Title:
Forcing His Hand
Author:
Froxyn
Pairing:
Buffy/Giles
Rating: FRM
Timeline:
Sometime in S5. Riley is a non-issue. Joyce’s health is fine. Who’s Dawn?
Synopsis:
Giles is having nightmares…is his subconscious trying to tell him something?
Notes: Special
thanks to wyvernwolf for
taking the time to beta this for me.
Giles sat
up straight in bed. His body was covered in sweat, his heart was pounding and
his throat was throbbing with pain from the scream that had ripped through it.
He ran a
trembling hand through sweat-drenched hair and took a deep breath. He wiped the
moisture from his face, not surprised when he couldn’t tell if it was sweat or
tears. He glanced at his bedside table, sighing when the clock told him that it
was two forty-seven in the morning.
Knowing
that sleep would not find him again, he climbed out of bed and stood in the
middle of his bedroom. His eyes darted between the bathroom door and the stairs
leading from the loft. What he wanted was a nice cup of hot tea. He decided
though that a shower would probably be best at the moment. His skin was hot and
damp…he felt utterly disgusting.
With
another sigh, he stumbled into the bathroom. Perhaps a shower might wash away
the memories of his nightmare as well as the sweat and tears.
* * *
An hour
later, he was sitting on his couch with a steaming mug of tea in his hands. He
was staring across the room, his eyes unfocused. He absently lifted the mug to
his lips, carefully taking a sip.
The
nightmares had been plaguing him for four nights now. The actual events of the
dreams were different each night. However, the outcome was always the same. He
swallowed with difficulty as his eyes began to glisten.
Each dream
ended with Buffy’s death.
She would
fall at the hands of whatever foe she was fighting. And Giles was always there,
but unable to help her, protect her…save her.
Night
after night, he watched her crumple to the ground. Night after night, he ran to
her and pulled her lifeless body into his arms. And night after night, he
sobbed uncontrollably as he held her warm body close to his chest, whispering
his declarations of love to her as
The first
night had been a vampire draining the life from her. The second had been torture
at the hands of Angelus and Faith. The third had been Adam ripping her
still-beating heart from her chest. The fourth had been more disturbing than
the previous three.
A
spectacular swan dive from the top of what seemed to be a poorly constructed tower.
He had
watched helplessly from the ground, screaming at her not to jump. He paid no
attention to the dragon flying overhead that had entered their airspace from a
strange rip in the sky. His heart seemed to stop beating as she launched
herself from the tower.
He
screamed the entire time he watched her body fall. She landed on a pile of
debris and, although there were no obvious external injuries, as he ran to her
he knew that she was gone. And for the fourth night in a row, he held her in
his arms and cried. His tears fell onto her face as he stroked her hair,
begging her not to leave him. Begging her to come back to him and love him. And
then he was apologizing for not telling her exactly how much he loved her.
Now he sat
on his couch, drinking tea at four in the morning…alone. He ran his hand over
his face and closed his eyes against the pain he felt in his heart. This latest
nightmare was different than the ones prior. The first three he could almost
understand.
She fought
vampires nearly every night. From day one, it had been his fear that he’d lose
her to one. Angelus and Faith…that stemmed from the ruse he had agreed to help
Buffy with in order to learn more about Mayor Wilkins. Adam…they had nearly
been pulled apart by him. Adam and Spike had been able to alienate Buffy from
him, as well as Xander and Willow.
But this
one…a tower. He shook his head in frustration. They had never encountered a
tower. And there had never been dragons and more otherworldly creatures flying
over their heads.
It disturbed
him greatly.
He groaned
as he took a sip of his now cold tea. He placed the mug on the coffee table and
stood, making his way to the bookshelves lining the wall. His fingers trembled
as he reached for the Codex.
He prayed
he would find nothing in the text.
He also
knew that he was going to have to let her in on the emotions he was
experiencing. And, that scared him almost as much as the Codex.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~
Giles
looked up in surprise as the front door opened and Buffy walked in. He glanced
at the clock quickly to find it was ten minutes past ten. He closed the book in
front of him and offered her a weary smile. He had found nothing in the Codex
and had progressed to books concerning dream analysis. But, he hadn’t had any
luck yet.
“Buffy,
good morning.”
She
narrowed her eyes and dropped her bag onto the floor. “Jeez, Giles…you look
like hell.”
He
chuckled softly and gave her a nod. “I slept rather poorly last night.”
“You okay?
You’re not getting sick, are you?” She walked over to him and gently pressed
the back of her hand against his forehead. “You don’t seem to be running a
fever…”
He fought
the urge to lean into her touch. Instead, he stood and shook his head. “I’m not
getting sick, Buffy. Though, I do appreciate your concern.”
She smiled
warmly and touched his forearm as she looked up at him. “Of course, I’m
concerned. You’re my Giles.”
He cleared
his throat and moved away from her. “Yes, well…um…training today, yes?”
She hopped
up on the table and swung her legs. “That was the plan. But, if you’re not
feeling up to it…”
“No, no.
I’m fine, Buffy. I’m just a little tired. Maybe we could go for a run down to
Miller’s Woods?”
She
watched him carefully, noticing that his movements seemed to be very heavy.
“Or…maybe we can do some research on that Kibosh demon I came across the other
night.”
“Kabuscht.”
He corrected automatically.
“Yeah,
that one. I can call Willow and see if she can help us.”
Giles
thought about it for a moment and then nodded in agreement. “Very well.”
She smiled
brightly and slid off the table. As she walked over to the phone, he picked up
the book on dream analysis and returned it to the bookshelf. If she happened to
pick it up and look at it, it would just cause too many questions that he
wasn’t sure how to answer.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~
Two hours
after Willow had arrived and they had started delving into the books, Buffy
felt Willow kick her leg lightly. She looked up and met her friend’s eyes.
Willow tilted her head in Giles’ direction. Buffy sighed as she looked over to
find that he had dozed off, his head resting against his palm.
“He said
he didn’t sleep well last night.” Buffy whispered softly.
“I’d guess
more than just last night. He looks exhausted.” Willow replied in a hushed
tone.
Buffy
nodded in agreement and quietly pushed her chair back and stood up. She walked
around the table and placed her hand on his shoulder.
“Giles?”
“Mm?” He
mumbled.
“Come on,
let’s get you into bed.” She moved her hand to his back and rubbed a gentle
circle across his spine.
His eyes
snapped open and he sat up suddenly, turning his head towards her. “I’m sorry?”
She
offered him a gentle smile. “You’re exhausted, Giles. You need to get some
sleep.”
He blushed
lightly, realizing that he had fallen asleep while reading. “No, I’m…I’m fine.”
Seeing the
disbelieving look on Buffy’s face, he sighed heavily. “Yes, I’m tired. But…we
need to find out why the Kabuscht is in Sunnydale and – ”
Buffy
smiled and shook her head. “Willow and I can still research. You need rest,
Giles.”
He glanced
at Willow, who nodded in agreement. He ran his hand through his hair and looked
at the stairs. He yawned widely and motioned towards the couch. “Perhaps I can
take a short nap on the sofa.”
“Your bed
would be more comfortable.” Buffy offered quietly.
“Yes,
however…” He exhaled deeply and looked into her eyes. “I’m not sure I feel up
to climbing the stairs, to be quiet honest.”
Buffy
nodded in understanding. “The couch may not be as comfortable, but at least you
can get horizontal on it.”
He
chuckled wearily and stood. “If you find anything, please…”
“Wake you
up.” She finished for him with a smile. “I will. Now, go…” She gently pushed him
towards the couch. “Get some rest.”
He nodded
slowly and sank onto the couch, pulling down the afghan that was draped over
the back. He covered himself and closed his eyes. He shifted once to make
himself more comfortable and then quickly fell asleep.
Willow and
Buffy shared a smile and then went back to the books lying open across the
table.
Giles felt
pressure on his chest as he struggled to sit up. His eyes snapped open to find
Buffy kneeling on the floor, her hand on his chest, her eyes full of worry. He
lifted his hand and gently touched her cheek.
“Buffy…”
Her name left his lips on a soft breath.
Buffy
stared at him in concern, surprised to see tears in his eyes. “Are you okay?
You…screamed…”
As he
dropped his hand from her face, Buffy caught the flicker in his eye that he
wasn’t able to hide. Her eyes widened slightly. He averted his eyes from hers
and gently removed her hand from his chest, allowing him to sit up.
“I’m…fine.
Just a, um…a bad dream…I suppose.”
“Giles?”
She whispered.
He stood
up suddenly and ran his hand through his hair. “I’m fine.”
He glanced
at her and recognized her look of confusion. He instantly knew that she had
seen what he had kept carefully guarded for so long. He swore softly under his
breath and quickly left the room, heading down the hall towards the bathroom.
She stood
slowly, her eyes focused on the hallway.
“Do you
think he’s okay?”
Buffy shook
her head, still staring at the hall. “No, I don’t. But, I think I need to talk
to him alone.”
She
finally turned and met her friend’s worried eyes. “I’m sorry, Will. I know
you’re worried about him too. But…I don’t think he’ll talk with you here.”
“Possibly,
but…”
Buffy
darted her eyes back to the hall as she inhaled deeply. “I think it’s more of a
Buffy/Giles thing…”
“Oh.”
Willow spoke uncertainly. “A Buffy/Giles thing?”
“I need to
talk to him.” Buffy answered rather cryptically. “But, I’ll call you later,
okay?”
Willow
nodded slowly. “Yeah…but, is he going to be okay? I’ve never heard
him…well…scream like that…”
“Me
neither. That’s why I need to talk to him. I won’t leave until I know he’s
okay, I promise.”
“Okay, but
call me as soon as you leave?”
“I
promise, Will.”
Willow
looked towards the hallway and sighed. “Okay.”
She
gathered her belongings and walked to the door. As she opened it, she looked
back at Buffy. “Tell him I hope he’s okay?”
When Buffy
nodded, Willow stepped outside and closed the door behind her. Buffy was
debating on whether to stay in the living room or go down the hall when she
heard a slightly startled ‘oh’.
She looked
towards the hallway to find Giles looking at her. As soon as she met his eyes,
he averted his.
“Um…tea?”
He asked softly.
“We should
talk.”
He took a
deep breath. “Scotch, then?”
Buffy
raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Contributing to the
delinquency of a minor?”
Giles’
eyes widened in shock. “You’re not a minor.”
“No, I’m
not.” She agreed softly and sat down on the couch. “But…I’m not twenty-one yet
either.”
“Oh,
right.” He gestured towards the kitchen. “So, we’re back to tea.”
Buffy
shook her head slowly and motioned to the couch. “No, come and sit down.”
He ran his
hand through his hair and walked across the room, clearing his throat as he sat
down on the far end of the couch. “What, uh…what would you like to discuss?”
She sat on
the edge of the cushion and stared at her hands folded in her lap. “What
happened earlier?”
“If I were
to tell you it was only a bad dream, would you be content with that answer?”
“No.” She
whispered and lifted her eyes to look at him. “You screamed my name.”
He cleared
his throat and sighed. “It…was a very bad dream.”
“I died,
didn’t I?” Her eyes glistened when he looked at her. “In your dream, I died.”
When he didn’t
answer her, she bit her lip nervously and continued. “That’s why you didn’t
sleep well last night, isn’t it? You’re dreaming about my death?” A tear rolled
down her cheek and her voice wavered. “Are…are you having…prophecy dreams about
my…about my death?”
He looked
at her quickly, shaking his head as he lifted his hand to wipe the tear from
her skin. “No, Buffy. It’s not…the dreams are never the same.”
“How
many?”
He lowered
his hand and turned his body towards her. “Five.”
“And…I die
every time?” She whispered.
He nodded
and looked down at her right hand, which she was rubbing nervously at her
thigh. “As horrible as that is…watching you…” His voice broke slightly and he
took a second to regain his composure.
“I’m
beginning to believe that it’s my subconscious attempting to force my hand.”
Buffy
looked at him, clearly confused. “Huh?”
He looked
into her eyes and took a deep breath. “You’ll be twenty-one in a couple of
months.”
“Yeah,
and?” She prompted him gently.
“And…I can
count on one hand, not using all five digits, the number of Slayers who lived
to see their twenty-first birthday.”
She tilted
her head in thought. “So…you’re dreaming about my death because you’re worried
about me dying before I turn twenty-one?”
He let out
a deep breath and shook his head. “No. Well, possibly, but…no.”
She
reached out and laid her hand on his arm. He looked down at her hand as she
gently squeezed him. “Tell me.”
“I, um…I’m
not sure…”
She moved
her hand until it covered his wrist. “Tell me, Giles.”
He met her
eyes and shook his head. “I don’t think…”
“Tell me,
please.”
He
swallowed, allowing his true feelings to be seen in his green eyes as he
whispered almost inaudibly. “I love you.”
Other than
her eyes slightly widening, she gave no indication that she had heard him. He
lowered his head.
“Every
dream ends with me telling you after you’ve…when it’s too late.”
He closed
his eyes when he felt her remove her hand from his wrist. “I expect nothing in
return, Buffy. And I will not speak of this again.”
He stood
and started walking towards the stairs. He stopped, but didn’t turn around,
when she spoke his name.
“I’m
weary, Buffy. I think I’m beyond exhaustion at the moment. Maybe now that
I’ve…well, now that you know…maybe the dreams will stop.”
He turned
slowly and looked at her. “If I hurt you…or upset you…I do apologize. I’ll not
force my feelings on you, Buffy.”
“I know.”
She whispered softly.
He tilted
his head slightly and offered her a tired smile. “You saw it in my eyes
earlier.”
She gave him
a small nod. “Just a…flicker…when you first woke up.”
“I’m
sorry.” He stated sadly and started climbing the stairs. He stopped when he was
nearly at the top and looked down at her. “Goodnight, Buffy.”
“Goodnight,
Giles.” She responded quietly.
With no
other words spoken, he stepped into the bedroom and out of her sight. She heard
the bed creak slightly as he fell onto it. She sank onto the couch and took a
deep breath, willing her heart to stop its pounding in her chest.
Knowing
he’d be sound asleep soon, she picked up the cordless phone. She waited until
she heard a soft snore from the loft and then quickly dialled Willow’s number.
* * *
“Of course
he loves you.” Willow spoke quietly before something clicked in her head.
“But…you’re not talking about a friendly type of love, are you?”
“No, I’m
not.” Buffy looked up the stairs when she heard the bed creak slightly as he
rolled over. She stood up and silently made her way out the front door, the
phone cradled against her shoulder.
“Oh.
So…what are you going to do? I mean…”
Buffy
sighed softly. “He said that he wouldn’t talk about it again. And that he
doesn’t expect me to do anything.”
“Oh,
well…that’s good, right? I mean, that way it wouldn’t make things really
awkward.” When Buffy didn’t reply, Willow narrowed her eyes. “Right?”
Buffy
shook her head and sat down on the doorstep. “I don’t know.”
“Huh?”
Buffy
leaned back, resting her head on the door and closed her eyes. “I think…I think
I want him to talk about it some more. And…I think I want me to talk about
it…to him.”
Willow’s
eyes widened as she gasped. “Buffy? Do…do you love him? I mean…like that ?”
“I’m not
sure. There’s something…I feel something for him, Will. Something that’s more than
him just being my Watcher. Is it love? I don’t know…but, I know I want to talk
about it some more.”
When
Willow hesitated in a response, Buffy exhaled slowly. “Does that bother you?”
“What? No.
No, it doesn’t bother me. I mean, yeah…it seems, well…no, it doesn’t seem
sudden when I think about it. But…he loves you, Buffy. And…you want to talk to
him about it, but you’re not sure if you love him. I just…I don’t want him to
be hurt. Or you. And – ”
Buffy
smiled as Willow rambled. “I’m not talking about going up to his room and
having sex with him right now, Will.” She chuckled, almost able to see Willow
blush. “But…if what I’m feeling is bordering on love, then…maybe I shouldn’t
just let him not talk about it.”
“So,
you’re talking about dating? Dating Giles?”
Buffy
shrugged her shoulder, sighing heavily. “Maybe. Yeah…I’m talking about dating
Giles. Taking things slow to find out what I’m feeling. I don’t want to hurt
him either, Will.”
Willow
took a deep breath and exhaled deeply. “Just…be careful, Buffy.”
Buffy
nodded slowly and steered the conversation away from the possibility of a
relationship…a romantic one, at that…between her and Giles. “So, tell me what’s
going on in the World of Willow.”
Buffy
smiled as Willow began updating her on latest botched spell.
Giles ran
his hand through his sleep-tousled hair as he descended the stairs. He stopped
on the landing, his eyes staring at the couch. Buffy was asleep, his afghan
wrapped tightly around her. He sighed softly and made his way to the kitchen,
putting the kettle on to boil.
Her
reaction hadn’t been exactly what he had expected. With all of her comments
over the years, he wouldn’t have been surprised to watch her scream in horror
and run out the front door. But, she hadn’t. In fact, he wasn’t sure she had
even left at all.
Part of
him regretted the fact that he had divulged his secret to her. However, the
peaceful sleep he had fallen into had almost been worth it. He had slept
soundly for nearly twelve hours, no nightmares…or any other dreams, for that
matter…had plagued him. He felt…refreshed.
However…Buffy
now knew. And he wasn’t exactly sure how to deal with that.
“Giles?”
He turned
suddenly, her soft voice ending his internal conversation. “Buffy, I’m sorry. Did
I wake you?”
She shook
her head sleepily and sat up. “Making tea?”
When he
nodded in affirmation, she smiled. “Can I have one too?”
He
returned her smile and pulled a second mug from the cabinet. “You…didn’t have
to stay here last night, Buffy.”
She stood
and stretched as she made her way to the breakfast bar and sat down on a stool.
“I know. I wanted to…you know, be here…in case…” She took a deep breath,
frustrated that the words wouldn’t come out the way she wanted them to. “How
did you sleep?”
He cleared
his throat softly as he busied himself with the preparation of the tea. “Um,
well. Very well, indeed.”
“No
nightmares?” She asked softly.
He shook
his head, picking up the kettle as it began to whistle. “No.”
She looked
up at him as he poured the boiling water into the mugs. “So, I guess you were
right about your subconscious forcing your hand, then.”
He looked
up quickly and stared into her eyes. “I believe I told you that I wouldn’t
discuss that.”
She
inhaled sharply as he pushed a mug towards her. She bit her lip nervously and
lowered her eyes.
“What if I
want to?”
He
returned the milk to the refrigerator and swallowed as he turned back to face
her. “Want to…what?”
She stared
at the mug in front of her, wrapping her hands around it. “Maybe we should…go
out for dinner…or something.”
He
muttered a soft curse under his breath and dropped the used teaspoon into the
sink. She looked up quickly, confusion in her hazel eyes.
“What?”
“A date?
Is that what you’re suggesting?”
She
immediately recognized the exasperation in his voice and her confusion grew.
“Um…yeah?”
“This…precisely
this…is one of the main reasons I had no intention of telling you anything.” He
shook his head and grabbed his mug of tea, sloshing some of the hot liquid onto
his hand. “Damn it!”
She
reached out quickly and took the mug from his hand before he dropped it. “Are
you okay?”
“I’m
fine.” He grumbled as he turned around to run some cold water over the burn.
She placed
his mug onto the counter and slipped from the stool, making her way into the
small kitchen. “Let me see.”
“I’m fine,
Buffy.” He ground each word out through clenched teeth.
She looked
up at him and sighed heavily. “Why are you angry with me?”
He hung
his head and turned the water off, placing his hands on the edge of the sink
and inhaling deeply. “I’m not…angry. Disappointed, perhaps. But, I’m not
angry.”
“I don’t
understand.” She whispered softly.
He closed
his eyes briefly, collecting his thoughts before he opened them and looked at
her. “I didn’t tell you so that you would feel sorry for me. A date…a pity
date, at that…is not the reason I told you.”
“Pity…”
She shook her head quickly. “No, this isn’t a…Giles, I wouldn’t do that.”
He ran his
hand through his hair and sighed. “Buffy…”
“I feel
something for you, Giles. I…don’t know exactly what it is, but it’s more than…”
She took a deep breath and started again, speaking quickly.
“I don’t
know what I’m feeling, but it’s not just the Watcher/Slayer bond thingy. It’s
deeper than that. And…I don’t know if I’m in love with you, but…I think I could
be…sometime. And…I think that’s not such a bad thing. And…I want to have dinner
with you…a date with you…and not out of pity, but…I want to see if this is
something that can turn into more. And…this is so not going how I wanted it
to.”
Silence
fell over them. Buffy not knowing what else to say, Giles thinking over her
rambling words. After a few long minutes, Buffy sighed heavily and walked out
of the kitchen, heading towards the front door.
“Maybe I
should’ve waited a while before saying anything. I’m sorry, Giles. I didn’t
mean to make – ”
“What
time?” He interrupted her softly.
She turned
around to look at him, her hand on the doorknob. “What?”
He slowly
walked into the living room, his hand shoved into his pocket. “If you’re
serious about wanting to see where this can go…and if you’ve been honest in
your assurance that this wasn’t born out of pity…what time would you like me to
pick you up?”
“I’m very
serious, Giles…and completely honest.”
He read
the sincerity in her eyes and nodded, a nervous smile playing at his lips.
“What time?”
“Um…seven-thirty?”
“Seven-thirty,
it is.”
Buffy
smiled brightly and opened the door. “Okay, so…I’ll see you tonight then.”
He gave
her a nod and returned her smile. “Tonight, seven-thirty.”
Her eyes
sparkled as she backed out the door and closed it behind her. Giles exhaled
slowly and shook his head.
“What the
hell am I doing?”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~
He ran his
hand down the front of his shirt, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves as
he rang the doorbell. He smiled as he heard Buffy bound down the stairs. His
smile faltered somewhat as she swung the door open.
His eyes
took in her apparel before quickly meeting her bright smile. He returned her
smile and cleared his throat.
“Hello,
Buffy.”
“Hey,
Giles.” She smoothed her hand down the side of her dress and bit her lip
nervously. “I, uh…I didn’t know where we were going. Is…this okay?”
He nodded
slowly, his eyes following her hand as it moved over her hip. “Yes. You, uh…you
look lovely.”
“No tie.”
He met her
eyes quickly. “Hm?”
“You’re
not wearing a tie.” She replied softly.
“Oh. I’ve
one in the car.” He blushed lightly. “I…couldn’t decide whether or not to wear
it…”
She smiled
and shook her head. “If my opinion means anything, I think you look very nice
without it.”
He smiled
shyly and glanced into the house. “Is, uh…your mother home?”
“No. Big
shipment decided to arrive later than expected. She hopes we have a good time,
though.”
His eyes
widened slightly. “She…I’m sorry?”
Buffy
laughed gently. “I’m sorry, I just couldn’t resist. And…it’s not that I plan on
hiding anything from her. It’s just…I’d like to see where this is going before I
say anything that’ll freak her out.”
“Yes,
well…that’s understandable. I’m rather sure I’d like to wait before I freak
anyone out, as well.” Giles chuckled and tilted his head towards the car.
“Shall we?”
She nodded
and, after closing and locking the door, followed him down the steps. She fell
into step beside of him and looked up at him.
“So…where
are we going?”
“I was
thinking maybe Clover Twelve.” He answered in an uncertain tone as he opened
the car door for her.
“Clover
Twelve? What’s that?”
“A very
nice, albeit small, Italian restaurant about twenty minutes north of
Sunnydale.”
She tilted
her head slightly. “We’re going out of Sunnydale?”
He cleared
his throat. “The food is rather phenomenal. And…there’s very little vampire
activity. If you prefer, we could go somewhere in town, I just…”
She smiled
and placed her hand on his forearm. “It sounds wonderful. Especially the little
vampire activity part. I’d like to not have to worry about killing something
while I’m on a date.”
He exhaled
slowly and nodded. “That was my thinking as well.”
She
grinned and slid into the passenger seat. “Clover Twelve…strange name for an
Italian restaurant.”
He
chuckled softly and closed the door.
* * *
Dinner had
gone well by most accounts. He had found that the ease that had settled over
the both of them as they crossed the Sunnydale city limit continued throughout
dinner. They fell into comfortable conversation, words coming easily for both
of them.
It was
during dinner that Buffy realized that what she was feeling for him was
affection. A deep affection that could very easily grow into love…quickly. When
he laughed loudly at her re-telling of a humourous encounter with a fairly
dense vampire, his eyes lit up brightly.
It was
then that she knew she could easily fall in love with him.
She
watched him gracefully sign his name to the credit card receipt and smiled. As
he handed the pen back to the waiter, he caught her smile.
“What is
it?”
She
blushed lightly and shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know. I just…I didn’t realize
how graceful your hands can be.”
He arched
an eyebrow as he stood. “I’m not sure the word ‘graceful’ has ever been used in
any description of me.”
She
grinned and took his hand when he offered it. “Well, now it has.”
He led her
out of the restaurant with his hand resting lightly on her lower back. As they
walked out into the cool air, he glanced at his car and sighed, not really
wanting the evening to end just yet.
“Um…would
you like to go for a walk?”
Buffy
smiled as she looked up at him. “Something else we can’t really do in
Sunnydale.”
He
returned the smile and slid his hand into his pocket. “May I take that as a
‘yes’?”
She nodded
quickly and slid her arm through his. He sighed happily and led her through the
small park next to the restaurant. At some point, they had made their way to a
park bench and sat down. And if either had been asked when, neither would have
been able to answer.
Conversation
flowed between them, laughter and gentle teasing accenting their words. When
she shivered, he cursed softly under his breath. He quickly removed his jacket
and placed it around her shoulders.
“I’m
sorry, Buffy. I didn’t realize the temperature had dropped so.” He glanced at his
watch and his eyes widened. “Of course, I didn’t realize it was nearly one in
the morning either.”
“What?”
She grabbed his wrist, turning it so she could read the time.
He stifled
a gasp as her fingers brushed across his palm. She looked up at him and smiled
softly.
“Well,
they always say that time flies when you’re having fun…”
He nodded
slowly, swallowing thickly. “Yes.”
He looked
into her eyes for a few moments before taking a deep breath and standing,
pulling her up with him. “I, uh…I should probably see you home.”
“Yeah…I
guess.” She agreed half-heartedly.
He took
her hand in his, smiling warmly as she laced their fingers together.
* * *
The drive
home had been somewhat quieter. It could’ve been the time of night. Or…it
could’ve been the fact that neither one of them wanted the evening to end. Be
that as it may, Giles eventually pulled into her driveway and killed the
ignition.
Ever the
gentleman, he walked her to the front door. They stood underneath the porch
light and he gave her a smile.
“I had a
nice time, Buffy.”
“Me too.
You know, part of me was kinda worried you were going to take me to a French
restaurant.”
He raised
an eyebrow at her. “Do you not like French food?”
“Never had
it. I can’t get over the fact they eat snails.”
He laughed
gently as she shuddered dramatically. “Perhaps Mexican next time?”
She took a
step closer to him. “Are…you asking me on another date?”
His
laughter ebbed as he looked into her eyes. “What would be your reply if I
were?”
“Ask and
see.” She whispered softly.
He took a
deep breath and lowered his voice. “Buffy…would you be interested in having
dinner with me again? Perhaps…same day next week?”
“And,
maybe a movie?”
He smiled
as he nodded. “If you’d like.”
She
grinned. “I’d like.”
He
gestured towards the door and cleared his throat. “You, uh…should probably get
some sleep.”
She took
hold of his hand and gently squeezed his fingers. “Giles?”
He fought
to control the pounding of his heart. “Yes?”
She bit
her lip nervously and looked up at him. “Would you think I was a total skank if
I asked you for a kiss?”
He shook
his head slowly. “I can’t imagine thinking you were a ‘total skank’ at any
time.” He cleared his throat, darting his eyes to her lips before meeting her
gaze again. “Are, uh…are you asking?”
She nodded
slowly, her voice a mere whisper. “Yes.”
His tongue
darted out and wet his lips as he leaned down, pausing only a moment before
brushing his lips across hers. Hearing her soft gasp, he moved closer and kissed
her again. Her hands rested on his chest as he lifted his left hand, threading
his fingers through her hair.
His kisses
were slow but not hesitant. He found himself struggling to keep from deepening
the union. With another lingering kiss, he sighed and reluctantly pulled back,
smiling down at her.
“I, uh…I
should probably go.”
Her finger
lightly traced his bottom lip. “Mm-hm. But…we’re still on for next week?”
He nodded
slowly, wanting nothing more than to kiss her again. “Yes. And, you’ll be by for
training tomorrow afternoon?”
“Uh-huh.”
She mumbled as she stared at his lips.
He bent
his head and gave her another soft kiss before taking a step back. “Then I
shall see you tomorrow…or later today, as it were.”
She smiled
warmly as he backed down the stairs. “Goodnight, Giles.”
His green
eyes shone brightly with happiness. “Goodnight, Buffy.”
She had
been very nervous during their first training session after their date. When he
realized that she was severely distracted, he asked her what was wrong. She
told him that
She had
expected him to stammer or even get a little upset with the knowledge that
The week
had passed fairly uneventfully…if you lived on a Hellmouth. They trained every
afternoon and he found himself accompanying her on patrol more often than
usual. Soft kisses were given and received throughout the week when they were
alone. Giles found himself wishing that they were alone more often.
* * *
He watched
her perform her routine flawlessly. Her movements fluid and graceful as she attacked
her imaginary foe. Her muscles rippled as she launched into a series of kicks
and punches. He found himself becoming somewhat aroused as she finished her
routine and jumped up on the pommel horse, smiling at him as she swung her legs
gently.
“How was
that?”
“Hm?” He
blushed lightly and shook his head. “Oh, wonderfully executed, Buffy.”
She
brushed her damp hair back from her face and grinned. He smiled warmly and
tossed her a towel.
She stared
at him for a second before she spoke. “Come here, Giles.”
In four
steps, he was standing directly in front of her. He inhaled deeply as she
lifted the towel and wiped the sweat from his neck.
He leaned
into her touch and met her eyes. “Have you given any thought to which movie
you’d like to see tonight?”
She shook
her head as she wiped the other side of his neck. “No…as long as it’s not a
kung-fu movie. Xander has me all Jackie Chan-ed out.”
He leaned
forward, placing his hands on the horse on either side of her thighs. “That
shouldn’t be an issue.”
She felt
her pulse quicken as she whispered. “You gonna kiss me, Giles?”
His eyes
darted to her mouth and then back to her eyes. “I rather think I am.”
At that
moment, the door to the training room swung open and slammed against the wall.
Giles moved back from Buffy quickly enough that he stumbled. Buffy’s hands
grabbed his shirt to steady him.
“Giles!
Tell
Giles
stared at Anya, who was standing in the doorway with her arms crossed over her
chest. “Anya,
“Eye of
Newt does NOT grow on trees, you know!”
Giles
groaned in frustration as Anya stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind
her. Buffy slid off the horse and chuckled softly. “Anya needs to work on her
timing.”
The corner
of his mouth quirked into a half-grin. “Yes, I would tend to agree.”
She sighed
and leaned up, placing a quick kiss on his lips. “Tonight? What time?”
“Seven?
That should give us enough time for dinner before the movie.”
She smiled
and ran her hand down his arm. “I’ll be ready.”
He fought
the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless. Instead, he gently
squeezed her fingers and gave her a nod. With a bright smile, she walked out of
the training room.
He
chuckled when he heard her call out to Willow.
* * *
He held
Buffy’s hand lightly in his left, his right shoved into his pocket. She looked
up at him and smiled.
“What did
you think of the movie?”
“Hm?” He
opened the car door for her and reluctantly let go of her hand. “Oh, it was
quite enjoyable. You?”
“I loved
it! Especially when she found the kitten that he left for her.”
He
narrowed his eyes. “Kitten?”
She stared
incredulously at him. “Giles! That was like the whole turning point of the
movie! Weren’t you paying attention?”
He
shrugged his shoulders and smiled shyly. “I…tried.”
“Oh.” She
replied in a small voice. “You didn’t like it?”
He lifted his
hand to the side of her face and gazed into her eyes. “It wasn’t that I didn’t
like it. It was more to do with the fact that my mind seemed to be elsewhere.”
She leaned
into his touch and sighed. “Where was it?”
He bent
his head, moving his lips towards hers. “Kissing you.”
Her
response was interrupted as he kissed her softly. He smiled as he pulled back
and gently nudged her into the car. She reddened slightly and buckled her
seatbelt.
“I think I
can forgive you for not paying attention to the movie.”
He
chuckled and closed the door.
* * *
He pulled
into the driveway and switched the ignition off. He glanced towards the house
and gave a sad sigh when he saw that the lights were on.
She
lightly touched his thigh to get his attention. When he turned to look at her,
he quickly read the question in her eyes.
“Your
mother’s up.”
She
glanced at the house and nodded. “Yeah. Do you want to come in for a cup of
tea?”
He
regarded her carefully for a moment and, without another word, he reached for
her. Wrapping his hand around the back of her neck, he drew her to him and
covered her mouth with his. When her lips parted, he gently edged his tongue
into her mouth.
At the
first touch of his tongue against hers, she groaned. As his tongue began to
slide along hers, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.
His hands splayed across her back as she began to return the kiss as fiercely
as he was giving it.
When he
felt himself begin to harden, he slowly ended the kiss, leaving them both breathless.
His hands continued to caress her back as he stared into her eyes. Her thumb
stroked along his jaw.
“Wow.” She
muttered softly. When he smiled, she blushed deeply. “Is that how you were
gonna kiss me this afternoon?”
“Mm-hm.”
He ran his fingers through her hair, pushing it back from her neck.
“Good
thing Anya walked in when she did then.” At his confused look, she grinned and
leaned towards him again. “I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have been able to stop
with just one.”
He allowed
her to reinitiate the kiss, groaning softly as she took complete control and
conducted her own exploration of his mouth. Her hands rested on his chest, her
body following his as she gently pushed him back against the seat. He let the
kiss continue for a few more moments before tightening his grip on her waist
and slowly pulling away.
“We, uh…we
should…”
She stared
at his lips and nodded. “Stop.”
He
swallowed with difficulty, his thumbs rubbing circles against her skin where
her top had ridden up slightly. “For now…yes.”
She placed
a tender kiss on his lips and then sat up. “Giles?”
He shifted
slightly in his seat as she moved back into hers. “Yes?”
“I think
maybe we should talk to Mom soon.”
He arched
an eyebrow at her. “Oh?”
She nodded
slowly. “Yeah, I mean…if you want to. Or…maybe I’m just reading things wrong. I
do that – ”
He leaned
over the console and kissed her again, cutting off her ramble. His tongue swept
into her mouth briefly before he pulled back and gazed at her.
“I want
to.” He whispered hoarsely.
She traced
her fingertips along his cheek. “Are we dating now? I mean…officially dating?”
He smiled
softly and tucked a strand of hair behind her hear. “Would you consider me
terribly old-fashioned if I asked you to be mine?”
She
grinned, resting her hand against his chest. “Absolutely. But, I’d still say
‘yes’.”
He saw the
flicker of desire dance in her eyes. “I still would prefer to take this slowly.
This isn’t about how quickly I can get you into my bed…or even if I can.”
“I know.
But…is it okay if I think about it?”
“I do.” He
admitted without thinking, then blushed heavily and cleared his throat.
Her eyes
widened. “You do?”
He glanced
back at the house and took a deep breath. “More than I care to admit.”
She placed
her hand on his chin and gently turned his head until he was looking at her.
She smiled and leaned forward, kissing his lips tenderly.
“Are you
sure you don’t want to come in for a little while?” She asked in a low voice.
He brushed
his fingertips along her neck and shook his head slowly. “I’m rather sure I do.
I’m also very sure that I shouldn’t. Not tonight.”
She nodded
and sighed heavily. “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow then?”
“Mm-hm.
Training at three?”
“Yeah.”
She glanced at his lips again. “You okay if I come by a little earlier?”
He licked
his lips and gave her a smile. “You know where to find me. Whenever you want…”
She
inhaled sharply as he let his sentence trail off. “I…I’m going to go in now.”
With another quick kiss to his lips, she climbed out of the car and straightened
her clothing. “If I don’t go now, I’m…well…”
He
chuckled softly as he watched her face redden. “I understand completely. Sleep
well, Buffy.”
She
whispered a soft ‘goodnight’ and gently closed the car door. When she jumped
onto the porch, she turned around and gave him a wave. He returned the gesture,
sighing heavily as she walked into the house and closed the door behind her.
He reached
down and adjusted his erection before latching the seatbelt and starting the
engine.
Three days
later, he was in the basement of the Magic Box going through the latest
shipment of books. Hearing a soft creak from the stairs, he looked up and
smiled.
“Hello.”
She
returned his smile as she stepped off the last stair. “Hey.”
“To what
do I owe the pleasure of a visit this early in the day?”
She
shrugged her shoulders and hopped onto the table beside the box of books. “I
missed you.”
“Oh?” He
dropped the book he was holding back into the box. “You saw me last night after
patrol.”
She
narrowed her eyes pointedly. “Yeah, you were having a research party. I missed
you.”
He smiled
and moved to stand in front of her. He reached up and combed his fingers
through her hair. “I missed you too.”
She sighed
heavily and leaned into his touch. “We really need some alone time, Giles.”
He lowered
his head, moving his lips towards hers. “We’re alone now.”
Her lips
parted eagerly, her tongue drawing his into her mouth. His hands cradled her
face as he returned the kiss hungrily. Wrapping her arms around him, she pulled
him closer to her. He groaned softly and reluctantly broke the kiss. He smiled
shyly as he took a step backwards.
“Giles…”
She pouted with a whimper.
He glanced
at the stairs and cleared his throat. “Anya could come down at any time.”
She gave
him a small smile. “You know that she knows we’re seeing each other.”
“Mm, yes.”
He sent her a mock glare. “No thanks to you and Willow.”
“Hey, I
didn’t know she was standing there!” She defended herself quickly.
He
chuckled softly. “I realize that. However, I would prefer not to give her any
more ammunition to embarrass me relentlessly in front of customers.
And…actually finding us in a passionate embrace would definitely give her all
she needed.”
She rubbed
her palms against her thighs and sighed. “Okay.”
He tilted
his head and narrowed his eyes slightly. “Buffy, there’s nothing I want more
right now than to take you into my arms and kiss you.”
A grin
played at her lips. “Nothing?”
He
reddened slightly and shoved his hand into his pocket. “Well…almost nothing.”
“Can I ask
you something?”
He nodded
and took a step forward. “Of course.”
She
swallowed nervously and twisted a ring on her finger. “How slow are you wanting
this to go?”
He cleared
his throat and ran his hand through his hair. “Um…I…we’re not ready, Buffy.”
She sighed
heavily. “I know, but…” She shook her head and slid off the table. “Will you
patrol with me tonight?”
He nodded
slowly, holding her gaze. She took two steps towards him and wrapped her hand
around his tie. She smiled as she gently tugged him towards her, allowing her
eyes to roam appreciatively over his body.
“Good. I
like it when you patrol with me.”
Using two
fingers under her chin, he tilted her face upwards and smiled. “I enjoy
patrolling with you.”
He leaned
down and captured her lips with his, causing a groan to rumble softly in her
chest. As his tongue slid along hers, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her
fingers running through his hair. He took a few steps forward, gently pushing
her back towards the table.
When her
backside bumped against the table, he dropped one hand from her back and
blindly reached for her bag. His fingers closed around it and he broke the
kiss, his smile dancing in his eyes. Handing her the bag, he stepped back and
sighed.
“I’ll see
you tonight.”
She
gripped her bag tightly and took a step towards the stairs. “Yeah…”
She
glanced up the stairs and then back at him. When she turned her body back
towards him, he gently shook his head.
“Buffy…”
She nodded
quickly. “Yeah, uh…yeah…tonight.”
He inhaled
deeply as she quickly ran up the stairs. He darted his eyes between the stairs
and the box of books still resting on the table. Buffy…books…
He smiled,
knowing there was no choice to be made, and took the stairs two at a time. He
found her quickly, near the ladder leading to the small loft whispering to
Willow as Anya discussed the difference between barberry and bearberry with a
customer at the front counter. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves and
walked up behind her, gently taking hold of her arm and turning her around.
She opened
her mouth to speak, but had no time to form any words before his lips descended
on hers. He kissed her slowly, mindful of keeping his hands from roaming too
much over her back. When he ended the kiss, she took a deep breath and smiled
up at him.
“What was
that for?” She asked breathlessly.
He gave
her an enigmatic smile and stepped back. “I’ll see you tonight for patrol.”
He glanced
at Willow, who was smiling brightly at him. He blushed lightly and ducked his
head. “Hello, Willow.”
As quickly
as he had appeared, he disappeared through the door leading down to the
basement. Buffy lifted her hand, touching her fingers to her still-tingling
lips.
“Willow?”
Willow met
her friend’s wide eyes. “Yeah?”
Buffy
lowered her voice to a whisper. “I…I really think I love him.”
Willow
beamed at her. “Maybe you should tell him.”
Buffy
shook her head slowly, causing Willow to arch an eyebrow at her. “Why not?”
“He’s…well,
he’s only said it that once. And…what if – ”
Willow
placed her hand on Buffy’s arm. “He loves you, Buffy. He asked you to be his…he
kissed you in front of me…he loves you. Now…do you love him? Or…do you just really
think you love him? Because if you’re just thinking, then maybe you shouldn’t
tell him just yet. But…”
“I love
him.” Buffy interrupted softly.
Willow
smiled warmly. “Then tell him.”
Buffy swallowed
the lump in her throat and nodded. “I’ll tell him tonight…after patrol…”
Willow
could do nothing but grin happily.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~
They
walked side by side through their third cemetery of the night. She nudged his
arm with her shoulder and smiled up at him.
“So would
you consider patrolling with me a date?”
He
chuckled and shook his head. “No. I would consider it a very enjoyable venture,
but, no, not a date.”
“Why not?”
He stopped
walking and looked down into her eyes. “Because, for me, a date consists of
giving you my undivided attention. Being able to talk to you, or hold you,
without fear of having to stake a vampire or chase a demon at less than a
second’s notice.”
He smiled
as he lifted his hand and brushed his fingers down the side of her face. “And
as enjoyable as I find patrolling with you to be…it would be a tremendous error
if I could not pay attention to our surroundings.”
“I
really…and I mean really…want to kiss you right now.” She sighed heavily and
glanced over his shoulder. “But, right now I have to do my job…”
She
gripped his jacket with both hands and quickly, but carefully, shoved him to
the side as she pulled a stake out of her back pocket. The vampire leered at
her as he advanced quickly.
“Did I
break up the lovefest?”
Buffy
rolled her eyes. “I really don’t have the time, or the inclination, to spend
with banter tonight.”
Giles
grinned at her use of words and leaned against a headstone to better watch the
proceedings.
“Aw, come on,
Slayer.” He ran his tongue over his fangs. “Give me your best shot.”
Buffy
tilted her head as she pretended to think over the request. With a quick nod,
she hurled her stake at the vampire’s chest.
“Okay.”
The
vampire stared incredulously at her as he exploded into dust. Giles pushed
himself away from the tombstone, his eyes wide with surprise. Buffy brushed her
hands and turned to face him, her smile fading slightly.
“What?”
“That
was…um…rather beautiful to watch.”
She
scoffed lightly. “Beautiful? All I did was throw a stake at him.”
“With
extremely accurate aim…from a fairly impressive distance.”
She
sauntered up to him with a grin on her face. “Did I impress you?”
“Always.”
The word left his lips on a breath.
She
reached for his hand and turned it so that she could read his watch.
“Nine-thirty. Want to call it an early night? I can always come back out later
for another sweep…”
“It’s been
a fairly busy evening. We, uh…we could probably use a break.” He agreed softly.
“Walk me
home?” She whispered as she laced their fingers together.
“That
would be logical, considering my car is parked in your driveway.” He replied in
a hushed tone as he allowed her to lead him out of the cemetery.
She gave
his fingers a gentle squeeze and smiled up at him. “I could make you a cup of
tea.”
He stepped
over a tree root and narrowed his eyes. “Your mother – ”
“Won’t be
home until later. There was a big showing at the gallery tonight. She told me
not to expect her home until late.”
He cleared
his throat and steered her onto the sidewalk in the direction of her house.
“How…late?”
Buffy
shrugged a shoulder. “I’m not really sure. But…the last time there was a big
showing, I was home before she was…and that was back in the patrolling with
Angel days.”
“Oh.”
She looked
up at him, her smile shining in her eyes. “And this showing is a lot bigger
than that one was…”
A smile
tugged at his lips. “Oh.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~
He sat
down on the couch, resting his cup of tea on his knee as she fumbled through
the stack of videotapes. He smiled when she shoved one into the VCR and grabbed
the remote.
“What are
we watching?”
She sank
down on the couch beside of him and turned the television on as she hit the
‘play’ button on the VCR remote. “Re-Animator.”
Giles chuckled
and took a sip of his tea. “Shocking film.”
She
grinned and looked at him. “Yeah, but it’s funny.”
He shook
his head in amusement, pulling her against his side and holding her close.
Ten minutes
into the movie, he felt her hand on his thigh. Eleven minutes into the movie,
her thumb was rubbing small circles against the denim and his fingers began
brushing along the bare skin of her upper arm. Twelve minutes into the movie,
their eyes met.
Now,
fourteen minutes into the movie, his fingers were tangled in her hair as her
tongue plundered his mouth. He groaned and changed the angle of his head,
fighting for control of the kiss. When her hand moved to his chest, he moved
his mouth down the side of her neck, nipping lightly at the skin before gently
suckling.
Her
fingers ran through his hair, holding him to her neck. “God, Giles…”
He scraped
his teeth against her skin, his right hand gripping her outer thigh. She tilted
her head to the side, granting him better access to her neck.
“I love
you.” She whispered hoarsely.
His hand
tightened on her thigh and his head snapped up, his eyes boring into hers.
“Buffy?”
She was
breathing heavily as she swallowed. “I do, Giles. I love you.”
The movie
was completely forgotten, the screams of horror completely ignored. His heart
raced as he moved both hands to cradle her face.
“I love
you, Buffy.”
They
shared a smile as he leaned into her, re-igniting the kiss. As his tongue
caressed hers, she gripped his shirt and pushed him back against the cushions
of the couch. He gasped into her mouth as she shifted her body, straddling his
thighs and sitting on his knees. When he felt her fingers begin working on the
buttons of his shirt, he tore his mouth away from hers.
“Buffy…”
He panted heavily.
She smiled
at him and slid her hand through the hair on his chest. That was when he
realized that she had actually been able to unbutton most of his shirt. His
hands moved quickly, wrapping his long fingers around her wrists to still her
motion.
“Buffy…wait…”
She looked
into his eyes and sighed, leaning back slightly. “I’m sorry. I thought…”
When she
lowered her eyes and swallowed, he released her wrists and moved his hands to her
hips. He pulled her closer to his chest, stifling his groan as he settled her
over his erection.
Her eyes
snapped back to his, finding his darkened as his hands gripped her hips
tightly. “Rest assured, Buffy…I want you.”
“But – ”
He moved
his hand up her side, brushing his thumb across the swell of her breast. “I
don’t want this to be a quick shag…rushing through it before your mother
returns home. And…should we continue this right now, that’s exactly what it
will be.”
She
shifted on his lap, causing him to groan softly. He shook his head slowly,
sliding his hand to the back of her neck.
“Don’t do
that. Just…kiss me.”
She smiled
and leaned down, covering his mouth with hers as her hand glided over his
nipple. He groaned into her mouth and she repeated the action, this time
lightly scraping her nail across the hardened flesh. He tore his mouth away
from hers and gasped.
“Christ,
Buffy…don’t do that either…”
“You don’t
like it?” She whispered softly as she draped her arms over his shoulders.
“I like
it…far too much.” He acknowledged breathlessly.
“Oh.” She
grinned and moved back towards his lips.
He
tightened his hold on her hips and sighed. “Maybe…maybe you should sit beside
of me.” When she raised an eyebrow in a silent question, he cleared his throat.
“It’s just that…this is too much for me right now.”
She gave
him a slightly unhappy sigh and carefully moved off his lap. He shifted
uncomfortably and began buttoning his shirt.
“Can…can I
still kiss you?”
His hands stopped,
leaving the top three buttons undone, and he turned his head towards her.
“Yes.” He leaned towards her, darting his eyes to her lips as he whispered.
“God, yes.”
Her
fingers combed through the soft hair above his ear. “I love the way you kiss
me.”
He smiled
and brushed his lips across hers. “I love kissing you.”
As he
started to deepen the kiss, her ears picked up on the sound of a car door
closing. She pushed him back and jumped off the couch.
“Buffy?”
He asked, confusion showing in his eyes and voice.
“Mom’s
home!” She ran her hand through her hair in an attempt to straighten it
somewhat.
“Fuck…” He
muttered under his breath and pushed himself up from the couch.
“Did you
just say ‘fuck’?” Her eyes widened in surprise, a grin forming on her face.
He headed
towards the stairs and chuckled softly. “Yes, actually.”
Her eyes
narrowed. “Where are you going?”
He turned
towards her and sighed heavily. “I can’t very well have your mother see me in
this condition.”
She
glanced at his groin and then at the door, hearing her mother’s footsteps on
the porch steps. “Shit…”
He grinned
and took off up the stairs. She ran back to the couch, falling onto the
cushions and staring at the television just as the front door opened. She took
a deep breath and forced a smile on her face as Joyce walked into the living
room.
“Hey Mom.
You’re earlier than I thought you’d be.”
Joyce
smirked and glanced at the television, her smirk quickly morphing into a
grimace. “What are you watching?”
“Re-Animator.
One of Giles’ favourite movies.”
Joyce
scoffed and shook her head. “Yeah, I can see why. Why are you watching a movie
with Rupert?” She looked around the room and narrowed her eyes. “And…where is
Rupert?”
“Oh, we
went on patrol together tonight. Pretty busy night so I talked him into a movie
to wind down. And…right now he’s in the bathroom.”
Hearing
footsteps on the stairs, Buffy smiled and shrugged a shoulder. “Or…he’s on his
way back down.”
Giles
stepped into the living room and offered Joyce a warm smile. “Good evening,
Joyce.”
“Hello,
Rupert.” She gestured towards the television. “Enjoying the movie?”
Confusion
shone in Giles’ eyes for a brief moment. Though it was long enough for Joyce to
notice. His eyes darted towards the television and he shook his head.
“Dreadful
film. I highly recommend avoiding it at all costs.” He met Buffy’s eyes and
took a deep breath. “Ah, Buffy…I really should be leaving now.”
“Oh,
uh…okay. I’ll see you tomorrow? For training?” She asked, desperately trying to
hide the disappointment in her voice.
Giles gave
her a short nod, a smile playing at his lips. “Tomorrow, it is.”
She stood
and walked towards the stairs, stopping to kiss her mother’s cheek before she
gestured upstairs. “I’m just gonna go take a shower and then you can tell me
about the showing.”
Joyce
smiled brightly. “Okay, sweetheart.”
Buffy
glanced at Giles and smiled. “Night, Giles.”
“Goodnight,
Buffy.” He responded softly, forcing himself to tear his gaze away from her as
she climbed the stairs.
He cleared
his throat and picked up his car keys from the lamp table. “Well, then…I’ll,
uh…”
His
sentence trailed off when Joyce placed her hand on his arm. Joyce exhaled
slowly and looked into his eyes.
“Don’t
hurt her, Rupert.”
Giles’
eyes widened. “I, uh…I…I’m sorry?”
A smile
formed on her face. “It wasn’t intentional, but…I overheard the two of you
talking a couple of weeks ago. I was going to bed and…you were on the front
porch, saying goodnight.”
His face
reddened deeply. “Oh, I…”
“And…” She
lifted her hand and gently touched the collar of his shirt. “I believe that’s
Buffy’s favourite shade of lipstick.”
“Oh dear
Lord.” He mumbled softly, averting his eyes from Joyce’s.
She
chuckled softly, shaking her head. “I’m not exactly surprised by this, you
know. The two of you have always been very close. Just…please don’t hurt her.”
“I…we…well,
I…”
Joyce’s
smile broadened as he stammered nervously. He took a deep breath and met her
eyes.
“We…we
were going to discuss this with you, um…soon.”
She gave
his arm a gentle squeeze and then dropped her hand to her side. “Well, now you
don’t have to have that horribly awkward conversation. I’ll talk to Buffy about
it in the morning. But…I’m okay with this, funnily enough.”
Giles’
mind was reeling and he took a step towards the door, giving in to his instinct
to leave an uncomfortable situation. “I, uh…Goodnight, Joyce.”
“Goodnight,
Rupert.”
He opened
the door and stepped onto the porch. Just as she was closing the door, he turned
around and spoke her name. She smiled warmly at him as he shoved his hands in
his pockets and swallowed.
“Thank
you.”
She gave
him a nod and glanced back inside when she heard the shower cut off. “You’re
welcome. Now, go…before she comes back downstairs and starts questioning why
you’re still here.”
His eyes
darted to Buffy’s bedroom window and he nodded in agreement. “Yes,
um…goodnight. Again.”
Joyce
grinned as she watched him hurry to his car. She closed the door and made her
way into the kitchen.
She had a
sudden craving for hot chocolate.
“So, how
close were you when your Mom got home?”
Buffy smiled
and took a deep breath. “He had to go upstairs before she walked in…”
“Yeah.”
She chuckled softly and followed the sidewalk into the small apartment complex.
“And, Mom talked to me this morning. She’s apparently known that Giles and I
have been seeing each other since the first date.”
Buffy
nodded, her smile growing. “Completely okay with it. Which is a bit weird, I think.
But, she said she was expecting it at some point.”
As they
neared the door to Giles’ apartment, Buffy lowered her voice. “And…we’ll finish
this discussion later?”
Giles was
walking across the living room towards the kitchen when his front door opened.
He stopped his motion and smiled softly as
“
She gave
him a small wave. “Hi, Giles.”
Giles
inhaled sharply as Buffy followed her in and closed the door. His eyes darkened
slightly as they quickly roamed over her body. He noticed that she was wearing
the outfit that he had complimented her on one day a week earlier. Faded blue
jeans and a light brown peasant top.
He
swallowed as his eyes finally met hers. “Hello, Buffy.”
She smiled
brightly, feeling the heat rise in the pit of her stomach as his eyes briefly
darted to her breasts. “Hey…”
He shook
his head lightly and cleared his throat as he gestured towards the kitchen. “I
was on my way for a cup of tea. Might I interest either of you?”
“Yeah…”
Buffy answered immediately, her smouldering eyes telling him that it wasn’t
just tea he could interest her in.
He blushed
quickly and glanced at
With a
quick nod, he hurried into the kitchen.
“Subtle,
Buff.”
Buffy reddened,
leaning towards Willow as she whispered. “I didn’t mean to.”
Willow
arched an eyebrow in response and Buffy sighed. “It’s just…he looks so…”
Willow
glanced at the man preparing three cups of tea. “Giles-y?”
Buffy
turned towards Willow and nodded slowly. “Yeah, but…it’s more than that.”
“Kinda
like how he looked at you when you walked in?” Willow grinned.
“Even more
than that…”
“You love
him.” Willow offered softly.
“More.”
Willow
tilted her head slightly, her eyes puzzled. “What do you mean?”
Buffy bit
her lip nervously. “The more time I spend with him, the more I realize…”
When she
trailed off, Willow silently urged her on with a simple look. Buffy took a deep
breath and lowered her eyes.
“That I’m
falling in love with him. And I’m falling hard.”
Any
response Willow was going to give was interrupted by a loud crash. They both
looked up quickly to find Giles standing in the living room, his eyes staring
at Buffy. The silver tray lay on the hardwood floor, tea pooling around his
feet amidst the shattered remnants of three teacups.
“Oh God…”
Buffy whispered almost inaudibly.
Giles’
heart began to race as he took a step forward, ceramic shards crunching under
his shoe. He held Buffy’s gaze and swallowed, his eyes searching hers and
finding panic…and love.
“Buffy…”
His voice was thick with emotion.
Tears
welled in her eyes, one spilling down her cheek. “I’m sorry, Giles…I…”
He took
another step forward, puzzled at the tears. “Why are you crying?”
“I…you said
you love me, but I know there’s a huge difference between that and being in
love…and…”
He took
the last step needed to stand directly in front of her and lifted his hand,
brushing her tears from her face. “You’re falling in love with me?”
She sniffled
lightly and averted her eyes from his. “I think I already have.”
He moved
his fingers down her face to rest under her chin, gently tilting her head until
she was looking at him again. “Once more…for the older man who is suddenly
concerned that his hearing might very well be slipping?”
She gasped
softly at the depth of emotions she couldn’t help but see in his green eyes.
“Giles?”
His thumb
brushed across her cheek in a loving caress. “Please, Buffy…once more.”
“I…I’m in
love with you.” She whispered softly.
Willow
smiled and quietly made her way to the door, realizing that they had both
forgotten she was actually in the room and deciding that this was something
that required privacy. She opened the door and looked back just in time to see
Giles cradle Buffy’s face with both hands and lean down to kiss her. She sighed
happily and slipped outside, closing the door softly behind her.
Giles
slowly steered Buffy towards the couch, unwilling to relinquish her lips as he
did so. When the backs of her legs bumped against the couch, he gently guided
her onto the cushion and knelt on the floor in front of her.
She ended
the kiss slowly and looked at him, a silent question in her eyes. He smiled and
reached up, tenderly brushing the hair back from her face.
“I have
been in love with you for a fair few months, Buffy.”
She tilted
her head slightly, thoughts running through her mind. “Is that why you stopped
us last night?”
“Partly.”
He admitted softly. “It’s true that I want more than what that would have been.”
“A quick
shag?” She asked with a small smile playing on her lips.
“Ah, yes.
I…want more. I want to be able to take my time and love you properly.”
She sensed
his hesitation and placed her hand on his chest. “And the other part of your
‘partly’?”
“Self-preservation.”
“Huh?” She
narrowed her eyes in confusion.
He sighed
softly. “I’m in love with you. If…well, if we had continued last night…I was
concerned that it would have meant more to me than it did to you. And…I’m
rather sure I don’t know how I would have dealt with that.”
“Oh.” She
responded with a gentle smile. “I get it. But it would, you know? Mean as much
to me as it would to you.”
He
returned her smile and rested his hands on her thighs. “That’s, uh…very good to
know.”
She
glanced around the room and chuckled softly. At his questioning look, she
leaned forward and brushed her lips across his.
“We’re
alone. Willow must’ve left to give us some privacy.”
He inhaled
sharply as her fingers toyed with the top button on his shirt. “Buffy…”
“Are you
expecting anyone to come by?” She whispered as she pulled the button free.
He shook
his head slowly, sliding his hands along her thighs until he reached the hem of
her blouse. His fingers edged under the material, grazing bare skin.
She unbuttoned
four more buttons and smiled at him. “So…we’re alone…no visitors expected…”
His eyes
darkened slightly as she ran her fingertip across his chest. “I’m sorely
tempted to take you upstairs right now.”
Her
fingertip circled his nipple teasingly. “It’s okay to give into temptation
sometimes you know…”
He
swallowed and moved his left hand underneath her blouse until it gently cupped
her breast. At her soft gasp, he ran his thumb over her nipple.
“Is that
what you’d like, Buffy? Would you like for me to take you upstairs?”
Her eyes
closed at the contact, her back arching and increasing the pressure of his hand
on her breast. “Depends…”
He slid
his right hand around her back and deftly unclasped her bra. “On what?”
She moaned
as his hand quickly slipped into the loosened cup and gently kneaded the firm
flesh. “Giles…”
His
confidence boosted by her soft moans, he smiled and carefully rolled her
hardened nipple between his fingers. “May I take you upstairs, Buffy?”
She forced
her eyes open and looked into his. “You’re not gonna show me a stamp
collection, are you?”
He
chuckled softly. “No. However, I would love to spend a few hours learning how
your body fits with mine.”
A smile
graced her lips. “Is that the British way of saying you’d like to have sex with
me?”
He shook
his head and kissed her tenderly. “I don’t want to have sex with you, Buffy.”
She arched
an eyebrow and glanced at her chest, where his hand was still gently massaging
her breast. “Normally that would be where this leads…”
He took a
deep breath and slid his hands out from under her blouse, placing them back on
her thighs and rubbing his palms against the denim. “I want you to show me how
you like for your body to be touched, kissed…tasted. And…I want to teach you
about me. I want us to learn from one another. This isn’t sex, Buffy. I want us
to learn how we both enjoy making love. And…I want to make love with you
dearly.”
She lifted
her hand and ran her fingers through his hair. “I think my insides just melted
into a big puddle of goo…”
“I’m so in
love with you, Buffy.” He whispered softly. “Teach me.”
She smiled
and gently pushed him back, giving her enough room to move forward on the
couch. She slowly moved her hand down his chest, stopping when she reached the
prominent bulge in his trousers.
He groaned
and covered her hand with his, applying gentle pressure against the hardness.
She smiled and kissed him, sweeping her tongue into his mouth briefly before
removing her hand and standing up.
He
swallowed hard, his eyes following her as she made her way to the door. When he
heard the latch click in place as she turned the lock, he smiled.
“These are
lessons I’d rather not have one of the Scoobies walking in on.” She licked her
lips and gestured towards the loft. “Coming?”
He
grinned, quickly standing and following as she started up the stairs. She
turned suddenly and grabbed him, kissing him deeply. He returned the kiss
passionately and sighed when she slowly ended it.
She ran
her finger down the side of his neck and smiled. “Sometimes I can be a slow
learner…I hope that’s okay with you.”
“Practice
makes perfect.” He replied, his eyes twinkling.
Her eyes
softened, an almost sad expression crossed her features. He lifted his hand and
cradled her face in his palm.
“What is
it, Buffy?”
She shook
her head, her smile returning. “It’s silly…and probably stupid.”
“Tell me.”
He whispered, his thumb gently stroking her skin.
“Your
nightmares…they were horrible, but…” She took a deep breath and looked into his
eyes. “I’m kinda thankful for them.”
“I think
that’s rather…sweet, not silly nor stupid.” He leaned forward and kissed her,
his hand sliding to her hip and squeezing gently. “And…if you’d like, we can
talk about this more. Now or later…”
Her smile returned
with full force, beaming brightly at him. “Can we make it later? I kinda have
plans right now…”
“Oh?” He
smiled and began backing her up the stairs. “What sort of plans do you have?”
She licked
her lips and reached out, her fingers easily finding his trouser-clad erection.
“The sort that involves us…naked…in your bed. I think you said something about
teaching me what you like…”
His eyes
darkened as they reached the top of the stairs. “If it’s all the same with you,
I think I’d prefer to be your student for a while.”
She
grinned and pulled her blouse over her head, dropping it to the floor.
“Consider class in session, Giles.”
He
returned her grin as he carefully pushed her onto the bed, suddenly not ashamed
of the fact that he had always loved education.
And
educate him, she did.
~ End