Re: FIC: Under the Willow Tree [1/1]

[danspector@xxxxxxxxx]

[Go Buffy, it's your birthday!! <G>]

Woohoo! Two new B/W authors in one day! (or it would have been if the
list hadn't frozen for a couple of hours :p ) Very cool!  

(hey, if we could keep this pace up...okay, two newbies a day might be
tough, but we won't know unless we try <g>)

Bynx, glad to have you writing for us. I've enjoyed your C/F fics and
I'm glad to know that this is your fave couple. (Then again, how could
they not be?)

I really liked this fic, there were a lot of nice ideas in play. (BTW,
you seemed to be unclear on where this would take place in continuity,
but it would seem to fit right in Season 6, between "Tabula Rasa"--Tara
just left Willow--and "Smashed", since Buffy and Spike haven't done
their urban demolition impression yet.) Thought the passively suicidal
Buffy was an interesting twist on her depression--it tied in nicely
with the arc for Buffy's "patrols" to have reduced themselves to sitting
around waiting to be killed, and yet finding herself "going through the
motions" of slaying and thus self-preservation.

You gave us an excellent reason for why Buffy and Willow hadn't had the
conversation they so desperately needed to have all year. (Well, aside
from my cynical thought that a B/W confrontation over the resurrection
would be a logical outgrowth of the plot and would move things along, so
naturally Joss and Marti couldn't let **that** happen :( )  

The idea that Buffy couldn't talk about it because only Willow was to
blame and she couldn't bring herself to hate the girl she loves is a
favorite B/W theory, of course, but you quite cleverly tied it in with
past continuity by suggesting that Buffy keeps her emotional turmoils to
herself because it's her nature to protect those around her, even from
her own temper. Lord knows, I like that explanation for her tendency to
keep secrets a lot better than "you wouldn't understand", which she's
been hiding behind since Season 3.

And after all, even not getting 'shippy about it, who has Buffy
dedicated herself to protecting more thoroughly than she has Willow? No
one, not even Dawn. So it's completely unsurprising that she can't
bring herself to attack the redhead, even over being ripped out of
"heeeeaaaaaven"--it goes against her basic "Save Willow" instincts.

The other half of the story is Willow not able to talk about her
bringing Buffy back for what she admitted in canon were "selfish"
motives; meaning of course that she wanted Buffy back and damn the
consequences, because she was in love. Logical.

The conversation where this came out was strong, and I liked Buffy's
confrontational, almost harsh, kiss. I dug Willow not being able to be
sure of Buffy's motives and being willing to accept the punishment of
having to admit the feelings she'd been ashamed of, if that's what Buffy
wanted.  

Fortunately, it wasn't a punishment, it was love. And I liked the line
about Buffy's birthday (see top) and the bit where, trying to please
Willow, Buffy has to strain to remember what gives her pleasure because
she hasn't felt it in so long in her despair. Lastly, I smiled at your
use of the concept of Willow-as-Buffy's-home, since mentioning it when
Buffy's head was at work between Will's legs was a much saucier twist to
the idea than we usually see.

Finally, it was good to see someone bring up the idea that Buffy's leap
in "The Gift" was suicide--that got buried when we found out she was in
"heeeeeaaaaaven" and we couldn't be sanctifying suicide, right? But
here it ties in very nicely to Buffy's self-destructive mindset earlier
in the fic--Willow really is saving her, again and again.

I don't mean to over-rave (some of the dialogue was a little flowery,
for example) and I promise I won't write tomes like this every time, but
I found this to be a convincing character work with some nice attention
to continuity, so thank you very much.

I look forward to seeing more of your B/W work.

Dan