Title: Blackout Tag

Author: Kate R.

Disclaimer: Own nothing and no one used herein. Everyone so far belongs to Joss.

Rating: PG

Summary: My answer to the blackout Challenge. Paintball in the dark.

Blackout Tag
by Kate R.

There were times he thanked his father for locking him in the closet under the stairs. They were few and far between but they did happen.

Like now, for instance. He had been driving when the blackout hit and he'd slammed on his brakes. Getting out of the care and leaving it where it was, he'd made his way back to the library where everyone was. Giles had raised an eyebrow about him hiking back and arriving safely but said nothing. They had started just looking through things by candlelight.

Eventually, Buffy had gotten bored and demanded they do something. There was paintball equipment in the gym and so Xander had gone to liberate it. Finally they were looking around.

"It's everyone for themselves and you have to play too, Wesley. Angel you have an unfair advantage so you can ref." Buffy was bossing everyone around and not giving anyone a chance to say otherwise.

Wesley shrugged and took off his sports coat. This was something that should at least relieve the boredom. He looked at Giles and shrugged as Giles loaded his weapon. Wesley loaded his and then, when Buffy gave the signal, he stepped back into the shadows---and vanished.

He soon found himself having the time of his life as he stalked each Scooby carefully. He chuckled to himself after taking out Giles that Angel was not the one with the unfair advantage. Giles though, had allowed himself to be taken out. It was as Wesley suspected. Giles did not want to play.

His next target was Xander. The boy was good but not as good as Wesley himself. Wesley had years of it being the difference between bruises and dinner if he could stay in the dark and use it to his advantage. He was standing right behind Xander when he shot the boy. Making the point that Xander really didn't know about what he was talking about with Soldier Guy.

His next target was Willow. She was simple enough. He simply walked up in front of her and pulled the trigger. She never saw him even though she was supposedly a 'Daughter of the Night.' Foolish Child.

Cordelia and Oz followed in quick succession. Easy enough to hit Cordelia as she stopped to do her make up and Oz was standing in the middle of the cafeteria. Wesley had no idea why as there was nothing in their.

He got Faith as she was walking under an emergency light. Stupid children. That was a good way to die.

Finally, it was just he and Buffy. She was walking and muttering to herself about where everyone else was.

Wesley said nothing. He tossed a marble across the floor and Buffy turned to follow it. Turning her back on him.

Idiot Child was she that gullible? He sighed; growing bored with the game, and threw a paint ball at her. It exploded in her hair.

Giles' Flashlight hit her then and she looked up.

"Not Giles," Was all Wesley said before he walked back into the darkness and made his way back to the library to wait. "Not Giles."

"What the hell was that?" Buffy asked angrily.

"Wesley won," Giles said as he walked away.

Angel was leaning against the wall snickering.

Buffy stood there with her hair a mess and looking at everyone else covered in paint. Giles' words echoed through her mind as they trooped back to the library:

Wesley. Won.

Sequel?
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