Fic: Adaptation (Giles, Xander)

[sparrow2000]

Title: Adaptation
Author: sparrow2000
Written for summer_of_giles 2020
Characters: Giles, Xander
Type: Gen
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Joss and Mutant Enemy et al, own everything. I own nothing.
Summary: Giles is drinking in the afternoon; Xander asks why and an unexpected conversation ensues.
Comments and feedback are cuddled and called George
Beta extraordinaire, as always: thismaz

Thanks as always to il_mio_capitano for all their hard work putting summer_of_giles together every year. It’s always such a highlight of our fandom calendar.

Adaptation

Comments

[accioawesome]

Love the "tweed armor" comment from Xander- what a good descriptor of Giles.
The look into Buffy's psyche with the new Slayers is so good. She WOULD find a way to feel guilty/make Giles feel guilty about that.
I LOVE that you pointed out Giles never having complimented Xander when he was younger-- I don't often love Xander (though I really like how you've written him here), but I have a lot of feelings about how Giles kind of failed as a mentor to Xander where he excelled with Buffy and Willow.

I loved this look into their better developed- better adapted, you might say- relationship :)

[sparrow2000]

Thank you so much for your wonderful comment, it really has made my day. I'm glad you felt the glimpse into Buffy's psyche rang true.

I'm also really happy Giles' guilt about not mentoring Xander when younger worked. I really like writing these two post series and having them be clear-eyed out the relationship they had when they had a less equal dynamic. So knowing that you liked this look at their better developed and grown up relationship is wonderful.

Thank you again for the brilliant comment! :)

[quaggy]

You have such a way with words! I loved the imagery in this fic, both in the scene you painted and the analogy that Xander conveyed to Giles with his fossil.

[sparrow2000]

Blushes, thank you. I'm so glad this worked for you, especially the analogy. Earlier in the year I was thinking about a visit my husband had made to the Burgess Shale and the idea of the fossil and evolution started whispering to me.

Thank you again for reading and commenting so positively, Giles and Xander treating each other as adults is one of my bullet proof kinks and I always have a ball writing them like that.