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Entry tags:
Ficlet: High and Dry
Title: High and Dry
Show: BtVS
Category: Post-Series
Pairing: Buffy/Giles
Notes: This was equally inspired by the![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
giles_shorts prompt "Horsepower" and by the Radiohead song "High and Dry. More for the mood that the song than the actual lyrics, other than the "flying on your motorcycle" line, of course.
It was the first sunny day in forever. Buffy had opened the window to get some fresh air in her room, when a movement from the courtyard of the Slayer Compound below caught her eye. She watched as Giles pulled out his motorcycle, a classic bike from the 1960s that he was absolutely crazy about. It was the perfect day to take a ride through the English countryside. He looked utterly happy in a way she hadn’t been used to seeing until recently. He was so in his element here, teaching Slayers how to be Slayers and Watcher how to be Watchers. It was clear that he had found his place and was completely at peace.
She was not. She’d never felt more useless and alone. They all said they needed her, but she really didn’t see it. Anybody could teach these baby Slayers just as well or even better than she could. But the real problem was when class was over. She just didn’t fit in anywhere. She was too young to really relate to the other teachers, all retired Watchers, some of whom were decades older than Giles. She was too under-educated and over-experienced to have much to talk about with the Watchers-in-training. And she was too old to hang with the other Slayers, even if she wasn’t their teacher. Giles was the only one that she was truly comfortable with, but that was part of the problem. The more time that she spent with him, the more that the wayward feelings she thought she had buried long ago began to resurface.
Maybe it was time to move on. Find her own place in the world, if such a place existed. At least go somewhere where the sky was blue on a regular basis. Go someplace where her heart wouldn’t break over something she’d never have. Yes, she knew what she should do and it was well past time that she did it. Buffy closed her eyes and turned her head away from Giles and towards the sun to better feel its warmth on her face. She only opened her eyes when she heard someone call her name.
“Buffy!” Giles called again and waved when she looked his way. He looked so like an excited child that she couldn’t help but smile.
“Off for a ride?” she called back.
“Yes! Would you like to come?” he asked with eager enthusiasm. Buffy paused. On one hand, she really shouldn’t. Snuggled up next to him on the back of his bike would only make her inconvenient crush worse. On the other hand, she didn’t think she had it in her to outright reject him like that. As if sensing her indecision, Giles waved his hand beckoningly, beaming at her all the while. And Buffy was lost.
“I’ll be right down,” she called and, if possible, Giles’s grin grew even wider. Oh, this wasn’t good for her heart at all, but, honestly, how could she resist?
Show: BtVS
Category: Post-Series
Pairing: Buffy/Giles
Notes: This was equally inspired by the
giles_shorts prompt "Horsepower" and by the Radiohead song "High and Dry. More for the mood that the song than the actual lyrics, other than the "flying on your motorcycle" line, of course.It was the first sunny day in forever. Buffy had opened the window to get some fresh air in her room, when a movement from the courtyard of the Slayer Compound below caught her eye. She watched as Giles pulled out his motorcycle, a classic bike from the 1960s that he was absolutely crazy about. It was the perfect day to take a ride through the English countryside. He looked utterly happy in a way she hadn’t been used to seeing until recently. He was so in his element here, teaching Slayers how to be Slayers and Watcher how to be Watchers. It was clear that he had found his place and was completely at peace.
She was not. She’d never felt more useless and alone. They all said they needed her, but she really didn’t see it. Anybody could teach these baby Slayers just as well or even better than she could. But the real problem was when class was over. She just didn’t fit in anywhere. She was too young to really relate to the other teachers, all retired Watchers, some of whom were decades older than Giles. She was too under-educated and over-experienced to have much to talk about with the Watchers-in-training. And she was too old to hang with the other Slayers, even if she wasn’t their teacher. Giles was the only one that she was truly comfortable with, but that was part of the problem. The more time that she spent with him, the more that the wayward feelings she thought she had buried long ago began to resurface.
Maybe it was time to move on. Find her own place in the world, if such a place existed. At least go somewhere where the sky was blue on a regular basis. Go someplace where her heart wouldn’t break over something she’d never have. Yes, she knew what she should do and it was well past time that she did it. Buffy closed her eyes and turned her head away from Giles and towards the sun to better feel its warmth on her face. She only opened her eyes when she heard someone call her name.
“Buffy!” Giles called again and waved when she looked his way. He looked so like an excited child that she couldn’t help but smile.
“Off for a ride?” she called back.
“Yes! Would you like to come?” he asked with eager enthusiasm. Buffy paused. On one hand, she really shouldn’t. Snuggled up next to him on the back of his bike would only make her inconvenient crush worse. On the other hand, she didn’t think she had it in her to outright reject him like that. As if sensing her indecision, Giles waved his hand beckoningly, beaming at her all the while. And Buffy was lost.
“I’ll be right down,” she called and, if possible, Giles’s grin grew even wider. Oh, this wasn’t good for her heart at all, but, honestly, how could she resist?