Recruit (4/9)
Fandoms: Buffy/HP
Canon Compliancy: Set in 2004; through Buffy season 8, issue 4; post-HBP
Pairing: Giles/Snape
Rating: NC-17, slash
Genre: Drama/Humor/Romance
Word Count: ~22K
Status: Complete; will be posted over July 2nd and 3rd
Summary: Slayers abounded, and even with new innovations in training and technology, the Watcher’s Council struggled to cope with the decimation of its ranks wreaked by the Bringers. Willow’s sudden return offered Giles the chance to discover much-needed new recruits. Yet nothing quite prepared him for one Severus Snape.
Previous: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3.
Disclaimer: Not mine; no money.
Thanks go to the wonderful
firefly_124, who betaed for me, and to the amazing
saracen77, who Brit-picked.
Chapter 4
Giles was annoyed. Well and truly annoyed.
It had been three hours since he’d demonstrated the simple Jujitsu take down, and he hadn’t had Snape alone in all that time.
He’d spent the first hour working his way through the room, helping the occasional Slayer in finding the exact way to push upon her partner’s knee so the leg would buckle. As strong as they were, there could always be opponents stronger, and the women needed techniques for dealing with such. If what they were fighting had knees, that is.
The dark man had lounged against a wall, arms crossed over chest, watching Giles raptly.
Every time their eyes had met, Snape had smirked.
Before the room had completely cleared, Buffy had led the next group in, offering a quick hello before ordering her students to begin stretching. The crowd gathered to watch the original Slayer so large it filled the hallway for yards in both directions.
Immediately after, there’d been elevenses in Giles’s office, where Robson had latched onto them and hadn’t let go till well after lunch. As if magical theory is so interesting. Giles snorted. Well, of course it is - the discussion of transmogrification was especially fascinating - and I can’t exactly blame the man for wanting to talk to a real wizard before he returns to Thailand for another six months.
Snape had smirked through that long conversation as well.
So Giles hadn’t had a chance to talk to Snape alone, hadn’t been able to take him to task for that last little maneuver. Giles snorted again. And what am I supposed to say? ‘Do you know how bloody difficult it was not to grind my pelvis against yours when you pressed against my cock?’
Because I’m pretty sure the ruddy bastard knows just how difficult and that I could do nothing about it with the audience we had.
And he wasn’t going to get the opportunity any time soon either because it was five to two and Willow awaited them in the library. Even the walk from the refectory wasn’t useful because the halls were filled with new Slayers all talking and waving essays and trading textbooks or weapons while making their way to their next classes.
Giles opened the door and ushered Snape inside, closing the solid wood to cut off the din of the outside.
Standing quickly from the front table where she had various open texts spread out, Willow held out a hand and chirped, “Hi, you must be Mr. Snape. I’m Willow. I’ve never met a wizard before. I mean I’ve met men who do magic - this so isn’t one of those weird gender-divides-reinforced-by-nomenclature kind of things - but I’ve never met anyone from the Wizarding world before.”
The dark man briefly shook her hand, “Willow, a pleasure. If you’re comfortable with such, you may call me simply Snape.”
“Sure. I’ve known him for years, and I still call Giles Giles, so that works for me.”
Pulling out her chair, Snape said, “Shall we?” Then he proceeded to look up at Giles and smirk.
Teeth grinding, Giles thought, Why is he being so bloody charming all of the sudden? And is it more for my benefit or Willow’s?
Giles’s narrowed his eyes. Or both?
He was pulled from his thoughts by Willow’s voice. “Let’s not make this too involved for the first time.” She pulled a couple of books towards her and then looked up at Giles. “Why don’t you come back and pick him up around four, Giles? That’ll give us enough time to talk about a few things while letting you clear up some of the paperwork I’m sure is waiting for you.”
“Did you really have to remind me of such?” Giles said, tempering it with a small smile.
“Wouldn’t want you getting all lazy-Watcher, now would we? So shoo.” She made corresponding hand motions. “I promise to not to hurt him and to give him back to you,” she said with a wink.
Giles kept his groan internal by clenching his jaw and turned enough to see that Snape’s smirk had only grown as he’d watched the proceedings.
If he doesn’t stop making that face, I’m going to be the one hurting him.
~~~
The quick knock on his door at a quarter to four caught him by surprise. Even more so when Willow entered at his bidding.
“Is everything -”
She raised her hands, palms facing him, patting the air. “Everything’s fine. We got to a good stopping place - or really just a stopping place since I could talk to him about magic for months on end - and I called in Althenea. I figured it was too much to hit him with the whole coven at once, but she will be able to keep him busy for awhile.”
Taking a seat in the leather wingback on the other side of his desk, she continued. “Besides - we need to talk.”
Giles leaned forward. “What have you discovered?”
“He’s fascinated, Giles. He tries hard to hide it, but he desperately wants to learn earth magics. And I think I know why.”
Giles waved her to continue.
“It took some prodding, but I learned that the Ministry of Magic can track him via his wand.”
“So wandless magic would free him from being captured.”
“Yep, and give him the ability to keep doing magic.” She poked her finger towards the large folder open on his desk. “‘Cause from the size of their file on him, they’re still looking for him and aren’t going to give up anytime soon.”
“I’m afraid you’re right. The notes that have been made about him …” he paused to flip through a few pages before saying, “they’re quite vehement. Shocking in a government document actually.”
“Yeah, well, I get the idea that some of the rights we take for granted aren’t such a sure thing in the Wizarding world.”
“Am I to believe that you actually find something more ‘archaic’ than myself?” he asked, unable to prevent a small smile from quirking his lips.
She grinned back. “You’re positively twentieth century-ey compared to them, Giles!”
“It happens to be the twenty-first century.”
“I know - couldn’t give you too much credit, now could I?”
As their chuckles died down, Giles’s countenance grew serious once more. “And how do we know they are wrong, Willow? What if he is as evil as this Ministry believes him to be? We would be freeing a man with no compunction against killing, a highly intelligent man at that.”
“Do you truly believe that Giles? In your gut?”
“No, but …” His glasses came off, and a vigorous cleaning ensued.
“But you’re worried you may not be making good judgments because you’re attracted to him.”
Giles sighed. “Yes.”
“Well, I’m not. Worried that is. ‘Cause if there’s one thing I know about you, Giles, it’s that you put the job first.” She leaned forward, a look of concern passing across her face, and her hands fluttered a bit. “Oh, and I’m not attracted to him either!”
He smiled. “I know you’re not, Willow.”
“Good - just so we’re clear and all.” She settled back in her chair. “And I have good news.”
Replacing his eyewear, Giles realized she wasn’t going to continue without a blatant prompt from him. “Yes?”
Willow grinned. “He still scans clean, Giles. I repeated it in person, and no evil intentions. Don’t get me wrong,” she said, holding up one hand as her expression grew serious, “he’s still got a lot of darkness in him. But he’s not going to act on it. Kind of like me … but more like you in that the touch of black magic is … incorporated and contained by the rest of him.”
Which is why we resonate. “And you’re sure?”
“Yep. Had Althenea double-check. She gave a mental ‘all’s well’ before I left them all alone-like.”
“Good. Good. That lends credence to the testimony of this …” he broke off for a moment to shuffle papers. “Minerva McGonagall.”
“The one that said he was a spy for the good guys? Yes, that feels … that feels right somehow, Giles. Not that I can read his every thought, but it fits with what I can read of him.”
“Dear Lord.” Giles sighed and leaned back to rub at his neck. “That means the man spied for a good twenty years, was forced to kill his mentor, and has been persecuted relentlessly for it, even though his work was crucial in defeating this … this Voldemort character.” He waved a hand at the file.
“I’d say trust issues may be a big deal for him.”
Or personality issues, Giles thought, thinking of that smirk. He made to stand. “So I suppose I had better -”
“Nope. You sit right back down in that seat, mister. I told Althenea to keep him busy until four thirty. That gives you and me time for a little chat.”
“Willow …”
“Notice the resolve face, Giles?” She pointed at herself.
Sighing, he resettled into his chair.
“Good. I want to know about this gay thing. ‘Cause I thought you really loved Jenny, and then there was Olivia … uh …” She broke off, looking faintly perplexed.
“I did love Jenny, and Olivia was … a shag-friend, I suppose you could say.”
Her expression grew even more confused.
“It’s not really a ‘gay thing,’ Willow … I’m bisexual.”
“Ooo!” Her face grew animated. “I thought I might be that, what with Oz and all, but now I think I’m fairly gay. But for you …”
“For me, I’m attracted to the person - their gender is secondary.”
“I get that - I really do. But no guys …?”
“It’s simply been … years since I found a man attractive.” Please may she not make the connection to Ethan. I’d really rather not have to explain. Giles sighed internally. Even dead, he continues to plague me.
She smiled mischievously. “I think it’s smart that you hid it then - at least in terms of Andrew. ‘Cause he was really mooning over you before you sent him to Italy. If he’d known there was a chance …”
“Andrew did not moon over me. He clearly fancied Xander.”
“Oh, he so did, Giles. He was over Xander after Sunndydale. Don’t you remember how he’d follow you around all day?”
“He was merely excited about becoming a Watcher.”
“Sure, Giles, you just keep telling yourself that.” Willow shook her head a bit and then grinned. “But Snape, if he stays …”
“I think that’s rather a large ‘if’ at this juncture, and I need for it not to be. He’s too important to our program.”
“Nah, I’ve seen the way he looks at you … feels around you. Buffy was right - it’s way vibey. Between that and my magic, I don’t think it’s an ‘if’ at all.”
~~~
Snape stood outside the library door, once again preventing a private discussion as the corridor swirled with Slayers.
And he smirked as soon as he saw Giles.
Although somewhat calmed by talking to Willow, Giles felt his earlier agitation rise to the surface upon seeing that telltale expression on the dark man’s face. In an attempt to curtail his irritation, he tipped his head towards the staircase and started off in that direction. Kept apart by the press of bodies, Giles eventually looked across to where Snape paced him, seeing him turn his head to smirk at Giles once again.
Something inside Giles snapped. That’s it! Heart pounding with an adrenaline spike, he could feel his nostrils flare as his body took in extra oxygen to prepare his muscles for conflict.
The men’s lavatory was just ahead and on Giles’s side of the hall. He fully expected it to be empty - there were few men this side of the building or in the building full stop. He ducked in and moved to stand behind where the door would open, clenching and unclenching his hands as he felt ki pool in his belly.
It took the anticipated ten seconds for Snape to open said door - Slayers weren’t exactly readily movable objects. As soon as he had entered the room far enough to clear the arc of the door, Giles slammed the back of his arm against it, closing it with a bang.
Snape spun, and Giles grabbed his shoulders and used the man’s momentum to continue to move him in a larger circle until his back hit the door with a solid thunk.
Straining only slightly - not enough to truly try to get free, but enough to make it clear he wasn’t completely capitulating - Snape offered that damned infuriating smirk again. “Well, if I’d -”
“Shut it,” Giles said in a calm yet menacing voice, fingers digging into the other man’s shoulders as he gave him enough of a shake to make the dark head hit the door again. “I don’t know what you think you’re playing at, mate, but it’s bloody well going to stop.”
“I do not -”
“Don’t play the thickie - it’s beneath you.” His pulse rushed in his ears.
“And just how would you know what exactly is beneath me?”
Oh, please. “Any man willing to sacrifice his personal life for twenty years for a just cause has to have some level of integrity.”
Angry tension vibrated immediately through the long muscles of Snape’s body, causing an unpleasant stiffness under Giles’s hands. He glared.
Damn, I hadn’t meant to admit to such knowledge quite yet. Releasing the man’s shoulders, Giles sighed and looked at a spot just to the left of those dark eyes. The anger suddenly drained from his mind, but his fingers still twitched for action - adrenaline not to be so easily dismissed. “I may … know a bit more about you than I let on yesterday.”
“A bit more?”
“Quite a bit more.” Giles suppressed the desire to wipe his glasses in agitation - after all, it might not be such a good idea to impede his vision at this time. Snape may not be well versed in hand-to-hand combat, but Giles was sure the man could still throw a punch if riled. Or a spell, a part of his mind whispered, and he glanced at the man’s hands to ascertain that he hadn’t yet palmed his wand.
“Then you know that I am a murderer.” Snape’s voice rang flat - emotionless and without inflection.
“You’ve killed, yes. But for a cause.”
“Mere semantics -” he sneered.
“Do not discount the power of words or the shadings of their various meanings. I’m sure magical incantations have taught you as much.” Giles met the dark eyes with his own. “Besides which, if you are a murderer, then I am one as well.”
“You …?” The sneer faded.
“Yes. And even more recently than you.” Giles paused. In for a penny … “In my case, he was not a friend.”
Snape jerked slightly at that but remained silent.
Giles continued. “But he was a young man who should have had a long life in front of him and who had to die through no actual fault of his own.”
Raising his chin, Snape replied, “Dumbledore was not the only one.” He made it sound a challenge.
“Neither was Ben. I had a rather … dissipated youth, and hubris combined with a desire for power proved a fatal mixture.”
Snape looked away, making a noise that was half grunt, half snort.
Time slowed. I wonder if I’ve just bollixed things. Even though his heart was calming, the uneasy twisting of his stomach was no more welcome of a sensation. With a mental shake, Giles thought, It was bound to come out - good to have it over with and all. He nonetheless found himself suppressing a sigh.
Eyebrow raised, Snape turned to meet Giles’s eyes again. “I take it talk of our past misdeeds was not what inspired this … toilet conversation.”
It wasn’t the smirk that had been driving Giles ‘round the bend all day, but it was enough to remind him of such. “Indeed not. But I find the other situation less … pressing than I thought.”
“Then perhaps I should make use of this opportunity to tell you my decision.”
So soon? I really have bollixed it. Giles felt an additional knotting of his gut as an icy flash of apprehension ran through him.
Staring for a bit longer, Snape finally pushed off from the door just enough to stand without any support. “I accept your offer. I will become a Watcher.”
The flood of relief was immediate and physical - his stomach unclenched, his shoulders loosened. Grinning, perhaps a bit too widely, Giles said, “Brilliant - that’s bloody brilliant.”
AN: Ki is the Japanese term that corresponds to the Chinese chi - both refer to life energy that can be controlled and directed for martial arts.
On to Chapter 5.
Canon Compliancy: Set in 2004; through Buffy season 8, issue 4; post-HBP
Pairing: Giles/Snape
Rating: NC-17, slash
Genre: Drama/Humor/Romance
Word Count: ~22K
Status: Complete; will be posted over July 2nd and 3rd
Summary: Slayers abounded, and even with new innovations in training and technology, the Watcher’s Council struggled to cope with the decimation of its ranks wreaked by the Bringers. Willow’s sudden return offered Giles the chance to discover much-needed new recruits. Yet nothing quite prepared him for one Severus Snape.
Previous: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3.
Disclaimer: Not mine; no money.
Thanks go to the wonderful
firefly_124, who betaed for me, and to the amazing
saracen77, who Brit-picked.
Chapter 4
Giles was annoyed. Well and truly annoyed.
It had been three hours since he’d demonstrated the simple Jujitsu take down, and he hadn’t had Snape alone in all that time.
He’d spent the first hour working his way through the room, helping the occasional Slayer in finding the exact way to push upon her partner’s knee so the leg would buckle. As strong as they were, there could always be opponents stronger, and the women needed techniques for dealing with such. If what they were fighting had knees, that is.
The dark man had lounged against a wall, arms crossed over chest, watching Giles raptly.
Every time their eyes had met, Snape had smirked.
Before the room had completely cleared, Buffy had led the next group in, offering a quick hello before ordering her students to begin stretching. The crowd gathered to watch the original Slayer so large it filled the hallway for yards in both directions.
Immediately after, there’d been elevenses in Giles’s office, where Robson had latched onto them and hadn’t let go till well after lunch. As if magical theory is so interesting. Giles snorted. Well, of course it is - the discussion of transmogrification was especially fascinating - and I can’t exactly blame the man for wanting to talk to a real wizard before he returns to Thailand for another six months.
Snape had smirked through that long conversation as well.
So Giles hadn’t had a chance to talk to Snape alone, hadn’t been able to take him to task for that last little maneuver. Giles snorted again. And what am I supposed to say? ‘Do you know how bloody difficult it was not to grind my pelvis against yours when you pressed against my cock?’
Because I’m pretty sure the ruddy bastard knows just how difficult and that I could do nothing about it with the audience we had.
And he wasn’t going to get the opportunity any time soon either because it was five to two and Willow awaited them in the library. Even the walk from the refectory wasn’t useful because the halls were filled with new Slayers all talking and waving essays and trading textbooks or weapons while making their way to their next classes.
Giles opened the door and ushered Snape inside, closing the solid wood to cut off the din of the outside.
Standing quickly from the front table where she had various open texts spread out, Willow held out a hand and chirped, “Hi, you must be Mr. Snape. I’m Willow. I’ve never met a wizard before. I mean I’ve met men who do magic - this so isn’t one of those weird gender-divides-reinforced-by-nomenclature kind of things - but I’ve never met anyone from the Wizarding world before.”
The dark man briefly shook her hand, “Willow, a pleasure. If you’re comfortable with such, you may call me simply Snape.”
“Sure. I’ve known him for years, and I still call Giles Giles, so that works for me.”
Pulling out her chair, Snape said, “Shall we?” Then he proceeded to look up at Giles and smirk.
Teeth grinding, Giles thought, Why is he being so bloody charming all of the sudden? And is it more for my benefit or Willow’s?
Giles’s narrowed his eyes. Or both?
He was pulled from his thoughts by Willow’s voice. “Let’s not make this too involved for the first time.” She pulled a couple of books towards her and then looked up at Giles. “Why don’t you come back and pick him up around four, Giles? That’ll give us enough time to talk about a few things while letting you clear up some of the paperwork I’m sure is waiting for you.”
“Did you really have to remind me of such?” Giles said, tempering it with a small smile.
“Wouldn’t want you getting all lazy-Watcher, now would we? So shoo.” She made corresponding hand motions. “I promise to not to hurt him and to give him back to you,” she said with a wink.
Giles kept his groan internal by clenching his jaw and turned enough to see that Snape’s smirk had only grown as he’d watched the proceedings.
If he doesn’t stop making that face, I’m going to be the one hurting him.
~~~
The quick knock on his door at a quarter to four caught him by surprise. Even more so when Willow entered at his bidding.
“Is everything -”
She raised her hands, palms facing him, patting the air. “Everything’s fine. We got to a good stopping place - or really just a stopping place since I could talk to him about magic for months on end - and I called in Althenea. I figured it was too much to hit him with the whole coven at once, but she will be able to keep him busy for awhile.”
Taking a seat in the leather wingback on the other side of his desk, she continued. “Besides - we need to talk.”
Giles leaned forward. “What have you discovered?”
“He’s fascinated, Giles. He tries hard to hide it, but he desperately wants to learn earth magics. And I think I know why.”
Giles waved her to continue.
“It took some prodding, but I learned that the Ministry of Magic can track him via his wand.”
“So wandless magic would free him from being captured.”
“Yep, and give him the ability to keep doing magic.” She poked her finger towards the large folder open on his desk. “‘Cause from the size of their file on him, they’re still looking for him and aren’t going to give up anytime soon.”
“I’m afraid you’re right. The notes that have been made about him …” he paused to flip through a few pages before saying, “they’re quite vehement. Shocking in a government document actually.”
“Yeah, well, I get the idea that some of the rights we take for granted aren’t such a sure thing in the Wizarding world.”
“Am I to believe that you actually find something more ‘archaic’ than myself?” he asked, unable to prevent a small smile from quirking his lips.
She grinned back. “You’re positively twentieth century-ey compared to them, Giles!”
“It happens to be the twenty-first century.”
“I know - couldn’t give you too much credit, now could I?”
As their chuckles died down, Giles’s countenance grew serious once more. “And how do we know they are wrong, Willow? What if he is as evil as this Ministry believes him to be? We would be freeing a man with no compunction against killing, a highly intelligent man at that.”
“Do you truly believe that Giles? In your gut?”
“No, but …” His glasses came off, and a vigorous cleaning ensued.
“But you’re worried you may not be making good judgments because you’re attracted to him.”
Giles sighed. “Yes.”
“Well, I’m not. Worried that is. ‘Cause if there’s one thing I know about you, Giles, it’s that you put the job first.” She leaned forward, a look of concern passing across her face, and her hands fluttered a bit. “Oh, and I’m not attracted to him either!”
He smiled. “I know you’re not, Willow.”
“Good - just so we’re clear and all.” She settled back in her chair. “And I have good news.”
Replacing his eyewear, Giles realized she wasn’t going to continue without a blatant prompt from him. “Yes?”
Willow grinned. “He still scans clean, Giles. I repeated it in person, and no evil intentions. Don’t get me wrong,” she said, holding up one hand as her expression grew serious, “he’s still got a lot of darkness in him. But he’s not going to act on it. Kind of like me … but more like you in that the touch of black magic is … incorporated and contained by the rest of him.”
Which is why we resonate. “And you’re sure?”
“Yep. Had Althenea double-check. She gave a mental ‘all’s well’ before I left them all alone-like.”
“Good. Good. That lends credence to the testimony of this …” he broke off for a moment to shuffle papers. “Minerva McGonagall.”
“The one that said he was a spy for the good guys? Yes, that feels … that feels right somehow, Giles. Not that I can read his every thought, but it fits with what I can read of him.”
“Dear Lord.” Giles sighed and leaned back to rub at his neck. “That means the man spied for a good twenty years, was forced to kill his mentor, and has been persecuted relentlessly for it, even though his work was crucial in defeating this … this Voldemort character.” He waved a hand at the file.
“I’d say trust issues may be a big deal for him.”
Or personality issues, Giles thought, thinking of that smirk. He made to stand. “So I suppose I had better -”
“Nope. You sit right back down in that seat, mister. I told Althenea to keep him busy until four thirty. That gives you and me time for a little chat.”
“Willow …”
“Notice the resolve face, Giles?” She pointed at herself.
Sighing, he resettled into his chair.
“Good. I want to know about this gay thing. ‘Cause I thought you really loved Jenny, and then there was Olivia … uh …” She broke off, looking faintly perplexed.
“I did love Jenny, and Olivia was … a shag-friend, I suppose you could say.”
Her expression grew even more confused.
“It’s not really a ‘gay thing,’ Willow … I’m bisexual.”
“Ooo!” Her face grew animated. “I thought I might be that, what with Oz and all, but now I think I’m fairly gay. But for you …”
“For me, I’m attracted to the person - their gender is secondary.”
“I get that - I really do. But no guys …?”
“It’s simply been … years since I found a man attractive.” Please may she not make the connection to Ethan. I’d really rather not have to explain. Giles sighed internally. Even dead, he continues to plague me.
She smiled mischievously. “I think it’s smart that you hid it then - at least in terms of Andrew. ‘Cause he was really mooning over you before you sent him to Italy. If he’d known there was a chance …”
“Andrew did not moon over me. He clearly fancied Xander.”
“Oh, he so did, Giles. He was over Xander after Sunndydale. Don’t you remember how he’d follow you around all day?”
“He was merely excited about becoming a Watcher.”
“Sure, Giles, you just keep telling yourself that.” Willow shook her head a bit and then grinned. “But Snape, if he stays …”
“I think that’s rather a large ‘if’ at this juncture, and I need for it not to be. He’s too important to our program.”
“Nah, I’ve seen the way he looks at you … feels around you. Buffy was right - it’s way vibey. Between that and my magic, I don’t think it’s an ‘if’ at all.”
~~~
Snape stood outside the library door, once again preventing a private discussion as the corridor swirled with Slayers.
And he smirked as soon as he saw Giles.
Although somewhat calmed by talking to Willow, Giles felt his earlier agitation rise to the surface upon seeing that telltale expression on the dark man’s face. In an attempt to curtail his irritation, he tipped his head towards the staircase and started off in that direction. Kept apart by the press of bodies, Giles eventually looked across to where Snape paced him, seeing him turn his head to smirk at Giles once again.
Something inside Giles snapped. That’s it! Heart pounding with an adrenaline spike, he could feel his nostrils flare as his body took in extra oxygen to prepare his muscles for conflict.
The men’s lavatory was just ahead and on Giles’s side of the hall. He fully expected it to be empty - there were few men this side of the building or in the building full stop. He ducked in and moved to stand behind where the door would open, clenching and unclenching his hands as he felt ki pool in his belly.
It took the anticipated ten seconds for Snape to open said door - Slayers weren’t exactly readily movable objects. As soon as he had entered the room far enough to clear the arc of the door, Giles slammed the back of his arm against it, closing it with a bang.
Snape spun, and Giles grabbed his shoulders and used the man’s momentum to continue to move him in a larger circle until his back hit the door with a solid thunk.
Straining only slightly - not enough to truly try to get free, but enough to make it clear he wasn’t completely capitulating - Snape offered that damned infuriating smirk again. “Well, if I’d -”
“Shut it,” Giles said in a calm yet menacing voice, fingers digging into the other man’s shoulders as he gave him enough of a shake to make the dark head hit the door again. “I don’t know what you think you’re playing at, mate, but it’s bloody well going to stop.”
“I do not -”
“Don’t play the thickie - it’s beneath you.” His pulse rushed in his ears.
“And just how would you know what exactly is beneath me?”
Oh, please. “Any man willing to sacrifice his personal life for twenty years for a just cause has to have some level of integrity.”
Angry tension vibrated immediately through the long muscles of Snape’s body, causing an unpleasant stiffness under Giles’s hands. He glared.
Damn, I hadn’t meant to admit to such knowledge quite yet. Releasing the man’s shoulders, Giles sighed and looked at a spot just to the left of those dark eyes. The anger suddenly drained from his mind, but his fingers still twitched for action - adrenaline not to be so easily dismissed. “I may … know a bit more about you than I let on yesterday.”
“A bit more?”
“Quite a bit more.” Giles suppressed the desire to wipe his glasses in agitation - after all, it might not be such a good idea to impede his vision at this time. Snape may not be well versed in hand-to-hand combat, but Giles was sure the man could still throw a punch if riled. Or a spell, a part of his mind whispered, and he glanced at the man’s hands to ascertain that he hadn’t yet palmed his wand.
“Then you know that I am a murderer.” Snape’s voice rang flat - emotionless and without inflection.
“You’ve killed, yes. But for a cause.”
“Mere semantics -” he sneered.
“Do not discount the power of words or the shadings of their various meanings. I’m sure magical incantations have taught you as much.” Giles met the dark eyes with his own. “Besides which, if you are a murderer, then I am one as well.”
“You …?” The sneer faded.
“Yes. And even more recently than you.” Giles paused. In for a penny … “In my case, he was not a friend.”
Snape jerked slightly at that but remained silent.
Giles continued. “But he was a young man who should have had a long life in front of him and who had to die through no actual fault of his own.”
Raising his chin, Snape replied, “Dumbledore was not the only one.” He made it sound a challenge.
“Neither was Ben. I had a rather … dissipated youth, and hubris combined with a desire for power proved a fatal mixture.”
Snape looked away, making a noise that was half grunt, half snort.
Time slowed. I wonder if I’ve just bollixed things. Even though his heart was calming, the uneasy twisting of his stomach was no more welcome of a sensation. With a mental shake, Giles thought, It was bound to come out - good to have it over with and all. He nonetheless found himself suppressing a sigh.
Eyebrow raised, Snape turned to meet Giles’s eyes again. “I take it talk of our past misdeeds was not what inspired this … toilet conversation.”
It wasn’t the smirk that had been driving Giles ‘round the bend all day, but it was enough to remind him of such. “Indeed not. But I find the other situation less … pressing than I thought.”
“Then perhaps I should make use of this opportunity to tell you my decision.”
So soon? I really have bollixed it. Giles felt an additional knotting of his gut as an icy flash of apprehension ran through him.
Staring for a bit longer, Snape finally pushed off from the door just enough to stand without any support. “I accept your offer. I will become a Watcher.”
The flood of relief was immediate and physical - his stomach unclenched, his shoulders loosened. Grinning, perhaps a bit too widely, Giles said, “Brilliant - that’s bloody brilliant.”
AN: Ki is the Japanese term that corresponds to the Chinese chi - both refer to life energy that can be controlled and directed for martial arts.
On to Chapter 5.