Oh, yes, the letters! I knew there was something really awesome you'd done lately Am! I forgive you for Daniel (and didn't remember who you were talking about until I highlighted my own whitefont. How tired is that?

I did think there was one thing in one of the letters that sounded more stilted than Hawkeye would have spoken, though I can't remember what, now. Do you want me to go back and find it?

I couldn't stand it, I went back:

1) I don't know if he'd have said "drunken sex" considering that I think there were censors actively working at the time (though I'm not at all sure of that) and he tended to use euphemisms on the show.

2) I don't think he would have used the word bunkmate. I think it more probable for him to have said, "the new guy" or something similar.

Please, Deena. Later, if you like: but any feedback helps, especially of the 'this is stilted' variety. It's not yet a final version (so you could you know, do a full beta if you liked).

Edit: you went back. Thanks.

"I will not have you abandoning me here on the side of truth and justice. You're the only one I know here."

I enjoyed this. But I have to say, as much as I love Giles (and heaven knows how much I love him) no way would he get any of my naan.

I've never eaten Indian food. I once had ceylonese food made at home by a friend from Ceylon. It was okay, but I have no clue what it was called. It had bits of fish, raisins and nuts in it, that's all I remember.

Am, I will look at it again, though the two things I mentioned in my edit were the ones that struck me on first reading.

Thank you. With reference to those first two:

1) I don't know if he'd have said "drunken sex" considering that I think there were censors actively working at the time (though I'm not at all sure of that) and he tended to use euphemisms on the show.

You might be right. On the other hand, this is the letter he didn't send because it was 'too honest'. That's the sort of thing in there that he couldn't send.

2) I don't think he would have used the word bunkmate. I think it more probable for him to have said, "the new guy" or something similar.

That's probably an American/British issue, which I'll deal with.

Connie, I'm loving this take on Ethan. He's beautifully presented.

Last paragraph though - it reads rather like a summation, with the author speaking in her own voice. Was that the intent? Because I found that a bit off, since the speaking voices leading up to it - Ethan, Giles, the girls - are so very vivid.

YMMV, though. That's just me.

alternate ending paragraphs. Ethan and Giles in China? Sounds like a cross between Indiana Jones and something smutty. Oh, yeah, I think I was supposed to be seeing something wrong in that. But I'm so damned close to finishing this section of V!Giles that I'd best concentrate on that.

There was something terribly irresponsible about looking forward to the future. He had no idea what they would find in Sunnydale, he might find horrors to rival seeing the Council's destruction. A proper Watcher would be soberly considering the options, preparing Molly and Annabelle and whomever they would find next for the battles to come, sublimating himself in the requirements of the job.

As the train pulled out, he looked back one more time. He caught Ethan's grin for a split second before the train disappeared into the tunnel. All the proper Watchers were dead. He had never been a proper Watcher, that was rather the story of his life. It was long past time he stopped being half-ashamed of it and embraced the impropriety. He imagined he was going to have to do much worse before this all was over.

Nice before, nicer now, connie.

He imagined he was going to have to do much worse before this all was over.

So? Show me what! In stereo technocolour!

And I won't be exactly objecting to V!Giles, you know; just demanding more Ethan as well.

(Too pushy, aren't I. At this rate, I'll be lucky to get anything at all.)

here's a rustling under the desk, looks under

What's that? With the wiggling nose and the cute fluffy tail? Oh, crap, it's a plot bunny ... and it's dragging dialogue and angst and a bit o'smut ...

Bunny, I'll feed you to V!Giles if you don't wait your turn.

Here we go, deborah. I apologize for the wait. Tell me if there's anything you want changed about the HTML-- I went with my favorite simple-text layout.

It's a lovely story.