Title: Pressed
Author: Andrea/
silentfluxFandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairing/character: Giles/Xander
Rating: FRT
Prompt: Day 8 - "Kiss"
Notes/Warnings: for October 17th at the
gilesxander Octoberfest and
my Giles challenge at
60damnprompts where you write 60 days in the life of a character. You may want to read the previous days before this fic for a better understanding, but it's not necessary.
Set post Chosen, so there are spoilers for it.
Summary: Just another quiet night at home...
~ * ~
Awkwardly, Giles started at the soft, questing touch, and glanced down to see Xander's fingers barely grazing his skin. Reports forgotten, television droning in the background, he hesitantly looked up, but the younger man still appeared to be watching the movie. Shaking his head slightly, admonishing himself for thinking the touch was purposeful, he settled back in, trying to concentrate on the typed words of the report.
"Anything interesting?" Xander asked, interrupting their silence and turning from the television t o look at his companion.
"Well, apparently there was a nest of nasty G'lotorth in Canada," he answered matter-of-factly.
"Yeah? No casualties, though, right?" Xander asked, concerned.
"It was Vi and Rona - they put them down. Not easily, but with minor injuries. I think Jared was the one who was hurt worse with his concussion."
"What is it with Watchers, Giles? I mean, how many knocks has your noggin had? I think that concussions are a Watcher thing, right?"
"Well, you are a Watcher now. What do you think?"
Xander paused, head cocking in thought as his eye searched Giles' own gaze. "Definitely a Watcher thing."
Giles chuckled quietly, eyes tracing the curve of Xander's smile. "Yes, apparently it is."
"Good thing you're not in the field so much then, huh? Don't want any more damage to come to the G-man... sorry. Giles." Xander ducked his head sheepishly, and Giles automatically reached out, his hand landing on one strong shoulder and squeezing.
"Hard habit to break, I'm guessing," he stated, savoring the warmth under his hand.
"Yeah," came Xander's agreement as he leaned slightly into the touch. Giles drew back reluctantly, setting the file down as he stood and headed to the kitchen.
"Tea?" he inquired, automatic in his etiquette.
"Uh... sure." Xander ran an unsteady hand through his hair, leaning forward for a moment before standing. "I'll be right back. Gonna check on the kittens."
Giles slowly went through the familiar motions, thankful for the breathing space as he tried to pull back, ignoring the slight tremor in his hands. Biting back an expletive as he splashed boiling water over his hand, he slammed down the kettle and stuck his hand under cold running water.
"You okay?" Xander's voice made him jump, it was so much closer than he'd thought it should be that Giles jerked away instinctively.
Blushing slightly, he nodded. "Yeah, just some hot water. My own fault."
"Let me finish then," Xander offered, already picking up the kettle and pouring the water into the pot and covering it.
"Thanks." He didn't know why everything felt so stilted now, like they hadn't been living in the same suite for the past few days or that they'd known each other for years. Reaching up, he removed his glasses, cleaning them reflexively as they stood in the kitchen, waiting on tea.
"Did you get a chance to train with the others today?" he finally asked, scrambling desperately for a topic to distract him from the heat pressing at him.
"What? Oh, yeah. It's definitely different. I don't understand how they think some of that stuff's going to actually apply, you know? But interesting, anyways."
"Yes, well. I try to adjust the curriculum as much as possible and we have active Watchers and slayers in all the time to help bring the reality home to the trainees."
"Doesn't help that you have Travers wannabes plaguing the school," Xander pointed out dryly and Rupert's lips twitched.
"They try, but it really can't be helped," he finally answered, tucking his handkerchief back in his pocket and absently sliding his glasses back on. Turning, he reached up to grab a mug, breath drawing in sharp as Xander leaned around him to get his own, fingers clenching hard around the warming ceramic.
'This is ridiculous,' Giles thought, trying to control the urge to follow Xander's heat.
"Giles?"
Turning his head to answer found him not a foot away from Xander, and he couldn't ignore it anymore. It only took one agonizing moment to close the space between them, Xander's mouth lifting in a welcoming curve as he leaned and brushed their lips together tentatively.
Uncertainty immediately flooded the older man and he pulled away, only to be halted by large hands resting on his waist. One brown eye stared and he couldn't look away, everything swirling and leaning until he's pressed between the counter and Xander, hands wrapped around the younger man's torso and lips caressing.
A loud breath escaped Giles, lips parting as he deepened the kiss, the heat unbearable - hip to hip and shoulder to shoulder - and teeth grazing, teasing along his lower lip before some force tugs them back together, until lips and teeth and tongue played and fought.
He moaned softly in protest when the kiss slowly wound down, eyes fluttering back open and he waited. A wash of relief ran through him as swollen lips smiled and he felt his own match them. "Hey."
Fingers branded themselves on skin as they stood in the kitchen, tea cooling, staring at each other with wonder. "Hey."
Chuckling softly, Giles savored every touch as he reached up, hand running through soft hair and resting against Xander's neck. "Exactly."