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summer_of_giles2015-07-18 08:18 am
HERE TO WATCH GIRLS, CHAPTER Eleven: Twist of Bait (11 OF 14)
Author: ProtoNeoRomantic
Betas: Gilescandy & porkwithbones
Rating: Mature (work as a whole bordering on NC-17, but really just because of that one chaper a few chapters back)
Paring: Giles/Willow, Giles/Buffy, Giles/Cordelia, Giles/other female characters
Word Count: 1652 (this chapter)
“♫ Now the heat of the summer/ It hits just like your head against the pavement... ♪” The music thumped inside Rupert's already thumping head, making the few lines he managed to pick out of the cacophony seem all too apt. Although, compared to the grinding, almost mechanical noise of the last number (with lyrics as deep as half full and half empty glasses, no less), this monotonal soliloquy (backed by the comparatively subdued thrum of drums and guitar) was an almost physical relief. On stage, the band members continued to throw themselves about as if in a state of religious ecstasy. For them, it probably amounted to that.
Rupert had been there, had felt that. He hated feeling the way he did now—disgruntled, annoyed, cynical, old, teeth-on-edge—about what was probably, if he were being honest, a half decent, garage-quality rock band. Half a dozen bright kids covered in hair and filled with innocent zeal to fix a broken world. He'd never really thought he could ever become the grouchy old bastard who literally wanted to shout at them to grow up and out of it. But it was hard enough to try to concentrate, to try to find anything or anyone in this dark, crowed, hot, pungent, naturally noisy environment, without their sincere, heartfelt mediocrity adding to the din.
If only he could get higher up, Giles thought, could see over the crowd.... Look up and to your left, the incubus advised. Sure enough, there was an industrial looking something-between-a-cat-walk-and-a-gallery bearing only a couple of tables, with less than a dozen people lounging about them or leaning on the railings. Mounting the narrow stairs, Giles thought it seemed almost as if this tiny structure had been installed for him by divine providence, a convenient perch from which to scan the crowd below. You're welcome. The timing of the discovery was excellent as well. I said you're welcome!
As Giles found his place at the rails, studiously avoiding brushing up against the gorgeous ass that jutted out from the young woman leaning next to him—Kill joy. Predator. Twenty-five if she's a day. Not the point.—Jesse and Xander walked in the front door. Willow was not with them.
She'd been with them at the imaginatively named Sunnydale Drive-In when he'd finally found the place (and driven by repeatedly) about an hour ago. But that had hardly seemed like a natural place to approach her. Especially compared to this. You'd look a hell of a lot more 'natural' in this place if you'd lose the tweeds, the demon pointed out, not for the first time. But Giles felt exposed enough as it was. He'd gotten used to walking around half hard most of the time, but the key to not dying of embarrassment was to keep that fact covered up.
Never mind about that. Focus. Concentrate. Jesse and Xander were there. Willow was not. A minute passed and she didn't follow them in, nor did they act as if they were waiting for her. Xander headed straight to the bar. Jesse took to the dance floor almost at once with a graceful, confident blonde girl who moved into his arms so readily at the first suggestion of same that she almost had to be his girlfriend, though Giles had previously been under the distinct impression that he didn't have one.
Right, so she's not here. Why don't we head on over to The Fish Tank, do something about your little frustration problem, and maybe in the morning—Wait a minute. Why are you suddenly in such a hurry to get out of here? What? I'm not. I'm just... ready to find you a nice piece of ass while the night's young, that's all. Unlike the one I'm standing next to? Giles scoffed. Hey, no, right. She'll do fine. Why don't you introduce yourself, do the smile-with-the-eyes thing all the girls go to puddles over, see if she wants a drink....
Giles did his best the tune out the monster in his trousers as he continued watching the crowd of young people from above, trying to find whatever he wasn't seeing that the demon was. It literally had to be right before his very eyes, in the exact same field of vision. Sometimes I really hate smart people. I mean, I love mixing those flavors, but... Shut up, already! It's no use trying to—Suddenly, though less than a full song had elapsed, the blonde girl was pulling Jesse off of the dance floor, over to the bar almost directly beneath the platform on which Giles stood. Though there was no making out what was said, both she and Jesse raised their voices in greeting and gestured broadly for Xander to join them, insisting, despite his pantomimed protests that he had yet to obtain any drinks.
At this proximity, Giles could see that the woman wore heavy evening makeup, as if covering or compensating for something. The hand that she raised to beckon to the boy was ghostly pale. As she closed the distance between them, she leaned and whispered something in Xander's ear, which lit up his eyes with joy and amazement. The way she brushed against him as she did so was more than friendly, anything but casual. The three of them headed for the exit at a swift trot. “Oh, damn!” Giles curse quietly but emphatically as he began to push and shove his way hurriedly down the suddenly much too crowded stairs and through the throng below.
As the young man on stage moaned out his upbeat existential angst, “♫Why do I live; why do I die?... Should I worry about my soul♪”, Giles pushed his way to the front door and hurried through. He would have almost sworn he could hear his demon smirking as he scanned the immediate area, failing to catch sight of them. Okay, now you're just getting paranoid. I think you need to just go home, relax, have a hot shower, a nice long wank... Giles turned down the narrow alley towards the carpark in the rear of the club. It was the only place they could have possibly disappeared to so quickly. Sure enough, as he emerged he caught a glimpse of the vampire's blonde head disappearing into an old beater with the two teens, three doors slamming closed.
Giles ran forward with the half formed intention of throwing himself in front of Jesse's car before it got up any speed, or something of the kind. But before he could make half the necessary distance, he was brought to his knees by a crippling, twisting pain in his testicles. In fact, twisting was exactly the right word. Damn right! I just gave you massive, bilateral testicular torsion. And if you don't want your balls to rot and fall off, you'd best crawl on back inside and call for an ambulance to get you to the ER and get you sorted out.
You fool! Giles cried out miserably in his mind, even as he groaned and grunted aloud in torment, How are you ever going to get your kicks this way? Save it, Dr. Logic! You were right back in the library. I'm getting my body back. By this time tomorrow, your fucking scruples won't be my problem anymore, and neither will your balls. Hell I could twist them all the way off if you give me half a reason. You could, but you won't. No way you could stand living with that for twenty-four hours. I will before I'll let you stop the Harvest!
Giles heart thumped. A tentative sense of triumph swelled within him, despite his pain. At last a solid bit of information. Something he could look up. If, God willing, he could still get his hands on the right book. Oh, fuck, I'm an idiot! Thank the devil most of your books are ash by now. Most, but not all.
Grunting with effort, using a stranger's car to pull himself up, Giles got to his feet and began limping painfully forward, in the direction of his own vehicle. He nearly lost his balance, nearly fell to his face on the asphalt, as the scrotal pouch itself spasmed, vice-like, around his already painfully twisted balls. Flesh contracted around flesh in places that didn't even have musculature. Such was the demon's power.
Giles caught himself against the bonnet of another unknown automobile. He stayed on his feet but could go no further. Please, he begged silently, tears streaming down his face, just unclench, untwist me and I swear I'll go home and to bed. Nice, try, the demon scoffed, but I can hear you planning to plan to betray me, even if you're not sure how just yet. OF COURSE I AM, YOU SUBHUMAN GARBAGE!!!! I WANT TO SEE YOU TRAMPLED AND EATEN BY SWINE!!!!
So, here's the deal, the demon went on calmly, ignoring his victim's outburst, I will unclench, but I won't untwist, and you are going to limp right back into that club and get yourself an ambulance. Is that understood? Until I figure a way around it, Giles sneered, since the demon knew what he really thought anyway. The more acute, squeezing pain ended and he began making his tortured way towards rear entrance to the Bronze.
Suddenly, a familiar form stepped from the alley that led to the street out front. “There you are,” Willow sighed, the relief and friendliness in her voice far sweeter in that moment than a choir of angels singing. “When you weren't at home, I thought you must have come looking for me.”
“Thank God,” Giles gasped, even as his scrotum seized up tighter than ever. He winced, but pressed forward, biting out the words between gritted teeth. “We haven't much time. Jesse and Xander have been captured by vampires. Probably for some kind of ritual sacrifice. Which they mean to complete by tomorrow night.”
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