Being a Vampire Sucks 2: Takes One To Know One

[shapinglight]

The second in my series of short fics about minor vampire characters. Dalton this time. I know it's not very good, but it's taken me two days to write it, so I thought I'd just go ahead and post.

Setting: BtVS season 2, during Surprise
Rating: PG
Dalton reflects on opportunities missed.
150 words

Takes One To Know One



His mother always warned him all that reading wouldn't do him any good. Next time - not that there'll be a next time - he'll know better than to turn around when he hears familiar words and finish off the quote.

He wouldn't make things worse either by gushing, "Didn't know you were a poetry lover, boss. The Raven's great, huh? Poe's a favourite of mine, " and reciting the next verse.

And he'd look away so as not to see that brief flash of understanding - nerd recognising nerd - in Spike's eyes, swiftly followed by sheer, pure terror at being found out, a sock to the jaw and a growled, "Dunno what you're talkin' about. Get back to work, you idiot."

But as the Judge reaches him, he thinks, so much for discretion. He should have said it while he had the chance.

Takes one to know one.

Comments

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

Yay! a Dalton story!

[shapinglight]

A very brief Dalton story. Better than nothing, though. :)

[treadingthedark.livejournal.com]

OH excellent!

[shapinglight]

Thank you. :)

[sueworld2003.livejournal.com]

Yay, that was excellent. :D It was such a shame we didn't to see more of his character really.

[shapinglight]

I agree. He stood out from the other minions.

[rahirah]

I always liked Dalton. He wasn't bad, for a murdering fiend. *g*

[shapinglight]

Agreed. Gotta love a bloke who reads much.

[hello-spikey.livejournal.com]

Aw, poor Dalton! He was a dear of a minor character.

Yeaaah, I can see why Spike was so hard with him. Poor geek boy!

[shapinglight]

Yeaaah, I can see why Spike was so hard with him. Poor geek boy!

In retrospect, a bit of I!AM!NOT!LIKE!YOU! going on there.

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

Brilliant. :-) You don't need many words to say much. ;-)

[shapinglight]

Just as well really. Words elude me at the moment.

[quinara]

Hee!! Poor old Dalton.

[shapinglight]

Yes, I bet Spike was sorry afterwards too. Dalton was the only one with half a brain.

[candleanfeather.livejournal.com]

It works very well. The parallels between him and Spike are clever.

Dalton, his (un)life was short on the show, but he was a good find. They could have easily explored more his character.

[shapinglight]

They could have easily explored more his character.

I agree. It's a pity really.

[whichclothes.livejournal.com]

Hee! Dalton would have recognized Spike's hidden geekiness.

[shapinglight]

Yes, though mentioning it was probably a bad idea. ;)

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

Wonderful! nerd recognizing nerd. love it !

[shapinglight]

Thank you. :)

[trepkos.livejournal.com]

Poor Dalton.

[shapinglight]

Yes, bet Spike was sorry afterwards. Or if not, he should have been.

[trepkos.livejournal.com]

I think he was.

[shapinglight]

Well, Dalton was the only one with half a brain. ;)

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

Dear Dalton. Overflowing with knowledge, trying and failing to hold it all in. Spike had some time (and training) to learn that discretion was the better part of so many things. Perhaps if he'd been a crueler master, Dalton would have lasted?

Thanks for the spotlight on Dalton!

[shapinglight]

Glad you enjoyed it. I meant it to be longer, but somehow the words didn't work.

[kidcyclone.livejournal.com]

This is perfect. I love "And he'd look away so as not to see that brief flash of understanding - nerd recognising nerd - in Spike's eyes, swiftly followed by sheer, pure terror at being found out". Poor Spike, he is such a nerd under his veneer of bad-arse. That's just one of the many reasons why I love him so. :>>

I am very annoyed with JW for killing off Dalton. It seemed he loved to kill off chars with incredible potential far too quickly: TM, Darla, Dalton, etc. Not to mention poor Wes, although he lasted longer than the others, at least.

Well, I don't give a toss about Joss, so I can write AU!Dalton all I like. Thanks for sharing the lovely bit of fic!

[shapinglight]

I'm glad you enjoyed it, and agree about Whedon. He does have a nasty habit of killing off interesting characters in an offhand way, as if he thinks they're not interesting at all (and maybe they aren't, to him). Ethan Rayne dying in the Buffy comic is a case in point.

Still cross about that.