Title: Politik
Author: Froxyn
Rating: FRT
Pairing: Buffy/Giles
Timeline: Post series, AU.
Synopsis: Buffy is tired of hurting.
Author’s
Note: Album fic. Song and lyrics can be found here.
An impatient knock sounded loud
in the quiet house. Giles was on his way
to the front door when it swung open. He
stopped in his tracks and stared as Buffy walked in.
“What, uh…what are you doing
here?”
Buffy rolled her eyes as she
closed the door behind her. “Hi,
Buffy…it’s been a while. How are
you? How’s
Giles cleared his throat. “I do apologize, you’ve just surprised
me. Hello, Buffy.”
A smile tugged at the corner of
her mouth. “Hi, Giles. How are you?”
“I’m well.” He gestured towards the couch in an unspoken
invitation for her to sit. “Very curious
at the moment…as you stated earlier, it has
been a while.”
She sat down and curled her legs
under her as she leaned against the arm of the couch. “Yeah…too long, in my opinion. You’re my Watcher…we shouldn’t be apart for
so long.”
He smiled wryly and shook his
head, sitting down on the opposite end of the couch. “You don’t require a Watcher any longer,
Buffy. You know this…as well as I do.”
After a moment of silence, Giles
sighed. “Not that I’m unhappy to see you,
but…why are you here?”
“Is our relationship normal for
a Slayer and her Watcher?”
Giles narrowed his eyes, turning
towards her and giving her his undivided attention. “How do you mean?”
“We hurt each other…whether we
mean to or not, we do. It’s like we
trade blows back and forth and…is that normal?
Is that how Slayers and Watchers act with one another?”
Giles gazed at her and then
lowered his eyes as he twisted the ring on his left pinky. “Sometimes.
However, it is not of the norm.”
Buffy stared at him and then
furrowed her brow. “What is ‘of the
norm’?”
“Student, teacher…brawn,
brains…”
“Are you saying I’m not smart?”
He looked up quickly, shaking
his head. “No, that’s not what I’m
saying at all. I’m saying that in a
‘normal’ relationship between a Watcher and his Slayer, the Slayer is brute
force…and the Watcher assists her through research.”
“Oh…” She seemed to accept that answer, brushing
her fingers through her hair as she looked at him. “So, what’s so different about ours?”
Giles closed his eyes briefly,
knowing that this conversation would have taken place at some point…but, he
wasn’t sure if he was ready for it now.
“Buffy…”
“Please, Giles. I came all the way from
Giles took a deep breath,
gathering his thoughts.
“Our relationship…the reason we
act and react as we do…it has nothing to do with our professions. It…it has to do with us…as a man and a
woman…”
To his surprise, Buffy didn’t look
surprised. After a slight hesitation, he
cleared his throat and continued.
“I, uh…I’ve tried to be
strong…to remain in control…but, I…”
She tilted her head slightly and
gave him a soft smile. “Want to kiss me
instead of fight with me?”
“Well, that’s…that’s an over, uh
oversimplification of the issue at hand.”
He stammered.
“But you do?” When he merely stared at her, she bit her lip
and shifted nervously. “Because…I do.”
“Buffy, we…we’ve been through so
much. We can’t just…it’s not that easy. If it were that easy, I would’ve done
everything possible to avoid the pain we’ve dealt one another.”
“I don’t think it’s going to be
easy, Giles.” She stated, standing and
walking over to the living room window.
“If anything, it would be harder than what we have now.”
He watched her trail her
fingertips down the window pane as the rain pelted the glass. “More than likely, yes it would.”
“I’m willing to risk it
though.” She whispered, watching the
rain soak the earth.
He licked his lips and stood,
moving to stand behind her. “What are
you willing to risk?”
“The possibility of reopening
old wounds…losing your trust again, if only for a little while…”
“You want us to hurt one
another…so that we don’t hurt one another?”
He asked softly, placing his hand next to hers on the window as he
leaned into her slightly.
“No.” She replied, shuddering as she felt his
fingers touch her back. “I don’t want that. But, I’m willing to hurt for just a little
while…one last time…in order to never hurt each other again…not like we have in
the past.”
“Buffy…you have to be sure. Once we cross this line, we…can’t go back.”
“I don’t want to go back.” She whispered as she turned, leaning against
the windowsill as she met his eyes. “I’ll
take love over this any day.”
He swallowed, his right hand
pressed flat against the window as his left gently brushed through her
hair. “We will reopen old wounds…but, I’ll do everything in my power to heal
them as quickly as possible.”
“Giles…”
His eyes darted to her lips
before returning her gaze. “Give me your
heart, Buffy…let me see, truly see, inside your soul.”
“Is…is this real?” She whispered, reaching out to tentatively
touch his chest.
He smiled and leaned down,
brushing his lips across hers. “It can
be. Open your eyes, love. Open your eyes and make all of this
real. Please…”
Buffy opened her eyes, her heart
racing as she realized that she was in
Ten minutes later, her flight
had been booked.
* * *
Giles was on his way to the
front door when it swung open. He
stopped in his tracks and stared as Buffy walked in.
And then a smile graced his
lips.
“Hello, Buffy.” He stepped forward and took her hand in
his. “You received my message…”
Buffy’s brow furrowed in
confusion as he gently closed the door.
“Message?”
“Give me heart, give me
soul…” He whispered, taking her bag from
her hand and dropping it to the floor.
“Wounds will heal…now that you’ve opened your eyes.”
Buffy’s eyes widened as
realization sank in. “The dream…”
He nodded slowly, a shy smile
showing in his eyes. “I, uh…I apologize,
but…I just, I didn’t know how else to put an end to this.”
She thought for a minute,
lowering her eyes to their joined hands.
“But…you love me?”
“More than I can say.” He whispered in response.
“Do you promise that it won’t
hurt for long?”
He lifted his hand to her cheek,
his thumb gently caressing her cheek. “I
promise.”
A slow smile appeared on her
lips as she lifted her mouth to his.
“Give us a kiss…”
He smiled and closed the
distance between them. As their lips
met, their healing began.
~ End