Title: Talk
Author: Froxyn
Rating: FRT
Pairing: Buffy/Giles
Timeline: AU, pick a
season.
Synopsis: Buffy has her
ideas of the future…and now she wants to know Giles’ ideas.
Author’s Note: Album
fic. Song and lyrics can be found here.
Buffy sighed heavily, curled up
into the corner of Giles’ couch with a cup of tea cradled in her hands. She stared at the cup, her thumb idly
stroking the ceramic rim.
“Do you ever think about the
future?”
Giles thought for a moment,
taking a sip of his tea before nodding.
“Some aspects of it, yes.”
“What do you see?”
He turned towards her at the
sound of sadness in her voice, resting his back against the arm of the
couch. “What do you mean?”
She shrugged a shoulder and
lifted the cup, blowing a puff of air over the hot liquid. “I don’t know. When you think about the future, what do you see in it? Do you see kids, pets…a nice house in the
middle of nowhere? Or do you see death,
destruction, and mayhem?”
He arched an eyebrow at
her. “Buffy?”
“See, when I daydream…I see
kids, pets, and a nice house. But, it’s
all just a daydream, isn’t it? I
mean…the real future is that I’ll die at the hands of some demon. Besides, Slayers don’t have children. And…evil will always exist.” She took a drink of the tea and glanced at
him before lowering her eyes again. “I
was just wondering what you see.”
“Slayers have been known to have
children, Buffy. It’s just not a normal
practice. Is that what this is
about? You want a child?”
“No, not now anyway. Besides, I’d have to be involved with
someone and…” She shook her head
gently. “I just want a normal life…”
Giles leaned over, placing his
cup on the coffee table. “I think that
what most people would dream of as a normal life is nonexistent. And, I believe that normality is relative.”
When she furrowed her brow, he
smiled softly.
“Your future is not set in
stone, Buffy. You can do whatever you
want, be whoever you want to be…do things you never thought you would, or
could, do…”
“No, I can’t.” She whispered sadly.
“And why do you think you
can’t?”
“I’m the Slayer, Giles. Everyone knows that Slayers are always
missing some important piece of their lives.
I mean, most Slayers missed growing up with loving parents…can you
imagine what I would’ve been like if they had taken me away from Mom?”
Giles lowered his eyes,
remembering an alternate universe Buffy that he had come into contact with at
one time. “Yes, I can. And had it not been for your mother, I’m not
sure you would’ve survived as long as you have.”
“Something’s always missing,
Giles. I’m like a big Buffy puzzle and
pieces go missing once in a while.”
“I think we all feel like that
at times. I know that I do…fairly
often, in fact.”
She looked up at him and raised
an eyebrow. “You feel like a big Buffy
puzzle?”
He chuckled softly at her
teasing tone. “Rather like a big Giles
puzzle.”
She finished off her tea and
placed her empty cup on the lamp table behind her. “What’s your missing piece?”
“At the moment?” When she nodded, he sighed and looked into
her eyes. “You.”
Her eyes widened in
surprise. “What?”
“You are my missing piece,
Buffy.”
“You mean…as your Slayer?” She asked hesitantly, fearing his answer would
be ‘yes’.
“You have always been an
exemplary Slayer, even at your most trying times.”
Her brow furrowed as she tilted
her head to the left. “So…”
“You as the Slayer have always
held the biggest piece of my puzzle.
After all, I trained most of my life to be able to guide you through
this war. My puzzle doesn’t contain
many pieces, Buffy. Slayer, Watcher,
music, books, love…”
“Okay, so if me as the Slayer is
there…me as what is missing?”
“What piece are you missing,
Buffy?” He asked instead of answering
her, his green eyes boring into her hazel ones.
“The piece that could give me a
normal life.” Not diverting her eyes
from his. “Me as what is your missing
piece?”
His eyes darted to her lips as
she spoke. “I possibly should be
frightened that I understood that question.”
“I think you should talk to
me.” She whispered.
“I rather think I am.” He responded with a smile. “But, perhaps…you should elaborate on what
you’re feeling at the moment.”
“I don’t know where I’m
going.” She stated, a slight tremble in
her voice. “But, I know I want you to
be there…”
“Me?”
“God, Giles…you’re my
missing piece. Don’t you get
that?” She groaned in
exasperation. “You may not see me as
anything more than your Slayer, but – ”
He moved towards her, placing
his right hand on the side of her face as he cut her off with a kiss. It started out as a kiss merely to calm her
as she grew more agitated, but quickly grew into something much more. When he felt her fingers begin to tug at his
shirt, he reluctantly pulled back and covered her hands with his.
He gazed into her eyes and took
a shuddering breath. He brought her
hands to his lips and gently kissed her knuckles.
“You as my love…that piece is
the one that’s missing, Buffy.”
She inhaled sharply at his
whispered statement.
“We…we could complete each
other’s puzzles, Buffy. If you want,
that is. I…I wouldn’t dream of pushing
you towards something that you’re – ”
It was his turn to be
interrupted, but he didn’t complain.
Instead, he slipped his arms around her as she nudged her tongue into
his mouth.
He was quite certain that they
needed to talk further about this development in their relationship. But, as
her fingers combed through his hair, he decided that they would have plenty of
time for talk later. He wouldn’t let
things go too far…and, though it would be difficult, he’d maintain control of
the situation.
Her right hand moved to his
neck, her nails lightly scratching at his nape, and he felt his control slip a
notch. He pulled away slowly, gasping
for breath as he looked into her eyes.
“We…should talk…”
She smiled and gave him a nod,
pushing him back against the cushions as she climbed onto his lap. “Yeah, we should…but, later. Right now…you need to kiss me.”
“Buffy…” He started, sighing as she leaned down and
placed a line of warm kisses along his jaw.
“We’re moving too fast.”
“We’re just kissing, Giles…we’re
not making love.” She pulled back and
smiled warmly, her thumb caressing the outer shell of his ear. “Yet.”
“Not tonight.” He whispered thickly, his eyes serious.
She shook her head slowly. “No, not tonight. But soon.”
He nodded in agreement, his body
relaxing somewhat underneath her. As
she lowered her lips to his once more, he felt the missing piece of his puzzle
snap into place. He sighed contentedly
and then moved his hands to her hips.
They wouldn’t make love, and he
was in agreement with that decision.
But, he had no problems with letting her know how she affected him
physically.
He smiled inwardly as she
groaned.
Later, when they would have
their talk, he’d ask her if her piece was still missing as well. Judging by the renewed fervor of her kisses,
he was fairly certain that it wasn’t.
~ End