Footling

Footle

I came across it at a Word a Day site a while back. The first definition is what I've been doing all day *g*

foo¡Ptle [ fÈÉt¡¦l ] 
intransitive verb  (past foo¡Ptled, past participle foo¡Ptled, present participle foo¡Ptling, 3rd person present singular foo¡Ptles) 
1. act aimlessly: to waste time doing unnecessary or unimportant things
2. act or talk pointlessly: to talk nonsense or behave in a pointless way

I think, according to the first part of the second definition, it's what Xander and Willow sometimes do.

More Favorite Fics: What Brought Us Here & The Offering (S/X)

"What Brought Us Here" by spikedluv (http://spikedluv.net/buffyfanficspikexander.html) is the story I head for when I want to cheer up and read schmoop. It goes AU after "The Gift'. Xander marries Anya who dies in childbirth leaving him to take care of their daughter. Slowly Spike becomes a welcome addition to Xander's household helping to raise "their" daughter so that Jess has 2 daddies. Willow, Tara, Dawn and others are also part of this extended family. It's a beautifully paced story encompassing several years with lovely bits of humor in the mix. I want to believe that somewhere there's a parallel universe where the story is actually happening.

"The Offering" (http://nummytreats.forsaken-faith.org/archive/viewstory.php?sid=292) is quite a change of pace. I believe it was the first fic I read developing from the premise that Angel truly gave Xander to Spike in "School Hard" though there probably were other such fics around. The warnings say dark angst and it's so true. Xander grows to love Spike which the Scoobies don't like and of course the worst happens but even vamp!Xander loves his sire. It ends on a strange but happy note.

Spikedluv's one of the better BtVS fanfic writes out there. Her characterizations are right on, she has a sense of humor and she can plot. While you're at her site check out her other stuff.