodscreaming- I think it's still up, even if it's not being updated any longer. And of course, Jess herself does some amazing S/D stuff. Gifu just kicks my ass every time I read it.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Yeah, exactly. Nobody gives Dru enough credit. She was seriously cool. Whenever I hear about how Spike manipulated poor Dru, it's just like, no. She knew *exactly* what she was doing.

Note to self: I really have to read Jess' stuff.

[netweight]

I really have to read Jess' stuff.

Watch me not comment on this. *g*

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Hey, I was good. I read all of Kita's stuff. Progress. :)

It's hard to start reading stuff by an author with a large body of work, because I have this compulsion to read everything at once. That requires setting aside a day or even a weekend just for that writer. And lately (with the whole senior year of college thing) I haven't really had time.

But, I'm working on it. Jess is on the list. (A list which exists solely in my head and is in no order whatsoever.) And thanks to your peer pressure it will probably be sooner rather than later. ;)

[netweight]

Progress indeed. I was insanely happy.
*dances around you*
*pets you*

And yay for your list!

[shapinglight]

I always thought Dru was the one in charge in the Spike/Dru relationship. It was obvious from School Hard onwards. Like you, I can't imagine where all these people get the Spike abusing Dru idea from. I think it must just be from that one line in Lovers' Walk where he says he's going to tie her up and torture her until she likes him again. But of course it's obvious from the context that Dru would have loved that.

Actually, I think Spike knew just how powerful and smart Dru was, but he also had been with her long enough to know what she would like, therefore it can come across (as in Becoming 2) as him telling her, or rather suggesting to her, what she might like to do. He finally broke her hold over him in Crush, but she was definitely the one with the power until then.