The green eyed monster part 6
‘Do you really think so?’ Willow’s voice was hesitant, almost frightened.
‘Of course I do. They love you, Willow. Both of them love you very much. I’m sure they’ll be happy for you. I know I am.’ Giles warm voice was confident, and the young witch was noticeably comforted.
‘I’m happy for me too! But we must talk to Buffy.’ She gave him a beseeching look. ‘Soon.’
Giles nodded, affectionately brushing a tear soaked wisp of hair out of her face.
‘I know’ he agreed gloomily. ‘I just don’t know how.’
The unnoticed Buffy had stopped just inside the door and was now dejectedly eyeing her two friends. So her subconscious had been wrong. She drew a shaky breath. There was no rebound. No love for Buffy. Just Giles. And Willow. Smiling. Touching. She clenched her teeth against an escaping sob and watched them jump apart as she emphatically slammed the door behind her.
‘Might I perhaps borrow my Watcher for the training session?’
Without another look or word Buffy haughtily stomped off to the basement to warm up, not wanting to think about what the two people she’d left upstairs was doing. And not able to think of anything else. When Giles arrived a couple of minutes later Buffy was boiling with jealousy. He gave her a cautious look and decided to forego any weapons during training.
*****
Forty minutes later he was sweaty, sore and more than a little worried. Buffy still hadn’t said a word, but she kept fighting him with focused intensity. Backing away under the force of her assault he eyed her wearily, searching for a way around her defence. A slight hesitation to follow up on a roundhouse kick was all he needed. He swiftly moved under her guard and drew her to him. As he held her close his hands moved over her back in slow, hypnotic circles, and the frustrated animosity slowly drained out of her. With contentedly closed eyes she snuggled closer and put her arms around his waist. Her conscience objected half-heartedly, but she defiantly nestled into the warmth and scent that was all Giles. Just this once, okay? Just this once.
Giles looked down at his forlorn Slayer. What on earth had made him listen to Willow? Didn’t he know better than to play with people’s minds for his own selfish reasons? Had his Ripper days taught him nothing? He closed his eyes and hoped that Buffy would be able to forgive him. Eventually.
‘Buffy, I...’
‘You can’t...’
They looked at each other and giggled nervously.
‘You go first’ Giles offered and Buffy watched open-mouthed as the shy smile she loved so much did one of its rare appearances. What was it she was going to say? Oh, yes...
‘You can’t be with Willow’ she mumbled quietly into his shirt.
He gave her a bewildered look. That he hadn’t expected. Had he lost the thread somewhere?
‘Hmm? What? Why?’ he asked in confusion.
‘Because you should be with me!’
Buffy gasped and swiftly fixed her eyes to his neckline. I didn’t just say that out loud, did I? Oh God. I did. What do I do now?? Hmm... nice chest hair... Hello?! Focus!!
A gentle finger on her jaw interrupted her musings and forced her to look up into eyes dark green with adrenaline and anticipation. She watched, mesmerized, as he slowly lowered his head, giving her ample time to break free. When she didn’t his mouth smiled against hers in a feathery touch before slowly retreating. He gave her a searching look and she licked her lips in an unconscious invite. Her arms moved to his neck and pulled him down for another soft brush. He relaxed into the kiss, sweeping his tongue tentatively against her lips. She welcomed him in with a satisfied moan. Mmm... nice... But not enough. Aching to feel his skin against her palms she fumbled impatiently with his T-shirt and finally managed to separate it from his very uncooperative sweatpants. Giles groaned when her hands lazily investigated their ways towards his chest.
‘Buffy? Are you sure about this?’ he asked uncertainly.
‘Hmm?’ she answered distractedly while her dilated pupils hungrily took in his tousled state. ‘Am I sure about wha...’ Oh. That. Oh. Crap. Oh, CRAP!!
Her conscience kicked into hyperdrive and for the second time in a very short period she turned and ran out of Giles’ apartment. He growled unhappily. As far as he recalled, kissing was a damned lot better when not interrupted by all that bloody jogging. A stunned grin spread over his face. On the other hand the woman he loved had just told him that “you should be with me”. He shook his head dazedly. Dear Lord. Willow was a genius!
*****
‘I take it Giles hasn’t talked to you?’
Willow watched her friend attentively, but the distressed Slayer didn’t seem to notice that she had referred to the Watcher as Giles. The redhead sighed dismally. Damn.
‘Well, I sorta left before he had a chance to say anything’ Buffy said, sniffing miserably. ‘I’m sorry, Wil. So very sorry.’
Willow’s conscience kicked her in the shin. Repeatedly. And hard.
‘Sorry about what?’
‘Erm. Basically for everything. But mostly for loving Giles.’ Buffy blushed and carefully avoided the Wicca’s eyes.
‘Umm... Okay..? Knew that already. No need for sorry.’ Willow gave Buffy a hopeful look. Was it possible that..?
‘But. No! Or. I mean. I... I’m in love with Giles.’ The Slayer was still blushing. And still avoiding eye contact.
‘Uh-huh?’ Oh YES! Finally!! Okay, Willow. Keep the cool. Deep breaths. Look calm. Indifferent. No victory dance. Result!! Check out the queen witch of shadchens!! Okay, way with the indifference there. ‘Knew that too. Still not with you on the sorries though.’ Ah. Calmness revisited. Good girl.
Buffy winced, suddenly remembering the conversation she’d overheard at Giles’. Of course she knew. Although...
‘But I’ve done something bad! Really bad. Like dancing with Xander bad. Not that dancing with Xander is bad. Except for the Snoopy dance. But I mean Buffy bad dancing with Xander dancing...’ Buffy stopped and reviewed her rant. ‘bad’ she finished sheepishly. Not wholly of the comprehensible. But adequate. She was determined to make Willow understand what a terrible person she was. ‘Willow, I... kissed him.’
‘Kissed who? Xander?’ Willow stared at her friend in total bewilderment.
‘No. Giles!’ Buffy almost growled in frustration.
‘Oh. Did you? Good. I’m sure he liked that.’ Willow’s suspiciously innocent face revealed only polite concern.
‘I mean it’s not like I meant to... okay, so of course I meant to, but not rea...’ Buffy’s brain finally caught up. ‘I’m sorry, but huh??’
Willow eyed the Slayer nervously. Okay. Moment of truth. Wait a minute; was her health insurance in order?? And she really should have made a will... Oh, just get on with it already!!
‘Umm... I’m sure he liked that?’ The young witch smiled awkwardly. ‘Because actually there’s nothing going on between Giles and me. His feelings are sort of elsewhere engaged.’
Buffy gave her a blank look.
‘H-huh?’ she repeated. Her disorientated brain tried to puzzle facts together, but all it could muster was a slightly mystified ‘Who?’
Willow rolled her eyes. For an intelligent woman Buffy could be really thick on occasion... She looked into the Slayer’s wounded eyes and realized that she had ventured her thoughts aloud. Damn again. And blast.
‘You, poophead. Giles is in love with you.’
Hope, incredulity and a flicker of anger fought a ferocious battle in Buffy’s eyes. Giles was in love with her? Giles was in love with her! But why had they...
‘But why did you... Why, Wil? Do you hate me? Is that it? Let’s hurt the bitch?’ She couldn’t quite hide the bitterness in her voice.
‘No!! It wasn’t like that at all!!’ Willow’s eyes filled with tears. ‘I mean it was just so obvious. Everyone saw it. Well, not Giles of course, but you know Giles...’ Willow made a dismissive gesture and Buffy managed a feeble grin. She knew Giles. Knowledge Guy could be totally clueless sometimes. It was so adorable. Not to mention when he... Ahum. Willow. Explaining. Priorities, okay?! ‘...and even Xander had noticed. I mean Xander!! Mr Oblivious himself. So... it really was that obvious. And Giles was just so unhappy. So we sorta thought... I sorta thought... umm...’ She gave Buffy a pleading look, too out of breath from her wordy explanation to be able to continue.
Buffy thoughtfully studied the distraught Wicca. Okay, so fire bad. Willow still good. And Giles loved her. Now there was a good. A very good. She smiled as she felt her resentment evaporating. It all made a sort of twisted sense somehow. And she could of course always slay them later if needed.
‘It’s okay, Willow. I kinda understand. I was being Ignorant Girl. Hurting people I care about. I needed to be stopped.’ She grinned ruefully. ‘But next time try some kryptonite, okay. Or a baseball bat. Or a small rocket launcher. The Giles method? Way too painful.’
‘No Gilesy torture. Check’ Willow nodded vigorously before looking down and drawing a steadying breath. ‘Umm... Buffy? There’s... another thing. You remember Tara, don’t you?’ Buffy indicated that, despite her alleged thickness, she did. Willow shot her a panicky glance. ‘Well... uh... me and Tara are sorta... uh... me and Tara..?’
The Slayer’s brow furrowed - and then realization slowly dawned.
‘Are you saying what I think you’re saying here, Wils?’ she asked carefully. Willow gave a small nod and Buffy lit up in a delighted smile.
‘Cool!’
‘Are you sure?’ the Wicca asked cautiously, not certain that Buffy had understood her properly. Buffy’s expression softened.
‘Willow, if you love Tara I’m sure I will too.’ She grinned. ‘And besides… If you already have a girlfriend I don’t have to feel so bad about stealing your boyfriend.’
Willow gave her a grave look.
‘Giles loves you so much, Buffy. I don’t think he could take it if you ever hurt him again like you’ve done these last months. And he means a lot to me.’ The witch looked thoughtful and added as an afterthought. ‘And I have access to some quite powerful spells.’
Buffy met Willow’s serious eyes, realizing that the threat was made only half in jest.
‘I’ll remember’ she promised solemnly. Her eyes narrowed. ‘I will also remember that you and Xander are the schemiest, most backstabbing friends a Slayer can have.’
‘Yes. And you’re welcome’ Willow answered with a calm smile. ‘So. You’re off to Giles’ then?’
Buffy nodded.
‘Yup. Don’t wait up...’ She grinned roguishly at her friend before darting through the door. Willow’s eyes glazed over and she was forced to recite several Latin incantations before finally evicting some uninvited - and very graphic - images of the Watcher and his Slayer.