#sparla

[coffeehunt]

This week's Project. ....Angel Season Six Cannon. I will fight anyone who says otherwise in a parking lot.

[februaryfangfest]

What better way to round off the week, than with a little pwp? Each Sunday, we’ll be sharing a smutty rec from the week’s Spotlight Pair. This week, it’s the oldest meets youngest.

Title: Wolf Grin Author: Aldrich Rating: Explicit (Pegging, Angst & Snark, Appropriately Vicious Tongues, The Rest of the Polycule Haunting the Narrative) Length: 5,980 words Setting: 1977, New York Summary: Coming to New York City in 1977, Darla seeks out Spike to retrieve a ledger she left with him years prior. The shadows of Angelus and Drusilla hang over them as Darla takes 'want, take, have' to a new level. Spike isn't complaining. The why: This is a story that lavishly immerses you in 1970s New York, Aldrich is a powerfully atmospheric writer pairing a deep understanding of the characters with razor sharp dialogue and achingly beautiful prose. Darla and Spike's dynamic feels incredibly real, the two display acid cruelty while also having a genuine fondness and even concern for each other. The two missing members of the family feel as if they are ghosts haunting the scene, and this is such a perfect and heartrending point of connection in mutual longing. This isn't a love story, it's a moment of kinship and shared catharsis, and a moment of deliciously brutal physical indulgence that they both need, with just a spot of tenderness. It's gorgeous.

[runsintheblood]

Here's a delectable Sunday treat with some fanart hotter than this here heatwave, it's:

Chastity by evesock

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Darla, Spike, and a cage with a little padlock.

Subpairing: Angelus/Darla, Rating: Explicit, Format: Fanart, Bingo Card: Angel, Bingo Square: edging/orgasm denial/chastity

Enjoy, and show some kudos/comment love! @evesock can also be found and followed here on our beloved hellsite

[somekindofadeviant]

Darla and Spike, the rarest pair in the polycule. The wonderfully caustic blondes. I think this might be one of the rarest non-crack pairs in the fandom, honestly, though they lived together for at least 20 years. We might not see them interact much with each other on-screen but we know they absolutely DID away from our view. There's so much room to fill in there in that negative space, and with two characters who have such compelling forces of personality.

Here's some of my favourites from what exists.

Warning: Some of these fics are hosted on old archives, warnings may be absent or non-exhaustive. They may contain, amongst other things, noncon and torture and oodles of murders. If you want detailed or specific warnings for a fic, please DM me or ask in the notes.

Sinews of the Heart by icemink - After Angel refuses to turn Darla, she goes looking for another member of her family to save her from the illness that is killing her. Gorgeous. Beautiful characterisation. I would happily read 5 million words more of this if it existed. Rating: Explicit, Era: A:tS Season 2/BtVS Season 5 Fearful Symmetry by icemink - Oh hey more DOES exist. This is the continuation of Sinews of the Heart. Sadly it seems to be a perma-WiP at 15 chapters, but it's still very worth reading. While Sinews is pure Spike/Darla, this one's working towards a Spike/Darla/Angel pairing. Rating: Explicit, Era: A:tS Season 2, Incomplete Lessons on a Ledge by icemink - A fun little smutty romp. Spike's troublemaking leaves Darla and him stranded, however will they pass the time? Rating: Explicit, Era: 1880

Family Reunion by Glassdarkly - Darla was afraid that without a soul she wouldn't be able to love her son. What if she was wrong? Or right, depending on your perspective. I'm beginning to think I'm unable to do a rec list without at least one Glassdarkly fic. Family Reunion is brutal, dark, and enthralling. When this author warns you it's one of their darkfics, you better listen to them, they're a master of the craft, it's a horror tale that will stab you in the gut then twist the blade. The location setting in this tale is one of my absolute favourites, it's so perfectly detailed you feel present there with every sense, it's as much a character as any of the humans or demons. Rating: Explicit, Era: 2007 (mostly) Paternity Suit by Glassdarkly - Did I at least one? Make that a few. This one sees Darla tracking Spike down after The Gift/Heartthrob with a task in mind and hoo boy does it hit right in the soft places. Darla at her ruthlessly cunning bestworst, and Spike at his broken apart inside crumpled up bestworst. Rating: Mature, Era: AU Post-BtVS Season 5 Brief Encounter by Glassdarkly - At a time of change and a final parting of the ways, a long-kept family secret comes to light. A post-war piece that, among other things, answers why Spike was so suspicious of Angel in School Hard in contrast to their time on the submarine. Vividly evocative descriptions and atmosphere as always, fantastic historical detail too. Rating: Mature, Era: 1947

Revenge by DeborahMM - Darla grows tired of Angelus's attentions to Drusilla and decides to take her revenge. Exquisitely naughty and a bit bloody. Rating: Explicit, Era: 1880 or 1881

Giving Him The Moon by Peasant - Okay so this is actually a Fanged Four piece, and the primary ships in it are Angelus/Spike and probably Darla/Angelus, but damn if it doesn't have some of my absolute favourite Darla and fledgling Spike interactions, and it's a lovely take on Darla in particular. It's Spike being forced to learn Fyarl and a nice take on the frustrations of struggling to learn a new language. Rating: Explicit, Era: 1887

Triangles Are Falling by lillianmorgan - A delicious messed up encounter between punk Spike and Farrah-hair Darla that has some gorgeous character voices and a sneaky lil sting in the tail. Rating: Explicit, Era: 1977 Entertainment and Spectacle by lillianmorgan - A double drabble. What Darla sees in William, and what William sees in Darla. There's something so vividly intense about the dynamic Lillian crafts between these two. Rating: Teen+, Era: Victorian Cracking the Code by lillianmorgan - A lovely little moment on the way to the theatre. The language here is just a delight, derring-do indeed! Rating: Teen+, Era: Victorian Raging Against the Dying Light by lillianmorgan - Ah, poor dumb Spike all hopped up and out of his head on Slayer blood and on his most gloriously dumb shit vs Darla at one of her worst moments bound up in loss. Rating: Mature, Era: 1900

Cold Comfort by ash_carpenter - Spike recognises that he and Darla are alike in envy and the craving of attention/affection from the other two, and gives her a little comfort or something akin to it. Bittersweet and beautiful. Rating: Mature, Era: Victorian

Idle Threats Does Not A Greatgrandsire Make by FemailoftheSpecies - Just working something out. Conflict resolution. A lil bit of brutal fun. Rating: Explicit, Era: Victorian Creative Differences by FemailoftheSpecies - William and Darla don't see eye to eye. Darla and Angelus, but it's all about William. A funny lil ficlet, with poetry. Of a sort. Rating: Mature (after a fashion), Era: Victorian

Waiting Room by loraineee - A liminal encounter. Just a conversation in the space between. Brief yet intriguing. Rating: Teen+, Era: Post-B:tVS Season 7, Pre-A:tS Season 5

Decadent by Kate Bolin - Darla deserves worship. Spike is barely worthy. A gorgeous fragment of reverence. Ecstasy and agony. Rating: Mature, Era: Unclear

Static by Foxinator - Another between-seasons piece in the summer following Season 5 of BtVS. Darla's looking for Dru to get some insight into what's happening to her body, but she runs into a grieving Spike instead. Just a moment, a conversation, but it captures the characters at a time so strange and pivotal for each of them. Rating: G, Era: Post-BtVS Season 5, Pre-BtVS Season 6

The Queen by aliceinsunnydale - The Illustrated A to Z Guide of Sex Positions for Women explains The Queen as: Get your subject to kneel at your feet and don't give them permission to rise until they've earned either a knighthood or your royal approval to stay for the night. A delicious pwp in a tailor's shop. Rating: Explicit, Era: Victorian

Sitting Together, Simply Observing by aliceinsunnydale - 'More often than not, when in court, Darla and Spike could be found sitting together, simply observing.' A quiet moment of bonding, quite sweet. Rating: G, Era: Victorian Spike/Darla - Five Times Kissed by aliceinsunnydale - Just as the title says. A nice series of snapshots mapping the changing ways the two see each other. Rating: Mature, Era: Pre-Series (Victorian through 1970s)

Home Sweet Home by Rebcake - When Spike is introduced in School Hard, it's clear he's been in Sunnydale before. Rebcake is a master of drabbles, and this is no exception. Rating: Teen+, Era: 1950s

Lessons from the Lady of the House by joycometh - Darla gives William a sorely needed education in a certain subject. Both delightful and amusing. Poor clueless Will or, rather, poor Drusilla. Rating: Explicit, Era: 1880

A Brighter Shade of Darkness by brutti ma buoni - Spike can learn a lot from Darla. He doesn't always enjoy it. A rather illuminating lil ficlet. Rating: Teen+, Era: 1893

Bloody Unnatural by snickfic - A missing scene, a moment of connection. Warm and caring and quite lovely, in a bittersweet way. Rating: Teen+, Era: BtVS Season 6 A Right Sorry Couple of Vamps by snickfic - Alive and human again, all Darla wants is the brief illusion of freedom, and maybe a beer. Naturally, she's just thrilled when she finds Spike, too...Another one that's quite sweet and caring, in an odd way. Rating: Teen+, Era: AtS Season 2

I'm Not Supposed To Be Like This by spuffyduds - Another missing scene in the summer of Buffy's death and Darla's pregnancy. This one may not be so warm and caring, but dang if it doesn't have some brilliant and funny moments instead. Features the Buffybot, too. Rating: Maure, Era: Post-BtVS Season 5, Pre-BtVS Season 6

The Point by carlyinrome - A neat little drabble. What is the point in William? Rating: Mature, Era: Victorian

Waiting For Alice by thawrecka - He is not afraid. She is not bothered. It is not real. When Spike is dragged over and over to that place, she is there. They cling to each other. Beautiful and bleakly arresting. Rating: Teen+, Era: A:tS Season 5

Vantage Ground by _-SuN-_ - Vivid imagery and lush lyrical language. Darla in the aftermath of her loss, spiralling, as she travels with the two children of the family. Rating: Mature, Era: Victorian

Adult Education by Vampire_Penguin - Darla teaches both her boys a lesson. Darla/Spike with Angelus kinda in the mix or, at least, very much adjacent. Wantonly wicked in the best kind of way. Rating: Mature (pushing Explicit), Era: Victorian

Darla: The Series by dessert_first - Okay but what if Angel Investigations but it was Darla's show instead of Angels, post-NFA instead of an AU, key roles gender-flipped, and yer dead favourites got screen time. Sadly this is a WiP last updated in 2005, but it's worth a read for some awesome moments and a brilliant set-up. Mostly ensemble with a lil Sparla in there. Rating: Explicit (in ch5), Era: Post-A:tS Season 5

[idabbleincrazy]

Stay, Just a Little Bit Longer

Fandom: Angel (Buffyverse)

Rating: T

Pairing: Spike & Darla

Word Count: 541

Warnings: some hurt/comfort, dialogue fic, distressed Spike

Summary: Now that Angelus has left them behind again, Spike is desperate to keep what's left of his family together, even if it's just for a little while.

A/N: written for lj comm nekid_spike for the Paired Up challenge with the Spike/Darla square.

Squares Filled: "Please don't leave me" ( @badthingshappenbingo ), "Find me a reason to stay" ( @anyfandomangstbingo ),

China, 1900

"You're leaving us, too, now, aren't you? Just like him!"

"Find me a reason to stay, Spike. You don't need me anymore. You've proven that well enough, defeated a Slayer all by yourself. You're a master vampire now, in your own right. You can take care of Dru perfectly well."

"What if I don't want to? Christ, woman, we've been a family for twenty years now! Twenty years, and you wanna just throw that all away? What, jus' 'cause Angelus couldn't be arsed to stick around? You'll get over it, you did the last time. So will Dru. But not if you leave us, too. She'll go totally 'round the bend. Please, don't leave me…don't leave us. I can protect you better than that bat-faced Sire o' yours -"

"Don't you dare speak of the Master like that, William! You don't know…what he's done for us, for me, after the shame Angelus almost brought upon us all."

"What shame?! Why do you still refuse to talk about what happened with him? Two years, it's been, since the first time he scarpered off on us, in Romania, and I still don't have a ruddy clue as to why! He was supposed to be my Sire, Dru's Sire, an' he just fobbed us off on you…an' now you're doin' the same bloody thing. I won't have it, Darla, not this time! I won't 'ave Dru go through that again; you remember what she was like."

"Spike, I can't."

"You can, and you bloody well will. She nearly died the last time he left us. Wailing and screaming about sparks an' all that soddin' rot all bloody hours of the day. Havin' to stop 'er from walkin' out into the sun twice a fucking week! I won't lose her, but I won't do it alone! I love her, more than anything, but I'll lose my bloody mind if I have to go through that alone. You will stay, Darla, you will not break this family apart more than it already is."

"I'm just so tired, William. Why didn't he love us enough to stay? Why didn't he love me enough?"

"Shh, hush, pet. Angelus loves you, I know he does. I've seen it, seen how he cared for you, even when you were gnawing at each other's throats. I don't know why he left, you won't tell me, an' I won't keep pressin', for now. But look, luv, look at me. If you leave us now, you'll never come back, I know it. 'M not stupid. I know that 'Gelus was the only reason you ever left the Master's side; weren't me an' Dru, that's for certain."

"Spike…"

"No, don't. I'm not mad over that. Just don't leave us. Not now, so soon after we've lost him again. She won't recover this time if you do. I know she won't. 'S bad enough she's lost the one thing I can't ever be for her, if she lost you, too...I'm not strong enough to save 'er from herself on my own. So please, if you ever cared for us, stay, just a little bit longer, at least until Dru can handle it."

"Alright, William. I'll stay, for now."

"Tha's all I'm askin', Darla."

~~~~

All Things Spike: @leatafanfiction @captain-peroxid3

Other: @countblucas (for the sparla)

[blackpilledkremlintsarina5294]

Characters who needed more screen time together - Darla & Spike

[februaryfangfest]

Welcome to Day Twelve of February Fangfest! A month-long event to celebrate the Fanged Four and all their gleefully gory glory.

For today’s perusal, One Good Turn by Kenijo. A Sparla fic set during Season Two of Angel: The Series.

Spike's been asked to help Darla with a little problem. He doesn't mind. After all, one good turn deserves another, right?

Rating: Explicit, Length: 2,437 words, Tit For Tat, Canon Divergence - Spike Instead Of Dru, The Chip Is Out

Enjoy, and show some kudos/comment love <3

[februaryfangfest]

Welcome to Day Twenty of February Fangfest! A month-long event to celebrate the Fanged Four and all their gleefully gory glory.

For today’s perusal, Keeping Tabs by Electra. A Sparla 5+1 fic.

5 times Spike asked about Darla + 1 time she asked about him.

Rating: Mature, 5+1, Length: 2,259 words, Back and Forth, Love & Loss & Feels

Enjoy, and show some kudos/comment love <3 Electra aka @instant-star-09 can also be found and followed here on our beloved hellsite.