Ficlet: Big Yellow Taxi Guy

[sahiya.livejournal.com]

All right, it is technically after midnight where I am, but I got back later from picking my cat up at my parents' house than I expected. And in Hawaii, it is still the 29th. So here you go - one last ficlet. Thanks so much to everyone who prompted, and my apologies to those whose prompts I didn't get to. They were all great and I wanted to do all of them - alas, it just didn't work out.

Title: Big Yellow Taxi Guy
Rating: G
Summary/Prompt: For mammothluv, who wanted "Buffy/Giles - something set right after or sometime in the summer after "Grave."

Big Yellow Taxi Guy

Buffy still thought of the room as her mother's, even though Willow and Tara had been using it for over a year now. They'd never changed the bedspread, but the art on the walls was a lot more Earth Mother goddessy now. Buffy eased the door open and sneaked across the darkened room to stand over the bed, where Giles slept, his chest rising and falling evenly. He should have spent the night at the hospital, but he'd refused, of course.

He hadn't refused the Vicodin. That had worried Buffy more than anything else.

She was about to turn and go when he stirred. "Buffy?" he mumbled sleepily.

She turned back. "Hey, sorry. Didn't mean to wake you."

"S'okay." He shifted, breath catching, then lifted the bedspread. "C'mere?"

She didn't think twice. She was already wearing her pj's, she'd just been pacing through the house one last time before going to bed. Dawn had been asleep for a couple hours now, Giles even longer. Willow was staying at Xander's, thank God. Everyone had said it was for Willow's sake, but the truth was that Buffy really couldn't have dealt with having her in the house every night. Willow still pinged her slayer sense. Giles said she'd do that for awhile, until the coven cleansed her of all the leftover bad energy.

Buffy crawled into bed next to Giles, curling herself up carefully against his body. "How you feeling?"

"All right," he said. "My ribs hurt, but I'd be worried if they didn't." He slipped an around her waist, pulling her closer. "Buffy. My Buffy," he mumbled into her hair.

"Your Buffy," she agreed, even as she wondered what he meant. He'd been full of un-Gilesy behavior since he came back, starting with the sweeping, heroic entrance in black jeans and that truly awesome coat, to all the cuddling that'd happened since. Not just her, either. She'd come in the day before to find him and Dawn asleep on the sofa together with the TV on, Dawn tucked under his arm with an afghan over her. Even Xander had gotten a nice, long hug from him.

He'd kept his distance from Willow so far, but Buffy thought that was just smart. She didn't tend to cuddle people who'd tried to kill her, either. Spike didn't count. Nothing she and Spike had ever done counted as cuddling.

She shuddered slightly. Giles must've felt it. "Mm?" he managed sleepily.

"Nothing. Caught a chill or something."

He pulled her closer. "Can't have that." He sighed. "Wish I could stay."

"Me too," she said sadly. They had two days at most, and then he would have to leave, to take Willow back to the coven in England. There hadn't been any talk of Buffy going with. Giles had promised that this time he'd come back, but she didn't hold out hope that it'd be any time soon. Too bad. Things sucked without Giles. He was her Big Yellow Taxi guy.

His breath was ghosting across the back of her neck. It felt . . . good. His arm around her waist felt good, too, and his chest pressed to her back. Buffy hadn't done this with a lot of guys. Never Spike. Angel, a few times. He'd always been so cold. Riley had tried to engulf her when they spooned. Giles was just as big as Riley, but it was different with him. He didn't hold her like he was trying to cover her up or protect her or any of that crap. He held her like . . . like she was something precious he never wanted to let go. Except, of course, he pretty much had this last year.

They hadn't talked about that since those few minutes they'd had together in the Magic Shop. Buffy wasn't sure she wanted to. She'd said he was right to go, but it was a lot more complicated than that. She'd needed to sink or swim, but she'd had weights attached to her and even treading water had been really hard. He hadn't even stood on shore to shout directions, he'd just vanished. I

t was a lot of water under the bridge. Might be easier to just let it go.

"Buffy?" Giles murmured. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

His arm tightened. "Don't lie to me."

She drew a deep breath. "Right. I . . . was wondering why you left. Really. And don't - don't tell me it was because I needed to be on my own."

"Ah," Giles said, in a totally unsurprised tone. He sighed. "I . . . I left, because if I had stayed . . . Buffy, what is this to you?" He tightened his arm around her again, as though she could have mistaken what he meant.

She frowned. "Don't know. Yet."

"Well. I know what it is to me. And if I had stayed . . . the way you were, there were so many terrible places we could have gone together." His voice caught. "I was afraid I couldn't say no to you. And I couldn't bear the thought of what we had turning into something you were ashamed of, or - or dependent on."

"I went there anyway," Buffy said, glad he couldn't see her flush in the dark. "Only it was with Spike. So much worse."

"I know. I know. I'm sorry."

She rolled over so she could look up at him. "I don't mind change. Sometimes it's even good. But we can't change if you're never here."

"Oh." He swallowed. "Oh. But Willow -"

"Screw Willow," Buffy said harshly. "I don't care about Willow anymore. She almost destroyed the world, she doesn't get to wreck this, too." She drew a deep breath, reaching a decision. "I'll come with you. Or you'll send her and stay here. But we're together from now on. Watcher and slayer. Buffy and Giles. The way it's supposed to be."

She held her breath, waiting for his answer. "Yes," he said at last.

"Yes?" she repeated.

"Yes. I'd like that. Not sure about how we're going to handle Willow, but . . . yes."

She found his hand and threaded her fingers through his. "Yes. Good."

Fin.

Comments

[froxyn.livejournal.com]

Absolutely beautiful...and how I would've loved to have seen even hints of this in reality.

Thank you!

[sahiya.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Me too, actually.

[cmk418]

I really liked the way you have this unfold. It's such a quiet, but powerful scene. Well done!

[sahiya.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[mammothluv.livejournal.com]

Oh, my goodness! This is perfect and just beautiful. Thank you for writing for my prompt. You capture both Buffy and Giles so well. It's an interesting contrast because it's such a quiet little scene with them all snuggled up together (which is the cutest image, by the way) but there is big life changing talk happening.

[sahiya.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the prompt! I love writing conversations that take place between two people in bed, be it during sex or snuggles.

[firthgal.livejournal.com]

Oh man, this was absolute perfection. The way it starts out so open and peaceful, then gets a little tense when they start bringing up the past, then resolute in the end, both knowing they just want to be with each other in whatever capacity they can. Loved it! The dialog was so very in character, and I loved the idea of Giles being more physically open with people after he almost died.

[sahiya.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I have a hard time being shippy with Buffy and Giles, but I do think that they both should want to be with the other, in whatever capacity they can, as you say.

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

I'm not a big fan of the pairing, but this was lovely. I like the idea of Giles getting more tactile after "Grave," and him giving even Xander a big hug gave me a grin. Buffy just crawling into bed with him, seeking and giving comfort, happened naturally, as did the unfolding conversation. I love that they both decide to do what's right for them for once. They deserve it. Buffy's "Screw Willow," Buffy said harshly. "I don't care about Willow anymore. She almost destroyed the world, she doesn't get to wreck this, too." was wonderful.

[sahiya.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm also not a B/G shipper generally, but every once in awhile I give it a whirl for the sake of trying something new. I'm glad you liked it!

[seldomifever.livejournal.com]

Love, love this, sahiya. Oh what I'd give to have you as a BG shipper.

[sahiya.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

*sigh* Alas . . . it just doesn't work for me somehow. But I do flirt with it on occasion, and I had fun with both this one and the ficlet in the last batch. And, hey, I just tripled the number of B/G pieces I've written!

[seldomifever.livejournal.com]

Sorry, that probably came out way more obnoxious than I'd intended, but I love your work and I love the pairing, so when you write BG it's the best of both worlds. For me, at any rate.

And, hey, I just tripled the number of B/G pieces I've written!

Which is triple the amount I've written, so I think I'll just keep quiet and get back to work. :)

[vala3.livejournal.com]

This was just fine. Loved the cuddling. You can continue with this plot. I for one, would be in line to read it.

[dragonydreams.livejournal.com]

I almost skipped this because I pretty much skip all B/G as a rule, but gave it a shot because a) it was by you and b) it was rated G. I'm so glad I did read it. This was a wonderful, much needed, moment between them.