I'm the Only One
Part 1 of the Torch Song Trilogy
by: Gileswench
Rated NC-17
Spoilers: Through Crush to be safe.
Summary: Depression, booze, and Melissa Etheridge lead to true love and Watcher/Slayer bonding of the best posible kind.
Rating: NC17
Pairing: Buffy/Giles
Disclaimer: It all belongs to Joss, Mutant Enemy, etc., etc., etc. I just let them have all the fun Joss won't. I don't own Melissa Etheridge, either. All songs in this fic are on her fabulous album Yes I Am, available through Island records. I own nothing except my twisted mind which you really don't want. Please don't sue.
Notes: This is in response to Savage Dawn's ASH birthday challenge with the following requirements:
1) Giles in black sunglasses,
2) Any pairing,
3) Any rating, though the naughtier the better,
4) Giles having one too many shots of booze and stripping for his love and
5) The Scoobies walking in to find the pair naked on the couch.
* * * * * * *
Giles entered his apartment slowly. He waited until he had closed the door and checked that the drapes were firmly closed before removing his black sunglasses. Another bloody birthday. And the drinking spree he'd just gone on hadn't helped one bit. He knew better than to drink so much. Especially during the day. Not to mention publicly. He generally preferred to do his drinking at home where nobody would see him.
This time he'd decided, for once, to seek the comfort of other people by going to a bar. He should have known better. He'd been seen. He knew Buffy used the demon as a source of street gossip to help her in her fight against the denizens of the night.
He was so busted.
So, he'd gone to the liquor store and bought a bottle of single malt to prepare for the coming lecture he knew he would get when Buffy came to see him later.
He tossed the sunglasses on the coffee table carelessly and headed for the kitchen. He reached for a shot glass. Then he unscrewed the cap from the liquor and poured. Before lifting the glass to his mouth, he decided to put on some music. After all, it was his bloody birthday, and he should be doing something fun.
Willow had loaned him a boombox and some CD's she thought he might like a few days before. Not as a birthday present. The lot of them had forgotten about that. Again. All they offered him were apologies for having other plans that didn't include him. Typical. Even the so-called sensitive ones, Willow and Tara, hadn't given him a thought. And as for Buffy...
Well, Buffy had been through so much lately. Her mother's illness, her boyfriend's sudden departure, the discovery that Dawn wasn't really her sister, learning of Spike's feelings for her, fighting Glory. It was easy to see how she might forget him. He understood.
Unfortunately, understanding doesn't necessarily make things hurt any less.
He popped a CD into the boombox, settled back with his shot glass in one hand and the bottle in the other, and decided he would spend his birthday getting drunk to the angsty strains of Melissa Etheridge's whiskey-raw voice.
*****
An hour later, Buffy strode to the door of Giles' apartment. She was furious with him. Why in the world would he go drinking when they were supposed to have a training session? Why would he leave the customers in his shop to the tender mercies of Anya? What was he thinking?
She wrenched the door open to find an astonishing sight.
Giles was dancing to the Melissa Etheridge song I'm The Only One in the middle of the room. He was barefooted, his shirt was half open, and he was singing along to the tune, bumping and grinding his hips in time with the music. She couldn't believe how tempting he looked. Though, if she was honest with herself, she had thought that about him even before Riley left. Maybe longer than she realized.
As Buffy stood with her mouth hanging open, Giles began to slowly undo his belt buckle. As much as she wanted to simply watch, Buffy decided it was time to intervene.
"Hey, big boy! Shake that money maker!"
Giles turned so fast he almost toppled over.
"B-b-buffy. I wasn't expecting you."
He tried hurriedly to rebuckle his belt as inconspicuously as possible.
"I can see that." She stopped the CD. "I can also see that you've done that before."
Giles went crimson. Buffy watched as the blush spread from his cheeks down his neck and onto his chest. Seeing where her eyes had gone, Giles began to rebutton his shirt. Buffy stilled his hand with one of hers.
"It's okay. Come on, sit down and tell me all about it, Chippendale's guy."
She led him to the sofa where he flopped down beside her, still a bit drunk.
"Look, Giles, I won't lie to you. I came here to give you the big Mom lecture on drinking too much. But you know better than that, so I'm not gonna yell at you. I'm gonna ask you what happened. So...what happened?"
"Do you have any idea what day it is, Buffy?"
She sat back, perplexed. "Tuesday, isn't it?"
"It's my birthday."
"Oh."
Suddenly Buffy felt terribly small. Giles had given her so much and she couldn't even keep track of his birthday.
"I'm sorry, Giles. I thought it was next week. I even had something all planned to make it special. I was gonna cook dinner for you. It was even gonna be English stuff. Mushy peas and everything."
He smiled softly at her. "I like mushy peas."
"I know. You said. And I was gonna make one of those funny puddings, except nobody in Sunnydale carries suet. It was gonna be a surprise."
"And instead, I gave you something of a surprise."
"Yeah, I'd have to say so."
"I'm sorry, Buffy."
"What for? You thought we'd all forgotten you and anyway, I've seen a hell of a lot worse without the gag reflex kicking in."
Giles reached for the bottle, but Buffy grabbed it first. She opened the top and took a swig.
"Ick! This is awful. How can you drink it?"
"Well, I usually put it in a glass, for one thing. Still, if that's how you want it..." He, too, took a swig directly from the bottle.
"You're still drunk, aren't you?" It was curiosity rather than an accusation.
"A bit, I think."
Buffy's grin widened.
"Drunk enough to finish your performance?"
He blinked rapidly several times in surprise.
"Do you - do you want me to?"
"Answer me a question first. You were really putting your heart into that song. Were you thinking of someone in particular when you were singing it?"
It was now or never. If he was drunk enough to consider parading about in the altogether for Buffy, he was drunk enough to tell her how he felt.
"I was thinking of you, Buffy."
She sat back with a satisfied smile and looked him in the eye.
"In that case, full monty away."
"Y-you mean...?"
She pressed her fingers to his lips.
"Less talking. More disrobing. And if you play your cards right, I might just do the dance of the seven veils for you, too."
She leaned closer. He took the invitation and kissed her for the first time. And the second. And the third. He never wanted to stop. She felt and tasted just as sweet as he'd dreamed for so long. Buffy melted into his arms, hungry for his flavor and his hard, muscular body. At last she pulled him into an embrace.
"Dance for me, Giles."
"How far do you want me to go?"
"Duh! Didn't you hear me say full monty? That's what I want."
She finished by licking his earlobe.
He pulled her back for another long, passionate kiss. Then he rose, switched on the boombox, and waited for the music to begin.
Please baby, can't you see
My mind's a burnin' hell
I got razors a rippin' and tearin' and strippin'
My heart apart as well
Tonight you told me you ache for someone new
And some other woman is looking like something
That might be good for you
Go on and hold her till the screaming is gone
Go on believe her when she tells you nothing's wrong
But I'm the only one
Who'll walk across the fire for you
I'm the only one
Who'll drown in my desire for you
It's only fear that makes you run
The demons that you're hiding from
When all your promises are gone
I'm the only one
It suddenly struck Buffy just how appropriate the song was, despite the slight difficulties posed by the references to wanting a woman. After all, she had spent the past four years turning to anyone but the man who danced before her, baring his broad chest for her.
As if for the first time, she noticed his feline grace, the firm bulk of his muscles, the willingness he had shown to bare, not just his body - although he did seem to be enjoying that at the moment - but his soul to her.
Then his hand moved to unbuckle his belt and her brain shut down temporarily.
Please baby can't you see
I'm trying to explain
I've been here before and I'm locking the door
And I'm not going back again
Her eyes and arms and skin won't make it go away
You'll wake up tomorrow and wrestle the sorrow
That holds you down today
Go on and hold her till the screaming is gone
Go on believe her when she tells you nothing's wrong
But I'm the only one
Who'll walk across the fire for you
And I'm the only one
Who'll drown in my desire for you
It's only fear that makes you run
The demons that you're hiding from
When all your promises are gone
I'm the only one
Fear had held her back until this day. The first time she'd met Giles she'd run, and she hadn't stopped for four years. She'd run to Angel, to Parker, to Riley, but they had all left her. Giles remained. He'd been through hell and back for her as surely as Angel, and had found the strength to stay. For her.
When the song finished, she couldn't help but stare at Giles' naked body. He was beautiful. There was no other word. Gray hairs at his temples, scars, deep crow's feet, and all. An exquisite juxtaposition of delicacy and strength.
She held out her hands to him, and he took them with his own long-fingered hands. They met in a crushing embrace. Buffy allowed her fingers to explore Giles' back. She nestled her cheek against his chest, laughing softly as the wiry hairs tickled her face. He stroked her hair and dropped kisses on the top of her head.
Finally, Buffy pulled slightly back. She raised a hand to his cheek, smoothing the skin there, rough with the first hint of five o'clock shadow.
"I love you, Rupert Giles."
He turned his head and kissed her palm gently.
"And I love you, Buffy Summers."
Their kiss was sweet. A promise rather than a demand. When it ended, Buffy grinned up at Giles.
"So I guess it's my turn now, huh?"
"Only if you like to. It's all right if you'd rather not."
"I'm doing it. Things are a little lopsided with me wearing all this and you being so cute in your birthday suit. Speaking of which, you're the birthday boy and so far I'm the one who's gotten a present. I ask you, is this fair?"
"Well then, by all means, my dear."
He stretched out on the couch with his hands behind his head as Buffy picked a tune. A faint twitch in his groinal region made it clear how much he was looking forward to his birthday present.