Smudges [BtVS; Giles/Jenny]
TITLE: Smudges
FANDOM: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
PAIRING: Giles/Jenny
SPOILERS: "Some Assembly Required" (2.02)
RATING: PG
SUMMARY: Date. Right. This was a date. An interrupted date, but a date nonetheless, with the promise of a second one already made.
*****
"Want me to walk you to the door?" Jenny asked, pulling to a stop in front of his complex.
His thoughts still on the paranormal events of the evening, Giles reflexively shook his head and told her, "I can manage," before realization caught up with him and he was left to mentally backtrack.
Date. Right. This was a date. An interrupted date, but a date nonetheless, with the promise of a second one already made. His heart skipped as he remembered her tone of voice, teasing him about how to top the evening on the second date, and suddenly he very desperately wanted to kiss her. "Ehm, on-on second thought... it's such a nice night out. And, really, it's only proper that I give you a tour of the grounds."
Jenny smiled at that and cut the engine before she pulled her keys from the ignition. Giles climbed out of her beat-up Volkswagen first, and went around to the driver's side to meet her. He smiled, heart still thudding in his throat as he hoped he didn't look too terribly nervous. "Right. So..."
"So?" she smiled, lifting one perfectly-shaped brow, and good Lord she was terribly lovely, wasn't she.
"Yes. Um... th-this way," he told her, gently pressing a hand to the small of her back to guide her forward before he forced himself to pull his arm back to his side.
Only just seconds later, Jenny reached over and took his gloved hand, and Giles felt his heart skip once again. "Just a moment," he stopped her, letting go of her hand, and she looked almost disappointed. Quickly, not wanting contact to be severed for too long, he pulled off his gloves and shoved them in his coat pockets, taking her hand once again. This time, he twined his fingers with hers, and gave her a smile as they resumed their walk.
"Had me scared for a second there," she teased, leaning against him and gripping his arm with her free hand.
"Sorry," he chuckled softly. "I just thought... th-this would be better."
Jenny nodded, squeezing his hand. "Skin-to-skin is definitely better," she agreed, and he couldn't help but notice the way her voice dipped with that statement.
Naturally, his mind chose that moment to inject some rather provocative imagery, and he found himself thankful for the dark of night lest she see the blush tingeing his cheeks. "Indeed," he finally responded.
The quiet chuckle he got in return left him watching her quizzically, wondering if the provocative imagery was her intent when she'd made such a remark. Upon spotting the upturned corners of her lips, Giles decided it was most certainly her intent. Apparently this woman lived for pressing his buttons. And damn him if he didn't enjoy it every single time.
"Uh, well, this is the courtyard," he told her as they reached the fountain, stopping in front of it.
"Working fountain?" she asked, turning to look up at him.
Giles nodded, his thumb absently stroking her skin as they stood hand-in-hand. "Mostly, yes. They shut it off during the cooler months."
He watched her as she looked toward the small bistro table nearby. "Bet this would be a great place to sit and read a book."
He smiled, dipping his head. "Yes, I try to read out here as often as I can." They made their way through the courtyard and up to his doorstep, hands still linked and fingers flirting with one another. His stomach was still pleasantly fluttering at every brush of their fingers or every time she'd lean against him. This felt much more like a first date now.
"And, here again is my flat," he announced when they reached his door, outside light still on from when she'd picked him up earlier.
"Very nice." Relinquishing his hand, she turned to him, her smile luminous under the light near the door.
A moment passed in which they just smiled at one another. As Giles searched her warm brown eyes, he wondered if he should lean in for a goodnight kiss. Instead, he tucked his chin slightly and apologized, "I'm sorry about tonight, Jenny. Again."
"Hey, believe it or not? I had fun tonight." When he met her eyes, she smirked. "We should fight crime on every date."
Giles chuckled a bit, tilting his head. "Well... unfortunately, given my line of work, that's a distinct possibility."
"Then I'll remember to wear better shoes," she quipped, and they met eyes again.
He began visually tracing her face, not noticing her eyes straying to his forehead, cheeks and chin until she commented, "You look cute with soot all over your face."
"Oh." Reaching a hand up, he wiped at his right cheek. "Sorry."
"No, I mean it." And there was that smile again. Yes she really was terribly, excruciatingly lovely. Even with the dark smudges on her face.
"You look nice as well," he smiled, and reached up to rub some of the soot from her cheekbone with his thumb. "Dare I say, these smudges... 'soot' you."
Jenny tilted her head, giving him a coy grin. "Didn't know that you moonlight as a comedian."
Giles smiled back at her. "I'm a man of many trades, Jenny."
She giggled. "Guess so."
Another moment of silence passed in which they smiled at one another, Giles slowly realizing he was still cupping her face with one hand. He met her eyes, searched them for any hint of hesitation or reluctance. Finding nothing there but a silent challenge of sorts, he tightened his hold on her face and pulled her in, capturing the fullness of her bottom lip.
Immediately, he sucked in his breath, a rush of blood going straight to his head and sending it spinning. He'd been wanting to kiss her for days... weeks, even. Hell, perhaps even when they were sniping at each other in the library all those months ago, before she helped him pull Moloch from the internet. However long it had been, it seemed he hadn't in any way prepared for how it would actually feel when it occurred. The way her lips would open under his, yielding to him. The way her gentle curves would rest against him as he wound his other arm around her waist. Or the way his heart would leap as she stretched up on her toes and gripped the lapels of his coat tightly while the kiss deepened. He hadn't prepared for any of it.
The kiss seemed to drag on and on, though Giles wasn't about to complain. It seemed all the energy that had built between them since they met had come to a head within one singular kiss, and each were loathe to be the first to break it. After awhile, however, oxygen was once again an imperative. Reluctantly, he slowed their frenzied kisses, giving her long, lingering pecks on the lips before finally breaking away, drawing in a deep breath.
Jenny was still clutching the lapels of his overcoat, teetering on her toes while he held her by the waist, foreheads resting together. His heart was slamming in his chest, his stomach was filled with butterflies and every time he took a breath, it was her he was breathing. He kissed her on the corner of the mouth, then the cheek, then just under her ear before wrapping her in an embrace, turning his nose into her hair.
She smelled of a bonfire, with just a hint of light perfume beneath. And, though he didn't wish to release her, he knew that it was getting late, and they both had to work in the morning. "I suppose we should say goodnight," he murmured.
"Do we have to?" she asked, a bit childishly.
Giles smirked, inwardly pleased that she seemed as reluctant to end the evening as he. "I'm afraid so."
Still he kissed her once more, smiling against her lips when she immediately leaned up into him, returning the kiss with fervor. His hands cupped her face as he gently pulled away, thumbs wiping at the soot smudges on her cheeks. "Goodnight, Jenny," he murmured with a soft smile, affection in his tone.
She tilted her head, darling smile on her lips as she returned just as affectionately, "Goodnight, Rupert." Gripping his tie, she leaned in and gave him a light kiss on the cheek before relinquishing him and brushing past.
"W-Will you be... stopping by the library at all tomorrow?" he asked, turning to watch her walk up the steps.
She spun once she reached the top. "Definitely," she replied flirtatiously, and gave him a wink before turning on her heel and heading across the courtyard to her car.
Giles watched her go, unable to help the boyish, dreamy smile on his lips. Then he unlocked the door and headed inside to wash the smudges from his face, all the while wondering what he could arrange for their second date, that could possibly top this first one.
FIN
{x-posted to gilesjenny}
FANDOM: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
PAIRING: Giles/Jenny
SPOILERS: "Some Assembly Required" (2.02)
RATING: PG
SUMMARY: Date. Right. This was a date. An interrupted date, but a date nonetheless, with the promise of a second one already made.
*****
"Want me to walk you to the door?" Jenny asked, pulling to a stop in front of his complex.
His thoughts still on the paranormal events of the evening, Giles reflexively shook his head and told her, "I can manage," before realization caught up with him and he was left to mentally backtrack.
Date. Right. This was a date. An interrupted date, but a date nonetheless, with the promise of a second one already made. His heart skipped as he remembered her tone of voice, teasing him about how to top the evening on the second date, and suddenly he very desperately wanted to kiss her. "Ehm, on-on second thought... it's such a nice night out. And, really, it's only proper that I give you a tour of the grounds."
Jenny smiled at that and cut the engine before she pulled her keys from the ignition. Giles climbed out of her beat-up Volkswagen first, and went around to the driver's side to meet her. He smiled, heart still thudding in his throat as he hoped he didn't look too terribly nervous. "Right. So..."
"So?" she smiled, lifting one perfectly-shaped brow, and good Lord she was terribly lovely, wasn't she.
"Yes. Um... th-this way," he told her, gently pressing a hand to the small of her back to guide her forward before he forced himself to pull his arm back to his side.
Only just seconds later, Jenny reached over and took his gloved hand, and Giles felt his heart skip once again. "Just a moment," he stopped her, letting go of her hand, and she looked almost disappointed. Quickly, not wanting contact to be severed for too long, he pulled off his gloves and shoved them in his coat pockets, taking her hand once again. This time, he twined his fingers with hers, and gave her a smile as they resumed their walk.
"Had me scared for a second there," she teased, leaning against him and gripping his arm with her free hand.
"Sorry," he chuckled softly. "I just thought... th-this would be better."
Jenny nodded, squeezing his hand. "Skin-to-skin is definitely better," she agreed, and he couldn't help but notice the way her voice dipped with that statement.
Naturally, his mind chose that moment to inject some rather provocative imagery, and he found himself thankful for the dark of night lest she see the blush tingeing his cheeks. "Indeed," he finally responded.
The quiet chuckle he got in return left him watching her quizzically, wondering if the provocative imagery was her intent when she'd made such a remark. Upon spotting the upturned corners of her lips, Giles decided it was most certainly her intent. Apparently this woman lived for pressing his buttons. And damn him if he didn't enjoy it every single time.
"Uh, well, this is the courtyard," he told her as they reached the fountain, stopping in front of it.
"Working fountain?" she asked, turning to look up at him.
Giles nodded, his thumb absently stroking her skin as they stood hand-in-hand. "Mostly, yes. They shut it off during the cooler months."
He watched her as she looked toward the small bistro table nearby. "Bet this would be a great place to sit and read a book."
He smiled, dipping his head. "Yes, I try to read out here as often as I can." They made their way through the courtyard and up to his doorstep, hands still linked and fingers flirting with one another. His stomach was still pleasantly fluttering at every brush of their fingers or every time she'd lean against him. This felt much more like a first date now.
"And, here again is my flat," he announced when they reached his door, outside light still on from when she'd picked him up earlier.
"Very nice." Relinquishing his hand, she turned to him, her smile luminous under the light near the door.
A moment passed in which they just smiled at one another. As Giles searched her warm brown eyes, he wondered if he should lean in for a goodnight kiss. Instead, he tucked his chin slightly and apologized, "I'm sorry about tonight, Jenny. Again."
"Hey, believe it or not? I had fun tonight." When he met her eyes, she smirked. "We should fight crime on every date."
Giles chuckled a bit, tilting his head. "Well... unfortunately, given my line of work, that's a distinct possibility."
"Then I'll remember to wear better shoes," she quipped, and they met eyes again.
He began visually tracing her face, not noticing her eyes straying to his forehead, cheeks and chin until she commented, "You look cute with soot all over your face."
"Oh." Reaching a hand up, he wiped at his right cheek. "Sorry."
"No, I mean it." And there was that smile again. Yes she really was terribly, excruciatingly lovely. Even with the dark smudges on her face.
"You look nice as well," he smiled, and reached up to rub some of the soot from her cheekbone with his thumb. "Dare I say, these smudges... 'soot' you."
Jenny tilted her head, giving him a coy grin. "Didn't know that you moonlight as a comedian."
Giles smiled back at her. "I'm a man of many trades, Jenny."
She giggled. "Guess so."
Another moment of silence passed in which they smiled at one another, Giles slowly realizing he was still cupping her face with one hand. He met her eyes, searched them for any hint of hesitation or reluctance. Finding nothing there but a silent challenge of sorts, he tightened his hold on her face and pulled her in, capturing the fullness of her bottom lip.
Immediately, he sucked in his breath, a rush of blood going straight to his head and sending it spinning. He'd been wanting to kiss her for days... weeks, even. Hell, perhaps even when they were sniping at each other in the library all those months ago, before she helped him pull Moloch from the internet. However long it had been, it seemed he hadn't in any way prepared for how it would actually feel when it occurred. The way her lips would open under his, yielding to him. The way her gentle curves would rest against him as he wound his other arm around her waist. Or the way his heart would leap as she stretched up on her toes and gripped the lapels of his coat tightly while the kiss deepened. He hadn't prepared for any of it.
The kiss seemed to drag on and on, though Giles wasn't about to complain. It seemed all the energy that had built between them since they met had come to a head within one singular kiss, and each were loathe to be the first to break it. After awhile, however, oxygen was once again an imperative. Reluctantly, he slowed their frenzied kisses, giving her long, lingering pecks on the lips before finally breaking away, drawing in a deep breath.
Jenny was still clutching the lapels of his overcoat, teetering on her toes while he held her by the waist, foreheads resting together. His heart was slamming in his chest, his stomach was filled with butterflies and every time he took a breath, it was her he was breathing. He kissed her on the corner of the mouth, then the cheek, then just under her ear before wrapping her in an embrace, turning his nose into her hair.
She smelled of a bonfire, with just a hint of light perfume beneath. And, though he didn't wish to release her, he knew that it was getting late, and they both had to work in the morning. "I suppose we should say goodnight," he murmured.
"Do we have to?" she asked, a bit childishly.
Giles smirked, inwardly pleased that she seemed as reluctant to end the evening as he. "I'm afraid so."
Still he kissed her once more, smiling against her lips when she immediately leaned up into him, returning the kiss with fervor. His hands cupped her face as he gently pulled away, thumbs wiping at the soot smudges on her cheeks. "Goodnight, Jenny," he murmured with a soft smile, affection in his tone.
She tilted her head, darling smile on her lips as she returned just as affectionately, "Goodnight, Rupert." Gripping his tie, she leaned in and gave him a light kiss on the cheek before relinquishing him and brushing past.
"W-Will you be... stopping by the library at all tomorrow?" he asked, turning to watch her walk up the steps.
She spun once she reached the top. "Definitely," she replied flirtatiously, and gave him a wink before turning on her heel and heading across the courtyard to her car.
Giles watched her go, unable to help the boyish, dreamy smile on his lips. Then he unlocked the door and headed inside to wash the smudges from his face, all the while wondering what he could arrange for their second date, that could possibly top this first one.
FIN
{x-posted to gilesjenny}